Eighth Army: El Alamein To The River Sangro [Illustrated Edition]


Book Description

[Illustrated with 16 highly detailed maps of the actions] Field Marshal Montgomery commanded the Eighth Army from 13th August 1942 until the 31st December 1943, and the 21st Army Group from 1st January 1944 until the German surrender on the 5th May, 1945. Whilst in command of the British Army of the Rhine, in occupation of Germany, shortly after the end of the Second World War Montgomery set out to record the exploits and victories of the troops under his command. Both this volume and its companion volume, Normandy to the Rhine, are superb examples of military history as presented by one of the greatest generals to command victorious armies in the field. The texts are taken from his personal war diaries and are distinguished by his incisive style. The whole strategy and course of these two campaigns are presented to the reader with great clarity and accuracy. El Alamein to the River Sangro is as he himself writes ‘... an authoritative account of the activities of the Eighth Army in the days of its greatest, successes’. El Alamein was the turning point in the war: from that momentous battle the tide against Germany turned. During the time the Eighth Army was commanded by Monty it lost not a single action, and when Monty was transferred to Europe in December 1943, Winston Churchill wrote to him: ‘The immortal march of the Eighth Army from the gates of Cairo along the African shore, through Sicily, has now carried its ever victorious soldiers far into Italy towards the gates of Rome. The scene changes and vastly expands. A great task accomplished gives place to a greater, in which the same unfailing spirit will win for all true men a full and glorious reward.’




The Memoirs of Field - Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, K, G


Book Description

Written by one of Britain's most celebrated military commanders, The Memoirs of Field-Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein KG is a fascinating look at the strategy and tactics used during World War II. This book offers valuable insights into the mind of a great military leader. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




The Art of Leadership


Book Description

Few people over the last century are better qualified to discuss leadership than Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the charismatic and idiosyncratic Second World War leader. It was a subject to which he devoted much thought. 'In one short sentence, it is captaincy that counts', he writes. Using personal studies of famous political military and industrial figures, Monty analyses the qualities that make for effective leadership. Being, by any definition, a frank and honest man he does not hesitate to highlight perceived deficiencies. Among his case studies are the Generals of the two world wars, Haig, French, Gort, Wavell and Alexander. Political leaders include Cromwell and Nehru, Khrushchev, de Gaulle and Mao. In this edition a fascination and contentious comparison of Churchill and Eisenhower appears for the first time. This book was first published as The Path to Leadership in 1961. This is an expanded edition. Pen and Sword Books are proud to have reprinted The Memoirs of Field Marshal Montgomery in 2005.




Master of the Battlefield


Book Description

Master of the Battlefield charts the biography of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery from his decisive victory at El Alamein through the Battle of Normandy. It details the most complex, full years of Montgomery's career, following the time he became a household name after his North African campaign, and including his battles in Sicily and Italy, and the final Allied conquest in France in 1944. Based on Montgomery's secret diaries, letters and vast collections of private papers, which have remained confidential and inaccessible until now, this is the authorized biography of Montgomery in his most important years as commander. - Jacket flap.







The Ardennes, 1944-1945


Book Description

A comprehensive, photo-filled account of the six-week-long Battle of the Bulge, when panzers slipped through the forest and took the Allies by surprise. In December 1944, just as World War II appeared to be winding down, Hitler shocked the world with a powerful German counteroffensive that cracked the center of the American front. The attack came through the Ardennes, the hilly and forested area in eastern Belgium and Luxembourg that the Allies had considered a “quiet” sector. Instead, for the second time in the war, the Germans used it as a stealthy avenue of approach for their panzers. Much of US First Army was overrun, and thousands of prisoners were taken as the Germans forged a fifty-mile “bulge” into the Allied front. But in one small town, Bastogne, American paratroopers, together with remnants of tank units, offered dogged resistance. Meanwhile, the rest of Eisenhower’s “broad front” strategy came to a halt as Patton, from the south, and Hodges, from the north, converged on the enemy incursion. Yet it would take an epic, six-week-long winter battle, the bloodiest in the history of the US Army, before the Germans were finally pushed back. Christer Bergström has interviewed veterans, gone through huge amounts of archive material, and performed on-the-spot research in the area. The result is a large amount of previously unpublished material and new findings, including reevaluations of tank and personnel casualties and the most accurate picture yet of what really transpired from the perspectives of both sides. With nearly four hundred photos, numerous maps, and thirty-two superb color profiles of combat vehicles and aircraft, it provides perhaps the most comprehensive look at the battle yet published.




World Military Leaders


Book Description

Articles profiling important military leaders are arranged in A to Z format.




Bernard Montgomery's Art of War


Book Description

This book is a complete guide to the military philosophy of one of Great Britain's most successful military leaders, Bernard Law Montgomery. Arranged in the style of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and "The Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi, the book presents core principles written by Montgomery on his approach to the art of war in a single concise volume. A seasoned combat veteran, accomplished writer, and victorious general, Montgomery dedicated his life to the study and mastery of military arts. The many topics covered include his beliefs and teachings on morale, leadership and fighting techniques. The book features a detailed introduction to Montgomery's career and philosophy by author Zita Steele, with information highlighting his regiment, experiences, achievements and command style. Illustrated with photos, it also features a reading list of books recommended by Montgomery, an avid military historian. Released for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, "Bernard Montgomery's Art of War" contains useful instructions and reflections for anyone interested in military science, leadership, politics or history. It also can be used as a lifestyle guide. "This book brings Monty up with the great leaders of history, his contribution to the final Victory in WWII has never been really appreciated and this book rights that wrong. The leadership chapters should be strongly recommended reading for any future military leader (or politician) and military historian. As a former soldier I can relate to many of the leadership aspects mentioned in the book, the things I did right or wrong!" -- Major David Seeney, Retired, late Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Airborne Forces, Chairman of Friends of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Warwickshire)




Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1887-1976


Book Description

In the desperate summer of 1942, Hitler seemed to be on the verge of victory in Russia and the Middle East. With Rommel nearing Cairo, a little known lieutenant-general, Bernard Montgomery, took charge of what Churchill called a baffled and bewildered British 8th Army. Assuming command, Montgomery issued his famous order, Here we will stand and fight;...If we can't stay here alive, then let us stay here dead, and led the Army to one of the Allies' greatest victories—El Alamein. Monty became an instantly recognizable Allied leader, but as a man with strong views, unbending principles, and outspoken frankness, he was both loved and disliked, praised and criticized. This bibliography presents and evaluates the extensive body of literature that has grown up around the controversial Field Marshal. Any serious study of World War II military campaigns must confront Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, an individualist with both admirers and detractors. This book provides an extensive historiographical overview of the literature in Part I and a bibliography of significant works in Part II. It is a basic reference and research guide for the student, scholar, and general reader.