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Professional Reading: First to Fight by Victor H. Krulak

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Professional Reading: First to Fight by Victor H. Krulak
II MHG PROFESSIONAL READING PROGRAM

First to Fight

By Victor H. Krulak

Synopsis. Marine general Victor “Brute” Krulak offers here a riveting insiders's chronicle of U.S. Marines - their fights on the battlefield and off, and their extraordinary esprit de corps. He not only takes a close look at the Marine experience during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam - wars in which Krulak was himself a participant - but also examines the foundation on which the Corps is built. In doing so, he helps answer the question of what it means to be a Marine and how the Corps has maintained such a consistently outstanding reputation.

Recommended Study/Discussion Questions for First to Fight

1. Why did the Commandant chose this particular book to be the marquee title for this year?

2. Are Marines more or less frugal than in the past? How can the Marine Corps continue the image of being frugal and thrifty in an age of MV-22s and AAAVs?

3. Throughout our history, the Marine Corps has (1) been largely an organization of ship’s detachments and shore based barracks, (2) an organization to seize and defend advanced naval bases, and (3) a second land army/”colonial” infantry. Which if the three types of Marines Corps should we become in the future? Can we do all three?

4. Will the “Al Anbar Awakening” serve to strengthen the institutional survival of the marine Corps? What if things turn bad in Iraq?

5. How does this book validate the Long War Concept?

6. Is the MAGTF enduring? If not, what comes
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