Book Reviews, Professional Reading & Book List

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^The Real War

Brv>L.^ar^ ^'^X0n- New York: Warner ($1, ^S₂’₅₎¹⁹⁸⁰- ³²⁰ PP- Maps. Ind. $12.50

^Reviewed by Thomas H. Etzold

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free “ ^                     writes and reviews

Uent y ^on topics of defense and diplomacy.

Q_r ^{n C}^^e tradition of Frederick the

f_0r^^{at ant}^ George Washington,

COrn ^er ^^res*dent Richard Nixon has

p_rj_sj^^0se<^ ^a political testament com-

rn0r_a1® Political-strategic admonition,

"_t , ^exhortation, and professional

Nix e^craft " World War III, Mr.

_mo °ⁿ Relieves, began with the

frn                      the Red Army into East-

urope ^ World War II drew to a '-*ose. i- .

strut . 1 continues to this day, a _truj^^e that has become the first Its ^ ^°b^aI and total war in history. dj_re ^Utcome will, he argues, set the t^t'on of future world history, to ^t^¹*^s book, Mr. Nixon hopes theh-¹⁰^'^{26 c}^^e American people— _stru ^frale and resolve—for a great as h ^{6 W}'^t^¹ Soviet power. “Laxity,” ^c°rnf ^Wr'^tes’ '^s the affliction of the °rtable, and this is why every

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s_Urt ^a^^Vanced. Our task is to make hj_r . ^{at c}b>^s does not happen to us.” his , ^lx°n’s concern rests in part on _not ^{6 ects}- The war in Vietnam was _narfi ^0st °n the battlefields of Viet- gt_ess ^Was lost in the halls of Con- tj_0n ’ ^ln the boardrooms of corpora- dat' ' *^{n r}^^{e execut}ive suites of foun- ^ns, and in the editorial rooms of

on ordering books and special booU the Book Order Service note in the

the ‘beautiful people’ in New York, and the classrooms of great univer­sities. The class that provided the strong leadership that made victory possible in World War I and World War II failed America in one of the crucial battles of World War III ” Americans have come to doubt the uses of power, but the real lesson of Vietnam, and of World War II, is that “unless we learn to use it effec­tively to defend our interests, the ta­bles of history will be turned against us and all we believe in.”

Although much in this book will sound familiar to specialists in in­' ternational relations and security af­fairs, individual points will interest even the well-informed reader. The chapter on the nature and uses of mili­tary power shows particular strength. Among other things, it sets out Mr. Nixon’s definition of that elusive term, strategic superiority: “In our hands it was the safety margin that ensured that the Soviets would not risk a nuclear exchange in pursuing their goal of world domination. In Soviet hands it becomes the margin that enables them to proceed with local aggression without expecting a massive nuclear response.” Mr. Nixon also stresses the intimate connection between economic policy and foreign policy, between the national economy and the national security. It remains all too common, in informed discus­sion and even in government, to deal with defense concerns and economic policy in isolation from one another.

President Nixon concludes by ad­vocating a combination of traditional containment ideas with a concept of detente, the hallmark of his adminis­tration’s strategic outlook. “Contain­ment, the task of resisting Russian expansionism, must remain the sine qua non of U. S. foreign policy, for if we do not present the Soviets with penalties for aggressive behavior, they

will have no reason to be deterred from it. And detente, an attempt to avoid possible fatal miscalculations, to reduce differences where possible through negotiation, and to provide positive incentives for the Russians and Chinese to cooperate with us in maintaining a stable world order, is only good sense in the nuclear age.”

In all, this book contains much sen­sible advice and a perspective deserv­ing of serious consideration. Men and women in uniform who would like to contribute to public understanding of issues important to them might well buy three or four copies of this book as gifts for friends and relatives. In an election year, such a gesture might well constitute one of the most effec­tive civic actions open to a military professional.

White House Years

Henry Kissinger. Boston: Little, Brown, 1979. 1,521 pp. Illus. Maps. Ind. $22.50 ($20.25).

Reviewed by Major John C. McKay,

U. S. Marine Corps

A graduate of the Naval Academy and commissioned in the Marine Corps. Major McKay has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Navy Commendation, and two Purple Hearts. He has been selected to attend the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Quantico. VA.

