Land forces and warfare Books

Book SynopsisSince 1825, South America has gained independence from the colonial rule of Spain and Portugal. As a result, numerous new independent countries emerged on the continent. Each of these nations developed its own military forces, characterized by unique organizational patterns and vibrant uniforms. This book represents the first comprehensive work dedicated entirely to the armies of South America during the period from 1825 to 1865. It offers, for the first time in English, comprehensive details about the history, organization, uniforms, and weapons of all the armies in South America. The book covers a total of ten countries: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. The historical period between 1825 and 1865 was a critical era for South America, marked by the outbreak of several wars that significantly influenced the continent's political map and led to the development of diverse uniform trends. This work is fully illustrated in color, featuring original uniform plates and contemporary pictures showcasing the attire of the South American military forces from 1825 to 1865.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the British Army''s Household Division from 1969 to 2023. It is the biography of a family of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change.The story of the British Army's Household Division from 1969 to 2023 is one of three generations of soldiers who have served Crown and Country during a period of significant social and geostrategic change. It is the story of a family of seven regiments that symbolise the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Septem juncta in uno: The Life Guards, The Blues and Royals, Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards. The Guards established an ascendancy in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, and have never truly faltered since. They have managed this by changing when change was needed. Over the last 50 years, the Household Division has been at the centre of almost every major operation conducted by thTrade ReviewThis absorbing book celebrating a unique military asset commands close attention. * Country Life *This book is the perfect present for the Guardsman in your life. * Jonathan Boff, The Spectator *Table of ContentsForeword by HRH The Princess Royal Preface by the Major General Commanding The Household Division List of Illustrations and Maps Prologue 1. Setting the Scene: The Guards, 1969–2023 2. Commendable Restraint: The Troubles, 1969–2007 3. National Renewal: The Falklands Campaign, April–June 1982 4. The Household Division in Germany: The British Army’s Latter Day ‘Raj’, 1969–2008 5. Disengaging from Britain’s Far-flung Battle Line 6. Pomp and Circumstance: Ceremony and Drill 7. Cold War, Hot War and Options for Change, 1990–92 8. The Guards Depot: Septem juncta in uno 9. The Household Division in the Balkans, 1993–2007 10. Iraq and Afghanistan, 2003–21: A Strategic and Political Failure? 11. Afghanistan: Operation Herrick, 2006–14 Epilogue: Op Shader in Iraq and the Beat of the Drum Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisAmong the most successful armoured vehicles produced by American industry - known as the Arsenal of Democracy - during the Second World War were the M2 and M3 half-tracks. They served on every battlefront and were as recognizable as other famous American wartime vehicles like the Sherman and the Jeep, and around 40,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945\. They were easy to assemble, operate and maintain, and their versatility allowed them to fulfil a variety of purposes. This volume in Pen & Sword's LandCraft series traces the design, development and manufacturing history of the M2/M3 and describes its operational role within the Allied armies. A selection of archive photographs showing the M2/M3 in action gives a graphic impression of how adaptable these vehicles were and records the range of equipment they could carry. The book is an excellent source for the modeller, providing details of available kits, together with specially commissioned colour profiles demonstrating how the M2/M3 used by different units and armies appeared.

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Book SynopsisCreated from what was left of the gigantic stockpiles of Soviet armoured fighting vehicles after the end of the Cold War, the Russian armoured forces were reorganized in the early 1990s. Ground forces were involved in a series of conflicts in border states, nationalistic insurrections of minorities following the end of the Soviet Union, and the lifting of its iron fist on these regions. From Chechnya to the Crimea to the Ukraine, Modern Russian Tanks explores the main battle tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, self- propelled guns and missile-launching platforms in service since 1990. Organised by type and then alphabetically by manufacturer, the entries include the BMD-3, BMPT Terminator, T-90 and T-15 main battle tank, and their variants, as well as the Buk missile system responsible for shooting down the Malaysian Airlines 777 jet over Ukraine in 2014. Illustrated with expert colour profile artworks for each entry and completed with technical specifications, Modern Russian Tanks is a detailed reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in modern military technology.Trade ReviewThis new hardback from Amber Books is one of their 'Technical Guide' series, and brings us up to date with images and details of the various types of armoured vehicles in service with the Russian military. As a long time armour enthusiast, and modeller, this is ideal… A very handy new reference. -- Robin Buckland * Military Model Scene *Table of ContentsIntroduction Main Battle Tanks T-10 heavy tank – some kept in storage during the 1990s. PT-76 amphibious light tank – still in service. T-54/55 – up to 2,800 currently in reserve. T-62 – up to 2,500 currently in reserve. T-64 – up to 2,000 currently in reserve T-72 – 1,900 in service. T-80 – 450 in service. T-90 – 350 in service. T-14 Armata – prototypes/pre-production vehicles completed. APCs/Armoured Cars Kamaz Typhoon Mine-resistant ambush-protected truck – 290 in service. Ural Typhoon Mine-resistant ambush-protected truck – 180 in service. Bulat APC – in production. BTR-90 APC – at least 80 in service. BTR-80/82A APC – over 1,200 in service. BTR-70 APC – about 100 in service. BTR-60 APC – over 3,500 in reserve. BRDM-2 Armoured car – 1,000 in service. MT-LB APC – 1,500 in service. Infantry Fighting Vehicles BMD-1 – in service. BMD-2 – in service BMD-3 – over 100 in service BMP-1 – 500 in service. BMP-2 – 3,000 in service. BMP-3 – over 700 in service. VPK-7829 Bumerang – unknown number of prototypes completed. Kurganets-25 – unknown number of prototypes/pre-production vehicles completed. T-15 – unknown number of prototypes/pre-production vehicles completed. Tank Destroyers 9P148 Konkurs – 60 in service 9P149 Shturm-S/SM – over 40 in service. 9P157-2 Khrizantema-S – 30 in service. 9P163M-1 Kornet-T – in production. Self-Propelled Artillery 2S1 Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled Howitzer – over 500 in service. 2S3 Akatsiya 152mm self-propelled Howitzer – over 900 in service. 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled gun-mortar – 120 being modernised. 2S5 Giatsint-S 152mm self-propelled Howitzer – over 200 in service. 2S7M Malka 203mm self-propelled Howitzer – about 30 being modernised. 2S19 Msta-S/2S19M1 and 2S19M2 Msta-SM/2S33 Msta-SM2 152mm self-propelled Howitzer – over 450 in service. 2S9 Nona self-propelled 120mm Mortar – still in production. 2S34 Chosta 120mm self-propelled Howitzer – in production. 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV 152mm self-propelled howitzer – prototypes/pre-production vehicles completed. TOS-1 220mm salvo rocket launcher – in service. ZSU-23-4 Shilka – over 100 in service. 9K22 Tunguska – 250 in service/being modernised. 9K35 Strela-10 – over 350 in service. Glossary and Abbreviations Index

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Book SynopsisThe history of the little-known yet controversial T-80 and its subsequent variants. The Soviet T-80 Standard Tank was the last tank fielded before the Soviet collapse, and the most controversial. Despite having the most sophisticated fire controls and multi-layer armor ever fielded on a Soviet tank, its turbine power plant (rather than a conventional diesel) remained a source of considerable trouble throughout its career. Steven J Zaloga charts the little-known history of the T-80, covering the initial construction, through the development to the subsequent variants, the T-84 and Russia’s enigmatic “Black Eagle Tank.” Accompanying detailed cut-away artwork illustrates the unusual design features that made the T-80 so controversial.Table of ContentsIntroduction · Design and Development · Construction · Variants · Service History · Conclusion · Colour Plate Commentary · Bibliography · Index

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Book SynopsisJonathan Fennell captures for the first time the true wartime experience of the ordinary soldiers from across the empire who made up the British and Commonwealth armies. He analyses why the great battles were won and lost and how the men that fought went on to change the world.Trade Review'[A] weighty, admirably uncomfortable account [by] an impressively diligent and thoughtful young historian … This is a fascinating and important book, which brings together a mass of information … never before assembled under one roof.' Max Hastings, The Sunday Times'Incredibly well-researched, brilliantly written and quite frankly, an outstanding book.' History of War'A richly documented, provocative and convincing study.' David French, The Times Literary Supplement'Fennell draws on a wide literature and deep archival research to explore how the Commonwealth armies fought key battles and campaigns, but he never loses sight of the role of citizen soldiers and how they exerted agency in calamitous defeats and gritty victories. Fighting the People's War offers new interpretations in the global fight against Fascism, and will be required reading for scholars and the historically-minded public.' Tim Cook, author of The Necessary War and Fight to the Finish'This is an outstanding book, based on immersion in archives across the globe. Rich in insights, it demands that we rethink the way we view the armies of the British Empire in the Second World War.' Gary Sheffield, author of A Short History of the First World War'Indispensable for understanding both World War II and the modern British experience. Fennell's major contribution integrates three themes usually compartmentalized. Its base is the analysis of Britain's development of an army able to fight and win a global war. That costly achievement both fostered and depended on growing cohesion within the participating societies. Wartime cohesion and comradeship in turn brought classes together in the postwar 'quiet revolution' that ended the Empire and redefined the Commonwealth.' Dennis Showalter, author of Hitler's Panzers: The Lightning Attacks that Revolutionized Warfare'Comprehensive, detailed and authoritative, Fennell breaks out of the national straitjackets that restrict our understanding of how the Commonwealth fought WWII - a triumph of multi-national research.' Peter Stanley, author of 'Terriers' in India'This is a hugely impressive, sweepingly ambitious book which brings together the military histories of all the British Commonwealth nations for the first time. It asks vital questions about the relationship between wartime experience, society, and politics in a unique transnational way. A remarkable and valuable achievement.' Alan Allport, author of Browned Off and Bloody-Minded: The British Soldier Goes to War 1939–1945'An absolutely fascinating and fresh account of the Commonwealth armies at war … very well written and totally accessible. It contains a wealth of information that is fresh and new, and Fennell's insights on subjects that many might imagine are familiar will be of real interest … Highly recommended.' Taylor Downing, Military History Matters'Jonathan Fennell's astonishing book is full of compelling arguments that complete the puzzle of British, Commonwealth and Imperial victory in WW2. It's quite fantastic and revealing … an incredible story. Absolutely recommend it.' Al Murray, Comedian and TV Personality'The size, scale, and significance of this book is nothing but staggering.' Munitions of the Mind (www.blogs.kent.ac.uk/munitions-of-the-mind)'Jonathan Fennell has produced a compelling and magisterial history of the British and Commonwealth armies between 1939 and 1945 … Fighting the People's War establishes Fennell as among the leaders of the next generation of Second World War scholars.' Jonathan Boff, History Today'This is a major contribution to the literature of the war, and a useful read for anyone interested in understanding how perceptions of war change over time.' New York Military Affairs Symposium Review'Fighting the People's War will serve for years to come as the standard work on the British and Commonwealth forces in the Second World War. It deserves the widest possible audience.' Mark Klobas, Michigan War Studies ReviewTable of ContentsList of illustrations; List of figures; List of maps; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Overview of maps; Introduction; Part I. The Military and Political Context; 1. Interwar: 1.1 Materiel and manpower; 1.2 Doctrine; 1.3 Training and organisation; 1.4 Politics and public morale; 1.5 Structure and contingency; 2. Mobilisation: 2.1 The political context; 2.2 Mobilisation; 2.3 Equality of sacrifice?; 2.4 The social contract; 2.5 Rhetoric and reality; Part II. The Great Crisis of Empire; 3. Defeat in the West: 3.1 The 'Phoney War'; 3.2 The Norwegian campaign; 3.3 The Battle of France; 3.4 Assessments and recriminations; 3.5 Preparing for invasion; 4. The Middle East: 4.1 Operation 'Compass'; 4.2 From East Africa to the Balkans; 4.3 The Battle for Crete; 4.4 Strategic overstretch; 4.5 Operation 'Crusader'; 4.6 Spring 1942; 4.7 Gazala; 4.8 The July battles; 5. The Far East: 5.1 The strategic context; 5.2 Preparations; 5.3 The Malaya campaign; 5.4 The invasion of Burma; 5.5 The fall of Singapore; 5.6 Retreat to India; 5.7 The cost of failure; 6. The great imperial morale crisis: 6.1 The anatomy of defeat; 6.2 Morale crisis; 6.3 The ideological deficit; 6.4 The soldier and the state; Part III. Transformation; 7. Victory in North Africa: 7.1 No retreat; 7.2 Alam Halfa; 7.3 Colossal cracks; 7.4 War Office initiatives; 7.5 El Alamein; 7.6 The Tunisian campaign; 8. New Guinea and Burma: 8.1 The 'Battle for Australia'; 8.2 Kokoda; 8.3 Wau; 8.4 Quit India; 8.5 The Arakan; Part IV. The Limits of Attrition; 9. The Mediterranean: 9.1 Strategy and preparation; 9.2 The Sicilian campaign; 9.3 Opportunity lost; 9.4 The invasion of Italy; 9.5 Advance to the 'Gustav Line'; 9.6 Winter in Italy; 10. Remobilisation?: 10.1 The British Army and the Beveridge Report; 10.2 The New Zealand Furlough mutiny; 10.3 The UDF and the 'Blue Oath'; 10.4 Procedural justice; 11. Cassino: 11.1 Anzio and the First Battle of Cassino; 11.2 The Second Battle of Cassino; 11.3 The Third Battle of Cassino; 11.4 The Fourth Battle of Cassino (Operation 'Diadem'); 12. Transformation in the jungle: 12.1 Training and doctrine; 12.2 Institutional reform; 12.3 The South-West Pacific area; 12.4 Operation 'Postern'; 12.5 Burma; 12.6 Second Arakan; 12.7 Imphal and Kohima; 12.8 Turn around; Part V. Redemption; 13. D-Day: 13.1 Training and doctrine; 13.2 Selection and morale; 13.3 The assault; 13.4 Controversy; 14. Normandy: 14.1 The battle for Caen; 14.2 Operation 'Goodwood'; 14.3 Breakout; 14.4 Encirclement; 14.5 The trap; 15. The victory campaigns: 15.1 Operation 'Market Garden'; 15.2 Operation 'Olive'; 15.3 Manpower crisis; 15.4 The Scheldt and the 'Siegfried Line'; 15.5 Operational and tactical transformations; 15.6 Victory in Italy; 15.7 The surrender of Germany; 15.8 The South-West Pacific area; 15.9 Burma; 15.10 Operations 'Capital' and 'Extended Capital'; Part VI. The Post-War World; 16. Soldiers and social change: 16.1 From combat cohesion to social cohesion; 16.2 The forces vote and the 1945 British General Election; 16.3 The forces vote and New Zealand's great experiment in social citizenship; 16.4 The forces vote and the formalisation of apartheid in South Africa; 16.5 Soldiers, veterans and the partition of India; 16.6 Soldiers, veterans and social change; Conclusion: C.1 A deficit of political legitimacy; C.2 Military performance; C.3 Consequences; C.4 Fighting the people's war; Appendix 1. The censorship summaries; Appendix 2. The morale reports; Appendix 3. Quantitative indicators of morale; Appendix 4. Defining morale; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on a superb collection of rare and unpublished photographs the The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen 1941 - 1945 is the 7th book in the Waffen-SS Images of War Series written by Ian Baxter. The book tells the story of the 7th SS Mountain Division was formed in 1941 from the Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) volunteers and conscripts from the Banat, Independent State of Croatia, Hungary and Romania. It fought a brutal counter insurgency campaign against communist-led Yugoslav Partisan resistance forces in the occupied Serbia and Montenegro. It was given the title Prinz Eugen after Prince Eugene of Savoy, an outstanding military leader of the Habsburg Empire who liberated the Banat and Belgrade from the Ottoman Empire in the Austro Turkish War. It was initially named the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen (SS-Volunteer Division Prinz Eugen).

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Book SynopsisDrawn from many international sources, many not employed before in English-language publications, Armies of the Seven Years War is the finest reference work on this most complex of conflicts.

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Book SynopsisCady Hoyte, like many other young lads of his generation, proudly joined the army in 1915 to fight for his King and Country. From the Warwickshire town of Nuneaton, he joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry as a gunner in the Machine Gun Corps and quickly found that army life made no concessions for an eager young 19 year old.

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Book SynopsisAt the outbreak of the Second World War, Britain's manpower crisis forced them to turn to a previously untapped resource: women. For years it was thought women would be incapable of serving in uniform, but the ATS was to prove everyone wrong. Formed in 1938, the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service was a remarkable legion of women; this is their story. They took over many roles, releasing servicemen for front-line duties. ATS members worked alongside anti-aircraft gunners as gunner-girls', maintained vehicles, drove supply trucks, operated as telephonists in France, re-fused live ammunition, provided logistical support in army supply depots and employed specialist skills from Bletchley to General Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims. They were even among the last military personnel to be evacuated from Dunkirk. They grasped their new-found opportunities for education, higher wages, skilled employment and a different future from the domestic role of their mothers. They earned the respect and admiration of their male counterparts and carved out a new future for women in Britain. They showed great skill and courage, with famous members including the young Princess Elizabeth (now about to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee as Britain's Queen) and Mary Churchill, Sir Winston's daughter. Girls in Khaki reveals their extraordinary achievements, romances, heartbreaks and determination through their own words and never-before published photographs.

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Book SynopsisELLERMAN LINES was formed by John Reeves Ellerman at the end of the nineteenth century. Ellerman left home at age 14, and at 24 he established J. Ellerman & Co. in London; by 1893, he had been appointed chair of a shipping company. Following the acquisition of various companies, Ellerman Lines Ltd was formed on 22 January 1902, becoming one of the greatest shipping lines in the world. Services were offered to the Mediterranean, India, South America and East and South Africa as the Ellerman group grew and grew. Ellerman Lines traded successfully throughout war and peace, heavily involved in the war effort, until the third quarter of the century, when many countries gained their independence from Britain and 1960s containerisation saw this once great shipping line close for good. Using many previously unpublished photographs illustrating the different types of vessels owned by Ellerman Lines, experienced maritime author Ian Collard turns his attention to the company's history, from it

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFighting the People''s War is an unprecedented, panoramic history of the ''citizen armies'' of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa, the core of the British and Commonwealth armies in the Second World War. Drawing on new sources to reveal the true wartime experience of the ordinary rank and file, Jonathan Fennell fundamentally challenges our understanding of the War and of the relationship between conflict and socio-political change. He uncovers how fractures on the home front had profound implications for the performance of the British and Commonwealth armies and he traces how soldiers'' political beliefs, many of which emerged as a consequence of their combat experience, proved instrumental to the socio-political changes of the postwar era. Fighting the People''s War transforms our understanding of how the great battles were won and lost as well as how the postwar societies were forged.Trade Review'[A] weighty, admirably uncomfortable account [by] an impressively diligent and thoughtful young historian … This is a fascinating and important book, which brings together a mass of information … never before assembled under one roof.' Max Hastings, The Sunday Times'Incredibly well-researched, brilliantly written and quite frankly, an outstanding book.' History of War'A richly documented, provocative and convincing study.' David French, The Times Literary Supplement'Fennell draws on a wide literature and deep archival research to explore how the Commonwealth armies fought key battles and campaigns, but he never loses sight of the role of citizen soldiers and how they exerted agency in calamitous defeats and gritty victories. Fighting the People's War offers new interpretations in the global fight against Fascism, and will be required reading for scholars and the historically-minded public.' Tim Cook, author of The Necessary War and Fight to the Finish'This is an outstanding book, based on immersion in archives across the globe. Rich in insights, it demands that we rethink the way we view the armies of the British Empire in the Second World War.' Gary Sheffield, author of A Short History of the First World War'Indispensable for understanding both World War II and the modern British experience. Fennell's major contribution integrates three themes usually compartmentalized. Its base is the analysis of Britain's development of an army able to fight and win a global war. That costly achievement both fostered and depended on growing cohesion within the participating societies. Wartime cohesion and comradeship in turn brought classes together in the postwar 'quiet revolution' that ended the Empire and redefined the Commonwealth.' Dennis Showalter, author of Hitler's Panzers: The Lightning Attacks that Revolutionized Warfare'Comprehensive, detailed and authoritative, Fennell breaks out of the national straitjackets that restrict our understanding of how the Commonwealth fought WWII - a triumph of multi-national research.' Peter Stanley, author of 'Terriers' in India'This is a hugely impressive, sweepingly ambitious book which brings together the military histories of all the British Commonwealth nations for the first time. It asks vital questions about the relationship between wartime experience, society, and politics in a unique transnational way. A remarkable and valuable achievement.' Alan Allport, author of Browned Off and Bloody-Minded: The British Soldier Goes to War 1939–1945'An absolutely fascinating and fresh account of the Commonwealth armies at war … very well written and totally accessible. It contains a wealth of information that is fresh and new, and Fennell's insights on subjects that many might imagine are familiar will be of real interest … Highly recommended.' Taylor Downing, Military History Matters'Jonathan Fennell's astonishing book is full of compelling arguments that complete the puzzle of British, Commonwealth and Imperial victory in WW2. It's quite fantastic and revealing … an incredible story. Absolutely recommend it.' Al Murray, Comedian and TV Personality'The size, scale, and significance of this book is nothing but staggering.' Munitions of the Mind (www.blogs.kent.ac.uk/munitions-of-the-mind)'Jonathan Fennell has produced a compelling and magisterial history of the British and Commonwealth armies between 1939 and 1945 … Fighting the People's War establishes Fennell as among the leaders of the next generation of Second World War scholars.' Jonathan Boff, History Today'This is a major contribution to the literature of the war, and a useful read for anyone interested in understanding how perceptions of war change over time.' New York Military Affairs Symposium Review'Fighting the People's War will serve for years to come as the standard work on the British and Commonwealth forces in the Second World War. It deserves the widest possible audience.' Mark Klobas, Michigan War Studies ReviewTable of ContentsList of illustrations; List of figures; List of maps; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Overview of maps; Introduction; Part I. The Military and Political Context; 1. Interwar: 1.1 Materiel and manpower; 1.2 Doctrine; 1.3 Training and organisation; 1.4 Politics and public morale; 1.5 Structure and contingency; 2. Mobilisation: 2.1 The political context; 2.2 Mobilisation; 2.3 Equality of sacrifice?; 2.4 The social contract; 2.5 Rhetoric and reality; Part II. The Great Crisis of Empire; 3. Defeat in the West: 3.1 The 'Phoney War'; 3.2 The Norwegian campaign; 3.3 The Battle of France; 3.4 Assessments and recriminations; 3.5 Preparing for invasion; 4. The Middle East: 4.1 Operation 'Compass'; 4.2 From East Africa to the Balkans; 4.3 The Battle for Crete; 4.4 Strategic overstretch; 4.5 Operation 'Crusader'; 4.6 Spring 1942; 4.7 Gazala; 4.8 The July battles; 5. The Far East: 5.1 The strategic context; 5.2 Preparations; 5.3 The Malaya campaign; 5.4 The invasion of Burma; 5.5 The fall of Singapore; 5.6 Retreat to India; 5.7 The cost of failure; 6. The great imperial morale crisis: 6.1 The anatomy of defeat; 6.2 Morale crisis; 6.3 The ideological deficit; 6.4 The soldier and the state; Part III. Transformation; 7. Victory in North Africa: 7.1 No retreat; 7.2 Alam Halfa; 7.3 Colossal cracks; 7.4 War Office initiatives; 7.5 El Alamein; 7.6 The Tunisian campaign; 8. New Guinea and Burma: 8.1 The 'Battle for Australia'; 8.2 Kokoda; 8.3 Wau; 8.4 Quit India; 8.5 The Arakan; Part IV. The Limits of Attrition; 9. The Mediterranean: 9.1 Strategy and preparation; 9.2 The Sicilian campaign; 9.3 Opportunity lost; 9.4 The invasion of Italy; 9.5 Advance to the 'Gustav Line'; 9.6 Winter in Italy; 10. Remobilisation?: 10.1 The British Army and the Beveridge Report; 10.2 The New Zealand Furlough mutiny; 10.3 The UDF and the 'Blue Oath'; 10.4 Procedural justice; 11. Cassino: 11.1 Anzio and the First Battle of Cassino; 11.2 The Second Battle of Cassino; 11.3 The Third Battle of Cassino; 11.4 The Fourth Battle of Cassino (Operation 'Diadem'); 12. Transformation in the jungle: 12.1 Training and doctrine; 12.2 Institutional reform; 12.3 The South-West Pacific area; 12.4 Operation 'Postern'; 12.5 Burma; 12.6 Second Arakan; 12.7 Imphal and Kohima; 12.8 Turn around; Part V. Redemption; 13. D-Day: 13.1 Training and doctrine; 13.2 Selection and morale; 13.3 The assault; 13.4 Controversy; 14. Normandy: 14.1 The battle for Caen; 14.2 Operation 'Goodwood'; 14.3 Breakout; 14.4 Encirclement; 14.5 The trap; 15. The victory campaigns: 15.1 Operation 'Market Garden'; 15.2 Operation 'Olive'; 15.3 Manpower crisis; 15.4 The Scheldt and the 'Siegfried Line'; 15.5 Operational and tactical transformations; 15.6 Victory in Italy; 15.7 The surrender of Germany; 15.8 The South-West Pacific area; 15.9 Burma; 15.10 Operations 'Capital' and 'Extended Capital'; Part VI. The Post-War World; 16. Soldiers and social change: 16.1 From combat cohesion to social cohesion; 16.2 The forces vote and the 1945 British General Election; 16.3 The forces vote and New Zealand's great experiment in social citizenship; 16.4 The forces vote and the formalisation of apartheid in South Africa; 16.5 Soldiers, veterans and the partition of India; 16.6 Soldiers, veterans and social change; Conclusion: C.1 A deficit of political legitimacy; C.2 Military performance; C.3 Consequences; C.4 Fighting the people's war; Appendix 1. The censorship summaries; Appendix 2. The morale reports; Appendix 3. Quantitative indicators of morale; Appendix 4. Defining morale; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive new history of the French army's critical contribution to the Great War. Ranging across all fronts, Elizabeth Greenhalgh examines the French army's achievements and failures and sets these in the context of the difficulties of coalition warfare and the relative strengths and weaknesses of the enemy forces it faced. Drawing from new archival sources, she reveals the challenges of dealing with and replenishing a mass conscript army in the face of slaughter on an unprecedented scale, and shows how, through trials and defeats, French generals and their troops learned to adapt and develop techniques which eventually led to victory. In a unique account of the largest Allied army on the Western Front, she revises our understanding not only of wartime strategy and combat, but also of other crucial aspects of France's war, from mutinies and mail censorship to medical services, railways and weapons development.Trade Review'There's far too much in this book to summarize here, but let it suffice to say that this is an essential read for anyone interested in the Great War.' A. A. Nofi, The NYMAS Review'The Anglophone military history of the Great War runs something like this: French generals callously massacred their own infantry in fruitless offensives in 1914–15; the French poilus heroically held Verdun in 1916; and in 1917, an exhausted French Army came near to collapse, only to be rescued by a revitalized British Army, the Americans, and the tanks. Greenhalgh's impressive new work provides an important corrective to this myth. The French Army was, in fact, the linchpin of the entire Allied effort, and the story of its victory is central to understanding the real war. Based on printed primary sources as well as archival research, the volume offers not only a comprehensive history of the army's operations on multiple fronts, but adds significant detail on the mobilization of French manpower to sustain a war of attrition fought primarily on French soil … This fine book is an important corrective to most Great War narratives. Bottom line: mandatory for modern history collections. Summing up: essential.' G. P. Cox, Choice'A cogent and eminently readable rebuttal to the inaccurate stereotypes that have long dominated non-specialist view of the French Army in World War I. She shows a French Army that was flawed, but whose officers and men continually sought new ways to overcome the momentous challenge they faced.' Andrew Orr, H-France'The French Army and the First World War is a tour de force and will remain the single best book on its subject for the foreseeable future. Enhanced by well-chosen photographs, detailed tables, and a helpful, concise bibliographic essay, it is essential reading for all students of the French military, World War I, and military history in general.' Michigan War Studies Review'Elizabeth Greenhalgh has written an indispensable book on France in the Great War. In fact, the book is indispensable more broadly to the history of the First World War, and to the history of modern France.' Richard Fogarty, H-WarTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The pre-war army; 2. 1914: from the frontiers to Flanders; 3. 1915: on the offensive; 4. 1916: Verdun and the Somme; 5. General Nivelle and his 1917 offensive; 6. Restoring the Army; 7. 1918: German offensives; 8. The path to victory; 9. Armistices and demobilisation; 10. From 1914 to 1919: aux armes, citoyens!; Bibliographic essay; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe T-64 tank was the most revolutionary design of the whole Cold War, designed to provide the firepower and armor protection of a heavy tank in a medium-weight design. It pioneered a host of sophisticated new technologies including laminate armor, stereoscopic tank rangefinders, opposed-piston engines, smooth-bore tank guns with discarding sabot ammunition, and gun-fired guided projectiles. These impressive features meant that the Russians were loath to part with the secrets of the design, and the T-64 was the only Soviet tank type of the Cold War that was never exported. Written by an armor expert, this detailed technical history sheds light on the secrets behind the Cold War''s most controversial tank, revealing how its highly advanced technologies proved to be both a blessing and a curse.Table of ContentsIntroduction Design & Development Operational History Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAs the Allies attempted to break out of Normandy, it quickly became apparent that there would be no easy victory over the Germans, and that every scrap of territory on the way to Berlin would have to be earned through hard fighting. This study concentrates on the ferocious battles between the German Panzer IV and US Sherman that were at the heart of this decisive phase of World War II. The two types were among the most-produced tanks in US and German service and were old enemies - having clashed repeatedly in the Mediterranean theater. Throughout their long service careers, both had seen a succession of technical developments and modifications, as well as an evolution in their intended roles - but both remained at the forefront of the fighting on the Western Front. Written by an expert on armoured warfare, this book invites the reader into the cramped confines of these armoured workhorses, employing vivid technical illustrations alongside archive and contemporary photography to depict Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Design and Development /Technical Specifications /The Combatants /The Strategic Situation /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Conclusion /Further Reading /Index

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Book SynopsisThe Panzer I and II played a significant part in the blitzkrieg campaigns that brought Germany such extraordinary success in the early years of the Second World War, and this highly illustrated volume in the TankCraft series is the ideal introduction to them. The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to manufacture tanks so the Panzer I had to be developed in strict secrecy, but by the time of the invasion of Poland the Wehrmacht had over 1400 of these light tanks. The Panzer II was an interim design, bridging the gap between the Panzer I and subsequent, far more viable armoured fighting vehicles like the Panzer III and IV. As well as tracing the history of the Panzer I and II, Robert Jackson's book is an excellent source of reference for the modeller, providing details of available kits, together with artworks showing the colour schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of wartime photographs as well as diagrams showing the technical changes that were made to these tanks in the course of their careers.

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Book SynopsisIn this heavily illustrated volume in the TankCraft series Dennis Oliver focuses on the Achilles - the British variant of the American M10 - which was one of the most important Allied tank destroyers of the Second World War. It played a key role in the armoured battles fought on the Western Front, in particular in France, the Low Countries, Germany and Italy. Built on an adapted Sherman chassis, with sloped armour, an open-topped turret and powerful 17-pounder gun, it was designed to counter the threat posed by the formidable panzers deployed by the German army towards the end of the conflict, in particular the Panther and Tiger tanks. The book covers the design and operational history of the Achilles in close detail, using rare archive photographs and meticulously researched colour illustrations, as well as a detailed, authoritative text. A key section displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic armoured fighting vehicles.

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Book SynopsisGeorge VI's biographer, Sir John Wheeler Bennett wrote "The actual turning of the tide in the 2nd World War may be accurately determined as the first week of July 1942." This book argues that it is possible to be even more exact: the tide turned at about 21.00 hrs on 2 July 1942, when Rommel's tanks withdrew for the first time since the fall of Tobruk on 20 June, or arguably since 14 January 1942 at El Agheila.At dusk on Wednesday 1 July 1942, Rommel broke through the centre of the British defences at Alamein. His tanks had overwhelmed the gallant defence of the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade in the Deir el Shein at the foot of the Ruweisat Ridge. At that moment, and for the next twelve hours, there was no further organised defence between the spearhead of the Afrika Korps and Alexandria. Throughout the next day, only a handful of men and guns stood between Rommel and his prize. In Cairo, black clouds of smoke from burning files showed that many people believed Rommel would not stop short of the Suez Canal, his stated objective.But, on Friday 3 July at 22.56 hrs, only 48 hours later, Rommel called off his attack and ordered his troops to dig in where they stood. The Delta was saved.Just a few weeks earlier, the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, which took the brunt of the initial attack on 1 July, and the guns of the small column known as Robcol that stopped Rommel on 2 and 3 of July, had been in northern Iraq. General Auchinleck's desperate measure, pulling them 1,500 miles from Iraq into the Western desert, just succeeded but it greatly increased the price of failure. If Robcol had failed, it is doubtful that Rommel would have stopped at the canal; it does not require much imagination to see his forces threatening to link up with Barbarossa in the Ukraine. This vivid account of the battle of Ruweisat Ridge, the beginning of the battle of Alamein, was written by an officer who was part of Robcol on the fateful day.

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Book SynopsisIn 1939 more than 140,000 New Zealanders enlisted to fight overseas during World War II. Of these, 104,000 served in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Initially thrown into the doomed campaign to halt the German blitzkrieg on Greece and Crete (1941), the division was rebuilt under the leadership of MajGen Sir Bernard Freyberg, and became the elite corps within Montgomery’s Eighth Army in the desert. After playing a vital role in the victory at El Alamein (1942) the ‘Kiwis’ were the vanguard of the pursuit to Tunisia. In 1943–45 the division was heavily engaged in the Italian mountains, especially at Cassino (1944); it ended the war in Trieste. Meanwhile, a smaller NZ force supported US forces against the Japanese in the Solomons and New Guinea (1942–44). Fully illustrated with specially commissioned colour plates, this is the story of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force’s vital contribution to Allied victory in World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Campaigns: Greece 1941 – Crete 1941 – 2nd NZ Division in North Africa 1941–43, and Italy 1943–45 – 3rd NZ Division in Solomons and New Guinea 1942–44 /Commanders /Composition and organization: command structure – brigade structure – battalions – training/ Uniforms, weapons and equipment /Plate commentaries /Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisUsing only original official period documents from the Second World War this book tries to provide the reader with the same information on the Panzer V Panther tank that was available to British and Commonwealth senior officers and tank crews during the war. As soon as intelligence reports confirmed the existence of the Panther tank the hunt was on to find reliable information on how to knock out this new German tank. Most people believe that the only way to stop a Panther was to penetrate its armour with an armour piercing A.P. round. Luckily the British 17 pdr anti-tank gun could do that but the British were also looking how to knock them out by using other weapons. They tested using high explosive artillery rounds and 20 mm air attack aircraft canon rounds to penetrate and damage the tank's rear engine deck and puncture the vehicle's radiators. Loss of water would cause the engine to overheat and stop working. Tank radiators were large and spares were not carried on the tank. If the Panther could not be recovered back to a maintenance depot the crew would have to abandon the tank and disable it by setting off internal explosive charges.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Glossary; Introduction; 1 The Panther Tank Prototypes; 2 Panzer V Ausf. D Panther Tank (Sd.Kfz.171); 3 Panzer V Ausf. A Panther Tank (Sd.Kfz.171); 4 Panzer V Ausf. G Panther Tank (Sd.Kfz.171); 5 The Soviet Panther Tank Report; 6 Panther Armour-Thickness Poster; 7 Pamphlet on Attack on Panther PzKw V and Tiger PzKw VI; 8 US Army Pamphlet: How to Kill a Panther; 9 Performance Trials and Workshop Report; 10 Preliminary Report on Armour Quality and Vulnerability of the Panther Tank; 11 Panther, Brief Notes on Fighting Qualities: DTD Fighting Equipment Division; 12 Report of Comprehensive Firing Trials Against the German Panther PzKw V; 13 Authorised Battlefield Modifications; 14 Air Attack Trials; 15 British Anti-Tank Weapons; 16 British Battle Reports; 17 The Armour Report; 18 Panzerketten: German Tank Track Classification System; 19 The Bucket; 20 Surviving Panther Tanks.

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Book SynopsisWho were the greatest commanders of the American Civil War, and what made them so? In The Great Commanders of the American Civil War, the best military leaders of both sides are pitted against each other and their strengths and weaknesses examined – Robert E. Lee versus George Meade at Gettysburg, Ulysses S. Grant versus Albert Sidney Johnston at Shiloh, William Tecumseh Sherman versus John Bell Hood in the March to the Sea, along with eight other pairs. The book also explores a decisive battle between each pair of adversaries, highlighting the decisions made and why the battle was won. Each featured battle includes a contextual introduction, a description of the action, and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially commissioned colour map illustrating the dispositions and movement of forces brings the subject to life and helps the reader grasp the course of each battle. Featuring full-colour illustrations, paintings and photographs alongside the battle maps, The Great Commanders of the American Civil War is a fascinating comparison of the greatest Confederate and Union military leaders.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Beauregard vs McDowell (First Manassas) 2. Jackson vs Shields (Kernstown) 3. Grant vs Johnston (Shiloh) 4. Farragut vs Lovell (New Orleans) 5. McClellan vs Johnston (Gaines’ Mill) 6. Lee vs McClellan (Antietam) 7. Buell vs Bragg (Perryville) 8. Lee vs Hooker (Chancellorsville) 9. Lee vs Meade (Gettysburg) 10. Grant vs Lee (Spotsylvania) 11. Sherman vs Hood (March to the Sea) Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe account of the fateful bridge too far…‘It was a bridge too far and perhaps the whole plan was doomed to failure from the start, but we had to try, didn’t we?’17 September 1944: 30,000 airborne soldiers prepare to drop 64 miles behind enemy lines into Nazi-occupied Holland; tens of thousands of ground troops race down Hell’s Highway in tanks and armoured cars, trucks and half-tracks to link up with them. The goal – to secure eight bridges across the Rhine and end the war by Christmas. Ten days later, over 15,000 of these soldiers have died, 6,000 have been taken prisoner.Operation Market Garden was the daring plan to stage a coup de main in occupied territory, gain control of those bridges, and obtain a direct route into Hitler’s Germany. But the operation failed and the allied forces suffered a brutal military defeat.In the 75 years since, tactics have been analysed and blame has been placed, but the heart of Arnhem’s story lies in the selflessness and bravery of those troops that fought, the courage and resilience of the civilians caught up in confrontation, and the pure determination to fight for their lives and their freedom. This is the story of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events.In Ballantyne’s Arnhem, we go into battle with not only the famous commanders in the thick of the action, but also with all those whose fates were determined by their decisions. Based on first-hand interviews, military records, and diaries, we witness the confusion and mayhem of war – from the horrific and devastating to the surreal and mundane. But most of all, we witness the self-sacrifice and valour of the men who gave their lives to liberate strangers in a foreign country.Praise for Arnhem: Ten Days in the Cauldron ‘Reminiscent of Stephen Ambrose at his best… some remarkable stories, which Ballantyne neatly dovetails into a rolling epic’ Dr Harry Bennett, University of Plymouth‘Breath-taking… I thoroughly enjoyed reading this account of Arnhem, adding, if you like, a trench-level perspective to those other accounts written from more senior, and sometimes more detached, points of view. Thoroughly recommended’ British Journal for Military History

