Flesh and Steel During the Great War - Michel Goya

This review has been submitted to the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research

Title: Flesh and Steel During the Great War
Author: Michel Goya
ISBN: 978-1-473-88696-4
Publisher: Pen-and -Sword
Year: 2018
Hardcover
Pages: 323
Photos/Maps: 17/5

Warfare, on the surface, personifies the best and worst of humankind: ultimate selfless sacrifice and unspeakable brutality. However, one of the benefits of large-scale conflict, is a laser focus by the governments of the warring nations upon developing any advantage that will enable them to prevail against their adversaries. This manifests itself as enormous advances in science, medicine, and technology, free of the financial and bureaucratic frictions that exist in peacetime. Michel Goya’s book undertakes a detailed analysis of the state of the French Army leading up to the commencement of hostilities in 1914, focusing upon the political and interpersonal challenges to modernization. He then traces the advances in the French military (to include the nascent Air Force and the three main combat arms elements) as the crucible of war and experience strip away the impediments that traditionally hamstrung its development. He incorporates into this discussion the changes in the mentality of the Chain of Command and the decision-making processes to highlight how new critical paths to change were generated. Finally, he closes his work with an overview of the state of the military at the close of the War and what transpired in the years following.

The experiences of the French front line soldier provide the context within which innovation is discussed. Drawing upon real life examples, Goya is able to provide tangible examples of the dynamic realignment in the decision making and doctrinal development process. Thus it was that the traditional top-down, centralized process of operational doctrine, invalidated by the shocking, near run failures of 1914 and the inability to break the stalemate of the following years, is supplanted by local, coal-face, innovation derived from real time engagement with the enemy. Goya explores in great detail how this transition occurred, what were the driving motivators that adjusted the French Command paradigm, and the impact that it had on operations.

 For the reader, understanding how the various elements adapted to the increasingly technological and complex face of the conflict is key towards appreciating just how dramatic and dynamic was the metamorphosis of the French military. Not only were these changes felt in the traditional fields of combat, but commanders and planners had to incorporate utterly new capabilities spanning the fields of communications, aviation and armour into effective joint operational and doctrinal use. The author presents the scope and pace of these complex changes in a lucid, insightful manner; laid out in a logical and easily understood style. Goya also expands upon the ongoing internal debates on how best to utilize these new capabilities; politics within the French military were never far from the surface and the authors discussion on how these manifested themselves makes for fascinating reading.

 Peacetime change within a military context is a slow, bureaucratic and pedantic process that may take years to realize change; wartime drives change through necessity and emphasis. The author has captured both sides of the French military experience in his book and, in the process, sheds light on the myriad of challenges that are unique to both circumstances. His extensive bibliography, notes sections and detailed appendices provide a breadth of context and additional sources for the reader to take advantage of. Of particular note is his comprehensive analysis of the experiences of the 13^th Infantry Division, a unit that was present from the first to the last day of the war. This analysis adds depth and an additional definitive example for the reader to grasp the authors intent of the book.

This is an excellent work of military history; touching upon a relatively little known or appreciated aspect of warfare: dynamic change. It is very strongly recommended for the professional and casual historian alike.

The 7th Guards Army form Kursk to Prague 1943-1945 - Dann Falk

 This review has been submitted to Iron Cross magazine.

Title: The 7th Guards Army form Kursk to Prague 1943-1945
Author: Dann Falk
ISBN: 978-1-732-60742-2
Publisher: Falken Books
Year: 2022
Softcover
Pages: 547
Photos/Maps: 56/77 

Much has been written at the macro-level about operations on the Eastern Front during WW2. Dann Falk has uniquely decided to focus his efforts on the operational history of the 7^th Guards Army (formally the 64^th Army) and, in this second installment, traces its activities from Stalingrad to the end of the war in Prague. Due to its stellar performance in defence of the southern region around Stalingrad, it was one of only 11 Infantry Armies and 5 Tank Armies that would receive the Guards designation from Stalin throughout the war. 

Falk’s approach to writing entails a daily synopsis of the activities of the Combined Arms Infantry Army, challenges that it faced and the efforts of the Germans on those days to counter the Soviet maneuvers. Thus it is that each day provides a unique snapshot of the Eastern Front within an ongoing narrative. Falk’s research is phenomenal and the level of detail both in terms of personnel and equipment as well as activities is noteworthy. In addition, he weaves accounts of specific elements of the adversaries (such as logistics, women in combat, operational environments and personal anecdotal narrative) that add depth and complexity to the account. 

Particular consideration needs to be paid to the high quality of the charts and maps provided by the author as references to the narrative; each was drawn and drafted by the author. Thus, unlike many histories of the region that use original German or Soviet maps that, while interesting, are, in many cases, of limited value due to their language and complexity, the maps provided by Falk are clear, easy to follow and provide excellent references to actions within the storyline. The charts that he developed present an excellent synopsis of different aspects of the book being discussed; particularly those of the conclusion at the end of the book that provide first-rate summaries of pan war achievements of the 7^th Army as well as available Soviet forces for ongoing operations should that have been necessary. 

Falk has drafted a brilliant, yet highly readable, account of the exploits of this superb fighting Army. His attention to detail is impressive and his research comprehensive; however, these aspects of the book do not prevent the reader from appreciating the full spectrum of experiences associated with the complexity of operations on the eastern Front. His anecdotal style and operational assessments serve to highlight the continuing professional development of the Army in terms of joint competency as the War progressed. The author does not hesitate to present an unvarnished account, at the personal level, of the humour, tragedy, and brutality of the conflict from both the German and Soviet perspectives with a strong emphasis on the latter. This work is a nuanced and very balanced assessment of the Soviet forces covering the spectrum of operational and logistical support elements in equal measure. 

The quality of the publication is excellent, the font easy to read and the layout of the book clear and concise. Falk has provided an extremely comprehensive bibliography that gives the reader the opportunity to follow up through a myriad of primary and secondary sources. This book is an outstanding source for those who are either serious WW2 bibliophiles or casual historians.