The Soldier: A History of Courage, Sacrifice and Brotherhood (HARDBACK)
UK £25.00,Canada $50.00,
UK Publication November 2009
ISBN 9781848310797
Hardback
Buy: | Waterstones| Book Depository
Told through the stories of the combatants themselves, this unique history of the soldier provides a penetrating insight into the politics, emotions and psychology of war and its aftermath.
Focusing primarily on the period from the Napoleonic Wars to the Global War on Terror, Darren Moore draws upon hundreds of narrative accounts of warfare written by soldiers from the UK, France, the USA, Canada, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Australia, Israel and Germany, to tell their story from basic training to discharge or death.
From the mountains and plains of Spain where Wellingtons army battled the French, to the complex urban battlefield of Fallujah where US Marines engaged Iraqi insurgents in deadly house-to-house fighting, this book reveals the true face of war. It draws on accounts from Timothy Gowing who took part in the storming of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, John O. Casler who fought alongside Stonewall Jackson during the American Civil War, Siegfried Knappe who took part in the desperate actions to stop the Russian Army entering Berlin in the closing stages of the Second World War and Lewis Puller Jr. who was horrifically wounded by a booby-trap in Vietnam, as well as contemporary accounts of British and American soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Darren Moore lets the soldiers own words reveal how they confront the possibility of being mutilated or killed; the mental and social conditioning that enables them to kill in battle; and the anguish of killing their comrades, whether through the death penalty or as a result of friendly fire. The book also examines the relationship between love, sex and war and reveals the trial by media faced by modern soldiers.
The Soldier is a compelling tribute to our servicemen and women that is both topical and timeless.
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‘Darren Moore’s book really gets inside the soldier's mind and benefits from setting out the record without sentiment. It is a timely and unvarnished reminder of the reality of warfare which should be read by anyone who seeks to understand the burden of war.’ Martin Bell OBE;
‘This is a powerful book, and should be read by anyone contemplating taking the queen’s shilling.’ The Lady Magazine;
‘Moore’s work serves as a valuable reminder of the real cost of war to the soldiers who actually carry out the fighting, and run the risk of death or appalling injuries, and should be essential reading for any political leader considering a resort to force.’ www.historyofwar.org/bookpage;
‘...a fine work of military history. It deserves to do well.’ www.warbooksreview.com;
‘An intriguing look at the emotion, psychology and politics that underpin soldiering.... The Soldier is a valuable reminder of the real cost of conflict to the soldiers who run the risk of mutilation or death. This is essential reading for any military leader or practitioner.’ The Soldier Magazine;
‘[a] thoughtful study of the impact of fighting on the individual soldier in which [Moore] examines the process by which, armies try to ‘develop an empathetic distance’ between new recruits and the enemy they might face one day’ Daily Mail;
‘A very rich book that thoroughly explores the psychology and behaviour of the soldier on the frontline’ Military Illustrated
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Darren Moore served in the Australian Army for seventeen years and held the rank of major when he left the service. He is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the Australian Command and Staff College (Joint). Highlights of his military service include operational deployments to Papua New Guinea and East Timor and serving for two-and-a-half years (2001-03) with the United States Army on an army-to-army exchange. Darren is currently a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales.
See more books by: Darren Moore