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Book SynopsisWhether any advantage or benefit will be drawn from the suspension - or effective abolition - of the rank of Field Marshal is debatable. What is certain, however, is that Dr Tony Heathcote's idea of compiling a definitive biographicaldictionary of holders of this illustrious rank since its introduction by George II in 1736, is opportune and inspired.Those readers who anticipate a dry recitation of bare facts and statistics are in for a disappointment. A reference work this may be but the author, by dint of his depth of knowledge, has created a shrewd and highly readable commentary as well.As General Sir Charles Guthrie (the first soldier to be denied promotion to Field Marshal on appointment to Chief of Defence Staff) observes in his Foreword, this book embraces the history of the British Army over the last 250-300 years. It covers not only the careers of key individuals but provides an understanding of their contribution to the successes and failures of our military past. The diversity of personalities, who have only the honour of wearing the coveted crossed batons in common, is fascinating. Alongside the household names of the great strategists and distinguished leaders lie little known and forgotten figures, who gained their exalted rank by either luck, accident of birth or diplomatic gesture.The British Field Marshals merits a place on the bookshelf of any military historian but is likely to be found on his or her bedside table. Whether or not the rank is ever resurrected, as it has been in the past and as many will hope it will be again, this delightful and useful book will remain the authoritative guide to all those who have held the highest military rank in the British Army

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Book SynopsisThe PzKpfw IV was essentially an integrated support weapon, and its involvement in WWII is difficult to separate from the story of the Panzerwaffe as a whole. A powerful and robust fighting machine, the PzKpfw IV was supplied to various allies of Germany, and remained in service with the Spanish and Finnish armies for some time after the end of the war. In the glory years of 1942-43 the PzKpfw IV was the mainstay of the Panzerwaffe, and Bryan Perrett's in-depth examination of this prolific fighting machine does full justice to the fascinating history and technical details of one of the greatest armoured vehicles ever to have fought.Table of ContentsDevelopment history; special purpose vehicles; PzKpfw IV described; organization and tactics; PzKpfw in action; the East 1942-1945; North Africa 1942-1943; North-West Europe; postscript.

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Book SynopsisSteven Preece was a Royal Marine Commando from 1983 to 1990, serving first at entry-level and then as a lance-corporal. Amongst the Marines is Steven's first-hand account of his years as an elite soldier, focusing directly on the excessive and often shocking lifestyle of the Marines during this time, and impact this had on his own personality and behaviour.Preece fulfilled his childhood ambition by earning the coveted Green Beret when he was 18. He was unaware, however, of the brutal rite of passage that awaited him and all the other 'pieces of skin' [new recruits]. Violence in the Marines, as Steven discovered, was not limited to the battlefield but a continual part of a pervasive culture of bullying and aggression. It did not take long for Preece to be accepted into this culture and to adopt it as his own. On duty he was fit, committed and loyal, while off duty he displayed a mammoth capacity for drinking, fighting and womanising. On home leave, Steven found it increasingly hard to adapt to civilian life. His drinking sessions in local pubs frequently ended in fights with the locals and even in violence against members of his own family. Preece earned a reputation amongst his fellow Marines for pranks and dangerous behaviour; and this eventually led him to be court-maritialled. To his relief and surprise, however, Preece was fully acquitted by the court.Amongst the Marines is an unflinching exposé of the culture of the Marines, from foul practical jokes and rough justice to the off-duty orgies of drink, sex and violence. It is a no-holds-barred account of the many shocking incidents Preece witnessed and participated in, from his first day as a new recruit to his exit from the Marines with his reputation intact and his scores settled once and for all.

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Book SynopsisOften typified by the large tank battles of the Eastern Front, the hunt for U-boats in the Atlantic and the dogfights over European skies, the Second World War saw mechanised warfare on an unprecedented scale. Yet there was another side to the fighting. This was also the infantryman’s conflict where an individual fighting man and the comrades to whom he was attached were asked to play a more diverse – and decisive – role than ever before. The Second World War was as much a war of small units as of big battalions. Here, Alexander Shaw explores the significance of this emphasis on small units for the men who fought between 1939 and 1945. He describes the evolution of the infantry rifle section of the British Army and brings together the history of their weaponry, their small-unit tactics and the soldiers’ personal experiences. Covering every major theatre of operations where British infantrymen saw action, Shaw offers a compelling narrative of Britain’s fighting philosophy and the part played by the individual. Drawing upon unpublished research into War Office publications, government documents, soldiers’ memoirs and several archives, this is a new and methodologically original interpretation of Britain’s war.

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Book SynopsisA Black Cat Abroad is the untold WWII story of a 'Terrier' nicknamed 'Oscar': R.E.H. Hadingham (1915-2004), CBE, MC & Bar TD, better known as 'Buzzer', who was later chairman of Slazenger's and then the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Beginning with his work in London and Territorial Army training, it describes life in Wimbledon under the cloud of impending war. On 29th July 1939, Buzzer was commissioned into 167 Brigade, 67th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. T.A., the 'Black Cats'. Three years later he embarked from Liverpool, carrying a sun-helmet, destination unknown. Momentous challenges followed, not least a 3-year separation from his family. Here are fresh aspects of an epic 3,000-mile journey from Iraq to action in North Africa, before conflicts in Italy: Salerno, Anzio, and the lesser-known 'Monte Cassino of the Adriatic': Gemmano. Leading toward the 80th Anniversary of the Italian Campaign (1943-1945), relevant historic anecdotes and key operational recollections reveal a young, energetic 303 Anti-Tank Battery Commander's personal perspectives, and the first officer in his Territorial Regiment to receive a batt le honour. This remarkable, first-hand account by the 'poet of Wimbledon' is intended as a special tribute to all brave men who served in the 'Black Cats' - and as a commemoration of the fallen.

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Book SynopsisAlexander Aitken was an ordinary soldier with an extraordinary mind. The student who enlisted in 1915 was a mathematical genius who could multiply nine-digit numbers in his head. He took a violin with him to Gallipoli (where field telephone wire substituted for an E-string) and practiced Bach on the Western Front. Aitken also loved poetry and knew the Aeneid and Paradise Lost by heart. His powers of memory were dazzling. When a vital roll-book was lost with the dead, he was able to dictate the full name, regimental number, next of kin and address of next of kin for every member of his former platoon-a total of fifty-six men. Everything he saw, he could remember. Aitken began to write about his experiences in 1917 as a wounded out-patient in Dunedin Hospital. Every few years, when the war trauma caught up with him, he revisited the manuscript, which was eventually published as Gallipoli to the Somme in 1963. Aitken writes with a unique combination of restraint, subtlety, and an almost photographic vividness. He was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Literature on the strength of this single work-a book recognised by its first reviewers as a literary memoir of the Great War to put alongside those by Graves, Blunden and Sassoon. Long out of print, this is by some distance the most perceptive memoir of the First World War by a New Zealand soldier. For this edition, Alex Calder has written a new introduction, annotated the text, compiled a selection of images, and added a commemorative index identifying the soldiers with whom Aitken served.Trade Review`Deeply moving . . . an epic of devotion and sacrifice.'- Sir Bernard Fergusson

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Book SynopsisHere is a jam-packed visual encyclopedia of the armored vehicles used by the Nazi forces in World War II. With over six hundred photos, many of which never before seen by the public, David Doyle book offers military historians a unique look at the German war machine.David Doyle, award-winning author of dozens of books on the subject, provides mechanical information, photos, and usage history for: Armored cars Half-tracks Tanks Assault guns Jagdpanzers Panzerjagers Self-propelled guns, howitzers, and mortars Flakwagens Flammpanzers Recovery vehicles Armored Engineer vehicles An encyclopedic resource by an authority on the subject, The Complete Guide to Armored Vehicles is a must-have for modelers, gamers, and WWII buffs alike.

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Book SynopsisA stunning look at World War II from the other side...From the turret of a German tank, Colonel Hans von Luck commanded Rommel's 7th and then 21st Panzer Division. El Alamein, Kasserine Pass, Poland, Belgium, Normandy on D-Day, the disastrous Russian front--von Luck fought there with some of the best soldiers in the world. German soldiers.Awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Knight's Cross, von Luck writes as an officer and a gentleman. Told with the vivid detail of an impassioned eyewitness, his rare and moving memoir has become a classic in the literature of World War II, a first-person chronicle of the glory--and the inevitable tragedy--of a superb soldier fighting Hitler's war.

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Book SynopsisJohn Keegan's groundbreaking portrayal of the common soldier in the heat of battle—a masterpiece that explores the physical and mental aspects of warfareThe Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at the point of maximum danger. Without the myth-making elements of rhetoric and xenophobia, and breaking away from the stylized format of battle descriptions, John Keegan has written what is probably the definitive model for military historians. And in his scrupulous reassessment of three battles representative of three different time periods, he manages to convey what the experience of combat meant for the participants, whether they were facing the arrow cloud at the battle of Agincourt, the musket balls at Waterloo, or the steel rain of the Somme.The Face of Battle is a companion volume to John Keegan's classic study of the individual soldier, The Mask of Command: together they form a masterpiece of military and human history.Trade Review"...still widely regarded as his best despite more than 20 other works." - The Guardian "The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time" —C.P. Snow"In this book, which is so creative, so original, one learns as much about the nature of man as of battle." —J.H. Plumb, The New York Times Book Review"This without any doubt is one of the half-dozen best books on warfare to appear in the English language since the end of the Second World War." —Michael Howard, The Sunday Times (London)"A totally original and brilliant book" —The New York Review of Books"The book which changed how military history is written. Keegan set out to discover what it must have been like to be present at Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme - and he succeeded brilliantly."-- Bernard Cornwell (Chosen as number one of his six best books) ― Daily Express (London)Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsChapter I: Old, Unhappy, Far-off ThingsA Little LearningThe Usefulness of Military HistoryThe Deficiencies of Military HistoryThe "Battle Piece""Killing No Murder?"The History of Military HistoryThe Narrative TraditionVerdict or Truth?Chapter 2: Agincourt, 25 October 1415The CampaignThe BattleArchers versus Infantry and CavalryCavalry versus InfantryInfantry versus InfantryThe Killing of the PrisonersThe WoundedThe Will to CombatChapter 3: Waterloo, 18 June 1815The CampaignThe Personal Angle of VisionThe Physical Circumstances of BattleCategories of CombatSingle CombatCavalry versus CavalryCavalry versus ArtilleryCavalry versus InfantryArtillery versus InfantryInfantry versus InfantryDisintegrationThe WoundedChapter 4: The Somme, 1 July 1916The BattlefieldThe PlanThe PreparationsThe ArmyThe TacticsThe BombardmentThe Final PreliminariesThe BattleInfantry versus Machine-GunnersInfantry versus InfantryThe View from across No-Man's-LandThe WoundedThe Will to CombatCommemorationChapter 5: The Future of BattleThe Moving BattlefieldThe Nature of BattleThe Trend of BattleThe Inhuman Face of WarThe Abolition of BattleBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA highly illustrated study of the T-90, the backbone of the armoured units of Putin''s Russia.In the wake of the T-72 tank's poor performance in the 1991 Gulf War, the Kremlin instructed the Russian tank industry to drop the discredited T-72 designation in favour of the T-90 Vladimir. The T-90 was in fact a further evolution of the T-72 family, but the name change represented an important break in Russian/Soviet tank design history.The T-90 has become the principal export tank of Russia, and is in service in large numbers in many countries including Algeria, India, and many of the former Soviet republics. Using detailed illustrations and full colour artwork, this book also describes the evolution of the T-90''s many failed successors including the little known Bokser, Molot, and T-95, as well as its likely successor, the new T-14 Armata, and the wide range of specialized vehicles based on the T-90 chassis such as the formidable Terminator tank support vehicle.

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Book SynopsisIn a series of massive military undertakings that stretched from 1095 to 1291, Christendom's armies won, defended, and lost the sacred sites of the Holy Land. This book recreates the experience of crusading, from the elation of taking up the cross to the difficult adjustments at home when the war was over.Trade Review"Accessible to a general audience. . . . A study that succeeds in providing us with a better understanding of what the experience of crusading entailed."—Vincent Ryan, America -- Vincent Ryan * America *“Distinctive and compellingly contemporary . . . fascinating.” —Timothy Renick, Christian Century -- Timothy Renick * Christian Century *"Housley demonstrates an effortless familiarity with a wide variety of primary sources, iconography, and secondary literature. . . . It essentially represents the state of crusade studies in the twenty-first century. . . . Fighting for the Cross will both inform and entertain students and the general public. At the same time the work is deeply grounded in the source material and current secondary literature about crusading. The fact that it covers so many topics concisely, but well, is what makes the book particularly valuable."--Laurence W. Marvin, Canadian Journal of History -- Laurence W. Marvin * Canadian Journal of History *". . . it does a fantastic job of drawing readers into the medieval world and describing the crusades in light of that world. . . . for anyone seeking to understand the events and ethos of the crusading enterprise in the Holy Land, Fighting for the Cross is highly recommended."—Adam S. Francisco, Concordia Theological Quarterly -- Adam S. Francisco * Concordia Theological Quarterly *

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