With Their Bare Hands General Pershing the 79th Division and the Battle for Montfaucon (Audible Audio Edition) Gene Fax Jonathan Davis Brilliance Audio Books
Download As PDF : With Their Bare Hands General Pershing the 79th Division and the Battle for Montfaucon (Audible Audio Edition) Gene Fax Jonathan Davis Brilliance Audio Books
With Their Bare Hands traces the fate of the US 79th Division - men drafted off the streets of Baltimore, Washington, and Philadelphia - from their training camp in Maryland through the final years of World War I, focusing on their most famous engagement the attack on Montfaucon, the most heavily fortified part of the German Line, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918.
Using the 79th as a window onto the American Army as a whole, Gene Fax examines its mistakes and triumphs, the tactics of the AEF commander-in-chief General John J. Pershing, and how the lessons it learned during the Great War helped it to fight World War II. Fax makes some startling judgments, on the role of future Army Chief-of-Staff, Colonel George C. Marshall; whether the Montfaucon battle - had it followed the plan - could have shortened the war; and if Pershing was justified in ordering his troops to attack right up to the moment of the Armistice.
Drawing upon original documents, including orders, field messages, and the letters and memoirs of the soldiers themselves, some of which have never been used before, Fax tells the engrossing story of the 79th Division's bloody involvement in the final months of World War I.
With Their Bare Hands General Pershing the 79th Division and the Battle for Montfaucon (Audible Audio Edition) Gene Fax Jonathan Davis Brilliance Audio Books
Gene Fax, although not originally trained as a historian, has written a truly magnificent history (he was trained as an engineer at MIT). It is not simply an analysis of one important battle, but gives a wide lens view of many related topics, taking in geography, sociology, politics, military strategy. Although a history teacher myself, I found so much in the volume that was either new to me or freshly seen by the author. It gives an excellent picture, as well,of the many factors which restrained America from entering World War I and how they ultimately could not hold. Fax writes with style and great skill. I highly recommend it.Product details
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With Their Bare Hands General Pershing the 79th Division and the Battle for Montfaucon (Audible Audio Edition) Gene Fax Jonathan Davis Brilliance Audio Books Reviews
For readers who want to understand World War I better, this is a good book to start with or add to one's knowledge of America's role in it. It had some surprises for me in that what I thought I knew I really didn't (To paraphrase a Will Rogers quote.) and there was plenty of new perspectives. It was written by an outstanding historian who superbly documented his work and wrote something reasonably fun to read.
Gene Fax has done yeoman's work in mining various sources to produce a lively account of the 79th Division in World War I. In that sense, the sub-title is a big misleading, as this has a broader scope than just the several days spent taking Montfaucon at the beginning of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Fax follows the division from its formation at Camp Meade through the final victory parade of one of its regiments through the streets of Baltimore in 1919. It is primarily an operational history, describing the actions of the division. The integration of translated German unit histories provides a nice "other side of the hill" (in some cases literally) perspective that is often lacking. The accompanying maps are better than many found in similar works, which is particularly important for a tactical history. Personal perspectives come from the division commander down to privates and convey a sense of the physical and emotional toll exacted by one of the country's hardest battles. A good read for the military enthusiast.
This is a great Military History. I love that this book is one of the few in English language land, that actually goes pretty deep into German language records. Some books on WWI don't even try to describe the German side of the battle. Other books throw in a few quotes from German soldiers and then call it a day. This author tells us what the German units were, what their deployments and plans were. Who were their commanders. What did their unit combat diaries say?
Looking at the US side, the book does an excellent job in presenting the big picture, zooming down to the individual soldier, but then telling us about the battle level scheme of maneuver. The author describes movements at the regiment and battaliion level quite well. The book pulls no punches. It fully discusses the many problems caused by US lack of experience, that had to be overcome by the amazing heroism of the troops. The title itself comes from the observation that the 79th attacked a heavily fortified position with hardly any combined arms help or support. The assets were often there, but poor US coordination meant they could not be applied where the troops needed them most.
There is also quite a bit of controversy around the division's performance in the inital days of the Meuse Argonne offensive. Linked to this was why did Pershing put one his most inexperienced divisions up against one of the toughest enemy strongpoints. Was it Pershing's intent that 79th get support from the adjacent 4th division? Was the 4th supposed to swing at the flank of Montfaucon while the 79th made a frontal assault. At best the orders and Commander's intent were confused, at worst they were ignored. This book presents all sides and provides a reasonable explanation, but does not try to push one view over another; the author gives the reader the tools to make up their own mind.
At the end, this is the kind of rare book that manages to be detailed enough to help with professional military historical studies, but also engaging enough to be an enlightening and entertaining read for the casual military enthusiast.
With Their Bare Hands is a remarkable study. Mr. Fax presents the World War I battle in which his grandfather took part in rich detail, set within with its social, political, strategic, and tactical context. He allows us to experience the fighting as the soldiers themselves experienced it and presents it with sober objectivity, shorn of either the triumphalism or the sense of futility with which the battles of World War I in particular are often portrayed. Fax’s writing, in addition to being precise and extraordinarily detailed, is often lyrical and moving. Altogether, a masterful piece of work.
Alan Rockoff
Newton, MA
Excellent history that brings to life a brutal and confusing battlefield. My one criticism is the difficulty in reading and understanding the maps. The semi-cursive font presents problems in reading; often a scale is missing; key battlefields are either not shown or are had to locate. Much clearer mapping would substantially improve understanding.
Gene Fax's grandfather was a soldier of the 79th Division, and his book is quite a tribute. So well researched, complete with maps, photographs, and excellently written detail places the reader in the action. You feel the suffering of the living conditions, the boredom, fear, loneliness -- but also the beauty and success borne of many failures. These were normal civilians, plunged into war, where plans and orders rarely worked out as put on paper. And yet, in only 7 weeks, this American "untrained mob" transformed into a fighting force! But when it was all over, "a few days of paperwork sufficed to wipe out the splendid fighting machine, built up after months of patient training, exhausting marches and grueling battles." Not any more!
Gene Fax, although not originally trained as a historian, has written a truly magnificent history (he was trained as an engineer at MIT). It is not simply an analysis of one important battle, but gives a wide lens view of many related topics, taking in geography, sociology, politics, military strategy. Although a history teacher myself, I found so much in the volume that was either new to me or freshly seen by the author. It gives an excellent picture, as well,of the many factors which restrained America from entering World War I and how they ultimately could not hold. Fax writes with style and great skill. I highly recommend it.
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