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Roosevelt's Centurions: FDR & the Commanders He Led to Victory in World War II
All American presidents are commanders in chief by law. Few perform as such in practice. In Roosevelt’s Centurions, distinguished historian Joseph E. Persico reveals how, during World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt seized the levers of wartime power like no president since Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Declaring himself “Dr. Win-the-War,” FDR assumed the role of strategist in chief, and, though surrounded by star-studded generals and admirals, he made clear who was running the war. FDR was a hands-on war leader, involving himself in everything from choosing bomber targets to planning naval convoys to the design of landing craft. Persico explores whether his strategic decisions, including his insistence on the Axis powers’ unconditional surrender, helped end or may have prolonged the war.
Taking us inside the Allied war councils, the author reveals how the president brokered strategy with contentious allies, particularly the iron-willed Winston Churchill; rallied morale on the home front; and handpicked a team of proud, sometimes prickly warriors who, he believed, could fight a global war. Persico’s history offers indelible portraits of the outsize figures who roused the “sleeping giant” that defeated the Axis war the dutiful yet independent-minded George C. Marshall, charged with rebuilding an army whose troops trained with broomsticks for rifles, eggs for hand grenades; Dwight Eisenhower, an unassuming Kansan elevated from obscurity to command of the greatest fighting force ever assembled; the vainglorious Douglas MacArthur; and the bizarre battlefield genius George S. Patton. Here too are less widely celebrated military leaders whose contributions were just as the irascible, dictatorial navy chief, Ernest King; the acerbic army advisor in China, “Vinegar” Joe Stilwell; and Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, who zealously preached the gospel of modern air power. The Roosevelt who emerges from these pages is a wartime chess master guiding America’s armed forces to a victory that was anything but foreordained.
What are the qualities we look for in a commander in chief? In an era of renewed conflict, when Americans are again confronting the questions that FDR faced—about the nature and exercise of global power— Roosevelt’s Centurions is a timely and revealing examination of what it takes to be a wartime leader in a freewheeling, complicated, and tumultuous democracy.
Praise for Roosevelt’s Centurions
“FDR’s centurions were my heroes and guides. Now Joe Persico has written the best account of those leaders I've ever read.” —Colin L. Powell
“Benefiting from his years of studying Franklin Roosevelt and his times, Joseph Persico has brought us a briskly paced story with much wisdom and new insights on FDR, his military liege men, World War II, and political and military leadership.” —Michael Beschloss, author of Presidential Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789–1989
“Long wars demand long books, but these are 550 pages of lively prose by a good writer who knows his subject. . . . A fine, straightforward politics-and-great-men history.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Persico makes a persuasive case that FDR was clearly in charge of the most important decisions of the American war plan.” —The Washington Times
Taking us inside the Allied war councils, the author reveals how the president brokered strategy with contentious allies, particularly the iron-willed Winston Churchill; rallied morale on the home front; and handpicked a team of proud, sometimes prickly warriors who, he believed, could fight a global war. Persico’s history offers indelible portraits of the outsize figures who roused the “sleeping giant” that defeated the Axis war the dutiful yet independent-minded George C. Marshall, charged with rebuilding an army whose troops trained with broomsticks for rifles, eggs for hand grenades; Dwight Eisenhower, an unassuming Kansan elevated from obscurity to command of the greatest fighting force ever assembled; the vainglorious Douglas MacArthur; and the bizarre battlefield genius George S. Patton. Here too are less widely celebrated military leaders whose contributions were just as the irascible, dictatorial navy chief, Ernest King; the acerbic army advisor in China, “Vinegar” Joe Stilwell; and Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, who zealously preached the gospel of modern air power. The Roosevelt who emerges from these pages is a wartime chess master guiding America’s armed forces to a victory that was anything but foreordained.
What are the qualities we look for in a commander in chief? In an era of renewed conflict, when Americans are again confronting the questions that FDR faced—about the nature and exercise of global power— Roosevelt’s Centurions is a timely and revealing examination of what it takes to be a wartime leader in a freewheeling, complicated, and tumultuous democracy.
Praise for Roosevelt’s Centurions
“FDR’s centurions were my heroes and guides. Now Joe Persico has written the best account of those leaders I've ever read.” —Colin L. Powell
“Benefiting from his years of studying Franklin Roosevelt and his times, Joseph Persico has brought us a briskly paced story with much wisdom and new insights on FDR, his military liege men, World War II, and political and military leadership.” —Michael Beschloss, author of Presidential Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789–1989
“Long wars demand long books, but these are 550 pages of lively prose by a good writer who knows his subject. . . . A fine, straightforward politics-and-great-men history.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Persico makes a persuasive case that FDR was clearly in charge of the most important decisions of the American war plan.” —The Washington Times
672 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2012
110 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
About the author
Joseph E. Persico
37 books37 followersJoseph E. Persico was the author of Roosevelt’s Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage; Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918–World War I and Its Violent Climax; Piercing the Reich; and Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial, which was made into a television docudrama. He also collaborated with Colin Powell on his autobiography, My American Journey. He lives in Guilderland, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 14, 2013
This was a group read in the History Book Club and got a lot of attention, as it should. Persico has done an admirable job describing the environment and men surrounding President Franklin Roosevelt just prior to and through WWII. He has some interesting insights into the behavior of some of the Generals like Patton and MacArthur and how they got away with some of their actions which verged on disobedience. He paints a clear picture of how FDR came to some of his decisions and how he sometimes had to give in to his Allies' wishes, especially those of Stalin. The narrative style is enjoyable and makes this an easier read than one might expect. Beautifully done and highly recommended.
This book was received gratis from Random House through an agreement with the History Book Club
This book was received gratis from Random House through an agreement with the History Book Club
January 30, 2024
Persico's writing makes this a worthy read. his style is crisp and you don't feel bogged down. I learned some new things regarding FDR's skill in wartime strategy and his relationship with his higher level officers. I would recommend it.
June 18, 2013
This is a useful time life style compendium of anecdotes surrounding Roosevelt and a few of the celebrated American commanders in WWII. The thesis of the book is splendid and could have been terrific if the author had actually explored the theme expressed and provided insight into Roosevelt's role in the selection and assignment of commanders. For example, the selection of Marshall, how he was denied command in Europe, the plucking of Eisenhower from obscurity and the role of Admiral King. Various of these decisions are praised and criticized on a cursory basis with a pro forma scorecard review (entirely lacking in intellectual rigor) forming the end part of the book. The inclusion of Patton in this collective hagiography of successful commanders is utterly bizarre and can only be explained by the fact that Patton was profiled in a successful movie the watching of which is a much better use of anyone's time.
currently-listening
July 30, 2019Added 9/6/18. (first published May 29th 2012)
Narrated by: Dan Woren
https://salon.overdrive.com/media/674841
FDR was amazing!
Listening again 7/30/19.
Narrated by: Dan Woren
https://salon.overdrive.com/media/674841
FDR was amazing!
Listening again 7/30/19.
January 7, 2018
I admire Persico's research and analysis. I don't rate ROOSEVELT'S CENTURIONS as high as his NUREMBERG, because in my opinion NUREMBERG's moral high ground has stepped down a bit in CENTURIONS to politics. The many personalities in both books are granted their share in shaping events.
October 19, 2016
A nice book to have if you are a WW2 buff but also a great book for novices to get to know the major players and arc of the war. Persico does not complicate things and tells his story in straightforward manner. His focus is on FDR and the men he chose to take soldiers, sailors and airmen to battle. The oft overlooked (not by history buffs) Marshall emerges as the indispensable man. A soldier and man of virtue and sense of duty unseen since George Washington - my words not Persico's. Eisenhower, MacArthur, Patton, Nimitz, King, Arnold, Stillwell, etc. They are all there. We do not get fawning portraits, except perhaps in the case of Marshall and FDR. Although FDR does not emerge completely unscathed. Persico is a bit too forgiving once it comes to FDR repeated concessions to Stalin. It is hard to square how he could stand up and even mock Churchill's imperial worldview but excuse or ignore Stalin's bloodthirsty regime. My only other quibble is the a small one dealing with China. Recent scholarship has been more generous to Chiang Kai Shek's leadership during the war. Persico swallows the Stillwell's story of a feckless "Peanut." That isn't much to complain about. Good book and worth the read.
July 13, 2013
Good overview of the discussions and decisions made between FDR, his military commanders, and Churchill. The book traverses steadily through FDR's involvement in WWII, providing anecdotes and insight that help to bring out the decisions made during the course of that war while showcasing the peculiar and masterful leadership of FDR during his tenure.
He covers a lot of things, some of which were covered in Roosevelt's Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage. That book covered a lot of great things in detail, and I really enjoyed that book. But this book is also good, if at a different level. The focus here is the Allied leadership, their purposes and rationale for their various proposals and plans, and criticism of some of the plans.
Overall, this was a very good read, and an enjoyable look at FDR's wartime years.
He covers a lot of things, some of which were covered in Roosevelt's Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage. That book covered a lot of great things in detail, and I really enjoyed that book. But this book is also good, if at a different level. The focus here is the Allied leadership, their purposes and rationale for their various proposals and plans, and criticism of some of the plans.
Overall, this was a very good read, and an enjoyable look at FDR's wartime years.
July 20, 2013
This is a first-rate, highly readable account of how FDR and his military commanders led the United States during World War II. And it is a very personal book, in that the reader gets to know intimately each of the main leaders who worked with and sometimes disagreed with Franklin Roosevelt. It is also a good book about history, even for those who are well-versed in that particular time period of world and American history.
My only problem is not with the book itself, but with the person who read it, since I listened to it on CD. He insisted on using voices for many of the historical figures, such as FDR, DeGaulle, Japanese leaders, Hitler, and most egregiously, Winston Churchill. These attempts to recreate the voices were rather annoying.
My only problem is not with the book itself, but with the person who read it, since I listened to it on CD. He insisted on using voices for many of the historical figures, such as FDR, DeGaulle, Japanese leaders, Hitler, and most egregiously, Winston Churchill. These attempts to recreate the voices were rather annoying.
September 19, 2024
This summer, I appreciated reading a book that was a bit different from my usual choices. "Roosevelt’s Centurions" by historian Joseph E. Persico delves into the history of World War II and Franklin D. Roosevelt's role as a hands-on war leader, despite being surrounded by top generals and admirals. The book also discusses FDR's decisions during the war, such as his insistence on the Axis powers' unconditional surrender, and examines whether these choices helped to end or potentially prolonged the war.
The author takes us inside the Allied war councils, revealing how the president brokered strategy, rallied morale on the home front and handpicked a team of proud warriors who fought a global war. Persico’s history offers portraits of noteworthy figures like Dwight Eisenhower, General Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, and George Smith Patton, as well as lesser-known military leaders such as Ernest King, Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, and Henry H. Arnold.
It's important to remember the actions of George Marshall, who recognized the injustices faced by black individuals within the government and sought to change racial attitudes. Marshall distributed copies of the book "The Races of Mankind" by Columbia anthropologists Ruth Benedict and Gene Weltfish to encourage inclusiveness among recruits. The book highlighted that all races were equal and that any differences were primarily economic. However, the government ultimately abandoned the effort to promote minimal racial tolerance.
Racial barriers persisted in the military. For instance, the Pope requested that black soldiers, who had contributed to the liberation of his country, be kept out of Rome. These events occurred during the presidency of FDR, although Eleanor Roosevelt was more progressive on civil rights than her husband. FDR attributed prejudice to a lack of education and the attitudes of southern whites, whom he believed were no different from their black counterparts.
General Marshall noticed that the privileged children of the United States were not actively involved in the war effort, as they were working in Washington D.C. instead. Upon investigation, he observed that many prominent athletes and individuals with well-known family names (such as Dupont, Firestone, Morgan, etc.) were not actively participating in the war. This was in contrast to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had four sons serving in the military.
Persico discusses cases of women slandering other women, which is still relevant today. The recent discussions about women slandering each other have been concerning. In Persico's narrative, he mentioned that some high-ranking officers' wives had been disparaging the female officers in The Women's Army Corps (WAC), even though these women worked in hospitals and military sites, providing care for the wounded. (This behavior is a reminder of how some women treat each other, which is also evident in the current election, as it was in the 2016 election. There have been baseless claims. It would be interesting if women supported and uplifted each other. In many nonprofit organizations, funds are often directed towards women as they tend to utilize the resources for the benefit of the entire family and community. This is not to discredit men in any way. The trend of women slandering each other needs to stop, as it's disheartening to witness, even among some of my friends' posts. For example, as a judge, Kamala Harris used the extent of the law to do her job decades ago. It is not any judge's fault that what was illegal then is legal today. Decades ago, I landed in Singapore, and the first thing we were warned about before the plane doors opened was not taking any drugs into the country. Their laws for violating drug usage were and probably are worse than here, like caning, which leaves permanent damage. "years of imprisonment for life and 15 strokes." Nothing like that here.)
Back to Britain. What was shocking was the Gallup poll from Britain; the people were clueless about who helped them the most in the war. By that time, the United States had given the British 50 destroyers. During World War II, the United States primarily supported Britain through the "Lend-Lease" program, providing vast quantities of military supplies, food, and other essential materials even before officially entering the war. This aid was crucial in sustaining the British war effort until the US formally joined the fight in 1941. (for more information on this, check history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945)
The liberation of the Philippines is described in Chapter 22. At that time, FDR's health was not at its best. General Douglas MacArthur was in command of this liberation. The Japanese put up a fierce fight, resulting in an estimated 48,000 soldiers losing their lives. In Luzon, they targeted civilians, committing atrocities such as shootings and the rape of women, regardless of their age. They also bound patients in hospitals to their beds and set the hospitals on fire. The liberation of the Philippines came at a high cost, with nearly 14,000 American lives lost. Approximately 1/8 of the Filipino Manila population perished, and 75% of the businesses were destroyed. The city of Manila was left without basic utilities such as water and electricity. This serves as a stark and horrifying reminder of the devastation caused by hate and war.
I can go on, but you get the message. Great book, with a whopping 672 pages of pure military history.
Note: though I share same surname, I have no family relationship with the author (though I realize that everyone in this planet is related :)
The author takes us inside the Allied war councils, revealing how the president brokered strategy, rallied morale on the home front and handpicked a team of proud warriors who fought a global war. Persico’s history offers portraits of noteworthy figures like Dwight Eisenhower, General Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, and George Smith Patton, as well as lesser-known military leaders such as Ernest King, Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, and Henry H. Arnold.
It's important to remember the actions of George Marshall, who recognized the injustices faced by black individuals within the government and sought to change racial attitudes. Marshall distributed copies of the book "The Races of Mankind" by Columbia anthropologists Ruth Benedict and Gene Weltfish to encourage inclusiveness among recruits. The book highlighted that all races were equal and that any differences were primarily economic. However, the government ultimately abandoned the effort to promote minimal racial tolerance.
Racial barriers persisted in the military. For instance, the Pope requested that black soldiers, who had contributed to the liberation of his country, be kept out of Rome. These events occurred during the presidency of FDR, although Eleanor Roosevelt was more progressive on civil rights than her husband. FDR attributed prejudice to a lack of education and the attitudes of southern whites, whom he believed were no different from their black counterparts.
General Marshall noticed that the privileged children of the United States were not actively involved in the war effort, as they were working in Washington D.C. instead. Upon investigation, he observed that many prominent athletes and individuals with well-known family names (such as Dupont, Firestone, Morgan, etc.) were not actively participating in the war. This was in contrast to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had four sons serving in the military.
Persico discusses cases of women slandering other women, which is still relevant today. The recent discussions about women slandering each other have been concerning. In Persico's narrative, he mentioned that some high-ranking officers' wives had been disparaging the female officers in The Women's Army Corps (WAC), even though these women worked in hospitals and military sites, providing care for the wounded. (This behavior is a reminder of how some women treat each other, which is also evident in the current election, as it was in the 2016 election. There have been baseless claims. It would be interesting if women supported and uplifted each other. In many nonprofit organizations, funds are often directed towards women as they tend to utilize the resources for the benefit of the entire family and community. This is not to discredit men in any way. The trend of women slandering each other needs to stop, as it's disheartening to witness, even among some of my friends' posts. For example, as a judge, Kamala Harris used the extent of the law to do her job decades ago. It is not any judge's fault that what was illegal then is legal today. Decades ago, I landed in Singapore, and the first thing we were warned about before the plane doors opened was not taking any drugs into the country. Their laws for violating drug usage were and probably are worse than here, like caning, which leaves permanent damage. "years of imprisonment for life and 15 strokes." Nothing like that here.)
Back to Britain. What was shocking was the Gallup poll from Britain; the people were clueless about who helped them the most in the war. By that time, the United States had given the British 50 destroyers. During World War II, the United States primarily supported Britain through the "Lend-Lease" program, providing vast quantities of military supplies, food, and other essential materials even before officially entering the war. This aid was crucial in sustaining the British war effort until the US formally joined the fight in 1941. (for more information on this, check history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945)
The liberation of the Philippines is described in Chapter 22. At that time, FDR's health was not at its best. General Douglas MacArthur was in command of this liberation. The Japanese put up a fierce fight, resulting in an estimated 48,000 soldiers losing their lives. In Luzon, they targeted civilians, committing atrocities such as shootings and the rape of women, regardless of their age. They also bound patients in hospitals to their beds and set the hospitals on fire. The liberation of the Philippines came at a high cost, with nearly 14,000 American lives lost. Approximately 1/8 of the Filipino Manila population perished, and 75% of the businesses were destroyed. The city of Manila was left without basic utilities such as water and electricity. This serves as a stark and horrifying reminder of the devastation caused by hate and war.
I can go on, but you get the message. Great book, with a whopping 672 pages of pure military history.
Note: though I share same surname, I have no family relationship with the author (though I realize that everyone in this planet is related :)
July 19, 2013
I was a little nervous going in to this book because I am not a fan of military history. I don't think I've ever read another book before this one on the military from any war or time period. However, this book had enough military to explain some terms I heard before but not too much that I was uninterested. It found just the right balance. More importantly, Persico focused on Roosevelt and his commanders and less about battles and strategy. I think this was a good first military history book for me and I will think twice before skipping over a military book.
June 29, 2013
We all know how the story ends -- Roosevelt died before the Allies victoriously ended the war. And we know much about Roosevelt and his key generals. What Persico adds to the story are stories -- anecdotes of the personalities to make these seemingly larger-than-life characters more human. Persico has added these details to my lifelong love of World War II history. It doesn't change my impressions of these characters; rather, it adds another layer of meaning.
June 1, 2025
I was worried that this would be full of minutiae about the life stories of war figures such as Marshall, Eisenhower, MacArthur, King, Nimitz, and such. Far from it – what this is, is a mostly straight-ahead telling of WWII from the vantage point of Roosevelt and his military advisors.
There was a little back story about Dwight Eisenhower, enough to be interesting without bogging down. Family name was originally Eisenhauer. Yes, German. And, they were Mennonites. Dwight’s father George (I think) was basically a black sheep of the family whose father effectively had to rescue from penurious circumstances in Texas, by giving him a job. “We were poor,” wrote DDE much later, “but we didn’t know we were poor.”
Back to WWII. What it must be like, to live a life of such consequence, where people can write entire books like this about the choices you made during the course of a mere decade or so. And at that, to have to make choices about which choices to write about. From reading this book, my overall reaction is to marvel over how lucky we, America, were to have this leader at this time.
Take the atomic bomb. “This requires action,” scrawled FDR on the top of a letter written by Albert Einstein. He must have said other things in the course of embarking General Groves to drive the massive Manhattan Project. Where the normal thing you would expect, some scientist popping up to bother the Great Man with a novel and outlandish concept, would be for the Great Man to dismiss the idea as flapdoodle. Like how Napoleon dismissed Robert Fulton who had this nutty idea about steam-powered logistics. A story that FDR was aware of. The point is, FDR took this new information on board and acted with conviction, not just to study it but to pursue it with massive intent.
FDR, it seems, was supremely confident in his own strategic calculus, but at the same time, he was man enough to know what he didn’t know. And he was no professional soldier, and so he relied on key people like George Marshall to counsel him on war matters. In this, he was unlike Churchill, who was a reliable fount of all manner of ideas, some of which were good, but all of which flowed without benefit of expert counsel.
