Paul Lockhart (3)

Excellent book on a professional who helped build the necessary foundations for emerging US Army.
Author's style is fantastic, what might be a rather dry topic with ever going list of names and contemporaries is actually a beautifully written and engaging story of a professional man who devoted his entire life to profession of arms.

Born and raised in strict discipline of Prussia, von Stauben found himself in that limbo many professional soldier is terrified of (even today, current events testifying to it) - lack of wars. This forced him to seek employment elsewhere but not being high in rank although with very extensive military experience (that would make him promoted in more, lets call it active, periods) he was not what you might call a catch for military offices of European countries.

This set him towards the brewing troubles in English colonies in the New World, and here he will make name of himself. As it comes with every professional man he will fight the bureaucracy and politicians, people who want to avoid full commitment if possible (and wars are not times for this) and jealous colleagues who wanted to bring him down either directly or indirectly (von Steuben being collateral damage of efforts aimed against Washington and his supporters). He will weather all of this, and succeed with help of his friends.

I like how author always tries to give us von Steuben, the man, not only the military officer. His commitment to people he led, train and lived with is a testament to his professionalism. Steuben worked to provide the newborn army with practical advice and training, without elements that played no part in the field. In this he succeeded, providing guidebooks for training, making sure officers are involved with their men, making sure basic tenants of force deployment, encampment (his constant critique of relaxed camp guards) and most importantly logistics are followed (his efforts to raise troops in Virginia were truly herculean). It is not that he made any breakthroughs in the military science. No, he did what geniuses usually do - he integrated the knowledge into usable, practical and easily understandable units and made sure that they are thought to everyone, from officers to lowly private. This raised level of military capabilty of Washington's troops in a relatively short time.

Excellent book about a very interesting and extraordinary professional - man who was never quite understood outside the military milieu, man who kept private life for himself, cherished his friends immensely, but due to sporadic outbursts of bad temper remained the enigma to many (not to mention he was even marked as mercenary by his opposition which was truly a case of injustice and slander in my opinion).

Highly recommended.… (plus d'informations)

A great, quick read about a man who should be more famous in the US than he is. I enjoyed Paul Lockhart's easy style.

The book definitely fleshed out the Baron de Steuben far beyond what the title suggests. Steuben had a far greater impact on not just the army, but the Revolution itself. Aside from Alexander Hamilton (who's often referred to as "Alex Hamilton" by Lockhart, which is just weird), Steuben may be the best early example of an immigrant chasing, and to a large degree achieving, the American Dream.… (plus d'informations)