The Second Most Powerful Man in the World

April 1, 2019

O'Brien (strategic studies, Univ. of St Andrews, Scotland) portrays the life of Adm. William D. Leahy (1875-1959), whose influence on World War II is largely forgotten. A career U.S. Navy officer, Leahy became President Franklin D. Roosevelt's chief of staff, later continuing in that same role under Harry Truman. Leahy was instrumental in nearly all important diplomatic and military decisions made during the conflict, with both presidents relying on his knowledge, integrity, and level-headed decision-making in determining the best outcomes. Leahy became Roosevelt's representative when the president was too ill or weak to appear in person and often traveled with the leaders on vacation. O'Brien sees Leahy as more prominent than army chief of staff George C. Marshall. If the book has any faults, it lacks significant criticism of Leahy. Still, this is an excellent biography of perhaps the most notable navy officer in American history, and one of the most important, if neglected, figures in World War II history. VERDICT Readers interested in World War II, particularly military history or biography, should enjoy.--Matthew Wayman, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib., Schuylkill Haven

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 8, 2019
Military historian O’Brien (How the War Was Won: Air-Sea Power and Allied Victory in World War II) serves up an engaging biography of the under-the-radar WWII power broker, William D. Leahy (1875–1959). O’Brien traces Leahy’s path from naval cadet to his increasingly important combat and administrative posts, culminating in his appointment by FDR to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff after the U.S. entered WWII. As the country’s highest-ranking military official, he became FDR’s top adviser and later advocated policies to ensure that in the future no one occupying the role would hold a similar amount of power. Leahy is drawn as a complex character who thrived in positions of authority, but who preferred to avoid the spotlight; the book excels at relating the political maneuvering that allowed him to repeatedly upstage better-known historical figures including George Marshall and Douglas MacArthur (whom Leahy called out in front of the president for his nonstandard uniform). O’Brien provides little analysis of the underlying motivations for Leahy’s actions and can occasionally veers into the realm of hyperbole (“He might as well have said: No, Mrs. Roosevelt, I am the acting president of the United States”). But this is a solid and informative account of a relatively underdiscussed influence on Cold War policies, worldviews, and relationships that still matter today. Agents: Alexa Stark and Ellen Levine, Trident Media Group.

Starred review from April 1, 2019
A welcome biography of Franklin Roosevelt's closest adviser. Though William D. Leahy (1875-1959) lacked charisma, his importance has been surprisingly muted over the decades; this excellent life appraisal should help restore it. Graduating from the Naval Academy in 1897, Leahy rose steadily, always impressing superiors, according to O'Brien (Strategic Studies/University of St. Andrews; How the War Was Won: Air-Sea Power and Allied Victory in World War II, 2015, etc.). "It was striking," he writes, "how often a senior commander, once he had Leahy serve beneath him for the first time, tried to co-opt the younger officer in the future." He hit the jackpot in 1913, when Roosevelt, then the assistant secretary of the Navy, took a liking to him, and they became friends. Leahy reached the Navy's highest office, Chief of Naval Operations, in 1937. After his retirement in 1939, Roosevelt sent him on diplomatic missions but made him chief of staff after the U.S. entered World War II. O'Brien disagrees with most historians, who believe America's most influential military man during WWII was Gen. George Marshall. Marshall was an "august, formal, and upright figure" with everyone, including Roosevelt, who preferred a chatty informality with his colleagues. FDR could relax with Leahy and call him "Bill." The first time he called Marshall "George" was the last. Roosevelt vastly preferred Leahy's company and advice, and when Marshall disagreed with Leahy, Marshall lost. In case readers have doubts, the author produces a table that juxtaposes their opposing strategic views. Sure enough, they differed on invading North Africa in 1942, invading France in 1943, and whether to give defeating Germany priority over Japan. With these and all others, Leahy prevailed. Upon assuming office in 1945, Truman kept Leahy, but he retired into obscurity in 1949. A lucid, opinionated life of a man who exerted far greater influence than historians give him credit for--and a book sure to invite spirited argument from historians who disagree.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.