Background
Sorley, Lewis was born on August 3, 1934 in West Point, New York, United States. Son of Merrow Egerton Sorley and Louise MaBelle Barnes.
(A man of extraordinary inner strength and patriotic devot...)
A man of extraordinary inner strength and patriotic devotion, General Harold K. Johnson was a soldier's officer, loved by his men and admired by his peers for his leadership, courage, and moral convictions. Lewis Sorley's biography provides a fitting testament to this remarkable man and his dramatic rise from obscurity to become LBJ's Army Chief of Staff during the Vietnam War. A native of North Dakota, Johnson survived more than three grueling years as a POW under the Japanese during World War II before serving brilliantly as a field commander in the Korean War, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for "extraordinary heroism." The latter experiences led to a series of high-level positions that culminated in his appointment as Army chief in 1964 and a cover story in Time magazine. What followed should have been the most rewarding period of Johnson's military career. Instead, it proved to be a nightmare, as he quickly became mired in the politics and ordeal of a very misguided war. Johnson fundamentally disagreed with the three men—LBJ, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and General William Westmoreland—running our war in Vietnam. He was sharply critical of LBJ's piecemeal policy of gradual escalation and his failure to mobilize the national will or call up the reserves. He was equally despondent over Westmoreland's now infamous search-and-destroy tactics and reliance on body counts to measure success in Vietnam. By contrast, he advocated greater emphasis on cutting the North's supply lines, helping the South Vietnamese provide for their own internal defenses, and sustaining a truly legitimate government in the South. Unheeded, he nevertheless continued to work behind the scenes to correct the nation's flawed approach to the war. Sorley's study adds immeasurably to our understanding of the Vietnam War. It also provides an inspiring account of principled leadership at a time when the American military is seeking to recover the very kinds of moral values exemplified by Harold K. Johnson. As such, it presents a profound morality tale for our own era.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0700608869/?tag=2022091-20
( General Creighton Abrams has been called the greatest A...)
General Creighton Abrams has been called the greatest American general since Ulysses S. Grant, yet at the time this book was first published in 1992, he was little known by most Americans. For more than four decades, in three wars and in challenging peacetime assignments, Abrams demonstrated the skill, courage, integrity, and compassion that made him a legend in his profession. Thunderbolt is the definitive biography of the man who commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam during the withdrawal stage and for whom the army's main battle tank is named. With a new introduction by the author, this edition places the complex and sophisticated Abrams and his many achievements in the context of the army he served and ultimately led, and of the national and international events in which he played a vital role. Thunderbolt is a stirring portrait of the quintessential soldier and of the transformation of the U.S. Army from the horse brigades of the 1930s to the high-tech military force of today.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0253220025/?tag=2022091-20
(Producing leaders of character for the Army has been West...)
Producing leaders of character for the Army has been West Point’s mission since its foundation in 1802. Central to West Point’s success in developing leaders of character is the Cadet Honor Code and System. Developed and refined over two centuries, the honor code is a foundation for a lifelong commitment to doing what’s right. ‘Honor Bright’ chronicles that journey through time.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0073537780/?tag=2022091-20
(A model of policy analysis, Arms Transfers under Nixon pr...)
A model of policy analysis, Arms Transfers under Nixon provides a lucid and lively demonstration of how the Nixon administration combined skillful diplomacy and the adroit use of arms transfers to bring about a remarkable series of American foreign policy achievements. The Middle East provides the most dramatic example. Here, the Arab-Israeli military balance was stabilized, Egypt was persuaded and enabled to forsake its heavy dependence upon the Soviet Union, conditions favorable to peace negotiations were arranged, and important interim agreements were brokered by the United States. In the Persian Gulf, the promotion of Iran and Saudi Arabia as effective guarantors of regional stability in the wake of British withdrawal, and maintaining the pro-Western orientation of these governments, are shown to have been essential to crucial United States and Western interests. The dramatic reversal with the collapse of the Shah's government is assessed, as are the causes of that post-Nixon debacle. The battles that accompanied the administration's initiatives―battles with hostile nations, with allies, with the Congress, and even within the administration―and the diplomatic and political moves by which opposition was overcome provide the stuff of an exciting and instructive narrative.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813104041/?tag=2022091-20
Sorley, Lewis was born on August 3, 1934 in West Point, New York, United States. Son of Merrow Egerton Sorley and Louise MaBelle Barnes.
Bachelor of Science, United States Military Academy, 1956. Master of Arts, University Pennsylvania, 1963. Master of Public Administration, Pennsylvania State University, 1973.
Doctor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University, 1979. Graduate, United States Army War College, 1973.
Intelligence officer Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, 1976-1983. Writer Potomac, Maryland, since 1983. Executive director Association Military Colleges and Schools of the United States, Potomac, 1998-2006.
Board directors Army History Foundation, Arlington, Virginia.
(A model of policy analysis, Arms Transfers under Nixon pr...)
(Producing leaders of character for the Army has been West...)
( General Creighton Abrams has been called the greatest A...)
(A man of extraordinary inner strength and patriotic devot...)
( During the four years General Creighton W. Abrams...)
Board trustees Battle of the Bulge History Found.l, 2005-2006. Lieutenant colonel United States Army, 1956-1976. Member of Army History Foundation (director since 2000, secretary board of directors since 2001), Society Military History, Association of Graduates/United States Military Academy (trustee 1983-1989), Society Cin (board directors 1980-1986), National Eagle Scout Association, Army Navy Club.
Married Virginia Mezey Sorley, November 21, 1970. 1 child from previous marriage, Kathleen Stone. Stepchildren: Douglas Becker, Timothy Becker, Susan Becker Merritt.