Leadership in War: Essential Lessons from Those Who Made History

by Andrew Roberts

Taking us from the French Revolution to the Cold War, Andrew Roberts presents a bracingly honest and deeply insightful look at nine major figures in modern history: Napoleon Bonaparte, Horatio Nelson, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, George C. Marshall, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Margaret Thatcher.

Each of these leaders fundamentally shaped the outcome of the war in which their nation was embroiled. Is war leadership unique, or did these leaders have something in common, traits and techniques that transcend time and place and can be applied to the essential nature of conflict?

Meticulously researched and compellingly written, Leadership in War presents readers with fresh, complex portraits of leaders who approached war with different tactics and weapons, but with the common goal of success in the face of battle. Both inspiring and cautionary, these portraits offer important lessons on leadership in times of struggle, unease, and discord. With his trademark verve and incisive observation, Roberts reveals the qualities that doom even the most promising leaders to failure, as well as the traits that lead to victory.

Genres: History, Leadership, Biography, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Politics

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2019

About the author

Dr Andrew Roberts, who was born in 1963, took a first class honours degree in Modern History at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, from where he is an honorary senior scholar and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). He has written or edited twelve books, and appears regularly on radio and television around the world. Based in New York, he is an accomplished public speaker, and is represented by HarperCollins Speakers’ Bureau (See Speaking Engagements and Speaking Testimonials). He has recently lectured at Yale, Princeton and Stanford Universities and at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, focused, and accessible, the book of Andrew Roberts delivers what is promised to its reader: a better understanding of essential qualities outstanding leaders possess.
I was fascinated by this book from first pages where the writer argued that leadership is a morally neutral concept (not inherently positive as we are often led to believe) of immense power and potential. In case of at least two of the historic figures discussed by the author this power led to war atrocities and unimaginable suffering of millions of people. Step by step, through nine well-chosen examples, we see the traits and behaviours that allow a leader shape an outcome of a historic moment.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Viking (Penguin Publishing Group) for the ARC provided in exchange for an onest opinion.

[Geevee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Roberts is, for me, always an enjoyable author and commentator. His book Leadership in War is taken from a set of lectures he has given over the years and has now used these as the basis for the book.

Mr Roberts is clear that these are not in depth studies nor are they case studies on what leadership is, can be or has been; more they're pen pictures of leaders who have presided over armies as military, political or both.

With this in mind the sections on each leader are succinct but well-written, pacey and, given each subject is worthy of or and has had numerous studies - with perhaps the exception of Marshall - clear on what and why they have each been selected.

There is a introduction and also a closing chapter too. For me, the most unteresting chapter from a group of interesting subjects was that on George C. Marshall.

The subjects in the book are:
Napoleon Bonaparte, Horatio Nelson, Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Charles DeGaulle, George C. Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, and Margaret Thatcher. 

No photos or maps, but in this instance that does not detract.

A very solid 3-stars as per the GR ratings system and description.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical data, but unimpressed by the leadership lessons he extracted. The final chapter where he deals with the leadership paradigm was disjointed and hard to follow. Otherwise, interesting info.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m genuinely sad not to give a higher ranking to a book by one of today’s best historians, but this collection of brief biographical essays feels tossed off in haste. The subjects are Napoleon, Nelson, Hitler, Stalin, Churchill, De Gaulle, Marshall, Eisenhower, and Thatcher. It’s not clear why they were chosen or how they exemplify different styles of leadership (unlike John Keegan’s choices of Alexander the Great, Lord Wellington and U. S. Grant). Only Napoleon and Nelson actually commanded men in battle. Both Americans, Marshall and Eisenhower, are characterized more for their organizing abilities than their strategic grasp, and the other five were mostly political leaders. (Actually, I wish Roberts had said something of Eisenhower’s political years, especially his betrayal of Britain over Suez and risky decision to rely on nuclear deterrence in place of adequate conventional military forces.) Stalin’s leadership depended on his utter ruthlessness, though his ability to deceive Roosevelt surely deserved discussion. Hitler is found utterly banal, which still leaves us wondering how he ever managed to seize power and hold it. Learning how Napoleon achieved the loyalty and love of his troops was new to me. It’s a gift he shared with Montgomery and Patton, each in a totally different manner. And Nelson’s Tars might fear the lash, but they could count on a steady supply of prize money. Mrs Thatcher’s steadfastness in the face of the Tory ‘wets’ continues to excite my admiration.

[Dennis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did like to read 'Leadership in war' by Andrew Roberts as he has a decent narrative style that easily flows. However, in terms of original analysis he offered little, and a decent summary of that seemed a bit lost in all the flow and occasional useless namedropping. Neither did his choice of subjects feel novel, focussing mostly on already trampled fields. Roberts furthermore forewent to decently pit 'great men' narratives against structure-based history. It felt mostly like a decent beginner's book on Napoleon, WWII and grand-strategic leadership.

[Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars (between good and very good)

Roberts presents nine short biographies focusing specifically on their leadership abilities (or lack thereof) during war time. He concludes with a chapter that briefly analyzes the attributes that are most important for successful leaders during a period of war.

These are the included historical figures:
-Napoleon Bonaparte
-Horatio Nelson
-Winston Churchill
-Adolf Hitler
-Joseph Stalin
-George C. Marshall
-Charles de Gaulle
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Margaret Thatcher

I probably learned the most in the chapters about Marshall and Eisenhower. I suppose beyond WWII history books, I haven’t read much specifically about those two men. Another lacuna to be filled someday…

I’m going to save a quote from his final chapter where he discusses Abraham Lincoln—who he also regards as an excellent war-time leader—because I’m still basking in a warm Lincolnophilic glow after recently finishing Team of Rivals:

“In this area, Abraham Lincoln was also a supreme war leader, easily the equal of any of the nine in this book. His almost preternatural sense of what the Union would be able to accept politically, and when it would accept it, of what he could ask for and what he simply could not at any particular time, and his willingness to ride political storms, do necessary deals, sack underperforming or disloyal generals, and employ oratory of the Periclean quality of the Gettysburg Address and the two inaugural speeches, make him second to none as a war leader in the American pantheon.”


And thank you to Kevin for the recommendation!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of a reading challenge, read a book by an author who shares the same name as you. I enjoyed this book, but I felt that the sections associated with each leader were too short, I guess that is what I get in 200 pages about nine leaders. I also found myself more interested in the history lessons than in the leadership takeaway from each character.

Do I want to read another book related to the leadership qualities of historical leaders in war? No, not really. Do I want to learn more about the major events that these leaders participated in? Yes. This book was exactly as advertised. Good work.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting concept that failed to live up to its dust-jacket promise to satisfactorily answer the basic question "is war leadership unique?" My problem with this book is that it did far too little, then in the conclusion, claimed it did much more. The portraits of the nine leaders were woefully inadequate—how can 20-30 pages be sufficient to capture the essential qualities of Napoleon, Churchill, Marshall, etc?! At best, the chapters offered brief flashes of insight into these historical figures' personalities and contexts (the description of Eisenhower's role as a soldier-turned-statesman, and how his unique qualities allowed him to cross this civ-mil divide was good). But mostly, the minimal space forced the author to skate over complex topics, offering a frustratingly abridged version of each historical moment, and a real dismissal of the actual nuances.

I appreciated the reflection on leadership qualities, and certainly agree with the traits posed as essential (humility, compartmentalization, discipline, self-control, empathy, emotional intelligence, stability under pressure). But the book opens by claiming it will demonstrate "how war demands and reveals the best and worst in leadership"—the limited space allows only a cursory exploration of the actual war-time demands in which those qualities are revealed, thus failing to fulfill half of its essential premise.

[Stephen Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read by Mr. Roberts and have gathered that this was a deviation from his normal style of writing.

Leadership in War seems to be a 10 session lecture bound in book form. There are 9 leaders that he reviews, with a conclusion at the end. His objectives in each chapter seem clearly laid out: review the body of work that relates to this leadership in war theme by the specific leader chosen and understand the personality and characteristics that directly affect their leadership. At the end it takes all of the characteristics and binds into a conclusion at the last chapter.

From reading the book, you can tell Roberts is a very well-learned man, and has the credibility to write on these matters. Even in the use of seldom used vocabulary, it is still an enjoyable read.

If you are wanting to understand a leader at a very deep level, this is not a book to pick up. If you are wanting to have a quick psychological evaluation of a leader, this is a book to read.

[Chris Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a disappointing read for me. It is very uneven in its coverage and is very subjective. Some of this may be due to the nature of the background. The vignettes were designed as lectures and then collected as a book, and so some of the critical evaluations may have been lost. However, I would expect better editing for a $27 book. Mr. Roberts begins with Napoleon and Nelson, establishing leadership principles that aid in comparison. As soon as he gets to Hitler and Stalin, it seems to me that he goes for the, "Oh, gosh," factor, and snidely notes that one is lazy and the other a hardcore ideologue. The other five fit in somewhere between these parameters. I understand that these are his opinions, but he did not convince me with his 'arguments.' (What there were of them). Make that 1 1/2 stars.

