First to Fight!
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Is First to Fight Really that Good of a Book… Air War College 2 September 2009 By Michael E. Cordero LtCol USMC
First to Fight!
General Al Gray, the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) placed the book First to Fight (FtF) written by Lieutenant General (LtGen) Victor Krulak, on the first Service reading list established in 1988.2 General James Conway, the 34th and current CMC mandated in an All Marine (ALMAR) message
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during May 2007 that all Devil Dogs would read the book FtF and discuss its importance and what it means to them.3 During September 2009, General Conway published another ALMAR that supported his Commanders who recommended retaining FtF as the CMC’s choice.4 Is this book really
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It should be stressed to refer to this book by its full title--First to Fight: An Inside View of the United States Marine Corps- -when mentioning it for by not doing so could lead to allusions that LtGen Krulak meant this book to be a definitive history of the USMC, something it is truly not.12 What it is though is one person’s very insightful view on the major events that took place within the Corps during his years on active duty, especially those controversial events that he has intimate knowledge of to include President Truman’s and General Marshall’s attempts to do severely minimize the USMC roles in the future defense of America.13 It would have been great if before he died last year (2008) if LtGen Krulak could have written a “Part 2” to update/include other important events that have taken place since the early 1980s, especially since his son was the CMC from 1995 to 1999 and the Marine Special Operations Command being created in 2006.14 Finally, three major takeaways that readers of this terrific book should realize are (A) the USMC and the USA can never afford to become complacent for doing so leads to disaster, (B) the USMC must always accomplish the mission and take care of the individual Marine or risk
Task: Provide an essay summarizing MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines, also answer the question of, ‘Why did the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps want every Marine to read MCWP 6-11’, with 1000-1500 words.
Originally this book was given to me by on of my combat instructors in Marine Combat Training(MCT). I wanted to read it but soon found it impossible due to certain time constraints. I lost the book during the transition from M.O.S. school to my current residence. Just recently, I obtained another copy of this book from a fellow Marine who currently works in the same shop.
full ride about the history of our Corps as well as why we are who we are today. Krulak tells
During boot camp, we were taught about the Battle of Fallujah, but after reading this book, I was able to understand so much better. I was able to picture their tactics, strategies, their emotions, and why the Marines were called the “Greatest Generation.”
This book is about the Spartans warrior culture and how it ties into the Marine Corps values, and the present day warrior culture of our Marine Corps.
This book puts emphasis on the transformation of an American citizen into a marine and the importance of sustaining the change. It is imperative because our war fighting ability depends on a lasting transformation not only during the time of the individual’s Marine Corps career but also when he or she returns to their civilian communities.
The Marine Corps Experience, pp. 12 – 31 The Corps today, pp 318 – 335
The book is intended to show readers how the direction and purpose of the Marine Corps has been influenced by many over the years. It shows the pride, determination and love of the Corps and our country that Krulak felt.
10. I believe that every marine should definitely read this book. This book tells about true commitment and courage is about there is a lot to learn from this book. I agree with all the points that the author gave in his writing and think that this book should remain in the commandant’s reading list.
Fields of Fire, by James Webb, is a novel about the Marines who fought in Hoa Basin in 1969. The book is told through the prospective of the Men who were experiencing the fighting and hardships first hand, and it is the most authentic piece of military literature I have ever read. It starts out describing the background stories of the two most prominent characters, Snake, and Robert E. Lee Hodges, JR. After these introductions Webb goes on to describe the Marine’s first tastes of combat, with grit and violence of the jungle warfare that was Vietnam. Hodges and Snake met when Hodges took over as platoon commander of the platoon that Snake was a squad leader in. After all the fighting was done, the story didn 't have a
On November 10th, 1775 the Marine Corps was established in Tun Tavern during the Revolutionary War. Since that time, the Marines have played an important role in securing America’s freedom through countless battles. The Marines have distinguished themselves as an elite force specializing in military tactics which assist in defeating the enemy under any circumstance. The Marine Corps is a small branch with limited personnel which allows them the
Special Forces soldiers work in foreign lands with situations which are not always completely clear from its beginning. The Special Operation Imperatives serve as the base for success by providing the framework to develop and assist the host nation in achieving their desired goals. Through this essay I will use the novel “The Ugly American” (William J. Lederer & Eugene Burdick) to provide context to the benefits of applying such imperatives and the consequences of improper application. I will bring to light the actions of the characters and depict the reasons why the application of the imperative made the character succeed or fail in his desired goal.
Douglas Brinkley uses several testimonies from the men who fought with Companies D, E, and F. These testimonies really bring the book alive, and it helps to tell the tail and connect the reader to the events. The descriptive tools used by Brinkley display a mental picture that is very detailed. These words are often used when Brinkley’s works, and he is a renowned
First to Fight by Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak is where the history, reputation, and truth about the United States Marine Corps meet. Within this 252-page book you will find a combination of historical fact, interesting background, and personal recollection from one of the men who helped shape what the Marines are today. The book is organized in seven different sections, each explaining a different facet of the Marine Corps. The first section explains in detail the struggle of the Marine Corps to survive as an entity over its long history. General Krulak explains how the Marine Corps had to fight for its current status as an equal organization with the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Even a series of Presidents were among those who tried
Steven Pressfield is the author of several books about ancient warfare. He has penned novels about Alexander, The Amazons and strangely enough the game of golf. He was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1943 to a US Navy father (website). He is a former Blue Devil and a former Devil Dog (website). His Duke days preceded his enlistment in The United States Marine Corps (website). It is his experience as a warrior in the employ of the stars and stripes that allow him to write about the hardships of combat with such inspiration. Pressfield wasn’t always an author. He has been an advertising copywriter, schoolteacher, tractor-trailer driver, bartender, oilfield roustabout and attendant in a mental hospital (website). This vast experience allows Pressfield to write such vivid fiction. Gates of Fire is on the reading lists of The Commandant of the Marine Corps, The Naval Academy, and The United States Military Academy at West Point and a favorite of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is ultimately the story of the warrior’s life style and how he conducts himself at home and in war.