“What the Communist Manifesto is to the capitalist world; Annihilation of Caste is to India.†—Anand Teltumbde; author of The Persistence of Caste B.R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste is one of the most important; yet neglected; works of political writing from India. Written in 1936; it is an audacious denunciation of Hinduism and its caste system. Ambedkar – a figure like W.E.B. Du Bois – offers a scholarly critique of Hindu scriptures; scriptures that sanction a rigidly hierarchical and iniquitous social system. The world’s best-known Hindu; Mahatma Gandhi; responded publicly to the provocation. The hatchet was never buried. Arundhati Roy introduces this extensively annotated edition of Annihilation of Caste in “The Doctor and the Saint;†examining the persistence of caste in modern India; and how the conflict between Ambedkar and Gandhi continues to resonate. Roy takes us to the beginning of Gandhi’s political career in South Africa; where his views on race; caste and imperialism were shaped. She tracks Ambedkar’s emergence as a major political figure in the national movement; and shows how his scholarship and intelligence illuminated a political struggle beset by sectarianism and obscurantism. Roy breathes new life into Ambedkar’s anti-caste utopia; and says that without a Dalit revolution; India will continue to be hobbled by systemic inequality.
#562687 in Books General Military - World War II 2014-09-23 2014-09-23Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .38 x .5 x 6.38l; 1.25 #File Name: 1782006257368 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommend! Battle for the CrimeaBy Eric FreelandThis is a very well done book on a much overlooked part of the eastern front combat. Most akways focus on Stalingrad and Kursk. Epic struggle for the Crimea and fortress of Sevastapol. Covers naval action for control of the Black Sea. Excellent read!!!6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. A work of outstanding scholarshipBy F. Carol SabinThis is a great book if you want to know virtually everything about the campaigns in the Crimean Peninsula. Along with insightful appraisal; this book will be highly valued for its high level of detail; analysis and truthfulness. This is the third book I've reviewed by Dr. Forczyk; and I always remain impressed at his ability to concisely and articulately convey large amounts of information into a gripping narrative. On a personal note; I appreciate Dr. Forczyk's effort to insert and evaluate honestly the Romanian participation in all Crimean operations.The book starts off; after the Foreword; with a few pages of Prologue which is filled with interesting interwar historical details; and continuing in the chapter I with the situation in Crimea “…under the hammer and sickle; 1920-1941â€. This chapter ends with useful information about war capabilities of Kingdom of Romania; seen as potential enemy for the former USSR after 1940.Chapter 2 is setting up the situation leading up to the major operations in late 1941. In other words what had happened in 1941 and what the situation was prior to the first German attacks in Crimea.In chapters 3 to 5 the author describes; with a greater level of detail; the battles between September 1941 and April 1942. I believe that here some details about Romanian forces could be added; but I’m satisfied anyway.Starting with chapter 6 (82 pages; the longest of the book) Dr. Forczyk goes to great length to discuss “The German conquest; May-July 1942â€. Both operations “Trappenjagd†(one Romanian general said that “this operation has the splendor of Napoleonic maneuversâ€) and “Storfang†are greatly covered; from both sides perspective; especially some tactical engagements actions. The accompanying analysis is also very good and will appeal many readers.The main characteristic of this work; displayed throughout the book; is the smooth integration of all three service components actions. Coupled with the operational and even strategic awareness; Dr. Forczik presents many tactical level actions that are uncommon for many books that cover operations of such size.The final assault on Sevastopol (Operation “Storfang); is described as one of the very few joint service German operations of WW II; conducted with two German and a Romanian mountain corps supported by a huge artillery grouping; plus the VIII Air Corps and a small flotilla of S-Boats. As is always the case with Dr. Forczik’s books; this volume also closely examines the impact of logistics; weather and joint operational planning upon the major operations.The author provides statistics of the losses of that fateful siege; but here I have comments: according with Romanian archives the losses were the following – German forces 27.005 in total; 4.337 KIA and Romanian forces were pretty accurate (8.354 in total; 1.597 KIA).Chapters 7 and 8 describe the German and Romanian occupation of the Crimea in 1942-1944 plus some bloody winter battles in winter 1943.The last major section of the book; chapter nine (with 27 pages) is devoted to the final battles in April-May 1944 and evacuation of the peninsula by German-Romanian forces. I must say that the first convoys with troops evacuated actually departed beginning with April 14; 1944 until May 13; 1944 (41 convoys evacuating 120.826 military and civilians; including 36.000 Romanians and 58.000 Germans!). The losses were cited as being 10-11.000 Germans and Romanians.The author delivers analysis throughout the book about different operations; devoting his final chapter (“Postscript 2014â€; 5 pages) to the current status in Crimea and making with helpful observations.There are 8 maps; simple; maybe a little bit too small; but effective and are spread out conveniently throughout the book and aligned with the narrative; making it easier to follow the major operations. In addition to the maps; an extensive gallery of 60+ bw/color photos of equipment and battle scenes was provided.The author includes 9 Appendices with several Orders of Battle as well as other statistics or details.There is also a comprehensive Notes section; a 2-page Bibliography (NARA records; secondary sources and periodicals) and an Index.This book is invaluable for its details of the Battles for Crimea both 1941-1942 and 1943-1944 and fills in important pieces of the war in the East puzzle that other books surely miss. It is highly recommended for serious students as are his other previous books - Kharkov 1942 and Sevastopol 1942- because of the gripping narrative and accuracy. These three books provide; collectively; the serious student with an excellent picture of the important pre-Stalingrad time period operations.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. World War II in the CrimeaBy william mathewsThis book is devoted to the military operations and occupation programs in the Crimea between 1941 and 1944. It is thick description of operations and combat in a narrow geography. Hardly irrelevant; there was bloody business done here. But one has to wonder about the quality of the research....Forczyk boldly proclaims archival sources for Nazi killings of Crimean Jews as "Juden Akten"; but the photo copied document he presents as evidence clearly refers to copies of generic reports filed elsewhere "Zu den Akten". That there was a Crimean chapter of the Holocaust is clear; but these references are not relevant. Forczyk ' s conclusions on the contemporary conflict over the Crimea between Russia and the Ukraine is very jaded....who are these people the Ukrainians who have not lived in the Crimea? Ukraine is inhabited by people of whom over 90% speak Russian; not Ukrainian; the Crimeans before 1941 were Tatars; Germans; Jews; Russians and others; most of which were exploited; dispossessed and deported by Stalin before the Nazis arrived. Of those which remained the Jews were exterminated by the Nazis; the Tatars got trapped between Stalin and Hitler and wound up in the Gulag. What about Crimea for the Crimeans?
