Monday, July 21, 2025

Review of "The First War of the United States: The Quasi War With France 1798-1801," by William J. Phalen

 Review of

The First War of the United States: The Quasi War With France 1798-1801, by William J. Phalen, ISBN 9788193759165

Five out of five stars

Covers a war rarely mentioned

 The primary great power rivalry of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was between Britain and France. France directly intervened in the American war for independence, and it seems unlikely that the United States would have won if it were not for the French help. At the time, France was a monarchy, which created issues with some Americans that were generally opposed to monarchies.

 As the United States made the initial steps to nationhood, the French did what great powers always do, they tried to manipulate events to their advantage. The reality was that the achieving of independence did not change the fundamental ties of commerce and business between the United States and Great Britain. The British also did all they could to maintain their commercial ties with their former colony. The French also felt that the United States owed them some gratitude for their assistance.

 This book covers the relationship between France and the United States in the years immediately after the American war of independence through the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams and the first year of the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Two main political parties with widely different positions were forming in the United States, and the French Revolution overthrew the monarchy and established a republic. The French republic was more aggressively warlike than the monarchy, leading to significant conflict between the United States and France.

 One amazing fact that is often lost to history is that at the time of the presidency of Washington, the United States had not a single warship to protect the country from seaborne aggression. Even though there was a very large merchant fleet. Therefore, the American navy had to literally be built from scratch.

 This is a fascinating description of the early years of the United States when the founding fathers had to govern the country and deal with foreign nations that were often hostile and manipulative. Despite some significant disagreements, those men managed to steer the country through the dangerous waters and avoid what would have been a disastrous overt war with France.

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Review of "Moscow 1941: A City and Its People at War," by Rodric Braithwaite

 Review of

Moscow 1941: A City and Its People at War, by Rodric Braithwaite, ISBN 1400044308

Five out of five stars

When the war on the Eastern front was decided

 Although there were many large and obvious signs that Germany was about to attack the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941, the Soviet leadership (Stalin) chose to ignore them. Trains bearing Soviet grain and other raw materials were on their way to Germany while the German armored units and aircraft were decimating Soviet Red Army formations. So rapid was the advance of the German forces, millions of Red Army soldiers were surrounded and captured.

 There was a great deal of debate among the German leadership as to what should be the primary goal of conquest in 1941. There were those that considered the capital city of Moscow to be the primary goal while others were in favor of maintaining the broad front.

 This book is about the near conquest of Moscow by the German forces. While other areas of the front are mentioned, the focus is on the city and how the people and the leadership responded to the crisis. What is made very clear is one of the most important historical facts. Had the Germans made a concentrated drive on Moscow, they could have taken it. Even though their forces were split, small units came within visual range of the city.

 It is fascinating to be taken within the Soviet government at a time of true existential crisis, when all of the mistakes made by Joseph Stalin were exposed. One of the most interesting historical tidbits is that when the officials went to wake Stalin after it was clear that the Germans were attacking, he thought that he was going to be arrested.

 While it is unlikely that the capture of Moscow by the Germans would have led to their victory against the Soviet Union, it is clear that without the capture of Moscow, the Germans could not win. Although it is possible there could have been a negotiated settlement like the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Soviet Union simply had too many resources available, most specifically (wo)manpower and the willingness to throw it at the Germans. The Soviet Red Army was the only military in the Second World War where significant numbers of women served in combat roles.

 This book is an important description of the most critical time during the Second World War. Had the Soviet Union not survived the onslaught of 1941, it is difficult to imagine how the Allies could have successfully invaded Europe in 1944. It is impossible to understand how the Allies won the Second World War without knowing how the Soviet Union survived the German onslaught of 1941. This book explains how it survived.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Review of "Aftermath: Following the Bloodshed of America’s Wars in the Muslim World," by Bir Rosen

 Review of

Aftermath: Following the Bloodshed of America’s Wars in the Muslim World, by Bir Rosen, ISBN 9781568584010

Five out of five stars

Depressing, yet illuminating story of the misguided wars

 In the aftermath of the United States engaging in acts of war against the Iranian nation, reading this book is extremely important. Those of us that follow these things remember how the administration of George W. Bush justified their invasion of Iraq on massive falsehoods regarding terrorism, supposed weapons of mass destruction and the vague concept of bringing freedom and democracy to the Arab nations.

 Rosen does a superb job in explaining how the invasion of Iraq simply split open all of the underlying hostilities between the Sunni and Shiite populations of Iraq as well as the aspirations of the Kurds for their own nation. Rosen begins with a historical recapitulation of the religious differences between the Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam. The mechanisms whereby the British Empire carved Iraq out of the remains of the Ottoman Empire are also explained along with how this created ethnic conflicts that the British used to maintain their control of Iraq.

 Rosen clearly has a very deep understanding of the ethnic undercurrents of Iraq and how they led to the extremely brutal civil conflict that the American forces and their allies tried to tamp down. This book is a demonstration of how ignorant of the American body politic is of the internal structure of other nations.

 The war in Afghanistan is also covered, but not to the amount of ink expended on Iraq. Clearly, Rosen is also very knowledgeable about this country as well. Once again there is a demonstration of how ignorant the American body politic is about Afghanistan. The rather ignominious departure of the American military was predictable, given how the Afghans were able to deal with their British and Soviet invaders.

 It is not possible for me to understate the significance of this book as the United States continues to engage in acts of war against the Muslim world. None of the recent US military interventions in Muslim countries have had an outcome anywhere near what the stated intentions were.