Silent Missions

by Vernon A Walters and Vernon A. Walters

Book Overview

Vernon A. Walters was a United States Army officer and a diplomat. Most notably, he served from 1972 to 1976 as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, from 1985 to 1989 as the United States... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385135009
• ISBN13: 9780385135009
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 654 Pages
• Weight: 1.82 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A cold-warrior winner tells

I read this book translated to the portuguese, here in Brazil.This book is an almost auto-biography of an american and cold warior, the general Vernon A. Walters.This general, who died some years ago, tells many chapters not only from his life, but of World's history.There's even some chapters about the author's life in Brazil. The cold war is over and Soviet Union is so over as Roman Empire, but the lessons of how to win a battle to World's control are alive in this book.

Witness to History

READ THIS BOOK!!!...Please.This is the biography of a rags to riches story. No not monetarily, but rich in experiences and wisdom. In the unique position of having fluency in French (Vernon's Dad was an insurance man in France for an English company), Walters was called upon to be the interpreter of many of the giant figures of the mid-twentieth century during the watershed confrontation...World War II. Truman, Eisenhower, De Gaulle are but a few of the people who knew him on a first name basis. Not being the decision maker himself, he bore witness to the decisions and personalities, making his perscective all the more unique. This is, in fact, the perspective the average citizen, like us, might have if ever in such a situation. I had not believed that one man could make a difference in the evolving of events, but after this read, I am sure that one person can. His being by the side of great men allowed him to see what the measure of greatness is. This he confides to us in a well paced, action oriented narrative. I, too, am taken with his humbleness and believe in God. I'm unsure that this generation of leaders has such humility, which is why this read renders some melancholy. Will our leaders measure up to our forebears?To anyone under 40, if you think the most important things that ever happened happened in your lifetime, read this.To anyone over 40, you will recognize all the characters: Truman, the Kennedys, Nixon, Kissinger, Ford, Truman...the list goes on and on. The most profound notion I took away from this read is the idea that the fullness and richness of one's life should not be measured by money. These day, it all too often is. There is no substitute for the wisdom that experience gives you. Vernon Walters never made a higher salary that that of a General. That earns a fair salary, but not putting him in the wealthy or even upper middle class. But he lived as rich and fulfilling a life as any man.BK