A remarkable compendium of the worst military decisions and the men who made themThe annals of history are littered with horribly bad military leaders. These combat incompetents found amazing ways to ensure their army's defeat. Whether it was a lack of proper planning; miscalculation; ego; bad luck; or just plain stupidity; certain wartime stratagems should never have left the drawing board. Written with wit; intelligence; and eminent readability; How to Lose a Battle pays dubious homage to these momentous and bloody blunders; including:Cannae; 216 B.C.: the bumbling Romans lose 80;000 troops to Hannibal's forces.The Second Crusade: an entire Christian army is slaughtered when it stops for a drink of water.The Battle of Britain: Hitler's dreaded Luftwaffe blows it big-time.Pearl Harbor: more than one warning of the impending attack is there; but nobody listens.How to Lose a Battle includes more than thirty-five chapters worth of astonishing (and avoidable) disasters; both infamous and obscure -- a treasure trove of trivia; history; and jaw-dropping facts about the most costly military missteps ever taken.
#1814544 in Books Michael Walsh 2004-05-11 2004-05-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .60 x 6.00l; .56 #File Name: 0060750685240 pagesOpus Dei An Investigation Into the Powerful Secret Society within the Catholic Church
Review
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Makes some important pointsBy RJHis most telling points for me are that Opus makes what we have called the Evangelical Counsels into requirements for salvation; unlike the Religious Orders in the Catholic Church; which make a clear distinction between the two. For instance; the practice of obedience to a religious superior or director is part of the essence of religious life; but is not presented as a requirement for salvation as it apparently is in Opus. It would be as if the Dominicans were to insist you have to be a member of their Order to go to heaven; and if you leave the Order you are a Judas and damned forever.The second point is the shift that is (sloooooly) taking place in the Catholic Church from identifying with power to a preferential option for the poor. This is not destined to win friends among the ruling class; and it leaves a vacuum that Opus seems well-suited to fill. It seems to be an elitist group (which groups usually identify themselves as the true believers; the saved; the righteous) of professionals more comfortable with power than with the poor. This is a partial reason for the growth of the organization.My difficulty with the book is that it takes so many pages to get to these points.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Interesting analysisBy Angela H.The author is a former jesuit; so he knows how the CatholicChurch is structured; and he knows his Catholic doctrine.This book is a sort of Catholic-legal analysis of the decisions made regarding whatit would be and how it would work.I have read Beyond The Threshold; by a former Opus Deinumerary; and this is more about ecclesiatical (spelling?)matters than the day to day stuff of the other; but it is stillfascinating.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Three StarsBy CustomerInteresting read so far.
