Australian General Sir John Monash changed the way wars were fought and won. When the British and German High commands of the 1914-1918 War failed to gain the ascendency after fours years of slaughter never before seen in human history, Monash used innovative techniques and modern technology to plan and win major battles that forced Germany to capitulate. The comprehensive breach of German defences of the Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918 was followed by a series of victories commanded by this outstanding general until the end of the war. He was ranked by military experts as the finest on the Allied side, and knighted on the battlefield King George V.
An engineer by training, Monash applied the same skills to planning major battles as he did to building countless bridges in Australia when making his fortune before the war. Yet his success was due to much more. He was a lawyer who excelled as an expert witness, and a renaissance man who knew as much about theatre and music as he did about weaponry and military history.
Another reason for his extraordinary rise to command the Australian Army, at a critical time in the war, was the strength gained from overcoming what he called his 'handicaps of birth' - having German-Jewish background and immigrant parents at a time when racism and prejudice were rife. In 1914 there were vicious attempts by his enemies to force him out of the military because of his German heritage, but he was wholeheartedly committed to fighting against Germany. After the war, Monash supported the democratic institutions he had fought for and prevented a military coup.
Author Roland Perry, drawing on Monash's extensive letter and diary archive, brings to life the riveting story of how General Sir John Monash, the classic outsider, overcame the obstacles of prejudice to reach a position that allowed him to play a major role in winning World War I. 'Monash: The Outsider Who Wan a War' reveals how this gentle man developed one of the toughest minds of the war, and why in addition to his amazing military successes, he is remembered and respected even more for his humanity.
Contents:
List of Maps
Introduction: Engineer of Victory: 8 August 1918
1. Going for Gold
2. School of Soft Knocks
3. The Engineer's Language
4. Battle Engagement
5. Rebirth
6. A Bridge Too Far
7. Pipe Dreams Realised
8. 1914: The Enemy Within
9. Thirty Days in Hell
10. Gallipoli Breakout
11. Goodbye to 4th Brigade
12. The King and I
13. Western Front 1917: Messines
14. Broodseinde Up; Passchendaele Down
15. 1918: Ludendorff's Lunge
16. Commander to the Corps
17. Breakthrough at Amiens
18. Jugular Days: Mont St Quentin and Peronne
19. Operation Hindenburg Line
20. Afterglow
21. Back to the Future
22. Many Causes; Enough Time
23. Zenith and End
24. Postscript
Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibliography
Index