Persico steers mostly clear of debates over whether FDR was right or wrong in the many decisions he made. One exception is the care he takes in swatting down any notion that the Pearl Harbor attack was some kind of FDR conspiracy. He also soft-pedals FDR’s disgraceful Executive Order 9066, whose consequences play little in the overall story. We do well to remember that this action was politically popular at the time.
We look back and how WWII played out now seems inevitable. But it was FDR who laid down the marker of “Unconditional Surrender.” This policy was highly controversial at the time, with all kinds of pissants (looking at you, Alan Dulles) lobbying and working against this policy. Suppose there had been some kind of negotiated peace in 1944, as many would have preferred (not least the tens of thousands of servicemen who died while Germany fought on and on). FDR was unwavering, yet nuanced and just ambiguous enough to get away with being unwavering. An example is how he disavowed the ”Morgenthau Plan,” hatched by his own Treasury Secretary, and which he judged as being both a bad idea and politically untenable.
Yes, I feel lucky as an American that our democracy produced FDR. America’s place in the world order has a lot to do with the decisions he made and policies he pursued. This book is a wonderful exploration of that.
There was a little back story about Dwight Eisenhower, enough to be interesting without bogging down. Family name was originally Eisenhauer. Yes, German. And, they were Mennonites. Dwight’s father George (I think) was basically a black sheep of the family whose father effectively had to rescue from penurious circumstances in Texas, by giving him a job. “We were poor,” wrote DDE much later, “but we didn’t know we were poor.”
Back to WWII. What it must be like, to live a life of such consequence, where people can write entire books like this about the choices you made during the course of a mere decade or so. And at that, to have to make choices about which choices to write about. From reading this book, my overall reaction is to marvel over how lucky we, America, were to have this leader at this time.
Take the atomic bomb. “This requires action,” scrawled FDR on the top of a letter written by Albert Einstein. He must have said other things in the course of embarking General Groves to drive the massive Manhattan Project. Where the normal thing you would expect, some scientist popping up to bother the Great Man with a novel and outlandish concept, would be for the Great Man to dismiss the idea as flapdoodle. Like how Napoleon dismissed Robert Fulton who had this nutty idea about steam-powered logistics. A story that FDR was aware of. The point is, FDR took this new information on board and acted with conviction, not just to study it but to pursue it with massive intent.
FDR, it seems, was supremely confident in his own strategic calculus, but at the same time, he was man enough to know what he didn’t know. And he was no professional soldier, and so he relied on key people like George Marshall to counsel him on war matters. In this, he was unlike Churchill, who was a reliable fount of all manner of ideas, some of which were good, but all of which flowed without benefit of expert counsel.
Persico steers mostly clear of debates over whether FDR was right or wrong in the many decisions he made. One exception is the care he takes in swatting down any notion that the Pearl Harbor attack was some kind of FDR conspiracy. He also soft-pedals FDR’s disgraceful Executive Order 9066, whose consequences play little in the overall story. We do well to remember that this action was politically popular at the time.
We look back and how WWII played out now seems inevitable. But it was FDR who laid down the marker of “Unconditional Surrender.” This policy was highly controversial at the time, with all kinds of pissants (looking at you, Alan Dulles) lobbying and working against this policy. Suppose there had been some kind of negotiated peace in 1944, as many would have preferred (not least the tens of thousands of servicemen who died while Germany fought on and on). FDR was unwavering, yet nuanced and just ambiguous enough to get away with being unwavering. An example is how he disavowed the ”Morgenthau Plan,” hatched by his own Treasury Secretary, and which he judged as being both a bad idea and politically untenable.
Yes, I feel lucky as an American that our democracy produced FDR. America’s place in the world order has a lot to do with the decisions he made and policies he pursued. This book is a wonderful exploration of that.
