Books by Chris McNab

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 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 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 SynopsisA hotspot in the North Atlantic, Iceland is one of the world’s most unusual countries. It is Europe’s second largest island but its most sparsely populated country. Sitting astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, linking the North Atlantic plate with the Eurasian plate, it is closer to Greenland than Europe. It lies just south of the Arctic Circle, but, warmed by Gulf Stream waters, has a temperate climate. It has fiery volcanoes and freezing glaciers, striking black sand beaches and hot geysers – the word geyser itself comes from Icelandic. And a geologically young landmass, Iceland is still taking shape: a volcanic eruption in 1963 caused the formation of the new island of Surtsey. Iceland is a fascinating exploration of this most beautiful island. From volcanoes and lava flows to geysers and geothermal pools, from bird life to whale-watching, from national parks, verdant valleys to inland tundra, and from how waterfalls are used for hydro-electric power to Reykjavik’s city life, the book is packed with 200 spectacular colour photographs. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Iceland is a stunning collection of images celebrating the world’s most curious island.Table of ContentsContents Introduction Coasts Isafjordur Bolungarvik Akranes Borgarnes Keflavik Husavik Olafsfjordur Highlands Volcanoes (both active and inactive) – Askja, Eyjafjallajökull, Hrómundartindur Geysers – Geysir Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) seen from the highlands Glaciers Langjokull Hofsjokull Vatnajokull Mýrdalsjökull Þórisjökull Eiríksjökull Þrándarjökull Tindfjallajökull Torfajökull Snæfellsjökull Outer Islands Grimsey – island within the Arctic Circle Vestmannaeyjar archipelago Surtsey Reykjavik & Town Life Hallgrímskirkja Church Rauðhólar ("red hills") rock formation Blue Lagoon thermal pools Heiðmörk conservation area Tjörnin lake Nauthólsvík Austurvöllur square Alþingishúsið parliament building Akureyri - Town Lake Þingvallavatn and Þingvellir

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Book SynopsisWhat is the key to Jeff Bezos''s success? This biography takes a deep-dive into his career and the decisions he made to become the world''s most successful business magnate.Entrepreneur and e-commerce pioneer Jeff Bezos is a success story of the business world. The executive chairman of Amazon and founder of Blue Origin, he became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes wealth index and one of the world''s most recognisable names in modern history. This book explores his empire of achievement and how his vision and hands-on efforts have led him from a start-up in his garage to his legacy today.Featuring photographs which chronicle his 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, careers and the innovative thinking that made them world-famous.

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Book SynopsisThe German Navy – known as the Kriegsmarine – played a crucial role during World War II in disrupting Allied shipping, especially in the early years, when Britain stood alone against Nazi aggression following the fall of France. Broken down by campaign and key encounters within each theatre of war, German Kriegsmarine in World War II illustrates the strengths and organizational structures of the Third Reich’s naval forces, building into a detailed compendium of information. Full-colour order of battle tree diagrams at fleet and flotilla level help the reader quickly understand how and where the ships and U-boats of the German Navy were employed at any given time between 1939 and 1945. Reference tables provide fleet strengths while organizational diagrams show the types and numbers of ships involved in specific operations, such as the U-Boat wolfpacks that hunted Allied merchant shipping in the North Atlantic and the invasion fleet used for the assault on Crete. With extensive organizational diagrams and full-colour operations maps, German Kriegsmarine in World War II is an easy-to-use guide to German naval forces. The book is an essential reference for anyone with a serious interest in the naval warfare of World War II.Table of ContentsThe Pre-War Kriegsmarine Early Operations: 1939–40 Surface War in the West: 1941–43 The U-Boat War: 1939–41 The U-Boat War: 1942–45 The Mediterranean: 1941–45 Defeat in the North: 1942–45 Appendices Glossary of Key Abbreviations Acknowledgements 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 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 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 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 SynopsisAuthor Chris McNab and photographer Patrick Bunce go above and below deck to discover how a supercarrier is built, examining its structure, systems, departments, flight deck and hangar deck. With the full cooperation of the US Navy, they join the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) to discover how a supercarrier operates, looking at flight operations, logistics and life onboard. Commissioned in 1977, this awesome carrier has a complement of more than 6,000 crew and an embarked air wing of anything up to 90 aircraft, together capable of delivering more than 150 combat sorties per day. Few manmade objects in the modern world represent power projection as emphatically as the supercarriers of the US Navy. Emerging in the aftermath of the Second World War in the Forrestal and Enterprise classes, the supercarrier concept has become most potently embodied in the great Nimitz-class vessels, ten of which have been commissioned since 1975. It is these warships, plus the now emerging supercarriers of the Gerald R. Ford class, that form the lethal heart of the US Navy’s Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs), previously known as Carrier Battle Groups (CBGs). Author Chris McNab and photographer Patrick Bunce go above and below deck to discover how a supercarrier is built, examining its structure, systems, departments, flight deck and hangar deck. With the full cooperation of the US Navy, they join the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) to discover how a supercarrier operates, looking at flight operations, logistics and life onboard. Commissioned in 1977, this awesome carrier has a complement of more than 6,000 crew and an embarked air wing of anything up to 90 aircraft, together capable of delivering more than 150 combat sorties per day. Illustrated with more than 250 photographs, many taken specially for this manual aboard the Dwight D. Eisenhower by internationally respected photographer Patrick Bunce, the Haynes Supercarrier Manual offers an unrivalled look at the greatest warships afloat in the 21st century. • Published with full cooperation of the US Navy. • Features super carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. • Insights into how a US super carrier operates and the working lives of its crew. • Fully illustrated with specially commissioned photography. The Haynes Super Carrier Manual offers unrivalled insights into understanding how a modern US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is operated. Published with the cooperation of the US Navy, authors Chris McNab and Patrick Bunce take readers inside a super carrier to reveal how and why they are at the heart of global American military force. The Haynes Super Carrier Manual offers unrivalled insights into understanding how a modern US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is operated. Chris McNab is an author and editor specialising in military history and military technology. He has published more than 40 books, including several for Haynes. He lives and works in South Wales. Patrick Bunce is a US-based photographer who has contributed to a wide range of military book and magazine publications. Introduction Chapter 1 History of the supercarrier Chapter 2 Structure, major systems and departments Chapter 3 Flight deck, hangar deck and key flight personnel Chapter 4 Flight operations Chapter 5 Major electronic and defensive systems Chapter 6 Carrier logistics Chapter 7 Daily life and operations Bibliography and further readingTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 History of the supercarrier Chapter 2 Structure, major systems and departments Chapter 3 Flight deck, hangar deck and key flight personnel Chapter 4 Flight operations Chapter 5 Major electronic and defensive systems Chapter 6 Carrier logistics Chapter 7 Daily life and operations Bibliography and further reading

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Book SynopsisElon Musk is one of the world''s most successful entrepreneurs -- the CEO of Tesla, the founder of SpaceX and one of the richest people on the planet. Raised in South Africa, he attended a number of universities, before founding the software company Zip2 in 1995. Just four years later it was bought for $307 million. X.com, the online bank he founded in 1999, merged to form PayPal the following year. His business interests have expanded to include aerospace, artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. This book is a deep dive into his career and how he built his business empire. A 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, careers and the innovative thinking that made them world-famous.

