Black Hearts: One platoon's descent into madness
byJim Frederick
====Iraq War
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Black Hearts: One platoon's descent into madness Kindle Edition
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4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,615)
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'Combines elements of In Cold Blood and Black Hawk Down with Apocalypse Now as it builds towards its terrible climax... Extraordinary' New York Times Iraq's Triangle of Death, 2005.
A platoon of young soldiers from a U.S. regiment known as 'the Black Heart Brigade' is deployed to a lawless and hyperviolent area just south of Baghdad. Almost immediately, the attacks begin: every day another roadside bomb, another colleague blown to pieces. As the daily violence chips away, and chips away at their sanity, the thirty-five young men of 1st Platoon, Bravo Company descend into a tailspin of poor discipline, substance abuse, and brutality - with tragic results.
Black Hearts is a timeless true story of how modern warfare can make or break a man's character. Told with severe compassion, balanced judgement and the magnetic pace of a thriller, it looks set to become one of the defining books about the Iraq War.
'Black Hearts is the obverse of Band of Brothers, a story not of combat unity but of disharmony and disarray' Chicago Sun-Times
'A riveting picture of life outside the wire in Iraq, where "you tell a guy to go across a bridge, and within five minutes he's dead."' Kirkus Reviews (starred)
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Genre
War literature
Print length
535 pages
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4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,615 global ratings
247 customer reviews
From Australia
Markmnk
5.0 out of 5 stars It could happen to any military professional
Reviewed in Australia on 24 July 2020
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
The book is extremely well written by a professional journalist. Throughout the book the writer tries to remain objective about the circumstances of the descent into madness. I left the book reflecting on how any military professional could find themselves in this situation if they were presented with as challenging circumstances. It is extremely compelling reading. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the Iraq conflict and military ethics.
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From other countries
David Austin
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading: Understanding 21st Century Warfare
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2012
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Unfortunately, I must start on a negative note.
This book is presented to the public by the publisher, certainly in its paperback form, as some sort of roller-coaster thriller which happens to be a true story. If you are, in fact, looking for some sort of first-hand true account of non-stop action I recommend Dan Mills' Sniper One. With the publisher using phrases on the cover such as 'descent into madness' and words like 'climax', 'intense' and 'fast-paced' the casual observer might even pick this book up believing it to be fiction, and if that is what they are looking for I recommend they watch Apocalypse Now or read Conrad's Heart of Darkness; better still do both.
Now, onto what this book is really about.
This is a detailed investigation of a single atrocity and the events and circumstances leading up to and surrounding the soldiers and battalion involved. It is presented in the very best of journalistic tradition - at times one can sense the author's struggle to not pass any personal judgement - and is exceptionally detailed, revealing and sympathetic. You can read other reviews for information regarding this event.
What I will add is that I believe this book to be essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the stresses and strains placed on the modern 'western' soldier, especially in the US forces where tours of duty are much too long and often enforced second or even third tours. Beyond that, it is equally useful reading for any student of psychology and even students of organizational theory and ledership. In fact, I would warn any reader who is not au fait with terms such as 'The Pygmalion Effect' that they ensure they have psychiatric reference sources available to them during reading.
With due deference to the appalling subject matter, especially to those directly involved on both sides and generally to anyone who esteems NATO's armed forces, this book is an exciting recounting of a company's deployment in the most extreme of circumstances, terifically well researched, edited and presented and deeply, deeply disturbing. Excellent.
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Kirk L.
5.0 out of 5 stars An imperfect storm: Superbly written account of what went disastrously wrong in Yusufiyah
Reviewed in the United States on 12 February 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Jim Frederick's "Black Hearts" chronicles two headline-grabbing, extremely negative events from the Iraq War in 2006: the ambush and murder of three 101st Screaming Eagles soldiers near Yusufiyah and then the news of a horrific murder-rape of a teenage Iraqi girl, who was murdered along with her parents and five-year-old sister by four troops from the same unit.
I had just returned from a combat tour in Iraq in late 2005, and was therefore intrigued by the backstory of the two events not so evident in the immediate news accounts and coverage of the soldiers' violent deaths and those of the Iraqi civilians. I hoped this book would put that unit's challenges and struggles in context. It does just that and more, telling an important story in what I feel is a balanced, even-handed manner.
Frederick interviewed just about everyone involved from the platoon level all the way up through brigade and while the actions of the leaders and individuals is often damning, one can never truly comprehend the kind of stress these men were under.
Frederick's book lays out the facts and details surrounding the platoon of Army soldiers involved, and how failures of leadership at nearly every level, exacerbated by a herculean and often undefined mission in one of the most dangerous places in Iraq at the time, came together to form an imperfect storm out of which one unit of about 30 troops found themselves at the center of a disastrous deployment, and one that had a negative strategic impact on U.S. efforts there at a time when the Iraq War was spiraling out of control.
The book is powerful because it deftly tells the story of an infantry platoon that seemed set up for failure from the get-go. It reveals that the men and women of our military are not infallible, and that yes, the ranks are seeded with those who lack the morals and values that we as Americans expect from our warriors. And while 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1-502d had its bad apples, Frederick also brings out the stories of those soldiers who were there and did their level best in a tough situation.
This is not a good news story, but it's one that needs to be told. War is an ugly business carried out by imperfect people, but I think that Frederick handles the events the right way in what is a well-written, fast-paced account. It's tough not to sit in judgment of those involved after reading a book such as this, but I respect the author's attempts to give everyone their say.
Not everyone is going to appreciate this book or its conclusions. I would imagine those closest to the protagonists may have some issues with Frederick's portrayals of the people and events. But, having served under and with personalities Frederick described like the battalion commander, sergeant major, company commander and platoon sergeant, as well as some of the soldiers at the heart of the events, I can certainly see how so much could go wrong in Yusufiyah the way it did. I wasn't there, but those who were know the real truth.
I suspect that Frederick's book is pretty close.
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Aarsh
5.0 out of 5 stars "The title says it all"
Reviewed in India on 5 May 2017
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An enthralling account of how war can make or degrade one's character, the latter being discussed here, centered around a platoon of the famous 101st airborne. Explains what effect war has on a soldier's mind and the awful situation of families who have nothing to do with war. Gutsy.
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JacksW
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in Canada on 13 July 2015
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Excellent
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Gordon T
5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing in depth review of a platoon's descent into darkness in Iraq 2006
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 May 2016
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A must read account of 1st platoon, bravo company's descent into darkness leading to the rape and murder of a young girl and her family, and the abduction and death of other soldiers from the platoon. But these two harrowing incidents, as horrific as they are, are not even the main thrust of the book. Instead it analyses in detail how the platoon were the unfortunate victims of circumstance. Poor upper leadership, combined with deaths and injuries to direct local leadership, lead to the almost inevitable fracturing of ethics and morality in a group of men driven to the edge.
The book asks the question, why do some people break and commit heinous crimes while others stand tall and resist. It doesn't answer that question, but I suggest it shows that as civilised as we all consider ourselves to be, it is finite and that when pushed long and hard enough, eventually it will run out.
A book that is on the USMC commandant's professional reading list of career officers; an essential book I would suggest for leaders (and not just those in the military) to show how not to lead.
I couldn't recommend this more.
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Staz
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, heartbreaking, infuriating
Reviewed in the United States on 29 June 2013
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"Black Hearts" is a brilliant description of combat as seen through the eyes of Bravo Company in the darkest days of the Iraq War. It serves as a case study for the negative impacts of poor leadership in today's Army and the general effects of heavy combat on young and strung-out soldiers.
Frederick tells his story masterfully, obviously passionate about his subject, but remaining subjective enough to where he is able to describe things in such a manner that the reader is able to make their own decisions. This story is nothing short of a tragedy, and by the end, the reader is absolutely appalled at much of the cast of characters, many of whom work to bring about a series of horrible events for all parties involved.. The description of daily life is unbelievable for anyone who thinks they knew what the war was like for American troops. The multi-day stints at poorly defended checkpoints manned by three or four privates with zero supervision is something I didn't realize happened. The descriptions of combat are also top-notch, particularly one very gripping passage about the mental anguish soldiers faced while simply driving around, wondering if each second would be their last at the hands of a massive IED.
Many characters in the story are sympathetic, generally at the platoon or company level, while the battalion level leadership is shown to be infuriatingly incompetent. I was especially incensed at the end, where you find out (SPOILER ALERT) that Kunk was promoted to colonel and Bravo's sympathetic yet clearly incompetent commander is an operations officer somewhere in the Army. Frederick doesn't make these judgements, but it is difficult not to make them yourself, for right or wrong. The abduction of US troops and the murder of an Iraqi family, while horrifying in their own right and very well described, are almost caveats to the overall story about this ill-fated group of men trying to survive their year in Iraq.
Overall, this is an incredible book that serves to show a lot of what was (and still is) wrong with the Army's senior leadership. Still, even though there are antagonists at every level here, Frederick isn't indicating the US Army; there are good guys too, and plenty of them, which the author makes extremely clear. I'm glad to see the Army is taking this book seriously and using it as a learning tool for its leaders. This is a hugely important book and I can't thank Jim Frederick enough for writing it.
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Igo Hummaan
4.0 out of 5 stars A Milestone "Documentary"
Reviewed in the United States on 18 July 2010
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There are two reasons I purchased this book. The first is that enough time has passed in the Iraq War that a well-researched author can start to provide some historical perspective on the various events of the war (including how unspeakable war crimes like this one can happen). The second is that I have known the author personally, though I've not spoken with him in well over a decade (we attended one of the same schools). People change as they go through life of course... The whole point of my stating this is to drive home the point that I have no agenda here and have never spoken to Jim about any professional project, including this one.
I simply discovered a book on Amazon that covers a subject I wanted to know more about, which happens to be written by an old classmate whom I always respected. Jim Frederick the editor was always honest, extremely diligent in his research and preparations for a project, and he was tireless. It seems, based on what I found in this book, Jim has lost none of those traits as an author. He has much to be proud of...
...I have to confess: I rarely read books of this length and when I do, it often takes me a good month to finish. Despite best intentions, my attention wanders or I get lazy and turn on the TV, etc. I read this book in 4 days. The story that Jim conveys is equal parts dismaying, tragic, and anger-inducing. There were even a few moments of muffled laughter as I tried to keep quiet while my wife slept (Army types are nothing if not supremely gifted with the expletives). But it was the kind of laughter you feel when you gather with friends and family after an unexpected death and start exchanging stories... you don't want to laugh because (in this case), what's happening through the 9 or so months of the deployment is anything but good, but somehow the mind copes with laughter. I would laugh and immediately feel regret because of what these men were dealing with on a daily basis (and surely many others like them in both Iraq and Afghanistan). Today, when I read "Allied soldiers killed in _____," it evokes a different reaction than it did 5 days ago. I was always sad to hear the news (and appreciative of their sacrifices), but now I am appreciative in a different way.
What I love about this book:
1) You get to know the men of Bravo... to understand from the moment they deployed until after it was over, what happened to them as individuals, and as a team that slowly became dysfunctional. You start to see the men for who they are, including several of the commanding officers. Mind you these are NOT judgements the author makes. Like any good journalistic writer, he laid out the facts as he understood them, so the reader can judge for themselves. To be honest, I'm not sure how he remained detached in his writing; I doubt I could have.
2) The gritty details: the heated dialogs; the total frustration of the men; the things they did every day; even the geography, poverty and unpredictability of the place they served. This is the right way to "keep it real" without going overboard or letting it become a gratuitous exercise in "shock value". In an ideal world, Jim should assemble a team to research and write an hour's worth of news for us every week; we'd all be a hell of a lot more educated and better off for it. So refreshing to skip the fluff, the vapid soundbites, and the spin that the mainstream (especially television) media crams down our throats. I learned more about the Iraq war in the last 4 days reading this book than the last four YEARS of watching the news. That says something both about the author and our television media. If you want to learn anything substantial, turn off the television and READ.
3) Gaining a better understanding of modern warfare... the confusion, the valor, the locals, the incompetence, all of it. You learn real quick the military is not the simple machine we are taught to believe, with four cogs or moving parts (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) and everyone following orders all of the time. The human dynamics are laid bare and suddenly you understand: these aren't automatons... they are (mostly) well-meaning, dedicated, flawed, sometimes fearless, or even selfish and scared human beings. War is not only hell; it is human chaos and this book shows you why.
What could have been better:
1) The book was a bit difficult to follow in a few spots, partly because I don't have a great understanding of military hierarchies, and partly because there is quite a bit of back and forth as events unfold. It can be confusing to know who was where on the "org chart", who was responsible for which guys, etc. The good news is there is information in the back of the book about how the Army units are subdivided from Division down to the squad level, including typical ranks of those who lead each unit... but you don't know it's there until the end. Similarly there were only a couple maps. I think if the Army backgrounder were shown near the start of the story somewhere, and there were maps and pictures interspersed throughout (this was likely a publisher decision based on budgets and printing press issues), it would have been easier to follow.
2) Almost too large a cast of characters, however it is almost unavoidable because in order to truly understand the dynamic --which guys' decisions are acting upon the other players and what results-- you have to cover many people and understand their take on things as the story evolves.
3) Some chapters skip around too much. You get into one line of thinking, following a particular squad of guys, and then suddenly you jump to something (as a lay person) that seems unrelated, but which may not be. IOW it can be difficult to connect the dots at certain points. But never so much so that you lose the big picture; that sticks with you well after you put the book down for the night... that's why I read this in 4 days. I genuinely *needed* to understand what was happening as things lead up to this nightmare.
Overall, the minor flaws of this book are easily overlooked IMO. If you stick with it you will be rewarded with a better understanding of how it is these men and women sacrifice for their country (and for another country), as well as a better understanding of the military and how war crimes like this can take place. Definitely recommended if you have an interest in these types of subjects. This is NOT a work of fiction in any sense of the word, and is not about "entertainment", so if that's what you're looking for, go read whichever author has displaced Tom Clancy as the military novelist of the day (I honestly don't know the answer to that question). :)
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Mr. B. I. Walklate
4.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely incredible story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 December 2013
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Not having been a serviceman ( just missed national service by age) I always find it interestng in books that test my perception of
military combat.
In our working life we all experience times when we believe that our superiors are lacking. Being American troops does not colour intial judgment and much that goes on within this story is understandable to begin with. However the fabric begins to wear thinner and thinner until a gaping hole appears through which young men and experienced officers lose there way and fall into the abyss.
It is difficult to try to imagine how someone can be driven to behave as people did in so many aspects within the story but as you read through it become unsuprising.
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A. Hooper
5.0 out of 5 stars An intensely sobering depiction of warfare in the early 21st century
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 May 2011
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I began reading this book thinking that I had a reasonable layman's understanding of what was going on in Iraq during the US occupation. After all, I watch the TV news on a daily basis and I am an avid newspaper reader.
How wrong I was.
Jim Frederick tells a story that is so disturbing and in such graphically chilling detail that you would swear it is a work of fiction - sadly, it is not.
Mr Frederick has undertaken painstaking research including detailed interviewing of many of the key (US) participants into the background of an act of horrific criminality committed in the heart of the battlefield but it is not just the climactic act that appals you. It is the months leading up to it that leave you disconcerted and uncertain about moral rights and wrongs.
Mr Frederick is an intelligent writer and his journalistic background is evident in the way that he appears to have all of the facts in the right order. I sense that he wants to be even-handed but he is clearly critical of the way that senior US military officers allowed an environment to develop in which hell on earth could be manifested.
If this had been written as a fictional work I would not have been able to put it down. As it was, I was unable to put it down and was left breathless, angry and despairing by the end of it.
We all sympathise with the innocent Iraqis whose suffering is beyond description in this mess but whatever your viewpoint on the US occupation of Iraq I defy you not to sympathise as well with the men and women in the frontline and particularly the poor souls who ended up in 1st Platoon, Bravo Company of US 1-502. Utterly compelling.
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B.D. Saur
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic...riveting
Reviewed in the United States on 9 February 2010
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Black Hearts is the most extraordinary work of nonfiction. Jim Frederick tells the story of the entire deployment of a group of soldiers in the Triangle of Death who suffered the most terrible losses and were under attack almost every day. They lived outside the wire in "the most dangerous place at the most dangerous time" in Iraq. Black Hearts is not just for those who like war books, it's a book for anyone who wants to read about characters, about human character, how it is tested, about how war really is (some passages are difficult to read, so raw and real), how humans interact, how they behave under the kind of pressure most of us will never have to suffer. This book is for anyone who wants to read a beautifully crafted tale, sensitively and fairly handled. You feel as if you were there, watching the soldiers the whole time, willing them to step back two inches, a step that would spare the insurgent a clean shot; urging leaders to choose this course of action, not the one that results in yet more losses, with little overall gain; urging those who ended up committing the worst crimes of the war to hold back, to dig deeper, find the good in their character, to spare the innocent Iraqis their lives, their brothers-in-arms the inevitable tainted-by-association. Black Hearts is about leadership, about friendship, about the extraordinary tests on the character of a person, why those who endure the same things cope, or don't. It's about why some people choose to behave the way they do. (The chapter on the rape of the girl and murder of her family by 4 soldiers --all now in jail in the US -- is extremely difficult to stomach.) There's nothing Hollywood -- though it would make the most incredible movie actually -- or sanitized about Black Hearts, so real are the characters and images conveyed. We need to know this is what war is without, thankfully, not debating the been-there-done-that pros and cons of going into this particular war. This is the best and most emotive book, not just war book but book, I have read in years. Some scenes made me weep openly. It has changed the way I think about men at war, about character, good and bad, right and wrong, how not every leader is a good one, not every soldier is a hero -- a point Frederick makes very well, -- mostly because soldiers and leaders are human, too. But it also makes you realize how an army needs to sort those who can lead from those who obviously cannot, that is those whose errors in judgment have catastrophic consequences, those whose orders decide whether people live or die and, for those that live, how they live, how they cope, how they work within the larger group, how they rebuild their lives outside the wire, inside, if they're lucky enough, and how they deal when they return home. This is stuff we need to know and think about. It would be an amazing book were it fiction. The fact it is not makes it all the more riveting and shocking. Frederick is an extremely talented writer. I absolutely recommend Black Hearts to all Amazon customers.
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Christopher Lacey
5.0 out of 5 stars When men crack, there is really no predicting what acts they will perpetrate.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2016
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I've always wondered how anybody could commit the types of acts carried out by soldiers Green, Cortez and Barker.
