Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in WartimeFree Press, 2002 - 288 pages Using the example of great modern leaders - Lincoln, Clemenceau, Churchill and Ben Gurion - all of whom were without military experience, Supreme Command argues that, in fact, civilian statesman can be brilliant commanders in times of war. Supreme Command is about leadership in wartime, or more precisely about the tension between two kinds of leadership, civil and military. Eliot Cohen uncovers the nature of strategy-making by looking at four great democratic war statesman and seeing how they dealt with the military leaders who served them. In doing so he reveals fundamental aspects of leadership and provides not merely an historical analysis but a study of issues that remain crucial today. By examining the cases of four of the greatest war statesmen of the twentieth century he explores the problem of how people confront the greatest challenges that can befall them, in this case national leaders. Beginning with a discussion of civil-military relations from a theoretical point of view, Cohen lays out the conventional beliefs about how politicians should deal with generals and the extent to which either can influence the outcome of war. From these he draws broader lessons for student |
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Page 55
... mili- tary strength . German troops occupied approximately 10 percent of France's national territory , including its most important coal and iron fields . Twice German forces seemed within reach of the capital , Paris — the undisputed ...
... mili- tary strength . German troops occupied approximately 10 percent of France's national territory , including its most important coal and iron fields . Twice German forces seemed within reach of the capital , Paris — the undisputed ...
Page 118
... mili- tary detail , querying not only actions but their larger significance . A good example of this is Churchill's scrutiny of an exercise , called VICTOR , which had occurred from 22 to 25 January 1941 , under the auspices of the then ...
... mili- tary detail , querying not only actions but their larger significance . A good example of this is Churchill's scrutiny of an exercise , called VICTOR , which had occurred from 22 to 25 January 1941 , under the auspices of the then ...
Page 206
... mili- tary briefs as thoroughly as they do their civilian ones ; that they must demand and expect from their military subordinates a candor as bruising as it is necessary ; that both groups must expect a running conversation in which ...
... mili- tary briefs as thoroughly as they do their civilian ones ; that they must demand and expect from their military subordinates a candor as bruising as it is necessary ; that both groups must expect a running conversation in which ...
Contents
THE SOLDIER AND THE STATESMAN | 1 |
LINCOLN SENDS A LETTER | 15 |
CLEMENCEAU PAYS A VISIT 32 | 52 |
Copyright | |
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Allied American Arab arms Army attack battle Ben-Gurion Britain British campaign Carl von Clausewitz Chiefs of Staff Churchill Churchill's Civil civil-military relations civilian control civilian leaders Clausewitz Clemenceau coalition commander in chief conduct conflict Dana David Ben-Gurion decision defense enemy example Ferdinand Foch fight Foch Foch's France France's French front George H. W. Bush German Grant Gulf Gulf war Haganah Halleck high command historians Huntington Ibid Iraqi Ismay Israel Israel Defense Forces Israeli Jerusalem Jewish Jews John Keegan Joint Chiefs less Lincoln matters ment mili military advisers military leaders Mordacq offensive officers operations organization Palestine Palmach peace Pétain politicians president prime minister problem professional remarked role secretary senior served soldiers Stanton statesmen strategy subordinates tary telegraph theory of civil-military tion Union United University Press victory Vietnam warfare wartime Winston World War II Yadin Yigal Alon yishuv York Zionist