Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing

Customer Reviews:

Great American Soldier -- Cumbersome Biography.......2003-11-25

This comprehensive biography of one of America's great soldiers traces Pershing's life from his middle class upbringing in rural Missouri, to West Point, to the Western frontier during the final years of the Indian wars, to the Philippines, to the Punitive Expedition to Mexico and finally to France and the command of the American Expeditionary Force. Pershing's no-nonsense personality and his insistence on discipline and training is evident throughout. But the author has difficulty achieving any balance in his reporting. A sentence suffices to explain the treaty terms with Germany at the conclusion of WWI, but endless pages describe medal ceremonies and the atmospherics of military conferences. The lengthy work is replete with platitudes, cliches and vague characterizations. It quickly becomes tiresome. Find another biography of this great American.

Excellent biography of a great American general.......1999-07-11

I asked for this biography as a Christmas present 20 years ago. I finally got around to reading it, and I was not disappointed. Dr. Vandiver has written an first-rate biography which compares to Dumas Malone's sextet on Thomas Jefferson and Douglas S. Freeman's classic four-volume opus on Robert E. Lee. John Pershing probably has languished in obscurity in recent times because of the events which followed World War I (the Roaring Twenties, the Depression) and World War II, which resulted from, as Pershing himself warned, failing to fight World War I to a decisive finish. He is also denigrated by some as not being able to chase down Pancho Villa during the Punitive Expedition. Vandiver sets the record of history straight on Pershing, though, as nearly all biographers of great men are wont to do, he does lapse into hagiography and glosses too readily in many instances over his faults and weaknesses. Nevertheless he fairly portrays Pershing as the simple, direct, honest, energetic, efficient, and dedicated man and soldier who rose to the rank of General of the Armies, a rank attained only by George Washington before him. Vandiver traces Pershing from his youth, his sojourn as a teacher in a small school, and his cadet days at West Point, showing how his values and experiences moulded him well for the service and duty he would render his country for decades. From West Point, Pershing went west to become an Indian fighter, to Cuba in the Spanish-American War, and then to the Phillipines, where he conquered the wild Moro tribes of Mindanao. Pershing performed each of his assignments with excellence and bravery, always earning the highest praise from his superiors. He was a spit-and-polish martinet, insisting that his subordinates conform to the highest standards set at West Point. He never asked of his men anything he would not ask of himself, and he honestly believed that all that drill, efficiency, and discipline put his soldiers at the minimum risk when the tasks of campaigning and battle were at hand. He had no patience with slovenly subordinate officers who let their commands slide. Pershing did have a knack for selecting excellent subordinates, and rarely had problems getting his overall plans and objectives executed. The best part of Vandiver's work is that which describes Pershing's command of the AEF. The general did an incredible job of commanding the mobilization, buildup of troops and materiel in France, and ensuring the training of his Doughboys, all the time holding off repeated French and British attempts to siphon off and amalgamate the arriving American soldiers into their forces. Had the French and British succeeded, it is not inconceivable that they would have wasted thousands of American soldiers in the grinding, failing trench warfare the French and British were accustomed to on the Western Front. Pershing's dogged insistence on an American army angered the Allies, but proved decisive and effective in the last five months of the conflict. To their everlasting credit, both Secretary of War Newton Baker and President Wilson also never wavered from this course, and backed up Pershing fully whenever Lloyd George or Clemenceau tried to press their case over the general's head. Vandiver fully portrays the human side of General Pershing, including his marriage to Frances Warren, their brief 10 years together, and his grief at losing her and their three daughters in a fire at the Presidio in 1915. He also depicts Pershing's social circle as a young man, and the fortuitous friendships with men who became extremely influential and helpful to him later in life. Many of the subordinates he mentored and nurtured all either proved essential to the building and command of the AEF and/or became the pillars of America's armed forces in World War II (Marshall, Patton, and MacArthur, for example). This biography does have a few editorial flaws. Dr. Vandiver, who was a prodigy who never attended high school or undergraduate school, does some excellent writing for having had no formal coursework, but he does have a shocking weakness in writing subordinate clauses as separate sentences. Of which this is an example. A good editor would have caught the few dozen instances in this work and revised the grammar. Also Dr. Vandiver sometimes drops articles from a sentence, resulting in some clumsy passages. Again, good editing would have corrected these. At the end of the second volume, as Pershing's retirement approaches, Dr. Vandiver omits the necessary explanation that, in 1924, the mandatory retirement age in the armed forces was 64; the reader has to infer that from the narrative. Nevertheless Dr. Vandiver hit a home run with his biography of Pershing, and it deserved far more acclaim and exposure than it has enjoyed in the past 20 years. Reading about this genuine American hero was a breath of fresh air in these times of antiheroes. America today surely needs more men like General Pershing. Thanks to Dr. Vandiver, he will not be forgotten.

