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There's a War to Be Won: The United States Army in World War II

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In "There's A War To Be Won", the author gives a broad overview of the development and growth of the US Army during the 1930's and 40's, as well as its remarkable combat performance during the war. It is an amazing story, considering that in the late 1930's the army consisted of 100,000 poorly equipped soldiers led by superannuated generals and junior officers who had little hope of promotion past the rank of captain during a normal army career.

Mr Perret's focus is not to give the reader a blow-by-blow history of the US Army in WWII, a mission already splendidly accomplished by the army's own historians in their multivolume postwar colossus. Instead, he provides a broad overview of the planners and leaders, like George C. Marshall and FDR, whose devotion to duty and to the army they served during 1930's and 40's prepared the army and the nation for the trial and ultimate victory that lay ahead. Mr Perret effectively debunks the popular myth that the US Army's victory was due simply to overwhelming material abundance, and correctly ascribes it to the courage and tenacity of the American soldier.

In addition to the broader panorama, Mr Perret turns his attention to specific vignettes that provide insight about army strategy, tactics and organization, as mentioned in the editorial review accompanying the book description above. I found the chapters on logistics and on the fate of the killed and wounded especially interesting and illustrative.

All in all, one of the best general-interest books about the US Army in WWII that I have read, and one that will whet the reader's appetite to know more. (Along this vein I highly recommend Cray's one-volume bio of George Marshall as well as Rhodes' "Making of the Atomic Bomb"). I am very sad to have discovered recently (during a reorganization of my bookshelves) that I have misplaced my copy; and that the book is now out of print.

This book reveals in wonderful detail the unique nature of the U.S. Army in WWII. The army that won the WWII was the creation George C. Marshall. Marshall never once forgot that the American solider was first and formost a citizen solider. The mindset of the"greatest generation" was lets do the job & go home, hence the title.

What is unique about this book is that portrays the creation and combat effectiveness of the U.S. Army in WWII. Perret has done a masterful job of explaining the creation, the training, the organization and combat skill of the US Army. Esienhower, Patton, Bradley, Arnold & McArthur took Marshall's brilliant creation and utilized to not only win the war, but change the world. If you liked "The Greatest Generation" & like Stephen Ambrose's work, you'll love Perret's book. It really is the single best history of the WWII U.S.Army ever written.

This is the best one volume history of WWII written. Geoffrey Perret writes the book from the perspective of the US Army. He really dives into the story like few other authors. Some of his conclusions are different than most, but he explains his reasoning very well.

So many authors try to explain military battles like they were sports games. Battles are far more complex than a simple football game. Mr. Perret does a great job of walking the reader through some of the complexities of battle. He covers things that few authors takes time to cover. He talks about how what was talked about in the classrooms of CGSC at Ft. Leavenworth shaped the commanders that fought the war. Mr. Perret takes time to explain how Marshall set up a system to crank out divisions off of the training line much like Ford created cars.

Almost every battle the Army fought is covered by the author, some in great detail, some battles were covered in passing. He naturally covers the big battles like D-Day but also gives good coverage of the campaign in Italy, Sicily, North Africa, and with McArthur's troops in the Pacific. He even talks about the forgotten men McArthur left in 42 who were seemingly forgotten by history after that. Mr Perrret does a good job to explain the tactics, and strategy of the war. He doesn't forget the ever important logistics of the war from the war production board in Washington down to the supply Sgt. on the battlefield.

The author also gives the reader a little color with the story. He does mention the unique personalities at various levels that helped bring about the victory.

This book is a great book to make a novice into a history expert in short time.

An overstatement? Possibly. I won't debate whether the U.S. or Soviet Union won the War. What I will do is give Mr. Perret allocades for the best single volume treatment of how the US Army prepared and won a two front war on the ground and in the air.

While others might quibble that he does not take to task the organizations and personalities sufficiently for their failures, I do not. I see this book as cutting though all the "fog" and presenting the non-historian with an entertaining and well organized presentation of the years leading up to and during the war. I have read the book several times....

The reader will come away with a greater appreciation of just how lucky the U.S. was to have done as well as we did. In large measure the Army's success was a result of retaining the best and the brightest leaders and strategists at a time they were needed.

