Carved from Granite: West Point Since 1902

Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series #138

by Lance Betros

The United States Military Academy at West Point is one of America's oldest and most revered institutions. Founded in 1802, its first and only mission is to prepare young men--and, since 1976, young women--to be leaders of character for service as commissioned officers in the United States Army. West Point's success in accomplishing that mission has secured its reputation as the foremost leadership-development institution in the world. An Academy promotional poster says it this -At West Point, much of the history we teach was made by people we taught.-Carved from Granite is the story of how West Point goes about producing military leaders of character. An opening chapter on the Academy's nineteenth-century history provides context for the topic of each subsequent chapter. As scholar and Academy graduate Lance Betros shows, West Point's early history is interesting and colorful, but its history since then is far more relevant to the issues--and problems--that face the Academy today.Drawing from oral histories, archival sources, and his own experiences as a cadet and, later, a faculty member, Betros describes and assesses how well West Point has accomplished its mission. And, while West Point is an impressive institution in many ways, Betros does not hesitate to expose problems and challenge long-held assumptions. In a concluding chapter that is both subjective and interpretive, the author offers his prescriptions for improving the institution, focusing particularly on the areas of governance, admissions, and intercollegiate athletics. Photographs, tables, charts, and other graphics aid the clarity of the discussion and lend visual and historical interest.Carved from West Point since 1902 is the most authoritative history of the modern United States Military Academy written to date. There will be lively debate over some of the observations made in this book, but if they are followed, the author asserts that the Academy will emerge stronger and better able to accomplish its vital mission in the new century and beyond.

479 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2012

Reviews

[Baxter Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book for anyone interested in West Point and its history. If you aren’t already familiar with West Point then it’ll be a relatively steep learning curve to understand the structure and unique verbiage associated with USMA.

The book is written in narrative form and traces different elements of West Point’s history in each chapter. It is an excellent work of history and demonstrates both the transformative impact of different leaders at West Point and how West Point has been shaped by the broader American society.

The book ends with three key reforms to improve USMA which are: restore authority of the academic board, reform admissions and recruitment efforts to enroll only qualified candidates, and finally a deemphasis on intercollegiate athletics. Regardless of whether you come away agreeing with the reforms, the author presents sound arguments on their behalf that should spark introspection at USMA.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any leader at the US Military Academy. Betros does a fantastic job of identifying, articulating, and substantiating the problems that continue to pervade the Academy. His prose is engaging and delightful - this is not your typical history book. As one would expect from a department of history head, Betros' research is superb. The footnotes throughout the book are impressive and leave no stone unturned.

[Joshua Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for every USMA graduate. Best document I've read that leads me to understand the hidden complexities of the Academy machine and to see why business is done the way it is today. It is not a mere dry, academic historical review of the institution. Betros appropriately navigates controversial Academy topics with evidence, clarity, and professionalism.
I absolutely love this book.

[Stan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in West Point, this is a book you have to read.

This is a very detailed history of West Point in the 20th Century. It covers many aspects of education of the whole person.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a grad I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It does read more like a dissertation than a casual read, but the author does a terrific job explaining much about the Academy that a non-grad might not understand. The only drawback was his constant, insistent negative opinion of the attention and funding given to the Corps Squad football team. The thing is, I agree with him on most points - but he overdoes it with the barely suppressed vitriol.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Highly recommend to grads and non-grads alike.

[Scott Nestler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and informative read. I now know more about the "why things are the way they are" at West Point. The author addresses the changes in a variety of areas (governance, admissions, academics, military training, intercollegiate athletics, and character and leader development) over the past 100 years.