While I believe that we all have a dark side and are all capable of some pretty horrific acts, given the right circumstances and stimuli, I believe that the majority of us would be unable to cross the line that these soldiers did.
However, having read this book, I have some small level of sympathy for these men, though much, much more for their victims. They were thrust into a situation under which the strongest men would be likely to crack - having friends and fellow soldiers daily being blown to pieces by IEDs, ambushed, shot, abducted and tortured to death, without any effective counseling or relief from duties which placed them all in similar danger. The leadership was unsympathetic and surprisingly ineffectual.
The wonder of it all is that more of the soldiers didn't succumb to the same temptations.
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Patrick D. Mahaney
5.0 out of 5 stars First rate reporting
Reviewed in the United States on 6 July 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Frederick's work is really first rate reporting. One of the best accounts of infantrymen in day to day operations to come out of the Iraq war. Frederick's well-researched and well-developed reporting of first platoon, B Company 1/502 is deeply troubling. The first platoon was unfit to go into combat by all accounts, but went anyway. The chain of command failed this platoon, although I suspect some of the soldiers (an unknown number) were simply unfit to serve in the U.S. Army in the first place and should never have been allowed to enlist, much less complete basic and AIT and subsequently deploy as infantrymen into combat. No amount of hands-on leadership and direct supervision can change a psychopath into a decent soldier.
The 1/502 battalion commander was clearly a 'nut job' of the first order; the company commander weak and woefully inadquate as a unit leader. The expected NCO leadership within the platoon was noticeably absent. There was a systemic failure of leadership from battalion down to squad level.
It is easy to critize the platoon, but the real responsibility rests at the top - the President and SecDef Rumsfeld - for giving the division an unstated mission, with no clear guidence, and inadequate resources. I was there in Iraq at the same time (Dec. 2004-May 2006), to include the time of the "abduction" of the three soldiers from first platoon. It is not easy to explain to the reader the complex, uncertain political-military situation that existed at the time, or the oppressive heat, dust, and general stench of Iraq, or the deepening distrust and dislike that developed between U.S. forces and the Iraqis. IEDs were the main source of frustration - and it was widely believed that Iraqi army and police forces were active participants in the planning and execution of the insurgent IED campaign. The longer one stayed in Iraq, the less trust and goodwill was extended to the Iraqis.
Frederick does an excellent job in tying together the "big picture" with the day to day activities of the first platoon, that will eventually result in the rape and murder of an Iraqi family. Frederick lays out this sordid crime in detail. It was this rape/murder, coupled with the significant breach in security and lack of supervision that shortly thereafter resulted in the "abduction" of the three soldiers from the first platoon.
There was a very well written short article by former lieutenant Frederick Downs called "Death and the Dark Side of Command" that was published in Parameters some twenty years ago. Frederick's work Black Hearts just reinforces in greater detail Downs' earlier observation that some soldiers in the U.S. Army are deceitful, untrustworthy, malcontents, criminal in conduct, and even psychopathic in personality. It is the responsibility of the chain of command to identify and separate these persons at the earliest opportunity.
Clearly, the battalion and company chain of command failed to provide the proper leadership needed during the deployment. First platoon B-1/502 was in many respects a disaster just waiting to happen. It finally happened one day in March 2006 when this disfunctional unit went badly off-course.
I found Black Hearts to be military writing of the highest order. One of the best books to come out of the Iraq war to date. Anyone interested in small unit leadership will want to read this book.
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RMC
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, Accurate, Raw
Reviewed in the United States on 14 April 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I was assigned to MiTT Team 4 (2nd BCT, 101st ABN) and lived/worked/fought with all the men in this book from 2005-2006; I knew them well enough to know they wouldn't pull any punches and Jim Frederick did a great job of capturing the madness of the 2005-2006 deployment. What matters to me more than anything is that the fight that those guys fought was recorded for posterity while it was still fresh; their sacrifices and their risks and their love for each other were overshadowed by the awful events of a few, and all of their hard work was overshadowed by what followed. We hear Fallujah and Tal Afar talked about as household names but no one knows about Rusdi Mullah, the JSB and Route Sportster-- no one who wasn't there and suffered through it...except those who read this book.
Well written, and no pulled punches. Everyone takes their lumps equally-- Ebel, Kunk, Goodwin, Norton, Fenalson-- all of them are part of this and no one gets off scot free. Even so, no one is painted as the only bad leader or the only good apple in the bunch. He captures the aspects of all of them-- Kunk's personality, Captain Goodwin sleeping in his plaid flannel pajama pants in his folding chair in the TOC, Fenalson's demeanor, the frustration of the platoon sergeants, the anger of the men, the sense of hopelessness...it is as real as it gets. I could almost hear the crackle of the radios, hear Sergeant Loper on the mic in the TOC or SFC Laskoski telling someone they were stupid or hear Biggers laugh as someone was caught doing something stupid on the J-Lens.
The criminals who raped and killed are portrayed accurately, too-- shown for all that they were and were not and the leadership decisions that were made or failed to be made that directly led to the events of February 2006. The author does a great job of humanizing an inhuman act. It was all right there, in the book.
I had to put the book down several times and take a break. I would have loved to read it cover to cover but it was like drinking from an emotional firehose. So much came rushing back. I've been to the house where the rape occurred and seen the burn marks; I've sat on the TCPs on Sportster; I've drank crappy coffee at the TCP on the corner of Mulla Fayad. I know the places and the men and the author captures them as well as possible.
If you are a veteran of OIF, served south of Baghdad or were in an infantry company at war, this book will be like gazing into your past. If you are a vet of the Strike Brigade-- especially First Strike-- and have not confronted your personal demons before reading this book, this may be too much to handle on your own. I was glad to have my wife and friends who served there too so I could talk about what I was remembering; it is a very real and personal book that I highly recommend to anyone who was there, or wants to know what it was like.
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Gary Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read which captures the reality of combat operations
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2015
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The author pulls no punches in this gritty account of a soldier's lot in Iraq. The narrative explores the fundamental breakdown in the command structure and how this affected soldier's on the front line. From the outset the author does not try and mitigate why such a incident took place but he does try and give the reader an understanding of how things can go bad and he provides a backdrop to the path men can take when command, control and ultimately support is absent in combat zone. The upper echelons of the U.S. command needed to support these guys and in the main they failed with notorious consequences.
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M. C. Winstanley
4.0 out of 5 stars Murder most foul
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2012
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Black Hearts is the true story of how - and why - an entire family was murdered and violated in their own home by a gang of drunken youths. In that respect, it sounds like a headline ripped from an inner city daily news report. The fact that the killers were serving soldiers in the US Army and the crime took place in Iraq makes this book part war story, part criminal investigation.
Starting with the immediate aftershock of the crime, author Jim Frederick goes back to the unit's initial deployment to explain the catalogue of errors, mismanagement and violent contacts that left the crime's perpetrators in the state of mind that led them to rape and murder. While never excusing their actions, it's a pretty damning revelation of troops woefully let down by their own people. How the mightiest army on the planet sent by the richest country could leave troops spread so thinly and under resourced in a hostile area of operation will have you shaking your head in disbelief.
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ERB
5.0 out of 5 stars A punch in the gut
Reviewed in the United States on 19 March 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Most of the reviews present already hit most of the high points, but the book deserves another five-star review.
I went into it expecting more of a "true crime" focus on the rape-murder of the Iraqi civilians. I'm glad to say that while it's clearly an important part of this horrific deployment, it's placed in some sort of proper context. It really is the story of the platoon and company that those soldiers were members of, and not the other way around.
Frederick's achievement in reporting is really amazing. A reader really feels like they've gotten to appreciate what these men went through. And, for Frederick to have pulled all this together without being actually being embedded with the unit at the time is phenomanal. David Finkel wrote the excellent "The Good Soldiers," and was actually present with his subjects for much of their deployment. I would say that Frederick does just as good a job here of really showing these men "in their element" even though he wasn't actually with them at the time.
I've embedded as a freelance reporter in Iraq three times with infantry companies, though never in situations even 1/100th as awful as these soldiers were going through. The details of platoon dynamics were absolutely spot-on accurate; each time I went, I embedded with an infantry company similar to Bravo, and each time there was usually one platoon that wanted nothing to do with a reporter, another that was excited to have somebody new to talk with, and a third that was kind of in the middle. I sort of looked at these platoons the same way.
So, I could appreciate the dynamics of leadership making a lot of difference in how soldiers felt on any given day. The platoon leaders and sergeants really set the tone, and Frederick does a great job of capturing that importance. It's something that's hard to grasp until one sees it up close.
Facts and scenes like those above are what gave this book its credibility, at least for me. I never thought to myself, "wait, that doesn't sound right." It always did, as awful as that often was. That carried through the whole book.
This book will and should make a reader very angry. The men involved in the crime deserve their sentence - but I think it's unfair that Green bore the harshest sentence. He wasn't the highest ranking soldier present. The battalion commander, now a colonel, probably did a good job in other areas of his AO, but if a platoon and company are this broken, I can't see how he doesn't share a large segment of the blame. But who knows. And, those are legal and emotional questions not really relevant to Frederick's storytelling and informational achievement.
In the past few months, there have been several books - "The Good Soldiers," "They Fought for Each Other" - published that focus more on individual soldier's experiences, rather than on somewhat contrived "big battle" stories that try to make more out of specific engagements than they really deserve. I've never thought those books captured any honest aspect of this war.
Soldiers - and I'm an Army war veteran, too - are never all heroes, like the media likes to sometime present. They are men and women going OUT THERE to do a hard job. I don't think a soldier wants to be built up on a pedestal; I think they just want people to know the truth. This book is the kind of hard truth that people should know.
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Flashman
5.0 out of 5 stars Like no other journalist's account of conflict
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2012
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This is more of a thinking man's war-story, it isn't `war porn'. The focus is on the physical and psychological break-down of the soldiers in the context of spectacular failings by the US military to support them, and the consequences that flow from that break down. The character development is excellent and the pace is frenetic, you'll definitely struggle to stop reading. Fredrick has expertly weaved together the (obviously significant) information he has into what feels and reads exactly like a novel, except with the added benefit that all of the characters and events are real. Highly recommended, this is like no other journalist's account of conflict that I have read.
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Dave
4.0 out of 5 stars Review of the book the black hearts
Reviewed in the United States on 24 April 2026
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Book so far is good. These guys relieved my unit in 2005 nov. They were real rude and said the guard was nothing they had a pretty negative attitude from the get go . But after reading about how our upper command talked to their command before we ever got relieved . I can understand their attitudes towards us . They are telling the truth about the conditions there . We changed our guys out every three days from the alamo and JSB and the power plant . So they could come back to the fob at yusufiyah . I see that this unit had the same problems we had very little supplies and support . When i was there in yusufiyah i can remember only have 2-3 hot meals till the insurgents blew up our mess hall and equipment needed to cook with so sll we got was water and MRE’s to eat . We told the 101 st they would be hit hard and that the insurgents watched us all the time and that you couldn't trust the iraqi army . To this we were told we know what we are doing we’ve been here before and that they were the real army not just some guard unit . So thats how our ride seat ride went . I feel for the guys yusufiyah area was a crap hole and a death trap , on two sides of the fob was two and three story buildings with people constantly looking in our fob like a fish bowl and not being supplied or supported really hampers how well you can do things . The A O = area of operation . Yusufiyah had the largest area to cover . The book tells about the physical area pretty good as for the stuff about the 48 th well i don't agree with but understand how that their attitudes were tainted before they got down to us. They had a rough time there as we did we the 48 th in yusufiyah lost only one guardsman he was stationed with us there in a cav unit the rest that died there were Iraqi soldiers we did have alot of wounded there and alot of medivac s i feel if the soldiers were rotated out from the the alamo ,jsb and the power house areas more it may have helped and also not trying to make the Fob into a super clean super organized base as if they were stateside may have helped out also. Anyway the book tells accurately how bad war can be and the type of things those who fought in the war had to deal with , certain things you caint unsee or unlive or forget .
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Dustin Daak
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Product!
Reviewed in the United States on 15 February 2026
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Love this book!
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Matthew
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Product
Reviewed in the United States on 7 February 2026
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Great Product!
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Mark Bando
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Feat of Research & Storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on 18 November 2010
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I am the author of four books about the 101st Airborne Division in WWII, (one of which was cited in the Bibliogaphy of 'Black Hearts' by its author).
Being the author of a book of 'forbidden tales' regarding the WWII 101st Airborne and currently working on a sequel of all-true tales of misadventures, this work was of particular interest to me.
I have also been in Afghanistan twice, in 2008 and 2010, as a journalist embedded with the 506th Infantry. As such, I realize how difficult it is to get soldiers to open-up and talk with you. This was one of the amazing things about 'Black Hearts', that the author was able to get so many veterans of this company to tell their views and stories. The fact that this was accomplished almost guaranteed that this book would be much more than an exploitation book about a sensationalistic subject. It is so much more-a real explanation of the dynamics, situation and personalities of that time and place, and an objective, well-researched documentation of a war crime and what led-up to it.
A lot of readers would probably be surprised to know that in my 40 years of research on the 101st Airborne Division in WWII,(involving over 1,000 interviews), I have learned of two rape-murders and an additional rape in which the husband of the victim was killed by the perpetrator. WAR is the culprit, formenting stimuli, circumstances and opportunities to do such ghastly things, which would not normally arise in any civilian context. Sadly, in all wars, all armies have witnessed similar incidents, regardless of the nationalities of the actors and even in the context of the 'Good War' of WWII.
Being conversant with the mechanics of producing such a difficult and sensitive work, I am highly impressed with 'Black Hearts' and I feel the author has set the bar high for any similar attempts by other researchers. Mr Frederick's book is a top-notch example of research and writing. One reviewer lamented that more detail wasn't given about the rape victim's prior life, aspirations, family etc. Getting in-depth info of that sort from a village or relatives that were devastated by the event itself would understandably be 'mission impossible'. I am amazed at how much info the author managed to get from former soldiers and I believe he got as much as was possible (for an American journalist to get), on the Iraqi side, given the circumstances.
Out of the many books written about the current war, this is one of the very best.
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just another PTSD statistic
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW.
Reviewed in the United States on 11 February 2010
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When I started to read this book I wasn't sure if I would like what i was about to read. But being in bravo during this deployment i had to know what really happened and most importantly, how it happened. I wondered if my memories of the deployment would differ from what was in the book. i was so relieved to see the truth, however horrible it was. i literally couldn't put it down. I think this book will help people to understand what everyone in battalion had to endure throughout the deployment, especially Bco.
To extend the conversation of comments:
Todd J. Harmon says:
so you agree with the facts of the book?
Yes, completely. It's funny when I was reading the book, I could have sworn that the guy who wrote this had to have been there with us, because it was the only way he could have been so dead on with everything. It is really a testament to how well he did his research. I haven't heard anything negative about the book from anyone who has read it and was actually there. I've read several books on Iraq and none go as far into the dynamics of the unit as much as this book does.
To explain one part of my initial review that said "But being in bravo during this deployment I had to know what really happened and most importantly, how it happened." I wanted to give some context. I was in Bravo company the entire deployment and in June of 2006 was moved to first platoon, two weeks before the attack on the Alamo and before the information about the crimes that were committed came out. We had such a high tempo in our company for meeting battalion's demands that the platoons rarely spoke to each other more than when we would pass guard at the TCP's and at the JSB. The only things that were on the minds for the lower enlisted (second to operations) were about down time, when we could shower, get on the internet, etc. I was a team-leader when I was transferred and these things were always the second thought. Being an outsider (initially) and watching the events that are in the book unfold, I was completely beside myself. I thought, "how could things have gone so completely wrong without the rest of us even suspecting." I looked back in my memories to think of things that would implicate the downward spiral, but the almost complete isolation because of the high tempo made it impossible to make any connections...
His ability to do the research and make the connections even though he wasn't there, when many of us were, makes this book that much more important.
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GuyPersonThing
5.0 out of 5 stars Great but one point
Reviewed in the United States on 13 September 2022
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Served in the battalion scout platoon during this tour, so I was able to work with each company in their respective AOs, though Alpha tended to not use us because the commander was a proud and vain person.
Bravo was by far the most active for us, and it was insane how much worse it was than just over in Alpha or Charlie company's AO. I am certainly not to saying they didn't have hard and dangerous AO's, it's just that Yusifiyah and a particular nearby village was the real hot-spot and gathering place for much of what would become ISIS in the future, but at the time I think we referred to as Al-Qaeda in Iraq. I think the command right up to the Generals didn't comprehend what was taking form down there, and for that we the soldiers paid the price. It was an brutal tour, with little help from above, and by the end almost everyone was physically and mentally broken or exhausted and I would bet no one is to this day not affected by it.
For an idea how bad things it got to a point where even air support was non-existent as they had shot so many birds down they stopped flying in the area. Much of Bravo's AO was basically just enemy territory. I do think that much of this blame also falls on the previous unit, a National Guard unit out of Georgia, that had effectively stopped patrolling and given all that territory to the enemy to then build up for a year before we arrived. I place a lot of blame on that unit, they were cowards, plane and simple, and we had to come in and try to fix the mess.
It was a fight from the start to the end.
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TigerTC
5.0 out of 5 stars War is Hell
Reviewed in the United States on 25 April 2010
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Jim Frederick's "Black Hearts" tells the gripping and disturbing story of one dysfunctional platoon's tour in Iraq in 2005-2006. The platoon endured heavy casualties during its deployment but is most noted for two infamous incidents during its tour: the raping of a 14 year-old Iraqi girl and murder of her and her family by four of its members, and the capture (and killing) of two of its members a few months later. "Black Hearts" is an engaging, gritty, uncensored story of brutality and an essential read for anyone interested in the current war in Iraq.
The book is based on extensive interviews with many members of that platoon along with the official investigations into many of the events in this book. Frederick draws out the personal stories of most of the platoon members and he paints real, balanced pictures of each of them. He avoids any shallow caricatures of the participants as "good guys" and "bad guys."
At times, this book reads like a clichéd story from the Vietnam War - with soldiers using drugs and alcohol, slapping around the locals, and going crazy from the stress and wanting to kill the local civilians. On one level his is the story of how men will deteriorate in extended combat, especially men without troubled backgrounds. On another level this book is an indictment of the platoon's leadership at every level and how the Army failed to support them or give them the resources needed to accomplish their missions. And finally, this is the story of how their country failed these men by putting them in such untenable situations, by senior leadership in the Army and civilian leadership that did not understand the war or the right way to fight it (by trying to fight a counterinsurgency campaign with so few soldiers and without understanding the need to win the support of the local people).
This is an important book that shows how men can breakdown in extended combat and how leaders can fail their men. It is an intense and troubling read that will linger with me for a long time. All members of the military should read it to learn those lessons, as well as anyone truly interested in an on-the-ground view of the war in Iraq.
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Mrs. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars An honest, truthful depiction of what B Company went through
Reviewed in the United States on 16 February 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
My son was in B Company during this deployment to Iraq. From what he wrote to me while he was there, I could tell this book was an accurate collection of what was going on with 1/502nd and especially with the soldiers of B Company. How the commanders were more worried about picking up cigarette butts and whether the men were clean shaven and properly dressed than they were about them getting a few hours of shut-eye or some food in their stomachs before they had to go out and risk their lives again. It wasn't difficult to see how they would feel like they were the "forgotten" after requesting just the basic needs and being turned down time after time, and how silly it seemed to the soldiers that they had to have gravel at the Battalion so they wouldn't get their boots muddy was first priority! The combat stress team was totally ineffective - especially when the treatment of the day was Ambien and/or Seroquel and send them on their way. Even when red flags were sent up about Green, upper command dismissed it. Losing so many of their good friends day after day was taking a toll even on the guys that had been on several tours, let alone the first tour soldiers.
Thank you Jim Frederick for a glimpse into what these soldiers went through. The thought and honest interpretation of just what these guys were thinking and feeling rang true and I hope that people everywhere will get a chance to read your book.
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diandshawn
5.0 out of 5 stars Black Hearts
Reviewed in the United States on 1 November 2012
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Black Hearts is an absolute must-read for military leaders of all ranks. In fact, leaders in any industry will learn valuable lessons about communication, responsibility, moral courage, and the costs of failing to be an engaged leader. CEOs and Generals alike can also learn the importance of truly listening to others, including subordinates. The arrogance of some commanders and their unwillingness to adapt their thinking based on obvious information directly led to the tragic events described brilliantly in this book. Many of the leaders in this book literally drove by or walked by severe problems every day--each failing to make the needed corrections. Worse, many leaders FAILED to check on their subordinates--so they were never in the position to make necessary corrections and stop the downward spiral of a unit headed for disaster.
Equally important, the moral courage displayed by the soldier who reported the crimes of his platoon-mates provides food-for-thought for all who struggle to do what is right in the face of real danger or popular opinion. Loyalty is a term used by all military branches--this book explores graduate level loyalty--not just to your unit, but to your values and to mankind.
Jim Frederick has written a detailed, heart-wrenching book about war at the platoon level, its impact on the civilian population, and the tragic results of failed leadership. At its core, war is a human event---it is not about drones and satellites and machines; Mr. Frederick's fast-moving prose drives that point home in spades...and in hearts.
I highly recommend this book, but especially to those interested in leadership, psychology, or military operations.
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M Wolski
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book on the Tragedy of Boredom and Fear
Reviewed in the United States on 24 May 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Well, I don't think I can really say that I love a book that paints such a bleak picture, but I do greatly appreciate and admire this work. As we now go back into Iraq for a third time, this time covering much of the same ground as before, it is important to realize why US national leadership is so keen to avoid putting US troops directly into combat. Fighting a counterinsurgency type war is exhausting, tedious, and terrifying. The boredom, the combat, and the fear revels some men as cowards, some as heroes, and some as monsters. In Black Hearts, Jim Frederick has written a thoughtful and moving study of how a battalion, a company, and a platoon can all disintegrate in a matter of months. While hindsight is 20/20, and leadership is always tough, it's clear that there were failures of leadership, and many of them were avoidable. The content here is powerful and well developed. For the technical aspects of the writing, I do typically enjoy books written by journalists. This book is no exception - it is well sourced and often preemptively answered the questions I had about events. As a military officer, I think this book is particularly important to read for members of the military. As a study in leadership, I think this is a fantastic reference to dissect. As a glimpse into what can happen in war, I think this is an important primer.
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Noblehops
5.0 out of 5 stars An important book, a work of great integrity
Reviewed in the United States on 15 January 2011
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I read this book to try to understand what it was like 'on the ground' in Iraq, and for sure, now I feel like I do a lot better than before. Frederick may have set out to write about one particular platoon's spiral into insanity, but it seems like he quickly found that the narrative wold be incomplete without providing more of a setting. I was struck throughout the book by the pains Frederick obviously took to be compassionate yet objective, not to separate horrific events and deeds from the horrific, insane backdrop of the war, and the situations our front line soldiers are sometimes put in. I came away from the reading of this book a bit disturbed, a bit angry, at the things we ask these men and women to do, and how little effort we truly spend to understand what happens to them as a result.
PFC Green was obviously a sick and deeply disturbed young man, and in fact he made no effort to disguise that. The fact that he was allowed to serve in the Army at all is pretty disturbing.
Frederick worked very hard on this book and I feel like he did a balanced and fair job of reporting the events. If anything I came away from the reading of this with greater understanding, respect and appreciation for the men and women of our armed forces.
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TFLHNDN
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening
Reviewed in the United States on 20 June 2025
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Good read and deep dive into issues that arise when command is too far detached from their subordinates. Good history lesson on Iraq.
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Sharon
5.0 out of 5 stars Shattering
Reviewed in the United States on 28 March 2010
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This is an astonishing book. Having no personal connection with the military and having little general interest in military matters, I downloaded the Kindle sample because of my concern about the event at the heart of the tale -- the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family by four American soldiers. Once I started reading, I was hooked. This is one of the most involving nonfiction books I've ever read. I couldn't put it down and I received a shocking education in how some of our troops have been living and working during the war on terror. At so many points, good leadership (which certainly includes awareness of and concern for basic human needs and functioning under stress) could have quite conceivably changed the outcome of the platoon's deployment, not only for that girl and her family, but for some of the men who lost their lives in service. That those men were so consistently failed does not excuse what a few of them did to an innocent civilian. But it does remind us that it often takes a village, or an entire chain of command, to create a monster. It is not an easy read, or an enjoyable one. It is, however, an important read, and one I highly recommend.
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A. Craig
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Iraq war book
Reviewed in the United States on 5 March 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This book is an incredible look into the difficulties of one platoon in the triangle of death in Iraq. The narrative is strong, and the reader is literally on the edge of his seat during certain scenes. The story of the day to day lives of these soldiers, often attempting to achieve impossible tasks in an impossible place at an impossible time drives the book forward. It reads quite quick. The research is impressive and its obvious that Frederick has spent countless hours with most of the major participants in the book. Thematically, the book is also an extended examination about effective leadership. What makes an effective leader? How can a leadership style in one circumstance be effective but in another be literally deadly? How can effective leadership overcome some of the worst military circumstances our nation has seen in years and, conversely, how can ineffective leadership make that situation even worse. Frederick's book is an impressive achievement and I would recommend it to a wide range of readers. By writing a book that is much more than just a history of a time and place in the Iraq War, I believe he's written a text that will be read for years to come.
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Jkreader
4.0 out of 5 stars excellent case study in communication & leadership, fine journalism and solid reporting
Reviewed in the United States on 28 December 2014
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I'm not usually attracted to military or war books but I had met the author Jim Frederick in 2012 in Brooklyn as he was moderating a journalism lecture on war reporting.
Fascinating and quick read. Well researched. Lots of respect for his thorough and detailed reporting from Iraq, numerous and repeated interviews with soldiers and sifting through verbatim transcripts like those of the Steven Green (Private First Class) trial. Organizing volumes of notes and presenting in a readable, informative format for an audience is a journalist's nightmare and life's work. I think he nailed it.
I appreciated Frederick's writing style as he explained military jargon, terminology and hierarchy amid both an egregiously horrific crime committed by US soldiers and the daily tribulations of war life. Honest in its descriptions of death and horror.
I suggest this read as a case study in communication and leadership as well.
Apparently, Frederick died earlier this year of a heart attack. He was 42.
I give 4/5 stars only for some awkward phrasings and redundant references which another once-over edit would repair.
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M. Sullivan
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Account of a miserable time in the Iraq War
Reviewed in the United States on 25 October 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I am currently serving in Baghdad and have conducted numerous operations in the area where these events took place. Mr. Frederick captures perfectly the terrain, the Iraqi people, the fear and the frustration of the American Soldier during this critical time in Iraqi history. The reader gets an incredibly accurate picture of the insurgent violence coupled with poor leadership of the U.S. battalion placed in the "Triangle of Death". Man power shortages, strung out Soldiers, stifling heat and an enemy determined to maim or kill you every day are all elements Mr. Frederick captures in his book. As I drive down the routes today (Sportster, Fat Boy, etc), I cannot help but think about the legacy left behind by this unit. I've been by where the horrific rape and murders happened...a sense of evil still hangs over that area. Mr. Frederick lets you look into this world of suffering and pain, all from the safety of your own home.
If you had to read one book about the Iraq War, this is the one to read.
