Pershing: A Biography (Great Generals)
A general who may not have achieved greatness as a field commander but certainly had great influence on his country’s military development, Pershing came to command of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I after a career in which both promise and personal tragedy had figured. He assumed that command as virtually the only American experienced in commanding more than 10,000 men, and more than half his work lay in organizing and training in the field the largest American army up to that time and diplomatically keeping it from being used as a replacement pool for the other, man-hungry Allies. His combat leadership was reasonable, but his postwar influence in picking men who could manage a similar military expansion in a future war proved to be truly invaluable. Pershing’s rather dour and austere disposition (despite his having a mistress in his old age) has made him somewhat unsympathetic for biographers. Lacey’s contribution to the Great Generals series substantially redresses the balance in Pershing’s favor by underlining his achievements. --Roland Green--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.