Overview

The 20th century saw two major world wars and many major and minor conflicts. Who made themselves known through their involvement in those wars and conflicts? Who do we remember? Who were the heroes of the army, navy, and airforce? Who should have been the heroes? What makes someone dedicate their life to the defence of a nation, whether it be on land, at sea, or in the air? What part did these people play in shaping the path of modern British military history? Britain as a nation has always been very proud of its military capabilities and personnel. Presented here is a collection of around 100 mini-biographies, taken from the ""Dictionary of National Biography"", of some of the people who made the defence of their country their life.

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9780198605324

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Reviews

Was the 20th century more strife-torn than any era which preceded it? The two world wars and countless other conflicts resulted in bloodshed undreamt of in other centuries, but they also threw up some remarkable and heroic figures whose names are firmly embedded in history. This compilation of short biographies taken from the Dictionary of National Biography includes some astute matches between subjects and the often equally famous writers who discuss them. The men and women who fought for democracy in the great wars are here brilliantly etched in prose portraits that never stray into hagiography. Ronald Lewin's study of Sir Basil Liddel Hart is as penetrating as it is dispassionate, reminding us of Hart's excoriation of bad generalship and the concept of 'massive retaliation', and Ronald Storrs manages in just five or so pages to uncover the enigma that was Lawrence of Arabia; despite the reticence of the day ('he preferred the society of men to women'), Storrs is highly insightful on how Lawrence mythologized himself in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The contributors to do not fight shy of controversy when it occurs: E T Williams's study of Montgomery is a fine example of this approach, criticizing Monty's inflexible anti-Americanism and brusque treatment of those under his command, but still celebrating him as the finest British commander since Wellington. Whether used for browsing or as a historical aid, this is one of the most compelling additions to a remarkable series. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Hew Strachan is currently Chichele Professor of the History of War and Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Prior to that he was Professor of Modern History and Director of the Scottish Centre for War Studies at the University of Glasgow. He is joint editor of War in History and he is the author and editor of many books (see Books by the same author, below). He was also Consultant Editor for The Oxford Companion to Military History (2001).

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