Max Boot’s The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power.
I love Boot’s writing on Iraq, so I’m looking forward cramming my nose into this one.
Hotel Tango: VDH, who also recommends Michael Oren’s Six Days of War, which I read back when I was a VMI cadet, and actually had the chance to meet Oren when he lectured to our class at the University of Tel Aviv. Great guy, and the nonfic is an absolutely superb account of one of the most compelling “small wars” of the 20th century.
Oh and while we’re on the topic, read Hanson’s column The Return of Military History.
And here I thought the military history discipline was going to way of the dodo…
Just when I think I have a plan for getting through the current stack of unread books, now I have to add another to my Amazon wish list…
I read that one a few years ago – I’d definitely recommend it. It fleshed out in good detail a lot of what I knew only generalities.
ahh I’m glad it got another endorsement Ryan, especially since I already made the purchase.
The Savage Wars of Peace is excellant. I came away convinced that Iraq is more like the Phillipines than Viet Nam.
Don’t know if you’ve read either, but I found both Oren’s and Boot’s latest books to be excellent.
Oren’s is called “Power, Faith, and Fantasy”. Its about the United States’ involvement in the middle east from the Barbary Wars to present day.
Boot’s is “War Made New”.
I’ll have to check it out Moose, although -like my comrade Bullnav- the stack of unread books next to my bed continues to grow..