The Most Important Deleted Scenes in American History: 10 Days Review

I really enjoyed sharing with you all my review of my favorite non-fiction book, The Great Big Book of Horrible Things: The Definitive Chronicle of History's 100 Worst Atrocities. So I decided to give a review of my second-favorite non-fiction book: 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America by Steven M. Gillon. (I think it's safe to say I do like lists, numbers, and analysis in my history books). This book is definitely more mainstream and doesn't push the envelope nearly as much as Horrible Things, but it comes from the same place of historical rediscovery and reinterpretation.

I first encountered 10 Days as part of my summer reading for my US history class in high school, and I'm certain that I'm the only person who not only read the book cover to cover but kept it long after high school. It's a companion to the History Channel special of the same name. The book (and subsequently the series) is straightforward in its aim, which is to demonstrate to the reader that American history is a lot more complex and extensive than most people would think. It breaks down ten days in American history that went under the radar in national memory, but is hugely important to its development.

For example, few would doubt that December 7, 1941 is one of the most important dates in American history, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and our entrance into WWII. But perhaps an equally if not more important date would be August 2, 1939. This is when the world's foremost scientist and German expatriate Albert Einstein sent a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt. It warned him about the likelihood and the danger of Germany developing Uranium-based weapon and recommended that the US try to beat them to it. Now aware of the destructive power of a nuclear weapon, Roosevelt soon authorized an American-led project to develop one before the Axis could, later named the Manhattan Project. This letter from Einstein proved to be the push that led the world into the Atomic Age, with Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Cold War.

This is just one example of the kinds of events that this book convincingly argues are just as crucial to American history as more famous dates. To be sure, reading it hardly makes you an expert in any of these ten days or the general subjects associated with them. It functions more as a brief overview than an in-depth analysis. However, that's not the aim of the book (and to be fair it does offer suggestions for further reading and a plethora of sources). The book is all about making you see that even lesser-known history is still hugely influential both then and now. When you walk away from reading it, you feel that you understand the fabric and the course of American history much better, and you're all the more grateful for it. Indeed, one could directly draw a line from the Scopes Monkey Trial to climate-change deniers today, for instance. 

If I do become a professional historian, these are the books I want to write: not so much in-depth dissections of a specific subject but rather evidence-backed arguments to the reader that makes them see history differently. To me, this is the most important aspect of history, making the connections and helping others see them. I hope you all agree. 

Wikipedia Listened!

Some time ago, I decided to update a Wikipedia entry on George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia. I felt that even in terms of Wikipedia's usual bare-bone summary, it was still leaving out important information about Orwell's personal character during his time in Spain. The addition of mine that modified the entry most pertained to how upset Orwell was at not being able to capture an enemy telescope, despite securing a number of weapons. It being Wikipedia, I figured my entry wouldn't last long despite my citations.

However, on my most recent visit to the page, my entry remained untouched! So either my insight was so valuable no one thought they should touch it or else I'm the only person visiting this page. Either way, I consider this a victory. George Orwell can rest easy knowing that I understand his dismay at not being able to get his telescope!

My Top Four Favorite Historical Subjects

In my first post on this site, I explained that when it comes to studying history and learning from it, it's often the particular era's connection to the present that interests me the most. However, that's not to say I don't find history in of itself fascinating. If it wasn't for that, this blog wouldn't exist. So I thought today I would share my four favorite historical subjects/periods to study.

These particular histories strike a chord with me. They're so rich in content and so magnificently detailed that anyone could spend several lifetimes studying each period alone. Some of these capture my imagination so vividly that I can almost imagine I'm there. Some are so distant and seemingly so alien that it's almost hard to believe it took place on the same planet. However, in both cases, I feel the drive to discover and make connections between the past and the present more than ever.