Guerrilla warrior;: The early life of John J. Pershing

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GUERRILLA WARRIOR-The Early Life Of John J. Pershing
I loved the book it brought you face to face with Pershing

Guerrilla warrior;: The early life of John J. Pershing
Donald Smythe
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0684129337

Customer Reviews:

GUERRILLA WARRIOR-The Early Life Of John J. Pershing.......2001-09-27

The book is written in a very unorganized manner. The author constantly throughout the book skips from one time period to another in Pershing's life, which leaves the reader the task of connecting the various points together.
An historian reading this book will understand the material, and put it to use. A Non-historian will get lost in all the material,and the manner it was written.

I loved the book it brought you face to face with Pershing.......1999-04-16

This book was facinating, it was a mix of battle tatics and of what goes on behind the man making the decisions. It gave you a different point of view of Pershing from the man of steel to a man with deep feelings and emotions. This book was well wrote and Smythe deserves a pat on the back. He uncovers the true side of Pershing and why dicipline was so important to Pershing himself. I loved the book it made me laugh, cry, and appreciate history.

Until the Last Trumpet Sounds: The Life of General of the Armies John J. Pershing

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"Taps" for an American Hero
What was Pershing's military and political philosophy?
Not bad.
Good, As Far As It Goes...
Read another book about Pershing!

Until the Last Trumpet Sounds: The Life of General of the Armies John J. Pershing
Gene Smith
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471350648

Amazon.com

General John J. Pershing may not be as honored as American military heroes Washington, Lee, Grant, and MacArthur, but he outranked them all: He's the only man ever to hold the rank of six-star general. And he certainly earned each one, with a career spanning from the final frontier wars of the 18th century to his leadership in the Spanish-American War in 1898 to his pursuit of Mexican bandit Pancho Villa in 1916. Pershing is best remembered, of course, for commanding the American Expeditionary Force in the First World War, which helped bring the conflict to a successful conclusion for the Allies. Gene Smith is a skilled biographer with an eye for detail and a knack with anecdotes. His Pershing--often misunderstood as a cold and brutal character--comes alive on the pages of Until the Last Trumpet Sounds.

Book Description

Critical Praise for Gene Smith On Until the Last Trumpet Sounds

"The best recent compact study of the commander of the American Expeditionary Force of World War I." - Booklist

"A six-star effort . . . captures Pershing better than anyone has before." - The Grand Rapids Press

On The Shattered Dream

"A storyteller of history, Gene Smith is one of the very best in his field." - The Washington Post

On When the Cheering Stopped

"A brilliantly written and dramatically effective work of history . . . Smith is a prodigious researcher, an artful writer." - The New York Times

On American Gothic

"A ripping good tale . . . the story rivets you. You cant put the book down." - The New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews:

"Taps" for an American Hero.......2006-10-13

Gene Smith's "Until the Last Trumpet Calls" (1998 Paperback) tells the life story of General John J. Pershing. It is well documented with reviewing personal correspondences, eyewitness interviews, several black and white photos, and extensive (8 pages) endnotes.

