Mrs.Cicero Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I'm designing my youngest kid's 11th and 12th grade history curriculum. (Yes, she's homeschooled). She has specifically requested Military History for the next two years, eventually to include strategy and tactics. This is my I-wanna-be-a-tank-mechanic-in-the-Marines child, so I've already pulled up the Commandant's reading list. What books on that list would you most highly recommend for this purpose? What is NOT on that list would you add/recommend? Thanks all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Is there a link to the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 https://www.amazon.com/Old-Breed-At-Peleliu-Okinawa/dp/0891419063/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19NVJZKGP93J4&keywords=sledge%2C+eugene.+with+the+old+breed&qid=1581019359&sprefix=sledge%2C+e%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 She does realize that the Marine Corps doesn't have tanks, right? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G21H30 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 5 minutes ago, tous said: She does realize that the Marine Corps doesn't have tanks, right? You might want to look at this ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Armor_battalions_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 I stand corrected. Who the heck ever thought giving Marines tanks was a good idea? We don't let them have ships; for a good reason. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borg warner Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 19 minutes ago, tous said: She does realize that the Marine Corps doesn't have tanks, right? A good friend of mine who served in Korea though he was never deployed, was a tank gunner, chosen for his small stature. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaBud Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Whenever asked, i always recommend this: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242067.Give_Us_This_Day 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Cicero Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 3 hours ago, gwalchmai said: Is there a link to the list? yep - https://www.usmcofficer.com/marine-corps-knowledge/commandants-reading-list/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Cicero Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Borg warner said: A good friend of mine who served in Korea though he was never deployed, was a tank gunner, chosen for his small stature. Well, she's certainly tiny - 5'3" and 100# soaking wet. She has to gain some weight to make the minimum standard, but she has 2 years to do it, so I'm not worried about that. I told her she has to be able to lift heavy tank parts, so she slings hay bales and kettlebells. And hikes all over the place with a backpack full of dumbbells and water bottles (I go with her carrying nothing, and drink her water bottles when I get thirsty. This cracks us up). This week and next she is with her dad and his uncle, hiking around AZ hunting javelina. I'm waiting to hear how she does at 20 miles a day, because she has never done more than 10 before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Cicero Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 Please suggest more books, and movies, and even games (just don't make me play Risk with her). It's homeschool, so we can do anything... I'm waiting for one of the kids to ask if she can enlarge a potato gun enough to shoot pumpkins across our lower fields... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borg warner Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, Mrs.Cicero said: Well, she's certainly tiny - 5'3" and 100# soaking wet. She has to gain some weight to make the minimum standard, but she has 2 years to do it, so I'm not worried about that. I told her she has to be able to lift heavy tank parts, so she slings hay bales and kettlebells. And hikes all over the place with a backpack full of dumbbells and water bottles (I go with her carrying nothing, and drink her water bottles when I get thirsty. This cracks us up). This week and next she is with her dad and his uncle, hiking around AZ hunting javelina. I'm waiting to hear how she does at 20 miles a day, because she has never done more than 10 before. She sounds like an exceptional young lady but I don't know if the Marine Corps still has tank gunners like they did back in the early 1950's. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minervadoe Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 You can't really go wrong with any book by Michael Shaara. They are well researched and bring the battle to life with a mix of fictional and actual characters. Two relevant novels are: The Frozen Hours: A Novel of the Korean War This novel tells the story of the valiant efforts of U.S. Marines to hold ground in harsh winter conditions deep in North Korea. The Final Storm: A Novel of the War in the Pacific (World War II) This novel gives an account of the hellish conditions that Marines fought under in WWII. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWARREN123 Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Have you gotten in touch with the Marine Corps and reqested information on the areas she is interested in? Most if not all service branches would be happy to help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Just a few from my shelves. Death Traps: The survival of an American Armored Division in World War II By Cooper. Another river, Another Town by Irwin Cutthroats: The a adventures of a Sherman tank driver in the Pacific by Robert Dick Brothers in Arms: The Epic story of the 761st tank batalion by Kareem Abdul-Jabar (Ayep, the basketball dude) Panzer Ace: The war memoirs of Richard Freiherr Von Rosen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 The art of warfare starts with the ancient Greeks. By reading of the ancient Greeks and their war expertise, you learn where most basic development of techniques, offensive and defensive, and why. Remember Patton believe himself to be a reincarnated Greek warrior and he studied Greek warfare in great depth. A great side benefit is that, at the same time, you learn about the Ancient Greeks, and world affairs at that point in time. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Mrs.Cicero said: Well, she's certainly tiny - 5'3" and 100# soaking wet. She has to gain some weight to make the minimum standard, but she has 2 years to do it, so I'm not worried about that. I told her she has to be able to lift heavy tank parts, so she slings hay bales and kettlebells. And hikes all over the place with a backpack full of dumbbells and water bottles (I go with her carrying nothing, and drink her water bottles when I get thirsty. This cracks us up). This week and next she is with her dad and his uncle, hiking around AZ hunting javelina. I'm waiting to hear how she does at 20 miles a day, because she has never done more than 10 before. Remember, the men she will be with probably have never walked twenty blocks before. Determination will prevail! Another point. A wise man once said, "Give me a lever large enough and I will move the Earth!". Edited February 7, 2020 by janice6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 By tank into Normandy by Hills Tank Commander: From the fall of France to the defeat of Germany by Close Panzer destroyer: The memoir of a red army tank commander by Krysov Red Army Tank Commander: At war in a t-34 by Bryukhov Through Hell for Hitler: By Metalmann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 2 hours ago, DWARREN123 said: Have you gotten in touch with the Marine Corps and reqested information on the areas she is interested in? Most if not all service branches would be happy to help. I've often though being a historian within the military must be one of the greatest jobs on the planet. I met one once. An army historian. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie-pete Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Just remind her that in three of the services the bad guys shoot at the enlisted folk. In the Air Force, the bad guys shoot at the Officer folk. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 3 hours ago, Mrs.Cicero said: Please suggest more books, and movies, and even games (just don't make me play Risk with her). It's homeschool, so we can do anything... I'm waiting for one of the kids to ask if she can enlarge a potato gun enough to shoot pumpkins across our lower fields... Hell i want to do that. Can i get a couple graduate school hours out of it? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 May I suggest that she study failures in battle rather than victories? Start with Xerxes at Thermopylae and the Roman Empire trying to subdue the Northern English tribes. For a more contemporary view, consider The American Revolution, Napolean at Trafalgar, Custer at Little Big Horn. Good commanders, bad decisions. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyjohnson Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 we were soldiers once, and Young By Col. Hal Moore. the art of war by Sun Tzu On Killing By Dave Grossman 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Cicero Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 4 hours ago, DWARREN123 said: Have you gotten in touch with the Marine Corps and reqested information on the areas she is interested in? Most if not all service branches would be happy to help. The local recruiter finishes his two year stint in that job in June, so she's waiting til the new one starts - just easier that way for everyone (and I told her I'm not signing any papers for her at 17 until she finishes Algebra and Geometry, (I won't issue her diploma til she's finished everything), and by the time she does that, she'll be 18 and won't need my signature to enlist anyway. In the meantime, she is just looking online for info. I'm not going to do that for her - I'm responsible for her high school curriculum, but not her career, or any further education. That's on her to do. What info I've gotten is out of my own curiosity... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Cicero Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 2 hours ago, janice6 said: Remember, the men she will be with probably have never walked twenty blocks before. Determination will prevail! Another point. A wise man once said, "Give me a lever large enough and I will move the Earth!". Heh. The guys she's with this week and next do this hunt (and several others) every year, 20 miles a day won't phase them at all. My husband's uncle is pushing 70 and still runs nearly every day. I can't keep up with that man. Of course, I have to point out that part of the reason they end up doing 20 miles a day, is that they get lost every year. So I made her take the good Garmin, paper topo maps and a couple compasses, and told the guys they damn well better teach her how to use them... so maybe they'll actually use them themselves...I hope. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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