Not as well known in the U.S. as in the U.K., James Holland only became interested in World War II in 1995 when he saw a Spitfire for the first time. Since then, he has written over a dozen books about World War II (mostly about the western European Theater) as well as a good dozen fictional books. I recently saw him give a talk on one of his works and his enthusiasm for the subject was amazing, but not as amazing as his discussions with actual veterans, their diaries and letters and their families that he interviewed for his books. It is clear that he absorbs his firsthand resources and pours them into his books, making each little story an integral part of the whole.

This is the first of Mr. Holland’s books that I have read, and it is a very heavy book; heavy in the sense that the detail is dense and this can be a challenge for the deletant or novice reader. I do believe, however, that it is worth the effort as one comes to understanding the tactical and strategic side of war, not to mention the other forces that drive the commanders and those at the sharp end of the bayonet. Politics, ego, self-satisfaction revenge, anger and fear, are all found in the many personalities noted in this volume. Generals are disappointed and sacked, enlisted men suffer from lack of food, medical care, proper equipment and munitions and sorrow as they are amazed to survive when they see their best friends vaporized by artillery while just a step away. This excellent treatment of a theater of the war which is often neglected gives those who fought their moment of appreciation.

There were several armies that fought in the campaign: American, British, French, Polish and German. Each faced their own challenges, each had their own advantages. The overwhelming material strength of the Allies determined the outcome of the battles as repeatedly the Germans were a battalion short at a key place or were decimated by the Allied air superiority. As usual, the Germans managed to scrape together ad hoc battle groups made up of survivors of multiple divisions or regiments. Those ad hoc groups punched far beyond their class, and they were a tribute to the methods of the Wehrmacht, but in the end, it was the citizen soldier, the men who came from the farms, factories, small shops, etc. who won the day. Not for glory, but because the job had to be done.

One thing that the author does that puts a real seal of approval on this book for me, is his excellent Postscript. In that section, he provides a scholarly and professional analysis of some of the key commanders, pointing out key errors, assumptions, fears, and egos that impacted the battle. An excellent example is his comments on Field Marshal Albert Kesselring who managed to exit the war with a reputation that glossed over his command participation of various war crimes. Often presented as a Luftwaffe officer who managed to successfully transition to a Wehrmacht combat commander. Holland points out numerous tactical errors committed by Kesselring, his deadly adherence to Hitler’s orders to fight for every meter of ground, wrongful obsession with Allied strategic strategy and failure of any strategic strategy. His arguments are convincing and he offers similar comments on Generals Lucas, Clark, and others.

Warning! If you do enjoy this volume, you may be hooked on moving forward with some of this other dozen or so campaign books, but that is an addiction that anyone interested in good history reading will enjoy!

One of the pleasant things about New Orleans is that you can spend hours in used bookstores, shifting through volumes which reflect the mind set of the locals. I have found a number of gems over the years, and this last trip enabled me to find this excellent volume on RMA (revolutions in military affairs). I have to admit that I had never heard of the book (originally published in 2001 while the volume I found was from its seventh printing in 2008. The last printing was in 2015), but it is a find that I shall keep close. The contributors range from professors of history to the Director of Royal Artillery, British Army. This is short (less than two-hundred pages) but serious book.

According to their thesis, there have been five military revolutions in Western history:

1. The creation of the modern nation state which brought about the discipline of military power.
2. The French Revolution which “merged mass politics and warfare.”
3. The Industrial Revolution which made the nation states to pay, feed, cloth, and arm masses of manpower.
4. The First World War which merged numbers 2 and 3 while “set(ting) the pattern for twentieth-century war, and
5. The Cold War which was cold in the “decisive European and northeast Asian theaters.”

These five RMAs are more important than any momentary tactical advantage (such as the superior use by the Germans of tanks vs. the French use in May 1940). They are more important as they completely change how war is fought across all theaters involved.

Moving into the book, there are separate studies regarding the Western army in seventeenth-century France, the impact of the French Revolution with it dramatic introduction of the mass army, the U.S. Civil war, the Prusso-German RMA of 1840-1871, the Battlefleet revolution of 1885-1914 under the direction of First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher, and of course the First and Second World War.

