Cold wars and proxy conflicts Books

Book SynopsisOren re-examines Japanâs threat perception during the first two decades of the Cold War, using a wide range of source materials, including many unavailable in English, or only recently declassified.There is a widely shared misconception that during the Cold War the Japanese were largely shielded from threats due to the American military protection, the regional balance of power, Japanâs geographical insularity, and domestic aversion to militarism. Oren dispels this, showing how security threats pervaded Japanese strategic thinking in this period. By dispelling this misconception, Oren enables us to more accurately gauge the degree to which Japanâs threat perception has evolved during and after the end of the Cold War and to enhance our understanding of Tokyoâs strategic calculus in the current situation of rivalry between China and the United States. This book will be of great value to both scholars of Japanese history and contemporary international relations. <

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Book SynopsisCovering the development of the Cold War from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, The Cold War 19492016 explores the struggle for world domination that took place between the United States and the Soviet Union following the Second World War. The conflict between these two superpowers shaped global history for decades, and this book examines how this conflict developed into a nuclear arms race, spurred much of the wider world towards war and eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet empire. In this accessible yet comprehensive volume, Martin McCauley examines not only the actions of the United States and the Soviet Union but also the effects upon and involvement of other regions such as Africa, Central America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Key themes include the Sino-Soviet relationship and the global ambitions of the newly formed People's Republic of China, the rise and fall of communism in countries such as Cuba, Angola and Ethiopia, the US defeTrade Review"The Cold War 1949–2016 is the most readable, comprehensive, knowledgeable narrative of the Cold War. No one can read this book without learning something new, unusual and thought-provoking."Christopher Read, University of Warwick, UKTable of ContentsList of Maps List of Illustrations Foreword 1. ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR 2. COLD WAR: 1949–53 3. TO THE BRINK AND BACK: 1953–62 4. THE US AND THE SOVIET UNION IN THE THIRD WORLD 5. THE SINO-SOVIET SCHISM 6. CUBA, VIETNAM AND INDONESIA 7. THE WAR OF CULTURES 8. THE PRAGUE SPRING 9. DÉTENTE: 1969–79 10. THE ISLAMIC CHALLENGE TO GDÁNSK: IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN 11. CAMBODIA-KAMPUCHEA 12. POST-DÉTENTE: 1979–85 13. GORBACHEV AND THE END OF THE COLD WAR 14. THE JUDGEMENT 15. THE POST–COLD WAR WORLD Further Reading References

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Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - An insider's account of the Cold War as seen by a key diplomat abroad and in London. A privileged view of work that won the Cold War, written with humour and insight.Trade Review"Diplomacy is an art form, and Christopher Mallaby is a master of it. He not only served his country well – he served the wider interest too. In describing events now gone, he sets an example for events yet to come." -- Sir John Major KG CH"Some people's memoirs describe history. Others, like this author, have lived history. Christopher Mallaby was a key insider at crucial events in the Cold War and its aftermath. This fascinating account of some of the late twentieth century’s most pivotal moments gives new, very personal insights into the dramas of the East-West confrontation. This a highly readable and very important book." -- Rt Hon Lord George Robertson KT GCMG, Former Secretary General of NATO and UK Defence Secretary"From the Cuban Missile Crisis to German Unification, Christopher Mallaby witnessed and then shaped many of the key political events of the second half of the twentieth century. His elegant memoir is lucid in its analysis and wise in its judgments. As someone who worked for him, that was no surprise. For me, though, the most compelling chapters were at the beginning, writing with restrained passion about his family: I learned what shaped the character of a great public servant." -- Sir Simon McDonald KCMG KCVO, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating analysis' Nigel West; 'Grippingly told, authoritative' Mail on Sunday; 'Meticulously researched...a remarkably good read' John Brennan, former CIA Director; 'Excellent...a detailed, highly professional account' Sir John Scarlett, former MI6 Chief ​The Special Relationship between America and Britain is feted by politicians on both sides of the Atlantic when it suits their purpose and just as frequently dismissed as a myth, not least by the media, which announces its supposed death on a regular basis. Yet the simple truth is that the two countries are bound together more closely than either is to any other ally. In The Real Special Relationship, Michael Smith reveals how it all began, when a top-secret visit by four American codebreakers to Bletchley Park in February 1941 - ten months before the US entered the Second World War - marked the Trade Review'A fascinating analysis of the greatest military-intelligence-political alliance of the modern era … warts and all' -- Nigel West'Smith compellingly conveys the conflicting currents in [the Special Relationship]. What Michael Smith has ingeniously written is a shadow history of the post-war world. It is a grippingly told, authoritative story roaming across continents and troubled regions, from Malaysia to the Middle East to Russia… This book is also a fascinating analysis of how empires dissolve, and of how new powers fill the vacuum.' -- Sinclair McKay * Mail on Sunday *‘As NSA Director for six years, I participated first hand in this special relationship. So special in fact that in the early days of the War on Terror, I told my British counterpart that in the event of a catastrophic loss at NSA Headquarters we would entrust management of the US SIGINT system to him. There is an unprecedented level of trust and this book is an excellent chronicle of the critical junctures that created this relationship, tested it and kept it strong.’ -- Michael Hayden, former Director of both NSA and the CIA'Michael Smith, a respected historian of spookery who himself served in army intelligence before becoming a journalist, here offers an insider’s view of the transatlantic partnership… This is a responsible, unsensational account of the interservice relationship, which eschews harsh judgements about personalities.' -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *‘This excellent book gives a detailed, highly professional account of the unique intelligence relationship, originally between the US and UK, now including Canada, Australia and New Zealand - the Five Eyes. For more than 80 years, this "special relationship" has been fundamental to the security of our countries and of liberal democracy. As the story makes clear, we certainly need each other now.’ -- Sir John Scarlett, former MI6 Chief'Michael Smith was an intelligence professional before turning to journalism. There are few as qualified as he to put the whole story together and few who could tell it with such cogency. He relates the 80 years’ cooperation between the intelligence communities (principally the SIS and CIA) in astonishing and revelatory detail, with pace, clarity and authority. It is, quite simply, magnificent.' -- Allan Mallinson * Country Life *'A fascinating, meticulously researched and deeply insightful book on what truly has been a "real special relationship" between British and American intelligence services over the past 80 years. Smith expertly chronicles the many secret conversations, decisions and joint activities that shaped not only the breadth and depth of the US-UK security relationship but also the course of major world events. The Real Special Relationship is a remarkably good read that will capture the interest of those with an understandable curiosity about how such close ties developed and why they continue to this day. As a former CIA Director, I can personally attest to the importance, strength and intimacy of the US-UK security partnership, which has no equal.' -- John Brennan, former CIA Director'[The Special Relationship's] history also makes for an engrossing, even thrilling, read. Michael Smith, a former military intelligence officer and author of several books about spying, handles the material judiciously and writes with élan. -- John Paul Rathbone * Financial Times *‘The US/UK intelligence relationship has quietly shaped world events over the last 80 years. Michael Smith convincingly explains how and why this unique partnership of trust came into being. He does not shy away from illuminating the difficulties and personality clashes in its early years but it is the account of the subsequent extraordinary joint successes that provide the most riveting read, successes that will ensure that the relationship will continue to be essential to our national security.’ -- Professor Sir David Omand, former Director GCHQ and UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator'One of the many strengths of Michael Smith’s account is his charting of its transition from co-operation through wartime expediency to Cold War collaboration. With this thorough and very readable account there’s no excuse for anyone failing to understand the Special Relationship. That’s quite apart from the gems and asides Smith engagingly sprinkles throughout...It all makes for an excellent read.' -- Alan Judd * Spectator *‘A well written and gripping overview of one of the closest intelligence and security relationships in the world - one that has served both the UK and the US incredibly well over the past 80-plus years and that continues to make a true difference today to each nation and their friends and allies. Amazing to see the twists and turns in the relationship laid out before the reader in such a compelling story.’ -- Admiral Mike Rogers, former NSA Director‘'What keeps us on an even keel is the extraordinary connections between the military establishments...above all between the code-breakers and eavesdroppers at the National Security Agency and GCHQ. Smith’s well-researched and topical book (he manages to get in Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine) provides the answer to the perennial White House head-scratching question: do we still need the Brits? Smith’s conclusion: yes, they do.' -- Roger Boyes * The Times *‘The pre-eminent historian of Bletchley Park cuts through the hype about the Special Relationship to tell the gripping stories of what has been achieved in secret through the ups and downs of this enduring 80-year partnership. His account reminds us why it is worth preserving.’ -- Robert Hannigan, former Director of GCHQ and Prime Minister's Security Adviser'A lucid account, rich in anecdote and detail, of events that defined Britain’s role during the Cold War and its aftermath.' -- Richard Norton-Taylor * Times Literary Supplement *'There is no more critical intelligence partnership than that between the US and the British secret services. Founded in the exceptional circumstances of the Second World War, it has been tested and developed in the confrontation with the Soviet Union, in every major foreign crisis in the post-World War II era and, most recently, in the war on terrorism, the tensions with China and the major confrontation with Russia over Ukraine and NATO expansion. Michael Smith has done a remarkable job in this book detailing the sheer depth of that historic collaboration. It is truly a "Special Relationship" built on trust and shared values and one that has been absolutely essential to protecting the national security of the US, Britain and the world.' -- Leon E. Panetta, former Director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense'[An] excellent overview from the Second World War to the present day. Smith’s account...covers over a broad span of years, all facets of what is not a single strand but a complex web of parallel arrangements between UK and US agencies. The trust and candour that makes the relationship so powerful has at times been undermined by lack of political support, or inter-agency rivalry. It is a challenge to convey all these elements over a period that includes the evolution from hot to cold war, and major turning points such as 9/11, but Smith rises to it in this very readable and well-researched account.' -- Gill Bennett, former chief historian of the FCO * Engelsberg Ideas *Michael Smith’s fascinating new book reminds us that both sides have been the winners in the 'special relationship' while not always following the same set of rules... This book should be read by anyone who wants to understand what this cooperation has done for each country. Smith ... has done us a great service. He is right that the real special relationship should be celebrated: but it must not be mythologised, and never taken for granted.' -- Nick Fishwick * The Cipher Brief *'The book is a brilliant illustration of the multiple strands of liaison on Sigint, Imint, human intelligence and other forms of sharing. Smith is excellent at documenting the issues from tensions over US activity in China to UK–US competition in the Middle East, yet the relationship remains as strong as ever. This is a meticulous study of the US–UK relationship...backed by intensive research of US and UK sources, and highly recommended reading.' -- Dan Lomas, Lecturer in Intelligence and Security Studies at Brunel University * RUSI Journal *‘A significant contribution to the literature of intelligence. It is a masterful, comprehensive exposition of a complex, compelling, often shrouded history’ -- Bowman H. Miller * International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence *'Smith approaches his work in the tradition of a seasoned researcher — exploring primary sources in archives, referencing other secondary literature, and conducting interviews — but he writes with the captivating prose of a crime novelist. Despite Smith’s laudable objectivity, his access to interviews with key players is illustrative of the trust that the US and UK intelligence communities place in him' -- David V. Gioe * Society *'Excellent … the book makes for an easy, well-organized read. The author’s style is clear and crisp and the substance backed by extensive research, much of it archival as well based on interviews with former intelligence officers' -- Srdjan Vucetic * Intelligence and National Security *‘Fascinating … A detailed, richly sourced, analysis of an enduring special relationship … an excellent introduction to the key international events from World War Two to the present day' * Journal of Intelligence History *

