**spoiler alert** Great book covering the life of the junior british officrs in WW1 from their public schools draft, the journey from Britain to Franc**spoiler alert** Great book covering the life of the junior british officrs in WW1 from their public schools draft, the journey from Britain to France and Flanders , the entrance in the trenches, trench life , troop composition , morale, trench dangers, death , cammarederie, injury, billets , fun on leave and the eventual end of the war, getting back to civiliam life, wounds phisical and psichological and adendum.
This book is about the young britsh generation which was lost in WW1; young lords, knights, barons which attended the public schools like Eton, Oxford, Cambridge, imbued with the valors of honor, courage, fairplay , the creme a la creme, the most patriotic, and with high ideals part of the British society , THE ones that died in the largest proportion in WW1 compared to any other military rank.
They were the ones in the first line, the ones who had to jump over the trench parapet and run towards the noman's land straught into german machine guns and shelling, to inspire the regular soldiers to follow them .
The germans were prioritizing them over any other rank since they represented the core of the british doggedness and valor.
A whole generation of elite boys wiped out in just 4 years. It is said by many , this was a reason Britain lacked the skill to navigate the turbulent politics of the 30's.
Awesome read, penetrating all aspects of these young men short but glorious life....more
**spoiler alert** Tin minte, cum, la orele de istorie ni s-a vorbit despre glorioasa campanie din Carpati din 1916 , cum romanii au trecut muntii sa e**spoiler alert** Tin minte, cum, la orele de istorie ni s-a vorbit despre glorioasa campanie din Carpati din 1916 , cum romanii au trecut muntii sa elibereze Transilvania...si, mai tin minte si cum in toamna aceluiasi an , unitatile nemtesti blocate in acea vara pe frontul de vest (Marna, Somme, Verdun) s-au intors pe melagurile noastre si i-au pus pe ai nostri in retragere.
Apoi aflam, cum si bulgarii deschideau front in sudul munteniei si, cum, incet incet, frontul romanesc incepe sa dea inapoi....tot drumul (toata Campia Romana) pana in Moldova , abandonand totul (inclusiv Capitala).
Ce nu mi-sa spus este modul in care s-a desfasurat aceasta retragere.
Aceasta carte zugraveste toamna-iarna lui 1916 in care s-a desfasurat aceasta retragere ce reprezinta fara doar si poate, un dezastru national, care, cumva s-a tinut sub covor pana de curand.
Stefan Zeletin face parte din armata 1 romana, cea care a fost incartiruita in Moldova si trimisa in zona Pitesti sa stabilizeze frontul sa opreasca inaintarea nemtilor si sa ajute unitatile armate din muntenia. Armata aceasta a devenit ulterior protagonista acestei retrageri.
Nu a fost o retragere, a fost o fuga continua, in care nu s-a mai tinut cont de ordine , de pregatire militara, o fuga datorata incompetentei si nesimtirii statului major fata de propria armata.
S-a ajuns in situatia in care soldatii au fost nevoiti sa fuga sute de kilometri de dusman, cazand si murind de foame prin santuri, jefuind casele oamenilor din disperare.
Obositi de la zile intregi de marsuri de noapte, fara oprire (spre a nu fi incercuiti) , jegosi , fara arme, sau cu arme, dar, folosindu-le pe post de bate, fiindca nu primisera cartuse la ele, cu moralul distrus, rupti de regimentele si batalioanele lor , incontinuu hartuiti de mitraliere si obuzele dusmane, totul in timp ce statul major nu incearca in nici un fel sa asigure coeziunea , sa asigure ca rezervele acopera retragerea liniei intai , ca artileria acopera infanteria.
In mod normal, cand linia intai e strapunsa, rezerva si artileria trebuie sa ii acopere retragerea. In acest episod al Romaniei, artileria si rezerva ori de cate ori primeau stirea ca frontul e strapuns, erau primele care plecau, lasand linia intai intr-o continua fuga,dezolare si confuzie.
Nu numai ca plecau dar de cele mai multe ori nici nu dadeau de stire unitatilor de pe front.
Inchipuiti-va regimente intregi din linia intai dupa o zi epuizanta de lupta, plecau in mars organizat spre (initial) un anume sat crezand ca rezerva lor a pregatit o pozitie fortificata. Cand intrau in sat nu era urma de roman, dar dadeau piept cu mitralierele germane proaspat instalate pe acoperisurile caselor.
Soldatii ai sergentii erau obligati sa sada in pozitii ziua si sa fuga noaptea pe drumuri laturalnice si paduri spre a nu fi incercuiti. Si asta s-a intamplat pe intreaga distanta de 320 km , distanta dintre Pitesti si Focsani ! Zi de zi !
Singura deviza a statului major era : "inapoi pe front ca altfel pun artileria pe voi nenorocitilor', apoi pleca.
Stefan Zeletin estimeaza ca armata romana a pierdut usor peste 120 000 oameni in aceasta retragere, o majoritate covarsitoare datorita foamei si a oboselii , nicidecum a gloantelor dusmane.
Este surprinzator ca, cumva, ajungand armata la Focsani , in decurs de numai cateva luni, sub ajutotul misiunii franceze in Moldova , a reinviat din propria cenusa , si a oprit inaintarea germana in vara lui 1917 (glorioasele lupte de la Marasesti , Marasti si Oituz).
