by J.Marshall-Cornwall. (9" x 6 "; 324pgs; 30 plates; 16 maps. Batsford,
I approached this book with mixed feelings, influenced no doubt by the appalling casualties suffered during the Great War and the generally raised and accepted criticisms of the generals who fought it. I found the book most interesting and informative. It is written sympathetically but not uncritically and shows Haig doing a most difficult job in almost impossible conditions. As is made apparent he made some mistakes -- but who in that position would not? The political constraints of 1916 and 1917 Plus the sheer necessity of fighting the Germans in order to prevent complete French collapse and an earlier adverse result of the war forced actions upon him which were not of his choosing.
I consider Haig was a controversial figure in that the cost in lives was something that had not previously been met, and his detractors outnumbered his supporters. In the midst of all the noise, however, he perservered in his beliefs until August 1918 when he showed that he could command victory following his break-through, in which he had always believed.
One of his tenets regarding the necessity of husbanding his cavalry to support and exploit a breakthrough was attacked consistently by his critics. It must not be overlooked, however, that Liddell Hart stated later that infantry alone could not destroy completely an enemy army as they could not move fast enough to disperse and destroy in detail the enemy formations and command structure.
All in all I think this is a good book and it shows Haig in a new and better balanced light both as a man and military commander.
Book Reviews
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© Copyright 1973 by Donald Featherstone.
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