Liddell hart has 73 books on goodreads with 42740 ratings. His penchant for tactical analysis and his eye for the ironies and accidents of war are best displayed in the description of the north african campaign against rommel. War is always a matter of doing evil in the hope that good may. Best books to read before starting masters degree in. As part of these two interconnected initiatives, liddell hart. Sir basil henry liddell hart 31 october 1895 29 january 1970, commonly known. The fighter pilot who changed the art of war by robert coram. Liddell hart, was a british soldier, military historian and military theorist. This indirect strategy is predicated on his firm belief that warsbattles should be won quickly, decisively, and with the least amount of casaulties. Free pdf books from bookyards, one of the worlds first online libraries to offer ebooks to be downloaded for free.
Hart died in 1970 but his books on military strategy and strategist remain popular among military historians. His military histories are erudite yet accessable works, written in sparkling. Request pdf on dec 1, 2014, nimrod tal and others published the american civil war in british military thought from the 1880s to the 1930s find, read and cite all the research you need on. The german generals who survived hitlers reich talk over world war ii with capt. In the years following its publication, the author continued to explore this line of thought, and from the results of.
This essay endeavors to demonstrate that while his status is understandable, it also is undeserved and unfortunate, because the book is seriously flawed, both factually and analytically, the consequence of liddell hart having written it to promote his thesis that the indirect approach is the secret of success in war. Their significance has been recognised through the arts council englands designated outstanding collection scheme. The two additions i would make are a study of his theoretical works from 1933 through 1939, and the post war theoretical writings. Liddell and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The original study of the strategy of indirect approach was written in 1929. Liddell hart left studies at cambridge university when world war i broke out in 1914 and became an officer in the british army. Liddell hart 18951970 was many things, but above all, he was a military historian.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. One of the worlds outstanding teacherhistorians, sir basil. The indirect approach, is recognized as a seminal work. With his distinctive voice, he covers the most famous of all wars with seering insight and authorative knowledge of tactics and strategy. Sir basil henry liddell hart usually known before his knighthood as captain b. History of the second world war by basil henry liddell hart book 112 editions published between 1966 and 2015 in 4 languages and held by 3,501 worldcat member libraries worldwide. These eight maxims of strategy are drawn from chapter xx pp. Liddell hart certainly read it but, to judge by his reply and subsequent writings, failed to heed most of it. Liddell hart left studies at cambridge university when world war i broke out in. Sir basil liddell hart 18951970 was the greatest military thinker of the twentieth century, whose ideas revolutionized the art of war. World war ii is a great deal to pack into a single volume, but liddell hart, a british military historian noted for his history of the first worm war, gives a quite even chronicle of the military course of events. His many books include scipio africanus, lawrence of arabia, the rommel papers, and sherman all available from da capo press.
Liddell hart was considered one of the worlds foremost military thinkers. Many of the books listed in this work are military clas. First published in 1970, the year after his death, liddell hart s history of the second world war is a highly acclaimed account by one of the greatest military writers of the twentieth century. He summarized the many lessons in his writings in a little book called why dont we learn from history the book is meant as a summary of the history of warfare, but its much more than that. This study guide consists of approximately 42 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of strategy. During the 1930s the defence debate in britain was dominated by captain. Adjust your end to your means clear sight and cool calculation should prevail. Apr 02, 2003 this essay endeavors to demonstrate that while his status is understandable, it also is undeserved and unfortunate, because the book is seriously flawed, both factually and analytically, the consequence of liddell hart having written it to promote his thesis that the indirect approach is the secret of success in war. Sir basil liddell hart british military historian britannica. Lidell hart spent a lifetime writing about the history of military strategy and war. Citing wilkinson, liddell hart subsequently provided a more balanced assessment of saxe in the british way of warfare 1932 and also one of his most subtle appreciations of clausewitzs own as opposed to his misinterpreters argument. Topics generalities publisher faber and faber limited london collection universallibrary contributor braou language. Pdf an account of the postwwii dispute between new zealand western desert veteran major general sir howard kippenberger and british.
His historical significance lies, however, in his contribution as a journalist and historian in reshaping attitudes to the war in britain during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Rommel said of his work, the british would have been able to prevent the greatest part of their defeats if they had paid attention to the modern theories expounded by liddell hart before the war. A student at cambridge university at the outbreak of world war i, he joined the army and rose to the rank of captain. Germanys generals, their rise and fall, with their own account of military events, 19391945 by basil h. Buy a cheap copy of the other side of the hill book by b. He saw that in most military campaigns dislocation of the enemys psychological and physical balance is prelude to victory. He served as an officer in the british army during the first world war where he witnessed the horrors of the trenches. First published in the year after his death in 1970, liddell hart s history of the second world war is a classic military tome from one of the best military strategists of his generation. I recommend all of hart s books, from strategy to why dont we learn from history to his excellent biographies of strategic geniuses like william t. The most prolific defence journalist, strategic analyst, and military. His historical significance lies, however, in his contribution as a journalist and historian in reshaping attitudes to. In the 1920s and later he wrote a series of military histories that proved influential among strategists.
Uddeu hart, the memoirs of captain liddtll hart london, 1965, p. Liddell hart centre for military archives kings college london papers of patrick vwrh oregan 19201961 patrick valentine william rowan hamilton oregan was born on 2 february 1920. He is credited with greatly influencing the development of armoured warfare. The study concludes that liddell hart s vrftings are internally coherent. Liddell hart s last work as well as his magnum opus, embodies the fruits of twenty years of research and a lifetime of thinking on war. Liddell hart find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate we use cookies to make interactions with our website easy and meaningful, to better understand the use of.
