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Book Review: The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations
Wylie W. Johnson
Author: Patrick K. O'Donnell
Reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, US Army War College class of 2010
The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations, by Patrick K. O’Donnell and reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, explores the Civil War–era precursors of today’s special operations forces. Broken into three sections, the book covers rival groups—the Jessie Scouts and Mosby’s Rangers, the Confederate Secret Service, and Sheridan’s Scouts and the retribution they wreaked upon their enemies. The reviewer calls it “. . . a strong reminder of the outsized impact that specialized units make upon military campaigns.”
©2025 Wylie W. Johnson
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Book Review: Uncertain Warriors: The United States Army between the Cold War and the War on Terror
John A. Nagl
Author: David Fitzgerald
Reviewed by John A. Nagl, professor of warfighting studies, US Army War College
In Uncertain Warriors: The United States Army Between the Cold War and the War on Terror, author David Fitzgerald looks at the US Army from Vietnam through Iraq, examining how the end of the Cold War, drawdowns, and ideas about cultural inclusion impacted the Army. Reviewer John Nagl recommends it for today’s Army leaders.
©2025 John A. Nagl
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Book Review: The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age
Jason W. Warren PhD
Author: Michael P. Ferguson and Ian Worthington
Reviewed by Jason W. Warren, PhD
The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age focuses on three themes—inspirational physical presence, Alexander’s army’s professionalism, and the speed with which he campaigned. The reviewer notes there are many useful observations, overall, he sees the book as a “mixed bag.” For those newer to studies “on Alexander or lessons-learned methodology, Legacy may prove a useful primer.”
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Book Review: Dr. Seuss and the Art of War: Secret Military Lessons
John Erickson
Editor: Montgomery McFate
Reviewed by John Erickson, senior engineer, Axiom Technologies
Dr. Seuss and the Art of War: Secret Military Lessons is broken into five parts. Part one introduces Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Part two discusses Geisel’s knowledge of strategy, while part three discusses specialty topics. Parts four and five examine luck in war and post-traumatic stress, respectively. The reviewer notes, “because Dr. Seuss used the genre of story as a pedagogical device, he likely made military strategy digestible to a wider audience.”
©2025 John Erickson
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