Seaford House Papers, 1970
The Royal College of Defence Studies: London: Seaford House, 1971. 170 pp.
Reviewed by Commander Robert M. Laske, U. S. Navy
(Commander Laske earned his B.A. From Ripon College and his M.A. from George Washington University. He is a graduate of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and is currently serving as Editor of the Naval War College Review.)
The Seaford House Papers, 1970 represent the research effort of ten members of the Royal College of Defence Studies (formerly known as the Imperial Defence College), class of 1971, and cover a variety of subjects in the fields of public and international affairs. They are convincing in their substance and demonstrative of both the wide range of interest and the depth of knowledge of the contemporary service officer. No small wonder that the College’s Commandant, Alastair Buchan, is enthused over their publication. In the Foreword, he categorically states that publication in future years will depend on “the quality of the papers.”
In scanning the individual titles, one might be tempted to hastily leaf through the pages and dismiss the articles as just another “student exercise.” To judge them as such would be a mistake, as any reader who more thoroughly examines an article will quickly find out. This reviewer found the two views of Soviet seapower by Böcker and Price refreshingly intriguing. Following a rather standard delineation of the Soviet Navy’s composition, its wartime capability, and peacetime role, Dr. A. Böcker rightfully questions the precise purpose for which the Soviet Navy was built—one should not “overestimate it. . . . After all, intimidation by displaying strength has always been one aspect of seapower.” The reviewer would add that both fabrication and the exaggeration of its military capabilities has been a key element in Soviet strategy since the Bolshevik revolution. Captain C. E. Price, Royal Navy, deals with the conceptual development of the Soviet Navy, and the reader of this work should find it one of the most interesting and lucid discussions of the subject that he has experienced. The Soviet Navy’s current imbalance and military weakness become readily apparent, as do its strong points as a maritime force on the contemporary scene.
On the subject of American antimilitary relations in the 1980s, Colonel Richard F. Rosser, U. S. Air Force, suggests that the popularly held belief in “military-industrial complex” is a distortion of American priorities and foresees any drift in American political affairs as tending away from militarism. The military professional will hardly find reassuring his discussion of a restricted role for the military, the primacy of domestic politics, and antimilitarism among the young. However, the strength of his work not only rests in its thoughtful and cogent arguments, but also on the fact that it was written by a committed professional service officer. A sequel to this paper is by Brigadier J. M. Gow, British Army, whose effort is on “The Generation Gap and its Implications in Britain.” The author applies his extended personal research to a subject area all too often treated in impersonal, clinical terms.
The post-Vietnam “never again” advocate may find a small measure of comfort in the thesis by Brigadier E. N. W. Bramall, British Army, entitled “The Application of Force in the 1970s.” While he believes “. . . that the ability to employ force will continue to circumscribe international relations in the 1970s . . . ,” he perceives a modern “. . . strategy of force [as] . . . not [so much] the deployment and organization of military power . . . but more the complicated and devious art of producing a constraining influence . . . even of bluff and counterbluff.” While the author sees changes in the circumstances under which it will be possible to apply force, “. . . it is clear that the controlled and thoughtful application of force will be no less significant . . . nor any less of a challenge for political and military leaders.”
For those who have been troubled by the media’s performance in reporting and analyzing conflict, the article by Brigadier D. W. Scott-Barrett, British Army, “The Media, Conflict, and The Armed Services,” provides a perspective and an education for both the service officer and the media. No less, the Sovietologist will find the article by Air Commodore R. Bullen, Royal Air Force, on “The Relative Influence of Ideology and National Interest in Soviet Foreign Policy” and Michael S. Morris’ work on “Soviet Interests in the Middle East” of unusual interest, as well as the article by Captain J. D. Davidson, Royal Australian Navy, on “The Likely Course of Sino-Soviet Relations.”
