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Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War
A unique analysis of the greatest commanders who helped the allies win the Second World War, written by one of the UK's best loved comedians and commentators. He also loves history.
Al Murray's passion for military history and the Second World War in particular has always run parallel with his comedy and was brought to the fore with several acclaimed and award-winning television shows and the recent huge success of his podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk which he hosts with fellow bestselling military author James Holland. In his first serious narrative book, Command showcases Al Murray's passion for this pivotal period in the twentieth century, as he writes an engaging, entertaining and sharp analysis of the key allied military leaders in the conflict.
Command highlights the performance and careers of some of the leading protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies. By showcasing each combat commander across every major theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them. Command is the book for all fans of Second World War History who appreciate a true enthusiast of the genre with something new and compelling to say.
Al Murray's passion for military history and the Second World War in particular has always run parallel with his comedy and was brought to the fore with several acclaimed and award-winning television shows and the recent huge success of his podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk which he hosts with fellow bestselling military author James Holland. In his first serious narrative book, Command showcases Al Murray's passion for this pivotal period in the twentieth century, as he writes an engaging, entertaining and sharp analysis of the key allied military leaders in the conflict.
Command highlights the performance and careers of some of the leading protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies. By showcasing each combat commander across every major theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them. Command is the book for all fans of Second World War History who appreciate a true enthusiast of the genre with something new and compelling to say.
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First published October 13, 2022
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About the author
Al Murray
47 books43 followersAlastair James Hay "Al" Murray is an English comedian and TV personality well known for his stand-up persona and quick repartee.
His best-known character is "The Pub Landlord", a mock-xenophobic but stereotypical publican.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Murray
His best-known character is "The Pub Landlord", a mock-xenophobic but stereotypical publican.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Murray
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 27, 2022
Command is billed as the author’s first book without jokes and while that is true, there is plenty of his trademark wit and humour throughout. War and conflict are no laughing matter but as anyone who has read Spike Milligan’s war autobiographies, which are referenced by the author, will attest squaddies use humour as a way so dealing with the madness all around them. Here it is pitched just about right, enough to lift the prose but without being in anyway knockabout or disrespectful.
Written in an accessible style, not the dusty history books of the past, it has been carefully researched and represents a work of real substance. I would imagine that his understanding of the subject and real empathy with the ordinary solider proves popular with members of the armed forces and veterans alike.
The text is constructed as ten chapters, each around 30 pages long, which concentrate on one commander, who are mainly generals. Each one has basic biographical details, along with a side story or digression together with the lesson learned. The men selected vary from the famous like Montgomery and Patton, the model professional like Bradley and Slim to the more obscure such as Hobart and White. A huge spread of personalities and commanding styles are distilled into a cogent study of how continuous improvement and learning the harsh lessons from earlier mistakes served the Allies well. Indeed, from the strap line ‘How the Allies learned to win the Second World War.’
That the Allies were going to win, barring Germany of Japan discovering some wonder weapon or winning the race to produce the nuclear bomb, the reader is left in no doubt. Initially with Germany having a big head start in re-armament production, development of weapons and modernised tactics, the battle was just to remain in the war. There are the battles in North Africa, of which Montgomery was heavily involved, where tank warfare came to the fore, with British tanks being inadequate in build and fire power but also being used ineffectively. It is here that Tuker proves to be effective, but then later in the war the spirit of continuous improvement leads to ‘Hobart’s specials’ tanks resigned and modified to carry out specific roles during the ‘D Day’ Normandy landings.
In the autumn and winter of 1941 two events changed the whole course of the war. The failure of the Blitzkrieg element of ‘Barbarossa’ bogged Germany down against a determined Russian foe who could bring massive numbers of men and arms to bear. Then the December attack on Pearl Harbour brought the United States formally into the war along with its massive manufacturing base. How big this advantage became is made clear by statistics quoted within the book and it is truly staggering. German production was declining rapidly whereas that of the allies was growing. The Germans were also running out of manpower for their war machine, even when armament production was largely carried out by foreign slave labour. From this point onward the object is to end the war as soon as possible with the least cost of life. This is poignantly covered in the final chapter on Peter White. White wasn’t a General but a Second Lieutenant, a man on the ground demonstrating great leadership and dealing with ‘command’ when it is thrust his way. Here we see a thoughtful but pragmatic man doing all he can to get the job done, albeit with some personal regret.
