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wheel_of_time_fan's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
lynguy1's review
5.0
Who Can Hold the Sea – The U.S. Navy in the Cold War 1945-1960 by James D. Hornfischer is the first book that I have read by this author. The title describes what this non-fiction history book covers in the broad sense. However, it also gives insight into the people, politics, and policies of the times.
This history narrative has the added bonus of action above and below the sea. As World War II ends, sailors go home and warships are decommissioned. However, aggressive moves by Stalin in Europe and the Far East make this a short time of calm. George Kennan, the number two man for the United States in Moscow, sends a telegram describing the Soviet Union’s ambitions, pathology, and more. It helps to shape the Truman administration’s actions in light of this new geopolitical threat.
This book is not the dry text of typical histories. It is filled with facts, people, politics, policies, action, interactions, technological advances, and challenges. The author shows the many challenges faced by the United States and the U.S. Navy. The post war politics between the Army and the Navy was especially interesting. It’s something you don’t read about in traditional history books. The many challenges faced by the Navy were political, technical, and strategic. Additionally, if you think partisan activism and anger at the press is a recent phenomenon, you will know differently after you read this book.
Overall, this is a very readable, enlightening, and educational history of the U.S. Navy during the early days of the Cold War. At the end are several images of important political and military personnel during this period as well as an extensive bibliography, image credits, and index. I highly recommend this book to those interested in history, naval history, the early years of the Cold War, and geopolitics.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for May 03, 2022.
This history narrative has the added bonus of action above and below the sea. As World War II ends, sailors go home and warships are decommissioned. However, aggressive moves by Stalin in Europe and the Far East make this a short time of calm. George Kennan, the number two man for the United States in Moscow, sends a telegram describing the Soviet Union’s ambitions, pathology, and more. It helps to shape the Truman administration’s actions in light of this new geopolitical threat.
This book is not the dry text of typical histories. It is filled with facts, people, politics, policies, action, interactions, technological advances, and challenges. The author shows the many challenges faced by the United States and the U.S. Navy. The post war politics between the Army and the Navy was especially interesting. It’s something you don’t read about in traditional history books. The many challenges faced by the Navy were political, technical, and strategic. Additionally, if you think partisan activism and anger at the press is a recent phenomenon, you will know differently after you read this book.
Overall, this is a very readable, enlightening, and educational history of the U.S. Navy during the early days of the Cold War. At the end are several images of important political and military personnel during this period as well as an extensive bibliography, image credits, and index. I highly recommend this book to those interested in history, naval history, the early years of the Cold War, and geopolitics.
Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for May 03, 2022.
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