As the .concluding article to this volume, S. E. Arthur’s “Diplomatic and Strategic Options for Japan 1970-1985” projects Japan into an activist role. He sees Japan’s development of a nuclear capability as necessary, the constitutional problem notwithstanding.
Hopefully, this brief commentary will persuade the serious student of public and international affairs to dig into the Seaford House Papers. They represent a professional treasure for the military officer, and due credit must be given to the editor for their readability and consistent quality of style and syntax.
Smugglers of Spirits
Lt. Harold Waters, U.S.C.G. (Ret.). New York: Hastings House: 1971. 220 pp. Illus. $6.95.
Reviewed by Commander Adrian L. Lonsdale, U. S. Coast Guard
(Commander Lonsdale, a 1950 graduate of the U. S. Coast Guard Academy, has served afloat and ashore in both the United States and overseas, including South Vietnam. He is a co-author of two books, A Guide to Sunken Ships in American Waters and Voyager Beware, and is a contributing author to the Handbook of Ocean and Underwater Engineering. He was serving on the Law Enforcement Staff at the U. S. Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., until April 1972, when he was assigned as Commanding Officer of the USCGC Edisto (WAGB-284).
For the first year and a half of prohibition, which began on 17 January 1920, the U. S. Coast Guard was not a significant force in the enforcement of the unpopular law. Except for its cruising cutters, the Service was ill-equipped for duties other than its traditional lifesaving role.
Beginning in 1921, the reluctant Service was gradually drawn into the fray. For the next 12 years, the Coast Guard would suffer the scorn of an ungrateful public whom the Service was trying to save from demon rum. In the process, the Coast Guard would more than triple in size and move into the category of a modern “dry Navy.”
Smugglers of Spirits is a fo’c’s’le view of the metamorphosis. The humorous account, based on personal recollections was written by Harold Waters. A native New Zealander, he begins his story as a seaman on board the cutter Tampa. Later, he transferred to the four-stack destroyer Tucker, one of 25 World War I destroyers which the Coast Guard commissioned before the end of Prohibition. At the end of Prohibition, Waters was a chief gunner’s mate.
His first shipmates, like himself, were mostly aliens, recruited by the ship’s “press gang” who made the rounds of waterfront taverns, union halls, and missions whenever new hands were required. Many of them could not understand English and they loved their liquor. These two ingredients form the basis for a series of amusing incidents. In his other books, Waters is known as a master at capturing the Scandinavian accent, but in Smugglers, unfortunately, he restrained that talent.
Waters has fun with the senior Coast Guard officers he served under or heard about. He avoids identifying them by labeling the officers with the nicknames given them by their crews. For example, there was “Old Goosey.” He acquired the name because of a nervous affliction that affected him whenever he became angered, like the time he mistakenly piped a laundryman on board, complete with a 17-gun salute. The hero was the man who could think of a scheme to cause the embarrassing rectal tic. The betting was always on which hand the captain would use. There were others—Sunny Jim, who at rocks and shoals passed out the worst punishments in the fleet, while making the unfortunate recipient feel he had just been done a great favor; Blind Tom; Goat Beard Steve; Woman of the Sea; and Old Nap, who carried a certificate to prove he was sane.
One-fourth of the way through Smugglers patrolling of “rum row” begins. Its founder was Captain Bill McCoy, noted for his fair dealing and the high quality of his “stuff,” thus the coining of the phrase, “The Real McCoy.” The row consisted of a motley assortment of ships that anchored three miles off major East Coast ports. There, they waited for the “sunset fleet” of small boats from shore. In the beginning, the antiquated cutters patrolling the row were considered little more than a nuisance. Smuggling liquor was a gala affair and the profits were fantastic.
The profits attracted a far uglier foe than the Coast Guard. The new menace was pirates and highjackers. They preyed on defenseless rum ships, especially after they had sold most of their cargoes and had large amounts of cash on board. Crews were slaughtered and ships and boats burned and sunk. The gaiety disappeared. Strangers were treated with suspicion. Cashless transactions and coded communications went into effect.
