Books by Chris McNab

Book SynopsisMental Toughness Training examines what it takes to be as mentally fit as a special forces soldier. The book explains why it is equally important to focus on stress management and mental discipline as it is to concentrate on physical exercises, and is an essential guide to testing and improving mental agility and resilience.

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Book SynopsisThe units and formations of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) have privileged access to the finest weaponry in the world's arsenal. Whether Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines, the SOCOM troops select weapons that match their mission requirements, but which also sit at the cutting edge of combat technology. This means that, while SOCOM troops frequently use standard-issue weaponry, they also adopt many specialist pieces of kit that are not so accessible to the broader armed services, including sniper rifles, battle rifles, and machine guns, as well as high-tech tactical accessories used to transform standard weaponry into something exceptional. Assessing the technology and capabilities of these combat weapons, as well as how they have been used in modern combat, this fully illustrated study lifts the veil on some of the most distinctive hand-held weapon systems of US special operations forces since 1987.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Development / Use / Impact / Conclusion / Bibliography / Index

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Book SynopsisSAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training examines what it takes to be as mentally fit as a special forces soldier. The book explains why it is equally important to focus on stress management and mental discipline as it is to concentrate on push-ups, sit-ups and other physical exercises. Using simple steps, the book shows the reader how they can build up their endurance over a matter of weeks and months, and how their quality of life will benefit. SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training demonstrates how you can gain the psychological edge over your opponent, as well as ready yourself for critical challenges ahead. Whether you are competing in unarmed combat sports, running a marathon or just looking to get ahead, SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training will have helpful and practical advice for you. The book includes a number of military training programmes designed to assess a trainee’s fitness for the arduous life of a combat soldier, as well as chapters on leadership, battle tactics, escape and survival techniques, and improving intelligence and concentration. SAS and Special Forces Mental Toughness Training is an essential guide to testing and improving mental agility and resilience in the modern combat environment. Table of Contents1. Will to Survive 2. Handling Combat Stress 3. Recruitment and Training 4. Intelligence and Concentration 5. Building a Team Mind 6. Leadership 7. Battle Tactics 1: Handling Major Manoeuvres 8. Battle Tactics 2: Counter-insurgency 9. Detention, Escape, Survival 10. Peacekeeping and Diplomacy 11. Future Wars

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Book SynopsisTwice a year, 150 anxious recruits gather at SAS headquarters in the UK, their minds focused on one objective: to become SAS soldiers in one of the world’s most elite regiments. Yet between arriving and receiving the famous winged dagger badge, stands nearly four months of the toughest military selection process in the world. Could you rise to this exceptional challenge of mind and body? How to Pass the SAS and Special Forces Selection Course shows you how. Beginning with essential preparation, the book covers fitness training, navigation skills and the four-week selection course itself. Find out how to keep the instructors happy, how to deal with exhaustion during Test Week, and how to survive disaster strike on bleak mountains. But having been selected, there’s still training. Learn how the recruits acquire the skills of an SAS soldier, from hostage rescue to handling foreign weapons, from parachute training to surviving jungle courses, from escape and evasion to resistance and interrogation. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and instructive artworks and including first-hand accounts, How to Pass the SAS and Special Forces Selection Course is an exhaustive, lively guide to the process of becoming one of the world’s best soldiers.Table of ContentsChapter One: The Regiment Chapter 2. Application and Preparation Chapter 3. The Skills Required Chapter 4. Selection Chapter 5. Continuation Training Chapter 6. Combat Survival Training Chapter 7. Life in the Regiment SAS Chronology SAS Organization Index

