Book Description
This text is to be used as both a guide for the fireground strategist/tactician and the promotional candidate in preparing for a written exam. There are text and short answer questions as well as multiple choice scenarios, which are used by many testing authorities today. Each answer is explained in depth to help the reader understand the reason for the strategy or tactic presented. This text uses case studies extensively to drive points home. The text will allow the strategist to make decisions about such activities as line placement, ventilation considerations, and resource distribution, among other things. It will also allow the tactician to choose proper tactics in a given situation, enhancing the decision-making process on the fireground. It is the intent of this text, through diligent study and lesson reinforcement, to motivate, challenge, and strengthen both the fireground strategist/tactician and/or the promotional candidate.
Customer Reviews:
great book a must read .......2007-08-09
this book is a must read for firefighters and officers, a great book. know you enemey ftm ptb egh
informative.......2007-07-03
A great book to help refresh what we may already know but have forgotten over the years.
Tactics & Strategies at their best!.......2002-10-16
Anthony has done a great job putting this book together (with a little help from his friends). This book is written in english, not technical jargon. He knows what he's talking about and explains it beautifully. A must read for every fire officer or anyone who wants to be a fire officer some day. Whether volunteer or career, this is the book you need!
Tactics & Strategies at their best!.......2002-10-16
Anthony has done a great job putting this book together (with a little help from his friends). This book is written in english, not technical jargon. He knows what he's talking about and explains it beautifully. A must read for every fire officer or anyone who wants to be a fire officer some day. Whether volunteer or career, this is the book you need!
Book Description
This scenario workbook is a collection of hypothetical fireground situations with questions regarding incident command concerns for each scenario. Answers are provided at the end of each scenario section along with explanations. Each set of scenarios is geared to expand and focus upon key concepts taught in the textbook chapters.
Customer Reviews:
Dcc Review.......2007-05-16
Very informative, answers a lot of questions I had about how DCC works.
Also gives a comprehensive review of various manufacturer's products.
Outdated But Still of Some Use.......2007-04-22
This book was copyrighted in 1998 even though my edition was printed in 2003. That means that the field of DCC has come a long way since this one went to press. Even so, it can still be of some use.
It's usefulness comes from it being written from the viewpoint of the National Model Railroad Association Working Group for DCC. It addresses the theory of the system and some elementary applications but it rightfully points out that manufacturers has broad latitude in implementing the published standards. It gives specific examples from various vendors and points out, even at the time of writing, that some are no longer in business. IN that respect and considering the advances in the field, the book is way out of date.
Still, the theory is the same. This book gives a fairly thorough treatment of that theory. It is rather dry reading but is still worthwhile.
An excellent reference to DDC.......2007-02-02
An excellent reference to DDC
Lots of good ideas, written Nov98 could do with an update, Info in the Appendix section is long out of date. All that aside it was an excellent read and very informative. It has made my choice of an upgrade from a Bachmann digital system much easier.
Never got it - bought it elsewhere.......2007-01-12
They said the product ships in 4 to 6 weeks. It didn't. Canceled the order and bought it from someone else. The book is mostly the technical aspects of DCC and not the practical application of DCC.
Fantastic Reference Guide For Experienced Or Begining DCCers.......1999-03-24
From the guys who helped establish the standards for Digital Command Control (DCC), comes the mose comprehensive guide to DCC components, systems, and installation. Also included is an index and even a glossary for this emerging technology. Whether a beginner, novice, or expert model railroader and DCC, you'll find large amounts of useful information. This book has already saved me time, money, and energy as I build a DCC HO layout.
Customer Reviews:
OK.......2007-09-05
I found this book to be about the same as all of the other S and T books out there. It is a fine book.
Book Description
With 25 years of experience, Deputy Chief Coleman offers a common sense approach to handling larger, more unusual second and third alarm, or mutual-aid fires. He covers organization and structure, incident management, safety issues such as accountability systems, the rules of engagement for risk assessment and managing the Mayday, as well as fires in distinct occupancy types. Case studies are designed for departments of any size.
Average customer rating:
- Adequate Content, Disgusting Pricing
|
Peacekeeping Intelligence New Players, Extended Boundaries (Studies in Intelligence)
David Carment , and
Martin Rudner
Manufacturer: Routledge
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ASIN: 0415374898 |
Book Description
This book is an edited collection of essays on the emerging new form of intelligence known as Peacekeeping Intelligence [PKI]. This is the based on predominantly open sources of information used to create Open Source Intelligence [OSINT], and it demands multi-lateral sharing of intelligence at all levels. Unlike national intelligence, which emphasizes spies, satellites and secrecy, Peacekeeping Intelligence brings together many aspects of intelligence gathering, including the media and NGOs. It seeks to establish standards in open source collection, analysis, security and counterintelligence and training, and produces unclassified intelligence useful to the public. The challenges it faces are increasingly entwined with arms control, commercial interests, international crime and ethnic conflict. This volume evaluates the role and dynamics of intelligence in peacekeeping activities as well as the challenges, and considers the intelligence role of coalition forces, law enforcement agencies, development institutions and NGOs that have become important in peace-support operations. br br The book will appeal to scholars of intelligence, peacekeeping and security studies, as well as to practitioners in the field of peacekeeping and non-governmental organizations.
Customer Reviews:
Adequate Content, Disgusting Pricing.......2007-01-01
I am a publisher, author, and intelligence professional. I was a speaker at the conference from which most of this material is derived.
I wish to respectfully inform all prospective buyers that a book like this, in lots of 2,500, costs a US penny a page to produce. I could produce this book for $34.95, with Amazon paying me $15.75, which after cost of printing and graphics would leave me with a $10 profit.
I am--to put it mildly--outraged at the disgraceful overpricing that the publishers are attaching to this book. This kind of over-pricing urges the violation of copyright and the posting of a pirated copy of this book to the web.
I earnestly hope that Amazon will get into the business of direct publishing to Kinko's and localized delivery by Federal Express, and put such dishonorable publishers completely out of business.
SHAME!
Book Description
One of the most recent revolutions in the operation of model railroads has been the development of Digital Control Command (DCC). Traditionally, model railroads were operated with power being transmitted to a single locomotive with all other locomotives isolated; the requirement to ensure that individual sections of line could be isolated resulted in complex wiring diagrams and considerable skills on the part of operators to ensure the smooth operation of trains.
From the most basic 6 ft x 4 ft loop to the most complicated exhibition-standard layouts, the basic principles remained the same. There had been efforts to bring in more sophisticated control systems, in order to allow for the multiple operation of trains, but until comparatively recently such technology was relatively primitive. However, all this has changed with the arrival of Digital Control Command; making use of computer chip technology, each locomotive can now be individually identified and operated, thus making the operation of a model railway layout much more akin to real life as it is now possible, for example, to replicate accidents if 'drivers' ignore red signals or if the points are incorrectly set. Most proprietary models now available come with DCC compatibility and it is also possible to upgrade older models to take advantage of this new technology.
However, for the railway modeler there is dearth of written information on the nature of this technology and how it can be adopted from new or added to existing layouts. And this is where this book comes in; the first in Ian Allan Publishing's new 'Aspects of Railway Modeling' series, the book explores the theory and practice of DCC, explaining in layman's terms the technology and how it can be utilized. Comprehensively illustrated in both mono and color, the book takes the mystery out of this complex subject.
The arrival of DCC has been one of the most radical developments in the model railway hobby in recent years. With vast amounts of money being invested by modelers nationwide, DCC has become the technology to have. But there is also considerable ignorance about it; this new book, therefore is opportunely timed. It will be essential reading for both those who have already invested in the technology but also, and more importantly, for those who are contemplating the significant investment involved.
Customer Reviews:
British Introduction to DCC.......2007-06-25
This is a fair introduction to digital command and control for model railroads but it is written and published for the British market. An American can learn something but would be better served by a book that takes U.S. terminology, standards and available products as the basis.
As an introduction, this does a fair job. It describes the basics but does not get into anything very advanced. It's good for covering the concepts and showing the possibilities.
Book Description
master historian gives readers a fresh new picture of the Civil War as it really was. Buell examines three pairs of commanders from the North and South, who met each other in battle. Following each pair through the entire war, the author reveals the human dimensions of the drama and brings the battles to life. 38 b&w photos.
Customer Reviews:
Reevaluation of Generals.......2006-09-17
This is an intriguing book, although not without some controversy. The method is to examine three pairs of generals, one each from the Union and Confederate armies--East and West--at different levels of command. The two top generals at the end of the Civil War, Ulysses Grant and Robert E. Lee are one pair. Two generals of armies in the West--George Thomas with the Union and John Bell Hood with the Confederates--are profiled and compared. Finally, two generals in the East--Francis Barlow and John B. Gordon--are compared, each at Division or Corps command level.
The end result is illuminating. Certainly, Robert E. Lee is not treated kindly. Grant comes in for some hits, as well. Nonetheless the criticisms are handled pretty well and the author does credit each for their strengths.
At the lowest level of command, Barlow and Gordon, we get an interesting tratment of two commanders who may not be as well chronicled as others. Nonetheless, each served with distinction and both were certainly interesting character studies.
Finally, and maybe most controversial, is the juxtaposition of Thomas (Southern born, despised by his family and mistrusted by some in the North) and Hood. The latter is a perfect example of the "Peter Principle," where one gets promoted above one's level of competence. A terrific division commander, Hood was overmatched as an army (and probably even as a corps) commander. Buell's treatment of Thomas is almost over laudatory. To be sure, the record is clear that Thomas was a stalwart, at whatever level of command he held; he excelled from the start of the Civil War, with his crushing of Zellicoffer's army at Mill Springs to his smashing victory over Hood at Nashville. Nonetheless, the treatment of Thomas is perhaps a bit "over the top," despite his genuine accomplishments and the shabby treatment that he received from Grant and Sherman toward the end of the war.
In the end, a very interesting book, marred mainly by the overenthusiastic treatment of Thomas (even though, I would argue, Thomas deserves much more credit as a general than he is often given).
Thought-Provoking; But Are Descriptions of Events Misleading.......2004-10-28
I enjoyed Mr. Buell's book. As a number of people have noted, the author provides perspectives on Generals Lee and Grant that may be unfair in some respects but are often thought-provoking. The portions on General Thomas explain his greatness in a way I had not read before.
On the other hand, the book's description of a single incident causes me great concern about how much the reader can rely upon the author's descriptions of other events throughout the book.
That one event concerns the so-called Lost Order. On September 9, 1862, General Lee, then at Frederick, MD, issued seven copies of the order (Special Orders No. 191) to his commanders, including D.H. Hill and Stonewall Jackson, directing them to split up and attack Harper's Ferry, VA from three directions, thus dividing his army into four parts. Jackson, not realizing that Lee issued a copy of the order directly to Hill, also issued a copy of the order to Hill, Jackson's subordinate. Hill received the copy of the order from Jackson, but the copy from Lee was somehow lost. Beginning September 12, the Union army moved into Frederick. Incredibly, on September 13, a Union soldier camped on the outskirts of Frederick by chance found the order lying in a field, wrapped around some cigars. The order was ultimately forwarded to General McClellan, leading ultimately to the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) on September 17.
I do not profess to be a Civil War expert, but both books I had read about this incident clearly stated that it was never determined whether Hill received the copy of the order from Lee and therefore should be blamed for its loss. On the one hand, according to those books, Hill always adamantly maintained that he never received the order, and his adjutant supplied an affidavit to that effect. On the other, Lee's adjutant, R.H. Chilton, maintained that, although he did not have a specific recollection or documentary evidence, he was confident that he must have received confirmation that the order was delivered to Hill. Beyond that, no other evidence turned up. No courier confessed carelessness, and the identity of the owner of the cigars was never determined. See, Sears, Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam, pp. 111-115 and Appendix I; McPherson, Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam, The Battle that Changed the Course of the Civil War, pp. 107-108.
It is certainly fair for an author to suggest that one scenario or the other is the more likely one (in view of the explicit, albeit selfserving, testimony of Hill and his adjutant, I would be inclined to conclude that Hill did not receive the copy of the order, and that in the rush of events [Lee's army was splitting up and moving out] Lee's adjutant did not notice that he did not receive confirmation of receipt). Mr. Buell does not do this, however. Instead, giving no hint of any uncertainty or controversy, he relates one hypothetical scenario as firmly established fact: "Hill . . . received two copies of the special order. . . . Hill snorted at the inept staff work of the high command and tossed away the redundant order. A staff officer retrieved the document and used it to wrap his cigars. When Hill and Lee's army got underway the next morning, September 10, the package was left behind." Buell, pp. 111-112.
Again, I am no expert, but if Messrs. Sears and McPherson are correct in describing the available evidence, Mr. Buell's description is, with all due respect, misleading. He presents the story as gospel, adding vivid details (Hill "snorted" and "tossed away" the order; a "staff officer" retrieved and reused it) that lead the reader to believe that he is relying upon an account by a witness (presumably the messenger or Hill or a member of Hill's staff), when there apparently was none.
This disparity, in turn, causes me to wonder how many other times in the book Mr. Buell may have used similar, apparently misleading techniques to present hypothetical scenarios as fact without alerting the reader that uncertainty exists.
As I have emphasized, I am only a layperson interested in the Civil War. James McPherson apparently did not complain about Mr. Buell's treatment of the Lost Order incident (the book cover includes a blurb by Mr. McPherson praising the book; I have not been able to find his original review), so perhaps I am being unfair. If anyone has other thoughts, I would be delighted to hear them.
Biased and not evenly written, too much on Lee and Grant.......2004-09-18
Numerous books have been produced concerning many aspects of the American Civil War ranging from specific campaigns, biographies of individuals, as well as a three part series to cover the entire conflict. Thomas Buell presents a succinct look at six of the leading generals of the era using first hand accounts and memoirs that show a glimpse of their individual views as they happen. The three Union Generals are Ulysses Grant, George Thomas and Francis Barlow. In comparison, Buell submits analysis of their closest Confederate counterparts in Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood, and John B. Gordon to delineate strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the bloodiest conflict in American military history.
Buell opens with an introduction explaining his goal for his book. He introduces each of the six figures to be discussed and provides a title to each, often referring to them by these titles. Although these titles add to each persona, at times during the reading these references can be confusing. The initial chapters supply necessary background to understand the central themes concerning the Civil War and how it started.
The battles begin with Lee's Peninsular Campaign and continue through Appomattox. Throughout each subsequent battle, Buell tends to center more on Grant and the haphazard Lee than any of the other main characters. While Lee is criticized for almost every move he makes, Thomas is hailed as the saving grace of the Union, not to mention the only capable general in the conflict. While Lee relied too much on the tenth principle of dumb luck, portraying him in the manner Buell does begs the question "Why was he not removed earlier?" Buell's slant on Thomas also creates questions to his bias.
The time spent on the four remaining individuals is well balanced, as Buell concentrates on situations comparing Hood with Thomas and Gordon against Barlow. Relationships between the six generals as well as among their respective Presidents is described using sources such as written correspondences, diaries and journals.
Buell includes maps in the beginning and end of the book, in addition to maps in the chapters to assist the reader in understanding location and point of direction. Coupled with the novel-like text, readers are treated to vivid accounts of battles, the field on which they were fought and troop movements. The book is further divided in sections by either Eastern or Western theatres and time periods. This further assists the reader to maintain continuity with battles and locations for readers who are not familiar with the area, especially when Grant moves east.
The book concludes with appendices containing an individual chronology of the six main characters, charts illustrating in which battle each fought, as well as casualty rates (Confederate and Federal statistics). Buell references his extensive bibliography throughout his piece, demonstrating his research and preparation.
While the figures in this book are not considered a who's who of great military leaders compared to George Washington, Napoleon, Winfield Scott or Hannibal, they did take part in the bloodiest war in American history. Some may be portrayed in a better light than they deserve, while others are unduly criticized. Readers able to see past the bias of Buell will find an entertaining, well written, vividly described essay that provides insight to the thoughts and feelings of the pivotal characters. Buell's first hand sources provide credibility to his research not enjoyed by second or third hand hearsay. Buell's contribution will arouse curiosity in novices of the Civil War while allowing veteran Civil War enthusiasts to relive the events included in the book.
Good, thought provoking.......2004-08-22
Buell analyzes three COnfederate and three Union soldiers with six very different leadership styles.
Buell gives a title to each of the six different men and they are:
The Yoeman: Ulysses S. Grant
The Aristocrat: Rboert E. Lee
The Knight-Errant: John Bell Hood
The Roman: George H. Thomas
The Cavalier: John B . Gordon
The Puritan: Francis C. Barlow
Buell researched this book heavily, including delving into the National Archives to the point that he actually found boxes of papers from the Civil War that had not even been opened since they were packaged and delivered after the war, a fact that I find amazing given the vast number of books written on the war every year.
Buell is quite clear in his book that Robert E. Lee was vastly overrated and quite possibly incompetent (he never says it outright but he infers it). I agree that Lee has been overrated by some, but his incompetence is refuted, in my mind, by his track record against a much larger, better equipped army over the course of the war. To his credit, Buell does not lay the blame for the vast number of casualties in the Seven Days Battles in the Peninsular Campaign on Lee - which I consider fair consider that he was forced to take charge during the battles due to the wounding of Confederate General Joseph Johnston. Lee can't really take the blame for a situation he did not create.
Buell also is extremely critical of Grant, sometimes in a contradictory manner. At the beginning of the book he is critical of Grant's strategy as unimaginative at the end of the war (press Lee constantly, despite the constant casualties since Lee could not replace his casualites and Grant could easily replace his own - it quickly became a numbers game and denied Lee his famed mobility) and then, towards the end of the book he praises it.
Buell's favorite is obviously Thomas, a brilliant organizer who built the army that literally simultaneously destroyed the Confederate Army of Tennessee (under Thomas) and was the core of Sherman's famous March to the Sea through Georgia. However, he was ultimately relieved of command by Grant for being to deliberate - a conclusion that I share with Grant. Buell, however, believes that it was an unjust firing. (Grant believed that action was often more important than preparation - sometimes true, sometimes not, but Thomas never seemed to be prepared enough...)
Although I disagreed with many of his conclusions, I did enjoy Buell's book. It was informative and well written.
Fresh.......2004-06-01
First, a caveat: If you say, "War of Northern Aggression", hold dear the Lost Cause, and celebrate Massa Robert Lee's birthday as a high holy day, you should avoid this book altogether rather than read it and go on to write an emotional review raving against it and giving only one star. This book dares depart from the usual hagiographic treatment of Lee, suggesting that some of his actions were less than genius, and that some were brutal mistakes. Trust me, if you consider this sacrilege, please avoid this book.
As for everyone else, this is an outstanding book - the freshest take on the Civil War that I have read in years. Buell ignores the received wisdom on such giants as Grant, Lee, Sherman, Hood, and Jackson, and goes back to original sources to reconstruct the actual men behind the legends. His take on these generals is sometimes controversial, usually enlightening, and always interesting.
Buell focuses on three pairs of generals - Grant and Lee, Thomas and Hood, and Barlow and Gordon. This devise works well to allow him to examine each major phase of the war in both the eastern and western theaters. By including the lesser known Barlow and Gordon, Buell is also able to contrast the West Point trained professionals to volunteer generals who made up such a large segment of those who served in the Civil War.
Grant and Lee, in particular, come in for reassessment in Buell's work, and both suffer somewhat from it. This, however, is not character assassination, but a valid reexamination of undeniably great men, assessing them by their actions rather than the legends that have grown around them. You might not totally agree with all of Buell's conclusions, but they may make you reassess what you think you already know.
One of the high points of the book is the treatment of General George Thomas. One of the greatest generals of the war, Thomas has been often overlooked for many reasons (including the fact that he was a Southerner mistrusted by the North, he did not get along well with Grant, and he died shortly after the war leaving no memoirs.)What you read here will leave you hungry for more information on the great forgotten man of the Civil War.
Buell writes well, his prose moves swiftly, and though he covers the general's actions in many battles, he never gets bogged down in the details that are more appropriately left to books that cover a particular campaign.
Read this book and you will discover something almost as rare as a Burnside victory - fresh ideas about the Civil War.
Theo Logos
Product Description
Explains digital command control in a concise and straightforward way. Covers the history of command control, dissects the components of a DCC system, addresses the full range of commercially available systems, and presents step-by-step projects. Ideal for all hobbyists that are interest in DCC.
Customer Reviews:
Very Basic, Good Primer.......2006-08-02
This is not a book that will teach somebody all the aspects of DCC. Instead, it is a simple primer that gives the basics. It does so in a clear and logical manner that is easy to understand. A person could conceivably wire up a railroad layout after reading this book (probably with lots of luck and attention to the manufacturers documentation) but that would not be wise. A person should do some more in depth planning. This book will not help with that.
The strength of this text is to give an introduction to the subject to somebody who knows nothing about it. The basic understanding gleaned from that should help to determine if further effort is warranted. In my case it is. I will probably keep this book handy for a while until I become more familiar with the tracks and the products but I will soon graduate to a more substantial treatment. Still, this exactly fit the bill for what I needed as a beginner who knows nothing.
Precious guide for dcc beginners.......2006-03-24
A good book, very helpful for begin in DCC sistem control for model railroaders.
Lack of information.......2006-02-25
I was very disappointed in this book. It was sorely lacking in content, mostly it was like reading a big ad for a single model of DCC equipment. I was looking for something which would give more than a general overview of the DCC system. Coverage on the accessory DCC capable options would have been nice. After getting this book I had to still go to the internet and research; this book should have been my reference. I would suggest that you wait until version 2 or maybe 3 of this book before buying it, maybe then they might even add a table for the CV values and what they mean for a decoder.
dont buy it.......2005-12-14
there is no information giving. it took me 2 hours to finish whole book, which is less than 50 pgs.
dont buy it
Complicated subject made easier.......2003-10-14
This book does what I hoped it would...explain what I thought was a complicated subject in easy to understand text. The photos and diagrams help a great deal, too. I always enjoy this author's monthly column in Model Railroader magazine because he speaks in a clear, simple manner. DCC doesn't scare me nearly as much now. This book is well worth the money as far as I'm concerned.
Book Description
The depth and significance of the relationship between George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower has eluded historians for years. In Partners in Command, acclaimed historian and journalist Mark Perry gets to the heart of arguably the most fateful partnership in American military history, a union of two very different men bound by an epic common purpose. He follows Marshall and Eisenhower's collaboration from the major battles in North Africa and Italy to the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion, the crisis of the Battle of the Bulge, and the postwar implementation of the Marshall Plan, and the establishment of Eisenhower's leadership of NATO. erry shows that Marshall and Eisenhower were remarkably close colleagues who brilliantly combined strengths and offset each other's weaknesses in their strategic planning, on the battlefields, and in their mutual struggle to overcome the bungling, political sniping, and careerism of both British and American commanders that infected nearly every battle and campaign. Finally, Marshall and Eisenhower collaborated in crafting the foreign policy and military infrastructure that became the foundation for winning the Cold War.
