NIGHTMARE OF THE INNOCENTS. By Otto Larsen. 240 Pages. The Philosophical Library, Inc., New York. $6.00.

BY LT COL HOWARD L. FELCHLIN, Inf

Today in the Soviet Union millions of helpless, innocent individuals wage an unremitting struggle to live a tormented, terrifying existence in extremely primitive slave labor camps. What is life like in these wretched camps? Why are people sent there and how are they treated by the Soviet authorities? In graphic detail, Mr. Larsen answers these and many similar questions based on the eight years he spent as a political prisoner of the Russians in their slave labor camps.

In recent years there have been a number of books written on this subject but none possess a greater degree of authenticity and stark reality than Mr. Larsen's illuminating narrative.

Having worked loyally for the Communist cause in Norway during World War II, Larsen hardly expected to be imprisoned by the Soviets when he returned to Russia, of his own volition, in 1945. He was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for the alleged offense of espionage against the Soviet Union. Such is the nature of Soviet justice which is all the more illustrated by the case of three female prisoners sentenced to 15 years of hard labor each for stealing just six pounds of peas.

This is no story of physical brutality in the sense of bestial secret policemen engaged in a sadistic orgy of fortune but an eloquent testimonial to the fantastic inhumanity of the Russian penal system.

A better understanding of the motivating force behind the Soviet system can be obtained by reading this engrossing personal account of hardship, courage, and fortitude. Mr. Larsen has sent an unwritten message on the inner workings of the fear-ridden Soviet mind that should help in evaluating the true nature of Soviet attitude toward the West.

RADIATION: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU. By Jack Schubert and Ralph E. Lapp. 314 Pages. The Viking Press, New York. $3.95.

BY MAJ CHARLES L. STEEL, JR., CE

Radiation has become the most talked of and most controversial subject of this century. Yet to the average person it still is a relatively unknown and mysterious hazard to our present and future life. Even our foremost scientists do not agree as to the possible biological and genetic effects of this new lethal agent.

Doctors Schubert and Lapp have collected together in this book a multitude of facts pertaining to all aspects of radiation, both in peace and war. Technica details are presented so they can be understood by the average American. The story of radiation is unfolded from its discov ery in 1895, through the early years of its use when, by misuse and overuse. thousands of persons were subjected to doses which resulted in permanent injury or death, up to the present when radiation has been and is being unleashed in awesome quantities in the form of "fallout" resulting from nuclear explosions.

This book is invaluable as an unclassified reference on the general subject of radiation. Military readers will be particularly interested in the chapters which explain the basic nature of radiation and the sources and probable hazards, as wel as those covering fallout from bomb tests and the new nature of war.

The reader is forewarned that, although the authors are outstanding scientists i this field, some of the material presented... especially in the areas concerning worldwide contamination and effects of stron tium, may not prove in the future to be a realistic appraisal. So many gaps now exist in our knowledge and interprets tions vary so widely that we may find these dangers not nearly so great as sug gested by the authors.

THE QUARTERMASTER CORPS: OPERATIONS IN THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN. U. S. Army in World War II. By Alvin P. Stauffer. 358 Pages. Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. $4.00. BY LT COL RODGER R. BANKSON, Inf The efforts of the Quartermaster Corps to provide the necessities of life to the American forces in the war against Japan are graphically and accurately portrayed n this volume. Starting with the vigorous fforts made by the Quartermaster in the Philippines in 1941, the author gives paricular attention to the importance of Havaii, New Zealand, and Australia as the nly large land masses that were develped sufficiently to serve as major bases. He discusses the problems of logistical upport of combat operations under the ifficult conditions of distance and climate mposed by the vast spread of Pacific oprations, and concludes with a discussion f the continuing problems brought about y the final victory.

Like all books in this monumental series, his volume is meticulously indexed and arefully footnoted. It undoubtedly will rove invaluable in the planning of logiscal support of future field operations.

OADS, RAILS, & WATERWAYS. The rmy Engineers and Early Transportaon. By Forest G. Hill. 248 Pages. The niversity of Oklahoma Press, Norman, kla. $4.00.

BY MAJ ROBERT H. ALLAN, JR., CE

The United States Military Academy at West Point, a part of the Engineer Deartment from its founding in 1802 until le Civil War, was until 1824 the only chool of engineering in the Nation. As Ir. Hill so ably points out, this sole source ? engineering talent, coupled with the esponsibility of the Corps of Engineers or the development of transportation eans to open the West, gave the Army

Engineers a prominent role in the growth of this Nation.

His book tells the story of how both the Government and private promoters of useful improvements were compelled to demand of the War Department the services of its skilled engineers-the only ones available in our young society. His story tells how the Army Engineers answered this call not only as engineers but as topographers, explorers, professors in civilian universities, and as executives in many of the major civilian enterprises.

Numerous footnotes make for slow but more interesting reading. The volume is well-documented and recommended for American historians and engineers as well as for those who are interested in the dynamic growth story of the North American Continent.

THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD IN WORLD WAR II. By Malcolm F. Willoughby. 347 Pages. United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md. $6.00.

BY MAJ JOHN J. EARLEY, Inf

This is a history of the US Coast Guard's participation in World War II, but not a history of the war itself. It chronicles Coast Guard activities in every amphibious operation of the war, from the Greenland patrol before the war started to the transportation of the occupation troops to Japan. Its style is that of a brisk narrative, and it presents the important contribution made by the Coast Guard to the ultimate victory. How the Coast Guard successfully met its great responsibility of preserving the integrity to our ports and coasts against the threats of attack, sabotage, and carelessness makes an especially interesting story.

This account of a little recognized phase of the US war effort is beautifully illustrated, and presents a carefully indexed compilation of source and background material in an easy to read form.

THE TRANSFER OF POWER IN INDIA.
By V. P. Menon. 543 Pages. Princeton Uni-
versity Press, Princeton, N. J. $8.50.
BY COL J. C. WINCHESTER, British Army

This is an authoritative and detailed account of the events that led up to the transfer of power from Britain to the new sovereign nations of India and Pakistan in 1947.

The author, who was an experienced government official in a key appointment at the time, has described the intricate constitutional problems confronting the British and Indian political leaders and the steps taken to solve them.

Although not of direct interest to military students, it is a well-documented history of a most important period in the evolution of India and Pakistan.

BRITTLE BEHAVIOR OF ENGINEERING STRUCTURES. By Earl R. Parker. 323 Pages. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. $6.00.

BY LT COL MITCHEL GOLDENTHAL, CE

The failure of steel plate structures due to the brittle behavior of steel has long been a serious problem. Such failures involving bridges, penstocks, storage tanks, pipelines, and ships reached a peak during World War II, when welded steel merchant ships suffered many casualties.

The National Academy of SciencesNational Research Council prepared this technical textbook which contains a sparkling discussion of the theories and mechanism of structural failure; a review of test methods to evaluate brittleness; interpretations and summaries of test results; a thorough discussion of the effects of welding variations; and a report of service failures.

It is clearly written, profusely illustrated and referenced, and of real interest to the military reader who wants to learn where we stand in the field of brittlefracture prevention.

THE SOVIET SECRET POLICE. Edited by Simon Wolin and Robert M. Slusser. 408 Pages. Frederick A. Praeger, Inc., New York. $8.00.

BY LT COL HOWARD L. FELCHLIN, Inf AND MAJ CHARLES G. FITZGERALD, SigC

It is a rare but welcome occasion when a comprehensive, informative, and accurate study, such as this book on the Soviet internal security organs, is made avaiable to the reading public. The book is a noteworthy documentation of the Soviet secret police and security systems. Written in the form of a series of essays, it estab lishes the irrefutable fact that the Soviet secret police system was born in the earliest days of the Soviet regime, was and still is being developed and expanded by the Communist Party, and will always be the "handmaiden of Communist rule."

Of particular interest is the identity and qualifications of the authors of this collection of essays. They are former So viet citizens who have had considerable personal experience either as members or victims of various Soviet security organizations. The reviewers are personally ac quainted with two of the contributors and accept their major theses as objective, factual analyses of the Soviet internal security system. Personal observations during our three years of travel in the USSE confirm their judgment on the efficiency and thoroughness of the Soviet security organs. The book does contain minor inconsistencies in nomenclature and organ zational matters, but they do not detract. from the excellence of this valuable de tailed study.

This book corroborates the fact that Communist leadership cannot hold power without the brute force of the Soviet se curity organs. It will help to eliminate confused thinking on this subject and to increase public understanding of the forlorn lot of the Soviet citizen caught in the iron vise of the interlocking Communist Party and Soviet police systems.