Romanii, sunt un neam brav si muncitor, doar ca, cumva ajungem mereu sa fim prinsi cu chilotii in vine in marile intemperii ale istoriei, si cumva, fix in acele momente, cand avem nevoie de o mana forte, de o calauza, cineva care sa preia fraiele, ajungem sa fim condusi de diversi "ilustri" anonimi. Pana la urma sub frica distrugerii totale, ne redresam si cu fatalitatea dar si ingeniuitatea balcanica razbim, luam deciziile bune, iesim cumva la suprafata, dar cu mari costuri, mai ales cu costuri care puteau fi evitate..... Apoi din aceste experiente nu tragem invataminte, dupa aceste episoade nu ne invatam minte....revenim iar in aceeasi mirobolanta ignoranta si indiferenta...si ciclul se repeta....more
**spoiler alert** Cum as putea sa rezum in doar cateva randuri povestea multigenerationala a familiei Krupp , cea care a inarmat Prusia , Al Doilea Re**spoiler alert** Cum as putea sa rezum in doar cateva randuri povestea multigenerationala a familiei Krupp , cea care a inarmat Prusia , Al Doilea Reich , al Treilea Reich si RFG-ul ?
O opera pe cat de imensa cuprinzand istoria Krupp (1570-1970) pe atat de usor de citit.
1000 de pagini de istorie politica, istorie tehnica, geopolitica, razboi , si masinatiuni antreprenoriale la nivel global.
Personal am apreciat cel mai mult perioada 1850-1914 , perioada renasterii germane pe plan politic , teritorial si militar.
Am apreciat enorm nivelul de documentare si detaliu acordat istoriei procesuluiui de producere al otelului inca din pruncia sa la final de secol XVIII cand se experiementa cu diverse valturi, pana la presele mamut de zeci de tone de dupa al doilea razboi mondial.
Krupp a reprezentat timp de 200 de ani Germania , relatiile conducatorilor firmei cu conducatorii tarii (Bismarck, Wilhelm , Hitler, Adenauer) fiind de natura simbiotica.
Intre 1850-1970 dinastia a produs armament atat pentru Germania cat si pentru intregul mapamond, tunurile sale ajungand in Istanbul, Pekin, Rio de Janeiro, Cairo sau Tokyo. Pe langa tunuri "die Firma" a produs tancuri, tunuri, mortiere, submarine, crucisatoare, blindaje, aliaje, mitraliere dar si furnale pentru crematorii , turnuri de supraveghere pentru lagarele de concentrare si multe altele.
De-a lungul existentei sale Kruppianerii au incercat intotdeauna sa produca initial pentru industria grea civila dar din nefericire castigurile reduse i-au readus intotdeauna in industria de razboi.
In secolul XIX Krupp a livrat locomotive si cai ferate pentru Sua, Sudan si Orientul mijlociu , iar mai tarziu dupa WW2 firma sub obladuirea lui Alfried Krupp s-a diversificat increidibil in lumea a 3-a livrand la cheie laminoare, cocserii, fabrici intregi, camioane pentru cariere, masini-unelte pentru preluxrarea diverselor aliaje.
Am apreicat detaliile Razboiului Franco-Prusac din 1870 cand francezii au fost obliterati de primele tunuri din otel turnat acesta marcand definitiv eliminarea tunurilor din bronz.
Capitolele cel mai plicticoase (pentru mine) au fost paradoxal cele curpinzand WW2. S-a pus mult prea mult accent pe holocaust , pe sclavii rusi, evrei si polonezi care munceau pe branci in turnatoriile si laminoarele Krupp si modul in care erau batuti, bruscati , infometati , lasati sa moara si trimisi in crematoriile groazei. Stiam aceste lucruri iar ce nu stiam (gradul de implicare al corporatiilor germane) intuiam.
Poate cel mai fabulos este faptul ca mai toti barbatii Krupp au fost oameni deosebit de incercati de soarta , traind vieti aspre, fara rea multe placeri , dedicandu-se intru total firmei, a renumelui pe care l-au mostenit si incercand sa mareasca avutia si prestigiul acesteia de la generatie la generatie. Ultimul mostenitor al firmei, Arnold Krupp, a decis ca el va face lucrurile diferit , el va TRAI pentru EL si nu pentru FIRMA, si a facut ceea ce intemeitorul Alfred Krupp s-ar fi rasucit in mormand - a vandut-o , aceasta devenind o societate pe actiuni, actuala Thyssen Krupp de astazi.
**spoiler alert** After this book , i'm going to Malta soon ! This book is so intense and captivating and rich in detail and history and warfare that i**spoiler alert** After this book , i'm going to Malta soon ! This book is so intense and captivating and rich in detail and history and warfare that i can't praise it enough !
Its like Lord of The Rings - the battle for Helm's Deep with three fortresses instead of one. The Orcs and Uruk Hai would be the Ottomans (some ~30-40 000 people, including some 8000 Jannissaries, the best infantry of the 16 century and additional Iayalar fanatics , Algerians, Egyptian sappers, Serbians and even Romanians) The defenders would be 500 Knights of Saint John with abother 7500 maltese soldiers.
The siege of Malta represented the beginning of the end of the Ottoman expansion into the west Mediteranean ,(the end being the Battle of Lepanto).
The Knights of Saint John in the 16 century were the last knight order formed during the Crusades. After having to flee from Akko for Rhodes they were inevitably laid siege upon by the the Ottomans in 1522.
They had to surender and leave yet again, and wander and be nomads and corsairs for the next 20 years asking the kings of Western Europe for a domain for their Order. The Spanish Crown eventually gave them the barren island of Malta.
