Instructions for American Servicemen in Iraq During World War II

By U.S. Department of the Army

Book Overview

"American success or failure in Iraq may well depend on whether the Iraqis like American soldiers or not." The U.S. military could certainly have used that bit of wisdom in 2003, as violence began to eclipse the Iraq War's early successes. Ironically, had the Army only looked in its own archives, they would have found it--that piece of advice is from a manual the U.S. War Department handed out to American servicemen posted in Iraq back in 1943. The advice in Instructions for American Servicemen in Iraq during World War II , presented here in a new facsimile edition, retains a surprising, even haunting, relevance in light of today's muddled efforts to win Iraqi hearts and minds. Designed to help American soldiers understand and cope with what was at the time an utterly unfamiliar culture--the manual explains how to pronounce the word Iraq, for instance--this brief, accessible handbook mixes do-and-don't-style tips ("Always respect the Moslem women." "Talk Arabic if you can to the people. No matter how badly you do it, they will like it.") with general observations on Iraqi history and society. The book's overall message still rings true--dramatically so--more than sixty years later: treat an Iraqi and his family with honor and respect, and you will have a strong ally; treat him with disrespect and you will create an unyielding enemy. With a foreword by Lieutenant Colonel John A. Nagl reflecting on the manual's continuing applicability--and lamenting that it was unknown at the start of the invasion--this new edition of Instructions for American Servicemen in Iraq will be essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of Iraq and the fate of the American soldiers serving there.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226841707
• ISBN13: 9780226841700
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.7" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

A jewel our present leadership should have read long ago...

I heard about this little book in a radio review, what a revelation. Highly recommended for it's historical irony.

Required Reading

This little book is both a historical curiosity and of current relevance. I really wish I had seen it -- or something like it! -- before I went over to Iraq. It is exactly what the description says it is (thus the 5 stars). It's simply a reprint of an old Army pamphlet, though, so of course you can't expect too much.

Minding your Ps & Qs in Iraq

A great reminder about cultural differences in Iraq. If you're stationed in Iraq this could really help you understand local population better. Great phrase section in the back.

What you should know about Iraq

This book was meant for WWII but it could have been written for the Troops in Iraq today, and it is a must read for all those who support our Troops in Iraq right now!!!

The Rhymes of History

John Nagl's foreword strikes a familiar chord, opening with a metaphorical twist on an ages old debate: "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." As a fellow veteran of Iraq, I too saw the stark differences in those who possessed an inherent cultural understand and those who didn't. A basic understanding of a very complex culture can often earn significant dividends; this little book offers barely more than a broad brushstroke across the "birthplace of mankind," but that alone would have been sufficient enough to possibly alter the course of events. The true value of this tome isn't just the simplistic discussions of culture, religion, or society. It isn't the well-written and conceived forward by a recognized expert on counterinsurgency. The greatest utility of this book comes with the quiet reminder that opens the book -- while history may not repeat itself, circumstances, situations, and even human nature tend to recur or remain fairly consistent. It rhymes. This book is a reminder that while we may not have fielded a large force in Iraq in World War II, we still recognized the unique challenges presented by a culture so foreign from our own. Sixty years later, as we stood on the verge of war, we were looking beyond those simple lessons of the past to a future many believed was predetermined by our advanced weaponry and technological advantages. If those people had only listened closely for the echoes of our greatest generation, they might have avoided some of the mistakes that marked the first years of the war in Iraq. "Instruction" is a quick, easy read and well worth the minimal expense. Readers will enjoy it as much for its "fireside chat" value as for its common sense approach to cultural understanding.