The trouble with criticising any commander at any time/place in history is that it is generally impossible for the writer to be fully aware of the context and environment of the time. No civilian writers can have an understanding of the military context, and even military authors opine about matters that are beyond their experience. Ivan Simson, Percival's senior engineering officer, castigated Percival for not ordering area denial activities prior to hostilities. Then again - some writers, just like Colville on Churchill, were SO close that they knew only too well the object of their vituperation, warts an' all!
