General Mark Clark: Commander of U.S. Fifth Army and Liberator of Rome (Leadership in Action)

I purchased this book, seeking a solid bio of Clark. What I got was a general overview of the Italian Campaign, with emphasis on Clark. Admittedly, the book was clearly stated as focused on 5th Army, but I had hoped for a more complete evaluation of Clark during his entire life.All in all, I rated the book as 3-stars...it is a reasonable, big picture view of the Italian campaign. I was tempted to give it 2-stars due to the lack of depth about Clark. There are other books on Italy that, as part of a more detailed examination of the campaign, provide as much or, in places, more insight into Clark as a military leader and as a person.In addition, the author is a bit, just a bit, of an apologist for Clark -- arguing that the was a brilliant tactician who, given his circumstances, produced superior results. The author is not convincing. What I saw was a bit of a whiner, lacking a bit in imagination, and who, in large part, took the expedient and politically convenient path more often than not. Having said that, he was, at least, a competent Army Commander who did quite well given a relative (compared to NW Europe) lack of personnel and materiel -- but, in the end, who many more resources than his opponents.In the end, I knew only a bit more about Clark than when I began the book.

I enjoyed this book and found it very readable. My father served under Clark for part of the war and always spoke highly of him. The book offered a well balanced insight into the man. It also covered the war in Italy which was so difficult and overshadowed by France.

A must for WWII history lovers. A well researched and equally well written book focused on an often forgotten WWII American hero.

The book was very informative about a lesser known part of the war and a lesser known General. I thought that the author was a bit too kind in his assessment of the performance in that theatre, but it definitely highlighted the human side of decision making where a persons current substandard performance is bolstered by past performance(s). All in all a good read.

I had previously only known of Gen. Mark Clark from members of the 36th Texas Infantry Division who considered him the "butcher of their friends and neighbors. I got nothing from this sympathetic history to really negate those impressions. Maybe he was a genius at staff work but I am not assured that he deserved the extremely rapid promotions he received...other than he knew how to "kiss up".

General Mark Clarke was given the most troublrsome command of world War 2, He not only had to fight the Germans he had to also fight the mountains and the valley's in which ambush was an every day event. No really flat land to for the use of tanks with infantryman almost always under murderous fire from the enemy fire, with no place to run. These were the brave men he commanded and command them he did.Gerry ClarkU.S. Navy SEAL retired

Research project. Reasonable presentation of The war service of a lousy combat general. Noticeable is the boox faliure to come to terms with this hero's contradictory nature. In particular no background details of his life nor his startling change of religeon. He comes accross as a cardboard figure and is difficult for the reader to assess him.

Interesting book about a World War Two General that one doesn't hear much about anymore. Makes me want to do more research into the campaigns in Italy.

Not overly impressed tbh, comes across as a clumsily-written mish-mash of facts garnered from various open sources, stopped reading after a couple of chapters. Now reposing in a charity bookshop.