Proud Legions: A Novel of America's Next War

by John Antal

Book Overview

Not since the publication ten years ago of the New York Times bestselling novel of tank warfare, Team Yankee, has a book captured the essence of modern land combat: not until now! This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891416676
• ISBN13: 9780891416678
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Very Good One

My first introduction to Antal. Although not a big fan of tank fiction (a la Coyle), I just couldn't put this down - literally. It is a must read and you won't be disappointed.

A tour de force of Modern War!

Proud Legions is the perfect book for old [and not so old] soldiers to update their perceptions of future combat. It is a novel about the next war in Korea, and it's also a technical tour de force of modern armor--its awesome combat power, defensive technology, and electronic wizardry. Antal approaches the story with an effective Tom Clancy methodology of character vignettes on both sides of the border and carefully weaves them together with a few surprises along the way. Proud Legions is well worth your time. It is informative, and the reader will not soon forget the importance of fielding the best soldiers with the best equipment.

An Airman's Review

Proud Legions offers the layman the unique opportunity to fight the Korean War from a very personal perspective ... that of an armored battalion. Presented with a series of serious combat situations, the commander of a stranded U.S. Army armor battalion examines his circumstances, develops a plan, and then executes his plan against a numerically superior force charged with all the elan the powerful propaganda machine of North Korea can generate. As either a study in leadership or in armored tactics, this novel offers the airman an opportunity to help the commander on the ground decided the next course of action. Worried about commander's intent and what it means? John Antal walks you through the thought process. How about developing objectives? They are there as well. Executing a maneuver to end run an opponent? Here's a blue-print. In short, here are the basics of armored warfare in a readable, enjoyable format that even an airman can understand. There are some aspects of the book that warrant criticism. It's hardly believable that the armored officer will get the girl. It is equally unbelieveable that airpower is generally unable to contribute during the early stages of a North Korean offensive. However, given that the book is written to articulate the vital importance of armored forces in combat such shortcomings can be easily forgiven. This is a fast paced, can't put it down once you've started it piece of art. I highly recommend its consumption.

PROUD LEGIONS: A WAR WARNING!

Current headlines focus national attention on the grubby political messiness of Peace Operations in places U.S. troops have little to no history of being involved in. Because of this, many defense analysts observe that the future of the Armed Forces is executing "non-state" warfare. John Antal's entertaining PROUD LEGIONS is a strong antidote to that kind of view. His Harold Coyle/Tom Clancy style cannot completely divert attention from the terrifyingly plausible strategic background explaining how he sees another Korean War could possibly develop. It provides a powerful argument for the continued existence of conventional U.S. ground forces and combat training. As with most military techno-thriller fiction, ground combat grognards will find many nits to pick; yet the book does not suffer from these in the least. Like his brother Army tank officer author, Harold Coyle, Antal is admittedly selective in his depiction of armored combat with the lastest U.S. hardware and technology. But this is combat fiction at its best; engrossing, fun to read, and useful in showing civilian readers some of the non-stereotypical challenges modern military professionals would be called upon to handle. The narrative moves along briskly, building a degree of suspense towards the ultimate climax-and the ending contains an unexpected discovery. A great light read (especially for long trips and summer beach reading)--well done.

Red Storm Rising meets Team Yankee on the Korean Peninsula.

This is a must read for anyone even slightly entertained by the works of either Tom Clancy or Harold Coyle. I was mesmerized by the combination of a rapid story line and technical detail that made me feel like I was part of the action. The plot is alarmingly real and the author never lets up the pressure on his characters or the reader! More than just an action/war novel, however, this book made me sit back and think. The scenario presented in the book is so plausible that it makes me wonder whether today's military is following the right course. Without the heavy tank force John Antal so wonderfully describes, I wonder what the outcome would be if this book is not only a good read but also prescient?