- Reaction score
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- Points
- 210
"McAleese's Fighting Manua"l by Pter McAleese and John Avery
This covers everything you will ever learn in BMQ, SQ and a hell of alot more.
A great read before, during and after courses. It is British but the tactics are the same as Canadian ones.
This covers everything you will ever learn in BMQ, SQ and a hell of alot more.
A great read before, during and after courses. It is British but the tactics are the same as Canadian ones.
- Reaction score
- 9,224
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For the evolution of Infantry Tactics, Col John English's On Infantry is a must.
Another interesting approach to learning in John Antal's Infantry Combat: An Interactive Exercise in Small-Unit Tactics and Leadership. It's like a "choose-your-own-adventure" book written by an experienced Army Officer. Entertaining approach to small unit tactics.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/089141536X/qid=1100284505/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-5292794-1661637?v=glance&s=books
Don't worry about learning "doctrine" or the "by-the-book" ways for tactical approaches. Tactical proficiency is about understanding the unique nature of the situation like terrain, enemy, available resources, time and space, etc, etc.
Another interesting approach to learning in John Antal's Infantry Combat: An Interactive Exercise in Small-Unit Tactics and Leadership. It's like a "choose-your-own-adventure" book written by an experienced Army Officer. Entertaining approach to small unit tactics.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/089141536X/qid=1100284505/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-5292794-1661637?v=glance&s=books
Don't worry about learning "doctrine" or the "by-the-book" ways for tactical approaches. Tactical proficiency is about understanding the unique nature of the situation like terrain, enemy, available resources, time and space, etc, etc.
Mortar guy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 25
- Points
- 330
While I like Bruce Gudmundsson's re-write of John English's book in the form of On Infantry, I prefer Col English's original version A Perspective on Infantry. I really don't like Gudmundsson's new conclusion and I think that by paring down the book, a lot of the good material in the original was lost.
I am also a huge fan of Rommel's Infantry Attacks: lots of good stuff on low-level infantry tactics.
Daniel Bolger's Death Ground is an outstanding modern book on infantry that I would put in my must read category too.
I apologize if these were already mentioned but I'm too lazy to read this entire thread! ;D
MG
I am also a huge fan of Rommel's Infantry Attacks: lots of good stuff on low-level infantry tactics.
Daniel Bolger's Death Ground is an outstanding modern book on infantry that I would put in my must read category too.
I apologize if these were already mentioned but I'm too lazy to read this entire thread! ;D
MG
Mortar guy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 25
- Points
- 330
All of them! Seriously thouh, it depends on what you want to read. A Perspective on Infantry talks alot about the theories and concepts that make good infantry (especially at the lower levels of command). Infantry Attacks is basically a biographical war story with some lessons thrown in. I'd say Rommel's book is a good start if you're just reading for interest but A Perspective on Infantry is best if you ant to learn about section and platoon level organization and tactics.
MG
MG
Thanks Mortar Guy I will have to go looking for some new reding material. I have just started reading Platoon Leader by James. R. McDonough and it is a fabulous book I like the way he writes it in first person rather in the third person aspect because I find that you get more of a "feel" for the book when rading it in this manner. Who's with me?
M
my love my life
Guest
Here is a link to General Store Publishing - a small publishing company in Renfrew, Ontario that has produced 39 military books I thought some of you might be interested
http://www.gsph.com/gsph/index.php?Lang=En&ID=1
Also there is a new novel called St. Michael's Orphans by Linda Pannell that is due to be released by next summer I believe. It's fiction but all the characters are Airborne and the setting is the Upper Ottawa Valey/Petawawa .
You'll find a page on my web site http://www.renc.igs.net/~tcollier/ Cheers, Dianne
http://www.gsph.com/gsph/index.php?Lang=En&ID=1
Also there is a new novel called St. Michael's Orphans by Linda Pannell that is due to be released by next summer I believe. It's fiction but all the characters are Airborne and the setting is the Upper Ottawa Valey/Petawawa .
You'll find a page on my web site http://www.renc.igs.net/~tcollier/ Cheers, Dianne
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 110
Cdr Richard Marcinko is a real veteran USN SEAL.He commanded Team's 2 & 6.You can read more about him in the excellant 3 volume set"NAVY SEALS,A History",by Kevin Dockery.It's published by the Military Book Club,and is an excellant read.I'm about half-way through pt.3
- Reaction score
- 33
- Points
- 560
Some selections from my library (no, you cannot borrow them):
War in the shadows;: The guerrilla in history, by Robert B Asprey (excellent overview of LIC operations from both sides of the fence)
Street without Joy; Hell in a Very Small Place, by Bernard B Fall; Two books which cover the doomed French war in Indochina, in particular the destruction of Groupe Mobile 100 and the investment and destruction of the French Airborn force in Dien Bien Phu
About Face, by Col David Hackworth. A pretty hair raising collection of war stories by one of Americas most decorated soldiers, but offers lots of insights on leadership, psycology, tactics and history if read closely.
Command in War, by Martin Van Crevald. A discussion of the evolution of General Staffs with particular attention to the human factors which cause these organizations to succeed or fail.
War in the shadows;: The guerrilla in history, by Robert B Asprey (excellent overview of LIC operations from both sides of the fence)
Street without Joy; Hell in a Very Small Place, by Bernard B Fall; Two books which cover the doomed French war in Indochina, in particular the destruction of Groupe Mobile 100 and the investment and destruction of the French Airborn force in Dien Bien Phu
About Face, by Col David Hackworth. A pretty hair raising collection of war stories by one of Americas most decorated soldiers, but offers lots of insights on leadership, psycology, tactics and history if read closely.
