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Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine
Throughout history, the concept of command -- as both a way to achieve objectives and as an assertion of authority -- has been essential to military action and leadership. But, as Sir Lawrence Freedman shows, it is also deeply political.
Military command has been reconstructed and revolutionized since the Second World War by nuclear warfare, small-scale guerrilla land operations and cyber interference. Freedman takes a global perspective, systematically investigating its practice and politics since 1945 through a wide range of conflicts from the French Colonial Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bangladesh Liberation War to North Vietnam's Easter Offensive of 1972, the Falklands War, the I. Warraq War and Russia's wars in Chechnya and Ukraine. By highlighting the political nature of strategy, Freedman shows that military decision-making cannot be separated from civilian priorities and that commanders must now have the sensibility to navigate politics as well as warfare.
Military command has been reconstructed and revolutionized since the Second World War by nuclear warfare, small-scale guerrilla land operations and cyber interference. Freedman takes a global perspective, systematically investigating its practice and politics since 1945 through a wide range of conflicts from the French Colonial Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bangladesh Liberation War to North Vietnam's Easter Offensive of 1972, the Falklands War, the I. Warraq War and Russia's wars in Chechnya and Ukraine. By highlighting the political nature of strategy, Freedman shows that military decision-making cannot be separated from civilian priorities and that commanders must now have the sensibility to navigate politics as well as warfare.
608 pages, Hardcover
Published September 8, 2022
175 people are currently reading
1281 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Freedman
70 books254 followersSir Lawrence David Freedman, KCMG, CBE, PC, FBA is Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 19, 2023
This is a good and solid book with a familiar and similar style to Freedman’s other works.
The greatest strength of this book is its breadth. The conflicts chosen for study are worthy, including both those familiar to western audiences and ones which are criminally underrepresented. It was interesting to learn more about some of these such as the Arab/Israeli war of 1973 and the India/Pakistan conflict. The writing style is academic yet accessible, much like Freedman’s other work meaning it’s both a good starting point and one for a military history/strategy enjoyer.
There are two main problems I had with this book.
1. That it’s called Command. Whilst there is unquestionably extensive coverage of this concept in the book and the concept of civil military relations, much of each chapter is merely providing the extensive levels of context for each conflict required in order to understand it. This means sometimes it feels as though Command takes a back seat and it does not always feel like you are reading what you thought you would be when you picked up this book. No doubt the context is helpful and necessary, however I feel it may have been better to decrease the number of conflicts discussed in order to have the available word count to delve into a smaller yet much more coherent and specific pool of Command situations.
2. Formatting and Grammar. I do not know if I simply had a rotten apple copy of this book but what I do know is that the grammar and formatting of sentences was, in some instances, atrocious. Whole sentences were joined together without spaces and I had to do a double take of countless sentences and paragraphs because I simply could not understand the way in which they were written. Whilst it did not detract from the content of the book, it certainly made the reading experience far less enjoyable.
Despite these complaints, I would recommend reading because there is no doubt that Freedman knew what he was talking about and gave valuable insight into various conflicts and their conduct. I’m giving this a 4/5 because a 3/5 is unfair and a 3.75/5 does not exist here.
4/5.
The greatest strength of this book is its breadth. The conflicts chosen for study are worthy, including both those familiar to western audiences and ones which are criminally underrepresented. It was interesting to learn more about some of these such as the Arab/Israeli war of 1973 and the India/Pakistan conflict. The writing style is academic yet accessible, much like Freedman’s other work meaning it’s both a good starting point and one for a military history/strategy enjoyer.
There are two main problems I had with this book.
1. That it’s called Command. Whilst there is unquestionably extensive coverage of this concept in the book and the concept of civil military relations, much of each chapter is merely providing the extensive levels of context for each conflict required in order to understand it. This means sometimes it feels as though Command takes a back seat and it does not always feel like you are reading what you thought you would be when you picked up this book. No doubt the context is helpful and necessary, however I feel it may have been better to decrease the number of conflicts discussed in order to have the available word count to delve into a smaller yet much more coherent and specific pool of Command situations.
