Arrogant Armies: Great Military Disasters and the Generals Behind Them
YA-A compilation of insightful accounts of military expeditions that went awry during two and a half centuries of colonialism. Perry starts with British General Edward Braddock's thrust into the Ohio Valley during the French and Indian War with his soldiers attired in flaming red jackets. A few of the subsequent operations included are General Gordon's loss of Khartoum in the Sudan, Italian General Baratieri's defeat in Ethiopia, and General Townshend's failure in the Mesopotamian campaign during World War I. Terry's last full chapter tells of General Silvestre's Spanish troops battling native Rifs in Morocco between 1921-26. A short account of recent involvement in Somalia concludes the book. In each instance, the imperial forces ignored the natives' thirst for independence until too late. The resulting horror of war, loss of life, and degradation of both conqueror and conquered was devastating and terrible. This collection of failed military missions is a valuable source of information for research on military history. The index is adequate but the glaring defect of the book is the lack of any maps. There are a few illustrations but the paucity of them considerably weakens the study.Peggy Mooney, Pohick Public Library, Burke, VACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.