Omar Bradley: General at War [Hardcover]

Jim DeFelice (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2011

The First In-Depth Biography of America’s Last Five-Star General

He was known as “the G.I. General”— humble, self-effacing, hard-working, reflecting the small-town virtues of the America whose uniform he wore. But those very virtues have led historians to neglect General Omar Bradley—until now. Bestselling author Jim DeFelice, in this, the first-ever in-depth biography of America’s last five-star general, tells Bradley’s full story, and argues that the neglected G.I. General did more than any other to defeat Hitler in World War II.

While General George S. Patton has garnered much of the glory, General Dwight David Eisenhower has claimed much of the world’s respect, and British General Bernard Montgomery has kept the Union Jack flying, as DeFelice proves, it was the unassuming Bradley who actually developed the strategy and the tactics that won the war in Europe. Meticulously researched, using previously untapped documents and unpublished diaries and notes, Omar Bradley: General at War reveals:

• Why Bradley, not Patton, deserves most of the credit for America’s victories in North Africa
  
• How Bradley—first Patton’s subordinate, then his superior—was one of Patton’s great defenders, while also recognizing his weaknesses, and tried to cover up the infamous slapping incident
  
• How Eisenhower panicked—when Bradley didn’t—during the early stages of the Battle of the Bulge, delaying an American counterattack that could have saved thousands of lives
  
• Why Bradley was a radical innovator in the use of combined air, armor, and infantry power
  
• How Bradley, contrary to those who like to portray him as a staid counterpart to Patton, was one of the most ardent practitioners of fast-moving offensives
  
• Why Bradley expected the Germans might use radiological weapons at Normandy

Provocative, thorough, original, Jim DeFelice’s Omar Bradley: General at War deserves a place on the shelf of every reader of World War II history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Omar Bradley: General at War

“In Omar Bradley: General at War, Jim DeFelice brings a war hero to life. Through the pages of this fast-paced and thoroughly researched story, the crack shot from Middle America emerges as an intellectual force behind some of America’s greatest victories—and a man who held his own against titans like Eisenhower, Patton, and Montgomery. From the deserts of Tunisia to the blood-stained snows of Bastogne, DeFelice’s saga of war, heroism, and humility gives America’s last five-star general a literary monument he never had in life. Omar Bradley: General at War is a truly remarkable book you’ll enjoy for its skillful writing as well as its historical credibility. Highly recommended!”
—Jonathan W. Jordan, bestselling author of Brothers, Rivals, Victors: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and the Partnership that Drove the Allied Conquest in Europe

“Jim DeFelice has written an entertaining and readable account of a great leader’s life, showing what shaped his character and how he faced some of the greatest military challenges of the twentieth century. Military buffs will be pleased. Anyone who reads it will be enriched.”
—Larry Bond, author of New York Times bestseller, Cold Choices

“People are familiar with the Omar Bradley of film and history books that depict him as a sidekick to more celebrated American generals—but they do not know anything close to the truth about him. In this vital, triumphant work, Jim DeFelice at long last dispels all the misconceptions with the definitive story of this towering U.S. military figure. And he does it with the masterful style of a veteran writer.”
—Jerome Preisler, New York Times bestselling author of All Hands Down: The True Story of the Soviet Attack on the USS Scorpion and the forthcoming Codename Caesar, an exploration of German-Japanese cooperation during World War II

“General Bradley was a mid-American to the core with those values being illustrated throughout his life. This is an enjoyable read for followers of military history, students of leadership skills, and good old ‘human interest’ fans. . . . A quick read and a big help in understanding the major players and strategies of the European campaigns during WWII.”
—Richard Marcinko, ROGUE WARRIOR, aka Richard Marcinko CDR, USN (Ret.)

About the Author

JIM DEFELICE is an award-winning writer, former political columnist, and prolific bestselling author of more than three dozen military books and spy thrillers. His previous works explore the effects of war, politics, terrorism, and technology on soldiers and civilians. He lives with his family in Warwick, New York. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Regnery History; First Edition edition (September 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596981393
• ISBN-13: 978-1596981393
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

HOGS #4 is finally here!
Things were looking bleak at Fort Apache, the desolate US outpost 100 miles inside Iraqi terrotory when Hogs #3 ended. But you can continue the adventures in HOGS #4: SNAKE EATERS, the newest in the 1991 GULF WAR AIR COMBAT SERIES, now available on KINDLE! JUST $5.99!
Find out what happens to all the Hogs heroes: weapons expert Bristol Wong, captured by elite Iraqi forces; "BJ" Dixon, wounded, starving and left for dead; Tech Sgt.Becky Rosen fixing helicopters in the war zone she's not allowed to be in; and Devil Squadron mates Doberman Glenon and A-Bomb O'Rourke, tasked with destroying a chemical weapons depot, who face Iraqi MiG pilots out to stop them. Can a Hog go up against a MiG and return alive?

A breed apart, the A-10A Warthog fighter-bombers and the gutsy pilots who flew them helped win Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 First Gulf War.

Jim DeFelice's long-out-of-print 1991 Gulf War air combat series, HOGS, puts you right in the cockpit, as an eyewitness to all the blazing action. Don't know much about the First Gulf War? In August 1990, Saddam Hussein of Iraq invaded its tiny neighbor Kuwait. The UN condemned the attack, imposing an economic boycott. President George H. Bush formed an international military coalition to chase Iraqi troops out of Kuwait. Aerial bombardment started on January 17, 1991, led by the unlikely A-10A Warthog - a much dissed, ugly-as-sin fighter-bomber that proved to have few equals for the kind of down-in-the-sand, close-in, air-to-ground combat need to win this war.


"White-hot action" and "intelligent heroes" are the prime ingredients in all Jim DeFelice books. From his first 1992 NY Times bestselling novel "Coyote Bird" [a high-flying "man vs. doomsday machine" thriller], DeFelice has written more than 30 high-energy, thought-provoking books and short stories, featuring male and female heroes both fictional and real.

"I'm one of those people who has a lot of interests and I've been very lucky to be able to pursue them," DeFelice says. "I'm best known for military and spy thrillers, especially 'Leopards Kill,' and probably for my collaborations with Dick Marcinko [Rogue Warrior series], Steve Coonts [Deep Black], Dale Brown [Dreamland/Whiplash], and Larry Bond [First Team/Red Dragon Rising.]"

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#8 in Kindle eBooks > History

#10 in Books > History

#11 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs

#8 in Kindle eBooks > History

#10 in Books > History

#11 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An Important Look At an Oft-Overlooked Figure September 13, 2011

By DWD TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Regnery Publishing's newest imprint, Regnery History has found something new to tell about one of the most written-about parts of one of the most written-about parts of World War II: D-Day. You may ask yourself, what else can be said about D-Day that hasn't been said? We have had powerful, visceral movies like Saving Private Ryan, The Longest Day and Patton and the famed HBO series Band of Brothers. Article after article and book after book have been written about D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and the final days of Nazi Germany but somehow we have failed to have had a serious biography of one of the invasion's central planners and one of the men who engineered the entire campaign from the beaches of Normandy until the defeat of Germany: American 5 star general Omar Bradley.

The problem with Omar Bradley and historians is that he is not Patton. Patton is brash, daring and iconic. Bradley did not chase headlines and did not wear fancy pistols. He was daring, but not as daring as Patton. He knew that he should keep his mouth under control and he was too humble for his own historical reputation. But, one could seriously doubt if Patton could have been the remarkable general he was without the support of Omar Bradley - a man who kept Patton supplied (no small task) and innately understood and supported the battlefield tactics and strategy that Patton espoused so loudly.

Jim DeFelice's 'Omar Bradley: General At War' tells the complete story of Bradley's life, from his humble beginnings in rural Missouri through the war and on to being the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after the war, but mostly focuses on the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily (where he worked under Patton) and France (where Patton worked under him). He paints a sympathetic picture of a likable man who never shirked his duty and who pioneered a number of innovations such as a mobile command center (in the back of a truck) and joint land and air operations with coordinated air strikes during the breakout from Normandy.

While DeFelice clearly admires Bradley (Ernie Pyle practically gushed over the man which is about as good of a character reference as you can get in my book), he does not cover up his mistakes and shortcomings. Bradley never concerned himself with the larger world scene (he was shocked when the possibility of a post-war rivalry with the Soviets was pointed out to him). The "bulge" in the Battle of the Bulge happened in his zone due to a calculated risk on his part. But, he was quickly able to adapt himself to the situation and turn a momentary retreat into a larger victory.

In the end, the lesson of Omar Bradley may be that the nice guy, the guy that works hard and does not demand special attention sometimes can win, and win big.

This is a solid entry as Regnery History's first book. It is well-researched and an enjoyable read. If the rest of their catalog is as solid as 'Omar Bradley: General At War', this will be a welcome addition to the history section of your favorite bookseller. That being said, Regnery History did make a rookie mistake with the maps. They are all located in an appendix at the end of the text and there are simply not enough of them. This book screamed for maps and lots of them and there were just not enough. I have never heard any history lover complain that a book had too many maps.

48 of 66 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars An over the top exaggeration of a mediocre general September 14, 2011

By K. Beuchert

Format:Hardcover

Having read practically every serious volume around about the ETO and
Eisenhower's lieutenants, I have to strongly disagree that any serious
evaluation of Bradley would produce any rating beyond "adequate" or
more specifically "unimaginative" but steady. That's not to say there
were any other commanders in the ETO of his rank that shone far brighter
than he. One of Bradley's biggest deficiencies was his meekness and inability
to think in any imaginative manner about the business of war. The very fine
analysis contained in "Flawed Victory" provides a very detailed look at Bradley
in action, as (supposed) commander of First Army during Overlord. The picture
one gets is not a pleasant one. Once could argue that every single decision
Bradley made was wrong, and that only Gee Gerow saved the operation from being
a total disaster, rather than the major disaster that it turned out to be.
After the Germans attacked in Dec 44 in the Ardennes, Eisenhower lost practically
all confidence in Bradley after learning that he had failed to protect the
Allied dumps as ordered months before. He then basically demoted Bradley and
called in Montgomery to take over half of Bradley's forces. After the Bulge was
closed, Bradley allowed his thin skinned ego to get the better of him, ordering
his exhausted forces forward against an immovable German defense, taking casualties
for no purpose. The claim of Bradley as "the GI's general" should have died right
then and there. But the media needed its self-effacing hero, and Bradley was who
they picked. Patton wrote in his diary that Bradley was the "biggest nothing in the
ETO." I'm not sure I would go that far - there were quite a few nothings in the ETO,
but his point is well taken. Bradley fired more division commanders than all the other
generals combined - he obviously had no ability to mentor or teach, despite holding
just such a position at the Infantry School before the war. Bradley's performance
at the Falaise gap, which presented a golden opportunity for the Allies, was certainly
a justifiable reason for relieving Bradley of command. Patton probably should have
disregarded Bradley's unbelievable order to halt, claiming never to have received it.
Bradley benefits greatly from the fact that all of the top echelon Allied commanders in
the ETO were essentially mediocre. Bradley's elevation to his exalted status was never
planned - he was simply in the right place at the right time, and wasn't demonstrably
incompetent. In other words, Bradley was an accident.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't really tell us anything new. March 14, 2012

By R. C Sheehy

Format:Hardcover

Jim DeFelice doesn't really open up any new insights into the life of Omar Bradley. It seems like he is taking others work, recasting it so that it shines more favorably upon Bradley and then adding very little new or original. We all know the Eisenhower was the politician, Patton the volatile one and Montgomery the egotist. Bradley has long been presented as the centered person, the G.I. General.

This book has the opportunity to make an emphatic case that Bradley was a much better general than he is given credit for rather than the simple manager he is often portrayed as. However DeFelice seems to offer evidence he was a just that. He does give him a great deal of praise for planning the Normandy breakout but it seems as though after that he is simply Patton's boss and Eisenhower's deputy. The portrayal lacks body and more importantly lacks color.

I think this is a book with wasted potential and while interesting, simply offers nothing new to the knowledgeable reader.