Masters of the Battlefield: Great Commanders From the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era

Great Commanders From the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era

Nonfiction, History, Military, Strategy
Cover of the book Masters of the Battlefield: Great Commanders From the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era by Paul K. Davis, Oxford University Press, USA
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Paul K. Davis ISBN: 9780199986545
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Publication: April 9, 2013
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Paul K. Davis
ISBN: 9780199986545
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication: April 9, 2013
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

"The personality of a general is indispensable," Napoleon once said. "He is the head, he is the all, of an army." In Masters of the Battlefield, Paul K. Davis offers vivid portraits of fifteen legendary military leaders whose brilliance on and off the battlefield embody this maxim. Hailing from the earliest days of Greek warfare to France at the turn of the nineteenth century, these men stand out for their tactical abilities--generals who made a difference in combat, grasping the way an enemy would think or move and reacting not just to ensure victory, but do so in the face of superior forces. Among the leaders discussed in this encompassing work of military history are Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Belisarius, Chinggis Khan, Oda Nobunaga, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Davis briefly explores the biography of each commander, considering how his upbringing, early experiences, and social and cultural background might have translated into his leadership abilities. Relying on vast research, Davis describes the nature of armies and warfare of the time, from the phalanx battle of Ancient Greece to the artillery-heavy Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus. He also examines the course of the wars in which each general fought as a background to the particular battles that best illustrates their abilities, and discusses each battle in detail, aided extensively by detailed battlefield maps. Davis concludes each section with an analysis of the tactical skills and principles at which each general excelled. In analyzing these remarkable leaders, Davis offers a picture of warfare throughout history, and shows this history to be directed--and oftentimes wholly decided--by the abilities of a single man. Masters of the Battlefield tells the stories of men who defined eras, reshaped nations, and who, through the introduction of new weapons and tactics, revolutionized the nature of warfare.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"The personality of a general is indispensable," Napoleon once said. "He is the head, he is the all, of an army." In Masters of the Battlefield, Paul K. Davis offers vivid portraits of fifteen legendary military leaders whose brilliance on and off the battlefield embody this maxim. Hailing from the earliest days of Greek warfare to France at the turn of the nineteenth century, these men stand out for their tactical abilities--generals who made a difference in combat, grasping the way an enemy would think or move and reacting not just to ensure victory, but do so in the face of superior forces. Among the leaders discussed in this encompassing work of military history are Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Belisarius, Chinggis Khan, Oda Nobunaga, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Davis briefly explores the biography of each commander, considering how his upbringing, early experiences, and social and cultural background might have translated into his leadership abilities. Relying on vast research, Davis describes the nature of armies and warfare of the time, from the phalanx battle of Ancient Greece to the artillery-heavy Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus. He also examines the course of the wars in which each general fought as a background to the particular battles that best illustrates their abilities, and discusses each battle in detail, aided extensively by detailed battlefield maps. Davis concludes each section with an analysis of the tactical skills and principles at which each general excelled. In analyzing these remarkable leaders, Davis offers a picture of warfare throughout history, and shows this history to be directed--and oftentimes wholly decided--by the abilities of a single man. Masters of the Battlefield tells the stories of men who defined eras, reshaped nations, and who, through the introduction of new weapons and tactics, revolutionized the nature of warfare.

More books from Oxford University Press, USA

Cover of the book Friendly Fire : American Images of the Vietnam War by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America : A Biography by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Western Muslims and the Future of Islam by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book A Sand County Almanac:With Other Essays on Conservation from Round River by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book The Fall of the Faculty:The Rise of the All-Administrative University and Why It Matters by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book What Is Mathematics?:An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Counterinsurgency by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Talibanistan: Negotiating the Borders Between Terror, Politics and Religion by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Rocking the Classics : English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book The Conquistadors: A Very Short Introduction by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Without Copyrights: Piracy, Publishing, and the Public Domain by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book What I Believe by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Snake Oil Science:The Truth about Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book The Man Behind the Microchip : Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley by Paul K. Davis
Cover of the book Broken Landscape : Indians, Indian Tribes, and the Constitution by Paul K. Davis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy