Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot (Reprint ed.)

'Life will not be fair,' is the gist of speeches and essays by Jim Stockdale, a Medal of Honor winner. A stoic and fighter pilot, he kept books of philosophy on his night stand. A stoic will bear any kind of suffering, enduring abuse patiently. This was key to preserving his sanity in the 'Hanoi Hilton'.In the beginning, he was overhead during the famous "Tonkin Gulf Incident'- which was never the attack LBJ said it was. Then, he was given orders to lead the first attack on N. Vietnam, flew following campaigns, and from a cell in Hanoi, observed the pace of air attacks against military targets. A bombing pause led his captors to think they could torture men and lead them to confess crimes they did not commit. Nixon's sudden bombing resumption using B-52s shut off power to the city and finally brought Communists to negotiate the peace treaty. Only on return to the U.S. did POWs see Congress cut off funding, leading to the loss of S. Vietnam.Another essay compares secret diaries left behind by Commander Thomas Hayes, confined to Bilibid POW camp (in 1942) with Stockdale's observations of the North Vietnamese camps (1965-72).'...In a nutshell, while to Japanese Imperialists a POW prison was a bother, to Vietnamese Communists it was a propaganda farm.The purpose of a modern communist prison is the breaking of prisoners' wills in an effort to squeeze secrets and propaganda performances of them. The purpose of a World War II Japanese prison seemed to be just keeping people locked up and feeding them as little as possible. Stories of these Japanese prisons are chronicles of dietary deprivation, dysentery, fever, recreational prisoner bashing, and high death rates. Communists aren't "good feeders," but their wear and tear is not so much on the prisoner's physical plant as on his nervous system. Every prisoner is considered to be in "workup" for propaganda exploitation; the commissar has deadlines to meet, and that means he must discipline his guards to never engage in personal conversations with prisoners, to demand strict obedience of a myriad of "tripwire" laws, and to engage in "prisoner bashing" only as scripted by the boss....' (p. 134) Of course, they punished Stockdale for his stoicism- but he never broke.On return to the U.S., he served in several positions, including teaching at the Naval War College. However, his class discussed moral obligation- examining the writings of Socrates, Solzhenitsyn, Sartre and Cervantes (also one-time prisoners) and Epictetus among others. He felt leaders needed to study philosophers to be an example for others.Midway through this book, he discusses the character flaws of the men who got the U.S. into a war they would not support. To him, good, evil and moral purpose are not abstractions. Nothing, not health, wealth, pleasure, pain, fame, reputation, life or death were as important. By his every action he demonstrated a belief in honor.Thank you, Admiral.

I do not waste my time reviewing marginal books. I thought long and hard before writing this review. It is presumptuous to comment on the life and thoughts of this man. But it is also compelling to encourage its readership by the broadest possible audience....especially our young people. It is especially relevant today, circa early 2008, as America decides on a President.This is perhaps the most intellectually and emotionally charged book I have read. And yet Admiral Stockdale was a quiet, humble man. As previous reviewers have commented, there is a wealth of material: ethics, history, drama...but I focus on the introspection he demands of America, especially in choosing leaders that send our young men and women into harms was...and, at times, into 7 and-a-half years of constant torture.Do not presume to think you know the substance of this book. I assure you, you will be proven wrong. The book is brutal. Yes, it does describe the torture and underground resistance - the ordeal and triumph American POWs. And that is more than useful for several generations of Americans who came to maturity when we, as a Nation, preferred to ignore a government's duplicity and, in many instances, stupidity in the conduct of war and national affairs.The book is critical of the government. What? A Vice Admiral and holder of the Medal of Honor being critical of the government? Damn right! So pay attention. This is not a criticism based on emotion or a "why didn't you help me" cry. It's a demand...nothing less...that elected officials exhibit character. Character is unambiguous. You want an example...it is simple: It is not what you believe in. It is how you act.On page 30, Stockdale recounts a conversation as I quote: "I think that in an important way, the television news industry is doing the whole country a continuing disservice. We constantly reinforce a bad idea that we helped invent - the idea that the key to being a good citizen, a discerning voter, is to know where all the candidates stand on all the issues. The issues are given center stage and the politician is cast as their suitor. We have made the expression `so much for philosophy, lets get down to issues' a maxim of conventional wisdom. And at news time every evening, all networks project scenes of harassed men and women being nailed down by stubborn interviewers who insist on quick answers on where their victims stand on gun control, abortion, and so on......"...what's important is not the person's current views on transient issues, but his character."And this, from Lester Crystal, then the President of NBC News!Character. How does a man or woman of character act? They do not quibble. They do not lie. They do not debate "What 'is' is?"On many levels, Stockdale defines the term.

nothing special just another book

This book is essentially a collection of speeches Admiral Stockdale gave during the 80s and 90s. These speeches merely scratch the surface of a man whose iron will and leadership ability in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances have set the bar high. He reveals how a chance encounter with a professor in the philosophy depart at Stanford helped set the direction for the rest of his life. Philosophy notwithstanding, Stockdale's determination and absolute certainty that he knew what to do and why it had to be done reveal a force of will seldom seen among those who assume leadership roles today.This book is an excellent introduction to the life of a man who defined leadership not with words, but with deeds. The current crop of politicians and so-called cultural leaders should be required to read this volume, and the rest of us should read it so we can tell the difference between a real leader and a wordy fake whose only motivation is "game theory".

Muito bom

I'm not giving 5 start just because the book, that is based on Jim's speeches, become quite repeatable after some time. Nevertheless, the message is strong and important. How to be resilient and keep your integrity even in a situation of unimaginable suffering for most of mortals. He is an example of perseverance and honor. Also, we got to know better the Vietnan war with his descriptions. A true hero. The book was a very good surprise.

A great read of a man who would not be broken and who helped others survive their ordeal as POW's Keeping his mind strong and focused and never giving up hope.

Engaging the wisdom of the Stoics with the demands of the modern battlefield of modern reality. This book is as relevant today as was when it was written. The character building lessons honed by Stockdale in Vietnam and in life in general. Make this book a timeless classic.

This book is a collection of speeches from Jim Stockdale that centre around his life changing experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. The book discusses his personal philosophical journey. It gives his take on the character of military officers. It will also be interesting for any students on the Vietnam War as it deals with the opening shots of the conflict and Stockdale's opinion of why the war was lost and how it could have been won. Very readable.