Book Description
Military historian Caleb Carr’s groundbreaking work anticipated America’s current debates on preemptive military action against terrorist sponsor states, reorganization of the American intelligence system, and the treatment of terrorists as soldiers in supranational armies rather than as criminals. Carr’s authoritative exploration demonstrates that the practice of terrorism, employed by national armies as well as extremists since the days of ancient Rome, is ultimately self-defeating. Far from prompting submission, it stiffens enemy resolve and never leads to long-lasting success.
Controversial on its initial publication in 2002,
The Lessons of Terror has been repeatedly validated by subsequent events. Carr’s analysis of individual terrorist acts, and particularly of the history of the Middle East conflict, is fundamental to a deep understanding of the roots of terrorism as well as the steps and reforms that must be taken if the continuing threat of terrorist behavior is to be met effectively today and, finally, eradicated tomorrow.
Customer Reviews:
Terrors Quantified.......2007-06-27
Carr's book is, first of all, good. He brings that new and overdue sensiblity which refuses to accept the classifications of previous regimes and establishments. At least this is his attempt. Some of the insights he shows, such as the idea that Total War is not a morally reprehensible product to non-Europeans, helps to shift the perspective of the discussion. But his basically middle of the road argument that Total War is inefficient and therefore never advisable is based on a hopeful assumption: that reasonable men will wage war in a reasonable way if shown the numbers. Of course this is false. The war we are presently engaged in is not a reasonable war. It is a war of fear against a culture different from ours, a shadowy enemy that scares us back to childhood remedies of sandbox fighting and therefore, unfortunately, brings Total War out of our Total Fear.
One-sided and over simplistic.......2006-11-19
When Carr wrote this book he obviously had a predetermined conclusion that he wanted to convey. Though I personally agree that deliberate targeting of civilians is counterproductive to any political / military endeavor, Carr presents a lengthy list of historical evidence that is taken out of context and without an understanding of how militaries fight wars.
In his book he describes Roman brutality in its dealings with invaded countries and asserts that this brutality was the eventual cause of unrest that led to the fall of the Roman Empire. I'm not sure if he could have generalized this more than he did. He failed to look at the overall success of an Empire that lasted nearly 5 centuries. Also, history has shown that part of Rome's success was due to how it integrated conquered countries into its society and allowed those people to eventually become citizens of Rome.
Carr goes on to show the terrorist tactics used by both sides of the U.S. civil war, and he focuses on Sherman's march to the sea and then to Washington. I will agree that both sides had incidents in which civilians were targeted, but it is over simplistic to say that Sherman's tactics were purely terroristic and were eventually counterproductive. Carr and many other people point at the burning of Atlanta as a major example of targeting civilians, but they fail to remember that Atlanta was the largest supply distribution point for Confederate Army and that Sherman gave the civilian population ample warning to leave the city. Any true student of military history will agree that Sherman's destruction of the Confederacy logistics support structure was critical to expediting an end to the war, which consequently falls in line with Carr's belief in decisive warfare as the preferred tactic.
Carr's final chapter draws scrutiny of U.S. strategic bombing, in the form of cruise missiles, as sites them as a terrorist weapons. His argument is based on his assertion that because military leaders are aware that civilian casualties will occur this makes it a deliberate attack on civilians and not collateral damage. His absolutist attitude does not take into consideration that the military target may be worth the cost in civilian lives. Prior to 9/11, President Clinton had the opportunity to kill Osama Bin Laden with a cruise missile, but in accordance with Carr's way of thinking about terrorist acts, he aborted the mission at the last minute because civilian family members were present in the camp. In retrospect that decision to not target a few civilians has cost tens of thousands of civilian lives in the both the U.S. and Middle-East.
Finally, Carr asserts that limited, preemptive ground warfare is the best method to avoid long wars of attrition and civilian casualties. I wonder what his opinion is now after three years in Iraq. I don't think many people really saw that coming.