[Horia Bura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short biographical essays dedicated to a number of nine military leaders (most of them being also top politicians), six of whom are directly related to the largest conflagration in history. The author does not limit himself only to the biographical sketch, but also makes an in-depth, reasoned and objective analysis of the career of the selected personalities, insisting on the lessons that posterity can learn from the experience of every great military leader, from Napoleon to Thatcher.

[Andreea Bocaneala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, especially because I started being passionate about history recently and I want to know more about historical events and important personalities of the past. It is easy to read and follow, and for the ones who want to know more about proeminent leaders in recent history it is a great start. For me, reading this book overlapped with watching a documentary series about WWII, which made it easier for me to understand the events and situations mentioned in the book.

[Pat Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This book has been about that ‘mysterious, visionary, often sinister genius’ that differentiates the Haigs-who do their best under appalling circumstances-from the great commanders” (pg. 221).

Leadership books are fine. But biographies about good leaders are better.

This book sought to paint 10 portraits of leaders throughout the dark history of wa and apply principals of their lives to the reader. It was a phenomenal time.

I have had the privilege of engaging with other historical essays and volumes that Andrew Roberts has written in the past and I’m always appreciative of his historical writing style. Engaging, applicable, and immensely enjoyable.

Leaving this volume I’m gonna think a little bit more about the redeemed qualities that lie in secular leadership.

4/5

[Legate of Suvla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kapakta olmayan demir bacımız Margaret Thecther beraber özellikle 2. Dünya Savaşı'nda kendine yer edinmiş liderlerin bir panoromasını sunan bir kitap, özellikle Marshall ve Ike'ı okurken A.B.D'nin 2. Dünya Savaşı perspektifini gördüğünüzde cidden bir aydınlanma yaşıyorsunuz.

Bunun yanı sıra dönemle ilgilenen biri olarak Churchill, Hitler ve Stalin gibi figürler hakkında daha önce denk gelmediğiniz bilgilere rastlamanız da kitap adına artı bir puan.

Kitaptaki tek kadın liderin kapakta olmaması beni açıkçası irrite etti, De Gaulle'ün yerine gayet konabilir bence.

[Hayes Neukom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Roberts starts the book off promising. However, by the time he reaches the characters of Hitler and Stalin he appears terrified of giving them any compliment due to their lack of morality. If this book is to study leadership in war, let us study what made these people so influential and successful, despite what good or evil they may have brought about.

[Abbi Debelack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, high-level summary of the nine leaders selected! Didn’t go into too much detail for any of them.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little overly heavy on WWII and way too generous regarding Thatcher's character, but overall pretty good.

[John Sellars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read for history enjoyers! Dives into the leadership paradigms, personalities, and decision-making processes of notable wartime figures. Storytelling could have been more engaging.

[Cem Unlu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neye göre seçildiğini çok da anlamadığım 9 farklı liderin savaş stratejileri ve savaş anında gösterdikleri büyük başarılar doğruyu söylemek gerekirse oldukça güzel bir şekilde ortaya konmuş. Kitapla ilgili ufak bir not: Eğer bu liderler ve hayatları hakkında temel bilgilere sahip değilseniz bu kitaba hiç bulaşmayın. Çoğu durum ve geçmişe yönelik atıf yazar tarafından açıklanmışsa da akıcı bir okuma için bu ve benzeri bilgilere önceden sahip olmak şart gibi.

Önemli bir eleştiri aslında yazarın engel olamayacağı bir durumdan geliyor bence: İngiliz olması. Üzerinden Güneş Batmayan İmparatorluk vatandaşı Roberts bazı yerlerde ve durumlarda bu kimliğin getirdiği yükün altında ezilmiş adeta. Mesela Britanya İmparatorluğunun dünyanın en geniş devleti olduğu iddiası Cengiz'in Moğol İmparatorluğu yanında abes kalıyor. Ya da böyle bir savaş dehaları kitabına biricik İmparatorluğunu onca imkansızlığa rağmen büyük bir dehayla Çanakkale Boğazının derin sularına gömen Mustafa Kemal Atatürk'ü, büyük zorluklarla İstanbul'u devrin koşullarından büyük yeniliklerle fetheden Fatih'i, Doğu ile Batıyı bitmeyen savaşlarla biririyle kaynaştıran İskender'i, Roma'nın Sezar'ını, Harold Lame'in dünyada savaş tarihinin en büyükleri dediği Cengiz ve Timur'un olmaması bana kalırsa büyük eksiklikler. Buna mukabil döneminde büyük işler yapmasına ve Britanya donanmasının denizlerin hakimi olarak 1 yüzyıl daha boy göstermesini sağlayan Nelson bu isimlerin arkasında kalacak biri bence. Ya da Askeri değil siyasi bir zeka gösteren Thatcher sanırım yalnızca yazarın kişisel tutkuları sayesinde bu kitaba girmiş. Napolyon kendisiyle askeri anlamda kıyaslandığını bilse baya üzülür savaş yaralarını sarmayı bırakırdı.