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Book SynopsisThey define landscapes, people risk their lives to climb them, and they can even make their own weather. Mountains often serve as geographic features that determine natural borders of countries. Their height can influence weather patterns, stalling storms that roll off the oceans and squeezing water from the clouds. And many are the subject of myth and legend, both expressions of nature’s power and symbols of the sacred. Mountains is arranged by geographical region, featuring the greatest, most spectacular, most infamous and legendary mountains from every part of the world. Read about Mount Aconcagua, with an elevation of 6,959 metres (2,831ft), and the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere; or Half Dome, the semi-spherical mountain that towers over the valley floor in Yosemite National Park; or Mount Olympus, reputed home of the Ancient Greek gods; or K2, considered by many to be the most difficult mountain to climb in the Himalayas; or Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia – a popular hike for many thousands of tourists each year, and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia; or Gunung Agung, the active volcano that remains sacred to the Balinese people as a replica of the mythological Mount Meru of Hindu legend. Each entry is accompanied with a caption explaining the significance and history of the mountain. Illustrated with 200 outstanding colour photographs, Mountains is a visual feast for those who want to gaze down from the roof of the world.Table of ContentsEUROPE Matterhorn Grossglockner Mount Aragats Mount Olympus Mont Blanc Pasterze Ben Nevis Snowdon Shkhara Triglav Dufourspitze Kirkjufell Mount Ahkka Mount Galdhøpiggen Trollveggen Mount Elbrus Tre Cime di LavaredoASIA & PACIFIC Mount Everest Jebel Shams Qurnat as Sawda’ Mount Ararat Karakorum Range Takht-e Soleyman Damavand Sabalan Hindu Kush Hemis National Park Kangchenjunga Himal K2 Makalu Mount Khan Tengri Khüiten Peak Mount Fansipan Lhotse Kumaun Himalayas Mount Tasman Mauna Kea Mount Hallasan Annapurna I Gasherbrum II / K4 Annapurna III Gasherbrum II Mount Hua Mount Kinabalu Mount Rinjani Mount Agung Mount Merapi Mount Tambora Mount Fuji Mount Yari Aoraki/Mount CookAFRICA Mount Toubkal Simien Mountains Kilimanjaro Mount Kenya Stanley Speke Drakensberg Mountains KarisimbiNORTH AMERICA Elbert Mount Mitchell Denali Saint Elias Mount Rainier Foraker Logan Lucania El Capitan Pico de Orizaba/Citlaltépetl Mount Whitney Lone Pine Peak Half Dome Grand Teton Popocatépetl Mount VancouverSOUTH AMERICA Mount Fitz Roy Pico Cristóbal Colón Pico Paraná Andes Cordillera Oriental Mount Huascarán Licancabur Aconcagua Ojos del Salado Mercedario

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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 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 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 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 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 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 SynopsisQuite simply, without engineers the U.S. Army would have been unable to fight World War II. The men of the Corps of Engineers, with the strength of more than 700 battalions mobilised during World War II, were tasked with every imaginable engineering challenge. In rear areas and back in the United States they built the facilities essential for everyday military life: showers, toilets, barrack blocks, military hospitals, training camps, storage depots, and much more. To keep logistics flowing to the front, they constructed or repaired thousands of miles of roads and bridges, plus built airfields to support Allied strategic and tactical air operations. Engineers also created endless chains of defensive positions, from simple trench systems to complex bunker networks, as well as retrieving damaged vehicles and equipment from still-contested battlefields. Combat engineers, meanwhile, occupied some of the most dangerous frontline roles in the American armed forces. Heavily armed with demolitions and weapons, plus weighed down by engineering tools and even driving armoured bulldozers, they were tasked with destroying enemy strongpoints, bridges, equipment, vehicles and many other obstacles to the advance, in both overland and amphibious operations.Building the Battlefield: Tactics and Techniques of U.S. Army Engineers in World War II brings together an exceptional collection of primary sources from engineering field manuals, technical manuals, and other official publications. They provide a detailed insight into the work and skills of the U.S. Army engineers, including building a field fortification, laying and defusing mines, making a contested river crossing, or camouflaging a defensive position properly. Through these texts, we gain practical insight into the exceptional individuals who often combined first-rate infantry fighting skills with engineering skill and problem-solving ingenuity.