One might be tempted to ask about the current war in Ukraine and the impact of drones on the battlefield. I believe the authors would not say that drones are a real RMA as they would fall into the category of say, the introduction of the tank in World War I. Yes, they do make an impact, but the initial monopoly by one side was quickly lost and, in many ways, it mirrors the technological battle that was fought during the Battle of the Atlantic.

The writing is decidedly not academic: each section is sharp and well argued with a minimum of excess verbiage. The writing is tight and the average armchair military historian could easily grasp the ideas put forth in each section.

On my posting of September 29, 2025, I reviewed an excellent history of the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905. References were made to a tip of the bayonet history by a Japanese Lieutenant who served in that war. Originally published right after the war, it has been out of print for decades, and I have never been able to find a copy. I mentioned that I was interested in that history to a friend of mine and amazingly, he managed to find an excellent facsimile copy of that book reprinted in 2018. Thank you Christian!

The history gives a wonderful insight into the mindset of early Imperial Japan., during the Meiji era (1868-1912). Filled with pride and ego’s that could be easily bruised, Japan had made magnificent advances into a world that prior to 1868, they could little comprehend. Their advances in education, industrialization, the military, not to mention the coming together of a nation that was ruled by power Samurai clans, each having a history to warfare and political intrigue stretching back hundreds of years was amazing.

Like all industrialized nations of that time, they sought to borrow the phrase from Wilhelmian Germany, their “Place in the Sun.”  This was done via military actions in Korea and China where the Japanese military showed exactly how far they had progressed as they were easily victorious against much less Westernized nations. Yet they were also humiliated by the demands of the Western powers (Russian, Great Britain and Germany), who at the peace table, reversed most of Japan’s gains. In fact, the success of Japan caught the attention of Great Britain who suddenly found a new and dangerous player in an area where they were dominant.

Japan was forced to give back some of their gains but was to a degree mollified as a chief protagonist, Imperial Russia also agreed to honor a pull back on their part. Unfortunately, the Czar, not being the brightest of men, decided that it was important that he push the boundaries of the agreements. The Russian leasing of Port Arthur and fortification of the Liaodong Peninsula (which Japan had been forced to give up in the peace treaty), made the Japanese feel betrayed. Russia was also seeking to gain influence Korea which was seen as a direct threat to Japan. In the end, Japan felt betrayed and shown little respect and Japan declared war on Russia. And thus starts the history of this book.

Anyone who has studied history, especially the Second World War in the Pacific, understands that the Japanese soldier was a tough, brutal opponent. Drafted, trained, often abused, and indoctrinated to honor the emperor who was a god on earth, they were lead by an officer corps that had no regard for the Geneva Convention which attempted to temper the worse horrors of war. The Japanese military had an almost medieval mind set but twentieth-century weapons. Take that mind set and amplify it and you will start to realize the mindset of the author who was a field grade officer.

The pages of the book are riddled with proclamations before every action that he, or his commanding officer or his men that they will die in battle in order to fulfill the commands of the emperor. If the individual returns from battle, many have an intense sense of shame, as if their death would have made the battle even more glorious. While the Japanese military machine had progressed far, it was still a young force backed by a nation with limited resources. In spite of their limited resources, especially their manpower (as opposed to the ever-increasing manpower of the Russians), the infantry commanders including the commanding General in charge of operations, used Russian human wave tactics in their attacks. In one attack, the Japanese suffered over 6,000 casualties (which would be like the U.S. losing 45,000 in one battle). Such losses are the basis for the title of the book. Many infantry battles were fought at night, when the Russians used search lights to expose and blind the attacking Japanese who were mercilessly cut down by machine gun fire.

Mentally, each battle or probing attacked was viewed as an individual’s final attack; individuals would expose themselves to fire as they hurled insults at the Russians (who no doubt could not understand a single word) and were instantly cut down. Yet the author, was either a fanatical believer or painted a (to the Japanese of that time) picture of a glorious warrior, the modern-day image of the samurai. In fact, the patriotism, the belief in the beauty of death in battle is so loud, that it is like something a child would think of what war is like. Either a child’s mentality or that of a jihadist.

