The author studies the experiences of British, German, American and Soviet armies in assaults on fortified positions to find critical considerations for contemporary commanders. A fortified position is a series of mutually supporting areas comprising bunkers, pillboxes, weapons emplacements, entrenchments, wire, mines and other obstacles. Assaulting such a position held by determined defenders is a uniquely brutal and bloody event. The author systematically studies fighting at El Alamein, the Normandy Campaign, Okinawa, the Siegfried Line, Kursk, Manchuria and the Petsamo-Kirkenes area. Each battle is examined in terms of the use and importance of intelligence, smoke, armor, infantry, engineers, artillery, air support, C2 and special weapons. A portion of this study also examines current training at the U.S. Army's National Training Center to find if current training reflects battle proven techniques. The conclusion offers the author's recommendations to assist commanders and staffs in determining the organization, equipment, tactics, training and means of control of forces in the assault of a fortified position.

本作は、凄惨を極める要塞攻略という極限状態を通じ、指揮官に求められる冷徹な論理と不屈の精神を問う、戦史の結晶とも呼ぶべき一冊です。凄絶なタイトルの通り、そこには美辞麗句を排した戦場の真実が横たわっています。エル・アラメインから沖縄まで、流血の歴史を克明に分析する筆致は、単なる戦術書を超え、絶望的な障壁に立ち向かう人間の意志を浮き彫りにする文学的な重厚さを備えています。 情報、心理、そして決断。多角的な視点から導き出される教訓は、現代の指導者にとっても普遍的な示唆に富んでいます。戦史という名の「人間の限界」を覗き込み、極限の決断を下すことの重圧と責任を体感させる本作は、まさに死線を超えてきた者たちの魂が刻まれた、血の通った究極の指南書と言えるでしょう。