What are some good, non-fiction military books to read?

SGT Lawrence Corser — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 08:16:09 -0400

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Jun 14 at 2017 8:55 AM

SSG Pete Fleming — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 08:55:45 -0400

No Better Place to Die... soon the be a movie produced by Marine Captain Dale Dye... https://www.amazon.com/No-Better-Place-Die-1944/dp/ [login to see]

No Better Place to Die: Ste-Mere Eglise, June 1944--The Battle for la Fiere Bridge: Robert...

No Better Place to Die: Ste-Mere Eglise, June 1944--The Battle for la Fiere Bridge [Robert Murphy, Stephen Bowlby] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The you-are-there story of one of the most ferocious small-unit combats in US history.... As part of the massive Allied invasion of Normandy

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 9:08 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:08:59 -0400

Any certain area of interest? I've recently finished 'We were Soldiers Once...and Young' which is a must-read in my opinion. Band of Brothers is a great go-to also. But one that recently really caught me off guard with how good it was is 'Give Me Tomorrow'. It follows a Marine rifle company from Inchon to the Chosin Reservoir in Korea. I'm currently reading 'Battlecry of Freedom', an 800 page synopsis of the Civil War. It's good but it's a slow read. Lots of info in there. I'm 200 pages into it and the war hasn't even started yet. But if you think our government is jacked up now you should read about the crap going on in the 1800's. It'll make you feel better about our current state of affairs. :)

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jun 14 at 2017 9:24 AM

LTC John Shaw — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:24:20 -0400

I am sure you have read Jeff Shaara new book on the Korean war. The Frozen hours. http://jeffshaara.com/index.php

Jeff Shaara Bestselling Author of War Novels

Jeff Shaara Books

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jun 14 at 2017 10:20 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 10:20:21 -0400

OK, a few that I'll recommend.
Thomas Jefferson and the Barbary Pirates
Blackhawk Down
by the same author, not entirely military, but " Guest of the Ayatollah".
The Strongest Tribe, or any of Bing West's stuff.
Killer Angels, if you are interested in the Civil War.
A Band of Brothers.
Shadows in the Jungle.
The Strongest Tribe really takes either a very good grasp of the politics and campaigns of the Iraq conflict or being willing to do a bit of research to keep up.
and "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors"

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 14 at 2017 11:13 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 11:13:55 -0400

I like biographies. Recommend: George Patton, William H. Tunner, William (Billy) Mitchel, Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Harry Truman, Colin Powel, Norman Schwarzkopf
Also: Winston Churchill's series of books on WWII. "We Were Soldiers Once . . . And Young"

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 12:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 12:03:22 -0400

Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death
This was recommended by my SGL in WLC and is a great read about how small leadership failures and bad decision making can snowball and lead to tragic incidents. Very well researched and a lot of first hand accounts from the relevant incidents are included.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 2:19 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:19:46 -0400

Some that I've enjoyed:
Verdun: The longest Battle of the Great War by Paul Jankowski. It has a good discussion on what the German leaders were planning for the battle and the conflict of strategy between leaders.

Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles. This book once again had good discussion on decision making by generals on all sides of the battle. For me, it was a good lesson on command and control.

Overall, interesting books if you are interested in older military history.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 3:02 PM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:02:08 -0400

!SGT Lawrence Corser "Bodyguard of Lies" by Anthony Cave Brown. Intense study of the efforts taken to protect Operation Overlord from German eyes.
'Game of the Foxes" and "Patton" by Ladislas Farago This first is intelligence/counter intelligence and the second is biographical - get the revised edition if available.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2017 3:14 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:14:13 -0400

American Soldier by GEN Tommy R. Franks

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Jun 14 at 2017 7:07 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:07:48 -0400

To Hell and Back

Response by SN Alan West made Jun 14 at 2017 7:51 PM

SN Alan West — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:51:29 -0400

I'd start with Shelby Foote's 3 volume history of the Civil War, This Man's Army by Andrew Exum, Masters of Chaos by Linda Robinson, Class 11: Inside the CIA's First Post-9/11 Spy Class by T.J. Waters (Not military but an excellent read, nonetheless), American Warrior by Gary O'Neal, The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Eric Blehm, Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland just to name a few...

Response by SSgt Dennis Brown made Jun 15 at 2017 12:17 AM

SSgt Dennis Brown — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 00:17:48 -0400

Dale brown, Tom Clancy, Rick Campbell, Clive cussler and his OREGON SERIES, Stephen coonts... Send me a message I've got plenty of authors in this line that I read that escape me right now... And if you want on some of them we can work out a deal and I'll give you a good deal on them... I've got 8 large boxes full of books

Response by SPC Kenneth Koerperich made Jun 15 at 2017 6:18 AM

SPC Kenneth Koerperich — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 06:18:02 -0400

One Shot, One Kill
Marine Sniper, 93 Confirmed Kills
Rogue Warrior
Rogue Warrior: Red Cell
Point Man
Blackhawk Down
We Were Soldiers Once
Shadow Warriors
The U.S. Invasion of Panama: The Truth Behind Operational 'Just Cause'
Operation Just Cause: Panama, December 1989: A Soldier's Eyewitness Account

Just to start you off...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2017 1:14 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:14:18 -0400

I liked Horse Soldiers. It covers the initial entry into northern Afghanistan after 9/11 by Special Forces. Also shows a potential second approach to the whole enchilada that might've worked letting the Afghanis handle more of their own conflict.
I didn't know until now, but also apparently a movie coming out in 2018. :/

Response by 1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS made Jul 6 at 2017 1:38 PM

1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 13:38:00 -0400

Depends on your area of interest, but two of my favorites are "A Genius For War" by Carlo D'Este, which is a LONG bio on Patton. Another would be "Panzer Commander", by Hans von Luck, which is an autobiography by a German WW2 tank commander.

Response by MSgt Vernon Anderson made Jul 19 at 2017 10:56 PM

MSgt Vernon Anderson — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 22:56:56 -0400

Art of War -still valid today

Response by SP6 Shawn Lopez made Sep 26 at 2019 10:00 PM

SP6 Shawn Lopez — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:00:04 -0400

Tiger Bravo's War

Response by SP6 Shawn Lopez made Sep 26 at 2019 10:00 PM

SP6 Shawn Lopez — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:00:11 -0400

Jawbreaker

Response by SP6 Shawn Lopez made Sep 26 at 2019 10:00 PM

SP6 Shawn Lopez — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:00:18 -0400

No easy day

Response by SP6 Shawn Lopez made Sep 26 at 2019 10:00 PM

SP6 Shawn Lopez — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:00:30 -0400

Good to go

Response by SP6 Shawn Lopez made Sep 26 at 2019 10:00 PM

SP6 Shawn Lopez — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:00:39 -0400

Leaders eat last