Flashbacks: A Twenty-Year Diary of Article Writing – John A. Williams

On April 24, 2021 By Genyc79In American HistoryLeave a comment

John When I saw this book on sale, I felt a small sense of embarrassment because I did not know who John A. Williams (1925-2015) was. While it is true that he would be considered “before my time”, voices from the past are often as important as those of today. And any person that spends twenty years writing articles must have a significant number of experiences to reflect on. I gave in to my curiosity and decided to make the purchase. I can honestly say that I received more than I bargained for and have a newfound appreciation the late journalist. To be clear, the book is not an autobiography but more of a recollection of his most vivid memories about his early life, breaking into journalism and the numerous larger than life figures he had the chance to interview and, in some cases, form friendships with. Writers can tell you that composing an article is not always a simple as it seems and financially, it is not a way to get rich quick. In fact, the author removes all illusions of grandeur when he says:

“I’ve written all that time and if I’ve ever come to one single, positive conclusion it is that writing articles is no sane way for a man to make his living. Article Writing Highway is littered with wrecks, maimed and dead.”

Despite his gloomy summation of his trade, Williams wrote extensively, and his talents did pay the bills. But riches were never his goal and at no time in the book does he allude to fortune as his motive. He explains how he got into journalism in a time when Black Americans were prohibited from entering and being served at many establishments across America. Jim Crow was alive and strong and those fighting against it knew that it would die a slow death resisting all opposition to the very end. Williams did not let that deter him and travels domestically and abroad from one assignment to the next. And along the way, he observes things about America that even those who lived within its borders may not have seen. Those memories are presented in an engaging format and Williams pulls no punches in his assessment of the land of the free.

A significant portion of the book is devoted to Williams’ writings about the lives of figures who have their places in history such as Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), Charles “Bird” Parker, Jr. (1920-1955) and Malcolm X (1925-1965). Readers familiar with all three will know their stories but the section on Parker is deeply moving and disturbing as the late musician’s short and tragic life comes into focus. In just thirty-five years, Bird grew into the man who changed jazz forever and after his death, his former bandmate named Miles Davis (1926-1991) changed jazz again. Williams did conduct interviews with some of the subjects and his discussions with artist Romare Bearden (1911-1988) and writer Chester Himes (1909-1984) offer a frank analysis on the situation in America at that time. Some might argue that the same discussions are being held today. I can say that the past truly is prologue.

Some readers may find the sections about his travels across America to be quite shocking. But it is imperative to remember that much of it took place before and around the passing of the Civil Rights Bill in 1964. The landmark legislation had been passed but America did not change overnight. As Williams drove from one state to the next, the threat of death is never far away, and he had some very hair-raising encounters while on the road. And the treatment he received at various establishments is nothing short of shameful. Those parts of his story will cause some to wonder how that type of behavior had been normalized in a nation that prided itself on democracy, liberty, and freedom. Williams was only one person, but his trials and tribulations were common to minorities who had come to realize that civil and equality could wait no more.

As I read the book, he reminded me of James Baldwin in the way he discusses America. Baldwin had visibility due to his status as a published author and activist. Williams may not have had the same level of popularity, but his observations of daily life are right out of the Baldwin play book. And like Baldwin, he loved America dearly despite his experiences in the military and later as a traveling journalist. He remains optimistic for true change in America and the society we see today has come a long way. There is still more work to be done but I am sure that if Williams were alive today, he would remind us that those much younger than he cannot imagine what life was like during his time. This book is a cold and hard look at the real America and how life was for millions of its invisible citizens.

ASIN : B01AJ7Z0CQ

Conversations with Lorraine Hansberry (Literary Conversations Series) – Mollie Godfrey

On April 22, 2021April 22, 2021 By Genyc79In Civil Rights Movement, Uncategorized2 Comments

It truly is amazing that a person can learn so much about the future by examining the past. In America, there are parts of our nation’s history that people find difficult to control. Race is at the top of the list and continues to find itself the topic of discussions as the country grapples with instances of systematic discrimination and overt acts by individuals. However, America is also a very great nation that has the courage to critically examine itself. The problems we have are not new but instead, more attention is now being paid to them. And I honestly believe that to remedy those issues, we must continue to look at the past for it provides many valuable lessons from which we can learn. I picked up this book because 1) I have been a fan of Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965) for many years and 2) I knew that the book would contain a wealth of highly intellectual discussions about American society that have relevance, even today. And I can say unquestionably that this short book is a good look at Hansberry’s brilliant mind that was able to dissect America in ways that sets the stage for meaningful dialogue and change.

The title may give the impression that it is a one-on-one session with Hansberry but in fact, it is a collection of interviews and articles she wrote during the height of her fame. Some interviews were recorded for television and the audio for the discussion with Studs Turkel (1912-2008) in particular, can be found on YouTube. Further, she is sometimes a participant in group discussions that include a range of voices such as James Baldwin (1924-1987) and Langston Hughes (1902-1967). When they are all together, you can feel the energy in the text and each speaker shines in their assessment of being a Negro author and the social climate in America. Baldwin shines bright as always and his words are hauntingly accurate of the America he loved and sought to change during his lifetime. Those who are in the process of writing themselves will absolutely love the group discussion. But the focus here is on Lorraine and she is given her own platform so to speak to share her thoughts which are numerous and enlightening. What I found to be highly appealing is her ability to reveal herself in a way that instantly makes you feel as if you know her well. While I read through the book, I picked up a few things that I was not aware of before that added to the Hansberry story which truly is remarkable. And considering that she is now recognized as a great playwright, this quote might surprise some readers:

“I was not a particularly bright student. I had some popularity, and a premature desire, probably irritating, to be accepted in my circle on my terms. My dormitory years, which numbered only two at the University of Wisconsin, were spent in heated discussion on everything from politics to the nature of art, and I was typically impatient at people who couldn’t see the truth- as I saw it. It must have been a horror”

