Product Description

Major General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting.

No-one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of there-taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25 Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.

It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47084 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Fascinating and compelling
One of the best narratives of the land war I have read from the man who lead the commando brigade. This is an excellent book that not only gives you the story of the retaking of the Falklands but also provides an insight into the thinking and rationale behind the way the war was fought with all the worries and concerns the commander has to bear. A rivetting read and really hard to put down, highly recommended.

No Picnic indeed
Julian Thompson does an excellent job in telling the story of the Falklands War. He also allows you to follow his line of thinking and explains the reasons for taking the decisions he took in the run-up to the conflict and during the conflict itself.
A friend of mine once called the Falklands Conflict a close thing. This is not an impression one gathers in this book. However, the author points to several incidences where the various parties involved failed to communicate properly between each other thereby unnecessarily complicating his job.
The author uses a good deal of military jargon, which comes naturally to him, but which the reader may find difficult now and then if one doesn't have the military background. There is a detailed glossary at the beginning of the book, which helps. All told this book is highly recommended. Apart from that, I found it a real page turner.

Interesting and thought provoking
The Falklands War was the first I had any experience of through the world of TV. This book though is the first time I have read anything about it.

It touches on the great levels of effort individuals went through to ensure the Falklands were returned into British hands. It also mirrors to some degree the current issues surrounding the quantity and quality of equipment our Armed Forces have to work with in the current day as well.

The book is well written although sometimes you feel as though you need some inside Military knowledge to ensure you are up to speed. As a minor gripe the author could have broken up a couple of the chapters to enable the book to flow better for the reader. However don't let this put you off.