Reviews

Killing Hope: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions Since World War II--Updated Through 2003 by William Blum

olavposti's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

4.5

William Blum does a good job of briefly describing every intervention since WW2. The most harrowing chapters are ironically, not the ones based on personal testimonies from former agents, but from de-classified CIA documents.  Most claims in the book are, however, further substantiated in more academic and specialized work from Blum himself, and from other authors.

Despite only spending a couple pages on each country, the detail included can be mind-numbing. Even with Blum’s entertaining writing, this book is a long read.

Furthermore, the formatting is odd, prioritizing the year of the event over the country itself, leading to some weird chapter jumps. If buying a physical copy, be aware of the font-size; what looks like 400 pages feels like 700.

vishvrangi's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad slow-paced

4.75

tinythunders's review against another edition

man .

tizzlango's review

5.0

Eines der besten Bücher, das einem wirklich die Augen öffnet über den kalten Krieg und die Außenpolitik der USA (und des Westens). In über 50 Kapiteln wird akribisch aufgezählt welche Interventionen, Invasionen und Sabotagen die USA seit dem 2. Weltkrieg durchgeführt hat. Es räumt ein für alle Mal mit der Ansicht auf, dass die Vereinigten Staaten auf irgendeine Art und Weise für Freiheit, Frieden oder Demokratie stehen, zumindest im Ausland.
Dieses Buch ist eine hervorragende Quelle um sich für einzelne Ereignisse zu informieren, aber auch insgesamt gibt das Buch ein kohärentes Bild ab. Darüber hinaus wurde es in den 90ern geschrieben, wer weiß wie viele Informationen über das US-Militär und die CIA seitdem noch rausgekommen sind und was bis heute nicht bekannt ist. Es regt auf jeden Fall zum weiteren Forschen an.
Dieses Buch ist sicherlich auch ein gutes Geschenk/Ausleihe für Menschen, die einen Einstieg brauchen, um eine neue Perspektive auf die Machtverhältnisse der Welt zu bekommen. Dann kann man, häufig zum ersten Mal, lernen, dass wir ("Der Westen" o.ä.) nicht unbedingt auf der Seite der Guten stehen.

evan_streeby's review

5.0

This book has taken me awhile to read, it must be done in bits and pieces. Needs to be required reading for all US citizens

jpowerj's review

4.0

Definitely a must-read for anyone who may be "on the fence" about whether the US is a force for good around the world, and for understanding the central role that anti-communist fervor has played in justifying the atrocities we've committed across the globe. My only issue is that all pieces of evidence in the book are stated as if they are confirmed fact, whereas maybe ~25% of them are based on highly questionable politically-motivated confessions/testimony from people involved in atrocities. The best chapters are the ones that draw *directly* on declassified or leaked CIA documents, which are the most horrifying/disturbing chapters anyways...

jada's review

5.0

I knew the CIA was skeevy but not this skeevy, wow. Reading about all (or the majority of) their invasions at once, rather than just in isolation makes it easier to identify the pattern of slight social reform being seen as "communism" and leading to an invasion, leaving countries worse off than before. (and honestly if it wasn't real life I'd call it unrealistic because their grounds for invasion/intervention were laughable)
well written, with just the right amount of snark and sarcasm to make it a smidge less depressing.

narodnokolo's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

hrapto185's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.25

yonathanmt41's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.5