The Mask of Command
by John Keegan
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Book Summary Information
Author: John KeeganEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1988-10-04
ISBN: 0140114068
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Book Reviews of The Mask of Command
Book Review: A Fascinating Study of Military Command
Summary: 4 Stars
John Keegan's highly accessible study of "The Mask of Command" was written 20 years ago but continues to hold up as an excellent examination of military leadership for the general reader.
Keegan provides fascinating case studies of the leadership styles of Alexander the Great of Greece, the British Duke of Wellington, American General U.S. Grant, and Adolf Hitler as Fuhrer of Germany. The physically courageous and flamboyant Alexander is styled the "heroic" leader; the understated Wellington an "anti-hero"; Grant, a humble man who had known personal hard times, as "unheroic"; and Hitler, a highly skilled practioner of theatrical propaganda, as the "false-heroic" leader. The case studies are engrossing if inevitably simplified for brevity; Keegan has captured the essentials of each man and the associated lessons of leadership.
Leadership studies are a challenging topic. It should be noted that Alexander and Hitler were simultaneously military leaders and heads of state, while Wellington's and Grant's civilian leadership roles came after their military careers. Changes in technology and society have had enormous impact on military leadership. Leading from the tip of the spear as Alexander did was almost a requirement in his day but would seem foolishly exposed in our own. Wellington's hands-on tactical leadership would become impossible on the far larger battlefields of the 20th and 21st century. Grant's willingness to take casulties would likely be politically unsupportable now, as it nearly was in his time. Hitler's leadership was an aberation in more ways than one. Keegan gets well-deserved credit for producing such a concise and readable book on such a tough topic.
This book is highly recommended to the general reader looking for an introduction into the study of military leadership.
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