On The Psychology Of Military Incompetence - Norman F.Dixon

This incisive and engrossing book is a revealing study of 100 years of military incompetence, from the disasters of the Crimean War to the ‘misery and chaos’ of Operation Market Garden. As well as providing fascinating examples of costly blunders, it also scrutinises the psychology of the men at the heart of these conflicts, and the social psychology of the military as a whole. The result is an unusual perspective on some of the most significant events in recent human history, as well as a series of eye-opening lessons that can be applied beyond the military itself.

About the author:

Norman F. Dixon served in the Royal Engineers, with nine years of service in the bomb disposal division. Wounded while on duty (‘largely through my own incompetence’), Dixon left the army and entered academia, eventually becoming Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCL: a mixture of careers that affords him a unique viewpoint on a contentious subject. Part one of this compulsive book looks closely at examples of calamitous ineptitude – the Crimean War’s infamous Charge of the Light Brigade, the disastrous attempt to capture Spion Kop during the Boer War, the First World War’s ruinous reliance on outdated methods and technology – whilst highlighting the egos and idiosyncrasies of the men who gave the orders. In parts two and three, Dixon looks at how and why this incompetence occurs: the impact of the personalities involved and the underlying psychological conflicts. Lastly, he examines those rare traits that can result in exemplary leaders: the Wellingtons, Nelsons and Napoleons of history.

Published by Random House in 1994 (1446475735), EPUB, English, 1044 pages, originally published in 1976.

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