If the costs of the Vietnam War were great to Americans and staggering to the South Vietnamese, they were even worse for the North. Based on interviews, soldiers' diaries, letters, and government documents, this book provides an account of the war that our opponents fought and the men who fought it.
"Serving under General John Pershing in the hunt for Pancho Villa in Mexico, Lieutenant George S. Patton learned leadership, logistics-and how to promote himself. These are the roots of the World War II general"--
Military history's hidden figures are given their due in this revealing and moving exploration of the pivotal role of African Americans who risked their lives for their country--even as they fought courageously to become full citizens. A retired Lieutenant Colonel, Michael Lee Lanning covers Black soldiers' involvement in conflicts from the colonial days through more recent struggles of the 21st century. From Bunker Hill to San Juan Heights, from France's muddy trenches to the Persian Gulf's scorched sands, African Americans have fought fiercely and bravely. They have battled to overthrow British rule, to preserve the union, to safeguard their allies, and to protect democracy. Many have fought for freedom they would never see for themselves, risking their lives for their country and for the right to become full citizens.In this enlightening account, Michael Lee Lanning explores African Americans' crucial part in military history over two centuries, beginning in the Revolutionary War and stretching to recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Exploring both notable individual contributions and the role of Black regiments, The African American Soldier pays tribute to the hidden sacrifices and unrelenting valor of those too long overlooked by history.
In this enlightening and informative work, military historian Lt. Col. Michael Lee Lanning (ret.) reveals the little-known, critical, and heroic role African Americans played in the American Revolution, serving in integrated unitsa situation that would not exist again until the Korean Warmore than 150 years later . .
Michael Lee Lanning tells the story of the courageous airmen who evaded capture and escaped to safety after being shot from the skies during World War II. Lanning covers the hows and whys of escape-and-evasion and aerial combat in the European theater, but also vividly captures the stories of the airmen who did the escaping and evading.
"Eleven years before Rosa Parks resisted going to the back of the bus, a young black second lieutenant, hungry to fight Nazis in Europe, refused to move to the back of a U.S. Army bus in Texas and found himself court-martialed. The defiant soldier was Jack Roosevelt Robinson, already in 1944 a celebrated athlete in track and football and in a few years the man who would break Major League Baseball's color barrier. This was the pivotal moment in Jackie Robinson's pre-MLB career. Had he been found guilty, he would not have been the man who broke baseball's color barrier. Had the incident never happened, he would've gone overseas with the Black Panther tank battalion--and who knows what after that. Having survived this crucible of unjust prosecution as an American soldier, Robinson--already a talented multisport athlete--became the ideal player to integrate baseball. This is a dramatic story, deeply engaging and enraging. It's a Jackie Robinson story and a baseball story, but it is also an army story as well as an American story"-- Provided by publisher
The Baseball Legend's Battle for Civil Rights during World War II
Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story highlights a pivotal moment in Jackie Robinson's life when he defied segregation on a U.S. Army bus. Court-martialed for his stand, this incident not only showcased his courage but also shaped his future as a groundbreaking athlete. Celebrated for his talents in track and football, Robinson's refusal to accept injustice positioned him as the ideal figure to break Major League Baseball's color barrier, ultimately altering the course of sports history and civil rights in America.
The narrative follows a young man's journey through the army, initially seeking free education but discovering his true calling as an officer. Initially overlooked, his determination transforms him into a vital asset for the army. These experiences shape General Eisenhower's leadership style as he rises to Supreme Command and eventually the presidency, highlighting his evolution from a frustrated officer to an indispensable leader.
Senseless Secrets is a military history of the United States through its intelligence operations, covering more than 200 years of intelligence breakdowns in every American war, from the Revolution's Benedict Arnold to the War on Terror and the chaos surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Na začátku války ve Vietnamu neměly Spojené státy žádné odstřelovače. Do konce války však odstřelovači námořní pěchoty a armády zabili více než 10 000 vojáků severovietnamské armády a příslušníků Vietkongu, což se rovná celé jedné divizi, méně než 20 000 kulkami. Uznávaný historik Michael Lee Lanning v této knize přibližuje, jak američtí odstřelovači ve Vietnamu spojovali moderní technologii ve zbraních, munici a zaměřovacích dalekohledech se staletou tradicí znamenitých střelců.
