Looks at the various battles from the leaders perspective; ...
597641
Looks at the various battles from the leaders perspective; however, there is a lot of detail in his writing that is sometimes difficult to follow if you are unfamiliar with the battle fields.
4069544
Great little read about some how Generals have won their greatest battles. Not extensive but concise and to the point.
1621527
This is an excellent look into the battles of New Guinea, Solomons and the Philippine Campaigns. General Eichelberger served his country well in stemming the tide of the Imperial Army.

His devotion to his Supreme Commander was unmatched, especially when you take into account how many times he placed himself and his command on the front lines. Many times they didn't realize where the front was until the bullets started flying. He lost many good friends and colleagues in the South Pacific.

His descriptions of the warfare are superb. He holds back nothing describing how primitive and dangerous it was to fight a stubborn opponent in a malaria, disease ridden climate.

The only point I would debate was the retaking of the Philippines. He presents a good argument as did his boss to FDR on why it was important not to have the islands in the rear of the allied advance. Nimitz and Halsey were not fans of this campaign, but were overruled. Was it necessary to take the islands so MacArthur could clear his name keep his promise? There will never be a clear answer for us armchair generals, but its always fun to debate.

The biggest drawback to the memoir is how its composed. It appears Eichelberger wrote this almost entirely from his diary and memories. The problem is it doesnt always flow and when an important issue comes up and were told it will be addressed later, it never happens.

