After the famed "Flying TIgers" aka American Volunteers Group was disbanded by the US Army Air Force, they were replaced by the 23rd FIghter Group. Many former members of the AVG transitioned to the new 23rd FG, while many did not - but that's another story. Mr Molesworth has done much extensive research into the air war over China, an often negiected area in WWII studies. While personal correspondence and interviews are interspersed through the book, the book's structure is basically a day by day recounting of the missions. In terms of narrative, that is the biggest shortcomings of the book, those descriptions often become dry and repetitive. If you are looking for a fantastic reference book on the 23rd FIghter Group, this is it. If on the other hand you are looking for an interesting read, this may be tough going for all but those with intense interest in the China Air War during WWII - like I am.
The Face of Battle was written back in 1983 and remains one of the best of its kind to examine. At the time, it was ground breaking work as it tries to understand what it was like to be in a battle, not from a general's perspective, not from a squad's perspective, but from an individual's perspective. What was it like to face a cavalry charge? How about marching in formation toward the enemy who is firing at you? Running toward enemy trenches with machine gun fire? From the mundane to facing immediate threat to you life, the question is asked what would a person do. In many ways, you will be asking yourself what would you do? While the prose can descend into academic speak at a few places, it is only minor annoyance given the questions poised and his analysis are so fascinating. Keegan passed away in 2012, leaving a good body of original military historical analysis. While he has written many other fine histories, I highly recommend this one if you are interested in the experience of warfare.
This book was orginally written in 1983, but was revised in 1990 with additional interviews. Karnow was a reporter who was in Vietnam during the war, and had access to many primary sources. This is an excellet book that gives an account of the American involvement in Vietnam. But be forwarned that it is exactly that, the American's experience and perspective in Vietnam. Nor is this a military history of the war, but a political history only - military details are only mentioned in the larger context of the whole conflict. Some may disagree with some of his conclusions, but they are well argued. Given those caveats, this is a very good one volume introduction into the Vietnam war.
