Blue on Blue: A History of Friendly Fire [Paperback]

Geoffrey Regan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

Chronicles incidents in which an army's troops have been killed and wounded by their own comrades through blunders, panic, mistakes, and errors in judgment, from ancient times to the Persian Gulf War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Geoffrey Regan has written a frightening and important work that should be read by every member of the military. Regan, a well-known British military historian, specializes in the area of military blunders. His most recent work has been nominated for a Wolfson Prize. --Major the Rev. Arthur Gans, The Canadian Military Journal --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Geoffrey Regan is a military historian. He is the author of many books including Military Blunders, Naval Blunders and Royal Blunders. He lives in Surrey, England. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 258 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (P) (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380776553
• ISBN-13: 978-0380776559
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,347,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Overview of the History of 'Friendly Fire', December 28, 2002

By 

Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue on Blue: A History of Friendly Fire (Paperback)

British historian, Geoffrey Regan, offers an insightful account of what is know as `Friendly Fire' or `blue-on-blue engagements'. Basically, soldiers are killed and maimed by their own side. Regan attempts to trace the history of these incidents from the time of Alexander the Great to the Gulf War. He does so quite well and the reader comes away wondering how in the hell these things could happen.

Through the Ancient and Medieval period, through the Napoleonic and US Civil War to WW1 and WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, the Falklands, and the Gulf War. Some incidents I had heard of like the American bombing fiasco during Operation Cobra in 1944 but others I never knew had occurred. The author attempts to explain how and why these friendly fire incidents occurred and the affects of friendly fire on the soldiers. Most of the stories seem to involve the British Commonwealth forces and the Americans. Very little from the Japanese, Russian and German sides but then again maybe the sources were not available.

Overall this is a very interesting account of a little know military subject and maybe our Military Commanders and Politicians should read the book. Anyone interested in military history should read this book. And as Norman Schwarzkopf said "no fire is friendly".

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Book!!!, February 23, 1999

By 

Man of La Book (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blue on Blue: A History of Friendly Fire (Paperback)

This book is an excellent reference for military buffs, something a bit out of the ordinary of military literature. The subject is very interesting, and each incident comes with some background material to explain the cause and confusion behind it.

This book should be read by all men and women who wish the military as a career.