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Book SynopsisThis is the fascinating history of how the radical delta-wing became the design of choice for early British and American high-performance jets, and of the role legendary aircraft like the Fairey Delta series played in its development.At the dawn of the supersonic jet age, aircraft designers were forced to devise radical new planforms that suited the new power of the jet engine. One of the most successful was the delta wing.Although Gloster produced the delta wing Javelin, and Boulton Paul--its P.111 research aircraft--Fairey and Avro were the champions of the delta in Britain. Meanwhile in America, with the exception of Douglas''s Navy jet fighter programs, Convair largely had the delta wing to itself. These development lines, one on each side of the Atlantic, had essentially the same objective -- to produce high-speed fighter aircraft. In Britain, the Fairey Delta 2 went on to break the World Air Speed Record in spectacular fashion, but it failed to win a proTable of Contents1. Fairey Delta 1 2. Fairey Delta 2 3. Fairey Rocket Fighter and 'Delta 3' 4. Convair XF-92 and XF-92A 5. Convair F-102 and F-106 6. Convair Sea Dart 7. Avro 707 Series Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisTo counter the Soviet threat and that of their client States during the Cold War years 1949-1991, the American military deployed an impressive range of main battle tanks (MBTs) and armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). The Patton series of medium MBTs (including the M46, M47 and M48) supplemented by the M103s Heavy Tank initially formed the core of the US tank fleet. In 1960 the M60 MBT with its British designed 105mm gun entered service and, in turn, was replaced by the M1 Abrams in 1980. In support were armoured reconnaissance vehicles, progressively the M41 bull dog (1951); the M114 (1961), the M551 Sheridan (1967) and M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (1981). The armoured personnel carrier (APC) range included the ubiquitous M113 and its replacement the M2 Bradley, cousin of the M3. Expert author Michael Green covers all these vehicles and their variants in this informative and superbly illustrated Images of War series work.

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Book SynopsisPerhaps not in casualties but as far as prestige and standing in the world were concerned, the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961 was the worst disaster to befall the USA since the War of 1812 when British forces burned the White House. Badly planned, badly organized, the affair was littered with mistakes from start to finish-not least with an inept performance by John F. Kennedy and his new administration. Supposedly an attempt by Cuban exiles to regain their homeland, the whole operation was funded and equipped by the USA. When things began to go wrong with the landings at Playa Larga and Playa Giron on the southern coast of Cuba President Kennedy and his advisers began overruling military decisions with the result that the invading Brigade 2506-made up of Cuban exiles-was left with little or no air cover, limited ammunition and no easy escape. Fidel Castro made great play of his success and American failure at the Bay of Pigs. He, like Nikita Khrushchev, thought Kennedy was weak: the Cuban Missile Crisis of the following year was almost an inevitable consequence of the disaster.

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Book SynopsisThe nervous geopolitical tension between East and West, the Cold War, emerged before the end of the Second World War and lasted until 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after 1949. This book traces and examines the changing role of BAOR from 1945 to its demise in the 1993 Options for Change defence cuts. It looks at the part it played in the defence of West Germany, its effectiveness as a Cold War deterrent, the garrisons and capabilities, logistics and infrastructure, its arms and armour, the nuclear option and the lives of the thousands of families living on the front line.

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Book SynopsisDuring the Cold War, the T-54/55 series of tanks represented the most serious threat to Nato land forces in Europe. Available in huge quantities, it formed the core of the Warsaw Pact armoured warfare doctrine, which envisaged massed tank attacks against the weakest point in Nato's front-line defences. Yet the T-54/55 could be stopped by smaller numbers of tanks which had the benefit of better technology and training, as was demonstrated during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 when Israeli tanks dealt out appalling punishment to T-55s of the Syrian army. Despite these limitations, the T-54/55 was one of the most successful tanks ever produced, and this volume in the TankCraft series by Robert Jackson is the ideal introduction to it. As well as tracing the history of the T-54/55, his book is an excellent source of reference for the modeller, providing details of available kits and photographs of award-winning models, together with artworks showing the colour schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of archive photographs.

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Book SynopsisBy 1959 the newly independent Kingdom of Laos was being transformed into a Cold War battleground for global superpower competition, having been born out of the chaos following the French military defeat and withdrawal from Indochina in 1954. The country was soon engulfed in a rapidly evolving civil war as rival forces jockeyed for power and swelling foreign intervention further fueled the fighting. Adding even more fuel to the fire, "neutral" Laos's geographic entanglement in the intensifying war in neighboring South Vietnam deepened in the early 1960s as Hanoi's reliance on the Ho Chi Minh Trail for moving men and material through the southern Laotian panhandle grew exponentially and became a priority target of American interdiction efforts. For almost twenty years, the fighting between the Western-supported Royal Lao government and the communist-supported Pathet Lao would rage across the plains, jungles, and mountaintops largely unseen by most of the world in this so-called "secret war." Thousands on each side would die and many more would be displaced as the conflict on the ground ebbed and flowed from season to season and year to year. And in the skies above, American and Royal Laotian aircraft would rain down their deadly payloads, decimating large swaths of the countryside in pursuit of victory. Nearly 3 million tons of bombs would be dropped on Laotian territory between 1965 and 1973, leaving a deadly legacy of unexploded ordnance that lingers to this day. Thus, the battle for Laos is the story of entire communities and generations caught up in a war seemingly without end, one that pitted competing foreign interests and their proxies against each other, and one that was forever tied to Washington's pursuit of victory in Vietnam.

