Battles / military campaigns Books

Book SynopsisWhen the dying Alexander the Great was asked to whom he bequeathed his vast empire, he supposedly replied to the strongest". There ensued a long series of struggles between his generals and governors for control of these territories. Most of these Diadochi (Successors) were consummate professionals who had learnt the art of war under Alexander or even his father, Philip. Few died a peaceful death and the last survivors of this tough breed were still leading their armies against each other well into their seventies. Colourful characters, epic battles, treachery and subterfuge make this a period with great appeal to anyone interested in ancient history and ancient warfare in particular. The wars shaped the map from the Balkans to India for the next couple of centuries. This first volume introduces the key personalities - characters such as Antigonos Monopthalmus" (the One-eyed) and his son 'Demetrius 'Poliorcetes' (the Besieger), Seleucus 'Nicator' ('the Victorious') and Ptolemy Soter" ("the Saviour") - and gives a narrative of the causes and course of these wars from the death of Alexander to the Battle of Corupedium (281 BC) when the last two original Diadochi faced each other one final time.

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Book SynopsisExcellent' Antony BeevorSaul David is a brilliant historian In shocking and jaw-dropping detail, he brings a battle that deserves far greater prominence and understanding vividly back to life' James HollandFrom award-winning historian Saul David, an action-packed and powerful new narrative of the Battle of Okinawa the last great clash of the Second World War, and one that had profound consequences for the modern world. For eighty-three blood-soaked days, the fighting on the island of Okinawa plumbed depths of savagery as bad as anything seen on the Eastern Front. When it was over, almost a quarter of a million people had lost their lives, making it by far the bloodiest US battle of the Pacific. In Okinawa, the death toll included thousands of civilians lost to mass suicide, convinced by Japanese propaganda that they would otherwise be raped and murdered by the enemy. On the US side, David argues that the horror of the battle ultimately determined President Truman's choice to use atomTrade Review Shortlisted for the 2021 British Army Military Book of the Year Longlisted for the 2021 HWA Non-fiction Crown Awards A BBC History Magazine Best Book of the Year 2020 An Amazon.com History Book of the Month A The Times Best Book of 2020 A Telegraph Best Book of 2020 ‘Gripping, even gruesome, yet deeply moving … Sweeps us masterfully from a coral charnel house in the Pacific to the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima’ David Reynolds ‘The best book I’ve read on the Battle of Okinawa. Finally a military historian has written a book which gives humanity to the Japanese, without taking anything away from what the Americans endured and achieved on that island … David fits perfectly into the fine tradition of war books by Max Hastings and Antony Beevor. It’s war at its most beautiful and most horrible’ Gerard deGroot ‘A superb soldier’s-eye history of Okinawa, the Second World War’s ghastliest battle … The meticulousness of his research really starts to display itself … A highly readable and informative book that often reads like a screenplay, but depicts suffering that was all too real … [David] is peerless now among our military historians’Daily Telegraph ‘David restores a human dimension to this battle – both sides are brave, stoic, frightened, barbaric and occasionally cowardly. This is narrative history at its most visceral as battles unfold almost in real time … A gripping reconstruction of the action’ Times 'Graphic and compelling … Written with style and verve … David brings the ghastly mayhem of war to life in a vivid way’ Literary Review 'Superbly researched, well-written … Reminds us that the defining characteristic of war is the mass destruction of individuals, both physically and psychologically’Spectator ‘Brilliant … harrowing. The attention to detail is exemplary: we see the conflict from just about every angle’Keith Lowe, BBC History Magazine

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Book SynopsisA vivid, brutal and enthralling account of the Burma Campaign – one of the most punishing and hard-fought military adventures of World War Two.The Burma Campaign was one of the most punishing and protracted military adventures of World War Two.Trade ReviewEpic...a comprehensive and engrossing account -- Brian MacArthur * Literary Review *McLynn gives an honest, gruelling account of the longest most punishing campaign fought by the British during the Second World War -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *Easily one of the best books he has written in a long and distinguished career... A marvellous subject, too -- Trevor Royle * Sunday Herald *Magnificent...a closely woven, tightly argued and beautifully written account of the extraordinary men and women who were responsible for the higher direction of the war... This book delights, page after page. McLynn held me spellbound -- Robert Lyman * BBC History Magazine *A riveting read -- Christopher Sylvester * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisFrom the fury of the Punic Wars to the onslaught of Operation Desert Storm, relive the most famous battles in history in this gripping guide.This military history book takes you on a journey through the battlefields of history, from the ancient world to the American Civil War, World War II, Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond. Maps, paintings, and photographs reveal the stories behind more than 90 of the most important battles ever to take place, and show how fateful decisions led to glorious victories and crushing defeats.From medieval battles and great naval confrontations to the era of high-tech air battles, key campaigns are illustrated and analysed in detail - the weapons, the soldiers, and the military strategy. Famous military leaders are profiled, including Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Rommel, and crucial arms, armour, and equipment are explained. Whether at Marathon, Agincourt, Gettysburg, or Stalingrad, Battles that Changed History takes y

