For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War [Hardcover]

Joel S. A. Hayward (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2003

Taking a highly original, thematic approach to the study of Horatio Lord Nelson, this book analyzes the admiral's unique war-fighting style. Doctrine, tactics, and operational art are part of the analysis, as are Nelson's command and leadership abilities and his attitudes and beliefs. But the book's focus is on how all these elements combined to form the man whose infectious ethos spread through his entire force. It shows that Nelson's creative genius, excitable and intense personality, dramatic visage, and fervor for all things martial not only inspired courage and loyalty but so dazzled and enflamed the hearts and minds of his men that he reached near cult status in his lifetime.

As a professional military analyst who has devoted his career to researching, writing, and teaching about the tactics and operational art of warfare, the author draws on his own training and experience to view the admiral's war fighting from a vantage point not accessible to many of Nelson's leading biographers. Joel Hayward breaks free from the constraints of chronology to thematically explore in greater-than-usual depth and coherence the key aspects of Nelson's fighting style and to answer questions not previously raised about that style and its supporting ideas, including to what degree Nelson's style can be adopted by modern warriors. Nelson scholars and enthusiasts will consider the book to be a fine companion to the more traditional studies of the great admiral. The book will also appeal to students of warfare in general, especially those who focus on the Napoleonic period. 256 pages. 9 photographs. 7 maps. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Hardcover. 6 x 9 inches.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a good read." -- Northern Mariner, July 2003

"...a professional, painstakingly researched, and solidly written study of a watershed period in European history." -- The Press (New Zealand), 2 August 2003

"Gives the reader a deeper understanding of Nelson's brilliance." -- The New York Militray Affairs Symposium Review, Autumn 2003

About the Author

Joel Hayward was until recently a senior lecturer in defense and strategic studies at Massey University in New Zealand. Now a freelance defense analyst and author, he has written several books on military subjects as well as poetry and fiction.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591143519
• ISBN-13: 978-1591143512
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,009,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

124 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best new book on Nelson in years. Original too., June 1, 2003

By 

CarolLPetumpkin - See all my reviews

This review is from: For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War (Hardcover)

I loved this book, even though nearly everything in it was new to me and I had to read it slowly to take it all in. Its about time a military expert explained to those of us who devour books on Nelson just how good, and why, Nelson was. Even today's military officers will find great relevance in the way Nelson approached war, says the author, and I agree. I'm buying this book for my nephew, a destroyer officer, because I think he'll get enormous value from Hayward's treatment of Nelson's leadership and command practices. If my nephew realises what Nelson did, that it's better to focus on those below you than those above you, he'll be a successful officer and make his subordinates work willingly for him.

Hayward's coverage of Nelson's abilities is balanced. While Hayward can't hide the fact that he admires him, and doesn't try to hide it, he points out carefully and in a fair way how weak Nelson was in some areas and why these weaknesses caused errors and disasters.

Hayward's approach is to write inter-related chapters that are essentially essays. He doesn't narrate in a chronological fashion like nearly every other writer on Nelson does. He critiques and analyses things, with an expertise in military matters that we haven't seen in Nelson books in recent years.

I applaud this book, which is attractive and has great maps, beautifull illustrations and a handy index.

98 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written and analytical . A new "classic"., June 5, 2003

By 

G.E.S. (Carlisle, PA 17013-5244, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War (Hardcover)

I'm toting this dream of a book around my colleagues at the US Army War College in the hope that they will, like me, use this as a class text.

If books, like bourbon whiskey, were rated according to strength, "For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and his Way of War" would weigh in above 100 proof. It is not a huge book, like the competent new bio. by Edgar Vincent, but it's concentrated and potent. I do not mean that it is arcane or overly meticulous. On the contrary, Joel Hayward writes with striking clarity.

"For God and Glory" is better written and more ambitious than other recent works inspired by Nelson's great victories. It is an originally conceived and richly rewarding work, filled with profundity and felicitous expression, with many flourishes of prose that flow like poetry.

The chapter on leadership, command and management will be scanned or photocopied by students at every military, air and naval academy and used in essays and dissertations for years to come.

And no self-respecting enthusiast of Lord Nelson will be able to escape having to engage the theses put forward in Hayward's compelling and authoritative book. Agree or disagree with his evidence and arguments, but don't ignore them. They blaze a trail.

78 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ FOR ANY LEADER, July 1, 2004

By 

D. E. Moore Jr. (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War (Hardcover)

For many people, the words 'Nelson' and 'victory' have become synonymous. Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805 allowed the Royal Navy to control the sea for the next century. London's most famous square -- Trafalgar Square with Nelson's Column -- was laid out in 1829 to 1841 to commemorate Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Dominating the square, atop a column that is 185 feet high is a 17 foot high statue of Nelson.

Countless books approach Nelson with religious fervor. This book allows us to consider Nelson in a far more useful and practical framework. In reality, this great, yet diminutive naval warrior stood less than 5 feet 6 inches tall. Joel Hayward gives us deep insights and lessons about any great leader's many strengths, weaknesses, defeats, stalemates, flaws, and victories. Hayward concludes that Nelson also had an abundance of two qualities worth emulation by every serving member of today's armed forces: initiative and moral courage. 'Moral courage -- the willingness to stand up for what you know to be right despite hierarchical or peer conformist pressures -- is also a most desirable trait.... The very traits that make initiative and moral courage possible and instinctive are seldom tolerated and often crushed in today's defense forces. More so now than even, for example, during World War II, when a few talented but unconventional officers still held command, defense forces have imposed a behavioral and character uniformity upon commanders that leaves little room for unusual or larger-than-life personalities....Our armed forces might do well to tolerate and even cultivate a little diversity and difference, throughout all levels, and to reduce their emphasis on regularity and conformity. Creative, profoundly religious, or eccentric personalities - even highly strung, passionate one's like Nelson's, Rommel's, and Patton's - have given frequent headaches to their superiors but also stunning victories and uplifting joy to their nations....Nelson matched his commitment to his nation with equal dedication to his navy; and that primarily meant his crews. He respected and obeyed his superiors (usually), but he loved his subordinates. He cared about them deeply and was unusually modern (in today's terms) in the attention he paid to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. He instinctively understood the highest principle of leadership: accomplish the mission and take care of your people.'

'For God and Glory' is organized into six major themes/chapters:

CHAPTER 1. NELSON'S CONCEPTION OF HIS ENEMIES. Nelson's hatred of England's enemies inflamed his patriotism and when coupled with many of his positive traits - intuition, love, passion, tenacity, courage, and audacity - made him no better friend, no worse foe.

CHAPTER 2. THE ADMIRAL'S SPIRITUAL BELIEFS. For his three great loves, God, his country, and the navy, Nelson 'sacrificed blood, an eye, an arm, and finally his life.'

CHAPTER 3. COMMAND, LEADERSHIP, AND MANAGEMENT. "Command in war is a remarkably complex, almost indescribable, deeply human relationship between those who lead and those who follow in circumstances usually dangerous, chaotic, and frightening. Command in war requires a leader to do certain things never required of the most ambitious and competitive businessman or -woman: to be courageous and decisive in the face of mortal peril; to inspire subordinates to act with courage and aggression; to carry out the violence necessary to ensure victory; to provide restraints on that violence in order to meet decent standards of morality, justice, and legality; to assume direct responsibility for the lives and health of all involved."

CHAPTER 4. NELSON'S WARFIGHTING STYLE AND MANEUVER WARFARE.
Perhaps the book's most significant chapter as Hayward convincingly demonstrates how and why Nelson's style of "maneuver warfare" and leadership from the front is as effective in the 20th and 21st centuries as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries.

CHAPTER 5. NELSON AND WAR ON LAND. A genius at sea, Nelson repeatedly blundered in his efforts ashore. He never fully appreciated how battles on land are fought according to different principles and tactics on land. 'Nature's endowments to Nelson were strikingly similar to those given to the maneuverists Erwin Rommel and George S. Patton. It is no wonder, then, that as a sea officer Nelson stands with them among history's greatest warriors.'

CHAPTER 6. COALITION WARFARE. Successful 'globalization' depends on the quality of relationships and communications between leaders from different cultures and countries. Nelson's records and letters are rich with insights on successful and unsuccessful approaches to coalition operations.