Battles / military campaigns Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Defence and Fall of Greece, 1940-41
Book SynopsisOn 28th October 1940, the Greek premier, Ioannis Metaxis, refused to accept a deliberately provocative ultimatum from Mussolini and Italian forces began the invasion of Greece via Albania. This aggression was prompted by Mussolini's desire for a quick victory to rival Hitler's rapid conquest of France and the Low Countries. On paper, Greek forces were poorly equipped and ill-prepared for the conflict but Mussolini had underestimated the skill and determination of the defenders. Within weeks the Italian invasion force was driven back over the border and Greek forces actually advanced deep into Albania. A renewed Italian offensive in March 1941 was also given short shrift, prompting Hitler to intervene to save his ally. German forces invaded Greece via Bulgaria on 6 April. The Greeks, now assisted by British forces, resisted by land, sea and air but were overwhelmed by the superior German forces and their blitzkrieg tactics. Despite a dogged rearguard action by Anzac forces at the famous pass of Thermopyale, Athens fell on the 27th April and the British evacuated 50,000 troops to Crete. This island, whose airfields and naval bases Churchill considered vital to the defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal, was invaded by German airborne troops the following month and eventually captured after a bitter thirteen-day battle. The remaining British troops were evacuated and the fall of Greece completed. John Carr's masterful account of these desperate campaigns, while not disparaging the British and Commonwealth assistance, draws heavily on Greek sources to emphasize the oft-neglected experience of the Greeks themselves and their contribution to the fight against fascism.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Great Waterloo Controversy: The Story of the
Book SynopsisAs the Battle of Waterloo reached its momentous climax, Napoleon's Imperial Guard marched towards the Duke of Wellington's thinning red line. The Imperial Guard had never tasted defeat and nothing, it seemed, could stop it smashing through the British ranks. But it was the Imperial Guard that was sent reeling back in disorder, its columns ravaged by the steady volleys of the British infantry. The credit for defeating the Imperial Guard went to the 1st Foot Guards, which was consequently honoured for its actions by being renamed the Grenadier Guards. The story did not stop there, however, as the 52nd Foot also contributed to the defeat of the Imperial Guard yet received no comparable recognition. The controversy of which corps deserved the credit for defeating the Imperial Guard has continued down the decades and has rightly become a highly contentious subject over which much ink has been spilled. But now, thanks to the uncovering of the previously unpublished journal of Charles Holman of the 52nd Foot, Gareth Glover is able to piece together the exact sequence of events in those final, fatal moments of the great battle. Along with numerous other first-hand accounts, Gareth Glover has been able to understand the most likely sequence of events, the reaction to these events immediately after the battle and how it was seen within the army in the days after the victory. Who did Wellington honour at the time? How did the Foot Guards gain much of the credit in London? Was there an establishment cover-up? Were the 52nd robbed of their glory? Do the recent much-publicised arguments stand up to impartial scrutiny? _The Great Waterloo Controversy_ is the definitive answer to these questions and will finally end this centuries-old conundrum.
£25.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC): Caesar,
Book SynopsisIn 49 BC the Roman Republic collapsed once more into bloody civil war. At the heart of this war lay the two greatest living Roman commanders, and former allies, Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar, each having built their own factions within the Roman oligarchy and refusing to compromise. The subsequent civil war would be fought for control of the Republic with each man determined to restore peace and stability to Rome, under their leadership. Yet despite this clash it was eighteen months before the two men met in Battle at Dyrrhachium in Albania. Gareth Sampson outlines the strategic background, describing the early campaigns of the civil war and the factions of Caesar and Pompey that fought for control of the vast resources of the Republic. The Battle of Dyrrhachium itself is analysed to determine the strengths and weakness of both armies and their various commanders as well as the tactics used in the phases of the battle which culminated in victory for Pompey. Focus is also given to the aftermath of the battle that saw Caesar defeated and Pompey in the ascendancy.
£17.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Battle of Bellicourt Tunnel: Tommies, Diggers
Book SynopsisIn the summer and autumn of 1918, the British Expeditionary Force, under Field Marshal Haig, fought a series of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed mightily to the German Army's final defeat. They did so as part of an Allied coalition, one in which the role of Australian diggers and US doughboys is often forgotten. The Bellicourt Tunnel attack in September 1918, fought in the fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and marked a unique moment in the Allied armies' endeavours. It was the first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a British formation. Additionally, untried American II Corps and experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, with British divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks. Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten desperate German defence. Although celebrated as a marvellous feat of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack generally failed to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the conventional explanation of the US mop up failure and points the finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps commander for particular criticism. Overall, Blair judges the fighting a draw. At the end, like two boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and the Germans, badly battered, were back-pedalling to remain on balance. That said, the day was calamitous for the German Army, even if the clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on the Western Front and hence Imperial Germany itself was bleak indeed.
£11.69
Barbara Glebska London War Memorials: A photographic portrayal
Book Synopsis
£26.59
Savas Beatie Never Such a Campaign: The Battle of Second
Book SynopsisJuly, 1862. General Robert E. Lee, now in command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, had driven back the massive Federal Army of the Potomac from the very gates of the Confederate capital. Richmond was safe – at least for the moment.But soon, new threats emerged against Lee’s army and the Confederate war effort in Virginia. Rumors swirled that a Federal command headed towards Fredericksburg, and a new Federal army, the Army of Virginia, under Maj. Gen. John Pope, was shifting operations towards Confederate communications and supply points.Pope had come from the west, where he had scored successes along the Mississippi River. He brought with him a harder philosophy of war, one that would put pressure not just on Lee’s army but on the population of Virginia itself.Not only alarmed but also offended by “such a miscreant as Pope,” Lee began moving his own forces. He intended to not just counter the new threat but to “suppress” it.In Never Such a Campaign: The Battle of Second Manassas, August 28-30, 1862, historians Robert Orrison and Dan Welch follow Lee and Pope as they converge on ground once-bloodied just thirteen months earlier. Since then the armies had grown in size and efficiency, and combat between them would dwarf that first battle. For the second summer in a row, forces would clash on the plains of Manassas, and the results would be far more terrible.
£12.99
Casemate The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War
Book SynopsisAs the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse during the late 1980s, and America prepared to claim its victory, a bloody war still raged in Southern Africa, where proxy forces from both sides vied for control of Angola. The result was the largest battle on the dark continent since Al Alamein, with forces from both sides paying in blood what U.S.-Soviet diplomats were otherwise spending in diplomacy.The socialist government of Angola and its army, FAPLA, fully stocked with Soviet weapons, had only to wipe out a massive resistance group, UNITA, secretly supplied by the U.S, in order to claim full sovereignty over the country. A giant FAPLA offensive so threatened to succeed in overcoming UNITA that apartheid-era South Africa stepped in to protect its own interests. The white army crossing the border prompted the Angolan government to call on their own foreign reinforcementsthe army of Communist Cuba's.Thus began the epic battle of Cuito Cuanavale, largely unknown in the U.S., but which raged for three months in the entirely odd match-up of South African Boers vs. Castro's armed forces, which for the first time in the Cold War proved what it could achieve. And it turned out the Cubans were very good.The South Africans were no slouches at warfare themselves, but had suffered under a boycott of weapons since 1977. The Cubans and Angolan troops, instead, had the latest Soviet weapons, easily delivered. But UNITA had its secret U.S. supply line and the South Africans knew how to fight, mainly at a disadvantage in air power for lack of spare parts. Meantime the Cubans overcame their logistic difficulties with an impressive airlift of troops over the Atlantic, while the Boers simply needed to drive next door.As a case study of ferocious fighting between East and Westalbeit proxies for the great powers on all sidesthis book unveils a remarkable episode of the end-game of the Cold War largely unknown to the public. The Angolans on both sides suffered heavily, but it was the apartheid South Africans versus Castro's armed forces that provides utter fascination in one of history's rare match-ups.
£19.12
Casemate The Canadian Theater 1814
Book Synopsis
£18.36
Cornerstone Sand and Steel: A New History of D-Day
Book SynopsisThe most comprehensive and authoritative history of D-Day ever published‘Extraordinary’ Andrew Roberts‘Fascinating’ Daily Mail‘Magisterial’ James Holland________________6 June 1944, 4 a.m. Hundreds of boats assemble off the coast of France. By nightfall, thousands of the men they carry will be dead.This was D-Day, the most important day of the twentieth century.In Sand and Steel, one of Britain’s leading military historians offers a panoramic new account of the Allied invasion of France. Drawing on a decade of new research, Peter Caddick-Adams masterfully recreates what it was like to wade out onto the carnage of Omaha Beach, or parachute behind enemy lines in Normandy. He explores the year-long preparations that went into the invasion, overturning decades-old assumptions about Allied strategy. And he pays tribute to the remarkable individuals who made D-Day possible – not just soldiers on the beaches, but also paratroopers, sailors, aircrews, and women on the Home Front.The result is a compulsively readable account of the greatest battle of the Second World War. It will be the definitive work on D-Day for years to come.________________‘A hugely impressive book which makes full use of a lifetime of learning and experience.’ Herald‘Peter Caddick-Adams’ D-Day must surely go down as the definitive narrative of that pivotal moment in the history of the war.’ James Holland‘This is a warts-and-all forensic examination of the Allied invasion, offering stacks of insight based on a decade of research.’ SoldierTrade ReviewWhether you are a visitor to the Normandy battlefields, a general reader interested in the greatest amphibious assault in the history of warfare, or just someone who appreciates extremely well-written military history . . . this truly extraordinary book is undoubtedly the one for you. -- Andrew RobertsFollowing his excellent study of the Battle of the Bulge, Caddick-Adams does it again by explaining, as opposed to simply describing, the Allies’ victory. -- Jeremy BlackPeter Caddick-Adams is unquestionably one of the very finest historians of the Second World War . . . His D-Day must surely go down as the definitive narrative of that pivotal moment in the history of the war. -- James HollandFascinating . . . Reveals the full horror Allied troops suffered as they prepared to overwhelm the Nazis, examining the facts behind the historic assault. * Daily Mail *This is a hugely impressive book which makes full use of a lifetime of learning and experience. It is also rich in unexpected detail . . . Such an entertaining and engaging account. * The Herald *
£15.29
Arcturus Publishing Ltd The World War II Collection
Book SynopsisThis box set brings together five brilliant titles which recount the major events of World War II, from Dunkirk to the Nuremberg trials. With breakdowns of skilful military manoeuvres, chilling accounts of Nazi organisations and astounding details from the fall of Berlin, this collection chronicles the defeat of Germany and the Axis powers. These titles are: • Great Battles of World War II by Michael Dudley • The D-Day Landings by Nigel Cawthorne • Hitler''s Last Day by Richard Dargie• The Story of the SS by Al Cimino• The Nuremberg Trials by Alexander MacdonaldA great read for both military history enthusiasts and those eager to learn more about World War II.
