General creighton abrams and the army of his time, he is also the author of vietnam chronicles. He was then chief of staff of the united states army from 1972 until his death. Remembering general creighton abrams creighton abrams was something quite rare in the military profession, a man of tactical and strategic brilliance, personal bravery and integrity of the highest order, and inspiring leadership who was also compassionate, modest and wise. A biography of a former army chief of staff describes abramss role in the mobilization for the korean war and in the army during the cold war and sheds light on. Military historian and retired lieutenant colonel lewis sorley talks about his book thunderbolt. Mar 23, 20 december 14, 20 general creighton abrams.
Whatever forces had stirred the case up in the beginning, there were deepseated rivalries and angers within the army that now came to bear on the situation. Described as tough, crusty, and gruff, abrams graduated from west point in 1936. The unexamined victories and the final tragedy of americas last years in vietnam. Drawing on interviews with contemporaries and family members as well as on archival sources.
Sep 15, 1914, springfield, massachusetts sep 4, 1974, washington, d. General creighton abrams and the army of his times 9780253220028. In april 1967 abrams, by then a fourstar general and. His army service included tank and armored cavalry units in germany, vietnam, and the u. Hes been called the greatest american general since ulysses grant, the worlds champion tank commander, a pure soldier, and, affectionately, general abe. Abrams was one of the great tank commanders of wwii and was totally focused on the mission. Dec 09, 2015 lewis sorley, in his book thunderbolt. For more than four decades, in three wars and in challenging peacetime assignments, abrams demonstrated the skill, courage, integrity, and compassion that made him a legend in his profession. From the battle of the bulge to vietnam and beyond. Grant, yet at the time this book was first published in 1992, he was little known by most americans. General creighton abrams and the army of his times by sorley lewis 20080226 paperback lewis sorley on. Abrams, beloved wife of the late general creighton w.
In his exploratory book, a better war, lewis sorley compares the nature of the vietnam war under general creighton abrams to his to his predecessor, general william westmoreland, arguing that, a better war was possible under the full direction of abrams. General creighton abrams and the army of his times by lewis sorley. Creighton abrams was born in springfield, massachusetts, on september 16, 1914. Grant, yet at the time this book was first published in 1992, he was.
Lewis sorleys books include the three biographies thunderbolt. Julia abrams obituary arlington, va the washington post. Creighton abrams vs the airborne armchair general and. Sep 28, 2017 exposing the character of americas best leadership in its finest and most difficult hour 2004. Creighton abrams, the famous tanker, is the general most associated with the latter camp. From the beginning of his command in 1964 until 1968, the strategy used by. Creighton abrams, the former army chief of staff who died in 1974, and the brother of gen. Executive director, campaign for the national museum of the u. Thunderbolt from the battle of the bulge to vietnam and. On 10 april, general creighton abrams was announced as the commanderdesignate in vietnam. Abrams 19141974 continued to serve in the army in various capacities including commander of u. The ig farben building in germany was also named after abrams from 1975 to 1995. Abramss career spanned three american wars world war ii, korea, and vietnam, and he.
Oct 02, 2019 my take is that westmoreland was more style than substance. General abrams was a hardhitting, cigarchomping and smoking, harddrinking man that literally patterned himself after ulysses s. A fawning paean to general creighton abrams, ambassador ellsworth bunker, and former cia chief william colby and their stewardship of the vietnam war from 1968 to 1975. Exposing the character of americas best leadership in its. In 1980, the united states army named its then new main battle tank, the m1 abrams, after him. The abrams doctrine, as it is understood today, claims that chief of staff of the army gen. His efforts in the immediate postvietnam years helped to reform the army. For more than four decades, in three wars and in challenging peacetime assignments, abrams demonstrated.
The stabintheback theory is alive and well in sorleys thunderbolt. Abramss career spanned three american wars world war ii, korea, and vietnam, and he finished it as the army chief of staff. Anybody with any connections to vietnam should read this book. The author, himself a west pointer, seemed like the perfect. Creighton abrams 197274 intentionally placed a significant amount of logistics support structure in its reserve components so that if the president of the united states sent the army to war, he would be forced to mobilize the reserves, thereby requiring him to get the support of the american people. Lewis sorley, a former soldier, is a graduate of west point and holds a ph. For more than four decades, in three wars and in challenging peacetime assignments, abrams. September 15, 1914 september 4, 1974 was a united states army general who commanded military operations in the vietnam war from 1968 to 1972, which saw united states troop strength in south vietnam reduced from a peak of 543,000 to 49,000. He concurrently serves as the commander of united nations command and commander of r.
September 15, 1914 september 4, 1974 was a united states. General creighton abrams has been called the greatest american general since ulysses s. While at west point, he received a personal call from general creighton abrams with an invitation to be the generals aide in vietnam. General anderson would again return to vietnam in 1969 after earning a masters degree at indiana university and serving as an instructor at west point from 19651968. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Loving and devoted mother to noel bradley, creighton w. General creighton abrams and the army of his time by lewis sorley. They were the parents of two daughters, noel, the wife of nathan naylor, and elizabeth, the wife of chris bauernshub. His brothers creighton iii and robert were also army general officers.
Lewis sorley is one of the better writers of military history and one of my favorite authors on the vietnam war. This us army war college student author examines general abrams. This book explains the period of the vietnam war after westmoreland, focusing on the leadership of general abrams. General creighton abrams and the army of his times. Exposing the character of americas best leadership in its finest and most difficult hour 2004. John vessey, who had had worked intimately with abrams and recalled years later from memory that he and abrams had discussed implementing a force structure designed to limit. John nelson abrams was the son of julia berthe harvey 19152003 and general creighton w. This is a period of the war that was largely uncovered in hollywood movies other distortions of the war. The author, himself a west pointer, seemed like the perfect selection to tell the abrams story. Was creighton abrams a better general than william. General creighton abrams and the operational approach of attrition.
The abrams tapes, 19681972 modern southeast asia series. This book is a very good detailed report on the contributions made by general creighton abrams. He used to put his trousers on while standing on a chair so there would be no wrinkles. General creighton abrams and the army of his times, is convinced that abrams intended to limit presidential power. Creighton abrams news newspapers books scholar jstor february 2017.
A fine appreciation of the military professional who arguably ranks among americas very best generals. Robert bruce abrams born november 18, 1960 is a fourstar general in the united states army who currently serves as the commander of united states forces korea. This book proposes that the united states armed forces consistently followed a strategy of attrition from the introduction of battalion sized combat troops in 1965. General creighton abrams and the army of his times, 1992, etc. General creighton abrams and the army of his time, i wish the author had produced twice the material on general abrams as he did, expanding on his human, fallible side. Buy a cheap copy of thunderbolt from the battle of the.
General dupuy personified much of what might be considered the absolute best, and the absolute worst, of the american officer corps in general and the general officer corps in particular. Lewis sorley hes been called the greatest american general since ulysses grant, the worlds champion tank commander, a pure soldier, and, affectionately, general abe. The book makes a point to show that westmoreland largely squandered american popular support for the war, and ignored the arvn. Considered one of the great combat officers of world war ii, abrams served in general george pattons third army and took part in the relief of bastogne. Abrams 26th chief of staff of the united states army the ranger battalion is to be an elite, light and most proficient infantry battalion in the world.
This book explains the period of the vietnam war after westmoreland. Cota, assistant division commander of the 29th infantry division. Jan 01, 1992 this book is a very good detailed report on the contributions made by general creighton abrams. A battalion that can do things with its hands and weapons better than anyone.
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