Proud Legions [Paperback]

John F. Antal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2000

Not since the publication ten years ago of the New York Times bestselling novel of tank warfare, Team Yankee, has a book captured the essence of modern land combat: not until now!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Recent news stories about North Korea's nuclear capabilities have raised the question of U.S. involvement in a new Korean War, an eventuality the slightly paranoid consciousness of this debut military thriller considers an inevitability. Set in the very near future?a future, Antal suggests, that might even be now?a single U.S. tank battalion is all that stands between the North Korean army and the fall of Seoul. The surprise attack, Operation Daring Thrust, is the brainchild of North Korean Marshal Kim Seung-Hee (aka the Wolf), a man to whom "Americans were not men but merely targets." It's up to Lt. Col. Michael Rodriguez, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 72nd Armor Division, to stop him. Antal, whose nonfiction books such as Combat Team draw on his own experience as battalion commander of an armored division, invests his battle scenes with authoritative detail. He nails his patriotic colors firmly to the mast, and there is a rigid moralizing quality to his conception of the opposing U.S. and North Korean armies. American individualism and pragmatism (embodied by the well-trained responsive strike force) go up against the blind tyranny of a political system in which forced loyalty is guaranteed by fear. The focus remains fixed on strategy and response?a subplot that pits Rodriguez against reporter Alice Hamilton is barely a blip on the radar?in this technical and rawly realistic book. An inside view of the machinations of two armies at war will convince the layman that modern society requires a professional warrior caste?a conclusion Antal will certainly approve.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-A contemporary techno-thriller that departs from the usual format. Instead of the heroes being pilots of cutting-edge aircraft, the characters are soldiers of an American tank battalion in South Korea. The story begins when rogue elements of the North Korean Army stage a coup d'?tat. Faced with a failed economy, the new regime decides to make a lightning military strike into South Korea with the hope of solving its financial woes. After some spectacular initial successes, the North Koreans are on the verge of capturing Seoul. The only unit standing between them and victory is an American tank battalion, equipped with M1A2 Abrams tanks. What follows is a tense, fast-paced story that draws readers into the unit's fight for survival. The author served as the commanding officer of such a battalion and thus writes with authority about the weapons, tactics, and terrain that are so pivotal to the story. Although the book contains much technical data and military jargon, Antal does a good job of explaining the terms. This book will appeal to fans of Tom Clancy and Harold Coyle.
Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 389 pages
• Publisher: Jove (April 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515127841
• ISBN-13: 978-0515127843
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Airman's Review, December 26, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Proud Legions: A Novel of America's Next War (Paperback)

Proud Legions offers the layman the unique opportunity to fight the Korean War from a very personal perspective ... that of an armored battalion. Presented with a series of serious combat situations, the commander of a stranded U.S. Army armor battalion examines his circumstances, develops a plan, and then executes his plan against a numerically superior force charged with all the elan the powerful propaganda machine of North Korea can generate. As either a study in leadership or in armored tactics, this novel offers the airman an opportunity to help the commander on the ground decided the next course of action. Worried about commander's intent and what it means? John Antal walks you through the thought process. How about developing objectives? They are there as well. Executing a maneuver to end run an opponent? Here's a blue-print. In short, here are the basics of armored warfare in a readable, enjoyable format that even an airman can understand. There are some aspects of the book that warrant criticism. It's hardly believable that the armored officer will get the girl. It is equally unbelieveable that airpower is generally unable to contribute during the early stages of a North Korean offensive. However, given that the book is written to articulate the vital importance of armored forces in combat such shortcomings can be easily forgiven. This is a fast paced, can't put it down once you've started it piece of art. I highly recommend its consumption.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PROUD LEGIONS: A WAR WARNING!, May 9, 1999

By 

Eric M. Walters (Virginia Beach, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Proud Legions: A Novel of America's Next War (Paperback)

Current headlines focus national attention on the grubby political messiness of Peace Operations in places U.S. troops have little to no history of being involved in. Because of this, many defense analysts observe that the future of the Armed Forces is executing "non-state" warfare. John Antal's entertaining PROUD LEGIONS is a strong antidote to that kind of view. His Harold Coyle/Tom Clancy style cannot completely divert attention from the terrifyingly plausible strategic background explaining how he sees another Korean War could possibly develop. It provides a powerful argument for the continued existence of conventional U.S. ground forces and combat training. As with most military techno-thriller fiction, ground combat grognards will find many nits to pick; yet the book does not suffer from these in the least. Like his brother Army tank officer author, Harold Coyle, Antal is admittedly selective in his depiction of armored combat with the lastest U.S. hardware and technology. But this is combat fiction at its best; engrossing, fun to read, and useful in showing civilian readers some of the non-stereotypical challenges modern military professionals would be called upon to handle. The narrative moves along briskly, building a degree of suspense towards the ultimate climax-and the ending contains an unexpected discovery. A great light read (especially for long trips and summer beach reading)--well done.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tour de force of Modern War!, February 6, 2000

By 

Brigadier General Thomas Cushing (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Proud Legions: A Novel of America's Next War (Paperback)

Proud Legions is the perfect book for old [and not so old] soldiers to update their perceptions of future combat. It is a novel about the next war in Korea, and it's also a technical tour de force of modern armor--its awesome combat power, defensive technology, and electronic wizardry. Antal approaches the story with an effective Tom Clancy methodology of character vignettes on both sides of the border and carefully weaves them together with a few surprises along the way. Proud Legions is well worth your time. It is informative, and the reader will not soon forget the importance of fielding the best soldiers with the best equipment.