From his birth in 1860, through his days at West Point (class of 1886), to his various US Cavalry assignments across the American west and the early 20th century Pacific, to his leading the American Expeditionary Forces in World War 1 (WW1), till his death in 1948, John Pershing was well-respected, and often feared, icon determined to perform his duty. Pershing moved slowly through the Army ranks until he met Teddy Roosevelt. After their Spanish American War acquaintance Captain Pershing (only a Captain after 16 years!) was catapulted into a history-making career. By the end of the Great War Pershing achieved 6 stars as General of the Armies (unique to American history)!

Smith tells Pershing family celebrations and tragedies, it acquaintances with future history makers, and the General's "Americans fight as Americans" philosophy during WW1. Readers learn about Pershing's mentoring George Patton, George Marshall, and many more. We hear of his close WW1 friendship with France's Marshal Petain (who became the chief voice in the Nazi-Vichy government of World War 2, to Pershing's horror). The General was firmly and verbally anti-Kaiser in 1915 and anti-Nazi in 1940.

Smith closes the book with interesting chapters about "Black Jack" Pershing's (an appellation from his pre WW1 days commanding an African American Army division in Texas) son's and grandsons' careers. Each respective had his army career in World War 2, Cold War Europe, and Viet Nam (the youngest grandson was killed during the 1968 Tet Offensive). Unfortunately, General Pershing had no great-grandchildren. The book ends with a feeling of "Taps" for an influential 20th century American family.

Although Smith tends towards run-on sentences and the occasional sentence fragment this 320-page book's conversational style makes it an easy read. It is recommended to all military historians, US Cavalry buffs, World War 1 students, and 20th century Americana aficionados.

What was Pershing's military and political philosophy?.......2006-09-05

The facts of Pershing's life are interesting: he participated in the Indian Wars, led soldiers in the Spanish American war in Cuba alongside Teddy Roosevelt, was a central figure in the occupation of the Philippines, served as commanding officer in the manhunt for Pancho Villa, and -- of course -- was the commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Apparently, he was an extremely capable military man with an eye for detail and unparalleled military discipline. He overcame an unspeakable personal tragedy -- the death of his wife and daughters in a fire. Also impressive: from a modest Missouri upbringing, he was entirely self-made.

But a great biography does more than recite facts about its subject. It brings the reader inside his mind, and gives historical context to his decisions. In this regard, this book is a failure. The reader does not come away with the impression that Pershing was a great military strategist, like Lee or MacArthur. In fact, it is hard to decipher what was Pershing's military philosophy. Neither does the reader come away with the impression that Pershing's thinking about the great events of his time had any impact on the era's political decisionmakers. There is only one exception: it is clear that Pershing saw the United States as a full partner with its European allies in World War I, rather than as a mere source of personnel to replenish the dwindling ranks of French and British infintrymen. This contribution was significant.

The World War I era is one of the most fascinating and under-appreciated in recent Western history. The war itself was one of the terrible tragedies of all time, and it set the stage for the worldwide economic expansion of the twenties, depressionof the thirties, and the Second World War. It's too bad that this book sheds so little light on one of the most important figures of that era.

Not bad........2006-05-09

Some of the criticism of other readers is right, but this was obviously not intended to be a definitive, complete biography of this historical figure. It tells you much more than an encyclopedia article but presumably less than the two-volume biography by another author. The view is mainly of the private side of this man's life, which was necessarily dominated by its public side.

Good, As Far As It Goes..........2004-08-25

This book is a good beginning to any study of John J. Pershing, but there isn't enough "meat on the bones". Pershing led quite a life, and really needs a thorough, well-researched bio, but this isn't it. Oh, it's quite readable, and if you don't know much about Blackjack, it will give you good, basic information, but it will leave you wanting a biography with more depth. And the writing style! The author uses sentences that are more like laundry lists...on and on and on...Somebody give this man a comma, a semi-colon, a period, and then teach him how to use them!

Read another book about Pershing!.......2003-07-28

This is neither a history of the period nor a biography. It is a collection of quotations and anecdotes, that appear to have been taken from the personal papers of John J. Pershing, that are on file at the Library of Congress, not an unbiased source. I got as far as through the period on Pershing's frontier and Philippine service and put it down. It is a shallow treatment that reads like a history for young children. If someone is really interested in the era and the man, read Frank Vandiver's book " Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing" in two volumes, published in 1977. A book Smith cites, Donald Smythe's "Guerilla Warrior: The Early Life of John J. Pershing" (1973) is not too bad, nor is "Black Jack Pershing" by Richard O'Connor (1961). None of these are hostile treatments, and all are well written. Pershing was an able and brave Army officer, but so were many others of the era. But Pershing was the only one to go from Captain to Brigadier General despite opposition of the Army command, and this was not solely due to his ability. His smartest move was marrying the daughter of Senator Warren, one of the shrewder political operators of the time, and one who, although a Republican, had equal entree with Wilson as well as Roosevelt and Taft. Warren was Pershing's guardian angel. If you are older than 12, pass this book up and read one of the others.

My experiences in the World War, by John J. Pershing ... with sixty-nine reproductions from photographs and numerous maps ...(Complete in Two Volumes)

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My experiences in the World War, by John J. Pershing ... with sixty-nine reproductions from photographs and numerous maps ...(Complete in Two Volumes)
John Joseph (1860-1948) Pershing
Manufacturer: New York, Frederick A. Stokes Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H4CUJS

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American Command in World War I

Pershing: General of the Armies
Donald Smythe
Manufacturer: Indiana Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 025334381X

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The product of nearly 25 years of research, Pershing: General of the Armies remains one of the most authoritative biographies of the man known as "Black Jack." Newly appointed head of the American Expeditionary Forces, Pershing sailed for Europe in May 1917. Once in France, he set about the task of building an army. By October the Americans were at the front and over the next year became involved in increasingly significant battles, all vividly recounted here: Cantigny, Chateau-Thierry, Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and the 47-day slugfest in the Meuse-Argonne. Although the impact of the American forces on the outcome of the war has been much debated, there is no question that the troops acquitted themselves well under Pershing's command. Pershing's postwar life included an unsuccessful run for president, a stint as Chief of Staff, and a secret romance with a French woman 34 years younger than he; nonetheless, his influence as a leader extended into World War II.

Customer Reviews:

American Command in World War I.......2007-02-13

It appears of late that there is an increasing interest in books about World War I. Books have appeared on individual battles and on specialized equipment such as tanks and aircraft. After all, this was the time when much of the foundation for the later wars was being derived.

This particular book by Donald Smythe covers Pershing during the World War I years. (Smythe covers Gen. Pershing's earlier life in the previous book: Guerrilla Warror.) This book was written in the late 1980's, and just reprinted now.During this time Pershing had to build the army and assuage the commanders of the British and French forces who wanted the Americans to come into their armies as replacment soldiers under British or French commanders.

This was the first time that a large army would be sent by the Americans to fight on land beyond the oceans. The Americans had a lot to learn on the battlefield and in the conference room, but learn it they did. And they applied this learning in another European was a generation later.

As a measure of the tribute to be paid to Pershing, when he died in 1948, the funeral procession was led by sixteen American generals marching in the rain. At the head of the generals were Eisenhower and Bradley.

My Experiences in the World War (Military Classics Series)

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World War I Revisited: Lessons For Today
Well written but unfortunately, bigeoted point of view .
The way we won it.....straight from the source.

