Marlantes' newest effort is a great achievement in many dimensions. For those headed for combat it is an essential read. For those who remain home, it's a 200db wake up call, that we, as citizens, need to understand the consequences of sending young men off to fight and how we and the nation need to help them, re-enter our world in peace.
Marlantes is a unique combination of highly intellectual scholar and highly decorated combat officer who endured some of the more violent combat of the Vietnam war out in the field with his Marines. He gave up the soft life of a Rhodes Scholar during the sex, drugs and rock and roll days of the 60's to join his fellow Marines in Vietnam.
Some have commented that the book wanders, it does and that's one of its strengths. Reading it almost feels like a series conversation late into the evening. The others have gone, most of the wine has been consumed, lights are dimmed and one of the most intellectually stimulating guys you have ever met is talking about the last 40 years. There is an authentic intensity, angst, sadness, passion and outrage that flows across the table. You need more wine.
It should be required reading for every member of Congress, White House senior staff and the press. The increasing numbers of officers who have not served In combat or on the cutting edge of the sword would probably benefit from a couple of evenings spent reading Marlantes' book.
Too many of the tragic stories from our current wars include those further up the chain of command who fail to comprehend the violence and speed with which events occur in combat. Last week's Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House failed to mention that the heroics did not save the lives of four Marines who never received desperately needed air support in the intitial hours as a result of risk adverse seniors who had been tasked to provide that assistance.
Marlantes captures the impossible moral choices of war. Far too often there's simply no good choice, only the indecipherable choice of the lesser of evils. The warrior is left alone with these burdens long after the homecoming parade. But for the Viet vets there were no homecoming parades only demonstrations, spit and a nation hurtling through one of the most convulsive decades in its existence... war, sex, drugs, rock and roll, burning napalm and burning bras, the killing of JFK, RFK and MLK. Few soldiers were asked to give more and none were thanked less than out Vietnam vets.
Beyond the combat and intellectual discussions thereof, there are simply heart stopping moments as he wanders through his post Vietnam life in a new search for meaning.
Some of the best material is in his discussion of the moral hazards of lying. From the simple inflation of probable enemy losses to much greater lies. The public does not realize how much the military depends on integrity and how disabling the culture of lying becomes to the functioning of the organization.
It reminded me of Adm. Stockdale's book, co-authored with his wife, In Love and In War. The North Vietnamese torture of Stockdale was unrelenting; if they knew what they wanted they could get it out of him with enough time. But they did not know that the entire Gulf of Tonkin Incident was a fraud and that Stockdale was overhead that night to witness the events. During the debriefing he explained to the intel officer that there were no N Vietnamese boats out there attacking the Americans. Somewhere between Stockdale's debrief and the President's address to Congress the story had been fabricated.
It's a great read for the families and friends of warriors who have been in combat or perhaps dealt with very risky operations such at flying jets from carriers on a daily basis. One of the book's greatest gifts is in its ability to help veterans and family and friends communicate. I would also highly recommend it for those who counsel veterans and their family members.
It's a book that I wish was available when I was a young man with a father who had returned from years in the Pacific with the Marines during WWII.
addendum October 2011
The other evening we were talking about the changing face of war as more information is transmitted halfway around the world and decisions regarding employment of weapons made by people far from the action. Since the birth of the nation, those who experienced combat and remained in the military provided an invaluable influence on those in senior leadership who have never been there. Perhaps some of the senior folks who have not been in combat will read this book along with Grossman's On Killing. Were I the Emperor I would also send them to one of the military hospitals in Afghanistan where the seriously wounded are received from the field so that they might get a better feel for the true cost of war.
There's a great risk that those at the top of the military (without combat experience) or those in the Whitehouse addicted to power (including staffers) will become even more involved with what should be tactical decisions. It's especially dangerous when those who grew up on video games and see playing with Seals and Predators as an ego boosting extension. It turns us backwards to the disastrous decision making process of the Johnson /McNamara era. It's clear that seeing the photos of the Prez and friends watching the bin Laden raid on live feed has caused a lot of concern.
Driving by the Mission Santa Ines well after midnight on another evening I could almost hear Marlantes' voice echoing from what is one of the most moving pages of the book.
Highly recommended
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Why You Should Read this Book by Karl Marlantes
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This is a very good book.
This monumental book is the best effort ever made to explain war and combat to the citizens of our country that have not experienced combat. It is always an impossible task to explain war because like giving birth there is not a way in words to convey the gut wrenching experience that is so uniquely personal to each person. Karl Marlantes did his tour of duty during the bloodiest time of the undeclared war, 1968-9. He was with one of the toughest Marine battalions in I Corps, DMZ, S. Vietnam so this book has that kind of cred. Well written, honest and from the heart of a true combat marine brother. Semper Fidelis
Top reviews from other countries
Jan C. Teipel
Important book on a grave subject
Reviewed in Germany on February 6, 2013