The story of the 24th Infantry Regiment in Korea is a difficult one; both for the veterans of the unit and for the Army. In the early weeks of the Korean War; most American military units experienced problems as the U.S. Army attempted to transform understrength; ill-equipped; and inadequately trained forces into an effective combat team while at the same time holding back the fierce attacks of an aggressive and well-prepared opponent. In addition to the problems other regiments faced in Korea; the 24th Infantry also had to overcome the effects of racial prejudice. Ultimately the soldiers of the regiment; despite steadfast courage on the part of many; paid the price on the battlefield for the attitudes and misguided policies of the Army and their nation. Several previously published histories have discussed what happened to the 24th Infantry. This book tells why it happened. In doing so; it offers important lessons for today's Army. The Army and the nation must be aware of the corrosive effects of segregation and the racial prejudices that accompanied it. The consequences of that system crippled the trust and mutual confidence so necessary among the soldiers and leaders of combat units and weakened the bonds that held the 24th together; producing profound effects on the battlefield. I urge the reader to study and reflect on the insights provided in the chapters that follow. We must ensure that the injustices and misfortunes that befell the 24th never occur again.
#919813 in Books Wiley-Blackwell 2008-08-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.08 x .66 x 6.10l; .75 #File Name: 1405115734208 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It is enjoyable as well as extremely useful for insight into ancient Greek magical practicesBy Tony WhitmanThis book is extremely well researched and presented in a very readable fashion. It is enjoyable as well as extremely useful for insight into ancient Greek magical practices.There are not enough books like this one that are slowly bridging the gap between hardcore academia and the mainstream reader. This book rides that line very well.If it is the goal of an author to make a research book entertaining and extremely useful; I believe that this author has achieved that. This book will be one of my mainstays for many years to come.22 of 22 people found the following review helpful. A MasterpieceBy TimaeusThis is truly one of the best books I've read in a long time.In modern times; divination (tarot reading; astrology and other popular forms) is at best; taken as a form of entertainment; and at worst; a dirty little secret. If people engage in these sorts of things; then they typically have no explanation for how they work; and no interest finding an explanation.To the ancient Greeks; it couldn't be more different. Their whole religious ethos; of which divination was a part; had deeply esoteric philosophical explanations. Most modern people; and even scholars; have tended to view the Greeks in light of their own modern; post-enlightenment prejudices; and see these ancient people as merely being superstitious or following in the footsteps of some kind of "primitive" understanding of the world. The reality could not be further from the truth. Many brilliant and rational thinkers such as Socrates consulted with; and had belief in the value of oracles.The Stoics; such as Zeno; came up with the idea of Sympatheia. That is; strings of associations which connected the Gods; certain occurrences and certain symbols regardless of how far apart they were. This was used to explain both divination and magic. In divination; one could foretell the future by the symbols around; and in magic; one could create the future by using the symbols. This Stoic idea of "sympatheia" would later influence the Neoplatonist movement. In truth; the complex theology; ontology and philosophy of the Greeks which imbues reality itself with divine intelligence; beauty and inherent existential purpose puts modern theology and outdated 19th century materialism to shame.Professor Johnston has given a brilliant description; of; so far as we know; what happened at the various oracles such as Delphi; Dodona; Claris and Didmya; as well as how the Mantis; a freelance diviner as well as ordinary individuals used divination in their everyday lives. Along with this; she has explained these vital philosophical issues and the rationale behind divination.In the introduction to the book; there is a section called "The History of the History of Divination" which gives a review of every book on the subject; to date. This section alone is worth the price of the book; and yet the book has so much more to offer. In it; she explains very clearly the modern biases against divination and how they have crippled modern scholars with an inability to get into; and understand the ancient Greek mindset. In particularl discussing Halliday's book Greek Divination and the many flaws it suffers from (I've read this title and I can attest to it). She also explains why divination has been a neglected subject; particularly when magic is often more alluring due to being more on the fringes of the mainstream than divination was or is.If you are interested in understanding this subject matter; this book is a great place to start; giving one an understanding of how and why the Greeks did what they did; as well as citing sources which clearly show where to look for more information; and being a continual guide along the way. It also happens to be a very enjoyable read; and it moves right along.