My Experiences in the World War (Military Classics Series)
John Joseph Pershing
Manufacturer: Tab Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Lost Battalion

ASIN: 0830640061

Customer Reviews:

World War I Revisited: Lessons For Today.......2002-04-08

In this two volume set, America's only, "General of the Armies," John J., "Blackjack," Pershing narrates the United States' role in World War I (WWI) from his vantage point as the Commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). He recounts what it was like to create an army from scratch, then equip, train, transport it overseas, and fight it in a global conflict against a battle-hardened enemy. Pershing provides insight into the difficulties of mobilizing a nation for war that are as valid today as in 1917... Historians desiring insights into the war will find Pershing a treasure trove of information...

Well written but unfortunately, bigeoted point of view ........1999-01-16

General Pershing was, perhaps, the best person to be the Commander-In-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I. He did an excellent job of co-ordinating the American forces.

I have a problem in understanding his logic when it comes to the Black Americans Soldiers which he controlled. The General states that he was not a predjudist person and was in charge of the 24th Infantry (black) during the Mexican-American war. He praises their work, yet, when the 93rd Division (black), American,arrived in France; Pershing assigned them to the French Army.

Pershing made the statement that Americans will not fight under another countries Flag but then gave the 93rd Division (provisional) to the French.

Further on, General Pershing makes the statement that Black Americans are good soldiers as long as their are white officers leading them. There is no mention of visiting the Regiments (369th, 370th, 371st, and 372nd) during his tours of the regiments.

The Generals attitude towards black officers resulted in an open field-day on all black american officers.

The 92nd Division, a complete black-american division was not given its rightful respect, due awards, and training while in france.

The way we won it.....straight from the source........1997-10-03

Have you ever wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes? General John Joseph Pershing, arguably the most important figure in Europe during the later part of WWI, lets the reader get inside his head and see just that. Through his eyes we see the almost insurmountable problems that plagued the French, American, and British forces in 1917-1918 France. We feel the emotions he felt bleeding through the pages as we absorb his every thought of every battle. We see his life and times as no other writer could possible tell us. Black Jack Pershing could afford no shortcuts to victory, and he demanded perfection....when you read this book you will know, fear, and respect the man that carried the burden and hope of the world on his shoulders, and won.

The Aef and Coalition Warmaking, 1917-1918 (Modern War Studies)

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A Damning Indictment of Gen.John J. Pershing and the AEF.

The Aef and Coalition Warmaking, 1917-1918 (Modern War Studies)
David F. Trask
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 070060619X

Book Description

Underscoring an emerging revisionist view of the American Expeditionary Forces, David Trask argues that the performances of the AEF and General John J. Pershing were much more flawed than conventional accounts have suggested. This can best be seen, he shows, by analyzing coalition warfare at the level of grand tactics--i.e., campaign military operations.

The AEF didn't perform well in France, Trask contends, because it was committed as an independent force before it had time to train and gain experience. President Wilson and General Pershing's initial insistence on an independent American force rather than an integration with existing French and British armies resulted in costly delays and bitter victories in the decisive Allied counteroffensives against Ludendorff and the Central Powers.

Using a tactic uncommon in previous studies of the AEF, David Trask views the campaign of 1918 through the eyes of the highest-ranking of field commanders, including Pershing, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of the Allied and Associated Powers, and General Erich Ludendorff of the Central Powers.

Trask's portrayal of Pershing reveals a self-righteous leader who was unwilling to correct initial misconceptions that marred the doctrine and training of the AEF. Consequently, Trask demonstrates, Pershing's stormy relations with Allied military and civilian leader seriously undermined the AEF and its efforts to conduct coalition warfare.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

