Recommended Reading

[mort]

Fire Strike 7/9
Sgt Paul "Bommer" Grahame & Damien Lewis

Pretty well written and frank account of a JTACs deployment in Afghanistan. From calling in endless bombing runs from Harriers, Tornados, F-15's and the occasional Mirage, to being stuck on a FOB with no radio, no equipment and only a bunch of ANA. Describes the daily routines and interactions with other units too. Well worth the read.

I read this recently and I agree with DM's opinion. Probably of particular interest to those of us who are into playing A10 and it has given me some mission ideas for Arma2/OA (shame I have v. little knowledge of mission making!)

[mort]

Afghantsy by Sir Rodric Braithwaite

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Afgantsy-ebook/ ... gital-text

I found this to be an excellent read that dispelled all sorts of Western Cold War myths that I can remember about the reasons for the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in late 1979. The author was British Ambassador in Moscow during the late 1980s so he would have been very familiar with the personalities and situation at the time.

Review
'The most nuanced, sympathetic, and comprehensive account yet of the Soviet experience in Afghanistan' --Rory Stewart

'This bids fair to become the standard history...' -- Matthew Parris
Book Description
In a timely and eye-opening book Rodric Braithwaite examines the Russian experience in that most recent war in Afghanistan (after Alexander’s conquests and the many British imperial wars and skirmishes). Largely basing his account on Russian sources and interviews he shows the war through the eyes of the Russians themselves – politicians, officers, soldiers, advisers, journalist, women.
Product Description
As former ambassador to Moscow, Rodric Braithwaite brings unique insights to the Soviet war in Afghanistan. The story has been distorted not only by Cold War propaganda but also by the myths of the nineteenth century Great Game. It moves from the high politics of the Kremlin to the lonely Russian conscripts in isolated mountain outposts. The parallels with Afghanistan today speak for themselves.‘A superb achievement of narrative history, sensitive writing and exciting fresh research’: so wrote Simon Sebag Montefiore about Rodric Braithwaite’s bestseller Moscow 1941. But those words, and many others of praise that were given it, could equally apply to his new book.
From the Inside Flap
In December 1979 Soviet troops poured into Afghanistan, and special forces seized key objectives in Kabul, storming the president’s palace and killing him. The intentions of the Soviet government were modest: they aimed to secure the main towns and roads, stabilise the government, train up the Afghan army and police, and withdraw within six months or a year. Instead they found themselves in a bloody war, from which it took them nine years and fifty two days to extricate themselves. The story has been distorted not only by Cold War propaganda but also by the myths of the nineteenth-century Great Game. Here it is retold through the eyes of the Russians themselves. Based primarily on Russian sources and eye-witness accounts, it moves from the high politics of the Kremlin to the lonely conscripts in isolated mountain outposts. The parallels with Afghanistan today speak for themselves.
From the Back Cover
'This bids fair to become the standard history, but it is a kind of parable too. Here is a battery of facts, interwoven with human stories, soldiers' tales and a thousand flashes of individual experience gathered in interview. For the mountain of evidence he has assembled before a generation passes away, historians (including Russian historians) will always be grateful; but Braithwaite's immense, urgent project offers more than a history, but a cool and deadly assessment of the mess that Power can get itself into. He never overstates: there is more tragedy here than villainy, more confusion than conspiracy; and the abiding impression is not so much shocking as unutterably sad. The read-across to other nations' wars leaps at you from every page.' -Matthew Parris The most nuanced, sympathetic and comprehensive account yet of the Soviet experience in Afghanistan...this book finally dispels many of the Cold War myths' -Rory Stewart
About the Author
Rodric Braithwaite was British Ambassador to Moscow during the crucial years of 1988–92. Subsequently he was foreign policy advisor to John Major. His books include Across the Moscow River and the highly praised and bestselling Moscow 1941 (Profile).

[FLEXCopMNPD]

Here lately I have been reading a ton to prepare for my pending deployment. I am currently reading The Bear Went Over the Mountain and Never Quit the Fight. I just finished Choosen Soldier and The Only Thing Worth Dying For. Some great books on leadership I have recently read are Joker One and One Bullet Away. I have all three of Ahmed Rashid's book and they are very thought provoking. Another good one is The Mission, The Men and Me. I am posting this on my phone so I don't have access to my library I have at home. I will post a more organized/ complete list when I get home.

[Variable]

To steer away a bit from actual documentaries I can recommend two novels.
The first is "Red Storm Rising", by Tom Clancy. To male it short it describes WW3. Several point of views, including a submarine commander, a stealth fighter pilot, and a tank commander. Pretty thrilling book I must say.
The second is "Ender's Game". Basically it's a science fiction book, telling the story of an eight year old, who's been genetically identified as having the great chances of becoming an ultimate leader. This kid's character is remarkable. I think this is a must have book to any leader in any situation, civilian or military (or virtual ).

[Joseph-Sulphur]

Comrades, this thread must ride again. No slackness will be tolerated, the sharing of excellent books and articles must continue.



Matterhorn is easily the best novel I read in 2011. Its about one Marine officer and his unit in the mountainous jungle of northern Vietnam, and it grips you like a vice. Although its a novel, it is based on the experience of the author, Karl Marlantes, who served in Vietnam and was awarded the Navy Cross, among other decorations. It took him 35 years to write, and the time spent crafting every phrase is apparent, its incredibly well written as well as authentic. The book tells the tale of a different war popular perception which films like Apocalypse Now have created, a war where leaders had to contend with racial violence as well as the enemy, and 18-year old draftees' brains were fried by fever on pointless forced marches dreamed up by Colonels in order to fulfill targets set by staff officers hundreds of miles from the the fighting. I recommend it to everyone with an interest in war and leadership.