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Great Captains Unveiled
Great Captains Unveiled incisively examines the brilliant military careers and intriguing personalities of six masters of the battlefield: Jenghiz Khan (1167?–1227) and Sabutai (1172?–1245), who led their Mongol cavalry into the heart of medieval Europe and shook the fabric of its civilization; the French Marechal de Saxe (1696-1750), one of the greatest generals of his age, a military prophet of rare foresight, and author of Reveries, a classic on the art of war; Gustavus Adolphus (1594–1632), the Swedish king during the Thirty Years War and the founder of the modern army, who emphasized officer education, national recruitment, and the combination of firepower and mobility; Wallenstein (1583–1634), champion of the Holy Roman Empire and Adolphus's formidable opponent, who proved to be a genius of maneuver and psychological warfare; and James Wolfe (1727–1759), whose flawless execution of one of the most daring amphibious operations in history virtually gave Canada to the British. Liddell Hart's penetrating, decisive studies of these great captains reveal not only their genius and impact, but offer relevant lessons that 20th-century military commanders have yet to fully reap.
292 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1928
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About the author
B.H. Liddell Hart
223 books297 followersBritish military authority Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart early advocated tank and air warfare.
Usually known as captain before his knighthood, this English soldier and historian led theorists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._H._L...
Usually known as captain before his knighthood, this English soldier and historian led theorists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._H._L...
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 8, 2021
This was my first foray into a full text by the long past yet still controversial Liddel Hart. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the insights Hart had, even if some of his takes were understandably historically outdated due to the age of the books publication.
The first point that must be made is that the captains chosen by Hart are selected less for their overall ability then the value they lend to the thesis Hart is peddling in this book. Written in the shadow of the Great War, this book serves to demonstrates the argument Hart and others were pushing at the time that in contrast to the sluggish WW1, modern warfare would be defined by a combination of mobility and firepower. In a sense Hart would be vindicated by many German and later allied commanders who utilised motorised infantry and panzer units to call back to the earlier eras of mobile warfare Hart anslyses in this book. Hart's decision to defend many of those German generals at Nuremberg is a complex one that I will avoid discussion of for risk of derailing this review.
While he may have been right, the remarkability of Harts predicition is questionable given the similarities between late WW1 tactics and the supposed blitzkrieg. I for one fall in the camp that what was called "blitzkrieg" was essentially up scaled WW1 tactics combined with a natural return to mobile warfare as the production of motorized vehicles that was so lacking in WW1 became easier and more common. If one accepts that this was indeed the natural and quite obvious trajectory of warfare, then while his prediction was accurate and intelligent, it was by no means revolutionary as war was almost certainly headed in the direction of mobility.
As for the contents of Harts writing, I have high praise. His prose is engaging and very easy to understand for a piece from so long ago. Particular his summary of Gustavus Adolphus was of exemplary quality providing measured criticism with a fair historical judgement that illuminated both the man's strengths and weakness as a civilian and military leader. He captures the human tragedy and motivations of the man while still providing a cold and objective military analysis.
I was further impressed by the work done on Ghengis and Subatai who remain extremely underrated in the west to this day. The level of insight and historical understanding of the military competence of the Mongol army was shocking given the publication date of this book. Most analyses I have read of the Mongols authored in the early 1900's lack an understanding of the sophistication of the Mongol war machine, Hart mostly avoids this trap. It must be said though that Harts historical understanding of the Mongols is outdated by modern standards however I believe his analysis is genuine enough based on the information he had so that it rises above this issue.
The other pieces focused on individual's who I severely lack previous knowledge of. However, the quality of writing and analysis provided a clear enough picture to where I both want to learn more about each, while still understanding how they fit within Harts thesis.
This is a good read specifically if one has an interest on early modern warfare in the 17th century as well as wars of movement. While there are only two captains whose selection I personally agree with, Hart justifications for the others was entertaining, educational and insightful when each man was viewed in relation to Hart's thesis.
