Amos Perlmutter (–2001)

I am reviewing this book now since at Page 219 a lengthy series of appendices, received from archives of the Soviet Union released during the "glasnost" era in 1989 starts. I may or may not read all of the archives but what I have read so far supports the book's premise that FDR was not a great bargainer on behalf of the U.S. or the West.

The book well supports the author's premise, which I have long suspected. Roosevelt's model was a Wilsonian, "one world" view, basically "why can't we all get along?" This view may work well for a camp sing-along but not well in the real world, as governments that want to win rather than want peace get their way. Ultimately the people of Central and Eastern Europe were subjected to years of enslavement as a result.

I have always been of a conviction that FDR was overrated. He was a man who lacked firm convictions other than that he should be President. I rated the book three rather than four stars since I found the coverage of Winston Churchill's role unsatisfying. On the other hand, I was quite satisfied with his coverage of Roosevelt and Stalin.… (meer)

2109 The Life and Times of Menachem Begin, by Amos Perlmutter (read 9 Nov 1987) I was absorbed by this book. Begin was born in Poland, about 1913. He was a disciple of Vladimir Jabotinsky, a leading Zionist in Poland, and was active in Jabotinsky's organization. He left Poland in 1939, was captured by the Russians in Vilna in 1940, was allowed to join the Polish Army, and went to Palestine--where his wife had gone in 1939--and was active in guerrilla work--though not in the Stern gang--till 1948. He was opposed by David Ben Gurion all the time, and it was Ben Gurion's party which was successful in Israel till 1977 when Begin won and became Premier and remained such till he resigned in 1988. This book is not well-written but its subject is so fascinating and I enjoyed it greatly. The book assumes a greater familiarity with Jewish history than I have. The King David Hotel bombing, the Dir Yassin massacre, the Altalena--all are discussed and as if of course we know all about them. Begin is a kind of nut whom no one'd expect to be victorious in Israel--he was the principal opponent for years and always lost, until 1977--but he did not do too bad when he got in, although his Lebanon war was a disaster. The Camp David accords might not have been able to be done by any other leader. The bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor on June 7, 1981, was a gutsy thing, impossible to justify legally, but one maybe should be glad it was done. The author of this book teaches at American U. in D.C. and has written much on Israel, including Israel: the Partitioned State. But I think a more objective book'd be better to read. Anyway, this has been a great read, though I bet few non-Jews will read it.… (meer)