£27.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tarawa 1943: The turning of the tide
Book SynopsisThe island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll was defended by the elite troops of the Special Naval Landing Force, whose commander, Admiral Shibasaki, boasted that "the Americans could not take Tarawa with a million men in a hundred years". In a pioneering amphibious invasion, the Marines of the 2nd Division set out to prove him wrong, overcoming serious planning errors to fight a 76-hour battle of unprecedented savagery. The cost would be more than 3000 Marine casualties at the hands of a garrison of some 3700. The lessons learned would dispel forever any illusions that Americans had about the fighting quality of the Japanese.Table of ContentsOverview - the Pacific War from Pearl Harbor to November 1944; opposing commanders; opposing armies; the battle for Tarawa; aftermath; the battlefield today; wargaming Tarawa.
£16.14
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Austerlitz 1805: The fate of empires
Book SynopsisThis all-new volume chronicles the events that climaxed on the field of Austerlitz in one of the most famous battles of history. Not only was it the first campaign Napoleon waged as Emperor of France, but also the first great test for his Grande Armée. The Emperor himself regarded it as his greatest victory and it undoubtedly won him a mastery of Europe that would remain unbroken for almost a decade. Most accounts of the campaign have until now been based almost exclusively on French sources, but following extensive research in the Austrian archives Ian Castle is now able to provide a far more balanced account of Austerlitz.Table of ContentsThe road to war in 1805; plans and preparations; the opposing commanders; the opposing armies; the battle of Austerlitz; the aftermath of the battle; chronology; a guide to further reading; the battlefield today; wargaming Austerlitz.
£19.79
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Megiddo 1918: The last great cavalry victory
Book SynopsisAfter securing the capture of Jerusalem General Allenby planned a campaign that would knock Turkey out of World War 1. In a spectacular campaign General Allenby's Egyptian Expeditionary Force achieved the breakthrough in Palestine that commanders on the Western Front had only dreamed of. Supported by Lawrence and his Arab irregulars, the Desert Mounted Corps swept across the Turkish rear, destroying three armies in the process. Turkey's war was over and the days of the tottering Ottoman Empire were numbered. This was a British 'Blitzkrieg' with a speed of advance that stunned the world twenty years before Germany's Panzers rolled across Europe.Table of ContentsThe course of the campaign; opposing commanders; opposing armies; opposing plans; the battle of Megiddo; the legacy of Megiddo; the battlefield today; chronology; wargaming Megiddo.
£16.14
New Haven Publishing Ltd Pennine Dragon: The Real King Arthur of the North
Book SynopsisPennine Dragon tells the true story of the legendary King Arthur. On the 1500th anniversary of Arthur's greatest battle at Badon, his whole life, family history and exploits are finally identified with those of a real historic ruler. Arthur Pendragon was actually a ruler recorded in history as Arthwys of the Pennines. He and his father ruled from the old Roman garrisons of Hadrian's Wall and the City of York and his base was Camulod (Camelot) in the heart of what is now Yorkshire. Arthwys had his Merlin, his Mordred, his Lancelot and his beautiful Irish Queen. His battles were fought across what is now the north of England and lowlands of Scotland. Without the prejudice of placing Arthur in Wales or Cornwall, Pennine Dragon reveals that Arthur was always identified as a man of the north in the earliest historical references. Legendary Arthurian places like Badon, Camlann, Camelot, the Lady of the Lake, Asolat, Joyous Garde, Avalon and the Round Table are all identified in the north. The author, Simon Keegan has identified no fewer than 50 Arthurian characters in real historical figures.We meet Morgan, Gawain, Bedevere, Culhwch, Uther and Igraine - and each character fits in perfectly within the family tree and inner circle of the historic king. We find that Arthwys was at precisely the right time and place and is the only possible man who could have been the King Arthur of legend. This is the definitive work on the true King Arthur published exactly 1500 years after the historic king's final victory over the Saxons.
£12.34
Helion & Company “Operations ‘Leopard’ and ‘Red Bean’ - Kolwezi
Book Synopsis
£16.10
Helion & Company Mons, an Artillery Battle
Book Synopsis
£16.96
HarperCollins Publishers Waterloo The History of Four Days Three Armies
Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Number 1 BestsellerA fabulous story, superbly told cannot be bettered' Max HastingsSome battles change nothing. Waterloo changed almost everything.'On the 18th June 1815 the armies of France, Britain and Prussia descended upon a quiet valley south of Brussels. In the previous three days the French army had beaten the British at Quatre-Bras and the Prussians at Ligny. The Allies were in retreat.The blood-soaked battle of Waterloo would become a landmark in European history, to be examined over and again, not least because until the evening of the 18th, the French army was close to prevailing on the battlefield.Now, brought to life by the celebrated novelist Bernard Cornwell, this is the chronicle of the four days leading up to the actual battle and a thrilling hour-by-hour account of that fateful day.In his first work of non-fiction, Cornwell combines his storytelling skills with a meticulously researched history to give a riveting account of every dramatic moment, froTrade ReviewPraise for Waterloo: ‘[…] An account that is both vivid and scholarly. Readers new to the Waterloo campaign could hope for no better introduction, and veterans will find fresh insights.’ Independent ‘Cornwell is excellent on the minutiae of tactics […] he offers narrative clarity, and a sure grip on personalities and period.’ Max Hastings, The Sunday Times ‘An excellent first foray into non-fiction, and proof that good narrative history is no different from fiction – it’s all about the story.’ Evening Standard ‘A gripping “fife and drum” account […] beautifully produced.’ Country Life Praise for Bernard Cornwell’s previous titles: ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin ‘Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.’ Observer
£11.69
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Great Battles of the Classical Greek World
Book SynopsisGives a clear narrative for 18 selected battles and sieges from the Classical Greek period.
£14.99
Dreadnought Publishing Rocket Batteries and other Artillery of the AngloZulu War 1879
£47.50
Fonthill Media Ltd The Berlin 1945 Battlefield Guide: Part 2: The
Book SynopsisThis highly detailed, absorbing battlefield guide is the ideal companion for anyone considering visiting the site of Hitler's `Gotterdammerung' in April-May 1945. Using his in depth knowledge as a historian and battlefield guide, David McCormack vividly describes the apocalyptic struggle played out amongst the ruins of a once great city. The author's intimate knowledge of the ground ensures that the Wagnerian climax of the Third Reich is presented in a series of dramatic tableaux which capture the regime's final convulsive death throes. Prepare for a fascinating journey across the Berlin battlefield as it is today. The Berlin 1945 Battlefield Guide: Part Two-The Battle of Berlin-is the essential guide to understanding both Hitler's downfall in Berlin and Stalin's greatest triumph.Table of ContentsPart One: Exploring Battlefield Berlin; Part Two: Intrigues and deceptions; Part Three: The Paladins Depart; Part Four: Tour A: Marzahn-Pankow-Humboldthain-Gesundbrunnen: Marzahn-Viewpoint (A1): 21 April Memorial, Viewpoint (A2): Soviet Obelisk, Mausoleum and Cemetery: Pankow-Viewpoint (A3): Soviet Cemetery: Humboldthain-Viewpoint (A4): Flak Tower: Gesundbrunnen-Viewpoint (A5): Bunker Museum; Part Five: 'Are the Russians already so near?'; Part Six: Tour B: Tempelhof-Treptower Park-Kreuzberg: Tempelhof-Viewpoint (B1): Airport: Treptower Park-Viewpoint (B2): Soviet Memorial: Kreuzberg-Viewpoint (B3): Fichte Bunker; Part Seven: Banner of Victory; Part Eight: Tour C: Mitte/Tiergarten: Mitte/Tiergarten-Viewpoint (C1) Moltke Bridge, Viewpoint (C2) Reichstag, Viewpoint (C3) Soviet Tiergarten Memorial, Viewpoint (C4) Brandenburg Gate, Viewpoint (C5) Adlon Hotel, Viewpoint (C6) Site of Hitler's Bunker, Viewpoint (C7) Former Reich Aviation Ministry, Viewpoint (C8) Topography of Terror, Viewpoint (C9) Anhalter Bahnhof & Bunker; Part Nine: Surrender; Part Ten: Tour D: Mitte-Hohenschonhausen: Mitte-Viewpoint (D1): German Resistance Memorial (Former Bendlerblock), Viewpoint (D2): Weidendammer Bridge, Viewpoint (D3): Invalids' Cemetery: Hohenschonhausen-Viewpoint (D4): Schultheiss Brewery; Part Eleven: Zero Hour; Part Twelve: After Hitler; Appendix One: Joseph Goebbels-'The Year 2000'; Appendix Two: Joseph Goebbels-'Our Hitler'; Appendix Three: Joseph Goebbels-'Resist at Any Price'; Appendix Four: Adolf Hitler-'My Political Testament'; Appendix Five: Admiral Doenitz-Broadcast, 1 May 1945; Appendix Six: Joseph Stalin-Order of the Day, 1 May 1945; Appendix Seven: Joseph Stalin-Order of the Day, 9 May 1945; Appendix Eight: Joseph Stalin-Victory Speech, 9 May 1945; Appendix Nine: Joseph Stalin-Toast to the People, 24 May 1945; Appendix Ten: Joseph Stalin-Order of the Day, 22 June 1945; Appendix Eleven: Joseph Stalin-Order of the Day, 23 February 1946; Select Bibliography.
£17.10
The History Press Ltd From Gaza to Jerusalem: The Campaign for Southern
Book SynopsisThe Palestine campaign of 1917 saw Britain’s armed forces rise from defeat to achieve stunning victory. After two failed attempts in the spring, at the end of the year they broke through the Ottoman line with an innovative mixture of old and new technology and tactics, and managed to advance over 50 miles, from Gaza to Jerusalem, in only two months. As well as discussions of military strategy, Stuart Hadaway’s gripping narrative of the campaign gives a broad account of the men on both sides who lived and fought in the harsh desert conditions of Palestine, facing not only brave and determined enemies, but also the environment itself: heat, disease and an ever-present thirst.Involving Ottoman, ANZAC, British and Arab forces, the campaign saw great empires manoeuvring for the coveted Holy Land. It was Britain’s victory in 1917, however, that redrew the maps of the Middle East and shaped the political climate for the century to come.
£13.49
Imperial War Museum D-Day Flip Book
Book Synopsis
£6.06
Pen & Sword Books Ltd French Army in the First World War
Book SynopsisA broad selection of over 200 photographs recording the French army during the Great War.