The first Coast Guard destroyers, backed up by inshore screens of newly-built 75-footers, came on the scene. The destroyers were the only Coast Guard ships fast enough to catch many of the rumrunners. Rum row began to come apart. Weak operators fell by the way-side, and syndicates moved in. The war began in earnest and escalated on both sides. Rum ships were modernized and sophisticated code systems were developed. Coast Guard intelligence and crypto-analysis divisions were expanded rapidly, along with complicated tactics. The reputations of skippers on both sides of the law were made or broken by their skill and daring.
The Coast Guard developed an elite corps of rum hunters, such as Boatswain Alexander C. Cornell. Matching his skill and a 14-knot boat against rum ships, some of which could make up to 30 knots, Cornell bagged many of the famous boats of the day. Waters gives excellent accounts of Cornell’s capture of the Audrey B., Idle Hour, Penguin, High Strung, and Black Duck.
While Coast Guardsmen like Cornell were becoming heroes, others, who had been unable to resist tempting bribes, were going to the Naval Prison at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with Waters as their guard. The author-observer also risked his own career on occasion, such as the time he used his native diving skills to recover jettisoned cargo for later destruction by internal consumption. Waters’ ship was assigned to the Straits of Florida. There, he becomes our observer for the fast boats coming out of the “mouse holes” of the Bahamas; the terrible vengeance of El Gallo, the hated dictator of Cuba; the murder of Coast Guardsmen; the alliance between Florida bootleggers and the drys; and, some of the women who became powers in the trade.
The author witnesses rescue attempts for the crew of the S-4 after she was rammed and sunk by a Coast Guard cutter off Provincetown, Massachusetts.
As in all things, it is hard to separate the good from the bad. From Waters’ viewpoint we are amused by both. For entertainment, he has shotgunned his personal experiences into the book. These, combined with carefully researched information, give the reader a feeling of “how it really was” in that unpopular war.
Professional Reading
Compiled by Robert A. Lambert, Associate Editor
Armed Forces of the World
Robert C. Sellers (ed.). New York: Praeger, 1971. 296 pp. $15.00.
This is the third edition of a detailed reference which tabulates the most current data on the military establishments of all countries. At best, the figures are close guesses with an acknowledged error of 8 to 10%.
Arms and Armor
Frederick Wilkinson. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1971. 159 pp. Illus. $3.95.
Described and illustrated with full color drawings are broadswords, rapiers, daggers, pikes, stilettos and bayonets as well as suits of armor and armored headgear, including the helmets of two world wars. There is a section on African and Oriental edged weapons and a chapter on oddities such as steel quoit “knives” and scissor daggers.
Black Company
Eric Purdon. Washington, D C.: Robert B. Luce, 1972. 255 pp. Illus. $6.95.
A pleasant memoir of World War II by the first captain of the U. S. Navy’s subchaser PC-1264, an experiment in integration; manned by 58 enlisted men, 50 of whom were Negroes, and five white officers. For its time this was a daring social and military experiment, as Negroes, since the end of the World War I, had been accepted in the Navy only as mess attendants, being considered unsatisfactory for general service.
Brassey’s Annual: The Armed Forces Yearbook 1971
J. L. Moulton (ed.). New York: Praeger, 1971. 317 pp. Illus. $18.50.
Individual articles, in this 82nd edition, examine current trouble spots—Vietnam, Northern Ireland, the Middle East—as well as general problems, such as budgets, salaries, and training, and cover the latest developments in naval forces, aircraft, missiles, and land-based equipment.
Cableships and Submarine Cables
K. R. Haigh. Washington, D.C.: United States Underseas Cable Corp., 1968. 416 pp. Illus. $15.95.
The history of the cableship and the various companies and governments who have operated these specialized vessels is recorded. A separate chapter is devoted to each organization; most ships are pictured and each has a very brief data statement.
China and Russia: The “Great Game”
O. Edmund Clubb. New York: Columbia University Press, 1971. 578 pp. Illus. $12.95.
Nearly 700 years of mutually antagonistic Sino-Russian history are surveyed with a natural emphasis on the past 70 years, during which both nations destroyed their royal dynasties, went through violent civil wars, two world wars, and became more involved with the United States. The tentative conclusion reached through all of this is that, despite their long emnity [sic] and the present estrangement though both being Communist, they are unlikely to permit the United States to play one against the other.
China: The Roots of Madness
Theodore H. White and Mel Stuart. New York: Norton, 1968. 160 pp. Illus. $4.95.
Slim though it is, this book, which was the basis for a television documentary of the same title, tells a story of bloodshed and intrigue that started with the Boxer Rebellion and persists to the present, making use of narratives by Americans who lived in China before 1950.
Coastal Reflections
Robert Chace. Barre, Mass.: Barre, 1971. 63 pp. Illus. $12.50.
Twenty-eight truly beautiful watercolors capture the feelings, and the moods of the Atlantic Coast in New England and the Maritime provinces.
Communist Eastern Europe
Department of the Army. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1971. 367 pp. Illus. $8.00 (paper).
This analytical literature survey focuses on the problems of the Warsaw Pact countries, including Albania and Yugoslavia; there is particular attention to the invasion of Czechoslovakia and its consequences. Appendixes consist of texts, charts, statistical tables, and maps. DA Pam 550-8.
Communist North Korea
Department of the Army. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1971. 130 pp. Illus. $3.25 (paper).
In selecting materials for this bibliography, an attempt was made to present a balanced picture. Data on North Korea is limited, however, so the publication discusses both the Republic of Korea and Communist North Korea.
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Vol. 5, N-Q
James L. Mooney (ed.). Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1970. 629 pp. Illus. $6.75.
In this, the 5th volume of the series, historical sketches are provided for ships with names beginning with the letters “N” through “Q”; also included are abbreviated details of the unfinished CVAN-68 Nimitz, along with a biographical sketch of the admiral. Appendixes cover the Civil War Stone Fleet, minecraft, aircraft, and new ships which alphabetically belong in earlier volumes.
Diplomacy for Victory
Raymond G. O’Connor. New York: Norton, 1971. 143 pp. Illus. $6.50.
In this slim work the more recent historical interpretation that FDR’s insistence on unconditional surrender of the Axis Powers prolonged World War II is taken to task. The author argues that the war was most likely shortened as Allied relationships were strengthened by focusing on the war’s political objectives which were far better understood by Roosevelt than by Churchill.
Diving for Sunken Treasure
Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Philippe Diole. New York: Doubleday, 1971. 302 pp. Illus. $8.95.
The famed explorer describes the Calypso's search for a Spanish treasure ship wrecked centuries before on Silver Bank coral reef in the Caribbean; beautiful photographs enhance the telling and help compensate for the expedition’s limited success. The appendixes, which include short histories of the area and the type of shipping used in an age of discoveries, are as interesting as the main portion.
Duce!
Richard Collier. New York: Viking, 1971. 447 pp. Illus. $12.50.
An extrovert with an inferiority complex, a complicated man of wildly conflicting emotions is the essential conclusion reached in this biographical portrait of Benito Mussolini. This picture of the Italian dictator is based on the eyewitness memories of 454 interviewees and upon research through an extensive range of written sources.
Encyclopedia of U. S. Military Aircraft
Robert B. Casari. Chillicothe, Ohio: Robert B. Casari, 1972. 64 pp. Illus. $2.95 (paper).
In this part 2 of volume 1, the World War I production program is opened and alphabetically covers aircraft from the Avro 504 to the Bristol Scout.
Flottes de Combat 1972
Henri Le Masson (ed.). Paris: Editions Maritimes et D’Outre-Mer, 1971. 440 pp. Illus.
