Monty: The Lonely Leader, 1944-1945

by David Montgomery and Alistair Horne

Book Overview

Concentrating on the momentous events following Operation Overlord until the German surrender in 1945, Alistair Horne and David Montgomery (Montgomery's only son) cast a new light on the life and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060170824
• ISBN13: 9780060170820
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 381 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Only a year - but what a year!

After his famous victory over Rommel at El Alamein in 1942, Montgomery was appointed Chief of Land Forces for the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944. The Supreme Allied Commander was General Eisenhower. This book traces that final campaign from it's beginnings in London (January 1944), across the English Channel (June 1944) and the long march north eastwards across France, Belgium and Holland to the climax at Lüneberg Heath in May 1945 where Montgomery received Germany's surrender. Working in conjunction with Montgomery's only son David, author Alistair Horne brings a fresh approach to what was, for many people, the longest year of all time as the allied forces fought battle after battle on their way to bringing the War in Europe to an end. David Montgomery's contribution is, as one might expect, the personal side and private papers of his father in a bid to provide the reader with a human face behind the fiercely professional leader of men. Both tactics and politics come into play when the co-authors attempt to discuss Montgomery's personal dealings with his immediate superior - General Eisenhower. Whilst it is, perhaps, only natural for British readers of this book to side with Montgomery and American readers to favour Eisenhower, my own view is that Montgomery's greatest fault was his inability to accept not being in overall command during this final phase of the War. That, in itself, is a supreme failing in any officer because, at the end of the day, be they a lieutenant or a General - they are all appointed to serve. It is good to see this vital year from World War Two under the microscope and I am quite certain that avid historians will learn something new. NM

Inside one of the best leaders

The enigma of famous and succesfull army leaders is not entirly unveiled in this book. But the combination of Horne, with his majestic, all-compassing style, and Montgommery jr., with his peronal experience, make this book a good try to probe into the man behind the myth. Giving both ample attention to the strategic and factual developments of Montgommery during his last campaign, it is a very readeble book, taking the reader en route with the Tactical HQ system Montgommery devised. It also tries to explain the behaviour of a man known to be both warm adn inspiring to his troops and aloof and arrogant to the rest of the world. A large part of the book deals with the role Montgommery played in Overlord. It is most interesting reading next to the biographies of other Overlord generals. It is certainly not an all out praise to the lonely leader, critical and objective as it is. It gives insight in leadership as it should, and should not be effected.As history seldom can be objective it is a good try.