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The chief: Field Marshal Lord Wavell, Commander-in-Chief and Viceroy, 1939-1947
Key Features Author(s) Ronald Lewin Language(s) English Format Hardback Genre Military History
Hardcover
First published September 1, 1980
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About the author
Ronald Lewin
17 books7 followersRonald Lewin was a British military historian, radio producer and publishing editor who has wrote several books on World War II and several of the WWII commanders like Lieut-General Vyvyan Pope, Montgomery and Rommel.
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December 6, 2018
Ronald Lewin is a gifted writer and a very able, articulate, and astute military historian. His biography, The Chief, about Field Marshall Lord Wavell, as the Commander in Chief in the Middle East starting in 1939, and finishing as the Viceroy in India in 1947, covers a critically important time in world history. This book is a thought-provoking and carefully analytical study of an unusual leader and military commander. Lewin looks at Wavell's strategy and strategic military decisions during a very difficult time for Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries. Unusually, Wavell never wrote his own memoirs, as did so many other leading military commanders of the Second World War. He had a great gift in his ability to build confidence and trust within his senior leadership and also the troops in the field. He had the gift of trusting his chosen leaders and giving them the freedom and reign to run their operations at the point of contact with the enemy, and not be second-guessed by him.
The chapter that covers the incredible success of the British forces in the desert in 1941 against the Italians, is a masterful study in calculated risk-taking and the ability to improvise as unintended consequences occurred. Lewin's examination of General O'Connor as the leader of this campaign under Wavell's overall command, is a masterful study in both successful military art and exploiting that which arises through the confusion and cloud of combat. Wavell and O'Connor, more or less completely destroyed the Italian army in North Africa, that led to Hitler's reinforcing his Italian ally by sending Irwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps.
The chapter on the reinforcement of the Greek army, prior to the German invasion of that country, is a revealing look inside the complexities of balancing alliances and global politics with the hard reality of military success. I found the examination of the Greek campaign, for which Wavell was ultimately criticized for supporting the British Cabinet's desire to aid the Greeks, because of the loss suffered by Commonwealth forces that had to be rescued from Greece and Crete, but one realizes that he was just a convenient whipping boy at the time so the politicians could lay the blame away from themselves.
Removed from his command, and replaced by General Sir Claude Auchinlech, Wavell is transferred to India and posted there as Commander of British Forces in the Southeast Asian theater, with the challenging mission of stopping the Japanese invasion and expansion across the area. Once again, Wavell demonstrates his strong and solid understanding of military strategy and what it takes to be successful, and win a campaign. His absolute commitment and belief in training troops to perform their duties successfully, and also being in excellent physical condition, became a key factor to the ultimate success in stopping the Japanese invasion of India and ultimately in driving them back out of Burma and to surrendering in Rangoon in 1945.
A number of key world figures come into Ronald Lewin's excellent historical biography, including Churchill, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, Generals Dill and Chiang Kia Shek, and Sir Alan Brooke.
The Chief, is a very interesting book to read, particularly if you want to have a very logical and thoughtful examination of critical campaigns during the Second World War, combined with excellent snapshots of key leaders. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership, and what it takes to be a successful and effective leader.
The chapter that covers the incredible success of the British forces in the desert in 1941 against the Italians, is a masterful study in calculated risk-taking and the ability to improvise as unintended consequences occurred. Lewin's examination of General O'Connor as the leader of this campaign under Wavell's overall command, is a masterful study in both successful military art and exploiting that which arises through the confusion and cloud of combat. Wavell and O'Connor, more or less completely destroyed the Italian army in North Africa, that led to Hitler's reinforcing his Italian ally by sending Irwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps.
The chapter on the reinforcement of the Greek army, prior to the German invasion of that country, is a revealing look inside the complexities of balancing alliances and global politics with the hard reality of military success. I found the examination of the Greek campaign, for which Wavell was ultimately criticized for supporting the British Cabinet's desire to aid the Greeks, because of the loss suffered by Commonwealth forces that had to be rescued from Greece and Crete, but one realizes that he was just a convenient whipping boy at the time so the politicians could lay the blame away from themselves.
Removed from his command, and replaced by General Sir Claude Auchinlech, Wavell is transferred to India and posted there as Commander of British Forces in the Southeast Asian theater, with the challenging mission of stopping the Japanese invasion and expansion across the area. Once again, Wavell demonstrates his strong and solid understanding of military strategy and what it takes to be successful, and win a campaign. His absolute commitment and belief in training troops to perform their duties successfully, and also being in excellent physical condition, became a key factor to the ultimate success in stopping the Japanese invasion of India and ultimately in driving them back out of Burma and to surrendering in Rangoon in 1945.
A number of key world figures come into Ronald Lewin's excellent historical biography, including Churchill, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, Generals Dill and Chiang Kia Shek, and Sir Alan Brooke.
The Chief, is a very interesting book to read, particularly if you want to have a very logical and thoughtful examination of critical campaigns during the Second World War, combined with excellent snapshots of key leaders. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership, and what it takes to be a successful and effective leader.
Displaying 1 of 1 review