The Superstrategists: Great Captains, Theorists, and Fighting Men Who Have Shaped the History of Warfare

How many of us have actually read about such military leaders as Marshal Berthier, Turenne, The Chevalier de Folard, and Fox Connor? Undoubtedly not too many of us. John Elting has done all of us a great favor with this little gem of a book that gives us the experts in warfare since the ancient Greeks, and why they were great. Jomini and Clausewitz are compared and contrasted; Napoleon is presented as a soldier and not a legend; Sun Tzu is given his due in the great scope and sweep of history; Winfield Scott shines as a soldier and a man, as does George Patton; Eisenhower and Bradley come off second best in comparison to their subordinate, Patton; lastly, the Cold War is shown for the desperate struggle it really was, against a ruthless and merciless enemy, and how close the Russians came to success. The Superstrategists chronicles the experts, the great, and not so great of warfare over the past 2,500 years. This is not a 'how they did it' book, but the story of what makes a good general and why good generals sometimes fail. Almost all of the big names, and many of the small ones are told about in this book. Robert the Bruce, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus, Grant, Lee, MacArthur, and a seemingly endless list of grizzled warriors, kings, and princes get their 'fifteen minutes of fame' in a book that is useful in a myriad of ways. Written in a wry, sometimes humorous, and always with piercing wit, the story goes through the ages and the changing methods of warfare telling of the only constant in man's continuing quest to kill each other-man. Character, or lack of it, is stunningly told in this book which concnetrates on the cerebral side of warfare. The true gem of the entire volume is the outline and explanation of the Principles of War in the appendices. Additionally, Col Elting also instructs as he tells his tale 'of much fyte.' He whets the appetite for further research, and the annotated bibliography is excellent for feeding the hunger for more knowledge. This book is a must for both the historian and the military professional. It is one of the most entertaining and useful books I have ever read, and I did that in one sitting. I couldn't put it down.