The Mask of Command: Alexander the Great, Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant, Hitler, and the Nature of Leadership [Paperback]

John Keegan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 4, 1988

John Keegan’s brilliant look at the meaning of leadership

In The Mask of Command, John Keegan asks us to consider questions that are seldom asked: What is the definition of leadership? What makes a great military leader? Why is it that men, indeed sometimes entire nations, follow a single leader, often to victory, but with equal dedication also to defeat?

Dozens of names come to mind...Napoleon, Lee, Charlemagne, Hannibal, Castro, Hussein. From a wide array, Keegan chooses four commanders who profoundly influenced the course of history: Alexander the Great, the Duke of Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant and Adolph Hitler. All powerful leaders, each cast in a different mold, each with diverse results.

“The best military historian of our generation.” –Tom Clancy
 
“A brilliant treatise on the essence of military leadership.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer
 
“Fascinating and enlightening… marked by great intellectual liveliness… Mr. Keegan knows how to bring fighting alive on the page.” –The New York Times

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Four chapters on "heroic" military leadership (in the broadest sense of the word)Alexander the Great, Wellington, U.S. Grant and Hitlerlead up to what PW called a "masterful closing argument warning that in the nuclear age heroic leadership of any style would lead to the destruction of civilization." Photos.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Keegan ( The Face of Battle, Six Armies in Normandy) turns his attention to command. He interprets generalship as manifesting a cultural urge to conquer. Its classical example is the heroic warrior, personified by Alexander the Great, who inextricably merged identity with performance. Subsequently, the bureaucratic state, democracy, technology, etc., subsumed the heroic leader. The 20th-century re-evoked the heroic principle, but it manifested itself in the false heroism of an Adolf Hitler. Keegan concludes by appealing for post-heroic leaders who will forswear conflict. Though Keegan's structure and models are open to challenge, this provocative book nevertheless deserves reading by any student of military affairs.Dennis Showalter, Colorado Coll., Colorado Springs
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books (October 4, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140114068
• ISBN-13: 978-0140114065
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Keegan's books include The Iraq War, Intelligence in War, The First World War, The Battle for History, The Face of Battle, War and Our World, The Masks of Command, Fields of Battle, and A History of Warfare. He is the defense editor of The Daily Telegraph (London). He lives in Wiltshire, England.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Case Studies of Historic Commanders October 9, 2002

By S. Miska

Format:Paperback

Keegan analyzes the idiosyncrasies of four very different commanders in order to characterize the nature of command and how it has evolved over time. He emphasizes the impact of technology and cultural change on the nature of command. Using four unique vignettes of Alexander, Wellington, Grant and Hitler, Keegan portrays the evolution of generalship from the heroic days of physical leadership to the nuclear age. I found the part on Hitler very interesting. Below are some of Keegan's illustrations.

Alexander - the importance of physical courage, leading at the tip of the spear, and animating a theatrical quality, which inspires the soldiers.

Wellington - still on the front lines, but not leading the charge. Keegan describes Wellington's careful orchestration of the conflict with Napoleon on the fields of Waterloo. He begins to make the case for the impact of technology (gunpowder and muskets) on the general's ability to influence the fight from the front.

Grant - and "unheroic" leadership, as Keegan describes his style. The author praises Grant throughout the narration, especially how the Union General understood the changing nature of war better than most. Keegan cites instances of Grant's bravery (at Palo Alto and elsewhere) and refers favorably to Grant's Memoirs. This praise contrasts with the next case study, that of Hitler.

Hitler - beginning with Hitler's service in World War I, Keegan demonstrates the impact of the Great War on Hitler's leadership style and understanding of war. Keegan highlights Hitler's mistrust of many of his "staff" generals, given his own insight from the front as a messenger during WWI.... Most of the general staff officers never served near the front since technology had rendered the front so lethal that generals, invested with tremendous talent and education, did not wander there. Hitler derided them at every opportunity.

This is applied history at its best. I found the piece on Hitler the most fascinating aspect of the book. Read The Mask of Command if you are a student of military history or enjoy reading about leadership. Read more ›

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Personalities, leadership, heroism, and the future September 24, 2002

By Paul H.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Dr. Keegan has another masterpiece. This book details leadership styles and techniques by answering a very simple question: "In front? Always, sometimes, never?" The historical perspective on the question is provided in 4 fascinating biographies of Alexander the Great, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler. Amazingly little changed in terms of how war was fought between Alexander and Wellington and yet the cultural impact of their societies had profound impact on their power of authority and the means in which they wielded it. I personally found the biography of Grant to be the most interesting and how the influence of rifled muskets and the large presence of cannon drove commanders farther from the front line and how democratic society supported that removal of "shared risk". Hitler's biography clarified a great deal of history and myth that I had not read previously: Hitler actually had a much more distinguished career as a soldier than I had previously understood and that had a profound effect on his understanding and misunderstanding of the circumstances of the Second World War. Hitler appeared to understand a large portion of the mechanisms of leadership and warfare but misunderstood the key lessoned to be learned from the First World War: that the leader on the scene is often capable of the best decisions.
The text effortless weaves these historical perspectives into a short, concise study of leadership styles and requirements and then presents a clear thesis on leadership in the nuclear age. This thesis is truly terrifying in light of the implications of history; our origins appear to contradict the requirements for future survival. This text is as much a study in leadership and management styles as it is a military science text. It is well written and highly enjoyable.... If only we could get Dr. Keegan to add an addendum to leadership in the age of stateless terror. Read more ›

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership 101 June 24, 2000

By Jim Zadrozny

Format:Paperback

As The Face of Battle provided us with a foundation for military history/strategy, The Mask of Command accomplishes the same task concerning leadership. The main idea explores the concept of the heroic ideal, and how it has shaped leadership on the battlefield, and in the command tent throughout history. The layout of the book is classic Keegan, analyzing four leaders: Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler. He brings out their good and bad qualities, and supports his conclusions with conviction. The section on Wellington is particularly well-done. After reading about heroism for 300 pages, I was surprised at his conclusion in the final chapter (Post-Herioc: Command in the Nuclear World). Overall, this is an excellent treatise, and a perfect follow-up to The Face of Battle. Highly Recommended.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Short, succinct, and thought-provoking. February 26, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I have always viewed fans of military history with suspicion, having known too many who are weapon-fetishists, power-worshippers or simply ghouls. Fortunately for me, a sane, gentle friend read and recommended this book (thanks Mike Malcolm, where ever you are), introducing me to a now favorite author. MASK analyzes and contrasts the military leadership of four men: Alexander, Wellington, Grant and Hitler. Each profile is fascinating in itself, but what impressed me profoundly was the final chapter, in which Keegan brings everything together, enumerating the "imperatives" of military authority throughout history, and finally asking how those imperatives can be met in the nuclear world, where the civilian population is on the front lines and generals must necessarily "lead" from behind. I recommend this book (and all Keegan's work) wholeheartedly to anyone who would never dream of reading "military history".