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Book SynopsisPortugal was the first European country to colonise Africa. It was also the last to leave, almost five centuries later. During the course of what Lisbon called its civilizing mission in Africa the Portuguese weathered numerous insurrections, but none as severe as the guerrilla war first launched in Angola in 1961 and two years later in Portuguese Guinea. While Angola had a solid economic infrastructure, that did not hold for the tiny West African enclave that was to become Guine-Bissau. Both Soviets and Cubans believed that because that tiny colony- roughly the size of Belgium - had no resources and a small population, that Lisbon would soon capitulate. They were wrong, because hostilities lasted more than a decade and the 11-year struggle turned into the most intense of Lisbon's three African colonies. It was a classic African guerrilla campaign that kicked off in January 1963, but nobody noticed because what was taking place in Vietnam grabbed all the headlines. The Soviet-led guerrilla campaign in Portuguese Guinea was to go on and set the scene for the wars that followed in Rhodesia and present-day Namibia.

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Book SynopsisConvention on the definition of aggression signed on 3 July 1933, established the borders of modern Romania.As in the case of its neighbours, Czechoslovakia and Poland, revisionist currents in Europe during the interwar period threatened Romania's newly established frontiers, one of the most serious threats being posed by the Soviet Union which sought to regain possession of Bessarabia, a Romanian territory that had been occupied by Russia from 1812-1918.This is a comprehensive account of the efforts of Romanian diplomacy during the interwar period to protect Bessarabia from the Soviet threat and the diplomatic and military events that led to the forcible occupation of the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina by the Soviet Union in the summer of 1940.The author not only provides an important account of Romanian diplomacy during this period, but also sheds light on the foreign policies of the Western powers, the Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany in this area of Europe. It is a key work on Romanian foreign policy during the interwar period and a necessary addition to any research library.

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Book Synopsis'All the power and intrigue of a cinematic thriller ... immersive, dramatic, and historically edifying' KirkusMoscow in the late 1970s: one by one, CIA assets are disappearing. The perils of American arrogance, mixed with bureaucratic infighting, had left the country unspeakably vulnerable to ultra-sophisticated Russian electronic surveillance.. The Spy in Moscow Station tells of a time when-much like today-Russian spycraft was proving itself far ahead of the best technology the U.S. had to offer.This is the true story of unorthodox, underdog intelligence officers who fought an uphill battle against their government to prove that the KGB had pulled off the most devastating and breathtakingly thorough penetration of U.S. national security in history.Incorporating declassified internal CIA memos and diplomatic cables, this suspenseful narrative reads like a thriller-but real lives were at stake, and every twist is true as the US and USSR attempt to wrongfoot each other in eavesdropping technology and tradecraft. The book also carries a chilling warning for the present: like the State and CIA officers who were certain their "sweeps" could detect any threat in Moscow, we don't know what we don't know.

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Book SynopsisFirefox is down and on thin ice…The unputdownable thriller from a modern masterBadly damaged and rapidly losing fuel after a brutal dogfight, stolen Cold War super-plane Firefox is forced to land on a frozen lake twenty miles from the Norwegian frontier. When the ice breaks, pilot Mitchell Gant has no choice but to abandon the aircraft and run for his life.As NATO races against the Soviets to recover Firefox from its icy tomb, Gant is hunted across Russia by the KGB. With international tension between East and West mounting, Gant must evade capture and get Firefox back into the sky before it’s too late…Strap in for the ride of your life.The extraordinary sequel to the bestselling techno-thriller Firefox, perfect for fans of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum.

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Book Synopsis'A compelling history of the dark arts of statecraft... Fascinating' Jonathan Rugman'Rich in anecdote and detail.' The TimesToday's world is in flux. Competition between the great powers is back on the agenda and governments around the world are turning to secret statecraft and the hidden hand to navigate these uncertain waters. From poisonings to electoral interference, subversion to cyber sabotage, states increasingly operate in the shadows, while social media has created new avenues for disinformation on a mass scale.This is covert action: perhaps the most sensitive - and controversial - of all state activity. However, for all its supposed secrecy, it has become surprisingly prominent - and it is something that has the power to affect all of us. In an enthralling and urgent narrative packed with real-world examples, Rory Cormac reveals how such activity is shaping the world and argues that understanding why and how states wield these dark arts has never been more important.Trade ReviewRich in anecdote and detail... Cormac, you can see, is an engaged teacher, the kind of lecturer who holds his students' attention with illustrative stories of derring-do and dirty tricks. They will like this book, as I do, with its relish of good yarns... A zippy read. * The TImes *A compelling history of the dark arts of statecraft - from assassination and sabotage through to disinformation, election interference and cyberattack. Rory Cormac combines the best true-life spy stories with thoughtful analysis of the perils of covert government operations. So full is it of fascinating and astutely examined examples of these murky practices that you wouldn't want his book to fall into the wrong hands. * Jonathan Rugman, author of The Killing in the Consulate *Even as major powers flaunt their military hardware and brazenly trample over borders, their struggles also continue in the shadows. Rory Cormac's raid into this confusing terrain is daring, incisive and exact, an intellectual special operation in itself. In particular, it reveals the hard choices and delicate trade-offs practitioners must consider, between secrecy, control and impact. Much that is written on this subject is overblown and vapid. Cormac's work, by contrast, is a much-needed correction. Britain needs Cormac. * Patrick Porter, author of The False Promise of Liberal Order *A dazzling journey through the subterranean world of covert action: from assassination, secret wars, cyberattacks and sabotage, to rigging elections, spreading influence, and subverting democracy. This major new book is stacked full of fascinating examples from around the world, perceptive analysis and careful warnings. A must read for anyone interested in international politics and secret statecraft. * Jamie Gaskarth, author of Secrets and Spies *An absolute must read for understanding the wide range of tools states pursue in the realm of covert statecraft. It has immense lessons for cyber operations, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and more. * Michael Poznansky, author of In the Shadow of International Law *Rory Cormac offers a delightfully incisive and much needed corrective to the opacity surrounding covert action. He shows that reality is, in fact, far more interesting than fiction... It may sound odd to say, but despite it being about some of the most underhanded behaviors a state can undertake, it is a fun book to read. It is a must read for both practitioners of the dark arts and the curious general public alike. * Diplomatic Courier *A must read for those interested in intelligence, secret warfare and the hidden hand. * Intelligence and National Security *A valuable and thought-provoking work, the most thorough treatment of the topic to date. * Studies in Intelligence *An important public service... Cormac's book has an ambitious scope, and its arguments and information are truly timeless. * International Affairs *Table of Contents1: How to assassinate your enemies 2: How to get away with murder 3: How to influence others 4: How to subvert governments and undermine democracy 5: How to rig an election 6: How to stage a coup 7: How to wage a secret war 8: How to pick your rebels 9: How to sabotage 10: How to cyberattack 11: How to wield the hidden hand

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Book SynopsisRichard Pike became a flight cadet in 1961, at the RAF College, Cranwell where, on graduation, he was awarded the Dickson Trophy and Michael Hill memorial prize for flying. In the early stages of his forty-year flying career he flew the English Electric Lightning before converting to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. On leaving the Royal Air Force he became a civilian helicopter pilot. His duties took him to a wide variety of destinations at home and overseas including the Falkland Islands not long after the end of the Falklands War. His last assignment was in Kosovo helping to distribute emergency humanitarian aid on behalf of the United Nations World Food Programme. He and his wife live in Aberdeenshire.Trade Review`I am sure that I will not be alone in hoping that a third book will be added to the collection in the near future.' Pilot magazine; `A superb sequel to Pike's bestseller. Lightning Boys 2 is another factual and fascinating, humorous and inspiring account of his own and other pilots' experiences of the iconic aircraft. This new book will not only appeal to readers from that time, but inspire new generations to consider the RAF as a career.' The Aberdeen Press & Journal; `Lavishly illustrated throughout in colour and black and white, containing annexes of selected biographies and a comprehensive index, this book must not only appeal to Lightning buffs but to any reader with an interest in military aviation. Highly recommended.' Air Mail

