Recommended Reading FOR Military Minds
Recommended Reading FOR Military Minds
Recommended Reading FOR Military Minds
FOR
MILITARY MINDS
1
This list aims at providing offrs with publications for reading
relevant to the study of the profession of arms. The list of books
has been selected for reading upto offrs with 15 yrs of service &
have been divided into two groups i.e. upto 7 yrs service & 7 to
15 yrs service. Further in each gp the books have been
subdivided under fwg heads:-
(a) Theory/ Evolution of Warfare.
(b) Mil History.
(c) Leadership.
(d) General Reading.
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read.
Mark Twain
YOUNG OFFICERS
(UPTO SEVEN YEARS OF SERVICE)
For the One who has conquered the mind, The mind is the best of friends;
But for the One who has failed to do so, His very mind will be his greatest enemy.
The Bhagvad Gita
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3. The Art of War – Sun Tzu. Written in China over two thousand
years ago, Sun Tzu‘s The Art of War provides the first know attempt to
formulate a rational basis for planning and conduct of military operations.
These essays contain principles, which are relevant even today.
6. The Next World War – John Adams. Explores the contours of the
information revolution in all its forms from exploitation of media as an
agent of political change in international relations to cyber warfare in a
very readable format for the lay reader.
If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else
is thinking.
Haruki Murakami
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Military History
13. History of the Second World War – Liddell Hart. History of the
Second World War embodies the fruits of twenty years of research and a
lifetime of thinking on war. France‘s defeat in 1940, Hitler‘s failed invasion
of Russia, and Japan‘s stunning victory at Pearl Harbor: the effectiveness
of the Allies‘ strategic bombing of Germany; the questionable necessity of
detonating atom bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and much more
are covered in incisive detail.
15. Slender Was the Thread – LP Sen. The unofficial history of the
1947 J and K Operations, so to say providing a ring side view to the
reader for the author was commander of 161 Infantry Brigade, the key
formation which undertook operations in the Valley during the period.
Keep reading books, but remember that a book is only a book, and you should learn to think for
yourself.
Maxim Gorky
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several
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17. A Ridge Too Far – War in the Kargil Heigts : 1999 – Capt
Amarinder Singh. An account of the latest Indo-Pak conflict providing
a novel view through a review of conduct of operations of the 10
battalions.
23. The Lightning Campaign – Maj Gen DK Palit. During the earlier
part of the Bangladesh crisis, which was perhaps the most critical period
of its history, the Indian armed forces executed, within the brief period of
twelve days, the most decisive liberation campaign in military history,
giving a nation of 75 million people its independence in one lightning
strike.
A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live
several lives while reading.
William Styron
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several
lives while reading.”
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24. Pork Chop Hill – SLA Marshal. A nonfiction work about combat
during the Korean War. Book covers many significant topics like Chinese
military tactics; how U.S. and Korean troops worked together;
communication on the battlefield; leadership and organization; the impact
of terrain on battle; and types of weapons used.
Leadership
“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several
lives while reading.”
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It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have
read an old one in between.
C.S. Lewis
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37. Napoleon – Evil Ludwig. This book tells the story of Napoleon, a
man of extra- ordinary qualities and brilliant military commander. It is
about his striking military campaigns, mighty wars, conquests and also
reasons for his downfalls.
Gen Reading
Benjamin Franklin
YOUNG OFFICERS
(7 TO 15 YEARS OF SERVICE)
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40. The Art of War – Jomini. This work is in the same vein as
Clausewitz‘s On War and some critics say superior to it in some aspects.
It covers the salient aspects of strategy, grand tactics (operational art) and
battles, logistics and combined arms. A complementary companion to ‗On
War‘.
If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
Oscar Wilde
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50. Air Power and Joint Operations – Air Commodore Jasjit Singh.
Highlights the need for a greater understanding of air power and joint
operations in the Indian Military.This significant work by Air Commodore
Jasjit Singh enhances our understanding of employment of air power and
its role in joint operations in the Indian Sub Continent.
I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.
Harold Kushner
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51. The Next World War – John Adams. Explores the contours of
the information revolution in all its forms from exploitation of media as an
agent of political change in international relations to cyber warfare in a
very readable format for the lay reader.
52. Allvin & Heidi Toffler – War and Anti War. Alvin and Heidi
Toffler are futurists who's line of work on the future of power and warfare
provides the backdrop to this influential book which has identified that
contours of the information and knowledge age and how it will affect the
way we conduct war and also antiwar or peace.
Military History
54. The Bear Trap – Brig Mohammad Yousaf and Major Mark Atkin.
Highlights the role and functioning of the ubiquitous Pakistani intelligence
agency the Inter Services Intelligence or ISI and its role in the Afghan war
against Soviet invasion by an officer who was tasked to co-ordinate these
operation. Denotes functioning of a modern intelligence organization
supported by the state.
Alan Bennett
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59. War in the Gulf : Lessons for the Third World – Brig VK Nair,
VSM (Retd). The Gulf War 1991 demonstrated the variation in waging
conventional conflict between the modern, Western Armies and Third
World Armies as that of Iraq. Analysis of the lessons of this War from the
Third World perspective is essential to highlight applicability of the same
in our context provided by the author.
60. History of First World War – Liddell Hart. The First World War
some military analysis feel is anachronistic in the information warfare age
of today. However it is the matrix of modern warfare, where coalitions and
not nations fight wars at a global scale. Liddell Hart is ideally suited to
provide a perspective on the First World War with its background, major
campaigns, strategy, tactics and lessons learnt.
Lyndon Johnson
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63. The Bear Went over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in
Afghanistan - Grau, Lester W. To capture the lessons their tactical
leaders learned in Afghanistan and to explain the change in tactics that
followed, the Frunze Military Academy in Russia compiled this book for
their command and general staff combat arms officers. It provides an
intimate look at the brutal business of Counter insurgency operations.
Leadership
No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender
yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
Confucius
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There is no excuse for a literate person to be lecs than three thousand years old in his mind.
Liddel Hart
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General Reading
The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power and to keep reading.
David Bailey
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WORLD WAR II
Burma Campaign
35. Defeat into Victory Slim
36. Report to Combined Chiefs of staff by Mountbatten
SACSEA
37. Reconquest of Burma Dr.Bisheshwar Prasad
38. The Campaign in Burma Frank Owen
Arab-Israel War
63. Return to Sinai Maj Gen DK Palit
64. No Victor No Vanquished Edger O‘balance
65. Duel for Golan Jerry Ashes
66. War of Atonement Chaim Herzog
67. The Israeli Army Edward Luttmak & Dan Horowitz
68. 6 Days of War Michael Oren
69. Street without Joy Bernarel B Fall
70. The Arab Israeli War (1967-1973) Ken Gonslves
Vietnam War
71. People‘s War People‘s Army VON Giap
72. War in Vietnam Edgar O‘Balance
73. Street Without Joy B Fall
74. Vietnam: A History Stanley Karnow
75. Dien Bein Phu: The Epic Battle America Howard R Simpson
Forgot
76. We are Soldiers Still : AJourney back to the Harold G Moore
Battle of Vietnam
Korean War
77. Korea- The Limited War David Rees
78. Korea 1950-52 Edgar O‘ Balance
79. Our Men in Korea Eric Linklater