It is here where where the Grand Master La Valette had the foresight to create defenses knowing all too well that sometime during his life the Ottomans will set their eyes upon this strategic location.
The ottomans arrived in the spring of 1565 and started the greatest siege that ever existed.
The only hope for the Knights of St John ? Hold out as much as possible hoping reinfircements will arrive from Sicily.
The heroism , the barbary , the courage , resolve , wit , cunning of both forces is incredible. Its like a game of chess where each side tries to outplay the other ever changing its tactics.
**spoiler alert** Volumul de fata este fara doar si poate o resursa impresionanta ce acopera situatia geopolitica a Europei rasaritene a secolului XV.**spoiler alert** Volumul de fata este fara doar si poate o resursa impresionanta ce acopera situatia geopolitica a Europei rasaritene a secolului XV.
Cred cu tarie ca titlul cartii este gresit ca induce in eroare cititorul si mai mult decat atat creeaza asteptari cu privire la subiectul principal si anume, Batalia de la Codrii Cosminului (1497) dintre Moldoveni si Poloni.
M-am delectat citind despre actorii europeni rasariteni ai vremii precum Ungaria , Boemia, Polonia , Hanatul Crimeii, Tarile Romane si bineinteles Imperiul Otoman. Imi sunt prezentate relatiile dintre acestia , organizarea interna a regiunilor, diplomatie , arme , tactica militara, si multe altele, si totul jucand rol de initiere de intelegere a situatiei pentru Marea Batalie ce avea sa aiba loc la Codrii Cosminului din 1497.
Inteleg ca nu au ramas multe izvoare istorice , dar sa citesc o intreaga carte ca sa ajung la punctul culminant, Batalia de la Codrii Cosminului si sa aflu ca este tratata sumar in 2 pagini e un pic dezamagitor.
Cu toate acestea lectura a fost placuta desi pe alocuri s-a vorbit mult prea.mult despre chestiuni non esentiale (particularitati ale unor personaje secundare ale vremii).
Batalia in sine e un macel , o ambuscada, si ilustreaza inca o data caracterul romanesc. Romanasii nostri in frunte cu Fane Babanul fac o tipica "romaneasca", atacand trupele poloneze in padure, asta DUPA ce tocmai semnasera tratat de pace si libera trecere (retragere) pentru oastea polona.(polonezi ce nu venisera ce-i drept cu ganduri pasnice pe meleagurile noastre).
Am gasit deosebit de interesant faptul ca Fane Babanul isi bagase coada de foarte multe ori in Tara Romaneasca impunand domnii lui pana in momentul in care boierii Valahi i-au zis sa plimbe ursul intr-o epistola deosebit de colorata ca limbaj.
Stefan al nostru a fost un diplomat de cariera, a stiut cand sa lupte contra turcilor, a si platit tribut (primul din Moldova) cand a fost cazul si poate cel mai interesant , a si folosit trupe otomane pentru a ataca Sudul Regatului Lituano-Polonez precum si in Batalia din Codrii Cosminului.
Tara Romaneasca si Moldova s-au luptat deosebit de des la jumatatea secolului XV datorita unor dispute de granita, defapt Stefan al nostru din cei 47 ani de domnie , doar 13 i-a petrecut luptand cu otomanii , 11 luptand impotriva Tarii Romanesti.
Armata formata din tarani liberi este doar un vis de adormit copii... Oastea lui Stefan era una profesionista alcatuita din boieri care aveau sarcina sa pregateasca si sa echipeze contingente armate proportionale cu avutia lor.
Am apreciat bogatia de informatie si varietatea surselor interne si mai ales externe de care s-a folosit autorul pentru a elabora cartea de fata. Cu toate acestea punctul culminant al cartii este unul mediocru in timp ce tot ceea ce vine inaintea sa este deosebit de interesant....more
**spoiler alert** This is one of the best action-adventure-war packed material i have ever read , and the crazy part is that its all there , its real **spoiler alert** This is one of the best action-adventure-war packed material i have ever read , and the crazy part is that its all there , its real , every bit happened as it was , coming from the reports of the participants (mostly SAS Rhodesian forces).
For the gamer readers, this is some real life Farcry (pc game saga). Highly trained exceptionally motivated operatives facing opponents orders of magnitude greater , deep behind enemy lines , a report full of sabotaging , assaults, antitracking , hunting.
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) was founded by South African colonists in 1890 and flourished immensely in the span of not even 50 years.The country similar to South Africa prospered under white rule having build modern infrastructure , modern services and its people(including the blacks) living a decent and peaceful life.
Despite the fact that its soldiers proved themselves time and time again in special operations for Great Britain during WW1 , WW2 , Korea , the brits were some asshole backstsbbers.
Starting with the 60's The Brits wanted to get rid off their aura of colonialists and paddled forth to give all their former colonies independence. In the case of Rhodesia this obsession with cleaning out white rule proved one of their biggest mistakes for the time to come. They backed Robert Mugabe leader of revolutionary armies which in fact were terrorist organizations killing unarmed white farmers throughout the country (ZANU, ZANLU, ZIPRA).
British diplomats as well as high profile leaders, including Margaret Thatcher, just didn't care Mugabe's men were murdering innocent farmers and entire families , butchering small kids... All they saw was "white rule must go".
Therefore Rhodesians declared independence and started a long bush war which would last almost 14 years (1965-1979) against huge overwhelming odds against thousands and thousands of terrorists coming from most neuighbouring countries like Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana.