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Book SynopsisTwenty-four aircrew who flew the iconic aircraft with the Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force (SAAF) relate their experiences and affection for the Blackburn Buccaneer. Arranged in chronological order, the book traces the history of the aircraft and the tasks it fulfilled. In addition to describing events and activities, it provides an insight into the lifestyle of a Buccaneer squadron and the fun and enjoyment of being a `Buccaneer Boy' in addition to being part of a highly professional and dedicated force. This lavishly illustrated book concludes with accounts of the aircraft's final days in RAF service and some reflections on its impact on maritime and overland air power.Trade Review`This wonderful book is entertaining and thoroughly engaging. The quality speaks for itself and I have no hesitation in recommending it to you.' War History Online; `An absorbing book... well illustrated throughout.' Flypast; `Comprehensively illustrated, and filled with outstanding tales of the excitement of Buccaneer flying in both peacetime and war. Buccaneer Boys is an excellent read. For those who served during the 60s to 90s Cold War period, it is a must. For anyone with an interest in aviation, it is a most enjoyable book. Air Mail; `An excellent insight into the aircraft and those who flew it.' Britain at War; `The descriptions of flying activities and incidents are vivid, some of the anecdotes are laugh-out-loud amusing and references to that sense of `community' and a real affection for the aeroplane just keep cropping up. I strongly recommend this book. It's a very good and entertaining read.' RAF Historical Society Journal; `This book takes pride of place on the shelf at home and no doubt will be read again and again and not be left on the shelf too often - Recommended.' Vintage & Classic; It's a very pacey and painlessly readable, often exciting, and sometimes poignant assemblage of reminiscences from "Buccaneer world"...In affecting and arresting style this recent publication conveys why the Buccaneer meant so much to its crews and engendered such persistent esprit de corps in their "club".' Derek Reed, Vice President of Yorkshire Air Museum

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Book SynopsisAn expert account of the development, role, and capabilities of the S-300 and S-400 air defence missile systems, key strategic weapons in Putin's Russia. Few modern missile systems have had such significance as the S-300 family. Highly regarded technically, Russia's most powerful air-defense systems have been a major strategic asset to the country, exported to major powers around the world, and are a key weapon in many international hotspots and in recent wars. In this book, professional missile systems analyst Steve Zaloga uses his specialist knowledge to assess and analyse them in detail. He explains that the S-300 is, in fact, three systems: the S-300P, designed as a replacement for older Soviet strategic SAM systems, the S-300V, developed to defend against Pershing ballistic missiles, and the S-300F, designed for ship defense. He also considers the supplementary S-350 system and the new-generation S-400 system, deployed in Syria and sold to both China and Turkey. An assessmentTrade ReviewThe book is packed with illustrations and photos and technical information. -- Susan Wilson * Army Rumour Service *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION ORIGINS S-300P Biryuza (SA-10A Grumble) S-300PS Volkhov M6 S-50 Moscow Defense Ring The second generation: S-300PM Volkhov M-6M (SA-20A Gargoyle) S-300PMU Export System Catering to the export market: S-300PMU-2 Favorit (SA-20B Gargoyle) S-350 Vityaz The third generation: S-400 Triumf (SA-21A Growler) The Naval S-300F Fort/Rif (SA-N-6 Grumble) S-300V (SA-12 Giant/Gladiator) S-300VM (SA-23) S-500 Prometey ATBM ASSESSMENT FURTHER READING

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Book SynopsisThe Spycatcher affair remains one of the most intriguing moments in the history of British intelligence and a pivotal point in the public''s relationship with the murky world of espionage and security. It lifted the lid on alleged Soviet infiltration of British services and revealed a culture of law-breaking, bugging and burgling. But how much do we know about the story behind the scandal?In To Catch a Spy, Tim Tate reveals the astonishing true story of the British government''s attempts to silence whistleblower Peter Wright and hide the truth about Britain''s intelligence services and political elites. It''s a story of state-sanctioned cover-up plots; of the government lying to Parliament and courts around the world; and of stories leaked with the intention to mislead and deceive.This is a tale of high treason and low farce. Drawing on thousands of pages of previously unpublished court transcripts, the contents of secret British government files, and original interviews with many of t

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Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - A complete history of Bomber Command, including its crucial role in WWII and later nuclear role in the Cold War.Trade Review'In this comprehensive and illustrated history, Gordon Wilson, a retired military and commercial pilot, explores the 'human face' of the organisation from its inception just prior to World War II until its final years during the Cold War.' -- Military History Matters, December 21/ January 2022'Overall this book is very well written and the author has the technical detail and knowledge as a former flyer, that has produced a really good read so compliments to the author and a book I would certainly recommend.' -- Ben Davidson Blog'Complemented by a range of images and identifying famous personnel, stations and aircraft, this book will fascinate any enthusiast of 'The Many'.' -- Britain at War Magazine, February 2024

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Book SynopsisRobert Service is the author of the highly acclaimed Lenin: A Biography, A History of Twentieth-Century Russia, Russia: Experiment with a People and Stalin: A Biography, as well as many other books on Russia's past and present. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of St Antony's College, Oxford. He is married with four children.

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Book SynopsisThe first biography of John Cairncross, the fifth member of the Cambridge spy ring and colleague of Alan TuringTrade ReviewThe Last Cambridge Spy is not just a fascinating, well-placed book about an interesting individual, but is also invites us to re-appraise the very idea of the 'Cambridge spy ring' -- Sir Dermot TuringChris Smith offer us a remarkable account of John Cairncross...he has captured him at last - a riveting read -- Professor Richard Aldrich

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive, illustrated account of the new generation of advanced tanks to emerge during the last 15 years of the Cold War, showcasing major improvements in armor protection, gunsights, and fire-control systems.Focusing on the technology of the period, author Steven J. Zaloga explains how the demands of a potential Cold War battlefield spurred the development of the 20th century's most advanced tanks. He considers the final versions of the Soviet T-72, T-64, and T-80 and assesses their strengths and weaknesses. He also explores how the failure of the US-German MBT-70 project led to America's development of the M1 Abrams tank, and to Germany's all-new Leopard II. The British development of the Challenger tank is also considered, as is the lesser-known Leclerc tank developed by France, the smallest and lightest of any of the western designs. Featuring superbly detailed new illustrations and many photos, this volume pinpoints the key technology of the era, incluTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION THE TANKS, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION Soviet Union United States Germany UK France TANKS IN BATTLE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Protection Firepower Combat effectiveness FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisWhile tanks were the most recognised armoured vehicles during the Cold War, NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armies fielded a wide array of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). These included armoured cars, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), anti-aircraft vehicles and self propelled artillery. Over the Cold War years nations both progressively developed series of AFVs and introduced entirely new ranges.APCs, vital to all frontline units, evolved from machine gun-armed battlefield taxis such as the US M113 and Soviet BTR-60 series into sophisticated infantry fighting vehicles. The Soviet BMP-1, US Bradley M2/M3, West German Marder and British Warrior and CVR series were classic examples of the latter, with numerous variants.The Soviet BRDM-2 series was the most numerous armoured car. The British Army fielded the Saladin, Ferret and Fox and the German Army introduced the eight-wheeled Luchs and tracked SPZ11-2 Kurz.Early anti-aircraft vehicles, such as the American M42 with two 40mm Bofors, were

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Book SynopsisThe TSR2 is one of the greatest what-if aircraft of the Cold War, whose cancellation still generates anger and controversy among aviation fans. It was a magnificent, cutting-edge aircraft, one of the most striking of the Cold War, but fell victim to cost overruns, overambitious requirements, and politics. Its scrapping marked the point when Britain''s aerospace industry could no longer build world-class aircraft independently. After the demise of TSR2 the RAF''s future jets would be modified US aircraft like the Phantom and pan-European collaborations like Tornado and Typhoon.In this book the eminent air power analyst and ex-Vulcan bomber pilot Andrew Brookes takes a fresh, hard-headed look at the TSR2 project, telling the story of its development, short career, and cancellation, and evaluating how it would have performed in Cold War strike roles as well as in the recent wars in the Middle East.Table of ContentsIntroduction Origins Political Backdrop Project Overview Avionics Flight Test Cancellation What if TSR2 Survived? Comparisons with F-111 and Tornado Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisVictor Sebestyen was born in Budapest and was an infant when his family left Hungary as refugees. As a journalist, he was worked on numerous British newspapers, including The Times and the Daily Mail. He reported widely from Eastern Europe when Communism collapsed in 1989 and covered the war in former Yugoslavia. At the London Evening Standard he was foreign editor, media editor and chief leader writer. He is the author of the acclaimed Twelve Days, which documents the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, and Revolution 1989, an account of the fall of the Soviet empire.Trade ReviewThis is an exceptionally involving and horrifying book . . . heaven knows [Sebestyen] can tell a story. His short chapters are full of sharp judgements, apt and really colourful quotations and (I mean this as a compliment) grindingly awful detail. * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisWhen the shadowy, notorious Spetsnaz were first formed, they drew on a long Soviet tradition of elite, behind-the-lines commando forces from World War II and even earlier. Throughout the 1960s-70s they were instrumental both in projecting Soviet power in the Third World and in suppressing resistance within the Warsaw pact. As a powerful, but mysterious tool of a world superpower, the Spetsnaz have inevitably become the focus of many ''tall tales'' in the West. In this book, a peerless authority on Russia''s military Special Forces debunks several of these myths, uncovering truths that are often even more remarkable. Now, since the chaotic dissolution of the USSR and the two Chechen Wars, Russian forces have seen increasing modernization, involving them ever more in power-projection, counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism and the Spetsnaz have been deployed as a spearhead in virtually all of these operations. This book offers a unique, absorbing guide to the secrets of the Spetsnaz, theiTable of ContentsIntroduction: overview; background in Russian history and culture The Spetsnaz Tradition: special units of the Bolshevik Red Guard, and behind-the-lines NKVD operations in World War II /Cold Warriors: foundation by GRU, 1950 Operations 1960s–70s: Angola, Czechoslovakia, etc, and order-of-battle 1980 Operations in Afghanistan, and order-of-battle Spetsnaz after the USSR: the turmoil of the 1990s Tajikistan and Moldova, imitation units in post-Soviet states Operations in Chechnya, the Chechen Spetsnaz Modern Spetsnaz: increasing strength and importance Naval Spetsnaz, and order-of-battle 2013 Special Weapons Index

