The study of military history has tended to concentrate on stories of great generals — from Alexander the Great to Napoleon — whose victories echo down the ages, and whose achievements are held up as an example to future generations.
According to a new book, however, there is another side to the coin. In their introduction to The Worst Military Leaders in History, John M Jennings and Chuck Steele argue that to understand war more completely it is necessary also to give consideration to history’s most catastrophic commanders. After all, they ask, are there not lessons to be learned from the study of failure, as well as of success?
As we discover over the following pages, terrible military leaders come in different shapes and sizes. Some — like dashing WWI naval commander David Beatty — appear blind to their own flaws. Others — like US Army officer John Chivington — are persuaded by ambition to commit barbarous acts. Yet others — like Roman statesman Marcus Licinius Crassus — find out the hard way that they are politicians first and generals second. In all these cases, their stories have much to teach us about the nature of war, and the role of character in victory and defeat.
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