I
have always been fascinated by great generals and their monumentous achievements
in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Hence I found the book “Pershing: Commander of the Great War by John
Perry” to be an excellent treat.
In this biography of John J. "Black Jack"
Pershing, the author paints a portrait of Pershing, not only as the brilliant
yet demanding and difficult-to-please military leader in action-“nothing
imperfect escaped his notice or criticism”-but also chronicles Pershing’s role
as a loving husband and father, an excellent dancer, and a true friend to those
fortunate enough to know him well off the battlefield. There's not much about
his childhood, but his life at West Point and in the military before World War
I is thoroughly explained, and really interesting to read. Pershing served in
the West, learning to get along with Native Americans and Mexicans; apparently
he was quite good at peacemaking and helping everyone live with each other.
This experience served him very well when he was posted to the Philippines and
expected to quell the Muslim Moro minority, which was inclined to fight the
Americans as much as they had fought the Spanish. Pershing did his best to make
friends with the Moros and calm the tensions in the area, and he was very successful.
Such excerpts from the life of this
great man really makes this a must read for biography fans.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this
book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book
review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
