During the War for Independence; citizens like Marinus Willet truly risked their "lives; fortunes and sacred honor" to establish the republic in which they fervently believed. Willet's bravery and unflinching dedication to the cause of liberty made him a hero of Fort Stanwix in 1777 and saved the Northernn Frontier for the patriot cause in 1781. He was a superb warrior; but the contradictions in his complex personality kept him from converting his military reputation to a successful career in New York's tangled politics.
#1802641 in Books 2015-04-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x .90 x 6.10l; .0 #File Name: 1909982067480 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Extraordinary book. Wich gives you na extream acurate picture ...By CustomerExtraordinary book. Wich gives you na extream acurate picture of the sucessfull war of portuguese Air Force to preserve and mantain the Portugese Overseas Provinces; even against the mundial superpowers.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Nice book!By RicardoNice book and great story of many heroes they did a war with so little supplies and airplanes.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. covered vast areas and included a great variety of terrainBy Jose Augusto MatosThis new book by John P. Cann addresses the role of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) in Portugal's counter-insurgency campaigns in Africa. The subject is new and is part of the author's interest in the Portuguese Colonial War; which lasted 13 years ending with the inevitable independence of the African colonies in 1974/75. Many aspects of this conflict are still unknown outside Portugal and in the last years the author has done a very important work in the theorization of this war. With this book Cann closes a cycle on the Portuguese style of warfare.Cann covers many aspects of the use of the Air Force in the three Portuguese colonies (Guinea; Angola and Mozambique) and the important role that aviation played in support to ground troops; flying ground attack and close support missions against the rebels.On the other hand; FAP has an important role in logistical support acting in an environment characterized by large distances. The colonies themselves especially; Angola and Mozambique; covered vast areas and included a great variety of terrain; from deserts to jungle. Only with the aviation could be possible to cover these areas.Cann gives a good overview of the air campaign in the three war scenarios and the impact it had on the control of the guerrillas. In fact; aviation was the great advantage that the Portuguese had in relation to the rebels; who have always been powerless to stop the Portuguese airpower. The situation only changes in Guinea in 1973; when the PAIGC rebels use an improved version of the missile Strela (SA-7); that shook the Portuguese strategy in that territory based on the use of airpower.However; the best part of the book concerns the start of the war in Angola in 1961 and the Portuguese campaign to recover positions taken by the UPA rebels in the north of the colony. The book is full of good stories.However; we can find some weaknesses in Cann approach. The first thing is that used many Portuguese published sources; but virtually from one side. African sources are absent from the book and could have been used because they are available in Portuguese. Another problem is that research in archive was reduced only to the Portuguese Air Force archive which is a major limitation in that case. Many things with interest are in the Portuguese National Defense Archive and not in the Air Force.Nevertheless; it should be noted that Cann did still a great deal of research; which is not easy for an author that does not live in Portugal. We can see by the bibliography that the survey was good and can inspire many people to research on their own.So we have a good book that reveals a very interesting aspect of the Portuguese war in Africa. Cann is the first author to venture into this field and therefore deserves to be read.
