Baen, 1998, $5.99, ISBN 0-671-87886-7, 314 pgs.

This collection of short stories by authors like Turtledove, Moon, Weber, Forstchen, Stirling and others proclaims that "leadership makes al the difference." Then the back prose goes on about what if Rommel commanded to the Persians at Gaugemela, or if Patton led the Confederate forces at Bull Run. The cover has a Roman legionnaire in a tank turret.

All lies!

No Patton at Bull Run. No Rommel at Gaugemela. Plenty of other generals switching sides, but no time-hopping here. For example, Nelson is the French Admiral at Trafalger, Robert E. Lee leads the Charge of the Light Brigade, Sun Tzu commands the Persian invasion of Greece, and so on.

Some of the pieces are quite good--Billy Mitchell's Overt Act by William Sanders, where the Japanese naval force is hammered before reaching Pearl Harbor; Vati by R.M. Meluch, which postulates a more efficient WWII German airforce Director General of Equipment and the impact of jets on Allied D-Day plans; and A Hard Day for Mother by William Forstchen, which postulates Joshua Chamberlain as a Confederate general attacking Little Round Top at Gettysburg.

The others are generally forgettable.

Overall, this is quite a disappointment.

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