2. Formatting and Grammar. I do not know if I simply had a rotten apple copy of this book but what I do know is that the grammar and formatting of sentences was, in some instances, atrocious. Whole sentences were joined together without spaces and I had to do a double take of countless sentences and paragraphs because I simply could not understand the way in which they were written. Whilst it did not detract from the content of the book, it certainly made the reading experience far less enjoyable.
Despite these complaints, I would recommend reading because there is no doubt that Freedman knew what he was talking about and gave valuable insight into various conflicts and their conduct. I’m giving this a 4/5 because a 3/5 is unfair and a 3.75/5 does not exist here.
4/5.
September 13, 2022
Very solid, full of anecdotes, half academic book and half a blog kind of style - that is, the usual Mr Freedman. Could use more focus or larger volume because 16 chapters forced the author to speed through all the conflicts while juggling personal stories of commanders, big picture consequences, explanations of history for people unfamiliar with the events, references to other chapters, timid attempts at drawing a theory of military command... But that was expected and I love authors dying in the flames of ambition
January 19, 2023
Lawrence Freedman is clearly enjoying his retirement. This latest book is a quick and accessible but fascinating romp through an ambitious number of post-WWII case studies of higher military command in war. The theoretical lens is not tightly focused and he largely ties it all together with general commentary on the challenges faced by different types of military and political leaders faced with different problems, and their various responses to those challenges. His principle thesis is that politics is deeply intertwined with military command by its very nature, and that finding effective ways to reconcile the sometimes conflicting demands of political and military imperatives is critical to success. While he’s not necessarily breaking any particularly new ground here, and the number of examples obliges him to move through them quickly, it’s a great survey that includes many case studies that aren’t in the usual lineup.
January 23, 2023
Throughout history, the concept of command - - as both a way to achieve objectives and as an assertion of authority -- has been essential to military action and leadership. But, as Sir Lawrence Freedman shows, it is also deeply political. Military command has been reconstructed and revolutionized since the Second World War by nuclear warfare, small-scale guerrilla land operations and cyber interference. Freedman takes a global perspective, systematically investigating its practice and politics since 1945 through a wide range of conflicts from the French Colonial Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bangladesh Liberation War to North Vietnam's Easter Offensive of 1972, the Falklands War, the Iraq War and Russia's wars in Chechnya and Ukraine. By highlighting the political nature of strategy, Freedman shows that military decision-making cannot be separated from civilian priorities and that commanders must now have the sensibility to navigate politics as well as warfare. This book is a great complement to Freedman’s tome, Strategy!
January 10, 2026
Sir Lawrence Freedman’s _Command_ contends that military command is not purely issuing and executing orders, but—rather—an inherently political action, shaped by the aims set by civilian leaders and the interaction between strategy, politics, and operational realities. His central thesis is that successful command requires not only operational acumen but political literacy, trust between leaders and subordinates, and an ability to navigate complex civil-military relations. 
Freedman illustrates this through a sweeping series of fifteen case studies from 1945 to present. These include: U.S. command in the Korean War (MacArthur and Truman), French forces in Indochina and Algeria, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The surrender of East Pakistan (Bangladesh Liberation War), North Vietnam’s Easter Offensive, Ariel Sharon’s career and Falklands War, Che Guevara, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, and the Congo, Chechnya and Ukraine (2014), Saddam Hussein, the Battle of Tora Bora, and U.S./British efforts in Iraq post-2003 surge. 
He builds on canonical research on strategy and civil-military relations from Eliot Cohen’s _Supreme Command_ to John Keegan’s _The Mask of Command_, drawing on enduring themes in modern strategic thought. 
Freedman combines authoritative research with an accessible, clear, and richly detailed writing style. He is reflective without being overly academic or abstruse. He does this by balancing narrative history with analytical insight that makes this scholarly enough for a Georgetown classroom while also enjoyable enough for a beach read. A great resource for practitioners and general readers interested in war and leadership, alike— Freedman provides an authoritative treatise on modern military command.
Freedman illustrates this through a sweeping series of fifteen case studies from 1945 to present. These include: U.S. command in the Korean War (MacArthur and Truman), French forces in Indochina and Algeria, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The surrender of East Pakistan (Bangladesh Liberation War), North Vietnam’s Easter Offensive, Ariel Sharon’s career and Falklands War, Che Guevara, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, and the Congo, Chechnya and Ukraine (2014), Saddam Hussein, the Battle of Tora Bora, and U.S./British efforts in Iraq post-2003 surge. 
