The Generals

[PhilB]

Mark Urban was talking about this book he has written on TV today. He was talking about WW1 generals at the time. Anyone know it? Phil B

[Guest IMDB Fan]

I haven`t read it ( It`s just come out very recently and I never spend money on hardbacks ) but I did type it into a search engine Phil and it doesn`t specifically say anything about the First World War , though Kitchener is mentioned in the publicity material as is Monty

[PhilB]

He was expanding on how Fuller had handed Haig the tanks and instructions on how they should be used, and how Haig had misused them and Hitler had ultimately exploited them as Haig should have done. So presumably there`s at least some WW1 content! Phil B

[Guest IMDB Fan]

Yeah I wasn`t disputing the content . Obviously if it features Monty it should mention that his caution during the Second World War came about because of the slaughter he saw at the Western Front 1914-18

I was only mentioning the publicity material in case people might have been confused into thinking the book was specifically about First World War generals

Would have been possible to use tanks 1916-18 the way there were used in 1939-45 ? Surely the terrain and unreliability of the average tank would have ruled this out even if the tank theories of 39-45 were put to use ?

[Andrew Hesketh]

I haven't read this yet but I was in communication with the author some months ago when he was seeking information on the Sherwood Foresters at Gommecourt. In one of his e-mails he described things thus:

"It features 10 British generals that 'changed the world'. One of them is Edmund Allenby and I wanted to start the chapter unexpectedly, at Gommecourt, with ....." etc.

[Chris_Baker]

on how Fuller had handed Haig the tanks and instructions on how they should be used

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's well researched then ...

[PhilB]

Would have been possible to use tanks 1916-18 the way there were used in 1939-45 ? Surely the terrain and unreliability of the average tank would have ruled this out even if the tank theories of 39-45 were put to use ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He did mention that Fuller had advised against barrages before tank assaults, whereas the actual plan usually created a moonscape totally unsuited to tanks. Phil B

[Terry_Reeves]

The "debate" about this particular subject on BBC today lasted all of 60 seconds. The presenter, Andrew Marr, quite deliberately angled the questions towards "Haig the donkey". Mark Urban simply trotted out the same old nonsense including "the cold hand of Haig" preventing his Generals trying out anything new. To be fair, there was a very limited time allowed given that this was really intended to be a prelude to the Armistice Day proceedings.

All of Mark Urban's books to date have been about the Napoleonic Wars.

Terry Reeves

[Guest IMDB Fan]

All of Mark Urban's books to date have been about the Napoleonic Wars.

Terry Reeves

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you not write one about the intelligence war in Northern Ireland ?

[Kate Wills]

Yes he did. I think it is called 'Big Boys' Games', and again if memory serves correctly, Mark Urban was a tank officer prior to his journalistic career.

[Guest]

I read his book about the Rifles in the Peninsular War. OK, but I was not that impressed and I was glad I had waited for the paperback.

[AGWR]

I have always enjoyed listening to him on Newsnight, but I wasn't very impressed with some of the stuff he came out with this morning about Haig. Anyone else see it?

Regards,

AGWR