Michael Korda. Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010
As reviewed by Ted Odenwald
There are more than 50 biographies of British war hero, T.E. Lawrence, ranging from total adulation to sneering skepticism and debunking, from political and military analysis to psychoanalytic dissection. Historian/biographer Michael Korda, through his thorough researching, draws a detailed, objective portrait of an extremely complex subject-a man whose character was built upon contradictions. “…Lawrence defies simplification and refuses to be pigeonholed, in death as he did in life. It is his complexity-his curious mixture of shyness and vainglory, of heroism on the grand scale and self-doubt about his own feats, of political sophistication and occasional naivete-that makes him special.”
Lawrence was the hero whose leadership assisted the World War I Arab Revolt in throwing off the Ottoman Empire’s grasp upon the Middle East. His exploits have become legendary through his magnificent autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and the 1962 film classic, “Lawrence of Arabia.” Korda revisits many of Lawrence’s battles, explaining them in the contexts of their strategic importance, the tactical innovations employed, and the ramifications of each victory. Lawrence’s military genius comes through in several areas: his ability to use guerilla warfare to disrupt and disable a much larger military force; his understanding of using combined forces (infantry, cavalry, armored vehicles, and airpower) to overwhelm a numerically superior or strongly fortified enemy; and the ability to analyze and utilize terrain to tactical advantage. Perhaps even more impressive was his gift for unifying diverse and often hostile tribes, convincing them that through cooperation they could overthrow their subjugators. His accomplishments as their leader came as a result of his ability to master several dialects, his super-human patience and endurance, and his exceptional insights into and respect for the values and traditions of the diverse tribes. He acquired much of this knowledge through his studies and research at Oxford University and through years of experience as an archaeologist in the Middle East. His knowledge was widely recognized and respected by British commanders, whose operations had been weakened because of the focus upon the European Theater, and who were having no success in obtaining cooperation from the Arabs. Because of Lawrence’s unprecedented success in dealing with the indigenous populations, high level British officials treated him very gently even though he was very unmilitary in appearance, general behavior, and attitudes towards combat.
Korda observes that Lawrence was obsessed about achieving glory, and that he desired to become a modern-day Ulysses. The author suggests that this drive was the result of his desire to compensate for his sense of inferiority-for his suffering the ignominy of his illegitimate birth. He was the son of an English nobleman who had abandoned his wife and daughters to begin a new family with the girls’ governess. Ironically, while Lawrence strove for glory by attempting feats generally thought impossible, he also tried exceptionally hard to appear to remain humble. He refused to accept any decorations or special awards,-and there were many offered. He even declined to receive a decoration which the King of England attempted to hand him. His desire to remain humble took a bizarre turn as he actually paid a man to whip him often. In another bizarre turn, following the allied victory, he resigned his commission after assisting in Arab-English negotiations, and rejoined the military as an enlisted man-a “raw recruit.” He actually served three times, first, in the RAF, then in the Army, and again in the RAF. Each time his attempt to achieve obscurity was frustrated by the prying news media and by some hypersensitive military and government officials. He seemed to relish the unencumbered life of the enlisted man, while keeping in close contact with individuals in high positions in the military and the British government.
Korda evaluates many theories concerning Lawrence’s peculiar pattern of self-abasement. One theory is that he suffered from deep depression symptomatic of post-traumatic-stress disorder brought on by years of violence, brutal living conditions, and a poor diet. On a reconnaissance mission, Lawrence believed that his mission had been betrayed by a disgruntled tribal “ally.” The British leader was subsequently imprisoned, savagely beaten, and raped by his Turkish captors, who fortunately did not identify him. Certainly this event had a great impact upon him.
Korda believes that guilt was a main cause of Lawrence’s odd behavior. He had known that the British and French governments intended to divide the Ottoman Empire to their own advantages, with the land of the Arab tribes becoming protectorates of the Europeans; in other words, they were overthrowing one master only to be taken over by another. Despite this knowledge, and despite his strong objections, Lawrence led the Arabs to believe that they would be creating their own countries, setting their own boundaries, and establishing their own governments. In post-war meetings, serving as a translator, Lawrence saw his noble allies being humiliated as if they were racially and culturally inferior-treatment which he had foreseen but had chosen to keep from his friends. The depths of his despair and his long self-imposed penance make for fascinating reading.
T.E. Lawrence is probably the best-known figure to have come out of the first world war. His military accomplishments are legendary, as is his iconoclastic distaste for military formality: he wore Arab garb, ignored strict protocols involving the chain of command, and thought nothing of pressuring military and government officials to make informed decisions. In spite of his attempts to hide himself in the “ranks,” he could not help but be discovered, hounded, and sometimes ridiculed-sometimes lionized by the press. His visions for a peacefully divided Middle East never came about; unfortunately he was correct in his ability to foresee the chaos which European hegemony would bring about: disastrous conflagrations which are still erupting.
While there are more than 50 T.E. Lawrence biographies, Korda’s work could very well become the “standard” next to Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It is a solid, objective evaluation of a great and greatly disturbed hero.
Ted Odenwald and his wife, Shirley have lived in Oakland for 40 years. He taught HS English at Glen Rock High School for all of those years plus one more. Now he is enjoying time spent with his family, singing in the North Jersey Chorus and quenching his wanderlust. Ted is also the Worship Leader at the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church in Oakland.