Ayrıca Hitler'in karizmatik olmadığını ve bunca büyük kalabalıkları ölümüne peşinden sürüklemesini neredeyse sadece çevresinin başarılarına bağlayan bir bakış açısı oldukça sığ gibi duruyor.

Tüm bunlara rağmen, Kronik kitabın böyle bir derlemeyi dilimize bu kadar açık ve neredeyse kusursuz bir baskı ile dilimize kazandırması oldukça önemli.

Keyifli okumalar

[Adam Balshan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars [Leadership]
(W: 2.8, U: 2.25, T: 2.75)
Exact rating: 2.60

A set of brief biographies concerning 9 historical leaders, followed by a concluding chapter on the nature of leadership. Chapters 2 and 5 (22.6% of the book) were barely about leadership at all. So the author's distraction with history to the disfavor of leadership lowered the Use rating for its genre.

//W lex 3, syn 2.63, sem 2.75, dyn 2.63, pac 3, l&o 2.63, reg 3
//T from 2.25 to 2.75, with a bit of 3.5 on Stalinism

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be easy, just looking at the people who the author talks about in terms of their historymaking, to misjudge a book like this one.  It should be noted, to be fair to the author, that the author looks at people who he does not necessarily like or approve of and draws lessons that are not necessarily positive.  In discussing war leadership, moreover, the author does not only look at generals and focus on military history but he also looks at political leaders and provides a discussion of their dark arts as well.  The author's longtime interest in how war shapes the demands that are put on leaders and how it is that people can show their leadership in good or bad ways for the sake of the people that they lead makes this book a labor of love, but the book is not quite what many readers would automatically expect of it, and frequently the author finds it necessary to wage into the territory of engaging in discussions about matters like reputation and in interpreting the behavior of leaders through a look at their challenges and a discussion of the diplomatic and logistical concerns involved in leadership as well.

This book is a relatively short one at just over 200 pages and it is divided into nine chapters.  The book begins with an introduction that discusses the conundrum of leadership and how it is that people can serve their people for good or ill based on the qualities that they possess and how these are revealed through war and other serious matters.  The author then looks at a series of leaders and seeks to judge their impact and figure out their qualities, being mostly positive on Napoleon Bonaparte (1) and appreciative of the bravery (if not the character) of Horatio Nelson (2) and very praiseworthy about Winston Churchill (3) even if he did not succeed in preserving the British Empire.  The author spends some time talking about the bad side of World War II leadership by giving very critical discussions of Hitler (4) and Stalin (5) before turning his attention again to those leaders whom he finds easier to praise, finding in George Marshall a very praiseworthy amount of personal modesty (6) and seeing Eisenhower (8) as a very diplomatic general whose tact was necessary to deal with the prima donnas that he had to wrestle together for victory.  The author also shows the skill of Charles de Gualle in providing a way for France to recover honor (7) while closing with a chapter on the leadership of Thatcher (9) in the Falklands War, before ending with a look at a leadership paradigm that he views as more generally applicable to war leaders as a whole, before acknowledgements and notes.

Overall, this is a solid work. If it is not exactly the last word one would want to read on either political or military leaders in war, and if it is highly skewed towards examples that would be familiar to those who are more fond of 20th century European and American history than I would be, it certainly does show a grasp of the nuance and complexity that is involved in effective leadership and provides a look at how this task has proven to be difficult for a great many people.  The author also wades into the area of how leaders are to be judged as good and evil and how this relates to the effectiveness of leaders and the lessons that we draw from them.  The author judges leaders by pragmatic means, and thus finds those leaders who engaged in the willful slaughter of many of their own people poorly, and also judges Hitler and Stalin as not only being wicked but also being lazy because they did not work as hard as Churchill and others (like FDR) did at motivating the people through powerful speeches and showing an obvious concern for the well-being of their people.  But if Hitler and Stalin had been the sort of people who cared about the well-being of the people they misruled, they would not have been elite tier evil dictators in the first place.