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Book SynopsisIt is a little-known fact that during the Cold War, two U.S. Army Special Forces detachments were stationed far behind the Iron Curtain in West Berlin. The existence and missions of the two detachments were highly classified secrets.The massive armies of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies posed a huge threat to the nations of Western Europe. US military planners decided they needed a plan to slow the juggernaut they expected when and if a war began. The plan was Special Forces Berlin. The first 40 men who came to Berlin in mid-1956 were soon reinforced by 60 more and these 100 soldiers (and their successors) would stand ready to go to war at only two hours’ notice, in a hostile area occupied by nearly one million Warsaw Pact forces, until 1990.Their mission should hostilities commence was to wreak havoc behind enemy lines, and buy time for vastly outnumbered NATO forces to conduct a breakout from the city. In reality it was an ambitious and extremely dangerous mission, even suicidal. Highly trained and fluent in German, each man was allocated a specific area. They were skilled in clandestine operations, sabotage, intelligence tradecraft and able to act if necessary as independent operators, blending into the local population and working unseen in a city awash with spies looking for information on their every move.Special Forces Berlin was a one of a kind unit that had no parallel. It left a legacy of a new type of soldier expert in unconventional warfare, one that was sought after for other deployments including the attempted rescue of American hostages from Tehran in 1979. With the U.S. government officially acknowledging their existence in 2014, their incredible story can now be told.Trade ReviewThe reader learns not only the history, but also the individual soldier’s motivations and way of thinking. The work leaves nothing to be desired and closes gaps in the history of the Cold War…I recommend this book highly. * Colonel Friedrich Jeschonnek (German Army Retired), Editor, Hardthöhenkurier *The Cold War in Europe is an often overlooked part of American military history because it stayed cold. But as this book shows, for the men serving on the front lines next to the Iron Curtain, conflict was always a real possibility that could happen at any time. Their sacrifice and service helped ensure the eventual collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the peaceful reunification of Germany. * New York Journal of Books *More akin to a spy thriller...Truly a fascinating time, which this intriguing book examines from an entirely fresh perspective. * History of War Magazine *A fascinating look inside special ops in the Cold War period. * The Armourer *This study is rewarding for anyone interested in the Cold War, Special Forces, or Berlin. In fact, this is a considerable achievement, a contribution to history that gives the reader a micro-view of the realities of military life. * Dr Jonathan House, Professor Emeritus at USACGSC *This book is excellent and it is well written. One characteristic the Directorate of Operations and the Directorate of Intelligence at CIA had in common: understandable diction. Every sentence and every word is understandable. * International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence *Special Forces Berlin is a must-read for military historians and should be mandatory reading for future generations of professional military leaders. In addition to adding to the body of knowledge of the Cold War years, the author—himself a former Green Beret—has lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding an elite Special Forces organization. * Association of the United States Army *I strongly recommend this book...this is one of the best examples of applied unconventional warfare in special operations history. * Small Wars Journal.com *Reads like a thriller for much of the time - a small, select force ready for action should the Soviets escalate their activities in Western Europe - nothing much has changed in the last sixty years or so! * Books Monthly *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive overview of the work of the Military Vehicles Research and Development Establishment on Chobham Common, which provided armoured vehicles for the British Army from 1945 to its close in 2004.Through much of World War II British tanks and armoured vehicles were outmatched by the German tanks they encountered and this led to the British Army placing much emphasis on ensuring that the same situation would not arise again if the Cold War turned hot. The task of developing the Main Battle Tanks and supporting armoured vehicles to out-range and quickly destroy the Soviet threat fell to the scientists and engineers at the Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment on Chobham Common near to Chertsey. It was the design authority for all British Military vehicles for most of the period.Military vehicle and equipment expert William Suttie draws extensively on official MOD reports to tell the story of the development of the British Cold War armoTrade ReviewBy its nature, the book is fairly technical, but explained clearly and with fine supporting photos and diagrams. Of particular interest to wargamers will be the tables giving ‘hit’ and ‘kill’ probabilities for NATO and Soviet anti-tank weaponry against main battle tanks, based on official systems that reflected target size, armour, ranges, etc, with some comparisons that may surprise you. A quality publication. -- Chris Jarvis * Miniature Wargames *The author has spent around 45 years working in the field of military vehicle/equipment research and development and that experience shines through in this book. -- Robin Buckland * Military Model Scene *An excellant resource for those interested in Cold War British Armour -- Duncan Evans * The Armourer Magazine *As one would expect the book is lavishly illustrated, with photographs of those vehicles that were actually constructed and plans for most of those that weren’t. Well written and lavishly illustrated, this is an excellent guide to the mainly successful military vehicles designed at Chobham. -- John Rickard * Historyofwar.org *Table of Contents(Subject to confirmation) Part 1. Main Battle Tank Development Centurion FV215 Conqueror Countering the Soviet Tank Threat FV4201 Chieftain Chieftain Variants Novel Concept Studies UK/German Future Main Battle Tank MBT80 and the 4030 Programme Challenger 1 Challenger 1 Variants Challenger 2 Future Concept Studies Part 2. Medium and Light Tracked AFV Development Light Tanks and Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked 93 Carriers and Armoured Personal Carriers Warrior AFV of the 80s Stage 1 Other Light and Medium Tracks Concept Studies Part 3. Wheeled AFV Concepts and Development Saladin and Saracen Ferret and Fox Part 4. Other Vehicles Associated with Chertsey 1 Ton Armoured 4x4 Humber FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor SP70: 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer Annex A: List of FV Numbers Annex B: Centurion Data Annex C. Chieftain Data Annex D: Challenger 1 Data Annex E: CVR(T) Data Annex F: FV430 Series Data Annex G: Warrior Data Annex H: Saladin Data Annex J: Saracen Data Annex J: Ferret Data Annex K: FV721 Fox Data Index

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Book Synopsis***'Reads like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' -James Risen, The Intercept'A compelling account of the ongoing search for the Fourth Man... a gripping and mind-bending read' - Dr. Mark Stout, The Daily Beast For the first time ever, New York Times bestselling author and former CIA operative Robert Baer tells the explosive story of how insiders believe a KGB mole rose to the highest ranks of the CIA.In the aftermath of the Cold War, US intelligence caught three high-profile Russian spies. However, these arrests left major questions unanswered, and rumours have long swirled of another mole, often referred to as the Fourth Man. Three pioneering female veterans of counterintelligence were tasked with unearthing him. With steadfast determination and expertise, they came to a shocking conclusion, one which had, and continues to harbour, dramatic consequences for American security.In this gripping insider account, Baer tells a thrilling story of Russian espionage and American intelligence. With profound implications for the rise of Vladimir Putin and international relations with Russia, The Fourth Man is a real-life spy thriller with echoes of John Le Carré.Trade ReviewReads like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy * James Risen, The Intercept *A compelling account of the ongoing search for the Fourth Man... a gripping and mind-bending read * Dr. Mark Stout, The Daily Beast *If you want a good thriller to read, here it is: The Fourth Man by Bob Baer * Erica Hill, CNN New Day *Fascinating stuff from one of the best experts on this in the business. * Jim Acosta, CNN *