There are a couple of discussions where her role is quite minor. Whether they should have been included or not is not for me to say but I did find myself hoping that Hansberry would have more to say. But, putting that aside, I was more than satisfied with the statements and written words that came from Hansberry herself. If I had to find a crux in the book, it would definitely be her play A Raisin in the Sun, which is still one of the longest running plays in Broadway history. And in 2014, I had the honor of seeing Denzel Washington live as he took on the role of Walter Lee Younger. He was truly remarkable and captured the essence of Walter just as Sidney Poitier did many years ago. Here, she explains the back story to the play and her intentions when creating what became a masterpiece. And make no mistake, getting the play to Broadway was a feat. And surprisingly, it almost did not happen. In fact, what eventually came to be did so because of encouragement to become a dramatist by her former husband Robert B. Nemiroff (1929-1991), who preserved her works after her death. As Lorraine speaks, it can be seen just how simple of a person she was at times. She never comes across as superficial, egotistical or unrelatable. In fact, as she speaks, you cannot help but to like her even more. Physically she stood roughly five feet tall but, in this book, she is certainly larger than life. And when it comes to the Civil Rights Movement, she is spot on in her observations and honestly believed in peace. The constant struggle for civil rights was exhausting and this quote sums up the frustration and sense of depression that many found within it:

“The most shocking aspect of the whole thing”, Miss Hansberry concluded, ” is the waist of our youth – when they should be in school, or working, or just having fun, instead of having to ride Freedom buses, be subject to police brutality, go to jail, to get rights that should be unquestioned.”

The “Movement” as it is sometimes called, forced America to look in the mirror and make amends for a long and brutal history. Today in 2021, we are still confronting many dark aspects of our past, but the future truly is bright. America is changing again, and I always hope for the better. Hansberry, along with Baldwin, believed that in the future, America could be a place where anyone could live freely. And although she did not live to see just how far society has come, I believe that if she were alive, she would be both optimistic and dismayed at some of the things we see taking place. As someone who experienced racial violence firsthand, she knew all too well of the dangers that come with extremism. Throughout her life, she always believed that it was those dangers that caused her father’s demise. When discussing her past, she is frank about his last days:

“My father left the South as a young man, and then he went back there and got himself and education. He was a wonderful and very special kind of man. He died in 1945, at the age of fifty-one, of a cerebral hemorrhage, supposedly, but American racism helped kill him. He died in Mexico, where he was making preparations to move all of us out of the United States”

The family remained in the United States after his death and Lorraine soon found a home in New York City. And that move changed her life forever and resulted in the abundance of material she left behind. Her tragic and untimely death at only age thirty-four, silenced one of the movement’s strongest voices. However, the movement will never end for any of us regardless of what we look like or where we come from. The oppression of one human being by another is a constant blemish on mankind but it does not deter us from continuing to do right by each other and set examples for future generations. And no matter many years pass by, Lorraine’s voice will be as loud then as it is here and was many years ago.

ISBN-10 : 1496829646
ISBN-13 : 978-1496829641

William L. Shirer: Twentieth Century Journey: The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native’s Return, 1945–1988 – William L. Shirer

On February 8, 2021February 16, 2021 By Genyc79In AutobiographyLeave a comment

shirer Quite some time has passed since my last post, mainly due to work matters and my being fully invested in finishing the book that is the subject of this review. Originally, I had planned on reading this three-part autobiography by William L. Shirer (1904-1993) one book at a time but Amazon also offers them combined and I decided to take the plunge. Shirer is by far, one of my favorite authors and there was no way I could pass this one up. Some of you may be familiar with him and recall that he is best known for his time as a CBS correspondent stationed in Nazi Germany during Adolf Hitler’s (1889-1945) rise to power. Upon returning to the United States, he moved to radio full time and lived the rest of his years as an author of historical non-fiction that has stood the test of time.

At the onset, I did not fully appreciate the length of the material. And to say that the e-book is a long would be an understatement. But contained within is an incredible story by one of America’s greatest witnesses to history. Up first is volume one called “The Start” and his story begins in the Midwest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on February 04, 1904, shortly after the turn of the century. America was a very different place and Shirer is a master storyteller who brings the distant past back to life, allowing us to re-live what it was like in a time before cars, planes and the modern technology we take for granted daily. As Shirer tells his story, he reveals something about his family’s ancestry that would later be a source of irony in the book. To be more specific, Shirer explains:

“The family name originally was Scheurer, a fairly common name in the German Black Forest region. Some time during the trek west it was Anglicized to Shirer. My grandfather attached no importance to the change, explaining to me once, when I asked him, that it was done mainly because the town officials and tradesmen mistakenly kept writing it the way they thought it sounded, and it was simpler to go along with them.”

In a twist of fate, the author of German stock, would make his name famous by reporting on the atrocities of the Third Reich in his family’s fatherland. But Germany was not his first destination as a foreign news correspondence. In fact, Germany was not even on his list of places to be stationed. How and why he left the United States to work in Europe is fully explained and it is clear that from a young age, Shirer’s life was destined to be anything but ordinary. It surely was a complex fate and Shirer sums up the turn of events in this passage:

“I had come over to Europe for two months. As it turned out, I would remain there to live and work for two decades, experiencing and chronicling the remaining years of an uneasy peace, the decline of the democracies, the rise of the dictatorships, turmoil, upheaval, violence, savage repression, and finally war.”

Shirer did return to the United States early in his career, but a meeting with Robert Rutherford “Colonel” McCormick (1880-1955) of the Chicago Tribune turned out to be more than he could ever expected and set him down the path that would take him back to Europe and finally Berlin, where he would witness the rise of Nazi Germany. The first volume is a good and Shirer’s memories of his time in Europe wherein he convalesced with some of the greatest writers and stars are interesting. Among the many stars who make an appearance are literary greats Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951), Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) and Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961). Shirer is like a human recorder, observing everything and brining the past back to life through his words. It becomes clear that Europe is a second home and a place more familiar to him than the United States. And though he would eventually return home, the reader will begin to see that Europe is the place where the best is yet to come and his to Germany in the second volume called “The Nightmare Years”, is where we see the William Shirer that most of us will be familiar with.

