Although often counted among the Union's top five generals; George Henry Thomas has still not received his due. A Virginian who sided with the North in the Civil War; he was a more complicated commander than traditional views have allowed. Brian Wills now provides a new and more complete look at the life of a man known to history as "The Rock of Chickamauga;" to his troops as "Old Pap;" and to General William T. Sherman as a soldier who was "as true as steel."While biographers have long been hampered by Thomas's lack of personal papers; Wills has drawn on previously untapped sources-notably the correspondence of Thomas's contemporaries-to offer new insights into what made him tick. Focusing on Thomas's personality and motivations; Wills contributes revealing discussions of his style and approach to command and successfully captures his troubled interactions with other Union commanders; providing a particularly more evenhanded evaluation of his relationship with Grant. He also gives a more substantial account of battlefield action than can be found in other biographies; capturing the ebb and flow of key encounters—Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge; Chattanooga and Atlanta; Stones River and Mill Springs; Peachtree Creek and Nashville—to help readers better understand Thomas's contributions to their outcomes.Throughout Wills presents a well-rounded individual whose complex views embraced the worlds of professional military service and scientific inquisitiveness; a man known for attention to detail and compassion to subordinates. We also meet a sharp-tempered person whose disdain for politics hurt his prospects for advancement as much as it reflected positively on his character; and Wills offers new insight into why Thomas might not have progressed as quickly up the ladder of command as he might have liked.More deeply researched than other biographies; Wills's work situates Thomas squarely in his own time to provide readers with a more thorough and balanced life story of this enigmatic Union general. It is a definitive military history that gives us a new and needed picture of the Rock of Chickamauga—a man whose devotion to duty and ideals made him as true as steel.
#189604 in Books 2005-10-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.34 x 6.70 x 9.14l; 1.57 #File Name: 0700613935366 pages
Review
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful. Superlative Tale of the "War Before the War"By Writing HistorianYour opinion on how the Korean war began and how the U.S. became involved will be forever changed after reading this comprehensive and scholarly account focusing on the creation of the two Koreas during the period 1945 - 1950. For example; the first American soldier to die in combat in Korea was killed in 1948 by South Korean guerillas opposed to Syngman Rhee taking power - not by North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) soldiers in June 1950. On the other side of the coin; you will also be amazed to discover that the South Korean Army captured Soviet advisors to the North Korean Border troops during the large scale "border skirmishes" that took place in late 1949 and early 1950. For the first time the complete story of the U.S. Korean Military Assistance Group (KMAG) is found here; as well as an in-depth discourse on the creation of the Republic of Korea Army as South Korean security forces transitioned successively from a police force to a constabulary to an army as the political and military situation evolved. The narrative dealing with the trials and tribulations of the American Military Government in Korea is as instructive as it is compelling. Many thanks to Dr. Allan Millett for shedding much needed light on a period of Korean history that has previously been sorely neglected.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerA very good treatment of one of the forgotten wars of the 20th century; the Communist insurgency in Korea.1 of 9 people found the following review helpful. One StarBy legrande[ His interpretations; however; are new; consistently minimizing; excusing; or ignoring American mistakes and misbehavior... Despite exhaustive research; Millett's heavy reliance on U.S. and South Korean military records and recollections skews his perspective. His narrative also often depends on the personal accounts of Robert T. Oliver and Louise Yim; rather than recent secondary works. Along with Korean Christians and missionaries; U.S. military advisors who supervised the creation of brutally partisan security units are heroes; while American diplomat Gregory Henderson and journalist Mark Gayn who criticized South Korean human rights violations are villains. Unsavory South Korean military figures like Kim Sok-won receive very gentle treatment. Ironically; Millett searches like Diogenes for an honest—and selfless—Korean politician; but nearly all are targets of sarcastic disparagement. ][...][ Allan R. Millett is a historian and a retired colonel in U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. ][...]
