Thing to Love by Geoffrey Household

As the republic of Guayanas teeters on the brink of civil war, the revolution depends on one man
When Miro Kucera arrived in Guayanas, the glorious army of the republic was little more than an expensively costumed joke. Born in Czechoslovakia, Kucera learned to fight under the tutelage of the Free French, and it took him less than a decade to make the Guayanan army the envy of Latin America. As President Vidal modernized the country, Kucera's forces backed him up. But though they pledged allegiance to the president, their loyalty was to Kucera alone.

After years in power, Vidal finds that his hold on the country is slipping. An army of reformers is gathering in the shadows, and a coup is coming fast. When the rebellion begins, Kucera's army will be the deciding factor. But after years preparing for war, will this leader be ready to fight a revolution?