Command is an excellent modern history book of some substance which is well written and certainly engaging.
I hope you find it as fascinating as I did.
Written in an accessible style, not the dusty history books of the past, it has been carefully researched and represents a work of real substance. I would imagine that his understanding of the subject and real empathy with the ordinary solider proves popular with members of the armed forces and veterans alike.
The text is constructed as ten chapters, each around 30 pages long, which concentrate on one commander, who are mainly generals. Each one has basic biographical details, along with a side story or digression together with the lesson learned. The men selected vary from the famous like Montgomery and Patton, the model professional like Bradley and Slim to the more obscure such as Hobart and White. A huge spread of personalities and commanding styles are distilled into a cogent study of how continuous improvement and learning the harsh lessons from earlier mistakes served the Allies well. Indeed, from the strap line ‘How the Allies learned to win the Second World War.’
That the Allies were going to win, barring Germany of Japan discovering some wonder weapon or winning the race to produce the nuclear bomb, the reader is left in no doubt. Initially with Germany having a big head start in re-armament production, development of weapons and modernised tactics, the battle was just to remain in the war. There are the battles in North Africa, of which Montgomery was heavily involved, where tank warfare came to the fore, with British tanks being inadequate in build and fire power but also being used ineffectively. It is here that Tuker proves to be effective, but then later in the war the spirit of continuous improvement leads to ‘Hobart’s specials’ tanks resigned and modified to carry out specific roles during the ‘D Day’ Normandy landings.
In the autumn and winter of 1941 two events changed the whole course of the war. The failure of the Blitzkrieg element of ‘Barbarossa’ bogged Germany down against a determined Russian foe who could bring massive numbers of men and arms to bear. Then the December attack on Pearl Harbour brought the United States formally into the war along with its massive manufacturing base. How big this advantage became is made clear by statistics quoted within the book and it is truly staggering. German production was declining rapidly whereas that of the allies was growing. The Germans were also running out of manpower for their war machine, even when armament production was largely carried out by foreign slave labour. From this point onward the object is to end the war as soon as possible with the least cost of life. This is poignantly covered in the final chapter on Peter White. White wasn’t a General but a Second Lieutenant, a man on the ground demonstrating great leadership and dealing with ‘command’ when it is thrust his way. Here we see a thoughtful but pragmatic man doing all he can to get the job done, albeit with some personal regret.
Command is an excellent modern history book of some substance which is well written and certainly engaging.
I hope you find it as fascinating as I did.
March 23, 2023
I cannot completely make up my mind about this book.It is written by a professional comedian but is a serious text providing portraits of some of the Allies military leaders in World War Two.Some were welll known eg Montgomery ,Wingate,Patton , others less so to me at least eg Tuker,White ,Hobart.It was the description of those latter ones that I found most interesting about the book together with the down to earth portrayals of war .flitting between subjects meant that the book felt a bit uncoordinated and I am not sure I gained any real or new insight
June 23, 2023
I knew Al Murray was interested in WWII, but I have to say I was very impressed with the research that has obviously gone in to this book. It is eminently readable with lots of anecdotes and first hand accounts about the commanders selected for inclusion.
On occasion I wondered where the book was going, but having finished it, it does all fit together. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the Second World War or military history in general.
On occasion I wondered where the book was going, but having finished it, it does all fit together. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the Second World War or military history in general.
October 20, 2024
Back to that, but, I promised, though. Freyberg was an outstanding subaltern, an excellent, driven battalion commander, an inspirational figure for his men, strong, brave, indomitable, a man who revelled in the physical - he had taken up mountain climbing in response to being told he had a heart problem. But — and this is where it gets tricky if we are going to try to sell this book in New Zealand — he doesn’t seem to have been very bright.
