Redcoat - My Goodreads review.

Historical story set during the American War of Independence. Our heroes and baddies are: an ordinary British soldier, a feisty American rebel lady and a villain who is a ruthless and ambitious American loyalist serving in the British Army. Perhaps slightly more for a British audience because we (the reader) look at things from a more British perspective. I think an American might find it a little apologetic from a Brit point of view, as well as making the rascal a redcoat loyalist American. However, it was still enjoyable. I would recommend it to people who enjoy the history of the American War of Independence.

I liked our ordinary British soldier who came across as the reluctant hero caught up in a conflict he can't understand. A bit pantomime goodie and baddie angle, but still give it a go. 

Horrid and Ghastly Things We Do To Each Other.

Just a few generations back, most of our grandparents had to witness such death and carnage. Here are two British soldiers removing the corpse of an enemy soldier from his tank in North Africa 1942. To know that one must do this kind of thing to someone else or it may be done to you? To clear up the terrible carnage afterwards is something I would never want to do. I'm sure the soldiers in the photo never wanted to either. As kids we would ask the older generation if they killed anyone in the war. Some often said probably and did not want to dwell on such things. I worked in the GPO/Royal Mail from the late seventies into the early eighties. All the Postal workers from mid fifties to retirement age had lived through and took part in WWII. They came from all theaters of the war - land, sea, and air.

One old veteran that I knew in the Post Office, named Joe Lewis said he was in a Sherman tank. They were nicknamed 'Tommy Cookers' by the enemy. Joe said he witnessed soldiers in other Sherman tanks jumping out as human torches, while he was terrified that his tank would be next. Most soldiers on all sides were scarred by some of the horrendous things that happened around them.

An old seaman spoke of leaving a ship in Alexandria and being posted to another vessel. Then he heard the one that he left was sunk in battle. Many of his old mates were all gone.

My grandfather was in the docks of London and he told me he had to remove dead personnel from ships when they came into dock, plus the bombing of the docks during the Blitz and clearing up the carnage afterwards.

Of course this was going on all over the world and in many countries. Whole generations that witnessed such terror of the world at war.

  

US Helicopter Gunners in Vietnam War

This documentary, about Huey Helicopter Gunners is rather special because of the commentary and the way it is presented. We might laugh at it today with the benefit of hindsight, but despite the terror of the Vietnam war and horrors it brought into our living rooms via tv, I strongly believe it was a war that the USA could not afford to ignore. This is a bit rich coming from a Brit, I know. I don't think she (USA) had a choice and the other minor western nations, that enjoyed democracy under the cloak of US protection, also had no choice but to support this action. It proved to be a loss in the long run, but it did exhaust communist ambitions in other areas. I think there was an inadvertent success of the domino theory, though the Vietnam war/battle became a strategic withdrawal/loss.

 

The USA had to undertake a war with restrictions because of what happened in Korea. I do believe that there were long term benefits for the democratic west in the long run because of this, while the USA picked up the tab of recrimination. This, of course, might appear callous. It does not take into account the innocent Vietnamese that were killed in the crossfire. However, they were being brutally killed by both sides. The USA paid the price with international and unfair vilification from many nations that were free because of US power and presence, and so did the Vietnamese with the hard won unification.

 

This above film is very good from an historical point of view because of the way it is presented. Imagine if we could listen to the presentation of Romans or Crusaders with their firm convictions. I think this is a great documentary.

 

 

Great Modern Tanks of Today - Leopard vs M1 ABRAMS

Great tanks! What one is best? I think the crews would both be very well trained from Germany or USA. If these were sold to other nations; then it could be upon crew. Also expensive machines to acquire. What when finance runs out against a durable and intense enemy. A foe that keeps hitting back and inflicts recurring replacement costs. It does all boil down to money flow in the end. Money talks and patriotism sadly walks. Smaller advanced and less costly RPG's could make them uneconomical.

How long could even the most wealthy nations cover the cost of fighting a conventional with great machines like these? How much would such a tank cost? How many could be replaced? How long before the warring nations became bankrupt?