{"product_id":"2940015764765","title":"Generals Of The British Army","description":"CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e         _INTRODUCTION_\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     I.--HAIG, FIELD MARSHAL SIR DOUGLAS, K.T., G.C.B., G.C.V.O.,\u003cbr\u003e         K.C.I.E., =A.D.C.=\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    II.--PLUMER, GENERAL SIR H. C. O., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., K.C.B.,\u003cbr\u003e         =A.D.C.=\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   III.--RAWLINSON, GENERAL SIR H. S., Bart., G.C.V.O., K.C.B.,\u003cbr\u003e         K.C.V.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    IV.--GOUGH, SIR H. De La POER, K.C.B., K.C.V.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     V.--ALLENBY, GENERAL SIR E. H., K.C.B.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    VI.--HORNE, GENERAL SIR H. S., K.C.B.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   VII.--BIRDWOOD, LIEUT.-GEN. SIR W. R., K.C.B., K.C.S.I., K.C.M.G.,\u003cbr\u003e         C.I.E., D.S.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  VIII.--BYNG, GENERAL THE HON. SIR J. H. G., K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,\u003cbr\u003e         M.V.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    IX.--CONGREVE, LIEUT.-GEN. SIR W. N., =V.C.=, K.C.B., M.V.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     X.--HALDANE, LIEUT.-GEN. J. A. L., C.B., D.S.O.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e    XI.--WATTS, LIEUT.-GEN. H. E., C.B., C.M.G.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   XII.--SMUTS, LIEUT.-GEN. THE RT. HON. JAN C., P.C., K.C., M.L.A.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eINTRODUCTION.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis small portrait gallery of British generals represents, in fair\u003cbr\u003eepitome, the drama of British history. Each of the officers who figure\u003cbr\u003ehere has behind him a varied story of fighting in strange places, under\u003cbr\u003eall sorts of conditions, as well as in the tense atmosphere of modern\u003cbr\u003escientific war; each of them has first had to struggle against heavy\u003cbr\u003eodds before arriving at the conditions which at present obtain on the\u003cbr\u003eWestern front. Infantrymen, cavalrymen, artillerists, they have come\u003cbr\u003ethrough a fiery trial to command large bodies of troops in the most\u003cbr\u003eterrible struggle of our history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe part of their story that is concerned in this war is memorable, and\u003cbr\u003emay we not say it, memorably fine? For these are not the leaders of that\u003cbr\u003evast host whose shadow has hung over Europe for so many years, whose\u003cbr\u003enumbers and efficiency have been the evil dream of the international\u003cbr\u003esituation; but of that small contingent that, for an ideal, took the\u003cbr\u003efield light-heartedly, against the vast German horde. Even the Belgian\u003cbr\u003earmy was more numerous than the Expeditionary Force that struck its\u003cbr\u003efirst blow before Mons; and these leaders have memories of the days when\u003cbr\u003eit was the equal in nothing, save undaunted courage and tactical\u003cbr\u003eability, of the army in whose path it stood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey have seen every type of fighting. The war of movements with its\u003cbr\u003eswift changes and long hazards was their first experience, an experience\u003cbr\u003ethat none of those who took part in it will ever forget. For some\u003cbr\u003eterrible days the British army stood between the Allies and disaster;\u003cbr\u003ebut the experience it bought was handed on to the enemy in a series of\u003cbr\u003eengagements, the lesson of which he softens by proclaiming the first\u003cbr\u003eseven divisions to have been unique. The admission is sufficiently\u003cbr\u003erevealing, for the handful of troops ought to have been crushed at Mons;\u003cbr\u003eor, escaping thence, should have been penned into Maubeuge; or, evading\u003cbr\u003ethat trap, should have met annihilation at Le Cateau. But they fought\u003cbr\u003ecoolly, were manoeuvred skilfully, saving themselves by sheer fighting\u003cbr\u003eability from the tide which threatened to overwhelm them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnly consummate leaders could have taken an army to the Marne. The army\u003cbr\u003eought to have been wiped out long before. The Germans had fully resolved\u003cbr\u003eupon it, they had the men and guns to encompass it, their long-perfected\u003cbr\u003eplans depended upon it. The British, wearied by the pressure of a\u003cbr\u003ehurried retreat, fought almost without cover against a great\u003cbr\u003econcentration of guns. But not only did they fight with superb spirit;\u003cbr\u003ethey fought also with that instinctive appreciation of tactics which\u003cbr\u003ecomes from perfectly assimilated experience. When the German blow had\u003cbr\u003eover reached itself, the British Generals were able to advance, threaten\u003cbr\u003ethe left wing of Von Kluck's army when his right was dealing with\u003cbr\u003eGeneral Manoury's outflanking movement on the Ourcq, outmanoeuvre and\u003cbr\u003eoutfight the enemy on the Aisne and secure tactical advantages of the\u003cbr\u003efirst importance. In the victory of the Marne not the least wonderful of\u003cbr\u003emany arresting features was this effective recoil of the army which the\u003cbr\u003eGermans had announced to be \"dispersed\" ten days before.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47084570902768,"sku":"2940015764765","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940015764765","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}