Guard Wars: The 28th Infantry Division in World War II

De: Michael E. Weaver

Narrado por: Randy Whitlow

An inventive study of relations between the National Guard and the Regular Army during World War II, Guard Wars follows the Pennsylvania National Guard's 28th Infantry Division from its peacetime status through training and into combat in Western Europe. The broader story, spanning the years 1939 to 1945, sheds light on the National Guard, the US Army, and American identities and priorities during the war years.

Michael E. Weaver carefully tracks the division’s difficult transformation into a combat-ready unit and highlights General Omar Bradley's extraordinary capacity for leadership - which turned the Pennsylvanians from the least capable to one of the more capable units, a claim dearly tested in the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest. This absorbing and informative analysis chronicles the nation's response to the extreme demands of a world war and the flexibility its leaders and soldiers displayed in the chaos of combat.

©2010 Michael E. Weaver (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

"An absorbing book.... Weaver's research is wide-ranging and his writing skill is admirable." (The Journal of America's Military Past)

"An excellent addition to any World War II library. The book is a study in preparedness, and many of its lessons are relevant today. (Journal of Army History)

"Micheal E. Weaver's Guard Wars does a fine job of bringing the Twenty-Eighth Infantry Division to life." (H-Net Reviews Humanities and Social Sciences)

History Book, Not a Story

This is a recount of the train up and deployment of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard/28th Infantry Division. The purpose is to compare a national guard/reserve unit to a regular army unit in time of war. In this comparison, you follow the PAARNG from the late 1930’s to the end of WWII. There is no real performance, it is a documentary. The story is chronological for context.

A great read for any commander/leader who deals with both active and national guard/reserve components. Also a great read for individuals interested in WWII or 28th Infantry Division history.

Guard Wars - Review

The process of bringing a National Guard into active combat has been discussed over the years and it has been streamlined on both the active Army and the National Guard sides of the equation. Guard Wars described the problems, feelings and perceptions of both sides as they went to bring the 28th Infantry Division to battle in WWII. Overall this book may not have been a good choice to bring to the audio readers. This is because there are a lot of dates, places and descriptions that do not present well without a photo or map. Additionally the performance was well done but but it was clear he was reading a script. At one point he says the word "Div" when the author clearly mean to say "division". He did however speak well and pronounce many european cities clearly and accurately.