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Book SynopsisPart of the SECOND WORLD WAR VOICES series in partnership with the podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk, presented by comedian Al Murray and bestselling historian James Holland.''Heroic, punishing excursions behind enemy lines, the Chindit expeditions are mythical and controversial in equal measure...Rhodes James takes us right to the heart of them'' Al Murray__________________________________1943 - The fight to retake Burma is about to begin. Major-General Orde Wingate surprises the conquering Japanese Army with a daring raid they had no idea was coming. But this is just the beginning.Next, he devises a campaign of guerrilla operation to hit the invaders where it most hurts. Behind their own lines. Marshalling and training a lethal force of 10,000 men deep in the Burmese jungle, the Chindits are born.Cipher Officer Richard Rhodes James was part of that hidden army and chronicles the story of a band of brothers fi

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Book SynopsisWhen Hitler was striving for recognition and relevance in the political turmoil of the early Weimar years in Germany he gave little thought to the world on the other side of the Atlantic other than to nurture a constant nagging resentment over President Wilson's role in the post-war evisceration of Germany at Versailles in 1919. It was the United States, however, that had bankrolled the German economy to substantially boost industrial production and employment in the 1920s and the evidence of American wealth and economic power was hard to ignore. Even when the Nazis took over in Germany after the elections of March 1933, Hitler's narrow vision was still concentrated on consolidating his power base in Germany itself and quickly thereafter expanded to take in the countries of Eastern Europe. What impressions he had of American culture and society were encapsulated in the trivialities and stereotypes of Hollywood movies depicting the wild west' or the deprivations of the Great Depressio

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Book SynopsisOn 30 November 1939 Stalins Red Army attacked Finland, expecting to crush the outnumbered, ill-equipped Finnish forces in a matter of days. But, in one of the most astonishing upsets in modern military history, the Finnish defenders broke the Red Armys advance, inflicting devastating casualties and destroying some of the divisions that had been thrown against them. Eventually, in March 1940, the overhauled Red Army prevailed through the deployment of massive force. The Finns were compelled to cede territory and cities to their overbearing neighbour, but the moral victory was theirs. The courage and skill their army displayed in the face of the Soviet onslaught and the chaotic and reckless performance of their opponents - had an important influence on the massive struggle that was about to break out between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. For this highly illustrated and original portrayal of this famously unequal struggle, Bair Irincheev has brought together a compelling selection of

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Book SynopsisFor most people, the story of the Jacobites perished on a bitter April day in 1746 when their hopes of restoring the exiled Stuart monarchy at the battle of Culloden were crushed. Beyond this military defeat, which marked the end of the '45 rebellion, there were surviving embers who kept alive the cause for some time. For some years, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) and his exiled supporters plotted with European powers to restore his banished house and regain the British throne, but there was never again a military attempt to oust the Hanoverians who displaced his lineage. In Europe, Jacobite networks flourished in France, but also in Scandinavia and were influential in spreading Masonic ideas in the areas they operated. Exiles joined the military as far afield as Spain and even Russia, while others formerly loyal to the cause found themselves in the New World, either banished by the British state or willing emigrants hoping for a better life. Ironically, most of

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Book SynopsisIn 1941 when Germany invaded the Soviet Union Vassili Subbotin was caught up as an ordinary soldier in the Red Armys great retreat. In 1945, during the final days of the war, as a war correspondent, he went into Berlin with the troops who fought the ferocious final battles in the streets and sealed Germanys defeat. Later he recorded in vivid impressionistic detail the climax of the last act of the campaign and of the entire war in the east the storming of the Reichstag which came to symbolize of the Soviet victory over the Nazis. His first-hand experience of that final operation and his insight into the small band of ordinary soldiers who played a part in it is graphically conveyed in this memoir. In his description of the confusion and violence of the street fighting around the Reichstag and the vicious hand-to-hand floor-by-floor struggle to capture the huge shattered building, the personalities of the soldiers are revealed, as are their fears and determination. Vassili Subbotin served as a conscript in the Red Army during the Second World War, first as an infantryman during the Soviet retreat after the German invasion in 1941, then as a divisional war correspondent during the Red Armys long advance towards Germany. He was present throughout the final battle for Berlin and observed the capture of the Reichstag at first hand. After the war he wrote this evocative memoir recording his experiences and those of the soldiers who took part, and in later life he was reunited with those who survived the fighting.

