Failed Illusion by Charles Gati - Book Report/Review Example

?Failed Illusion by Charles Gati Introduction Research professionals deem Failed Illusions by Charles Gati as a unique work since its content that promotes creative thinking and analytical observation. Even though, a reader may fail to find segments of entertainment in Gati’s book, he or she will capture real information with ample explanations. Charles Gati describes the event of uprising Hungary revolt of 1956 in the background of Cold War. Through rich, powerfully argued and readable way of presentation Charles Gati meet head-on the tough questions about the 1956 revolt in Hungary. Author made authentic investigation in the field of history and gave information with the support of relevant evidence. For that reason, one can accept Charles Gati’s book for authentic information about history. Interviews, anecdotes and analytical observations by the author contribute some features of a memoir in the book Failed Illusions. Charles Gati’s book Failed Illusion face up to relevant to the questions about the 1956 revolt in Hungary through a rich, arguable, analytically organized and readable way. Author’s main arguments/ major themes Author’s new assessment about the revolution reveals some of the major themes like real intention of the 1956 revolution in Hungary, reasons of its undesirable ending, defective leadership and the political propaganda established by Soviet Union and the United States. Gati analyses the events through the eyes of an observer and discloses the exact causes of the failure of the revolt. The author clearly states that the ultimate aim of the 1956 revolt was to reform the nation, not to go ahead with the existing system in Hungary. It is to be noticed that the author emphasizes the disadvantages of the revolutionary leader Imre Nagy’s leadership as well as Moscow’s intentions in the 1956 upraising. A reader requires reliable information with sufficient rationale from the part of a writer. Here, Gati satisfies such requirements to an extent in his book. Defective leadership and organization of the 1956 revolt is discussed as another major theme in Failed Illusions. The revolution deficient in effective leadership and Gat’s assessment permits the reader to comprehend the fact that the undesirable result of the revolt underlines the problem of defective leadership. Imre Nagy’s war policies and political movements were ambiguous and the man often failed to express the objectives of the revolution. Despite repeated talks between them, there is no evidence that members of Imre Nagy’s revolutionary government ever asked young freedom fighters to look at a map, consider where Soviet Union was, and in view of geopolitical realities, exercise restraint (Gati 2006, 3). Soviet Union’s attitude towards the 1956 revolt in Hungary is presented as another significant theme in Gati’s book Failed Illusions. Gati explains that Soviet leaders always kept a positive attitude towards their national interest as well the effective establishment of their propaganda in countries like Hungary and Poland. Reader can compared this through the Krucheve’s tactical approach against the revolutionaries. He had expected that if he might have allowed Hungary to exist semi-independent, he would handle Poland effectively and follow his ant- Statlinist ideologies. Imre Nagy’s complex personality helped Soviet Union in to a great extent and Gati argues that "party apparatchik, who believed that a counter-revolution was taking place and it must be stopped" (Gati 2006, 150). The man changed his attitude alternatively towards the revolutionaries and the Communist leaders in Soviet Union. Finally Author explores United State’s provocative propaganda in the 1956 revolution in Hungary. A book which describes historical events should keep unprejudiced approach towards the events. In this respect, Gati clearly explains the fact that American Intelligence agencies were not well equipped for the Hungarian events and most of his arguments about the devastating of revolt rested with not only Moscow, but the skeptical and dubious presence of America. The book is fit with historical knowledge because one can find the features of a historical book. Generally historians have ensured moderate performance in chronological arrangements that with good rationale. The great thing is that Gati portrayed both joyful and dark face of the revolution and that helps readers to avoid illusions about the intention, results, and external interference and the leadership of Imre Nagy in the 1956 upraising. Charles Gati ensured these features in his book. Considering the content, powerful argument, reliability and research level presentation, and one can reach the conclusion that Gati’s Failed Illusion is an important book for students and research professionals who studies history. “Gati thinks that in the name of truth, people should be deprived of illusions” (Michnik 2011, 66). Gati presents all the events through the eyes of a historian not an inquisitor who tries to finish off his abhorrent adversaries. As a writer having analytical insight, Gati distinguishes the reality of events from the myths and speculations. Consequently, critics recognizes Gati’s endeavor as an important one. As a member of 1956 Institute, Charles Gati describes the major events, lives of revolutionary leaders, policies of Imre Nagy’s government and the role of United States in the 1956 revolt. As a result of this, a reader can find the elements of a memoir in the book all the way through author’s presentation of personal interviews, judicious observation, and illuminating anecdotes. In the same way, Gati draws on a wealth of archival evidence and personal interviews to produce a remarkably readable and provocative essay which has often been praised for its rich and shrewd observation and tremendous anecdotes, and filled with the fragrance of his personal and intellectual history. Charles Gati follows analytical strategies to prove his points effectively and a reader can find that the author made a conscious efforts to answer the question that why the 1956 revolt in Hungary failed? Nothing like other writers of history, Charles Gati made a different and realistic approach towards the issue of 1956 revolution. Critics and research professionals suggest Failed Illusion for the students as well educators. The book is widely accepted because of its content, analytical observation, and critical approach towards historical events and one can recognize that “The appearance of a new and well-researched book by the historian Charles Gati aids in reassessing this highly contentious and still-pertinent chapter of the past” (Puddington 2006). Regarding its features, way of presentation, well organized information, and reader can simply say that the author proves his point in an effective way. A reader can find a number of evidences for this especially author’s explanation about the crucial event of the revolt. Gati describes the reburial of Laszlo Rajk; the former communist leader who was executed in 1946 is a crucial outburst in the revolt. The man rehabilitated as a martyr and students in Budapest ordered their demonstration against the government. Most of the writers failed to reveal the truth behind the outbreak of shooting between the demonstrators and the police. As a responsible historian Charles Gati explored the truth behind the revolt by mentioning “As is true of nearly all revolutions, no one knows who fired the first shot, but it is clear that the ordinary soldiers, who had been driven in to reinforce the defenders of the station, were unwilling to fire on the people” (Deak 2007). Author succeeded in clarifying the suspicion behind the death of hundred young revolutionaries. At this juncture, a reader can understand that the author achieved considerable success in what he indented to say. Conclusion In the final analysis, it is evident that Charles Gati’s Failed illusions provides a detailed, all-inclusive account of the 1956 revolution in well-designed prose along with his own critical and analysis and some relevant conjectures. A reader can comprehend the author’s sincere effort to distinguish the reality from myths in the 1956 upraising. Similarly, the book provides credible information about the 1956 revolt in Hungary, reasons for its failure, Soviet Union’s intentions and the U.S propaganda in 1the 1956 upraising. Gati succeeds his attempt to establish his view points about the revolution. Therefore, one can pay money for this book and keep it as an imperative piece of work which provides pertinent information about history. References Deak, Istvan. 2007. Did the Revolution Have to Fail? The New York Review of Books, Vol. LIV no. 3 (March). http://www.hungarianpresence.ca/Anniversary/deak.cfm (accessed 3 Aug 2011). Gati, Charles. 2006. Failed illusions: Moscow, Washington, Budapest, and the 1956 Hungarian revolt. Illustrated ed: Stanford University Press. Michnik, Adam. 2011. In Search of Lost Meaning: The New Eastern Europe. University of California Press. Puddington, Arch. 2006. Budapest 1956. The American Jewish Committee. http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/press_release/puddington_commentary_oct06.pdf (accessed Aug 2011). Read More