In the second volume, Berlin takes center stage as Hitler is ramping up the Germany war machine as part of his master plan to dominate Europe. But first, he moves to annex neighboring countries without the use of force and Shirer revisits each episode to explain how Hitler pulled off those feats and why no one moved to stop him. It will make some readers wonder whether World War II could have been prevented as early as 1938. Hitler seized on the inaction of Britain and France, setting his sights on Poland. But this time, people did step in and the world went to war. Shirer, who had left the Chicago Tribune in a weird series of events that is discussed in the book, was hired by legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965) to become the CBS Correspondent in Berlin. This change of fate placed Shirer at the scene of the crimes so to speak as the Nazi regime plotted and schemed its way to become a looming threat across an entire continent.

His interactions with the German officials are particularly amusing and reveal the façade presented to ordinary Germanys by the Nazis who had assured them that Germany did not want war with anyone. Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) makes repeated appearances throughout the story and the full extent of his delusion is on display. Shirer gives his analysis of Goebbels and the other characters in Hitler’s inner circle whose names are infamous in world history. I believe Oscar Wilde had it right when he said “the world is a stage, but the play is badly cast”. However, in Nazi Germany, the cast was not only but deadly to anyone deemed inferior or Jewish. Shirer does not go into the issue of the concentration camps extensively and I believe to do so would have required a different book. But he does bring up the matter later on during the Nuremberg trials. This part of the story is focused on the rise, menace and fall of Nazi Germany but in a highly compressed format. Also, Shirer and his family left Germany in 1940, five years before the Germany military surrendered to Allied forces. His return home and life after war are covered extensive in volume three titled “A Native’s Return”.

Upon returning home, Shirer starts the process of becoming re-acclimated with his native land. I do not believe he ever imagined how his life would change as he re-settled in America. He found a place on radio but his relationship with Murrow takes a strange turn and Shirer goes through the entire story of his departure from CBS. I have not heard Murrow’s side if he ever put it in writing or gave statements orally. But, the influence of former CBS president William S. Paley (1901-1990) is clearly evident and cast a dark cloud over the events as they play out. But Shirer does not stay down for long and moves through life facing adversity head on. And one decision in 1954, changed his life and reputation forever. It was then that he decided to write his masterpiece, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, a book that remains among my favorites. What I found surprising through Shirer’s words is that originally, no one wanted to publish the book. It sounds mind-boggling today but I can understand that in 1954, a book over 1,000 pages was not an easy sell and still is not. But in writing that book, Shirer created the definitive account of the Third SS Reich.

Following the success of the book, Shirer embark on another project about the French defeat in World War II, a book which I have added to my list. That book’s creation and reception are explained and shows the extent of knowledge Shirer possessed with regards to the war. As the third volume progresses, he offers his continuing commentary on historical events in American history from Watergate to the Iran-Contra scandal. And his frankly discusses his personal problems including the relationship with his wife Tess and his heart problems in later years. Incredibly, Shirer never stops moving and even fulfils is dream of seeing Russia. A good recap of that trip is also included in Shirer’s signature writing style. As the third volume winds down, Shirer provides an overview of his life and those of his closest friends who all meet their own ending in various ways. It truly is an incredible story of a journey through a century that changed our world. As an American, he was placed in a unique position observe the world and as a final reflection, Shirer closes the three-part series with this quote that I personally can relate to for a number of reasons:

“It was a complex fate, maybe, as Henry James said, to be an American and one, I realize, not especially admired by some in other countries and other cultures, who perceived us as “the ugly Americans.” Still, as I wrote in the last line of the general introduction, I am glad it was mine.” – William L. Shirer

B08L9JTCYQ

A Promised Land – Barack Obama

On January 2, 2021 By Genyc79In Autobiography, Political Memoirs8 Comments

20210101_134744 I believe that we can all agree that 2020 was a year unlike any other in modern history. The coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19, brought the world to a grinding halt and disrupted our lives in ways we could have never imagined. Here in the United States, we saw the pandemic take hold, social unrest erupt and the election of Joe Biden, Jr., as the next President of the United States of America. His swearing in on January 20, will mark the final stage in the transition between administrations. For some, it signals the return of politics largely void of the more extreme rhetoric that has gripped the country in recent years. Former President Barack Obama, will undoubtedly be called on for support and advice. I have often thought back to the Obama administration and the decisions that were made on a range of issues. But in particular, I have become even more interested in what life is really like as the Commander-In-Chief. This book, by the 44th President of the United States is exactly what I had been looking for. Not only does it provide an insider’s view into life within the White House, it is also a sobering account of life as a politician. There are highs and lows with a lot in between.

The book is in part an autobiography, with Obama reflecting on his childhood in both Hawaii and Indonesia. However, the more mundane aspects of his life story are not included. In fact, his early life is fairly compressed into a small section of the book. The story picks up the pace when he meets his future wife Michelle, at the law firm of Sidley & Austin in Chicago, IL. And this description of his first impression of her is one of the highlights in the book:

Michelle Lavaughn Robinson was already practicing will when we met. She was 25 years old and an associate at Sidley & Austin, the Chicago law firm where I worked the summer after my first year of law school. She was tall, beautiful, funny, outgoing, generous and wickedly smart-and I was smitten almost from the second I saw her.

For Michelle, the story is a little different as she explains in her own book Becoming, which has become one of my favorites for its honesty and ease at which it can put an interested reader. Curiously, when I have asked my own parents of how they came together, their versions also slightly differ. Perhaps it is the passage of time or the way in which men and women view their shared history that results in varying versions of the romance between them. Regardless, the required component of love that is built upon a strong foundation, can be found here and the journey they embark on with two daughters, is nothing short of incredible.

What I found to be appealing about the book is that Obama does not avoid discussing his own mistakes, transgressions and administrative policies that did not work out. And like other world leaders, he experienced self-doubt, not in a prohibitive way but as a young politician questioning whether he can make his mark against established political juggernauts. With the benefit of hindsight, we know today that fate was on his side. The campaign and the election itself are covered with particular detail paid to the mission his team faced in getting most of America to vote for a largely unknown bi-racial candidate with a Muslim name. The story reveals a lot about America while showing how far we have come and how far we still have to go. I am aware that those who do not like the former president will have their opinions formed before reading the book if they choose to do so. And others will have the opposite mindset and possibly be blinded to his faults due to their admiration of him. Regardless of your political affiliation, if you decide to read this book, you must do so with an open mind.