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Tammy L. James
5.0 out of 5 stars Truthful
Reviewed in the United States on 22 March 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Black Hearts by Jim Frederick is a well written book that tells the ugly truth about our young men in Iraq fighting for our freedom. It's impressive that of all the young men interviewed gave an honest account what really happened and how they were denied the basic neccesities in order to cope with the reality of war. Such things as running water, toilets, and most of all the addition of extra men were not given to them because the upper command said in theory it would work. When I was reading the book my heart ached for the ones that lost their lives and how each of the men in their own way coped with that loss. Bravo to Jim Frederick for shining a light on the day to day stresses these young men faced. My hope for this book is other commanders would read Black Hearts and learn from the mistakes made in this war and so that our young men would return home safe and sound.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good book, more of a reporting than a story telling
Reviewed in the United States on 5 December 2023
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Pretty good book, more of a reporting than a story telling. Not a massive amount of action, but enough to keep you engaged. The print is pretty small, so I didn’t like that
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S. Stutzman
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling story of modern war, and how trying to fight a modern enemy who fights by ambush and planting bombs on roadsides easi
Reviewed in the United States on 3 December 2016
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Clear a violent region near Bagdhad in a country whose linkages have been destroyed by our invasion. ethnic tribal
Hatreds abound, and he soldiers quickly descend into hatred of alll locals leading to abuse and ultimately a vile atrocity which lies at the heart of the story.
But the ultimate madness is the decision to invade in the first place setting in
motion a chain of events that leaves 20 something's with terrors that will understandably haunt them as long as they breathe . their experiences were in the words of one soldier like going to the mailbox daily having to do this
When there is a 1 in 4 chance it, the mailbox will blow up.--And never knowing when. George W Bush and his minions who foisted the Iraq debacle upon us should be forced to read this powerful book Iof what thetr folly has caused
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Nicholas P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on 9 September 2024
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One of the best books I’ve read! I couldn’t just read one chapter at a time. One chapter turned to four or five chapters! Worth the read if you’re a veteran!
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Ravi Srivastava
3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of details but little strategic value
Reviewed in the United States on 28 March 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Best books related to war are able to recount the stories and examine deeply buried long-term strategic issues. Such books become part of war literature. I can't say the same about this book. This book is heavy on irrelevant details. Multiple chapters are spent on building up the characters as if the author was trying to satisfy publisher's requirement of number of pages. Very often the unity of purpose is lost in such irrelevant details and the story becomes meandering.
The author has done an excellent job of putting together the background that led to the most reprehensible rape and massacre of a poor 14-year old girl and her family in Iraq and its aftermath. He needs to be commended for his courage.
The book is positively interesting when it focuses in its core subject. It brings out some critical issues related to asymmetric warfare. There are some lessons about the subtle signals against the background of noise that leadership must be trained to recognize.
I'd call this book interesting in parts. A good editor could have made it better.
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Gary Willmart
4.0 out of 5 stars Ineptitude Leaders
Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2014
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I'm a retired military member and this story was shocking, but very believable, the way our government and military has abused the lower ranks. We have been in wars now for many years and not there to win. We handicap our soldiers with ridiculous rules of engagement that destroy our troopers morale and result in too many injuries and deaths of our soldiers. The policy of sending them on so many deployments is destroying their lives and increasing their chances of not coming home. Investigations are a white wash and none of those in command are held accountable for their actions or poor leadership. In fact most end up getting promoted .Politicians start these wars and don't support our military. A shocking story every American should read.
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Laura3109
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning.
Reviewed in the United States on 11 February 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
While I found this book difficult to follow because there were so many characters (my bad - I only found the list of people at the back of the book after I finished reading it), I remain stunned and shocked by the events that it portrays.
Everyone should read this book or at least be informed about the waste of lives, money, youth and more lives that our government has knowingly perpetrated upon our youth. Sure, they volunteered; and sure, they get paid; but the sacrifices enumerated in the book are shocking and heartbreaking.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not anti-government or even anti-war, and I don't think that the author is, either; however, this book has changed the way I think about a lot of things.
Much thanks to the author for his pathos and his ability to transfer it to print.
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Ronnie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Reviewed in the United States on 17 August 2021
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
One of my favorite reads as a military history buff. Was a deep dive into a platoon in a rough time with little support. Beyond the scandal, there are many stories here of bravery and sacrifice. Don’t lose the valor for the 4-5 bad eggs. They fought through loss and questionable leadership to get the job done. Thank you to all our past, present and future fighting men and women for your service and bravery. And thank you to the families that supported and waited for them at home.
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B Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Book
Reviewed in the United States on 19 March 2015
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This author passed away after writing this book. He was a true talent, a man who earned the right to be an author using learned skill and not connections or references from hack professors teaching badly constructed courses in creative writing. For an example of the crappy writers I just referenced, see anybody who works for the New Yorker.
Anyway, Black Hearts is written for your enjoyment, coming off like a good movie. Fredricks never takes you so deep inside the details that you want to flip through pages. He keeps your attention skillfully, keeps you glued to the pages, and the story he unfolds for you will practically knock you out. It's a horrific story, not something that will make you admire humanity more than you already do, but you'll never forget it.
If you have any interest in the Iraq war, you'll love this book.
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C. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read.
Reviewed in the United States on 31 May 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This is a good book to tell the story of First Strike and the events surrounding the rape of the 14 yr old Iraqi girl, Abeer. It is also a story of mismanagement that goes all the way to the top and Rumsfeld's saying you go to war with the army you have when it was obvious we were not using all of our army. Instead the troops were told to do more with less. This does not excuse misconduct and rape/murder. As usual these were crimes of opportunity. When this story first came out, Green was portrayed as the leader and instigator of the crime. He participated for sure especially in the murders but the initial rape idea was not his. Also, the initial stories portrayed the Army as trying to cover this up. That is not true. And these impressions sold by the media are corrected in this book.
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Doug
4.0 out of 5 stars Black Hearts
Reviewed in the United States on 30 September 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This was a very well-written book. After reading it, I had the chance to meet the author. After reading the book, I wondered if the writer had been fair to all of the characters; as a soldier myself I have certainly come across soldiers and officers like the ones described in Black Hearts, it only drives it home more that this could happen. This could be a valuable case study for officers and soldiers to see what you cannot let happen.
The book was also impartial to the Army. It did not trash the Army or the war, or the soldiers in it, but was honest.
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Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership at it's worst
Reviewed in the United States on 9 April 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone that has ever led soldiers and anyone who will lead soldiers in the future. This books tells the story of a Battlion in the 101st that clearly had several leadership challenges from the Brigade Commander down to the Company Commanders. This book is so good that the reader will not be able to stop reading. This books gives an accurate account of what soldiers face on a daily basis in combat and how they can become desensitized to killing and death after seeing all of their fellow soldiers lose their lives. The author does an excellent job interviewing all of the soldiers involved in order to present an accurate assessment of how the atrocities mentioned in the book were committed. Great book, I could not put it down!
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Terry P. Rizzuti
5.0 out of 5 stars The More Things Change, the More They Differ?
Reviewed in the United States on 27 January 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This is an outstanding book. Being a Vietnam Vet, and having learned a little about this incident from the news, I went into it assuming that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In other words, I assumed this story would be no different than some of the things I witnessed in Vietnam. What surprised me, however, was the extent to which this incident was premeditated. That's unusual, very unusual, perhaps even unprecedented. Usually when things like this happen, they happen during the spur of the moment, when you're out on patrol and anger and especially fear rise to uncontrollable levels and become contageous. But these guys sat around and planned it. That tells me anger had more to do with the incident than fear. I highly recommend this book.
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Ceal S.
3.0 out of 5 stars There is a story in here somewhere
Reviewed in the United States on 15 April 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
As a journalist I am trying to figure out how Jim Frederick could have taken such an amazing story and made it such a laborious read. Frederick certainly has plenty of information - perhaps too much and probably a lack of a really good book editor to turn this into a book with a better pace. Too often Frederick and the reader become bogged down in excessive detail. Yes, it is very important to understand the nature of these men and their histories, but it could have been written in a more compelling way. I would have also liked to have learned more about the victims, the child burtally gangraped by this platoon before being executed and burned, her family, their hopes, dreams and aspirations and how they coped or didn't with US occupation in their land.
For anyone interested in this troubling history then this book should be read, but regrettably it is not a must read.
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Sheryl Lloyd
4.0 out of 5 stars Leaders lead in good and bad times
Reviewed in the United States on 13 July 2016
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An unfortunate unfolding of events. Tragic on every hand. It reinforces the importance of discipline even in the worst of circumstances. The platoon/company was under toxic circumstances without the support of their higher leadership which led to devastating outcomes. I do believe it was shared responsibility on many levels. The soldiers didn't have the necessary man power to sustain the fight. They did a great job given the circumstances. In hindsight I can see how early intervention on all levels may have prevented the atrocity. Leadership is a huge responsibility. I have t taken key lessons to help me be a better leader.
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Red Ryder
5.0 out of 5 stars The Dark Side of Incompétent Leadership
Reviewed in the United States on 24 May 2018
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Frederick in Black Hearts brings to the reader the horrors of war. With what seems to be a cast of hundreds Frederick draws his characters in such a way that the reader is able to keep this cast straight in his mind. No explanation is provided for the actions taken by the Black Hearts. It seems they don’t know why they took the actions they did. Senseless acts separated from the acts of war seem to be an all too common occurrence in combat zones. Given the track our country seems to be on acts such as these will be seen again. A dark theme, but one well drawn.