The west put embargoes on Rhodesians while the terorrists were heavy receivers of Soviet help in the help of weapons , training , food .
Depsite all this , Rhodesian SAS operators won every single fight using remarkable bushcraft , tracking , persistence , zeal , courage and ingeniunity. These men would carry tens of kgs of equipment in everything worse Africa can offer (heat, humidity, giant predators, snakes) and behind enemy lines operations , marching tens of kms daily sometimes without/or with scarce water and food , always heavilly outnumbered and outgunned , with militias on their rear trying to find and eliminate them.
Probably one of the most impressive battles was 150 SAS troops invading a 10000 strong terrorist camp and efeectively obliterating it.
Rhodesians won every battle and lost the war due to political incompetence of their superior political stuff which bended the knee to the brits...which endorsed Mugabe. Now the country having all whites deported or left is in shambles , basic services are nowhere in sight, another failed state.
A sad story in the end but a wonderful book ! I learned a quite alot about life in the Zambezi basin, history and geopolitics of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia , a bit of Tanzania and quite alot about the portugesse rule as well as its downfall of Mozambique....more
First 40% of this book is literally the history of the microchip, starting with the first transistor in late 50's designed by Shockley, tOutstanding !
First 40% of this book is literally the history of the microchip, starting with the first transistor in late 50's designed by Shockley, then mass produced in emerging companies like Texas Instruments and Fairchild initially for the Pentagon's guided missles used in Vietnam war then for general use.
We then hit the 60-70's when America outsources its production to Japan and loses its grip on memory chip DRAM technology. 3 engineers leave Fairchild and create Intel. In the 80's Intel loses market share to Japan which learned to integrate chips in consumer electronics (radios , walkman) via companies like Sony and Sharp.
Late 80's Intel gambles and leaves DRAM market and together with IBM and Bill Gates MSFT devise an alliance around IBM computers , running Windows OS , powered by Intel's x86 microchip architecture. This will dominate the next 30 years.
We also get to see how the smartphone arena changed the balance of pwoer from USA to Taiwan and how Intel refused to produce custom chips for the emerging Apple , thus throwing away a huge opportunity for divestment.
We get to understand the different types of chips (memory , logic and analog) and who specializes in what as well as the complex procedures required to.build a chip (design, production and assembly) and learn why everything now is centered around Taiwan's TSMC behemoth.
The transistor lessons are above par , as well as the complex machinery needed to build it nowadays via the process of litography , and why only Netherlands's ASML can do it (using no less then 460k parts ) including high precision lasers from Germany's Trumpf which in turn uses Carl Zeiss optics.
There are so many things explained regarding transistors , cpu's , memory , supply chains , the companies that design ,produce and consume (Intel, AMD, Nvidia, ARM, Micron , Huawei , Samsung , Apple) , world gonverments, USA trade war with China and the banning of Huawei....
This book is literally a compact enciclopedia involving topics such as history , electronics , science , politics , warfare and everything that has to do with microchips which is the new world's gold standard. Besides developers , and electronic nerds, people into tech and not only will find this book mind blowing !...more
**spoiler alert** There is no book i have read more penetrating both in depth and breadth on the internal workings of diplomacy, geopolitics and inter**spoiler alert** There is no book i have read more penetrating both in depth and breadth on the internal workings of diplomacy, geopolitics and international relations of the last 200 years like this one.
I knew Kissinger was a genius on foreign policy during Nixon's administration, but i didn't know he was such a world caliber historian.
The book starts explaining the difference between personal interest and the national interest and invokes the case of cardinal Richelieu during the 30 years war, who, despite being a staunch catholic, he departed from his beliefs and did whatever was necessary for his country's security , adopting a strategy known as "Raison d'etat" or national interest , playing his enemies between themselves.
The book covers most of the 19 century after Napoleon's defeat with all its crises , the perennial players : Austro Hungary , Ottomans, Germany (Prussia) , Russia , UK , Italy and the intricate web of relationships and reasoning behind their leaders. Special attention is given to the buildup of events which have led to world war I , buildup which started with the Crimean War dismantling Metternich's "concert of Europe", continuing with Italy reunification and the fatal year of 1870 when France was defeated at Sedan becoming a mortal enemy of the reunified Germany, seeking from then on to envelop the latter through an Alliance with Russia.
The book then moves to the 20 century covering the interesting parts of the pre WW1 dynamics of Europe , Germany's reemergence in the interwar period and then continues for the rest of the book with USA and USSR struggle during the cold war and the crises that have shaped american way of throught and as well as foreign relations. ( Berlin Blockade , Korea War , Vietnam , NATO and EU formation). Very thorough analysis of Teddy Roosevelt , Woodrow Wilson, FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon and Reagan presidencies, the rise of China to world power , and the triangle Washington-Beijing-Moscow during the Brezhnev era , the fall of USSR during Gorbachev and Reagan's tenures.
Nowadays many people see Americans as stupid and naive in their decisons , but they just didn't have experience in foreign policy, and thus lacked flexibility during the last century. They learned like all great powers that any advantage evaporates in time and there can only be so much to be done until overextension and erosion .
Americans are witnessing now in the 2020's the same thing France had after Napoleon , Britain at the end of the XIX century and USSR in the late 80s , which is exhaustion and decay, something that for me looks irreversible....That is, the juice , the energy of a nation can't flow forever and it will be interesting to see how american idealism will have to shift to national interest, to stop caring about democracy worldwide and focus on domestic issues, how USA from a superpower will become one of the many nations of the world.
