First published 2009
Andrew Roberts assembles a distinguished team of historians to examine fifty great military commanders from the early modern and modern periods. Each contributor, including Antonia Fraser, Alistair Horne, Michael Burleigh, Simon Sebag Montefiore, and Richard Overy, provides a detailed 3000-word profile of their assigned commander. The book spans figures from Oliver Cromwell to Ivan Konev, from the Duke of Marlborough to Helmuth von Moltke, and from Philippe Pétain to George Patton. Every profile analyzes the commander's tactical and strategic abilities through fact-driven narratives that bring these figures to life. Accompanying each biography is a battle or campaign feature with full-color maps highlighting the commander's greatest military achievement. The work addresses questions about Napoleon's most brilliant victory, Wellington's near defeat at Waterloo, Stonewall Jackson's battlefield genius, Montgomery's tactics against Rommel at Alamein, and General Giap's victory over French forces at Dienbienphu. This chronological survey offers both accessibility for general readers and depth for military history enthusiasts.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, military-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: fact-driven
Period: Early Modern Period, Modern Period
432 pages · Hardcover · Quercus