From their first meeting after Pearl Harbor in 1941, Marshall and Eisenhower recognized in each other an invaluable military partner-by February 1942, Marshall, who was Army chief of staff, had promoted Eisenhower to head the War Plans Division, where his first job was to write the initial plan to win the war against Japan. Within a few months, Marshall selected Eisenhower as commander of all U.S. forces in the European theater. By early 1944, however, a subtle but major shift had occurred: Marshall the teacher had become Eisenhower's student, Eisenhower having developed the superior grasp of command challenges.
Partners in Command is an extraordinary portrait of an often ignored alliance between two iconic military figures and the ways in which their unusual collaboration would ultimately shape fifty years of successful American foreign policy.
Customer Reviews:
Great Reading Even For A Neophyte.......2007-10-12
Author Mark Perry has provided us with a gem of a book on World War II while concentrating on the relationship between mentor George Marshall and student Dwight Eisenhower. It was not what you would consider a close friendship, but one of guidance in which the student (Eisenhower) eventually surpassed the mentor (Marshall). Throughout his military life Eisenhower sought the guidance of George Marshall. Eisenhower had his hands full after being named head of the European command in World War II, and his mentor, Marshall, was always available to assist even though Marshall, himself, would have loved to have the command. Some felt Marshall would have too much power as part of the combined Chiefs of Staff in addition to head of the European command. Marshall, however, wanted President Roosevelt to make the appointment without regard to Marshall's opinion. When Ike was concerned about the performance of an officer who was an old friend, Marshall told him that any officer who is retained under you means that you are satisfied with his performance. If you are not you must reassign him or send him home. A quality Marshall admired in subordinates was to stand up to authority and express your own opinions. In other words, don't be afraid to disagree with me. Juggling the egos of men such as Winston Churchill, Bernard Montgomery, Alan Brooke, George Patton, Omar Bradley, Mark Clark, and others who each had their own idea of what should be done where and when was a job requiring a great deal of self discipline. Fox Conner, one of America's greatest military thinkers is all but forgotten now, but he was influential in shaping Marshall's and Eisenhower's approach to warfare. One of his axioms was "never fight unless you have to, never fight alone, and never fight for long." They remained convinced that democracies would win only short wars, not protracted conflicts. I found a wealth of information in this book, and the 400 plus pages will keep you riveted from beginning to end. There are certainly lessons to be learned for those who would hope to lead our country today. Whether they would be open to learning from past leaders is another matter.
Entertaining but nothing new........2007-09-19
Partners in Command fits into the somewhat recent trend in history books of focusing in on an historical specific - a battle, a speech, a pivotal month or as in this case, the relationship between two men, George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower, during a pivotal time in history - and filling in a narrative - with anecdotes, flashbacks, etc - around it. (I don't view this as an inherently bad thing - different readers have different interests). First the good news, in this reader's humble opinion any continued investigation or chronicle of the challenges these two men faced either together or separately and their successes, (and failures), in meeting them is valuable. For whatever reason George Marshall is not only underappreciated today, he seems to have been forgotten. And in hindsight it's very difficult to imagine anyone else on either side of the Atlantic assuming the role Eisenhower did as capably as he did. (This is something FDR intuitively understood.) This book does a very good job in detailing the difficulties faced and the decisions made by these two generals during WWII, often while they were thousands of miles apart with few face to face meetings and under extreme pressure to win the war in Europe.