I would have loved an updated version on this book covering at least the 2010 and i would definetly wanted to know what Kissinger thinks of this multipolar world that is emerging, about new blocks like BRICS and the rise of African nations.
It is funny how France has been the arch enemy of a united Germany after the Franco-Prussian war and fought 2 world wars and even after to keep it in check, to in the end decide that its power projection and significance in the world stage would depend on its relationship with her eastern neighbour in the second part of the XX century and pursuing a policy of unification and consolidation of Europe (EU).
Its also interesting to think that North Korea might have not existed if America would press forward during the Korean war to the chinese border and would have incorporated Pyongyang. We would have no Kim Jong Un now. America stopped right before xomplete victory due to fear of a Soviet intervention (which was the last thing Stalin wanted).
Same thing happened in Vietnam war, America having a phase of idealism and global interventionalism followed by its own doubts and stalemating and crumbling on itself.
Super, collosal, hollistic undertaking. A must read for anyone interested in why countries act in ways that look unreasonable and how foreign policy is dictated....more
**spoiler alert** Great recollection of the events in the Sinai during Israel's Yom Kippur War (1973) seen through the lenses of Leonard Cohen an arti**spoiler alert** Great recollection of the events in the Sinai during Israel's Yom Kippur War (1973) seen through the lenses of Leonard Cohen an artist stuck in a rut at that time , which , decides to travel in the thick of the war and sing for those poor soldiers getting killed and shattered in so many different ways.
What an era , a world known artist, giving small concerts to troops on improvised scenes, hangars, tarmacs, tropillo boats, and of course in the middle of the desert right next to the place where tanks are exchanging shells.
What will remain with me: the fact that the most well known song of Leonard , Who By Fire, was inspired and sketched after a thousdands old prayer he attended in a synagogue next to the frontlines, a prayer describing the uncertainity of everyday life, and the different methods God can decide a man can die (by fire, water, avalanche, midst of love, something blown....etc).
I find the song great , but given its backstory , i find it deeply spiritual and have added it to my long term permanent track list.
**spoiler alert** What do you get when a Cambridge Educated researcher and historian lives in Pakistan for more than 15 years and decides to share his**spoiler alert** What do you get when a Cambridge Educated researcher and historian lives in Pakistan for more than 15 years and decides to share his educated insights ? You get a masterpiece.
Anatol Lieven's current book is basically a compendium , a synthesis, a very very intense one, of years upon years of travelling throughout Pakistan and interviewing people from all walks of life from tribal chieftains, policemen , peasantry, taliban fighters, political party members to senior officials , army generals , officers, mayors down to the mere private , ISI(Pakistan secret services) operatives , police intendents , constables to businessmen , shop keepers, blue collard workers, laywers, judges, mullahs, pirs...you get the idea.
So on one hand you have this dimension of such a wide and varied range of people telling their stories and how they see things and on the other you also have each province/region of Pakistan being firmly delimitated , explained by all accounts be it poltiical , military, exonomical , religious , social, and the cherry on the cake , how each province interacts and views the other and all internal tensions that appear whenever there is a ecological disaster or an insurgency both of which can displace millions of people.
This book has totally rocked me , and i will be forever grateful that such people still exist , people that do the hard meticulous work of writing first grade non-fiction literature, people that research and research and research more across multiple years, just to synthetise everything in a mere 600 pages. I was wrong believeing everything contemporary is trashy self development non-books and easy-to-sell-buzzword bonanzas. This one is one of those rare ones so treat it with care and don't rush through it !
A couple of ideas that stuck with me:
- Pakistan is a working chaos, a negotiated state, a state where you need to take into consideration each party of the transaction,a state where patronage, prestige and above all clan affiliation is everything. For example: on one hand you have a city like Karachi, a pearl of modernity at the Indian Ocean, a city founded by Mohajirs(muslim that fled India) on the other you have the NWFP (north western frontier province) where people are at peace only when they wage war on anybody that represents authority, be it US on their relatives in Afghanistan or the Police and Pakistani Army. In one city you have modern IT and Road infrastructure while in the other crime is negociated via a community assembly and does not result in punishment but in compensation, girls are killed for choosing suitors outside their clan and Taliban can always find a safe heaven and a regrouping ground while running from US forces.
-Everything appears to point that nothing is working , the state services are abysmal , there are insurgencies upon insurgencies , there are 3 juridical codes: state law, sharia law and local law (e.g Pashtunwali) , huge portions of the country are subjected to tribal feuds and mediated via Jirgas (community gatherings act as both the law givers and enforcers). Despite all this, despite a this chaos, Pakistan manages to negotiate and keep the state flowing, by using negotiation, bribery as well as brute force whenever it needs to.
-Sharia is basically a written law code , the code that Muhammad placed upon the tribes to unform and get rid of local barbaric customs. Sharia is not primitive compared to what local traditions can be , like in Pakistan. Sharia is actually a sign of modernity of uniformity.
- We do not realize the importance of having a single supreme judicial authority in the country, a single organ that can change and keep tabs of the law code. Pakistan has 3: sharia , state law (based on former british administrations) and local law. Everybody is exasperated that the state does nothing and solves nothing (including delivering justice to criminals) while the typical Pakistani follows whichever code benefits him in any given situation.
