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(More customer reviews)William J. Crowe, Jr. was a U.S. Navy submariner who rose to the rank of four-star admiral and served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the U.S. military. With coauthor David Chanoff, Crowe tells his story in the memoir "The Line of Fire: From Washington to the Gulf, the Politics and Battles of the New Military." The book begins with his 1989 visit to the Soviet cruiser _Kirov_, then moves back in time to retrace his entire career. Crowe recounts his education at Annapolis, his service on diesel submarines, his command of the U.S.S. _Trout_, his PhD studies at Princeton, his service in Vietnam as a senior adviser to the Vietnamese riverine force, his tours of duty as NATO Commander-in-Chief for Southern Europe and as Pacific Forces Commander-in-Chief, and his chairmanship with the Joint Chiefs.
As he reviews his long career, Crowe also illuminates the many historic developments to which he was connected: North Korea's capture of the U.S. ship _Pueblo_, the _Achille Lauro_ hijacking, the Reagan-era military conflict with Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, the background and passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act, the conflict over the Strategic Defense Initiative, and more. I was especially interested by his substantial coverage of Operation Earnest Will, the mission to protect Kuwaiti shipping from attacks during the Iran-Iraq War. Also gripping is his account of a high intensity Pentagon war game known as Scylla II.
Crowe offers vivid portraits of the many interesting individuals he encountered over the course of his career: Admiral Hyman Rickover, Caspar Weinberger, Dick Cheney, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, and more. But the most extraordinary portrait in the book is that of Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev, Chief of Staff of the Soviet Union's armed forces. Crowe tells the ironic story of a professional relationship that grew into a friendship that crossed Cold War lines.
Crowe gives readers glimpses into the highest levels of the administrations of Reagan and the first Bush, and in an epilogue he discusses his retirement from military service and his involvement in the 1992 presidential campaign. Crowe's career spanned the Cold War era--he was a participant in and witness to some of the most important developments in 20th century military history. He tells his story in a straightforward, engaging voice. His ideas and experiences are both interesting and, in my opinion, still relevant for our post-9/11 world. Although I especially recommend this book to military professionals, I believe it would be valuable for any person with an interest in 20th century U.S. history. Recommended companion text: "America's Splendid Little Wars: A Short History of U.S. Engagements from the Fall of Saigon to Baghdad," by Peter Huchthausen.
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