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What is the best war book you have ever read?


Popo367
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Yup That is the one .

Bob from VINTAGE PRODUCTIONS was kind enough to give me a copy for Christmas .

I went to bed with my flash light ready and my both dogs not fed , just to keep them ready incase of the boogy man tried to get in my window .

I dont do horror so much , so AAAAAAGGGHHH .on scary things

owen

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  • 2 weeks later...

Battle Cry by Leon Uris

Away All Boats by Kenneth Dodson

In Harm's Way

From Here to Eternity by James Jones

Helmet for My Pillow

Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk

The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk

 

My $.02

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Frank Trzaska

1. Woodfill of the Regulars by Lowell Thomas

2. A Rifleman Went to War by H.W. McBride

3. Shots Fired in Anger by John George.

4. The Doughboys by Laurence Stallings

 

All the best

Frank Trzaska

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I really couldn't put down "Beyond Band of Brothers: The Memoirs of Maj Dick Winters"

 

It's been a while since I read these Tim O'Brien books.

 

"The Things They Carried" - Just beautifully written. This book is almost like poetry to me.

 

"If I Die in a Combat Zone" - I recall this one being good... and a bit more action than previous one.

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"Once an Eagle" by Anton Myrer

 

"Thunder Below" by Admiral Eugene Fluckey, MOH

Once an Eagle is in my pantheon of books, too! I couldn't put it down. It used to be required reading for West Point cadets. It is currently on the Marine Corps Commandant's reading list. Just sent a copy to a Marine Osprey squadron in Iraq that my bookstore sponsors.

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Some of my favorites off the top of my head....

 

The Spearheaders

 

Acceptable Loss

 

We Were Soldiers Once, and Young

 

Ghost Soldiers

 

Theodore Roosevelt Jr.: The Life of a War Hero

 

Band of Brothers

 

Citizen Soldiers

 

etc, etc, etc..........

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  • 2 weeks later...

"And If I Perish: Frontline US Army Nurses in WWII" is an excellent book. It was amazing to read what these nurses did.

 

"Chickenhawk" was the book that started my obsession with reading history books.

 

Thanks...Kat

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I don't know about "the best" war books, since that's pretty subjective, but here are a couple I liked -

 

Robert Graves "Goodbye to All That"

William Wharton "Birdy" and "A Midnight Clear"

Timothy Findley "The Wars"

Erich Maria Remarque "All Quiet on the Western Front" (I liked it better in German)

Anthony Lloyd "My War Gone By, I Miss it So"

 

On the subject of the OSS, I can recommend Rene Defourneaux books, "The Winking Fox" and "The Tracks of the Fox". The author now has a website, which is found online at http://www.rdefourneaux.com/ The photo gallery is worth checking out on the website.

 

I am currently reading Marguerite Higgins' "War in Korea", which is about her time as a war correspondent in the Korean War, and Susan Travers' "Tomorrow to the Brave", which is her autobiography as the only woman to ever serve in the French Foreign Legion.

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'Foot Soldier' by Roscoe Blunt is one of the finest memoirs I've ever read, 100 percent detailed, feels like you're watching a movie when reading it. 'Roll me Over' is a close second.

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The Dead of Winter, by Bill Warnock.

 

Bills continuing endeavors with the MIA Project and his loyalty to the men of the 99th Infantry Division is inspiring. His account is well written, insightful, and absorbing. Bill has filled this book with enough detail to keep us informed, and at the same time he has given us an insight into what those brave combat soldiers experienced during that snowy winter of 1944. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the "Battle of the Bulge" or the 99th Division. I look forward to his next book.

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Guest Historian
Just wanted to get some ideas on some books to read. I like to read and want to collect books for my 2 boys (9,5).

 

I am reading a book called "God have mercy on us!," it is about the 97th Co, 6th Marines. I just got it today and I have only read a few pages, but the book it pretty witty.

There is no information about the author and it doesn't mention if he was part of the 6th Marines.

author: William T Scanlon

 

 

Popo -

 

Your asking a pretty broad question. Are there specific eras/wars/events that interest you & your kids? I can recommend a list of books from WWII and the American Civil War.

 

To answer your thread question, the best military-related book I have ever read is "The Wooden Horse" by Eric Williams.