£11.24
Yale University Press The Battle of Marathon
Book SynopsisHow did the city-state of Athens defeat the invaders from Persia, the first world empire, on the plain of Marathon in 490 BCE? Scholars skeptical of our earliest surviving source, Herodotus, have produced one ingenious theory after another. This book argues that Herodotus was right after all.Trade Review"'Historians, topographers, reenactors, and general readers alike will all be indebted to cutting-edge military historian Peter Krentz's original, insightful, witty, provocative, and brilliantly illustrated account of one of the world's most significant battles ever. 'Marathon' is now not only a magic word but also a magical exercise in ancient historiography.' (Paul Cartledge, University of Cambridge) 'Important new evidence, rigorous research and clear-headed analysis are combined to great effect in this original and persuasive study. The best book yet on the fateful events at Marathon.' (Hans van Wees, author of Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities)"
£17.99
Edinburgh University Press Bannockburn
Book SynopsisThe battle of Bannockburn, fought on the fields south of Stirling at midsummer 1314, is the best known event in the history of Medieval Scotland. It was a unique event. The clash of two armies, each led by a king, followed a clear challenge to a battle to determine the status of Scotland and its survival as a separate realm. As a key point in the Anglo-Scottish wars of the fourteenth century, the battle has been extensively discussed, but Bannockburn was also a pivotal event in the history of the British Isles. This book analyses the road to Bannockburn, the campaign of 1314 and the aftermath of the fight. It demonstrates that in both its context and legacy the battle had a central significance in the shaping of nations and identities in the late Medieval British Isles.Trade ReviewAn important and well documented study, clearly written and readable. Northern History An important and well documented study, clearly written and readable.
£24.69
The History Press Ltd Normandiefront
Book SynopsisThe fight to get off the beach and then the seemingly interminable struggle through the bocage - from hedgerow to hedgerow, as the German line fell back only to reform and counter-attack time and time again, all the way to the ruins of St Lo - was one of the most intense ever experienced by any army.
£18.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The The Great War Illustrated The Home Front
Book SynopsisThe books show how similar the experience on the Home Front was between the warring nations.
£12.74
MP-KAN Uni Press of Kansas The Battle for Leningrad 19411944
Book SynopsisThe German seige and Soviet defence of Leningrad in World War II was an epic struggle in an epic war, a drama of heroism and human misery unmatched in the annals of modern warfare. This work provides a military history of the conflict waged beyond the city's borders.Trade ReviewAn original and important contribution not only to the battle for Leningrad but also to a wider understanding of the Great Patriotic War. Drawing upon previously unavailable or neglected Soviet and German sources, it provides a major corrective to the shortcomings of previous accounts and will stand as a significant and durable achievement on a subject that continues to fascinate. John Erickson, Author Of The Road To Stalingrad; ""An outstanding contribution to the study of the Second World War as it was fought on the Eastern Front."" Malcolm Mackintosh, Author Of Juggernauti A History Of Soviet Armed Forces; ""An exceptional work on one of the great campaigns of World War II,"" James S. Corum, Author Of The Roots Of Blitzkrieg And The Luftwaffe
£47.45
MP-KAN Uni Press of Kansas The Cambodian Campaign
Book SynopsisWhen American and South Vietnamese forces attacked Cambodia in 1970, the invasion ignited a firestorm of violent anti-war protests in the US. Based on research and analysis of the Cambodian invasion's objectives, planning, organization, and operations, this study encourages respect for one of America's genuine military successes during the war.
£41.36
The History Press Ltd The Battle for Iwo Jima 1945
Book SynopsisIwo Jima was the United States Marine Corps'' toughest ever battle and a turning point in the Pacific War. In February 1945, three Marine Divisions stormed the island''s shores in what was supposed to be a ten-day battle, but they had reckoned without General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, the enemy commander. ''Do not plan for my return,'' wrote Kuribayashi in one of his many letters to his wife, Yoshii. He knew that he and his garrison could not defeat the Marines, but he was determined to exact a fearful toll in American casualties. In the 36-day battle for Iwo Jima, which eclipsed all that had gone before, the Marines lost nearly 6,000 men and the Japanese garrison was virtually wiped out.
£12.34
Fonthill Media Ltd U-Boats off Bermuda: Patrol Summaries and
Book SynopsisFor the first time, a book exposes an obscure theatre of the First World War in great detail and comprehensively, not just in terms of geography but also from the perspectives of both Allied and Axis participants. 'U-Boats off Bermuda' provides details of specific U-Boat patrols and their commanders, as well as a general overview of the situation in the theatre of war around Bermuda. It is a detailed analysis of individual casualties, broken down by a) background of ship, b) background of U-boat, c) attack method (surface and/or submersed), d) details of survivors and their plight at sea and e) their rescue, recuperation and repatriation.Detailed maps and illustrations provide a human face to what were often tragic attacks with fatal consequences. Did you know that half a dozen German submarines came close enough to the Naval Operating Base in Bermuda to see Gibbs Hill? Or that hardy Canadians from a sunken trading schooner rowed and sailed their way to the remote island-on their own? Allied pilots based in Bermuda sank two German U-Boats, rescued dozens in daring water landings, and several crashed.
