The Journalist of Castro Street: The Life of Randy Shilts – Andrew E. Stoner

On By Genyc79In Biographies, LGBTLeave a comment

shiltsThe first time I watched the HBO film “And the Band Played On“, I found myself speechless after it had finished. The AIDS crisis had grown exponentially and the invisible enemy that was originally thought to be a “gay disease” had shown the world that it did not discriminate. The HIV virus that can develop into AIDS spread fast and furiously, claiming the lives of people no one would have expected to succumb to it. Among those figures were movie star Rock Hudson (1925-1985), tennis great Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) and music legend Freddy Mercury (1946-1991). And no one can forget the story of teenager Ryan White (1971-1990), whose experience captivated America. I personally will never forget the announcement on national television by former NBA star Ervin “Magic” Johnson that he had tested positive for HIV. The HBO film was a success and the adaptation of the book by journalist Randy Shilts (1951-1994) for the silver screen has continued to honor his legacy decades after his death. Prior to writing “the Band” as it is called in this biography, Shilts had also written “The Mayor of Castro Street” about the life of the late San Francisco City Supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk (1930-1978). Having read both books, I instinctively knew that this biography of Shilts was a book that I needed to read.

Admittedly, there was much about Shilts’s life that I did know prior to reading this book. I was aware that he had succumbed to AIDS. But his personal life still held an aura of mystery. This book removes the mystique and peels back the layers to Shilts’s short but incredible life that began in Davenport, Iowa and ended in Guerneville, California. At the time of his death, Shilts was only forty-two years old and had authored his final book titled “Conduct Unbecoming”, about the experience of LGBT personnel in the military. Here, author Andrew Stoner takes us back to Aurora, Illinois where we are given an inside look into the home of Bud and Norma Shilts who raised six sons. At first the story feels like a typical mid-western account. We soon learn that the Shilts household has its problems that would affect everyone within.

It is evident early in the story that Randy is “different” from his siblings. But he was able to maintain relationships with them to varying degrees. It was here that I learned the story of all six sons for the first time and what the author reveals is interesting and mystifying. In fact, readers may find themselves puzzled as the story of brother Ronald Shilts is told. The boys’ parents also have their own demons to confront but it is a story that we have seen many times before. But despite the issues at home, Shilts never wavered in his love towards them and in later years comes to understand them in separate ways. But I do believe his childhood experiences explain in part why he left home in search of acceptance. Ironically, he later finds acceptance from one person I did not expect. As Shilts gets older, his life takes unexpected turns and when he lands in San Francisco, the story quickly picks up in pace. I do not believe that he had any idea how San Francisco would change his life and American history.

Shilts soon finds himself working for the San Francisco Chronicle, writing about issues in the gay community of which he is a part. As I read this section of the book, I felt as if I were transplanted back in time to Castro Street as Harvey Milk and others were challenging the establishment emboldened by the actions of anti-LGBT activist Anita Bryant. Shilts is a first-hand witness and covered the issues extensively while at the same time struggling to confront his own demons and vices that threaten to derail his life and career. The author left no stone unturned and allows us to see the battle in private that Shilts was waging against himself. Happiness became a lost item in his life as one challenge after another presented itself. And lurking in the shadows was a virus that would leave death and devastation in its wake as it ravaged communities and exposed the dark side of politics and the health care industry.

In some ways this biography rivals the story told in “the Band”. In particular, the complicated situation Shilts found himself in must have been difficult and emotionally draining. As the issue of the bath houses comes to a boiling point, Shilts nearly becomes an enemy of the state in the LGBT community. Readers will find his interactions with both Harvey Milk and former California State Senator John V. Briggs (1930-2020) highly interesting. The AIDS epidemic continues to gain speed and it becomes clear that it is a threat no one had seen before. Shilts eventually makes the decision to author the book that catapulted him into the national spotlight but the path to complete was anything but simple. Further, the author provides an interesting assessment of the patient zero origin and the truth about Gaëtan Dugas (1953-1984), the Air Canada flight attendant who was demonized and accused of intentionally spreading HIV. In October 2016, news reports surfaced that Dugas did not spread HIV to the United States. However, at the time of Shilts’s work on the book, the flight attendant was believed to be the main person responsible for the destruction in San Francisco’s gay community. Shilts did not live to see Dugas vindicated but I believe that if he had lived, he would have regretted the turmoil press reports caused the Canadian until his death on March 30, 1984.

Shilts’s masterpiece did have its flaws but has stood the test of the time as a literary classic. But the HIV virus spared no one, not even Shilts himself. Exactly when he learned he had HIV is lost to history but as the virus progresses and develops into AIDS, his life becomes a race against the clock. His decline and realization that he cannot escape his fate spurs him to author his final book. If you have read other books that describe death from AIDS, you know that this story will not be easy to finish. The information presented about the final years of his life as he struggled with his health and the raging AIDS crisis will remind older readers about a time in history when no one knew how to interact with someone who had AIDS yet many of us knew someone who had contracted HIV. Today the virus that causes AIDS is no longer a death sentence but in the 1980s, the diagnosis of Kaposi sarcoma and a positive HIV test result meant a trip to the grave as doctors struggled to develop medication to combat the growing menace. If Shilts were alive, he would have the benefit of modern medicine and the ability to live a full life. He is gone but his work will never be forgotten. And I am glad that I decided to read his life story which has left me with a better understanding of what inspired him to author the classics that continue to give knowledge and wisdom to new readers. This is a good look at the life of Randy Shilts.

ASIN: B07SHLKGZ1

The Wrong Carlos: Anatomy of a Wrongful Execution – James S. Liebman and the Columbia Deluna Project

On By Genyc79In American History, True CrimeLeave a comment

carlosOn the evening of February 4, 1983, twenty-four-year-old Wanda Lopez arrived at the Sigmor Shamrock gas station in Corpus Christi, Texas, to begin her shift as a gas station attendant. She never finished that shift. After noticing a suspicious male brandishing a knife, Lopez called police not once but twice before she was savagely attacked and fatally wounded. In less than one hour, police arrested twenty-year-old Carlos Deluna and charged him with the murder. Deluna entered a plea of not guilty and chose to stand trial where he was convicted and later sentenced to death. On December 7, 1989, he was executed at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville. Prosecutors had secured a conviction and put forth the notion that justice had been served in the State of Texas. However, Deluna maintained his innocence from the start and stated more than once that he knew who did kill Lopez. The name “Carlos Hernandez” became an area of interest, yet officials claimed that no such person existed, nor had he been incarcerated in Texas. But were they telling the truth? And was justice served in Deluna’s execution? James S. Liebman and the Columbia Deluna Project examined the Lopez murder and the fate of Carlos Deluna to uncover what really happened and find the truth behind a dark story that will send chills down the spine of readers.