- Pakistan helps the Talibans from Afghanistan even if that means supplying weapons and intelligence , hsoting them , despite US warnings, because its main fear is a non-taliban India- friendly gonverment in Afghanistan , a gonverment that could (backed by India) attack Pakistan from the west , while India does it from the East in a two pronged assault.
There are too many things to add but i will stop here. The book is beyond terrific and i recommend it wholeheartedly ! -...more
**spoiler alert** While the book was not brilliant i'd say it was definetly good and worth it , to understand a bit more on this country that has been**spoiler alert** While the book was not brilliant i'd say it was definetly good and worth it , to understand a bit more on this country that has been plagued over the decades by a really trash , violent and abusing class of politicians and upper class.
A few points: - Colombia's geography is in such a way that it is really hard for the capital Bogota to assert , control and check what happens in the rest of the country. - Over the decades the two political parties have ruled in turn or together in one form or another over the country prioritising their own agendas and not giving a shit about the working class especially the peasants in the remote highlands - FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) was formed as a communist leninist political-guerilla movement that would oppose gonverment abuses and fight against class inequality. Some of their main goals have not changed from their incpetion: redistribution of land to the peasants , nationalising the state resources especially oil and energy. - Over the decades the guerilla has fought a bloody war first against the national army, then against paramilitaries sponsored by the government and later by the US - who wanted to gain easy access to the vast resources of the country. - The US , the Bogota gov , the paramilitaries have tried by any means thus violating a huge number human rights to eradicate the guerilla movement. All proved to be in vain eventually , because the roots of the problem (inequality) have never been addressed , therefore the poor class has always found a better alternative to join the FARC and actively support them. - In need of revenue FARC got heavily involved in the cocaine business , as the middle men between the poor farmers and the drug cartels. They would set a fixed price per kg of coca and act on behalf of the farmers not to grt extorcated. - After nearly 70 years and a lot of bloodshed , after many presidents , all adopting an aggresive stance towards the guerilla , the problems have remained the same. The guerillas are fighting with rudinentary weapons attacking nowadays foreign oil corporations setting shop in the oil rich areas , blowing up pipelines and planting land mines across huge spots of land. - Despite the huge number of colltateral damage and incredible number of civilian deaths , no the politicians try relentlessly to keep everything under the rug , to pay paramilitaries to do their dirty work thus killing , raping , torturing and displacing civilians in order to root out the guerilla , failing to address the socio-economical issue , the elephant in the room.
A really really sad situation , and a total surprise for me , hoping post Narco Era Colombia would get their shit together. -...more
**spoiler alert** Este de departe cea mai buna carte de istorie pe care am citit-o in ultimii 3 ani. O capodoera a geopoliticii orientului mijlociu. Bai**spoiler alert** Este de departe cea mai buna carte de istorie pe care am citit-o in ultimii 3 ani. O capodoera a geopoliticii orientului mijlociu. Baiatul asta a intrat atat de adanc in acest conflict armat de m-a dat pe spate. Pagini intregi de descrieri ale luptelor in provinciile iraniene , in muntii Iraqului , in Golful Persic , cu descrieri devastatoare ale efectivelor militare , ale tacticilor, ale armelor folosite , provenienta lor.
Se prezinta lupte terestre , bombardamente , batalii navale, contraspionaj , precum si eforturile sustinute in diplomatie cu marile puteri precum URSS , SUA , tarile golfului,Europa , China si Korea de Nord. Efectiv cartea este una holistica si te trece prin toate , iar proverbul "Dusmanul de azi este prietenul de maine" vine la tanc in acest context.
In ce carte de istorie afli ca Israelul a livrat si sustinut schimburi comerciale militare cu Iranul mult timp dupa radicalizarea sa , odata cu venirea lui Khomeini.
Un alt fact fain: toata tevatura din Liban , cu "lupta" lor de rezistenta impotriva vestului si a Israelului , a fost doar un mod al Iranului de a pune presiune pe tarile europene (cu precadere Franta) in isi opri sustinerea militara a lui Saddam Hussein , folosind astfel cu succes razboiul asimetric (atentate, luare de ostatici).
Franta a fost efectiv cea mai mare tarfa a Europei, ca nu pot sa ii zic altfel , cea care a jucat la ambele capete , care a inchis ochii la atacuri teroriste in propria capitala doar pentru a putea livra mai multe arme.
Un razboi total , unde armele chimice au fost folosite ca bomboanele de catre Irakieni , apoi folosite asupra propriei populatii kurde. In tot acest timp Iranul la randul sau a dus un razboi pe 3 fronturi: intern pe plan politic intre comunisti , fundamentalisti si cei pro vest , regional : minoritatile azere, balochistaneze si kurde facand atentate si bineinteles cel cu Irak-ul lui Saddam Hussein.
Este o carte superba pentru amatorii de istorie si geopolitica , iar faptul ca autorul a stat si a agregat si sintetizat sute de ore de casete audio inregistrate de Saddam Hussein , ar trebui sa fie o dovada clara a calitatii si veridicitatii faptelor prezentate.
**spoiler alert** Great book to familiarise yourself a bit with the politics of Indochina of the last century.
I didn't know much about the Khmer Rouge**spoiler alert** Great book to familiarise yourself a bit with the politics of Indochina of the last century.
I didn't know much about the Khmer Rouge , just that they massacred people in Cambodia. I wasn't expecting a regime so criminal to kill, enslave and work till death and have no pity for its own youth. The savagery portrayed in this book displayed upon children of all ages was beyond what i was expecting. Torturing children as young as 8 for not being able to work the ricefields, letting them die of starvation, malaria. This is mostly a drama about a generationt which was almost wiped out by the Khmer Rouge.
I also appreciated the chapters of the liberation, when Vietnamese military ('PARA' troops) entered Cambodia to free the population of oppressors, the same Vietnamesse which fought tooth and nail a bloody guerilla war against the Americans just a few years earlier. For americans the vietnamesse were the boogeyman, for the cambodians they were saviors.
I also enjoyed the regufee camps chapters on the border with Thailand, the cruelty and usury of Thai soldiers upon the poor Cambodian refugees.
This book was a another picture of Indochina for me besides the Vietcong movies and the Thai hookers/drugs stereotypes....more
**spoiler alert** The reason this one gets such a low score is me rising the bar very high for Horrible Histories books.
I know what and how Terry Dear**spoiler alert** The reason this one gets such a low score is me rising the bar very high for Horrible Histories books.
I know what and how Terry Deary writes and and i am really big fan of him , however as a critical reader i consider this volume below par ; though it probides valuable ideas and gimmicks from WW2 i just felt it was hollow compared to oher titles.
I felt like this book just tip toed around such a huge event in the history of man kind....more
**spoiler alert** Ce stiam despre ceceni apriori: - popor mandru , dur , darz aflat la periferia Federatiei Ruse in Caucaz - luptatori deosebit de iscus**spoiler alert** Ce stiam despre ceceni apriori: - popor mandru , dur , darz aflat la periferia Federatiei Ruse in Caucaz - luptatori deosebit de iscusiti , cu doar cateva mii din randurile lor , ISIS aproape reusise sa il invinga pe Assad in Siria pana sa intervenina Putin in 2015 - teroristi de meserie , nemernici ce au omorat o gramada de nevinovati in multiple atentate incepand cu anii '90 si pana in ziua de azi (scoala din Beslan din 2004 in care au murit sute de copii imi vine in minte). - Rusia ii vede ca pe o leziune canceroasa la periferia sa , un popor de rang inferior ce trebuie izolat si ideal inlaturat.
Totul incepe cu Boris Yeltsin care castiga alegerile prezidentiale in anii 90 promitand independenta /autonomie pentru multiple foste republici sovietice. Printre acestea se afla si Cecenia al carei lider Dudayev a fost un fervent sustinator al lui Boris. In 1995 cand Cecenia isi cere dreptul la autodeterminare , Yeltsin trimite armata in Caucaz sa le scoata din cap "gargaunii".
Asaltul asupra provinciei dintr-o victorie sigura pentru rusi , se transforma repede intr-un razboi de uzura , razboi ce scoate la suprafata bestialitatea umana de ambele parti.
Autoarea da dovada de un curaj iesit din comun cand pleaca ca jurnalist al armatei in Cecenia. Acolo printre rafale de mitraliera ploi de obuze , sosele pline de mine , ea se strecoara dintr-o tabara in alta luand interviuri atat soldatilor rusi , a populatiei cecene , a liderilor rezistentei.
Acest demers continua pe parcursul a mai multor ani incluzand al doilea razboi cecen, ascensiunea lui Putin , reconstructia provinciei , viata distrusa a supravietuitorilor , patrunderea Wahabismului - forma cea mai extrema a islamului in randul tineretului , provenita din Arabia Saudita , abuzurile , torturile oamenilor liderului marioneta Razman Kadyrov si in general nimicnicia vietii.
Este o lume deosebit de dura , o lume in care familii intregi invinuite de apartenenta la o anumita tabara/secta religioasa sunt executate fara probe substantiale , copii care sunt luati noaptea din casele parintilor si nu se mai intorc niciodata , soldati raniti care sunt efectiv aruncati la gunoi de statul rus .
Pe langa faptul ca ni-se ofera o buna lectie de istorie a regiunii , cartea ofera o cronologie deosebit de solida , suprinde latura groteasca a umanului , precum si implicatiile social-economice , demografice , financiare si religioase ale conflictului.
O lucrare jurnalistica ce , clar , merita citita !...more
**spoiler alert** Brilliant and definetly unique ! This is the first time in my life i read a book of this kind , where the main character is actually**spoiler alert** Brilliant and definetly unique ! This is the first time in my life i read a book of this kind , where the main character is actually an entire regiment of soldiers , The US Ranger Task Force along with elements of Delta Force (D-boys as they are known) , while the narrative moves from one member to another ,100 souls , as they battle their way throughout Mogadishu against thousands of Somali militias ,literally, with the whole city trying to destroy them. I felt like i was playing a First Person Shooting game , jumping from character to character in a 3d battlefied as RPG's , grenades , people were getting blasted , wounded , killed , helicopters crashed , convoy's ambushed and crowds of bystandera shredded.
Probably the thing of most value and the most dramatic is that the narrator is totally objective , all the dialogues , the scenes , the events presented as they unfold during a 24 hour fight are taken from soldiers recollections and more inportantly radio tapes and video tapes attached to the choppers. The author during a multi year tenure has assembled all available recorded material, fact checked it and delivered it in such a deliberate clear and clean manner !
A totally original view on war, gore , death, weaponry , strategy , private lives of soldiers , their hobbies , families and even more importantly their relationship with each other and the regiment but without all that romantic tv bullshit , literal effects or beautfying attempts.Its the story exactly as it happened !
Mark Bowden does not interfere in this story , he tells it as it was captured !
