Old Glory Stories: American Combat Leadership in World War II

Cole Kingseed

Nov 2013 · Naval Institute Press

About this ebook

Saying that no generation of Americans has produced a finer array of combat commanders than that of World War II, a thirty-year army veteran examines combat leadership throughout the war at every level of command in the U.S. Army. The author argues that although Army chief of staff George C. Marshall s organization and training policies were indispensable, the ultimate victory was the result of spirited leadership and the undaunted courage of those who served, from individual riflemen to the upper echelons of army command.

Rather than a history of battles and campaigns, this book is an analysis of leadership in combat over three continents and across two oceans. It looks at how soldiers react in war -—how sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and generals direct soldiers in the most intense of all human dramas. The first part focuses on the generals and takes a thematic approach, examining such topics as restoring the fighting spirit and analyzing the unique characteristics required to command special units in combat. The second part examines a special breed of junior leaders who fought the German and Japanese armies on the front lines and whose contributions merit attention. Like war correspondent Ernie Pyle, Kingseed includes both the big and the little to offer a balanced view of what makes a good combat leader.

About the author

Col. Cole C. Kingseed, USA (Ret.), is a thirty-year Army veteran who commanded at the platoon, company, and battalion levels. A former history professor at West Point, he holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University and is the author of The American Civil War and Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis of 1956, among other books. He lives in New Windsor, NY, where he serves as president of Brecourt Leadership Experience, Inc.