Customer Reviews

In The Shadow of Glory

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This is a good book to read especially if you are from Minnesota which I am and had one relative there. We originally went to the Philippines to fight the Spanish which by a twist of fate ended with the USA fighting the Filipinos. It seems that the Filipinos wanted to be the first to take Manila from the occupation by the Spaniards but the USA ended up doing that and caused a war between the USA and the Filipinos. Then our not so intelligent President and military decided to invade all of the Philippines because that country would be a good take off point for further invasion of Asia. Sound familiar? It should. Anyway then of course the USA decided we did not need the Philippines and left only to have to come back when the Japs invaded in WWII. But this is an interesting book if you want to know how wrong wars are started and end.

I had to read this book. I just found my grandfather and he fought in the Spanish American War and Philipine Insurrection. I am not quite finished but so far I have learned quite a bit about this short fought war. And war is hell....I wouldn't want to be fighting in it. There are lots of pictures and I keep looking for grandfather.

The expectations of the previous Civil War soldier generation combined with the youthful volunteers full of boundless energy confronted by the realities of politics on a global stage. The inevitable personal confusion and resulting dismay were result of the Philippine's portion of the Spanish American War.

Admiral Dewey's steel ships battered the wooden Spanish fleet but there were no national heroes, no San Juan Hill, and no glorious result, much like a war fought over half a century later. When the soldiers ended up fighting the people that they were sent to free, the results were tarnished. The author uses his superb command of the historical facts to weave a concise timeline of events.