Land forces and warfare Books
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC First World War Tanks Shire Library No 172
Book SynopsisAlthough tanks have become a symbol of military power, the first tanks were created as a temporary solution to the deadlock created by trench warfare. This book covers the design and development of tanks during the First World War, describing the types that were used in action and the most important battles in which they fought.Table of Contents1) The Landships Committee 2) The tank in action 3) French and German tanks 4) 1918 5) Conclusion 6) Further reading 7) Places to visit
£8.16
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Gebirgsjager vs Soviet Sailor
Book SynopsisIn 194144, Nazi Germany''s Gebirgsjäger--elite mountain troops--clashed repeatedly with land-based units of the Soviet Navy during the mighty struggle on World War II''s Eastern Front. Formed into naval infantry and naval rifle brigades, some 350,000 of Stalin''s sailors would serve the Motherland on land, playing a key role in the defense of Moscow, Leningrad, and Sevastopol. The Gebirgsjäger, many among them veterans of victories in Norway and then Crete, would find their specialist skills to be at a premium in the harsh terrain and bitter weather encountered at the northern end of the front line. Operating many hundreds of miles north of Moscow, the two sides endured savage conditions as they fought one another inside the Arctic Circle.Featuring archive photographs, specially commissioned artwork, and expert analysis, this is the absorbing story of the men who fought and died in the struggle for the Soviet Union''s northern flank at the height of World War I
£12.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Russian Security and Paramilitary Forces since
Book SynopsisA detailed illustrated study of Putin's shadowy security and paramilitary armed forces. While the size of Russia’s regular forces has shrunk recently, its security and paramilitary elements have become increasingly powerful. Under the Putin regime they have proliferated and importantly seem set to remain Russia’s most active armed agencies for the immediate future. In parallel, within the murky world where government and private interests intersect, a number of paramilitary ‘private armies’ operate almost as vigilantes, with government toleration or approval. This book offers a succinct overview of the official, semi-official and unofficial agencies that pursue Russian government and quasi-government objectives by armed means, from the 200,000-strong Interior Troops, through Police and other independent departmental forces, down to private security firms. Featuring rare photographs, and detailed colour plates of uniforms, insignia and equipment, this study by a renowned authority explores the Putin regime’s shadowy special-forces apparatus, active in an array of counter-terrorist and counter-mafia wars since 1991.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Historical overview of Russian security and paramilitary forces, including their part in the failed coup against Gorbachev in 1991, the successful take-over by Yeltsin in 1993, and the rise of Putin The Police: Roles, organization and equipment, OMON riot police, SOBR and OMSN snatch squads, and the fight against the Mafiya The Interior Troops (VV): Roles, organization and equipment, VV Spetsnaz, Vega, ODON, MVD, and the war in Chechnya The FSB: commando units Al’fa, Vympel, Zenit, etc., and FSB control of Border Troops ’Warlords in Suits’: Independent ministerial forces, Federal Protection Service, Justice Ministry, Ministry of Emergency Situations Guns for the Masses: Private security firms and vigilante forces The Opposition: Anti-Moscow organizations in the North Caucasus Tools of the Trade: Special weapons and equipment Select bibliography Plate commentaries Index
£14.24
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd The Death of the Mehdi Army: The Rise, Fall, and
Book SynopsisThe Mehdi Army militia was a towering force in Iraq during the early years of the post-Saddam era. As an aggressive opponent of foreign occupation and one of the principal antagonists in Iraq's brutal sectarian civil war, the militia was central to the violence that ravaged the country and a pivotal political actor. Growing rapidly in size and strength, and controlling entire districts of Baghdad and broad swathes of southern and central Iraq, the Mehdi Army seemed poised to become a Hezbollah-like 'state within a state' that would remain enormously powerful for years to come. Drawing from extensive field experience in one of Baghdad's most volatile militia-held districts, Krohley exposes how, and why, the militia suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed in the midst of the Americans' 'Surge' of forces during 2008. Building from an examination of the Mehdi Army's social and ideological roots, he presents a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood study of the militia's changing fortunes that offers unparalleled local detail and specificity. Krohley shows how the Mehdi Army's demise was ultimately a self-inflicted 'death' as opposed to a triumph of its foes.In so doing, he not only challenges prevailing orthodoxies of counterinsurgency doctrine and the mythology of the Surge, but also offers penetrating insights into the battered state of Iraqi society after decades of dictatorship, privation and war.Trade Review'Few subjects in the study of Iraq are as important or as opaque as the military mobilisation of the Shia community, and notably those loyal to the Sadr family. When coalition forces arrived in Iraq in 2003 they and the government they put in place had to contend with the firebrand son of the late Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr and his Jaish al-Mahdi (the Mehdi Army), which numbered as many as 50,000 fighters. Nicholas Krohley has provided a fine first-hand analysis of the history and development of the Sadr Movement and the Mehdi Army which spells out what the latter's return to the field of battle against ISIS may mean for the future of Iraq.' -- Gareth Stansfield, Professor of Middle East Politics, University of Exeter'Krohley's account of the Mehdi Army's campaign in East Baghdad contextualises the Shia insurgency, offering rare insight into the politics and strategy of the Sadrist movement. His book is a stunning example of extraordinary war-time social science research that will have an enduring legacy in the literature of insurgency and counterinsurgency.' -- Montgomery McFate, Minerva Chair, Center for Naval Warfare Studies, US Naval War College and author of Social Science Goes to War: The Human Terrain System in Iraq and Afghanistan'Nick Krohley has produced the first book-length manuscript in English