Commander in Chief by Eric Larrabee

Commander in Chief by Eric Larrabee

Few American presidents have exercised their constitutional authority as commander in chief with more determination than Franklin D. Roosevelt. He intervened in military operations more often and to better effect than his contemporaries Churchill and Stalin, and maneuvered events so that the Grand Alliance was directed from Washington. In this expansive history, Eric Larrabee examines the extent and importance of FDR's wartime leadership through his key military leaders--Marshall, King, Arnold, MacArthur, Vandergrift, Nimitz, Eisenhower, Stilwell, and LeMay. Devoting a chapter to each man, the author studies Roosevelt's impact on their personalities, their battles (sometimes with each other), and the consequences of their decisions. He also addresses such critical subjects as Roosevelt's responsibility for the war and how well it achieved his goals. First published in 1987, this comprehensive portrait of the titans of the American military effort in World War II is available in a new paperback edition for the first time in sixteen years.

Offers a well-drawn, concise portrait of a host of leaders with the human qualities we could use..." --First Things "Larrabee here assembles what, essentially, is a collection of short biographies of four army generals (George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Joseph Stilwell); two air force generals ("Hap" Arnold, Curtis LeMay); one marine general (A. A. Vandegrift); and two admirals (Ernest King, Chester Nimitz)all of whom oversaw the execution of Roosevelt's strategic directives during World War II. The emphasis throughout is on the relationships, direct and indirect, these officers had with the president, illustrating the premise that "more than any man FDR ran the war, and ran it well enough to deserve the gratitude of his countrymen then and since, and of those from whom he lifted the yoke of the Axis tyrannies." The book is well researched and superbly writtenand studded with the author's blunt opinions. Criticizing Roosevelt's China policy ("bad in conception, bad in execution"), Larrabee calls the president's treatment of Stilwell the darkest blot on his record as commander in chief. The chapter on MacArthur and his staff is especially scathing: 'A false giant among real pygmies.' " -- Publishers Weekly "A delight to read, this book is as fluidly written as it is sophisticated." -- Library Journal

Eric Larrabee, a World War II army veteran, is the author of several books. He has taught at Columbia, among other New York universities, and served on the National Endowment for the Arts and New York City Council on the Arts.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781591144557
ISBN 10	1591144558
Title	Commander in Chief
Author	Eric Larrabee
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Naval Institute Press
Year published	2004-02-29
Number of pages	735
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable