Tom Lewis certainly had me rethinking a lot of my views in his book, The Truth of War.
It discusses various aspects of war and poses many questions. For example, is it right that we expect your average Joe to go off to fight a war where they are expected to kill?
But, then we place all sorts of rules on what they can and can’t do while fighting this battle. All while we sit at home watching our TV shows just to lay judgment when they return home because in the moment they had shot and killed an innocent person.
How can we judge when we have never been to war?
This book really made me think and gave me a new type of respect and understanding for those who have gone off to fight for our freedom.
Imagine if every minute of every day, your life and the lives of your fellow soldiers were on the line. Then, suddenly without warning, there is a swift movement towards you. Do you shoot or wait to fully establish if that movement is a risk or not? That delay could cause the end of your life. Often it’s a situation of getting in first or being lost forever.
Obviously, this is not a feel good book. It’s one for those who love something with grit and something to make them reflect — for them, this book is perfect.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Truth of War by Tom Lewis. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
Im a Mum of 3 beautiful girls.
An avid reader that loves to travel but lacks the funds to venture far and wide constantly. A perfumeaholic with an addiction to beauty and skincare.
If not found with my head in a book or on a plane I can be found spending hours upon hour in Doctors and Hospital waiting rooms as part of my job as a Carer
The Truth of War – Lethality in Combat, a Study of the Real Nature of Battle by Tom Lewis (Big Sky Publishing) discusses the realities of war and combat, with the author’s primary objective seemingly to give readers some understanding of the pressures on soldiers during war – both physical and mental.
The book is broken into three sections which consider:
– [ ] the necessity of killing;
– [ ] the taking of prisoners;
– [ ] and the targeting of civilians.
The author contends that whole point of warfare is to be lethal and it follows that a soldiers role is to ‘exterminate the enemy’. He also suggests that because war is not mainstream or the normal way of things, war therefore possesses its own set of rules that often diverge from society’s established laws and values.
He notes that in war, survival depends on behaviours that many who are unaware of battlefield realities would find abhorrent…It is a matter of Kill or be killed. It prompts one to think what can be legally or ethically excused.
So one key message of the book is that what really goes on in war time – the gruesome reality, is often watered down for public consumption. The truth is sanitised, made more palatable. Against this background it is easy to see how at the end of a war a soldier’s readjustment to peace time and the normal rules of society can be difficult.
An interesting book.
This is a not a book for an afternoon read by the pool , it will seriously invite you to question some of your beliefs and ethical /moral attitudes toward war . One particular section seems to me the basis of the whole narrative “ Shakespeare have us the line “Cry ‘Havoc’, and let slip the dogs of war .”We need to re evaluate our understanding of what happens when the dogs of war are let off the leash . If we want lethality from warriors, then we will also have to understand the human nature of the warriors that we let go : they will kill with ferocity , and the genie cannot be put back in the bottle .” ( ref ; Pg 3 introduction ) . I read the book carefully and it took a while to digest all the information but I believe it is an amazingly provocative piece of skilled workmanship and well worth the time it takes to explore in depth what TomLewis is presenting
Wars are a part of our uncertain life and wish they would all just stop but that will never happen.
Reading this book educated me more about the many wars that have been around. It really opened my eyes out more on the going ons in wars. It’s just not about shooting and bombing, it is cruel things that happen during the war where they just can’t be controlled.
My husband was in Vietnam as an Engineer and he has told me of stories that he witnessed but he wasn’t in the fighting area. Children so young being shown and taught what to do is so heartbreaking. A couple of stories that the author wrote about I could relate to as my husband told me the same things. Children as young as 7 smoking or offering their services to the soldiers.
Tom Lewis the author has given stories from not only WWI, WWII, Korean & Vietnam, Falklands War, Iraq & Afghanistan but has given indepth storytelling of how it all actually was perceived in all of these wars.
I am amazed at how hard it would be in any of these wars as to who you could trust or who you couldn’t. There are drawings in the book to tell soldiers how to spot a Jap from your allies. The drawings show the difference but honestly, I would be no good as a soldier as I couldn’t tell them apart and would have no idea who the enemy was.
There are a few other pictures in the book and at the back of the book are references which are mentioned in each Chapter.
Having been to Pearl Harbour in Hawaii it was interesting reading more about that time also.
