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Generation Kill

Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War

By Evan Wright

(25)

| Hardcover | 9780399151934

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Book Description

In the tradition of Black Hawk Down and Jarhead comes a searing portrait of young men fighting a modern-day war.

A powerhouse work of nonfiction, Generation Kill expands on Evan Wright's acclaimed three-part series that appeared in Rolling Stone during the summerContinue

In the tradition of Black Hawk Down and Jarhead comes a searing portrait of young men fighting a modern-day war.

A powerhouse work of nonfiction, Generation Kill expands on Evan Wright's acclaimed three-part series that appeared in Rolling Stone during the summer of 2003. His narrative follows the twenty-three marines of First Recon who spearheaded the blitzkrieg on Iraq. This elite unit, nicknamed "First Suicide Battalion," searched out enemy fighters by racing ahead of American battle forces and literally driving into suspected ambush points.

Evan Wright lived on the front lines with this platoon from the opening hours of combat, to the fall of Baghdad, through the start of the guerrilla war. He was welcomed into their ranks, and from this bird's-eye perspective he tells the unsettling story of young men trained by their country to be ruthless killers. He chronicles the triumphs and horrors-physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual-that these marines endured while achieving victory in a war many questioned before it began. Wright's book is a timely account of war; even more important, it is a timeless description of the human drama taking place on today's battlefields. Written with brutal honesty, raw intensity, and startling intimacy, Generation Kill is destined to become a classic and take its place in the canon of the most captivating and authentic works of war literature.

Critics

  • On War

    The vanquished know war. They see through the empty jingoism of those who use the abstract words of glory, honor, and patriotism to mask the cries of the wounded, the senseless killing, war profiteering, and chest-pounding grief. They know the lies t ... (read full critics)

    nybooks published on Mon, 23 Aug 2010

2 Reviews

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  • 11 people find this helpful

    Somehow misleading Catch-Reader title: CHECK THIS OUT!

    Author, Rolling-Stone journalist, reports forty days of Iraq invasion from it's start, while embedded in 1st Recon Marine Battalion.

    He shared Marine life and fighting, from MRE to sleep deprivation to taking rounds. Fallaci in Viet-Nam was granted Major-equivalent rank being a journalist, thus ... (continue)

    Author, Rolling-Stone journalist, reports forty days of Iraq invasion from it's start, while embedded in 1st Recon Marine Battalion.

    He shared Marine life and fighting, from MRE to sleep deprivation to taking rounds. Fallaci in Viet-Nam was granted Major-equivalent rank being a journalist, thus enabled to command an helicopter to get her into action, but nothing like that was possible there, so he entered action in the beginning.

    This way he suffered banning from day-by day communication, as like as being disallowed from autonomous wandering, a serious limitation for a journalist (he thought before) but a lifesaving measure as has been very clear after.

    "Recon" means going into search for enemy.
    Surprisingly 1st Recon was used instead as "spear tip" into fight. Hopefully it could have lured hidden Iraqi forces into battle. Suicidal task, unless proven Iraqi were already softened to residual random fighting forces only.

    Not surprisingly were the SNAFU and TAFUBAR happening in every battle since centuries, no matter how much technology is available. Lube lacks, rifles stucks, nightvision without batteries, food lacks, trucks lost and impaired hygiene as NBC overall was compulsory.

    This proves Mass Destructions Weapons still believed within into Saddam possibilities, as fighting and living inside rubber clothing into hot desert is a hell of a life.
    Then they were ordered not to use, when was clear there were no dangers of being poisoned.

    Techno-fighting is perfect into wargames. Sandstorm, comms encrypting mess and other disappointing mishaps, makes old fashioned artillery more reliable than close air support, unless called for by a moron asking for close fire without checking friendly troop position. Three cases of total madness. In two, refusal to obey went smooth. Extensive use of unprotected field artillery proves (again) that Iraqi were already without aviation and tactical support.

    The overwhelming majority of Marines is not trigger happy, Iraqi civilian casualties were exceptions unless generated by a war criminal (happened), but it is clear the absence of a recovery plan for civilians, like Allied Army pursued during Italian WW2 campaign. Even CIA is frankly disappointing, showing absolute ignorance on how about deal with civilians.

    At the end was proven that "Even though their Commander in Chief tells them they are fighting today in Iraq to protect American freedom, few would be shaken to discover that they might actually be leading a grab for oil. In a way, they almost expect to be lied to".

    Lots of other useful info here, (available on request) maybe if our newspaper journalists could have read it, they may have been able to avoid confusing Cruise (missiles) with Cruiser (big warship).

    Soundtrack:
    Lee "Scratch" Perry - Arkology 3CD
    Reel I: Dub Organiser
    Reel II: Dub shepherd
    Reel III: Dub Adventurer
    The Upsetters - Dub Blackboard Jungle
    Amp Fiddler + Sly & Robbie - Inspiration Information.

    Don't waste innuendos, I like that while straight and sober.

    Is this helpful?

    Procyon Lotor said on Mar 22, 2011 about the Softcover edition | 3 feedbacks

  • A really interesting view on the iraq war.
    A great account of the life of young men called on to take life-or-death decision.

    Is this helpful?

    Echomrg said on Dec 17, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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