The best-selling author of JFK: Restless Youth provides an analytical portrait of British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, detailing his remarkable military achievements and his difficult personality. 12,500 first printing.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Despite grave character flaws (he was vain, arrogant, small-minded and vengeful) Montgomery was, according to Hamilton, the outstanding Allied battlefield commander of WW II. Hamilton ( JFK: Reckless Youth ) has condensed his three-volume official biography into this single, more accessible book for general readers, concentrating both on Montgomery's battlefield exploits and his thorny relationships with American generals Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. Hamilton describes how and why Montgomery deliberately humiliated the latter and disparaged the former, his direct superior, almost continually accusing Eisenhower of everything from ignorance to incompetence. The biography is decidedly controversial: Hamilton argues, for instance, that Eisenhower was virtually inactive during the major German counterattack in the Ardennes and charges Bradley with concocting self-serving myths about Montgomery that would dominate postwar writing on the Western alliance. This shortened version brings into clearer focus the reasons for the high regard in which students of the military art hold Montgomery. Photos.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
A condensation of Hamilton's previous three-volume biography of Montgomery -Monty: The Making of a General (LJ 9/15/81), Master of the Battlefield (LJ 1/84), and Monty: Final Years of the Field Marshal (LJ 12/86)-this latest effort will be more accessible to the average American reader. Sympathetic to Montgomery, while recognizing his personality flaws and peculiarities, this title provides a view of Montgomery that may be unfamiliar in the United States-that of a dedicated professional soldier and ally baffled by the perceived weakness and amateurism of U.S. political and military leaders during World War II. Arrogant, vain, and caustic, Montgomery remains one of the least-understood, yet most successful, Allied military figures of the war. Hamilton's book can serve to provide an alternative view to the usual Eisenhower-oriented materials and should be considered for World War II collections.---Stanley Planton, Quinn Lib, Univ.
Chillicothe
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Chillicothe
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Best biographies of a military figure,
By
This review is from: Monty (Paperback)
I was an American History major in college and have been a WWII buff since the '50s first reading "Life's Picture History of WWII" at age 7 when it was published in 1950. I have read constantly and voraciously about the war since then. I've read biographies of FDR, Churchill, Marshall, Brooke, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton, Stillwell and King, among others. Most of my reading has been by American authors and most have denigrated Montgomery. I have not read this condensed version of Montgomery's life but have read the first two volumes of the set by the author. It has been an eye-opening experience for me. I find the author to be extremely fair, so far (I have the last volume on order and am eager to read the author's take on th '44 to the end of the war given my knowledge of Arnhem, and the Antwerp estuaries which have always been Montgomery's two biggest blunders in my eyes.)
Having read other accounts of the Normandy invasion I found it eye-opening that the invasion was truly Montgomery's brainchild. He stepped in after the allies piddled around with an inadequate and unrealistic plan and applied his considerable knowledge and experience as the only truly successful allied general.The author is not at all hesitant to point out Montgomery's failings, which, as a person were considerable . However, Montgomery as a tactician, strategist and commander of the allied forces up to and through the Normandy landings was brilliant. American authors and Generals have criticized him and tried to puff up the American players but the Americans were inexperienced amateurs with truly inflated senses of their own competence. This is especially true given their lack or minimal amount of combat experience. The great Marshall felt that America should have immediately invaded Europe and felt hood-winked by the British who kept putting it off. However, had the Americans not gotten experience, the hard way, through their blundering in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, an early invasion would have been a catastrophe. Eisenhower, in particular, lacked combat experience and had an exaggerated sense of his own battle abilities. Witness the fiasco of planning for the invasions of Sicily and Italy. The Ardennes, Huertgen Forest and Patton's set battles, such as Metz, are further examples of American military leadership's overconfidence and arrogance. Montgomery put his experience as the only successful allied commander into use by revamping and organizing the floundering Normandy invasion preparation. His strategic vision was perfect and his dedication to that vision against the vacillation of Eisenhower, Churchill and others and the plotting of rivals was exemplary and the reason for the success of the invasion. As Americans, our propaganda machinery has downplayed the Commonwealth effort, has glorified the American effort and it's leaders, and has made the invasion out to be solely the result of American planning and execution, with the Commonwealth armies present only as on-lookers. This book is a good dose of reality. As I said, I've read biographies and autobiographies of the other major players as well as other books on the war in the West and it is clear that this biography fills in the gaps, omissions, oversights and falsifications of the shared events recalled by these others. It is a must read for anyone with a serious interest in WWII.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well Written,
By
This review is from: Monty: The Battles of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery (Hardcover)
