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The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army Audiobook
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(3.11) - 251 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
They were four exceptional soldiers, a new generation asked to save an army that had been hollowed out after Vietnam. They became the Army's most influential generals in the crucible of Iraq. Collectively, their lives tell the story of the Army over the last four decades and illuminate the path it must travel to protect the nation over the next century. The careers of this elite quartet show how the most powerful military force in the world entered a major war unprepared, and how the Army, drawing on a reservoir of talent that few thought it possessed, saved itself from crushing defeat against a ruthless, low-tech foe. In The Fourth Star, you'll follow: H Gen. John Abizaid, one of the Army's most brilliant minds. H Gen. George Casey Jr., the son of the highest-ranking general to be killed in the Vietnam War. H Gen. Peter Chiarelli, an emotional, take-charge leader who felt the sting of the Army's failures in Iraq. H Gen. David Petraeus, a driven soldier-scholar. When he finally got his chance in Iraq, he changed the Army's conception of what was possible. The Fourth Star ranges far beyond today's battlefields, evoking the Army's tumultuous history since Vietnam through these four captivating lives.
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"This is really a great book that looks the the careers of four of the premier U.S. Army general officers at the top levels of leadership over the past decade or so. In many ways, their experiences encompass the main themes and events of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Readers learn about the lives and careers of John Abizaid, Peter Chiarelli, George Casey, Jr., and David Petraeus, all of whom ascended to four-star rank. On Petraeus, I also recently read Paula Broadwell's biography of him, and after having read this one, I think it is the more objective rendering of the man. I think that Broadwell may have been too close or too beholden to him for the access she was getting to include some of the more critical things that Cloud and Jaffe do in this book. Of course, as that this book was published in 2009, if you want to read about Petraeus's command in Afghanistan, you won't find it here, and Broadwell's book is a good place to read about that. I also liked that Abizaid's experience as an Olmsted Scholar in Jordan in the late 1970s was frequently referenced in terms of the effect that it had on him and his suitability for some of the senior posts and commands he later rose to. Though again, as with Petraeus, the authors do not say that everything Abizaid did was good - he came in with a few warts as well. In all, I found it be a quite balanced and interesting survey of the Army, the U.S. military, and how conditions changed from the beginning of the careers of these fine leaders in the wake of Vietnam to the first decade of the 21st century. Highly recommended."
— Gary (5 out of 5 stars)
The Fourth Star Listener Reviews
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" An excellent and a relatively unbiased depiction of the our Army's leaders. "
— Dan, 2/17/2014 -
" Currently listening to audio book version. "
— Fanugee, 2/17/2014 -
" A well written review of the lives of four of America's top generals during the Iraq conflict. Goes into some discussion of the conflicts within the Army concerning the development of an insurgency fighting force versus an Army prepared for a massive military land battle. "
— Keith, 2/9/2014 -
" Very nicely done! Readable, fascinating, and seemingly thoughtful and fact-based account of very recent history. "
— Kaylea, 2/8/2014 -
" A provocative account of the careers of four of the most influential leaders in the post-Vietnam Army. Detailing the Army's progress in developing intellectual officers who can think beyond the 'shut up and color' mentality historically demanded of our soldiers, the book provides a telling story and foreshadows the direction of US military action in the coming decades. A paralleling combination of multiple biographies and event-driven accounts, this is easily one of the greatest tomes in my leadership library. So fitting, that I completed this book on Memorial Day. "
— Steve, 2/5/2014 -
" 3.5 stars. Good, and interesting, but lacks the depth of works such as The Looming Tower and Ghost Wars. Would have been better (although admittedly also then not quite the same book) with more on the changes and development of the armed forces rather than being so focused on the four main subjects. "
— Chip, 1/23/2014 -
" Not bad insight into our military leadership, although the end feels rushed. "
— Mattb, 1/18/2014 -
" That I am giving this book four stars is no joke. It really was educational about U.S. military culture -- and written in an engaging, snappy style. Strongly recommended for people interested in how Vietnam, the Reagan era, and the Bush wars have affected our armed services. "
— Casey, 1/14/2014 -
" A look at four Generals and their part in developing an effective counter insurgency strategy. Topical. "
— Kbrew, 12/13/2013 -
" audio interesting look into 4 generals at the center of the Afgan/Iraq wars & their thoughts. "
— Paul, 12/9/2013 -
" Interesting book, but it leaves huge gaps in the bios of the four officers. "
— Rick, 11/4/2013 -
" This book ought to be required reading for every Army officer, congressman and political leader. Perhaps there is some hope that they could learn enough from it to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Unfortunately, history forces me to believe that that's not the case. "
— doug, 8/8/2013 -
" A lot of "hooah," but there's nothing especially revealing in here. Petraeus comes off as a tool. I guess "Absolutely American" made me think all these kinda books would be interesting, but really "Absolutely American" is way better than the usual. This book is the usual. "
— Amar, 8/2/2013 -
" excellent book... highly recommend it... "
— Dan, 4/3/2013 -
" Interesting read, good to see these high ranking officers as Jr. FG and senior CPTs. Recommend it. "
— Nick, 12/3/2012 -
" The unique structure if this history in very engaging. I very much enjoyed tracking each of these generals through their careers. The perspective on the war in Iraq this provided was very interesting. "
— Reachhigh, 8/11/2012 -
" this was a good analysis of the army's reluctance to adapt a well thought out counterinsurgency strategy in the wake of vietnam. "
— Devon, 5/12/2012 -
" Remarkable men all. "
— Dave, 2/16/2012 -
" these guys are all pretty accomplished academically. Very impressive. Lots of energy "
— Larry, 9/3/2011 -
" Army brass spots potential four star generals and nurtures them through higher university degrees and a teaching stint at West Point. Then on to Iraq. Four generals endeavor to deal with unconventional military struggles there, each with his own "take." "
— Jb, 8/30/2011 -
" this was a good analysis of the army's reluctance to adapt a well thought out counterinsurgency strategy in the wake of vietnam. "
— Devon, 12/24/2010 -
" Army brass spots potential four star generals and nurtures them through higher university degrees and a teaching stint at West Point. Then on to Iraq. Four generals endeavor to deal with unconventional military struggles there, each with his own "take." "
— Jb, 7/14/2010 -
" That I am giving this book four stars is no joke. It really was educational about U.S. military culture -- and written in an engaging, snappy style. Strongly recommended for people interested in how Vietnam, the Reagan era, and the Bush wars have affected our armed services. "
— Casey, 2/22/2010 -
" An excellent and a relatively unbiased depiction of the our Army's leaders. "
— Dan, 2/2/2010 -
" this book is fantastic giving one an inside view of some very amazing four star General's, an inside look at the Vietnam war, how these General's helped change the Army and interesting information on West Point. Well worth the read so far. "
— Kariejbh, 1/21/2010 -
" A look at four Generals and their part in developing an effective counter insurgency strategy. Topical. "
— Kbrew, 1/11/2010 -
" Currently listening to audio book version. "
— Fanugee, 12/28/2009
About the Authors
Greg Jaffe is the Pentagon correspondent at the Washington Post and previously held the same position at the Wall Street Journal. In 1999, he was part of a team of reporters that won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.
David Cloud was the Pentagon correspondent for the New York Times from 2005 to 2007. He previously worked at the Wall Street Journal, where he covered national security and intelligence issues.
About Richard McGonagle
Richard McGonagle is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and an experienced film, television, and voice-over actor. He has appeared in such films as Rules of Engagement and such television shows as The Practice and JAG.