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Eagle101
5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking and disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on 19 May 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I served in this regiment a long time ago and was shocked by many things in this book. I was shocked the lack of effective leadership, lack of discipline among some of the Soldiers and the lack of planning by the unit's senior leadership. I also admired their ability to continue to carry out their duties in those circumstances.
Now I wasn't there with them so I won't cast judgement on some of the Solder's actions but the murder and rape was disgusting. Those found guilty all deserved the judgement handed down to them.
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Mr. Z
5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Insight
Reviewed in the United States on 23 July 2013
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As an infantry officer who spent his last deployment to Afghanistan in a very kinetic area, this book presents an immersive, real view into the harsh, violent, frustrating world of Soldiers in combat.
As a leader in the military, it presents a "perfect storm" of a situation, with leaders making decisions that perhaps made sense to them, given their perspectives, but that ultimately damning their men.
For those who wish for an insight into deployments in general, or those who want to better understand an inexcusable atrocity, this book paints a vivid and realistic picture. These Soldiers' hardships, struggles, leadership challenges, and devotion to duty and each other are tangible. An excellent book, even if the topic is one that is deeply saddening.
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MurfandTurf
4.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Disunity and Failed Leadership
Reviewed in the United States on 31 January 2014
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This reading was recommended for cadets in ROTC and I strongly encourage others to pick it up. The many examples of failed leadership and overall disunity are great lessons for anyone, in or out of the military. Jim Frederick gives horrific yet honest perspectives of everyone involved with the operation in Yusufiyah, from the higher grade officers to the soldiers on the patrols. He even gives a sobering view of Americans from the Iraqi perspective. This book is filled with graphic descriptions of detailed missions and depicts the slow transformation from man to monster.
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Jan
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Iraq war book I've read
Reviewed in the United States on 26 April 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Although focused on the experience of one Army unit, and telling a range of individual stories, this book manages to provide an excellent and enlightening overview of the Iraq War leading up to 2005-2006. This is an engrossing and excellently researched and written book that digs deep into the complexities of the American soldiers' trials and agonies in the Iraq War.
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Bryn Griffith
5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing and devastating.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2017
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It is about 5 years now since I read this book and it's still with me. The unremitting combat stress under which the soldiers existed is so palpable that the terrible deeds they carried out, and for which they were punished, become understandable.
To understand is not to excuse, but after finishing the book you are left with little doubt that the bulk of the blame lies with their seniors who completely failed in their duty of care for the people under their command.
I'm not someone who typically reads this kind of material but I found it utterly engrossing and devastating.
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AnthonyVA
4.0 out of 5 stars Written by a journalist, it captures the books subtitle ...
Reviewed in the United States on 28 February 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Written by a journalist, it captures the books subtitle from an outsiders perspective, but from a thorough investigation of of the characters. This should be on the reading list of all levels of commanders conducting pre-operational work up of what should not be done: gut the experienced junior leaders from a company, not give the troops the resources or manning to complete the task, create a culture of not fostering critical comment and on it goes. Kudos to any senior commander recommending this to their junior commanders.
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DevilDog 3/7
5.0 out of 5 stars A book that was hard to read.
Reviewed in the United States on 10 February 2014
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This book was very hard to read not because of grammar or the anything like that, but how dysfunctional this unit was from the top on down. It just made me seethe with anger at how far the Army Officer Corps will go to protect it's own at the cost of their men. It sounds like Army officers above Capt. Lead from the rear and not from front where they should be. General Gavin and General Ridgeway would be ashamed of todays Officers. I could only read for short periods of time because I got so angry.
But it's a book I think people should read.
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flubujab
5.0 out of 5 stars there is poor leadership in civilian life as well
Reviewed in the United States on 3 March 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I was stationed in Kuwait/Iraq from June 2003 to June 2004. I had a friend who was TDY there around 2007. The events in this book take place between the time I was there and the time my friend was there. The book shined light on why my experience was different from his. I don;t know if you need to completely understand military hierarchy to appreciate this book. At the end of the day, there is poor leadership in civilian life as well. Read this book and you will understand why it's so hard for soldier to transition back into civilian life.
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Mark S
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Fantastic Book
Reviewed in the United States on 25 August 2014
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This book is an in-depth look at the many variables and nuances of life in combat that can and often do drive men to madness. A clear vision of the conditions that the troops (particularly Bravo Company) were operating in and under is clearly demonstrated by the author, Jim Frederick. There are many "enemies" that soldiers must confront. Arrogance, the lack of communication (filter up and filter down) and the refusal to take responsibility for those conditions by the upper echelon of command is clearly depicted. This is an outstanding book, I give it my highest rating. ~Mark Seery
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MGG
5.0 out of 5 stars Horrifying
Reviewed in the United States on 17 May 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Terrifying account of 5 men who committed an atrocious crime. Excellent book, deeply saddening as well.
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Ian
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book on the effects of absent and toxic leadership
Reviewed in the United States on 2 July 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
If you are a leader, you can learn excellent lessons on the failure of the chain of command, absent leaders, and toxic command culture from this book.
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Philip
5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing but important
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 August 2023
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A complete unadulterated description of what war is really like - you get a complete sense of the horrors and pointlessness of it all, graphic and disturbing.
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Mary A.
5.0 out of 5 stars So, we weren't greeted with flowers and joyous citizens ...
Reviewed in the United States on 11 August 2014
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So, we weren't greeted with flowers and joyous citizens and Iraqi oil didn't pay for all of it, after all. What we did get was an irrational, mindless war on Iraq so the weak, ignorant and vain George Bush could call himself the "war president".
Because of the feckless Bush and his war-mongers, we have close to 5,000 American military dead today and counting.
This book is a brilliant and unsparing account of the appalling lack of leadership, information, strategy and planning shown by the American military beginning at the top, where the buck always stops.
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Quentin Ryan
4.0 out of 5 stars A broken chain of command!
Reviewed in the United States on 12 April 2016
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The fog of war at its worst. Black Hearts is the story of poor command and bad judgement. An indictment of the armies chain of command that led to a total breakdown of moral responsibility. The characters are real and sickening, anyone who served with honor and dignity must read this as the very worst in military leadership. The fact Kunk is still in the military is a disgrace.
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William T Pfeiffer
5.0 out of 5 stars If you've ever wondered what it's like to serve in a modern war zone
Reviewed in the United States on 20 October 2014
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If you've ever wondered what it's like to serve in a modern war zone, this is the book for you. I purchased this book primarily because Jim Frederick was a relative of a close friend of mine, but I was quickly captivated by the depth of the reporting and vivid storytelling. Tragically Jim passed away earlier this year from a heart attack, but he's left behind what many are calling the foremost book on the Iraq War. I couldn't agree more, and would highly recommend it to civilian and veteran alike.
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Larry Andreassen
4.0 out of 5 stars Focus on combat Stress
Reviewed in the United States on 5 July 2014
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The book focuses less on the combat and more on the stress under which the soldiers fought. That is the type treatment I wanted in this book. You can't read this book without having some pity or sympathy or at least understanding for their position. In my reading I have found especially interesting the effects of combat on soldier morality. This book was a good find.
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Donald Chaffee
5.0 out of 5 stars True Insight into the Iraq War
Reviewed in the United States on 16 April 2015
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This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand what went wrong in the Iraq War. From the media, it's easy to get a sense of the statistics of the number of soldiers killed. They rarely capture the situation on the ground. This book catalogues the horrors they had to endure and the comrades they lost in a very personal way. It provides an emotional counterpoint to books like American Sniper showing the worst our soldiers are capable of.
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Sparky San Diego
4.0 out of 5 stars It's War and it's Not Pretty
Reviewed in the United States on 21 November 2013
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Tells an amazingly troubling story of war. Highlights the failure of leadership and the toll on human life. I find myself not wanting to stop reading at the same time getting worn out as I read the troubling decisions made at all levels and the deadly outcomes. I have found the writing easy to read and understand as well as keep my interest. Well worth the read.
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tram22
5.0 out of 5 stars What a lovely war!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 August 2012
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A sobering read, conveyed the terrible reality for the guilty and the victims. Not a black and white, single issue book either, the journalist author deals the facts but doesn't corrupt his story by manipulating the reader into 'sympathy for' and 'enmity against'.
This is how real war impacts on real people, and is a welcome antidote to all the gung ho hero books that look like comic books compared to this.
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November
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
Reviewed in the United States on 7 May 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This book is outstanding! Just buy it and read it. The author did a really great job.
If you are tempted to believe that the characters of Black Heart were victims, research 2/24 in the TOD 2004-2005. You could start by googling and buying the Triangle Of Death DVD that is available. The insurgents themselves called 2/24 The Mad Ghosts.
Anyway, this book is deep but very interesting. It is well researched. It has the only maps of TOD that I have seen. Again, just buy it and read it.
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Placeholder
5.0 out of 5 stars Set them Free...
Reviewed in the United States on 28 May 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
The men imprisoned at USDB Leavenworth are there because their leadership on the ground and in Washington, D.C. failed and abandoned them. Those boys sit in jail while the architects of that fraudulent war, Bush and Cheney kick back in there mansions.