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Book SynopsisA detailed and absorbing narrative of the campaigns fought on the ''forgotten'' Eastern Front of the Great War, vividly illustrating that these campaigns were no less costly, tragic and important than the catastrophes of the Somme, Verdun and Passchendaele.The massive offensives on the Eastern Front during 1915 are too often overshadowed by the events in Western Europe, but the scale and ferocity of the clashes between Imperial Germany, Habsburg Austria-Hungary and Tsarist Russia were greater than anything seen on the Western Front and ultimately as important to the final outcome of the war.With the Russians hamstrung by weak supply lines and the Austro-Hungarian leadership committed to a strategy of offensive drives despite diminishing manpower and adverse terrain, the fighting in early 1915 was a costly and futile exercise. By the summer, the Central Powers, increasingly dominated by Germany, had begun to gain the advantage, but even the GorliceTarnów OffensTrade ReviewIn this book Prit Buttar continues his analysis and narrative on what was happening on the Eastern Front in the Great War from his previous Collision of Empires: The War on the Eastern Front in 1914 [Osprey, 2014]. He continues to make the point that most scholars focus on the dreadful suffering and stalemate on the Western Front without any consideration of what was happening on the Eastern Front. This meticulous survey reveals that the Central Powers were making measurable progress to the east with the GoliceTarnow Offensive which led to the retreat of Russian forces from Poland and the occupation of Serbia, being two examples of their advances. These successes were achieved at the expense of massive human losses, basically unreported in the west. However, amidst this success, Prit Buttar does stress that leadership weaknesses on the part of the Central Powers balanced mismanagement on a massive scale by the Russians, leading to an absence of a final success for either side. Prit Buttar communicates his narrative and associated analysis in a very clear manner. This is a book for scholars with a focused interest. By contrast the enormity of the detail will deter the casual enquirer unless they are carefully guided to begin by exploring the opening and concluding chapters. These very carefully both set the scene and also explain what had happened over that year. With that preparation the interested reader might then explore some or all of the key events of the 1915 campaigns in the east. -- Trevor James * The Historian *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations /List of Maps /Author's Note /Dramatis Personae /Introduction /1. The Combatants /2. The First Carpathian Campaign /3. Winter in Masuria /4. Springtime: Slaughter and Disappointment /5. Mackensen’s Breakthrough /6. The Exploitation /7. Lemberg /8. Decisions and Departures /9. The Great Retreat /10. Volhynia: The End of the Leash /11. The Fall of Serbia /12. The Burden of War /Notes /Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisArnhem was meant to end the war in Europe. The Germans were in retreat from Normandy and seemed to be beaten. Three airborne divisions were to seize the bridges across the great rivers of Holland and unleash the Allied armies into Germany. The Battle of Arnhem was a turning-point in the war, a gamble by Montgomery, using three airborne divisions to capture a series of bridges across the wide rivers that separated a powerful mobile army from the plains of northern Germany. If the bridges had been captured and held, and the ground forces had been able to relieve the airborne forces, then there would have been a good chance of ending the war before Christmas 1944. It all went wrong. The initial operation was successful, the bridges taken by the Americans were relieved by ground troops, but these troops could not reach Arnhem quickly enough. In the meantime, only a small part of the 1st British Airborne Division had reached the Arnhem Bridge. Most of the remainder of the airborne force was held up on the outskirts of the town by German units that turned out to be far stronger than expected -� a major intelligence failure. After nine days of fighting, the survivors of the division were withdrawn across the Rhine and it was not until many months later that ground forces captured Arnhem. Using the technique he has perfected over twenty-five years of military study, blending meticulous research based on original documents with the personal experiences of more than 500 participants, Martin Middlebrook describes the Battle of Arnhem from start to finish, from one end of that complicated battlefield to the other.� The author offers a masterly summary of what went wrong in the last major defeat in battle suffered by the British Army.

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Book SynopsisCharles Esdaile's new guide to the Battle of Waterloo presents the experience of the soldiers who took part in the battle in the most graphic and direct way possible - through their own words. In a series of walks he describes in vivid detail what happened in each location on 18 June 1815 and he quotes at length from eyewitness accounts of the men who were there. Each phase of the action during that momentous day is covered, from the initial French attacks and the intense fighting at Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte to the charges of the French cavalry against the British squares and the final, doomed attack of Napoleon's Imperial Guard. This innovative guide to this historic site is fully illustrated with a selection of archive images from the War Heritage Institute in Brussels, modern colour photographs of the battlefield as it appears today and specially commissioned maps which allow the visitor to follow the course of the battle on the ground.

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Book SynopsisWednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the annals of military history. In the morning, a modern British army was swept aside by the onset of a seemingly unstoppable host at Isandlwana. Nearby, at a remote border outpost on the Buffalo River, a single company of the 24th Regiment and a few dozen recuperating hospital patients were passing another hot, monotonous day. News of the disaster across the river came like a bolt from the blue. Retreat was not an option. It seemed certain that the Rorke's Drift detachment would share the terrible fate of their comrades. Colonel Snook brings the insights of a military professional to bear in this strikingly original account. It is an extraordinary tale - a victory largely achieved by the sheer bloody-mindedness in adversity of the British infantryman, fighting at the remarkable odds of over thirty to one. The heroics of all eleven VC winners are recounted in detail, and we are offered new insights into how the Zulu attack unfolded and how 150 men achieved their improbable victory. The author describes the remainder of the war, from the recovery of the lost Queen's Colour of the 24th to the climactic charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi. We return to Isandlwana to consider culpability, and learn of the often tragic fates of many of the war's participants.

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated with colour maps and 50 images, this is an accessible introduction to the most violent, turbulent, cruel and exciting chapter in Japanese history.In 1467 the Onin War ushered in a period of unparalleled conflict and rivalry in Japan that came to be called the Age of Warring States. In this book, Stephen Turnbull offers a masterly exposition of the wars, explaining what led to Japan''s disintegration into rival domains after more than a century of relative peace; the years of fighting that followed; and the period of gradual fusion when the daimyo (great names) strove to reunite Japan under a new Shogun. Peace returned to Japan with the end of the Osaka War in 1615. Turnbull draws on his latest research to include new material for this updated edition, covering samurai acting as mercenaries, the expeditions to Korea, Taiwan and Okinawa, and the little-known campaigns against the Ainu of Hokkaido, to present a richer picture of an age when conflTrade ReviewThe book has some excellent sections one of which the author looks at the conflict from a soldier’s perspective. The author also looks at how the farming community were affected and the emergence of the farmer-warrior. -- Jason Hubbard * Irregular Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction Background to War Warring Sides Outbreak The Fighting (Part 1) The Fighting (Part 2) The World Around War How the War Ended Conclusion and Consequences Chronology Further Reading and Acknowledgements Index

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Book Synopsis''James Holland is a master'' BBC HistoryIt was to be the battle to end the air war once and for all.During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and at the same time draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Big Week is the knife-edge story of bomber against flak gun and fighter, but also, crucially, fighter against fighter. Following the fortunes of pilots and aircrew from both sides, this is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war. Big Week was the largest air battle ever witnessed, but it has been largely forgotten until now.

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Book SynopsisA highly illustrated study of Operation Lüttich, the German Panzer counteroffensive against the Normandy bridgehead in August 1944 that backfired, leading to a collapse of the German position in northern France.Fully illustrated with stunning full-color artwork, this book tells the story of Operation Lüttich, the failed offensive which ended any prospect of Germany winning the battle of Normandy.Following the successful landings in Normandy on D-Day and consolidation during Operation Cobra, the Wehrmacht was ordered to begin a counteroffensive named Operation Lüttich. The plan was to send a large Panzer force across the First US Army sector, cutting off its spearheads, and finally reach Avranches on the coast. Had this succeeded, it not only would have cut off the First US Army spearheads, but also Patton''s newly deployed Third US Army operating in Brittany. However, thanks to an intercepted radio message, thTable of ContentsOrigins of the campaign/Chronology/Opposing commanders/Opposing armies/Orders of battle/Opposing plans/The campaign/Aftermath/The battlefields today/Further reading/Index

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Book SynopsisThe Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: an imperishable account of the direct experience of individuals at 'the point of maximum danger'. It examines the physical conditions of fighting, the particular emotions and behaviour generated by battle, as well as the motives that impel soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away. In this stunningly vivid reassessment of three battles, John Keegan conveys their reality for the participants, whether facing the arrow cloud of Agincourt, the levelled muskets of Waterloo or the steel rain of the Somme.Trade ReviewThe book which changed how military history is written. Keegan set out to discover what it must have been like to be present at Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme - and he succeeded brilliantly. -- Bernard Cornwell (Chosen as number one of his six best books) * Daily Express *This without any doubt is one of the half-dozen best books on warfare to appear in the English language since the end of the Second World War. -- Michael Howard * Sunday Times *In this book, which is so creative, so original, one learns as much about the nature of man as of battle. -- J. H. Plumb * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisThe concluding volume of this work provides a fresh description of the climatic battle of Waterloo placed in the context of the whole campaign. It discusses several vexed questions: Bl cher s intentions for the battle, Wellington s choice of site, his reasons for placing substantial forces at Hal, the placement of Napoleon s artillery, who authorised the French cavalry attacks, Grouchy s role on 18 and 19 June, Napoleon s own statements on the Garde s formation in the final attack, and the climactic moment when the Prussians reached Wellington s troops near la Belle Alliance. Close attention is paid to the negotiations that led to the capitulation of Paris, and subsequent French claims. The allegations of Las Cases and later historians that Napoleon s surrender to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon amounted to entrapment are also examined. After a survey of the peace settlement of 1815, the book concludes with a masterly chapter reviewing the whole story of the 1815 campaign.

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Book SynopsisA new and overdue definitive study of the British involvement in the (largely ignored) Salonika Campaign from the military angle.