The first point that must be made is that the captains chosen by Hart are selected less for their overall ability then the value they lend to the thesis Hart is peddling in this book. Written in the shadow of the Great War, this book serves to demonstrates the argument Hart and others were pushing at the time that in contrast to the sluggish WW1, modern warfare would be defined by a combination of mobility and firepower. In a sense Hart would be vindicated by many German and later allied commanders who utilised motorised infantry and panzer units to call back to the earlier eras of mobile warfare Hart anslyses in this book. Hart's decision to defend many of those German generals at Nuremberg is a complex one that I will avoid discussion of for risk of derailing this review.
While he may have been right, the remarkability of Harts predicition is questionable given the similarities between late WW1 tactics and the supposed blitzkrieg. I for one fall in the camp that what was called "blitzkrieg" was essentially up scaled WW1 tactics combined with a natural return to mobile warfare as the production of motorized vehicles that was so lacking in WW1 became easier and more common. If one accepts that this was indeed the natural and quite obvious trajectory of warfare, then while his prediction was accurate and intelligent, it was by no means revolutionary as war was almost certainly headed in the direction of mobility.
As for the contents of Harts writing, I have high praise. His prose is engaging and very easy to understand for a piece from so long ago. Particular his summary of Gustavus Adolphus was of exemplary quality providing measured criticism with a fair historical judgement that illuminated both the man's strengths and weakness as a civilian and military leader. He captures the human tragedy and motivations of the man while still providing a cold and objective military analysis.
I was further impressed by the work done on Ghengis and Subatai who remain extremely underrated in the west to this day. The level of insight and historical understanding of the military competence of the Mongol army was shocking given the publication date of this book. Most analyses I have read of the Mongols authored in the early 1900's lack an understanding of the sophistication of the Mongol war machine, Hart mostly avoids this trap. It must be said though that Harts historical understanding of the Mongols is outdated by modern standards however I believe his analysis is genuine enough based on the information he had so that it rises above this issue.
The other pieces focused on individual's who I severely lack previous knowledge of. However, the quality of writing and analysis provided a clear enough picture to where I both want to learn more about each, while still understanding how they fit within Harts thesis.
This is a good read specifically if one has an interest on early modern warfare in the 17th century as well as wars of movement. While there are only two captains whose selection I personally agree with, Hart justifications for the others was entertaining, educational and insightful when each man was viewed in relation to Hart's thesis.
April 14, 2019
Not exactly a history book, it tends to use some snippets of other scholarly works to help the author substantiate his military theorems and support his assertions made prior to WWII. It is, overall, a good read.
January 15, 2020
Short, but great book about several military leaders in history who are not so famous, but they were excellent. A remarkable book on military strategy and tactics, which was prophetic in some ways because of its year of publication (before World War Two).
August 12, 2018
Great read on strategy. Liddell Hart in my opinion the greatest writer to ever pick up this subject.
December 13, 2018
Easy read, but very informative. Good profile of military leaders by Hart.
February 3, 2020
Somber, dry, and poorly written. I can not believe this to be the work of Liddel Hart, such a great writer he is.
March 27, 2025
some deep cuts in here! Hart could really write.
February 9, 2017
The entire book is a portrait of pre-Napoleonic figures who are used by Hart to illustrate the principle of mobility. Written in 1927 and coming out of the Great War, a war with no mobility whatsoever, the book seems stuck in its time. However, the profile on James Wolf is both fascinating and enlightening. Need to read more on the Battle on Quebec.
January 25, 2015
Wonderful read. Liddell Hart's feeling and regard for these men comes through in his writing and it is hard not to get swept up in his view of their lives and actions. After reading this book, I developed a strong interest in learning more about Subotai and Wallenstein's histories in particular. I read this book for school, but this is an easy read for anyone interested in military leadership and history.
September 1, 2009
Short mini-biographies of history's Great Captains, from Genghis Khan to General Wolfe. Easy to read in bite-sized chunks over the course of a few evenings.
December 1, 2014
It's more than just about the great captains. A great swath of history passes in review from cover to cover.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews