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The Commanders: Australian Military Leadership in the Twentieth Century
Hardcover
Series: Routledge Library Editions: Historical Security, Book 6
Australia & OceaniaGeneral World HistoryOther Wars
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ISBN13: 9780367635633
Publisher: Routledge
Published: Mar 31 2021
Pages: 382
Language: English
Originally published in 1984, this book tells the story of sixteen of Australia's most eminent military men, as they performed under the stress of strategy-making and in the heat of battle.
In scrutinising critical periods in the careers of such men as Brudenell White, Chauvel, Monash, Gordon Bennett, Blamey and Scherger, it addresses a number of fascinating questions:
- Is there an Australian style of command?
- How well have Australian officers been prepared for high command?
- How have Australian commanders handled the problems of coalition way or co-operation with allies?
- How have political direction, organisational structures and entrenched defence policy affected the performance of commanders in the field?
Each re-evaluation compares performance with reputation. Some of the figures examined are familiar (What was the real basis of Monash's reputation as a commander? Was Blamey worthy of the field-marshal's baton?); some are given an appraisal long denied them.
This roll-call of some of Australia's greatest warriors presents a fascinating picture of the realities of war at the top. Each of the sixteen lives examined presents a revealing account of the conditions under which crucial military decisions are made and carried out - on the battlefield, at headquarters, in victory and defeat.
The Commanders will appeal not only to students of military affairs but to everyone interested in Australian history and biography.
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