Military History Books

Book Synopsis‘The best biography I’ve read recently’ – Colin Bateman, Sunday Independent An excellent examination of Mayne… Ross corrects many of the myths about him that have flourished over the years - History of War magazine ‘This welcome reassessment, officially backed and well-researched, sets the record straight’ – Soldier Magazine‘Paddy’ Mayne was one of the most outstanding special forces leaders of the Second World War. Hamish Ross’s authoritative study follows Mayne from solicitor and rugby international to troop commander in the Commandos and then the SAS, whose leader he later became and whose annals he graced, winning the DSO and three bars, the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d’Honneur.Mayne’s achievements attracted attention, and after his early death legends emerged, based largely on anecdote and assertion. Hamish Ross’s closely researched biography challenges much of the received version, using contemporary sources, the official war diaries, the chronicle of 1 SAS, Mayne’s papers and diaries, and a number of extended interviews with key contemporaries.Ross’s analysis shows Mayne to be a dynamic, yet principled and thoughtful man, committed to the unit’s original concepts. He was far from flawless, but his leadership and tactical brilliance in the field secured the reputation of the SAS, proving he was every bit a rogue hero.Trade ReviewThe best biography I’ve read recently -- Colin BatemanThis welcome reassessment, officially backed and well-researched, sets the record straightAn excellent examination of Mayne… Ross corrects many of the myths about him that have flourished over the years.” * History of War magazine *

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times and FT Book of the Year When a rising power threatens to displace a ruling one, the most likely outcome is war. In this razor-sharp analysis, Harvard scholar Graham Allison examines the phenomenon known as Thucydides’s Trap, which is currently playing out between the world’s two biggest superpowers: the US and China. Through uncanny historical parallels, Destined for War shows how close we are to the unthinkable. Yet, stressing that war is not inevitable, Allison also reveals how clashing powers have kept the peace in the past — and what painful steps international leaders can and must take to avoid disaster.Trade Review‘[Destined for War] sounds a useful, even important warning call.’ -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *‘I hope people like Jeff Bezos read this timely book and resolve to build the political forces we need.’ -- Dominic Cummings * The Spectator *‘Graham Allison is one of the keenest observers of international affairs around. He consistently brings his deep understanding of history’s currents to today’s most difficult challenges and makes our toughest foreign policy dilemmas accessible to experts and everyday citizens alike. That’s why I regularly sought his counsel both as a senator and as vice president. In Destined for War, Allison lays out one of the defining challenges of our time—managing the critical relationship between China and the United States.’ -- Joe Biden * former Vice President of the United States *‘Thucydides’s Trap identifies a cardinal challenge to world order: the impact of a rising power on a ruling power. I read the book with great interest. I can only hope that the US-China relationship becomes the fifth case to resolve itself peacefully, rather than the 13th to result in war.’ -- Henry Kissinger * former United States Secretary of State *‘Can the US avoid confrontation with China? That is the geopolitical question of our age. In most cases, Thucydides was right: when a new power arises in the world, it results in a clash with the dominant power. This important and fascinating book extracts lessons for how we can avoid such a confrontation.’ -- Walter Isaacson * author of Steve Jobs and The Innovators *‘You can bet that China’s leaders will read Allison’s warnings about Thucydides’s Trap. I only wish I could be as sure about America’s leaders. But every informed citizen should buy a copy.’ -- Niall Ferguson‘One of the most insightful and thought-provoking books I have ever read on the most important relationship in the world: the US and China. If Graham Allison is right—and I think he is—China and the US must heed the lessons in this superb study in order to build a strategic relationship that avoids a war which neither side would win.’ -- General (Ret.) David Petraeus * Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, former Director of the CIA, and former Commander of US Central Command *‘A provocative thesis on one of today's most pressing foreign policy issues and a page turner of the first order, Destined For War is a must read. Professor Allison writes with the propulsive narrative drive appropriate for such an immediate and danger-fraught topic. I can only hope that all senior policy experts read this timely book to prevent our country from falling into the trap Professor Allison so ably warns us against.’ -- Christopher Reich * bestselling author of Invasion of Privacy *‘Do China and America want war? No. Might they be compelled into conflict by severe structural stress? Yes. Thankfully, Allison charts an essential course to avoid a catastrophic collision. Destined for War will be studied and debated for decades.’ -- Kevin Rudd * former Prime Minister of Australia *‘An important new book.’ * Financial Times *‘Graham Allison has written a gripping book that decision-makers and citizens alike must read, digest, and act upon.’ -- Samantha Power‘For policymakers, scholars, and citizens on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, Destined for War is essential reading.’ -- Ash Carter‘Graham Allison has written the most important foreign policy book of our time.’ -- Sandy Winnefeld‘Graham Allison is the Paul Revere of the nuclear age. In his brilliant book, Allison provides us with a heart stopping look into a future that may end as abruptly as the past began.’ -- William Cohen‘Essential, even indispensable reading for every diplomat—and financier or businessman — that contemplates China and its relations with the world.’ -- Kurt Campbell‘Destined for War is a must-read for anyone concerned about US-China relations. A gifted combination of scholarship with truly accessible writing.’ -- Amitai Etzioni‘Reading Destined for War and drawing from its lessons could help to save the lives of millions of people.’ -- Klaus Schwab‘If any book can stop a world war, it is this one. This gripping book is a must read for policy makers in both nations as well as the general public.’ -- Sam Nunn‘Graham Allison has been a source of inspiration for me as a student and diplomat. As with Essence of Decision, Destined for War again provides us with his penetrating insights into global politics in the 21st century and beyond.’ -- Ban Ki-Moon * former Secretary General of the United Nations *‘Surely another classic in the making, Destined for War is a brilliant example of ‘thinking in time,’ which — as the author shows — is against us.’ -- Brendan Simms * author of Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy *‘Thought-provoking and very readable.’ * The Sunday Times *‘As a single volume on the shape of the gathering rivalry and co-operation between the United States and China, this book is to be highly recommended. It is clearly written with a popular audience in mind. As such it can join the ranks of a number of such books that explain a wide range of complex concepts and historical episodes in a way that the layperson can readily engage with.’ * NZ International Review *‘[A]rgue[s] persuasively that adjusting to this global power shift will require great skill on both sides if conflagration is to be avoided ... helpfully illustrated with maps and charts...with wide-ranging, erudite case studies that span human history ... this fine book show[s] that China intends to evict the United States from Asia in order to restore its dominance over what it considers its historic spheres of influence. Unfortunately, Washington is poorly prepared to deal with a China that strategises in terms of the symbolic undercurrents and sensitivities illuminated so dramatically by Allison.’ -- Judith Shapiro * The New York Times Book Review *‘[A] brief but far-reaching book in which potted history is incisively deployed ... One of the many strengths of Destined for War is the restoration of the late Samuel Huntington’s 'Clash of Civilisations' theory, disparaged in the mid-1990s but subliminally gaining force by the day. Mr. Allison approvingly paraphrases Huntington’s notion that 'the Western myth of universal values' is 'not just naive but inimical to other civilisations, particularly the Confucian one with China at its centre.’ -- Robert D. Kaplan * The Wall Street Journal *‘Hugely influential.’ -- Niall Ferguson * TLS *

