Rating: 
Summary: A bit partial, like 'The Face Of Battle'
Review: As usual with Keegan: enjoyable and instructive reading of an original report on a military subject: here army command. But again, like in 'The Face Of Battle', Keegan shows too much of his personal taste and motives. And again I strongly suspect that he is on the side of the British against the terrible French like in the 'good old days' ...
He constantly tries to minimize the merit of french commanders, especially Napoleon, during his analysis of Wellington's style of command because, it seems, they don't fit in his chronological classification of styles of command: yes the french army was open to talents (most marshals and generals were not of noble roots for example), yes Napoleon and his marshals risked their lives many times in the front lines, yes the behavior of the French has had dramatic consequences on the future shape of Europe and no, not everybody thinks it is a valuable conduct to obey to old feudal rulers when during a few centuries the thinking of a complete nation established the basis to a new popular regime in modern Europe, called democracy.
His views on command during the nuclear age are very interesting and I learned a lot through his books though...
Finally, I think he belongs to this group of writers who think war will never really reappear in our society and who militate against war. I like the second part (I like only, it doesn't mean I believe it is always right), I am very doubtful about the value of the first one: we have seen terrible wars in the world these last ten years and we probably should stay very realistic...
Rating: 
Summary: Personalities, leadership, heroism, and the future
Review: Dr. Keegan has another masterpiece. This book details leadership styles and techniques by answering a very simple question: "In front? Always, sometimes, never?" The historical perspective on the question is provided in 4 fascinating biographies of Alexander the Great, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler. Amazingly little changed in terms of how war was fought between Alexander and Wellington and yet the cultural impact of their societies had profound impact on their power of authority and the means in which they wielded it. I personally found the biography of Grant to be the most interesting and how the influence of rifled muskets and the large presence of cannon drove commanders farther from the front line and how democratic society supported that removal of "shared risk". Hitler's biography clarified a great deal of history and myth that I had not read previously: Hitler actually had a much more distinguished career as a soldier than I had previously understood and that had a profound effect on his understanding and misunderstanding of the circumstances of the Second World War. Hitler appeared to understand a large portion of the mechanisms of leadership and warfare but misunderstood the key lessoned to be learned from the First World War: that the leader on the scene is often capable of the best decisions.
The text effortless weaves these historical perspectives into a short, concise study of leadership styles and requirements and then presents a clear thesis on leadership in the nuclear age. This thesis is truly terrifying in light of the implications of history; our origins appear to contradict the requirements for future survival. This text is as much a study in leadership and management styles as it is a military science text. It is well written and highly enjoyable. If only we could get Dr. Keegan to add an addendum to leadership in the age of stateless terror.
Rating:
Summary: Personalities, leadership, heroism, and the future
Review: Dr. Keegan has another masterpiece. This book details leadership styles and techniques by answering a very simple question: "In front? Always, sometimes, never?" The historical perspective on the question is provided in 4 fascinating biographies of Alexander the Great, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler. Amazingly little changed in terms of how war was fought between Alexander and Wellington and yet the cultural impact of their societies had profound impact on their power of authority and the means in which they wielded it. I personally found the biography of Grant to be the most interesting and how the influence of rifled muskets and the large presence of cannon drove commanders farther from the front line and how democratic society supported that removal of "shared risk". Hitler's biography clarified a great deal of history and myth that I had not read previously: Hitler actually had a much more distinguished career as a soldier than I had previously understood and that had a profound effect on his understanding and misunderstanding of the circumstances of the Second World War. Hitler appeared to understand a large portion of the mechanisms of leadership and warfare but misunderstood the key lessoned to be learned from the First World War: that the leader on the scene is often capable of the best decisions.
The text effortless weaves these historical perspectives into a short, concise study of leadership styles and requirements and then presents a clear thesis on leadership in the nuclear age. This thesis is truly terrifying in light of the implications of history; our origins appear to contradict the requirements for future survival. This text is as much a study in leadership and management styles as it is a military science text. It is well written and highly enjoyable. If only we could get Dr. Keegan to add an addendum to leadership in the age of stateless terror.
Rating:
Summary: Biography, History, and Something of a How To
Review: Its title comes from a theatrical metaphor, Keegan examining what a commander chooses to reveal of himself to his troops, what he conceals, and what he sometimes invents.But the book is much more than that. Through an examination of the armies, times, and personalties of four commanders -- Alexander the Great, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler (with a brief look at the command style of John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missle Crisis) -- he shows us how command tactics and theatrics have evolved from Alexander's leading by example in the thick of battle, an heroic example, to the decidely unheroic and distant Hitler and Kennedy. You'd expect, in a book like this, some look at the politics, military structure, and arms surrounding each leader. And that's present as well as a look at the mechanics of battlefield communication. We're also shown how each of the above leaders personifies some leadership style. As with his _The Face of Battle_, Keegan makes some of his most memorable points through telling details. We hear of how Alexander's leadership was constricted by the dust of battle, the impossibility of directing combat while heroically hacking at the foe himself; we see how Wellington was distanced from the battlefield by cannons, his vision even more clouded by the gray smoke of guns than Alexander's was by dust, and his intuitive estimation of how fast troops could move against enemies who had just discharged a volley; Keegan talks about the importance of clear and concise dispatches in 19th century battles and how Grant and Wellington's command of English served them well off the battleground; we read transcripts of a micromanaging Hitler who had far better recall of various weapons' characteristics than his commanders but a notable deficeit in strategic thinking. I found it interesting that all the commanders Keegan chose were political leaders, half unifying military and political commands at once, the other half pursuing political careers after their generalships were over. He doesn't explicity say why this is so, but a concluding chapter on "post-heroic" leadership over nuclear forces implicitly argues for a new style of command by our current military-political leaders. Whether you want a biography of any or all of the commanders studied in this book, a history of how warfare and the process of command changed through millennia, or a look at how a war leader must manipulate his followers with the right mix -- for his society and time -- of love, alienation, fear, and respect, this book is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Case Studies of Historic Commanders
Review: Keegan analyzes the idiosyncrasies of four very different commanders in order to characterize the nature of command and how it has evolved over time. He emphasizes the impact of technology and cultural change on the nature of command. Using four unique vignettes of Alexander, Wellington, Grant and Hitler, Keegan portrays the evolution of generalship from the heroic days of physical leadership to the nuclear age. I found the part on Hitler very interesting. Below are some of Keegan's illustrations. Alexander - the importance of physical courage, leading at the tip of the spear, and animating a theatrical quality, which inspires the soldiers. Wellington - still on the front lines, but not leading the charge. Keegan describes Wellington's careful orchestration of the conflict with Napoleon on the fields of Waterloo. He begins to make the case for the impact of technology (gunpowder and muskets) on the general's ability to influence the fight from the front. Grant - and "unheroic" leadership, as Keegan describes his style. The author praises Grant throughout the narration, especially how the Union General understood the changing nature of war better than most. Keegan cites instances of Grant's bravery (at Palo Alto and elsewhere) and refers favorably to Grant's Memoirs. This praise contrasts with the next case study, that of Hitler. Hitler - beginning with Hitler's service in World War I, Keegan demonstrates the impact of the Great War on Hitler's leadership style and understanding of war. Keegan highlights Hitler's mistrust of many of his "staff" generals, given his own insight from the front as a messenger during WWI. Most of the general staff officers never served near the front since technology had rendered the front so lethal that generals, invested with tremendous talent and education, did not wander there. Hitler derided them at every opportunity. This is applied history at its best. I found the piece on Hitler the most fascinating aspect of the book. Read The Mask of Command if you are a student of military history or enjoy reading about leadership.
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and enjoyable...
Review: Keegan's Face of Battle is one of my favorite books, indeed one of the finest works on the human dimension of war in print. Mask of Command, however, did not live up to that standard. While the depictions of Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler are insightful, Keegan's simplistic notion of the "heroic" paradigm of leadership (be it heroic, anti-heroic, post-heroic, etc.) is overdrawn and unsatisfying. For instance, Alexander is Keegan's embodiment of "heroic" leadership. If "heroic" was truly the standard for leadership in ancient times, why did Alexander's soldiers revolt against him (several times), even though Alexander never stopped being heroic? Alexander's leadership, warts and all, is better explained by the strength of trust that existed between him and his soldiers. Heroism was necessary but not sufficient to earn and sustain that trust. Leadership is primarily about trust: trust in the leader's vision and plans, judgment and decision-making abilities, character and competence. Keegan's discussion of leadership never penetrates to the heart of the matter; he surprisingly fails to uncover the criticality of sustaining trust between leader and led and the problems that arise when trust erodes. If you want to learn more about Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler, read this book. Keegan is a superb historian. If you are looking for insight on the challenges of leadership, however, you will not be satisfied with Mask of Command. -- Christopher D. Kolenda, Editor and Co-Author of Leadership: The Warrior's Art
Rating: 
Summary: Sound History; Simplistic Discussion of Leadership
Review: Keegan's Face of Battle is one of my favorite books, indeed one of the finest works on the human dimension of war in print. Mask of Command, however, did not live up to that standard. While the depictions of Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler are insightful, Keegan's simplistic notion of the "heroic" paradigm of leadership (be it heroic, anti-heroic, post-heroic, etc.) is overdrawn and unsatisfying. For instance, Alexander is Keegan's embodiment of "heroic" leadership. If "heroic" was truly the standard for leadership in ancient times, why did Alexander's soldiers revolt against him (several times), even though Alexander never stopped being heroic? Alexander's leadership, warts and all, is better explained by the strength of trust that existed between him and his soldiers. Heroism was necessary but not sufficient to earn and sustain that trust. Leadership is primarily about trust: trust in the leader's vision and plans, judgment and decision-making abilities, character and competence. Keegan's discussion of leadership never penetrates to the heart of the matter; he surprisingly fails to uncover the criticality of sustaining trust between leader and led and the problems that arise when trust erodes. If you want to learn more about Alexander, Wellington, Grant, and Hitler, read this book. Keegan is a superb historian. If you are looking for insight on the challenges of leadership, however, you will not be satisfied with Mask of Command. -- Christopher D. Kolenda, Editor and Co-Author of Leadership: The Warrior's Art
Rating:
Summary: study of military leadership
Review: Professor John Keegan�s �Mask of Command� is a far-reaching study of the military leadership through history. Keegan provides a study of the styles of 4 generals � �heroic� leadership of Alexander the Great, �non-heroic� examples of Duke of Wellington and US Grant, and a �pseudo-heroic� dictact of Adolph Hitler. Each individual study paints a quick picture of the personality of a general, reviews political situation, military technology and the prevailing warfare doctrine, reviews major battles fount and lessons learned. Of a particular importance, as is always with Keegan, are factors of technology and personality. Each of the generals will answer the question of the personal involvement and his place in battle in a different way. Alexander in always the front, in the first raw of the phalanx, mounted on a white horse, or the first scaling the walls of the besieged town. For him a general attains trust and leadership by personal example. He is the �first� of his men. Wellington and Grant are �directors� of the battle, whose purpose is to provide logistics and advise on tactics. Hitler, although he paints himself the �first soldier of the Reich� is a psychologist and a technocrat, who seeks to provide moral leadership via demagoguery alone. This book reads like a breeze. Mostly impressive, in my own opinion, are reconstruction of the battles of Alexander from sometime scant historical evidence, insightful analysis of the unassuming leadership style of Grant, and the analysis of Wellington as an aristocrat of the battle. Great read!!!
Rating:
Summary: Commanding Forth : Son of Face of Battle!
Review: The Face of Battle is a very hard act to follow and I think any reader will understand that as he begins The Mask of Command. This is a study of four leadership styles of famous generals as they evolved through different periods in history. So much has already been written about Alexander the Great, the Duke of Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant and Adolf Hitler, it is hard to imagine how succinct and enlightening Keegan's presentation can be. He is a superb writer of military history and in this case, of biography and theory. Keegan always seems to succeed in escaping from the customary and, by now trite, eulogies and strikes out into new territory. If you would like to find out about Alexander the Great's sex life, how the Iron Duke really felt about the "scum of the earth" that fought for him, why Grant drank like he did and more, buy this book! Seriously, there is no one writing thought-full military history like John Keegan. The last chapter (Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis) is pretty scary but you have to have this book.
Rating:
Summary: Commanding Forth : Son of Face of Battle!
Review: The Face of Battle is a very hard act to follow and I think any reader will understand that as he begins The Mask of Command. This is a study of four leadership styles of famous generals as they evolved through different periods in history. So much has already been written about Alexander the Great, the Duke of Wellington, Ulysses S. Grant and Adolf Hitler, it is hard to imagine how succinct and enlightening Keegan's presentation can be. He is a superb writer of military history and in this case, of biography and theory. Keegan always seems to succeed in escaping from the customary and, by now trite, eulogies and strikes out into new territory. If you would like to find out about Alexander the Great's sex life, how the Iron Duke really felt about the "scum of the earth" that fought for him, why Grant drank like he did and more, buy this book! Seriously, there is no one writing thought-full military history like John Keegan. The last chapter (Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis) is pretty scary but you have to have this book.
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