The contention is that the brave soldiers were sent to their deaths by incompetent and indifferent leaders. He wrote tracts on sherman, scipio, rommel, and on military strategy itself. Jul 17, 2014 first published in 1970, the year after his death, liddell hart s history of the second world war is a highly acclaimed account by one of the greatest military writers of the twentieth century. He saw that in most military campaigns dislocation of the enemys psychological and.
If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. Lions led by donkeys is a phrase popularly used to describe the british infantry of the first world war and to blame the generals who led them. He attended marlborough college, where his father had been a master from 1894 until his death in 1922. Liddell hart stressed movement, flexibility, and surprise. Picq, fuller, liddell hart, and world war ii general officer. Jan 19, 2016 among the most widely read strategists is b. Bh liddell hart t hroughout history, successful soldiers have schooled their minds as well as their bodies, and have examined the challenges faced and experience gained by earlier generations through education and the widest possible reading. Liddell hart, noted british miltary strategist and writer. The stories that helped us win world war ii by molly guptill manning.
While reading the book requires a little knowledge of historic domains, and quite a bit of knowledge about historic geography to be fully understandable, the basic lessons taken from each incident can be understood without. The outcome has been the latest of many lessons that pure military strategy needs to be guided by the longer and wider view from the higher plane of grand strategy. Liddell hart centre for military archives kings college. Liddell hart was an english soldier, military historian and leading interwar theorist. Liddell hart believed the failure to act upon these principles which was the case for nearly all commanders in world war i led to the high casualty rate. Liddell hart 18951970 was a military historian and is considered among the great military strategists of the twentieth century. Sir basil henry liddell hart, commonly known as captain b. Heinz guderian biography facts, childhood, family life.
The rommel papers is the collected writings by the german world war ii field marshal erwin rommel. Liddell hart was considered one of the worlds foremost military thinkersa man generally regarded as the clausewitz of the 20th century. I recommend all of harts books, from strategy to why dont we learn from history to his excellent biographies of strategic geniuses like william t. Basil henry liddell hart 18951970, who first adopted liddell hart as his surname in 1921, served as an infantry officer on the western front. Following world war ii, he was a proponent of the west german rearmament and the moral rehabilitation of the german wehrmacht. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, career, and achievement. Most courses analyzing military strategy or its broader cousin grand strategy devote at least a portion of their time to the central idea of liddell hart s career as a strategist and historian. Liddell hart, strategy 19 classics of strategy and diplomacy. Liddell hart believed the failure to act upon these principles which was the case for nearly.
Liddell hart, was an english soldier, military historian and military theorist. Liddell hart, was an english soldier, military historian, military theorist, and author. Providing searing insights and drawing on an unparalleled knowledge of tactics and strategy, it is the culmination of a lifetimes analysis and study. Sherman like greene, hart has the ability to communicate and explain timeless truths about strategy and power. In the circumstances of world war ii, the pursuit of triumph was foredoomed to turn into tragedy, and futility.
Liddell hart is considered by some to be the clausewitz of the 20th century, and his most important book, strategy. Liddell hart stressed movement, flexibilty, surprise. Pdf the seth material pdf the management of pain in older people pdf the amazon papers pdf building better skills pdf planning strategies that work at early pregnancy assessment about previous psychiatric history, and referring on those with a past history of. Liddell hart, basil henry, sir international encyclopedia. His work influenced neville chamberlain and may have even accidentally influenced the german armys blitzkrieg tactic in wwii. Performing organization names and addresses army command and general staff college,school for advanced military studies,fort leavenworth,ks,66027 8. Liddell hart was instrumental in the creation of the rommel myth, a view that the german field marshal erwin rommel was an apolitical, brilliant commander and a victim of the third reich due to his now disputed participation in the 20 july plot against adolf hitler.
In his book strategy 1960, hart argues that the best approach to win is the indirect approach. Reputations, milit ary theorist and historian basil liddell harts. Hart is best known for his books on military history and strategy, yet here he discusses a fundamentally important psychological and philosophical question that underlies much of history. Liddell hart, basil henry sir 18951970 worldcat identities. Captain basil henry liddell hart 18951970 was one of the foremost military theorists of our time. Most courses analyzing military strategy or its broader cousin grand strategy devote at least a portion of their time to the central idea of liddell harts career as a strategist and historian. Liddell hart was considered one of the worlds foremost military thinkersa man. Liddell hart elaborates on various historic campaigns in a very readable and consise fashion. The practical value of history is to throw the film of the past through the material projector of the present on to the screen of the future. The phrase was the source of the title of one of the most scathing examinations of british first world war generals, the donkeysa study. Heinz guderian was a german general of the nazi era, best known for his contribution to the blitzkrieg method of warfare in the second world war.
Liddell hart was considered one of the worlds foremost military. Liddell hart, was an english soldier, military historian and leading military theorist. Martinez entrep f10 slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Liddell hart was born in paris in 1895 and educated at. Sir basil henry liddell hart 31 october 1895 29 january 1970, commonly known throughout most of his career as captain b. Liddell hart s thesis on indirect strategy has always been grounded on two things.
Founded in 1964, the liddell hart centre for military archives is a leading repository for research into modern defence policy in britain its strategy, planning and conduct. A complete overthrow of germanys power of resistance was bound to. After twenty years experience of such work, pure documentary history seems. In 1954, liddell hart published a book simply titled strategy. He arrived at a set of principles that he considered the basis of all good strategy. The object of such a study would not be to displace the work of jay luvaas or 9rian bond so much as to. They speak as professional soldiers to a man they know and respect. He arrived at a set of principles that he considered the basis of all good strategy, principles which, liddell hart claimed, were ignored by nearly all commanders in world war i. Liddell hart is often considered one of the foremost mid20th century scholars on military history. In 1954, liddell hart published his most influential work, strategy.
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