by Dr. Christopher Duffy, published by The Emperor's Press, Chicago, IL.

"Eagles Over the Alps" by Dr. Christopher Duffy, professor of military history at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, chronicles the last campaigns of Russian Field Marshal Suvorov -- arguably one of the very best captains Russia, USSR, et al, has ever produced.

At first glance, the first few chapters may seem out of place. However, they document crucial events and influences that served to shape and define the triumphant Italian campaign, and later on, the heroic march through the Swiss Alps. Particular attention is paid to the mind set of Austrian Emperor Francis I I and his desire to regain his lost Italian provinces and provide a stable defense for Austria proper. Also documented is the welcome addition of the Austrian staff to the Russian Army and the usually effective manner in which they kept a combined Austro-Russian army supplied and organized for the whole of the Italian campaign.

The narrative of the Italian campaign displays a commander at the height of his intellectual prowess. Professor Duffy describes a Marshal who clearly dominates the entire theater, and with quick marches and concentration of forces, gives battle at times and places of his choosing. By the end of the campaign, the despairing French are almost entirely driven from Italy and are looking for a miracle to save them. Newcastle's grand scheme to destroy Republican France is the miracle they needed. Suvorov was ordered to leave Italy, transverse the Swiss Alps and take command of another Russian Corps and invade France simultaneously with and an Austrian and Anglo-Russian army.

French Marshal Massena destroyed the operation before it ever started by routing the Russian Corps under General Korsakov at Zurich. By the time Suvorov learned of this defeat, he had reached the middle of the Swiss Alps -- stranded, with no support -- and surrounded by converging French formations. This is where Professor Duffy's ability as a story teller shines, with descriptions of determined assaults against entrenched French infantry on seemingly unscalable heights and the almost impassable tracts the Russians are forced to use in their quest to avoid entrapment.

Each chapter is lavishly footnoted and annotated with incisive quotes that capture the essence of the time. Included are orders of battle that will allow any gamer to easily recreate the battles of this epoch campaign on the game table. Also, there are extensive maps for each march of the campaign which give Allied and French movement towards the battlefield, as well as maps of the battles themselves. For the march through the Swiss Alps, there are pages of photographs that leave the reader awed by the iron will of an aged Marshal to lead his army to safety.

I end this review with the last comment by Professor Duffy: "Having journeyed so long in the company of Suvorov, it would be shameful for us to be classified as Nichtswisser and hatchers of Unterkunft. We therefore declare outright that Suvorov would have beaten Bonaparte in 1800, and can only regret that he never had the opportunity." I agreel I cannot recommend this book too highly. Any student of history will find this work illuminating and inspiring.

Get off your duff and buy it I The book retails for $35 and is published by The Emperor's Press and is available from the Emperor's Headquarters and, I believe, Old Battlefields Press.