Synopsis
A look at the life and military accomplishments of General Douglas MacArthur, whose career included serving as commander of the United States Army in the Far East during World ...
Library Journal
Gr 6-9-These admiring biographies provide information about both the personal lives and military careers of their respective subjects. Schwarzkopf is the better of the two titles, with a good discussion of how the general's upbringing shaped his strong character and how his experiences in Vietnam influenced his theories of military organization and battle conduct. On the other hand, MacArthur suffers from several flaws that limit its effectiveness. Rice is overly admiring of the general's leadership and character ("Great moments in time invariably spawn great leaders MacArthur was undeniably the right man in the right place at the right time") and he glosses over his subject's lifelong pattern of resisting orders, self-aggrandizement, and political posturing. The author includes considerable coverage of MacArthur's experiences in the two World Wars, but devotes only a few pages to his power struggle with Truman during the Korean Conflict. Further, much of the vocabulary is far too advanced for a middle school audience. Both books include extensive indexes as well as average-quality, black-and-white (and color in Schwarzkopf) photos. Each title has at least one regional map, but neither has a complete theater-wide map so that readers can follow all of the military action. Although Schwarzkopf will not draw a large general audience, it is adequate for reports. Students who need report material on MacArthur will find Ann Graham Gaines's Douglas MacArthur: Brilliant General, Controversial Leader (Enslow, 2001) a better-written, more objective overview of the man's life and career.-Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.