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David
4.0 out of 5 stars An intimate account of the decline of discipline and morality in the presence of intense conflict.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 May 2014
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I would recommend this book to service persons and veterans alike. It provides a detailed insight into how a lack of command authority and leadership can contribute to the collapse of command and control in the armed forces. As in a number of recent cases in the UK armed forces, similar circumstances can conspire to create tragedies that resulted in the death of innocents and will tarnish reputations for years to come.
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Wildirishman64
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on 26 August 2014
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As a former member of the military and advocate for veterans this book provided a comprehensive look at modern day warfare. Sadly, given the lack of support and leadership these troops clearly went off course and were held accountable for their actions. The author gave a first hand balanced report of this incident and in return a better understanding of how men can descend into madness! Thank you to all the troops who served during this troubling time....
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Michael
4.0 out of 5 stars The physiological effects of war
Reviewed in the United States on 24 August 2018
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A great read for any leader taking men and women into harms way. Couple this book with on combat and on killing to understand the training and institutional methods. After which I would read about emotional intelligence, thinking fast and slow, and moral philosophy.
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Peter Shull
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Real
Reviewed in the United States on 24 May 2010
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An incredible capture of life in the military. I was amazed how accurately the author was able to describe what it is like. I am a military man ( US Army) and this book was very good.
My only caution is...the book was written from the Soldiers perspective. However, I think there were a great many points presented that should serve as a reminder to would be leaders.
A great read!!!
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Matt
4.0 out of 5 stars black hearts
Reviewed in the United States on 11 July 2013
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Frederick does a good job of telling a balanced narrative. He paints a bleak picture of the war in Afghanistan, but explains in detail the circumstances and leadership failures which led up to the tragic event which led to the deaths of the Junabis. I would recommend this book to all students of war and anyone with an interest in human psychology.
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Larry West
5.0 out of 5 stars ... of a Leadership Professional Development (LPD) and couldn't be happier with the book
Reviewed in the United States on 21 January 2015
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I read this book as part of a Leadership Professional Development (LPD) and couldn't be happier with the book. It was very enlightening for those who have never faced such turmoil or adversity. Jim Frederick also attended a discussion at Ft. Benning as a Q & A from all of the students and instructors at our course. It was awesome to read and even better to get first hand explanations of this units interactions from the author.
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David F Thayer
5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced
Reviewed in the United States on 31 October 2014
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A balanced accounting of what can go wrong at the tip of the spear when an incompetent Secretary of Defense was allowed to go to war with he thought was an adequate force to face a rising insurgency. And his troops who paid with their blood. Atrocities happen in all wars, on all sides. I recommend this book because the author gives a fair rendering of where the blame lies and it's not with the perpetrators alone.
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Caddis Nymph, Western Massachusetts
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read: incompetence in the military
Reviewed in the United States on 29 March 2010
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This is a gritty, horrifying history of a small part of the American armed forces, men put into an untenable and undefendable position by their superiors. It's also a history of a few of those men - some of them outside the law before the Army allowed them to become soldiers - breaking down to the point that they committed rape and murder on the very people they supposedly were 'freeing' for democracy. Naturally, the soldiers pay the price in jail time while their incompetent officers are promoted, but that's not news.
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Gloria J
4.0 out of 5 stars My sons purchase
Reviewed in the United States on 5 August 2020
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
My son brought this book for himself. He hasn't reviewed it on my account and know nothing about it.
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Amanda H Blair
3.0 out of 5 stars Lacks critical edge necessary for this genre
Reviewed in the United States on 19 September 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book is great in that it sheds light on the day-to-day experiences of soldiers on the ground. However, I feel the author is a bit too apologetic in his need to pathologize the soldiers' turn to gratuitous violence. I understand the author was making an active choice to humanize the men who committed atrocities, which I commend and appreciate, BUT at times it is too much. It almost feels like propaganda.You cannot explain away the extent of the violence they committed.
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saw72893
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on 10 April 2023
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I utilize book references like this publication in many of my leaderhsip seminars. A phenomonal read!
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MARY ANN M REMPE
5.0 out of 5 stars ALL TOO REAL
Reviewed in the United States on 13 June 2013
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THIS IS THE REAL STUFF. HEART BREAKING, UNTHINKABLE, YET ALLTOO REAL. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND P.T.S.D. IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME OUT OF THERE PHYSICALLY INTACT MENTALLY YOU WERE BADLY WOUNDED. I'VE SEEN THIS IN MY BROTHER. OUR MILITARY WAS TERRIBLY FLAWED IN ITS WAY OF COMMAND. I KNOW WHY VETS DON'T LIKE TO TELL THEIR WAR STORIES. EVERY ONE SHOULD READ THIS TO GET A REAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE WAR, AND APPRECIATE OUR SOLDIERS EVEN MORE!
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pedro
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on 1 October 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Great read
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Genghis
5.0 out of 5 stars Oh. My. God. (This was my life.)
Reviewed in the United States on 6 September 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
In the case of US Army officers (company grade and lower ranking field grade) that grew up within the culture of "Do more with less..." this book will be a true life horror story in which you can insert yourself into almost every page. Nothing about this book is funny, but it inadvertently reminds the reader of Heller's "Catch 22."
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Riley R
5.0 out of 5 stars An honest balanced assessment of our military's actions in war
Reviewed in the United States on 11 May 2013
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I am a US military officer, and I truly appreciated Mr. Frederick's book. I feel that he was honest and fair in his approach to the actions of the US Army and its leaders. While I know that many military leaders would frown on this book for revealing our dark side, I believe transparency in our military is vital to building and retaining the trust of the American public. Thank you.
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Mike Hartwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing account of leadership failures
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2019
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Picked this up after seeing it on a summer reading list. A fantastic read for anyone interested not just in the conflict but in what happens when leadership fails. A must not just for those in the military but anyone in a leadership position
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Cv
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for junior leaders
Reviewed in the United States on 4 September 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book is a detailed look at how a unit can lose sight of its mission and morals. The writing is pretty good though there are some areas where it drags on. Overall this is a fantastic book and should be read by all junior leaders so that they may identify warning signs.
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Steven Rakow
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read on a failure of leadership
Reviewed in the United States on 26 March 2015
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A must read for all leaders. This book details how a complete failure of leadership leads to war crimes and the failure of a unit to perform its mission. From the brigade and battalion level, the complete disregard for the welfare of the troops and to understand their situation is criminal. Both the brigade commander and battalion commander should have been court martialed. Instead, they were promoted!
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Ed
5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting
Reviewed in the United States on 26 January 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Couldn't put the book down and read it in a weekend. Then passed it along to a friend with my highest recommendations. One should note though, I was assigned to one of the neighboring Army units that felt the repercussions of this madness when we conducted our combat patrols.
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terrenzo
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for me
Reviewed in the United States on 8 April 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A great read for me, As a Senior NCO and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan I made this book required reading for my NCO's which we discussed in NCODP ( Non Commissioned Officer Development Program) prior to deployments. I have since retired but I love the book. A lot of lessons were learned because of this crime and a failure of the leadership.
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NAL
4.0 out of 5 stars WORRYING
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2013
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As an ex-soldier I read this book not wanting to believe what I was reading. It should be read by every level of leadership and lessons should be learnt. I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it not the sort of book that can be enjoyed, but I would certainly recommend it.
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Nic
4.0 out of 5 stars Good story well told
Reviewed in the United States on 9 August 2015
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Even if you know little about Iraq, the military, and the war you will be able to understand and enjoy this book. A great way for any Ar,my officer to learn from others mistakes and not follow in the same footsteps
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James Yanok
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!
Reviewed in the United States on 24 March 2021
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Outstanding book! Shows the effects of leadership failures at all all levels and the horrible things men experienced in war and how it affected them
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Klown
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for any future/current SM leader
Reviewed in the United States on 11 October 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
The dynamics the author sustained throughout this remarkably true story of service members is without words. High praise for maintaining the authenticity and genuine research/interviews conducted to immerse readers into the synergy present within one companies duress and diffident journey in Southwest Asia. Great read.
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Jump Rope Veteran
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on 6 February 2013
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This well-written book should be required for all leaders in the military. It will show you how toxic leadership will absolutely affect everyone in an organization, even the lowest private. The book systematically describes the demise of this unit from their pre-deployment activities at Fort Campbell, Kentucky to their final days in the Southern Baghdad, Iraq. This is definitely worth picking up!
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Morality and Ethics
Reviewed in the United States on 2 August 2018
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I recommend for every Platoon Sergeant, First Seargeant, Platoon Leader, Company Commander and Chaplain. I pray this would be a reminder of the importance of standards, discipline, ethics, and morality. War is only just if just men fight the war in a just manner.
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Jennifer R
5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift
Reviewed in the United States on 20 April 2020
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I purchased this book for my cousin who is deployed as it was in the usmc website as recommended reading. I thought it looked like a great read.
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Christopher C.
4.0 out of 5 stars so horribly depressing I had to put it down for days ...
Reviewed in the United States on 3 May 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
so horribly depressing I had to put it down for days at a time just to maintain .......... good job of research. .... it's fascinating in a morbid way
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Syan Coerbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing read
Reviewed in the United States on 27 January 2021
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Phenomenal book. A must read for all service members who are in a leadership position within the US Armed Forces.
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