TEAM AMERICA

A joint biography of the four American generals who took the lead in World War II.

Military historian O’Connell follows his subjects from cradle to grave, with particular focus on their experiences in both world wars, and he describes each of them in terms of the “masks” they adopted to enhance their status as leaders: for Eisenhower, the famous grin; for MacArthur and Patton, their images as totally committed warriors; for Marshall, the persona of a Virginia gentleman. Patton and MacArthur were the only two who saw significant action in World War I, both winning decorations for bravery. Eisenhower never left the States, though he was instrumental in combating an outbreak of the 1918 flu in the camp at which he was based. Marshall, recognized early in his career as a master of logistics and organization, became a favorite of Gen. John Pershing, who saw him appointed to increasingly important staff positions. The author details their failings along with their successes, such as Patton’s slapping wounded men in the hospital and MacArthur’s failure to adapt to the clear warnings of Japanese designs on the Philippines. O’Connell also takes Patton and MacArthur to task for their oversized egos, criticisms that have been leveled by other historians, and he discusses Eisenhower’s affair with an English aide. One of the author’s central themes is the domination of 20th-century warfare by exceedingly dangerous, dehumanizing technology, including machine guns, tanks, aircraft, and, the ultimate killing machine, the nuclear bomb. O’Connell narrates with a lively style, with plenty of lighter moments balancing the rigors of the subjects’ military careers. The sports metaphor referenced in the title sometimes gets self-consciously cute, but on the whole, the book is serious and worthy of the subjects. The author also includes a handful of helpful maps.

A sweeping overview of four men whose careers largely defined the American experience in the 20th century.