He builds on canonical research on strategy and civil-military relations from Eliot Cohen’s _Supreme Command_ to John Keegan’s _The Mask of Command_, drawing on enduring themes in modern strategic thought. 
Freedman combines authoritative research with an accessible, clear, and richly detailed writing style. He is reflective without being overly academic or abstruse. He does this by balancing narrative history with analytical insight that makes this scholarly enough for a Georgetown classroom while also enjoyable enough for a beach read. A great resource for practitioners and general readers interested in war and leadership, alike— Freedman provides an authoritative treatise on modern military command.
February 7, 2023
Magisterial and perceptive, Freedman covers a number of post WWII conflicts from Korea to the latest episode of a long lasting Russia v Ukraine conflict. His style will be familiar to those who read his thoughtful blog - academic but not impenetrable. He draws lessons from across history but weaves common lessons on failures. Very good for anyone interested in leadership - especially the rather strange dynamics between political and military leaders.
November 19, 2022
The fog of war indeed.
October 20, 2022
Despite Freedman's encyclopaedic knowledge of war, this still felt like a series of articles rather than a coherent whole. The book isn't without interest, but the conclusions drawn don't seem to me to be very revelatory. Competence and character are important in difficult situations? Dictators can control the narrative of events, which perpetuates delusion, discourages candour and punishes competence? All fairly commonsensical one would think. A lot of information, but not necessarily a lot of insight, maybe Freedman toned down the complexity to make the read more accessible. I will read it again next year some time to double check if I've missed anything.
November 11, 2022
Good analysis of diverse relevant cases
December 22, 2025
A thoughtful book, Command guides the reader into the muddy waters of political-military relationship in times of war. Lawrence Freedman is a renowned military historian and this work is a landmark study, profound and well researched. I received it as a birthday gift a few years ago and it proved to be an interesting experience. I recommend it to the reader who`s interested in modern conflicts, democratic values and how the military force should be understood.
Lawrence Freedman takes von Clausewitz`s dictum about war and politics further and shows us the constant interaction between these two factors, at all the levels of decision. His main conclusion is that, while for military organization, hierarchy and the orders are fundamental features, the way they work in practice varies and it is often politicized. Command is composed of several case studies of all the major wars fought after 1945, structured by these themes. The most interesting were the ones about Douglas MacArthur and Wesley Clark.
The Korean War of 1950-1953 was the scene of the most serious crisis in civil-military relationships in the history of the United States. The commander of UN and US forces in that theatre, general Douglas MacArthur, war hero, vanquisher of Japan and a legendary leader engaged in a conflict with the US president at that time, Harry Truman. The stakes were about the escalation of war, after the Chinese intervention and by extension about who and how should the strategic objectives be defined and pursued. In Command, Lawrence Freedman argues that MacArthur`s downfall was caused more by his errors than his insubordination or his reputation.
The Kosovo case-study illustrates the complexity of alliance leadership during conflict. The supreme NATO commander, general Wesley Clark had ambiguous relationships with the Pentagon and with some of his nominal subordinates. For each of them, a complex web of political interactions influenced the operational decisions, sometimes with confusing results. The most important was the showdown between Clark and the leader of the NATO forces deployed in Kosovo, general Mike Jackson, about how to deal with the Russian contingent sent to the province`s capital.
The case-studies vary in utility, as Command is based on secondary sources. Nevertheless, Lawrence Freedman provides a template for practical advice. The most important is that the ideal commander should combine the qualities of moral courage and diplomacy, the Dwight Eisenhower model, because there is always some unforeseen problem. The analysis concludes with several critical features, such as the tension between politics and professionalism in the contemporary Chinese military.
Lawrence Freedman takes von Clausewitz`s dictum about war and politics further and shows us the constant interaction between these two factors, at all the levels of decision. His main conclusion is that, while for military organization, hierarchy and the orders are fundamental features, the way they work in practice varies and it is often politicized. Command is composed of several case studies of all the major wars fought after 1945, structured by these themes. The most interesting were the ones about Douglas MacArthur and Wesley Clark.