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Book Synopsis'A heart-piercingly brilliant book about a woman whose personal life put her in the cross-hairs of history' HADLEY FREEMAN'Totally riveting. I couldn't put it down' VICTORIA HISLOP'Ethel sings out for all women who have been misunderstood and wronged, and refuse to bow down' NICHOLAS SHAKESPEARE'A shocking tale of betrayal, naivety, misogyny and judicial failure' SONIA PURNELL'A historic miscarriage of justice laid bare for our times' PHILIPPE SANDSEthel Rosenberg was a supportive wife, loving mother to two small children and courageous idealist who grew up during the Depression with aspirations to become an opera singer.On 19 June 1953 she became the first woman in the US to be executed for a crime other than murder. She was thirty-seven years old.Ethel's conviction for conspiracy to commit espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union followed what FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover called the 'trial of the century' in Cold War America and is still controversial. Now, Anne Sebba's masterly, meticulously researched and deeply moving biography finally tells Ethel's true story - a life barbarically cut short on the basis of tainted evidence for a crime she almost certainly did not commit.Trade ReviewA heart-piercingly brilliant book about a woman whose personal life put her in the cross-hairs of history -- HADLEY FREEMANSebba gets her readers under the skin of both Ethel and her era so effectively that this shameful saga had me alternately close to tears and boiling with rage * DAILY TELEGRAPH *An intelligent, sensitive and absorbing account of the short, tragic life of a woman made remarkable by circumstance. [Ethel] emerges as a stubbornly courageous figure, a woman who towers above the parade of morally grubby, self-seeking and misogynistic figures who conspired to destroy her -- Melissa Benn * GUARDIAN *Totally riveting. I couldn't put it down -- VICTORIA HISLOPPowerful . . . her narrative clings to the reader like ivy . . . a feat of empathy * OBSERVER *Masterful, original and painfully gripping, a historic miscarriage of justice laid bare for our times -- PHILIPPE SANDSAn engaging portrait of the woman at the centre of a shameful case in US history * Guardian *An almost unbearably terrible story. I was completely held, absorbed and involved with the story of Ethel's short life. Brilliant ... could not be bettered -- CLAIRE TOMALINAnne Sebba's riveting reappraisal not only includes previously unseen letters and testimony but also manages to extract Ethel from her marriage . . . this important and compelling book raises resonant issues around what happens when collective fear leads to hysteria and justice is wilfully ignored * SPECTATOR *Timely, superbly written and ultimately devastating, this is an American tragedy indeed. I don't think I've ever read a book that has moved me more -- ANTHONY HOROWITZAbsolutely gripping in so many ways; beautifully written and superbly researched, a brilliant and a fresh take on a famous case. This is simultaneously a Shakespearean tragedy of a woman and family betrayal, a history of American Communism and Soviet espionage in the USA, a very modern story with links to the 21st century and Trump, a web of conspiracies, politics and witch-hunts, and an investigation of treason and justice -- SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREA tragic and gripping tale, scrupulously documented, of political chicanery, family betrayal and legal perfidy, Anne's Sebba's book has unnerving echoes in the modern world -- CAROLINE MOOREHEADThis is a magnificent book, one with a hundred strands, woven together with such skill that the only thought one can have at the end of reading is: how did we never know the true story of this remarkable woman? -- CARMEN CALLILWas Ethel innocent? Anne Sebba, a masterful storyteller, peels away the layers of historical and sometimes deliberate misinformation to reveal the extraordinary truth. This book will haunt me for some time -- ANITA ANANDA riveting account of "the Dreyfus case of Cold-War America". Ethel Rosenberg's execution in 1953 united the Pope, Einstein and Picasso in condemning her conviction as both a crime against humanity and an assault on America's idea of itself. As Sebba shows to scathing effect, with a message that will strike contemporary nerves, Ethel placed truth above fake news, and being a good wife and mother above being a good Communist. She had wanted to be an opera singer, but here she sings out for all women who have been misunderstood and wronged, and refuse to bow down -- NICHOLAS SHAKESPEAREWhat a soaring story that challenges on so many levels! Anne Sebba has an uncanny knack of upending historical orthodoxies in compelling style. In this gripping account of Ethel Rosenberg's life and death, she does so again. It's a shocking tale of betrayal, naivety, misogyny and judicial failure. As a woman who maybe loved too well, Ethel remains hard to like, but she's even harder to condemn -- SONIA PURNELLAnne Sebba's Ethel Rosenberg is a tour de force, a tale of a woman betrayed and executed. Sebba's painstaking research creates a new picture of a woman caught up in accusations, an activist, a devoted mother sent to the electric chair, a tale of idealism and government's demand for a scapegoat, a moving, fascinating picture of the first woman to be executed in the US for espionage. 'Always remember we are innocent', she said as she died. For years, Ethel Rosenberg has been attacked and castigated. Now Sebba's new access to sources and research tells her real story - of a loyal wife, a woman of principle who became public enemy no 1 for a terrified political class and public - and asks us to make up our own minds -- KATE WILLIAMSIn Anne Sebba, Ethel Rosenberg has found the ideal biographer, sympathetic without being blind to her faults and a sure understanding of the period. Her portrayal is compelling . . . it is impossible to read her account of Ethel's last days without being moved * LITERARY REVIEW *Seventy years on Anne Sebba has given Ethel Rosenberg a towering memorial * THE CRITIC *Anne Sebba's brilliant, unforgettable biography is the story of a woman who fell victim to a fatal cocktail of prejudices - anti-Communism, antisemitism and misogyny * THE JEWISH CHRONICLE *A compelling story of love, betrayal, misplaced idealism, and brutal and legal political manoeuvring * ECONOMIST *Anne Sebba has written a powerful biography of a wife, mother and woman, caught by a system determined to make an example of her and betrayed by those she thought she could trust * THE OLDIE *An absorbing book * THE TABLET *Sebba's impassioned investigation into this shameful saga concludes that this remarkable woman became a "human sacrifice" to Red Scare hysteria and 1950s chauvinism * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Riveting . . . A concise yet thorough account of a 1953 miscarriage of justice with alarming relevance today * Kirkus *This shattering story of a courageous woman swept up in one of America's greatest miscarriages of justice is enthralling and deeply moving. With her usual brilliance, Anne Sebba has brought to light the real person buried under decades of propaganda and has finally succeeded in humanising Ethel Rosenberg. This book is hugely relevant today, it shows us the perils of allowing ideology and hysteria to take precedence over justice. This is a magnificent work, meticulously researched and skilfully crafted -- ARIANA NEUMANN, author of New York Times bestseller 'When Time Stopped'A gripping tale of betrayal, deceit and judicial incompetence * BBC History Magazine *Sebba's painstaking research pulls back the veil of historic projections * Financial Times *Sebba gets her readers under the skin of both Ethel and her era so effectively that this shameful saga had me alternately close to tears and boiling with rage * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThrilling High-definition history: tight, thrilling and beautifully researched' SUNDAY TIMESThis book is a triumph' DAN SNOW9.07 a.m., April 12, 1961. A top-secret rocket site in the USSR. A young Russian sits inside a tiny capsule on top of the Soviet Union's most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile originally designed to carry a nuclear warhead and blasts into the skies. His name is Yuri Gagarin and he is about to make history.Travelling at almost 18,000 miles per hour ten times faster than a rifle bullet Gagarin circles the globe in just 106 minutes. While his launch begins in total secrecy, within hours of his landing he has become a world celebrity the first human to leave the planet.Beyond tells the thrilling story behind that epic flight on its sixtieth anniversary. It happened at the height of the Cold War as the US and USSR confronted each other across an Iron Curtain. Both superpowers took enormous risks to get a man into space first the Americans in the full gTrade Review‘This book is a triumph’Dan Snow ‘Just a wonderful book, I can’t recommend it enough’Giles Coren ‘The thrilling story … is not the first study of Gagarin and the Vostok missions, still less of Nasa’s “Mercury Seven” astronauts — but bringing the two stories together is a masterstroke … It is high-definition history: tight, thrilling and beautifully researched’Sunday Times ‘Many intriguing revelations [and an] extensive, blow-by-blow account of the race to put a human in space … Tells the full story of the finest two hours of [Gagarin's] tragically short life’Literary Review ‘Thrilling … brings a huge amount that is fresh and new to our understanding of the Space Race’Daily Telegraph ‘Cinematic … Walker develops a colourful sense of the political theatre of space exploration’Spectator ‘Scintillating …The thrilling ride to be the first man in space is vividly captured in this retelling of Russia’s favourite son’Financial Times ‘A gripping story, rich in novelistic detail … Highly recommended’BBC Sky at Night, five stars ‘Brings to life the space race and the extraordinary story of Yuri Gagarin … A history that reads like a thriller’Anne Applebaum ‘The very best account of Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering space mission – vivid, thoughtful, and respectful … A wonderfully rendered story of an epochal event’Asif Siddiqi ‘The exhilaration of a fine thriller’Colin Thubron ‘Suddenly, every previous biography of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and his epic Earth-orbiting flight has been superseded … A spellbinding and completely authoritative account … The finest, best researched book ever written on the subject’Colin Burgess ‘Dramatic and dynamic. Stephen Walker’s passion for his subject along with his exceptional research and attention to detail have brought my father’s extraordinary journey vividly to life’Elena Gagarina, daughter of Yuri Gagarin

