Customer Reviews

Continent Ablaze: The Insurgency Wars in Africa 1960 to the Present

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For anyone interested in insurgency / counterinsurgency warfare in Africa between 1970 and 1990, this book is mandatory reading. Replete with the sort of detail frustratingly absent in other studies, Continent Ablaze's focus on sub-Saharan Africa allow the reader to fully appreciate the complex interations of conflicts occuring simultaneously throughout the region. As the previous reviewer indicates, this work is not strong on the politics driving these conflicts (although it certainly provides enough detail apprecite the general picture): thus an unbiased companion political volume should be sought (good luck!). However, Continent Ablaze is a very well written book whick could serve as both an ideal entry point to the subject matter and as a supplement to further other reading. Truly excellent work.

Detailed operational histories are standard for many modern wars, but quite rare in Africa. Continent Ablaze is thus a good addition to Africa's military history. Turner deftly, even exuberantly, describes the continent's bitter and protracted conflicts, with coverage heavily weighted toward the Apartheid wars involving South Africa. Time spent observing the South African Defense Force bolsters his reading. This feel for combat strengthens the book, but also crucially weakens it because his judgements often reflect the views of the SADF and others who fought majority rule in southern Africa. Turner knows the politics of these struggles; he details the origins of conflicts and peace talks, and remarks briefly on how war affected ordinary people. But his zest for counterinsurgency limits readers' grasp of the political dimensions, particularly the violence and hardship endured by civilians. South Africa and its surrogates upheld cruel and illegal governments, committing plenty of atrocities (as did many opponents) in a doomed contest against African nationalism. The tales of military ops are fine, but this one-dimensional work must be read with more critical, sensitive accounts. See R. Kapuscinski, Another Day of Life (Angola); N. Kriger, Zimbabwe's Guerrilla War; R. Gordon, The Bushman Myth (Namibia); C. Nordstrom, A Different Kind of War Story (Mozambique); and S. Nolutshungu, Limits of Anarchy (Chad).