This book provides vignettes of the author?s experiences that will be of great interest to anyone interested in America?s involvement in world affairs beginning with World War II to the present. As seen through the eyes of a participant, General Sumner tells his "war stories" in a most politically incorrect style. While this is not an autobiography in the conventional sense, the book does trace a rather unusual military career through three wars and an ambassadorship, with excursions into other exciting events of the period. General Sumner?s career spans not only three wars as a participant, but also nearly a decade of diplomatic and political-military service. The reader can pick and choose among a variety of events and characters that have helped to write the history of this era. Not everything he writes will agree with the conventional records of the times. Many of his observations will provide further controversy. But the General tells it as he sees it and the reader can make up his own mind.
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Editorial Reviews
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"Electrifying war stories from a general with half a century on battlefields from Korea to The Pentagon." -- Night Owl Reviews
About the Author
Although Sumner has retired from the military, he is still active in political and business concerns. The founder of three companies, he is currently the Chairman of the Board at Sumner Associates, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Speaking Out on War and Diplomacy,
By Steve Salisbury "Steve Salisbury" (Colombia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Marching On: A General's Tales of War and Diplomacy (Paperback)
In his book "Marching On: A General's Tales of War and Diplomacy" (Red Anvil Press, www.elderberrypress.com), Lieutenant General Gordon Sumner, Jr. (US Army, retired) writes an illuminating memoir of his experiences on the battlefield and as a special envoy for President Ronald Reagan. It provides personal insights of a rising officer on the evolution of the US Army from World War II through the Cold War--including his roles in the Korean, Vietnam, and Yom Kippur wars, as well as in the armed conflicts in Central America.
General Sumner's book also sheds light on the political minefields military officers sometimes encounter upon entering the culture of diplomacy. Gen. Sumner writes that when he was a three-star general heading for perhaps four or even five stars, he asked to be retired from active duty (which was granted) during the administration of President Jimmy Carter, in great part because of Gen. Sumner's disagreement in principle with President Carter over the way the Panama Canal treaties were written. According to Gen. Sumner, on page 89 of "Marching On," the US military's then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. George Brown informed him in the presence of another high-ranking officer that "if I would testify [before Congress] in favor of the treaties, I would be promoted to four-star rank and posted to NATO....I informed General Brown that I was opposed to the treaties as written and would so testify. He could take the promotion and `shove it,' in more elegant language." This stand was a reason that led Gen. Sumner out the door during the Carter administration, but it evidently helped open the door for him to be named ambassador-at-large for Latin America by President Reagan. While some of Gen. Sumner's bureaucratic rivals may have shaken their heads at Gen. Sumner's rise, other people could find refreshing what they may see as Gen. Sumner's outspoken, unafraid willingness to rock the boat when apparently necessary. Whether refusing to testify in favor of something he doesn't believe in--even though such politically-related testimony before Congress could get him promoted--or escaping from Chinese soldiers who briefly captured him as a young man wounded in savage combat during the Korean War, Gen. Sumner shows in his book "Marching On" that he is not going to take any guff. While General Sumner rose to three stars during a long career of very distinguished service in the US Army, he can be awarded five stars for speaking his mind.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An American Hero,
By
This review is from: Marching On: A General's Tales of War and Diplomacy (Paperback)
"Marching On" by Gordon Sumner is more than just a book of war recollections. It is the ultimate American story of a man from humble beginnings who through strength of character and determination climbs to the very top of American politics and diplomacy. Sumner speaks with refreshing frankness of the people he met in his long and interesting career. His stories are entertainingly informative and in some cases shocking. He takes you "behind the curtain" to view events that still affect our world today. It's a great read!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A soldier's view of history and politics,
By
This review is from: Marching On: A General's Tales of War and Diplomacy (Paperback)
From Korea, when he is encircled and captured by the Chicoms to the halls of the Pentagon, from the Panama invasion to Israeli spying, to Carter's cold reception at the White House, Sumner tells it like it is. This slim volume is a sucker punch to the gut of conventional wisdom. Read it if you dare.
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