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Summary: What reallly happens when implementing high-minded policy
Review: Bowden absolutely nails the chaos and fear and confusion of battle. This book is riveting in its detail of the "fog of war". Not a book about foreign policy, but about what the implementation of the policy entails. America is the greatest nation that ever existed, with distinct and huge technological and military advantage; however it is not invincible. What essentially amounted to a well armed gang, was able to penetrate that military might. We grossely underestimated the Somali people's will and capability and it cost lives. In my view the American military was triumphant against incredible odds, but ultimately the political establishment did not have the stomach for any further losses. This certainly was a lesson learned in light of today's environment. We are far more reluctant to commit our troops to battle or peacekeeping, relying instead on indescriminant bombing, and dissident forces to fight the battles (not necessarily a criticism).Bowden does not concentrate on the rationale, nor does he pass judgement on its viability, he concentrates on the men who fought that day. This in itself is laudable, since most journalists would have given in to their own personal biases. Though told primarily from an American point of view (as it should be), it was amazing that he was able to get interviews with Somali fighters, and other foreign nationals present at the time. A very horrifying yet refreshing look at the results of what is happening in the world outside of our immediate view. One hundred and fifty soldiers went to war against a city with a population of a million people and the sleeping giant still slept. Until this book was written, this battle was not even a footnote in American history. America is impacting other countries in ways that people had not ever considered. Bowden makes that strikingly clear. What is also becoming clear as time passes, is that skirmishes such as this one impact foreign policy far more than people think.
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Summary: Truth is more entertaining than fiction
Review: I read this book after hearing about the upcoming movie. All reviews I've seen have uniformly raved about this review and I will too. The book is a minute by minute account of raid into inner city Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993. Media reports at the time of the events in the book had left me with the impression that this episode was a disgraceful failure, what with American soldiers being dragged dead though the streets. I had at first been uninterested in this topic because of the aura of failure around the Somalia debacle. This book proves that that was not true. The men involved behaved heroically under unbelievably harrowing circumstances. The author highlights dozens of individual acts of heroism that in total make me admire and respect the men that fought and died there that day. The motives of the officers and politicians who ordered the raid at the Mogadishu apartment building are much more suspect. While Bowden's sympathies are completely with the men on the ground, he has at best neutral opinions of their leaders. Bowden even condones the shooting of hostile women and children as necessary and writes his account of these acts in such a way that the reader agrees. I read this book straight through over two days and a sleepless night; it was that good.
Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: Long story short...this is a must read. To say that Bowden has done his homework on this one is a gross understatement. He does a fantastic job digging up every conceivable printed document about the subject, along with tons of interviews with American military and Somalis involved in the fight. The thing that I really like about the book is that you end up getting multiple accounts from different vantage points and seeing how "the fog of war" can distort people's actions and judgements. I rank this right up there with Andy McNab's "Bravo Two Zero."
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Summary: All military personal and family should read this book!!!!
Review: This book I read while visiting my cousin who is a Marine at Camp Lejuene, NC. It really hit home. Realizing what is really like considering I am 13 and have wanted to be a Marine since I was about three or four years old. All military personal and family should read this, it gives you a look into a secert operation that stayed secret for many, many years. Read, enjoy, and have a box of tissue handy I promise this book will make you cry.
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Summary: Makes you proud to be an american
Review: I am now just realizing what our armed services do for us.They do incredible things at extroudinary times. We should all appriciate war veterans, old and new. We appricieate all they do and this book just makes us more proud to be an american!
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Summary: Armageddon at Meggido
Review: I am in the Navy in Mexico, being a avid researcher of American military policy, I can say this book is very unbiased and accurate. For example here in Mexico the news reports we get in comparison to CNN are almost the opposite in cases. Especially the Somolia case. Bowden tells it like it is through the entire book. Another book that is quite popular in Mexico as the author lives here described the Desert Storm conflict before it occured and now predicts Armageddon in The Plains of Jezreel, describes new weapons that the allied forces use against Chinese forces, a type of wave pulse that stops the heart beat of invading forces. Also predicted the F 35 Joint Strike Fighter ten years ago. SB 1 or God By Karl Mark Maddox
Rating: 
Summary: Graphic and honest
Review: A graphic and honest look at a horrific military battle and the heroes that emerged. It is also an accounting of how president Clinton made their sacrifice and bravery ultimately count for nothing.
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Summary: A real great war story that most of us don't know about
Review: I read this book with intentions about not getting through the book. True war situations. A truly great book.
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Summary: Absolutely fantastic
Review: This is by far one of the best books which I have read. Being addicted to Tom Clancy novels, this book surpasses those if not solely for the fact that it is non-fiction, then also for the fact that the minute-by-minute account of the events in Somalia were so gripping that I found myself getting less sleep at night for a week while I read it. I feel that there is little need to go on any farther about this book since the 350+ reviewers before me have largely agreed with me. The people have spoken.
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Summary: I just had to tell someone
Review: ... To me, it's what all non-fiction books should be. It is concise, quick, personal and well documented. Having suffered through many "war books" and history chronicles, Black Hawk Down was an awakening. It made history fun again. It brought the past to the present in full color and emotion. If you have even a passing desire to understand the U.S. military man, international politics, multi-national forces or the way we fight today, you must read this book. You have my word it will open your eyes to all these and much more. Even if you don't go in for the military stuff, Bowden has made a textbook for investigative reporting. I know I am gushing but I think Black Hawk Down captured what Bob Woodward forgot how to do about four books ago; it tells a compelling story from start to finish without using "trust me" journalism. Read this book. It will not disappoint you. If you can put it down, I will be shocked. I have already suggested it to three of my friends and know I will keep talking about it for months to come.
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