The generally good coverage, especially of the U. S. and Russian fleets, and improved photo-reproduction of the last few editions has been continued, and most dated illustrations are of fairly recent vintage
Flying Tigers
Ron Heiferman. New York: Ballantine, 1971. 160 pp. Illus. $1.00 (paper).
The World War II exploits of General Claire Chennault in China are seen in the context of his many personal and political problems, with the conclusion that the Flying Tigers did not perform any definitive feat; they simply facilitated the inevitable defeat of Japan.
Forecast for Overlord
J. M. Stagg. London: Ian Allen, 1971, 128 pp. Illus. £2.60.
Written by General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s chief meteorologist, this book, based on his diary, describes the plans, preparations, and the bureaucratic infighting that were part of the weather forecasting for the Normandy invasion.
Forgotten Fighters and Experimental Aircraft, U. S. Army: 1918-1941
Peter M. Bowers. New York: Arco, 1971. 95 pp. Illus. $3.95 (paper).
Each model of the 55 aircraft chronicled is shown in two or more views along with a short history and technical description.
Forked-Tailed Devil: The P-38
Martin Caidin. New York: Ballantine, 1971. 369 pp. Illus. $1.65 (paper).
Pilot interviews, combat reports, and technical analysis arc combined to tell the story of this controversial World War II combat aircraft that combined firepower, horsepower, and long range.
German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945
Brian L. Davis. New York: World, 1972. 224 pp. Illus. $12.50.
Every aspect of the uniforms, insignias, and accouterments of the German Army of the Third Reich are covered in detail and illustrated with remarkably fine photographs and drawings, too few of which are in color. Appendixes include a summary of the soldier’s personal equipment and weapons, a bibliography and a German-English, English-German glossary. This reference is limited strictly to the Army and does not include information on Nazi paramilitary and political organizations.
The Hessian View of America 1776-1783
Ernst Kipping. Monmouth Beach, N.J.: Philip Freneau Press, 1971. 48 pp. Illus. $7.95.
The military aspect of Hessian mercenaries fighting on the British side in the American Revolution is well known; less well known is the fact that 20 such regiments participated—nearly the equal of the British regulars involved—and that over 6,000 chose to stay in America following the war. Diaries, official journals and letters, mostly from German archives are used to provide an important insight into foreign opinions of the war, the inhabitants, their towns, and their way of life.
The Hollow Legions
Mario Cervi. New York: Doubleday, 1971. 373 pp. Illus. $7.95.
The disastrous Italian campaign to conquer Greece in the early days of World War II is the subject of this detailed book that also takes into account the political scene and the oddly sorted characters involved. Unfortunately, the only maps are an inadequate frontispiece and end papers.
The Impact of Changing Values on Military Organization and Personnel
Anthony L. Wermuth. Waltham, Mass.: Westinghouse, 1970. 30 pp. Illus. $1.25 (paper).
The sociological jargon, frequently present in such discussions, is blessedly omitted, but, while there are some interesting observations made, suggestions on how the military might cope with the new social pressures are few; conclusions are fewer—altogether, many questions, not many answers.
The Impact of Developments in the Asian Pacific on South Asia and the Indian Ocean Basin, 1972-1984
James McGarry and Daniel Tretiak. Falls Church, Va.: Westinghouse Electric Corp., 1971. 42 pp. $2.25 (paper).
Concluding that no state will dominate the Indian Ocean, either as a stabilizing or disruptive force up to 1984, this monograph analyzes the policy alternatives available to the United States, Japan, China, the Soviet Union, and Indonesia.
Japan's Imperial Conspiracy
David Bergamini. New York: Morrow, 1971. 1239 pp. Illus. $14.95.
The book is thick, but the style is lucid and the conclusion definitely controversial—Emperor Hirohito, far from being a passive presence, was an active planner of Japanese aggression as long ago as 1921.
