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.