Which brings me to the down side - the author may have bit more than he could chew in book of this type, (overview), and it might have been a better idea to conclude with the success of D-Day. (Although selling a publisher at this time on "yet another" D-Day book is probably a difficult task.) Many important topics - build-up of the pre-WWII US military into a fighting force, NATO, the Cold War, the Marshall Plan & post WWII Europe - and individuals - Churchill, FDR, Truman among others - are given, at best, cursory treatment. (The post WWII "peace" part of this book is minimal.) This is understandable in keeping the book to a "readable" length but comes up short of its billing (War & Peace). There are also some unforgivable errors in this book with two whoppers contained within the first 20 pages - the dates of the Battle of Stalingrad and Germany's declaration of war on the US. Hard to comprehend how these slipped through any editing process.
If you are looking for a starting point in understanding these two men and the US High Command/military management of the European theater in WWII, you've found it. This book is entertaining and very readable. If you are familiar with this period of history and the players, there is really nothing new here.
A fair and unbiased interpretation of historical facts and personal diaries and notes........2007-08-23
Positive, revealing and sympathetic to the trials of working with a coalition within a politically charged time. Less negative than the recent "15 Stars". Takes a far less biased interpretation of Eisenhower's and Marshall's personal papers. "15 Stars" is too much biased in favor of the British command staff and war cabinet. A story of a professional relationship between Marshall's astute political savvy and blunt defense of the American military, and Eisenhower's balancing act between the leaders of the allied command and his own generals who were very different in their view of conducting a war. Marshall became a good cabinet member for Truman and Eisenhower was elected president with the trust of the American people.
Shows how the relationship -worked-.......2007-08-23
This book shows the strength of the Marshall/Eisenhower relationship, and in particular how that relationship contributed to success in WWII ETO. It also highlights their shared values. (Both individuals owed a lot to Fox Conner, one of the must under-appreciated people in US Military History.)
A previous reviewer recommended "15 Stars" 15 Stars: Eisenhower, MacArthur, Marshall: Three Generals Who Saved the American Century over this book. I completely disagree. I disliked "15 Stars" is mostly anecdotes/gossip, that fails to show the impact of the relationships. "Partners in Command" succeeds for that very reason.
One thing to keep in mind as you read either "Partners in Command" or "15 Stars" is to compare the Marshall/Ike relationship (including Marshall's interactions with Henry Stimpson and FDR) to our two most recent examples of senior leadership in the Gulf wars (Desert Storm and our current efforts...)
Strongly recommended, one of the best books I've read in a long time (and I have several shelves of stuff on Ike and Marshall.)
dave
Errors shake the reader's confidence.......2007-07-30
On page 14 of this ambitious dual biography, Mark Perry writes ". . . the Red Army was fighting for its life amid the ruins of Stalingrad." Unfortunately the passage is referring to mid-December 1941. The Battle of Stalingrad started on August 21, 1942, some nine months later. This kind of error is lamentable. It indicates sloppy or worse research by the author and poor fact-checking by the editor(s). It's a red-flag for the reader, of course: how many other errors are lurking in the remaining 385 pages or so?
Happily not many. But the book is a bit of a slog and slow reading.
Most of the details will be familiar to any student of WWII. Some of Perry's comments are grating in a way that I can't quite put a name to, such as "Eisenhower was pleased and extolled Patton's successes, though he knew that sooner or later, his best tank commander's profane personality would lead to problems." There is no footnorte, no source for this and it strikes me as gratuitous.
I'm not sure either that Perry really adds anything to our knowledge of the relationship between Eisenhower and Marshall. All the way through, I had a feeling of "been there, done that".
On the whole, not a bad book, but not one that I found compellingly interesting. A better choice, I think, is 15 Stars: Eisenhower, MacArthur, Marshall: Three Generals Who Saved the American Century which is even more expansive in its subject matter, covering Eisenhower, Marshall and MacArthur. I must add a caveat: I have been a student of WWII for decades. The newcomer to the study of this conflict may indeed find much more of value in this volume than I.
Jerry
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