Stephen R. Taaffe has 2 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 2 narrators. The most-rated is Washington's Revolutionary War Generals.
Marshall and His Generals
Summary
General George C. Marshall, chief of staff of the US Army during World War II, faced the daunting task not only of overseeing two theaters of a global conflict but also of selecting the best generals to carry out American grand strategy. Marshall and His Generals is the first and only book to focus entirely on that selection process and the performances, both stellar and disappointing, that followed from it. Stephen Taaffe explores how and why Marshall selected the Army's commanders. Among Marshall's chief criteria were character (including "unselfish and devoted purpose"), education (whether at West Point, Fort Leavenworth, or the Army War College), and striking a balance between experience and relative youth in a war that required both wisdom and great physical stamina. As the war unfolded, Marshall also factored into his calculations the combat leadership his generals demonstrated and the opinions of his theater commanders. Delving deeper than other studies, this path-breaking work produces a seamless analysis of Marshall's selection process of operational-level commanders. Taaffe also critiques the performance of these generals during the war and reveals the extent to which their actions served as stepping stones to advancement.
©2011 The University Press of Kansas (P)2017 Tantor
Washington's Revolutionary War Generals
Summary
When the Revolutionary War began, Congress established a national army and appointed George Washington its commander in chief. Congress then took it upon itself to choose numerous subordinate generals to lead the army’s various departments, divisions, and brigades. How this worked out in the end is well known. Less familiar, however, is how well Congress’s choices worked out along the way. Although historians have examined many of Washington’s subordinates, Washington’s Revolutionary War Generals is the first book to look at these men in a collective, integrated manner. A thoroughgoing study of the Revolutionary War careers of the Continental Army’s generals - their experience, performance, and relationships with Washington and the Continental Congress - this book provides an overview of the politics of command, both within and outside the army, and a unique perspective on how it affected Washington’s prosecution of the war. Stephen R. Taaffe weaves a narrative in the grand tradition of military history. Against this backdrop, his depiction of the complexities and particulars of character and politics of military command provides a new understanding of George Washington, the War for Independence, and the US military’s earliest beginnings. The book is published by University of Oklahoma Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks. “As comprehensive as it is unsparing...a welcome contribution to our understanding of the Continental military.” (Mark Edward Lender, coauthor of Fatal Sunday) “This book is an important contribution to the field.” (Joseph F. Stoltz III, author of A Bloodless Victory: The Battle of New Orleans in History and Memory)
©2019 University of Oklahoma Press (P)2020 Redwood Audiobooks