Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/News/September 2018/Book reviews




 * By Indy beetle

The Katangese Gendarmerie was probably one of the most influential yet least known fighting forces of the 20th century—so unknown that, as of the time of writing, it doesn't even have a proper Wikipedia article. The Katangese Gendarmes and War in Central Africa: Fighting Their Way Home, written by long-time researcher Erik Kennes and Oxford professor Miles Larmer, seeks to rectify this problem. The authors—who both have produced African material before—offer a comprehensive history of the army from its origins in the Belgian Congo's brutally disciplined Force Publique to its modern incarnation as a splintered, secessionist-dreaming Mai-Mai insurgency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

However, the title is slightly misleading. The book would perhaps best be more honestly represented with the name The Katangese Gendarmes and Political Conflict in Central Africa. Though they certainly focus on the Katangese Gendarmerie, Kennes and Larmer take a distinctly political route with their work. The entire first chapter of the book is devoted to discussion of the history of Katanga Province—its tribal dynamics, its structuring under Belgian colonial rule, the role of mining capital in its development, almost everything. While this certainly informs the ethnic conflicts and secessionist motivations of the force that are laid out in the following sections, it is 21 pages of purely non-military material in a military history. In the opening of the second chapter, they declare their intention to recognize the agency of the Katangese in their 1960–1963 rebellion against the Congolese central government which they feel has not been adequately acknowledged by other literature (which attributes the Katangese conflict to Western imperialist machinations). This stated goal does add a refreshing perspective to Congolese historiography and in itself does not preclude discussion of military affairs, but it clearly attunes the narrative to more political considerations.

Nevertheless, the book does an excellent job of explaining the military policy of Katanga's leadership, detailing the logistical and organisational challenges behind the creation of the gendarmerie, chronicling its development into an irregular resistance group, and analyzing its legacy in Central Africa. The names of specific combat operations, the numbers of troops at any given time, and the changes in command are all included. This is information not likely to be found in any other readily accessible source.

The work draws on many sources for its information and a substantial bibliography is provided. Strangely enough, detailed information on actual engagements is not presented, even when the source material for it is there. In December 1961 the Katangese gendarmerie suffered a serious setback in battle against United Nations peacekeeping forces. This conflict is presented in detail in Catherine Hoskyns' The Congo Since Independence: January 1960 – December 1961—a book listed in the bibliography—yet it is only a given a sentence of attention in Kennes' and Larmer's text. The operation that resulted in the initial expulsion of the gendarmerie into Angola is given a similarly dismissive treatment. The invasions of the Congo the army perpetrated in the late 1970s are given substantially more coverage, but it remains at the macro level and mostly addresses the relevant national politics and international diplomacy of the affairs.

Overall, Kennes and Larmer have produced a solid book that chronicles the story of a forgotten army—by no means an easy feat to accomplish. This work provides readers with a new, more coherent view of the Katangese Gendarmerie and offers a wealth of information on its history and activities. But in terms of covering "War in Central Africa", it leaves something to be desired.

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 * By Nick-D

As indicated by its title, India's War is an account of India's involvement in World War II. It aims to provide a single-volume military, social, economic and political history of India between 1939 and 1945.

This is an almost ridiculously ambitious goal, but Raghavan largely delivers upon it. Military historians will find the coverage of India's war effort to be impressively comprehensive, as it includes the organisation and training of the Indian Army, as well as its campaigns around the world. The chapter on the rebuilding of the Army over 1942-44 ahead of its success in the Battle of Imphal and the remarkable counter-offensive into Burma is a particular strength. The discussion of the war economy is also strong.

The book's greatest weakness is the unevenness of how different topics are covered. It opens with a very detailed discussion of the debates among the independence movement of how to respond to the outbreak of war, but the coverage of the later political manoeuvring and the huge Quit India campaign in 1942 feels under-developed. The detail accorded to different military campaigns also varies a lot: for instance, there's detailed coverage of the Indian Army's campaigns in the Mediterranean up to 1942, but its role in the Italian Campaign is dealt with very quickly. The lack of any coverage of the Indian Navy and Air Force is also surprising.

Overall though, this is an important and very useful book. Raghavan demonstrates that India was a key player in the war, and that it had important implications for the post-war independent India which continue to this day.

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