While browsing through recommendations, I noticed this book by author Jeff Guinn. The cover alone speaks volumes, but I remember the events which transpired in Waco, Texas in the winter and spring of 1993. The media descended on the scene as federal law enforcement personnel and Texas State officials conducted a raid on the small group of buildings owned by the religious group known as the Branch Davidians. When the siege ended, a scene of devastation emerged which revealed the full scale of the tragedy. Amond the deceased was the group’s leader David Koresh (1959-1993) who had risen from obscurity to become the mythological figure his devoted followers believed would lead them to salvation. As I looked at the cover, I realized that although I knew of the siege at Waco, I did not know how the Branch Davidians came into existence or how Koresh ended up at their doorstep. Guinn answers those questions and provides a wealth of information in this book which is a step-by-step analysis of the history of the Branch Davidians and the fate awaiting them in the early months of 1993.

The first question I asked myself was who were the Branch Davidians? We have extensive information regarding the siege, but the group’s history is equally important. Guinn takes a deep dive into their interesting back-story and the vision of Victor Houteff (1889-1955) and his Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist Group. While Houteff is not directly related to Koresh’s Branch Davidians, his story is fascinating, but it is only the beginning of a long and convoluted journey to the ascension of David Koresh. The author pieces together the history seamlessly and the narrative is easy to follow as the Davidians go through their changes while different leaders emerge and depart. One of the most bizarre stories is that of Ben Roden (1902-1978), wife Lois Roden (1916-1986) and their son George (1938-1998) whose actions are off the rails. And when a new convert named Vernon Wayne Howell arrives, the story takes a sharp turn and sets the Davidians down a path of no return.

Howell’s entry into the story is uneventful. In fact, he comes across as another drifter who is searching for purpose in life and finds the Davidians to be what he is looking for. However, he soon becomes close to Lois Roden in ways I did not expect and begins to amass power and control within the Davidians. He also changes his name to David Koresh. George Roden is aware of Koresh’s power moves and two become engulfed in a dangerous feud which leads to law enforcement stepping in. The story is wild and a sign of the dangers that lie ahead. In order to understand Koresh’s vision, Guinn revisits the story of a self-proclaimed messiah named Dr. Cyrus Teed (1839-1908). I had not heard of Cyrus Teed but his story is intriguing, and the similarities between Teed and Koresh’s beliefs and actions cannot be overlooked. Further, Lois Roden herself also found value in Teed’s words as she maintained control over the Davidians. But when George Roden makes his departure from the group and Lois begins her physical decline, Koresh makes moves to solidify his power and stage is set for his version of the Branch Davidians to become reality.

After Koresh becomes the uncontested leader of the Davidians, the group begins to branch out and the followers who enter the fold come from all over. I was surprised to learn of the number of foreign nationals who had joined the Davidians. This is unusual but it also explains why Koresh later becomes paranoid of immigration officials raiding their compound at Mt. Carmel. In hindsight, we know that the Davidians had much larger problems than immigration violations. In fact, the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (“ATF”) soon had the Davidians on their radar after learning that the group had been stockpiling weapons. And the role of convert and defector Marc Breault is crucial in revealing the group’s inner workings. However, Koresh’s own actions are just as telling and disturbing. And his obsession with females of various ages is unsettling. It soon becomes clear to the ATF and the State of Texas that the issue of the Branch Davidians must be resolved. However, completing that task did not have any easy answers and by the time it was resolved, both ATF agents and Branch Davidians were dead, and Mt. Carmel was reduced to smoldering ruins.

Guinn takes us through the series of events leading up the raid, including the confusion among law enforcement, compounded by the change in presidential administrations. A new commander-in-chief William J. Clinton had taken office and needed Senate confirmation of his selected Attorney General Janet Reno (1938-2016). In time both would settle into office and Waco became their nightmare. There is one thing I noticed which slipped past me before, and that is the absence of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). Initially, the FBI was not involved in the planning of the raid and had no direct role in it. The bureau does enter the story later as the standoff intensifies and negotiations with Koresh become strained. Planning and execution of the warrant to enter the compound is not without complication, and the miscommunication would have severe implications. And the underestimation of Koresh’s knowledge of the ATF’s pending raid proved to have deadly consequences for ATF agents. As the day of raid approaches, I could feel the suspense increase and soon the moment arrives when shots are fired and all hell breaks loose. There is a lot to unpack, and Guinn summarizes the events perfectly. On a side note, Netflix has a docuseries about Waco which is very good, and readers will find even more information there which would have been impossible to cram into one book. Regardless of the disturbing details, it becomes clear that the raid in Waco is nothing short of horrific. Thankfully, lives were saved and some children do make it out of Mt. Carmel, but for those who remained behind, there was no happy conclusion. I will not go into detail here as Guinn provides the grim realities of the standoff, but it suffices to say that the aftermath is not for the faint of heart. The fallout is mind-bending and I still get chills when I think of the Branch Davidians.

The dispute as to whether the United States Government or the Branch Davidians were at fault will continue, I am sure. Guinn does not place complete blame on either side but presents the facts and leaves it to readers to form their own opinions. What I found was a tragedy which occurred through mistakes on both sides, leaving what Guinn accurately describes also as a legacy of rage. I would only add that it is also a legacy of destruction from which those involved have not fully healed. History always repeats itself, and somewhere on earth there is another David Koresh building a legion of followers. My hope is that the mistakes at Waco are not repeated. This is a particularly good look at Koresh, the Branch Davidians and the raid that changed America. Highly recommended.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B3Y9T3SJ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster, January 24, 2023