Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of African Soldiers in Politics [Paperback]

Thomas S. Cox (Author, Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

A striking political reality in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1960s was the substitution of military officers for civilians as rulers of a large group of countries. Why did this occur? How have the military regimes functioned? How have army officials interacted with civilian elites? Focusing on the West African state of Sierra Leone, Thomas Cox attempts to answer these and other significant questions. He uses such primary source materials as treason trial transcripts, minutes of civilian advisory board meetings, and interviews with key participants in civil-military relations. In this carefully researched study, Cox reexamines the notion of the military as an effective contributor to the process of political modernization in developing countries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583483136
• ISBN-13: 978-1583483138
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,074,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important book that helped shape US Policy in Sierra Leone, February 13, 2011

By 

Gary "Gary" (Reston, VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of African Soldiers in Politics (Hardcover)

I wrote a review on this book several years ago, but it seems to have vanished from this page. I was deputy ambassador in Freetown, Sierra Leone from 1987-1991. There was a copy of the original edition of this book in my office bookcase. For the first few months it was my only information on the history of the Sierra Leone military and was well recommended by our military ataches based in Monrovia, Liberia. As time passed I developed my own contacts with the military and learned from many of those mentioned in the book, that the information was very reliable. Many of the junior officers described in the book had since risen to high rank including Major General Tarawalli, the leader of the army. The book's description of their earlier activities gave me some measure of the men with whom I was dealing.

The war in Liberia started in my second year in Freetown and spread to Sierra Leone the following year. During that period individuals appeared in Freetown whose identity would have been meaningless to me had it not been for the book. The book's description of early army plotting in the 1960s and 70s and the resulting reaction helped me understand the army's behavior during my tenure. It also explained why the army was so completely unprepared to deal with what started as a relatively small invasion. That knowledge was passed to Washington in many explanatory and reporting cables. My biggest regret was that the US government did not act more vigorously when the invasion began and a terrible tragedy could have been avoided.

There are now many new books available on Sierra Leone history. I can say, however, that at one time one could not have understood what happened in Sierra Leone without reading this book. I still think it is a must read.

Gary H. Maybarduk, PhD, FSO(r)
Deputy Chief of Mission
American Embassy, Freetown 1987-1991

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't bother. Uninformed, poorly written & trite., July 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of African Soldiers in Politics (Paperback)

It is questionable as to whether the author has ever been in Africa, much less been there in the last 25 years. This book is a "graduate student" book report covering second hand information. Don't waste your time or money. Spend the time talking to your family instead.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Out-of-date and uninformed. Very poorly written book., July 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone: A Case Study of African Soldiers in Politics (Hardcover)

This book was of no help in understanding the subject. It appears to have been written by a graduate student who never spend one day in Sierra Leone, much less talked to an African solider. To say it was poorly written is the greatest kindness possible. Thankfully, I can get my money back.