Description:
Explores the
life and military career of Lucian Truscott, one of the greatest, yet least
celebrated, US combat commanders of World War II.
Born in Texas to a
drug-addicted father, Truscott would become one of the United States' greatest
ever combat generals. Expert in mechanised warfare and amphibious operations
during World War II, he was a plain-speaking, determined fighter.
The book traces
Truscott's rise as a senior American commander in various theaters of war,
including the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France. It
examines Truscott's relationship with other senior American commanders such as
George Patton (who once threatened to sack him), Mark Clark (who didn't like
him), Eisenhower and George Marshall.
Truscott made a
significant contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany, improving his command
skills with each new experience. Being placed in command of the Anzio beachhead
was his finest hour, where his vital contribution ultimately led to the capture
of Rome.
Truscott garnered
a unique record during World War II as the only American officer to command
military formations from regiment up to a full army, with over 200,000 soldiers
under his command. He also took part in five amphibious landings during the
war, becoming the United States' foremost expert in such operations.
General Lucian K.
Truscott: 'Quite a talent for fighting' is for military enthusiasts looking to expand their
knowledge beyond the well-known names of World War II canon.
Brief description:
Glyn Harper QSM, PhD, MA (Hons), BA, Dip
Tchng is an experienced author who has written extensively on various subjects from
World War I, World War II and beyond.
Glyn was Professor of War
Studies at Massey University until his retirement in 2021. Prior to this he
served in the Australian Army, where he completed his PhD, and in 1996 he transferred to
the New Zealand Army, where he rose to Lieutenant Colonel as head of the
Military Studies Institute. Glyn
was the Army's official historian for the deployment to East Timor, co-writing the official history and a
children's book about that deployment.
In 2011 Glyn was appointed by Massey University as the project
manager for the Centenary History of New Zealand and the First World War program,
and he wrote two of the fourteen volumes of the Centenary History. He is the
award-winning author of more than twenty books for adults and thirteen books
for children, many of which have achieved best-selling status. In 2012, Glyn
was awarded a QSM for services to historical research. He is currently the academic
adviser of Project 'Army 200', the 200-year history of the New Zealand Army,
and is working on several new books.