The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme"The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time." --C. P. Snow "The Face of Battle" is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at 'the point of maximum danger'. It examines the physicial conditions of fighting, the particular emotions and behaviour generated by battle, as well as the motives that impel soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away. In his scrupulous reassessment of three battles, John Keegan vividly conveys the reality for the participants, whether facing the arrow cloud of Agincourt, the levelled muskets of Waterloo or the steel rain of the Somme. |
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action advance Agincourt American appearance approach archers armoured arms army artillery attack battalions battle battlefield body Brigade British called carried casualties cavalry century certainly charge close columns combat command companies course dangerous dead deal death decision described direct distance division effect enemy English experience face fear field fighting fire flank force forward four French front German going ground Guards guns hand head heavy historians horses human hundred important individual infantry July killed later least less light look lost major mass means military move objective offered officers perhaps position prisoners probably ranks reached rear regiments result Second seems seen sense shells side single soldiers Somme sort square stand success suffered tanks took turn warfare Waterloo weapons World wounded yards