Why England Slept

Rating:
Summary: An Insightful Look At The World
Review: First let me say I've been a fan of JFK for many years. And yet I had never read this book. As the 40th anniversary of his death approached, I decided to read this book and was stunned by how wise his analysis was of the British situation prior to WWII. His observations about Churchill were quite right, and his assessment of why England hung back when other parts of Europe were falling was so clear and correct, that I had to keep reminding myself that this was written in 1940. I also could see how he used these observations to craft his own view of foreign policy and defense for when he became President. I'm glad I read this book. It's well worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: An Insightful Look At The World
Review: First let me say I've been a fan of JFK for many years. And yet I had never read this book. As the 40th anniversary of his death approached, I decided to read this book and was stunned by how wise his analysis was of the British situation prior to WWII. His observations about Churchill were quite right, and his assessment of why England hung back when other parts of Europe were falling was so clear and correct, that I had to keep reminding myself that this was written in 1940. I also could see how he used these observations to craft his own view of foreign policy and defense for when he became President. I'm glad I read this book. It's well worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: A great piece of work by a great man!
Review: John F. Kennedy puts some light on his thought process at the time and how it would carry him into the whitehouse. If only we could have another John F. Kennedy.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: This is a solid effort by a young JFK to look into the dynamics at play during the pre-war years. He does an good job of showing how pacifistic sentiment and proponents of unilateral disarmament were to blame for Britain confronting the German problem so belatedly. He also explores the misguided faith of the British in the French military to contain Germany if war broke out on the continent. I read where a previous reviewer said that Kennedy didn't write this book and that is a complete fallacy. While he is correct in saying that Joe Kennedy had a lot to do with the book's success by buying over 30,000 copies, the authenticity of this work has never been questioned. Why England Slept, as most probably know, grew out of JFK's senior thesis(of the same name) while at Harvard. Perhaps this reviewer had this book confused with Kennedy's other famous work, "Profiles in Courage", which a lot of evidence suggests was actually ghost-written by JFK's eventual speechwriter, Teddy Sorensen. Whether you agree with Kennedy's conclusions or not, Why England Slept is a very thoughtful analysis into why it took Europe so long to recognize the German threat. It also provides excellent insight into the young future President and how he viewed the world. I highly reccomend it.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: This is a solid effort by a young JFK to look into the dynamics at play during the pre-war years. He does an good job of showing how pacifistic sentiment and proponents of unilateral disarmament were to blame for Britain confronting the German problem so belatedly. He also explores the misguided faith of the British in the French military to contain Germany if war broke out on the continent. I read where a previous reviewer said that Kennedy didn't write this book and that is a complete fallacy. While he is correct in saying that Joe Kennedy had a lot to do with the book's success by buying over 30,000 copies, the authenticity of this work has never been questioned. Why England Slept, as most probably know, grew out of JFK's senior thesis(of the same name) while at Harvard. Perhaps this reviewer had this book confused with Kennedy's other famous work, "Profiles in Courage", which a lot of evidence suggests was actually ghost-written by JFK's eventual speechwriter, Teddy Sorensen. Whether you agree with Kennedy's conclusions or not, Why England Slept is a very thoughtful analysis into why it took Europe so long to recognize the German threat. It also provides excellent insight into the young future President and how he viewed the world. I highly reccomend it.

Rating:
Summary: A surprisingly insightful view of pre war Europe and America
Review: This review will not likely be read by anyone for years or if ever, unless the book receives a new publication, but let's set the record straight, did JFK solely write this book? Who knows and who cares anymore. At least there isn't the plagiarizing charge that accompanies the 21st century's current popular historians. Kennedy put his name on the cover and left himself open for criticism or acclaim.

The book is drably written and without many of the lively anecdotes typical of current nonfiction. The book, though, in analyzing England & Europe's political and economic condition provides a perspective to the often asked question of "Why didn't the world act to stop Hitler before he opened hostilities?" Kennedy nearly prophesizes the later U.S. involvement in the war. Unfortunately, the post war perspective of whether earlier action against Hitler should have been initiated is colored by historians' accepting of Churchill's later self serving reviews of the pre-war years. Kennedy's book gives some perspective to Churchill's role of those pre-war years (e.g., Churchill at first argued to increase armament to keep up with the French, not Germany), and the likelihood of whether more serious action would have been possible at the time (not likely by any single nation). There were things in this book that I had not earlier encountered in my numerous readings of WWII.

Rating:
Summary: "Watchmen on the walls of world freedom"-JFK
Review: Timeless.

How can I say that? The book is dated, published in1940, originally JFK's senior thesis at Harvard.

I have to admit, as a young girl, part of my attraction to JFK, RFK and others of this family, was their amazing good looks and charisma revealed in so many photographs within a multitude of magazines and film reels of their public speeches.

However, actually reading what they have written and looking at the subject matter that they chose for their published books, I am struck by the depth of their intellect and grateful for their insights into topics of such great importance to our country and for the world. Even if they didn't write a word of their books, which I highly doubt, it can be said at least, that they surely were wise in their instruction and the person(s) they chose to write them.

This book was written to analyze what was happening within England before WWII began for them and in order to explain why they were so ill-equipped for the war when it started. Year by year up to 1940, JFK reveals the major events worldwide, the sentiments expressed by the British political parties and public, and the policies that resulted which affected munitions' numbers. Yet far from being a drab accountant's ledger of munitions numbers, JFK's book reveals his perceptive instinct which is surely a requisite character trait of someone who would receive for 1000 days the greatest power in office from one of the greatest countries in the world.

Finally, I must add that the world just does not appreciate or comprehend what this family has done for the security of this world in the past and what they continue to do in the present. And I'm beginning to think Joe Kennedy Sr. must not have been such a bad ambassador to Britain, after all, if he was as adept in his office as he was at seeing the strengths and weaknesses within his own sons.

Rating:
Summary: "Watchmen on the walls of world freedom"-JFK
Review: Timeless.

How can I say that? The book is dated, published in1940, originally JFK's senior thesis at Harvard.

I have to admit, as a young girl, part of my attraction to JFK, RFK and others of this family, was their amazing good looks and charisma revealed in so many photographs within a multitude of magazines and film reels of their public speeches.

However, actually reading what they have written and looking at the subject matter that they chose for their published books, I am struck by the depth of their intellect and grateful for their insights into topics of such great importance to our country and for the world. Even if they didn't write a word of their books, which I highly doubt, it can be said at least, that they surely were wise in their instruction and the person(s) they chose to write them.

This book was written to analyze what was happening within England before WWII began for them and in order to explain why they were so ill-equipped for the war when it started. Year by year up to 1940, JFK reveals the major events worldwide, the sentiments expressed by the British political parties and public, and the policies that resulted which affected munitions' numbers. Yet far from being a drab accountant's ledger of munitions numbers, JFK's book reveals his perceptive instinct which is surely a requisite character trait of someone who would receive for 1000 days the greatest power in office from one of the greatest countries in the world.

Finally, I must add that the world just does not appreciate or comprehend what this family has done for the security of this world in the past and what they continue to do in the present. And I'm beginning to think Joe Kennedy Sr. must not have been such a bad ambassador to Britain, after all, if he was as adept in his office as he was at seeing the strengths and weaknesses within his own sons.