In the heat of battle

"War imposes a unique kind of stress on those involved. The normal fear of failure is greatly increased by the very real danger of being killed, wounded, or captured by the enemy. This book looks at those who rose to the occasion, and those who, sadly, did not. Sometimes it is the junior ranks who seize the initiative and save the day, often with extraordinary acts of heroism. In contrast, sometimes those who fail are senior ranks and experienced, making their behavior even more disgraceful. Including heroes George Washington, Rommel, Elizabeth I, and Horatius at the bridge and anti-heroes Custer, Mountbatten, Stalin, MacArthur and even Marc Antony, these stories span the history of warfare to entertain and provoke the reader"--Jacket.