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Book SynopsisIn this fully illustrated introduction, Dr Carter Malkasian provides a concise overview of the so-called Forgotten War in Korea.From 1950 to 1953, the most powerful countries in the world engaged in a major conventional war in Korea. Yet ironically this conflict has come to be known as the USA''s Forgotten War. Esteemed historian Dr Carter Malkasian explains how this conflict in a small peninsula in East Asia had a tremendous impact on the entire international system and the balance of power between the two superpowers, America and Russia. In this illustrated history, he examines how the West demonstrated its resolve to thwart Communist aggression and the armed forces of China, the Soviet Union and the United States came into direct combat for the only time during the Cold War. Updated and revised for the new edition, with specially commissioned color maps and new images throughout, this is a detailed introduction to a significant turning point in the Cold War.Table of ContentsIntroduction Warring Sides Outbreak The Fighting The World Around War War and the Koreans How the War Ended Conclusion and consequences Chronology Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisPublished to coincide with the centenary of the campaign, this highly illustrated title from Steven Zaloga explores the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, a David and Goliath conflict which saw the survival of the newly independent Poland in the face of the Soviet Red Army. The Battle of Warsaw in August 1920 has been described as one of the decisive battles of European history. At the start of the battle, the Red Army appeared to be on the verge of advancing through Poland into Germany to expand the Soviet revolution. Had the war spread into Germany, another great European war would have ensued, dragging in France and Britain. However, the Red Army was defeated by the miracle on the Vistula. This campaign title explores the origins and outcomes of this momentous battle. In May 1920, the Polish Army intervened in war-torn Ukraine, pushing all the way to Kiev, but the Red Army, by now triumphant in most of the theaters of the Russian Civil War, turned its attention to thisTable of ContentsOrigins of the campaign Chronology Opposing Commanders Opposing Forces Opposing Plans The Campaign Aftermath Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisIn 2012 Jean Paul Pallud wrote the After the Battle account of the Desert War; now he completes the story with detailed coverage of the landings of Operation `Torch’ in North-West Africa in November 1942. When the western Allies decided to launch a second front in North Africa, they carefully considered the anti-British feeling left in France by the ill-advised attack by the Royal Navy on the French Fleet at Mers el Kébir in July 1940. Consequently, the operation was given an American rather than a British complexion, General Eisenhower was chosen to lead a mostly American force into battle and the major Royal Navy contribution was kept as inconspicuous as possible. At this point in the war, the Allies had almost no experience with amphibious operations and it was a risky undertaking to carry out such an immense operation covering multiple landings over 600 miles apart. Even more amazing was the fact that part of the invasion forces was to depart from the United States, 6,000 miles away. As the orders were not confirmed until a month before Operation `Torch’ was launched, there was very little time to organise such a logistically complex operation involving American and British forces, and even less time for the pro-Allied French to organise more than small measures of support. There were two landings in the Mediterranean, at three main points near Algiers and three near Oran, and three landings on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. There, the main landing came ashore at Fédala, 18 miles north-east of Casablanca, and the armour was brought ashore at Safi, 140 miles south-east. In spite of all the difficulties, the landings all went well and the operation quickly achieved all of its initial objectives. However, the Germans reacted swiftly and, with little Allied interference, they rushed in reinforcements to Tunisia by air and sea. The Allies were thus drawn into a six-month campaign in Tunisia, the First Army from Operation `Torch’ soon joining hands with the Eighth Army advancing from Libya to finally clear Axis presence along the southern shore of the Mediterranean. This operation marked the first time that American troops fought against German forces during the Second World War. They had a rough baptism of fire in southern Tunisia in February 1943, training, equipment and leadership failed in many instances to meet the requirements of the battlefield, but the US Army was quick to learn and revise army doctrines, particularly with respect to the use of armour. The successful campaign created thousands of seasoned soldiers of all ranks whose experience would prove decisive in subsequent campaigns. The next test was only two months away — the invasion of Sicily. In addition, Operation `Torch’ brought the French army back into the war. Most important of all, the Allies had seized the initiative in the West.

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Book SynopsisI lay there rather dazed for a while, expecting to be hit again at any moment.' John Hunter, Parachute Regiment, Northants.Seventy years ago, on 6 June 1944, a great Allied Armada landed on the coast of Normandy.

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER ''Magnificent, vivid, moving, superb'' Max Hastings, Sunday Times______________This is the closest you will ever get to war - the taste, the smell, the noise and the fearThe Normandy Landings that took place on D-Day involved by far the largest invasion fleet ever known. The scale of the undertaking was awesome and what followed was some of the most cunning and ferocious fighting of the war. As casualties mounted, so too did the tensions between the principal commanders on both sides. Meanwhile, French civilians caught in the middle of these battlefields or under Allied bombing endured terrible suffering. Even the joys of Liberation had their darker side.Antony Beevor''s inimitably gripping narrative conveys the true experience of war. He lands the reader on the beach alongside the heroes whose stories he so masterfully renders in their full terrifying glory.______________''A thrilling story, with all Beevor''s narrative mastery'' Chris Patten, Financial Times''Beevor''s D-Day has all the qualities that have made his earlier works so successful: an eye for telling and unusual detail, an ability to make complex events understandable, and a wonderful graphic style'' Ian Kershaw, Guardian, Books of the Year''D-Day''s phenomenal success is both understandable and justified'' James Holland''D-Day is a triumph . . . on almost every page there''s some little detail that sticks in the mind or tweaks the heart. This is a terrific, inspiring, heart-breaking book'' Sam Leith, Daily MailTrade ReviewA knockout reassessment of one of the Second World War's great set-piece battles. Swoops from the vicious close-quarter fighting in the hedgerows to the petrified French onlookers and onwards to the political leaders wrestling with monumental decisions * Sunday Times *Beevor has succeeded brilliantly. D-Day can sit proudly alongside his other masterworks on Stalingrad and the fall of Berlin. Superbly brings the events of that summer to life again -- Patrick Bishop * Daily Telegraph *As near as possible to experiencing what it was like to be there. . . It is almost impossible for a reader not to get caught up in the excitement -- Giles Foden * Guardian *Impeccable, splendid, thoroughly researched and gripping. Beevor is master of narrative, expertly blending the grand sweep with the telling anecdote -- Dominic Sandbrook * Observer *Beevor can be credited with single-handedly transforming the reputation of military history -- David Edgar * Guardian *His singular ability to make huge historical events accessible to a general audience recalls the golden age of British narrative history, whose giants include Gibbon, Macaulay and Carlyle -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *

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Book Synopsis''Majestic. Truly gripping'' Andrew RobertsThe Battle of the Atlantic was the single most important - and longest - campaign of the Second World War. If Britain lost this vital supply route it lost the war. In Jonathan Dimbleby''s brilliant and dramatic new account we see how this epic struggle for maritime mastery played out, from the politicians and admirals to the men on and under the sea and their families waiting at home. Filled with haunting and hair-raising stories of chases, ambushes, sinkings, stalkings, disasters and rescues, The Battle of the Atlantic is a monumental work of history as it was lived and fought.''Recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans'' Independent''Dimbleby moves with skill from scene to scene, eavesdropping on the great statesmen like Churchill, the merchant seamen who carried out their orders, the U-boat commanders who tried to sink them and the families of those who lost theTrade ReviewThis is an exceptionally vivid account of one of the critical campaigns of the Second World War by a masterly writer -- Max HastingsWinston Churchill famously described the Battle of the Atlantic as 'a war of groping and drowning, a war of ambuscade and stratagem, a war of science and seamanship' and no book depicts all of those myriad aspects better than Jonathan Dimbleby's majestic overview. His judgments can sometimes be harsh and are bound to be controversial, but they are backed up with wide reading, diligent scholarship and cogent argument. This is a truly gripping account of a campaign that the author rightly puts epicentral to the Allied victory in the Second World War. * Andrew Roberts, author of 'Masters and Commanders' *A fascinating story written with bite and grip of one of the most crucial showdowns of the twentieth century - of a victory wrung out of the unforgiving Atlantic swell by sailors and airmen using the best technology and Intelligence that those on land could provide. How close-run it was and the price of losing would have been catastrophe, defeat and darkness. Compelling -- Lord Peter Hennessy, author of 'The Silent Deep'Jonathan Dimbleby's second volume on the Second World War is even better than its predecessor. The Battle of the Atlantic is a gripping account of the Allies' hard-won victory at sea. Dimbleby has delivered a masterful narrative that challenges many of the received views about this often overlooked conflict that foretold the defeat of Nazism. -- Amanda ForemanExcellent on the characters of individual commanders . . . But perhaps the book's greatest strength is its analysis of the strategic side of the battle. Regularly switching from vivid coverage of individual encounters at sea, the narrative reveals the intense discussions that took place at the highest levels to decide naval policy, especially among Churchill, Roosevelt and their military advisers. It is [the] controversial assertion, backed by solid research and a readable style, that makes this book so compelling. -- Leo McKinstry * Wall Street Journal *Starred review. "A gripping history overflowing with anecdotes and enough calamity, misery, explosions, and individual valor for a Hollywood disaster epic." * Kirkus *A gripping read and a great contribution to the history of the Second World War. The author realizes his immense ambition of bringing out the human aspects of the drama at every level, from the heads of state to the crews in the Atlantic, while also bringing important nuances to received views on the struggle against the U-boats, and, indeed, on Churchill's war leadership. An epic account. * Peter Padfield, author of 'War Beneath the Sea: Submarine Conflict 1939-1945', and biographies of Dönitz, Himmler and Hess *In this refreshing book Jonathan Dimbleby skilfully weaves together front line accounts and high policy discussions to provide a gripping and accessible new account of the most important campaign of the Second World War against Germany. * Professor Eric Grove, author of 'The Royal Navy since 1815' *The epic Battle of the Atlantic can only really be understood when set against the strategic context of the time. This highly engaging history does this by combining gripping accounts of the tactics and operational fortunes of the Germans and the Allies in this bitterest of battles with an authoritative review of the strategic thinking that helps explain their motives and their responses at the highest national level, and that shows why victory was so important for both sides. * Professor Geoff Till, author of 'The Development of British Naval Thinking' *Dimbleby makes a convincing case that of all the campaigns of WWII, the struggle for dominance over the North Atlantic was the most important . . . The history of the battle for the Atlantic is well documented, but Dimbleby's work, with its emphasis on the strategic importance of the battle, is an excellent addition to the story, and expert historians as well as general readers can enjoy this effort * Publishers Weekly *Dimbleby's incisive, gripping narrative uniquely places the campaign in the context of the entire war as it recounts the horror and humanity of life on those perilous oceans. -- Richard Blackmore * The Independent *The strength of the book is its vivid evocation of dramatic events -- Robert Tombs * The Times *The Battle of the Atlantic is a wonderfully readable mix of vivid personal stories and the penetrating questions that you wish someone had put to Churchill -- Bronwen Maddox, Editor-in-Chief of Prospect MagazineDimbleby captures the savagery of the fighting and of the sea itself... he has tackled the complexities in a very accessible way; but more importantly he has woven a compelling narrative of the people who fought, directed and ultimately decided our fate -- Admiral Lord WestI liked Jonathan Dimbleby's The Battle of the Atlantic and was gobsmacked to learn that the Germans read British radio messages much better than we read theirs. Air Ministry obstinacy (in failing to release aircraft from futile area bombing for anti-submarine patrols) nearly cost Britain the war -- Matt Ridley * Books of the Year 2015 *Fascinating * Richard and Judy *I am chilled to the bone and beyond ... the most extraordinary story ... absolutely fascinating -- Vanessa FeltzAn accessible and anecdotal account of the battle and the men who waged it, full of colour and surprising detail -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Express *Fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining. Explodes a number of self-serving myths * Andrew Roberts (on 'Destiny in the Desert: The Road to El Alamein') *Fresh and provocative * Peter Snow (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *A wonderfully incisive, superbly written history. What Dimbleby has nailed so brilliantly is what so many war historians miss: the big picture * Saul David (on 'Destiny in the Desert') *

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Book SynopsisSpring, 1648.When Thomas Hill, a bookseller living in rural Hampshire, publishes a political pamphlet he has little idea of the trouble that will follow. He is quickly arrested, forced on a boat to Barbados and condemned to life as a slave to two of the island's most notoriously violent brothers.In England war has erupted again, with London under threat of attack. When news of the king's execution reaches the island, political stability is threatened and a fleet commanded by Sir George Ayscue arrives to take control of the island for Cromwell. The threat of violence increases. Thomas finds himself witness to abuse, poison, rape and savage brutality. When a coded message from Ayscue to a sympathiser on the island is intercepted, Thomas is asked to decipher it. A disastrous battle seems inevitable.But nothing turns out as planned. And as the death toll mounts, the escape Thomas has been relying on seems ever more unlikelyTrade ReviewAn excellent sequel: rich, rewarding, intricate but with that strong narrative drive that marks out a true page-turner. Thomas Hill has grown in depth and breadth and is a truly sympathetic character. * M.C. SCOTT *

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Book SynopsisBOOK 10 OF THE LADYBIRD EXPERT HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, FROM AWARD-WINNING HISTORIAN JAMES HOLLANDFeaturing stunning illustrations from Keith Burns, bringing the story to life in vivid detailWhy were British troops in Burma?What was The Defence of the Admin Box?How did the British defeat the Japanese troops?THE BURMA CAMPAIGN was one of the most prolonged campaigns in the South-East Asian theatre of war, but it was also one of the most dramatic.Against Japanese troops, and monsoon weather, the Allies finally prevailed, demonstrating to the world that the Axis powers could be defeated in the East.BRITAIN''S TURNING POINT IN THE WAR IN THE EASTWritten by historian, author and broadcaster James Holland, The War in Burma is an essential, accessible introduction to Britain''s triumph in the East.__________Discover the full Ladybird Expert WW2 series:

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Book SynopsisImagine a world in which clothing wasn''t superabundant ? cheap, disposable, indestructible ? but perishable, threadbare and chronically scarce. Eighty years ago, when World War II ended, a textile famine loomed. What would everyone wear as uniforms were discarded and soldiers returned home, Nazi camps were liberated, and millions of uprooted people struggled to subsist? In this richly textured history, Carruthers unpicks a familiar wartime motto, ''Make Do and Mend'', to reveal how central fabric was to postwar Britain. Clothes and footwear supplied a currency with which some were rewarded, while others went without. Making Do moves from Britain''s demob centres to liberated Belsen ? from razed German cities to refugee camps and troopships ? to uncover intimate ties between Britons and others bound together in new patterns of mutual need. Filled with original research and personal stories, Making Do illuminates how lives were refashioned after the most devastating war in human history.

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Book SynopsisHitler's Third Reich and Stalin's Soviet Union invaded Poland in September 1939 and the two autocracies proved utterly ruthless in their efforts to subjugate the Polish people. The resultant loss of life was almost unimaginable in scale but Poles from all walks of life refused to submit, either at home or abroad. Germany turned on its Soviet ally in June 1941, with Britain, the USA and the USSR eventually becoming partners in the war against Hitler. At various meetings and conferences, the Big Three' agreed post-war Poland would fall into the Soviet sphere of influence and Poles fighting for a free and independent country found themselves cut adrift. They had a stark choice after VE Day: live in Poland dominated by Stalin's puppets or face a life in exile.Betrayal of Poland is the first major English-language compendium of Polish first-hand accounts from the Second World War. Two of the witnesses flew over the Third Reich and faced the deadly threat of night fighters and flak. One foug

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Failure to exploit the potential of an original idea is a recurring phenomenon in our national history. Few failures, however, can have been so costly in human life as that of our military commanders early in 1916 to appreciate that the tank was a war winning weapon. The slaughter of the Somme, Passchendaele and Ypres salient had to be endured before accepted conventional methods were abandoned and the tank given a chance. Bryan Cooper describes the early tank actions in vivid detail, with many eye-witness accounts. He tells of the courage and endurance of the crews not just in battle but in the appalling conditions in which they had to drive and fight their primitive vehicles. Scalded, scorched and poisoned with exhaust fumes, constantly threatened with being burned to death, these crews eventually laid the foundation for the Allied Victory in World War I. The book is well illustrated with many original photographs which give the present day reader a glimpse of the infancy of a dominant weapon of modern war.

