Supreme Commander: The Head of State and His Generals in War

Author: Elliot A. Cohen (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The relationship between military leaders and political leaders has always been very complex, especially during wartime. At critical moments, who should control the situation? Politicians or generals? High Command explores four great wartime political leaders of democratic nations—Abraham Lincoln, Georges Clemenceau, Winston Churchill, and David Ben-Gurion—to reveal a surprising answer: it is the politicians who control the situation at critical moments. Great politicians do not simply hand the war over to the generals and stand aside. Great politicians often make the generals perform even better. They question and drive their military subordinates, and at critical moments, they reject the advice of their military subordinates. Generals may think they know how to win, but it is the politicians who have the big picture. Military personnel often dismiss politicians as meddlers, appeasers, or naive individuals. However, military personnel can also make mistakes. The art of outstanding leadership lies in pushing subordinates to achieve brilliant accomplishments. The lessons drawn from this book are not only applicable to the counterterrorism field for President Bush and leaders of other countries in the world but also to leaders of various organizations facing adversity, including leaders and managers in the entire business world. Just as historians can benefit from this book, so too can all managers and leaders. The lessons derived from High Command will be particularly evident for all managers and leaders.