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Book SynopsisUsing the latest technical, ballistic, and tactical research available, this book defines the reasons why the M4/M4A1 achieved its ascendancy, but also analyzes the question marks that hang over the weapon''s future.The M4 carbine has become one of the defining military firearms of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Developed as a fusion of the XM177E2 Colt Commando and the M16A2 assault rifle, the M4 offered a more convenient battlefield firearm than the full-length M16 variants, and the US Army adopted it as the standard infantry weapon in the 1990s. Today, military and law-enforcement personnel of more than 60 countries have adopted either the M4 or the M4A1 variant, both of which have been tested and proven in major combat operations worldwide.This study describes the development process in detail, from production of the first XM4 prototypes in 1984 through numerous modified types until it emerged into official use as the M4 in 1994. The M4 offered a Table of ContentsIntroduction Development Use Impact Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe image of the Roman legionary is as familiar today as it was to the citizens – and enemies – of the vast Roman Empire two thousand years ago. This book goes beyond the stereotypes found in popular culture to examine the Roman Army from the first armed citizens of the early Republic through the glorious heights of the Imperial legions to the shameful defeats inflicted upon the late Roman Army by the Goths and Huns. Tracing the development of tactics, equipment and training, this work provides a detailed insight into the military force that enable Rome to become the greatest empire the world has ever seen. As well as describing the changes in the army over the centuries, The Roman Army also sheds light on the talented men who led these soldiers in battle and the momentous battles fought, including Cannae, Pharsalus and Adrianople. Illustrated with detailed maps, artwork and photographs, this volume provides a complete reference to the Roman Army from the 8th century BC to the period after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD.Table of ContentsChronology /Introduction /The Early Republican Army, 753-146 BC /The Army of the Late Republic, 146-27 BC /The Earlier Roman Empire, 27 BC-AD 200 /The Later Roman Empire, AD 200-6th century /Afterword /Further Reading /Index

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Book Synopsis“One side of me says, I'd like to talk to her, date her. The other side of me says, I wonder what her head would look like on a stick?" Edmund Kemper (1948–), ‘the Co-ed Killer’ This gripping, fully illustrated true crime book explores a range of serial murderers in an innovative new format, using timelines both of the murderers’ lives but also precise hour-by-hour timelines of the crimes. Tracking a Serial Killer tells the story of 25 serial killers, from the nineteenth century right up to the present day. It enables the reader to understand some of the thinking of men such as Ted Bundy, who stalked university dorms, or Andrei Chikatilo, whose killings happened at similar intervals, to Randy Kraft who murdered hitchhikers along California freeways over several years, to Volker Eckert, a German lorry driver who murdered prostitutes across western Europe across three decades. The timeline approach offers a visual overview of the major developments of the murderer’s life, both before the killing began and covering killing sprees, trials, incarcerations, escapes, releases and repeat offences, up to their deaths. The second timeline takes the reader into the events of one particular murder, showing how events developed in the twenty-four hours around the murder, how close they were to being caught, how the factors came into place for the murder, and how they managed to escape capture.Table of ContentsChapter One: A Lust for Killing Andrei Chikatilo • John Wayne Gacy • Harold Shipman • Ted Bundy • Pedro Lopez • Gary Ridgway Chapter Two: Special Desires H. H. Holmes • Albert Fish • Joachim Kroll • Dennis Nilsen • Edmund Kemper • Richard Ramirez • Jeffrey Dahmer Chapter Three: Predators Jack the Ripper • David Berkowitz • Robert Hansen • Randy Kraft • The Yorkshire Ripper • Beltway Sniper Attacks Chapter Four: Female Murderers Jane Toppan • Dorothea Puente • Aileen Wuornos Chapter Five: Serial Killer Couples The Moors Murderers • The Hillside Stranglers • Fred and Rosemary West Index

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of how coalition armor in Iraq in 200306 handled a unique multi-threat environment, from enemy armor to IEDs.On 20 March 2003, Coalition forces launched the invasion of Iraq on a massive scale. Their armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) faced an uncertain level of resistance, and soon had to overcome a wide range of enemy threats. These included tank vs tank clashes during the first days of the invasion (most famously at Basra and Mahmoudiyah), and subsequently the dangers posed by enemy rocket-propelled grenades, cannon fire, antitank guided missiles, and improvised explosive devices.This vital new study covers both the opening clashes between opposing AVFs and the tactics developed by Iraqi insurgents seeking to neutralize Coalition superiority. Featuring full color photos, battle scenes, weaponry, and tactical illustrations, it draws upon first-hand accounts and official post-battle analyses to examine how Coalition forces responded to the Table of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Design and Development Technical Specifications The Combatants The Strategic Situation Combat Statistics and Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOn December 7, 1941, an imperial Japanese carrier strike force attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, taking advantage of what was one of the most profound intelligence failures in US history. Galvanised into action, the branches of the U.S. military subsequently developed one of the greatest, albeit imperfect, intelligence-gathering and analysis networks of the combatant nations, opening an invaluable window onto the intentions of their enemies. The picture of U.S. military intelligence during World War II is a complex one. It was divided between the fields of signal intelligence (SIGINT) and human intelligence (HUMINT), combat intelligence and War Department intelligence, and between numerous different organisations, including the Military Intelligence Division (MID), Military Intelligence Service (MIS), the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the many intelligence units organic to Army, Navy, Army Air Forces, and Marine Corps.The documents collected in this book reveal the theoretical and practical principles behind wartime intelligence gathering and analysis, from the frontline intelligence officer to the Washington-based code-breaker. They explain fundamentals such as how to observe and record enemy activity and intercept enemy radio traffic, through to specialist activities such as cryptanalysis, photo-reconnaissance, prisoner interrogation, and undercover agent operations.The painstaking work of an intelligence operator required a sharp, attentive mind, whether working behind a desk or under fire on the frontlines. The outputs from these men and women could ultimately make the difference between victory and defeat in battle.

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Book SynopsisPasschendaele 1917 is the story of one of the most pitiless and iconic battles of the First World War, known today as Third Ypres. Fought over three tortuous months in 1917, the fighting raged through some of the worst physical conditions of the entire war, across battlefields collapsing into endless mud and blood.

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Book SynopsisThe Remembrance Poppy is a haunting reminder of the ultimate cost of war. Worn by millions around the world every year, the Poppy compels us to remember war's dead, wounded and bereaved, regardless of nationality or conflict. As we reflect on the centenary of the First World War, this book charts the history of the Remembrance Poppy, from its origins in the battle-tortured landscape of Flanders in 1915 to its enduring relevance in the present day. It sets the Poppy in its context of tragedy and sacrifice, always acknowledging that our war dead are gone, but not forgotten.

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Book SynopsisIn September 1939, Hitler's Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Thus began the greatest armed struggle in history. Within days of the invasion, Germany was at war with France, Great Britain and much of the Commonwealth, but by the end of 1941 by which time Japan and the United States had been plunged into war the conflict had engulfed virtually the entire planet. World War II witnessed the mobilisation of more than 100 million military personnel. Here was total war' on a scale never previously experienced by any of the countries involved. The conflict eclipsed everything: industry, technology, the economy and home life. It transformed the lives of an entire generation of men and women, who grew up under the shadow of violence, separation and loss. It was also fought in every conceivable terrain and theatre, from the arctic conditions of the Soviet winter to the tropical landscape of the Pacific islands, with the battle for seas and skies being equally brutal. By the time it ended

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Book SynopsisCambrai 1917 was the battle that sowed the seeds of future combined-arms tank and infantry warfare, while remaining a battle of singular drama in its own right.First-person, contemporary sources bring the reader into the world of the Battle of Cambrai and show what it was like to be in the thick of battle.

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Book SynopsisFrom their promising beginnings at Stanford to their founding of Google and beyond, this fascinating biography charts the extraordinary rise of tech duo Sergey Brin and Larry Page.As PhD students at Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin devised a powerful search engine. Google, the company they founded in 1998 became a brand, the world''s pre-eminent search engine, a centre of artificial intelligence and a source of data collection. This fascinating biography looks at the background behind the formation of the company, as well as the technology and the business model that led it to become so successful.Featuring photographs which chronicle their rise to success, this book is fascinating read for aspiring entrepreneurs or anyone looking to build a successful business.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Visionaries series brings together entertaining biographies of leading figures within business world and beyond, tracing their lives,

