Rating: 
Summary: A soldiers story...
Review: "It doesn't take a Hero" is the remarkable story of a remarkable man, the title of which comes from a quote Schwarzkopf gave during an interview with Barbara Walters in 1991; "It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."Schwarzkopf's story is very different from his compatriot, the now Secretary of State, Colin Powell. The two men are of completely different temperaments, and their tales are told in ways that reflect their personalities. Powell's book is rather dry, with the occasional flash of self-depreciatory humor... and you get the feeling that this was included on the advice of his co-author! "It doesn't take a Hero" is full of blunt, sometimes brutal, soldiers wit; one of the funniest examples concerns a Sergeant who swore relentlessly, and had to tell his assembled troops that they were now being commanded by a Colonel - not Schwarzkopf by the way - who didn't take to profanity in any way, shape, or form. The sergeant lined them up, and cursing with practically every other word, told them to cut out the ... swearing or else! Although this may look terribly contrived, when you read the book, you simply know that it happened, just the way Schwarzkopf says it did. When you read Powell's story you respect him for what he achieved, mainly his rise from immensely humble origins to high political office, but when you read Schwarzkopf's, you can't help but like the man, warts and all. As well as the brutal humor, Schwarzkopf is also brutally honest about his home life. He came from a well-to-do middle class family, his father was a West Point graduate, who later led the hunt for the Lindbergh kidnappers, and served President Roosevelt on a special assignment in Iran between the Great Wars. They lived in the best house in their town, and even employed a maid, but there was a dark family secret... his mother's alcoholism. The hurt and the pain this caused himself, his father and sisters, is dealt with openly and honestly, and you cannot help but feel that the inclusion of this was a very difficult decision for him to make. The part of the book that deals with his duties in Vietnam is very well written, and like Powell, he also rails against the stupidity and arrogance of the politicians and 'Brass' who ordered young men to lay down their lives in that far away land for no good reason. And like Powell, he became equally convinced that he had to do something to change the army from within; it was either that or resign. In that respect he and Powell were remarkably similar in their thoughts and actions. But far and away the most interesting part of the book is his telling of the Gulf War, Desert Storm. It is probably true to say that without "Stormin'" Norman, there wouldn't have been a, successful, Gulf War. His experiences in the Middle East as a young man, he lived with his father when he was posted to Iran, gave him a unique insight into the Arab world that served him personally, and the coalition as a whole, very well indeed. He was able to play on the links his father had with Arab Royalty, and then forged his own links with the current Saudi Royal Family, working with Crown Princes on a first name basis to get things done, everything from releasing endless millions of dollars in payments to the US - what is the daily rental on an aircraft carrier?! - to arranging for "tent cities" to be erected to shield the incoming troops from the scorching desert sun. But for me, the most interesting aspect of the Gulf War section was the politics of the coalition, especially in the Arab world, something that was almost completely missing in Colin Powell's telling. In this crucial, although mostly unknown area of the War, Schwarzkopf's experiences in the Middle East were invaluable. Middle Eastern politics are a lethal mine field at the best of times - us Brits have had our fingers burnt on more than one occasion over the years! - and pouring hundreds of thousands of free thinking, free drinking, Western troops of endless religious and moral persuasions into the autocracy that is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, should have been a recipe for utter disaster! Schwarzkopf's deft handling of the endless 'difficulties' involving religious services, the consumption of alcohol, the reading of magazines of dubious 'artistic' merit, even the receiving of Christmas cards and the erection of Christmas decorations, were handled with a skill and subtlety that one would not have thought a mere 'soldier' possible. And then of course there was the Israeli question. The one thing above all else that would have blown the coalition apart would have been Israel attacking Iraq in retaliation for the Scuds that fell on Israeli territory. Although much of the efforts to keep Israel out of the action were handled direct from Washington, Schwarzkopf's handling of the Saudi's in particular, on the ground as it were, was masterful. "It doesn't take a Hero" is a fascinating tale, a real inspiration, it shows what one man can achieve through clear thinking, a positive attitude, boundless enthusiasm, and a profound love, not only of his own country, but of mankind. I would recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: More than just a war book---the making of a great general
Review: A truly engaging book, not only in the great behind-the-scenes detail and insight that it provides on the Gulf War, but in the way in which it allows the reader to follow the making of the man. From his days in grade school, to living in Iran, to his world travels with the U.S. Army, to his tours in Vietnam, you can see how these experiences caused him to be so driven to conduct the Gulf War in the "right" way for the American soldier.
Rating: 
Summary: A Historical Text!
Review: A very good book about General Schwarzkoph"s life. This book tells of his youth in New Jersey. We next get to read about his stay in Iran while his father is stationed there. The next phase of his life is West Point and his graduation. His tour of duty in the Army also makes for interesting reading. The general's tour of duty in Vietnam tells of his experiences serving in this conflict. The next war that he serves in is very well detailed. His time of service in the Gulf War saw him becokme one of the major and dominant person- nalities of this conflict. The decisions made by the General saw the nation of Iraq brought to it's knees by the U.S. and their allies. This book was a very good read. I enjoyed it immensely.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive biography of the general.
Review: H. Norman Schwarkopf provides us with a detailed look at his professional life in this fine book. Schwarzkopf describes his life from his formative years through his entire military career. This look allows the reader to see how his outlook on military operations and strategy developed and how he put forth in action his military philosophy during Desert Storm. Schwarzkopf candidly reviews the performance of his army and it's officers during the conflict with Iraq. This assessment has got him into hot water with the U.S. military establishment, but for the reader it delivers an outstanding behind the scene look at the operation. My only complaint about the book is it's editing. Many of the stories, while providing a personal glimpse of Schwarzkopf, could have been omitted and the book still would have had the same effect. But overall, this is an outstanding read and given the current events of 2003, almost a must read for people who want to understand the current conflict with Iraq.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive biography of the general.
Review: H. Norman Schwarkopf provides us with a detailed look at his professional life in this fine book. Schwarzkopf describes his life from his formative years through his entire military career. This look allows the reader to see how his outlook on military operations and strategy developed and how he put forth in action his military philosophy during Desert Storm. Schwarzkopf candidly reviews the performance of his army and it's officers during the conflict with Iraq. This assessment has got him into hot water with the U.S. military establishment, but for the reader it delivers an outstanding behind the scene look at the operation. My only complaint about the book is it's editing. Many of the stories, while providing a personal glimpse of Schwarzkopf, could have been omitted and the book still would have had the same effect. But overall, this is an outstanding read and given the current events of 2003, almost a must read for people who want to understand the current conflict with Iraq.
Rating:
Summary: IT DOESN'T TAKE A HERO
Review: I received this book as a Christmas present from a fellow Vietnam veteran a few years back, at the conclusion of Desert Storm. It is interesting to see the difference between Norman Schwarzkopf's two tours in Vietnam. During the first tour, he is avidly impressed with the Vietnamese Airborne troops he is advising, and has a comfortable time back at West Point recounting his experiences. The second time is with the Americal Division, and there is all the contrast in the world between these two assignments. Such works have been helpful to me as a Vietnam vet, and I relish my time as a helicopter pilot in the Mekong Delta in 1966-67 all the more, especially because I had neither of these experiences. I was lucky. This book is a keeper, and a wonderful portrayal of conducting the war in the desert of Iraq.
Rating: 
Summary: A fine leader
Review: Norman Schwarzkopf is a fine leader, and a real gentleman. I am glad he has finally come out of the closet, and has admitted to always having been a GAY man. It is amazing he kept this big secret under don`t ask, don`t tell military rules. There is nothing wrong with being gay, and I am glad stormin Norman has finally come clean. It is also great that Dick Cheney also fully accepts his own gay family.
Rating:
Summary: A very readable military autobiography
Review: The book begins with a young Norman Schwarzkopf. As with many autobiographies, there is not a vast amount of childhood memories, but here, enough memories are included to show the influence on a soldier. From his childhood, Schwarzkopf lived a military life. With all the skills and languages he learned, as well as the cultures he experienced, the reader sees how all these were put to good use in the many duties and functions he has carried out for the United States. His tale not only covers the events of his life, but the reader also sees how the Army has changed since Vietnam. His perspective provides us with a bit of insight that all non-soldiers should see. Although he uses some military terminology, this book is very easy to understand. What really struck me was that he left out the names of many people he really disagreed with to prevent attacking them personally. He does mention names when he is giving praise. This, I feel, added a lot of class to my image of the general. As expected, quite a bit of this book covers the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations. Also, the book ends rather abruptly after the operations were over. I would recommend reading this book, and I thank him for sharing this.
Rating:
Summary: Great read, filled with adventure...
Review: This is a great book written like a novel. Norm takes us with him, we feel like we are there reliving his life events. We also get to see the softer side of Stormin Normin, as he nearly punches out a MP in Vietnam who was less than respectful of an asian college. Softer, you ask? Read the rest of the book to see what he gets like when mad. I also liked the part of the book where Norm was talking about the problem with the NVA attacking, then running across the Cambodia border so the USA Army could not attack. One day Norms platoon is attacked and the NVA runs away, so Norm calls another soilder and asks for the map. The other soilder points to Cambodia and says "they crossed the border". Norm takes the map, licks his thumb, and proceeds to erase/smudge the part of the map that shows the border. Norm then says "Nah, they are still in Vietnam, lets go get em". Just be warned, after reading this book you might feel like going to the local Army recruiting station. It is a great book!
Rating:
Summary: Carry On
Review: While it's been many years since I was in the army, reading this book, as I followed the details of both Schwarzkopf's personal and public life, I felt as though I was there with him. And I was comfortable metaphorically traveling through the life of a born determined soldier. Regardless of what you may think of the Gulf War, or of the military, this is a wonderful story about someone who is determined to live the life that he has been sent here to live. "It Doesn't Take a Hero," reflects his message, "No matter your history, or the history of the organization in which you most identify with, you can still reach your highest dreams." This book will make you laugh quite a bit, as you follow his determination to avoid politics, and remain true to his basic soldiering identity. This is not to say that he would be less of a leader, nor less of a person to have aimed for a political position. He became the soldier that all of his life experiences led him to be. As I read this, I could almost hear his voice, jokes and all. Enjoy!
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