The Lancaster at War
Mike Garbett and Brian Goulding. London: Ian Allen, 1971. 144 pp. Illus. £3.00.
First-hand accounts are joined with more than 200 photographs in this large-format remembrance of Britain’s most successful World War II bomber.
The Long March
Dick Wilson. New York: Viking, 1972. 331 pp. Illus. $8.95.
Begun in October 1934, the Long March was a 6,000-mile, year-long trek of desperation that profoundly affected Mao Tse-tung and the course of Chinese Communism as moulded by the guerrilla ethic, increased the reliance on peasant virtues, strengthened an independence from Russian influence and established the long ascendance of Mao. The book is as thoroughly researched as possible, given the difficulties of the task, and quite readable; its timeliness is obvious.
Marine Decisions Under Uncertainty
John W. Devanney, III. Cambridge, Md.: Cornell Maritime Press, 1971. 203 pp. Illus. $6.50 (paper).
The objective of this monograph is to facilitate the application of probability and Bayesian decision theory in the marine industry.
The Mariner’s Pocket Companion
Wallace E. Tobin, III. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1971. 101 pp. Illus. $4.50.
A little bit of everything in the way of useful shiphandling information is combined in this slim booklet housed in a vinyl folder along with a 1972 calendar that features large date-blocks for making notes.
Mark Well the Whale!
Frederick P. Schmitt. Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1971. 151 pp. Illus. $6.95.
$6.95. [sic]
The rigors and color of the whaling industry are recreated through a history of the ships and personalities that sailed from the secondary port of Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island.
The Medal of Honor in Vietnam
Evans E. Kerrigan (ed.). Noroton Heights, Conn.: Medallic Publishing Co., 1971. 108 pp. Illus. $9.95.
Photographs of the recipients along with the official citation have been compiled. But, as a reference, it is nearly useless as there is neither alphabetical arrangement nor an index to names. Also included is at least one non-Vietnam winner. Captain William McGonagle, U. S. Navy, commanding officer of the USS Liberty (AGTR-5) at the time of her attack by Israeli aircraft in 1967.
The Medieval Soldier
A. V. B. Norman. New York: Crowell, 1971. 278 pp. Illus. $7.95.
Covers the same territory as Hindley’s Medieval Warfare, but does so with more words and fewer pictures; in a sense these two books supplement one another in the field of popular, rather than scholarly, history.
Medieval Warfare
Geoffrey Hindley, New York: Putnam, 1971. 128 pp. Illus. $4.95.
Through pictures and text the development of tactics and military technology is traced from the early Byzantine period, through the rise of feudal cavalry to its decline and replacement by artillery and infantry in the 15th century.
Military Aircraft of the World
John W. R. Taylor and Gordon Swanborough. New York: Scribner's, 1971. 241 pp. Illus. $5.95.
Fighters, bombers, helicopters, transports, and trainers all are included in this compendium that pictures each model detailed, and includes three-view silhouettes for those considered as first-line aircraft.
The Military and Modernization
Henry Bienan (ed.). Chicago: Aldine, 1971. 242 pp. $6.95.
The impact of the military on governments and politics in general and on specific countries in Asia, Africa, and South America is studied in its sociological context.
Montgomery as Military Commander
Ronald Lewin. New York: Stein and Day, 1971. 288 pp. Illus. $10.00.
A clear assessment of a man’s abilities, which, after careful consideration throughout, are summarized in an intelligently-balanced last chapter that rates the Field Marshal against his contemporaries and predecessors. The author’s judgment: “He has every claim to be accepted, without cavil, as Wellington’s heir.”
Nelson’s Last Diary
Oliver Warner (ed.). Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 1971. 80 pp. Illus. $6.00.
The full texts of Nelson’s final entries, his prayer before Trafalgar and his last letter to Emma Hamilton are illustrated in facsimile and printed in standard type. The editor’s introduction summarizes the little known personal involvements rather than the historical events of the few days before and after Nelson’s death.
Origins of the Chinese Revolution 1915-1949
Lucien Bianco. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1971. 223 pp. Illus. $8.50.
Originally published in France in 1967, this is a very fine translation of an equally fine interpretation and clear introduction to the social motivations of recent Chinese history. The annotated bibliography of 50 sources up-dates the reading list as appended five years ago.
The Patton Papers 1885-1940
Martin Blumenson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972. 996 pp. Illus. $15.00.
Using the controversial general’s own words, this noted military historian has woven the separate elements into a well-textured piece which highlights the paradoxical mixture that was Patton and the personal pressures that drove him. In the prologue, subdural haematoma is offered as a partial explanation for the strange, mercurial changes in temperament for which he was so famous. This volume stops just before World War II; a second volume will cover those war years.
Pearl Harbor and Hawaii
Editors of the Army Times. New York: Walker, 1971. 184 pp. Illus. $5.95.
Using many eyewitness reports, the grisly confusion of 7 December 1941 is reconstructed. There is also a summary of American-Hawaiian relations before and since the war, along with more than 100 photographs and an extensive bibliography.
Polish Aircraft 1893-1939
Jerzy B. Cynk. London: Putnam, 1971. 760 pp. Illus. £7.50.
Illustrated with a large number of rare photographs, an interesting record of aviation achievements—all metal structures, cannon-armed monoplane fighters, advanced glider designs—is shown in this reference.
The President’s War
Anthony Austin. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott, 1971. 368 pp. $7.50.
As with Eugene Windchy’s Tonkin Gulf, the particular focus is on that confused incident and its consequences. The specific conclusions of each are nearly identical, however, the larger purpose of this book is to analyze the constant tug between the President and the Congress over the power to wage war.
Project Paperclip
Clarence G. Lasby. New York: Atheneum, 1971. 338 pp. $8.95.
Between May 1945 and December 1952 the United States imported 642 scientists and technicians from a defeated Germany under several clandestine programs known collectively as “Paperclip.” The details of those operations and the feelings of the people being so quickly converted to the war needs of their former enemy are the subject of this book; not illustrated.
Remaking China Policy
Richard Moorsteen and Morton Ahramowitz [sic]. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1971. 136 pp. $5.95.
A complete dissection of the problem is presented along with reasonable methods for improving relations with Peking. “Better relations with China are a desirable, but not our most important, objective in Asia,” and that caveat, based on the recent Pakistan-Indian crisis, may be the single most important element in the book.
The Royal George
R. F. Johnson. London: Knight, 1971. 201 pp. Illus. £2.80.
The capsizing of a famous three-decker ship-of-the-line, in a flat calm, at anchor at Spithead in August 1782, with a great loss of life, is the subject of this account.
The Russian Revolution
Lionel Kochan. New York: Putnam. 1971. 128 pp. Illus. $4.95.
An expert on Russian history, the author has assembled some 300 illustrations that trace the Russian Revolution from its roots in the early 19th century with the Decembrists revolt of 1825 to its Bolshevik climax in October 1917.
The Science of War and Peace
Robin Clarke. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1972. 335 pp. $10.00.
A pessimistic treatise sees nuclear annihilation as perhaps the only way of avoiding polluted atmosphere, population explosion, and other ecological disasters which are certain to befall the human race as result of the military needs of the “warfare state.”
The Ships and Aircraft of the U. S. Fleet
John S. Rowe and Samuel L. Morison. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1972. 283 pp. Illus. $7.95 (paper).
The most noticeable format change in this 9th edition is the grouping of photographs by ship and aircraft type for easy comparison of similarities and differences noted in the captions; the other most noticeable element is the dramatic reduction of the Fleet’s active size since the 8th edition of 1965.
Ships-In-Bottles
Donald Hubbard. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971. 102 pp. Illus. $7.95.