It is a fascinating book, and there are small glimpses of humanity (a shared water bottle with a dying man who has not only been shot, but run over by horse and iron wheels of their own artillery), but on whole, it is a book from a different age, one which fortunately is largely disparaged today.

A very interesting book that does not focus on the actions of the Indians who served in either the British or Free India movement of Subhas Chandra Bose, but rather on how the war impacted much of India as it was drafted into the struggle first against Germany, then against Japan.  It traces the initial reaction of both the Brits in India who managed for quite a while to maintain their colonial stature and the men from India who “volunteered” for service (some for historical reasons as they were from traditional “warrior” cultures while others enlisted for better food or to protect their families businesses from special war taxes).  As the war progressed and as more of India was mobilized for the effort and especially with the advance of Japanese forces into Burma, food shortages began to appear for a myriad of reasons and a huge migration began as individuals both on a voluntary and on an enforced basis were moved from potential invasion locations.

The book also has an excellent discussion on how the traditional leaders of Indian independence were marginalized after they were arrested and jailed by the British.  While the British thought such an action would calm India, the exact opposite occurred as the younger generation, not policed by the traditional leaders, began a campaign of strikes, marches and violence against the British.

I would have liked to have had move of the movement by Bose covered, but overall this is an excellent book for anyone unfamiliar with the subject and will provide a good basis for future reading.  A major fault lies in the lack of maps as for most people, reading about various Indian provinces and towns will be as confusing as reading about the same in the Ukraine.

Since the 1970’s, Justices for the Supreme Court have for the most part come from Ivy-League, East Coast law schools.  Justice Barrett breaks that trend ( being a native of New Orleans) and as a result, her clear writing, legal and teaching experience provides us with a clear and clean understanding of some of the key factors used in her decision making process. Her book is written in a manner that goes against the grain of the ivy league schools in that it is concise, takes on real issues and discusses the procedure, forces and philosophies which guide the decision-making process of the Court. While she provides personal background information on her life, unlike some Justices, she makes the reader understand that her rationale to reach a conclusion is not based or tainted by her personal views, but rather by understanding what the words of the Constitution mean.

It is refreshing to read her book as she clearly discusses the pros and cons of a number of issues, not only legal issues before the Court, but also the political questions facing the Court, such as the concept of Court packing, lifetime tenure, etc.  We see the actors behind the scenes such as the law clerks, the traditions of the Court that have evolved over the years, which are designed to maintain a balance of civility and professionalism even among the Justices.  Her discussions on areas such as textualism and originalism include their history and forces behind each so that everyone can understand the dynamics of each concept.

The Justice is obviously a serious scholar of the law but one which can clarify a subject in a few words where others will need much more room or confuse the issue by inserting their personal views and bias. Her love for the law and the Constitution is clear. 

During her confirmation, she withstood the slings and arrows of several Senators who attacked her over their concerns regarding health care, abortion rights, her religion and her judicial philosophy (Originalist). She withstood the fire, never once reaching or referring to any notes. The fact that she is an Originalist and would therefore not let her personal feelings impact her duties seemed to both some Senators who seem to favor an more “progressive)” attitude toward law.

 Give this read a try, especially if you wish to gain a higher regard for the Court and the Justices.

In his new book, My Fight for Canadian Health Care: A Thirty-Year Battle to Put Patients First by Dr. Brian Day, we can see the weaknesses and misdirection of a Socialized health care system that is touted as being “free.”  Of course, no rational person believes that anything that the government is involved in is “free,” especially when you realize that the average Canadian earns less than his or her counterpart in Louisiana and pays more in taxes.

Like so many other ideas, a single payer health care system sounds great in theory, but it rapidly falls apart when reality hits. Today, unless you are one of the chosen special groups (Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, federal employees police officers and yes, prisoners), you are doomed to extended waiting periods if you need health care.

