The majority of the following books were found during my trip to the States in "95", and I would like to thank my three friends; Ed Milligan, Andrew Preziosi, and Paul V. Walsh for their kind help in obtaining and showing me the many different bookshops that they came from, a trip indeed, that I will not forget.
Well here goes. Starting with the Conquistador period:
"Royal Commentaries of the Incas and General History of Peru", hy Carcilaso de la Vega, translated by Harold V. Livermore, published by University of Texas Press, (1st Pub. 1966) this 2nd paperback edition is 1989, 627 pages, 3 maps, first published in two parts during 1609 and 1616-17, the author being born in Cuzeo of Spanish conqueror and Indian princess (waking him a second cousin to the last two Inca rulers, Huascar and Atahuallpa,) in 1539 and it is with this natural historial background that allows his text to become a most respected source for this period, pre- and post-Inca, a good work to have as a reference for quotes and opinions.
"Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes, and the Fall of Old Mexico", by Hugh Thomas, published by Simon s Schuster, New York, 1993, 629 pages with 160 extra pages on Chapter Notes and Sources, must admit that I haven't looked too deeply into this title although knowing that the author likes to get involved into the subject means that I'm sure, at least that it is a good read and might even have some new outlooks or sources from the norm, a helpful addition to this subject.
Next is the period of the Independence Wars:
"The Life of Miranda", Vols. I & II, by William Spence Robertson, first published 1929, this edition published by Cooper Square Pub. Inc. New York, 1969, 580 pages, a really helpful work on his early life in Europe and political intrigues, especially in Britain, and then his role in the upheaval of the old Spanish Colonial system in Venezuela, a most interesting read on a person often eclipsed by later events.
"San Martin: Right of the Andes", by Ricardo Pojas, translated by Herschel Brickell and Carlos Videla, first published 1945, 360 pages, this edition published by Cooper Square Pub. Inc. New York, 1967, this work has some nice quotes although the author's praise for his subject can sometimes be a bit too much, basically a good book.
"Don Jose de San Martin 1778-1850", by Anna Schoellkopf, published Boni and Liveright, New York, 1924, this is more for the general reader who knows very little about the man and the period, a good primer.
"Antonio Jose de Sucre: De Mi Propia Mano", selected by J.L. Salcedo-Bastardo, published by Biblioteca Ayacucho, Caracas, Venezuela, 1980. 401 pages with 225 reproduced documents covering the period 1812 - 1830 plus a 73 page chronology, some good ducuments here, not many though.
"Historia critica del asesinato cometido en la persona del Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho", by Artonio Jose de Irisarri, published by Editorial "Jose de Pineda Ibarra", Guatemala, 1968, if translated this might be interesting, but as it is I don't have the time to pick out the various pages to work out what they say. "La Independence de Venezuela Ante las Cancillerias Europeas", by Floraligia Gimenez Silva, published by Biblioteca de la Academia Nacional de la Historia, Caracas, 1961, 403 pages, covers Britain, France, Austria, Prussia and Russia, another title that would do well if translated into English, views of Russian, Prussian and Austrian Governments on the question of how to cope with the new Republics of Latin America seems an under researched topic?
Last is "Response to Revolution: Imperial Spain and the Spanish American Revolutions, 1810-1840", by Michael P. Costeloe, published by Cambridge Iberian and Latin American Studies, Cambridge, 1986, 230 pages plus 35 pages of notes, a well researched book with good sources, a handy book to have.
Central America and the West Indies (I will leave Mexico and Cuba until later);
"The United States Occupation of Haiti 1915-1934", by Hans Schmidt, published by Rutgers University Press, New Jersey, U.S.A., 1995 edition, (1st edition 1971), 937 pages with additional 59 pages of notes and bibliography, 26 B/W photographs, a good political and military source book although more detail on the military aspect is still needed i.e. Order of Battle, Organization etc. but otherwise a handy hook to have.
"The Diplomatic Relations of the United States with Haiti 1776-1891", by Rayford W. Hogan, Published by Kraus Reprint Co., New York, 1969 (1st edition 1941), 457 pages, with additional 37 pages bibliography, the first 187 pages covers the period up to 1815 while the remainder has useful details on the U.S. Governments views toward this ex-slave colony before and after the U.S. Civil War, a very useful work on this topic.
"Manual de Historia Dominicana", by Frank Moya Pons, published by Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, Santiago, Republica Dominicana, 1980 (5th edtion), 624 pages, 18 coloured maps, 49 photographs of Presidents and Governors, a good basis to start work with and to build on.
"The Sandino Affair", by Neill Macaulay, published by Duke University, N.C., U.S.A., 1985 (1st edition 1967), 310 pages, 10 maps, this is the one for the wargamer and historian alike, a good flowing read with quite a bit of detail too makes it into a known source book.
"The Soccer War", by Ryszard Kapuscinski, published by Vintage Books, New York, 1992 (1st edition 1986), contains a 30 page chapter on the Honduras - El Salvador War 1969, Kapuscinski worked for the Polish Press Agency during this period and was there. "Hemispheric Security in Transition: Adjusting to the post 1995 Environment", edited by L. Erik Kjonnerod, published by The National Defense University, Washington D.C., 1995, 248 pages, 19 chapters on various themes concerning modern-day U.S. and Latin American related topics, a good read to keep one abreast with current opinions held in the U.S.
South America
"A Halo For Gomez", by John Lavin, published by Pageant Press, New York, 1954, 466 pages, 11 B/W photographs, my second book on this dictator of Venezuela and a helpful addition on this unfamiliar figure.
"La Guerra del Chaco: Campana de 1934; Despues de Campo Via, hasta el Parapiti", by General Raimundo Rolon, published by Fe Audacia Tenacidad Superacion, Ascuncion, Paraguay 1961 (Vol.1.), lots of detail in this volume but will need some time to find it all. the whole set would be a most useful work.
"Brazil: a new regional power in the world-economy", by B.K.Becker and C.A.G.Egler, published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. 1997, the title says it all, not a military book although should be used to help understand Brazil's power base and how it was gained.
"Rebellion in the Backlands", by Fuclides da Cunha, published by University of Chicago Press, Illinois, 1945 (1st edition 1902 in Portugese, 1st English tranlation 1944), looked upon as one of the best Brazilian books of the time and is still the main source used for this rebellion, although it should also be used to help one understand the Brazilian society and attitudes of the late 19th century, a really readable book.
"Antecedentes Historicos y Tradicionales de los Simbolos Argentinos: La bandera, El escudo, La escarapela, La banda presidencial", by Luis Canepa, published by Talleres Graficos Linari 6 Cia. Buenos Aires, 1943, 155 pages, covers the period from 1810 through to 1942 quote various decrees and is an interesting book which ought to be in English, at least in a smaller edited version.
"The Socialist Party of Argentina 1890 - 1930", by Richard J. Walter, published by Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas, 1977, an interesting modern work dealing with the social and political events that helped create the ground-work for the later mid-20th century events in Argentina and should be quite good for the periods of civil unrest etc. during its 1890 - 1930 time span.
"Evocacion Hacia el Futuro: La Armada en la vida de los Argentinos", Published by the Centro Naval, Instituto de Publicaciones Navales, Buenos Aires, 1985, 189 pages, coloured photographs on each page, most pages having 10 such illustrations, in the form of a chronology the first page starts from the year 1806 each page shows military paintings of each particular year with a selection of illustrations on the social/political events that were happening in Argentina too, and closing in 1985. A most helpful book although an eye-glass may be of use to help pick up some of the finer detail of the illustrations if you do not have larger copies already in your collection.
Mexico:
Bit of a selection here. "The Mexican Nation, A History", by Herbert I. Preiestley, published by Cooper Square Publishers, Inc, 1969, first pub. 1923, 474 pages, should be of help when used in conjuction with other works on little known specific events, if only to gleen the odd sentence or quote.
"Mexico in the age of Democratic Revolutions 1750 - 1850", edited by Jaime E. Rodriguez O., published by Lynne Rienner Publishers, Colorado, 1994, interesting insights to this period in 13 chapters with 42 B/W illustrations.
"The Background of the Revolution for Mexican Independence", by Willian F. Fisher, published by Russell & Russell, New York, 1971, first pub. 1934, 423 pages, a very handy book that helps illustrate these troubled times, maybe not in an overly military way but useful if interested in this subject.
"The Alamo", by Lon Tinkle, publishers New American Library, Signet Books, New York, 13th edition, first published 1958, paperback, 176 pages, 13 B/W photographs, 1 plan, have not read this but would imagine that it was once looked upon a rather good when first published and must still sell well 40 years on.
"The Alamo and the Texas War for Indpendence", by Albert A. Nofi, published by Combined Books, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., 1992, this was the book which everybody seemed to be talking about two years ago, finally bought myself a copy to add to the collection, I would expect it to a good help to wargamers, although most historians might like to compare its contents with other views and works to gain the most from it.