[Ben Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular book written by a truly spectacular historian. Don’t miss one book by Andrew Roberts, not least Leadership In War. From Roberts’ sharp pen, the events and people of the past become paradigms and commentators of the present. One does not have to be interested in war or military history to glean tremendous insight from this book. I recommend it highly to anyone who cares not only about the past, but who is also curious about the virtues — and vices — of the men and women who’s lives were fraught with an extreme sense of purpose, consequence, and destiny. Read on!

“If you want to know what will move hearts and command multitudes today and in the future, there is only one thing to do: Study the past. In May 1953 Churchill said, ‘Study history. Study history. In history lie all the secrets of statecraft,’ and the same is true of statecraft’s vital subsection, war leadership. If there is one quality that all the great war leaders possessed, it is that which the earl of St. Vincent ascribed to Horatio Nelson. St. Vincent did not much like his fellow admiral personally, but he readily admitted that Nelson ‘possessed the magic art of infusing his own spirit into others.’ Great leaders are able to make soldiers and civilians believe that they are part of a purpose that matters more than even their continued existence on the planet, and that the leader’s spirit is infused into them. Whether it is a ‘magic art’ or ‘sinister genius’ can be decided by moralists, but in it lies the secret of successful leadership in war.”

—Andrew Roberts

[Ангел · Rating 5 out of 5]

Нека се отдадем на тайнствения ритъм на своите съдби, такива, каквито са в този свят на времето и пространството. Нека ценим своите радости но не се поддаваме на своите скърби. Великолепието на светлината не може да съществува без сянката. Животът е едно цяло и доброто и злото трябва да се приемат заедно, Пътешествието е хубаво и си струва да се извърши. Веднъж.У. Чърчил

Никога не е виждано и няма да се види една отмираща класа да отст��пи доброволно позициите си , без да опита да организира съпротива. Й.Сталин

Смирението винаги трябва да се част от всеки, който получава признание, спечелено с кръвта на неговите последователи и саможертвата на неговите приятели. Д.Айзенхауер

Изненадите се случват толкова често, че е изненадващо, че сме изненадани от тях. Пол Улфовиц, Уест Пойнт

Фортуна се мръщи преди да поднесе подарък.

Книгата е завладяваща и много елегантно написана. Мотивира за борба и победи. За нови знания и учение от миналото!

[Frank Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Roberts is not simply a great historian. He is a keen observer of leadership, plumbing the depths of the characteristics and events that make a great leader such as Churchill and Nelson - or, as this slim little classic includes horrid evil leaders such as Hitler who entranced a nation into committing collective genocide. To become a leader, to find a leader - a good leader possessing virtue and courage - we must know how to look for one and identify those who are likely to ride to the occasion (or not as in the case of Hitler). This was a fun read and one in which I learned a lot. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Ben Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Roberts provides an enjoyable survey of notable military figures of the 19th and 20th century. Always enjoyable, ever knowledgeable, and occasionally even humorous, Roberts gives interesting insights into the habits and practices of great leaders. However, don’t confuse great with morally good, as Roberts also tackles the yin and Yang of 20th century despotism, Stalin and Hitler.

This reads rather playfully, and Roberts is at his freest and least academic, at least opposed to his other works I’ve read (Napoleon and The Storm of War). Overall a good short book to knock out on a vacation.

[Ben Pinkston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable survey of 9 military leaders from the last few centuries. Roberts highlights both their unique contributions and the common threads that unite them. As always, his command of the facts and insightful commentary is on full display. He primarily commends further study of history and of the art of war itself in order that modern society might progress towards a more safeguarded peace among nations.

[Bradley Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The subtitle is a little misleading. It’s really 9 brief portraits of war leaders more than leadership lessons. Each one is well written, and I was introduced to some individuals I hadn’t heard of.

The main takeaway for me is I need to learn more about General George C. Marshall. In a book on Churchill, Napoleon, and Eisenhower, Marshall was the most captivating, and I had never heard of him.

[Nick Harriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but enjoyable book that gives mini biographies on 9 wartime leaders (some military, some political and some a mixture) from the Napoleonic to the Falklands wars. Written in the author's usual fluent style, it pivots nicely between such different characters and Napoleon, Marshall and Thatcher.

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting at points, but I was a little disappointed. I think I was hoping for more of an analysis of the leaders in the book as opposed to simply historical facts about certain wars they contributed to. It was helpful as I did not know anything about some of the leaders in this book, but I did not come out as inspired as I wished I had.

[Richard Mounce · Rating 4 out of 5]

chapter on Hitler was great