Great captains: The art of war in the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon

by Theodore Ayrault Dodge

These lectures lay the foundation for one of the most famous bodies of work produced by an American on the history of warfare. Their author, who saw action in the Civil War, became an avid student of ancient military conflicts and the traditions of leadership that developed from those conflicts. Dodge introduces six great military leaders, each one in command of his country#39;s destiny. Beginning with Alexander the Great, and proceeding to Hannibal and Julius Caesar, he blends his own knowledge of military strategy with that of the ancient chroniclers. He then moves on to discuss the three outstanding military minds of the modern period: Frederick the Great, Napoleon, and Gustavus Adolphus. Illustrated with maps of battle sites, this book provides readers with an informative guide to the military genius of six gifted soldiers.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction

219 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Theodore Ayrault Dodge was an American officer and military historian. He fought as an Union officer in the American Civil War, and lost his leg at the Battle of Gettysburg; as a writer, he devoted his writings to both the American Civil War and the great generals of Ancient and European history.

Reviews

[Jed · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Napoleon flared like a comet. Frederick burned like a planet, or a fixed star - less brilliant, less startling, but ever constant."

Tremendous book - fantastic introduction to the lives of the five greatest Captains to ever live. While being familiar with the others, I hadn't appreciated Gustavus enough, and, after reading, it seems a shame that he's typically only placed alongside Frederick, Hannibal etc. by military historians.

[Steven Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant and worthwhile read that highlights the art of war through the lens of six of the greatest battle captains in history.