Henry Russell

Let Freedom Reign

Henry Russell

On 10 May 1994, Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president, uttering the words 'let freedom reign' as part of his famous inaugural address. More than 100,000 people turned up to hear him speak. Mandela's great skill as an orator has enabled him to use the power of words as an important weapon in his fight against discrimination and injustice in the world. This collection, which marks the 20th anniversary of Mandela's release from prison in February 1990, explores how his electrifying speeches and impressive rhetoric helped bring about social and political change in South Africa, through, among other things, the dismantling of the apartheid system. Throughout his lifetime, Mandela has spoken about and written on such issues as global warming, HIV/AIDS, human rights, racism and discrimination and women's rights, and some of these are showcased in «Let Freedom Reign». In this book, author Henry Russell analyses the linguistic features, content and context of Mandela's speeches, revealing the oratory skill behind this great man's most inspiring words.

The Purge of the Thirtieth Division

Henry Russell

The Purge of the Thirtieth Division by Major General Henry Dozier Russell is the only known written work by any of the eighteen National Guard division commanders mobilized in1940 and 1941. It chronicles from a National Guard perspective many of the challenges and growing pains experienced by the Army in the critical months leading up to its entry into World War II. Through Russell, the reader gains insight into the vast cultural differences between the Regular Army and the National Guard at the time.Russell’s memoir offer an invaluable source of a commander’s first-hand account of how his division trained and fared during the 1940 Louisiana Maneuvers, and 1941 Tennessee and Carolina Maneuvers, respectively, in its preparation for overseas deployment. The narrative also contains a compelling account of the relations and tensions between Regulars and National Guardsmen. It was a scathing indictment of the Regular Army high command for what he perceived to be unfair treatment of National Guard officers during World War II. He cited many examples to bolster his claims, and contended that the U.S. Army, under Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, was out to “get” the Thirtieth Division and other National Guard divisions. He further contended that the Army believed that a non-Regular officer should not advance beyond the grade of lieutenant colonel. His memoir, which he privately printed, pulled no punches. His first-hand account was very critical of how a number of senior Regular Army officers handled affairs with his division that led to his relief as the division commander. Russell completed his memoir in 1947 and subsequently printed 500 copies, which he distributed to senior National Guard officers. He did not sell any of the books, nor were they intended for or made available to the general public. Although there was a demand for additional copies, he did not print any more. The republication of The Purge of the Thirtieth Division is intended to expand the scholarship on the history of World War II and the history of the U.S. Army.