September 24, 2021
Ever wonder how the U.S. developed war plans and strategies against the 'Axis' powers? No? Well. Stop reading then! But if the topic does interest you, this book is a very good narrative that details who FDR selected to prosecute the war against Japan, Germany, and others; whom he selected and why; what sort of personalities (no women) and expertise these military officers had; the arguments, the frustrations, the tension. MacArthur seems to have been more of a crackpot than previously depicted. He dressed up in his own combinations of clothing, which seem to have resembled those from the Sergeant Pepper Album of the Beatles. He also advised strategies that were utterly infeasible without ever seeming to admit how cockeyed they were. Churchill figures pretty large in the story, of course. As do other British politicians and military leaders. Thank goodness the 'Battle of Britain' was a success, since much of the land based military actions by England were terrible failures at first. Marshall, Eisenhower, also figure as large figures. What perhaps is the most striking character is FDR himself. He was the captain of the ship while being confined to a wheelchair, and when he met with his 'war council' he had no need to hide his disability. He also presented a calm presence, regardless of the victories and defeats that transpired. He must have developed his own meditative practice and mindfulness techniques naturally without attending any workshops--not even buying books on Amazon to give him instructions!!! If you wonder what went on behind the scenes and the decision-making processes that were the 'centurians' main job, you will get it here. There's even sex--mistresses, paramours abound. Hey, these guys needed something to take their minds off their critical decisions and having the pressure of determining who would rule the world--parcheesi didn't quite fit the bill.
January 7, 2023
Initially fearful for this book, expecting it to be a laundry list of military names and recycled descriptions of their roles, I was luckily proven wrong by a well-handled summary of the war from Roosevelt's point of view. The details of his interactions with generals, the public, political opponents, and the larger than life Churchill and Stalin, flesh out a colorful character that may not be obvious from strictly military sources.
The book mostly chronologically details FDR's decisions and reactions, while tastefully spending only what is needed on his "centurions", rather than going into full born-in-a-barn biographies.
Occasionally, the author will wildly diverge from the narrative into making some argument to the reader, usually about the typical war controversies like area bombing or the timing of the second front. These feel very much out of place and should be relegated to the ending analysis chapter, fortunately they are rare in the text. Besides some less than ideal battle descriptions (Lieutenant Peiper?), still a good book for some background in the American camp of the war.
The book mostly chronologically details FDR's decisions and reactions, while tastefully spending only what is needed on his "centurions", rather than going into full born-in-a-barn biographies.
Occasionally, the author will wildly diverge from the narrative into making some argument to the reader, usually about the typical war controversies like area bombing or the timing of the second front. These feel very much out of place and should be relegated to the ending analysis chapter, fortunately they are rare in the text. Besides some less than ideal battle descriptions (Lieutenant Peiper?), still a good book for some background in the American camp of the war.
March 17, 2018
The book is excellent, covering the war's major military leaders as chosen by Roosevelt, why he chose them, and in hindsight, how good were those choices. I would not recommend it as a first book on WWII but for those who are familiar with the players, it is very good.
I have to comment on the audio performance. The reader uses cheesy accents when reading quotes from Churchill, Hitler, De Gaulle, Stalin, Tojo, and others. This would be less annoying if the reader at least pronounced the German names and places correctly. (Albert) Jodl is not pronouced Yah-dle. Hermann Goring is not pronounce Hair-mann Gair-ing
I have to comment on the audio performance. The reader uses cheesy accents when reading quotes from Churchill, Hitler, De Gaulle, Stalin, Tojo, and others. This would be less annoying if the reader at least pronounced the German names and places correctly. (Albert) Jodl is not pronouced Yah-dle. Hermann Goring is not pronounce Hair-mann Gair-ing
April 9, 2019
The ideal history book combines interesting stories with just the right measure of facts that don't slow down the story. Author Joseph Persico has done a wonderful job of incorporating fascinating stories of the Roosevelt administration and his "Centurions" with just the right level of factual information. Yes, for most avid readers of WWII history, there is little new information. However, the stories, even if familiar, are brought to life by the ample characterization of the main players. This is both an informative and entertaining book for all those who enjoy history.
January 10, 2022
This is a great book. A biography of FDR during the war years and his interactions with all the politicians, bureaucrats, and especially the generals/admirals who ran the war. I don’t necessarily agree with the authors perspective as he outlines the strengths and foibles of each of the individuals involved, but his perspective is interesting. Reviews the strategies and tactics involved both against the enemy and with the allies. Good photo section and maps in the back. I’d recommend this book to anyone.