that details the Iraq war through the eyes of Iraqi participants. His examination of the role of the Sadrist movement and its Mehdi Army militia in Eastern Baghdad is absolutely critical to moving beyond the US-centric military histories that have dominated the narrative to date.' -- Douglas A. Ollivant, Managing Partner, Mantid International LLC and ASU Senior Fellow, Future of War Project, New America'A most valuable and original insight into issues and dynamics that have eluded the grasp of Iraq specialists for far too long ... an urgently needed scholarly contribution to our understanding of modern Iraqi history.' -- Fanar Haddad, Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, and author of Sectarianism in Iraq: Antagonistic Visions of Unity'Nicholas Krohley weaves a masterwork of recent Baghdadi and Iraqi political history, setting his study apart from previous analyses of the surge, which tend to be long on journalism but short on understanding the nuances of Iraqi society. The author's inner anthropologist shines through as he examines the heavily Shiite administrative district known as "New Baghdad" on a sub-district by sub-district level. Indeed, leafing through the nearly 100 pages of notes, scholars may sense the spirit of the late historian Hanna Batatu's classic studies of Iraqi society, albeit with a narrower focus. Krohley challenges the idealization of the U.S.-led surge "as a triumph of full-spectrum counter-insurgency." Indeed, he argues convincingly that the demise of the Mahdi Army was self-inflicted--more of a tactical decision by the Mahdi Army itself to fade into the woodwork and perhaps survive to fight another day--rather than the U.S. victory so many hagiographers of Gen. David Petraeus claim. Krohley's work may be challenged by future writers, but they will need to marshal significant resources to counter his deep and well-researched study.' -- Michael Rubin, Middle East Quarterly
£31.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Heinz Guderian
Book SynopsisThis book gives a focused, military biography of Heinz Guderian, perhaps the most highly respected tank commander of World War II. Guderian was a typical product of the Prussian military elite; the son of a general in the army, there was little doubt that he would follow in his father's footsteps. Some consider Guderian to be the founding father of blitzkrieg warfare, and he certainly brought the whole concept to public attention and prominence, chiefly through the publication of his book Achtung Panzer in 1937. He commanded the XIX (Motorized) Army Corps in the 1939 Polish campaign, and Panzergruppe Guderian during Operation Barbarossa. In March 1943 he became chief inspector of the Panzer forces, but even the great tank commander could achieve little more than to delay the inevitable defeat of Germany.Trade ReviewA fascinating and useful reference source -- Military Modelcraft International
£14.24
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Desert Rat 1940–43: British and Commonwealth
Book SynopsisThe Desert Rats earned their famous nickname fighting against Axis forces in North Africa. At first the name referred to troops of the 7th Armoured Division, but later expanded to cover all Commonwealth troops: British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian, who fought in the desert from 1940–43. This book opens with a look at the unique conditions that the Desert Rats encountered in the Western Desert, then examines the recruitment and training of the men, and the evolving fighting methods and training of what eventually became the Eighth Army. Using photographs and newly commissioned artwork, the book also covers the distinctive dress, equipment and weapons carried into battle by the Desert Rats.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Recruitment/Enlistment /Training /Appearance /Equipment /Conditions of Service /On Campaign /Belief and Belonging /Experience of Battle /The end of the war in North Africa and assessment of the Desert Rats /Collecting/Museums/Re-enactment /Bibliography /Glossary /Index
£13.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Canadian Campaigns 1860–70
Book SynopsisAlthough the US never attempted another invasion of British Canada after the war of 1812, during which British regulars and Canadian militia fought major pitched battles against US invaders, the threat lingered in the air for much of the 19th century. A series of brushfire wars disturbed Canada's peaceful development and in 1866 and again in 1870, large bodies of fanatical Irish-American volunteers attempted to stir up war between the two countries by mounting the "Fenian Raids" - serious campaigns, involving troops of brigade strength. In the later years of the decade, Louis Riel led two rebellions by Indians and French-Canadians which required considerable efforts to put them down. Significantly it was not British regulars but local Canadian troops that suppressed the last rebellion. This book details the rebel forces and the British force and fledgling Canadian army which fought them.Table of ContentsThe Canadian Militia 1840-1860 · The American Civil War · The Fenian Raids, 1866 & 1870 · The Red River Expedition 1870 · The Plates
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Scottish Divisions in the World Wars
Book SynopsisOver the centuries of their existence the Scottish regiments of the British Army have gained a reputation in war that is the envy of all and which can be matched, or surpassed, by very few. The very description 'Scottish soldier' conjures up images ranging from the 'thin red streak tipped with a line of steel' of the 93rd Highlanders at Balaclava, and the charge of the Scots greys at Waterloo, to the more recent deeds of Scottish regiments in the Falkland Islands and the Persian Gulf. Mike Chappell chronicles the remarkable history of the Scottish units which fought in the two world wars.Table of ContentsThe Divisions · The Scottish Soldier · Scottish Divisions in the Great War · The Second World War · The Plates
£999.99
Helion & Company Stalin's Favorite: The Combat History of the 2nd
Book Synopsis
£41.69
Zeughausverlag GmbH Cavalry: A Global History of Horse Soldiers
Book SynopsisFor millennia, cavalry was the premier combat arm. Horses gave armies mobility and speed; often cavalry charges, either on the enemy’s flanks and into his rear or through his center, led to the decision in a battle. This book analyzes the use of mounted troops from prehistoric times to recent conflicts in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In contrast to many military history treatises that seek to identify a decline of cavalry over time in favor of modern infantry, Alexander Querengässer argues that only modern motor vehicles were able to replace cavalry. The book examines the many historical uses of cavalry, analyzing conditions for its employment, the role of geographic and climatic factors in its use, and developments in equipment and tactics. More than two hundred contemporary illustrations round out the volume.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Mounts as Weapons Cavalry in Early Antiquity Cavalry in Antiquity - The Mediterranean Region - Rom - Asia Middle Ages - The Sassanid Empire - India under the Gupta - China - Europe in the Early Middle Ages - The Islamic Expansion - Europe in the High Middle Ages - The Mongols - Tamerlane - Africa - India in the High and Late Middle Ages - Japan - Europe in the Late Middle Ages 1500-1650 - Europe - Africa - Latin America - Japan 1650-1815 - Europe - North?America - Persia - India - China - Indochina - Africa - Latin America An Age of Decline? 1815-1914 - Europe - North?America - Latin America - Africa - Asia The First World War 1919 to the Present - The Inter-War Period - The Second World War - Cavalry in the Cold War 1945-1990 - From 1990 to the Present - Asymmetric Conflicts In Conclusion Sources Literature Picture Credits
£35.10
MP-KAN Uni Press of Kansas When Titans Clashed How the Red Army Stopped
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for the first edition:""Now, Western readers can learn for the first time the full extent of the Soviet achievement. Essential reading for anyone wanting to know the true story of how the Red Army snatched victory in 1945 from the jaws of defeat in 1941.""- Washington Post Book World;""This major advance will supplant John Erickson's two massive volumes on the war in the east, The Road to Stalingrad and The Road to Berlin, as the standard reference book for nonspecialists.""- Foreign Affairs;""Simply put, this is the best book yet published on the epic Russo-German War of 1941-1945 and the first written entirely from the Soviet point of view.""- World War II;""Easily the best operational account of the eastern front to appear in the West.""- American Historical Review;""Required reading for all who seek to understand the Second World War and its aftermath.""- Journal of Military History
£65.95
MP-OKL Uni of Oklahoma MillionDollar Barrage American Field Artillery
Book SynopsisAt the beginning of the twentieth century, field artillery was a small, separate, unsupported branch of the US Army. By the end of World War I, it had become the ‘King of Battle’, a critical component of American military might. Million-Dollar Barrage tracks this transformation.
£17.06
Louisiana State University Press Civil War Supply and Strategy
Book SynopsisOffers a sweeping examination of the decisive link between the distribution of provisions to soldiers and the strategic movement of armies during the Civil War. Earl J. Hess reveals how that dynamic served as the key to success, especially for the Union army as it undertook bold offensives striking far behind Confederate lines.
£999.99
The University of Alabama Press Time in the Barrel
Book SynopsisOffers an authentic firsthand account of the daily nightmare that was Con Thien. An enticing and fascinating read featuring authentic depictions of combat, the book allows readers to fully grasp the enormity of the fierce struggle for Con Thien.Trade ReviewA vivid, compulsively page-turning and often gut-wrenching narrative." - Arizona Daily Star"Con Thien certainly has been re-created here. I have read few personal narratives from the Marine war in Vietnam that get as close to the sheer sacrifice and misery that I have always suspected to be their lot." - Philip D. Beidler, US Army Vietnam War veteran and author of Beautiful War: Studies in a Dreadful Fascination, The Victory Album: Reflections on the Good Life after the Good War, and American Wars, American Peace: Notes from a Son of the Empire"James Coan provides a clear description of the battlefield cutting through the fog of war. His gritty realism creates a riveting experience for the reader….The book is a good read, flows wells and clearly articulates the story without distracting expletives" - Bob Borka, Semper Fi"Time in the Barrel brings to life a significant and often overlooked event in America’s war in Vietnam: the siege of the Marine firebase at Con Thien during the critical months of September–October 1967. James P. Coan has delivered a gritty and impassioned book, one that will enlighten general military history readers as well as Vietnam War and Marine Corps specialists." - Gregg Jones, author of Last Stand at Khe Sanh: The U.S. Marines’ Finest Hour in Vietnam, winner of the 2015 General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for distinguished nonfiction from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
£26.96
University of Missouri Press MeuseArgonne Diary
Book SynopsisDuring America's participation in World War I, 1917-1918, only a single commander of a division, William M. Wright, is known to have kept a diary. In it, General Wright relates his two-month experience at St. Mihiel and especially the Meuse-Argonne, the largest and most costly battle in American history.Trade ReviewAs our only document of its kind, Wright's diary shows in detail how a division headquarters operated and what its commander did day by day, how he kept informed about the qualities of his principal subordinates, assessed their performances, and guided and sometimes dismissed them. While Wright was an assertive individual, the diary is informative also in showing how limited were the decision-making options of even such a character in the highly structured American Expeditionary Forces. . . . The diary also candidly reflects the weaknesses of the young American Army of 1918."" - Russell Weigley
£23.85
University of Toronto Press Merry Hell
Book SynopsisMerry Hell is a captivating tale for those who enjoy stories of war and battle, and one that will entertain readers with Clements's richly colourful anecdotes and witty poems, none of which have been published before.Trade Review'I enjoyed reading every page of Merry Hell - couldn't put it down, really. Part history and part memoir, it is a singular contribution to our knowledge of the First World War and those who fought it. Anyone who calls himself or herself a First World War historian will read this book with a smile of satisfaction on their face - it just rings true and genuine, and is more immediate than existing studies. And for those who haven't read much on the First World War, at least at the battalion history level, this will be a revelation.' -- Steve Harris, Chief Historian, Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence 'Merry Hell is an amazing book... As we approach the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, Merry Hell is an invaluable addition to the literature of that war and Nova Scotia's role in it.' -- John Boileau The Chronicle Herald, September 14, 2013 'Merry Hell is a well written book that can be used for casual reading or academic study... It is rare to come across such a book, especially in the study of history.' -- Erich N. Lenz Canadian Military History vol 25:01:2016 'Canadians everywhere, and not just those of us in Nova Scotia, owe a debt of gratitude to Robert Clements for writing this book - and to Brian Tennyson for placing it so resolutely in the public realm. This is a work permitting us to see with searing clarity the vile nature and devastating toll of modern warfare.' -- Wilf Cude The Antigonish Review #180 'This is a useful contribution to our understanding of the experiences of that generation of young Canadians who marched off to war 100 years ago.' -- Patrick Brennan University of Toronto Quarterly vol 84:03:2015Table of ContentsIntroduction Preface Chapter 1 In the Beginning Chapter 2 Growing Pains Chapter 3 Oh What a Lovely War Chapter 4 Under Way at Last Chapter 5 Summer Days Chapter 6 Away to the Races Chapter 7 Phooie Il Pluie Chapter 8 What Next? Chapter 9 Waiting Time Chapter 10 Dear Old Blighty Chapter 11 You Can Have It Chapter 12 In the Good Old Summer Time Chapter 13 Notes from the Observers Chapter 14 Birth of the Battalion Canteen Chapter 15 Why? Chapter 16 The Corps Comes of Age Chapter 17 In Again Out Again Chapter 18 Dirty Jobs Chapter 19 Cleaning Up Chapter 20 The Last 100 Days Chapter 21 The Long Road Home Appendix Nominal Roll of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the 25th Battalion Recommended Reading
£35.10
University of Toronto Press Merry Hell
Book SynopsisMerry Hell is the only complete history of the 25th Canadian infantry battalion, which was recruited in the autumn and winter of 1914–15 and served overseas from spring 1915 until spring 1919. Author Robert N Clements, who served in the battalion throughout that period and rose from private to captain, wrote the story many years after the war, based on his personal memories and experiences. As such, his story reflects two unique perspectives on Canadian military history – the remarkably fresh recollections and anecdotes of a veteran, and the outlook of a man eager to share what his generation contributed to the nation’s history, character, and identity.Professional military historian Brian Douglas Tennyson buttresses Clements’s story with a valuable critical apparatus, including an analytical introduction that contextualizes the history and notes that explain unfamiliar points and people. Merry Hell is a captivating tale foTrade Review‘Merry Hell is a well written book that can be used for casual reading or academic study... It is rare to come across such a book, especially in the study of history.’ -- Erich N. Lenz * Canadian Military History vol 25:01:2016 *‘This is a useful contribution to our understanding of the experiences of that generation of young Canadians who marched off to war 100 years ago.’ -- Patrick Brennan * University of Toronto Quarterly vol 84:03:2015 *‘Canadians everywhere, and not just those of us in Nova Scotia, owe a debt of gratitude to Robert Clements for writing this book – and to Brian Tennyson for placing it so resolutely in the public realm. This is a work permitting us to see with searing clarity the vile nature and devastating toll of modern warfare.’ -- Wilf Cude * The Antigonish Review #180 *‘I enjoyed reading every page of Merry Hell – couldn’t put it down, really. Part history and part memoir, it is a singular contribution to our knowledge of the First World War and those who fought it. Anyone who calls himself or herself a First World War historian will read this book with a smile of satisfaction on their face – it just rings true and genuine, and is more immediate than existing studies. And for those who haven’t read much on the First World War, at least at the battalion history level, this will be a revelation.’ -- Steve Harris, Chief Historian, Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence‘Merry Hell is an amazing book…. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, Merry Hell is an invaluable addition to the literature of that war and Nova Scotia’s role in it.’ -- John Boileau * The Chronicle Herald, September 14, 2013 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Preface Chapter 1 In the Beginning Chapter 2 Growing Pains Chapter 3 Oh What a Lovely War Chapter 4 Under Way at Last Chapter 5 Summer Days Chapter 6 Away to the Races Chapter 7 Phooie Il Pluie Chapter 8 What Next? Chapter 9 Waiting Time Chapter 10 Dear Old Blighty Chapter 11 You Can Have It Chapter 12 In the Good Old Summer Time Chapter 13 Notes from the Observers Chapter 14 Birth of the Battalion Canteen Chapter 15 Why? Chapter 16 The Corps Comes of Age Chapter 17 In Again Out Again Chapter 18 Dirty Jobs Chapter 19 Cleaning Up Chapter 20 The Last 100 Days Chapter 21 The Long Road Home Appendix Nominal Roll of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the 25th Battalion Recommended Reading
£23.39
Liverpool University Press Blue Division: Spanish Blood in Russia, 1941-1945
Book SynopsisThis book, translated from the original Spanish, is the primary academic and historical study of the Blue Division -- a Falangist initiative involving the dispatch of some forty-thousand Spanish combatants (over a half of whom paid with their lives, health, or liberty) to the Russian Front during the Second World War. Xavier Moreno Julia does not limit himself to relating their deeds under arms, but also analyses -- for the first time -- the political background in detail: the complex relations between the Spanish government and Hitler's Germany; the internal conflicts between the Falangists and the Army; the rise and fall of Franco's brother-in-law, Minister Ramon Serrano Suner, who inspired the Blue Division and became the second most powerful person in Spain; and the attitude of General Agustin Munoz Grandes, commander of the Blue Division, who was encouraged by Berlin to seriously consider the possibility of taking over the reins of Spanish power. In the end, there were 45,500 reasons that led to joining the Blue Division -- one for each young man who decided to enlist. To understand all of the complex reasons behind their military service under German command is impossible at this juncture. It is an irrecoverable past that lies in Spanish cemeteries and on the Russian steppes. This book, based on massive documentation in German, British and Spanish archives, is an essential source of information to understand Spain in the 1940s -- an epoch when the Caudillo's power and the regime's good fortune were less secure than is often believed. Published in association with the Canada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies, LSE.
£100.00
Liverpool University Press Blue Division: Spanish Blood in Russia, 1941-1945
Book SynopsisThis book, translated from the original Spanish, is the primary academic and historical study of the Blue Division, a Falangist initiative involving the dispatch of some forty-thousand Spanish combatants (more than a half of whom paid with their lives, health, or liberty) to the Russian Front during the Second World War. Xavier Moreno Julia does not limit himself to relating their deeds under arms, but also analyses for the first time the political background in detail: the complex relations between the Spanish government and Hitler's Germany; the internal conflicts between the Falangists and the Army; the rise and fall of Franco's brother-in-law, Minister Ramón Serrano Suñer, who inspired the Blue Division and became the second most powerful person in Spain; and the attitude of General Agustín Muñoz Grandes, commander of the Blue Division, who was encouraged by Berlin to seriously consider the possibility of taking over the reins of Spanish power. In the end, there were 45,500 reasons that led to joining the Blue Division one for each young man who decided to enlist. To understand all of the complex reasons behind their military service under German command is impossible at this juncture. It is an irrecoverable past that lies in Spanish cemeteries and on the Russian steppes. This book, based on massive documentation in German, British and Spanish archives, is an essential source of information to understand Spain in the 1940s an epoch when the Caudillo's power and the regime's good fortune were less secure than is often believed. Published in association with the Canada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies, LSE.Trade Review"Dr. Moreno has written what undoubtedly will remain the definitive treatment of a difficult and multi-layered subject for the foreseeable future. Both as a unit history and as an analysis of a small, but critically important, segment of Francoist Spain's wartime foreign policy it has no peer. A translation would appear to be a highly desirable undertaking" - Dr. Klaus Schmider (Royal Military Academy Sandhurst), in The Journal of Military History, Lexington (Virginia, USA), 70.3, July 2006, page 865."The great merit of this work by Moreno Julia is that it is first to be free from much of the rhetoric of the trenches, and to address the phenomenon of the Blue Division in a spirit of objectivity and completeness. The first-hand research in national and foreign archives is a first, and a delightful novelty." - Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez Calleja (CSIC, Centro Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas), in Melanges de la Casa de Velazquez, 36.1, 2006, page 329."We must welcome the publication of this book with enthusiasm. It is the work of a Spanish author and a fine testament to the best historical writing, about the recent past, from our country. The book by Moreno Julia is of the best in that it respects information from a number of archive sources. It tackles a question of primary importance. It goes beyond the precise object of his study, making a more global approach. It results, in the end, to be an investigation with definitive conclusions." - Dr. Javier Tusell Gomez (Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia), in "Babelia"; El Pais newspaper, Madrid, 11.12.2004, page 24."Such an exhaustive history - subtle, profound, and free from bitterness -emerges only occasionally in some books. Xavier Moreno Julias study of the Blue Division is, without doubt, one of those books." - Dr. Ricardo Garcia Carcel (Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona) in "ABC Cultural"; ABC newspaper, Madrid, 08.01.2005, page 19."In line with the great works by English speaking historians on a similar theme, here is a total history of the events, without leaving anything out, no matter how insignificant." - Rafael Nunez Florencio, critic and historian, in "El Cultural"; El Mundo newspaper, Madrid, 09.12.2004, page 13"Far from the hundreds of hagiographies and memoirs on the Spaniards who fought for Hitler against the USSR, The Blue Division by Xavier Moreno is the result of an investigation of Spanish, British and German archives and from the oral testimonies of, among others, the minister and brother-in-law of Franco, Ramon Serrano Suner." - Dr. Andreu Mayayo Artal (Barcelona University), in El Periodico newspaper, Barcelona, 25.11.2004, page 11"Xavier Moreno is a solid investigator and a good writer who has based his book on unpublished Spanish and German documents The book is entertaining, and its quality sources and solid investigation combine to make it a fascinating and definitive work." - Dr. Gabriel Cardona Escanero (Barcelona University), in Clio history review, 4.39; Barcelona, January 2005, page 93."Xavier Moreno Julia has gone into the history of the Blue Division as never before: with rigorous and detailed investigation, avoiding ideological obsessions... Like a jigsaw puzzle, where one piece leads to another and yet another, Moreno Julia has brought together eleven years of study." - La Razon newspaper, Madrid, 30.11.2004, page 29."Few history books have such extensive investigation behind them or such an impartial point of view." - ABC newspaper, Madrid, 21.11.2004, page 76."An up to date, profound and detailed reconsideration of one of the saddest episodes of the Second World War - forgotten and characteristic of Francos Spain." - "Revista", in La Vanguardia newspaper, Barcelona, 31.10.2004, page 10."The Blue Division returns from the past in a study of its history by Xavier Moreno In over 500 pages, Moreno analyses the political context in which the Division developed, and the later clash of interests between Falangism and the Spanish Army. The international reactions that the initiative generated occupies a good part of the book, as does a detailed description of the military operations in which the Spanish combatants were engaged." - El Pais newspaper, Madrid, 31.11.2004, page 46."Moreno Julia knows it like nobody else and, in a study praised by his fellow historians, explains it with rigor and without prejudices in The Blue Division. Subtitled Spanish Blood in Russia, 1941-1945. Reading it is a lesson in history." - La Vanguardia newspaper, Barcelona, 12.05.2005, back page."Doctor of contemporary history,Xavier Moreno has proved with his book on the Blue Division that the study of detail illuminates much more. In this case he reveals the politics of this early step in Francoism as a strong light on an ant reveals an ant hill". - "El Sabado", in El Faro de Vigo newspaper, Pontevedra, 05.03.2005, page 1."Letras. The Best of the Year - Non Fiction. The Blue Division. Xavier Moreno thoroughly re-examines the history from Serrano Suners first call to arms until the devastating return. It is an overwhelming portrait of a wretched adventure." - "El Cultural", in El Mundo newspaper, Madrid, 30.12.2004, page 15."Spanish history writing congratulates the appearance of this study with its unmistakeable title which reveals in depth what happened to the 40,000 Spaniards sent to fight with the Germans on the Russian front The book has been written by the doctor in contemporary history, Xavier Moreno Julia, who has searched through and poked his nose into Spanish and German archives, and has obtained live testimony from old combatants." - Mercurio, cultural review, 67; Sevilla, January 2005, page 36."Xavier Morenos Blue Division can be considered the most rigorous and comprehensive book on the Blue Division to date". - "Quadern", in El Pais newspaper, 21.02.2013, page 3."The historian Xavier Moreno Julia is the author of The Blue Division, Spanish Blood in Russia, considered the most rigorous and comprehensive study published so far on this question." - "Mes Periodico", weekly review in El Periodico newspaper, Barcelona, 14.07.2013, page 7.
£40.00
James Currey Ethiopian Warriorhood: Defence, Land and Society
Book SynopsisThe history of the often-overlooked chewa Ethiopian warriors and their crucial role in defending their homeland against invasion, as well as their strong influence on political identity and the social infrastructure. Today best known for their role in defending Ethiopia from Italian invasion 1935-41, chewa warriors protected Ethiopia for centuries. Yet, depicted by some 19th-century Western observers as little more than "a horde" of warmongers, and later suppressed by Ethiopian monarchs who sought to create a centralized modern state, their contribution has been neglected. Drawing on oral and written sources, as well as the zeraf poetry through which theyexpressed themselves, this book explores for the first time in depth the history, practices and principles of warriorhood of the chewa, and their wider influence on society and state. Often self-trained individuals who began by defending their communities, by the end of the 19th century there were chewa warrior groups from almost all linguistic groups who fought together to resist foreign invaders. Some chewa enrolled in the service of the Ethiopian "kings of kings", who organized them as named corps that supplemented the formal defence of the state. Today, chewa political identity, which transcended social, familial, political and other groupings, remains deeply rooted in Ethiopian society.Trade ReviewIn Ethiopian Warriorhood: Defence, Land and Society, Tsehai Berhane-Selassie provides a nuanced analysis of the role of the chewa - voluntary, community supported warriors - in the evolution of the Ethiopian state. .[F]or historians of the Horn, this book provides a valuable analysis of state formation that shifts the focus from individual monarchs to a misunderstood group of intermediary actors, and adds a new layer to the complicated history of land rights in Ethiopia. * CANADIAN JOURNAL OF AFRICAN STUDIES / REVUE CANADIENNE DES ÉTUDES AFRICAINES *[Tsehai Berhane-Selassie's] book is a thoroughly researched contribution in the growing literature of Ethiopian social history. It is truly an insider view carefully drawn from oral testimonies such as heroic recitals and various written accounts of historical importance. .The study should truly interest academic scholars, policy makers, students, and education experts alike. * AFRICAN STUDIES QUARTERLY *The book (composed of ten chapters) is well written and extensively footnoted. [...] She [the author] should indeed be congratulated for her splendid contribution to Ethiopian studies. * Aethiopica *It is very recently that indigenous thought acquired currency in the scholarly world. Tsehai's current book is pioneering in this regard. [...]Her book is a thoroughly researched contribution in the growing literature of Ethiopian social history. It is truly an insider view carefully drawn from oral testimonies such as heroic recitals and various written accounts of historical importance. * African Studies Quarterly *Ethiopian Warriorhood provides a data-rich historical ethnography of an imperial institution. From a scholarly perspective, it is a very useful book for students of the modern history and anthropology of the Horn of Africa, as well as of comparative studies on conflict, militarism, and empire. * Journal of Royal Anthropological Institute *A vast and remarkable undertaking, Tsehai's book is a recommended reading for any serious student of Ethiopian history and for all who wish to understand Ethiopia's enduring traditions today. * Orientalistische Literaturzeitung *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Traditions of hierarchical warriorhood The historical context of emergent warriors Military lands and power politics Ecological roots of local leadership Social localities of emergent warriors Military training in sports, horsemanship and hunting Political authority and military power Zeraf: symbols and rituals of power and rebellion First Italian invasion, 1896 Guerrilla warfare, 1935-41 Conclusion
£25.64
NUS Press Guns of February: Ordinary Japanese Soldiers' Views of the Malayan Campaign in 1941
Book SynopsisGuns of February shows the Fall of Singapore and Japan's 1941 military campaign in Malaya through the eyes of Japanese soldiers who took part, based on interviews, memoirs, war diaries, and other Japanese-language sources. Although an enormous number of books have been published on Japan's wartime advance into Southeast Asia, few books in English make much use of Japanese sources, and they reveal little of what happened on the Japanese side. In the words of the author, the Japanese"'advance by brigade groups', 'outflank the defence', 'sustain many casualties', and remain altogether a largely faceless mass bicycling their way down to Singapore." In Guns of February some of the voices of these soldiers are finally heard, and they tell a fascinating story. A few of them were professional soldiers who served their country with commitment and dedication, but many were conscripts hoping to stay alive, curious and apprehensive about the countries they entered, and moved by the plight of the people whose cities and towns they sometimes destroyed. Many were young men, interested in girls and in the sights and sounds of Southeast Asia, but also missing their families and the familiar world of Japan. It is a picture far removed from the staple view of the remorseless and fanatic Japanese soldier totally devoted to his Emperor and determined to die for his country. In writing this account of the Japanese advance on Singapore, the author attempted to show the universal humanity of the actors concerned.
£999.99
Woodfield Publishing Armoured Farmer: A Tankie's Tales
£18.58
Taylor & Francis The Indian Army in World War I 19141918
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£128.25
Taylor & Francis Soldier and Society in Roman Egypt
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£128.25
Taylor & Francis Corporal Hitler and the Great War 19141918 The List Regiment Cass Military Studies
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£142.50
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Transition to National Armies in the Former Soviet Republics 19882005 Routledge Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe Series
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£137.75
Taylor & Francis Ltd Politicians and Soldiers in Ghana 19661972 Studies in Commonwealth Politics and History No 3
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£128.25
Taylor & Francis From Flintlock to Rifle
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£43.99
Taylor & Francis From Flintlock to Rifle
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£137.75
Cambridge University Press The Military Organisation of a Renaissance State
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£31.90
Cambridge University Press The Italian Army and the First World War Armies of the Great War
Book SynopsisThis is a major new account of the role and performance of the Italian army during the First World War. Drawing from original, archival research, it tells the story of the army's bitter three-year struggle in the mountains of Northern Italy, including the eleven bloody battles of the Isonzo, the near-catastrophic defeat at Caporetto in 1917 and the successful, but still controversial defeat of the Austro-Hungarian army at Vittorio Veneto on the eve of the Armistice. Setting military events within a broader context, the book explores pre-war Italian military culture and the interactions between domestic politics, economics and society. In a unique study of an unjustly neglected facet of the war, John Gooch illustrates how General Luigi Cadorna, a brutal disciplinarian, drove the army to the edge of collapse, and how his successor, general Armando Diaz, rebuilt it and led the Italians to their greatest victory in modern times.Trade Review'This is the book which we have been waiting for … a proper history of the Italian army in the First World War. Written by a scholar who knows the archives, but in English for those who don't, it will be the standard work for the foreseeable future.' Hew Strachan, University of Oxford'An outstanding work of military history: highly impressive in the range of the sources that it uses, and exemplary in its judicious approach to the strengths and weakness of the army's performance in the First World War and to the merits and demerits of country's political and military leaders.' Christopher Duggan, University of Reading'How Italy fought the First World War is a little-known but deeply tragic tale of political mismanagement, military malpractice and doomed valour, told by John Gooch with characteristic skill and erudition.' Macgregor Knox, London School of Economics and Political Science'[This volume], in the outstanding new Cambridge series Armies of the Great War, is a good read for anyone interested in the Great War, and particularly the 'forgotten' theatres, as well as … students of the Italian army.' A. A. Nofi, The NYMAS Review'Provides a sober and scholarly analysis of the Italian war which may counter many of the current anniversary outpourings with their fixation on the Western Front … unquestionably the fullest account of how Liberal Italy fought its war - a desperate struggle which, it is always worth remembering, provoked at least 50 per cent more deaths than did the Nazi-Fascist conflict of 1940–45.' R. J. B. Bosworth, The English Historical Review'Gooch synthesizes a vast range of material with concision, ranging from the causes and origins of Italian intervention into the war through to its social and political legacies, though the strongest sections are those on the war years themselves, where the analysis relies on extensive original research in the archives of the historical office of the Italian General Staff.' Vanda Wilcox, War in HistoryTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Before the war; 2. From neutrality to action; 3. 1915 - first endeavours; 4. 1916 - setback and success; 5. 1917 - the year of danger; 6. 1918 - recovery and victory; 7. In the wake of war; Notes; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.
£29.44
Cambridge University Press The British Army and the First World War
Book SynopsisThis is a major new history of the British army during the Great War written by three leading military historians. Ian Beckett, Timothy Bowman and Mark Connelly survey operations on the Western Front and throughout the rest of the world as well as the army''s social history, pre-war and wartime planning and strategy, the maintenance of discipline and morale and the lasting legacy of the First World War on the army''s development. They assess the strengths and weaknesses of the army between 1914 and 1918, engaging with key debates around the adequacy of British generalship and whether or not there was a significant ''learning curve'' in terms of the development of operational art during the course of the war. Their findings show how, despite limitations of initiative and innovation amongst the high command, the British army did succeed in developing the effective combined arms warfare necessary for victory in 1918.Trade Review'Written by three scholars at the top of their game, The British Army and the First World War is a timely analysis, an invaluable work of reference, and a stimulus for further study.' Edward M. Spiers, University of Leeds'The elegantly-crafted and crisply-written outcome of the combined knowledge and expertise of three renowned historians of British military culture, this book is an event in historical studies of the First World War. Both rich in scope and rigorously tight in its probing analyses and many salty judgements, it opens a commanding door on the character and conduct of the British Army, especially in the theatre of the war which mattered most - Europe.' Bill Nasson, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa'… a very well written, measured account of high quality. At the price, the paperback is an essential purchase.' The Society of Friends of the National Army Museum Book Review SupplementTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The pre-war army; 2. The Officer Corps; 3. A nation in arms: regulars, TF, volunteers and conscripts; 4. Citizen soldiers: discipline, morale and the experience of war; 5. British strategy and the British army; 6. The Western Front, 1914; 7. The Western Front, 1915; 8. The Western Front, 1916; 9. The Western Front, 1917; 10. The Western Front, 1918; 11. Beyond the Western Front; Conclusion; Select bibliography; Index.
£24.99
Cambridge University Press The Italian Army and the First World War Armies of the Great War
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£80.75
Cambridge University Press Armies of Empire The 9th Australian and 50th British Divisions in Battle 19391945 Australian Army History Series
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£53.20
Cambridge University Press Light Horse
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£46.55
Cambridge University Press Women Armies and Warfare in Early Modern Europe
Book SynopsisWomen, Armies, and Warfare in Early Modern Europe examines the important roles of women who campaigned with armies from 1500 to 1815. This included those notable female individuals who assumed male identities to serve in the ranks, but far more numerous and essential were the formidable women who, as women, marched in the train of armies. While some worked as full-time or part-time prostitutes, they more generally performed a variety of necessary gendered tasks, including laundering, sewing, cooking, and nursing. Early modern armies were always accompanied by women and regarded them as essential to the well-being of the troops. Lynn argues that, before 1650, women were also fundamental to armies because they were integral to the pillage economy that maintained troops in the field.Trade Review'An important study not only for gender specialists but also for military historians. Lynn is most interesting on the role of women in the pillage economy while his work offers a new perspective on the vexed question of the Military Revolution and its dating.' Jeremy Black, University of Essex'This is a masterful work by a master historian. In an engaging work that combines military and social history, Lynn brings to life the indispensable role of women in early modern European armies and tracks down the reasons for a major shift in their place after 1650. We can never again imagine war as only men's work.' Lynn Hunt, Eugen Weber Professor of Modern European History, University of California, Los Angeles'Women, Armies, and Warfare in Early Modern Europe fills a hole in a neglected area of study; it offers a range of fresh insights; and it has broad appeal. It will become the book on the subject. And it will undoubtedly set the agenda for future research. For this reason, it is unlikely to remain the definitive work on the subject, since future research may well challenge some of Lynn's conclusions, but it will undoubtedly be the major reference point for other scholars.' Frank Tallett, University of Reading'For those who wish to take the subject further, Lynn has provided an up-to-date synthesis …' BBC History Magazine'Lynn set out to tell the history of women as much as the history of armies; he has succeeded admirably. The size of the female contingent, its nature and its behaviour will come as a revelation to both military historians and to women's history devotees.' Open History' … examines the role of women who campaigned with armies from 1500–1815 and argues that their contribution was integral to the pillage economy that kept troops in the field.' Annual Bulletin of Historical LiteratureTable of Contents1. Situating the story: armies, communities, and women; 2. Camp women: prostitutes, 'whores', and wives; 3. Women's work: gendered tasks, commerce, and the pillage economy; 4. Warrior women: cultural phenomena, intrepid soldiers, and stalwart defenders.
£24.99
Cambridge University Press GIS in Germany
GIS in Germany by Jr
£71.25
Cambridge University Press Women Armies and Warfare in Early Modern Europe
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£71.65
Cambridge University Press The Indian Army and the End of the Raj 23 Cambridge Studies in Indian History and Society Series Number 23
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£98.15
Cambridge University Press Passages in the Early Military Life of General Sir George T. Napier K.C.B.
Book SynopsisNapier (17841855) came from a military family and went on to have a distinguished career in the British Army as general and Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. In this 1884 posthumously published memoir, he reminisces on his life and on the responsibilities of an army officer.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Choice of a profession; 2. Expedition to Sweden; 3. The Peninsular War; 4. Advance from the Lines of Torres Vedras; 5. Promotion; 6. Marriage; 7. Appointed to the command of the 71st Light Infantry; 8. Concluding extract; Appendix.
£27.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd M1 Abrams
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£17.09
The University Press of Kentucky The Christmas Truce Myth Memory and the First
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£27.00
The University of Alabama Press Time in the Barrel
Book SynopsisPresents a Marine's highly personal memoir reliving the hellish days of a pivotal conflict of the Vietnam War. Time in the Barrel offers an authentic firsthand account of the daily nightmare that was Con Thien. An enticing and fascinating read, it allows readers to fully grasp the enormity of the fierce struggle for Con Thien.Trade ReviewCon Thien certainly has been re-created here. I have read few personal narratives from the Marine war in Vietnam that get as close to the sheer sacrifice and misery that I have always suspected to be their lot."" - Philip D. Beidler, US Army Vietnam War veteran and author of Beautiful War: Studies in a Dreadful Fascination, The Victory Album: Reflections on the Good Life after the Good War, and American Wars, American Peace: Notes from a Son of the Empire""Time in the Barrel brings to life a significant and often overlooked event in America's war in Vietnam: the siege of the Marine firebase at Con Thien during the critical months of September–October 1967. James P. Coan has delivered a gritty and impassioned book, one that will enlighten general military history readers as well as Vietnam War and Marine Corps specialists."" - Gregg Jones, author of Last Stand at Khe Sanh: The U.S. Marines' Finest Hour in Vietnam, winner of the 2015 General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for distinguished nonfiction from the Marine Corps Heritage FoundationTable of Contents Preface Acknowledgments Maps Introduction Chapter 1. The First Day Chapter 2. Meeting the Challenge Chapter 3. Then the Rains Came Chapter 4. Hell on The Hill Chapter 5. Return of the Walking Dead Chapter 6. The Siege Is Broken Epilogue Appendix A. First Platoon, Alpha Company, at Con Thien Appendix B. Vietnam Diary Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index
£999.99
University of Missouri Press The Missouri Home Guard
Book SynopsisWhen the US declared war on Germany in 1917, the Missouri National Guard was deployed into federal service. As did twenty-six other states during World War I, Missouri established a Home Guard to take over the functions of the absent National Guard. This volume provides a history of this entirely voluntary organisation.
£999.99
AFV Modeller Ltd The Panther Project Vol 2
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£31.35
AFV Modeller Ltd Panzerjager Elephant
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£19.00
St Martin's Press The Last Hill
Book SynopsisBob Drury and Tom Clavin''s The Last Hill is the incredible untold story of one Ranger battalion''s heroism and courage in World War II.They were known as Rudder's Rangers, the most elite and experienced attack unit in the United States Army. In December 1944, Lt. Col. James Rudder''s 2nd Battalion would form the spearhead into Germany, taking the war into Hitler's homeland at last. In the process, Rudder was given two objectives: Take Hill 400 . . . and hold the hill by any means possible. To the last man, if necessary. The battle-hardened battalion had no idea that several Wehrmacht regiments, who greatly outnumbered the Rangers, had been given the exact same orders. The clash of the two determined forces was one of the bloodiest and most costly encounters of World War II.Castle Hill, the imposing 1320-foot mini-mountain the American Rangers simply called Hill 400, was the gateway to a desperate Nazi Germany. Several entire American divisions had alre
£18.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Dark Age of Tanks
Book SynopsisThis book takes a look at the records from a time period of increasing importance to the tank historian and starts the process of illuminating the dark age of British tanks.
£21.02