Before reading this book, I was not familiar with Carlos Deluna or the murder of Wanda Lopez. But that quickly changed as I began to read this unsettling and thought-provoking account of the justice system failing to deliver due process. The book focuses on the Lopez murder early on as expected. From the start, the crime itself makes no sense and we learn early that a couple of the witnesses whom the police questioned remained haunted by that night. And their admissions regarding what they saw or thought they saw that night, set the stage for the saga to come, and presents the basis for doubt of Deluna’s guilt. After presenting the subsequent statements of witnesses to the crime, the authors take us back to that night in February 1983 when Wanda Lopez lived her last moments. Readers sensitive to graphic descriptions of violence and crime scenes may find this part of the book difficult. However, the scene and actions of forensic investigators will have enormous consequences later in the story, when the authors review the collection of vital evidence.

Deluna was assigned legal counsel and the job of defending him fell on Hector De Peña and James Lawrence. De Peña had no experience in defending a capital murder defendant, but Lawrence was an experienced trial lawyer. To their credit, De Peña and Lawrence do their best to mount a defense but come across naive to the determination of prosecutors to see their client convicted and sentenced to death. Despite the State’s imposing presence, De Peña and Lawrence also made mistakes in defending their client. Deluna insisted all along that he was innocent and was adamant that Carlos Hernandez was the man responsible for Lopez’s death, yet it seemed as if no one took him seriously. But just who was Carlos Hernandez and was he as dangerous as Deluna stated?

I have read accounts of countless murder suspects, but few come across as deadly and cold-blooded as Carlos Hernandez. Frankly, the man was pure evil and his propensity for violence towards women is chilling and on full display in the book. He is undoubtedly the darkest figure in the story but incredibly, he was well-known to law enforcement and had committed offenses before and after Lopez’s murder. And as readers will learn, prosecutors were aware of his existence but made no attempt to present him in Deluna’s trial. Deluna’s counsel failed to follow leads that might have taken them to Hernandez. As someone who works in the legal field, I found myself staring in disbelief at the legal practice conducted by the prosecution and defense. And I kept asking myself why a man like Carlos Hernandez was allowed back on the streets of Texas when authorities knew how dangerous he was? And why did Deluna’s lawyers fail to call witnesses who could have provided the jurors with vital information about Deluna’s personal issues and Hernandez’s existence?

I warn readers that Hernandez is a dark figure, but the mini biography provided by the authors does provide explanations as to why he became a monster. To say that his family was dysfunctional would be an understatement. As for Deluna, the authors also provide a biographical sketch of him, and his back story explains his own path in life. Surprisingly, the two men both named Carlos were not strangers to each other and it is this part of the story that seemed to be lost on all counsel. As I read, I kept scratching my head at the missed opportunities to locate Carlos Hernandez and put an end to the mystery. And considering the multitude of crimes that Hernandez committed and his own admissions, it does make one wonder how he evaded punishment so many times. There was more to his story than the State wanted defense counsel to discover. The authors provide another crucial piece of evidence in their assessment that directly addresses the eyewitness testimony: side-by-side photos of both men. When I saw the photo of both men side-by-side, I could not tell them apart and would have picked “the wrong Carlos” myself. Without the aid of DNA technology, eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence were the tools of the trade, and the police made a mess of both.

Earlier I mentioned that the crime scene and actions of investigators had an enormous impact on the trial. The way it impacted the trial is explained by the authors who pay close attention to the handling of evidence and the failure to preserve clues that could have proven conclusively the guilt or innocence of the correct person. If you have watched any modern-day crime show such as “The First 48”, then you know the collection of evidence is the primary concern of investigators. Readers will find themselves aghast as the actions of crime scene investigators. I could not believe what I was reading. If new detectives need a case study on what not to do, it can be found here. Though they did not know it at the time, the actions of investigators helped seal the fate of Carlos Deluna.

It becomes clear in the book that Deluna is headed for conviction. The deck is stacked against him. Following the guilty conviction, the next phase of determining whether he should die was a foregone conclusion. However, he and his family never gave up and exhausted the appeals process to secure his freedom. Yet again, Deluna had legal counsel who neither prepared the case appropriately nor sought to find the mysterious Carlos Hernandez who was hiding in plain sight. The book is both spellbinding and overwhelming. And to think that his happened in America where we are entitled to due process is upsetting. If Carlos Deluna was not a poor man of Mexican heritage but a rich man of another background, he might be alive today. And Carlos Hernandez would have found himself on death row.

Admittedly, Carlos Deluna was no angel and had been in trouble with the law himself before Lopez’s murder. However, his cognitive and emotional issues were neglected throughout his life and resulted in him finding companionship with people who only knew violence and dysfunction. Today Deluna would have at his disposal programs and counseling to help with his issues but in 1983 in a poor part of Texas, help was almost non-existent and slow cognitive development was stigmatized. I never met Carlos Deluna, but I now know his story. Despite everything he went through, he left his family with these words that show a man resigned to his fate and adamant about his innocence:

“I want to say I hold no grudges. I hate no one. I love my family. Tell everyone on death row to keep the faith and don’t give up. —Last words of Carlos DeLuna, December 7, 1989, as recorded by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.” – Carlos Deluna

This is the story of Carlos Deluna, Carlos Hernandez, and a murder in Corpus Christi, Texas that shows how society and the criminal justice system failed those they were designed to protect.

ASIN:‎ B00KV1KP9O

Shantaram: A Novel – Gregory David Roberts

On By Genyc79In UncategorizedLeave a comment

20220123_132734This review will be different from my normal write-up as I have stepped back into the world of fiction. This book came as a gift, and it is one that I will cherish infinitely. But before I continue, I want to point out that this book is long. In fact, it is over nine hundred pages in length and not for the faint at heart. If the length of the book does not deter you, then you will find an incredible story that will remain with you for years to come. And by the time the story ends, readers will be eager to learn more about the lives of the characters that come to life in this spellbinding tale.

The book opens with the main character arriving in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. No one knows his real name and he is fugitive from his native Australia. His fake New Zealand passport allows him to enter the country and it is not long before he becomes aware of how life operates in Bombay. Soon he meets one of the most cheerful characters in the story, Prabaker who we come to know as Prabu. Our character needs a name and becomes Lin or more intimately, Linbaba. Prabu becomes his guide in the new city, and the locals are drawn to the new white face whose background remains a mystery. Lin is soon introduced to the group of characters that form the backbone of the book: Karla, Didier, Modena, and Maurizio. Each has their own backstory which is explained at various points in the book. Of the group, Lin quickly makes friends with Didier who is a rascal and finds himself attracted to Karla, who plays a significant role in events that come later in the book. Modena and Maurizio also play a significant role but for darker and more disturbing reasons.

Money and shelter become the primary concerns for the new arrival, but Lin is able to survive on side hustles before moving to a well-known slum. From this point on in the story, the darkest aspects of Bombay come to life and the people Lin meets while working as a “physician” in the slum, set in motion a chain of events that bring him into to the criminal underworld, However, Lin is a complex figure and performs acts of courage and kindness throughout the book while learning more about the underworld and its lucrative financial incentives. His actions as a deadly plague breaks out in the slum will remind readers of the danger that comes with living in under-developed parts of the world. However, Lin in aware that eyes are watching him as he is performing feats of courage in the slum. As a foreigner, he was destined to stand out and eventually crosses paths with Bombay’s most feared figure, Abel Khader Khan. Khader becomes a second father to Lin who calls him Khaderbai. Through his mentor, he makes the acquaintance of Abdullah and Nazeer, two pillars of strength throughout the story.

Karla is never far from Lin’s mind and one day she approaches him to assist her in solving a problem at a local establishment. It is here that we are introduced to the notorious Madame Zhou. As they leave, Karla and Lin are under the impression that all is well, but they are unaware that Lin now has a target on his back. Ulla, who is intimately involved with Modena, approaches Lin for a favor that requires they meet at a local restaurant late at night. Lin agrees but this trip turns out to be unlike any he has taken before. Things soon go wrong, and Lin finds himself in a world of trouble. To say he goes through hell would be an understatement. The savageness of human nature is put on full display and the author pulls no punches.

As the dark horrors of Bombay become a painful reality, Lin is forced to confront his own demons from his life in Australia. Readers familiar with the author’s life will recognize that the fictional Lin is based on Roberts’s real-life experiences. The other characters in the book are composites of people he knew, and parts of the story are inspired by true events. Karla is the book’s most mysterious character and Lin can never quite figure her out. However, she comes to his aid when needed and serves as a voice of reason at times. But Lin is not mentally where he needs to be and his association with Khader, Abdullah and others in the Bombay underworld, are far from over.

I mentioned before that the story has twists and turns that come of out of nowhere. Lin could not have imagined that he would become friends with Bombay’s biggest gangster or that he would follow him all the way to Afghanistan. At this part in the story, I thought I had mis-read when I learned of the group’s mission there. The story is surreal but makes sense after we learn more about Khader and another figure, Khaled. They are joined by others whose lives have been changed by the Soviet invasion in 1979. However, understanding each of them is not easy but through Lin, their lives come into focus, and we are able to see the complexity of human nature. The men know they must commit dark deed but believe that out of the darkness comes light. The relationship between Lin and Khader is put to the test and before the mission is over, Lin will be re-born. Upon returning to Bombay, Lin is a changed man but wiser to Bombay’s dark side and there remains unfinished business in the underworld. Madame Zhou reappears in what is one of the book’s crazier moments.

The characters in the story are a mix of good and bad and that is what makes it work so well. Some have committed crimes, others have turned to drugs, yet each is struggling to understand their own existence while engaged in one hustle to the next. Roberts does an excellent job of focusing on the concept of morality without directly addressing it. Instead, we learn about the characters and are able to make our own judgments. Upon learning their backgrounds, I found that I did not dislike the majority, and the duality in their nature is given close attention. The story also reminds the reader that the saying there is no honor amongst thieves has a ring of truth to it. But is that accurate in Shantaram? And is it possible that sometimes you must commit an evil act to produce a greater good? As the book shows, there are aspects of human nature that can never be erased but carefully hidden. And as Lin learns in Bombay, the heart means everything in India. The locals, despite their living conditions, are content and teach Lin valuable lessons that one might suspect cannot be found in the slums of Bombay.

As the book moves forward towards its conclusion, Lin becomes embedded in the social fabric of Bombay and well-known to everyone in the underworld. When he arrived at the beginning of the book, he could not have anticipated the road he would take. But at this point in the story, he is a seasoned gangster who has lost as much as he has gained. He comes to terms with the actions and lives of those around him and their effect on his life. Karla remains close, as do Didier and others such as Lisa, Vikram, Lisa and Kavita. Linbaba completes a long journey and along the way we learn why the name Shantaram is so fitting. There is far more the story than I have mentioned here and readers will enjoy reading the book. It is long but written very well and the story is easy to follow. Highly recommended.

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312330529
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312330521

Survival in the Killing Fields – Haing S. Ngor

On By Genyc79In Asia, BiographiesLeave a comment

ngorOn March 25, 1985, the 57th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, the category of best supporting actor was called, and the winner was Haing S. Ngor (1940-1996), a doctor born and raised in Cambodia, who had survived the Khmer Rouge dictatorship under the notorious Pol Pot (1925-1998). Ngor had starred as Cambodian journalist Dith Pran (1942-2008) in the 1984 film The Killing Fields starring Sam Waterston, John Malkovich, and Craig T. Nelson. The movie is tough to watch due to its sensitive subject matter but also an important work of art that captured a time in world history when a revolution nearly destroyed an entire nation permanently.

I was familiar with the Khmer Rouge before starting the book and I have seen the film more than once. I have also read Loung Ung’s First They Killed My Father, a gripping account of life under the Khmer Rouge. Her story was adapted for the big screen and in 2017, Netflix released the film of the same name directed by Angelina Jolie. Though there are some modifications to the story in the film, it is follows the book fairly closely and shows how Cambodian society was turned upside down during the tyranny of the Khmer Rouge. Ngor is even more blunt in how life changed for Cambodians:

“The truth was that under the communists the country was much worse off than it had ever been during my lifetime. We had no electricity. No clocks or automobiles. No modern medicines. No schools. No religious worship. Very little food. And we lived in constant fear of the soldiers.”

The book begins with Ngor remembering his early life and fragile relationship with his father. A volatile temper and determination to resist anything he felt was unfair, resulted in Ngor going through a series of inconvenient situations, including one with his father that placed their relationship under great strain. However, he eventually graduates from medical school and begins to practice medicine. Life as a doctor is good and at home, his wife Huoy performs the traditional duties of a wife in Cambodian society. On April 17, 1975, their lives were changed permanently when Pol Pot and his revolutionaries seized control of Cambodia under the guise of rebuilding society. Millions of Cambodians had no idea what would come next as the extremists dismantled society piece by piece. To give the reader an idea of how extreme their ideloogy was, Ngor explains that:

“The Khmer Rouge wanted a complete change of society, from top to bottom. Gone was everything that had governed our lives in the old times. Lon Nol was gone, airlifted to America before the fall; Sihanouk was gone, his fate a mystery. The monks were gone.” 

Following the takeover, families were uprooted and forced to move, typically to distant parts of the country to engage in heavy manual labor. Famine, inhumane treatment, and lack of crucial resources gave rise to disease, hunger, and death in work camps across the country. Ngor himself suffered illness on more than one occasion as he explains in the book. Had it not been for his medical training which he kept secret for reasons also disclosed in the book, he surely would have perished. The aid of his wife Huoy was invaluable and she served as his guardian angel on more than one occasion. But her fate and that of those around them, are among the difficult moments in the book. And when not facing death from hunger or disease, workers were reminded through vicious and bloodthirsty guards that Angkar was  watching. This system of surveillance gave men and women incentive to spy on each other and tell what they saw, even if it meant death to those accused. Ngor becomes a first-hand witness to the brutal system of torture that Angkar notoriously used to break the spirit of those needing “reformation”.