A well written if a some what biased history of one of the allies most famous WW2 Commanders. The book does give a good in-site into the mind and world of Field Marshal Montgomery as he viewed it but does little to examine the arguments from critics of him (there are many). When you see chapters named "In Marlborough's Footsteps", you know that you are reading another pro British Conservative view of the world, never the less there are some good insights that Hamilton has dugout. I do believe it help put into context Arnham (his only defeat), Monty in his arrogance believed it was 90% successful, in reality it was a flop, a secure crossing of the Rhine was not achieved and Monty knew it. However I do not believe he should shoulder the full blame alone for this, by late 1944 allied command believed the German war machines back was broken and a bold final push was all that was required. Bottom line is Ike liked the plan and approved the plan and like Monty and others had seriously underestimated the German army. I do not believe that he would have entertained a plan like Market-Garden in 1942-43 but if it had achieved its main goal Monty would be regarded as one of the greatest generals in history and most likely ended the war in 1944 saving many thousands of lives (including Soviets). I can't blame the allied high command for trying, the potential gain of capturing the Ruhr valley before Christmas was worth it. For all his failings, which he had many off, his successes cannot be discounted. In 1940 he understood combined arms theory more then many of the officers above him, he took a defeated army and turned it into a winning army, he was the first western commander to defeat the Wehrmacht in a major land battle, he rewrote the Normandy invasion plan to help ensure its success and helped free Europe from the Nazis. May 1945 Von Friedeburg on behalf of Donitz and Keitel surrendered to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery so ending WW2 says a lot.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The finest possible appraisal of a great soldier.,
By Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Monty The Making of A General 1887-1942 (Hardcover)
Eminent historian, biographer and author Nigel Hamilton has produced a series of three books which trace Montgomery's entire life. They are; Monty - The Making of a General (1887-1942), Monty - Master of the Battlefield (1942-1944) and Monty - The Field Marshall (1944-1976). Confusingly, my original review for the first of these titles, however, also appeared against others! That review is now revised to include all three books and I hope the reader finds this useful.
No detail has been spared in providing as complete a picture as possible of this great man - with each volume being in the order of 400-500,000 words and standing pre-eminent because of previously unpublished supporting photographs and other material. With access to his private letters, diaries and other papers, in "The Making of a General" he takes the reader from the birth of Montgomery in 1887 to his promotion to Lt General and command the Eighth Army in 1942. This is a fine account of the years in question. Pictures of Montgomery as a child, boy, young officer, family man, and in every rank up to Lt General are an important part of the history of this man. As an example, of the many thousands of officers and soldiers present, how ironic that a "Lt Colonel" Montgomery should be photographed standing in front of Winston Churchill during a Victory Parade in 1918. Elsewhere, the numerous other historic photographs include a young Major A. E. Percival (who as Lt General Percival surrendered Singapore to inferior Japanese forces in 1942!) to name but one. In "Master of the Battlefield," the depth of research and revelation continues as Hamilton provides a truly extraordinary analysis of Montgomery's time at the forefront of WW2 in Europe and the Mediterranean. From his time as Army Commander in charge of some 180,000 soldiers through to his responsibility for the planning of D-Day - which time he commanded over 2 million Allied Troops. As Hamilton freely admits; this story reveals "the true torment, frustration, misunderstanding and dissatisfactions that are the hand-maidens of those who make history." For me, the work is also an exceedingly fine account of what was easily Montgomery's most difficult, yet worthwhile, years on earth. In the third and final part of the trilogy (Monty - the Field Marshall) we have the difficult years of Montgomery having to live with his achievements - from the closing stages of WW2 right up to his death in 1976. Montgomery was promoted Field Marshal on 1 September 1944 - in time to take command of the liberation of Europe. Nothing is overlooked in this exposé which provides an understanding of why there were the bitter disagreements with other senior Allied commanders. His time as Military Governor of post-war Germany, his appointment as Chief of the Imperial General Staff (Head of the British Army), his attempts to provide the British Labour government obsessed with retreat from the country's Imperialist past with a clear plan for the defence of the Realm, his battles with that government, his role as architect and founder of NATO and, above all, his continued propensity for antagonising both his Allies and his superiors. Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery was finally transferred to the inactive list (British 5 star officers never retire!) in 1958 as he approached his 71st birthday. This milestone, however, heralds yet another chapter in the life of a busy man which, in this work, was revealed for the very first time. Hindsight is, of course, a fine science, and there are many interesting events which the historian (and even the amateur psychologist!) might now regard as the reason why Montgomery became what he became and did what he did. There was his strict upbringing as the son of a Reverend (later Bishop) both at home and abroad, public school, formative years in an army of Empire and the events of World War 1 which almost claimed his life. In 1936 there was the tragic death of his wife. In this series of three books, Hamilton reveals the very best that Montgomery ever was whilst also providing the reader with an understanding of his difficult side. Commendably, he has not allowed his personal friendship for his much older subject to blur his objectivity and thus provides a full and fine account of a great man. In so doing, these 3 books have become an important contribution to both British history and the history of the Second World War. More importantly for some, they are also an excellent read. NM
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