1. The Victorian Era (UK) and The Gilded Age (US)                                                      
   These are fairly recent interests of mine, and despite taking place in different countries the overlap is so apparent  that I decided to include it as one. Though this usually isn't the case for me, what entices me most about these periods are the social histories. In fact, especially in the United States, the political history at this time is one of my least-favorites to study, largely due to a long string of mediocre presidents. However, with industrialization and the scientific revolution in full swing, the massive changes to life at that time in nearly every way is nothing short of remarkable. Soaring skyscrapers were matched by skyrocketing economic inequality, producing social movements that have until very recently been all but forgotten. Though I'm fairly new to the game, one of the best books to capture this new life of wondrous and horrifying possibilities is the Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. It's a vivid snapshot of life at that time, with the Chicago World's Fair taking off at the same time as the first serial killer in American history claims his first victims. The same can be said for the Victorian era and its ubiquitous duality, prudishness in the front and madness in the back. Jekyll & Hyde and the Picture of Dorian Gray are two of my favorite books, and give me insight into an era that fascinates me but I would never want to live in!                                                        
2. Classical Civilizations
   
   This one casts a wide net, and I could never hope to get a firm grasp on it all. However, nearly every time I learn something, it changes my view of that civilization. This is the period from about 500 BCE to 500CE. Now, that does cover from the early days of the Roman Republic through to its fall, but I include the Chinese Han Dynasty there too. When I was in high school, my teacher made an extra effort to talk about the Han as much, maybe even more so than he did of Rome, to emphasize how important yet overlooked it was to history. My friend has extensive knowledge of this period, and he often tells me facts of Roman traffic jams and Han attempts at domesticating horses and I'm just astounded. These eras are almost an ocean of knowledge unto themselves.                                                  
3. The American Civil War
   
   How could I not be into this era? It's one of the few aspects of American history that even the most ignorant citizen knows is important. This is because the Second American Revolution is still right at our side. Just turn on the news and for any issue that pertains to citizenship, economic and social divides, war powers, or anything related to the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, each has echoes of the Civil War. It's not just its-more-than-usual relevance that captures me though. Whether it's the speeches and proclamations for or against slavery and the war, the incredibly idiotic or brilliant decisions on the battlefield, the political cage matches between politicians, or the fact that so many men-- and a few women-- gave their lives for a better country or a worse one still affects me very deeply. We owe an incredible debt to Abraham Lincoln. Had it not been for him and his incredible skill, courage, love, and humor, we could have lost it all.                                                   
4.  The Second World War
   
   I imagine this one is also hardly a surprise, given it's the biggest and by-far deadliest conflict in human history. You can thank Call of Duty for capturing my imagination and later my zeal for wholehearted study of WWII. The scope and depth of the war, in almost every facet imaginable, from military to political to technological to human stories is so vast that you could very well make new books, movies, shows, plays and video games from it over and over and never lose interest.
   
   I believe, however, that there's another reason that the war continues live in so much of the world's consciousness. Though it's hardly as clear-cut as most people make it out, there's really no denying it: It was a "Good War." Great evil was stopped. Great good came from it. It was a war worth fighting unlike few others. Humanity both then and now has been measured by this conflict, and proved capable both of horrifying evil and magnificent good. And the good won.
   
   Though I would never, ever wish for another war even close to its magnitude, at a time when it seems like there's so much senseless and unnecessary fighting, sometimes it's difficult to not be nostalgic for that clear choice between good and evil. Then I remember what led to that choice even being possible, and how much suffering resulted from it. That war was fought so that no other of its kind could ever happen again. We must continue to make sure of that.

George Orwell is STILL Upset About Some Things...

We all know and love Wikipedia. It remains one of the most extensive, user-friendly databases on the internet, and is the go-to place for anyone looking for basic summaries for almost any subject. It's so ubiquitous that I remember the shift that occurred in high school on Wikipedia policy. After years of my teachers saying that Wikipedia absolutely could not be used under any circumstances, the administration finally acquiesced, and almost overnight it went from being entirely off-limits to just not being an acceptable source for citation. However, it would still be used "to get the gist" of any given subject, or to find other sources. 

Still, it doesn't mean Wikipedia is without its flaws, even beyond issues of citation and accuracy (though to be fair they've improved tremendously in recent years, citing more often and saying upfront when there's not enough sources). My problem with it is that it often leaves the most interesting things out. I know of course Wikipedia is meant to be only summaries of subjects, however I believe they omit facts that are essential to understanding the topic.

George Orwell in Spain, above the man with the machine gun

Take Wikipedia's entry on Homage to Catalonia, by George Orwell. Orwell is one of my absolute favorite authors and 1984 is both my favorite book and probably has had a bigger impact on me than any other before or since. But another one of his best works is his own account of his participation in the Spanish Civil War, fighting on the government's side against German and Italian-backed fascist rebels. It's a remarkable piece about period geopolitics, Spanish culture, and the absurdities of the conduct of this particular war. It provides wonderful insight into Orwell himself, with his dry wit, his sharp commentary, and his willingness fight for and stick with the loyalists even in the face of death or arrest. There's one particular bit in chapter six that provides clues to his character that Wikipedia chose to omit. Here is the original:

Chapter six[edit]One of these operations, which in chapter five had been postponed, was a "holding attack" on Huesca, designed to draw the Fascist troops away from an Anarchist attack on "the Jaca road." It is described herein. Orwell notes the offensive of that night where his group of fifteen captured a Fascist position, but then retreated to their lines with captured rifles and ammunition. The diversion was successful in drawing troops from the Anarchist attack.

Here are my additions:

Chapter six[edit]One of these operations, which in chapter five had been postponed, was a "holding attack" on Huesca, designed to draw the Fascist troops away from an Anarchist attack on "the Jaca road." It is described herein. It is one of the most significant military actions that Orwell participates in in his entire time in Spain. Orwell notes the offensive of that night where his group of fifteen captured a Fascist position, but then retreated to their lines with captured rifles and ammunition. However, despite these finds, Orwell and his group were forced to pull back before they could secure a large telescope they had discovered in a machine gun case, something more badly needed to their side than any single weapon. However, the diversion was successful in drawing troops from the Anarchist attack. The chapter ends with Orwell lamenting that even now he still is upset about losing the telescope.^[16]

First, my additions show that Orwell actually saw fairly little fighting against the Fascists by this time, which informs the efforts he makes to join an International Column later in the book. Second, the detail about the telescope helps the reader comprehend the nature of the war and how lo-tech it was for a time. Would you have ever thought that a telescope would be more highly valued than machine guns or rifles in 1937? You would have to go back to before the 20th century for that to be the case. So this war's conduct was quite an anachronism! Finally, the fact that Orwell still goes to pieces about losing the telescope illustrates some of the man himself. He risked life and limb for that telescope and got nothing for it. The telescope mattered so much to him in his entire time in Spain, and he probably felt that its capture would have made a difference in his sector. If you were in his place, would you feel any different? George Orwell, for all his experience and wisdom in a lot of ways is no different from us. The lesson here is that while Wikipedia is a good place to start, you should never stop there. It's just the tip of the iceberg. 

The Only History Book You'll Ever Need to Read

If I was only ever to do one review of anything for this blog, it would be for The Great Big Book of Horrible Things, by Matthew White. If you seem unsettled, or skeptical with the title, don't; I really don’t think anything else I would potentially recommend would surpass or even equal the impact that this book would have on you, as it did for me when it was first bought for me as a throwaway Christmas present five years ago.