"The Story of the Mexican War", by Robert Selph Henry, published by Da Capo Press, New York, 1989, first published 1950, 406 pages, 12 maps, has plenty of detail and is a good informative read, a good book to have.
"From the Golden Gate to Mexico City: The U.S. Army Topographical Engineers in the Mexican War 1846-1848", by Adrian G. Traas, published by the Center of Military History, U.S. Army, Washington D.C., 1993, 335 pages, 38 B/W photographs, a really informative book as one would expect and from a unit which could become forgotten if reading the general histories of this war, a handy book to know about.
"Freebooters Must Die! : The Life and Death of William Walker", by Frederick Rosengarten Jr., published by Haverford House, Wayne, Pennsylvannia, U.S.A., 1976, 216 pages, 136 illustrations (1 colour), one of the classic books on this man and his filibustering exploits, the illustrations give a good feel to the period and a must if a wargamer looking for something different in the l9th century.
"Maximilian and Juarez", by Jasper Ridley, published by Ticknor and Fields, New York, 1992, 290 pages, 23 B/W photographs, a good modern general history book on the period but by being general one wonders just how must is actually new even with 11 pages for the bibliography.
"Cronica de la Revolucion Mexicana", Vols. 1 and 3, by Roberto Blanco Moheno, publishers libro Mex, Mexico, 1958, 422 6 378 pages, another work that could do well by being translated into English, needs some time to sit down and gleen any military data as most appears to be political and movements in campaigns.
"Heroic Mexico", by William Weber Johnson, published by Doubleday and Company, Inc., New York, 1968, 425 pages, plus 10 page bibliography, some good information and the easy flow to the writing allows oneself to get engrossed quite happily, a useful book to have.
"The Great Pursuit: Pershing's Expedition to Destroy Pancho Villa", by Herbert Molloy Mason Jr., published by Konecky & Konecky, New York, 1995, first published 1970, 252 pages, 4 maps, 58 B/W photographs, a good source book for the campaign and period.
"Blood on the Border: The United States Army and the Mexican Irregulars", by Clarence C. Clendenen, published by The Macmillan Company, London, 1969, 359 pages, 7 maps, 31 B/W photographs, plus 20 pages for its bibliography, one of the "books" to have in the 70's on this episode of U.S. - Mexican relations, this title with the latter make a very good pair and will go well with my other books on this theme.
"A Toast to Rebellion", by Giuseppe Garibaldi, published by The Garden City Publishing Co. Inc., New York, 1937, 327 pages, a most interesting book to read, he retells his early life in Greece, Argentina, the Boer War, Venezuela and finally to Revolutionary Mexico in 1910, really good first hand accounts of Argentina and Uruguay late l9th century, the Uprising in Venezuela against the dictator Cipriano Castro and his able General Gomez who would succeed him, while his accounts of the early period of Madero's campaign in the north of Mexico is enlightening and is very quotable, a better book than I initially thought it was, and at $2.50 well worth it!
"Soldaderas in the Mexican Military: Myth and History", by Elizabeth Salas, published by University of Texas Press, Austin, 1990, 122 pages, 21 B/W photographs, cover from the Aztecs up until the 1980's, some nice data here on a subject often ignored.
Cuba:
"Che Guevara on Revolution" edited by Jay Mallin, published by Delta Books, paperback, first edition 1969 by University of Miami, 251 pages, 9 B/W photographs, one of the better books on this person, I found the list of guerrillas that were with Che in Bolivia very helpful and interesting that's why the book was bought, a nice volume to add to the collection.
"Operation PUMA: The Air Battle of the Bay of Pigs", by Edward B. Ferrer, Evublished by the author, this copy is the 2nd English edition 1993, 242 pages, 101 B/W photographs, the author was one of the pilots involved with these actions and therefore an eye-witness to the operation, a very detailed work and a must for anyone interested in the "Bay of Pigs" episode of Cuban / U.S. history.
"The Evolution of the Cuban military: 1492 - 1986", by Rafael Fermoselle, published by Ediciones Universal, Miami, ( 1987, P.O. Box 450353, Shenandoah Station, Miami, Florida, 33145, U.S.A.), 538 pages, plus 15 pages bibliography, the first 92 pages covers up to 1898, 170 pages then cover the period from 1898 through to 1959 with some interesting data, from page 263 up to 538 is the Castro military, including it's foreign involvement in Africa and the Middle East. This is a really good book if you require additicnal data on the modern Cuban military or even the prerevolutionary period. Cost $25.00 as a paperback, but for me a good source book and reference work.
