Warriors: Portraits from the Battlefield

Max Hastings is one of the finest contemporary military historians. His revisionist "Armageddon," covering the final months of WWII in Europe, is a masterpiece, giving full, if vastly belated, credit to the Soviet Union's major contribution to Allied victory. Hastings says his wife suggested that he turn to a "lighter" subject for his next effort after the exertion of "Armageddon" and its predecessor. So Hastings did, examining the nature of the soldier. He picked 15 subjects ranging from veterans of the Napoleonic Wars through both World Wars, British colonial campaigns, VietNam and the Israeli-Arab conflicts. His subjects were chosen because they truly, in his opinion, possessed the ethos of the warrior. It may have been for only a day or two, as with the hero of Roark's Drift, or it may have been for years as in the case of Paul Vann, who spent years in VietNam. Not long ago, a professor of ethics who had taught at the U. S. Naval Academy wrote a book on the "ethics" of the soldier. It was a laughable exercise in academic excess, trying to apply an intellectual framework to the work of the military. Hastings doesn't bother with such fluff: rather he focuses on the heroic fighter. He takes pains to point out that his subjects are anything but typical, that most of those who take the field are most interested in preserving their own lives. He doesn't miss his mark. Only one of his subjects fit into ordinary life moderately well (Eddie Rickenbacker of WWI aerial fame). Of his other subjects, who survived combat, all had problems fitting into what might be considered normal society. Guy Gibson, of WWII "dambuster" fame, was intensely disliked by his peers and, particularly, his subordinates. Gibson expected that his troops would surrender their lives to their cause. Those who preferred to live didn't particularly appreciate Gibson's attitude. Audie Murphy, America's most decorated WWII soldier, never fit in after his moment in the combat sun. Perhaps the two most interesting portraits are of Nancy Wake, who served in Britain's SOE during WWII. In this portrait, Hastings not only paints a picture of a daring, unconventional woman, but also flogs Vichy France for its wholesale collaboration with its German occupiers. Every student of history will appreciate Hasting's meticulous examination of the myth of French "resistance." In all of Hasting's earlier works of military history, he has been essentially non-political, an important attribute for a military historian. In his portrait of Israeli armor officer, Avigdor Kahalani, Hastings interjects political opinion. While it doesn't rob his exposition of anything, it is jarring because Hastings appears to take the left-wing view that the victims of terrorism deserve what they get. Personally I was surprised at seeing these opinions expressed by Hastings and disappointed in that I think his opinion is incorrect. Despite that, every student of history, particularly those interest

What it takes and means to be a warrior in modern society is revealed by foreign correspondent and British journalist Max Hastings in WARRIORS: PORTRAITS FROM THE BATTLEFIELD. Here his observations on the field come alive as fourteen selected soldiers and airmen and one sailor portray their battle experiences. These experiences aren't from a single event, but come from a wide range of experiences; from a cavalry officer who joined Napoleon's army at seventeen and fought through Waterloo in a search for glory to a World War II orphan who became America's youngest general. Accounts blend historical background with 'you are there' reenactment of events and sentiments and make for compelling sagas of purpose and perspective.

Max Hastings is, with John Keegan and Sir Martin Gilbert, the best British Military Historian of the Post-World War II era. His works on the Falklands Conflict, on D-Day, and more recently "Armageddon" - the story of the last nine months of World War II in Europe are the kind of military histories one cannot put down until reading to the very last page. That is how I felt about "Armageddon" - and pretty much how I feel about Hastings' latest: "Warriors: Portraits from the Battlefield". Now I will say this. I did enjoy David Rooney's "Military Mavericks" more for its subject matter (Stonewall Jackson, Smuts and Von-Lettow Vorbeck, T.E. Lawrence, Orde Wingate, Patton, Vinegar Joe Stillwell) over "Warriors". But having said, Hastings once again painted a brilliant picture of very complex men and women - some of them very unpleasant surprises from their more public aura. Chard of Rorkes Drift, for example was nothing like either Stanley Baker or Michael Caine in "Zulu" but is actually one of the less assuming vignettes. Eddie Rickenbacker comes off clean, but Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain tended, as many Civil War enthusiasts have come to learn, to overblow his exploits, even as substantial as they were. Like Audie Murphy, Slim Jim Gavin, and Guy Gibson, Chamberlain had a troubled marriage. But he did stay married to Fanny. Audie Murphy emerges as more recent history has portrayed him - a very troubled man with a hair-trigger temper who never recovered from a terrible childhood (dirt-poor, his father deserted the family and his mother died when Audie was barely a teen), and from his horrific experiences on the battlefield during World War II. He was, as Hastings suggested, a "psychological mess". I do disagree with Hastings in that I feel Murphy was a better actor than most "B" movie heroes of the time, especially since he was never trained to be an actor. Jimmy Cagney, to my surprise, was chiefly responsible for Murphy breaking into Hollywood, but the two had a falling-out that neither would ever speak or write about. Throughout his career Murphy sparred and cursed fellow actors until by the end of the 1950s he was almost "persona non grata" in Hollywood. Hastings suggests that Murphy might have been better off in life had he stayed in the army, which was the only real life he had known. Another well-known actor, Neville Brand, was next to Murphy, the second most decorated soldier of World War II - he managed to eke out a very solid career as an actor even though he was also tormented by the war demons. It would be interesting to read of this very quiet, but by all accounts nice and decent man. Slim Jim Gavin emerges as the hero he was in "A Bridge Too Far", and probably the best subordinate U.S. Army General of World War II. But his personal life too was messy, and he sparred with both his American and British superiors. It was perhaps his problems with General Ridgway that prevented Gavin from reaching the very top in the post-war U.S. Army part

