John McGrath's Crossing the Line of Departure is a wide-ranging
historical overview of that most difficult aspect of military
leadership, the art of battle command. McGrath leads the reader
through case studies beginning with Alexander the Great leading up
to the recent war in Iraq. Among others, he analyzes Napoleon's
technique, French and British practices in World War I, the German
experience with "Blitzkreig" in World War II, and the Soviet
approach to battle command. McGrath also extends his historical
analysis to the present day by presenting a description of battle
command theory in the "Modular Army" and the Information Age.
Through it all, he finds that the key to successful command in
battle, particularly in mobile operations, is found in the
successful interplay between technology and personal technique.
Unlike some pundits today, McGrath does not conclude that
information age technology is likely to shift the balance between
these poles in favor of technology dependence. The commander's
personal sense of where to be on the battlefield, where to locate
and how to use his headquarters staffs, and how to communicate with
his subordinates have been-and remain today-crucial elements of
successful battle command. A 21st century commander has use of
technology beyond the comprehension of an Alexander, a Napoleon, or
a Guderian; but he will continue to grapple with the same issues of
personal presence and technique that they mastered so well.
Crossing the Line of Departure brings to the fore insights, trends,
and leadership qualities needed for successful battle command.
While possessing knowledge of these traits does not guarantee
success on the battlefield, their absence will almost assuredly
bring defeat. We at the Combat Studies Institute believe that
McGrath's monograph, by casting light on the art and science of
battle command through the ages, will be a useful tool for
commanders and staffs as they prepare for future operations.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
