Customer Reviews

The Folly of War - American Foreign Policy, 1898-2005

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The author, an experienced teacher of diplomatic history, has given us a very useful survey of US foreign policy from 1898 to 2005. He shows how all America's wars, except World War Two, have been corrupt in origin, vicious in execution, and disastrous in effect.

He has great knowledge of the various ploys that have been used to embroil states in wars and to persuade the gullible that the wars were just.

For example, in 1915, the British Admiralty gave the Cunard passenger liner Lusitania no destroyer escort. British government agents had illegally loaded her with explosives and other munitions. The week before she sailed, Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, wrote to the President of the Board of Trade that it was `most important to attract neutral shipping to our shores, in the hope especially of embroiling the United States with Germany'. When a German U-boat sank the Lusitania, it was a big step towards the US entry into the war.

Schmidt denounces the US state's wars, against Korea, Vietnam and Iraq as colonial and genocidal. He shows how the US state has used its assets to start wars, as in 1980 when US Secretary of State Brzezinski used Saddam Hussein, telling him that the US government would not object to `an Iraq move against Iran'. Saddam attacked, starting an eight-year war that killed 1.5 million people.

At the end of the 1990 war against Iraq, the US government assured Iraq that its "withdrawing troops would not be attacked." Then, after the ceasefire, USAF and RAF planes carried out the massacre at Mutla Ridge, the infamous `turkey-shoot' on the `Highway of Death', killing thousands of soldiers who had already surrendered, a major war crime.

Quiz questions: who described the First World War as this `glorious delicious war'? Kaiser Bill? Lenin? Or Churchill? Who first used poison gas on Iraqi people? Saddam Hussein? Ayatollah Khomeini? Or Churchill? Clue - the answer to both questions is the same.

I have always thought that we Americans believe that we are a peace loving country slow to anger and only going to war rarely and with the very best of reasons. We always take the high ground, lending assistance to the weak, beating up on the bullies.

Then I look around the world. Sweden, I don't believe, has been at war since the Great Northern War in the 1770's. Switzerland's last war was the Wars of Kappel, an internal religious war in about 1530. Both Sweden and Switzerland maintain standing armies, in Switzerland virtually every male spends time in the Army. And their armies are quite advanced in terms of weapons and electronics. These tend to keep people from attacking them, and they don't go out to attack others.

Why then does the US seem to go to war frequently? In this book Schmidt argues that U.S. foreign policy has been driven by the public's desire to 'do good.' As in we had to destroy Hue in order to save it. Schmidt analyzes the wars the US has fought in the 20th century. The biggest war was World War II. In his discussion of WW II he leans pretty hard on Roosevelt, he seems to take the theory that FDR maneuvered Japan into the attack at Pearl Harbor. He quotes John Toland's book 'Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath,' where Toland claims that Roosevelt knew the attack was coming. This is, however, something that we will never know for sure. Yes, there was a lot of intelligence pointing to the attack. But most people believe that these various bits of information were submerged in a sea of data points and not put together until afterward. Monday Morning Quarterbacking is a lot easier than putting it together before hand.

This is a very interesting view of the wars the US has fought. My one real complaint is that the type is too tiny for my old eyes. More, bigger pages and larger type would have suited me better.

I would recommend this book to anybody who seeks a deeper understanding of American foreign policy. The open minded reader will find the book quite refreshing, as it diverges from the standard vanilla treatment of history, however, some readers will find the book disturbing because it challenges deeply held beliefs that America is always right. Each chapter is logically developed with facts to substantiate claims. I strongly agree with Schmidt's assertion that American foreign policy went awry with devastating effects when our "leaders" decided to abandon the neutrality policies of the founding fathers and instead decided to institute a policy of interference and favoritism.

I think the chapter on World War I is the most important because it illustrates exactly why the founding fathers desired a neutral foreign policy. The Germans did not sink the Lusitania out of so-called naked aggression. They sank the ship because America was secretly supplying war material to Britain and they rightly or wrongly believed that the Lusitania was transporting such material. Had America remained truly neutral, innocent peoples lives would have been spared and History, quite possibly, would have pursued a different course-one without the harsh and punitive Versailles Treaty and one without Adolph Hitler.

Schmidt also emphasizes the pathetic lack of geopolitical knowledge of many of our leaders with President G.W Bush as the most prominent example. Bush never even had the desire to travel to Europe before becoming President. Note, Bush alone is not singled out for criticism nor is this a partisan treatment of foreign policy.

The chapter on the War on Terrorism is important because it illustrates the deception of the Bush Administration regarding the threat of Saddam Hussein. No clear unambiguous evidence has been produced linking Saddam with 911. International Law, in which United States is a signatory, forbids the invasion of any sovereign nation that is not an aggressor. It also should be noted that a declaration of war is required to invade a sovereign state.

There are many other important topics discussed in this chapter including the role of influential Zionists such as Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, and others who years earlier argued for the overthrow of the Hussien regime.

