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a14 people & arts
Tuesday 17 May 2022
Review: ‘Team America’ plumbs enduring impact of 4 generals

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL ligence and ambition, all sister, and later a rival for The climax of “Team Amer-
Associated Press while the world teetered MacArthur’s first wife. ica” cannot help but be
Insightful and informative, under the threat of totali- The Great War was a the action-packed, oft-told
military historian Robert L. tarianism. launching pad for Amer- tales of that leadership —
O’Connell’s latest book America at the turn of the ica’s prominence and in the councils of state and
carries a title that might 20th century sets the quar- O’Connell’s subjects. While the terrors of battle — and
evoke in today’s readers a tet’s origin stories. Eisen- the youngest, Eisenhower, the significance of each
group of superheroes bent hower was a Kansas boy of was left stateside training general’s impact. Howev-
on saving the free world modest means who saw the fresh recruits, Marshall dis- er, their phenomenal exer-
— in this case four Army U.S. Military Academy as tinguished himself “over tions, skill and teamwork
generals transforming the “free college.” Patton was there” with his talent for lo- with the Allies were even-
United States into a global a rich kid who started at gistics. Nearly killed in bat- tually dwarfed by technol-
peacekeeper. the Virginia Military Institute, tle, Patton realized tanks ogy’s march to a bomb so
O’Connell prefers to cast then landed a coveted would replace cavalry. The destructive that it ended
them as a military “murder- spot at West Point. Marshall foursome’s standout of the one world war and ren-
ers’ row,” a 1920s baseball graduated from VMI, then Western Front was MacAr- dered future global con-
analogy for formidable tal- personally lobbied Presi- thur, winner of seven Silver flicts unthinkable. This cover image released by
ent that his subjects would dent William McKinley for Stars. Less exciting but more in- Harper shows “Team America:
undoubtedly have appre- a commission. The biggest O’Connell details the inces- triguing is the postwar era Patton, MacArthur, Marshall,
ciated. But these four men challenge faced MacAr- sant networking necessary for O’Connell’s team. His Eisenhower and the World
— George S. Patton, Doug- thur: living up to the repu- to advance in a demobiliz- subjects came to embody They Forged” by Robert L.
las MacArthur, George C. tation of his father, a Civil ing Army, and the ruminat- the contradictions that lit- O’Connell. Associated Press
Marshall and Dwight D. War hero. Amazingly, he ing of lessons learned from ter history. Patton, nearly
Eisenhower — had pow- exceeded every expecta- the first truly “industrial war.” deranged by his addiction
ers far beyond mere bat- tion in grand style, grow- As weapons became more to battle, mercifully died “military-industrial com-
wielding mortals in Yankee ing from momma’s boy to lethal and delivery systems after a traffic accident in plex” he helped to create.
pinstripes. golden boy. expanded by land, sea occupied Germany. Mar- “Team America” combines
There was Patton’s battle- Most interesting is how their and air, the meat grinder shall, who shepherded the compelling biographies of
field audaciousness, Ma- paths converged as they in the trenches morphed Manhattan Project, won our heroes as they reach
cArthur’s ego and luck, slipped into the orbits of the into a war of movement by the Nobel Peace Prize for the heights of military, then
Marshall’s organizational leaders of their formative the late 1930s. O’Connell his plan that rebuilt Europe. civilian, leadership dur-
genius, and Eisenhower’s period. For example, the shows how Team America MacArthur, the unques- ing five pivotal decades.
persuasive personality — commander of American came to understand the tioned ruler of occupied O’Connell also explains
even back then everybody forces during World War I, implications of “total war” Japan, delivered democ- why industrial warfare grew
liked Ike. They also shared Gen. John J. “Black Jack” as participants in World War racy to his defeated foes. into a juggernaut, and how
the ability to think strategi- Pershing, was at different I, prophets during peace- Eisenhower became the they managed to control
cally, not to mention the points the mentor to Mar- time, then the top practitio- two-term president who it to achieve an uncertain
traits of diligence, intel- shall, the suitor to Patton’s ners in World War II. cautioned America of the peace that still holds.q

Fox tries something new by holding

release of fall schedule

the network was trying a kickoff to the week where February, which exposes a
“new approach” and giv- broadcast networks unveil program to millions of new
ing equal weight to its Tubi their plans in flashy New viewers.
streaming service by not York presentations, Fox has Fox will also debut the
outlining where its shows the flexibility to adjust its competition show, “Gor-
will air in the fall. schedule depending upon don Ramsay’s Food Stars”
Presenting a new schedule what its competitors do. next season.
to advertisers in May has The change might also re- Fox will also go country with
long been a tradition for flect the fact that Fox has “Monarch,” described as
television networks, reveal- not yet nailed down agree- a “Texas-sized, multi-gen-
ing what new shows are ments with producers of erational musical drama
coming, what old shows the dramas “911” and “The about America’s first fam-
are departing and when Resident,” two programs ily of country music.” Ac-
they will air during the week the network expects will be tress Susan Sarandon and
and year. on its fall schedule. musician Trace Adkins are
Yet while fixed schedules “We’re in good faith nego- headliners.
remain, they are in many tiations,” Collier said. “We Actor Jamie Foxx will be
ways becoming obsolete feel good about it.” behind the camera for
for viewers, who are be- Among the plans it did an- the missing persons drama
This image released by FOX shows Michael Chiklis as Dr. coming accustomed to nounce on Monday, Fox “Alert.” The network will
Scott Corbett in a scene from the new crime anthology series deciding themselves when is expanding the empire also debut a crime anthol-
“Accused.”
Associated Press they want to watch or of celebrity chef Gordon ogy series “Accused” that
stream programs. Ramsay. His “MasterChef” begins with someone on tri-
By DAVID BAUDER and when Fox announced its Asked about that on Mon- keeps rolling along, and Fox al and the audience learns
LYNN ELBER plans for the fall television day, Collier did not say announced that Ramsey’s through flashbacks what
AP Entertainment Writers season — a schedule. that was part of Fox’s rea- series “Next Level Chef” will they’ve been accused of.
NEW YORK (AP) — Some- Fox Entertainment CEO soning. By not announcing get the coveted time slot When will the new shows
thing was missing Monday Charles Collier said that a schedule Monday, the after the Super Bowl next air? Stay tuned.q