Wholesome History Reads Group discussion

Welcome!
This topic is for books on all other wars beside WW1 and WW2. There were a lot of wars in the course of history, hence some great reads.

Three varied ones to get this thread started:

by Andrew Salmon

by Michael Asher

by Mark Higgitt

First two books are excellent recommendations Geevee and I recall searching for a copy of the third title sometime back.

Those look awesome! Thanks for the suggestions....

Here are a few books on conflicts not normally covered:


War in the East: A Military History of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78 by Quintin Barry

Caucasian Battlefields by W.E.D. Allen

A Box of Sand: The Italo-Ottoman War 1911-1912 by Charles Stephenson

just finished this one



pretty good account of the author's experiences in the Heurtgen, Battle of the Bulge and as a POW

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Here are a few books on conflicts not normally covered:


[book:War in the East: A Military History of the ..."

Hey Rick! Looks like some good books, there. Will check them out. Thanks for the suggestions!

happy wrote: "just finished this one



pretty good account of the author's e..."

Sounds great, Happy! I've been wanting to learn more about the Battle of the Bulge. Thanks!

I finally got around to typing up my thoughts on Zulu Rising

The author tells the story of the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War

Isandlwana was the worst defeat Britian suffered at the hands of a native force. Rorke's Drift, which occured immediately afterward produced the most Victoria Crosses, 11, than any other single battle.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good review Happy, glad you enjoyed the book as much as I did!

Thank you for sharing your review, Happy - I'm looking forward to reading the book in the very near future.

I hope you like it as much as I did!

Awesome review Happy. I can't wait to read it myself!

I just finished Cokie Robert's latest,



It's mainly a look at the political wives/daughters of the Civil War Era - roughly 1850-1870. She tells the story of some of the well known women of the Era, including Mary Lincoln, Virinia Davis (Jeff Davis' wife), Julia Grant as well as some not so well know - Jesse Fremont, Kate Sprague. She also includes the stories of a few non politial wives - ie Clara Barton, Dorthea Dix, and Mrs. Lincoln's Dress maker - a former slave)

On the whole there were some interesting stories, but for me, there was too much Society page stuff. She does make a a point that the adage "Behind every great man is a great woman" has some basis in reality.

3.5 stars for me, rounded down

@happy Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

If anyone is interested, I finally got around to typing up my thoughts on Capital Dames

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've started reading one of the latest release books on Shiloh:


Shiloh: Conquer or Perish by Timothy B. Smith

It's been a pretty good account so far.

Looks good Rick! Be sure to let us know how you enjoyed it when you've finished.

Just learnt something new in my book; Washington's Immortals. First time I have ever heard of the Congressional Silver Medal, a forerunner of the Medal of Honor:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congres...

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.o...

It appears only eleven such medals were awarded during this conflict and the Battle of Stoney Point "was one of the most decorated battles of the Revolution."

The Battle of Stoney Point:
http://www.revolutionarywararchives.o...

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/a...

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

Adding Washington's Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution to the to-read list. I've enjoyed some of O'Donnell's WWII books.

I think you would enjoy it A.L., the author has used numerous first-hand accounts to help tell the story of these men and their campaigns.

From the book; Washington's Immortals. An incident during the Battle of Cowpens:

"Several yards away, the British artillerists were valiantly defending another cannon to the death. Howard personally intervened. 'I saw some of my men going to bayonet the men who had the match ... who appeared to make it a point of honor not to surrender his match. The men, provoked by his obstinacy would have bayoneted him on the spot, had I not interfered, and desired him to spare the life of so brave a man. He then surrendered his match.' The entire unit continued fighting '[till all] were either killed or wounded'."

Brave fellows in this British artillery unit!

The Battle of Cowpens:
http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-...

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

@A.L. Awesome! Yes, Patrick O'Donnell is a great author. Cheers!

@Rick That's really interesting about the Congressional Silver Medal! I've never heard of it either. Great book exert as well! It just gets me more excited to read it. :)

In the final chapter of the book the author covers what happened to a number of people after the war. I found this story quite interesting:

"Captain Bob Kirkwood continued to serve his country. After moving west into the Northwest Territory, he once again took up arms for the United States. He was killed in November 1791 by Native Americans led by Little Turtle and Blue Jacket in the Battle of the Wabash (also known as St. Clair's Defeat), one of the worst defeats ever suffered by an American army, a battle that left 623 Americans dead. One of the lucky survivors recorded Kirkwood's demise: 'There resting beneath the tree, lay old Kirkwood, scalped, his head smoking like a chimney.' It was Kirkwood's thirty-sixth battle fighting for his country."

Battle of the Wabash:

https://armyhistory.org/the-battle-of...

@Rick Wow, what a story! To think he survived one war to die in another. Thanks also for the link to the article! I'm going to give it a read.

I recently finished Nathaniel Philbrick newest



My thoughts if anyone is interested

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here is a book that I really enjoyed that includes all those "little" wars fought for Empire during Victorian times. Very interesting indeed. Farwell is one of my favorite authors.

by Byron Farwell

I love that book. It is in my personal library.

I would also recommend his



and



that are basically looks at the same topic at slightly different angles

I have both of those books, happy and they are well worth reading. I love that time period in military history and it is odd that some of the "little wars" and some of the military leaders (I use that term loosely) have slipped through the cracks of history. I find it fascinating.

Another one about the Crimean War which most of you have probably read but it stands as one of my favorites. I don't know why I have such a thing about the Crimea but that war which accomplished absolutely nothing except slaughter fascinates me.

The Reason Why: The Story of the Fatal Charge of the Light Brigade by Cecil Woodham-Smith

Its a grand spectacle as well. I'm also fascinated by the Crimean War although I've not read any books on the conflict for some time now. I best find a good book in my library and start again. I do have a unread copy of; "Crimean War: A Russian Chronicle" by Albert Seaton.

The Crimean War: A Russian Chronicle by Albert Seaton

Plus I must confess to owing the full set of books by A.W. Kinglake; "The Invasion of the Crimea".

One more book on the Crimean War and then I will hush up about the Crimea. :>) It is part of the Osprey Campaign series

Inkerman 1854: The Soldiers' Battle by Patrick Mercer

Jill wrote: "One more book on the Crimean War and then I will hush up about the Crimea. :>) It is part of the Osprey Campaign series

[book:Inkerman 1854:..."

Have read this book and found it useful.

I must admit that one reason I became interested in the Crimean War is the Russian commander, Alexander S. Menshikov, who was the great-grandson of Peter I's friend, Alexander D. Menshikov. I have read many books about the reign of Peter the Great.

The only book I have read about Peter the Great was the one by Robert Massie.....but it was years ago. As I recall, I liked it. Maybe I should re-visit that era of Russian history.

Wasn't it Menshikov who suffered the most horrible wound a man can receive?

by Robert K. Massie

Yes, it was Alexander S. who was injured in 1828.

The Massie book is terrific, but there are others if you're ever interested.

Taking about famous Russians I recently purchased a second hand copy of this book after enjoying one of his other books on Russian history:

Prince Of Princes: The Life Of Potemkin by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Oooh, I like that author. Will look for that one.

Its a nice big book Jill :)

Korea.....the forgotten war! A fascinating subject about a conflict that accomplished nothing and has the world still looking at North Korea, not knowing what to expect. One of the best books I have ever read on that war is cited below. I would highly recommend it.

The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War by David Halberstam

It's an excellent book, one of the first I ever read on the subject.

Me too, Betsy. I really like Halberstam's books and writing style. His tragic death was a real loss to the history reader.

I read another book on the Chosin Reservoir battle several years ago that was quite good but I will have to search through my "read" list to find the title. How anyone got out alive is amazing.

I'm about to start this book on a little covered conflict:

The Last Ironsides: The English Expedition to Portugal, 1662-1668 by Jonathon Riley
Description:
When Charles II returned home he began the search for a dynastic marriage. He fixed upon the Infanta of Portugal, Catherine of Braganza, whose dowry included the possession of Tangier, Bombay and valuable trade concessions. The Portuguese had been fighting for their independence from Spain for twenty years and needed alliances to tip the scales in their favor. In return for the concessions Charles agreed to send to Portugal a regiment of horse and two of foot, which provided an excuse to ship away the remnants of the Cromwellian armies that had not been disbanded at the Restoration. The prospect of service was at first well received - "Major-General Morgan drew forth his regiment of foot consisting of 1000 proper men besides officers, and made a short speech, acquainting them that his Majesty had been graciously pleased to design them for honorable service abroad. . . Whereupon they all with great acclamations of joy, cried out ' All, all, all. . ." There were also officers and men who had remained loyal to the crown to them Charles owed a debt of employment, Former Royalists therefore made up the balance of the regiment of horse - uncomfortable bedfellows for their former enemies.