Although I remember clearly when he was elected, I still found myself reading with suspense as the primary results came in followed by the general election. In the wake of his victory, he begins to put together his cabinet and this part of the book will be of high interest to those who are curious as to how presidents assemble their teams. It is an exhaustive process and the amount of tasks that have to be completed the by the new Commander-In-Chief are staggering. Personally, the Obamas’ lives are changed forever for better and worse. He discusses this aspect as well, with high focus on the lack of privacy afforded to a high profile public official. Further, his ethnicity put him under a more focused microscope and for right-wing figures, he was the perfect target for all that they believed was wrong with America. However, it is clear that deep down, he is a human being like the rest of us who loves action films, a pickup game of basketball and spending time with his family. It will be easy to see why so many voters felt that they could relate to him on a personal level. And I found one section of the book in which current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) gives him this advice on being president:

“Mister President”, Nancy said to me on one call, “I tell my members that what you managed to do in such a short time is historic. I’m just so very proud, really. But right now, the public doesn’t know what you accomplished. They don’t know how awful the Republicans are behaving, just trying to block you and everything. And voters aren’t going to know if you aren’t willing to tell them”

At times during his presidency, it seemed as Washington was about to go off the rails. But, before that could happen, the country was in dire shape due to a recession in 2008. Obama explains what awaited him as he came into office and how his cabinet tackled the looming financial crisis. Some readers may be shocked to learn just how close the nation came to financial collapse and why that threat exist today as a pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the American and world’s economies, which are inextricably linked as readers will see. As Commander-in-Chief, Obama travels the globe and provides us with keen observations of a host of world figures, some of whom remain in power today. And on the domestic front, the battle with House and Senate Republicans takes center stage with Senator Mitchell McConnell, Jr. (R-KY) filling the role of the antagonist in the story. Obama never portrays McConnell as being evil and recognizes that the senator from Kentucky is a seasoned veteran of politics. Also, he makes it a point to keep the focus on legislation and avoids personal attacks and scrutiny of the personal lives of those opposing him. I felt that this approach was correct and provided the book with the touch of class needed for it be well-received. Although he is honest about his feelings with regards to their actions, he also acknowledges their strengths and accomplishments.

Some readers might be expecting a long discussion regarding the current president but Obama only dedicates a short section to Trump, which focuses mainly on the birther conspiracy that gained traction during his first term. Interestingly, Obama points out something in Trump’s actions that readers will pick up on as they move through that section. It will make one wonder whether Trump really believes what he says or is simply a master at manipulation and riding the waves of conservative sentiments.

Towards the end of the book, Obama moves on to the Middle East and the final mission to locate and eliminate Osama Bin Laden (1957-2011). The reasons for greenlighting the mission and how it developed are explained and left to readers to decide whether it was the right call. What is clear is that by all accounts, it was the success that had been hoped for. And while it did not eliminate Islamic terror, it did satisfy one promise he made before getting elected that if he had Bin Laden in the cross-hairs, he would authorize the mission. The book closes after the Bin Laden raid and I had expected more to follow regarding his second term in office. However, if he had included a discussion of the next four years, the book would have grown to a staggering amount of pages and tuned even the most die-hard readers off. Perhaps there will be another book but only time will tell. However, for the present time, we have this memoir of a ground-breaking time in United States history.

ISBN-10: 1524763160
ISBN-13: 978-1524763169

Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis With a Foreword by Authur Schlesinger, Jr. – Robert F. Kennedy

On September 12, 2020October 19, 2020 By Genyc79In Cold War, JFK, RFKLeave a comment

rfk I have had many discussions with my father wherein he recalled his memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962. He explained with vivid detail how he and his classmates had to take part in daily air raid drills due to the increasing threat of a nuclear holocaust. The discovery by U.S. intelligence of Soviet missiles on Cuban soil, accelerated what was already a tense conflict. Today we refer to it as the Cold War but there were many things taking place that were anything but cold. And as former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara remarked in Errol Morris’ Fog of War, “hell it was a hot war!”. The stakes for the survival of the human race had been raised as high as possible and the very possibility of extinction by nuclear weapons became hauntingly real. The public story is that at the last minute, the Soviets gave orders for naval vessels to reverse course away from Cuba and the U.S. weapons ready to be used. However, behind the scenes on both sides, there was much taking place that remained hidden from public light for years to come. Former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968) kept a journal of the thirteen days that gripped the world as his brother, President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963,) navigated a crisis that the world had never before seen. Presented here are the portions he completed up to 1967. In June, 1968, Robert Kennedy would himself be assassinated and never had the chance to revise and add on to what is written here.

The book is short and to be fair, we will never know if Kennedy had intended on adding more to his memoir. But I do feel that there is enough material here to give readers and play-by-play recap of how things developed and the why the Kennedy Administration did or did take certain actions. As a bonus, there is beautiful foreword by Author Schlesinger, Jr., (1917-2007). I do believe that it might be necessary to read the view with the understanding that we have the benefit of hindsight, something unavailable as Moscow kept up its intentions to test the young Irish Catholic American President. However, Jack Kennedy kept cool and leaned heavily on his advisors but he was not prone to blindly following advice and knew fully just how much was at stake. On both the American side and the Soviet side, hardliners were pushing for a first strike which would have set off a chain reaction and led to nuclear Armageddon. Robert understood the pressure his brother faced from Cold War warriors who hated anything Soviet and wanted to see the downfall on the U.S.S.R. Jack had come to vet his military advisors more closely after the Bay of Pigs disaster and when contemplating the advice of the joint chiefs, he makes this telling remark as relayed by Robert:

During the missile crisis Kennedy courteously and consistently rejected the Joint Chiefs’ bellicose recommendations. “These brass hats have one great advantage in their favor,” he said. “If we…do what they want us to do, none of us will be alive later to tell them that they were wrong.

