Rating: 
Summary: my first
Review: this was my first tuchman book and since then, i have been and remain a fan.
tuchman has taken instances in history which are steeped in pre-conceived notion by myself (and the general public, i presume)and managed to surpize me every single chapter.
this is history lessons at their greatest...insightful and relevant. because the march of folly does not end with the last chapter...it goes on daily all over our planet.
tuchman has put her finger on what is probably the greatest folly of them all...civilization, for all its benefits is the cornerstone of folly and destruction...i don't know if she or any other reviewers would agree with me on this point, but...my personal review is just that...personal and subjective.
if you have not read it yet...buy it now.
Rating: 
Summary: A whole that's less than the sum of its parts
Review: Tuchman sets out to offer a survery of governments acting contrary to their own interests, and after a wide-ranging introduction, she offers four case studies: Troy, the Renaissance Popes, Britain and the American Revolution, and the US in Vietnam.The introduction is brilliant, as is the Vietnam case study. The material between ranges from adequate (a solid but pedestrial treatment of Britain's bungling before the American Revolution) to awful (a peevish, presentist scolding of the Renaissance Popes) to irrelevant (what is Troy, whose internal politics remain obscure, *doing* in this book as a case study?). Saying that "It seemed like a good idea at the time," then going on to explore *why* it seemed like one, is nearly always an effective way to understand the actions of historical figures. For Tuchman, though, the answer always seems to be the same: "It seemed like a good idea because they were too stupid, venal, deluded, or blind to see that it wasn't." This doesn't help us, much, in understanding history or applying its lessons. The notable exception to this--the one chapter where Tuchman seems willing to trace the internal logic of misgovernment--is the Vietnam chapter. If you're interested in, but not an expert on, Vietnam, that chapter may be worth the price of the book.
Rating:
Summary: The Eternal Seductiveness of Bad Ideas
Review: Tuchman's brief history of governmental folly begins with the Trojan's ill-fated decision to admit the Greek wooden horse, moves across the Mediterranean in time for the Renaissance popes to provoke the Reformation, then moves to exclusively Engish-speaking follies, culminating in Vietnam. Folly, by her definition, is pursuit of policy contrary to self-interest, best summarized in relation to Philip of Spain, for whom no experience of failure of his policies would dissuade him of their essential excellence. Vintage Tuchman; by far the strongest passage is the wonderful tableau of British eighteenth century splendor depicted in the American Revolution section. As she portrays it, the life of a Whig parliamentarian was so sumptuous that only the insanely puritanical would trouble themselves with minor administrative hiccups like the Boston Tea Party.
Rating:
Summary: Will Governments ever learn.............
Review: What makes Ms. Tuchman's writing so relevant is how it forces the aware reader to apply the lessons learned onto today's contemporary issues. Moreover, the detail of British perspectives during the Revolutionary War was worth the price of the book alone. Anyone looking for some original work about how the dangers of groupthink and the echo chamber continually lead to ultimate failure should purchase this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip to the Vietnam chapter
Review: Where is Barbara Tuchman now that we need her? As the United States pursues a "war" on "terrorism" -- the former undeclared, the latter undefined -- I fear we are heading down a familiar road that led the Trojans to open their doors to the Greek horse, the Renaissance popes to ignore the Protestant secession, the British to lose their colonies and the Americans to lose in Vietnam. All it takes, the two-time Pulitzer-winning author claims, is folly: the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives. Even, perhaps especially, eighteen years after publication, this book is crisp, lively, and relevant. "The power to command" concludes the author, who earns high marks for being an independent scholar rather than an academic, "frequently causes failure to think. " Of course there are examples of individual folly, that is, folly committed by individuals. However, folly by governments is more far-reaching. Merely surrounding yourself with competent people, as apologists for George W. Bush boast, will not steer you away from folly: JFK had "the best and the brightest" working for him, yet he began to get the US deeply involved in Vietnam; fearing the right wing would think him soft on Communism, Johnson escalated the folly. It is principally for that Vietnam section, comprising over a third of the volume, that I recommend this book. .... In The March of Folly, Tuchman does not shrink from harsh criticism of politicians. In the semi-mythical Trojan War, at least the gods could be blamed for the successful Greek ruse. The roguish, opportunist, nepotistic politicians of the Holy See, from 1470-1530, saw that they were doing wrong, but lacked either the sense or the courage to put it right and save the church. Those Renaissance popes saw the chair of Peter as a cash box for their personal aggrandizement, and a venue for their political exploits and carnal festivals -- but only because that was the way things had always been done. The British couldn't grasp that their American colonies consisted of people who, once having tasted of freedom, might be irked to have that freedom recalled and, at the same time, might not like their sweat equity in the new land become an entitlement for the lords. The first three sections of The March of Folly are well and vividly written, a melding of historical narrative and commentary. I suspect that Tuchman couldn't wait to wrestle with the Vietnam War. Here her insight into the workings of policy makers from Eisenhower to Nixon is acute, yet dissected in an account that a layman can follow. One of the most interesting, and currently relevant, observations from Tuchman is prompted by a remark made at the time by Governor Nelson Rockefeller: "We ought all to support the President. He is the man who has all the information and knowledge of what we are up against." That, she says, "is a comforting assumption ... usually invalid, especially in foreign affairs." When pursuing liberty, America will wave its flag and invest its heart. But the current administration would do well to follow the second part of John Quincy Adams's dictum: "... but [America] goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy." Smiting terrorists for their actions is one thing, and one with an end in sight; aiming to smite terrorism, root and branch, worldwide, is not only endless, it is folly's march.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL EXERCISE IN DETAILS
Review: While probably not one of Tuchman's better work, it is never-the-less noteworthy and pleasing in that the author has gone to great lengths to present her case. I like well researched books, and even though I may not be in agreement with some of her conclusions (which I am not), I admire her tenacity in making her point. The book was a easy read, as most of her works are and quite informative. Like me, you may not agree with all of her conclusions, but you will have to admit that she does give you food for thought and a door into which you can view a historical event through a bit of a different angle. Even though this was not my favorite of Tuchmans many works, it is still a valued addition to my collection and I do recommend it.
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