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Book SynopsisFrom his unassuming beginnings as a curious young computer enthusiast to his meteoric rise as the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, Bill Gates''s journey is a testament to the power of innovation, vision, and determination. Uncover the pivotal moments that shaped Gates''s career, including the opportunities he seized as a young computer programmer, his co-founding of Microsoft at just 19, his successes in growing the business, and his dedication to philanthropy through to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Through meticulous research and captivating storytelling, this biography offers a comprehensive portrait of Bill Gates. It illuminates the principles and practices that guided his extraordinary success, providing invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone striving to make a positive impact in the world.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Visionaries series brings together entertai

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Book SynopsisChris McNab has worked as an author and editor for over 20 years. Over the course of his career, he has written more than 100 titles, many on historical and military topics as well as popular culture. His titles for Arcturus include: A History of War, and business biographies of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Elon Musk. In addition to his writing work, Chris has made regular contributions on radio and television.

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Book SynopsisChris McNab has worked as an author and editor for over 20 years. Over the course of his career, he has written more than 100 titles, many on historical and military topics as well as popular culture. His titles for Arcturus include: A History of War, and business biographies of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Elon Musk. In addition to his writing work, Chris has made regular contributions on radio and television.

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Book SynopsisOver the course of his two-decade career as an author and editor, Chris McNab has written more than 100 titles, primarily focused on historical and military topics. His titles include: Weapons of War: AK47, 20th-Century Small Arms, A History of the World in 100 Weapons, The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War, The Book of the Poppy and Hitler's Fortresses. In addition to his writing work, Chris has made regular contributions on radio and television.

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Book SynopsisChris McNab has worked as an author and editor for over 20 years. Over the course of his career, he has written more than 100 titles, many on historical and military topics as well as popular culture. His titles for Arcturus include: A History of War, and business biographies of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Elon Musk. In addition to his writing work, Chris has made regular contributions on radio and television.

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Book SynopsisBy the end of the first week of November 1942, the German Sixth Army held about 90 percent of Stalingrad. Yet the Soviets stubbornly held on to the remaining parts of the city, and German casualties started to reach catastrophic levels. In an attempt to break the deadlock, Hitler decided to send additional German pioneer battalions to act as an urban warfare spearhead. These combat engineers were skilled in all aspects of city fighting, especially in the use of demolitions and small arms to overcome defended positions and in the destruction of armored vehicles. Facing them were hardened Soviet troops who had perfected the use of urban camouflage, concealed and interlocking firing positions, close quarters battle, and sniper support.This fully illustrated book explores the tactics and effectiveness of these opposing troops during this period, focusing particularly on the brutal close-quarters fight over the Krasnaya Barrikady (Red Barricades) ordnance factory.Table of ContentsIntroduction / The Opposing Sides / Combat 1 / Combat 2 / Combat 3 / Analysis / Aftermath / Unit Organizations / Bibliography / Index

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Book SynopsisThe 1973 Yom Kippur War rewrote the textbook on the tactics of modern armored warfare. Unlike the previous major Arab-Israeli war of 1967, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) faced an enemy that had invested heavily in modern Soviet weapon systems and tactics.Using detailed color artwork and insightful analysis, this book explains how the effective use of the Soviet-supplied AT-3 Sagger (9M14 Malyutka) anti-tank missile allowed small Arab tank-killing teams to destroy Israeli armor at an astonishing rate. It also analyzes the tank that opposed it, the US-built M60A1, which had to fight for survival against the Arab Saggers, and shows how in both the Sinai and the Golan Heights, the IDF quickly learned that firepower and infantry/artillery cooperation were the keys to their survival.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Chronology / Design and Development / The Strategic Situation / Technical Specifications / The Combatants / Combat / Statistics and Analysis / Conclusion / Further Reading / Index

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Book SynopsisDuring World War II, the US Army and its allies faced a formidable challenge: the need to assault Hitler's Fortress Europe' from the sea. As a result, during 194145, the US Army had to add amphibious assault to its list of combat capabilities. Officers and troops from across the US Armed Forces had to develop the techniques and technologies to assault the coasts of Axis-occupied Europe, from logistics to beach assault and beachhead consolidation, and more. In order to win and hold a contested beachhead in the face of bitter enemy resistance, the amphibious-warfare specialists played a variety of essential battlefield roles; if the US troops could not establish a beachhead quickly, they risked being thrown back into the sea. For their part, the Germans had to devise a practical defensive doctrine that made the most of the limited resources and troops available and the terrain. The German infantry defenders immediately around the landing areas had to be able to call upon support from Table of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Salerno Anzio Omaha Beach Analysis Aftermath Unit Organizations Bibliography and Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisA fully illustrated and expertly researched guide to the tanks of Hitler''s formidable war machine.The Panzers that rolled over Europe were Germany''s most famous fighting force, and are some of the most enduring symbols of World War II. However, at the start of the war, Germany''s armor was nothing extraordinary and it was operational encounters such as facing the Soviet T-34 during Operation Barbarossa which prompted their intensive development. Tactical innovation gave them an edge where technological development had not, making Hitler''s tanks a formidable enemy. Hitler''s Tanks details the development and operational history of the light Panzer I and II, developed in the 1930s, the medium tanks that were the backbone of the Panzer Divisions, the Tiger, and the formidable King Tiger, the heaviest tank to see combat in World War II. Drawing on Osprey''s unique and extensive armor archive, Chris McNab skillfully weaves together the story of thTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION 1: The Light Panzers 2: The Panzer III 3: The Panzer IV 4: Panther Medium Tank 5: Tiger I Heavy Tank 6: King Tiger 7: Panzer Crews FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisDrawing on extensive primary source documentation, this lively study of US air assault operations and North Vietnamese countermeasures assesses the clash between two highly contrasting approaches to warfare in a particularly challenging landscape.The tactics and technologies of modern air assault--vertical deployment of troops by helicopter or similar means--emerged properly during the 1950s in Korea and Algeria. Yet it was during the Vietnam War that helicopter air assault truly came of age and by 1965 the United States had established fully airmobile battalions, brigades, and divisions, including the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).This division brought to Vietnam a revolutionary new speed and dexterity in battlefield tactics, using massed helicopters to liberate its soldiers from traditional overland methods of combat maneuver. However, the communist troops adjusted their own thinking to handle airmobile assaults. Specializing in ambush, harassment, infiltTable of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Operation Masher Operation Crazy Horse Tam Quan Analysis Aftermath Unit Organizations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis study looks at how the Soviet armed forces developed and deployed a range of machine guns that fitted with their offensive and defensive infantry tactics across six years of total war.In 1939, three machine guns dominated the Red Army's front-line infantry firepower the DShK 1938 heavy machine gun, the PM M1910 medium/heavy machine gun and the Degtyaryov DP-27, a lighter, bipod-mounted support weapon. Confronted by cutting-edge German technology during the Great Patriotic War (194145), the Soviets responded with the development of new weaponry, including the RPD light machine gun, the 7.62×54mmR SG43 medium machine gun and the improved version of the DP-27, the DPM. Taken together, all these weapons gave the Red Army a more practical range of support weapons, better able to challenge the Germans for fire superiority on the battlefield. Fully illustrated, this study explains the technology and the tactics of these machine guns. Noted authority Chris McNabTable of ContentsIntroduction Development Use Impact Conclusion Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe Six-Day War in 1967 was a lightning Israeli campaign that changed the face of the Middle East. Israel's armoured brigades, despite being heavily outnumbered on paper by Arab AFVs, managed to dominate the Arab forces tactically and technologically, through excellent gunnery and decentralized battlefield leadership. The fighting took place on three different fronts: the Sinai Front, the Jordanian Front and the Golan Heights. Each presented its own unique set of tactical and terrain challenges, from the long-range battles between massed Egyptian and Israeli armour in the scorching flatlands of the Sinai Desert, to relatively close-quarters engagements across steep and narrow terrain in the Golan Heights. Not only did the Six-Day War see the direct clash of opposing Cold War tactical approaches, but also the direct confrontation of Western and Soviet MBTs. On the Israeli side, the IDF had the British Centurion, the American M48 Patton, the M51 Super Sherman, and the French ATable of ContentsIntroduction Chronology Design and Development The Strategic Situation Technical Specifications The Combatants Combat Analysis Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the US infantry against the Chinese Army amid the unforgiving terrain of Korea during the first real clash of the Cold War.On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops invaded South Korea, triggering a bitter conflict that drew in US and other United Nations forces in support of the South, and soon prompted the Chinese to intervene on the side of the North. Featuring specially commissioned artwork, this study assesses the US and Chinese forces that clashed at Chipyongni (February 1315, 1951), Triangle Hill (October 1425, 1952), and Pork Chop Hill (July 611, 1953), casting light on the origins, doctrine, and combat effectiveness of these two very different forces during the struggle for victory in Korea. The Chinese forces fighting in Korea were composed of experienced, confident soldiers buoyed by the Communists' success in the recent Chinese Civil War. Initially armed and equipped with much the same weaponry and doctrine that they had employed in World War II, US ArTrade ReviewThis book is an excellent introduction to readers who may not know much about this war and, for those who do, it will add to their understanding. -- John Norris * Gunmart *There are tactical maps and colour illustrations to bring the action to life, with plenty of black and white photos from the conflict. A concise analysis rounds it all off. * The Armourer Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Chipyong-ni, February 15, 1951 Triangle Hill, October 14-25, 1952 Hill 598, October 14, 1952 Analysis Aftermath Unit Organizations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis study explores the organization, appearance, and equipment of both sides'' ground forces during the IranIraq War (198088).Driven by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the insecurities it provoked in Saddam Hussein''s Iraqi dictatorship, the IranIraq War would become the largest conventional conflict of the period. Curiously little-known considering its scale and longevity, the struggle between Iran and Iraq was primarily fought along the 1,458km border in a series of battles which, despite both sides being armed with modern small arms, armour and aircraft, often degenerated into attritional struggles reminiscent of World War I. Such a comparison was underlined by frequent periods of deadlock, the extensive use of trenches by both sides, and the deployment of chemical weapons by Iraq. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this study investigates the organization, appearance and equipment of the ground forces of both sides in the IranTable of ContentsIntroduction Iran-Iraq War Chronology The Iranian Army The Pasdaran The Basij Iran's Other Paramilitary Forces Iranian Weaponry and Equipment The Iraqi Army The Iraqi Republican Guard Iraqi Paramilitary Forces Iraqi Weapons and Equipment Conclusion Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisFeaturing specially commissioned artwork and carefully chosen photographs, this study charts the SVD Dragunov rifle''s development, combat use and lasting legacy, from Vietnam to Syria.Developed as a medium-range sniping rifle in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, the Dragunov stood out against most Western sniping rifle types by being semi-automatic, a configuration that marginally lowers accuracy compared to bolt-action sniping rifles, but which allows for faster follow-up shots. Even so, the SVD is still capable of taking precision killing shots out to 800m and beyond, making it a thoroughly practical combat weapon for marksmen and snipers.In this fully illustrated study, Chris McNab explores the Dragunov''s development and performance in detail. But the story of this weapon really comes to life with its combat history. It is the world''s most widespread sniping rifle, still in use in the former Soviet armies and sold to more than 40 countries worldwide. ItTrade ReviewThe versatility and effectiveness of this weapon really comes through in this excellent introduction. * Military Modelcraft International *Once again Osprey have educated me with one of their excellent titles covering a niche subject. * The Military Enthusiast Book Club *Table of ContentsIntroduction Development Use Impact Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated, this study assesses the Soviet and Waffen-SS troops who contested the cities of Kharkov and Rostov-on-Don on the Eastern Front during 194243. As the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union unfolded, two places that suffered exceptionally severely were Kharkov (now Kharkiv) in Ukraine and Rostov-on-Don in Russia. In total, Kharkov would change hands violently four times between October 1941 and August 1943, and Rostov-on-Don also four times between November 1941 and February 1943. In this book, Chris McNab examines the fighting men of the Red Army and the Waffen-SS who clashed in three battles one for Rostov (July 1942) and two for Kharkov (FebruaryMarch and August). He clearly explains the key differences between these two opponents training, tactics, weaponry, ideology and motivation and examines how these differences played out in the three engagements, which ranged from open-terrain combined-arms battles to close-quarters street fighting in major urban zones. Trade ReviewAs ever the text is accompanied by plenty of archive images along with the usual array of artwork which includes plenty of detailed maps illustrating the three battles that feature in the book, along with excellent pictures of both a German and a Russian trooper with their equipment plus some battlefield artwork as well. * Military Model Scene *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Rostov-on-Don, 20–25 July 1942 The Third Battle of Kharkov, 19 February–18 March 1943 The Fourth Battle of Kharkov, 6–11 August 1943 Analysis Aftermath Unit organizations Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHow secure is your network? The best way to find out is to attack it, using the same tactics attackers employ to identify and exploit weaknesses. With the third edition of this practical book, you'll learn how to perform network-based penetration testing in a structured manner.

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Book SynopsisAirborne assault was one of the great innovations of the 1930s and 1940s, adding a new ‘vertical’ dimension to infantry warfare. By the onset of World War II in 1939, Germany, Italy, and Russia were already advanced in their development of paratrooper units. Germany in particular demonstrated the tactical shock of paratroopers in Western Europe in 1940 and, most spectacularly, in Crete in 1941, galvanizing the UK and the United States to expand and train their own airborne forces, which they unleashed in 1943–45. The Allied paratrooper drops on D-Day (6 June 1944) and those of Operation Market Garden (17–25 September 1944) were the stuff of legend, huge in scale and ambition, but both Allied and Axis paratroopers were deployed in numerous other actions, including special forces raids.It quickly became apparent that the physical and tactical demands placed upon paratroopers required men of exceptional stamina, courage and intelligence. To create these soldiers, levels of training were unusually punishing and protracted, and those who came through to take their ‘wings’ were a true elite.The Paratrooper Training Pocket Manual provides an unusually detailed insight into what it took to make a military paratrooper, and how he was then utilized in actions where expected survival might be measured in a matter of days. Using material from British, US, German archives and other primary sources, many never before published, the book explains paratrooper theory, training and practice in detail. The content includes details of the physical training, instruction in static-line parachute deployment, handling the various types of parachutes and harnesses, landing on dangerous terrain, small-arms handling, airborne deployment of heavier combat equipment, landing in hostile drop zones, tactics in the first minutes of landing, radio comms, and much more.Featuring original manual diagrams and illustrations, plus new introductory text explaining the history and context of airborne warfare, The Paratrooper Training Pocket Manual provides a detailed insight into the principles and practice of this unique type of combat soldier.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Recruitment and Physical Training Chapter 2 Paratrooper Weapons and Equipment Chapter 3 Parachute and Glider Training Chapter 4 Drop Zone – Deployment and Tactics Chapter 5 Achieving the Objective – Defensive and Offensive Tactics Further Reading