"La Guerra de Marti", by Pedro Roig, published by Ediciones Universal, Miami, 1984, 247 pages, 142 illustrations in b/w, Spanish text, it was the illustrations which caught my eye and made it a worth while buy, the text is mainly political and campaigns ordented but still a helpful little work, should have an English edition for us less versed in Spanish. "The Rough Riders", by Theodore Pcosevelt, published by Da Capo Press tpaperback) 1990, first published 1902, 298 pages, 44 B/W photographs, this classic of the Spanish American War is a must, if just to get the feel of the campaign from Roosevelt's stand-point and the "muster out roll", his opinions of the battles are one sided but it must be remembered that he was a serving politician in the U.S. Government before the War add this to his rubust character and it helps one to understand his comments and views, which some later-day authors seem to enjoy pulling apart with the help of modern-day hindsight, for me a really good book that evokes the feeling held by many at that time.
"The Arizona Rough Riders", by Charles Herner, published by The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1970, 243 pages, 17 B/W photographs, a well researched book with plenty of contempory opinions and quotes plus a "muster in rolls of troops A, B, C, which were from Arizona, a most interesting and helpful work. My only remark is that the University of Arizona should have allowed the author to research the whole of the Regiment that had troops from Oklahoma, New Mexico, The Indian Territory, the Fast Coast and Muskogee (where-ever that might be?), then it would really he a classic.
"History of the Twenty Fifth Regiment United ctates Infantry 1869 - 1926", by John H. Nankivell, published by Negro Universities Press, New York, 1969, first published 1927, 214 pages, 137 B/W photographs all on the Spanish-American War on the Philippine island during the insurrection of 1899-1900. A most helpful book with many official documents and reports on the period 1898 which I required plus some interesting photographs that I've not seen before.
"The Martial Spirit", by Walter Millis, published by Elephant Paperback, Chicago, 1989, first published 1931, 410 pages, quite an easy flowing text on the Spanish American War which allows one to get a clear overall picture of the war.
"A Leap To Arms: The Cuban Campaign of 1898", by Jack Cameron Dierks, published by J. B. Lippincott Co. Philadelphia & New York, 1970, 225 pages, a modern book that at least covers one campaign, granted both Army and Navy exploits are included rather than taking one as a theme and concentrating on only that, a better read than some other modern works which I've seen.
"A Ship To Remember: The Maine and the Spanish - American War", by Michael Blow, published by William Morrow and Co. Inc., New York, 1992, 464 pages plus 12 pages bibliography, 38 B/W photographs, I wish he had just stayed with the sinking of the Maine and it's political repercussions and inquiry reports on how the ship could have exploded with contempory and modern views (chapter 13 has 20 pages related to this matter) but after page 178 with Chapter 6 he starts to include the War with all its campaigns etc., which I don't think you can do justice to with only 220 pages, at least not for a military historian.
"The Boys of 98", by James Otis, published by Dana Estes & Co. Boston, 1898, 385 pages, 61 B/W photographs, although this covers the whole war there are many snippets of information in its text, though mainly on the navy side of affairs, some nice contempory photo's of U.S. warships of the war just right for the navy wargamer { while in Philadelphia this year I managed to visit and go on board Admiral Dewey's flag-ship the U.S.S. Olympia and the only surviving ship from that war and one of the very few ships of that period still in existence, making it well worth a visit if ever in those parts ), for me a useful book.
"The Little War of Private Post", by Charles Johnson Post, published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston & Toronto, 1960, 340 pages, 4 coloured plates and 16 B/W illustrations all painted by Post, an illustrator for W. R. Hearst's Journal when the Maine blew up and volunteered into the 71st New York Vol. Infantry. This is his personal account of the war which is really good with information often missed out in other books of this war i.e. how equipment was arranged and carried, etc. a very good read and source book.
Last in this book section "The Splendid Little War", by Frank Freidel, published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1958, 309 pages, most pages have at least one B/W photograph on it, only 3 pages are complete text only, some really fine illustrations and photos and a book not to be missed, I paid $20.00 for it in a second-hand book/gift shop at Gettysburg, having spent nearly a week looking for the book after seeing Paul Walsh's copy.
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Copyright 1996 by The South and Central Military Historians Society