As time progressed, cracks in the surface began to show and Ngor realizes that the regime is slowly falling apart. The Khmer Rouge’s idea of transforming society was a complete failure and in its attempt to flex its muscle, it had angered the North Vietnamese Government which soon made it a goal to deal with Cambodia. In April 1979, the Vietnamese invaded and put an end to the reign of the Khmer Rouge. But for Ngor and millions of his fellow citizens, the occupation by Vietnam did not end their ordeal overnight. Cambodia had been freed of one communist government only to be replaced by another. Those who were able realized the only option was to cross the border into Thailand. The journey was not easy and bandits along the way were just as ruthless as the Khmer Rouge if not worse at times. But in Thailand, the full weight of his ordeal comes crashing down when he reflects that:

“By 1979 Cambodia was utterly destroyed. Next door in Thailand were paved roads, beautiful temples and more rice than the people could eat. As a refugee, the more I saw of Thailand, the angrier I became. It was the anger of a man who finds out he has been lied to all his life.” 

After arriving in Thailand, Ngor slowly puts his life together and through a series of chance encounters, he befriends John Crowley of the Joint Volunteer Agency who paves the way for his next journey to the United States where he is joined by his adopted niece Sophia. His entry into America was rough at first but it is clear from the start that in comparison to the Cambodia he had left behind, America was a brand new and welcomed experience. And luck was on his side again when he was scouted and picked to star in the Killing Fields. His performance and win at the Oscars transformed Ngor into a celebrity but the experiences in Cambodia remained fresh in his mind and a heavy burden to bear. Ngor never ceased to labor on behalf of those still in Cambodia who never wanted to see another Khmer Rouge takeover. IN spite of his fame and success, Ngor remained haunted by what he saw and experienced. He reminds the reader that the Khmer Rouge destroyed nearly every part of Cambodian society. And I believe that this sombering statement bythe author sums up the experiences of those held under the iron grip of the Khmer Rouge:

“The Cambodian holocaust ripped through our lives, tossing us randomly, leaving none of us the way we were. You can blame who you want, the outside powers for interfering, or our own internal flaws like corruption and kum, but when the talking is over we still do not know why it had to happen. The country is still in ruins, millions have died and those of us who survived are not done with our grieving.”  

The book closes with more reflection by Ngor of Cambodia and his life in America. By this time, Sophia had moved out and the two had not spoken. In the epilogue, we learn more of their relationship and future interactions. Also, more information is provided about Ngor’s return to Cambodia, his business dealings and difficulties in life while living in Los Angeles. After finishing Ngor’s heartbreaking account of his life, readers will need to prepare for another difficult part in the book: Ngor’s final days.

On February 25, 1996, Ngor was returning home when he drove past three Asian street gang members. The trio was high on crack cocaine and saw him as their next target to score more cash. It is believed that after asking for his money and other valuables, the thieves also wanted a chain he wore which contained a locket holding a picture of his late wife Huoy. Ngor undoubtedly would have refused, and readers will understand why after finishing his story. Prosecutors stated that shots were fired and Ngor fell to the pavement gasping for air. He died on the scene at the age of fifty-five. It should be noted that the killers did not take Ngor’s car or money, leading people to believe that the killing was related to his past in Cambodia. It is difficult to say but there is one clue provided in the epilogue related to the political climate in Cambodia at the time that might explain who would have wanted him dead. We may never know the real motive for his death, but the shooter was sentenced to life in prison and his accomplices each received a sentence of twenty-five years to life.

In the future when I watch The Killing Fields again, I will now have a deeper appreciation for Ngor’s performance. I wish I had known more about him upon viewing the film for the first time. However, my lack of knowledge regarding his personal life does not detract from the viewing experience. The film is haunting as it should be to show viewers the danger of poisonous rhetoric. Voltaire had it right when he wrote that “any one who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices“. Haing S. Ngor was witness to one of history’s greatest crimes and lived to tell the tale of Cambodia’s darkest days. And even today, this book can server as reminder of the dangers that come with extremism and importance of addressing extreme ideology before it is too late.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B019NFEM42

My Bondage and My Freedom – Frederick Douglass

On By Genyc79In Autobiography1 Comment

Douglass The history of America is dark at times, and those moments have been omitted or neglected for many years. However, they are crucial to understanding how and why the United States developed into the nation that it is today. As an American, I am constantly seeking to understand my own country and clarify the myths that have propagated with regards to its past. I am learning uncomfortable truths, but they have not diminished the love that I have for America. In the history of this country, the name of Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) remains a reminder of the institution of slavery that degraded human beings, served as the backbone of an economic system, and led America towards a civil war. Douglass was born into the slave system and became a free man as an adult. This is his story of his time in bondage, freedom from oppression and evolution into a public speaker.

The story begins with Douglass’s early years at the home of his grandparents. He had not understood that he was born into slavery and had no concept of it. But that soon changed when he was taken to meet his siblings whom he had never met. They reside on a plantation owned by former Maryland Governor Edward Lloyd (1779-1834). And it was here that Douglass came to know the horrors of the slave system for the first time. His observation about the lack of connection to his siblings reveals a devastating effect of slavery. Douglass points out that:

“The practice of separating children from their mother, and hiring the latter out at distances too great to admit of their meeting, except at long intervals, is a marked feature of the cruelty and barbarity of the slave system. But it is in harmony with the grand aim of slavery, which, always and everywhere, is to reduce man to a level with the brute. It is a successful method of obliterating from the mind and heart of the slave, all just ideas of the sacredness of the family, as an institution.” 

The family is the backbone for our journey through life and Douglass understood the tragedy that developed from its destruction. His words are tough to read at times and the cruelty he endures did not always come at the hands of slaveowners or overseers. In fact, the actions of his Aunt Katy are equally deplorable and the two of them never established a close bond. Douglass’ mother does enter the story but briefly and for reasons the reader will find disgust in. However, her life and role are also an example of slavery’s goal in breaking down the will and spirit of those caught in its grip. There is, however, something that Douglass points out which is interesting about slavery itself. During his time in bondage, he observed the lives of blacks and whites, and this statement regarding what he saw is interesting:

“I knew of blacks who were not slaves; I knew of whites who were not slaveholders; and I knew of persons who were nearly white, who were slaves. Color, therefore, was a very unsatisfactory basis for slavery.”

Racism was undeniably a contributing factor for enslavement, but revenue was the driving factor. The system of slavery did not see individuals, but property to be used until it was no longer useful.  The effects upon human chattel were disregarded by those in power. But slaves were not content with remaining in bondage, and it was not long before rebellions erupted across slave-owning territories. The names of John Brown (1800-1859), Denmark Vesey (1767-1822) and Nathaniel “Nat” Turner (1800-1831) stand out among the scores of men and women determined to destroy the system of slavery. Their actions were not lost on Douglass who keenly observed that rebellions would increase as the enslaved sought their natural born right to be free. As Douglass ages, he becomes more aware of the changing sentiment in America and the undercurrent of emotions by those in bondage and their allies in the abolitionist movement. As Douglass states himself:

“The insurrection of Nathaniel Turner had been quelled, but the alarm and terror had not subsided. The cholera was on its way, and the thought was present, that God was angry with the white people because of their slaveholding wickedness, and, therefore, his judgments were abroad in the land.”

