title: In the Heat of Battle: A history of those who rose to the occasion and those who didn't (General Military)
author:  Donough O'Brien 
description: "Out of two thousand years of the history of combat Donough O'Brien has plucked seventy five extraordinary episodes, some well known, others much less or not at all. They describe the good, the bad and the downright incompetent; the best and the worst; the bravest and most craven, and each story is a small gem. A 'must' for Christmas." -Frederick Forsyth, author and political commentator<br /><br />"O'Brien uses his master story-telling skills to create a lively and informative compendium of bravery and humiliation. Written in an elegant, entertaining style, <i>In the Heat of Battle</i>is designed for general readers seeking to glean inspiration from the best and worst that history has to offer. Teachers, lawyers, business people, clergy and of course military leaders will benefit from O'Brien's concise yet informative essays." -<i>Sir Read-a-Lot (sirreadalot.org)</i>(October 2009)<br /><br />"Offers a fine survey of war, military ranks, and how heroes emerged form battles. From early fighters such as George Washington and Rommel to anti-heroes such as Custer, this survey considers how individuals contributed to or changed the course of history through their military choices." - <i>The Midwest Book Review</i> (April 2010)<br /><br />"In the Heat of Battle is a thought-provoking book with wide appeal... It is highly recommended for the general student of military history, and will doubtless inspire further in-depth reading and analysis." -Lloyd W. Sherfey, <i>On Point</i> (Fall 2010)<br /><br />"This title examines a slightly different phenomenon. Sometimes it is the junior ranks that seize the initiative and save the day, often with extraordinary acts of heroism. Often those who fail are senior and experienced. Fully illustrated with photographs and artwork, the book includes familiar battlefield heroes like Audie Murphy, H Jones, and Corporal Graham among others and contains interesting and thought-provoking facts." -<i>Wonderpedia</i>
zlib_text: Table of Contents
  Chapter 1
  Chapter 2
  Chapter 3
  Chapter 4
  Chapter 5
  Chapter 6
  Chapter 7
  Chapter 8
  Chapter 9
  Chapter 10
  Chapter 11
  Chapter 12
  Chapter 13
  Chapter 14
  Chapter 15
  Chapter 16
  Chapter 17
  Chapter 18
  Chapter 19
  
  Chapter 1
  Although London was at its hottest in July, the office windows were tightly
  closed and an electric fire glowed in the grate.
  The heat beat steadily on the frosted-glass partition of the secretary’s
  cubicle and made life barely supportable to Miss Bond as she bent over the
  hundreds of reports before her, but to General Kirk, head of Her Majesty’s
  Foreign Office Intelligence it was a near approach to heaven.
  Smiling like a contented cat, he put down the cigar with which he had
  been thickening the already overpowering atmosphere and lifted the ringing
  telephone beside him.
  “Oh, it’s you, Igor, how very nice. But of course, my dear chap, come
  up as soon as you like. What! From the army people you say, that’s odd,
  they’re usually so reluctant to part with any of the