Great Military Leaders

A profusely illustrated overview of the careers and campaigns of the world's greatest commanders This authoritative and magnificentlyl illustrated book examines the entire history of the war through the eyes of the leading protagonists, from Cyrus the Great in the sixth century BC to Vo Nguyen Giap in the twentieth century. Truly worldwide in scope, the book ranges from China to India to Africa, and from Europe to the Americas, focusing in detail on more than one hundred major military leaders, their associates, and their opponents. All the great commanders are here: Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Saladin, Chingiz Khan, Napolean, Wellington, Nelson, Ulysses S. Grant, Erich von Manstein, and Georgy Zhukov. So too are less familiar figures, such as Jan Žižka and János Hunyadi, bold Czech and Hungarian leaders of the Middle Ages; Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the "Napolean of Japan"; and Nader Shah, the Persian conqueror of the eighteenth century. The large format allows for a full display of the illustrations, from portraits and battlefield scenes to weapons and uniforms, plus spectacular battle reconstructions. There are specially comissioned campaign maps for each major leader, plus a reference section that includes concise biographies of 250 commanders. Jeremy Black is professor of History at the University of Exeter and the author or editor of many books, including The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare and The Seventy Great Battles in History.

The two hundred personalities described in this book have a fair claim to being the most significant in the last thousand years of military history. They include warrior kings and sultans, field marshals and ministers, tribal chiefs and junior officers.Along with the great captains of war, whose exploits achieved conquests unrivaled in recorded history, this volume provides accounts of the careers of lesser-known, even obscure, figures whose actions represent with particular clarity the military events and climates of their times. Even the negative effects of infamous and incompetent generals are detailed.With insights into their early training and development, the stories unfold of such superb commanders as: -- Frederick Barbarossa, Richard Lionheart, Genghiz Khan -- Joan of Arc, Selim I, Gustavus Adolphus -- Frederick the Great, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte -- Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Geronimo -- Dwight Eisenhower, Erwin Rommel, George PattonWhenever possible, the authors enliven the factual accounts of careers and campaigns with glimpses into the characters and personalities of these men, who excelled in a calling which has always been colored by the personal touch.

Throughout history we have had leaders and followers. Naturally one cannot work without the other, but most if not all of the time, history remembers the leaders, the revolutionaries, erstwhile the followers are mere footnotes. Military commanders lead thousands of their men in the vicious battle. Their flourishes speech prior to the battle, inspired thousands of their men in the battlefield, which is still invoked by various historians. In this book we would be exploring the lives of 50 most brilliant Military Leaders of all times. Their cunning, their audaciousness and sheer brilliance will come to the forefront. They come but once in a lifetime, and in that lifetime they, albeit through the unpleasant act of war rise above the rest and rightly or wrongly leave their mark on human civilization.

Commanders focuses on the greatest leaders in naval, field, and aerial warfare. From Alexander the Great's conquest of the known world to the generals leading today's campaigns in Afghanistan, the book casts new light on the leaders who have forged history on the battlefield. Famous historical commanders, such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Horatio Nelson, are considered in depth, along with their subordinates and enemies. Commanders from outside the Western tradition are also examined, including the great Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Native American, and African leaders. Chapter introductions contextualize the entries by explaining who fought whom and why, and individual stories bring the history to life. Catalog information gives an at-a-glance overview of each commander's life, and each section provides a timeline, key data, and a psychological profile outlining the commander's strengths and weaknesses. Images will include paintings of battles, battlefield maps, as well as the commanders' weapons, vehicles, and personal effects.

Great Military Leaders - A Bibliography with Vignettes

Spanning countries and centuries, a “how-not-to” guide to leadership that reveals the most maladroit military commanders in history—now in paperback. For this book, fifteen distinguished historians were given a deceptively simple task: identify their choice for the worst military leader in history and then explain why theirs is the worst. From the clueless Conrad von Hötzendorf and George A. Custer to the criminal Baron Roman F. von Ungern-Sternberg and the bungling Garnet Wolseley, this book presents a rogues’ gallery of military incompetents. Rather than merely rehashing biographical details, the contributors take an original and unconventional look at military leadership in a way that appeals to both specialists and general readers alike. While there are plenty of books that analyze the keys to success, The Worst Military Leaders in History offers lessons of failure to avoid. In other words, this book is a “how-not-to” guide to leadership.

From ancient Greece to Desert Storm, Military Commanders presents a chronological history of great battles and the men who won them. Beginning with Leonidas of Sparta, who died at Thermopylae and ending with Colin Powell, this book includes such world famous leaders as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Grant and Lee, Patton and Rommel. In addition, it includes the military theorist Sun Tzu, who wrote "The Art of War," as well as lesser known but important figures, such as Red Cloud, Shaka Zulu, and General Giap. Military Commanders, containing pertinent quotations, anecdotes, and detailed facts is a highly-readable combination of history and biography.