Brief and to the Point!.......2006-02-05
Mr. Carr has written a concise history of warfare against Civilians. I would recommend this as an excellent primer on the subject. In my belief this should be regarded as a political history as well as a military history.
Saying that, I will add some of his conclusions about reforms are overly simplistic.
comforting.......2006-01-19
This book would be a good gift for someone who is still afraid of terrorists.
Excellent Short Volume,Maybe a Little Simplistic.........2005-10-26
The theme of this book is "Why Warfare against Civilians has not worked and will Never Work". Though the point is well argued, and goes back to ancient times, it is not always convincing, mainly since many guerilla wars against invaders/occupiers are not covered in depth. Warfare against civilians by an ATTACKING force almost always is a losing propostion, since these innocents are angered, and often turn into insurgent guerillas and even terrorists. But what turns a civilian into a terrorist? This question seems to be totally ignored by policy makers,and is barely mentioned by the author. Certainly when your friends, family, associates, country/religious/men are slaughtered and maimed, it is not unusual to turn from civilian to guerrilla to terrorist. So many gray areas of conflict are not mentioned. The author says Cromwell (during the early phase),Frederick the Great, among others, advocated short attacks on military targets only, even in Frederick's case wearing special uniforms of identication to separate them from civilians. He suggests the the 1939-1940 Blitz in Poland and France was a near perfect example, though many would strongly disagree. Most important, he ignores the fact that an insurgency with some terrorist tendencies, like 1950's Algeria,Kenya,& Vietnam can succeed in defeating foreign invasions and armies. He is not convinced that aerial assaults and "collateral damage" are not terrorist attacks, and suggests that several US presidents are guilty. Overall, a strong even-handed presentation, even if the subject is much vaster than may be covered in a short book.
Book Description
In
The Lessons of Terror, novelist and military historian Caleb Carr examines terrorism throughout history and the roots of our present crisis and reaches a provocative set of conclusions: the practice of targeting enemy civilians is as old as warfare itself; it has always failed as a military and political tactic; and despite the dramatic increases in its scope and range of weapons, it will continue to fail in the future.
International terrorism—the victimization of unarmed civilians in an attempt to affect their support for the government that leads them—is a phrase with which Americans have become all too familiar recently. Yet while at first glance terrorism seems a relatively modern phenomenon, Carr illustrates that it has been a constant of military history. In ancient times, warring armies raped and slaughtered civilians and gratuitously destroyed property, homes, and cities; in the Middle Ages, evangelical Muslims and Christian crusaders spread their faiths by the sword; and in the early modern era, such celebrated kings as Louis XIV revealed a taste for victimizing noncombatants for political purposes.
It was during the Civil War that Americans themselves first engaged in “total war,” the most egregious of the many euphemisms for the tactics of terror. Under the leadership of such generals as Stonewall Jackson, the forces of the South tried to systematize this horrifying practice; but it fell to a Union general, William Tecumseh Sherman, to achieve that dubious goal. Carr recounts Sherman’s declaration of war on every man, woman, and child in the South—a policy that he himself knew was badly flawed, had nothing to do with his military successes (indeed, it hampered them), and brought long-term unrest to the American South by giving birth to the Ku Klux Klan.
Carr’s exploration of terror reveals its consistently self-defeating nature. Far from prompting submission, Carr argues, terrorism stiffens enemy resolve: for this reason above all, terrorism has never achieved—nor will it ever achieve—long-term success, however physically destructive and psychologically debilitating it may become. With commanding authority and the storyteller’s gift for which he is renowned, Caleb Carr provides a critical historical context for understanding terrorist acts today, arguing that terrorism will be eradicated only when it is perceived as a tactic that brings nothing save defeat to its agents.
Download Description
In The Lessons of Terror, novelist and military historian Caleb Carr examines terrorism throughout history and the roots of our present crisis and reaches a provocative set of conclusions: the practice of targeting enemy civilians is as old as warfare itself; it has always failed as a military and political tactic; and despite the dramatic increases in its scope and range of weapons, it will continue to fail in the future.
International terrorism -- the victimization of unarmed civilians in an attempt to affect their support for the government that leads them -- is a phrase with which Americans have become all too familiar recently. Yet while at first glance terrorism seems a relatively modern phenomenon, Carr illustrates that it has been a constant of military history. In ancient times, warring armies raped and slaughtered civilians and gratuitously destroyed property, homes, and cities; in the Middle Ages, evangelical Muslims and Christian crusaders spread their faiths by the sword; and in the early modern era, such celebrated kings as Louis XIV revealed a taste for victimizing noncombatants for political purposes.
It was during the Civil War that Americans themselves first engaged in "total war," the most egregious of the many euphemisms for the tactics of terror. Under the leadership of such generals as Stonewall Jackson, the forces of the South tried to systematize this horrifying practice; but it fell to a Union general, William Tecumseh Sherman, to achieve that dubious goal. Carr recounts Sherman's declaration of war on every man, woman, and child in the South -- a policy that he himself knew was badly flawed, had nothing to do with his military successes (indeed, it hampered them), and brought long-term unrest to the American South by giving birth to the Ku Klux Klan.
Carr's exploration of terror reveals its consistently self-defeating nature. Far from prompting submission, Carr argues, terrorism stiffens enemy resolve: for this reason above all, terrorism has never achieved -- nor will it ever achieve -- long-term success, however physically destructive and psychologically debilitating it may become.
With commanding authority and the storyteller's gift for which he is renowned, Caleb Carr provides a critical historical context for understanding terrorist acts today, arguing that terrorism will be eradicated only when it is perceived as a tactic that brings nothing save defeat to its agents.
Cover design: Andy Carpenter
Cover photograph: Chris Corder/UPI
Customer Reviews:
An overview of terror........2007-01-08
In this book, Carr sets out to describe the history of terror. Terror against civilians is nothing new. In fact, the ancient Romans practiced terror against the opposing enemy citizens most of the time. Even worse, the Mongols virtually eliminated their enemies' cities. In the middle age, things began to change. Some society's respected the citizens of another country or principality. However many did not and the slaughter continued. When things did change, they did not change for all societies.
Although I agree with most of what this author says, I had a problem with some of his definitions. For instance, where does terror begin and legitimate warfare end. One of the things Carr critisizes is the American "terror bombing" Well, that might have happened in World War II. Carr labels the bombing of Yugoslavia, Iraq, and Afghanistan terror bombing, but lists the foray over Libya as justifiable. I am not sure I agree with his analogy. Another issue I disagreed with is that of Vietnam. Here Communists used terror indiscrimately, while the South and the Americans used it somewhat sparingly (B-52 bombings). The Communists won and proved how successful some terror is against civilians.
This is an interesting read on a current issue that faces the world. This is an OK read about the use of terror.
Permanent wartime footing.......2006-03-05
Terrorism is warfare waged deliberately against civilians. Carr suggests terrorists are paramilitary units mounting offensive campaigns. Terrorism as a tactic has never succeeded. Military history can teach us lessons to solve the dilemma of modern terrorism. Terror's lure as a quick and gratifying solution is powerful.
Rome used destructive warfare against Carthage and some of the Germanic tribes. Rome came to live with constant threats and rebellion at its borders as a consequence of the tactics employed. Citizens grew weary and wary of service in the military. Young people were filled with apathy and aversion toward the state.
The first requirement of a just war is that it bring peace. The fire of terrorism is self-consuming. Pope Urban II sent his knights on a crusade. Both Christian and Muslim warriors victimized noncombatants. We continue to feel the effects of the crusades today.
Under nationalism every inhabitant became part of the war machine. The wars of the Reformation, the American Civil War, and World War I were especially savage for reason of new technology. In the first example the Inquisition was allowed to degenerate into an organ of persecution and torture.
Grotius's RIGHTS OF WAR AND PEACE dates from 1625. Frederick the Great reformed warfare. He showed contempt for soldiers and compassion for citizens. He had a concept of progressive war.
Total war is conflict without structure or bounds. We have now had it again for some two hundred years. Napoleon resurrected total war from medieval times and he was hated for it. Subsequently Clausewitz devised a variation he deemed absolute war.
Helmut von Moltke, by contrast, created the modern general staff system and supported war with limited objectives. He understood that peace, not devastation, was the purpose of war. Sherman's campaign in the Civil War created endless resentment.
Destruction on a mass scale was the Nazi ethic. (The Prussian military elite, following the principles laid down by von Moltke, among others, almost succeeded in its assassination attempt of Hitler.) The vengeful nature of terror is shown by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Contrarily, the rebuilding of Germany and Japan after the war demonstrated immense generosity, overcoming questionable wartime acts such as the fire-bombing of Dresden.
Sadly, a subsequent development sent the United States in another direction at the beginning of the Cold War. James Forrestal established the national security state with the CIA, the NSA, and the Department of Defense. This put the nation on permanent wartime footing.
The American style of warfare is hostile to ideas of creative limitation. Carr's argument is tightly constructed, buttressed by telling historical points. By implication our current situation is addressed.
Brief and to the Point!.......2005-11-12
Mr. Carr has written a concise(small enough to fit in a hip pocket) history of warfare against Civilians. I would recommend this as an excellent primer on the subject. In my belief this should be regarded as a political history as well as a military history.
Saying that, I will add some of his conclusions about reforms are overly simplistic.
Good overview.......2004-09-22
The book starts off describing some of the origins of terror, beginning with the Roman Empire. It then steamrolls through the successive centuries picking examples throughout history of why terror doesn't pay off. While I understand the point, I feel the author tried to cover too much ground in too little space. More concrete examples and more direct writings and quotations from key players would have made the examples stronger.
The author also brushes over exceptions to the rule, including post-war Japan and Germany.
Overall, it's decent book that gets you thinking about terrorism in an objective manner...it's just a little bit light on the details.
Excellent critique of terrorism.......2004-08-26
In a very concise manner Mr. Carr has written a wonderfully informative handbook. He realizes that terrorism is nothing new but must now be confronted with different measures then were used in past history. He does not say to appease terrorists he just states that people do not meld together when force is used against them for too long. Interesting that he feels that Mr. Rumsfeld is way ahead of his time on the issue.
Average customer rating:
- not convincing
- Ignore the criticism!
|
The Lessons of Terror: A History of Warfare Against Civilians: Why It has Always Failed and Why It Will Fail Again
Caleb Carr
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
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Book Description
Although terrorism seems a relatively modern phenomenon, novelist and military historian Caleb Carr illustrates that it has been a constant of military history. In ancient times, warring armies raped and slaughtered civilians and gratuitously destroyed homes and cities; in the Middle Ages, evangelical Muslims and Christian crusaders spread their faiths by the sword; and in the early modern era, such celebrated kings as Louis XIV victimized noncombatants for political purposes.
During the Civil War Americans first engaged in "Total war," the most egregious of the many euphemisms for the tactics of terror. The forces of the South tried to systematize this horrifying practice; but it fell to a Union general, William Tecumseh Sherman, to achieve that dubious goal. Carr recounts Sherman's declaration of war on every man, woman, and child in the South -- a policy that brought long-term unrest tot he American South by giving birth to the Ku Klux Klan.
Carr's exploration of terror reveals its consistently self-defeating nature. Far from prompting submission, Carr argues, terrorism stiffens enemy resolve: for this reason above all, terrorism has never achieved -- not will it ever achieve -- long-term success, however physically destructive and psychologically debilitating it may become. With commanding authority and the storyteller's gift for which he is renowned, Caleb Carr provides a critical historical context for understanding terrorist acts today, arguing that terrorism will be eradicated only when it is perceived as a tactic that brings nothing save defeat to its agents.
Customer Reviews:
not convincing.......2002-08-11
This book is elequent and occasionally hits a nerve. But basically it's message is simply: Terrorism (or war against civilians to achieve a political effect) is a self-destructive method of warfare, because the reaction to terror is more often than not outrage rather than capitulation.
Carr goes beyond this to suggest that there are no exceptions to this rule, when some obvious exceptions come to mind (eg., Hiroshima, the extermination of the American Indians, and the frequent mass killings of any inconvenient population by various nations throughout history). So even the central message of the book is muddied by inconsistencies.
And beyond that message, this book has little to offer, and is badly flawed by its single-mindedness, its rush to judgement about complex events, its deliberate ignorance of obvious counter arguments, and a tendency to patronize the audience by asserting that events be interpretted his way, even when more familiar interpretations are more convincing.
On the plus side, I see no political bias or propaganda. Whatever biases the author has, they appear to be personal.
Ignore the criticism!.......2002-02-28
Despite some unfair negative press, this book is yet another example of Carr's masterful writing style and unparalleled ability to create strong, lasting images. Some readers expecting historical fiction might not appreciate Carr's subject matter, but it is important to remember that military history is Carr's field of expertise. Knowing this going in, I was able to immerse myself and enjoy from beginning to end.
After September 11, it is important to have a reasonable, intelligent response that avoids sensationalism and fear-mongering. Carr's approach (and use of history) not only describes the ultimate futility of terrorist actions, but attempts something few people in the media dare to do -- provide context and comparative understanding. Our plight might seem unique and unprecedented to those in the full arrogance of their Americanism, but Carr rightfully dashes such nonsense, demonstrating that terror, far from a "Middle East problem," is (and has been) world-wide in scope, taking various shapes and employing wide-ranging tactics.
Above all, however, Carr is simply a wonderful writer. His prose is clear and direct, yet always intellectually sound. This is far from the simplistic rants one comes to expect in this area; Carr always takes his book in the right direction and (thankfully!) expects his audience to bring more than a working knowledge of the subjects at hand. He is a challenging, provocative author, always avoiding self-righteousness and easy targets.
Buy -- and read -- with confidence. Carr is, as always, the man to seek in such matters. I only wish he gave us more non-fiction for his love (and knowledge) of the subjet is quite apparent.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Parameters, published by U.S. Army War College on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 730 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Lessons of Terror: A History of Warfare Against Civilians: Why It Has Always Failed and Why It Will Fail Again. (Book Reviews).
Author: Dr. Douglas V., II Johnson
Publication:
Parameters (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: U.S. Army War College
Volume: 33
Issue: 2
Page: 138(2)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Third in the SPIE Field Guide Series, this is a summary of the methods for determining the requirements of an adaptive optics system, the performance of the system, and requirements for the components of the system. Many of the expressions are in the form of integrals. When that is the case, the authors show the results graphically for a variety of practical values. This volume is intended for students, researchers, and practicing engineers who want a "go to" book when the calculation is needed quickly.
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State Wildlife Laws Handbook
Musgrave Ruth
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An in-depth analysis of wildlife management and protection laws for all fifty states, this comprehensive book covers everything from laws on hunting and trapping methods, enforcement, and habitat protection, to endangered or threatened species protection. The authors provide summaries of each of the fifty states' fish and wildlife codes, discuss the states' provisions, offer recommendations, compare topics from state to state, and include a number of appendices, including a glossary of important wildlife terms for each state, a suggested reading list, and addresses for state fish and wildlife agencies.
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Federal Wildlife Laws Handbook: With Related Laws
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A companion to the author's previous GI publication, State Wildlife Laws Handbook, and the only one of its kind, this handbook provides a single, comprehensive source of information on 280 wildlife and wildlife-related laws, treaties, and other federal documents. You'll find summaries of all federal laws, treaties, and executive orders that affect the subject of wildlife laws and insight into the range of actions the federal government has taken to conserve America's wildlife.
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Joseph D Carroll
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U.S. federal legislation governing marine mammals
Nina M Young
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