The Korean War of 1950-1953 was the scene of the most serious crisis in civil-military relationships in the history of the United States. The commander of UN and US forces in that theatre, general Douglas MacArthur, war hero, vanquisher of Japan and a legendary leader engaged in a conflict with the US president at that time, Harry Truman. The stakes were about the escalation of war, after the Chinese intervention and by extension about who and how should the strategic objectives be defined and pursued. In Command, Lawrence Freedman argues that MacArthur`s downfall was caused more by his errors than his insubordination or his reputation.
The Kosovo case-study illustrates the complexity of alliance leadership during conflict. The supreme NATO commander, general Wesley Clark had ambiguous relationships with the Pentagon and with some of his nominal subordinates. For each of them, a complex web of political interactions influenced the operational decisions, sometimes with confusing results. The most important was the showdown between Clark and the leader of the NATO forces deployed in Kosovo, general Mike Jackson, about how to deal with the Russian contingent sent to the province`s capital.
The case-studies vary in utility, as Command is based on secondary sources. Nevertheless, Lawrence Freedman provides a template for practical advice. The most important is that the ideal commander should combine the qualities of moral courage and diplomacy, the Dwight Eisenhower model, because there is always some unforeseen problem. The analysis concludes with several critical features, such as the tension between politics and professionalism in the contemporary Chinese military.
June 22, 2024
I opened the book hoping for a treaty elaborating the argument that "war is a continuation of politics by other means". Instead, the politics here refers to a much personal level, i.e. among the conflicting wishes and personalities of field commanders, politicians, and stakeholders. It does not touches on the political forces, e.g. parties, nationalities, religions etc. Nonetheless, the author has showed how those little details had huge impact on the various outcomes of operations, although I suspect he missed larger political forces at play, and perhaps were giving those details much more credit than they should bear.
Another problem I have with this book lies in the chapter on Ukraine-Russia conflict from 2014 till present. The author made hasty and one-sided comments that were limited by the information available when the book went to press. With hindsight, perhaps the author would have another chapter, but this time pointing out the similar, if not more, serious mistakes made by the Ukrainian side, mostly pushing operational objectives motivated by political agenda than battlefield reality. I also doubt the author's claim that Putin was delusional in his decision to start the war, and the author's hint that others in Russian did not support this initiative. Polls suggested otherwise. But alas, those are hindsight not available to the author. Yet they crucially explains the unfounded optimism in the West on Russian's expected failure.
If ultimately, US is the modern Rome, to be saved only by military dictatorship, how will our future generations view this book?
Another problem I have with this book lies in the chapter on Ukraine-Russia conflict from 2014 till present. The author made hasty and one-sided comments that were limited by the information available when the book went to press. With hindsight, perhaps the author would have another chapter, but this time pointing out the similar, if not more, serious mistakes made by the Ukrainian side, mostly pushing operational objectives motivated by political agenda than battlefield reality. I also doubt the author's claim that Putin was delusional in his decision to start the war, and the author's hint that others in Russian did not support this initiative. Polls suggested otherwise. But alas, those are hindsight not available to the author. Yet they crucially explains the unfounded optimism in the West on Russian's expected failure.
If ultimately, US is the modern Rome, to be saved only by military dictatorship, how will our future generations view this book?
November 11, 2023
Using an eclectic mix of battles and campaigns, Freedman drives home the point that effective command is difficult,, problematic, and hostage to a vari3ety of often conflicting factors and influences – political, military, strategic, tactical, individual. Egos, competences, preconceived ideas, ideologies – not to mention actual realities on the ground – all come into play, positively, more often negatively. Starting in Korea with the dismissal of MacArthur, and proceeding into the modern day with the campaigns against ISIS inside Syria, Freedman lays out a tapestry of examples of command successes (some) and difficulties, if not outright failures (most). The best part of the book is just that – a reacquaintance with a series of conflicts, in brief, across the years from Korea to now. The Congo, Kosovo, Algeria, Vietnam, Iraq, Chechnya... and more. I found his brief recaps of the conflicts, coupled with perceptive insights into the personalities, the realities and the contexts in which they occurred, to be very interesting. His diagnoses of command issues are astute, although often obvious, and the book is mostly observational in content, not prescriptive or instructive for those looking to avoid command failures in the future. However, as a guide to understanding what went specifically wrong in each of his selected examples of conflicts, it is excellent.