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone. For three long months, brave young RAF pilots took off every day, ready to defend British skies against large-scale Luftwaffe raide. 'The Few' were young, but they were trained and they were determined. Eighty years on the last of the pilots to fly in the Battle of Britain are feted, and their part in World War II is widely remembered.This pocket manual covers the training that these young pilots would have had, and the air combat tactics they were taught to use against the German raiders. It also covers the role of the ground crews; control and command systems; anti-aircraft defences; and radar and raid detection.Trade ReviewA good and affordable one-stop shop for all sorts of useful info. * The Aviation Historian Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Pilot Training 2. Radar and Raid Detection 3. Command and Control 4. Anti-Aircraft Defence 5. Air Combat Tactics 6. Ground Crew Operations

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Book SynopsisThe battle for Europe in 1943-45 was one of the greatest military challenges in the history of the U.S. Army. Fighting against often veteran German forces from the mountains of Italy to the beaches of Normandy and the frozen forests of the Ardennes, hundreds of thousands of US infantrymen had to move quickly beyond their training and acquire real-world combat skills with extraordinary pace, if they were to raise their chances of survival beyond a few days. They fought in an age of total war, in which the enemy deployed heavy armor, artillery, air power, and their own infantry firepower in a battle of true equals. Without the drive and blood of the U.S. Army infantry, the Allies could not have defeated the Wehrmacht in Western Europe.Extensive documentation was provided for the in-theater US Army infantryman, from booklets rather misguidedly advising on how to behave in foreign countries through to field manuals explaining core combat tactics across squad, platoon, company, and battalion levels. This pocket manual presents critical insights from many of these sources, but also draws on broad spectrum of intelligence reports, after-action reports, and other rare publications. Together they give an inside view on what it was light to live and fight in the U.S. Army infantry during arguably the most consequential conflict in human history.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Organisation 2. Training and basic infantry skills 3. Daily life, regulations and overseas deployment 4. Weapons and equipment 5. Combat tactics - squad and platoon 6. Combat tactics - company and battalion 7. Logistics

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Book SynopsisBetween 1964 and 1975, 2.6 million American personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, of whom an estimated 1-1.6 million actually fought in combat. At the tip of the spear were the infantry, the "grunts" who entered an extraordinary tropical combat zone completely alien to the world they had left behind in the United States. In South Vietnam, and occasionally spilling over into neighboring Laos and Cambodia, they fought a relentless counterinsurgency and conventional war against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC). The terrain was as challenging as the enemy - soaring mountains or jungle-choked valleys; bleached, sandy coastal zones; major urban centers; riverine districts. Their opponents fought them with relentless and terrible ingenuity, on a daily basis with ambushes, booby traps, and mines, then occasionally with full-force offensives on a scale to rival the campaigns of World War II.This pocket manual draws its content not only from essential U.S. military field manuals of the Vietnam era, but also a vast collection of declassified primary documents, including rare after-action reports, intelligence analysis, first-hand accounts, and combat studies. Through these documents the pocket manual provides a deep insight into what it was like for infantry to live, survive, and fight in Vietnam, whether conducting a major airmobile search-and-destroy operation or conducting endless hot and humid small-unit patrols from jungle firebases. The book includes infantry intelligence documents about the NVA and VC threats, plus chapters explaining hard-won lessons about using weaponry, surviving and moving through the jungle, tactical maneuvers, and applications of the ubiquitous helicopter for combat and support.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Training 2. Kit, equipment and weaponry 3. The enemy 4. Tactics - Search-and-destroy and irregular warfare 5. Airmobile combat and air/fire support 6. Survival, escape, and evasion

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Book SynopsisWhen HMS Dreadnought was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1906 this revolutionary new class of big-gun iron-clad warship immediately changed the face of naval warfare, rendering all other battleships worldwide obsolete. The Admiralty realised that as soon as the ship was revealed to the global naval community Britain would be a in race to stay ahead, and so the first dreadnoughts were built in record time. While there were those who regarded the vessel as a triumphant revolution in naval design, the dreadnought initially had its critics, including those who thought its slower, heavier guns left it vulnerable to the secondary armament of other warships. Nevertheless, other countries, notably Germany, and the United States soon began to lay down dreadnoughts. The culmination of this arms race would be the confrontation of the British and German fleets at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 - the greatest clash of naval firepower in history. This book gives detailed insights into the design, operation and combat history of these incredible vessels.Trade ReviewWhen you pick up a Casemate book in this series, you expect to open a door on what the back cover describes as 'unparalleled detail into the weapons, equipment, and machinery of war,' and the author delivers all this in a satisfying, fine-grained read. Most engrossing, however, is his presentation of the thought work behind the design of the Dreadnought, as well as the gradual recognition of the technological evolutions that eventually made this potent machine possible. * The NYMAS Review 04/01/2023 *The history of the dreadnought is well told this extensively illustrated volume. The book con­tains more than 200 illustration, technical drawings, and photographs of various ships and their equipment, armament, and crews. * Military Heritage *Offers an overview of a time of rapid, tumultuous change in naval technology. It is lavishly illustrated; there are hundreds of photographs, technical drawings, paintings, and diagrams. The text is tightly focused, readable, and free from jargon … As an introduction to a complex and fascinating subject … McNabb has done an admirable job. * Nautical Research Journal 28/09/2022 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Layout Firepower Propulsion and Electrical Systems Crew In War and Peace Appendix Bibliography Index

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