The English and French regiments fought with courage and discipline at the series of major battles and sieges that followed, most of which have never been properly described. This is, therefore, the rediscovery of a lost episode in our military history. It was the English and French soldiers, under Schomberg's leadership, who proved the decisive factor in winning back Portugal's independence. But in return for their courage in battle, the English soldiers were rewarded with insults and want of pay. At the conclusion of peace in 1667, only 1,000 out of the 3,500 men who made up the force were left standing. 400 of these received what was effectively a death sentence: they were shipped to Tangier to join the fight against the Moors. The remainder returned to seek service in England or abroad - but places were hard to find. One veteran of the horse summed up the feelings of many - ." . . there was never a more gallant party went out of England upon any design whatever, than were that regiment of horse. . . they came into the country full of money and gallantry, and those which survived left it as full of poverty and necessity."

I recently finished Candice Millard's latest



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Very good read. Ms Millard does an excellent job of illuminating not just Churchill, but the reasons for the war and why the British did so badly in the beginning

Here is a link to Ms. Millard giving a presentation on the book
From CPANs BookTV

https://www.c-span.org/video/?417592-...

Two of the "little" English wars that I find particularly fascinating are the Boer War and the Crimean War. This looks like a good book for me, happy.

Jill,
I think Ms. Millard had a very readable writing style and a gift for making people interesting.

Here is another book that is a must read for the enthusiasts of important wars that sometimes are not given enough attention. The Zulu nation's history is fascinating and then the white colonialists showed up and thus began the decline of a proud people. It was happening all over Africa but the Zulu's resistance captures the imagination and the heart of anyone who reads this book.

by Donald R. Morris

Jill wrote: "Here is another book that is a must read for the enthusiasts of important wars that sometimes are not given enough attention. The Zulu nation's history is fascinating and then the white colonialist..."

Great book Jill, one of my all time favourites!

I have always thought that the Falkland's War was a rather odd incident in modern history. It was a ten-week war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over two British overseas territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It began on Friday, 2 April 1982, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands (and, the following day, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) in an attempt to establish the sovereignty it had claimed over them. On 5 April, the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders died during the hostilities.

The conflict was a major episode in the protracted confrontation over the territories' sovereignty. Argentina asserted (and maintains) that the islands are Argentine territory,[5] and the Argentine government thus characterised its military action as the reclamation of its own territory. The British government regarded the action as an invasion of a territory that had been a Crown colony since 1841. Falkland Islanders, who have inhabited the islands since the early 19th century, are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and favour British sovereignty. Neither state officially declared war, although both governments declared the Islands a war zone. Hostilities were almost exclusively limited to the territories under dispute and the area of the South Atlantic where they lie. It certainly pales beside some of the other "protection of colonies" that have been fought over the centuries by Great Britain I did see a plaque at St. Paul's in London honoring the British men who died in that "war" but if you blink, you miss it.. A strange little war indeed.

Jill wrote: "I have always thought that the Falkland's War was a rather odd incident in modern history. It was a ten-week war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over two British overseas territories in th..."

It's my first memory of actually watching the news Jill - I was 10 at the time and I can remember being amazed at the footage. A year or so later my dad let me read his copy of "I Counted Them All Out And I Counted Them All Back": The Battle For The Falklands by Brian Hanrahan (who sadly died recently). My uncle, who was in the Merchant Navy at the time, thankfully wasn't involved but later worked on transporting the materials for the building of RAF Mount Pleasant.

Mighty Max's volume on the Falklands isn't half bad The Battle for the Falklands; Martin Middlebrook released two volumes The Falklands War and The Fight For The 'Malvinas': The Argentine Forces In The Falklands War but my all time favourite is Don't Cry for Me, Sergeant-Major