Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Operation Torch: Why it was important

The mailboat brings 'TORCH: North Africa and the Allied Path to Victory,' by the prolific naval historian Vincent O’Hara.

Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 10.36.45 AM
Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 10.36.45 AM

 

 

The mailboat brings TORCH: North Africa and the Allied Path to Victory, by the prolific naval historian Vincent O’Hara. I liked it — clear, well-written, and fact-packed. Not the first book someone wanting to learn about World War II should pick up, but fine for those of you deep into it and casting about for something new on that war.

In the “Who Whacked Darlan?” department, he concludes that it basically was the Brits and the Gaullists, working together.

Image credit: Amazon.com

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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