THE U.S. ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF’S
PROFESSIONAL
READING LISTFor Cadets, Soldiers, and Junior NCOs
The Constitution of the United States / Available at http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html
Centuries of Service: The U.S. Army 1775–2004 / David W. Hogan, Jr.
(CMH Pub. 70–71–1)
An easy-to-read and informative pamphlet that describes the many missions the U.S. Army has performed over the course of its history. The booklet covers America’s wars as well as the Army’s many operations other than war, including occupation, peacekeeping, nation building, exploration, civil administration, scientific research, and disaster relief. This pamphlet is a valuable introduction to American military history for the Soldier and junior leader.
The Face of Battle / John Keegan
One of the classics of modern military history, The Face of Battle brings to life three major battles: Agincourt (1415), Waterloo (1815), and the First Battle of the Somme (1916). The author describes the sights, sounds, and smells of battle, providing a compelling look at what it means to be a Soldier.
For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States of America / Allan R. Millett and Peter Maslowski
This useful, single-volume study covers the American military experience in peace and war from 1607 to 1975. Millett and Maslowski carefully examine the relationship of the military to American society and discuss in detail the military and its changing roles within political, social, and economic frameworks.Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest / Stephen E. Ambrose
This excellent account of an airborne rifle company at war is based on journals, letters, and interviews with the participants. The author follows one company from rigorous selection and training through battles in Normandy, Holland, Bastogne, and occupation duty in Germany. A classic small-unit study.
We Were Soldiers Once … and Young: Ia Drang—The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam / LTG (Ret.) Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway
A gripping, firsthand account of the November 1965 Battle of the Ia Drang by the commander of 1/7 Cavalry. The Ia Drang was the first major combat test of the airmobile concept and the first battle between U.S. forces and the North Vietnamese Army.If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer’s Riveting True Story / George Wilson
George Wilson was a young rifle platoon leader and then an infantry company commander during the costly fighting from Normandy to the German frontier in 1944. He tells his personal story of combat as an ordinary officer during extraordinary times, doing what was required to accomplish the mission and keep his men alive. An inspirational account useful to all junior leaders.
Touched with Fire: The Land War in the South Pacific / Eric M.Bergerud
The land battles of the South Pacific fought between July 1942 and early 1944 on the Solomon Islands and on New Guinea were “a ferocious slugging match between light-infantry armies at extremely close quarters.” Written in a clear and engaging style and drawing upon many insightful interviews with veterans, Touched with Fire offers a vivid and fascinating look at small-unit combat in the South Pacific that will be of great interest to cadets, enlisted men, and junior officers.Closing with the Enemy: How GIs Fought the War in Europe, 1944–1945 / Michael D. Doubler
During World War II, the U.S. Army had to overcome many tactical problems, from the thick hedgerows of Normandy to the streets of German cities. Some of these challenges had been anticipated, others had not, but all required the American fighting man to adapt in order to survive.
In this book, Michael Doubler explains how and why the U.S. Army was generally successful in overcoming these many challenges. Soldiers and junior leaders will benefit from his incisive study of the battlefield resourcefulness, flexibility, and determination of the American Soldier.Patton: A Genius for War / Carlo D’Este
Perhaps the most renowned and controversial American general of the twentieth century, George Patton (1885–1945) remains a subject of intense interest. The author provides new information from family archives and other sources to help us understand why the general is regarded as one of the great modern military leaders. Essential reading for all students of command in war.In the Company of Heroes / Michael J. Durant
Black Hawk pilot Mike Durant was shot down and taken prisoner during military operations in the failed country of Somalia in 1993. Published in the tenth anniversary year of that conflict, this riveting personal account at last tells the world about Durant’s harrowing captivity and the heroic deeds of his comrades.