Throughout history, the Soviets have been portrayed as the aggressors in the conflict, who were determined to get as close to U.S. soil as possible. The installation of the missiles in Cuba with the blessing of Prime Minister Fidel Castro (1926-2016), set off a diplomatic fury and the gears at the Pentagon began to grind hard. In response to the growing Soviet threat, President Kennedy opted for a blockade over direct military action out of concerns for a chain reaction series of events that would quickly spiral out of control. On the Soviet side, there were people who wanted to avert nuclear war, primarily former Premier Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971). The channels of communication between Jack Kennedy and Khrushchev show two men determined to avoid the unthinkable. And each was facing backlash from his own administration. The two were literally pulling at each end of the same rope. They were aided in their efforts by skilled diplomats who were eager to meet the Americans halfway. Bobby’s meeting with Anatoly Dobrynin (1919-2010) on October 27 might have been the final act that helped two nations avoid the apocalypse. There are several accounts as to the whole discussion that took place. Undoubtedly some of it is lost to history and both Kennedy and Dobrynin are deceased. However, regardless of what exactly was said, we do know that the removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey was a key component in keeping the dialogue open between the two nations.

When Soviet ships reversed course, the world breathed a sigh of relief. In Washington, President Kennedy was adamant that no word of the back channel agreements be made public nor should there be any gloating about the resolution of the crisis. However, it was in fact a masterful display of diplomacy on both sides and continues to serve as a case study for the threat of nuclear war. I do wish that Robert Kennedy had lived to revise and add to his memoir of the crisis. His position as attorney general as Jack Kennedy’s younger brother, placed him in a very unique position with regards to the development of the crisis. His recollections here lay everything out for the reader to follow as the Kennedy Administration handled a crisis that threatened the planet. There are possibly many other secrets that remain hidden from the official narrative but we do have enough material to form a very significant picture of what did happen and why. Robert Kennedy’s memoir is an invaluable piece of the puzzle. Good read.

ASIN : B004W9CWAQ

American Holocaust: Columbus and the Conquest of the New World – David E. Stannard

On June 28, 2020 By Genyc79In American History6 Comments

Earlier this week, my boss mentioned during a Zoom office meeting that Columbus Day needed to be re-examined. He had learned of many dark aspects of Christopher Columbus’ (1451-1506) arrival in the Caribbean. The movement to end the celebration of Columbus’ life has gained considerable traction over the past several years. Some states in America have renamed the Columbus Day to “Indigenous People’s Day”, in honor of the Native Americans who sufferend immensly at the hands of Spanish and other European explorers. It is a sound recommendation and one that may even happen here in New York City as it becomes harder for people to ignore the disturbing actions by Columbus and his group of marauders. Many of us learned in school that he was the man who “discovered America”. But is that what really happened? An uncontested fact is that Columbus never set foot on North American soil, making the claim of discovering America misleading. And we know today after many years of neglect by mainstream media, is that indigenous populations were decimated when exposed to the new visitors from abroad. The true story however, goes far beyond Columbus, who was just one of many bloodthirsty religious fanatics who favored violence over peaceful assimilation. David E. Stannard revisits the Columbus story in this eye-opening and chilling account that resulted in a stiff drink and a long moment of silence after I had finished reading.

I need to point out from the start that this book is not for the faint at heart. If you are easily upset by graphic descriptions of barbaric actions, then this book may not be for you. It is dark, chilling and beyond tragic. And that is exactly why the way history is taught in the United States is in need of change. Although the cover of the book gives the impression that the story is solely about Columbus, there is actually far more included in the book regarding the arrival of Spanish and English explorers whose wave of destruction spread across North America, the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

One question that has always typically been asked about the Americas is how long did the native population live there? It is a good question and Stannard does provide a discussion about the original inhabitants of the Americas. And what he says might suprise some readers. I found the topic of Berengia to be highly interesting. The Berengia theory for human migration into the Americas is plausbible and the Bering Land Bridge which no longer exist, gives credence to the author’s point. However, what is clear is that what we call the Americas had been populated by anicent civilizations thousands of years ago. Creationists may believe differently but to completely diregard the science at hand would be highly unfortunate as the author provides a thorough discussion of humanity’s existence.

The story picks up pace as the Spanish arrive in the New World. in August of 1492, Columbus and his crew wasted no time in implementing their program of terror upon the natives. The violence is nothing short of gratuitous and disease proved to be just a deadly. The combination of the two as detailed in the book, had long reaching and long-term effects from which the Americas have never fully recovered. And in case defenders of Columbus and other explorers point to disease as the major killer, Stannard has this to say:

However, by focusing almost entirely on disease, by displacing responsibility for the mass killing onto an army of invading microbes, contemporary authors increasingly have created the impression that the eradication of those tens of millions of people was inadvertent—a sad, but both inevitable and “unintended consequence” of human migration and progress.

The names of the tribes that suffered so much destruction are voluminous and I learned the name of several that I had no prior knowledge of. Their names are almost endless and I am sure that only a fraction of the true number of indigenous tribes that called the Americas home are covered here. In North America alone there were hundreds of tribes, some of which are now extinct including the Canarsie, who have a neighborhood and high school dedicated in their honor right here in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. Sadly, most do not know the true story of the Canarise but this book certainly does provide an idea.

Aside from the grim account at hand, Stannard takes yet another approach and explores the reasons behind the Spanish exploration across the ocean. The true reason for Columbus’ voyage should cause readers to take notice about how much he knew about navigation and the position of the Spain in the European hierarchy. Putting that aside, there is a much darker aspect to the Spanish missions and this is where religion enters the story. Many of us know of the Crusades and the horrors of Christianity but in regards to Columbus, there is far more than meets the eye. The mind-boggling details are included in Stannard’s account revealing yet another side of Columbus that will make many stare in disbelief at the words they are reading. And if that is not enough, there were yet other reasons for the Spanish conquest and the end result left me shaking my head.