£23.75
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Midway 1942: Turning point in the Pacific
Book SynopsisIn less than one day, the might of the Imperial Japanese Navy was destroyed and four of her great aircraft carriers sank burning into the dark depths of the Pacific. Utilizing the latest research and detailed combat maps, this book tells the dramatic story of the Japanese assault on Midway Island and the American ambush that changed the face of the Pacific war. With sections on commanders, opposing forces, and a blow-by-blow account of the action, this volume gives a complete understanding of the strategy, the tactics, and the human drama that made up the Midway campaign, and its place as the turning point in the Pacific war.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing fleets /Opposing plans /The battle of Midway /The aftermath /Further reading /Index
£15.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Battle That Shook Europe: Poltava and the
Book Synopsis'This victory', exulted Peter the Great, 'has laid the final stone in the foundations of St Petersburg!' The Battle of Poltava, 1709, marks the birth of the Tsar's vast Russian Empire. In 1700, seeking to open Russian trade routes to the West, the Tsar combined with Denmark, Saxony and Poland to attack Swedish hegemony in the North. Against the odds, King Charles XII of Sweden subdued the hostile coalition for nearly a decade, but in 1708 took his fatal decision to march for Moscow. His defeat at Poltava, in the Ukraine, proved the turning-point of the Great Northern War, heralding the collapse of the Swedish Empire and the rise of Russia, the effects of which would be felt for almost three hundred years. Swedish historian Peter Englund's vivid account of the three violent days of battle is an internationally acclaimed classic of military history, admired by scholars and the lay reader alike.Table of ContentsIntroduction PROLOGUE The Stoat THE MARCH Sunday Morning The Road to Poltava The War The Campaign Anatomy of a Battlefield A Council of War Sunday Evening THE BATTLE 8. Let Us Go Forward 9. Give the Enemy No Time 10. Cavalry Forward!! Shot in Vain 11. Would God Roos Were Here 12. They Are Leaving Their Lines 13. Not My Men but the King’s 14. Sheep to Sacrifical Slaughter 15. No Musket-ball Will Hit 16. As Grass Before a Scythe 17. The Devil Couldn’t Make them 18. It Goes Ill 19. He Tramples Down 20. All is Lost 21. To Gather in Retreat 22. Bodies Mountain-High THE RETREAT 23. 100,000 Roubles 24. Fight at My Command 25. Would They Defend Themselves 26. Not Without Tears EPILOGUE 27. A Fist Filled with Soil Sources and Literature Biographical Appendix Index
£30.43
Silvertail Books The Fall of Fortresses
Book Synopsis‘A SHINING ACCOMPLISHMENT. A CLASSIC' NEW YORK TIMES ‘RANKS AMONG THE OUTSTANDING AIR MEMOIRS OF THE WAR' MAX HASTINGS The Classic Account of One of The Most Daring and Deadly Battles of WWII
£12.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A War of Empires
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE RUSI DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2022''This is a superb book.'' - James HollandIn 1941 and 1942 the British and Indian Armies were brutally defeated and Japan reigned supreme in its newly conquered territories throughout Asia. But change was coming. New commanders were appointed, significant training together with restructuring took place, and new tactics were developed. A War of Empires by acclaimed historian Robert Lyman expertly records these coordinated efforts and describes how a new volunteer Indian Army, rising from the ashes of defeat, would ferociously fight to turn the tide of war. But victory did not come immediately. It wasn''t until March 1944, when the Japanese staged their famed ''March on Delhi'', that the years of rebuilding paid off and, after bitter fighting, the Japanese were finally defeated at Kohima and Imphal. This was followed by a series of extraordinary victories culminatingTrade ReviewEvery so often new work emerges that dramatically changes how we view key aspects of the war, and A War of Empires does just that. Written with meticulous scholarship and from a deep and profound knowledge of the subject matter, it is full of wisdom, sound judgement and with a convincing and refreshing central thesis. Robert Lyman has unquestionably become the foremost scholar of the War in the Far East. -- James Holland, bestselling author and broadcasterRob Lyman has crafted a masterful analysis of the clash between two proud empires. A compelling read. -- General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DLA fine, comprehensive and much-needed reappraisal of the pivotal Burma campaign in World War II. Exhaustively researched and engagingly written, it tells this dramatic story from the perspective of all the major combatants. -- Professor Saul David, historian, novelist and broadcasterA comprehensive account of the Second World War campaign in India and Burma. -- Dr Alan Jeffreys, Imperial War Museums curator and authorWith deep knowledge, clarity and empathy for the tangled cast of remarkable characters involved, [Robert Lyman] has given us the best single volume on the campaign. -- Professor Raymond Callahan, University of DelawareA masterful account not only of the longest British (and imperial) campaign of the Second World War but also, in a very real sense, of India’s victory. -- Professor Ian Beckett, University of KentMilitary history of the very best sort – detailed and accurate with real understanding of the military dynamics involved in the Burma campaign. It also shines in integrating the understood (and not understood) elements of grand strategy that lay behind the whole confrontation in the Asia/Pacific theatre. It's a terrific book. -- Professor Michael Clarke, former Director-General at RUSIThis book is a triumph of scholarship, and better still an engagingly written one, and will deservedly become a classic text. -- George Wilton, British Commission for Military HistoryMeticulously sourced, a delight to read. -- Gordon Corrigan, author and historianLyman calls the truths of the old world into existence to redress the balance of the new scholarship -- Sumantra Maitra * The Critic *Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note Timeline Introduction Part 1 – Hubris, 1942 Prologue – Major John Hedley, 4 Burma Rifles 1. Burma at the Intersection of History 2. Defending Burma (Badly) 3. A Hurried and Ill-Considered Plan 4. The First Shots 5. ‘We Could at Any Rate Send a Man’ 6. A Slim Chance to Save Burma 7. The Battle for Lower Burma 8. Exodus 9. Independence Armies 10. The Reason Why Part 2 – Hiatus, 1943 Prologue – Lieutenant Philip Brownless, 1 Essex Regiment 11. Aftermath 12. Taking Stock 13. Arakan Round One 14. Bharat Choro! 