A good addition for any World War Two collection.
Four Stars
799555
very detailed battle reports by commanders on both sides...insight into  what happened when...
1805350
Ralph Peters, again, does a yeoman job of getting into the Civil War from the grunts viewpoint and with some insight from the officers with the troops.  The books a bit wordy and long (why I gave it 3 s) but well worth reading.  It provides significant insight to battle tactics as the Union Army under Grant presses Robert E Lees Rebs back towards Petersburg during the Union Armys march toward Richmond. The chapters on the Battle of the Crater are fascinating.  If you're a Civil War buff or just enjoy US History, this is a book for you.
1817950
A wonderful and well documented review of an epic World War II siege. The individual battles are reported in the words of participants and onlookers. Future leaders of the Soviet Union were involved in the war effort, including some that were treated rather shabbily. Stalin's actions were often inexplicable. I was disappointed because the last year of the war was treated so briefly. I would also have liked to see some maps of the area. It was difficult to get a perspective of the area without maps to show where the towns and cities involved in battles were located.  On the whole it is a fine book.
4403205
This book is not a dramatic retelling of the battle. It is concerned with what went on behind the scenes. It discusses the reasoning of the German commanders concerning an invasion of England and their plans behind the air attack. It's pretty enlightening to see how each side was pretty mistaken about what the other side thought or would do. There are quite a bit of authorities quoted for the author's premises. The newest thing to me was the fact that not all Brits pulled together about resisting the German aggression. The documentation about that reads about like the way people do now in both Britain and the U.S. This is an inside look at the entire campaign of the Battle of Britain and the events leading up to it. There are some things that were new to me and I think would be new to most readers. It's a good writing job and a good research job.
4789753
Good summary of Corinth battles that are often overlooked due to focus on more significant battles. Interesting focus on rail center that caused Corinth to be important. Seems to be a bit to polite about Hallicks skills or lack thereof.
3330555
A good look at the war from a man that started low in rank and advanced.  His outlook on what was going on is truthful and enlightening.  If you are a Civil War buff then you should read this especially if you are a union person.  It is weird how everyday life gets involved with both sides as fpr the gentlemen agreements that exist during the slow times.
4976335
Mr. Peters makes the leaders in our Civil War come to life.  There is much about their character as well as their leadership capabilities.  The stories come to life in the historic battles.  Often the maneuvers become confusing but overall, it is understandable and fascinating.  I highly recommend it if you have any interest in this historic period.
3891452
If you enjoy experiencing a conflict or battle where strategy, experience and intuition come into play, then you will love this book.  I liked the way war is viewed and conducted through three different cultures.  It is likely no accident that these three cultures will remind you of particular cultures from Earth's history.  I also enjoyed the deep reflection and internal conflict that main characters struggle with regarding the necessity and the terrible cost of war, in spite of their heavy cultural indoctrination.  I have already purchased the follow-up book, which by the way, was released today.  Yay!
2912080
I enjoyed the book as far as the personal first hand accounts are concerned, all of which were placed in chronological framework rather than a topical rendition of the fighting.  In that regard, Priest jumps around describing what took place in various sectors of the field at any given time.  That perspective is probably more meaningful for serious students of the battle as opposed to the uninitiated who might find it somewhat difficult to follow.  The most glaring criticisms I found were in the maps.  They were excellently done but mislabeled at times.  For example, in one of them, Hazlett's battery is noted as being Battery E when the text refers to it as Battery D (p. 153).  In another depicting the positions of the 105th PA and 57th Pa at the Sherfy Farm, the two regiments are reversed (p. 297).  One map has the Pennsylvania Reserves north of the Millerstown Road to stop Confederate general Wofford's attack.  Most sources believe that Wheaton of the 6th corps was involved in that sector. (p. 415).  Another has the 1st Minnesota engaged with Lang's Florida Brigade instead of Wilcox's Alabamians. (p. 429).  A caption in a photo of Captain Walter Morrill refers to him as being a member of Co. G of the 20th Maine rather than Co. B.  Some folks may also have some dispute with the chronology of events as Priest depicts them as well as circumstances surrounding some events, for example the manner in which Hazlett met his death after being notified that General Stephen Weed was shot.  Some of these events can viewed from different perspectives, depending on which witness one decides to accept.  At times, Priest may accept the "minority" view which deviates from the traditional one; so the more experienced reader might find this dissonance disturbing enough to go back and re-check the sources in more familiar works.  I do think Priest's technique here with the use of personal first hand accounts almost exclusively in telling the story which itself is done  solely from the soldier's perspective is a novel approach not normally seen in military accounts.  For that reason, I found it an enjoyable read.
278732
A decent look at part of Alexander the Greats campaign from the viewpoint of a young soldier. I thought some of the comparisons to more modern campaigns in the general area, while apt, might have been a bit heavy-handed.
4829520
This author decided to emphasize the battles and accomplishments of Gen. Jeb Stuart and his cavalry regiments for the year leading up to the battle at Gettysburg. Akers spends extra time and effort in describing each of the strategic battles and the decisions and actions of Gen. Stuart during that year. He shows how the 12 months was the peak of the Confederate General and his cavalry at the top of the Civil War and how with more supplies and some luck the South might have been able to bring the North to negotiate peace. From the North point of view that was never going to happen, and with the appointment of Gen. Meade before Gettysburg and then the arrival of Gen. Grant and the turning of the tide the South was destined to fall. Gen. Stuart received blame for the loss at Gettysburg, but the fact he died in battle in May 1864 makes it a question for the historians to ponder. Gen. Lee always had high regard for Gen. Stuart.
2059024
This was an engaging look at the frustrations faced by ground commanders in the early days of the war in Afghanistan. The uncommitted local "soldiers" and the politics of feuding warlords complicate matters to the point of insanity. This book presents an excellent look at the work done by the unsung heroes of SFOD-D while providing a page turning narrative. Recommended for fans of the unit.
1041950
I read the Ghost Mountain Boys right after reading the "US Army in WWII: Victory in Papua" as I wanted to get some more details on this campaign.  The two books complement each other nicely.  Victory in Papua was more focused on what made for the success and failures of the campaign from a leadership point of view.

The Ghost Mountain Boys instead focuses on the more personal aspects of the campaign.  It does a tremendous job of introducing you to the various characters and then discusses what happens to them throughout the campaign giving you a deeper insight into the tremendous suffering, anxiety and tragedies the troops went through.  Additionally, it gives you much greater details on the implications of sending troops into battle without the proper equipment and training and indirectly compares and contrasts two different leadership styles demonstrated by the Americans and the Japanese as they grapple with conflict during this campaign.  Lastly, this book gives some interesting observations regarding one of the most controversial characters of WWII Gen. Douglas McAurthur.

I recommend the but but also suggest you read the "Victory in Papua" if you want a more traditional US military leadership viewpoint of the campaign.
4502766
This book is a good account of how Gen. George Patton led his 3rd Army Group to victory in WW2. It's told by his Chief Laison Officer who was responsible for providing Patton daily reports on numerous factors pertinent to his strategic decisions. This read strikes a good balance between history of the battles and Patton's unique leadership style.