Bernard Montgomery: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History

This Osprey Command title looks closely at the early life, military experiences and key battlefield exploits of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, first Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (1887-1976), perhaps the best-known, most highly respected and most controversial British general of World War II. "Monty's" reputation was made while in command in North Africa, in the Mediterranean and then North-West Europe. Arguably his best-known achievement was rebuilding a dispirited and defeated eighth army and inflicting a decisive defeat on Rommel at El Alamein. Montgomery's style and exercise of command and his personal reputation were largely shaped by his highly driven, but often difficult and enigmatic personality. He made an incalculable contribution to the Allied victory in Europe, and his leadership had played a crucial role in transforming the British Army into a war-winning weapon. Bogen er en kort gennemgang af Bernard Law Montgomerys liv med vægten lagt på hans tjeneste under 2. Verdenskrig. Som divisionschef i 1939-1940 efter evakueringen fra Dunkerque i 1940, fik han kommandoen over de britiske hærenheder i det sydøstlige England, der skulle være rede til at imødegå en tyske invasion hér. I 1942 afløste han general Auchinleck som chef for den den britiske 8. Armé i Nordafrika omkring Cairo. I november 1942 iværksatte Montgomery en modoffensiv ved el-Alamein og trængte Rommel og hans Afrikakorps tilbage mod vest til Tunesien, hvor de tyske styrker kapitulerede i maj 1943. Efter invasionen af Sicilien juli 1943 førte Montgomery 8. Armé i det østlige Italien, hvorfra han blev beordret tilbage til England for at lede invasionen af Normandiet i 1944. Som feltmarskal førte Montgomery den britiske og canadiske 21. Armégruppe i Nordfrankrig, Belgien, Holland og ind i Tyskland, hvor han den 4. maj 1945 på Lüneburger Heide modtog de tyske styrkers kapitulation i Nordvesteuropa 'Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery is the best-known and most controversial British general of World War II, who continues to provoke strong opinions today. Known for his demanding standards and prickly personality, he nevertheless possessed a gift for warfare, leading Eighth Army to victory over Rommel in North Africa and masterminding Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. Montgomery's arrogance and lack of social grace, however, was his greatest weakness, and he would frequently test the patience of other senior Allied officers. Here, Tim Moreman examines the life and career of this brilliant but deeply flawed man, offering insights into the mind one of World War II's most enigmatic and compelling personalities.'