I warn readers that his experiences on Lloyd’s plantation are not for the faint at heart. The degradation he endures should spark the fire of anger in anyone who reads this book. I found myself becoming emotional as I read his words and I cannot imagine the humiliation inflicted upon him and others who lived on the plantation. And what is interesting is that the plantation was not located in the deep south but in the State of Maryland. And his life became even more difficult when he was given to Capt. Thomas Auld, a former Army Commander during the War of 1812. Auld quickly becomes the darkest figure in the book and his cruelty towards Douglass is abhorrent. He was determined to break Douglass down and nearly succeeded completely as readers will learn in the book. However, the relationship between Douglass and Auld’s wife Lucretia offsets the darker moments. During his time with Auld, Douglass grows into a strapping young man and becomes determined to escape slavery at all costs. He first refuses to be beaten and after learning to read, began to understand how slavery functions at its core and why illiteracy is a necessary component to keep slaves in line. Once he learns the truth, his path to freedom comes into full focus. However, Douglass never fully reveals how he escaped from Maryland, likely to protect those who had assisted him. He does discuss how he became a free man once in the North but is also careful in that regard.

Following his escape from Maryland, he arrives in New York City but for a short amount of time before moving on to New Bedford, Massachusetts. And although slavery had been abolished in Massachusetts in 1781, Douglass soon learns that prejudice is not solely a product of the South. As he explains, he had his fair share of humiliation in the North as well. However, he was now free and despite the treatment by whites, he continued to evolve and mature. And his spirit becomes unbreakable. He also learns that he has the gift of oration and soon explores that talent to its fullest extent. Today he is regarded as one of the most popular voices of his time but regrettably, none of us will ever have the pleasure of hearing him speak in person. The story takes yet another turn when he is invited to visit several countries in Europe. It is this part of the book in which Douglass learns important truths about America while away from its shores. And what he explains to the reader are supported by the statements from jazz musician Miles Davis (1926-1991), whose experiences in France had opened his eyes to the dysfunction in America. Upon his return to the United States, Douglass was seasoned and armed with a better understanding of the world and the changes needed at home. He devoted the rest of his life the abolitionist movement and in 1877, he was confirmed as United States Marshal for the District of Columbia after being selected by President Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893). In later years, he attempted a run for president and held several posts in the U.S. Government. On February 20, 1895, Douglass died at the age of seventy-seven at his home in Washington, D.C. His wife Helen Pitts Douglass (1838-1903) lived several more years until her own death at the age of sixty-five.

I cannot overstate the importance of this work and why it is such a critical read. His story was the exception and not the normal course of action for thousands of enslaved people. He also revealed the contrast between the northern and southern parts of America, paying close attention to the prejudice against people of color across the nation. Frankly, life for Black people was short, humiliating and void of hope at times. However, Douglass and others like him, refused to live out their lives in bondage and were determined to gain their freedom even if it meant death. He is and always will be an icon for those who are oppressed and yearning for freedom.

“The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” – Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Willful Misconduct: The Tragic Story of Pan American Flight 806 – William Norris

On By Genyc79In General ReadingLeave a comment

Norris806During a recent flight from San Francisco to New York, the aircraft encountered rough air while making its descent into John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport. The flight attendant began to speak on the intercom and informed all passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts. He also added “don’t worry, the pilots are trained for this”. I thought to myself that it is good because if they are not, then we have a big problem on this plane. Thinking back on it today, I have come to realize that passengers place an enormous amount of trust in the hands of pilots across the globe every day. When we board an aircraft, we are confident that the people in the cockpit are sufficiently trained to do the job required of them. Air travel in the United States is the safest it has ever been with incidents becoming rarer by the day. But the reality is that there is always a certain level of risk associated with flying. On January 30, 1974, ninety-one passengers boarded Pan American (“Pan Am”) Flight 806 at Auckland International Airport in New Zealand for the short flight to Pago Pago International Airport, American Samoa. The aircraft was staffed with ten-person flight crew who were seasoned employees in the aviation industry. As the aircraft made its final approach to Pago Pago, it crashed short of the runway. Though the passengers survived the crash landing, eighty-seven of them perished as fire and smoke engulfed the plane. The disaster remains one of the worst accidents in commercial aviation history. This is the story of that crash and its relevance to air travel today.  

Prior to reading the book I knew nothing of Flight 806. Of course, the name Pan Am is legendary in air travel. Though now defunct, it was once an airline that held a world-wide reputation for class and efficiency. My brother has two bags with its logo that he travels with today. But as author William Norris shows, the company was not above skirting rules and regulations. And when backed into a corner, profit and reputation took priority over the lives of those who died at the hands of pilots employed by the airline. After providing background information on the flight crew, the story moves forward as we learn about notable passengers on the flight. Through fate, they are destined to board Flight 806 which was routine, but the final approach turned into a nightmare and by the time emergency crews arrived on the scene, dozens of passengers met a grisly fate as they remained trapped on the aircraft. In the aftermath of the crash, litigation commenced, and the details of what transpired serve as the basis for this book that exposes the truth about a crash that should have been avoidable. The author makes a statement quite early in the story that sets the tone of the book: 

“Judge Matthew William Byrne Jr. ordered the records of Petersen, Phillips, and Gaines to be kept from the jury and put under seal, and he consigned them to room 64G. Which is where I found them.”

As someone who works in the legal field, my eyebrows became raised. Documents are placed under seal typically is exceptional circumstances. It became clear to me that the information contained in those records was highly damaging to the reputation of Pan Am and the pilots on Flight 806. I had no idea what was to come as the book progressed. Years ago, during a conversation with a former attorney regarding the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr. (1960-1999), he said to me “in the air the margin for error is very slim”. I have never forgotten those words and they certainly apply here. Lawyers for all sides inevitably become involved and I thought to myself what could Pan Am’s defense be? Barring any malfunction with the aircraft, the next conclusion typically reached is pilot error. However, Pan Am was not going to let that happen if possible and the lengths it went to during the trial are nothing short of astounding. Readers may find themselves seething with anger as the legal drama plays out. Sadly, the people who ended up suffering are those who were on the plane or lost their loved ones in the crash. 

A disturbing fact that becomes known is that dozens of passengers remained on the aircraft even though they were alive on impact. You may be thinking “planes have multiple exits in case of emergency”. That is correct but why did the emergency doors not open on this flight? That is just one of several questions that lawyers for the victims tried to find answers to. The first course of action would have been to examine the wreckage, however that proved to be an issue in the case of Flight 806. Readers will be aghast at the attitude towards evidence by Pan Am and the names Robert Benedict and United States Aviation Insurance Group will be seared into their minds by the book’s conclusion. Benedict is a pivotal character in the book but far from the only one. To the victims, the case was simple: what was Pan Am going to pay to compensate them for their injuries and losses? If the airline had its way, that number would have been zero. In its defense, it spared no amount of money as expert after expert takes the stand promoting outlandish theories that even laypeople would balk at. To be fair, the airline knew it would have to pay and did attempt to do through Benedict. Shockingly, those who professed to be “for the victims” exercise questionable discretion that readers may find mystifying and distasteful. 

Due to the nature of the incident, aircraft safety became a critical issue during the trial. The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) is the governmental agency responsible for ensuring that you and I reach our destinations safely each time we fly. However, the FAA and its regulations are part of a larger picture. Airlines are also responsible for maintaining strict maintenance schedules and enforcing safety procedures. But as we learn from the book, Pan Am’s internal system of operation was in dire need of overhaul. A chilling example of its malfunctioning safety program is summed up in this quote by the author regarding evidence disclosed during the trial: 

“It was simple, it was direct, and it proved to be the most important single piece of evidence in the whole trial: when Pan American sent Flight 806 into Pago Pago loaded with excess fuel, to crash and burn and to take the lives of ninety-seven people, the company was flaunting its own regulations.”

These words sent a chill down my spine and highlighted the danger that accompanied air travel less than fifty years ago. Throughout the trial, a dark cloud hovered over the proceedings. And the question remained, was the flight crew negligent in its actions? The legal maneuvers executed by the lawyers are exhausting and readers may stare in disbelief while they read the accounts of the arguments put forth by attorneys for Pan Am and the United States itself. Testimony from former pilots, radar operators, engineers and those aboard the flight adds complexity to the story but, the jury had the final word. And its verdict had a profound impact on the airline industry and Pan Am.  

Today we often take for granted the improvements in safety and the advancements in technology that have made flying the safest it has ever been. However, complacency has no place in air travel and mistakes do cost lives. The passengers and crew of Flight 806 know this all too well. Norris’s account of the impact of Flight 806 is beautifully written and well-researched. I can only imagine the range of emotions he must have felt as dark truths were uncovered during his research. Those truths explain why Judge Byrne ordered the records sealed from the public. The lives of Flight 806’s eighty-seven passengers and nine crewmembers who perished are gone forever. But this book may prove to be an invaluable tool in preventing similar disasters in the years to come. This is the story of Pan Am Flight 806 and the tragic repercussions of willful misconduct. 

ASIN:‎ B08F834WNT

A People’s History of the Civil War: Struggles for the Meaning of Freedom – David Williams

On By Genyc79In Civil WarLeave a comment

Williams

I may have stated this before, but I absolutely love history. However, I have come to realize that there is much about my own country that I still need to learn. Of all the subjects that remains often misunderstood and debated is the American Civil War.  There is the common belief that the war about ending slavery but to others it was a case of “Northern aggression”. The truth is that there were multiple reasons for the war and not solely because of one above the others. But I do believe that Major Gen. Smedley Butler (1881-1940) was correct when he said, “war is a racket”. The realization that conflict has a monetary value unsettles the mind and spirit. The truth is rarely pleasant but always required to set the record straight. Author David Williams does just that in this remarkable account of the conflict that tore America apart. It can be argued that the Civil War is still affecting American society. I agree to an extent but for us to understand how and why, a full understanding of America and the war is needed. We can start at the beginning with the issue of slavery which is labeled as the major reason for the war. The image of the Confederacy and “Deep South” was one of abundant slave owners and plantations across the region. But as a I learned here, that was not always the case. In fact, what Williams shows is that the South was nowhere near as coherent as one might think. Nor was the number of slave owner and plantations in existence as one might suspect. As I read the book, I was quite surprised to learn of the reality behind the slave owning South and how it affected morale and pride during the war. 

Slavery was a critical issue the country faced as tensions continued to rise. Abolitionist were determined to see it fall and rebellions such as the one led by John Brown (1800-1859) caused pro-slavery parties in the South to take notice. The election of Abraham Lincoln installed fear in the hearts of Southerners, some of whom were certain that he would “take their slaves away”.  Washington was aware of abolitionists efforts but what was the real role of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1965)? Apologists have long sought to absolve Lincoln for many things that do not portray him in the most positive light. What can be seen in the book is that Lincoln’s actions and beliefs did not always fall in line with the iconized version presented in history books. In fact, Frederick Douglass was more explicit in his view of the President following Lincoln’s re-election: 

“Though they had succeeded in keeping McClellan out of the White House, Radicals were not enthusiastic about giving Lincoln a second term. “When there was any shadow of a hope,” wrote Frederick Douglass, “that a man of a more decided anti-slavery conviction and policy could be elected, I was not for Mr. Lincoln.”

There is far more to Lincoln’s role revealed in the book and readers may be surprised. His plan for free Blacks will certainly cause readers to pause. However, his role in the conflict can neither be overstated or understated. He was a crucial part of the Union effort that ended in victory. And his actions, regardless of true motives, did help end the system of human slavery in the United States.  

Once the war begins, the course of battle is anything but predictable. However, the author reveals interesting facts about the Confederacy and its ability to achieve victory. When President Barack Obama won his second term, there was calls for “secession” by those unable to accept his re-election. To any rational individual, it was clear that would not happen. But what did happen when Southern States left the Union after Lincoln’s re-election? And what was the final straw that pushed them over the edge? The answers to those questions can be found within and the author also discusses another motive for secession that businesspeople in the North recognized and refused to accept. It soon becomes clear in the book, that slavery is only one of many reasons for the South declaring its independence.

One of the best parts of the book is the discussion about life in the Confederacy. I strongly recommend readers look at Janet Elizabeth Croon’s “The War Outside My Window: The Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham 1860-1865″, which is an excellent read about life in a Southern family that supports the Confederate effort. Far from the united South we may have been led to believe, there was much taking place in the Confederacy that was far from encouraging. And as the author points out: 

“By 1864, President Davis publicly lamented that two-thirds of Confederate soldiers were absent, most of them without leave“

In the North, things were also not as unified, and the image of the “liberal” North is directly challenged by William’s work. Frankly, though the North was free territory, racial harmony was a myth and social conditions could be just as bad as the South. Blacks were free but still lived like slaves. Interestingly, even before Union victory, members in Congress began to think of how Blacks could be enfranchised. Their efforts and those of the Radical Republicans are highlighted to show the missed opportunities that presented themselves to a country at a crossroads and in need of change. Lincoln’s actions and those of his successor Andrew Johnson (1908-1875), left much to be desired. 

Surprisingly, what is left out of discussions about the Civil War are the true feelings of Southerners who have been painted with the broad brush of being “sympathizers” to the Confederacy’s mission. The truth is far more complicated and fare less glamorous. In fact, life for poor whites in the Confederacy was not much better and the dark reality is brought to life in the story told here. Desertion was a major problem but there were other factors at play that made the desirability of serving under Davis’ army plummet.  Further, battlefield conditions, life as a solider and death for any number of reasons made it clear that war is hell, and no one should take part. To drive home this point, I refer to this section in the book by the author who relays that” 

“In The Impending Crisis of the South, published in 1857, Helper argued vigorously that the “lords of the lash are not only absolute masters of the blacks . . . but they are also the oracles and arbiters of all non-slaveholding whites, whose freedom is merely nominal.”

As the war raged on, casualties began to rise from injuries and other conditions that brought death and destruction. Over six-hundred thousand men died in the American Civil War and the manners in which they perished were often barbaric and tragic. The author thoroughly examines the unsettling aspect of the soldier’s experience which included injuries in combat, inadequate clothing and supplies, famine, infections, viruses, and the lack of advanced medical knowledge. In short, life in the 1800s was rough and even rougher if you were an enlistee fighting in a savage conflict deemed to be a “rich man’s war”. Williams’ book should remove any notion of a valiant effort. On both sides, brutality was common, and desertion remained an issue throughout the war.  And the induction of both slaves and Native Americans into the war was not because those in power had a “change of heart”. The real reasons are far more sobering. The Native American experience has been discussed by other authors and their removal from their lands remains one of the darkest aspects of America’s creation. The experience of the Indian tribes is also discussed here in relation to the war and readers will shake their heads in disgusts and disbelief. 

After I finished the book, I had a moment of silence wherein I allowed myself to digest everything I had read. I had learned of things never presented to me before in any classroom that I can recall. American history is often difficult to accept because the image of America is designed to lift one’s spirits. And while there are aspects of life in the United States that are wonderful, our nation’s history contains dark moments. And it is imperative that we learn the truth so that they never again take place. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the truth regarding the American Civil War. Highly recommended. 

“History is the sum total of things that could have been avoided” -Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) 

ASIN: ‎B007OWQN7Q

Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao’s Revolution – Helen Zia

On By Genyc79In ChinaLeave a comment

ShanghaiThroughout history, war and destruction have been constant reminders of the fragility of peace. On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany’s army invaded its neighbor country Poland and ignited the Second World War, the conflict that changed the world in ways one could have imagined. Adolf Hitler’s (1889-1945) quest for world domination inspired other nations to launch their own offensives. National Fascist Party leader Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) plunged Italy into the conflict and in Japan, Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa)(1901-1989) initiated the Japanese campaign to completely control all of Asia. Prior to the conflict, China found itself the target of Japanese invasion and amid internal civil war between the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong (1893-1976) and Kuomintang under the control of Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975). While Hitler’s army was marching across Europe, death and destruction accelerated across Asia and in China, the horror escalated to unthinkable heights. Chinese who were able to leave, fled their homes in search of a new life. This book is the story of that exodus and four individuals who risked it all for freedom. The lives of Benny Pan, Ho Chow, Bing Woo, and Annuo Liu come into focus as examples of the struggle Chinese faced as they sought to escape China before Mao’s army seized control over the entire country. 

As I read the book, I noticed how the four stories are told in an alternating pattern. The book moves chronologically but the author switches between each story over time. Some readers may find this to be challenging as opposed to one section telling the story from start to finish of one person. However, the format here works because the author does not solely tell their stories but the history of Japanese occupation and the dark reality of life in Shanghai during the war. The story of Shanghai is often neglected but in 1937, the Japanese made it the eye of their rage and when Japan’s army did invade, the misery under which Chinese lived increased exponentially. The atrocities conducted by Japanese units is documented and the story of Nanjing remains one of its darkest parts. However, the Japanese had accomplices and the actions by Chinese doing the bidding of Tokyo will cause readers to shake their heads is disgust or disbelief. For young Benny Pan, the reality of aiding the Japanese hits home when he learns more about his own father. I am sure that what he learned became a heavy burden to carry for years to come.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Chinese remained loyal to their homeland but had no desire for communist rule and had hope that Chiang Kai-Shek would defeat the communists. Mao proved to be a bigger foe and more popular figure than expected. Annuo Liu is still a young girl when her father answers the call to aid the Nationalists in the fight against the communists. Her mother becomes the backbone of the family, and their story of survival highlights the role thousands of women found themselves in as their husbands were called to fight and defend China from enemies within and abroad. Annuo’s story is nothing short of miraculous. Her father makes appearances throughout the book, but his experiences changed him permanently and his daughter who ages on her own begins to resist his rule as a new life with personal independence becomes possible. The dark reality of Communist rule settles in and for Annuo, the writing is on the wall and America becomes destination number one. While I read her account, I could not help to think how I would have felt to see my father walk out the door to parts unknown while my mother struggles to provide with little to no resources. The human spirit is one of the strongest things I have ever witnessed, and this book is proof.

Chinese who did escape Shanghai faced uncertain futures abroad such as Ho Chow who arrives in America as a student and Bing who is matched with a suitor that facilitates her arrival in America. Each took a different path to the United States, and both faced exile back to their country of birth. However, America is the land of opportunity and through fortune, determination, and sacrifice, they establish permanent homes in the land of the free. Ho Chow’s story became my favorite and his unwavering focus on studies and survival are nothing short inspirational. Of course, there is a dark side to their move to America and that is the prejudice awaiting Chinese immigrants in America. Today it may be hard to imagine but at one time, immigration from China severely restricted or prohibited as shown in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. America was certainly an improvement from Shanghai but far from paradise and the Chinese that did move to the United States faced new battles such as learning English, navigating the immigration system, and combating anti-Asian feelings due to the events of Pearl Harbor and allied efforts to defeat the Japanese military. But they persevered and made America their home. For Benny Pan, leaving China for good came after significant hardship and personal sacrifice after Mao’s Communist Party took over the nation. His struggle exemplifies the fear and paranoia that arrived with the communist regime. The Chinese Communist Party made it clear that opposition was permitted and during Mao’s reign, millions perished through his failed “Great Leap Forward” and “Cultural Revolution”. The invasion of Japanese military units and later oppression by communists, resulted in the separation of families, friends and colleagues, many of whom never saw each other again.

Chiang Kai-Shek fled after suffering defeat and went on to form the nation of Formosa known as Taiwan today. The autonomy of this smaller island nation draws the ire of Beijing which remains determined to force it into submission. And in the process, it reinforces why so many of its people left China more than sixty years ago. But the Generalissimo was not above reproach himself and the author reveals several secrets about the Nationalists that caught my attention. Some Nationalists were not as “patriotic” as they appeared. Dark alliances were formed under the guise of resisting “communist influence”. China became a hotbed of discontent on all sides, and no one was safe. Life became cheap and death a daily reality. Even the suspicion of being a “leftist”, “nationalist” or “Japanese puppet” was enough to induce violence and incarceration. Helen Zia beautifully brings the past alive and shows the panic people faced as everyone worried about making the last boat out of Shanghai. Highly recommended.

“A professor in China told me that, in modern China, everyone’s story is a tragedy. Unfortunately, the same may be said about those from many other regions of the world. My deepest appreciation goes to all who struggle to overcome the scars of exodus; their lives are cautionary tales that show why such tragedies of history must not be repeated.”

