Ski, Climb, Fight - (Campaigns and Commanders) by Lance R Blyth (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A military history about the storied 10th Mountain Division, perhaps best-known as the ski troops of World War II, both in their founding and how they shaped mountain warfare through the present day"--

Book Synopsis

Mountains, Carl von Clausewitz said, introduce a "retarding element" into warfare. To fight in mountains, armies must overcome this challenge via survival strategies and mobility. But the techniques and technologies for doing so are best found in civilian skiing and mountaineering communities, a situation almost unique to mountain warfare. Ski, Climb, Fight looks at how the 10th Mountain Division of World War II met this challenge and how the U.S. military does so today. The first military history of that storied division, the book is also the first general history of U.S. mountain warfare.

With a focus on strategy and doctrine, Lance R. Blyth explores how the military has adapted civilian gear and skills for surviving and moving in mountainous terrain to effectively conduct operations. He traces the long-standing but largely unexamined relationship between the civilian outdoor recreation industry and the military-a relationship that figures in almost every aspect of military operations in mountainous terrain. Intertwining the history of the World War II 10th Mountain Division and U.S. mountain warfare with the history of American skiing and mountaineering, Ski, Climb, Fight is at once an unprecedented, in-depth account of one of the most celebrated military units of World War II and a fresh look at U.S. mountain warfare from its inception eighty years ago.

Review Quotes

"Ski, Climb, Fight is a groundbreaking contribution to our understanding of the genesis and evolution of American military mountaineering. It adds new detail to the iconic story of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II and looks beyond the Italian campaign to Cold War developments through to the present day. It will be of great interest to scholars and military professionals alike."--Chris Juergens, Anschutz Curator of Military History at History Colorado


"An important contribution to the rich history of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division, from the formation of the ski troopers in World War II to the late 20th century renaissance of mountain warfare. No reader's collection of 10th Mountain Division lore and legacy is complete without the addition of Ski, Climb, Fight."--Maurice Isserman, author of The Winter Army: The World War II Odyssey of the 10th Mountain Division, America's Elite Alpine Warriors

"As a backcountry skier with a history problem, Blyth straddles the two worlds central to the development of the 10th Mountain Division. Ski, Climb, Fight demonstrates his encyclopedic understanding of the unit's evolution and its contributions to both mountain warfare and outdoor recreation alike. Whether you're a civilian or military mountaineer, this book will help you better understand your roots."--Christian Beckwith, host of Ninety-Pound Rucksack: The Story of the 10th Mountain Division and the Dawn of Outdoor Recreation in America


"The most detailed book to date on the creation of the 10th Mountain Division and the evolution of mountain warfare. Lance Blyth's extensive knowledge of military mountaineering and skiing and its connection to the civilian backcountry and mountaineering industries makes this a highly recommended read."--Peter Mansoor, author of The GI Offensive in Europe: The Triumph of American Infantry Divisions, 1941-1945