15. Vinegar Joe’s Travails 16. Trying to Crack the Donbaik Nut 17. Irwin’s Blame Game 18. ‘Our New God, Orde Wingate’ 19. Re-thinking Training 20. Building a Base 21. ‘A Blind Man Searching for a Black Cat in a Dark Room’ Part 3 – Resurrection, 1944 Prologue – Lieutenant John Twells, 1 Gurkha Rifles 22. Arakan, Again 23. Ha-Go 24. Okeydoke 25. Sinzweya 26. The March on Delhi 27. Cock-up on the Tiddim Road 28. The Chindwin 29. Thermopylae in the Naga Hills 30. The Spokes of the Wheel 31. Forty-Seven Days of Battle: Kohima 32. Seventy-Six Days of Siege: Imphal 33. Down the Hukawng Valley to Myitkyina 34. The Road of Bones Part 4 – Redemption, 1945 Prologue – Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Pettigrew, 2/14 Punjab 35. What to Do About Burma? 36. A Change of Plan 37. Third Time Lucky in Arakan 38. Meiktila and Mandalay 39. Extract Digit! 40. The Empire Strikes Back Appendix 1: The Indian and Gurkha Infantry Regiments of the Indian Army Appendix 2: Indian Army Structure and Numbers – 9 September 1943 Appendix 3: Definitive Numbers for Indian Army in SEAC Appendix 4: Estimates of Japanese Soldiers in Operation U-Go Further Reading Notes Index
£15.29
Casemate Publishers From the Realm of a Dying Sun. Volume 2: Volume
Book SynopsisOn Christmas Eve 1944, the men of the IV SS-Panzerkorps were preparing to celebrate the occasion as best they could. Taking advantage of the pause in the fighting around Warsaw, they looked forward to partaking in that most German of holidays, including the finest Christmas dinner their field kitchens could still prepare in this fifth year of the war. They had earned it too; after five months of unrelenting combat and the loss of many of their friends, troops from the corps headquarters, headquarters troops, and its two divisions - the 3rd SS Panzer Division “Totenkopf” and the 5th SS Panzer Division “Wiking” - were eagerly anticipating what the holiday would bring, including presents from home and perhaps sharing a bottle of schnapps or wine with their comrades.This was not to be, for that very evening, the corps commander, SS-Obergruppenführer Herbert Otto Gille, received a telephone call notifying him that the 35,000 men of his corps would begin boarding express trains the following day that would take them from the relative quiet of the Vistula Front to the front lines in Hungary, hundreds of kilometers away. Their mission: Relieve Budapest! Thus would begin the final round in the saga of the IV SS-Panzerkorps. In Hungary, it would play a key role in the three attempts to raise the siege of that fateful city. Threatened as much by their high command as by the forces of the Soviet Union, Gille and his troops overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their attempts to rescue the city’s garrison, only to have their final attack called off at the last minute. At that moment, they were only a few kilometers away from the objective towards which they had striven for nearly a month. After the relief attempt’s failure sealed the fate of hundreds of thousands of Hungarians and Germans, the only course of action remaining was to dig in and protect the Hungarian oilfields as long as possible.face=Calibri>Table of ContentsIntroduction to the Second Volume List of Maps List of Figures Illustrations Chapter 13: The Lost Month of December 1944 Chapter 14: The Hungarian Theater of Operations Chapter 15: Arrival in Hungary Chapter 16: Preparations for the Relief of Budapest Chapter 17: The First Relief Attempt of Budapest – Operation Konrad I Chapter 18: The Second Relief Attempt of Budapest – Operation Konrad II Chapter 19: Change of Mission Chapter 20: The Third Relief Attempt of Budapest – Operation Konrad III Chapter 21: The Final Push Chapter 22: Battling to a Stalemate Appendix A: IV. SS-Pz.Korps Battle and Campaign Participation Credits Appendix B: Selected Orders of Battle Appendix C: German Army and Waffen-SS Rank Equivalents Appendix D: Glossary Endnotes Bibliography Index
£24.00
£23.96
The History Press Ltd DDay 1944
Book SynopsisRe-assessing the technical and intelligence problem solving behind the Normandy campaign through the eyes of those present
£23.75
Oratia Media The Anzac Experience
Book Synopsis
£29.74
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Zeebrugge Ostend Raids 1918
Book SynopsisThe full study of a dramatic and daring raid, in stark contrast to the static trench warfare of WW1.
£9.74
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Impossible Victories
Book SynopsisOffers a thrilling selection of tales illustrating how victories were achieved against the odds from the Peninsula War of 1811 to Vietnam in 1967.
£12.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc History of the Peninsular War. Volume II: Volume
Book SynopsisThe Peninsular War (1807-1814) was a military conflict for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic War, where the French were opposed by British, Spanish, and Portuguese forces. The war began when the French and Spanish armies invaded and occupied Portugal in 1807 and lasted until the Napoleon's defeat in 1814.Table of ContentsPrefaceSiege of ZaragozaInsurrection in PortugalFirst Campaign of the British Army in Portugal. Convention of CintraEstablishment of the Central Junta. Operations in Catalonia. Embarrassments and Movements of the Spanish Armies. Escape of the Spanish Troops From DenmarkProceedings of the French Government. Conference At Erfurth. Proposal for Peace. Buonaparte Enters SpainBuonaparte Enters Spain. Defeat of the Spanish Armies. Surrender of Madrid. The Spaniards Endeavour to Rally at Cuenca, and on the TagusCampaign of the British Army Under Sir John MooreIndex.
£163.19
Nova Science Publishers Inc History of the Peninsular War. Volume III: Volume
Book SynopsisThe Peninsular War (1807-1814) was a military conflict for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic War, where the French were opposed by British, Spanish, and Portuguese forces. The war began when the French and Spanish armies invaded and occupied Portugal in 1807 and lasted until the Napoleon's defeat in 1814.Table of ContentsPrefaceTreaty Between Great Britain and Spain. Surrender of Coruna and Ferrol. Situation of Romanas Army. Buonaparte Returns to France. Proceedings At Madrid. Operations in CataloniaMovements of the Central Army Under the Duke Del Infantado. Battle of Ucles. Retreat from Cuenca. Cartaojal Appointed to the Command. Progress of the French. Sir Robert Wilson Enters Ciudad Rodrigo. Negotiation Concerning the Admission of British Troops Into CadizSecond Siege of ZaragozaInvasion of Portugal By Marshal SoultOperations in La Mancha and Extremadura. Battles of Ciudad Real and MedellinProceedings in Parliament Relating to the WarSir Arthur Wellesleys Second Campaign in Portugal. Passage of the Douro, and Expulsion of the French. Deliverance of GaliciaCatalonia. Battle of Valls. Death of Reding. Blake Appointed to the Command. Battle of Alcaniz. Flight of the Spaniards At Belchite. Commencement of the GuerillasIndex.
£163.19
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Liberating Europe: D-Day to Victory in Europe
Book SynopsisDespatches in this volume include the Despatch on air operations by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force in North West Europe between November 1943 and September 1944, the despatch on the assault phase of the Normandy landings June 1944, despatch on operations of Coastal Command, Royal Air Force in Operation Overlord - the invasion of Europe 1944, the despatch on operations in North West Europe between 6 June 1944 and 5 May 1945, by Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Commander 21st Army Group, the despatch on the final stages of the naval war in North West Europe, and, as an addition, the despatch on the Dieppe Raid in 1942. This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history.
£14.99
Arcturus Publishing Ltd The Battle of Britain
Book SynopsisNigel Cawthorne studied at University College, London, where he gained an Honours degree in Physics, before turning to writing as a career. He has written, contributed to and edited more than sixty books, including Fighting Them On The Beaches: D-Day, 6 June 1944, The Battle of Britain, Vietnam: A War Lost and Won, Stalin, and The Story of the SS.
£14.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Last of the Ebb: the Battle of the Aisne, 1918
Book SynopsisIn 1918, the Germans launched the Spring Offensive. Aware that American troops would soon be arriving in Europe, the Germans saw this as their last chance to win the war. If they could overcome the Allied armies and reach Paris, victory might be possible. The German offensive was initially a great success. Striking at the Allied line's strongest point, the Chemin des Dames, they burst their way through and made quick progress towards Marne. However, the advance eventually stalled. With supply shortages and lack of reserves, this was to be the 'last ebb' of the German war effort.Rogerson, a young officer in the West Yorkshire Regiment, describes the experiences of his battalion from the Aisne through to the Marne. Fighting under French command, the West Yorkshires were inadequately supported by artillery and practically without help from the air. The 4 tired divisions were forced to fight and run 27 miles across wooded downlands and 3 rivers on emergency rations. The author vividly conveys the bravery and extraordinary resilience of the West Yorkshires, who were able to face up to the terrible ordeal of such a battle without loss of morale. Remarkably for a book of this period, an account by Major-General A. D. von Unruh, which gives the German perspective of the offensive, has been included.
£10.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Tigers at Dunkirk: The Leicestershire Regiment
Book SynopsisIn this compelling new study of the disastrous 1940 campaign in France and Flanders, Matthew Richardson reconstructs in vivid detail the British army's defeat as it was experienced by the soldiers of a single battalion, the 2nd/5th Leicesters. These men typified the ill-equipped, under-trained British battalions that faced the blitzkrieg and the might of Hitler's legions. They were thrown into a series of desperate, one-sided engagements that resulted in a humiliating retreat, then evacuation from Dunkirk. This is their story.Matthew Richardson is curator of social history at Manx National Heritage and was formerly assistant keeper of the Liddle Collection at the University of Leeds. He has a long-term interest in military history and research, focusing in particular on the First and Second World Wars and on the history of the Leicestershire Regiment. In addition to writing many magazine articles on military history, he has published the following books: The Tigers and Fighting Tigers. He is currently working on 1914: Clash of Empires.
£15.29
Penguin Publishing Group Backlands The Canudos Campaign Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisAn important new translation of a fundamental work of Brazilian literature Written by a former army lieutenant, civil engineer, and journalist, Backlands is Euclides da Cunha's vivid and poignant portrayal of Brazil's infamous War of Canudos. The deadliest civil war in Brazilian history, the conflict during the 1890s was between the government and the village of Canudos in the northeastern state of Bahia, which had been settled by 30,000 followers of the religious zealot Antonio Conselheiro. Far from just an objective retelling, da Cunha's story shows both the significance of this event and the complexities of Brazilian society. Published here in a new translation by Elizabeth Lowe, and featuring an introduction by one of the foremost scholars of Latin America, this is sure to remain one of the best chronicles of war ever penned.
£21.47