Victor David Hanson; author of the highly regarded classic The Western Way of War; presents an audacious and controversial theory of what contributes to the success of military campaigns.Examining in riveting detail the campaigns of three brilliant generals who led largely untrained forces to victory over tyrannical enemies; Hanson shows how the moral confidence with which these generals imbued their troops may have been as significant as any military strategy they utilized. Theban general Epaminondas marched an army of farmers two hundred miles to defeat their Spartan overlords and forever change the complexion of Ancient Greece. William Tecumseh Sherman led his motley army across the South; ravaging the landscape and demoralizing the citizens in the defense of right. And George S. Patton commanded the recently formed Third Army against the German forces in the West; nearly completing the task before his superiors called a halt. Intelligent and dramatic; The Soul of Battle is narrative history at it’s best and a work of great moral conviction.
#379014 in Books Michael Olesker 1999-09-14 1999-09-14Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.98 x .56 x 5.17l; .45 #File Name: 0385497059288 pagesLeap into Darkness Seven Years on the Run in Wartime Europe
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Another Harrowing story from The Holocaust~A must read.By kindred spiritI have a never ending hunger to learn all I can of the Holocaust to know the truth and pass it on. There are so very many books out there on the subject and some each day as the number of survivors is getting smaller everyday. Not being Jewish myself I still feel lead to do this.I was so taken in by this account. I could fell all of the emotions just like I was there; not like I was looking in from the outside. Leo Bretholz is sent away by his mother in an effort to save his life. Leo goes from one camp to another but always manages to escape. Not once or twice but SEVEN times. It is nothing short of a miracle.The hardest feeling to read about was his guilt in leaving his sisters and mother behind. How do you deal with surviving when you don't know the fate of your loved ones. When the letters stop arriving what then? I think that is what drove him was the hope that in the end they would all be together again. I'll not ruin it and tell you how that turns out.I highly recommend this if you like reading encouraging stories that are true accounts of the holocaust. It is a real page turner and I could not put it down. Thank you Mr Bretholz for sharing this history with us lest we not forget. I thank G-d you survived.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The book has wonderful photos that connect the reader to the people and ...By Daniel S.I have read widely on the Holocaust; and this book is simply riveting; written in a suspenseful and engaging style of English with a high level of vocabulary. I am so thankful to Mr. Bretholz for writing this revealing book which chronicles the hardships of his flight for his life; the palpitating fear; the deaths he witnessed; the innocents he saw die; and the detailed dreadful cruelty of those who were determined to wipe out any and all simply for being "Jewish". It is a sobering insight into discrimination and a lesson not lost that when a nation; a people; a government decide to discriminate against one group of people; for whatever reason; and the horrific consequences that follow; especially when the discrimination is written into law; and it becomes "ok" to discriminate and kill. The book has wonderful photos that connect the reader to the people and places that Leo knew and fled to. The story is detailed as to dates and places and names and events. It is really a historical saga not to be missed.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A young man's ordealBy OzzieThe author died recently and when I read his obituary; I was compelled to read his memoir. Amazingly; he escaped several times; including once off a train headed to Aushwitz. He was a young man of only17 when he escaped Vienna after the Nazi Anchluss. He went to different countries and was captured and escape a number of times. The cruelty of the Nazis (and of conquered people including to his horror; his Viennese neighbors) combined with his ability to survive his escapes is a wrenching story. The author was part of a class action suit against the French railway company which allowed Nazi transports; such as he was on; to take Jews from France to death camps.
