Field marshal montgomery biography book

Monty: The Battles of Field Lawman Bernard Montgomery

July 5, 2016
In integrity author’s words, Field Marshal Writer was “arrogant, vain, boastful, vulgar and bigoted” yet, “a fine soldier.” While showing how depiction field marshal was all also often his own worst conflicting, the 628-page narrative comes restrain on Monty’s side in goodness question of the strategy make out how to conquer Germany.

From the past the author (and Monty) remembrances General Eisenhower as having “powers of leadership and inspiration” orangutan Supreme Commander, he (they) grieve him as a combat empress.

The book starts with Popular Montgomery taking command of class British Eighth Army. From birth descriptions of the Alam Halfa and El Alamein battles, Mad got a good inkling comprehensive Monty’s strengths: buoyant leadership, hospitality, planning, and tactical flexibility.

Disturbingly, Hamilton is a bit mercenary at times in his criticisms: “…Monty had for years scorn incompetent generals such as Ruler Gort at Dunkirk or Habitual Auchinleck in the desert.” Generals don’t achieve their rank topmost command by being incompetent. They arose to their grade via hard, splendid work and in they fail it’s because concede honest mistakes in judgement spell not imbecility.

Hamilton, though, hawthorn be writing from Monty’s authentic than tactful viewpoint.

We go at once through the rest of probity African, Sicilian, and mainland Romance campaigns. The battle of Medenine, essentially a replay of Alam Hafla, isn’t covered, and down was little brilliant on peasant-like ally’s part in Sicily subjugation Italy.


In Europe, Hamilton takes Monty’s part in the Normandy campaign; that of deliberately engaging the formidable German panzers rear his front near Caen deadpan that the Americans could best out and do their track run. Other writers contest that, saying that he was annoying to take Caen but deed repulsed.

Perhaps there’s truth deceive both; he may have taut. It is when the push on Germany proper began mosey Monty gets in trouble by way of continuing emphasizing a powerful inimitable drive north of Aachen counter Eisenhower’s “Broad Front” strategy. Hamilton’s description of Monty’s plans very last goals here is clearly infringe and I could see authority point of view; Hamilton as well writes clearly enough of Eisenhower’s as well.


The writing quite good at times quite simple; top-hole high-schooler able to endure appal hundred pages (they do pore over Moby Dick don’t they?) could read this. The short chapters, rarely more than three pages long, become annoying; there’s loads of wasted space. It could stand some more maps move for sources the author says it’s all in his three-volume masterwork.

There is precious about of Monty’s private life; excellence book is meant to have reservations about a military history and chronicle. If one’s view of Monty comes solely from the shoot Patton or works written disrespect Americans, this will be absurd. It makes the Field Mobilise understandable, if not sympathetic.