Halfway through the book I felt as if I needed a break but pressed on as I knew there was much more to learn about extermination of Native Americans in what is today called the United States. Stannard keeps the discussion streamlines but does mention the Trial of Tears and Wounded Knee. Each of those topics would require a separate book to fully go into the stories behind the tragedies. The purpose here is to show the different ideologies behind Spanish and British actions in the Americas which both led to the same result for native populations. The atrocities committed against Native Americans by the United States Government aare beyond upsetting and amount of gore found in recollections of the events might cause some readers to revolt in disgust. Quite frankly, the European arrival in North America was just as deadly as the Spanish pillaging of Central and South America. Each empire had its own reasons but for both, religious ideology, finanical motives and beliefs in racial superiority resulted in what Stannard believes to be the worst genocide in world history. In fact, he states pointedly: “the destruction of the Indians of the Americas was, far and away, the most massive act of genocide in the history of the world.¨

After I finished the book, I had to sit in silence for a while to digest what I had just taken in. Columbus’ actions were not a surprise to me as I had already known of his dark legacy. What I did not know were the names of the numerous forgotten tribes of the Americas who no longer exist today. The systematic destruction and eradication of their lives and culture is indefensible and nothing short of genocide, sexual exploitation and the plundering of territory inhabited by others whose way of life was completely changed by new faces upon their shores. If this book does only thing, I hope that is to shatter the myth of the new settlers in the Americas arriving with open arms and becoming fast friends with the native peoples. Revisiting the past is often painful and reveals many disturbing facts that we would rather not know. But if we are to have a frank and honest discussion about the people we have long called “heroic” and trailblazing” then all of their deeds should be open to examination. This book is masterfully written, haunting but yet eerily relevant even today.

ASIN: B004TFXREI

Operation Condor: The History of the Notorious Intelligence Operations Supported by the United States to Combat Communists across South America – Charles River Editors

On February 27, 2020September 11, 2020 By Genyc79In Latin America3 Comments

Condor History has many dark secrets that some have wished remained hidden from the official record so that the history that has been portrayed remains sanitized and above reproach. But it is also said that what you do in the dark always comes to light. In the wake of the coup that saw the overthrow of Chilean President Salvador Allende (1908-1973) on September 11, 1973, the country was placed in a vice grip by his successor, Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006), who commenced a program of retribution against enemies, activist and those “suspected” of being part of the opposition to the new government. His regime was marred by human rights violations for which he was arrested by British Police in England on October 17, 1998. Pinochet was extradited back to his native Chile but never stood trial for his actions. He died on December 10, 2006 of congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema. His death marked the end of legal action to bring him to justice but it did not stop the prosecution of others who were complicit in the horrific actions that took place in the aftermath of the coup. Researchers continued to investigate Pinochet’s actions and those of fellow dictators in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. During one such expedition in Paraguay, a trove of documents were uncovered that shed light on a joint program created by several neighboring countries to track down those deemed enemies of the state with the purpose of execution. The program is known as Operation Condor and here Charles River Editors provides a concise summary of how and why the program came into existence.

For those who are unfamiliar with Operation Condor, the book’s contents may come as a significant shock. I think readers may benefit from also taking a look at Peter Kornbluh’s ‘‘The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability‘, which provides a detailed explanation of Pinochet’s rise to power and the crimes against humanity that occurred under his reign. It is not necessary to read that book in order to enjoy this one but Kornbluh’s book is complemented by what is found here. And while Kornbluh’s book focuses mainly on Pinochet, this book is centered on Operation Condor itself. To set the stage for the gritty details of the operation, the author explains the dictatorships that were found in the nations that formed Operation Condor. A brief explanation of the regimes of Argentina’s Juan Perón (1895-1974) and Paraguay’s Alfredo Stroessner (1912-2006) and provided as examples. The two rulers are just a sample of the many dictatorships that became common to Latin American during the 1960s and 1970s as the term “the disappeared” became part of the Latin American lexicon.

This book is dark and the descriptions of actions carried out by operatives of the program may be tough for some readers to accept. The actions of American operative Michael Townley and the Central Intelligence Agency (“CIA”) are also discussed and sheds light on a very dark time in United States foreign policy as Washington courted and accepted right-wing tyrants determined to keep their nations classified as banana republics. Power, greed and violence were the trifecta that spread fear and mayhem across several continents as political opponents and voices against the government were murdered in cold blood sometimes on foreign soil. Pinochet remained firmly at the center and his intelligence apparatus Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (“DINA”) served as nucleus for the death sowed as operatives spared no expense or destination to carry out acts of violence. The attacks were brazen and shocking, and caused Washington to finally take notice. Undoubtedly, there are many more secrets buried in files locked tightly away in the archives of several countries. But the truth about Operation Condor remains public for the world to see.

We have heard the saying that the past is prologue. Latin America has been plagued by dictatorships, fraudulent elections, corruption and murder. It remains to be seen if the region that is full of beautiful scenery, people and cultures will move forward and correct the wrongs that have been done in the past. As it does, it remains critical to remember the dark legacy of Augusto Pinochet and Operation Condor.

ASIN: B07QY6CTNZ

The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II – Gregory A. Freeman

On February 15, 2020 By Genyc79In World War IILeave a comment

20200215_203354 A colleague gave me this book as a gift during the holiday season, mainly due to his knowledge of my fondness for history. I quickly made a mental note to give it a read in the near future. When I saw the title, I was slightly puzzled at the term “The Forgotten 500”. I have read books on World War II but none mentioned any 500 forgotten soldiers. Upon closer inspection, I soon began to realize why I had not heard the story. At the time the mission occurred, it was carefully hidden by the State Department and Office of Strategic Services who did not wish to jeopardize the lives of any remaining U.S. soldiers still trapped behind enemy lines. Further, in the years that followed, the the story faded into the annals of military history regarding the second world war. Even my father, who is an ardent World War II buff, has never mentioned this story. Our next discussion will certainly be interesting.

So who exactly were the forgotten 500? Well, the story takes place in Yugoslavia, where American, British and French airmen have been provided refuge by the local men and women who are fiercely anti-Nazi after Adolf Hitler ordered the Germany Wehrmacht to occupy their country. The airmen had been sent out on bombing missions to eliminate the German fuel supply lines in Ploesti, Romania. Berlin knew the value of the supply lines and carefully mounted anti-aircraft batteries around the supply stations in anticipation of Allied attacks. American crews were typically successful in attacking the lines but suffered heavy damage to aircraft and high number of casualties. Those who abandoned ship upon orders of the pilot, typically landed in the Yugoslavian countryside and were quickly taken in by peasants and farmers. This is the story of their survival behind enemy lines 0and the incredible mission to rescue them from German occupied territory.

