Fighting the Cold War: A Soldier's Memoir (American Warriors Series) - Hardcover

Galvin, John R.; Petraeus, David H.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813161010 ISBN 13: 9780813161013

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky, 2015

Synopsis

When four-star general John Rogers Galvin retired from the US Army after forty-four years of distinguished service in 1992, the Washington Post hailed him as a man ""without peer among living generals."" In Fighting the Cold War: A Soldier's Memoir, the celebrated soldier, scholar, and statesman recounts his active participation in more than sixty years of international history -- from the onset of World War II through the fall of the Berlin Wall and the post--Cold War era.

Galvin's illustrious tenure included the rare opportunity to lead two different Department of Defense unified commands: United States Southern Command in Panama from 1985 to 1987 and United States European Command from 1987 to 1992. In his memoir, he recounts fascinating behind-the-scenes anecdotes about his interactions with world leaders, describing encounters such as his experience of watching President José Napoleón Duarte argue eloquently against US intervention in El Salvador; a private conversation with Pope John Paul II in which the pontiff spoke to him about what it means to be a man of peace; and his discussion with General William Westmoreland about soldiers' conduct in the jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia. In addition, Galvin recalls his complex negotiations with a number of often difficult foreign heads of state, including Manuel Noriega, Augusto Pinochet, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Ratko Mladi?.

As NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during the tumultuous five years that ended the Cold War, Galvin played a key role in shaping a new era. Fighting the Cold War illuminates his leadership and service as one of America's premier soldier-statesmen, revealing him to be not only a brilliant strategist and consummate diplomat but also a gifted historian and writer who taught and mentored generations of students.

About this title

Review:

"A delight to read. The real Galvin -- son of Boston, family man, soldier-scholar, mensch -- comes through on every page.Galvin reveals the people and personalities behind the policy.He artfully showed how the general-statesman navigated political-military issues, lined up the allies, openly consorted with ambassadors, and coordinated with multiple bosses, all while simultaneously developing new warfighting concepts and arms-control proposals. Worth every minute that you invest in it, whether you are a historian, a student of leadership, a NATO-phile, a USSOUTHCOM staffer, or just interested in the Cold War as seen through the eyes of a general raised in Boston's working class" -- Joseph J Collins, Joint Forces Quarterly

"Galvin is a skilled raconteur, and his narrative holds a reader's attention as he moves from story to story.

Galvin's memoir is an entertaining endeavor full of fascinating observations on the personalities and events of the Cold War. It captures the feel of that epoch's waning years as East and West moved toward a wary rapprochement. Reading the book is time well spent for both military personnel and civilians interested in the career of one of the Army's most distinguished officers of the Cold War period, as well as the history of the era itself." -- Army History

"His memoir is superbly written; it will be a treat for all who read it." -- Army Magazine

"It is an intelligent, complete analysis untouched by the hubris and arrogance of so many other leadership biographies.

The colour and texture he provides makes the reader feel part of the discussion -- a skill few writers manage with such effectiveness.

Not only was Galvin a most capable soldier, but he wrote engagingly, with breadth, perspective and humor." -- RUSI Journal

"General Jack Galvin has given us an insightful, important analysis of one of history's mega events -- the Cold War when the future of the planet was at stake. This soldier-statesman was an insider's insider and we should be very grateful for his service and wisdom." -- Tom Brokaw

"Widely respected as a soldier, scholar, and statesman--who stood out in his generation as a brilliant strategic thinker--General Jack Galvin was also a voracious reader with a wonderfully inquiring mind and a keen intellect. The joy he takes in observing, commenting, and writing--with a wry sense of humor--on an extraordinary range of experiences emerges wonderfully in the pages of this book. Fighting the Cold War thus is an exceptional commentary not only on General Galvin's life and times, but also on timeless issues like leadership, strategic thinking, family, and relationships." -- General David H. Petraeus, USA (Ret.), from the foreword

"The Cold War could not have been won, nor ended so peacefully, without individuals like Jack Galvin manning the front lines. Fighting the Cold War is a thoughtful record of service by a distinguished leader in a tumultuous period." -- Henry Kissinger

"Galvin played a vital role in the Cold War, and his experiences spanned much of America's history from the 1960s to the 1990s--from Vietnam to Central America to Europe. In Fighting the Cold War he tells this important story with style and verve." -- Lawrence S. Kaplan, author of The Conversion of Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg: From Isolation to International Engagement

"During his more than forty-five years of service, during which he rose to become NATO Supreme Commander, General Jack Galvin was one of the brightest stars of his profession. Far more than just the memoir of one of the Army's finest, Fighting the Cold War is also the unusually candid, modest and insightful story of an exceptional teacher, scholar and diplomat whose dedication to the nation has made him a role model for us all. His book is a rare gem." -- Carlo D'Este, Author of Patton: A Genius For War

"General Jack Galvin's career spans a critical period in American history, from before the start of Vietnam through the end of the Cold War. His memoir provides a keen personal perspective on all of those events, and reminds us of what we owe to those who have served as he has." -- Francis Fukuyama, author of Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy

About the Author:

General John R. Galvin, USA (Ret.), was dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, USA, and is the author of The Minute Men: The First Fight: Myths and Realities of the American Revolution; Air Assault: the Development of Airmobile Warfare; and Three Men of Boston: Leadership and Conflict at the Start of the American Revolution. He has received numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit and the Army Distinguished Service Medal.

General David H. Petraeus, USA (Ret.)

About this edition

• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0813161010
• ISBN 13: 9780813161013
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 568