Wellington: Pocket Giants

Wellington is a giant because he was one of the greatest military commanders in British history, an important figure in the emergence of Britain as a great imperial power, a man who dominated British society and politics for 35 years. He was the only one of Napoleon’s contemporaries who can be mentioned in the same breath as a general—a master of logistics, politics, and coalition warfare as well as strategy, operations, and tactics. This book looks at all of these aspects of Wellington’s military career, and places them in the context of the military and political developments of the time. Wellington’s personality—a key to understanding his success—will be explored. His post-Waterloo career as a politician, although important, will be examined fairly briefly, as the book’s focus will be on Wellington’s military career.