March 31, 2022
This is a fascinating account of World War II, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's harnessing, coordinating and directing an amazing cast of Generals and Admirals in the quest of defeating Nazi Germany and Japan in the Pacific. That some of these military brass were not only opposed to FDR personally and politically, even viciously (Joe Stillwell) yet worked in shared goals is amazing, and instructive for us in our currently politically divided nation. Egos abound in these pages, and there are disagreements aplenty-FDR and Churchill, Churchill and Ike, Marshall and the Brits, and MacArthur and Patton with just about everybody. A fascinating account of recent-yes recent history and struggles which persist today. (Stalin looms in these pages, and continues to do so) A very good and needed read.
September 10, 2018
Well Written and Well Researched
This book will fill in the gaps of you are a WW2 historian. Many books explain the battles or personalities of WW2. This book gives you the why it happened and who did it. General George Marshal was supposed to lead the D Day invasion but Eisenhower an obscure soldier a few years removed was tapped instead. Learn why and find out other fascinating facts about the strategy and thinking of Roosevelt and his commanders.
This book will fill in the gaps of you are a WW2 historian. Many books explain the battles or personalities of WW2. This book gives you the why it happened and who did it. General George Marshal was supposed to lead the D Day invasion but Eisenhower an obscure soldier a few years removed was tapped instead. Learn why and find out other fascinating facts about the strategy and thinking of Roosevelt and his commanders.
June 20, 2020
Good balanced assessment of FDR's character and strategic judgement.
My rating probably suffers from reading order as this is a wider and shallower treatment of much the same material as covered in Jordan's ('Brothers, Rivals, Victors') more in-depth look at the European Theatre concerning the Eisenhower/Patton/Bradley relationship, down to a lot of the same diary quotes.
My rating probably suffers from reading order as this is a wider and shallower treatment of much the same material as covered in Jordan's ('Brothers, Rivals, Victors') more in-depth look at the European Theatre concerning the Eisenhower/Patton/Bradley relationship, down to a lot of the same diary quotes.
June 29, 2022
Not really what I was expecting. but not bad. I was thinking this would be about American generals/admirals in WWII which it was, but it really only delved into the big, famous, well-known ones (Marshall, Eisenhower, King, Nimitz, MacArthur, etc.). I learned some interesting things about President Roosevelt too, he was actually a pretty competent C-in-C.
January 19, 2024
An interesting perspective on FDR through the study of his choices in policy, staffing and strategy in fighting World War 2. It also gave me some new insights in how he interacted with his allies as well. The book provides insight to a president who is far more complex than the one shown in a high school text book.
May 25, 2017
Another general survey of World War 2 that examines the war from the perspective that f FDR and his war council. If this is your first crack at that sort of story you will enjoy, for anyone who has read one of the other dozen books on the topic, this will seem like a rerun.
June 6, 2017
A reasonable book the settles in with the vast collection of Roosevelt and World War II. It has lots of detail and some anecdotes not really found everywhere. You end up with a better idea of Churchill's reasoning about his Centurions than Roosevelt's.
September 7, 2017
WWII Story
An excellent book, it explains the action and , more importantly, the personalities of those who fought the war with special emphasis on Roosevelt. It is exciting and explains things well. It is one of the best books about the war.
An excellent book, it explains the action and , more importantly, the personalities of those who fought the war with special emphasis on Roosevelt. It is exciting and explains things well. It is one of the best books about the war.
December 10, 2017
A superb overview of World War II - a fascinating overview of the key strategic decisions and major battles and campaigns of the war, as well as deep insight into Roosevelt's leadership style and the key people that fought the war under his direction.
April 6, 2020
The book seemed a bit bloated with basic information about World War 2, but the nuggets of analysis and facts I hadn't heard before were illuminating and changed the way I look at some key figures of the War.
May 30, 2020
For me, this is the perfect World War II book. It gives the reader not only very thorough details of the battles, but extensive information on the military leaders’ backgrounds and roles during the war.
January 8, 2022
I learned so much about WWII by reading this book! So much great information. I understand so much more of the history and circumstances surrounding the war. Definitely not a short, easy read, but definitely worth it!
June 2, 2017
A good summary of FDR as Commander in Chief during WW 2. The Focus is on decisions and their context; Not very much on his Commanders or actual military details.
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