Generals of the Army: Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Arnold, Bradley

American Warriors

by James H. Willbanks (Editor), Gordon R. Sullivan (Foreword)

Formally titled "General of the Army," the five-star general is the highest possible rank awarded in the U.S. Army in modern times and has been awarded to only five men in the nation's George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold, and Omar N. Bradley. In addition to their rank, these distinguished soldiers all shared the experience of serving or studying at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where they gained the knowledge that would prepare them for command during World War II and the Korean War.

In Generals of the Army , James H. Willbanks assembles top military historians to examine the connection between the institution and the success of these exceptional men. Historically known as the "intellectual center of the Army," Fort Leavenworth is the oldest active Army post west of Washington, D.C., and one of the most important military installations in the United States. Though there are many biographies of the five-star generals, this innovative study offers a fresh perspective by illuminating the ways in which these legendary figures influenced and were influenced by Leavenworth. Coinciding with the U.S. Mint's release of a series of special commemorative coins honoring these soldiers and the fort where they were based, this concise volume offers an intriguing look at the lives of these remarkable men and the contributions they made to the defense of the nation.

Genres: Military History

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Dj · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty much a Biography Light book. It looks at the careers of the five Officers that attained 5 Star rank in the US Army, all of which served in WWII and only one of which achieved that rank after the war. This short bios are sandwiched between two chapters on the Command and Staff College of the US Army, one prewar and one post war.

A very good starter book, but one that didn't really reveal all that much to me. Only the chapter on 'Hap' Arnold was anything that was really new in my reading. It does suffer from any sort of Biography of this type. (In this case it was written to cast a favorable light on the Command and Staff College). Which is that many of the rough edges, or flaws of the individuals written upon are smoothed over. Although to be fair in this case, less than in some Biographies I have read. All in all it is evenly written and well presented. A good starter look at five of the Generals who had a great deal of influence on shaping and running the US Army during WWII.

[Michael J. Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good telling of the only 5-star Generals in the Army. Thanks to my son-in-law for the book. Learned a lot about "Hap" Arnold and the early use of aircraft in war.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very handy collection to have of various generals vital to WWII. The article on Bradley was my personal favorite. Be aware, this is a scholarly work and while informative, perhaps a little dry for some. On the other hand, some more serious readers may find the articles too short or basic. Understandable, but for someone who needs a good balanced introduction to these rather significant men, this is a great book to have, and I enjoyed the pictures and maps as well.

[Abhinav Barman]

good book