Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America's Schools by John Giduck

by John Giduck

The complete and accurate story of the Beslan School Siege that occurred in Russia on September 1, 2004. This book tells the untold story about the victims, the soldiers who were there and the history of the events leading up to the tragic incident. But more than just the story, this book highlights the lessons America's school system can learn from the tragedy to protect itself from terrorism.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Military Fiction, Terrorism, Russia, Police, War

Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why don't we address school violence with the same vigor and rationale as we do school fires in the U.S.? This book is a serious "lessons learned" and I fear for the day that a true terrorist attack happens in an American school. I don't doubt for one second that it won't happen, it's an easy, soft target that will terrify and mortify millions as they watch innocent kids die on the 6 o'clock news.

I pray it never happens, but I expect it will unless the advice provided in this book is heeded.

[Randy Vest]

I just got the book less than one week ago at a lecture by David Grossman. I then attended a lecture by the author John Giduck. I am a police officer and a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant and I know, deep down, that this, unfortunately, will happen in the United States. I am preparing for this inevitably as should everyone!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book all Americans should read.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying account of terrorism and how it can happen to anyone anywhere

[Nadir · Rating 2 out of 5]

The history lesson afforded by Giduck in relation to the vicious Chechen attack on a school filled with parents, teachers, and children is eye opening. It delves into the many "special" Russian police, military, and para-military units responded to the attack (and the difficulties they had coordinating their efforts). It further explores the Chechen motives and modus operandi in relation to this and previous acts of terrorism. The heroism of the Russian operators in attempting to save the hostages once the shooting unexpectedly started is humbling (and the manner in which drunk armed citizens played havoc with their efforts is infuriating).

Giduck follows the history section with insightful and valuable suggestions to American educators and law enforcement personnel in regards to how they might prevent or otherwise deal with similar acts of terrorism here in America. Given the not-so-long-ago attack by armed gunmen in Mumbai, India, I feel this advice is still timely. Some of it (3-man Special Forces security teams at every school) are financially impossible for us to undertake in the current budget crisis climate, however.

Where the book completely falls down is when Giduck attempts to extend his history lesson to Islam. He may as well have began that section by saying, I'm an evangelical Christian and I feel so threatened by and filled with hatred towards Islam, I'll say anything in order to induce you, the reader, to hate it too, regardless of the fact that most of what I'm writing is a complete fabrication and bears no relation whatsoever to how Islam is practiced by its more then 1 billion followers the world over (else the world would be a VERY different place). Through the anti-Islam portion of his book, which is an Emerson-esque propaganda piece, Giduck actually does a huge disservice to those to whom he directs the book. If, in fact, his intention was to better equip educators and law enforcement personnel to prevent, or if unsuccessful, deal with "Islamist" terrorists, by misleading the reader as to the real history of Islam he leads them away from the critical task identified by the Chinese military philosopher, Sun Tzu - Know your enemy. If the reader acted upon the information in Giduck's section on Islamic history, they would be woefully off the mark and would likely suffer potentially dire consequences for deep a misunderstanding.

As much as it appeals to members of martial society to preach "Kill them all!" as a solution to a vexing problem, the reality is that it won't work, and more to the point, it's extraordinarily counter productive. How, for example, can we expect "success" with our foreign policy objectives throughout the Muslim world if our leaders think along these lines? Must we convert all our "allies" to a particular brand of Christianity in order to make them trustworthy?? If so, expect to pay a very high price and achieve our own undoing.

[Scottnshana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good news and bad news... The bad news is that about four-fifths of the way in, the book deviates from a darn good tactical analysis of this horrible event to devote almost 50 pages to a history of Islamic anger from Mohammed to today. Those who have already read up on Chechen terror, who saw the movie "Munich," or who watched Americans hurling themselves from the World Trade Center are already convinced that there are some very nasty people in the Islamic world, usually 15-30 years old, bored, and obsessed with the idea of causing horrendous mayhem in the civilizations they've deemed "infidel". The book's de facto audience--military and law enforcement--should already get it. The good news is that recent events in American schools provide Mr. Giduck a fine opportunity for a second edition without this superfluous chapter (Sixteen), and the addition of a good hard look at whether his prescriptions (and they are good ones) are applicable to case studies at Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, or the Anders Breivik shooting spree in Norway. There is no doubt that murderous personalities are increasingly providing a clear and present danger to schoolkids; the problem is that increasingly they aren't infiltrating across the Canadian or Mexican borders, but disgruntled and disenfranchised folks in our midst attacking Gabbie Giffords, the Murrah Federal Building, or the Deployment Center at Fort Hood. I like the author's push for more civil involvement in preventing these events. I like his well-researched analyses of both Beslan and the Nord-Ost Theater takeover. In fact, I wholeheartedly agree with most of his advice for American law enforcement and educators regarding these horrific events (maybe not the security guards roaming the halls daily with silenced pistols). His discussion of explosives, communications, chains of command, planning, and rehearsals are outstanding. Seven years on, though, events have overtaken this analysis, and the United States is neither Russia nor Israel. Our public servants (still constrained to walk the tightrope between an oath to uphold the Bill of Rights and putting these truly despicable perps out of action) deserve a second edition of "Terror at Beslan", edited to match up the book's prescient and excellent observations with an acknowledgement that in the West there are also home-grown (Nidal Hassan was born in Virginia, so even he fits the trend) whackos perpetrating these events and they deserve just as much attention as the terrorists he analyzes in Chapter Sixteen.

[Kelly Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book came highly recommended. However it is poorly written. And just a small amount of follow up on what the author asserts are his credentials turns out there is great controversy. Also none of the highly acclaimed institutions he referenced in the book with websites actually had websites at the sites provided. In fact it seems that his nonprofit doesn’t even have a website any longer...


It does have some excellent points about protecting schools. However when laid down upon a foundation that isn’t as stable as claimed it makes it easy to discount the good points.

[Tara Wowra · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son, a police officer, recommended this book to me. How badly can the Russians screw an operation up? This book will tell you.

[Zach Majors · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will wake you up to what to expect in America, if we don't change the way we do things. There are bad guys out there, and we treat them as friends.

[Bob Patridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have a school-aged child? This should be required reading.

[Rhuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was coincidentally reading this at the very time the HAMAS-Israel war exploded on October 7 of 2023. Although greater in scope, 2004's Chechen siege at Beslan school shows that history's mantra mindlessly repeats.

Author John Giduck was a Homeland Security advisor, Special Forces trainer, and "anti-terrorism consultant" for the private Archangel Corporation. He was also an academic professional in Russian studies, offering his consultancy to "Putin's Russia" at a time when such cooperation was sought by both sides. (Some things have changed, if not improved.)

Here he painstakingly recounts the brutal bloodbath of Chechen militants as they took civilian hostages at First Schoolday exercises in the North Caucasus hamlet, and then butchered them in reprisal for Russian war crimes in Chechnya. This is likely the most comprehensive analysis of this incident in English, based on interviews with survivors and the Russian military and security personnel who ended it. His own security clearances saved him from becoming an investigative target in his own right.

While condemning the Beslan atrocity, Giduck was aware how Putin's hardline policy in Chechnya fueled the background for it, and the massacre's "usefulness" in consolidating Kremlin power at home. (Of course, he had nothing to say about the power-grab of the Patriot Act after 9/11, and the creation of his Department.) The ensuing "investigation" into the failures of the Russian security system devolved into a predictable blame-game, sacrificing low-level scapegoats in a feel-good cleansing ritual for the policy-makers. (We'll see how closely Netanyahu follows the playbook when it's his turn next year.) In no way, however, was Giduck thereby an "apologist" for the Chechens, as those sensitive to Gazans are now smeared as terrorist apologists by Putin-haters who are no different from him.

Giduck's book was part of the general exploitation of "counter-terrorist" marketing in the War on Terror era; to offer professional advice to Americans in dealing with active shooter sieges and hostage-taking in their schools, through a warning look at Beslan. Yet the only terror US schools have known is not from Islamic radicals exporting their extremist views into the American heartland, but from the rot in that heartland: alienated, homegrown misfits with guns seeking "suicide by cop." Against this the advice of "terror experts" like Giduck has proven as useless as the police presence at Uvalde.

Yet despite the false target of Giduck's focus, the book remains a valuable forensic analysis of a gruesome incident, and one that has been replayed with ten times the magnitude. Giduck's advice had greater relevance to Ashkelon than Sandy Hook, and was predictably unknown to the Israeli "experts" charged with public safety. Perhaps their folks scrutinizing the Internet will come across this review and offer Giduck's course to future personnel. :)

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is in roughly three parts. First, there is fifty-ish pages of introductory material mostly stating that this book is going to be a wake-up call for America before Islamist terrorists - maybe even Chechens themselves - enact a similar tragedy on American soil. The middle part is a taught, blow-by-blow account of the takeover and take-down for which the author is prepared from his career in anti-terrorist training. Ex-soldier Giduck is part of Archangel, a U.S. 501 (c)(3) non-profit, NGO providing anti-terrorism consulting, training and related services to United States law enforcement, military and governmental agencies. He also went on site to review the school before it was demolished. From his interviews with Russian military responders to the Beslan school siege, including the elite Alpha and Vympel units of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), he garners many stunning details I had not heard before. This includes a surrounding angry and drunken mob complicating matters and rabid, sadistic perpetrators - apparently some deluded mercenaries - that, among other things, forced mothers to choose staying with all their children or leaving with one infant. There is also the moving case of the 7-year-old Aida blown from the gym holding area by premature explosions wire to destroy the school who out of confusion and fear crawled back into the terrorists' control.