The Folly of War provides a much-needed critique of American foreign policy as well as serving as an accurate and concise historical reference. It may very well be one of the most important books of our time as it serves as a much-needed wake-up call for all Americans who believe in the Republic. In Schmidt's view, the terrorist threat of today is directly related to foreign policy "follies" that are in direct opposition to the views and writings of the founding fathers. I for one, agree.

Looking for a fascinating summer read? Schmidt's history of U.S. wars in the 20th century was a book I haven't been able to put down. Rich with personalities and motivations, our American proclivity to involve our selves in wars through out the world is well documented by Schmidt. You may come away with some unexpected insights.

Before a democracy engages in war, government leaders must convince the citizenry that the cause is just - spread freedom, enhance national security, right wrongs, overcome evil. The virtues of the country and its cause must be extolled and the enemy demonized. Citizens must be aroused to support the war effort with their votes, their financial resources, and their lives.

In this book Professor Schmidt takes a critical look at American wars from the 1898 Spanish American War to the 2003 Iraq War and the continuing War on Terror in terms of how they were sold to the American people and what their costs were to the nation - human, financial, national security, foreign relations, and others. It is presently obvious to all but extreme partisans that the Bush administration used deceit and misrepresentations to sell the Iraq War to the American people. It may come as a bit of surprise to many that the selling of this war is not unique in American history. Schmidt thoroughly documents the lies, distortions, misrepresentations and hidden motives that were involved in the selling of all American wars during this period of time.

Schmidt sees the American people's motives for going to war, in general, as good. They want to make the world a better place - more economically secure, more democratic, more moral, more peaceful, more like America. American presidents have the same good motives for going to war as the people. In addition, however, they are subject to enormous pressures from economic and foreign interests. They have the temptation that comes from commanding the world's greatest military machine. Also, they have great interest in their place in history. War presidents get more attention from historians. Whatever the threshhold-crossing reason for going to war, the citizenry must be convinced the war is necessary and that it will be fought for a good cause.

Professor Schmidt is a dispassionate historian. War by war he examines the influences that led to the war; how, by whom, and why the war was promoted; the opponent's perspective on the war; how the war was conducted; and the costs and consequence of the war to all combatants - especially to America. In each case, including World War II, his carefully reasoned analysis leads to the conclusion that the war accomplished few of its stated goals, did not serve the nation's long-term interests, was a vast waste of human and material resources, and set the stage for future national problems.

The reader will learn a lot of 20th century history by reading The Folly of War. It is not light reading, but it is one of the most interesting, well-documented, well-reasoned, thought-provoking, and informative books I have read. I highly recommend it to anyone who values a critical and honest examination of America's 20th century wars.

There are some fine reviews, so my primary purpose in posting this review is to flag it for the folks that keep an eye on what I read.

My one complaint is the tiny font size. I had to get special glasses from the supermarket to read this book, a $15 cost that should not have been necessary. The publisher made a serious mistake on the font size and I urge that all future printings be at least 11 font. This entire book is in a font normally used for obscure notes, and it takes dedication to get through this. Such valuable material should NOT be so parsimonesouly treated by a publisher, who should have known better.

I am among those that believe that war is a racket and that we live in an unconquerable world where the only possible positive outcome comes from combining the wealth of networks with the new craft of intelligence and free distance learning as well as on demand answers via cell phone, in order to empower the five billion at the base of the pyramid. Only they can create infinite wealth that stabilizes the entire planet in a sustainable fashion.

This author has ventured where few have had the imagination, persistence, or integrity to go. He has taken on the military-industrial establishment, the banks, the rule by secrecy and scarcity mandarins, and he has nailed it. This is a Nobel Prize level effort and I for one am deeply impressed.

His organization is superb, and even his fanciful conversation among all our Presidents is provocative. This is not "turgid text," this is the fabric of history restored and rewoven.

Shortly Medard Gabel will have a book come out entitled "Seven Billion Billionaries," and I urge one and all to buy that book along with this one. They are two sides of the coin. This book is focused on the folly of war (which today costs $900 billion a year across all nations, with the USA being the most spendthrift), while Medard's focuses on the inexpensiveness and achievability of peace and prosperity--in his carefully documented manuscript, every bit the equal of this author's, he shows how $230 billion a year--LESS than a third of what we spend on our varied militaries, could resolve every single one of the high level threats to mankind identified by LtGen Dr. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret), and the other members of this United Nations panel.

I hope this book is put into the digital domain prompty, for the wealth of information it contains will be made all the more valuable as we move to an era of transparent budgets, digital democracy, and constant oversight from the people whose money has been wasted so cruelly all these years.

See my many lists for other recommended readings. Below are a handful of books that complement this one.
War Is a Racket: The Anti-War Classic by America's Most Decorated General, Two Other Anti=Interventionist Tracts, and Photographs from the Horror of It
The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence, and the Will of the People
The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political--Citizen's Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption
Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic (The American Empire Project)
Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions
Wilson's Ghost: Reducing the Risk of Conflict, Killing, and Catastrophe in the 21st Century
Deliver Us from Evil: Peacekeepers, Warlords and a World of Endless Conflict
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism