Crossing the Line of Departure: Battle Command on the Move a Historical Perspective

Publisher Marketing: John McGrath's Crossing the Line of Departure is a wide-ranging historical overview of that most difficult aspect of military leadership, the art of battle command. McGrath leads the reader through case studies beginning with Alexander the Great leading up to the recent war in Iraq. Among others, he analyzes Napoleon's technique, French and British practices in World War I, the German experience with "Blitzkreig" in World War II, and the Soviet approach to battle command. McGrath also extends his historical analysis to the present day by presenting a description of battle command theory in the "Modular Army" and the Information Age. Through it all, he finds that the key to successful command in battle, particularly in mobile operations, is found in the successful interplay between technology and personal technique. Unlike some pundits today, McGrath does not conclude that information age technology is likely to shift the balance between these poles in favor of technology dependence. The commander's personal sense of where to be on the battlefield, where to locate and how to use his headquarters staffs, and how to communicate with his subordinates have been-and remain today-crucial elements of successful battle command. A 21st century commander has use of technology beyond the comprehension of an Alexander, a Napoleon, or a Guderian; but he will continue to grapple with the same issues of personal presence and technique that they mastered so well. Crossing the Line of Departure brings to the fore insights, trends, and leadership qualities needed for successful battle command. While possessing knowledge of these traits does not guarantee success on the battlefield, their absence will almost assuredly bring defeat. We at the Combat Studies Institute believe that McGrath's monograph, by casting light on the art and science of battle command through the ages, will be a useful tool for commanders and staffs as they prepare for future operations. Contributor Bio:  McGrath, John J Boston native John McGrath has worked for the United States Army in one capacity or another since 1978. A retired Reserve officer, Mr. McGrath served in infantry, field artillery, and logistics units, both on active duty and as a reservist. Before coming to work at the Combat Studies Institute, he worked for four years at the US Army Center of Military History in Washington, DC, as a historian and archivist. Prior to that, Mr. McGrath worked full time for the Unites States Army Reserve in Massachusetts for more than 15 years, both as an active duty reservist and as a civilian military technician. He also served as a mobilized reservist in 1991 in Saudi Arabia with the 22d Support Command during Operation DEERT STORM as the command historian and in 1992 at the US Army Center of Military History as a research and writer. Mr. McGrath is a graduate of Boston College, holds an MA in history from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and is currently a PhD candidate at Kansas State University. He is the author of numerous articles and military history publications. He has published several books including "Theater Logistics in the Gulf War" published by the Army Materiel Command in 1994, "The Brigade: A History" published by the US Army Combat Studies Institute (CSI) in 2005; and "Crossing the Line of Departure," also published by CSI in 2006. HE served as the general editor of the published proceedings from CSI's 20054 Military History Symposium, "An Army at War: Change in the Midst of Conflict." Aside from a general interest in things military and historical, his areas of particular interest include modern military operations, the German army in World War II, August 1914, and the Union Army in the Civil War. He also has a keen interest in ancient history, historical linguistics, the city of Boston, and baseball. McGrath is also a current PhD candidate at Kansas State University.