2003-03-20 A clear-eyed look at the history of the foot soldier

This attractive book is a fascinating look at foot soldiers throughout recorded history. Each of the twelve main chapters looks at a soldier, the battle he fought in, how he was trained and equipped, and what happened to him. The soldiers (who each have their own name and personality) are an Athenian (418 BC), a Roman (44 AD), a Frank (640 AD), a German Crusader (1191), a Longbowman at Agincourt (1415), an English Cavalier (1645), a Prussian (1748), a British veteran of the Napoleonic Wars (1815), a Civil War soldier from Maine (1863), a Hungarian in the French Foreign Legion (1906), British Tommy (1916), and a G.I. in Italy (1944). The two extra chapters are quite short, quickly explaining 1) the evolution of tactics and weapons betweem 1450 and 1550, and 2) the variability of soldiers since 1945.

I must admit that I found this to be quite a fascinating book. First and foremost, the author does an excellent job of explaining what war was like during each of the time periods. Secondly, this book is jam-packed with colorful pictures, which bring the stories to life. Also, if you think that this book is a glorification of war, you are quite wrong. Many of the soldiers are shown as being tired of war or confused, one is maimed, and three die before the end of their story. This book really is a clear-eyed look at the history of the foot soldier.