Invasion, conquest and occupation Books

Book SynopsisAt eighteen Alexander had conquered mainland Greece, was crowned King of Macedonia at twenty and by twenty-six he had made himself master of the once mighty Persian Empire. By the time of his death, aged only thirty-three, in 323BCE he was ruler of the known world and was being worshipped as a god by the Greeks, both at Babylon, where he died, and further west, among the Greek cities of the Asiatic seaboard. The fruit of a lifetime’s scholarship and meticulous research, this is an outstanding biography of one of the most remarkable rulers in history. 'A hugely impressive portrait of a towering but enigmatic figure' Saul David, Sunday Telegraph 'A revealing, often enthralling search . . . [a] restless, exhilarating book' Observer 'Fascinating . . . blends all the pleasures of Hollywood epic with those of a subtle and deeply intriguing detective tale' Tom Holland, author of Rubicon 'Alexander tTrade Review'A more deserving subject for a biography it is hard to imagine...This is a hugely impressive portrait of a towering but enigmatic figure.' Saul David, Sunday Telegraph 'A revealing, often enthralling search ... [a] restless, exhilarating book' Observer 'Paul Cartledge is one of those rare scholars who can convey the excitement of both a soaring historical narrative and the careful sifting of sources on which history depends. His fascinating new book blends all the pleasures of Hollywood epic with those of a subtle and deeply intriguing detective tale' Tom Holland 'Paul Cartledge gives us a cool, modern portrait of an ancient sacred monster who never knew when to stop, and never did, until the day he died.' Frederic Raphael 'Alexander the Great provides an endless fount both of amazement and of speculation. This gripping book examines the legends as well as the life. Most interestingly, it invites the reader to participate in the difficult task of separating the fact from the fiction.' Norman Davies

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Book SynopsisExactly 150 years after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, history came extremely close to repeating itself when another army set sail from the Continent with the intention of imposing foreign rule on England.

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Book SynopsisAn untold story that reshapes our understanding of Chinese and Tibetan history From 1956 to 1962, devastating military conflicts took place in China's southwestern and northwestern regions. Official record at the time scarcely made mention of the campaign, and in the years since only lukewarm acknowledgment of the violence has surfaced. When the Iron Bird Flies, by Jianglin Li, breaks this decades long silence to reveal for the first time a comprehensive and explosive picture of the six years that would prove definitive in modern Tibetan and Chinese history. The CCP referred to the campaign as "suppressing the Tibetan rebellion." It would lead to the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in India, as well as the Tibetan diaspora in 1959, though the battles lasted three additional years after these events. Featuring key figures in modern Chinese history, the battles waged in this period covered a vast geographical region. This book offers a portrait of chaos, deception, heroism, and massive loss. Beyond the significant death toll across the Tibetan regions, the war also destroyed most Tibetan monasteries in a concerted effort to eradicate local religion and scholarship. Despite being considered a military success, to this day, the operations in the agricultural regions remain unknown. As large numbers of Tibetans have self-immolated in recent years to protest Chinese occupation, Li shows that the largest number of cases occurred in the sites most heavily affected by this hidden war. She argues persuasively that the events described in this book will shed more light on our current moment, and will help us understand the unrelenting struggle of the Tibetan people for their freedom.Trade Review"In this book we have the for the first time a Chinese historian presenting conclusive research on Tibet's recent history. It is my hope that through this historical documentation establishing the truth of what happened, Chinese intellectuals, and all other readers, will come to understand the real situation and be able to deepen their approach to and understanding of the Tibet problem in the spirit of seeking truth from facts. With my praise and admiration for the author on the fruition of her many labours." –His Holiness the Dalai Lama"Jianglin Li is a treasure. The confines of our knowledge about Tibet have expanded dramatically as a result of her dogged research. She has done for Tibet what Chinese historians like Yang Jisheng have done for the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution: uncovered, at considerable personal cost, a history that the Communist Party tried hard to conceal."