^Oo

Memoirs and histories share a cer­tain commonality: they both reflect the representation and interpretation of certain facts. The memoir serves chiefly as a vehicle to demonstrate the participation of the individual in cer­tain circumstances. The writing of history, however, should go further by illustrating and evaluating the signifi­cance of these facts in the overall con­text. Secretary of State Kissinger’s book, White House Years, the first of a two-volume work, is definitely in the

former category. But by virtue of Dr. Kissinger’s position during the four years covered in White House Years, history—history in the making if you will—is the skeletal support on which the integumentary memoir rests.

The obtuseness of Dr. Kissinger’s previous works, such as American For­eign Policy (New York: W. W. Nor­ton, 1977), is singularly lacking in White House Years. Yet, the intellec­tual grasp and in-depth understanding are still readily apparent in White House Years which is written in a clear, enjoyable style. But academic creden­tials, intellectual sophistication, liter­ary talent, and an affinity for high po­sitions in government do not in and of themselves assure a purpose, nor the validity of a particular work, espe­cially one of this size and scope.

Dr. Kissinger has occupied posi­tions which afford him a unique van­tage point from which to comment on, analyze, evaluate, and perhaps even prognosticate the probable (or desirable) course of events in a broad strategic sense. But with White House Years, because of the proximity of events described, hindsight is a luxury we are not allowed to indulge in. Nevertheless, one is prone to question the details—and there is a plethora of detail—that will remain unconfirmed for sometime to come. Because of the wide range of political and diplomatic events covered in Dr. Kissinger’s book, from President Nixon’s first in­auguration to his announcement of the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam, there are bound to be more revelations not exactly in consonance with what Dr. Kissinger has told us. Thus, we have a memoir cum history, but the history remains naked on two counts: certain facts lack veracity, and the significance of the events covered are not evaluated in the context of geopolitics.

On a mundane level, the book of­fers fascinating descriptions and character portraits of a large cast of personalities. These are most certainly interesting and they do add an ele­ment of humanism to a prodigious work. But, a question of purpose arises. Are these short, though often lucid, portrayals sincere accolades of respect, or are they written in some utilitarian vein? Likewise, the vignettes offered by Dr. Kissinger provide relief from weighty topics. These reveal something of the author: his sense of humor and his ability to reflect a human side; but they are sparse oases in the complex geopolitics to which Dr. Kissinger tries to bring a sense of continuity, consistency, and purpose. And it is on this level, rather than the mundane, that the book must eventually be judged.

The book must be evaluated in the light of the formulation and execution of grand strategy; judged by the abil­ity of the author to implement a con­sistency in our foreign policy. More than any individual since World War II, Dr. Kissinger brought to Wash­ington a sense of need for consistency in American foreign policy. In addressing the challenges encountered during his tenure as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs—to end our involvement in Vietnam, defuse the Middle East situ­ation, initiate SALT I, and carry out the foreign policy objectives of Presi­dent Nixon — Dr. Kissinger at­tempted to erect the framework on which consistency could be main­tained and through which grand strat­egy could be practiced. Although the

will and the means were there, the personalities of the individuals who could affect this scheme caused failure- The “back channel” modus operand' of the administration, in general, and Dr. Kissinger, in particular, led to distrust and divisiveness where the challenges required candor and sol'd unity. Petty in-fighting with Secretary of State Rogers, for example, often takes on as much importance as R^uS' sia’s implacability or Le Due Tho’s transigence. Dr. Kissinger obliquely acknowledges that the means to the end were inappropriate and self' defeating. Yet, Dr. Kissinger does possess a unique understanding and knowledge of foreign policy and the requirements it must serve.

Perhaps the conceptual framework needs modifying in order to provide the consistency. External pressures and challenges are only one part of the equation; internal pressures, to which a large portion of this book is devoted, are at least equally important. In th^e known aftermath of President Nixon⁵ second inauguration, one may see ^a premature end to Dr. Kissinger’s ef' forts at consistency, though the suc­cess or failure of implementation can' not be judged from this volume: D^r' Kissinger has not favored us with an analysis. Perhaps the second volum^e will provide more substance on th'⁵ theme than has this first one.

H A Most Fortunate Ship

Tyrone Martin. Chester, CT.: Globe Pequot Press, 1980. 300 pp. Illus. Ind. $17.95 ($14.35).

Reviewed by Major Eric Steinbaugh,

U. S. Marine Corps

During his career, Major Steinbaugh has beet! assigned to several cruises on board the USCGC Eagle (WIX-327). He is currently in the English Department of the Naval Academy, and is coauthoring an anthology °f sea poetry.

