The Soldier: : A History of Courage, Sacrifice and Brotherhood

The Soldier: A History of Courage, Sacrifice and Brotherhood investigates the burdens that soldiers are asked to bear by their respective societies, examines the context in which these burdens occur, and discusses the coping measures that enable soldiers to carry on. Topics include: how soldiers confront the possibility of their mutilation and death; the mental and social conditioning that enable soldiers to kill in battle; the anguish of killing your own comrades, whether this be deliberately through the application of the death penalty, or accidentally, as result of fratricide; the effect of denying soldiers regular social interaction with women in the context of the relationship between sex, love and war; and the ‘trial by media’ faced by modern soldiers in relation to their decisions and actions on the battlefield.

Book Author

Darren-moore Darren Moore is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and the Australian Command and Staff College (Joint). He has recently left the Australian Army after seventeen years’ service. Highlights of his military service include deployments to Papua New Guinea and East Timor and an exchange posting with the United States Army. He is currently employed as a strategic management consultant. Darren has a BA, majoring in history, from the University of New South Wales and an MBA from the University of Queensland. He has recently submitted hi...
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Book Reviews

  • Andrew Roberts
    "This powerful book provides a timely reminder of the debt we owe our servicemen and women.  It should be read by all those who seek to understand the fear and confusion of the battlefield and especially by the politicians who put our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in harm's way."
  • War Books Review
    "        …a coolly dispassionate, historical examination of what it is to be a front-line soldier, from the Napoleonic Wars to contemporary conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan….a fine work of military history. It deserves to do well."
  • Military Illustrated
    "This is a very rich book  that thoroughly explores the psychology and behaviour of the soldier on the frontline."
  • Soldier Magazine
    "An intriguing look at the emotion, psychology and politics that underpin soldiering… This is essential reading for any military leader or practitioner."
  • Australian Defence Force Journal
    "  ...a large, impressively expansive and highly- fascinating collection of stories and statistics about being a soldier. It is encyclopedic in detail, widely and deeply researched, and written in a simple reporting style that is very easy to read…. On every page there is some intriguing fact or figure ."
  • Australian Army Journal
    "If you are interested in man in battle this book is well worth your time."