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Book Review: Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw JTF 1-79
Daniel W. Harris
Author: James Stejskal
Reviewed by Colonel Daniel W. Harris, US Air Force, instructor, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College
Adding to the history of Operation Eagle Claw, the author includes primary sources, photos, and declassified documents to the story of the failed special operations forces rescue attempt and a second planned-but-never-executed rescue attempt. The reviewer calls this book “captivating” and of interest to “anyone interested in learning more about a lesser-known element of the Desert One mission.”
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Book Review: The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations
Wylie W. Johnson
Author: Patrick K. O'Donnell
Reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, US Army War College class of 2010
The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations, by Patrick K. O’Donnell and reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, explores the Civil War–era precursors of today’s special operations forces. Broken into three sections, the book covers rival groups—the Jessie Scouts and Mosby’s Rangers, the Confederate Secret Service, and Sheridan’s Scouts and the retribution they wreaked upon their enemies. The reviewer calls it “. . . a strong reminder of the outsized impact that specialized units make upon military campaigns.”
©2025 Wylie W. Johnson
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Book Review: Uncertain Warriors: The United States Army between the Cold War and the War on Terror
John A. Nagl
Author: David Fitzgerald
Reviewed by John A. Nagl, professor of warfighting studies, US Army War College
In Uncertain Warriors: The United States Army Between the Cold War and the War on Terror, author David Fitzgerald looks at the US Army from Vietnam through Iraq, examining how the end of the Cold War, drawdowns, and ideas about cultural inclusion impacted the Army. Reviewer John Nagl recommends it for today’s Army leaders.
©2025 John A. Nagl
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Book Review: The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age
Jason W. Warren PhD
Author: Michael P. Ferguson and Ian Worthington
Reviewed by Jason W. Warren, PhD
The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age focuses on three themes—inspirational physical presence, Alexander’s army’s professionalism, and the speed with which he campaigned. The reviewer notes there are many useful observations, overall, he sees the book as a “mixed bag.” For those newer to studies “on Alexander or lessons-learned methodology, Legacy may prove a useful primer.”
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