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Overview
Applauded by the public and revered by the men who served under him, Adm. William F. Halsey was one of the leading American personalities of World War II. His reputation as a no-holds-barred fighter and his tough-guy expression earned him the nickname "Bull," yet he was also known for showing genuine compassion toward his men and inspiring them to great feats in the Pacific. Originally disclaiming the praise heaped on him, Halsey eventually came to believe in the swashbuckling legend that surrounded him, and his conduct became increasingly controversial.
Naval historian E. B. Potter, who established his reputation with an award-winning biography of Chester W. Nimitz, gets behind the stereotype of this national hero and describes Halsey at his best and worst, including his controversial actions at Leyte Gulf. To write this book Potter had full access to Halsey's family and to the admiral's private papers and provides detail of Halsey's youth and career before the war. First published in 1985, it remains the definitive study.
Synopsis
Applauded by the public and revered by the men who served under him, Adm. William F. Halsey was one of the leading American personalities of World War II. His reputation as a no-holds-barred fighter and his tough-guy expression earned him the nickname "Bull," yet he was also known for showing genuine compassion toward his men and inspiring them to great feats in the Pacific. Originally disclaiming the praise heaped on him, Halsey eventually came to believe in the swashbuckling legend that surrounded him, and his conduct became increasingly controversial. Naval historian and award-winning Chester W. Nimitz biographer E. B. Potter gets behind the stereotype of this national hero and describes Halsey at his best and worst, including his controversial actions at Leyte Gulf. To write this book Potter had full access to Halsey's family and to the admiral's private papers. First published in 1985, it remains the definitive study.
Publishers Weekly
By the author of Nimitz, this is the first comprehensive biography of Admiral William F. Halsey, the best-known American naval hero of World War II. Drawing on unpublished memoirs, oral histories, and interviews with relatives and military colleagues, Potter has constructed a scholarly and highly readable account of the life of this colorful, bold, controversial leader. The last of the great swashbuckling sea dogs, Halsey was one of the key figures in the defeat of Japan. His strategical decisions during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, however, have been debated for over 40 years. Here the issue is explained with clarity, and readers can draw their own conclusions. Halsey was the only military man of comparable rank who was able to work harmoniously with Douglas MacArthur. Potter not only explains why this was so but provides new material on that increasingly maligned general in his account of the Halsey-MacArthur partnership during the South Pacific campaign. Photos. Military Book Club selection. November