| Orde Wingate: A Man of Genius, 1903-1944 Contributor(s): Royle, Trevor (Author) |
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ISBN: 184832572X ISBN-13: 9781848325722 Publisher: Frontline Books OUR PRICE: $29.66 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 2010 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Biography & Autobiography | Military - History | Military - World War Ii - History | Europe - Great Britain - General |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2010513507 |
| Physical Information: 1.1" H x 6.1" W x 9.1" (1.40 lbs) 384 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1940's - Cultural Region - British Isles - Chronological Period - 1900-1949 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Winston Churchill described Wingate as a 'man of genius who might well have become a man of destiny'. Tragically, he died in an jungle aircraft crash in 1944. Like his famous kinsman Lawrence of Arabia, Wingate was renowned for being an unorthodox soldier, inclined to reject received patterns of military thought. He was a fundamentalist Christian with a biblical certainty in himself and his mission. He is best-remembered as the charismatic and abrasive leader of the Chindits. With the support of Wavell, he was responsible for a strategy of using independent groups deep behind enemy limes, supported only by air drops. Wingate was responsible for leading the charge of 2,000 Ethiopians and the Sudan Defense Force into Italian-occupied Abyssinia. Remarkably, he defeated a 40,000 strong enemy that was supported by aircraft and artillery, which Wingate did not possess. Despite his achievements, Wingate suffered from illness and depression and in Cairo attempted suicide. He was not universally liked: his romantic Zionism contrasted with the traditional British Arabist notions. He did, however, lead from the front and marched, ate and slept with his men. In this authoritative biography, Royle expertly brings to life a ruthless, complex, arrogant - but ultimately admirable - general. |
Contributor Bio(s): Royle, Trevor: - Trevor Royle is a broadcaster and author specialising in the history of war and empire. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and is also a member of the Scottish Government's Advisory Panel for Commemorating the First World War. |