The Face of Battle

By: John Keegan

Narrated by: Simon Vance

In this major and wholly original contribution to military history, John Keegan reverses the usual convention of writing about war in terms of generals and nations in conflict, which tends to leave the common soldier as cipher. Instead, he focuses on what a set battle is like for the man in the thick of it—his fears, his wounds and their treatment, the mechanics of being taken prisoner, the nature of leadership at the most junior level, the role of compulsion in getting men to stand their ground, the intrusions of cruelty and compassion, the din and blood.

Set battles, with their unities of time and place, may be a thing of the past, but this anatomy of what they were like for the men who fought them is an unforgettable mirror held up to human nature.

©1976 John Keegan (P)2001 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time.” (C. P. Snow, British novelist and scientist)

Excellent study of battle.

All students of war, battle, fighting and especially the officer cadet should read/study this book. John Keegan brings to light some interesting thoughts that any man-of-arms should know and have learnt from. Many people see battle as a breakdown of human nature whilst others the heights of achievements but I believe John Keegan has put it into perspective that shows it as part of human nature and a by-product of the society we live in. Industrialisation, mechanisation have played their roll however so has culture like religion and honour. I do find his assumptions of the future of battle a little naive but his study backs-up his summary.
I loved this book as it was so much in tuned with my own study in this area however I do need to read not only his source material if possible, but continue to read my own pursuits. I will never complete this hobby reading but it is a passion. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view with my studies, I have never been in combat and so this will hopefully always be an armchair study but this book is excellent in helping me move to a little more understanding of the face of battle.
I hope his other books are made into audio format.

If you're a fan of history, this is a must-read.

What did you love best about The Face of Battle?

John Keegan, in my opinion, is the world's foremost authority on both World Wars. If you haven't read his studies of those wars, it's time to get started....after you read The Face of Battle.

What other book might you compare The Face of Battle to and why?

I'm hard pressed to find a book to compare this one with. He studies three battles in detail. There is some "big picture strategy" in the book. And a lot of "oh my God, those poor bastards in the front line!"
The sympathy comes from the reader, however. Keegan applies his best historian's eye to analyze what it was like for the "working men" in battle.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought his voice worked well alongside Keegan's scholarly writing. It's a fit.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Battle of Agincourt. When I first read this about 20 years ago, I'd not considered what it must have been like to be in the front line of an edged weapon battle. Imagine: you're in the first line and are ordered to advance. There's no chance to hesitate, as there are several thousand men behind you pushing you at the enemy.
And, of course, the outcome of Agincourt was gratifying, even though the Brits didn't play by the rules. English longbows en masse, used like modern artillery.
A fully armored knight, once separated from his infantry, didn't stand a chance. British peasant soldiers would knock him off his horse, disarm him and lift the visor to see who they had. If you'd fetch a ransom, you'd be marched to the rear. If not, a dagger in the unarmored armpit would send you on your way.

Any additional comments?

If you read serious history and are a war buff, this is required reading.

Brilliant

One of the few heady and expertly written titles also expertly narrated. Pure communication.

The way the British look at war

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. The descriptions of how soldiers die, and the hardships they faced was presented in a way that wasn't stomach turning but enlightening.

The description of Henry the 5th's victory of Agincourt showed how long range (archery) changed the face of battle. The tactics used, the way the archers rallied makes this portion of the 100 years war come to life.

Wellington's victory of Waterloo brought us into the artillery age. His description of one soldier's death from starvation two years after his injury was shocking. This man had his tongue and jaw blown off and it still took him years to die.

The WWI battle of The Somme showed how far the artillery age moved and how it was defeated by the introduction of the machine gun. Keegan made me feel the dust and shaking ground in his description of the artillery barrage that lasted 3 days!

If you are a history buff, or specifically war history buff you will be glad you bought this book.

A hodgepodge but interesting

Keegan's writing isn't the most exciting. It's more academic than pop culture but a wealth of unique info. Readers will learn much about the three battles but the sections before and after seem to brief for such major topcs. Still, it's great work.

Required reading for military history

Required reading for military history breathtaking scope across time and levels of description. from weapons soldiers units armies and the mind and face of what it is fight, live, die in war

Extremely detailed. Not for a casual listen.

John Keegan is the éminence gries of military history. His scholarship is unsurpassed. His authorship is head and shoulders above all but a few. I enjoyed the book and although generally familiar with the battles described, learned a great deal. The Face of Battle is in essence, a textbook for young officers at Sandhurst or West Point. It can get academic and perhaps a little tedious if you aren't seriously interested. I was, and liked it quite a lot.

It should be called *the face of "British" battle*

Would you consider the audio edition of The Face of Battle to be better than the print version?

Did not read the book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

He is writing this aimed at other war historians. So it can get a bit annoying.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Simon Vance is the man.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, some of it was good, the first and last chapter are too long. The rest is good.

good read for those with a military mindset.

I really enjoyed the book being someone who is actively engaged in the military. It was nice to have perspective from different times of history, as well as different points of view - the nice thing about this book was that it gave what is the everyday soldier / officer would experience during a battle. Although, I am Not sure that it applies 100% to combat nowadays - it still is a good read and I would recommend for those who are engaged in a military.

Brilliant!!!

Best survey of military science on Audible. Both intro and conclusion are illuminating. Listen ASAP!!