It is not, however, usual to find a defending force so well adapted to its operational environment by virtue of the civilian occupations of its personnel. In this context it is unfortunate that Chew's third case study was a general discussion rather than a regimental-scale operational analysis like his first two. A treatment of the functions and limitations of air power under extreme winter conditions would also have been welcome. Nevertheless, Fighting the Russians in Winter resembles the other books discussed in this review. All three incorporate warnings for an America whose geographical and political circumstances demand the ability to cope with a broad spectrum of enemies, climates, and terrain.
Wars have a habit of being fought in unlikely and unpleasant places.
They have a way of defying even the most sophisticated efforts of reducing them to quantifiable data. And above all they place demands on character as well as professionalism. No military system favoring the one-dimensional specialist, the man who executes but does not reflect, can ultimately expect to produce either great captains or competent commanders. Colorado College, Colorado Springs Notes 1. As introductions to the Manstein question, the essay in Nie AusserDienst.