Omar Nelson Bradley: America's GI General, 1893-1981 (American Military Experience)

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Omar Nelson Bradley: America's GI General, 1893-1981 (American Military Experience) Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Steven L. Ossad (Author), Bill Nevitt (Narrator), University Press Audiobooks (Publisher)

4.5 39 ratings

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Omar Nelson Bradley was the youngest and last of nine men to earn five-star rank and the only army officer so honored after World War II. This new biography by Steven L. Ossad gives an account of Bradley’s formative years, his decorated career, and his postwar life.

Bradley’s decisions shaped the five Northwest European Campaigns from the D-Day landings to VE Day. As the man who successfully led more Americans in battle than any other in our history, his long-term importance would seem assured.

Bradley’s postwar career as administrator of the original GI Bill and first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Korean War ensures his legacy. These latter contributions, as much as Bradley’s demonstrable World War II leadership, shaped US history and culture in decisive, dramatic, and previously unexamined ways.

The book is published by University of Missouri Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

Winner of the Society for Military History's 2018 Distinguished Book Award for Biography.

“Superbly researched and well-written.” (Jonathan W. Jordan, author of American Warlords)

“A marvelously illuminating portrait of the last of the great World War II figures to have a full biography. It has been worth the wait!” (Carlo D'Este, author of Patton: A Genius For War)

Listening Length

19 hours and 19 minutes
Author

Steven L. Ossad
Narrator

Bill Nevitt
Audible release date

August 16, 2019
Language

English
Publisher

University Press Audiobooks
ASIN

B07WFWCL3L
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	19 hours and 19 minutes
Author	Steven L. Ossad
Narrator	Bill Nevitt
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	August 16, 2019
Publisher	University Press Audiobooks
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07WFWCL3L
Best Sellers Rank	#68,963 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #9 in Korean War #53 in Korean War History (Books) #73 in World War II Biographies

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4.5 out of 5

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L. Dale

Excellent Biography

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2017

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Almost 40 years ago, I saw General Omar Bradley in person. He was in his dress uniform and in a wheelchair. I recall wondering what exactly he had done in WWII to justify five stars? Even with all those stars, he didn’t have the star power in the public's imagination of MacArthur or Patton or Eisenhower or even of others of lesser rank. I now have to wonder no longer. Steven Ossad has admirably filled in my void with a first-rate biography of this American hero from the heartland.
Among the facts I learned about General Bradley:
• He had the greatest field command in the history of the U.S. Army – more troops than the armies of Grant and Lee combined. In fact, few men in recorded history have commanded more men in the field.
• After WWII, he ran the then largest civilian agency in the U.S. government, the Veterans Administration, with a vital role in the demobilization of almost eight million men. In this capacity, he was CEO of the world’s largest welfare agency; biggest life insurance agency; biggest dispenser of pensions; biggest medical agency; and a huge bank which guaranteed loans to veterans for homes, businesses and farms and for education and rehabilitation.
• After successfully completing his VA assignment and following the reorganization of the nation’s national security structure, Bradley became the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also was the first chairman of the military committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was our country’s first sustained peacetime alliance -- still operating after 70 years.
I picked this book, because I had read some of Mr. Ossad’s work in military history journals and in WWII History. I knew it would be well researched and well written, and I was not disappointed. However, this bio is not hagiography. As admirable a gentleman and officer as Omar Bradley was, he had personal shortcomings, and he made mistakes in command. The author does not gloss over them. As a result we see a real flesh and blood human being in high positions making life-and-death decisions. The effect is authentic. This is a very useful study in command. I hope the book becomes required reading for officers in our nation’s military.

12 people found this helpful

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M. Glish

Worth reading

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024

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I'm sure it's difficult to write a comprehensive biography of a substantial person like Omar Bradley, especially when one of his major accomplishments was to lead a complex military force in the biggest war the world has ever known. I enjoyed the book and learned a lot. Bradley is an obscure general despite his major impact on the war and post-war. I've studied World War II for years and this is the first time I really met him.

My critique of the book is that it reads more like a scrapbook sometimes. It has holes that I'm sure were worth skipping but sometimes the narrative seems to skip around. There are other times that I think the author dives too deep. Often the book reads more like a comprehensive history of the war in Europe than it does a Bradley biography.

The author seems smitten by the nicknames that seem to have been prevalent at that time and is scrupulous about telling us what year this guy and that guy graduated from West Point. I got lost in all of the references to "Skip Johnsons 867th Infantry..." I don't think it added to the verisimilitude. It was more like he was showing off.

I would love to read more about the politics of leading the war. That was one of the most interesting parts of this book.

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Ed Castorina

The author successfully paints a rich and full portrait of ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2017

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The author successfully paints a rich and full portrait of an extraordinary man from the most ordinary of backgrounds. Avoiding minutiae and moving quickly but carefully through the core of the 20th century, the focus of course remains on Bradley, But the work also concisely sets forth the key events and themes of the North African and Sicilian campaigns, as well as D-Day and the often ragged march to victory, largely led by Bradley, in Europe by the western powers. This book reinforces the belief that well-researched, and well-written stories about World War II will continue to fascinate us for decades to come.

6 people found this helpful

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Pat

Great Read

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2017

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Steven Ossad, Author, published one of the most detailed biography of General Bradley. From Omar's young life to his education and his relationships with several top Generals during WWII. From his decisions, battles and his frustration. So detailed in fact, you find yourself picturing the events as almost being there in person. If you like history & want to become
immersed in the facts behind what propelled America's GI General, this book is for you.

4 people found this helpful

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Scott S. Kerr

Insightful study

Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2018

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I enjoyed Steve Ossad's insights in his study of Bradley which shed light on the "hows" and "whys" of his hits and swings and misses and not just the "whats" of an amazing career. In one of the misses, my father's medical company missed being at least captured by three miles during the Bulge.
Scott

One person found this helpful

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donal hartman

Well-researched book exploring new sources

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020

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The author makes good use of recently discovered information, particularly about the relationship between Bradley and Montgomery. He does an excellent job in covering Bradley's personal history, both before and after WWII. He is not shy of critical commentary, focusing on several of Bradley's personality quirks that led him to make questionable decisions throughout his life. I came away from the book with a much better understanding of Bradley as a person and as a major leader during our nation's most trying period, an unfavorable impression of Bradley's critical analytical skills and his bias against those officers who had different attitudes about leadership. My only critical comments about the book deal with the author's constant references to Bradley's West Point connections, which only occasionally are relevant. Nonetheless this is an excellent book.

2 people found this helpful

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Charles J. Smedley

Great Book

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2018

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The best book I have read on General Bradley. It goes into the good and bad decisions he made during his career.

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McEgg

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2018

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