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Book Synopsis''We thought we had lived through the terror of a nuclear war, but something far more ominous was brewing in the Soviet Union - a biological Armageddon from which no one would escape. Dr Alibek has emerged from the world''s deadliest labs to tell a story that is as important as it is chilling. Sometimes the truth is far worse than fiction. No one can afford not to read this book.'' Robin Cook ''As the top scientist in the Soviet Union''s biowarfare program and the inventor of the world''s most powerful anthrax, Dr Ken Alibek has stunned the highest levels of the U.S. government with his revelations. Now, in a calm, compelling, utterly convincing voice, he tells the world what he knows. Modern biology is producing weapons that in killing power may exceed the hydrogen bomb. Ken Alibek describes them with the intimate knowledge of a top weaponeer.'' Richard PrestTrade ReviewIn the West Alibek has been shocked by the flippancy and the alarming level of complaceny regarding biological weapons. He felt it was his duty to try to dispel such ignorance. By writing this book he has succeeded brilliantly in achieving this aim. * Literary Review *For those . who thought we were crying wolf when we tried to tell you that there really was a Soviet biological weapons programme that threatened our security, this book will make uncomfortable reading. * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisA polished and masterly work of historical narrative, The Marshall Plan is an instant classic of Cold War literature.With Britain''s empire collapsing and Stalin''s ascendant, U.S. officials under new Secretary of State George C. Marshall set out to reconstruct western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Their massive, costly, and ambitious undertaking would confront Europeans and Americans alike with a vision at odds with their history and self-conceptions. In the process, they would drive the creation of NATO, the European Union, and a Western identity that continues to shape world events.This is the story behind the birth of the Cold War, and the U.S.-led liberal global order, told with verve, insight, and resonance for today. Bringing to bear fascinating new material from American, Russian, German, and other European archives, Benn Steil''s book will forever change how we see the Marshall Plan.Focusing on the critical years 1947 to 1949, Steil''s gripping narratTable of Contents1: Prologue 2: Crisis 3: Rupture 4: Plan 5: Trap 6: Unity 7: Persuasion 8: Sausage 9: Subversion 10: Passage 11: Showdown 12: Division 13: Success? 14: Echoes Cast of Characters Appendices Notes

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Book SynopsisWhile the Big Three and their continental Allies fought against Nazi Germany, another war was under way on the continent: the war to shape the political landscape of post-war Europe. In the Balkans, the war overlapped with political and ethnic conflicts, engulfing the region in bloody civil wars. In Central and Eastern Europe, partisan movements engaged the Germans without losing sight of the danger posed by the arrival of the Red Army. In France and in Italy, the adoption of the slogans of national liberation provided the communist parties with a formidable democratic legitimacy, which established them as key players in the political lives of their countries.The British and the Americans worked to stir up, support, control, and direct these resistance groups. London created the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and Washington the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), both of whom sent agents into occupied Europe to liaise directly with the guerilla groups. Through the Comintern, MoscowTable of ContentsPART 1 1: Resistance and diplomacy in occupied Europe (September 1939-June 1940) 2: The Special Operations Executive at war (July 1940 - June 1941) 3: The communists enter the scene (June 1941 - November 1941) PART 2 4: Uncertain times (December 1941 - December 1942) 5: The militarization of British policy and the beginning Of US challenge in the Mediterranean (January - December 1943) 6: The communist movement on the offensive (January - December 1943) PART 3 7: Civil war and liberation in the Balkans (1944-1945) 8: Central and Eastern Europe between liberation and Soviet occupation (1944-1945) 9: The liberation of Western Europe (1944-1945) 10: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisRussia today is as prominent in international affairs as it was at the height of the Cold War. Yet the role that the economy plays in supporting Russia''s position as a ''great power'' on the international stage is poorly understood. For many, Russia''s political influence far exceeds its weight in the global economy. However, Russia is one of the largest economies in the world; it is not only one of the world''s most important exporters of oil and gas, but also of other natural resources, such as diamonds and gold. Its status as one of the largest wheat and grain exporters shapes commodity prices across the globe, while Russia''s enormous arms industry, second only to the United States, provides it with the means to pursue an increasingly assertive foreign policy. All this means that Russia''s economy is crucial in serving the country''s political objectives, both within Russia and across the world. Russia today has a distinctly political type of economy that is neither the planned economy of the Soviet era, nor a market-based economy of the Euro-Atlantic variety. Instead, its economic system is characterised by a unique blend of state and market; control and freedom; and natural resources alongside human ingenuity. The Russian Economy: A Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the dimensions of the Russian economy that are often ignored by the media and public figures, or exaggerated and misunderstood. In doing so, it shows how Russia''s economy is one of global significance, and helps explain why many of Russia''s enduring features, such as the heavy hand of the state and the emphasis on military-industrial production, have persisted despite the immense changes that took place after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewPresents an overview of the Russian economy over the last 500 years, chronicling its developments and characteristics from the first emergence of the Russian empire to the twenty-first-century regime of Vladimir Putin. * Journal of Economic Literature (Volume 59, no. 1) *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of illustrations 1: Factors shaping Russian economic development 2: The Soviet planned economy 3: The creation of a market 4: The reassertion of the state 5: From modernisation to isolation 6: Russia in the global economy 7: Whither the Russian economy? References Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisCombining the talents and expert knowledge of an early modern historian of Russia and of a Soviet specialist, Russia''s Empires is the first major study of the entire sweep of Russian history from its earliest formations to the rule of Vladimir Putin. Looking through the lens of empire, which the authors conceptualize as a state based on institutionalized differentiation, inequitable hierarchy, and bonds of reciprocity between ruler and ruled, Kivelson and Suny displace the centrality of nation and nationalism in the Russian and Soviet story. Yet their work demonstrates how imperial polities were key to the creation of national identifications and processes that both hindered and fostered what would become nations and nation-states. Using the concept of empire, they look at the ways that ordinary people imagined their position within a non-democratic polity - whether the Muscovite tsardom or the Soviet Union - and what concessions the rulers had to make, or appear to make, in order to Trade ReviewIn this remarkable work, two of the leading historians of the "imperial turn" have drawn on the past quarter-century of historical work and produced the most readable and insightful single volume of Russian history to date. Valerie Kivelson and Ronald Suny reveal how Russia's empires functioned as polities by employing not just coercive power but discursive power. In doing so, they illuminate how Russia also became an "imperial nation," one where national and imperial policies developed simultaneously yet frequently produced tensions. Russia's Empires is historical synthesis at its finest." - Stephen Norris, Miami UniversityIn this remarkable work, two of the leading historians of the "imperial turn" have drawn on the past quarter-century of historical work and produced the most readable and insightful single volume of Russian history to date. Valerie Kivelson and Ronald Suny reveal how Russia's empires functioned as polities by employing not just coercive power but discursive power. In doing so, they illuminate how Russia also became an "imperial nation," one where national and imperial policies developed simultaneously yet frequently produced tensions. Russia's Empires is historical synthesis at its finest." - Shoshana Keller, Hamilton CollegeRussia's Empires provides an elegant, stimulating and comprehensive account of Russian history, placing the management of imperial diversity at the heart of the narrative. It is both readable and rigorous, and should help to introduce a new generation of students to the many fascinations of Russia's imperial past and present." - Alexander Stephen Morrison, Nazarbayev UniversityOriginal, engaging, authoritative, and beautifully illustrated - no other short survey engages Russia's remarkable history of diversity as fully and effectively as Russia's Empires. This should become the field's go-to text for college courses. An impressive achievement." - Willard Sunderland, University of CincinnatiTable of ContentsList of Maps Preface About the Authors Introduction Thinking About Empire Empires Russia's Imperial Formations Chapter One: Before Empire: Early Rus' Visions of Diversity of Lands and Peoples Before the State: The Peoples of Rus New Models for Understanding Kiev Rus': Stateless Head or Galactic Polity Appanage Rus' and Further Fragmentation Mongol Khans and the Aura of Empire Chapter Two: Imperial Beginnings: Muscovy Building a State; Claiming an Empire Ivan the Terrible: Imperial Principles in Practice Muscovite Autocracy: Power and Obligation Who Were the Muscovites? What was Rus'? The People Speak: The Time of Troubles Imperial Conquest and Control Chapter Three: Disrupting the Easy Road from Empire to Nation State: A Theoretical Interlude Nation, Nationalism, and the Discourse of the Nation Chapter Four: Responsive Rule and Its Limits: Force and Sentiment in the Eighteenth Century Succession, Consultation, and the Politics of Affirmation The Petrine Revolution and the Imperial State Peter's Successors: A Century of Women (and Children) on Top Chapter Five: Russians' Identities in the Eighteenth Century: A Multitude of Possibilities What does Russian mean? Thinking about Nations in the Eighteenth Century A Multiplicity of Nations: The Peoples and Divisions of Empire Imperial Expansion in the Eighteenth Century Chapter Six: Imperial Russia in the Moment of the Nation, 1801-1855 A Kind of Constitution Clash of Empires Imperial Conservatism The Decembrists Official Nationality The Intelligentsia Expansion, Conquest, and Rebellion Imagining the Russian "Nation": Between West and East Chapter Seven: War, Reforms, Revolt, and Reaction A Foolish War The Great Reforms: Nations, Subjects, and Citizens Participatory Politics and Categories of Difference Who Are We? More Questions of National Identity Russification, Diversity, and Empire "Pacifying" the Peripheries Conquering Central Asia Counter-Reforms and Political Polarization Empire and the Revolutionary Movement Chapter Eight: Imperial Anxieties: 1905-1914 The Fate of Empires in the Twentieth Century The Modernizing Empire and its Discontents Imperial Overreach: Tsarist Modernization and Expansion The First Revolution, 1905 When Nationalism Goes Public: Reimagining Empire Chapter Nine: Clash and Collapse of Empires: 1914-1921 The Great War Nationality and Class Across the Revolutionary Divide Soviet Power Soviet Nationality Policies Chapter Ten: Making Nations, Soviet Style: 1921-1953 The Stalin Years, 1928-1953 Beating Peasants into Submission Empire-State and State of Nations Building National Bolshevism From Hot War to Cold War: External Empire as Defensive Expansion Cold War at Home: The Internal Empire Soviet Discursive Power Chapter Eleven: Imperial Impasses: Reform, Reaction, Revolution Policy and Experience: Friendship of the Peoples A Strange Empire The Soviet Union in the World Stagnation Gorbachev and the Test of Perestroika Chapter Twelve: The End of Empire, 1991-2016 . . . Or Not? Vladimir Putin and the Rebuilding of the State Democratic Recession in the Post-Soviet States Post-Superpower Russia and NATO Expansion Red Lines in the Near Abroad: Georgia and Ukraine Conclusion

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1962, one year after the rise of the Berlin Wall, a group of daring young West Germans risked prison, Stasi torture and even death to liberate friends, lovers, and strangers in East Berlin by digging tunnels under the Wall. This book tells their story.Trade ReviewA story with so much inherent drama it sounds far-fetched even for a Hollywood thriller... Mitchell tells a kaleidoscopic cold war story from 1962, recreating a world seemingly on the edge of a third world war. * The Guardian *This book serves as a stark reminder that barriers can never cut people off entirely but only succeed in driving them underground. * New York Times *The Tunnels is one of the great untold stories of the Cold War. Brilliantly researched and told with great flair, Greg Mitchell’s non-fiction narrative reads like the best spy thriller, something le Carre might have imagined. Easily the best book I’ve read all year.Every hour of my year in East Berlin - 1963/64 - the escape tunnels beneath our feet were being dug. This is their story: those who dug them, those who used them and those who betrayed them to the Stasi. Fascinating - and it is all true.A fascinating and complex picture of the interplay between politics and media in the Cold War era. * The Washington Post *I was stunned by the tunnelling exploits detailed by Greg Mitchell. This intricately detailed account was eye-opening and an exhilarating read. Not knowing who made it out of the East, and who was arrested, or worse, kept me glued to this book until the last page. [An] important work. -- Antonio Mendez, author of ArgoAn extraordinarily revealing political thriller... Mitchell presents us with a radically changed perspective on one of the Cold War’s most dramatic episodes. His book is both priceless as history and just about impossible to beat for sheer narrative grip. -- Frederick Taylor, author of The Berlin WallGreg Mitchell's The Tunnels uncovers an unexplored underworld of Cold War intrigue. As nuclear tensions grip Berlin, a whole realm of heroes and villains, of plot and counterplot, unfolds beneath the surface of the city. True historical drama. -- Ron Rosenbaum, author of Explaining Hitler and How The End BeginsWhen you have read the last page of Greg Mitchell's The Tunnels you will close the book. But not until then. -- Alan Furst, author of A Hero of France and Night SoldiersGreg Mitchell is the best kind of historian, a true storyteller. The Tunnels is a gripping tale about heroic individuals defying an authoritarian state at a critical moment in the Cold War. A brilliantly told thriller—but all true. -- Kai Bird, author of The Good SpyA compelling look at a wrenching chapter of the Cold War that chronicles the desperate flights for freedom beneath the streets of post-war Berlin and the costs that politics extracted in lives -- Barry Meier, author of Missing ManA riveting story. Mitchell, an exemplary journalist, goes deep into the political dynamics of Cold War Berlin. John Le Carré couldn’t have done it better. -- Bill MoyersA narrative full of interest and acute observation. -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *Tense, fascinating... Mitchell delivers a gripping, blow-by-blow account. * Publishers Weekly *A gripping page-turner that thrills like fiction. * Kirkus Reviews *One of the most gripping stories of the Cold War. * Omnivoracious - The Amazon Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSuperb, enthralling and necessarily terrifying . . . the accident unfurls with a horrible inevitability. Weaving together the experiences of those who were there that night, Higginbotham marshals the details so meticulously that every step feels spring-loaded with tension. . . . Amid so much rich reporting and scrupulous analysis, some major themes emerge. . . . Higginbotham’s extraordinary book is another advance in the long struggle to fill in some of the gaps, bringing much of what was hidden into the light. * New York Times *An invaluable contribution to history... tells a compelling story exceptionally well. -- Serhii Plokhy * Evening Standard *Reads like a thriller: forensic, compelling and utterly terrifying. * Mail on Sunday *Higginbotham tells the story of the disaster and its gruesome aftermath with thriller-like flair. Midnight in Chernobyl is wonderful and chilling ... written with skill and passion. A tale of hubris and doomed ambition. * The Observer *Adam Higginbotham uses all of the techniques of the top-notch longform journalist to full effect. He swoops us into the heart of the catastrophe. * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe only first-hand account of BRIXMIS, the British Army’s most secret unit of the Cold War

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Book SynopsisThe life of Major Ronnie Reed, legendary MI5 officer from 1942 to 1976, is revealed in his only interview, recorded by his son

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Book SynopsisThis Element introduces a preference-for-change model to explain the policy variations of states during the order transition. It suggests that policymakers will perceive a potential change in the international order through a cost-benefit prism.This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. International order transition and state policy choice; 2. Preference-for-change model: a neoclassical realist framework; 3. Singapore: hedging to cope with uncertainties; 4. Australia: balancing to resist change; 5. Thailand: bandwagoning to seek profit; 6. New Zealand: buck-passing to avoid risks; Conclusion; References.

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Book SynopsisAn urgent examination of the world barrelling toward a new Cold War, from a scholar on the diplomatic front lines

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Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - From a New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer-nominated journalist, the recently de-classified story of the Cold War spies who changed the world.Trade Review‘The last piece of the puzzle surrounding one of the most memorable espionage cases of the 20th century.’ -- New York Times‘The spy hunt set off by the Venona decrypts is one of the great stories of the Cold War and Howard Blum tells it here with the drama and page-turning pace of a classic thriller.’ -- Joseph Kanon, bestselling author of Defectors, Leaving Berlin, and Los Alamos‘A finely detailed study of crime and punishment in the days of the Manhattan project… [In the Enemy's House] reinforces several points: how thoroughly Soviet agents were able to penetrate the government and scientific circles and the undeniable guilt of those who were eventually brought to justice – and, to boot, the ordinariness of some of the key players. Taut and well-crafted – of great interest to students of spydom and the early Cold War.’ -- Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisComprehensive and authoritative work on the whole range of Soviet aircraft and helicopters in service during the Cold War.

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