There are numerous reasons for the delays that the average Canadian faces, and here are a few as dictated by the CHA (Canadian Health Act) of 1984:

• Hospitals cannot exceed their government-stipulated budgets.
• As a result, between 1981 and 1995, surgeons at the UBC Hospital in Vancouver saw their surgical hours cut from twenty-five hours a week to five; any surgeon who exceeded those hours risked various threats including losing their “surgical privileges.”
• Medical schools have dropped admissions between 11 and 30% as it was believed that a “surplus” of doctors would increase wait times due to more individuals seeking help.

The average Canadian faced a median wait for care from a specialist of 30 weeks, and that was on top of waiting to see their primary doctor which was necessary in order to authorize seeing a specialist. In Dr. Day’s specialty, the median wait time was 57 weeks. In 2024, Canadians were on the waiting list for a total of 1.5 million procedures.

Obamacare was sold on the basis of several major lies and has warped our health care system. There is no doubt that it needs to be amended, improved, etc. but if any politician even dares to mention a single care system as an alternative, they must be tied to a chair and this book read to them at least twice.

https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/where-health-care-went-to-die

You have probably not heard of John O’Sullivan, but since the 1990’s, he has been studying, writing about, and warning about the growing movement on the Left toward what we now call “wokeness”. His newest book, Sleepwalking into Wokeness: How We Got Here is reviewed by Steven F. Hayward in the latest issue of the Claremont Review of Books.

O’Sullivan has been observing and writing about the growing movement which is a combination of the Frankfurt School, the movements of the 1960’s and nihilism. He has pointed out that believers in the current movement have and will be unhappy and angry as they view the world through the exact opposite of rose-colored glasses. Traditional Liberals could, occasionally take pride in their victories before they found a new cause which could take some of their energy. The “woke” movement goes a step further down a dark path in that there can never be any victories to celebrate as each battle only goes to expose another sub-subgroup that seeks acknowledgement and which claims to be the martyr de jour.

The review by Steven F. Hayward is crisp and an easy read. If you want to better understand how we got to this point, click on the link below. It will be worth your time, and you will understand the negative forces that create such noise in our society.

https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/ahead-of-the-curve

Originally published almost fifty-years ago, this book is considered a classic history of the first war in which an Asian power defeated a European power. The authors do a wonderful job of putting the war in context, firstly by providing a thorough review of the Japanese response to the “opening of Japan” by the Americans and surprisingly, the Russians. They review the various strong warrior clans in a developing Japan and how the politics between those clans colored the strategy and conduct of the war.

They also provide a good overview of Russia which was as always, seeking to absorb more lands. Holding together the vast Russian empire was the trans-Siberian railroad. A single tracked ribbon of steel stretching nearly 9300 kilometers (about 5800 miles), was built poorly and with minimum safety. Entire sections of the track would shift and fall apart every year as they were laid directly on the permafrost, which could melt just enough to make sections subject to disintegration. To make communications, travel, and supply movements more difficult, the track stopped at Lake Baikal, the world’s seventh largest lake. Everything on the trains would have to be unloaded and shipped across the lake during the warmer months of the year. Trying to supply an army using this one-track railway extended the war and led to poor discipline within the army as munitions and food were slow in arriving.

The two nations clashed over several areas, including Korea, Manchuria, and China. China, having suffered defeats by the Japanese and force infringements by Russia, lay all but helpless as Russia and Japan moved to seize and hold what land they could. Land and resources were seized, railroads built to the distress of the Chinese and Chinese officials were corrupted even more than was standard practice within the Chinese government.

The siege of Port Arthur and the great naval battle of Tsushima of course are the main parts of the history. Both opponents faced difficulties which ended up limiting the length of the war. For the Russians, the main problem was the huge distance between Moscow and Port Arthur. Communications were poor, providing munitions to the slowly transported army was daunting, along with an officer corps that had few professional skills made any moves by the field army difficult, slow, and usually always a bit late. The Japanese were like the Russians, willing to throw manpower at any problem. But manpower was not enough so Japan’s limited technological base and lack of capital meant that the Japanese had to seek a quick victory as time could favor the Russians.

Eventually Port Arthur fell to the Japanese but one great test was still ahead for the waring powers; could the Russians said a fleet from the Baltic to fight the Japanese and could the Japanese navy which had suffered telling losses to the Russians, defeat the approaching Russian ships. The fact that the Russian fleet completed the voyage is amazing as they had to put up with poor food, an revolutionary undercurrent between the officers and men, numerous mechanical failures and the fact that every extra inch was occupied by bags of coal which were not only dirty, but hindered the efficiency of the ships. In the end, although the Japanese defeated their foe, it was not a battle loaded with brilliance, but rather a battle determined by luck and poor shooting on the part of the Russians.

Wars eventually come to an end and the mediation of Theodore Roosevelt took two exhausted nations and provided them with at least a modem of national honor. But, as no good deed does not go unpunished, in the end both Japan and Russia viewed the American effort as decidedly negative, thus tainting relations between the three nations for decades to come.

This is a fine book, professionally researched and footnoted, professionally written and showing a grasp not just of the top of history, but the real forces that move events. My only regret was that it took me almost fifty-years to reread it.

This is the second half of Muir’s biography of Wellington and despite its size (664 pages including notes), and obscure (to most) references to the politicians and policies of England at the time, it is if anything better than his first volume which was excellent.

We think of Wellington as the haughty imperious general who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, but this volume shows that he was much more; a skilled diplomat who played a major part at the peace settlement after Waterloo, who successfully balanced the foibles of French politics and then went onto become Premier of the U.K..  Even when he was not directly in the spotlight, his work at the Horse Guards (which controlled the Army) and behind the scenes reflected a mind that was able to adjust and understand several sides of any political problem.

By nature and breeding, he sided with the landed gentry and was loyal to the King (even though a couple of the Kings at that time were weak and often foolish), yet he saw himself as a liberal conservative, willing to break out of traditional structures (such as the Catholic question, etc.) in an effort to create a more equitable and mobile society.  He disliked the radicals of the time and did his best to channel government policies into directions that would profit the nation while maintaining the standards which had created the Empire.

Criticized historically as being ultra conservative regarding the military (only Gentlemen should be officers), he none the less did open the officer ranks to members of the rising middle class, sought to upgrade and modernize tactics and weapons and sought to create an army that would be able to deal with the responsibilities of policing an Empire while facing traditional threats (it must be remembered that even after Napoleon there was a real threat of an invasion and war with France).

A complex man, given to a temper, he none the less was well respected by all sides and was often perceived as a voice of reason to the point that he could raise questions about his loyalty even from his own political allies.

An excellent book which brings many politicians and issues of the day to life in an interesting and colorful way.  I highly recommend both volumes.

If you are a fan of Winston Churchill, you should enjoy some new books which were written by Churchill himself.  These books give an insight into the actions and challenges Churchill faced and which he used to create his image and world.  Churchill once wrote that, “A man’s life must be nailed to a cross either of Thought or Action.”  Yet his life was filled with both Thought and Action, from his adventures in Cuba, India, the Sudan all the way through his “years in the wilderness”  while supporting himself by documenting his life and thoughs and successfully marketing them to sustain his life of Action.

While at Sandhurst, Churchill was fascinated by an ancient Greek who was argumentative, who had a nagging wife and was such a nuisance  that he was forced to commit suicide. What did Socrates have that made his fame last for so long?  Since the secret was not found in the Queen’s regulations, this man of Thought read widely and asked his mother to send him a steady stream of books to him while he was in India.  In short, Churchill was always seeking, always learning so as to create the man he thought he should be. His ego was large, and no one can say his all of his ideas were brilliant or even correct, but he learned from each step and help to mold and save the world he had inherited.

It is unfortunate however, that the cost of the printed word continues to escalate nearly as quickly as college tuition.  Two of the three books reviewed retail for one hundred dollars, and this shall unfortunately limit their circulation. Given the moral and intellectual level of so many politicians who attempt to guide us today, ignore their self-serving multi-million-dollar book deals and invest in one of more of these three volumes and enjoy the wit, wisdom and adventures of a titan of history.

https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/reading-winston-churchill