A Damning Indictment of Gen.John J. Pershing and the AEF........2003-02-09

In the opening paragraph of his book, David F. Trask expresses noble intentions with Clauswitzian flair. "This study writes Trask, "reflects modern revisionists examinations of minor tactics, but the emphasis throughout is on grand tactics, a much neglected topic" (p.x). What this amounts to is twofold. First, Trask offers a re-evaluation of the political, diplomatic, and military conduct of the Allied coalition (France, Britain, and the United States) against Germany during the last months of World War I. Secondly, Trask delivers a damning indictment against General John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).This book argues against anything positive that was ever written about Pershing and the AEF. Trask contends that most that has been penned about the AEF is written from Pershing's perspective and undermines the importance of French Marshal Ferdinand Foch and the Allied coalition. Trasks fires his broadsides around the central thesis that it was American manpower and materiel that tipped the balance in favor of the Allies, not the combat effectiveness of the AEF.Pershing has been praised for standing firm and not allowing American troops to be used as canon fodder for British and French divisions. Trask, on the other hand, is in favor of the amalgamation of U.S. troops into allied divisions and calls Pershing stubborn for not allowing it from the beginning. The author emphasizes how the German offensive of March 1918 set off such a crisis within the allied high command, that it was only then did Pershing grudgingly permited American troops to fight in British and French formations. Trask says those amalgamated units performed better under allied leadership than did the American First Army in the closing weeks of the war.Pershing has been credited with the reduction of the St Mihiel salient, a prolonged German bulge in the allied lines. Trask states that Pershing was going against his superior's, Foch's wishes by insisting against reducing the St Mihiel salient. Rehashing old assessments of the battle, Trask reiterates earlier criticisms levelled at Pershing for committing battle-tested units to reduce the salient thus leaving only inexperienced troops to be committed to the subsequent Meuse-Argonne campaign. Questioning Pershing's handling of that campaign, Trask reemphasizes that American infantry and artillery were poorly coordinated in the Meuse-Argonne and inexperienced commanders ordered futile frontal attacks against well entrenhed maching gun positions. "Pershing's stubbern self righteousness," writes Trask, " his unwillingness to correct initial misconceptions, such as those that marred the doctrine and training of the AEF, and his stormy relationships with Alled military and civilian leaders hurt the AEF" (p.176). In contrast, Trask underscores the military effectivness of the allied forces, particularly the British in Breaking the Hindenburg Line. In fact, Trask says Pershing was saved by the bell in November 1918. Contridicting his earlier statment that the AEF needed at least two years from it inception in 1917 to become an effective military force, Trask writes: "Pershing was surly a flawed commander. If the war had continued into 1919, he might well have fallen from grace" (p. 175).David Trask is a reputable scholar of the period. His work is supported by fourty pages of copious notes plus a bibliography. The book is sprikled with numerous maps, though some are dificult to read. Because of the polemics of this work, I would not recommend one read this book as an initiation into the political/military strategy of the Great War. Nor would it be advisable to consult Trask for an objective view of Pershing. As with other scholarly works that attempt to drive home a point, the repetitive nature of the authors emphasis turns into bashing, thus my rating of four stars.

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My Experiences in the First World War
John Joseph Pershing
Manufacturer: Da Capo Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Colt 1909 Military Revolvers; The 1904 Thompson-Lagarde Report, and General John J. Pershing

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The Colt 1909 Military Revolvers; The 1904 Thompson-Lagarde Report, and General John J. Pershing

Manufacturer: Brownlee Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H7QADM

The United States in World War I: The story of General John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Forces

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The United States in World War I: The story of General John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Forces
Don Lawson
Manufacturer: Scholastic Book Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Book Description

In late nineteenth-century America, Simon Newcomb was the nation's most celebrated scientist and--irascibly, doggedly, tirelessly--he made the most of it. Officially a mathematical astronomer heading a government agency, Newcomb spent as much of his life out of the observatory as in it, acting as a spokesman for the nascent but restive scientific community of his time.
Newcomb saw the "scientific method" as a potential guide for all disciplines and a basis for all practical action, and argued passionately that it was of as much use in the halls of Congress as in the laboratory. In so doing, he not only sparked popular support for American science but also confronted a wide spectrum of social, cultural, and intellectual issues. This first full-length study of Newcomb traces the development of his faith in science and ranges over topics of great public debate in the Gilded Age, from the reform of economic theory to the recasting of the debate between science and religion. Moyer's portrait of a restless, eager mind also illuminates the bustle of late nineteenth-century America.

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