Today, many of the soldiers who served in World War II are deceased and they took with them to their graves, many untold stories of heroism and heartbreak during the war. Their names are only remembered by those who knew them closely and for the forgotten 500, the same story would apply if not for this book. The role of Yugoslavia in World War II is underrepresented in the larger narrative of the conflict. By 1992, it had broken apart in the wake of a bitter civil war that saw the loss of over two-hundred thousand lives. Tensions between Serbians, Croatians and other ethnic groups had reached a tipping point in 1989 and could no longer be contained. in 1995, peace was formally restored but to this day, tensions continue to simmer underneath the surface. Several decades prior, Yugoslavia was seen a prized possession by both Germany and the Soviet Union and the invasion by German forces served as an impediment to its full independence. As a result, the people came to the aid of downed airmen and protected them fiercely in spite of the looming German military.

The author introduces us in the beginning of the book to the airmen who have been assigned the task of attacking Ploesti. Each mission is doomed from the start, forcing all on board to grab their parachutes and jump to whatever fate lies ahead. Miraculously, they are each found by the locals, embraced and given shelter. However, as more Allied planes fall victim to German weaponry, it soon becomes evident that the large number of airmen will have to find a way out of the country and back to Italy, where American bases have been established. The only problem is that the area is surrounded by German troops who will surely notice a major extraction mission. Washington knows it must do something but is pressed for ideas. The Office of Strategic Services enters the picture and the story changes gears completely.

The author does a fantastic job of providing enough back story to set the stage for the eventual rescue mission. To understand the situation in Yugoslavia, he provides a thorough discussion of the struggle for power between Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) and Washington over the the small Baltic nation. Inside the country, German forces are opposed by the Communist Josip Tito (1892-1980) and pro-western Draza Mihailovich (1893-1946). Tito and Mihailovich are engaged in their own power struggle but determined to defeat the Nazi menace. However, there were other events and agendas taking place outside of Yugoslavia that dictated the course of the war and came to haunt Winston Churchill (1874-1965), who later called Yugoslavia his biggest mistake of the war. The three-way dance that ensued and the deception that occurred are covered here and will undoubtedly surprise many. I found myself shaking my head at the series of mis-steps by Allied forces that seemed to be unaware of Stalin’s true and barely hidden agenda.

Those familiar with World War II history will know about the role of the Office of Strategic Services, under the direction of its first director, the legendary William Donovan (1883-1959). The agency boasted such recruits as future Central Intelligence Director Allen Dulles (1893-1969) and celebrity chef Julia Child (1912-2004). Today it might seem surprising that even civilians were recruited by intelligence agencies but during World War II, all bets were off. The OSS dad a job to do and as we see in the book, they were determined not to fail. Donovan’s ability to get President Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945) to agree to the mission is one of the best anecdotes in the book and shows how urgent it became to rescue the stranded airmen.

The approval of Donovan’s request set into a motion a series of events that brought together several different departments and two governments in an effort to pull of a rescue mission that no one had ever attempted before. The logistics are all covered in the book showing the high amount of risk that came with it. The margin for error was virtually non-existent but the people involved rose to the call of duty and this part of the book is uplifting and also high on suspense. One mistake could result in falling into German hands and an international diplomatic nightmare. But surprisingly not everyone was on the same page and the smaller battle between Washington and London is beyond surreal. It is a story you do have to read to believe.

Following the mission, the airmen return to civilian life but are dismayed to see how the international game of chess continues to be played. Tito’s rise and Mihailovich’s demise are some of the darker moments in the book. The airmen voice their disapproval with the official narrative and Freeman retraces their steps showing their never-ending commitment to honoring the legacy of their Yugoslavian hosts. At the end of the book, he provides an update on the airmen, some of whom were alive at the time the book was published in 2008. Now that twelve years have passed, I do not believe that they are still living but their memory is preserved eternally in this story that is simply unbelievable. For all of you World War II buffs, this book is a must have. Highly recommended.

ISBN-10: 0451224957
ISBN-13: 978-0451224958

Asian America: Chinese and Japanese in the United States Since 1850 – Roger Daniels

On January 19, 2020September 11, 2020 By Genyc79In General ReadingLeave a comment

20200118_220256 President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) is known primarily from his time in the White House and untimely death but many forget that he was also an accomplished writer. In the well-received “A Nation of Immigrants“, he gives his take on how immigration built the nation known as America. Images of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty will surely come to the minds of readers who decided to read Kennedy’s work. However, there is more to the immigrant story in America and often forgotten are the many other groups who have emigrated to the land of opportunity. Roger Daniels decided to take a further look into the Chinese and Japanese experience in America and what he found may surprise many of us.

The story begins in 1849 as California becomes ground zero for the gold rush. We learn right away that over 300,000 Chinese came to America to work in mines and in other trades, such as building cross-continental railroads. By 1882, the gold rush was over, the railroads had been nearly completed and hundreds of thousands of Chinese now found themselves out of work. They were far away from China in a new country that did not rush to embrace them. In fact, what happened after the gold rush opened my eyes to the Asian experience in America and revealed many dark parts of American history.

This book could easily be added as required reading in high school classroom and in a college syllabus. It reads like a textbook but the exception is that is has not been heavily sanitized. Daniels had no intention of sugar coating anything and the facts that are presented here are beyond sobering. Paranoia, suspicion and fear of a “yellow invasion”, gave birth to some of the most discriminatory laws passed in United States history. Beginning with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1870 and the later Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the anti-Chinese movement gained in momentum and threatened the very existence of Chinese-Americans. Similarly, Japanese immigrants who arrived to America by way of Hawaii, soon found that their new home was not so welcoming. The anti-Chinese movement soon became part of larger anti-Asian sentiment spreading across the United States. And contrary to what we may think about Asian immigration, the Pacific played an even more important role than the Atlantic. Exactly how is explained in detail by Daniels.

As the world found itself embroiled in two world wars, the Chinese and Japanese in America were struggling simply for recognition as human beings. California remained the battle ground in the struggle between natives and new immigrants from the Far East. San Francisco was the scene of some of the most absurd moments in the book and will cause readers today to wonder at how such inhumane treatment of others was tolerated and endorsed in the late 1800s into the early 1900s. The Alien Land Act of 1913 is a prime example of some of the draconian laws passed to disenfranchise America’s Asian citizens. However, in spite of outright racist treatment and propaganda, the Chinese and Japanese remained firm in their belief of the American dream. World War II became the moment where life for the Japanese in America was turned upside down and would test the patriotism of even the most ardent believers in the United States.

The book is not a full examination of the Japanese internment in camps during the war. However, Daniels does a thorough job of explaining how the program developed, what President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) knew and the effect it had on the Japanese mindset both during and following the war. High focused is placed on the Japanese American Citizens League, which played an integral role in the affairs of Japanese Americans in many ways, some of which will surprise some. However, its importance cannot be understated. What I did find to be mind-boggling was that the U.S. Military never had a deep suspicion on a whole of Japanese Americans taking up arms in defense of Toyko, but the media and politicians clearly had a different agenda.

Today, the treatment revealed in the book would cause shock and outrage. I have many friends whose families originate throughout Asia. They are as American as I am but the thought of legislation being passed to bar them from citizenship, prevent them from assimilating in society or to prevent them from even entering the country, is beyond horrifying. However, this was the reality for thousands of Chinese and Japanese in the United States before the passage of civil rights bills and Supreme Court decisions that struck down bans of segregation and interracial marriage. America has come a long way but there is still work to be done.

While reading Daniel’s words, I could not help but to feel that some of the divisive rhetoric employed by politicians then is also heard now. Fears of “invasion” and “threats to our way of life” permeated beliefs in the 1800s and 1900s, resulting in regrettable treatment of Chinese and Japanese Americans. And in some cases, that rhetoric proved to be deadly. That same danger exist today. If we are to continue to move forward, then we must remember that less than one hundred and fifty years ago, anyone who was not White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, found that life in America was a contradiction to the belief that all men are created equal. If we fail to remember the past, we are doomed to repeat it. I truly hope we do not. Roger Daniels has given us a guide to study and learn from so that we do make the same mistakes. Highly recommended.

ISBN-10: 0295970189
ISBN-13: 978-0295970189

The Content of Our Character: A New Vision of Race in America – Shelby Steele

On January 18, 2020September 11, 2020 By Genyc79In General ReadingLeave a comment

20200118_133748 When I saw this book on Amazon, I was a skeptical as to what I found find inside of it. However, the nearly five star reviews convinced me to inspect it a bit further. I took the plunge and ordered it to see exactly what Shelby Steele had to say about race, a topic that continues to either unite or divide people in America. The phrase “content of our character” is known to many of us. It was the pivotal moment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s (1929-1968) “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963. Fifty-seven years have passed since that monumental moment in American history and the question remains, do we judge each other on the content of our character? Further, have we progressed as a society or is America still the same place it was when Jim Crow made life miserable for millions of black Americans and others who emigrated to the United States in search of opportunity?

The book was published in 1991, making it twenty-nine years old. At first, I wondered if the material would have any relevance to current day America. To my surprise and satisfaction, Shelby’s message is still relevant today. He does not place blame on white Americans or absolve them of guilt or responsibility for America’s past sins. Instead, his focus is on black America and the message he conveys is an attempt to introduce a different dialogue about race. Skeptics will be tempted to write him off as someone who has animosity towards his own upbringing. That is not the case and at no point in the book does Steele express any type of regret or dissatisfaction about his own ethnicity. His goal is to show that American has progressed when it comes to race and for black Americans to truly live the American dream, there are things that have to change. First and foremost is the role race plays in all of our lives for better or worse.

As I read through the book, I could not help but to think of John McWhorten’s “Losing the Race: Self Sabotage in Black America“, which explores some of the same issues as Steele does here. In fact, McWhorten references Steele on several occasions as he discusses the concepts of victimology, separatism and anti-intellectualism. Steeled does focus on each but does not distinctly define them as McWhorten does. His discussion about an identity formed out of being a victim stands out as an observation that warrants much further discussion and is exactly what McWhorten believes in his equally moving book.

By his own admission, Steel is what would be considered to be middle class. He is successful but not extremely wealthy, a father of children he loves and in what will be a surprise to some, married to a white woman. However, he cannot and does not refute his race and explains the tightrope that black middle class Americans walk on daily. As a black American, I firmly believe that education is key to moving up in life and pursuing values that will help me to assimilate into mainstream America. Yet should I also accept and embody the concept that no matter what I do, I am still regulated to a lower standard of living because my skin is dark? That is the question black Americans will find themselves confronted with while reading this book. Today, there are black CEOs, governors, attorney generals, vice-presidents, movie stars, pilots, etc. Steele believes that black Americans have and continue to advance in society. And while he does not ignore the fact that racism exist, our successes and failures cannot always be attributed to it.

Of course, there is the elephant in the room in the form of affirmative action, a subject that almost always results in heated discussion. Steele does not shy away from the matter and his words are similar to McWhorten’s beliefs as well. The idea behind affirmative action was rooted in the right principles. However, moving forward decades later, does it hurt black people more than it helps? Further, by accepting someone with lower qualifications solely on the basis of their race, do we inadvertently discriminate against others well qualified on the basis of their skin being white? Surely, the question does not have a simple answer but I do believe, as do Steel and McWhorten, that the system of affirmative action needs to be reevaluated to see if in fact, it has really made the change that it was intended to be.

By no means does Steele provide the final word on the subject of race. As we all know, discrimination still exist. But I do think the material is gold and provides a wealth of food for thought with regards to race and the advancement of black Americans. Former President Barack Obama ran his campaign on a simple slogan, “yes we can”. I believe as does Steele, that black Americans can and will succeed but only after accepting hard truths that can reshape our minds and provide a new vision for long term success. And as we move forward, we shall seek to be judged solely on the content of our character.

ISBN-10: 006097415X
ISBN-13: 978-0060974152

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Tag: United States