Giduck's final part is a clarion call to get your head in the game, watch out for Chechens crossing the border and count the days until this happens to a U.S. school. Hopefully his prediction will continue to not bear out. I wonder how he feels knowing perhaps the closest his prediction has come true is due to mentally unstable Americans (citizens and residents) with access to guns: the Virginia Tech massacre, the Northern Illinois University shooting, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Another interesting dimension to this book is the differences in Russian special forces approaches to such incidents. They are very keen on incapacitating gases, quick application of overwhelming firepower, and explosively blowing holes in walls to gain entrance.

[Amy Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author John Giduck holds more than one advanced degrees; one of which is a Masters in International Affairs with a specialization in Russian Affairs. He has traveled extensively throughout Russia and he has over 10 years of training experience with Russian Military's elite Special Forces. He has trained all levels of American Law Enforcement units and has served as a consultant for Foreign affairs, terrorism and organized crime. He is currently working with the Archangel Group, an agency which provides consulting and training to U.S. Law Enforcement, Military and other Government branches on these topics.

Terror at Beslan is an accounting of the horrific terrorist siege in the small town of Beslan within the country of Russia in 2004. 338 people were gunned down, 192 of which were small children. It is clear that Mr. Giduck believes that this siege should be analyzed in detail as it is, without a doubt, a future America will have to face. Terrorism has already reached American soil in epic proportions and with 9-11 only one moment in thousands of years of Islamic Extremism and violence; the terrorists are far from finished.

Mr. Giduck does not mince words, terrorists are described for what they are, terrorists. They are not freedom fighters or insurgents. A terrorist is someone who has been bred from birth to kill and they revel and celebrate in human suffering. "If you are not one of them, you are nothing but an infidel to be exploited until at such time it becomes expedient for you to die." It is important that the reader understands this in order to reap the benefits this work can provide.

While certainly most valuable from law enforcement and homeland security standpoint, this book is not beyond the scope of a typical American. Mr. Giduck actually has much praise to offer America's Soccer Mom as an important branch of security for our nation's most precious commodity: our children. Vigilance, documentation and reporting so common in the Soccer Mom culture, may well have prevented the siege at Beslan. Events of that size do not just happen; it takes months of suspicious surveillance. The key that Mr. Giduck stresses is to be prepared and not to be lulled into passivity that something so awful could not happen here on American soil, for we know that it already has.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some valuable lessons for all emergency services workers, especially the importance of training together and developing response plans with each other and important stake holders - like school administrators. I think Americans might be tempted to dismiss the events in Beslan as the product of a radically different culture and government, but to think a similar incident and similar mistakes couldn't happen in the USA would be quite foolish.

Readers should be aware that there are quite a few scenes described in the book that are terribly graphic. The terrorists commited every sort of the worst kind of crimes against their hostages while they held them. It is not easy to read.

Giduck does make a few errors in the book that I feel may have damaged his works credibility. He predicted a similar event in the US within (iirc) 10 years - it didn't happen. He describes the actions and heroism of the Spetznaz in a manner that reveals that he practically worships their martyrdom. I have no doubt of their heroism, but I tend to question anything described in black and white terms. Giduck also makes the ludicrous suggestion that American schools could have gas distribution systems installed for the administration of "knock out gas" in the case of a hostage incident.

Still, I think the lessons available in this book far outweigh the few ill-advised statements that the author made.

[mj8911 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read!!! All Americans should read this story. It's heartbreaking and eye-opening. It's full of insight on how to prevent a tragedy like this from happening on our own soil. Anyone who reads this book will have their minds opened to the real horror that is terrorism. The possibility of something like this happening in the States is getting more and more likely. My hope is that whoever reads this will absorb the lessons inside and remember them.

[Marcus · Rating 2 out of 5]

The discussion of the Beslan attack is worth reading if you get the book for free or at a significant discount. The advice for protecting schools, which includes such ridiculous ideas as hiring small teams of retired commandos as security guards, is a waste of time.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping look at the terror that was unleashed on the area. A harsh reality of what a situation similar to this could be like if it were to happen here.