December 11, 2023
A good book, providing an assessment of the political aspects of senior military command. The author, noted British military historian and strategic analyst Lawrence Freedman, presents a series of case studies to demonstrate positive and negative examples for the political aspects of senior military leadership. Using post-WWII examples ranging from major combat operations to small scale insurgencies, Freedman delivers a set of guidelines for the interaction of politics with military decision making. The book covers a wide definition of politics, with interactions highlighting both internal domestic affairs, intra-military deliberations, and external diplomatic initiatives. The central character, through all the case studies, is a senior military leader confronting not explicit battlefield challenges but rather civilian political leaders with divergent viewpoints, adversaries on a diplomatic front, local civilian populations which must be won over without resorting to violence, and the internal power dynamics inherent to complex military organizations. Through these examples, Freedman points out essential politico-centric characteristics for leaders, such as subtle communication, self-awareness, and adaptability. A great book for understanding that victory in war involves more than just battlefield success. Highly recommended for any senior military officer.
November 22, 2024
#NonfictionGeek
#Bookreview
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 by 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐧
(The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine)
"𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙" - 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞 , 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚
A classic book on Military and political perspective to learn about essential elements.
Command is a hard-pressing and diligent Job for superiors in different circumstances.
Lawrence Freedman's name doesn't need any introduction in the realm of the subject. He highlights command challenges from the Korean War where General Douglas McArthur showed insubordination to then President Harry Truman. Neglected Political cost and strategic alignment with presidential policies regarding War.
French army defeat in Indochina caused by senior commanders alienated from gross root level troops and subordinate commanders.
Cuban missile crisis John F Kennedy had their agenda but military junta wants Cuba to be attacked. Arab-Israel Wars in 1967 and 1973 where Ariel Sharon's role as insubordinate commander conducting Audacious moves irrespective of Overall military Strategy.
Author also underlined Changing nature of War inculcated by precision guided munitions, Air Strikes and Air Power , Drones and Artificial intelligence which demands command to be agile and clarity about objective and role of War.
#Highly Recommended!
#Thanks
#Bookreview
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 by 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐧
(The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine)
"𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙" - 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞 , 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚
A classic book on Military and political perspective to learn about essential elements.
Command is a hard-pressing and diligent Job for superiors in different circumstances.
Lawrence Freedman's name doesn't need any introduction in the realm of the subject. He highlights command challenges from the Korean War where General Douglas McArthur showed insubordination to then President Harry Truman. Neglected Political cost and strategic alignment with presidential policies regarding War.
French army defeat in Indochina caused by senior commanders alienated from gross root level troops and subordinate commanders.
Cuban missile crisis John F Kennedy had their agenda but military junta wants Cuba to be attacked. Arab-Israel Wars in 1967 and 1973 where Ariel Sharon's role as insubordinate commander conducting Audacious moves irrespective of Overall military Strategy.
Author also underlined Changing nature of War inculcated by precision guided munitions, Air Strikes and Air Power , Drones and Artificial intelligence which demands command to be agile and clarity about objective and role of War.
#Highly Recommended!
#Thanks
September 24, 2024
*** 1/2.
Not every chapter has equally interesting events or insightful conclusions to offer. Looking at you, East Pakistan & Kosovo.
This remains of course a personal choice, with the post-Mobutu Congo begging attention because I'm Belgian, damn it.
The retrospective of the (second) Gulf War vs the shambles of the 2003 invasion, which sits next to a hyper recent & dusturbing chapter on Afghanistan, complete with a short sketch of air power from bomber to drone... and a surprising backflip to Algeria, as in "lean mean sob's to emulate, but alienating brutal tactics to avoid".
Distance in time, as usual in history, helps clear up the emotional mist. The ruthless bluff of the Cuban missile crisis & the absurdities of miniature imperialism around the Falklands come into focus.
