Lord Keyes as a Far East command alternative

The review opens with a counterfactual: Keyes might have been a stronger supreme commander for British forces in the Far East before the Japanese advance. Such a commander would have needed the authority and imagination to make disruptive decisions, including moving troops from Hong Kong toward Singapore and creating a capable staff. Basing that staff beyond the reach of a surprise Japanese attack would have protected the command structure during the opening crisis. The argument introduces the biography through Keyes's judgment and willingness to challenge assumptions.