Command in War, by Martin Van Crevald. A discussion of the evolution of General Staffs with particular attention to the human factors which cause these organizations to succeed or fail.
Just reading "Red Army Tank Commanders: The Armoured Guards" By Col. Richard N. Armstrong. It looks at the careers and achievements of the six generals who rose to command the Red Army's six tank armies; Katukov, Bogdanov, Rybalko, Lelyushenko, Rotmistrov, and Kravchenko.
Too often the common WWII histories of the Eastern Front (which we got mostly from the Germans, until very recently) reduce the Red Army to a faceless mass of men and machines who won through sheer ruthless expenditure of resources. Save a few high profile figures like Zhukov, all the action and personalities are detailed from the German side and a German perspective. Because of that, I think this book is invaluable for putting some faces to the Russian forces, and showing them in a much more detailed light.
For example, we know that the advance of Guderian's panzer group on the southern approach to Moscow past Orel was checked in October of '41, but most accounts breeze over the specifics. In one of its chapters "Red Army Tank Commanders" details how the 4th Tank Brigade under General Katukov was able to face Guderians Panzers and soundly defeat them by a combination of spirited and innovative defense that resulted in heavy German casualties, with the Russians knocking the 4th Panzer division out of action in 10 days of combat.
I'd reccomend this book to anyone who wants a better picture of what the "other side" of the Eastern Front was like.
Too often the common WWII histories of the Eastern Front (which we got mostly from the Germans, until very recently) reduce the Red Army to a faceless mass of men and machines who won through sheer ruthless expenditure of resources. Save a few high profile figures like Zhukov, all the action and personalities are detailed from the German side and a German perspective. Because of that, I think this book is invaluable for putting some faces to the Russian forces, and showing them in a much more detailed light.
For example, we know that the advance of Guderian's panzer group on the southern approach to Moscow past Orel was checked in October of '41, but most accounts breeze over the specifics. In one of its chapters "Red Army Tank Commanders" details how the 4th Tank Brigade under General Katukov was able to face Guderians Panzers and soundly defeat them by a combination of spirited and innovative defense that resulted in heavy German casualties, with the Russians knocking the 4th Panzer division out of action in 10 days of combat.
I'd reccomend this book to anyone who wants a better picture of what the "other side" of the Eastern Front was like.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
A Rifleman Went to War, by Captain H.W. McBride, 21st Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force is an excellent account of personal combat and employment of the rifle and machine gun in World War 1. A great read with lots of relevant information and advice. The material presented is just as useful today as it was back then. It's published by Lancer Militaria, but shop around for the best price.
Redleafjumper
Redleafjumper
TangoTwoBravo
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 2,782
- Points
- 1,110
I would recommend three books (particularly for fellow junior officers):
a. Company Commanderby Charles B MacDonald. This is a first person account by an American Company Commander in WW 2 that gives a fairly unvarnished view of war and leadership at the lower levels in modern war.
b. The Generalship of Alexander the Great by J.F.C. Fuller. This book is intesting on two accounts. First, it gives an excellent overview of Alexander's army, battles and leadership. It also gives insight into the author, who was a very influential military thinker and one of the fathers of the Armoured Corps
.
c. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. The movie Gettysburg was pretty much based on this book. Again, a good look at several levels of leadership and an easy read.
The three books together also give a taste of military history and the progression in equipment, tactics and organization. They also focus on the human dimension without getting too much into doctrinal terms. I guess that its unfortunate that they are not Canadian but that shouldn't stop one from reading them.
Cheers,
2B
a. Company Commanderby Charles B MacDonald. This is a first person account by an American Company Commander in WW 2 that gives a fairly unvarnished view of war and leadership at the lower levels in modern war.
b. The Generalship of Alexander the Great by J.F.C. Fuller. This book is intesting on two accounts. First, it gives an excellent overview of Alexander's army, battles and leadership. It also gives insight into the author, who was a very influential military thinker and one of the fathers of the Armoured Corps
.c. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. The movie Gettysburg was pretty much based on this book. Again, a good look at several levels of leadership and an easy read.
The three books together also give a taste of military history and the progression in equipment, tactics and organization. They also focus on the human dimension without getting too much into doctrinal terms. I guess that its unfortunate that they are not Canadian but that shouldn't stop one from reading them.
Cheers,
2B
If I may suggest;
http://armyapp.dnd.ca/ael/main-acceuil.asp The CA Army Electronic Library which includes the Army Doctrine Journal
http://www.libraries.army.mil/refctr.htm#Magazines%20and%20Newspapers: which includes links to the Reimer Digital Library,
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/welcome.html for Parameters
http://militaryreview.army.mil/ for US Army Military Review
An additional suggestion: Keegan's The Face of Battle and The Mask of Command
Ubique
http://armyapp.dnd.ca/ael/main-acceuil.asp The CA Army Electronic Library which includes the Army Doctrine Journal
http://www.libraries.army.mil/refctr.htm#Magazines%20and%20Newspapers: which includes links to the Reimer Digital Library,
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/welcome.html for Parameters
http://militaryreview.army.mil/ for US Army Military Review
An additional suggestion: Keegan's The Face of Battle and The Mask of Command
Ubique
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Intelligence in War: Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al-Qaeda by Sir John Keegan
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 160
I haven't read the books you mention here, but I have read his Red Cell and Rogue Warrior and found neither of them to be very good. I thought that they both were filled with too much self-gratifying machismo and not enough realism. either or, to each their own.gunner56 said:
*modified because of spelling mistake*
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