Ukraine... well, it's there. Mostly to be compared to the "leisurely" Russian ventures in Chechnya & Syria, because Freedman published his book in 2022 with more than a hint of regret that yet another war is on.
P.S. Lartéguy's novel The Centurions goes onto the TBR.
Not every chapter has equally interesting events or insightful conclusions to offer. Looking at you, East Pakistan & Kosovo.
This remains of course a personal choice, with the post-Mobutu Congo begging attention because I'm Belgian, damn it.
The retrospective of the (second) Gulf War vs the shambles of the 2003 invasion, which sits next to a hyper recent & dusturbing chapter on Afghanistan, complete with a short sketch of air power from bomber to drone... and a surprising backflip to Algeria, as in "lean mean sob's to emulate, but alienating brutal tactics to avoid".
Distance in time, as usual in history, helps clear up the emotional mist. The ruthless bluff of the Cuban missile crisis & the absurdities of miniature imperialism around the Falklands come into focus.
Ukraine... well, it's there. Mostly to be compared to the "leisurely" Russian ventures in Chechnya & Syria, because Freedman published his book in 2022 with more than a hint of regret that yet another war is on.
P.S. Lartéguy's novel The Centurions goes onto the TBR.
March 19, 2024
“Command” is a masterful lesson in the histories and complexities of some of the most impactful military operations in modern times. I am not acquainted with Lawrence Freedman’s other works, but the way he weaves together his case studies and delivers powerful messages on what it means to command is both approachable and instructing.
To those unfamiliar with each historical case study his style makes it easy to pick up the central tenets and come away with a core message. Even in cases where the reader is familiar, as I was in regard to the 1991 Gulf War, there are plenty of new insights to be had.
The cumulative effect of the historical progression from 1950’s Korea to the modern battlefields of Ukraine is a collection of lessons for the future of command that is excellently portrayed at the book’s end. For those with even a passing interest in the relationship between politics and military affairs this book is an excellent choice that will undoubtedly teach a reader new ideas regardless of how knowledgeable they believe they are to start with.
To those unfamiliar with each historical case study his style makes it easy to pick up the central tenets and come away with a core message. Even in cases where the reader is familiar, as I was in regard to the 1991 Gulf War, there are plenty of new insights to be had.
The cumulative effect of the historical progression from 1950’s Korea to the modern battlefields of Ukraine is a collection of lessons for the future of command that is excellently portrayed at the book’s end. For those with even a passing interest in the relationship between politics and military affairs this book is an excellent choice that will undoubtedly teach a reader new ideas regardless of how knowledgeable they believe they are to start with.
January 14, 2025
Military operations often interact with politics. I suppose this is surprising for someone, perhaps entirely unaware of any military or political history since antiquity. If there was a deeper message here then I missed it.
The book is mostly comprised of vignettes from recent military history. Generals overstepping the mark, politicians failing to understand the ground operation, inflexible institutions unable to learn from their mistakes. There is no analysis of these cases during the telling, only a relentless narrative push forwards. There are many better sources for such history.
It is a shame, as I have generally had a good impression of Professor Freedman's writing. I enjoyed his earlier work The Future of War: A History a great deal more, and felt more of a sense that I was in the presence of someone truly erudite and farsighted in military matters. I hope he focuses more on such work in future.
The book is mostly comprised of vignettes from recent military history. Generals overstepping the mark, politicians failing to understand the ground operation, inflexible institutions unable to learn from their mistakes. There is no analysis of these cases during the telling, only a relentless narrative push forwards. There are many better sources for such history.
It is a shame, as I have generally had a good impression of Professor Freedman's writing. I enjoyed his earlier work The Future of War: A History a great deal more, and felt more of a sense that I was in the presence of someone truly erudite and farsighted in military matters. I hope he focuses more on such work in future.
