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Title: Into The Storm : A Study In Command by Tom Clancy, Fred Jr. (Ret.) Franks, Boyd Gaines, Ken Jenkins ISBN: 0-7435-0812-2 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 Format: Audio CD Volumes: 5 List Price(USD): $32.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.62 (50 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A B + Book for any student of military operations & history
Comment: I bought the Chancy book based on his reputation for fast action and through plots. Well, I got some of that. Most of the book is not a techno thriller, but it's still a great read. Those looking for a fast action book along the lines of "The Hunt for Red October" will be definitely disappointed by this. What you find here is really three books in one. First, it's the story of the VII Corps in the Gulf War and how this man, LTG Fred Franks, commanded it. Second, it's semi-autobiographical of General Franks. Finally, it's a story of how the Army, in the years after the disaster of Vietnam, changed it doctrine, strategy, and it's entire culture to culminate into the force exhibited in 1991. For me, the development and tenants of AirLand Battle Doctrine are a bit ho-hum. I've been in the Army and Reserve for over ten years now. But the best part of this book is the detailed description of how great an effort it is to mobilize, deploy, supply, and command an army corps. Novices in the area will get a taste of the effort that goes into this endeavor. The planning factors for critical supplies (water, fuel, and ammo are of paramount importance) show why the rule of thumb is that for every man on the front lines, there are ten or so more men behind him. Overall, I'll give this effort an 8. General Franks does dwell on the dispute between himself and GEN Schwarzkopf on final battle of the ground war, and that is a dispute I believe will never be settled completely. But all in all, for a book that gives insight into a ground commander's eye view (I say that because the corps is the largest Army tactical formation), Into the Storm is well written and through.
Rating: 4
Summary: True Insight Into the Gulf War
Comment: With Into The Storm, Tom Clancy brings to the public a very necessary study of the unique qualities of Operation Desert Storm. As the First of an intended five books on the subject, Mr. Clancy decides on a successful format to tell the story of a war that surprised soldier and spectator alike.
By discussing the military career of General Franks, and having the general contribute to the book, Tom Clancy provides an effective picture of how the events of the Gulf War unfolded. Some may criticize the inclusion of General Franks' military career as filler, but I see it as an insightful and key element if we are to fully understand what really happened. What makes the man does contribute to what made this war.
I am a veteran of the Gulf War, and when I heard about this book being written I was truly excited. I saw a very small piece of what happened. I missed television coverage, the parades, and all of the speculation. With this book, I finally saw into the rationale of modern war craft from a commander's perspective. I knew what me and my unit was doing, and why, but not how we fit in to the larger plan. With this book I could see what I was missing at my level of operations.
This book may never be required reading at the Army War College, but who knows, it just might. Tom Clancy has succeeded in providing a practical view of command which anyone can understand. given the unique nature of the Gulf War, this series of books promises to help explain why the war happened the way it did.
Rating: 1
Summary: Too long, too myopic, and too complaining!
Comment: I was disappointed with this book. I have really enjoyed Clancy's other fact based books, but this one came up short. With Gen Fred Franks (an American Hero, no doubt, and not to be confused with Tommy Franks from a decade later) Tom Clancy wrote this detailled account of 7 Corps actions during the Gulf War in 1991.
--The book is very long winded. It just doesn't get into the action, and approaches the story with a patronizingly long professorial on military thought that really amounts to little. He spends half the book describing how the US army got itself into trouble from Vietnam and an overfocus on the Cold War which did not address all the mission areas required. That background is important, but it is too long and too academic. Then he goes on to spend pages and pages and pages describing a 4 day drive across the desert, skipping several details -- such as the Air Campaign which made that possible. Make no mistake, the details are there and the story is interesting, but boy does it take a long time to come out. Also -- I am not belittling the valor of our forces then or now. Exciting as the brief ground campaign was in 1991, it pales beside the recent performance of 3 ID, 1 MEF and our Brit allies in Spring 2003. They went a lot further, with less forces and certainty, at a much more rapid pace. That story deserves a long treatment, and I am looking forward to some good books on it when the time comes.
--Into the Storm is also very myopic. Gen Franks perspective is very limited to what his division was doing, and not the entire war. Perhaps without meaning to he neglects the contributions made by the other services and neighboring divisions. Having been thru some battles myself, I know that it is hard to make any sense out of battle. Information is always incomplete, and no one gets the whole picture. Unfortunately, Into the Storm is predictably parochial and blinded to what else is going on. Part of that comes from its focus on justifying the decisions made during the campaign, but of course, without the whole picture, it comes out pretty narrow.
--The most distasteful element of the book was it's nagging tendendany to be at times accusatory, self justifying and bitter. Into The Storm does provide a solid, interesting personal story, but there is also a strong tone of self-righteousness and old fashioned CYA mixed in. Schwarzkpof had many complaints about Franks, and Franks is eager to answer up in this book. That's exactly what poisons the simple story of a four day desert drive, vicious and dangerous as it was. This book was pretty obviously written to explain "Why and How" Gen Franks made his decisions. Although that is interesting enough as a study in command and execution during war, the book's tone gets downright whiny. It has "something to prove", and comes up short, especially as I read it last spring and then witnessed the two division sized elements tearing thru Iraq in 2003: a far greater campaign with more risk, less forces, and hopefully more permanent results. Also, compare this book to Every Man A Tiger, Lt Gen Horner's story of the Gulf War also written by Clancy, and you will notice right away the difference. Horner had nothing to prove, but just a grand story to tell of American Heroes (and allies/coalition partners) in battle in the desert in 1991. I am proud that the story has continued, and was not left with the bitter tone that comes from Into The Storm.
------> If you're wondering why I have this perspective, I will say that I am an Airman and believe that maneuver thru the skies and precision engagement -- coupled with all the force and support that airpower brings -- is the key to our victories since WWII. I read this book while I was stationed with the Army Command in Kuwait last Spring just prior to and during our team's rapid defeat of the entire Iraqi army, terrorists, and thugs from assorted countries. I also spent years patrolling the border of Iraq from the air, and am very gratified to see the end of that. My prayers and thoughts go to all our servicemen and women still in Harm's Way.
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Title: Every Man a Tiger by Tom Clancy, Chuck Horner ISBN: 0425172929 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: May, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces by Tom Clancy, Carl Stiner, Tony Koltz ISBN: 0425188310 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: 04 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Armored Cav: A Guided Tour of an Armored Cavalry Regiment by Tom Clancy ISBN: 0425158365 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: October, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier by Tom Clancy, Leon A. Edney ISBN: 0425166821 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: October, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing by Tom Clancy ISBN: 0425149579 Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: October, 2000 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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