The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the SommeJohn Keegan's groundbreaking portrayal of the common soldier in the heat of battle -- a masterpiece that explores the physical and mental aspects of warfare The Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at the "point of maximum danger." Without the myth-making elements of rhetoric and xenophobia, and breaking away from the stylized format of battle descriptions, John Keegan has written what is probably the definitive model for military historians. And in his scrupulous reassessment of three battles representative of three different time periods, he manages to convey what the experience of combat meant for the participants, whether they were facing the arrow cloud at the battle of Agincourt, the musket balls at Waterloo, or the steel rain of the Somme. The Face of Battle is a companion volume to John Keegan's classic study of the individual soldier, The Mask of Command: together they form a masterpiece of military and human history. |
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able advance already appearance approach archers armoured arms army artillery attack battalions battle battlefield bodies Brigade British brought called carried casualties cavalry century certainly charge close columns combat command course dangerous dead deal death decision described direct distance division effect enemy English experience face fear field fighting fire flanks force formation forward four French front German going ground groups Guard guns hand happened head heavy historians horses human important individual infantry killed later least less light look lost major mass means military move objective offered officers perhaps position prisoners probably ranks reached rear regiments result seems seen shells side single soldiers Somme sort square stand success suffered tanks took turn warfare Waterloo weapons whole World wounded yards