Probably no other ship has become more endeared to generations ⁰ Americans than the USS Constitution■ “Old Ironsides” has become more than a ship—she has become almost hU' man. Her story is not a fairy tale o

sh^ ,^^a^^{ant v}'ctory after another, for of ^ *^1a.^ ^{t0 endure} the humiliations _an ^mut:inies, groundings, collisions, sh ,^attemP^{ts t0} deactivate her. But tod ^ ^{endured t0 suc}h an extent that ^ay she is the oldest warship still at in any navy in the world.

Shi ^yr0ne Martin's A Most Fortunate of      ^^atest offering in a long line

th r° ^{S W}^'^c^ ^ceh'brate the saga of tell °^nst‘^tut*^on- Much of the story he tor^S ^ ^alfeady keen ^r°M >ⁿ older his- Co ‘^{eS such} as Ira Hollis’s The Frigate De ^S!^ltUt'°ⁿ' bnow and Gosnell’s On the nin S^ Ironsides, ” and John Jen- ^ f>^s s more recent Tattered Ensign. s₀ ^ftln *.^{lsts t}*^le h^rst two of these as ces for his book, but offers a new ‘ spective on the frigate because of experience with her.

title ^aft'ⁿ ^^{ays as}‘^de all claims to the hi ¹ i°^ historian. He characterizes “k ^{as a} ship shover” who has f_ro ^{en a n}avy history and records buff _ri* °yhood." His book seems to de- f_ro^ ^oth its strengths and weaknesses _c these unusual qualifications P ^ed with the fact that one of the ships he “shoved” was the USS Con­stitution, serving as her captain from 1974 until 1978.

The major difference between Mar­tin’s book and its predecessors is that his includes many fascinating details about the practical aspects of operat­ing and maintaining a wooden-hulled sailing vessel in the 19th century, both at home and while deployed. The book gives an appreciation for the problems faced by the captain of a ship operating thousands of miles from her home port in the days when the only communications link with superiors was via letters transported aboard other ships. Martin explains how the ship’s copper bottom was cleaned, how stores were pre­positioned and provided to the ships in a blockade, and how repairs were effected while deployed in the Mediterranean. He also relates some anecdotes such as the story of Mid­shipmen Richard Rodgers and Charles Morgan who asked to go ashore near Sandy Hook one October day in 1810 “to shoot.” The shooting turned out to be at each other, and the duel left Rodgers dead and Morgan wounded.

Martin has used a number of stand­ard sources in his research, but has gone beyond them to provide interest­ing supplementary information gleaned from letters, journals, and the Constitution's log. It is difficult to de­termine the source of most of this in­formation, however, as the text is not footnoted and the sources are listed in a format which appears to be a cross between endnotes and bibliographic entries. Also, book titles are enclosed within quotation marks as well as being printed in italics—an admit­tedly minor, but nevertheless irritat­ing, departure from standard scholarly practice.

If one does not hold the book to strict scholarly standards, however, it can be deemed an engaging example of a popular narrative history. The Constitution is indeed fortunate to have her history written by an author who “feels as one with this ship and be­lieves her’s is a magnificent story that doesn’t need embellishment.”

Lisle A. Rose

*^{n r}*^c^ ^ar|d colorful detail are anj^eXC'^tement' tedium, triumphs, rria' ^tra8^ed*^es °f the first of the tion°^r P^ostwar American explora- ns of Antarctica: Operation I'ghjump, 1946-47. The author i ⁰ Provides a summary of the exnl°^rtant international Antarctic Or! ^0ra^^ons undertaken prior to sv ^ration Highjump, and a tiv>?^^S'^{S t}*^le significant ac- in It,⁶⁵ have taken place since ful "^{1S remote}' hauntingly beauti- 1 ' ^yet often harsh and terrifying * j . ^e true personalities of _Q.,^rn*^ral Richard E. Byrd and _v ?^r hey figures are deftly re- _c-^{a ec}i ^as never before. This fas- nating account, illustrated with otographs of many of the ships, _b °P*^e' and places involved, will ₀ ^Ve considerable appeal to any- Co^{6 an} interest in the White ontinent and how men conquer ^versity to achieve difficult goals. 9®0/352 pages/25 illustrations

U ^^ava* Institute Press Book ist pri_ce: $19.95 ember's price: $15.96

(Pi

Secth)n )^USC °^r^^er f^ornt *ⁿ B°°k^s of Interest

ASSAULT ON ETERNITY

XicWd H Byrd and the Exploration of Antarctica. 1946 -

Books of Interest

Compiled by Professor Craig L. Symonds, Associate Editor

,°_ard engineering systems used o n_ai' ' Navy ships. In addition to th

^ain

^^avAL AFFAIRS

^ ^{lhe Bla}ck Battlefleet

Adm .

