The Army Times Book of Great Land Battles

Morelock, a career soldier and military historian, surveys 14 major battles fought between 1860 and 1991. His choices are conventional, e.g., Gettysburg and Chickamauga, Port Arthur, Verdun, Stalingrad. Each chapter begins with a human-interest vignette, such as Prussian troops spontaneously holding their fire as the defeated French ``leave the field of death unmolested.'' The author then discusses the weapons and tactics of the combatants, the diplomatic and operational background of the conflict and the battle itself. Eschewing the soldier's perspective, Morelock instead analyzes command decisions and their consequences. He offers neither original research nor fresh interpretations. Nevertheless, readers seeking clear summaries of modern-era combat will be well served by this unpretentious work. (Oct.)