Victor Davis Hanson is primarily a military historian, though his PhD is in classics, and he was a professor of classics at California State University. Incidentally, he's also a raisin farmer, living on the California farm which has been in his family for generations.
Though in completely different eras, different cultures, and different wars, these men had something in common: they were placed in leadership positions which appeared well-nigh impossible, where defeat seemed imminent, and managed to secure victory despite the odds.
These savior generals shared another characteristic... all were considered outliers to some degree, frequently not approved of by their civil authorities or military superiors. On the other hand, they enjoyed almost total approval among their men. They were able to inspire as well as lead, and all of them were on the front lines with their troops, rather than opting for a remote command. Interestingly, the careers or lives of these men before and after their shining moment in history were seldom as triumphant; frequently they ended in failure or obscurity.
I always enjoy reading Victor Davis Hanson's work (and listening to his lectures: many can be found online) as his assertions are always well-written and well thought out. He has a staggering amount of knowledge about warfare throughout the ages, and is able to relate ancient struggles to modern day ones in a way which gives one the sense that, in war as in so many other things, there is truly nothing new under the sun. Methods and motivations may change, but the underlying causes and effects of war are depressingly familiar... which is the subject of another of his books: The Father of Us All (the title is taken from the words of Heraclitus in ancient Greece, "War is the father and king of us all").
Below I'm going to post an interview V.D.H. did on Uncommon Knowledge around the time his book was released: