D. M. Giangreco - The Soldier from Independence: A Military Biography of Harry Truman, Volume 1, 1906–1919

Harry S. Truman was commander in chief at one of the critical moments in American-and global-military history: when the decision had to be made to drop the atomic bomb. As to his military credentials, however, Truman is often dismissed as little more than a National Guard hack and a Kansas City haberdasher with no real military acumen. Yet nothing could be further from the truth, as D. M. Giangreco makes clear in The Soldier from Independence .

Military Book Club

With his customary thoroughness, D. M. Giangreco has given us a splendid account of Harry Trumans military career.

Alonzo L. Hamby, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at Ohio University

Reading Trumans account of events is very powerful, and Giangreco has skillfully constructed a narrative with these sources that makes it possible for readers to experience the war as if they were on the battlefield with Harry Truman and Battery D.

Jon E. Taylor, Missouri Historical Review

Going into combat in the Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918, Captain Trumans actions as recounted by Giangreco will engage readers drawn to the formative experiences of future presidents.

Gilbert Taylor, Booklist

Giangreco not only gives us a look at one of the millions of ordinary Americans who served in the Great War, giving us a soldiers-eye view of the AEF and the trenches as well as a brief treatment of the armys mismanagement of the National Guard, but also discusses how Trumans time in uniform shaped his business and political life.

A. A. Nofi, Center for Naval Analysis, Naval War College, and senior editor of StrategyPage.com

To this reviewer, an artilleryman, the single most useful part of this work is the detailed description of the inner workings of a light (75-millimeter) field artillery battery in combat. The details will likely be lost on many readers, but they are the best single source of how it really worked. Everything except specific firing calculations is there-encrusted in mud, surrounded by chaos, compromised by lack of sleep, and, naturally, punctured throughout by enemy action. It really does not matter who is the focus of the story; Giangrecos detailed descriptions are so well provided.

Douglas V. Johnson II, Parameters

Giangrecos book illuminates the combat experience neglected in studies of the thirty-third President of the United States . Giangrecos military biography of Truman is a study in command and proper and successful employment of authority.

David O. Whitten, On Point

D. M. Giangreco has done a valuable service here in undermining one of the more persistent myths--that Harry Truman had a minimal understanding of strategy or war. This is a biography of the military side of Trumans life and it is high time . [Giangrecos] careful and detailed scholarship is to be savored and enjoyed.

John T. Kuehn, General William Stofft Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College