Command is a reminder that history is a canvas upon which an author paints their ideas. Subjectivism can't change the calibre of an 88mm gun, but it can sure give you different impressions of between the one firing it and the one on the receiving it.
Take the chapter on Freyberg and Crete. For Murray, the crucial factor was Freyberg's mishandling of intelligence. For Kershaw in The Hill it primarily turns on actions much lower down the command chain. Or the chapter on Percy Hobart. Divided on D-Day is concerned with the potential broad operational strokes missed by the multi-starred generals, whereas Murray tells us the whole nature of armoured war has changed since 1940 and the close assaults of Percy Hobart’s 79th Division reflected the new pace of battle.
You can reconcile these different viewpoints and use most of them as a combination of explanatory factors, albeit the jigsaw pieces of each author’s cause for joy (or bête noire) can make for awkward fitting. What is more noteworthy to me is that the book makes me aware how much history is a question of perspective – the subject matter for sure, but perhaps more so the historian writing it. For World War II we get to calibrate an individual writer’s recounting with primary sources and analysis by dozens of others – but what about those events that depend one a few (or even less) sources?
Command is a pleasant enough read. I am not a historian, will never be a historian, so entertainment value is a factor for me. What Command primarily serves to me though is a reminder that we can all wade in and set the scene how we like. Plausibility matters, but only specialists are going to nitpick you on the critical issues, and the advantage of writing a book on World War II in 2020 is that a lot of the nitpicking has been done – just avoid the obvious blunders.
As to the takeaways from the book? I don’t know – it all seems conditional on whether you win or not, or even if you survive or not. They are all very individually crafted experiences, not really conducive to a template (and diversity is probably a good thing). All a bit of fun, really.
Command is more enjoyable than a three-star book but such is my diet of World War II material that I have to draw some distinctions – rewarding those that truly add to my perspective. This was not miles off the higher rating and I like the relaxed style. I just needed it to be on something like the 12th Century BCE Sea Peoples to overcome my handicapping system.
Command is a reminder that history is a canvas upon which an author paints their ideas. Subjectivism can't change the calibre of an 88mm gun, but it can sure give you different impressions of between the one firing it and the one on the receiving it.
Take the chapter on Freyberg and Crete. For Murray, the crucial factor was Freyberg's mishandling of intelligence. For Kershaw in The Hill it primarily turns on actions much lower down the command chain. Or the chapter on Percy Hobart. Divided on D-Day is concerned with the potential broad operational strokes missed by the multi-starred generals, whereas Murray tells us the whole nature of armoured war has changed since 1940 and the close assaults of Percy Hobart’s 79th Division reflected the new pace of battle.
You can reconcile these different viewpoints and use most of them as a combination of explanatory factors, albeit the jigsaw pieces of each author’s cause for joy (or bête noire) can make for awkward fitting. What is more noteworthy to me is that the book makes me aware how much history is a question of perspective – the subject matter for sure, but perhaps more so the historian writing it. For World War II we get to calibrate an individual writer’s recounting with primary sources and analysis by dozens of others – but what about those events that depend one a few (or even less) sources?
Command is a pleasant enough read. I am not a historian, will never be a historian, so entertainment value is a factor for me. What Command primarily serves to me though is a reminder that we can all wade in and set the scene how we like. Plausibility matters, but only specialists are going to nitpick you on the critical issues, and the advantage of writing a book on World War II in 2020 is that a lot of the nitpicking has been done – just avoid the obvious blunders.
As to the takeaways from the book? I don’t know – it all seems conditional on whether you win or not, or even if you survive or not. They are all very individually crafted experiences, not really conducive to a template (and diversity is probably a good thing). All a bit of fun, really.
Command is more enjoyable than a three-star book but such is my diet of World War II material that I have to draw some distinctions – rewarding those that truly add to my perspective. This was not miles off the higher rating and I like the relaxed style. I just needed it to be on something like the 12th Century BCE Sea Peoples to overcome my handicapping system.
February 20, 2024
Well written and interesting. Love the book recommendations at the end.
November 5, 2022
Insightful, thought provoking read that does an excellent job of highlighting how the allied command changed during WW2. I hope these is not the last of Al Murray’s ‘serious’ books.
November 20, 2022
A very different kind of book for me to read I never thought I would read a historical book but was very impressed
May 19, 2023
Drier than I was expecting
April 10, 2023
As with James Holland's 'Brothers in Arms' I have followed the development of this book through the 'We Have Ways ...' podcast. It hasn't disappointed. Maybe it doesn't entirely answer 'How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War (SWW)' (quite a big ask and it only looks at land warfare) but through its examination of a selection of commanders - some well known, others not - and associated topics (venereal disease; airborne, jungle and armoured warfare; combat fatigue; the massive expansion of the US Army) at specific times in the war (e.g. Montgomery before he came Monty) it goes some way to addressing the issue. That it ends with an example from the lowest level of command - an infantry subaltern at the very 'sharp end' - is brilliant and moving.
Well researched and thought out it is unmistakably a work by Al Murray, although the comedian is restrained if never far away, but it is definitely on the serious wing of 'popular history'. Also, there are some of the long convoluted sentences that are so frustrating on the podcast. That's my only criticism, apart from a few typos, but these seem to be par for the course in modern books! With an excellent selection of photographs, it is a fascinating and thought-provoking book, whether you are new to the SWW or think you've read it all!
Well researched and thought out it is unmistakably a work by Al Murray, although the comedian is restrained if never far away, but it is definitely on the serious wing of 'popular history'. Also, there are some of the long convoluted sentences that are so frustrating on the podcast. That's my only criticism, apart from a few typos, but these seem to be par for the course in modern books! With an excellent selection of photographs, it is a fascinating and thought-provoking book, whether you are new to the SWW or think you've read it all!
November 20, 2023
A great listen with each chapter going over a different famous commander as well as less known ones too.
Only loses a star as the ending is a bit disappointing with some uninteresting commanders but still a fascinating read.
Only loses a star as the ending is a bit disappointing with some uninteresting commanders but still a fascinating read.
April 2, 2023
Entertaining audiobook containing chatty, popular and enthusiastic mini-portraits of a collection of famous, infamous and little remembered allied WWII military leaders.
Read by the author.
Read by the author.
November 26, 2022
Really interesting book on WW2 that isn’t your standard popular work on a particular campaign or overview. He focuses in particular leaders, with lots of interesting asides too. And it’s written with plenty of scholarship and insight, but totally readable, as he’s a stand up comedian too. It left me wanting more, in a good way, although a bit more would have been nice!
October 15, 2024
Loads of detail. It would have been cool to see some maps of areas they were describing
January 21, 2023
A fairly interesting light touch exploration of the capability of the allied armies during the second world war through the lens of leadership. Very readable, and quite quirky, as you might expect from the Al Murray that doesn't necessarily explore the most well known aspects of each subject's life and career. It's not a rigorous piece of military scholarship, but it is thoughtful (although I did lost the plot a little bit when the chapter on Montgomery spent so much time talking about the impact of VD).
March 15, 2024
Found some chapters to be more interesting then others. Don’t go into this looking for examinations of battle tactics etc. While there are some interesting insights into the various figures, generally found that the chapters were tied together a bit hastily.
July 6, 2024
A mismatch of stories about commanders, disjointed and does not show how the commanders learnt anything. More a series of anecdotes.
June 26, 2025
A few months ago I was lucky enough to be in Northampton, UK for a night of hilarity with "The Pub Landlord", Al Murray's great one man show. He was amazing- working the crowd for an hour- then coming back after the intermission and killing us with his act for another hour. Readers of this book, one of his straight histories, will benefit from the deft comic delivery- but also find real pearls of wisdom. In this book- Murray is trying to discover how the Allied Generals learned to contain and then conquer the Nazi and Fascist tide. Clearly caught with their trou down in the first years of WWII- the Western Allies came back a vengeance-literally- to mastery of modern war technologies and combined arms techniques. Murray is a reliable and amusing narrator - showing how key Allied Generals mastered their craft while fighting the biggest war.
Murray has a podcast with James Holland, a top British historian, called WWII Pod We Have Ways Of Making You Talk, so he's clearly tested his ideas before writing this book. By following ten officers (Montgomery, Freyberg, Tuker, Wingate, Slim, Bradley, Patton, Pearson, Hobart, and Peter White) Murray shows us different routes these men took to figuring it all out. He discusses how inter war Politics, Workplace Politics and Social strictures had an impact on careers. Although he starts with Generals, Murray chooses to finish the book with some lower level officers - a way of showing how all levels of command matured on the Allied side with training and experience. i loved the whole ride- a book as well written as it is informative and compelling. I don't think you have to be a Military History buff to like this either- it's a good read for anyone curious about WWII...
There are some adult themes, but no graphic injury/violence passages, so this is a fine read for the Junior Reader over 11/12 years . For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast this is a great background book- but probably not a guide for any particular campaign. The Gamer will get a tonne of good information about the Characters and their learning passage - but not much for scenario/campaign development. The Modeler may get some diorama ideas- but this is really background stuff. The Military Enthusiast wins again with several interesting careers presented- along with the idea each soldier brought to the table. Murray's writing and the fast pace will please the general audience reader who should enjoy this too.
Murray has a podcast with James Holland, a top British historian, called WWII Pod We Have Ways Of Making You Talk, so he's clearly tested his ideas before writing this book. By following ten officers (Montgomery, Freyberg, Tuker, Wingate, Slim, Bradley, Patton, Pearson, Hobart, and Peter White) Murray shows us different routes these men took to figuring it all out. He discusses how inter war Politics, Workplace Politics and Social strictures had an impact on careers. Although he starts with Generals, Murray chooses to finish the book with some lower level officers - a way of showing how all levels of command matured on the Allied side with training and experience. i loved the whole ride- a book as well written as it is informative and compelling. I don't think you have to be a Military History buff to like this either- it's a good read for anyone curious about WWII...
There are some adult themes, but no graphic injury/violence passages, so this is a fine read for the Junior Reader over 11/12 years . For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast this is a great background book- but probably not a guide for any particular campaign. The Gamer will get a tonne of good information about the Characters and their learning passage - but not much for scenario/campaign development. The Modeler may get some diorama ideas- but this is really background stuff. The Military Enthusiast wins again with several interesting careers presented- along with the idea each soldier brought to the table. Murray's writing and the fast pace will please the general audience reader who should enjoy this too.
April 17, 2023
This is an interesting read. I'm not sure it entirely achieves what he sets out to achieve - demonstrating how the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War - because the individual stories of officers don't quite come together to support that thesis.
Each chapter features a different officer, starting with Montgomery and ending with Lt Peter White. Most of the featured officers are DUKE - Dominions UK and Empire - with Omar Bradley and George S Patton being the US entrants. The others are Bernard Freyburg, Francis Tuker, Orde Wingate, Bill Slim, Alastair Pearson, and Percy Hobart. How familiar these names will be to you depends on your knowledge of World War Two.
Murray contextualising each officer both as personalities and military figures. He outlines the difficulties facing them and talks about their successes and their failures. Each chapter also talks about an issue facing the Allies and how it was dealt with - which is where the 'learning' part of the book comes from.
He gives warts and all accounts. There is no hagiography here, although the author's admiration of Bill Slim - well deserved in my opinion - is pretty clear, especially when he is contrasted in the previous chapter with the maverick - to be kind - Orde Wingate. The Burma campaign, with all its horrors, gets a deserved amount of space here. There seems to be a general consensus that Slim was one of the best - if not THE best - British officer of WW2. This book does nothing to change your opinion on that.
The DUKE armies didn't start the war well. With Dunkirk now mythologised Murray does a great job of pointing out what a catastrophe it actually was. The early parts of the war are filled with DUKE armies evacuating - Norway, France, Greece, Crete etc. But equally he's good at popping the myth that all the DUKE and US armies had was technology and equipment whilst the German's had all the talent from Generals down. There is tendency among some military historians to fetishise the German army and this book is a good cure for that.
So, overall it is a fine book. It is well-written. Murray says this is his first non-comedy book, which is correct but that doesn't stop him making the occasional subtle joke.
A fine read.
Each chapter features a different officer, starting with Montgomery and ending with Lt Peter White. Most of the featured officers are DUKE - Dominions UK and Empire - with Omar Bradley and George S Patton being the US entrants. The others are Bernard Freyburg, Francis Tuker, Orde Wingate, Bill Slim, Alastair Pearson, and Percy Hobart. How familiar these names will be to you depends on your knowledge of World War Two.
Murray contextualising each officer both as personalities and military figures. He outlines the difficulties facing them and talks about their successes and their failures. Each chapter also talks about an issue facing the Allies and how it was dealt with - which is where the 'learning' part of the book comes from.
He gives warts and all accounts. There is no hagiography here, although the author's admiration of Bill Slim - well deserved in my opinion - is pretty clear, especially when he is contrasted in the previous chapter with the maverick - to be kind - Orde Wingate. The Burma campaign, with all its horrors, gets a deserved amount of space here. There seems to be a general consensus that Slim was one of the best - if not THE best - British officer of WW2. This book does nothing to change your opinion on that.
The DUKE armies didn't start the war well. With Dunkirk now mythologised Murray does a great job of pointing out what a catastrophe it actually was. The early parts of the war are filled with DUKE armies evacuating - Norway, France, Greece, Crete etc. But equally he's good at popping the myth that all the DUKE and US armies had was technology and equipment whilst the German's had all the talent from Generals down. There is tendency among some military historians to fetishise the German army and this book is a good cure for that.
So, overall it is a fine book. It is well-written. Murray says this is his first non-comedy book, which is correct but that doesn't stop him making the occasional subtle joke.
A fine read.
May 23, 2024
Some might be disappointed that this book does not contain a great deal of Al Murray's usual brand of humour, but it does have some witty asides occasionally. It is a serious book about a serious topic. The Allied land forces and more specifically their commadners were not ready for the tactics launched on them by the Germans and Japanese. They had to adapt and this is about how many of those leaders did or did not. There were a lot of fialed experiments throughout the war from Burma to Operation Market Garden, and some leaders like Patton were bullies who abused their troops. Others adapted and accepted the human side of their charges and the technical advances needed.
The books is very different from what I expected, though he did mention Spike Milligan who gave me my first true edcuation on many of the realities of World War 2 and warfare in general. Scared soldiers doing what they can to survive is touched on in many more serious ways here from STDs to going AWOL. Comparing the elaeders who showed understanding, practicality and compassion to those who continued to clal the shellshocked cowards was a part of the book that will stay with me just as it did from Milligan's memoirs.
Until now I have mostly been a fan of Milligan, Heller and Vonnegut's ways of writing on WWII, but Murray the author (rather than the comedian) has joined taht group well here. Command focuses on the land battles chiefly with a lot on paratrooper usage and tank engineering. One criticism might be that the Allied (or DUKE forces as he calls some sections, standing for dominions, UK and Empire) command stories are focused mainly on land forces with a little on the airforces in terms of paratroopers and not very much at all on the navy or its commanders. Perhaps another book to come? As it was, the length was perfect for me and the focus educational and entertaining.
It only took me so long to read because I was reading it occasionally on the short train leg of my commute.
The books is very different from what I expected, though he did mention Spike Milligan who gave me my first true edcuation on many of the realities of World War 2 and warfare in general. Scared soldiers doing what they can to survive is touched on in many more serious ways here from STDs to going AWOL. Comparing the elaeders who showed understanding, practicality and compassion to those who continued to clal the shellshocked cowards was a part of the book that will stay with me just as it did from Milligan's memoirs.
