Wellington's Two-Front War: The Peninsular Campaigns, at Home and Abroad, 1808-1814

1-194670

The book chronicles Wellington's battle with Napoleon abroad and the British bureaucracy at home during the 1808-14 campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula.

Moon argues that the military's outdated promotion system, political maneuvering, and bureaucratic inertia - all subject to public opinion and a hostile press - thwarted Wellington's efforts, almost costing him the victory. Drawing on archival sources in the United Kingdom and at the United States Military Academy, Moon goes well beyond detailing military operations to delve into the larger effects of domestic policies, bureaucracy, and coalition building on strategy.

The book demonstrates the Iberian campaign was won only through the strategic vision and relentless determination of Wellington. Moon's multifaceted examination of the commander and his frustrations offers valuable insight into the complexities of fighting faraway battles under the scrutiny at home of government agencies and the press - issues still relevant today.