Shrewd choices in weapons development, and program management also paved the way to victory by allowing the US Army to become the only truly mechanized army in the world (despite what the popular history books would tell you about the Wehrmacht), possess the largest air force ever in existence, develop the nuclear bomb, and supply and maintain 93 divisions (larger and better equiped than the brigade sized divisions fielded by both the Soviets and Germans) on two fronts on separate sides of the globe.

This book is a great introduction to the history of the US Army in WWII. I recomend this book and two others by Mr. Perret: A Country Build by War and Winged Victory: The US Army Air Corp in WWII

If you want a good well written book about the rise of Americas Army from a basically small constabulary to one of the great fighting machines. Which then went out to detroy one of the greatest threats to the Republic then you have come to the right place. I especially like how the Author has rightfully laid the credit to one of Americas unsung heros George C. Marshall.

An outstanding job as far as I am concerned.

Geoffrey Perret has done an excellent job of explaining how the U.S. Army trained for, equipped, and subsequently fought the key campaigns of WW II. Lots of interesting detail. Highly recommended

Geoffrey Perret has taken on a daunting task to tell the United States Army's massive and pivotal role in World War II and somehow against all odds, he succeeds.

His stories on how the Army developed its tactical doctrine, how the weapons like the M-1 and the Bazooka were created and adapted into the Army's arsenal are well written and seem like the stuff of fiction and are as interesting as the accounts of the campaigns.

I did not find myself agreeing with all of his conclusions (particularly when it regards the Marines), but that's the sign of a good historian.

Other information abounds in the book. What happened to battlefield casualties (both wounded and dead), what happens to POWs, how medals were distributed, how the Army developed it's dreaded artillery fire method, how C-rations were created. In fact, I can't really think of anything that Perret didn't cover.

I disagree with the reviewer who said the book was "spin." It's the superior force makes the enemy fight on his terms, not on those of the opponent. The fact stands that time and time again, the U.S. Army forced its German and Japanese enemies to fight on its choosing, not theirs.

My only gripe about the book is the notes. They are lumped into the back of the book and there isn't a bibliography. Had these been added, I think that it would have made a great book even better.

I will let Perret conclude for me:

"The German Army of World War II has many admirers and defenders. 'No one has ever met them on their terms ever defeated them' is how Eric Larrabee, who fought in North Africa puts it. Larrabee is absolutely right. At the same time, it is equally true that no one who met the U.S. Army of World War II on ITS terms ever defeated it either."

Simply put, There's a War to be Won is the definitive account of the development, character and inner workings of the US Army in WWII. From tactical doctrine to the unique personalities who shaped it, Perret covers every aspect of the wartime Army with both authority and enthusiasm for the subject matter. War to be Won is eminently readable, and Perret weaves a fascinating narrative with his candid, often forceful prose. This book is absolutely essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand the American approach to fighting in WWII. Among those in the know, War to be Won has become something of a touchstone, a reference work that stands up under its own substantial weight through the meticulous research undertaken by the author. This is easily among the top five books I've ever read about the Second World War, one that I've reread so many times that the binding of my hardcover copy is nearly shredded. A truly essential work!

Perret offers a first-rate history of what went into the shaping of the U.S. Army in the Second World War. What was fascinating to learn was that, as late as 1940, the U.S. Army was ranked below that of Portugal. Through reading this book, the reader sees how it was through the foresight of people like George C. Marshall and other fine soldiers such as Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, Bradley, Eisenhower, and Patton, that the U.S. was able to develop, by 1944 and 1945, one of the finest armies in the history of the world.

What is also really good about this book is the insight Perret provides about the ordinary GI and the distinguished service provided by Black combat units, such as the 969th Field Artillery Battalion, the 761st Tank Battalion (which served continuously in combat longer than any other U.S. tank battalion in Europe), the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, and the 92nd Infantry Division.

I highly recommend this book. It offers an excellent introduction to anyone who wants to know more about the U.S. Army and its role in the Second World War.

I've never read anything that gives so much information on the tools, tactics, people and places of war before. This is truly an excellent documentary of the evolution of the US Army from the end of WWI through WWII. Great read!