Until now I have mostly been a fan of Milligan, Heller and Vonnegut's ways of writing on WWII, but Murray the author (rather than the comedian) has joined taht group well here. Command focuses on the land battles chiefly with a lot on paratrooper usage and tank engineering. One criticism might be that the Allied (or DUKE forces as he calls some sections, standing for dominions, UK and Empire) command stories are focused mainly on land forces with a little on the airforces in terms of paratroopers and not very much at all on the navy or its commanders. Perhaps another book to come? As it was, the length was perfect for me and the focus educational and entertaining.
It only took me so long to read because I was reading it occasionally on the short train leg of my commute.
February 13, 2023
I’ve been looking forward to reading this being a big fan of the pod cast we have ways of making you talk with james Holland. Murray is a keen amateur historian with a sharp mind and wit. He has decided to look at command an overview of some of the movers and shakers in WW2 from the viewpoints of key campaigns across the war Africa Italy Burma Normandy and the men in charge of the theatre or the innovations the chapter on Percy Hobart was a revelation for me as was the final chapter on peter white a brigade commander in the front line of the infantry pushes into Holland and Germany at the end of the war. Each chapter is a snapshot of command from US and DUKE perspectives the personalities and their respective success and failures and the learnings of those setbacks that led to specific successes in the sprawl of the second war. It’s an ambitious serious book punctuated by a few glimpses of the authors take on things that make it less of a dry history but rounded take of a passionate subject. This was a lockdown project but I hope Al Murray will write another and I hope to get the next one signed by the man himself as Nottingham was not on his comedy and recent book circuit.
April 27, 2024
As an afficionado of the "We have ways" podcast that Murray produces with James Holland, I was looking forward to this, and whilst it was interesting it wasn't as good as I hoped. I had expected a little more analysis of "why" some commanders succeeded and others not, but with this diverse assortment of often larger than life characters there were few common threads teased out. Indeed it could be argued that the abiding reason for the change in fortunes (in the west and far east/Pacific if not the eastern front) was down to industrial and technological superiority rather than leadership. There was lots I learned but the nonlinear form of narrative became confusing and repetitive at times, and some stories, eg those of Monty and Patton were frustratingly incomplete. However I applaud the choice to finish with the unspectacular sub-altern Peter White as that was essentially the most ubiquitous level of command.
March 27, 2024
a thoroughly entertaining read from comedian and military historian Al Murray, who provides pen pictures of a number of senior allied commanders to illustrate the progress made by allied forces in defeating the axis powers in world war 2. Murray skillfully weaves a story round this commanders, some more well known than others, however I should imagine he has a few nuggets on each that will come as a surprise to most, such as the part in the Montgomery chapter where he talks about VD - it makes sense in the chapter, trust me... It's well written in a way that draws you in, and explains and talks directly to the reader in a level and non patronising way. Murray acknowledges other authors that have influenced him, such as James Holland who he does a podcast with - part of the reason I picked this up was the links to Holland. I'd certainly read another Murray book.
July 16, 2023
This is a fine book. Al Murray shows his mettle as a readable and informative military historian. Taking a series of British and American military leaders, from well-known figures such as Monty, Bill Slim, Patten and Bradley to lesser known and often maverick junior commanders, Murray draws out different leadership qualities to show how the conduct of the Second World War progressed from the Western Allied point of view. I liked the clear style, the mix of technical and less tangible factors that moulded each commander, and the logical way in which one discussion led to the next. The final chapter about Peter White in the final stages of the European war, is outstanding. This book is strongly recommended.
January 7, 2024
Very informative read. Each chapter focused on individual Allied commanders - essentially providing a mini biography of sorts, which may not be what people expect when they first pick up the book. The title is somewhat misleading - I do not really feel the statement of ‘how the allies learned to win the war’ is explicitly grappled with and as a result I felt that the book felt to a certain degree a bit shallow.
I felt that some of the biographies were not exactly covering new ground. There was some overlap with other literature. Although on reflection that is to be expected due to the vast amount of literature available on WW2.
I would recommend you read this book if you are interested in learning more about lesser known commanders.
I felt that some of the biographies were not exactly covering new ground. There was some overlap with other literature. Although on reflection that is to be expected due to the vast amount of literature available on WW2.
I would recommend you read this book if you are interested in learning more about lesser known commanders.
June 11, 2024
An enjoyable book that just has one real failing.
The premise is that we’ll learn how the Allies themselves learned how to win the Second World War. We’ll do this through the author’s investigation of personalities such as Omar Bradley and Montgomery.
Unfortunately the chapters fail to stick to the investigation and get side tracked into discussing other aspects of the respective campaigns that the personalities were involved in. I can’t help thinking that a rougher editor would have turned this from a good book into a great book.
Having said all this. Al Murray does come across as very knowledgeable about this area and his enthusiasm for the subject is behind question. It’s a really enjoyable book and I would definitely read any future books he writes about the Second World War.
The premise is that we’ll learn how the Allies themselves learned how to win the Second World War. We’ll do this through the author’s investigation of personalities such as Omar Bradley and Montgomery.
Unfortunately the chapters fail to stick to the investigation and get side tracked into discussing other aspects of the respective campaigns that the personalities were involved in. I can’t help thinking that a rougher editor would have turned this from a good book into a great book.
Having said all this. Al Murray does come across as very knowledgeable about this area and his enthusiasm for the subject is behind question. It’s a really enjoyable book and I would definitely read any future books he writes about the Second World War.
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January 14, 2023This is the first WW2 book I have read and it was given to me as I like to have more knowledge and understanding of history. An enjoyable? read even though a dark subject. As it is structured using key figures of the forces commanders, I was a bit lost re the sequence of battles and ranks of command but now understand Dunkirk. I think those who have studied the subject more would get much more from it. So for me I rate it 3 1/2 stars. I do think the chapter covering the development of the parachute regiments deserves 5 stars. It was enlightened and shocking.
November 6, 2023
A solid slice of military history from comedian Al Murray.
I had high hopes for this book. I've been enjoying Al's recent t.v series "Why do the Brits win every war?" In that he debunks a lot of the typical war movie cliches where Britain wins the second world war single handed etc.
His book is a much more serious affair altogether. It's not bad and each chapter takes a renowned allied commander and explains what qualities made them successful.
As well as the well known Monty, and Patton there are some less heralded leaders who achieved success with some unusual methods.
A decent read.
I had high hopes for this book. I've been enjoying Al's recent t.v series "Why do the Brits win every war?" In that he debunks a lot of the typical war movie cliches where Britain wins the second world war single handed etc.
His book is a much more serious affair altogether. It's not bad and each chapter takes a renowned allied commander and explains what qualities made them successful.
As well as the well known Monty, and Patton there are some less heralded leaders who achieved success with some unusual methods.
A decent read.
April 25, 2023
A truly interesting book analysing the subject of leadership and command of the allies during WWII. I found it quite compelling and thought provoking. Considering how the great generals got to be the great general as oppossed to that usual past-time of just examining the finished article. It also doesn't hold it's punches when it comes to mistakes they made which is refreshing. Thouroughly recommended.
May 20, 2023
For all fans of "We have ways..." Podcast or the simply intrested
A humane and frank history of the Second Word War, told through pen portraits of the leaders involved, from the dizzying heights of figures like Montgomery & Patton, to the men on the ground having to make their grand strategies work.
A humane and frank history of the Second Word War, told through pen portraits of the leaders involved, from the dizzying heights of figures like Montgomery & Patton, to the men on the ground having to make their grand strategies work.
January 21, 2024
I loved the wide range of famous and lesser-known figures chosen for this exploration, as well as the various rabbit holes on topics ranging from VD to DD tanks. Being a long-term fan of the We Have Ways of Making You Talk podcast, I chose the audiobook, as it's always a pleasure listening to Al talk about all things WWII, and Command didn't disappoint.
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