Military heroes are larger than life and General Douglas MacArthur assiduously built his image as a warrior hero through skilful media manipulation. In complete contrast to this flamboyant American was General Thomas Blamey. Where MacArthur's actual military experience was limited, the feisty Aussie had taken part in the Gallipoli landings. Blamey had also played a major role in the big battles on the Western Front. In this provocative account, Jack Gallaway demonstrates conclusively that Blamey - to his cost - never matched MacArthur's supreme ability to generate personal and political advantage through tireless self-promotion.