Options of Command

by Trevor N. Dupuy

In this book Col. Dupuy has restudied ten of the most important battles of World War II in order to see what might have happened, and how subsequent history might have been changed, if one side or the other had reversed a crucial decision or adopted a different option during the course of the battle.

Genres: Military Fiction

303 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1984

About the author

Trevor Dupuy attended West Point, graduating in the class of 1938. During World War II he commanded a U.S. Army artillery battalion, a Chinese artillery group, and an artillery detachment from the British 36th Infantry Division. He was always proud of the fact that he had more combat time in Burma than any other American, and received decorations for service or valour from the U.S., British, and Chinese governments. After the war Dupuy served in the United States Department of Defense Operations Division[1] from 1945 to 1947, and as military assistant to the Under Secretary of the Army from 1947 to 1948. He was a member of the original Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) staff in Paris under Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Matthew Ridgway from 1950 to 1952.

It is as a military historian and a theorist that Trevor Dupuy would make a lasting mark on the world. He is perhaps best known for his massive book The Encyclopedia Of Military History (co-written, like many of his books, with his father R. Ernest Dupuy). Starting from the beginning of history and going up the present day the book tries to cover all the major (and minor) military conflicts in world history. Usually each entry (arranged chronologically and by region) gives little more than the names of the commanders and (often) very rough estimates for the size of the forces involved in the campaigns. Dupuy was not afraid of expressing an opinion and he classified some of his subjects as Great Captains (such as Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, Frederick II of Prussia and Napoleon). Like most Western reference works it spends far more time dealing with wars in Europe and the United States than the rest of the world, but it does at least try to cover the entire world. The Encyclopedia Of Military History has been revised (and updated) several times, most recently in 1993. It can be found in the reference section of most American libraries.

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun little book for the Alternate History/ Wargaming/What If crowd. The author, a Leading Military Historian/Analyst of the 20th Century, goes over Ten episodes in WWI, where different decisions might have produced different outcomes. Thus we get extra insight into Ardennes 1940, The Battle of Britain, Barbarossa -The German Invasion of Russia, The Battle of Moscow, Pearl Harbour, The Midway Campaign, Case Blue/Stalingrad, Cassino/Rome 1944, D-Day and The Battle of the Bulge. All are pivotal points in the War that can stand some extra attention. All are presented more like case studies than real fiction, but have some maps in support.
It a mixed lot in levels of change to the historical record. The Battle of Britain episode is a great example. Even when the Germans do think they have Aerial superiority the Brits and their vast Navy are still able to pinch off "Sea Lion" Nazi Beachheads and end the threat- just at even greater costs. Dupuy is no "breathless" American Journalist writer of the kind that always exaggerates the threats of WWII events. Instead we get the steely gaze of a military professional with the proper emphasis on logistics over tactics. It's fun and thought provoking stuff.
A very good book for the Junior reader , with its strong explanations of so many factors always at play in these things. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast this is a treasure trove. With the maps to follow and the many scenaria highlighted, as well as the Appendix, where some game theory and Krieg-Spieling (wargaming-as promoted by Clausewitz) ideas are discussed in more detail, this can be the basis for a game-master and some campaigns. The prose is a treasure trove for scenario/diorama development- sure to get a gamer thinking about dozens of variations or games within games. A strong rec- some fiction folks may even enjoy the stripped down war stories.

[Mathieu Gaudreault · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book. The author, a former officer show mostly that the allies could have defeted sooner germany. In most case as in France in 1940 or Soviet Union in July 1941 the generals kill Hitler and sur for peace. This author is realist to mention that even with localized air supremacy in September 1940 Sea Lion was doomed to fail. A book that should be in reprint and worht it if you liked Kenenth Mackesy or Peter G Tsouras books on alternate history. Definitevly a small jewel.