RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter – 2024 / 2025 Edition 76 A MEMBERSHIP F ORM IS LOCATED IN THE A SSOCIATIONS AND O RGANISATIONS S ECTION Book Review Leadership in War 1939 – 1945: The Generals in Victory and Defeat Author: Brigadier The Rt Hon Sir John Smyth Bt, VC, MC Reviewed by Major DT (Terry) Brennan RAA Liaison Letter Editor O RIGINALLY P UBLISHED BY D AVID & C HARLES (H OLDINGS L IMITED ). T HIS B OOK C LUB E DITION PUBLISHED BY ARRANGEMENT IN 1974 BY P URNELL B OOK S ERVICES L IMITED L ONDON ; H ARDBACK ; 247 P AGES ; B LACK & W HITE P HOTOGRAPHS As a young officer I decided to focus on a single campaign for my military history reading rather than randomly select a subject. I chose the allies in the North Africa Campaign during World War II and their senior commanders. I developed very firm views on Wavell, Auchinleck, and Montgomery, which I have carried with me. This book confirmed my views. It had been a long time since I had read anything on this subject until, I came across this book in a second-hand bookshop. A large proportion of it is dedicated to the Commander - in - Chief appointments in North Africa. The difference between this book and many others on the same subject is that the author either personally knew or was acquainted with the key participants. It is easy to read, well written and achieves a balance between keeping the reader interested and the need to explain the more technical aspects of strategic thinking and the higher-level operational conduct that is undertaken by senior leaders, along with the ever present influence of national politics and personalities that may be in