ASIN: ‎ B07CR2CMGR

Why The Vietnam War?: Nuclear Bombs and Nation Building in Southeast Asia, 1945-1961 – Michael Swanson

On By Genyc79In Uncategorized4 Comments

swansonFifteen days from now, the fifty-eight anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s (1917-1963) murder will be upon us. His death continues to remind America of a lost opportunity and leader taken before his time. His presidency inspires debate to this day with some believing that he brought the country dangerously close to nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Others feel that he had yet to reach his full potential as a leader. The truth is far more complicated and both sides often omit the difficulties Kennedy faced behind the scenes from those within his own administration. After the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion which led to Kennedy firing top officials of the Central Intelligence Agency,  he then found himself under pressure to intervene in the nation of Laos. Again, Kennedy resisted, drawing the ire of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Cold-War hawks in Washington. But the hawks were determined and saw Vietnam as the next battlefield to confront “Soviet influence”.  But the question that has always haunted this nation is why did we get involved in Vietnam? What threat did North Vietnam pose to the United States even though it is more than thirteen thousand miles away from American soil? My uncle who served in Vietnam has only spoken of his experiences a handful of times. He keeps the war suppressed in his memory and does his best to stay secluded during July 4th celebrations as the fireworks remind him of being in combat. I often wondered if he has asked himself why he was deployed thousands of miles away from home to a country some Americans did not know existed prior to the conflict. Michael Swanson asked himself about Vietnam and has explored the war  paying close attention to its origins and this book is the first of what will be a multi volume set about America’s involvement in Southeast Asia.

Swanson quickly establishes that the Vietnam War started sixteen years earlier than 1961. In fact, the war has its origins in the ascension of North Vietnam to power in the wake of World War II. The evacuation of Japanese military personnel created a power vacuum that allowed the North Vietnamese to take control and establish its headquarters in Hanoi. Washington was paying close attention to the developments and the rise of Ho Chih Minh (1890-1969).  He was known as Uncle Ho and proved to be a charismatic figure as well as an icon for millions of Vietnamese who strongly favored an independent Vietnam, free of French colonial rule. And this is what policy makers in Washington failed to realize. However, there were those on the ground who saw Ho Chih Minh’s potential and the futility of French attempts to reclaim Indochina. In the book, we learn the name of former Lieutenant Colonel Archimedes Patti (1913-1998), a former Office of Strategic Services officer who emerges as the voice of reason no one wanted to hear. Patti warned officials back in Washington of what he saw firsthand but sadly, his reports were shelved. And when reflecting back on the war, Patti stated:

“Ho Chi Minh was on a silver platter in 1945,” remembered Archimedes Patti, “we had him. He was willing to, to be a democratic republic, if nothing else. Socialist yes, but a democratic republican.

I recall a Vietnam veteran years ago telling me that he couldn’t understand why America got involved after seeing the French evacuate. He was drafted at 19 and has always maintained that Vietnam was one of the scariest experiences in his life. His question was valid. Why did we take the place of the French and why did we help them in the first place? The author pieces together the story to show Washington’s early involvement in French affairs and I could only shake my head at what he reveals. But there is always more than meets the eye. Swanson knows this and proceeds to explain what was taking place back in Washington that paved the way for such disastrous foreign policy. In fact, he bluntly states that after World War II:

“The United States, however, sought to control societies in order to improve them, in order to incorporate them into the modern capitalist world order through nation building. But becoming an empire changed the United States forever, and led it to fight a disastrous war in Vietnam.” 

When John F. Kennedy took office, he had to have known the difficulties he faced from what his predecessor Dwight E. Eisenhower (1890-1969) called the military industrial complex. However, what Kennedy may not have known is that America’s involvement in Vietnam did not start with Eisenhower but with another president, Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). This part of the story came as a surprise because the focus on Truman’s actions in office are often related to World War II and the National Security Act of 1947. But it does make sense that his role is revisited as Vietnam began to draw Washington’s attention not long after the Japanese surrender. I could not help when reading the story that had Truman decided not to get involved in Vietnam, world history might have taken a different course. As the story moves forward, Eisenhower’s administration passes with Vietnam remaining a French issue. It remains dormant until, when the intelligence community and military found itself irate over the president’s refusal to support military intervention across the globe. And it is here that the Vietnam story heats up and Swanson takes us deep inside Kennedy’s administration to explain the true reasons for military engagement in Southeast Asia.

Kennedy had sought to prevent Americans from getting engulfed in a ground war in Vietnam. Swanson captures the essence of the story here and I strongly recommend John Newman’s JFK & Vietnam: Deception, Intrigue and the Struggle for Power which discusses JFK’s battles with his own cabinet and the Joint Chiefs over escalation. Newman leaves no doubt that Kennedy knew Vietnam was a deathtrap for American forces. But war hawks were not ready to admit it and as Swanson shows, a power struggle did in fact take place with a majority of people pushing Kennedy to approve troops and the president pushing back against them. Readers will express surprise at the actions of  those working “for” the president.  Kennedy was struggling to maintain control over his own administration.  Readers with an interest in his assassination will find this aspect of the story highly relevant.

Vietnam veterans known dark truths about the war that many would prefer not to know. Swanson’s job here was not to pacify anyone but to explain why Vietnam happened. And in order to understand the war, it is crucial to understand the importance to Washington of South Vietnam and its former leader Ngo Dinh Diem (1901-1963). Admittedly, there is much about his life I am still learning of, but I now have a better understanding of the truth in regard to South Vietnam and why personnel stationed in the country were sounding the alarm bells to those in power in Washington. And what I read resulted in anger at those who knew the issues in South Vietnam and the low chance of success. Frankly, Washington knew it could not win in Vietnam without a massive commitment of troops and the use of nuclear weapons. But the public backlash at those two concepts would have been political suicide so America had to operate in a limited capacity. But the pressure to invade never let up and as the story moves forward, the stage is set for a showdown between Kennedy and the military industrial complex. However, the book ends before the tragic fates of Diem and Kennedy play out. As Swanson explains, that will be the focus of the next part in the series. But he does summarize the story contained within with this statement that sent chills down my spine:

“The more hawkish members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff viewed Southeast Asia as simply part of a conflict with China over who would control the entire region. When they advocated intervention in Laos in 1961 their plans were for a regional conflict that carried with it a ladder of escalation, the final step of which was an atomic attack on China if they retaliated, one in which they thought they could break the back of Red China.” 

Kennedy himself said it best when he observed: “These brass hats have one great advantage, if we … do what they want us to do, none of us will be alive later to tell them that they were wrong.” We can only speculate as to what would have transpired had he lived.  I personally believe that the Vietnam War would have never happened. Kennedy was determined to resist the military and dismantle the Central Intelligence Agency but the events in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, changed that permanently. His successor Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) had different plans for Vietnam, and they included the flexing of American military muscle that claimed the lives of  fifty-eight thousand Americans and over one million Vietnamese. It remains the war that America did not win.  And there thousands of veterans alive today still carrying the scars from that war. If you want to know why the Vietnam War happened, this is a good place to start.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08FHBS17K