Naval I ®^adard, RN. Annapolis MD.: Appe_ncJ^nS,^t'T^e,₃^Press' ^l98()- 261 _PP. Ulus.

Fo‘ ^d' ^lnd- *38.95 ($31.16).

G ^ⁿⁱ°f^{e tFlan} fhree decades, Admira ^tr‘but₍₎ ^a"^ar^’     was a regular con

n_a] _oF ^{r t0} Mariner's Mirror, the jour 1 e Society for Nautical Research

klany of l- .

Watsf, ^1IS articles concerned the hybrid to _S*^^S 'ⁿ the age of transition from sail N a nf¹®’ 1860-80. In this volume, edj_ted ⁿ-^odger and George Osborn have Prehe *■ °^{Se arn<des} and produced a com­in th °y^{Ve stud}y °f the British battlefleet ^trati₀ '^ctor‘an age. More than 200 illus- a _Va| ^{ns an}d detailed appendices make this terp- *^{a resea}rch tool as well as an ' ^est,n8 history.

D_ecj_<ⁿ®'^neer'ⁿS for the Officer of the

^dr. .

Naval t^an'^{el G Fel}«^er’ ^USN- Annapolis, MD : *16 C)s"?^{tute Pres}s. 1979. 203 pp. Ulus. lnd. 1*13.56).

*his boot            ■

Cer_s .- ^Was written to assist junior offi- Pt°vid ^<^^UaB^'*ⁿS ^as officers of the deck by tyi^ ^tFlem with an easy familiarity

Steam system, this book deals with engineering watch personnel, in-port pro­cedures, the electrical system, inspections, efficiency, and economy.

Luxury Fleet, The Imperial German Navy, 1888-1918

Holger Herwig. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1980. 314 PP- IHus. Maps. Append. Ind. $22.50 ($20.25).

Historians have often cited the Anglo- German naval arms race as one of the causes of World War I. Certainly, in ret­rospect the German decision to challenge the dominance of the Royal Navy by . building a High Seas Fleet appears to have been a serious error. Winston Churchill, who could perceive no German national interest which would justify such a navy, referred to it as a “luxury fleet." It lasted 30 years, fought one major battle (Jut­land), and ended ignominiously in the mud of Scapa Flow. Holger Herwig chronicles its history in this important new book.

[3] The Ops Officer’s Manual

Cdr. Peter T. Deutermann, USN. Annapolis, MD.: Naval Institute Press, 1980. 185 pp. Illus. Ind. $14,95 ($11.96).

This is a practical manual for use by opera­tions officers in the U. S. Navy. It sug­gests techniques for planning, training, reporting, handling operational emergen­cies, running an efficient combat informa­tion center, and operating in combat con­ditions.

|31 Shape up! A Program for Shipboard Physical Fitness

Lt. Donald P. Loren, USN. Annapolis, MD.: Naval Institute Press, 1980. 73 pp- Illus. $11.00 ($8.80).

For this slender guide, Lieutenant Loren selected exercises which can be done in a limited space including many which can be done while seated at a desk. Every ex­ercise is fully illustrated. Nearly half the book deals with detailed instructions on how to put on a boxing smoker and is written by U. S. Naval Academy boxing coach Emerson P. Smith.

MARITIME AFFAIRS Harbor & Haven: An Illustrated History of the Port of New York

John G. Bunker. Woodland Hills, CA.: Windsor Publications, 1979- 302 pp. Illus. Bib. Ind. $25.00 ($22.50).

This attractive, lavishly illustrated history chronicles the rise of the port of New York from its colonial days as a fur trading post to its present status as a frenetic commer­cial hub. But it is a social history as well as an economic history since the author writes about the people as much as the physical facilities. Indeed, one of the most compelling sections is the series of photos by Augustus F. Sherman of 19th century immigrants.

Victims of Piracy, The Admiralty Court, 1575-1678

Evelyn Berckman. North Pomfret, VT.:

Hamish Hamilton, 1979. 134 pp. Illus. Ind. $21.95 ($19.76).

The subtitle of this slim volume is more accurate than the title because the author provides a “tour" of the British Admiralty Court of the 17th century. Pirates were frequent defendants in this court, but so too were thieves, murderers, and sodo­mites. Ms. Berckman frequently lets the "olde English” records speak for them­selves as she offers tidbits from the Ad­miralty Court Records.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Fall and Rise of the Pentagon: American Defense Policies in the 1970s

Lawrence J. Korb. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press, 1979. 192 pp. Bib. Ind. $19.95 ($17.96).

