A list of all of Doc Werlin’s writings pertaining to history.
The Nuremberg Trials from 1945-1949 provide an understanding of the nature and causes of evil. Those who come to the trials expecting to find sadistic monsters are generally disappointed. What is shocking about Nuremberg is [...]
The title I chose, A Country Named Intrepid, reflects my feelings that we perverted of the wholesome counter intelligence efforts of a by-gone era. Specifically, a wonderful book called, A Man Named Intrepid, described the [...]
"Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" By Dan Senor and Saul Singer Dan Senor and Saul Singer provide incisive explanations for how 7.1 million Israelis, surrounded by enemies and with no natural resources, [...]
By James McPherson Courtesy Library of Congress Lincoln, McClellan (facing him) and other Union officers on the Antietam battlefield. Introduction: James M. McPherson’s “Tried by War” explained the evolution of the president’s role as commander [...]
His assassination provided the spark that ignited the Great War June 28, 1914 Sir Earl Grey “The Lights are going out all over Europe, and we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” [...]
By T.J. English Introduction: Havana Nocturne brings to life a by-gone era. It is more than just a compelling story about the Mafia’s goal to create a gambling empire in Cuba. It provides an insight [...]
In 1935, the American High Commissioner for German Refugees, James. G. McDonald, resigned from the League of Nations to protest German anti-Semitic policies. The league found itself in an awkward position with regard to the [...]
INTRODUCTION If I were an excellent cartoonist like my friend, Mel Gerstein, I would draw a cartoon of Franklin Roosevelt, with a cigarette holder clenched in his mouth holding up the world like the mythical [...]
I recently completed an enjoyable book, A First Class Temperament. This work seeks to capture the essence of Franklin Roosevelt’s personality. President Roosevelt was indeed a remarkable person. A man who suffered such debilitating paralysis [...]
"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your [...]
FDR v. the Constitution A book by Burt Solomon “The Success of Democratic institutions lies in the success of the processes of reason as opposed to tyranny of force, between these, society must choose. If [...]
By Allis Radosh and Ronald Radosh Dust Jacket “Even though I knew how the story would end, A Safe Haven still had me sitting on the edge of my seat, watching Harry Truman weigh the [...]
Over the past few years I have enjoyed immensely Fateful Choices, Ten Decisions that Changed the World, 1940-1941 by Ian Kershaw. This essay is devoted to the Japanese Decision to Attack Pearl Harbor. Their choice [...]
“Berlin is the key to Germany. Germany is the key to Europe.” --Joseph Stalin Nearly two decades since its demise, the Berlin Wall has largely faded from our thoughts. But Frederick Taylor's latest book revives [...]
Battle of Stalingrad 08/21/1942—2/02/1943 Overview The Battle of Stalingrad is considered by many historians to been the turning point in World War II in Europe. In essence, the battle bled the German army dry in [...]
"Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade…. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march [...]
The spectacular festivities that opened the Beijing Olympics visually portrayed the optimistic forecasts of economist Jeffrey Sachs, who said, "China is the most successful development story in world history." Most economists feel that sometime in [...]
In 2003, a Goldman Sachs economic team led by Jim O'Neill focused on the positive prospects of four developing countries -- Brazil, Russia, India and China, or "BRIC." In a paper "Dreaming with BRICs: The [...]
I have been captivated by the declining fortunes of the Big Three -- General Motors, Ford and Chrysler -- since I spent 1968 doing post-graduate research at Oxford on these automakers. Needless to say, their [...]
Introduction: Several major developments have coalesced to induce long-standing enemies Israel led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syria under “President” Basshar Assad to embark on peace talks in Turkey. First of all, the exorbitant [...]
Introduction: I want to say at the outset that I have never personally met Senator Clinton. On the other hand, I was briefly a friend of Bill (FOB), some forty years ago. That is, we [...]
After in total listening for some two hours of newscaster’s analysis of Ms. Clinton’s surprising upset victory in New Hampshire, I turned off my television, fearing that my remaining grey cells would vanish if exposed [...]
By Tim Weiner Legacy of Ashes provides a most compelling readable compilation of the many failures and very few successes of the CIA during its 60-year history. The author, a Pulitzer Prize Winner and writer [...]
On January 2, 2007 the Wall Street Journal provided a wonderful review of the year’s events. I thought I would highlight some of these events and mention some of the year’s major themes. The year [...]
"The United States government did something that was wrong—deeply, profoundly, morally wrong. It was an outrage to our commitment to integrity and equality for all our citizens... clearly racist." "To the survivors, to the wives [...]
The following entries are posted for those who may have a passing interest in some military history. I was doing some informal research on the late Admiral H.G. Rickover, who oversaw the USN nuclear power [...]
“He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision—he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath--"The horror! The horror!” --Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Introduction: In 1899 [...]
A significant amount of media attention has been generated by the Clinton advertisement on her ability to respond to a crisis phone call at 3:00. Let me make several points: 1) The advertisement was successful [...]
By Sir Martin Gilbert (Official Biographer for Winston Churchill) Introduction: Martin Gilbert wrote Churchill and the Jews for several reasons: First of all, Gilbert wanted to highlight Churchill’s moral courage. His fondness for Jews was [...]
The only possible negotiation is war (1954-1962) French minister of Interior, Francois Mitterand “ The only possible negotiation is war” The Algerian War of Independence effectively ended colonial rule throughout the world. After [...]
I have just completed listening to a course Abraham Lincoln, In His Own Words, which was taught by Professor David Zarefsky. I was so inspired by this course that I thought I would try to [...]
By David Halberstam Although David Halberstam’s final book, The Coldest Winter, desperately needed editing, I am glad that I plodded through his narrative of the Korean War. Over the years, I enjoyed immensely Halberstam’s ability [...]
Over the past year, I have been fascinated by articles in the New York Times regarding the failure of the Interior Department to collect billions of dollars annually from oil and gas companies that drill [...]
“You must understand that Germany will never on its own move to attack Russia… If you provoke the Germans on the border, if you move forces without our permission, then bear in mind that heads [...]
“This whipped jackal, Mussolini, who to save his own skin made all Italy a vassal State of Hitler’s Empire, comes frisking up at the side of the German tiger with yelping not only of appetite…but [...]