I will admit, some pages had me tearing up especially where children and families were involved. A story of a woman holding a baby in her arms and crying. The Sergeant shot both of them as they had noticed a grenade under the baby’s blanket. The mother was so afraid to sacrifice her child to kill the soldiers so the Sergeant had to take the initiative in shooting them. The elements of war are kill or be killed. Even as I type this I am tearing up.
WWII I know a little more about due to my father joined when he was 17 but he had put his age up to 18 as he just wanted to be a soldier. He ended up being a Captain for which he continued way after the war ended.
His story is actually in the Australians @ War film Archives which was done in 2003. An interviewer came to my dad’s house to do an hour talk with him and that hour turned into a whole day to create five 3 hour DVDs back then. They were going to release them in 100 years but because it was all so interesting, it is now on the Archives to read or listen to.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace, BigSkyPublishing for sending me this book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from start to finish. I did find the printing to be a bit smaller than what I usually like but once I started reading, it was fine. p.s. I think my new glasses I got worked better with the print also. To Tom Lewis the author you have written this book to really capture the people’s views and I know my husband is now itching to read it.
The Truth of War, Lethality in Combat, A Study of the Real Nature of Battle is exactly as the title describes. It delves into the complexities and atrocities experienced in every war in modern times and is superbly written in an unbiased, truthful manner by Tom Lewis.
It is divided into three distinct sections for the reader;
‘Enthusiastic Warriors the Necessary Face of War,’
Prisoner Taking and the Reality of Combat
and finally Targeting Civilians: Who is the Enemy.”
Each section brilliantly depicts actual accounts from these horrific times in history.
It is definitely not a book for lovers of fiction, or those who do not want to be confronted with the awful truth of war and its aftermath!
I found it compelling reading as I have a particular interest in accurate historical data. Be aware that the font size is quite small and does become a bit challenging after a period of time.
The Truth of War would make great reading for those who have an interest in truth, historical events and human nature as a whole.
The Truth is compelling!
“The Truth of War” by Tom Lewis is a thought-provoking book that explores the awful realities of military combat.
The book delves deep into controversial aspects of war, such as the imperative of killing, the ethical considerations around the treatment of prisoners and the moral complexities around hurting civilians. It pushes readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the real nature of battle.
The book is a valuable resource for war enthusiasts, history buffs and anyone studying or seeking a deeper understanding of the brutal aspects of war. It serves as a compelling reminder that to comprehend the true nature of battle, you will need to confront the uncomfortable reality that goes along with it. Whilst this is not a typical choice for my reading list, it certainly compelled me to re-evaluate my thoughts on war. Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I wasnt expecting to enjoy this book and it was very different to what I thought it was going to be!
The Truth of War conducts a thorough exploration of the contentious aspects of military combat, delving into topics such as the necessity of killing, the intricate decisions surrounding the treatment of prisoners, and the complex dilemmas related to the targeting of civilians. This book challenges conventional beliefs, asserting that war operates under its own set of rules, often diverging from established societal laws and values.
At its core, the book grapples with the harsh reality that soldiers engaged in close-quarter combat must swiftly adapt to become efficient killers for survival. It underscores the stark choice they face: either hone their lethal skills or face perilous demise. The author argues that the demands of war necessitate an unflinching acceptance of this disturbing truth.
The author provides a comprehensive examination of the ethical dilemmas faced by soliders in different situations. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, The Truth of War strips away the layers of sanitized perceptions, revealing the gritty realities within the realm of warfare.
In unveiling the hidden truths and complexities of war, this insightful and thought-provoking book illuminates the multifaceted nature of combat. It encourages readers to reassess preconceived notions and confront the uncomfortable truths at the heart of humanity’s most enduring and controversial endeavor—war.
Wow, The Truth of War by Tom Lewis was written so well, it was unbiased but really opens you up to what soldiers must feel when they’re sent to war. Seeing the things that they see and feel it’s hard to imagine those images and events not changing you. This book is good for anyone who likes anything to do with war or who’d like to learn more about what happens when men and women go off to war. It was an eye opener of a book and an emotional one.
The Truth of War, Lethality in Combat, A Study of the Real Nature of Battle by Tom Lewis is a thorough depiction of what happens when soldiers are sent to war.
War is not a simple matter and by exploring every aspect of what decisions are made by and for soldiers, it gives civilians an understanding of the true sacrifice men and women who are placed in these situations give.
Tom Lewis provides an unbiased account of stories told from WW1 to Afghanistan by those who were trained to fight in these situations.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this insightful and thought provoking book.