Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime

**Shek** · 07-05-2007, 07:39 AM

The first (and hopefully not last) book for the "book of the month" club will be Amazon.com: Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime: Books: Eliot A. Cohen.

I'll reopen this thread once we begin the discussion in August. Below is a review of the book by noted conservative columnist Michael Barone, as well as an interview of the author on PBS News Hour.

Michael Barone reviewed the book back in 2002. Here's his closing remarks, which send a chill down my spine.

Quote:

To find a workable plan for action against Iraq, Bush is going to have to act more like Cohen's supreme commanders than he has so far, and he is going to have to give full backing to Rumsfeld's efforts as well. War is too important to be left entirely to the generals. It is time for the supreme commander to command.

Five years later, we'll be able to judge whether Barone's interpretation of the book's prescriptions was correct or not.

Here's a PBS News Hour interview with Professor Cohen on the book. Here's the intro to the interview:

Quote:

MARGARET WARNER: In wartime, who should run the show: The politicians or the generals? That's the subject of a provocative new book by military affairs expert Elliott Cohen. The book is "Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime." It looks at four great war time leaders-- Abraham Lincoln; World War I French Premiere George Clemenceau; Winston Churchill; and Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurian-- to answer the question. Among its readers, President Bush, who read it during his Texas vacation. Cohen is a professor at the school at the Nitze School at Johns Hopkins University. A former Pentagon official, he now serves on the defense policy board, a group that advises the secretary of defense. And welcome, Professor Cohen.

**Shek** · 07-06-2007, 20:31 PM

The following members have "signed up" to read the book and participate in the discussion.

Albany Rifles
S-2
JAD_333
Bigfella

**Shek** · 07-26-2007, 08:30 AM

We'll officially kick off the discussion sometime next week, and since this book revolves around a series of case studies, I'll create separate threads for each of the different cases, with links through this "master" thread, which I will keep as a "sticky" thread.

Since I just started reading the book yesterday, don't wait for me to start posting on the different threads if you've got something that you found interesting/revealing/insightful/dreadful.

Lastly, if you've decided to read the book and join in the discussion, please let me know so I can add your name to the top of the list of those contributing who have actually read the book. Thanks.

Albany Rifles · 08-09-2007, 08:32 AM

Hey Shek

Great call. I am about 2/3s of the way through it (had a 2 finish 2 book son Shiloh first). Really opened my eyes about Clemenceau & Foch.

I should be finished up by early next week.

Ryan Bailey · 10-02-2007, 15:33 PM

looking forward to reading the book and learning more from comments here

S-2 · 10-02-2007, 16:27 PM

Read it. A superb study of wartime leadership, as I mentioned in my welcome to you. We're on hold temporarily so take notes if a library copy. I suspect that around the holidays there may be a chance to get into it in detail.

SUPREME COMMAND promises to be a good discussion.

toby11 · 12-16-2007, 20:42 PM

Hey Ya'll, I have read Supreme Command...where is the discussion? Did I miss it?

I was intrigued by Ben-Gurion's history in the 40's as a terrorist (as defined by the British). The early Israelis had their own guerrilla warfare going. Is the early Israeli-Arab conflict a subject of study for the COIN academics like the Algerian conflict?

The book was excellent!

07-06-2007, 20:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shek Moderator Join Date: 02-23-05 Location: Krblachistan Posts: 7,253 Country:	The following members have "signed up" to read the book and participate in the discussion. Albany Rifles S-2 JAD_333 Bigfella Last edited by Shek : 07-08-2007 at 10:07 AM.

08-09-2007, 08:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Albany Rifles *Defense Professional* *Military Professional* Join Date: 04-27-07 Location: Prince George, VA Posts: 859 Country:	Hey Shek Great call. I am about 2/3s of the way through it (had a 2 finish 2 book son Shiloh first). Really opened my eyes about Clemenceau & Foch. I should be finished up by early next week. __________________ “When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” — Oscar Wilde

10-02-2007, 15:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ryan Bailey *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-25-07 Location: Megalopolis, US Posts: 135 Country:	looking forward to reading the book and learning more from comments here __________________ "If we will not be governed by God then we will be ruled by tyrants" -William Penn

10-02-2007, 16:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 1,924 Country:	Ryan Bailey Reply Read it. A superb study of wartime leadership, as I mentioned in my welcome to you. We're on hold temporarily so take notes if a library copy. I suspect that around the holidays there may be a chance to get into it in detail. SUPREME COMMAND promises to be a good discussion. __________________ "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski

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07-26-2007, 08:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
Shek Moderator Join Date: 02-23-05 Location: Krblachistan Posts: 7,253 Country:	We'll officially kick off the discussion sometime next week, and since this book revolves around a series of case studies, I'll create separate threads for each of the different cases, with links through this "master" thread, which I will keep as a "sticky" thread. Since I just started reading the book yesterday, don't wait for me to start posting on the different threads if you've got something that you found interesting/revealing/insightful/dreadful. Lastly, if you've decided to read the book and join in the discussion, please let me know so I can add your name to the top of the list of those contributing who have actually read the book. Thanks.

12-16-2007, 20:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
toby11 New Member Join Date: 10-06-07 Location: Georgia Posts: 10 Country:	Hey Ya'll, I have read Supreme Command...where is the discussion? Did I miss it? I was intrigued by Ben-Gurion's history in the 40's as a terrorist (as defined by the British). The early Israelis had their own guerrilla warfare going. Is the early Israeli-Arab conflict a subject of study for the COIN academics like the Algerian conflict? The book was excellent!

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