Each chapter of this excellent how-to-do-it book is illustrated with fine close-up photographs and clear drawings that guide the model builder in this most intricate of the nautical arts.
The Ships That Brought Us So Far
Peter Stanford. New York: National Maritime Historical Society, 1971. 54 pp. Illus. No price given, (paper).
This slim pamphlet reports on the saving and restoration of sailing ships by maritime museums around the world.
The Soviet Armed Forces: Books in English 1950-1967
Michael Parrish. Stanford, Calif.: Hoover Institute Press, 1970. 128 pp. $7.50.
This bibliography makes a systematic attempt to gather and organize monographic, journal and document literature into appropriate subject areas. Also included are translations from leading Soviet sources published by the U. S. Department of Commerce. An index cross-references the entire bibliography.
Stars for the Space Age
Joseph B. Breed, III. New York: World, 1971. 64 pp. Illus. $5.95.
The principal features of this introduction to star identification for navigation are sky charts on the same projection as standard earth maps with an explanation of the relationship between the two.
Those Damned Rebels
Michael Pearson. New York: Putnam, 1972. 446 pp. Illus. $8.95.
Although the writing style too often plods, it is, nonetheless, refreshing to see the familiar events of the American Revolution from the British side.
Trench Fighting 1914-18
Charles Messenger. New York: Ballantine, 1972. 160 pp. Illus. $1.00 (paper).
Most of the battlefield photographs are poorly reproduced, but the narrative is equal to the job of recalling “the war of attrition in which to gain a few yards of front a generation was sacrificed.”
The Vantage Point
Lyndon Baines Johnson. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971. 636 pp. Illus. $15.00.
Despite the former President’s protestations of not “engaging in historical pamphleteering” concerning his six years in office, the conclusion reached by any reasonably fair-minded reader will probably be just the opposite.
The War of American Independence
Don Higginbotham. New York: Macmillan, 1971. 509 pp. Illus. $12.95.
A thoroughly enjoyable, intelligent probing of the military attitudes, policies and practices prevalent in the pre- and post-Revolutionary era from 1763 to 1789.
Warships
Jacques Simmons. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1971. 159 pp. Illus. $3.95.
Progress in fighting ship design, propulsion and weaponry on an international scale since the mid-19th century is readably described in a text complemented by full-color drawings. The book is for the teenager with a better than average interest in naval history.
Warships of the British and Commonwealth Navies
H. T. Lenton. London: Ian Allen, 1971. 303 pp Illus. £2.10.
This third edition has been slightly revised and slightly enlarged; the grouping of ships in functional categories is continued with some units being moved from one group to another as they have been modified since the previous edition in 1969. A section on pendant numbers has been added.
When the Snow Comes, They Will Take You Away
Eric Newby. New York: Scribners, 1971. 221 pp. $6.95.
The author tells of his adventures as a British prisoner of war in Italy during World War II, particularly his dangerous but often amusing experiences as an escaped prisoner hiding with anti-Fascist farmers in the Apennine Mountains.
The Winning of Independence
Marshall Smelser. Chicago: Quadrangle, 1972. 427 pp. Illus. $10.00.
The focus is on the Continental Congress in this readable, interpretive history covering the political, financial, diplomatic, and military affairs of the 13 colonies. The author suggests America won the war by diplomatic improvisations that took advantage of British errors; militarily the Colonies did not have to win, just endure “until the British were fed up.”
Winston Churchill’s Toyshop
R. Stuart Macrae. Kineton, England: Roundwood, 1971. 228 pp. Illus. £2.75.
In typical British fashion, the author relates his experiences as assistant director of M.D. 1, the War Cabinet department responsible for designing and developing secret weapons ranging from the “Sticky Bomb” and “Limpet Mine” to bridge-carrying assault tanks. While the weapons are an obvious part of the story, they are secondary to the people and the bureaucracy that spawned them.