[Regina Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terror at Belsan by John Giduck
I'm purposely not giving it a rating because I simply can't. Explained in Review
On September 3, 2004, 30 plus terrorist invaded the traditional fair-like festivities of a traditional first-day of school celebration in Belsan, Russia, taking approximately 2100 people hostage and holding them for 62 hours torturing them physically and mentally before killing more than 300, including 186 children. John Giduck is reportedly an expert in the field of counter-terrorism, training our military, police officers around the country, and schools/employers in active shooters scenarios. He contends this book is a result of three trips to Belsan, beginning immediately after the siege and interviews with numerous government officials, government and military psychologists, and Spetsnaz commanders who were involved in this and numerous other mass-hostage sieges and battles in Russia’s recent history.

I’m part of Rotary and recently we had a police officer speak to us on what to do in an active shooter scenario. The program was scheduled prior to the San Bernardino incident, but it took place the week following. The officer referred to this book often. I vaguely recalled the incident, but with the officer’s remarks I was interested in learning more. The book is, apparently, not without controversy. Giduck alludes to the controversy in the book. I have done a cursory search and it is hard to nail down whether the criticism is personal or on substance. When a book has that sort of controversy I find it difficult to review, particularly on a subject of this complexity. To add to the difficulty is the fact that I vehemently disagree with him on some of his conclusions. Yet, at the same time, since I do read a great deal of WWII and Middle Eastern history, I can’t deny that he has a great deal of history correct. So, here goes my attempt.

First, let me say this is not a book for the faint of heart. While it is not graphic in details of what occurred to the hostages (both in Belsan and other examples) it is hard not to imagine it. Additionally, we are talking about very young, elementary students and decisions that mothers were forced to make. I had to put the book down many times. But, if you believe that nothing happens in a vacuum and that history repeats itself I would say this is an incredibly important book. It is downright scary. It is a bit dated. For instance, Giduck makes the case that terrorism is focused on the victor countries of WWII, and makes a strong case for it. Since this book was first published in 2005, he observes France is one of the few Allied countries that had not experienced a terrorist attack inside its country. That is, obviously, not the case today. But, it makes it all the more frightening and gives him credibility on some of his other predictions. Where Giduck is at his best is in presenting the history of the Russian-Chechnya conflict, the seeds of dissent sowed after WWII, and presenting a timeline of terrorist attacks since the 1970’s (making the case that Robert Kennedy assassination was the first US terrorist attack) and how they have evolved over time. Thankfully, he doesn’t simply frighten the reader to death. He does provide a list of things he thinks, based on his experience and recommendations from those who have dealt with these events far longer than Americans, we can do to protect our schools. Some of them are interesting ideas such as schools checking with local governments at least twice a year to see if anyone has submitted a Freedom of Information Act related to building designs. Others are simply unrealistic either because of our culture or because of the size of our country.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

392

John Giduck goes through the events that happened to the middle school in Beslan where 1200 kids, parents and teachers were taken hostage by 50 or so terrorists. Over 300 hostages were killed and 700 wounded. Very sad. I'm surprised that more didn't die. He basically makes the argument that America needs to be ready for that type of 'man made disaster' (current homeland security lingo). The forward of the book makes a pretty good case that this will happen in America sometime. I hope that it won't. I also hope that law enforcement is preparing for such an event.

[Abby Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very honest and hard look at what happened at Beslan, the history of terrorism, and options on preparing American for this continuing war. I didn't agree with all his suggestions, but he gives you lots to chew on. I would be interested in a follow-up to the book since it is now eight years later and America has not suffered the same type of terrorist attack as seen in Beslan. All said, a worthwhile read.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very eye opening read. History, and more important, terrorism repeats itself. America better wake up. Must read for everyone, particularly those uninformed who think that aftr 911, the worst is behind us.

[Marisa Balmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I'm reading for my thesis project on Campus Violence. So sad...

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrific true story about the tragedy at Beslan and a lot of history involved in this book.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't want to say I really liked this book because of the subject matter, but I do think our schools and the people in charge of security for our schools need to wake up and read this.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty scary true story. Makes you think about how soft we are as a target, i.e. schools, theaters, sporting venues, etc.

[Ashlee MacRae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I heard about this event and was REALLY interested in reading the book. However, I could not for the life of me get into it AT ALL. Huge disappointment. Maybe I'll try again...

[Eleanor Rigby · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author is a known poser and is listed on POW Network Wall of Shame.

[Kait Palmer]

This is a scary but necessary book, I started reading it but had to stop after the Sandy hook shootings. Will pick it up again one day though

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a pleasant read, however, informative and necessary.