# books on the history of warfare, mideast politics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667 "2001-09-19T21:00:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/1 "2001-09-19T21:00:44Z")
This could fall under IMHO, but since it’s about literature, I’ll leave my qquestion here. I would like to suggest some books to various people who have recently become quite interested in world affairs. Of course, mine is only one perspective. If you were compiling a list of _essential_ literature for educated readers on the following topics, what would you chose? If possible, please include a brief description of why you have chosen a particular work. 1. History of warfare, specifically various 20th century conflicts involving the US like WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea. 2. Modern tactics and strategy, including development of weapon systems like carrier battle groups, nukes, bio/chem 3. Modern Middle East history and politics. 4. Role of modern intelligence operations and their development including covert operations, reconnaisance. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/2 "2001-09-20T04:45:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*This could fall under IMHO, but since it’s about literature, I’ll leave my qquestion here. > > I would like to suggest some books to various people who have recently become quite interested in world affairs. Of course, mine is only one perspective. If you were compiling a list of _essential_ literature for educated readers on the following topics, what would you chose? If possible, please include a brief description of why you have chosen a particular work.\*\* Wow, that’s a tall order ! I’ll see what I can do. Since you just mentionned wide ranging areas, I will concentrate on general works. However if you want something more specific, please do not hesitate to mention them. \*\* > [@](#): > > 1. History of warfare, specifically various 20th century conflicts involving the US like WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea.\*\* [ul] [li]I would definitely recommend **John Keegan** ’s books. _The First World War_ and _The Second World War_ as well as his _A History of Warfare_ ;[/li][li]also recommended, **Sir Basil Liddell Hart** ’s _History of the Second World War_, a bit dated, but a very good overview of the whole war ;[/li][li]for Korea, **T.R. Fehrenbach** ’s _This Kind of War_, still appropriate after all these years (there is not much material on Korea) ;[/li][li] **Bernard Fall** ’s _Street Without Joy_ and _Dien Bien Phu_ are very good for the French involvement in Vietnam ;[/li][li]now the following author is _ **VERY** _ controversial but interesting nonetheless (WARNING, do **not** recommend it to somebody with just a passing knowledge/interest in WWII, but for a well-read person in the subject), **David Irving** ’s _Hitler’s War_. This author has been associated with Holocaust apologists and Neo-nazis (he’s persona non grata in Canada). However it is a very well-written and thought provoking book, but not for the neophyte.[/ul][/li]\*\* > [@](#): > > 1. Modern tactics and strategy, including development of weapon systems like carrier battle groups, nukes, bio/chem\*\* [ul] [li]I would definitely recommend **James F. Dunnigan** ’s and **Albert A. Nofi** ’s books. Both authors have been in the milieu for over 30 years and they do know their stuff ;[/li][li] I would also recommend **Tom Clancy** ’s non-fiction books on the working of various modern military units (_Marines, Armored Cav, Fighter Wing_, etc.).[/ul][/li] \*\* > [@](#): > > 1. Modern Middle East history and politics.\*\* Sorry, not my field of expertise, but you might want to check **T.E. Lawrence** ’s _The Seven Pillars of Wisdom_ (yes, written by Lawrence of Arabia) to see how began this whole mess. \*\* > [@](#): > > 1. Role of modern intelligence operations and their development including covert operations, reconnaisance. \*\* Once more not one of my strong areas, but I can recommend **Phillip Knightley** ’s _The Second Oldest Profession_ for a general history of modern intelligence. The author is very critical of intelligence bureaucracies, but he asks very interesting questions. You might want to check also **John Prados** ’ _President’s Secret Wars_ for a critical review of American covert ops. Hope this will help. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/3 "2001-09-20T17:09:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > > 1. History of warfare, specifically various 20th century conflicts involving the US like WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea. Let’s see… Barbara Tuchman’s _The Zimmermann Telegram_ and _The Guns of August_ are essential for WWI, I’d say. Good writing and interesting development of the personalities and how they influenced history. I’d heartily recommend her _The March of Folly_ for the section on Vietnam. For WWII, how about Shirer’s _The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich_? It very detailed on the European war and the political aspects of WWII Germany. I don’t recall who wrote it, but _At Dawn We Slept_ is great on the beginning of the Pacific war. > [@](#): > > 1. Modern tactics and strategy, including development of weapon systems like carrier battle groups, nukes, bio/chem Don’t know too many, but Dunnigan’s _How to Make War_ is very detailed on modern war and there’s a book out there called _The Future of War_, about the potential next stage developments in warfare. Haven’t read anything that would fit with #3 and 4. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/4 "2001-09-22T02:36:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by detop \* > **Sorry, not my field of expertise, but you might want to check T.E. Lawrence’s _The Seven Pillars of Wisdom_ (yes, written by Lawrence of Arabia) to see how began this whole mess.** I read this last year; it was excellent, although at times he rambled on about the rocks and sand. One assumes that Faisal conquers all at the end, but we know this isn’t true. Is there a good follow-up, detailing the division of the Arab world after WWI? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/5 "2001-09-22T21:28:19Z")
Any book by John Keegan will be worth looking at. For a book on what a battle is like, try his _The Face of Battle._ For an excellent account of the Normandy invasion, see his _Six Armies in Normandy._ ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/6 "2001-09-23T01:30:36Z")
For #3, I’ve finally yanked “The Battle for God” by Karen Armstrong down off my shelf. I bought it on the advice of fellow Dopers, and simply didn’t get around to reading it until now. It starts just agbout 1500, but it’s roughly chronological so I’m reading it in reverse. I’m starting with the last few chapters that explain about how various forms of fundamentalism (Christian, Islamic, AND Jewish) have arisen and gained power since around 1960. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/7 "2001-09-23T03:54:57Z")
I forgot to mention _Tournament of Shadows_, by Meyer and Brysac, which relates the past couple centuries of central Asia. It’s told from the perspective of the imperial powers and their explorers/soldiers, notably British India, Russia, China, the US, France, and Germany. A hefty little tome, but very readable, because it focusses on the daily triumphs and tribulations of individual explorers et al. Not sure if it fits the bill, as that area usually isn’t considered the middle East anymore, and this book pretty much winds up by 1950. ---
**Author:** ![labdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5fc32e/32.png) [@labdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labdude)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-on-the-history-of-warfare-mideast-politics/82667/8 "2001-09-23T04:00:42Z")
I’m not sure if these fit the categories but… ‘We were soldiers once, and young’ and ‘blackhawk down’ We were soldiers…is probably the best description of what war is actually like. Take large numbers of people, chop into small pieces, repeat. For a look at US foreign policy I’d recommend anything Chomsky, but others here will flame me for it.