In the early 1970s, during the closing months of the Vietnam War, public and congressional opinion was very much against any increase in defense spending. Indeed, the prestige of the Defense De­partment had sunk to a post-World War II low. Yet by the end of the decade, the President was promising substantial in­creases in defense spending and most of the criticism regarding this decision was that it was not enough. In this study, the author of The Joint Chiefs of Staff examines and explains this reversal.

'Toe

Soviet Strategy for Nuclear War

Joseph D. Douglass, Jr. and Amoretta M. Hoeber. Stanford, CA.: Hoover Institution Press, 1979. 138 pp. Bib. Ind. $5.95 ($5.36) paper.

The authors of this study argue that Soviet military leaders take the prospect of a nu­clear war seriously and have developed a strategy for fighting and winning such a war. The authors conclude that Americans depend too much on Soviet goodwill, tending to wish away hard facts, and that it is no longer valid to believe that the Soviets will not deliberately initiate a nu­clear exchange.

BOOK ORDER SERVICE

Prices • enclosed by parentheses are member prices. Members may order most books of other publishers through the Naval Institute at a 10% discount off list price. (Prices quoted in this column are subject to change and will be re­flected in our billing.) Please allow for delays when ordering non-Naval Institute titles. The postage and handling fee for each such special order book of a U. S. publisher will be $1.75; the fee for a book from a foreign publisher will be $2.50. When air mail or other special han­dling is requested, actual postage and handling cost will be billed to the member. Books marked [3] are Naval Institute Press Books. Books marked Q are Naval Institute Book Selections. Use the order blank in this section.

FICTION B1 Ice Brothers

Sloan Wilson. New York: Arbor House, 1979. 517 pp. $11.95 ($9.56).

In this semi-autobiographical novel, Wil­son explores the impact of war on two young men whose duty it becomes to combat a tyrannous commanding officer, the Germans, and pack ice as U. S. Coast Guardsmen off Greenland in World War II. It is a well-written and exciting adven­ture story set in an oft-overlooked theater of the war, as well as a thoughtful study of two men in the crucible of war.

The White Sea Bird

David Beaty. New York: William Morrow,

1979.    294 pp. $11.95 ($10.76).

This World War II novel focuses on the officers and men of an RAF air wing in northern England which is charged with ocean patrol. The wing is dominated by the forceful personality and dogmatic opin­ions of its wing commander who becomes fixated by a desire to destroy the German cruiser Groningen. The story unfolds through the eyes of a young pilot, Peter Irvine, and concerns his own efforts to deal with the flamboyant and demanding wing commander as well as the series of assaults on the German cruiser.

H NAVAL INSTITUTE BOOK SELECTIONS AVAILABLE

Soviet Naval Diplomacy

Bradford Dismukes and James M. McConnell, Editors. New York: Pergamon Press, 1979- $25.00 ($20.00). Last order date: 3 October

1980.              .

Assault on the Liberty

James M. Ennes, Jr. New York: Random House, 1980. $ 12.95 ($ 10.35). Last order date¹ 5 November 1980.

The Blue Angels

Cdr. Rosario Rausa, USNR. Baton Rouge, LA.- Moran, 1979. $ 14.50 ($ 10.35). Last order date: 6 December 1980.

The Men of the Gambier Bay

Edwin P. Hoyt. Middlebury, VT.: Paul S. Eriksson, 1979. $ 12.95 ($ 10.35). Last order date: 10 January 1981.

Avenger at War

Barrett Tillman. New- York: Scribners, 1980­$ 17.50 ($ 14.00). Last order date: 15 February

1981.

Modern Warship Design

Norman Friedman. New York: Mayflower,

1980.     $22.50 ($18.00). Last order date: 1 May

1981.

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Although much has already been written about the great German battleship Tirpitz, this book is unique in that the author has been able to draw on the rich store of re­cently declassified “Ultra” signals to and from the Tirpitz and her bases, as de­crypted by the now famous codebreakers of Bletchley Park in England. As a result, Ludovic Kennedy’s generously illustrated account of Tirpitz’s career from christen­ing to her final destruction makes a signifi­cant contribution to our knowledge of the German Navy in World War II and how that formidable navy was ultimately de­feated.

19801176 pagesllllustrated A Naval Institute Press Book List price: $14.95 Member’s price: $11.96

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