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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 SynopsisFrom the American Civil War and the introduction of the metal cartridge in the 1860s up to the present day, The Encyclopedia of Weapons is an accessible reference guide to the most important small arms, armoured vehicles, aircraft and ships from all around the world. The book ranges from the first Gatling guns to favourites such as the Lee Enfield rifle and the AK-47; in terms of aircraft the book includes World War I biplanes, World War II’s Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter and on to modern stealth aircraft; in naval weaponry the book features early ironclad submarines, classic ships such as Bismarck and the nuclear subs of today; from the first tanks on the Western Front in World War I, such as the Mark V Male, the book covers the development of armoured fighting vehicles, featuring such classics as the Soviet T-34 and modern tanks like the M1 Abrams. With an entry per page, each weapon is illustrated with two colour artworks – some of them cutaways – a colour or black-&-white photograph, an authoritative history on its development, production and service history and a box of essential specifications. Featuring more than 400 entries, The Encyclopedia of Weapons is a fascinating reference work on the most important tanks, guns, military ships and aircraft over the past 150 years.Table of ContentsIntroduction TANKS & AFVs Mark V Male (1917) Whippet (1917) Renault FT-17 Sturmpanzerwagen A7V (1918) Vickers 6-ton (1928) BT-5 (1932) Type 95 Kyugo Light Tank (1934) T-35 (1935) Panzer II Ausf F (1936) Somua S35 Char B1 bis (1937) Type 97 Chi-Ha Panzer 38(t) (1938) Mk III Valentine Infantry Tank (1939) Panzer III Ausf F (1940) StuG III KV-1A Heavy Tank (1940) Panzer IV Ausf F1 (1941) Mk VI Crusader I Cruiser Tank (1941) Churchill Mk IV (1941) M3A3 Stuart (1941) M3A3 General Lee (1941) T-70 (1942) T-34 Model 1943 (1942) Panzer VI Tiger Ausf E (1942) M4A4 Sherman (1942) Semovente DA 75/18 Panzer V Panther Ausf D (1943) KV-85 Heavy Tank (1943) M26 Pershing Churchill AVRE (1943) Churchill Crocodile T-34/85 (1944) Sherman Crab Mine-Clearing Tank (1944) Sherman VC Firefly (1944) Cromwell Mk VIII (1944) Tiger II ‘King Tiger’ (1944) Jagdpanzer VI Jagdtiger (1944) M-24 Chaffee (1944) Sturmmorser Tiger IS-3 (1945) Centurion A41 (1945) T-54/55 (1947) M41 Walker Bulldog AMX-13 (1952) M-48 Patton (1952) PT-76 (1952) M-60 Patton (1960) T-62 (1961) Chieftain Mk5 (1963) Leopard 1 (1965) M551 Sheridan (1966) Stridsvagn 103B (1967) Scimitar (1970) T -72 (1971) Merkava (1977) Leopard 2 (1979) M2 Bradley (1981) Challenger 1 (1982) Stingray (1989) M1A1 Abrams (1985) AMX-56 Leclerc (1991) T-90 (1992) M1A2 Abrams (1996) Type 99 (1998) Challenger 2 (1998) Arjun (2004) K2 Black Panther (2013) T -14 Armata Autoblinde Peugeot (1914) Panhard Type 178 (1935) SdKfz 232 SdKfz 251 SdKfz 234 Puma AEC Armoured Car Mk III T -17E1 Staghound I LVT-4 Water Buffalo Panhard EBR/FL-11 (1954) M113 (1954) M50 Ontos BMP-1 (1961) BTR-60 Saladin Marder BTR-70 (1972) LAV-25 (1983) BTR-80 (1984) Pandur (1985) Warrior MICV (1986) Centauro Ratel BMP-3 (1990) Type 89 (1991) AAV7 BTR-90 (2004) Stryker Viking BvS10 Bulldog IFV ARTILLERY & MORTARS Canone de 75 Mle 1897 (1897) Ordnance QF 13pdr (1904) Ordnance BL 60pdr Mk 1 77mm M96nA (1905) Ordnance QF 4.5in howitzer (1908) Skoda 305mm Howitzer Canon de 105mm Schneider Mle 1913 (1913) Big Bertha (1914) Paris Gun (1918) 105mm leFH 18 (1927) 15cm (5.9in) sFH 18 Katyusha rocket launcher Wurfgranate 41 122mm (4.8in) Howitzer Model 1938 (M-30) 15cm (5.9in) SIG 33 105mm Howitzer M2A1 (1941) Ordnance QF 25 pdr Mk 2 152mm Howitzer M1943 (1943) 105mm Howitzer M3 (1945) OTO-Melara 105mm Mod 56 (late 1950s) BM-21 rocket launcher D-30 Howitzer M109 155mm SP gun 2S3 (Soviet) Soltam M68 Gun (1968) 155mm Howitzer FH-70 (1974) 105mm Light Gun L118 (1976) 155mm Howitzer M198 (1978) M270 MLRS 2S19 Mista (Soviet) M777 Howitzer (2005) 40mm Bofors L/60 (1929) 88mm Flak 18 (1933) 3.7in QF Gun Mk 1 (1937) 3.7cm Flak 36 20mm Flak 38 (1939) Oerlikon 20mm (1939) 90mm M1 (1940) ZSU-23-4 Gepard M167 Vulcan (1961) 5cm Pak 38 (1940) 7.5cm Pak 40 (1940) 3in Gun M5 (1940) Ordnance QF 17pdr Gun (1942) 76.2mm M1942 (1942) ZiS-3 Ordnance ML 3in Mortar (1932) SGrW 34 81mm Mortar (1934) M1938 120mm Mortar (1938) 60mm Mortar M1 (1941) M224A1 Mortar (2011) M120 Mortar System AIRCRAFT, HELICOPTERS & DRONES Fokker E series (1915) Sopwith Camel (1916) Nieuport 17 (1916) SE.5a (1916) Fokker Dr.1 (1917) SPAD XIII (1917) Polikarpov I-16 (1934) Messerschmitt Bf 109 (1935) Hawker Hurricane (1935) A5M Claude Supermarine Spitfire (1936) Douglas SBD Dauntless (1938) Mitsubishi A6M Zero (1939) Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (1939) North American P-51 Mustang (1940) Yakovlev Yak-1/3/7/9 (1940) Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1941) Grumman F6F Hellcat (1942) Vought F4U Corsair (1942 Messerschmitt Me 262 (1942) Northrop P-61 Black Widow (1942) Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1944) MiG 15 (1947) North American F-86 Sabre (1949) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (1950) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (1955) McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1958) Mirage III (1961) Grumman F-14 Tomcat (1970) Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon (1974) Panavia Tornado (1974) Sukhoi Su-27 ‘Flanker’ (1977) Mikoyan MiG-29 ‘Fulcrum’ (1977) Dassault Mirage 2000 (1978) McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (1978) Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle (1986) Dassault Rafale (1986) Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (1990) Eurofighter Typhoon (1994) Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (2006) Breguet XIX Junkers Ju 87 Stuka (1935) Junkers Ju 88 (1936) Messerschmitt Bf 110 (1936) Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik (1939) De Havilland Mosquito (1940) SBD-3 Dauntless (1940) Hawker Typhoon (1942) General Dynamics F-111 (1964) Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II (1972) McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II (1978) Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (1981) Gotha bombers (1917) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1935) North American B-25 Mitchell (1939) Avro Lancaster (1941) B-24 Liberator (1941) Boeing B-29 Superfortress (1944) English Electric Canberra Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (1952) Avro Vulcan (1952) Tupolev TU-95 (1956) Tupolev Tu-22M (1972) Northrop B-2 Spirit (1989) Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1935) Consolidated Catalina (1936) Me 323 Gigant Lockheed C-130 Hercules (1954) Lockheed SR-71 ‘Blackbird’ (1962) Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (1968) E-3 Sentry UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) AH-64 Apache Mi-24 'Hind' UH-60 Black Hawk MQ-1 Predator (1991) RQ-4 Global Hawk (1998) MQ-9 Reaper (2001) MQ-8B Fire Scout (2009) WARSHIPS, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS & SUBMARINES CSS Hunley (1863) Gustav Zede (1893 USS Holland (1897) B-Class (1904) U-9 (1910) HMS E-11 (1914) Deutschland (1916) UC-25 (1916) Surcouf (1929) USS Nautilus (V-6) (1930) U-47 (Type VIIB) (1938) U-459 (Type XIV) (1941) Type XXI I-400 USS Tench (1944) USS Nautilus (1954) Sturgeon Class (1966) HMS Resolution (1966) Project 705 Lira USS Ohio USS Los Angeles (1974) Le Triomphant (1994) Kursk (1994) USS Seawolf (1995) Type 039 (Song) (1999) Dolphin Class (1999) Astute Class (2007) Type 094 (Jin Class) (2007) Soryu (2009) INS Arihant (2015) HMS Furious (1917) HMS Eagle (1924) Akagi (1927) USS Lexington (1927) Hiryu (1937) USS Yorktown (1937) USS Enterprise (1938) HMS Ark Royal (1938) Jun’yo (1942) USS Lexington (1943) USS Intrepid (1943) Shinano (1944) USS Midway (1945) HMS Eagle (1951) USS Forrestal (1955) HMS Hermes/INS Viraat (1959) Clemenceau (1960) USS Enterprise (1961) HMS Fearless (1965) USS Nimitz (1975) Kiev (1975) USS Tarawa HMS Invincible (1980) Admiral Kuznetsov (1995) HMS Ocean (1998) Charles de Gaulle (2001) USS Ronald R. Reagan (2003) Liaoning (2012) HMAS Canberra (2014) Izumo (2015) HMS Queen Elizabeth (2017) USS Gerald R. Ford (2017) INS Vikrant (2018) USS Monadnock HMS Devastation Imperator Alexander II USS Maine Mikasa HMS Dreadnought Vittorio Emanuele HMS Indomitable USS South Carolina USS Utah SMS Derfflinger HMS Royal Oak USS Texas Fuso HMS Hood HMS Rodney KMS Deutschland/Lutzow KMS Scharnhorst De Ruyter Hipper class heavy cruiser Richelieu (1940) KMS Bismarck Vittorio Veneto Yamato Tirpitz USS Indiana USS Iowa Moskva class Sovremennyy class Kirov Type 23 frigate Type 22 Broadsword Visby class Ticonderoga class Arleigh Burke class Type 45 destroyer SMALL ARMS Adams revolver Colt M1860 and M1861 Borchardt C/93 Mauser C/96 Webley & Scott Mk IV and Mk VI Pistole Parabellum Colt M1911 Colt Detective Special Browning GP35 HP (1935) Walther P38 Beretta 92 Glock 17 Desert Eagle pistol SiG P320 Chassepot rifle Dreyse Needle Gun Martini-Henry Mosin-Nagant SMLE (1903) M1903 Springfield (1903) Kar 98k (1935) M1 Garand (1936) M1 Carbine (1942) FG 42 (1942) StG 44 AK-47/AKM (1949) EM2 FN FAL/L1A1 SLR (1954) M14 rifle (1959) Heckler & Koch G3 (1959) CETME Model 58 M16 rifle (1963) M21 sniper rifle (1969) Galil rifle (1973) AK-74 (1974) Steyr AUG (1977) FAMAS (1978) PSG 1 sniper rifle Vektor R4 Dragunov M16A2 (and Colt Commando) SA80 (1985) Barrett M82A1 (1989) M4 Carbine (1994) Heckler & Koch G36 (1995) OICW QBZ-03 (2003) M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (2008) FN SCAR (2009) AK103 AK-12 (2010) M27 IAR Bergmann MP 18 (1918) Thompson M1928 MP 38/MP 40 MAS 38 Sten Mk 2 PPSh-41 Austen SMG M3A1 ‘Grease Gun’ Sterling L2A1 Uzi Heckler & Koch MP5 BXP SMG Calico M950 + M960A P90 PDW Gatling Gun (1878) Madsen Maxim M1910 (Maschinengewehr 08) Lewis Gun (1911) Vickers Machine Gun (1912) Hotchkiss M1914 BAR M1919 Browning (1919) M2 Browning .50 cal (1933) MG 34 (1936) Bren Gun (1938) MG 42 (1942) RPD machine gun (1953) RPK M60 machine gun (1957) FN MAG (1958) PK machine gun (1961) L86A1 LSW FN Minimi CETME Ameli Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisWorld’s Worst Military Disasters examines some of the worst battle defeats in military history from ancient times through to the present day, including some of the most famous battles in history. The accounts range from remarkable stories of how the world’s great powers met military defeat at the unlikely hands of ill-equipped native peoples, such as the events at Little Big Horn, to embarrassing technical failures and miscommunication evidenced during Operation Eagle Claw. World’s Worst Military Disasters investigates military catastrophes originating from all kinds of circumstances. Each fascinating account gives a full and detailed analysis of the events leading up to the disaster, followed by studies of the strategies used during the manoeuvres and the reasons for their failure. Learn about the blunders at Pearl Harbor, the attack at Stirling Bridge and find out the reasons for thousands of people dying at the siege and fall of Jerusalem. Each story is highly illustrated bringing every battle and military mishap to life, plus key facts outline the most important information and allows the reader the see facts at a glance. Whether the result of enemy action or pure human error, World’s Worst Military Disasters offers an educational and riveting read.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Ancient Battles 2000BC-300BC Battle of Megiddo (c.1479) Kadesh (c.1274 BC) Marathon (490 BC) Salamis (480 BC) Battle of Gaugamela (331 BC) 2. Roman Victories, Roman Defeats 300 BC-AD450 Cannae (216 BC) Battle of Zama (202 BC) Battle of Carrhae (53 BC) Battle of Actium (31 BC) Teutoburger Wald (AD 9) Battle of Adrianople (378) 3. The Dark Ages 450-1100 Battle of Vouille (507) Battle of Dara (530) Battle of Tours (733 or 734) Battle of Talas (751) Jerusalem (1099) 4. Medieval Melees (1100-1500) Hattin (1187) Stirling Bridge (1297) Bannockburn (1314) Crecy (1346) Nicopolis (1396) Battle of Tannenberg (1410) Agincourt (1415) Fall of Constantinople (1453) Nancy (1477) Battle of Bosworth (1485) 5. Early Modern Disasters 1500– 1763 Flodden (1513) Lepanto (1571) Battle of Nagashino (1575) Spanish Armada (1588) Yellow Ford (1598) Magdeburg (1631) Breitenfeld (1631) Blenheim (1704) Culloden (1746) Rossbach (1757) Leuthen (1757) Minden (1759) 6. Imperial Disasters 1760–1900 Saratoga (1777) Ulm (1805) Austerlitz (1805) Jena/Auerstadt (1806) Retreat from Moscow (1812) Burgos (1812) Afghanistan (1842) Antietam (1862) Fredericksburg (1862) Little Bighorn (1876) Isandlwana (1879) Adowa (1896) Spion Kop (1900) 7. Modern Catastrophes 1900–2000 Verdun (1916) Somme (1916) Dunkirk and the Fall of France (1940) Crete (1941) Kiev (1941) Pearl Harbor (1941) Singapore (1942) Midway (1942) Dieppe (1942) Stalingrad (1942/43) Kursk (1943) Byelorussia (1944) Warsaw uprising (1944) Arnhem (1944) Korea (1950) Dien Bien Phu (1954) Six-Day War (1967) Operation Eagle Claw (1980) Bravo Two Zero (1991) Mogadishu (1993) Fall of Mosul (2014) Index

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Book SynopsisWith striking color photographs exploring 100 areas, Abandoned Towns is a fascinating visual history of the mysteries of lost worlds.   Gold rush towns abandoned when new boomtowns emerge elsewhere or the gold has run out, towns deserted when caught in war zones, settlements evacuated due to natural disasters or chemical spills—seeing a town devoid of people is an uncanny feeling. Where has everyone gone? And why aren’t they coming back? From Pripyat in Ukraine to Bodie in California to English villages requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence during World War II, from Greek leper colonies to deserted Italian mountain villages, Abandoned Towns is a brilliant pictorial work examining lost worlds. With reasons ranging from the collapse of local industry to being pushed aside to make way for a new industry, from earthquakes and volcanoes to man-made chemical spills, from war zones to demilitarized zones, the book explores a wide range of desolate urban environments from around the globe. And with these places left to nature, we can not only see how nature reclaims the land, but also gain a glimpse into the past free from humankind’s modernizing hands.

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Book SynopsisA hotspot in the North Atlantic, Iceland is one of the world's most unusual countries. It is Europe's second largest island but its most sparsely populated country. Sitting astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, linking the North Atlantic plate with the Eurasian plate, it is closer to Greenland than Europe. It lies just south of the Arctic Circle, but, warmed by Gulf Stream waters, has a temperate climate. It has fiery volcanoes and freezing glaciers, striking black sand beaches and hot geysers the word geyser itself comes from Icelandic. And a geologically young landmass, Iceland is still taking shape: a volcanic eruption in 1963 caused the formation of the new island of Surtsey. Iceland is a fascinating exploration of this most beautiful island. From volcanoes and lava flows to geysers and geothermal pools, from bird life to whale-watching, from national parks, verdant valleys to inland tundra, and from how waterfalls are used for hydro-electric power to Reykjavik's city life,

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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 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 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 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 SynopsisDuring the later stages of the Vietnam War, the US-made M41 Walker Bulldog light tank fought the Soviet-designed T-54 main battle tank in a series of battles in Laos and Vietnam. Fully illustrated, this engaging study investigates the origins, combat record, and legacy of these two armored fighting vehicles.Illustrated with full-color artwork as well as rare and revealing photographs from both sides, this book studies these two iconic tanks in Vietnamese service, examining how their differing designs and fighting doctrines affected their performance in this unique theater of combat.During the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union supplied all manner of weapon systems to the opposing sides, including tanks and armored vehicles. Two tanks in particular took momentary prominence in the later years of the conflict. On the South Vietnamese side, it was the US M41 Walker Bulldog; for the communist North Vietnamese, the Soviet-supplied T-54 main baTable of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Design and Development /The Strategic Situation /Technical Specifications /The Combatants /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Conclusion /Bibliography /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 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 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 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 SynopsisThe events of 1939–1945 had such a dramatic impact on the world that it is easy to forget that Allied victory was far from certain, especially in the early part of the war when both the Nazis in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific were sweeping all before them. History of World War II chronicles the war as it happened, focusing on key battles and events that act as signposts in the slow change of fortunes of either side. Divided into two sections, one on each major theatre, the book describes such famous events as the attack on Pearl Harbor, the battle of Stalingrad, the Normandy landings, the fall of Berlin, and the struggle for Iwo Jima. Linking each famous event is an in-depth chronology detailing other events happening elsewhere, building into a snapshot of the war at that point. In each section are spreads comparing and contrasting the strengths of essential weapons in that battle: fighter aircraft in the Battle of Britain, tanks at Kursk, landing aircraft at D- Day and in the Pacific. Each of these spreads is packed with colourful diagrams, graphs and charts to help you grasp the relative strengths of, for example, different aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway, US versus Japanese small arms at Okinawa and anti- tank guns in the Normandy campaign, among many other engagements. The final part of the book provides a chronology of the war. Highly illustrated with colour maps and both colour and black-and-white photographs and colour artworks, History of World War II is a both a handy reference volume on the progress of the conflict and the weapons used to fight it.Table of ContentsPART ONE: THE WAR IN EUROPE 1. Incredible victory: The battle of the River Plate 2. Battle for Finland: The winter war 3. Breakthrough: Sedan 4. The Fall of France: Escape from Dunkirk 5. The Battle of Britain: Victory of the Few 6. Operation judgement: The Taranto raid 7. O’Connor’s victory: Operation Compass 8. Hitler Strikes South: Germany invades the Balkans 9. Death from above: The airborne invasion of Crete 10. The hunt for the Bismarck 11. Panzergruppe Guderian: The drive on Smolensk 1941 12. Stalin’s winter offensive 13. Death on the Neva: The siege of Leningrad 14. The battle of Sevastopol: Conquest of the Crimea 15. Gazala and Tobruk: The Desert Fox in action 16. Forgotten sacrifice The Arctic convoys 17. Disaster at Dieppe: No second front 18. Operation Torch: America in Europe 19. Drive for the Volga 20. El Alamein: Montgomery’s victory 21. Stalingrad - Death of an Army 22. Kasserine: The Desert Fox strikes back 23. Kharkov: Manstein’s masterpiece 24. Kursk: Turning point in the east 25. Target for tonight: The night battles over Germany 26. The Schweinfurt raids. Battle over Germany 27. Operation Husky: The invasion of Sicily 28. The Battle of the Atlantic 29. Big Week: Striking at the heart of the Reich 30. Cassino: Battle for the monastery 31. ‘A stranded whale’: The Anzio landings 32. D-Day: The Normandy landings 33. The destruction of Army Group Centre 34. Normandy breakout 35. Death of a city: The Warsaw rising 36. Operation Market Garden: The battle for Arnhem 37. The last blitzkrieg: The Ardennes offensive 38. Storming into Germany: 39. Battle for Budapest 40. The battle of the Rhine crossings 41. Battle for Berlin: The Fall of the Reich PART TWO: THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC 42. Day of infamy: Pearl Harbor 43. Fall of Empires: Japanese Blitzkrieg 44. Coral Sea: Carriers in action 45. The Battle of Midway: Decision in the Pacific 46. Battle of Guadalcanal: All for an airfield 47. Solomons: The sea battles 48. Kokoda Trail: New Guinea 1942-3 49. Bloody Tarawa: Battle for the Gilberts 50. Imphal and Kohima: Victory of the Forgotten Army 51. The great Marianas turkey shoot 52. Leyte Gulf: Final victory 53. Return to the Philippines 54. Strangling Japan: The submarine war in the Pacific 55. The sands of Iwo Jima 56. The road to Mandalay: Triumph in Burma 57. Okinawa: End of an empire PART THREE: CHRONOLOGY

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Book SynopsisThis Pitkin Guide explores the reality, and unpacks the myths, of ‘Tommy’, the British soldier on the Western Front in the First World War. It looks at every aspect of his personal experience – uniform, kit, trench cuisine, health and hygiene, pay, training and weaponry. It conveys the horrors of the early days of industrial warfare, from machine guns and artillery barrages to close-quarters combat within the enemy trenches and bunkers, and much much more. As well as the most visible aspects of the Tommy’s experience, it also delves into more hidden worlds, and answers key questions. What did the Tommy do on his rest periods behind the frontlines? What caused him to suffer from shell shock, and how was he treated? How was he punished for disciplinary offences? These questions and many more are answered through a factual narrative.

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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 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 SynopsisThis book explores the origins, development, combat use and lasting influence of Nazi Germany’s automatic rifles, focusing on the Gew 41(W), Gew 43/Kar 43, FG 42 and MP 43/StG 44. The Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939–40 convinced many observers that most infantry combat took place at closer ranges than the 750–1,000m. From 1941 Germany’s arms designers took note and produced a new series of infantry firearms. This study not only provides a detailed technical description of each weapon, but also explores how the firearms performed on the battlefields of World War II. The combat takes us from the FG 42 in the hands of Fallschirmjäger at Monte Cassino through to StG 44s being used by Waffen-SS soldiers on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Postwar service is also studied, such as the Gew 43’s adoption by the Czech Army and the StG 44’s use by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War. Setting each firearm in its tactical and historical context, and employing striking photographs and full-colour artwork, firearms expert Chris McNab sets out the absorbing story of this distinctive and influential series of weapons.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Development /Use /Impact /Select Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisWho’s going to guide you when your military boot camp class is over? What’s going to help you prepare for the next boot camp challenge? With the aid of superb line artworks, SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Extreme Fitness demonstrates to the reader how special forces soldiers are trained to reach and maintain peak physical fitness. The book explores the different training methods to build up physical strength, speed, agility and endurance, across running, swimming, weight training, circuit training and triathlon events. In addition, it addresses the importance of diet and nutrition, injuries and rest, and using mental fitness to help physical health. With more than 300 easy-to-follow artworks, training tips and workouts used by the U.S. Navy SEALs and British Royal Marines, Extreme Fitness is the definitive guide for the person who wants to be their best.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Preparing the Body2. Military Workouts3. Extreme Running4. Extreme Water5. Extreme Resistance6. Mixing It Up7. Mental Preparation8. InjuriesGlossaryIndex

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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 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 SynopsisWorld’s Worst Historical Disasters examines some of the most significant natural and man-made disasters in world history, from those almost lost in the mists of time, such as the plague in Athens which killed 75 per cent of the population and the earthquake in Corinth that left 45,000 people dead to modern day catastrophes such as the New Delhi air collision and the Samastipur train disaster which both cost hundreds of lives. All kinds of horrendous disasters are covered including plagues, earthquakes, volcanoes, genocides, floods, train crashes and aeroplane crashes. Each fascinating account gives a full and detailed analysis of the events leading up to the disaster, the actual disaster itself and then the extent of the damage and the dreadful aftermath. Learn about the massacre at Milan, the great fire of London and the historic San Francisco earthquake. Each story is highly illustrated bringing every disaster to life, plus key facts outline the most important information and allows the reader the see facts at a glance. Whether the result of mankind or an inevitable and uncontrollable act of nature, World’s Worst Historical Disasters will provide an educational and riveting read.Table of ContentsAncient Disasters: 3000BC – 0 Sodom and Gomorrah (2nd millennium BC) Modern science throws light on what could have caused the violent event recounted in the Bible. Indus Valley (1750 BC) The soil turns saline in the Indus Valley, the crops fail, and two great cities (Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro) fall into ruin. Thera (1628 BC) A massive volcanic eruption destroys the city of Akrotiri in Greece and turns the sky yellow over China. Aegean (c.1650) A tsunami 150m (500ft) high devastates the coastline of Crete. Athens (429 BC) Seventy-five per cent of Athens is wiped out by plague. Imperial Disasters: 0 – 1000 AD Rome (64) Fire beginning in the Circus Maximus destroys half the city. Pompeii (79) Pompeii is destroyed in a massive volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius. Rome (189) Plague kills 2000 people every day in Rome. Antioch (526) Over 200,000 people are killed in a massive earthquake Milan (539) The population of Milan, 300,000 people, are massacred by the Ostrogoths. Constantinople (732) Plague reduces the population of Constantinople by around 50 per cent. Corinth (856) An earthquake destroys the great city, leaving 45,000 dead. Medieval Disasters: 1000 – 1500 Jerusalem (1099) The Crusaders kill 40,000 people in Jerusalem, although they themselves have suffered 240,000 dead from disease and starvation. Northern Hemisphere (c.1200) The onset of the ‘Little Ice Age’ results in starvation, crop failure and epidemics across the northern hemisphere. Japan (1274) Kublai Khan’s invasion fleet is destroyed off the coast of Japan by a typhoon, sending 200 ships and 13,000 men to the bottom of the sea. Europe (1347–51) The Black Death plague kills 75 million people – one third of the population of Europe. Hispaniola (1493) The Spanish begin colonizing the Americas, beginning the destruction of entire American civilisations and the deaths of 24 million from war and disease. Africa (1497) Portugal establishes its first colonies in Africa, and begins the transatlantic slave trade which will cost over 10 million African lives. Early Modern Disasters: 1500 – 1700 Lisbon (1531) An earthquake wrecks the historic city. Natal (1552) The Portuguese ship Sao Joao runs aground on the Natal coast, drowning 100 and costing the lives of a further 500 during their walk to the nearest Portuguese outpost. Shansi province (1556) An earthquake kills 830,000 people, the greatest seismic disaster in history. New England (1617) Smallpox decimates the North American Indians of New England. North Atlantic (1622) The Spanish galleon Atocha sinks in a storm with 200 people and 200 million pesos on board. India (1632–69) Famine kills four million people in India following a severe drought. London (1666) The Great Fire of London turns large parts of central London to ashes. Zenta (1697) 10,000 Turks drown in the River Zenta when attacked by the army of Eugene of Savoy. Industrial Age Disasters: 1700 – 1900 Japan (1703) The city of Edo is wiped out by earthquake, with 200,000 dead. Lisbon (1755) A huge underwater earthquake destroys Lisbon through tremors, fire and tsunamis. India (1769) Ten million people die in the Great Famine of Bengal. Japan (1783) The eruption of Mount Asama wipes out Japanese crop yields, resulting in massive famine and infanticide. Moscow (1812) Moscow is burnt to the ground by Russian saboteurs. Sumbawa Island (1815) An enormous volcanic eruption in Indonesia ejects 50 cubic kilometres of magma into the air. Russia (1830) A cholera epidemic kills one million people. Ireland (1845) The potato crop fails and Europe-wide starvation takes hold. Mississippi River (1865) The paddle steamer Sultana, chronically overloaded with Civil War veterans, blows up and kills 1700 soldiers. Mobile, Alabama (1865) An ammunition magazine explodes, wrecking the town of Mobile and killing 300 persons. Abergele (1868) The UK’s first major rail disaster kills 33 passengers Chicago (1871) A city-wide fire leaves 100,000 people homeless. Fiji (1875) Measles is introduced into Fiji accidentally by the king, and kills a third of the population. China (1876–79) The worst drought ever recorded, in which nine million people lose their lives. Krakatoa (1883) The island of Krakatoa is destroyed by the biggest volcanic eruption in history. Disasters of a New Century: 1900–45 Martinique (1902) Mont Pelee erupts, killing the entire population of the nearby town of St Pierre. New York (1904) Fire aboard the steamboat General Slocum kills over 1000 people on the East River. San Francisco (1906) The San Francisco earthquake destroys two thirds of the city. West Virginia (1907) An explosion at the Fairmont coal mine kills 362 men and boys. New York (1911) Nearly 150 sweatshop employees of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company die in a factory fire. Atlantic (1912) The cruise ship Titanic hits an iceberg and sinks on her maiden voyage. Ireland (1916) The liner Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat off the Irish coastline, costing 1198 lives. Global (1918–19) A worldwide influenza pandemic kills over 21 million people. USA (1925) A three-state tornado kills nearly 700 people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. France (1930) The British airship the R101 crashes north of Paris. China (1931) A dam across the Yangtze bursts, flooding 104,000 square kilometres of land and precipitating a famine. Soviet Union (1936–38) Stalin’s Great Purge extends over two years and costs the lives of around 10 million Soviet citizens. Nanking (1937) Japanese soldiers commit a month-long massacre of the citizens of Nanking. Leningrad (1941–44) The four-year siege of Leningrad causes the deaths of nearly 800,000 people. Connecticut (1944) The tent of the Barnham & Bailey circus catches fire, and 162 audience members of killed. Baltic (1945) The German refugee ship Wilhelm Gustloff is sunk by a Russian submarine, resulting in history’s worst maritime disaster. Modern Disasters 1945–Present Day China Famine (1959–61) Around 40 million people die of famine, a famine caused mostly by the political tamperings of the communist government. Baikonur Space Centre explosion (1960) The world’s worst space exploration accident – 91 people are killed when an R-16 rocket explodes at the Baikonur Space Centre in Kazakhstan. Aberfan (1966) Over 100 children are killed in their school by a coal waste tip landslide. Bangladesh Cyclone (1970) One million people die when a massive cyclone hits the Ganges Delta Islands, Bangladesh. Tenerife air crash (1977) In the world’s worst civil aviation disaster, two Boeing 747s collide on the runway at Los Rodeos, Tenerife, resulting in 582 dead. Samastipur Train Disaster (1981) A train plunges off a bridge into the Bagmati River in Bihar, India, killing 800 people in the world’s worst train disaster. Bhopal (1984) Thousands die at Bhopal, India, after poisonous gas leaks out from the Union Carbide Factory. Chernobyl (1986) An explosion at the Chernobyl nuclea power station leads to over 2000 deaths from the effects of radiation poisoning. Hillsborough (1989) A crowd surge at the Hillsborough stadium, Sheffield, leads to 96 fans being crushed to death against perimeter railings. New Delhi air collision (1996) Two passenger aircraft collide over New Delhi, killing 351 people. World Trade Center (2001) The worst terrorist attack in history is unleashed against the World Trade Center, New York. Space Shuttle Columbia (2003) The Space Shuttle Columbia breaks up over Texas 16 minutes before landing. Iranian Earthquake (2003) An earthquake in Bam, Iran, results in huge urban destruction and a death toll approaching 40,000. Asian Tsunami (2004) The worst tsunami incident in history kills over 120,000 people in territories bordering the Indian Ocean. Hurricane Katrina (2005) South-eastern America's coast is left devastated by flooding. Haiti Earthquake (2010) One of the world's poorest countries suffers widespread damage and approximately 250,000 people killed. Index

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