April 10, 2023
In dit boek staan de militaire structuren met betrekking tot leidinggeven uitgeschreven in vijftien oorlogssituaties en conflicten vanaf het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog tot de Russische invasie van Oekraïne in 2022. Het is interessant om te zien dat er verschillende opvattingen zijn over de rol van defensie in bijvoorbeeld een democratie en de politieke en militaire rol die een dictator kan hebben zoals Saddam Hoessein. Voor de militaire amateurstrategen een zeer toereikend boek met nieuwe informatie en overzichtelijk beschreven besluitvorming rond conflicten. Het vereist wel de nodige aandacht en concentratie om de verschillen en overeenkomsten op te slaan en bewust onderscheid te maken tussen bijvoorbeeld de Falklandoorlog en de nucleaire dreiging omtrent Korea en Cuba.
May 8, 2023
A discussion of the tensions between political and military leaders from Korea to Ukraine. I found the subject matter interesting, but rather heavy going in places owing to the amount of detail. The different objectives of different powers are well illustrated by the war in Syria where attacks on hospitals and medical facilities have been deliberately attacked by the Russian air force supporting President Assad in a deliberate attempt to get civilians to abandon rebel held areas. In one case this was after medical staff had shared the map co-ordinates of medical facilities to the UN in the hope that they would be protected from attack. These co-ordinates were then shared with the Russians, and all were subsequently attacked. Now we see the same policy in Ukraine.
March 8, 2023
B: The Australian Naval Institute published a review of Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine was published on 24 February, just as I had finished the chapter on Saddam Hussein in the First Gulf War. Tim Coyle’s assessment that “Command must be an essential read for leaders at all levels.” I completely agree.
The book needs a bibliography, trying to find a reference in the notes leads the reader on a search through numerous notes when you just have a last name and an op.cit. to guide you.
I have a new reading list that includes Larteguy’s The Centurions and The Praetorians.
The book needs a bibliography, trying to find a reference in the notes leads the reader on a search through numerous notes when you just have a last name and an op.cit. to guide you.
I have a new reading list that includes Larteguy’s The Centurions and The Praetorians.
February 4, 2024
Quite academic in nature, studying the military command along with political. Need to have some previous understanding of chains of command along with the several layers of military divisions. I hadn't realised that there were so many different military layers in the US and then to complicate it even further, political issues.
I think this book has evoked my desire to understand more about the military and how it functions. It really is a complex instution, more than I had thought.
I do recommend this book as it has plenty of contemporaneous insights on the recent wars such as Afghan, Ukraine, and Syria.
I think this book has evoked my desire to understand more about the military and how it functions. It really is a complex instution, more than I had thought.
I do recommend this book as it has plenty of contemporaneous insights on the recent wars such as Afghan, Ukraine, and Syria.
February 9, 2024
This a beautifully written, beautifully read analysis of the way in which military command has been exercised in various campaigns and conflicts from the Korean War to the present. With a good use of sources and a clear narrative basis, Professor Freedman has skilfully analysed and drawn conclusions from these experiences. The reader/listener gets a ready grasp of the main facts and then follows the arguments that are presented about the lessons from them. These are drawn together in am excellent concluding discussion. The book is pitched for a general reader as well as the military or political student and is strongly recommended.
February 5, 2023
Outstanding. Leads a discussion about command and the inherent civil - military relationship that results through several case studies of conflict across the global. So interesting and worthy of inclusion on several types of senior leader reading lists. In fact I would recommend this book for inclusion on the US war colleges curriculum. There is some controversy in the final chapters about the characterization of how the United States executed drone warfare, but that lends itself to further discussion. Brilliant.
October 18, 2022
Great Education/Reeducation
Well written! I certainly lived thru all of the episodes but don’t really remeber Korea. However, a lot was a reliving of much that I remember with a reminder of much. Well done!
Well written! I certainly lived thru all of the episodes but don’t really remeber Korea. However, a lot was a reliving of much that I remember with a reminder of much. Well done!
March 18, 2023
Apart from the one sided review if the ruso Ukrainian conflict, this is a fine book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2023
There's a lot of interesting history in this book, the political-vs-military point of view that is mostly missing in other books. Some of the ideas/lessons are applicable to organizations in general.
April 10, 2023
Very fascinating book especially for those of us born after some of these conflicts took place
might-read
April 10, 2023Foreign Affairs : "must-read"
October 30, 2023
3,5 stars
April 17, 2024
An excellent book. The author provides us with several examples of leadership, or lack of it, since World War II. Should be recommended reading to decision makers.
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