30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Mostly gossip..., August 23, 2007
I read this shortly after "Partners in Command"
Partners in Command: George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower in War and Peace. "Partners in Command" succeeds where "15 Stars" fails, by -relating- the individuals and their relationships to the actual execution of WWII. My reaction to "15 Stars" was that it's a collection of anecdotes, much of it salacious gossip, without relating the personality quirks/issues so revealed to the execution of the war itself. How much did MacArthur's willingness to manage his persona contribute to his success in WWII?
On the plus side, the post WWII era was handled much better than WWII, where there was much more discussion on the accomplishments and impacts of each individual and their relationships.
Buy "Partners in Command" instead of "15 Stars" unless you're particularly interested in MacArthur or are interested in Post-WWII politics.
dave
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Triptych: An Engaging Look at America's Three Highest Ranking Army Generals of World War II, June 30, 2007
"15 Stars" is an examination of how the careers, personalities, and goals of America's first 5-star Army Generals, George Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, and Douglas MacArthur, intersected and intertwined at critical moments.
(Previous Generals of the Army were limited, at most, to 4-stars, however, it is generally considered that the highest military rank in the U.S., regardless of the number of stars associated with it, was that of General of the Armies of the U.S. Only two soldiers ever held this title: George Washington and John J. Pershing.)
The 5-star rank was created by Congress in late 1944. Before then a British Field Marshal was considered to outrank a 4-star U.S. General, regardless of his title or how many troops he commmanded. As the Second World War progressed British Field Marshals were being placed in positions of inferiority to U.S. Generals and the British Field Marshals were thus, technically, taking orders from their subordinates. The 5-star rank was intended to remedy this touchy situation.
(There is an apocyphal story that George Marshall objected to the new U.S. 5-star rank being called "Field Marshall" because, as its first recipient, he would then be known as "Field Marshal Marshall".)
The author tracks these three great American icons as they become America's premier soldier leaders during World War II (while often engaging in not always friendly maneouvering against each other): Marshall as America's top career soldier in the U.S.; Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; and MacArthur as commander in the Pacific.
The author also follows their respective career trajectories after the war as well as all continued to hold positions of prominence during the early stages of the Cold War: Marshall as Secretary of State and proponent of what became known as the Marshall Plan (and recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace); Eisenhower as U.S. President; and MacArthur as overseer of Japan and both hero and goat in the Korean Conflict.
The author's portrayal of these men as they interacted with each other, other leaders, and those around them is not all that different from the public's perceptions of these men: Marshall comes off as a calm, often cold, administrator even in times of great crisis; Eisenhower was the genial mediator; and MacArthur, perhaps the most brillant of the bunch, a strutting peacock, feisty bantam rooster, and wily hawk all tightly contained in a regal framework prone to demagoguery.
Nonetheless, the story is told in a fresh and engaging manner that makes it worthwhile reading for a greater understanding (even if not a complete one given the breadth of the subject matter) of how America came out on top in World War II and thereafter.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting study, August 18, 2007
The author is an important historian of WWII. He looks in this volume at the of the first three five star generals. Their dates of rank were seperated by two days. Marshall, first, followed by MacArthur and then, Eisenhower. Their elevation put them on an equal footing witht the Field Marshals of other countries they commanded. I found the study balanced and interesting although I wouldn't consider it as profound as some of the author's other works. Some reviewers have remarked on the unfavorable comments about MacArthur. They are, as far as my own reading is concerned, as well as several lengthy discussions while an undergraduate with a member of the Army's historians assigned to the Southwest Pacific during WWII, accurate. This individual was a professional historian with his Phd prior to the outbreak of the war.
Each of these men in their own way played an important role in the execution of the war plan and organization. Despite his shortcomings, MacArthur was a force and managed a theatre with limited resources. Some students of war call him one of our best fighting generals. It's hard to weigh that evaluation against history, but it's important to measure his accomplishments rather than focus on his personality.
This book is recommended for anyone's collection of military history. It shows the range of individuality in the execution of senior command, and the army's felxibility in allowing such different personalities to get the job done. One has to reflect on John Eisenhower's comment about his father. Ike was far more jealous of his place in history among the great military leaders than his role as president.
The further we get from those years, the more amazing it is that such a man as Marshall was available for the key position he played. Credit should also be given to Roosevelt for the courage to reach so far down in the ranks of generals to select Marshall as Chief of Staff. Over fifty active generals had dates of rank exceeding Marshall's.
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