Military history writer and war correspondent Max Hastings has departed slightly from his regular field to write fascinating studies of the characters, and in many cases the inner torment, of a group of men and one woman, some famous, many less so, who distinguished themselves by heroism or other means from the Napoleonic Wars through the Yom Kippur War. This is not "straight" military history, as the author relies extensively on secondary sources. For his purpose of finding common threads running through the lives of his subjects, that is not an issue. It is especially interesting that many of these heroes were unsuccessful in, even completely unsuited to, life away from combat. Many share other characteristics, including difficult childhoods, lack of personal distinction outside of the acts which brought them recognition, and offensive personalities. Hastings is not trained in psychology and claims no expertise or special insight in that area. He draws some conclusions about the group he studied, and leaves others to the reader. This book is highly recommended as an excellent read, which is divided into independent chapters, each of which can be read in a short sitting and then picked up days later without having lost any continuity. That is unlikely to happen, however, as most readers are likely to devour it as quickly as possible. It is of particular interest to the military history buff, but enthusiastically recommended to those who enjoy good biographies of any kind.

Max Hastings acknowledges that armies run not on heroes, but on the average soldier. The typical troop follows orders, does his or her duty as necessary, and longs for hearth and home. However, the author claims that armies require a certain number of individuals who go beyond the call of duty. These standouts are the ones who lead the charges, motivate the troops to go beyond themselves, and actively engage with and destroy the enemy. They are the Warriors, and they embrace combat in a manner that more gentle folk might consider bloodthirsty and self-serving. But whatever one may think of them, Warriors are needed to win wars, and Mr. Hastings has provided us with examples of the best. He has written mini-biographies about fifteen Warriors, ranging from Napoleonic times until the Yom Kippur War. Some are well known, while others are more obscure. The author chronicles the Warriors' amazing battlefield deeds, but also analyses their inner motivations and defining experiences. What emerges are fascinating, if brief, character studies on each Warrior. I found their contrasts to be quite interesting. For example, British officer Harry Smith had a lifelong love he met while fighting Napoleon's legions in Spain. In contrast, WWI scribe Frederic Manning apparently lived a celibate life. "Humane and intelligent" Civil War hero Joshua Chamberlain was loved by his men, but WWII RAF squadron commander Guy Gibson's harsh mannerisms alienated his subordinates. Some were successful in and out of combat, while others struggled with civilian life. WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker was a high achiever in all of his pursuits. As for WWII hero Audie Murphy, he struggled with inner demons and never really fit into a life without warfare. And so on. Each Warrior's contemporary society and formative years are mined for clues about what shaped them. Family influence and station in life are analyzed, the impact of intellect and education (or lack thereof) is examined, and the effects of combat and wounds on their psychological makeup are investigated. From this foundation, Mr. Hastings identifies the similarities that possibly made these men (and one woman) stand out from their peers in the art of war. "Warriors" is a fascinating and well-written tome. It quickly supplanted other books I was reading, and was difficult to put down. Indeed, I wish it had been longer. But Mr. Hastings has provided captivating insights into the Warrior's character and motivation. Some struggled with life, others were difficult to get along with, and a couple came to tragic ends. But all inspired me. Highly recommended for the military history buff.