Definetly a book that deserves reading ! I warn you though , once started , pages will fly !...more
**spoiler alert** The amount of knowledge , facts , curiosities and events in this book is maddening.
I didn't know shit about late XIX century america**spoiler alert** The amount of knowledge , facts , curiosities and events in this book is maddening.
I didn't know shit about late XIX century american foreign policy , nor could i have imagined the race to claim islands full of Guano (crystalized bird shit used as fertilizer) , the wars fought on foreign soil with the Spanish and then the Philippines, the continous usage of Puerto Ricans as Guinea Pigs especially in experiments with mustard gas and later chemotherapy or sterilization and planned parenthood.
The book shines on world war 2 , in regards to the massive global transport infrastructure built by USA around the globe (Egypt airbases , Iran , Lebanon) , the continous airbridge over the Himalayas in keeping the chinese resistance strong against the japanesse , the complete bomb and napalm pounding of Manilla in the later stages of the war resulting in millions of deaths.
The book continues with the post war order , the standardization across all industries and domains imposed by the USA , the way it built bases all over the world on areas which were given as 90 year leases , the rapid growth of countries that had these bases withing their local communities
We also get into the dirty stuff of the 90's and 2000 s with Osama Bin Laden , Afghanistan , Iraq , Guantanamo etc.
This guy is terrific , i recommend the book wholeheartedly to any history , geopolitic lover and not only !...more
De cand eram copil si rasfoiam manualele de istorie universala, tin minte cu stupoare, ca nici macar o singura data nu m-am lovit de acest nume, atuncDe cand eram copil si rasfoiam manualele de istorie universala, tin minte cu stupoare, ca nici macar o singura data nu m-am lovit de acest nume, atunci cand era tratata revolutia americana, nici macar o singura data !
Am dat neincetat de cuvinte precum : 1776 , Washington , Saratoga, Ben Franklin, Declaratia de Ceai de la Boston, razboi civil,regele George al Angliei ....dar nici macar o singura data de Alexandru Hamilton.
Sunt deosebit de inversunat si consider ca este o mare nedepretate faptul ca o persoana cu atat de multe merite, o persoana sine qua non-a cu guvernul Statelor Unite ale Americii a ramas de-a lungul istoriei in umbra.
Un om care printre multele sale merite a : - pornit ca orfan de tata din nimic din Caraibe, s-a scolit singur , a ajuns pe continent si a terminat deosebit de devreme o univeristate de prestigiu - a intrat in razboiul de independenta si s-a ridicat la gradul de colonel si la scurt timp a.devenit mana dreapta a lui George Washington si a ramas astfel mult dupa revolutie - a scris mai mult de 3 sferturi din constitutia americana intr-un timp record - s-a luptat toata viata sa pentru uniunea statelor, pentru federalizare. - a intemeiat sistemul.financiar american modern , banca americana , bursa americana, paza de coasta , rezerva federala , academia militara - a pus bazele miscarilor abolitioniste
Cartea este fara doar si poate o capodopera , este o biografie muncita in adevaratul sens al cuvantului. Autorul a colaborat cu zeci de persoane , a efectuat deosebit de multe calatorii de-a lungul Statelor Unite , Caraibe , Londra , Scotia pentru a reusi sa ne ofere o perspectiva atat de ampla asupra unui om atat de ilustru, un titan al epocii sale , sau cum il clasifica marele diplomat francez Talleyrand "cel mai mare om al vremii, mai mare chiar si decat Bonaparte".
Cartea incepe incet sa prinda interesul , pana undeva la 30%. A urmat apoi o depresiune, un usor plictis , iar apoi de la 42% nu am mai putut efectiv sa o las din mana. Stilul e efervescent, cuprinzator , detalii si evenimente politice , culturale , economice, sociale , spirituale...tot.
Multumita acestui roman pot spune ca am obtinut primul meu model din punct de vedere al virtutilor afisate, precum si o perspectiva deosebit de larga asupra secolului XVIII.
Cititorul ce decide sa se inhame la o astfel de lectura, va fi satisfacuti inzecit !
Mika Waltari describes the last months before the fall and the Ottoman siege of Constatinople of 1453 so vivdly that you might think he lived in that Mika Waltari describes the last months before the fall and the Ottoman siege of Constatinople of 1453 so vivdly that you might think he lived in that period and interviewed the survivors.
A story of true love ending in tragedy between an outcast emperor that returns from the west to his beloved city right before its fall and the daughter of the highest noble.
I am still amazed by the amount of hate between orthodoxy and catholicism at that point in time. Despite the desperate calls for help of the greeks towards the pope ,only two mercenary companies totalling ~1000 men ,one genovese the other venetian , heed the call and defend the city. The fact that most greeks view the 'damn latins' worse then the turks and would rather open the gates (which they do) to the latter is also compelling.
Though i refuse to believe it to be true , Transilvanian John Hunyadi is depicted as giving the turks advice on how to storm the city.
Another amzing fact is that there are large numbers of christians in the turkish army including serbian sappers.
The siege is described in a journal-like manner , for me , with an unprecedented level of detail including : Cannons , their operators , the damage inflicted upon stone infrastructure and inhabitants , repair and molding processes , assaults on the castle walls, underground sapper warfare , hand to hand combat and also naval battles.
The author does not sugarcoat the events even one bit - we are also shown the grim fate of the defenders and also non combatants after the fall of the city.
For a history lover (or a romance fan) this book is pure gold. Looking forward to read more of Waltari's books !...more
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