|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
.
|
|
|
|
|
About the Book
The five British and Canadian generals depicted in Corps Commanders were a surprisingly eclectic lot -- one a consummate actor, one a quiet gentleman, one a master bureaucrat, one a brainy sort with little will, and the last a brain with will to spare. And yet they all fit readily into British Commonwealth armies and fought their corps in similar fashion. All three Canadians controlled British formations and served under British army commanders, and the two Britons worked for and led Canadians as well. Such inter-army adjustments were relatively simple because they all spoke the same "language" -- a common method for solving military problems and communicating solutions. Like all senior commanders in the British Commonwealth, they learned the language of the staff colleges at Camberley and Quetta, and so did the staff officers that served them. This allowed a gunner from Montreal to understand a guardsman from London with ease -- no small advantage when coordinating coalition battles involving tens of thousands of troops.
In probing how these corps commanders fought, Douglas E. Delaney has produced an invaluable study for anyone interested in coalition warfare, interoperability, or how men managed large formations in war.
Published in association with the Canadian War Museum.
About the Author(s)
Douglas E. Delaney is an Associate Professor of History and Chair of War Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Table of Contents
Foreword / David French
Introduction: Who, How, and the Common Ground
1 The Actor: Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks
2 Wit in Want of Will: Lieutenant-General E.L.M. Burns
3 The Quiet Gentleman: General Sir John Crocker
4 Wit with Will to Spare: Lieutenant-General Guy Granville Simonds
5 The Master Bureaucrat: General Charles Foulkes
Observations and Conclusions
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Reviews
"Delaney has done an incredible amount of research, mining eleven major archives in three countries along with a number of private collections. This addition to the University of British Columbia Press and Canadian War Museum’s 'Studies in Canadian Military History' series is an exemplification of strong scholarly work that is breaking new ground in the field of military history."
-- William Pratt, Canadian Military History Journal
"The great strength of Delaney's work is that it is not broad brush, but rather delves into the intricacies of this highest level of tactical command. This is military history at its best -- and in stressing that all five commanders passed through the imperial staff colleges of Camberley or Quetta in India, Delaney also reminds readers that Canadians fought the war as British subjects who never expected their empire to fall."
-- John A. English, The Journal of Military History
"This is a brilliant book. Dr. Doug Delaney … has written an incredibly valuable book that delivers on several levels.
-- Colonel Bernd Horn, Canadian Military History Journal, Vol 12, No 1
"Delaney's book offers a relevant prompting of the importance of rigorous study of intelligence, thorough pre-operational training and comprehensive equipment and logistic support for any new campaign or operational initiative."
-- Michael Tillotson, The Times of London
"Corps Commanders will become a highly regarded contribution to its field. It is excellent at analyzing how the corps headquarters actually functioned in the Second World War. The scholarship is impressive, with a mastery of both the relevant archival and secondary sources. Its engaging style will appeal equally to general readers interested in the Second World War, as well as to serious students of military history. Delaney's book ought to be essential reading in every Western military educational institution."
-- Stephen A. Hart, War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
"Given the scope of the fighting, corps level command was critical during the Second World War, and Delaney's work is the first to focus on that level. Corps Commanders is an original, superbly written book."
-- Stephen Harris, Chief Historian, Directorate of History and Heritage, National Defence Headquarters
"Corps Commanders does more than just show how the British and Canadian armies shared a common doctrine and forms of organization. Dr. Delaney has also provided answers to one of the most fundamental questions that military historians ought to ask about any army, which is not just who commanded them but how did they did so … This is one of the most enlightening books about how generals actually fought battles that you are likely to read."
-- David French, Professor Emeritus, University College London
Sample Chapter
Front Matter and Introduction [PDF]
Related Topics
History > Military
History > Canada
History > Other
Other Ways To Order
In Canada, order your copy of Corps Commanders from UTP Distribution at:
UTP Distribution
5201 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario
M3H 5T8
Phone orders: 1(800)565-9523 or (416)667-7791
Fax orders: 1(800)221-9985 or (416)667-7832
Email: utpbooks@utpress.utoronto.ca
Ordering information for customers outside Canada
|
|
|
|
 |
|