 

BTW, I had an uncle who served with the 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion in the ETO during WWII. If anyone has any info on that unit, feel free to email me.

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here are a few of my faves:

 

BLACKJACK-33 & BLACKJACK 34 both by JAMES C. DONAHUE

 

all books by KEITH WILLIAM NOLAN (Vietnam books)

 

FORCE RECON DIARY, 1969 by BRUCE H. NORTON

 

THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER by GUY SAJER (WW2 from a German soldier's perspective)

 

GUADALCANAL by RICHARD B. FRANK

 

HELL IN A VERY SMALL PLACE by BERNARD B. FALL

 

HO CHI MINH A LIFE by WILLIAM J. DUIKER

 

KNIGHT’S CROSS A LIFE OF FIELD MARSHALL ERWIN ROMMEL by DAVID FRASER (my fave)

 

MASTERS OF CHAOS THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SPECIAL FORCES by LINDA ROBINSON

 

PANZER LEADER by HEINZ GUDERIAN

 

THE POL POT REGIME by BEN KIERNAN

 

SECRET COMMANDOS BEHIND ENEMY LINES WITH THE ELITE WARRIORS OF SOG by JOHN L. PLASTER

 

SOG THE SECRET WARS OF AMERICA’S COMMANDOS IN VIETNAM by JOHN L. PLASTER

 

THE TUNNELS OF CU CHI by MANGOLD & PENYCATE

 

US SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND IN ACTION by PATRICK ALLEN (mostly a picture book)

 

WE WERE SOLDIERS... ONCE AND YOUNG by MOORE & GALLOWAY

 

WAFFEN-SS: HITLER’S BLACK GUARD AT WAR by CHRISTOPHER AILSBY

 

that is just a FEW of my favorite books...I have some 250+ military history books in my collection at this current second..so these are the ones that stand out at me... :D

 

Steven

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I really enjoyed Toward the Flame: A memoir of W.W. I by Hervey Allen, also recently finished an excellent biography, Sgt. York His Life, Legend & Legacy by John Perry

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Brian Dentino

I would say for your boys, being as young as they are, Ambrose is a good place to start. I like "Citizen Soldiers" as well as "D-Day". Also James Bradleys are good. Bill Sloans books are also pretty good, especially "Left for Dead" (I think that is the name of his story of Wake Island)?

Rick Atkinsons first 2 of his trilogy of Europe are good, but long for younsters. I encourage them to also read Bio's of some of the men they read about: Churchill, Patton, Ike, etc............

 

Get em hooked on these early and they will love the subject forever! That's what happened to me...... :unsure:

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Brian Dentino

Almost forgot to mention "Ghost Soldiers" also a very cool and exciting read on the raid of Cabautan (spelling wrong...sorry)!

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1. My Fathers Son by Farley Mowatt (Canadian author of many books about the arctic including Never Cry Wolf, he also wrote And No Birds Sang and The Regiment[./u]) Son, Birds and Regiment together chronicle his life in the Canadian Army, through the war in Italy and his reasssignment to northern Europe at the wars end to collect matterial for the Canadian War Museum. (a task he pursued with hilarious gusto and disregard for military protocol. ) "Son" is a collection of letters between Farley at war and father, a wounded WWI veteran and librarian, at home. Farley is a keen observer of details, aware of the delicate balance that exists between horror and humor, and a brilliant craftsman of fine literature.

 

2. the Black March (don't recall the author)

 

Gary

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Since I was a kid in the sixties, I have read hundreds of military history and "war" books. Everything from Caesar's Commentaries in the original Latin to Lone Survivor by Luttrell. IMHO, there is no better book about war than With The Old Breed by Sledge.

Steve

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  • 3 weeks later...
Brian Dentino
Since I was a kid in the sixties, I have read hundreds of military history and "war" books. Everything from Caesar's Commentaries in the original Latin to Lone Survivor by Luttrell. IMHO, there is no better book about war than With The Old Breed by Sledge.

Steve

 

I can't believe that I forgot this one from my list!!!!!!

EB Sledge is a CLASSIC and deemed by many authors and historians as THE best book on WWII....especially combat in the Pacific! thumbsup.gif

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