Neither a macabre coffee table book nor an impossibly dense collection of stats, this book is essentially an editorialized reference book. Now that may seem like a contradiction, and in most cases it would be, along with being not all that interesting. But White, a self-described “numbers freak” with a gift for historical writing masterfully weaves bold classifications with sober analysis and goofy commentary to create an utterly unique work, one that almost seems unrecognizable from others. White's goal in this book is to bring the best justice he can to the countless of overshadowed or altogether forgotten victims in historical killings, and those efforts shine bright. Horrible Things is credited by distinguished psychologist Steven Pinker, who provides the foreword, as the "the most comprehensive, disinterested and statistically nuanced estimates available." Ever since I’ve read it, I’ve tried to emulate White’s approach and style and I’ve proudly cited it multiple times in my own reports.

In assessing history's deadliest man-made events, White, who has no formal training in history or statistics, approaches the subject with a scientific method. He rejects consensuses about the death toll of a given event, instead going straight back to primary and secondary sources. He throws out the highest and lowest numbers and plugs in the median. How does he get these sources, you ask? "The short answer is money," White replies. "Even if a general is reluctant to tell the newspapers how many men he lost in a bungled offensive, he still has to tell the accountants to drop 4,000 men from the payroll... Head counts (and by extension, body counts) are not just an academic exercise; they have been an important part of government financing for centuries." The length of each chapter is proportional to the deadliness of the event.

However, it's not the numbers that are of the most interest in this book, even if it is the selling point. It's how White incorporates them into his writing. Each chapter is categorized rather surprisingly, and loaded with unexpected, juicy terms of White's invention, like 'atrocitology,' 'multicides,' and 'hemoclysm' that capture the reader's imagination much more than dry terms like 'genocide.' His commentary captures the ironies, tragedies, and downright absurdities of history. Here are some examples, starting with his chapter on Timur:

TIMUR

Death toll: 17 million
Rank: 9
Type: world conqueror
Broad dividing line: Timur vs. everyone he could get to
Location: central Asia, the eye of the hurricane being Samarkand
Who usually gets the most blame: Rimur; also called Tamburlaine (old version) or Tamerlane (newer version) from his insulting nickname, Timur Lenk ("the Lame")
Another damn: Mongol invasion

Here's an example of White describing Saladin In his Crusades chapter (3 million deaths):

In reality, Saladin's sense of honor was flexible... []Two leading crusaders were brought to him in chains. He fed the first one, explaining that the rules of hospitality now forbade him from killing a prisoner who had been given food and drink by his captor. Another prisoner... lunged for a cup of wine and downed it before anyone could stop him. [He] thought, Aha! I'm safe! But Saladin killed him anyway because no one likes a smartass.

White understands, however, the issues and contention that really do affect our modern life and knows when to be serious, not tolerating some minority opinions. Believe it or not, there's a sizable minority of people who believe that the Western democracies fought on the wrong side of WWII (along with the faction that denies the Holocaust). White responds with this: 

In this case, revisionists seem to forget the world went to war against Hitler because he was dangerous, not because he was evil. This is an important distinction in international relations. You can do whatever you want inside your own country, but when you start invading your neighbors, the rest of the world gets jumpy. No matter how brutal Stalin may have been to his own people, he was content to stay inside the borders of the Soviet Union. By the time Stalin began grabbing small countries for himself, the West was already committed to war with Hitler. The choice wasn't between fighting Hitler or Stalin. The choice was to fight Hitler or both of them.

Despite his unorthodox form and his use of black humor, it’s understandable to think that reading White’s book about humanity’s worst achievements might get a little depressing after a while. However, with each chapter I absorbed, I got steadily more excited until I felt downright enlightened by the end. This is because what happens as you travel across time and the world in White’s book is that you feel a remarkable sense of discovery. Because of White’s information, style, and arguments, you really do feel that you understand not just history but humanity so much better. White passes the historian’s ultimate test with flying colors and imprints it on the reader: He effectively makes history relevant to the reader, and uses it to better understand our present and prepare for the future. It worked for me and it will surely work for you. 

For more on Matthew White visit his website (don't be fooled, it deliberately looks old-school) or the New York Times review of Horrible Things.

To check out the book itself, click here.