Outnumbered: Incredible Stories of History's Most Surprising Battlefield Upsets
Fighting outnumbered and winning has been part of American military doctrine since the Cold War when we realized that we could never match the numbers that the Soviet military could put in the field. Our military philosophy became one of stressing quality over quantity. In training programs such as the Navy's "Top Gun" combat air maneuvering course and the Army'sNationalTrainingCenter, we emphasized superb individual and unit combat skills. In our professional military schools, our officers learned how the great masters beat numerically superior foes.In Outnumbered, Cormac O'Brien makes an effort at a reexamination of how some of the military greats overcame all odds to win. The result is a beautifully illustrated and entertainingly written coffee table book...It is an entertaining read and holds some superb insights. It is popular history at its best; perhaps some of the chapters will find their way to the History or the Military television channels. -Washington Times,June 9, 2010(circ.: 67,148, vpm: 4.5 million)“Nowhere is leadership in all its dimensions—knowledge, craft, audacity, the ability to organize, and the capacity to inspire—more thoroughly tested than it is in combat, and in no combat is leadership put to a more extreme test than in an uneven battle, a blood contest in which one side substantially outnumbers the other. Cormac O’Brien identifies, narrates, and explores some of history’s most revelatory lopsided clashes of arms and, each time, leaves the reader with something more than a damn good story. From each encounter, we come away with a hard-won—or hard-lost—lesson in courage, will, and the application of doctrine, tactics, and strategy. We take with us a lesson in leadership against all odds.” —Alan Axelrod, author ofLittle-Known Wars of Great and Lasting ImpactandPatton’s DrivePeople love to root for the underdogs. With that in mind, O'Brien (Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents: What Your Teachers Never Told You About the Men of the White House) here recounts tales of battles in which the smaller forces not only survived but even pulled off dramatic victories. The 14 battles discussed, arranged chronologically, cover four continents and date from anywhere between 480 B.C.E. and 1942. The snapshots of each battle, all clear and concise, demonstrate the more intriguing aspects of each engagement. Large color illustrations and maps are frequent, helping to make this a beautifully presented book. Although the bibliography is brief, the titles referenced generally represent recent scholarship. There are similar titles about decisive battles and interesting campaigns, but none quite like this. Only the absence of an overall conclusion detracts from this otherwise entertaining work. VERDICT: Accessible writing and an attractive presentation make this an appealing choice for many military history enthusiasts. -Library Journal, May 15, 2010“There are few more powerful and inspiring stories in military history than those of small groups of soldiers facing daunting odds and triumphing in spite of them, which is why names likeSalamis, Alesia, Agincourt, andChancellorsvillehave been justly celebrated. Cormac O'Brien's new bookOutnumberedis a white-knuckling ode to desperate battles and the men who fought them. O'Brien is a bravura writer for a bravura subject. He gives us strategy from generals and battlefield detail from blood-spattered foot soldiers. Want to know what it was like to encircled by the cream of the Roman foot and cavalry atCannae? To be 150 holding off thousands at Rorke's Drift? And, most astoundingly, to triumph? ReadOutnumbered.” —Joseph Cummins, author ofThe War ChroniclesandThe World’s Bloodiest History“O’Brien has taken an interesting look at an old question: how does a force that's outnumbered or outgunned prevail? He looks at each battle from top to bottom: political situation, military situation, and how each force was armed, equipped, and trained. By investigating not just the generals but often overlooked factors like the influence of terrain and weather, he shows that it's not just fighting spirit or exceptional command skills but dogged determination that sometimes wins the day. A good look at both well-known and also less-famous battles, as well as the nature of warfare from ancient times to World War II.” —Paul K. Davis, author of100 Decisive Battles