320 pages : 19 cm

Collects stories of blunders, fiascos, and scandals involving government officials and military forces throughout history, including notable events such as the mutiny on the Bounty, the Zimmermann telegram, the U-2 scandal, and the sinking of the Kursk

Includes bibliographical references (pages 313-320)

The prologue : 'Ininquity in antiquity'. The one that got away -- He came, he saw, he was conquered! -- Act. 1. 'Our inglorious past'. The infamous Lieutenant Bird -- A victim of the press -- Boldless Byng -- The transvestite knight -- In the dock, then off the hook -- The one about the cat -- The Boney man -- 'Abdallah' Menou -- Mutiny and murder afloat -- Baron crocodile -- The grand old Duke of York -- The Peterloo Massacre -- Act. 2. 'Manifest infamy'. Misrule Britannia -- Mutiny! -- Crimean shame -- The Fairfax raid -- THe New York draft riots -- The Belknap scandal -- Surviving Custer -- The shambles in Africa -- Scandal at Tranby Croft -- Dreyfus -- J'accuse! -- Misery in the camps -- Compromised positions -- The passion of Colonel Redl -- The Zabern affair -- Act. 3. 'Not such a great war'. The wrong trousers -- The shell scandal -- The Lusitania medal -- A martyred nurse -- The Mexican connection -- With 'snow' on their boots -- To win important friends and influence people -- Red letter day -- M'lady's a tramp -- The Midway leak -- The slapping incident -- The death match -- The D-Day witch trial -- Act. 4. 'Cold War fallout'. The atomic spies -- Un-American activities -- The poisoned apple -- Fool's gold -- The U-2 scandal -- The Profumo affair -- Operation Ranch hand -- Drafting Ali -- Act. 5. 'Even in our enlightened times?' Murder at Lillihammer -- 'Gotcha!' -- The baby snatchers -- KAL 005 -- Satanic operation -- Irangate -- Iran Air Flight 655 -- A princess in love -- Draft dodger-in-chief -- The myth of the flying cow -- The massacre of Cermis -- Smart bombs are still as dumb as their users -- Coffingate -- Sinking of the Kursk -- A career on the rocks -- The brothel bills scandal -- The sultin of spin -- Saving Private Jessica -- Equatorial Guinea coup -- The devil's own -- Swiss pleas

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