—Barbara Demick, author of Eat the Buddha"Jianglin Li has pieced together by far the most comprehensive and compelling picture of the devastation wreaked by China upon Tibet. This book is likely to remain the definitive source, and therefore required reading, for anyone interested in this history."—Anne F. Thurston, co-author with Gyalo Thondup of The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong"To have this kind of detail about these events is exceptional. Until now, historians had assumed that 1959 marked the end of major conflict between the PLA and Tibet. This important study corrects those notions, and expands our understanding about the deep tensions that continue to reverberate in much of China's western territories."—Robert Barnett, editor of Forbidden Memory: Tibet during the Cultural Revolution"When the Iron Bird Flies provides the most comprehensive account to date of the brutal and bloody conflicts that took place between the PLA and Tibetans. Combining rigorous research with extensive interviews with Tibetan refugees, this book sheds light on those violent critical years of state incorporation."—Emily T. Yeh, author of Taming Tibet"Authoritative, exhaustive, and reliable, Jianglin Li's account sets a new standard for the history of Sino-Tibetan relations and deftly depicts the momentous historical transition of a region little known to outsiders."—David G. Atwill, coauthor with Yurong Y. Atwill of Sources in Chinese History"This extraordinarily important book reveals for the first time the ruthless military campaign against local rebellions that the PLA waged across vast Tibetan regions. This long-hidden story, told in a series of powerfully dramatic vignettes, reshapes our understanding of the formative years of the People's Republic of China."—Andrew G. Walder, author of China Under Mao"[When the Iron Bird Flies] provides many startling details about how the Chinese Communist Party cracked down on Tibetans from 1956 through 1962. The work of Li, an independent scholar born in China, has an aspect of a detective story because the Chinese government has never disclosed much of what happened... Does any of this matter now, decades later? I think so. As I read Li's study, I thought of the current Chinese government crackdown on the Uyghurs of far northwestern China. I suspect that many of the lessons the Communist Party learned in Tibet are being applied now."—Thomas E. Ricks, The New York Times Book Review"Li draws on interviews with exiled Tibetans and on classified Chinese-language sources to describe battle after battle and the enormous destruction and loss of civilian life that the PLA caused... The story is all the more heartbreaking for the clinical tone of Li's reporting."—Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign AffairsThe book's strength is Li's detailed account and descriptions of events based on rarely accessed Chinese sources supplemented by interviews with Tibetans living in exile. Li sees the book as a personal exploration in pursuit of truth.... Overall, Li tells a powerful story of the Tibetan resistance and provides vivid details about the clash between vastly different value systems that underlay that conflict."—Tsering Shakya, Pacific AffairsTable of Contents1. The Storm Rising in the Mountains 2. Rebellion Sparked in the Year of the Fire Monkey 3. Lithang: The Fallen Buddha of the Future 4. Chatreng: The Broken Mala 5. Nyarong: The Wrath of the Dragoness 6. The First Bend in the Yellow River 7. Tibet: Occupation and "Reform" 8. The Chamdo Pilot Project and "Six Years without Change" 9. Diplomatic Clashes: Zhou Enlai, Nehru, and the Dalai Lama 10. Obscure Events in 1957 11. Gunshots in the Golok Grasslands 12. The Yellow River Massacre 13. Yulshul in Flames 14. Tubten Nyima, a monk from the area, confirmed to the author the location of the battles referred to as the "battle of encirclement and annihilation in southeastern Xinghai" in Chinese sources. It was one of the major campaigns of Qinghai's 1958-1959 suppression of the Tibetan resistance and fleeing Tibetans. 15. The Crossed-Sword Banner at Drigu Lake 16. The 1958 "Religious Reform Movement" 17. Lhasa, the Last Hope 18. "Lhasa Is No More!" 19. The Battle of Lhoka 20. From Namtso to Mitikha 21. Encircling the Plateau in the Depths of Winter 22. The Men Who Fell from the Sky 23. Chamdo's Fight to the Death 24. The Life-or-Death Journey 25. When the Iron Horse Raced Across the Plateau

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Book SynopsisEveryone knows what William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but in recent years is has become customary to assume that the victory was virtually inevitable, given the alleged superiority of Norman military technology. In this new study, underpinned by biographical sketches of the great warriors who fought for the crown of England in 1066, Frank McLynn shows that this view is mistaken. The battle on Senlac Hill on 14 October was a desperately close-run thing, which Harold lost only because of an incredible run of bad fortune and some treachery from the Saxon elite in England. Both William and Harold were fine generals, but Harold was the more inspirational of the two. Making use of all the latest scholarship, McLynn shows that most of our ''knowledge'' of 1066 rests on myths or illusions: Harold did not fight at Hastings with the same army with which he had been victorious at Stamford Bridge three weeks earlier; the Battle of Senlac was not won by Norman arcTrade ReviewA splendid book... fascinatingly rich and thorough. -- Julian Rathbone * Independent on Sunday *An exciting story well told... A most lively and rewarding book. -- Jeremy Black * Literary Review *One of our most readable historians * Daily Express *McLynn is an astonishingly prolific historian. His books are always elegantly written, highly opinionated and enormously enjoyable * Sunday Times *Has anybody done more – done as much – as Frank McLynn in writing intelligent, combative, thoroughly researched and thoroughly readable history? * Independent *

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Book SynopsisA classic book on the history of the USA's involvement with AfghanistanTrade Review'Lucid, detailed, well-organised and superbly researched, Unholy Wars is the only book to place Islamic militancy in the context created not just by desperately poor, hopelessly mismanaged, corrupt and oppressive societies, but also by great powers like the United States. A masterpiece of reportorial thoroughness, painstaking research, and serious reflection' -- Edward W. SaidTable of ContentsAcknowledgements New Introduction 1. Carter and Brezhnev in the Valley of Decision 2. Anwar al-Sadat 3. Zia al-Haq 4. Deng Xiaoping 5. Recruiters, Trainers, Trainees and Assorted Spooks 6. Donors, Bankers and Profiteers 7. Poppy Fields, Killing Fields and Druglords 8. Russia: Bitter Aftertaste and Reluctant Return 9. The Contagion Spreads: 1 – Egypt and the Maghreb 10. More Contagion: The Philippines 11 The Contagion Spreads: 2 – The Assault on America Epilogue: The Globalisation of Violence Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe story of the rhetorical and practical assistance that Britain has given to the Zionist movement and the state of Israel since 1917Trade Review'The most dramatic centenary account of the Balfour Declaration' -- Robert Fisk, journalist and author'Sheds light in the dark corners of western imperialist policies that wreak havoc in most of the world. This one about British policies over the 100 years since Balfour is worthy of reading not only by every British person interested in truth but all humans who yearn for peace and justice' -- Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor at Bethlehem University'Shows how Britain erected and for decades maintained the scaffolding that gave birth to a settler-colonial state in Palestine and the Palestinian Nakba. Acknowledging Britain's moral responsibility towards the Palestinians is a key message of this timely and courageous book' -- Nur Masalha, editor, Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies'Cronin exposes Britain as an enabler of Israeli apartheid. He blends indignation with meticulous objectivity in an alternative history that is concise but comprehensive' -- Raymond Deane, Composer'Describes vividly how, by deception, Britain's imperial designs and perceived need for international Jewish support in wartime gave birth to the Balfour Declaration of November 1917' -- Tim Llewellyn, former BBC Middle East Correspondent'Challenges Theresa May's propagandist celebration through its exposure of the declaration's fundamental illegitimacy, supported by a wealth of factual detail on arms and money transfers, methods of repression and racist discourse' -- Rosemary Sayigh, author of Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries and Too Many Enemies: The Palestinian Experience in LebanonBalfour's Shadow is a passionate, cogently argued presentation of the tragic and devastating consequences of the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Cronin's work provides a unique insight into the historic and current relationship between Britain, Israel and the Palestinians. -- Selma Dabbagh, novelist and playwright 'This superb book is a revelation, uncovering the dreadful history - and present - of Britain's connivance with Israeli atrocities' -- Mark Curtis, author of Secret Affairs: Britain's Collusion with Radical IslamTable of ContentsTimeline of Key Events Text of Balfour Declaration Introduction 1. Laying the Foundations 2. Bringing in the Black and Tans 3. ‘We Must Shoot to Kill’ 4. Sowing the Seeds of Ethnic Cleansing 5. Arming Israel (1953-1956) 6. Arming Israel (1957-1979) 7. Sidelining the PLO 8. The Loyal Lieutenant 9. Partners in Crime Postscript: Israel’s Greatest Friend? Notes Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisLooking back at the Norman legacy and how it dissapeared so quickly off the political stage

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Book SynopsisThis concise history of the Vikings traces the 300-year saga of the pirates and warlords who poured out of Scandinavia between the eighth and eleventh centuries, terrorizing, conquering, and ultimately settling vast tracts of land throughout Europe.

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Book SynopsisOn 24 February 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine, intending to overthrow the Zelensky government and bring the former Soviet republic back into the Russian sphere of control. Vladimir Putin clearly expected a quick victory and many in the West also predicted that Kiev would fall in a few days. But they hadn't counted on the skilled, courageous and determined resistance of the Ukrainian armed forces, nor the degree to which Russian military might had been overestimated. The initial Russian dash for Kiev was thrown back and their advances in the east and south also slowed by a combination of fierce resistance and their own unpreparedness, inadequate logistical planning and incompetent command. While the Russians ground their way forward in the east and south of the country, devastating towns and cities, they paid a heavy price in casualties and equipment losses. A carefully planned Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer forced the invaders into a series of humiliating retreats. As w

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Book Synopsis''In Detective Eddie Giral, Chris Lloyd has created a flawed hero not just for occupied Paris, but for our own times, too'' KATHERINE STANSFIELDParis, 1940. As the city adjusts to life under Nazi occupation, Detective Eddie Giral struggles to reconcile his job as a policeman with his new role enforcing a regime he cannot believe in but must work under.He''s sacrificed so much in order to survive in this new world, but the past is not so easily forgotten. When an old friend and an old flame reappear, begging for his help, Eddie must decide how far he will go to help those he loves.He can remain a good man and do nothing, or risk it all in a desperate act of resistance...Praise for Chris Lloyd and Detective Eddie Giral''Terrific'' SUNDAY TIMES''Gripping... a vivid recreation of Paris under German Occupation'' ANDREW TAYLOR''A thoughtful, haunting thriller'' MICK HERRON''Sharp and compellinTrade ReviewA corpse is discovered in a derelict jazz club, its lips sewn tight with twine. The victim, Eddie finds out, is an old lag who should be in prison. After he learns that other criminals are also out on the streets, given early release in mysterious circumstances, he realises that he has stumbled on a conspiracy involving French criminals and German occupiers. A page-turning, morally complex thriller. (Best Historical Fiction Books of 2023) * SUNDAY TIMES *Chris Lloyd follows up the excellent The Unwanted Dead with another terrific slice of historical noir. In his vivid recreation of Paris under German occupation, French policeman Eddie Giral - trapped between Nazis, gangsters and his own conscience - finds himself morally compromised following the discovery of several mutilated bodies. Once again, the prose sparkles with Lloyd's mordant wit and gallows humour, illuminating the depravity of an evil regime. * VASEEM KHAN *Lloyd does a masterly job of conjuring a hungry, defeated Paris. Eddie is a convincing protagonist; a flawed man trying his best to be a good one. * THE TIMES *It's the book Raymond Chandler might have written if he had lived and breathed the Nazi Occupation of Paris... Paris Requiem is more than a historical crime novel, it's a tour de force. To read it is to have lived in occupied Paris, to have experienced its many-layered devastation. But to read it is also to have walked, in Eddie Giral's skin, through the decisions and betrayals, the compromises and dubious triumphs of an investigation which should, by rights, have killed him. * ALIS HAWKINS *A haunting and eye-opening portrayal of life under occupation. * ADELE PARKS *A stellar sequel to 2020's The Unwanted Dead. In 1940 Nazi-occupied Paris, police detective Eddie Giral, a wise-cracking maverick determined to stay faithful to his responsibilities despite the risks to his life, investigates the death of a man found in a jazz club...Little details, such as the occupied city now being governed by German time, which runs an hour ahead of French time, bring the period to life. Admirers of J. Robert Jane's St-Cyr and Kohler series will be delighted. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) *[A] superbly atmospheric thriller, which oozes moral ambiguity. * BOOKLIST (starred review) *This smart historical thriller centers on a WWII-era Paris policeman who finds himself working on behalf of the occupiers, pushing him into a moral crisis and a new case that forces him to confront the true extent of the damage being done to the soul of his city. * DWYER MURPHY, CrimeReads Editor in Chief *Lloyd paints a vivid picture of Paris: the lines of people trying to buy highly rationed food, the jazz clubs where they try to escape their miseries, and their persistent attempts to block out the brutal facts of the occupation. The plot action is suspenseful and intense. The characters-both heroes and villains-are vividly drawn. This is definitely a captivating read! * HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY *In Chris Lloyd's historical mystery "Paris Requiem," the year is 1940. The City of Light is occupied by German troops. The Eiffel Tower is closed. All songbirds have fled . . . [Detective Eddie Giral] ekes partial wins out of this amoral game: "Private triumphs I could share with no one"-except the spellbound reader. * WALL STREET JOURNAL *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDon Hollway’s At the Gates of Rome is a masterful blending of solid scholarship and excellent storytelling that brings the Eternal City’s turbulent early history to vibrant life. Patricians and barbarians, slaves and saints, victors and vanquished leap from the pages fully formed, making the book an enthralling read from the first page to the last. -- Stephen Harding, 'New York Times' bestselling author of 'The Last Battle'Fans of Hollway’s short work already know his outstanding narrative style is matched by his impressive range. Coming on the heels of his medieval masterpiece The Last Viking, At the Gates of Rome brings Hollway’s marriage of thrilling storytelling and historical rigor to Late Antiquity. In this illuminating page-turner, Hollway walks us through the fate of one of the most significant civilizations in human history. There are works of history we return to as reference, and those we return to as inspiration. In At the Gates of Rome, Hollway has given us both. -- Myke Cole, author of 'Legion versus Phalanx'Table of ContentsDramatis Personae Chronology List of Illustrations Author's Note Introduction Prologue: The Fall of Rome PART ONE: AD 378–397 I. Adrianople II. Foederati III. A World Divided IV. Leaders V. The Battle of the Frigidus VI. Pater Patriae PART TWO: AD 395–408 VII. Invaders VIII. Betrayal IX. Triumvirate X. Enemies on All Sides XI. Barring the Gates XII. Barbarians Ascendant XIII. Uprising XIV. The World Turns XV. Invasion XVI. Death Renders All Equal XVII. “Everything Will Fall to Pieces” XVIII. Radagaisus XIX. Annus Horribilis XX. Contenders for the Throne XXI. Overthrow XXII. Downfall PART THREE: AD 408–410 XXIII. The New Order XXIV. The March on Rome XXV. First Siege XXVI. Poena Cullei XXVII. Second Siege XXVIII. Third Siege XXIX. The Graveyard of the Romans XXX. Finis Epilogue: The Triumph of Barbarism Sources Bibliography Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of the British tribal warriors and Roman auxiliaries who fought in three epic battles for control of Britain in the 1st century AD. Following the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, the tribes of the west and north resisted the establishment of a Roman peace', led in particular by the chieftain Caratacus. Even in the south-east, resentment of Roman occupation remained, exploding into the revolt of Boudicca's Iceni in AD 60. Roman auxiliaries from two particular peoples are known to have taken part in the invasion of Britain: the Tungrians, from what is now Belgium, and the Batavians, from the delta of the River Rhine in the modern Netherlands. From the late 80s AD, units of both the Batavians and the Tungrians were garrisoned at a fort at Vindolanda in northern Britain. The so called Vindolanda tablets' provide an unparalleled body of material with which to reconstruct the lives of these auxiliary soldiers in Britain.Featuring full-colour maps and speciallyTrade ReviewInformative and plenty of detail throughout. -- Duncan Evans * The Armourer Magazine *This is a great book for anyone thinking of recreating the Roman Conquest of Briton. This will provide a great deal of background information, and a great place to start any research for ideas and info. -- Jason Hubbard * Irregular Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Caratacus' last stand, AD 50 The invasion of Mona, AD 60 Mons Graupius, AD 83 Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative military history of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, describing the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the siege and fall of Baghdad, and the nation-building mission that followed.In 21 Days to Baghdad, historian Dr. Heather Stur describes the commitment of the division to Kuwait, the invasion of Iraq and the three weeks of violent desert conflicts on the way to Baghdad before the siege and battle for the city itself, and the thunder runs that saw its fall to U.S. forces. She then details the complex security mission that required the soldiers and their commanders to convince Iraqi citizens that the U.S. was there to help them, while at the same time they continued fighting Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard, paramilitary forces, and terrorists. This new history is based on exclusive, extensive interviews with General Buford Buff Blount, the U.S. Army two-star general who led the 3rd Infantry DivisionTrade ReviewAccompanied by a series of informative maps, 21 Days to Baghdad is an interesting perspective on the Iraq War. * Classic Military Vehicle *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Maps Introduction 1. The Making of a Seventh-Generation Soldier 2. The Arabist: Blount in Saudi Arabia 3. War Planning 4. Preparations in Kuwait 5. Invasion 6. Pushing Through Karbala 7. The General’s Gamble: Seizing Baghdad 8. Now What? 9. Fallujah Conclusion Appendix: Third Infantry Division Order of Battle, Iraq 2003 Acronyms Notes Selected Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis“Paris of today is not a happy ground for ill and dying or for those with frayed nerves and unquiet minds. It is for the brave of heart, the courageous, and the strong in will and in health. The times, so full of danger, must be lived by the ‘sword of the Spirit,’ with love and an inner calm. It is not possible otherwise.” - Marie-Louise Dilkes, 30 August 1940There have been many books written about life in Paris during the Occupation. What makes this book unique is that it is written from the perspective of the receptionist for the American Embassy in Paris, Marie-Louise Dilkes, who saw and experienced the chaos and fear of those facing an uncertain future. They walked through the door to the American Embassy looking for a sign of hope or a way out.Marie-Louise Dilkes takes us through the conquest and occupation of Paris by German forces, and includes the war-time journey of the American consulate in Paris – from Paris to Lisbon, and Lyon to Bern and back to Paris. She ends with the triumphant return of members of the American Embassy staff after the Allies forced the German Army out of Paris.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction The US Embassy in Paris August 25, 1939–June 14, 1940—Turbulent Times June 15–December 31, 1940—The Occupation January 1, 1941–June 3, 1941—Relocates to Vichy June 4, 1941–July 20, 1941—The Embassy in Paris Becomes a Consulate July 20, 1941–December 26, 1941—American Consulate Leaves Paris Epilogue Notes Glossary Bibliography Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisGermany, spring 1945. Hitler is dead and his armies crushed. Across the conquered Reich, cities lie devastated by Allied saturation bombing; their traumatised populations, exhausted and embittered by defeat, face a future of acute privation and hardship. Such was the broken state of the nation in which a British civilian and military force arrived in the spring and summer of 1945. Their zone of occupation was the northern and northwestern part of Germany, the country’s former industrial heartland. Their task? To build democracy from the ruins of Hitler’s Reich, and, having defeated Nazism on the battlefield, to ‘win the peace’ by eradicating Nazism from German hearts and minds. As well as offering a vivid narrative of the British occupation in political and military terms, from the Potsdam Conference to the Berlin Airlift, Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans explores the day-to-day experiences of the ordinary Britons who worked for the Control Commission for Germany between 1945 and 1949. Some reconstructed bridges and schools, supervised the destruction of military matériel and brought fugitive Nazis to justice; while others became entangled in black marketeering, corruption and sexual scandal. In time, they would find themselves on the front line of the Cold War, as irreconcilable tensions divided Europe between East and West.Trade ReviewImmensely readable ... Cowling expertly navigates his narrative through a post-war Europe of conflicting ideas, difficult decisions, brilliant minds and flawed people -- Katja Hoyer * Daily Telegraph *Candid and illuminating -- Richard Overy * Literary Review *Very readable ... The real strength of the book is in the tiny details that Cowling's painstaking research uncovers -- Glenda Cooper * Mail on Sunday *A gripping account of the post-war period detailing life in the British Zone. The Allies may have won the war but with Germany in ruins and millions homeless, hopeless and starving, would they win the peace? * Julia Boyd, author of A Village in the Third Reich *An endlessly wonderful evocation of the post-War years when we tried, despite the chaos of the times, understandably bitter feelings, and ruinous expense, to create a new, democratic Germany, even as our Empire crumbled around us. It may not have been our finest hour - yet, to the infinite benefit of Europe, we really did win the peace. A clear, grand idea mixed with unforgettable new details make this unputdownable. * James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of Germany *An excellent, vivid, readable social history of the British and their Zone in Post-War Germany. * Giles MacDonogh *The British occupation of Germany after 1945 was sometimes shameful, sometimes heroic, but often just chaotic. Cowling’s brilliantly researched book reveals it all, and must surely become the standard work on the subject. * Keith Lowe *Meticulously researched and skilfully written, Daniel Cowling’s narrative evokes a shattered post-war world in which British men and women were given the herculean task of rebuilding a democratic Germany. As they sought to round-up ex-Nazis, racketeers and corrupt officials, some found themselves drawn to an underworld rife with crime, drunkenness and sex. A ground-breaking account of a little-known period. * Giles Milton, author of Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare *

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Book SynopsisWas Hitler 'the greatest strategic genius of all time' as Nazi propaganda had it, or just an amateur?Why was the startling success of his campaigns in Poland and France followed by the blundering mistakes in Russia, North Africa and France? Might Germany even have won the war without Hitler's continual and disastrous interference?In this extraordinary history, John Strawson answers these and other questions by showing how Hitler's insatiable preoccupation with war and conquest was translated into reality. While the power of a revitalized German army came from Hitler, Strawson examines the Fuhrer's eccentric use of the most formidable war machine the world had ever seen.This lucid story of fire and incompetence is brought alive by the accounts of those who served Hitler both on his staff and as field commanders. Perfect for readers of Ian Kershaw and Anthony Beevor.

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Book SynopsisThe Lower Danube—the stretch of Europe’s second longest river between the Romanian-Serbian border and the confluence to the Black Sea—was effectively transformed during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In describing this lengthy undertaking, Luminita Gatejel proposes that remaking two key stretches—the Iron Gates and the delta—not only physically altered the river but also redefined it in a legal and political sense. Since the late eighteenth century, military conflicts and peace treaties changed the nature of sovereignty over the area, as the expansionist tendencies of the Habsburg and British Empires encountered rival Ottoman and Russian imperial plans. The inconvenience that the river’s physical shape obstructed free navigation and the growth of commercial traffic, was an increasing concern to all parties. This book shows that alongside imperial aspirations, transnational actors like engineers, commissioners and entrepreneurs were the driving force behind the river regulation. In this highly original, deeply researched, and carefully crafted study, Gatejel explores the formation of international cooperation, the emergence of technical expertise and the emergence of engineering as a profession. This constellation turned the Lower Danube into a laboratory for experimenting with new forms of international cooperation, economic integration, and nature transformation.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Exploring the Danube 2. Connecting the Danube with the Sea 3. From Confrontation to Cooperation: the Crimean War and Its Aftermath 4. The Danube Delta: A Success in International Ruling 5. The Iron Gates Torn Between Imperial, International and National Interests Conclusion Bibliography

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