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Generals of the Ardennes: American Leadership in the Battle of The Bulge
Generals of the Ardennes is not a conventional history of the Battle of the Bulge, but a study of US command leadership at different levels during that fiery December of 1944 when a German offensive against the center of the American lines threatened to split the massed Allied Armies. It shows how US commanders from Eisenhower himself down through Army Group, Army, Corps, and Division commanders met the heavy burdens of leadership in the crucible of that bloody winter. Amid the countless books in many languages that tell and retell the history of the Battle of the Bulge, this one is unique in its focus on American generalship during those epic and decisive weeks that turned the tide of World War II in Europe. For that reason, it stands as both a significant history and an important document for the study of command and control.
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First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 13, 2024
Characters of Bulging Character
In very simple terms, this admirable book focuses on the role of character in warfare. In particular, it highlights the concepts of unity of command, quick estimates of the situation, aggressiveness, and calmness under stress. It focuses especially upon the highly laudable character of leaders of the Allied coalition attempting to respond with a double envelopment to a surprise, massive German penetration in the Battle of the Bulge aimed at weak points at American unit boundaries.
The book’s description, its foreword in the online sample, and other reviews on this page all attest to the high quality of the book. I echo that praise. What I’d like to add to all the other information here is a little detail about the author, which is, unfortunately, missing on this Amazon page.
The following author’s biography comes from his chapter contributions on Generals Summerall and MacArthur in the 2020 book Pershing’s Lieutenants: American Military Leadership in World War I.
“Colonel (Ret.) Jerry D. Morelock, PhD, is a 1969 West Point graduate who served 36 years in uniform. A decorated Vietnam War combat veteran, his assignments included two Pentagon tours: Leadership Division, Department of the Army General Staff; and Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff. His final active duty assignment was director of the Combat Studies Institute, the Command & General Staff College’s history department. He has authored several books and published hundreds of journal and magazine articles. His latest book is Generals of the Bulge: Leadership in the U.S. Army’s Greatest Battle [2015-2020]. His writing awards include the Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award for excellence in professional scholarship, the U.S. Field Artillery Association History Writing Award, and Distinguished Essayist in the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Essays on Strategy competition. After Army retirement, he was executive director of the Winston Churchill Memorial & Library at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri – site of Churchill’s famed 1946 'Iron Curtain' speech – and is adjunct faculty professor of history and political science at Westminster. From 2004 to 2015 he was editor in chief of Armchair General magazine, and currently is senior editor/senior historian for Historynet’s America’s Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam magazines. His grandfather, Corporal Louie F. Hummel (312th Infantry Regiment, 78th Division) and his great uncle, Private Richard Longren (131st Infantry Regiment, 33rd Division) were World War I combat veterans.”
The above additional information should hopefully provide a good idea of the character and writing talent behind this immensely readable, well-documented, and highly recommended book!
If interested in more information about strategy and character, consider reading the following book which distills and integrates the works of 87 master strategists: Strategic Advantage: How to Win in War, Business, and Life
In very simple terms, this admirable book focuses on the role of character in warfare. In particular, it highlights the concepts of unity of command, quick estimates of the situation, aggressiveness, and calmness under stress. It focuses especially upon the highly laudable character of leaders of the Allied coalition attempting to respond with a double envelopment to a surprise, massive German penetration in the Battle of the Bulge aimed at weak points at American unit boundaries.
The book’s description, its foreword in the online sample, and other reviews on this page all attest to the high quality of the book. I echo that praise. What I’d like to add to all the other information here is a little detail about the author, which is, unfortunately, missing on this Amazon page.
The following author’s biography comes from his chapter contributions on Generals Summerall and MacArthur in the 2020 book Pershing’s Lieutenants: American Military Leadership in World War I.
“Colonel (Ret.) Jerry D. Morelock, PhD, is a 1969 West Point graduate who served 36 years in uniform. A decorated Vietnam War combat veteran, his assignments included two Pentagon tours: Leadership Division, Department of the Army General Staff; and Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff. His final active duty assignment was director of the Combat Studies Institute, the Command & General Staff College’s history department. He has authored several books and published hundreds of journal and magazine articles. His latest book is Generals of the Bulge: Leadership in the U.S. Army’s Greatest Battle [2015-2020]. His writing awards include the Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award for excellence in professional scholarship, the U.S. Field Artillery Association History Writing Award, and Distinguished Essayist in the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Essays on Strategy competition. After Army retirement, he was executive director of the Winston Churchill Memorial & Library at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri – site of Churchill’s famed 1946 'Iron Curtain' speech – and is adjunct faculty professor of history and political science at Westminster. From 2004 to 2015 he was editor in chief of Armchair General magazine, and currently is senior editor/senior historian for Historynet’s America’s Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam magazines. His grandfather, Corporal Louie F. Hummel (312th Infantry Regiment, 78th Division) and his great uncle, Private Richard Longren (131st Infantry Regiment, 33rd Division) were World War I combat veterans.”
The above additional information should hopefully provide a good idea of the character and writing talent behind this immensely readable, well-documented, and highly recommended book!
If interested in more information about strategy and character, consider reading the following book which distills and integrates the works of 87 master strategists: Strategic Advantage: How to Win in War, Business, and Life
March 17, 2019
(B-school) Tons of leadership examples from those involved in the Battle of the Bulge. I didn't know much about this battle, which ended up being one of the most important engagements of WWII. The book covers the divergent strategies in the allied coalition around invading Germany, the factors driving Hitler's decision to counter-attack in the Ardennes, different Allied responses to the attack. The book also covers multiple levels of leadership.
The book itself was repetitive and written originally for a military audience, so some of the tactical stuff was hard to get through.
The book itself was repetitive and written originally for a military audience, so some of the tactical stuff was hard to get through.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews