Harry S. Laver – författare

Historians typically depict nineteenth-century militiamen as drunken buffoons who stumbled into crooked lines, poked each other with cornstalk weapons, and inevitably shot their commander in the backside with a rusty, antiquated musket. Citizens More than Soldiers demonstrates that, to the contrary, the militia remained an active civil institution in the early nineteenth century, affecting the era's great social, political, and economic transitions. In fact, given their degree of community involvement, militiamen were more influential in Kentucky's maturation than any other formal community organization. Citizens More than Soldiers reveals that the militia was not the atrophied remnant of the Revolution's minutemen but an ongoing organization that maintained an important presence in American society. This study also shows that citizen-soldiers participated in their communities by establishing local, regional, and national identities, reinforcing the social hierarchy, advancing democratization and party politics, keeping the public peace, encouraging economic activity, and defining concepts of masculinity. A more accurate understanding of the militia's contribution to American society extends our comprehension of the evolutionary processes of a maturing nation, showing, for example, how citizen-soldiers promoted nationalism, encouraged democratization, and maintained civil order. Citizens More than Soldiers is not a traditional military history of campaigns and battles but rather the story of citizen-soldiers and their contribution to the transformation of American society in the nineteenth century.

How Ulysses S. Grant turned disparate commanders into a winning forceThe rise of Ulysses S. Grant to the pinnacle of military command is one of the more improbable stories of American history. To achieve such success, Grant had to work with, manage, encourage, and sometimes berate an eclectic group of military leaders who came under his command during the US Civil War. In this deep analysis of Grant's leadership style, Harry S. Laver reveals how the introverted soldier exercised such exceptional military leadership that he won the war and became a popular figure in the American public mind.Rather than focusing solely on battlefield tactics or campaign narratives, this book examines Grant as a leader of men. Focusing on one relationship at a time, Laver offers a richly textured account of Grant's interactions with his generals, demonstrating how he evaluated each subordinate on individual merits. Grant emphasized strengths while attempting to mitigate shortcomings, tailoring his approach to the personalities and abilities of those he commanded. He preferred to give his generals latitude whenever possible, but when circumstances demanded it, he issued precise and detailed guidance. This flexible, adaptive leadership style, rare among Civil War commanders, proved central to his success.Grant's effectiveness is most evident in the productive partnerships he forged. His collaborations with naval commanders Andrew H. Foote and David D. Porter became models of successful army–navy cooperation. He mentored promising officers such as James B. McPherson, whose career was cut short by his death in battle, and the dynamic Philip H. Sheridan, who emerged as one of Grant's most trusted lieutenants. Grant also developed a functional, if strained, working relationship with George G. Meade, the victor at Gettysburg, whose difficult temperament troubled subordinates but did not impede cooperation at the highest level. Grant shared with the fiery William T. Sherman a deep mutual respect and an unyielding commitment to total victory.Not all relationships were successful. Grant struggled with obstinate and independent-minded commanders such as John A. McClernand, William Rosecrans, and George H. Thomas, removing the first two from command and nearly doing the same with Thomas. His most delicate challenge was Henry W. Halleck, who had sought to undermine Grant's career. When Grant ultimately rose above Halleck in rank, he managed the reversal with professionalism and strategic restraint, transforming a former rival into an effective subordinate.Marked by an innate generosity of spirit, Grant praised his generals for their successes and occasionally shouldered the blame for their failures. Laver reveals how this humane yet disciplined approach enabled Grant to weld a disparate group of commanders into an effective fighting force – and to secure Union victory.

During Ulysses S. Grant's rise to the pinnacle of military command, he had to work with, manage, encourage, and sometimes berate an eclectic group of military leaders who came under his command during the US Civil War. In this first-ever deep analysis of Grant's leadership style, Harry S. Laver reveals how the introverted soldier exercised such exceptional military leadership that he won the war and became a popular figure in the American public mind.

What essential leadership lessons do we learn by distilling the actions and ideas of great military commanders such as George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Colin Powell? The Art of Command illustrates that great leaders become great through a commitment not only to develop vital skills but also to surmount personal shortcomings. Harry S. Laver, Jeffrey J. Matthews, and the other contributing authors identify nine core characteristics of highly effective leadership, such as integrity, determination, vision, and charisma, and nine significant figures in American military history whose careers embody those qualities. The Art of Command examines each figure's strengths and weaknesses and how those attributes affected their leadership abilities, offering a unique perspective of military leadership in American history.

What essential leadership lessons do we learn by distilling the actions and ideas of great military commanders such as George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Colin Powell? The Art of Command illustrates that great leaders become great through a commitment not only to develop vital skills but also to surmount personal shortcomings. Harry S. Laver, Jeffrey J. Matthews, and the other contributing authors identify nine core characteristics of highly effective leadership, such as integrity, determination, vision, and charisma, and nine significant figures in American military history whose careers embody those qualities. The Art of Command examines each figure's strengths and weaknesses and how those attributes affected their leadership abilities, offering a unique perspective of military leadership in American history.

What essential leadership lessons do we learn by distilling the actions and ideas of great military commanders such as George Washington, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Colin Powell? The Art of Command demonstrates that great leaders become great through a commitment not only to develop vital skills but also to surmount personal shortcomings.In the second edition of this classic resource, Harry S. Laver, Jeffrey J. Matthews, and the other contributing authors identify eleven core characteristics of highly effective leaders, such as integrity, determination, vision, and charisma, and eleven significant figures in American military history who embody those qualities. Featuring new chapters on transitional leadership, innovative leadership, and authentic leadership, this insightful book offers valuable perspectives on the art of military command in American history.