First published 2013
Military historian Victor Davis Hanson examines five generals who transformed certain defeat into victory for their nations. War operates as an unpredictable force where fortune shifts rapidly and today's victor becomes tomorrow's casualty. When circumstances grow desperate, exceptional leaders sometimes emerge to master impossible situations. These savior generals typically receive their commands at the final hour, inheriting conflicts created by others while facing political opposition and public skepticism. They arrive from beyond established power circles, deploy unconventional tactics, and burn out swiftly. Their careers frequently conclude amid scandal and controversy. Yet their extraordinary leadership achievements represent crucial historical moments that illuminate the fluid dynamics of command, consensus, and fate. Hanson crafts five compact biographies that capture these dramatic reversals of fortune and the remarkable individuals who engineered them.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, military-history, academic, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures, leadership
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
320 pages · Hardcover · Bloomsbury Publishing