The Crucible of War: Auchinleck's Command: The Definitive History of the Desert War

The Crucible of War #2

by Barrie Pitt

In the second volume, Churchill replaces Sir Claude Auchinleck as commander-in-chief with Field Marshal Harold Alexander, and places Bernard Montgomery over the Eighth Army. Prior to the changes of command, Auchinleck stopped Rommel's Afrika Korps for the first time at the first battle of Alamein in July, 1942. Still, the Axis forces remained dangerous. The pair's new commands coincided with the arrival of matériel sufficient to give the Allies overwhelming superiority in the field. Montgomery duly planned for a second battle at Alamein six months after the first. The eventual encounter gained a decisive second desert victory, the first since O'Connor's against the Italians nearly two years before. The victory signaled the beginning of the end of the Axis in North Africa. 6 1/8 X 9 1/8. 26 B&W Illustrations

Genres: Military Fiction, World War II, War, Military History

390 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Barrie William Edward Pitt was educated at Portsmouth Southern Grammar School before becoming a bank clerk. After service in the Second World War Pitt worked as a surveyor, joined 21 SAS (TA), with whom he rose to the rank of sergeant, and started to write for the magazine Adventure. Pitt also worked for a time as an information officer at the Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Aldermaston, where he demonstrated a talent for turning scientific information into readable prose

In 1958, Pitt wrote a novel, The Edge of Battle, and Zeebrugge, an admired account of the First World War raid on the Belgian U-boat base. This led to a long and prolific career as an author and editor of popular histories. Under the overall editorship of Sir Basil Liddell-Hart, he was responsible for the first major part-work, Purnell's History of the Second World War, a 96-instalment mass circulation series which was launched in 1966 at the Imperial War Museum. He also worked as a researcher for the 1960s BBC television series The Great War.

Reviews

[Paul W · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Churchill replaced Wavell with Auchinleck he was expecting someone who would be more compliant. But quickly discovered that changing the messenger did not change the underlying issues which were impacting the Allied forces.
Pitt's second volume provides a detailed description of the battles, but also provides insights on Auchinleck's leadership style. Like Wavell, Auchinleck made poor decisions about subordinates, and did not act quickly enough to replace senior commanders who were not performing. He tolerated the behaviour of the South African Pienaar whose timidity and refusal to comply cost hundreds of Commonwealth lives.
Barely a year after replacing Wavell, Churchill intervened again and replaced Auchinleck with Alexander.
This well-written account combines detailed descriptions of events with insights on the impact on individuals and lessons on leadership.

[The Real Boba Fett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A single review for the Crucible of War trilogy seems fitting as they read as three parts of a single book. Overall, very in-depth and informative trilogy but seemed to expect a reader to have a solid background in both Axis and Allied equipment, structure, and organization. It also suffered from a lack of supplemental media such as maps, orders of battle, and even pictures. It became difficult to keep track of where in Libya and Egypt events are unfolding and then where specific actions on the battlefields are taking place. A detailed order of battle would have also been helpful to understand both sides’ forces that were involved. Certainly readable, just needed constant pauses to reference my own maps or look up specific units.

[George Polansky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auchinleck would have defeated Rommel if Churchill gave support .

[Lyle Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great account!

[Michael Romo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for those interested in the desert war in north Africa during World War II. Three revelations regarding the desert war readily come to mind when reading this book. First, was the professionalism of the German combined arms tactics. Their armor, artillery, and infantry worked together to perfection. The German 88 antitank gun was a devastating piece of equipment which knocked out large numbers of British tanks. Secondly, and sadly for the British, was that complete ineffectiveness of British tactical command. Although the British heavily outnumbered the Germans and had a much better supply situation, air superiority and decent armor (when large numbers of American made tanks arrived) yet the British came out on the losing end of many battles with decisively more losses in men, armor and equipment than the Germans. This seemed to be a reoccurring theme and one cannot but feel compassion for the average British soldier that showed great courage during these battles. Thirdly, the large number of tanks that America provided the British, at times stripping American armor divisions of their armor and sending it to north Africa, was a revelation to me. These American tanks were much more mechanically reliable than the British tanks and in the case of the Grant tank provided more firepower than the Germans had at the time. In my opinion without these tanks the British would have been decisively beaten by the Germans. With them they were able to hold on to fight another day. In some sense being able to fight another day is the theme of this book although I’m sure the British would have preferred, and may have deserved with better leadership, outright victory at this stage of the desert war.

[Mr. SBailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The interim

A better read than the first volume with useful insights into the personalities on both sides with good political background. Needs maps!