Shootdown: Flight [Paperback]

R. W. W. Johnson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Korean Airlines flight 007 was shot down by a Soviet fighter in 1983, many questions and contradictions emerged that still haven't been answered. Johnson's absorbing study explores the complex affair from various angles and provides a broad context, including an assessment of the strategic balance in Northeast Asia, the use of civilian airlines for espionage and the way international crises are handled by the Reagan administration. Presented here are the four major theories of what happened and why: that Flight 007 strayed off course by accident; that the pilot tried to take a shortcut to save fuel; that the Soviets lured the plane off course through electronic interference with navigational equipment; and that 007 was, as the Soviets have claimed, on a surveillance mission. In the book's piece de resistance, Johnson reruns the sequence of events surrounding the flight as if hypothesis four were true, and most readers will likely agree that it is the only one that makes sense. Johnson is a Fellow in Politics at Oxford. Photos. 50,000 first printing. (June
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Johnson, an Oxford political scientist, reviews publicly available information on the 1983 Soviet downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, and critically evaluates hypotheses put forward to explain the many mysteries still surrounding the tragedy. While acknowledging that the evidence remains incomplete, he concludes that KAL 007 was most likely on a U.S.-directed intelligence mission designed to reveal Soviet air defense radarsa finding similar to that of Alexander Dallin's Black Box ( LJ 5/1/85) and at odds with Richard Rohmer's Massacre 747 (Paperjacks, 1984). Readers will find more detail on many points than in earlier analyses as well as an accusation of Reagan Administration dishonesty on the matter. A readable and useful contribution to the debate. Recommended for most libraries. James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of Georgia Lib., Athens
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (December 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140094741
• ISBN-13: 978-0140094749
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,557,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Average, July 14, 2005

By 

NJGuy "RRR1983" (North Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shootdown: Flight (Paperback)

Shootdown examines Flight 007 in good depth but strays off course in many aspects. Some of the chapters ramble on too much while others the author can barely hide his dislike of Reagan along with members of his administration. When the author sticks to the subject the book does offer alot of information on what really happened to Flight 007.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Arguments for Spy Theory, March 27, 2001

By 

Severin Olson (Hyattsville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shootdown: Flight (Paperback)

In Shootdown, Johnson examines every aspect of KAL flight 007, from the takeoff to the years following the incident. He argues that while no one can 'prove' KAL was on a surveillance mission, the evidence is so overwhelming no other theory should be believed. He does indeed provide considerable evidence for his thesis. The 400 page book chronicles example after example of oddities that only make sense if the flight course was intentional. I am not a believer, but his arguments made me think twice about it all. Although I am no expert on aircraft handling and navigation, and therefore cannot comment on the details of the flight, I am left wondering about a few matters. First of all, what need was there to use a jet for spying when sattelite imagery is even better? Johnson claims the CIA wished to activate Soviet radars. But why is KAL needed for this? The US could have used any plane they wished, including a 747 made up to look civilian. Also, it is argued that no one thought the Soviets would shoot down a civilian airliner, even though another Korean Airlines plane had been shot down by the Russians just five years earlier! It boggles my mind to think that with all the equipment at their disposal, the CIA would feel forced to enlist a private airline to do their work, especially in view of the tremendous risks involved for everyone.