American Warlords

Starred review from April 1, 2015
Attorney Jordan (Brothers, Rivals, Victors: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and the Partnership that Drove the Allied Conquest in Europe, 2011, etc.) delivers another page-turning chronicle of World War II. Small details and little-mentioned facts make this a highly informative look at four men in charge in Washington, D.C., during that time. Franklin Roosevelt never made it easy for his military men. He was secretive and nonchalant, and his answers to their questions were often glib and equivocal. He was also very much under the spell of Winston Churchill. Planning meetings often began with the British presenting their strategy and the Americans, with no clue from FDR, nodding their heads. Luckily, the American contingent included Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall; Secretary of War Henry Stimson; and Ernest J. King, leader of the Navy. Marshall had his hands full fighting the Allies as much as the enemy. In the Pacific, there were squabbles between Army and Navy, and Gen. Douglas MacArthur focused primarily on his promise to relieve the Philippines. The British harped on their needs to strike at Africa and the Balkans, while the American public and Joseph Stalin were demanding action against Hitler in France. American tanks, planes, and ships supplied all of these theaters during the war, but they could only produce so much. Furthermore, a second front was impossible until 1944. Throughout, the author provides astute and clever portrayals of the leaders, including Churchill's pretense to his ancestor's abilities, Stalin's displays of compassion, and FDR's meddling in naval projects. Jordan's wonderful new insight into the leaders shows how lucky we were regarding Stimson's prescient warnings about nuclear war, Marshall's long-suffering, self-effacing loyalty, and King's rough-and-ready fighting abilities. In addition to World War II buffs, other readers will enjoy the intrigue, back-stabbing, action, and diplomacy in this well-written book.

Starred review from May 1, 2015

Jordan (Brothers, Rivals, Victors) explores the relationship between Franklin D. Roosevelt and his top military advisers, extending the analysis to the Asian and South Pacific dimension of World War II. Focusing on the leadership tension of the era, the author proves how Roosevelt was often pitted against his Secretary of War Henry Stimson, Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, and Chief of Naval Operations Ernest J. King. Secondary attention is devoted to Winston Churchill as well as Army Generals Dwight Eisenhower, Hap Arnold, and Douglas MacArthur. The author clearly demonstrates that even though Roosevelt lacked direct military experience, he fully understood the military, developing a leadership style based on his previous position as Woodrow Wilson's assistant secretary of the navy. VERDICT While there are a number of books on FDR and World War II, there is a gap between military and political scholarship. Even though this work doesn't uncover new findings, Jordan succeeds in bridging the gap among military historians in a classic page-turner that is fun to read. This essential volume will hold much appeal to readers interested in World War II, FDR, and civilian-military relations.--William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport

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