“I have not lately read a finer book than this―on any subject at all. . . . A masterpiece.†―Simon Winchester; New StatesmanThe photographs of three young men had stood in his grandmother’s house for as long as he could remember; beheld but never fully noticed. They had all fought in the Second World War; a fact that surprised him. Indians had never figured in his idea of the war; nor the war in his idea of India. One of them; Bobby; even looked a bit like him; but Raghu Karnad had not noticed until he was the same age as they were in their photo frames. Then he learned about the Parsi boy from the sleepy south Indian coast; so eager to follow his brothers-in-law into the colonial forces and onto the front line. Manek; dashing and confident; was a pilot with India’s fledgling air force; gentle Ganny became an army doctor in the arid North-West Frontier. Bobby’s pursuit would carry him as far as the deserts of Iraq and the green hell of the Burma battlefront.The years 1939–45 might be the most revered; deplored; and replayed in modern history. Yet India’s extraordinary role has been concealed; from itself and from the world. In riveting prose; Karnad retrieves the story of a single family―a story of love; rebellion; loyalty; and uncertainty―and with it; the greater revelation that is India’s Second World War.Farthest Field narrates the lost epic of India’s war; in which the largest volunteer army in history fought for the British Empire; even as its countrymen fought to be free of it. It carries us from Madras to Peshawar; Egypt to Burma―unfolding the saga of a young family amazed by their swiftly changing world and swept up in its violence. 5 illustrations
#704339 in Books Viktor Suvorov 1988-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .53 x 6.00l; .79 #File Name: 0393335577234 pagesISBN13: 9780393335576Condition: NewNotes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Excellent and (4/2014) very timely!By WellspringAnother win for Viktor Suvorov. If you've read Inside the Soviet Army and Inside Soviet Military Intelligence-- and if you're reading this review then odds are you have or should read those two books as well-- then you know what to expect from Suvorov. It's going to be detailed; concise; complete; and almost pedantic in its attention to detail.There's a tendency among westerners -- especially armchair generals with no military experience like me -- to blindly accept our own assumptions founded in western military doctrine and political assumptions. This is a dire mistake. Spetsnaz is an elite force but NOT one founded on the US model; or one that in any way resembles it. Its mission; methods; recruitment; training; tactics; and policies are totally different from that of the American system. Suvorov gives us a good history of both Spetsnaz and the organizational and doctrinal assumptions that shape it.If you're looking for equipment or adventure stories; you'll find that this book is lacking. It's written by a former Spetsnaz officer who became an intelligence officer; and thinks and acts like one. You'll get much more on why and how spetsnaz is deployed; rather than gee-whiz accounts of all the capitalists they've impaled on shovels. You'll also read about the Spetsnaz agent network-- something with no known parallel in the West and IMO worth its own book.With Russia on the march; and stories of Spetsnaz action in Georgia and now Ukraine; this book is more relevant than ever. While Spetsnaz was significantly re-organized in the mid 2000's; it has reportedly reverted to its original; Soviet-era structure and operations. That makes this book timely and important. My only complaint is that it's hard to take western media seriously when you start catching their numerous; obvious mistakes. So thanks for opening my eyes and ruining my sleep; Vladimir Bogdanovich. Highly recommended.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Disgusting look into the regressive and barbaric psychopaths the soviets ...By noDisgusting look into the regressive and barbaric psychopaths the soviets bred and exported across the globe. The fundamental rejection of camaraderie among spetsnaz and their ingrained commitment to kill their wounded is astonishing. Pretty much every Russian Olympian in the last 50 years was a spetsnaz officer. Their Tier 1 units were the Olympic teams according the author; a former soviet intelligence officer who defected.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Eye Opening and Absolutely BrutalBy Alan M. KumashiroThis book was written about the time of the Soviet involvement (entanglement) in Afghanistan. It would be easy to dismiss it as out of date; but I don't think that is the case. I've always suspected there were differences between Western and Russian military doctrine. I had grossly underestimated this difference; particularly in their selection process into their Special Forces. Conscripts have no say. Their training is brutal and dehumanizing to the point some are driven to suicide or desertion. Where our armed forces practice "Leave no man behind;" they would rather execute a wounded comrade to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Much of this philosophy will seem Machiavellian and underhanded; but then again in war; winning is what counts in the end.
