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From: tedrick@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU (Tom Tedrick)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Military Books (Liddell Hart & Fuller)
Message-ID: <1991May24.030421.9158@amd.com>
Date: 23 May 91 09:33:41 GMT
Sender: military@amd.com
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From: tedrick@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU (Tom Tedrick)


>I was very impressed with Liddell-Hart's Strategy on first reading, but
>less so as I read other perspectives on some of the example battles
>and wars he uses as support.

While I like Liddell-Hart's books, it seems to me J.F.C. Fuller had
a deeper insight into military problems. Liddell-Hart is less
controversial, so probably appeals to a wider audience than Fuller.

>I particularly find his comparison of Grant and Sherman to be very flawed.
>He lauds Sherman's indirect approach in the March to the Sea and lambasts
>Grant for running a meatgrinder campaign in the East.  He totally misses
>the fact that these two generals were working together on ONE strategy,

Fuller made a similar argument (in "Grant vs. Lee" if memory serves me,
and in other books). The basic idea is to use some of your force to pin 
down enemy forces with a frontal attack, making it possible for another
part of your force to manouevre against the flanks or rear of the enemy
position.

	[ Can you suggest which books by Fuller would be good to start with?
	  --CDR]