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Book SynopsisStudies the fiercely fought battles of the British Expeditionary Force September 1914.

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Book SynopsisDraws on archive sources to present the battle from the German perspective.

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Book SynopsisThought-provoking exploration of the factors that determine the outcome of battles.

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Book SynopsisCatalogues and gives a brief description of every significant battle (and most insignificant ones too) known to have been fought by the Roman Emperors.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive book on the Cockleshell Heroes, and one of the most famous Marine raids of World War Two.Trade ReviewThere is no-one better to write a major new work on the famous "Cockleshell Heroes" raid Professor Eric Grove Extensive research and thoughtful analysis reveals many new insights about the most outstanding commando raid of the War Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope GCB OBE ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

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Book SynopsisFrom an expert on the Eastern Front of World War II, this book chronicles the cataclysmic experience of the region that includes modern-day Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.The Baltic States suffered more than almost any other territory during World War II, caught on the front-line of some of the war's most vicious battles and squeezed between the vast military might of the German Wehrmacht and the Soviet Red Army. Combining new archival research and numerous first-hand accounts, this is a magisterial description of conquest and exploitation, of death and deportation and the fight for survival both by countries and individuals.Trade Review'A powerful pick... It comes packed with action shots and photos, first-hand accounts from soldiers on both sides - most of which have never appeared in English... No military collection strong in World War II should be without this specific, in-depth analysis.' The Midwest Book Review Praise for Prit Buttar 'a marvelously written and illustrated new work with excellent maps on a series of battles too long overlooked... [it[ deserves to be read by any true devotee of World War II.' Military AdvisorTable of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Author’s Note Dramatis Personae Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Molotov, Ribbentrop and the First Soviet Occupation Chapter 2: Rosenberg, Generalplan Ost and Preparations for Barbarossa Chapter 3: The Wehrmacht in Full Flood Chapter 4: The Baltic Holocaust Chapter 5: Reluctant Allies Chapter 6: Narva, January to April 1944 Chapter 7: Breaking the Deadlock: Summer 1944 Chapter 8: From Doppelkopf to Cäsar Chapter 9: The Isolation of Army Group North Chapter 10: Courland, October to December 1944 Chapter 11: Endgame Chapter 12: Aftermath Appendix 1: Place Names Appendix 2: Ranks Appendix 3: Acronyms Appendix 4: Foreign terms Endnotes Bibliography Extract from Battleground Prussia Index

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated with colour maps and images, this is an accessible introduction to Julius Caesar's Civil War.Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great were two of the greatest generals Rome had ever produced. Together they had brought vast stretches of territory under Roman dominion. In 49 BC they turned against each other and plunged Rome into civil war. In this book, Adrian Goldsworthy relates the gripping story of this desperate power struggle. Drawing on original accounts of the war, he examines how legion was pitched against legion in a vicious battle for political domination of the vast Roman world. The armies were evenly matched, but in the end, Caesar's genius as a commander and his great good luck brought him victory in 45 BC. Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and 40 new images, this is a detailed introduction to one of the last conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire.Table of ContentsPrologue Introduction Background to War Warring Sides Outbreak The Fighting The World Around War How the War Ended Conclusion and Consequences Chronology Glossary Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA unique comparison between the two most numerous British and German tank types from 1941 to 1943.Although much has been written about the Panzer III, little attention has been given to the equally prominent Valentine tank. This work compares the respective strengths and weaknesses of these iconic tanks, which frequently went head-to-head in brutal battles across Europe, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia. It documents the upgrades made to each AFV type over three years, as up-gunned and up-armoured variants ever more lethal, ever more survivable arrived in North Africa.Dr Bruce Newsome explores the two tanks' encounters, from the first Valentine vs Panzer III clashes in 1941, to the Axis drive into Egypt, and on to the Tunisian fighting of 19421943. Colour artworks include profile, weaponry and gunsight, and battlescene views of both tanks, while maps chart the campaigns in which they met. Each AVF's performance is also covered, along with their technical details, design evolution, anTable of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Design and Development The Strategic Situation Technical Specifications The Combatants Combat Statistics and Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the bloodiest European battles of the Second World War was that from January to June 1944 for the Gustav Line, anchored on Monte Cassino, famous for its Benedictine Abbey. Better known as the Battle of Cassino, the campaign only ended when Rome was liberated. With General Sir Harold Alexander in overall command, the Allied Army Group in Italy, consisted of Fifth (US) and Eighth (British) Armies. Both were truly multi-national with some 20 allies nations involved. The book recognises the contributions of all elements and flags up the inevitable national tensions and rivalries exacerbated by restrictions of terrain and weather. Allied commanders, using ingenuity, highly effective artillery and sophisticated close air support, finally triumphed over their formidable German adversaries. Cassino: January-June 1944 examines the campaign from the political/strategic levels to the tactical, using official records, accounts from commanders and participants, including interviews. The Author has conducted many battlefield studies and written extensively on the War in Italy.

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