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Book SynopsisTHE USA TODAY BESTSELLER'As fast paced as a thriller' Fred Burton, Stratfor Talks' Pen and Sword Podcast'Jacobsen here presents a tour de force exploring the CIA's paramilitary activities...this excellent work feels like uncovering the tip of the iceberg ...Highly recommended for those seeking a better understanding of American foreign policy in action' Jacob Sherman, Library Journal 'A behind-the-scenes look at the most shadowy corners of the American intelligence community...Well-sourced and well-paced, this book is full of surprises' Kirkus'Annie Jacobsen takes us inside the darkest and most morally ambiguous corner of our government, where politicians ask brave men and women to kill-up close and personal-on America's behalf' Garrett M. Graff, author of Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government's Secret Plan to Save Itself - While the Rest of us Die'This is a first rate book on the CIA, its paramilitary armies, operators, and assassins' New York Journal of Books'Having already demonstrated her remarkable aptitude for unearthing government secrets in books like Area 51 (2011) and The Pentagon's Brain (2015), Jacobsen pulls back the curtain on the history of covert warfare and state sanctioned assassinations from WWII to the present...Jacobsen's work revealing a poorly understood but essential slice of warfare history belongs in every library collection' BooklistThe definitive, character-driven history of CIA covert operations and U.S. government-sponsored assassinations, from the author of the Pulizter Prize finalist The Pentagon's BrainSince 1947, domestic and foreign assassinations have been executed under the C IA-led covert action operations team. Before that time, responsibility for taking out America's enemies abroad was even more shrouded in mystery. Despite Hollywood notions of last-minute rogue-operations and external secret hires, covert action is actually a cog in a colossal foreign policy machine, moving through, among others, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the House and Senate Select Committees. At the end of the day, it is the President, not the C IA, who is singularly in charge.For the first time, Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen takes us deep inside this top-secret history. With unparalleled access to former operatives, ambassadors, and even past directors of the Secret Service and CIA operations, Jacobsen reveals the inner workings of these teams, and just how far a U.S. president may go, covertly but lawfully, to pursue the nation's interests.Trade ReviewPraise for Annie Jacobsen:Cauldron-stirring . . . revelatory . . . compellingly hard-hitting * New York Times *A fascinating and sometimes uneasy exploration * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisA riveting inside look at an elite unit within the Pentagon—the Defense Innovation Unit, also known as Unit X—whose mission is to bring Silicon Valley’s cutting-edge technology to America’s military: from the two men who launched the unit.A vast and largely unseen transformation of how war is fought as profound as the invention of gunpowder or advent of the nuclear age is occurring. Flying cars that can land like helicopters, artificial intelligence-powered drones that can fly into buildings and map their interiors, microsatellites that can see through clouds and monitor rogue missile sites—all these and more are becoming part of America’s DIU-fast-tracked arsenal. Until recently, the Pentagon was known for its uncomfortable relationship with Silicon Valley and for slow-moving processes that acted as a brake on innovation. Unit X was specifically designed as a bridge to Valley technologists that would accelerate bringin

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Book SynopsisNamed One of the 10 Best Books of 2023 by The Washington Post and Publishers Weekly ? One of Barack Obama''s Favorite Books of 2023 ? A National Bestseller ? A New York Times Editor''s Choice pick ? Nominated for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction?Captivating and unclassifiable, at once a historical novel and a philosophical foray . . . Labatut is awriter of thrilling originality. The MANIAC is a work of dark, eerie and singular beauty.? ?The Washington Post ?Darkly absorbing . . . A brooding, heady narrative that is addictively interesting.? ?Wall Street Journal From one of contemporary literature?s most exciting new voices, a haunting story centered on the Hungarian polymath John von Neumann, tracing the impact of his singular legacy on the dreams and nightmares of the twentieth century and the nascent age of AIBenjamínLabatut?s When We Cease to Understand the World electrified a global readership. A Booker Prize and National Book Award finalist, and one of the New York Times? Ten Best Books of the Year, it explored the life and thought of a clutch of mathematicians and physicists who took science to strange and sometimes dangerous new realms. In The MANIAC, Labatut has created a tour de force on an even grander scale.A prodigy whose gifts terrified the people around him, John von Neumann transformed every field he touched, inventing game theory and the first programable computer, and pioneering AI, digital life, and cellular automata. Through a chorus of family members, friends, colleagues, and rivals, Labatut shows us the evolution of a mind unmatched and of a body of work that has unmoored the world in its wake.The MANIAC places von Neumann at the center of a literary triptych that begins with Paul Ehrenfest, an Austrian physicist and friend of Einstein, who fell into despair when he saw science and technology become tyrannical forces; it ends a hundred years later, in the showdown between the South Korean Go Master Lee Sedol and the AI program AlphaGo, an encounter embodying the central question of von Neumann''s most ambitious unfinished project: the creation of a self-reproducing machine, an intelligence able to evolve beyond human understanding or control.A work of beauty and fabulous momentum, The MANIAC confronts us with the deepest questions we face as a species.

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Book SynopsisSHUT UP & SIT DOWN RECOMMENDSBGG GOLDEN GEEK AWARD-WINNERThe critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning World War II deck-building game.June, 1944. Through the D-Day landings, the Allies have seized a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. Now you must lead your troops forward as you push deeper into France and drive the German forces back. You will face intense resistance, machine gun fire, and mortar bombardment, but a great commander can turn the situation to their advantage!Undaunted: Normandy is the best-selling World War II deck-building game, placing you and your opponent in command of American or German forces fighting through a series of missions critical to the outcome of the war. Use your cards to seize the initiative, bolster your forces, or control your troops on the battlefield. Strong leadership can turn the tide of battle in your favour, but reckless decisions could prove catastrophic, as every casualty you take re

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Book SynopsisA gripping eyewitness account of a major 20th-century military conflict by the UK's most popular writer on geopolitics; The shattering of Yugoslavia in the 1990s showed that, after nearly 50 years of peace, war could return to Europe. It came to its bloody conclusion in Kosovo in 1999.; Tim Marshall, then diplomatic editor at Sky News, was on the ground covering the Kosovo War. This is his illuminating account of how events unfolded, a thrilling journalistic memoir drawing on personal experience, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with intelligence officials from five countries.; Twenty years on from the war’s end, with the rise of Russian power, a weakened NATO and stalled EU expansion, this story is more relevant than ever, as questions remain about the possibility of conflict on European soil. Utterly gripping, this is Tim Marshall at his very best: behind the lines, under fire and full of the insight that has made him one of Britain’s foremost writers on geopolitics.

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Book SynopsisAn expert visual history of military personnel, with 600 images of uniforms and contextual analysis.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating study of one of the often overlooked World War II campaigns as British/Commonwealth, Indigenous and Italian forces battled for control of the Horn of Africa. In mid-1940, Italy's East African colonies posed a significant threat to the British Empire, and in particular to the flow of supplies through the Red Sea to Egypt. British High Command feared moves from Italian East Africa and so sent reinforcements to its positions in Kenya and Sudan. Thus began a series of clashes across East Africa, with the British attempting to keep the Italians isolated and unable to threaten British supply lines. In March 1941, British theatre commander General Archibald Wavell opted for a lightning campaign to eliminate the Italian threat for good. Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli provides a fresh account of this campaign, from the initial Italian attacks to the Allied counter-offensive into Eritrea, Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland. Among the action

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Book SynopsisOn the basis of 1,400 oral histories from the men who were there, bestselling author and World War II historian Stephen E. Ambrose reveals for the first time anywhere that the intricate plan for the invasion of France in June 1944 had to be abandoned before the first shot was fired. The true story of D-Day, as Ambrose relates it, is about the citizen soldiers - junior officers and enlisted men - taking the initiative to act on their own to break through Hitler''s Atlantic Wall when they realised that nothing was as they had been told it would be. D-DAY is the brilliant, no holds barred, telling of the battles of Omaha and Utah beaches. Ambrose relives the epic victory of democracy on the most important day of the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisStephen Bungay’ s magisterial history is acclaimed as the account of the Battle of Britain. Unrivalled for its synthesis of all previous historical accounts, for the quality of its strategic analysis and its truly compulsive narrative, this is a book ultimately distinguished by its conclusions – that it was the British in the Battle who displayed all the virtues of efficiency, organisation and even ruthlessness we habitually attribute to the Germans, and they who fell short in their amateurism, ill-preparedness, poor engineering and even in their old-fashioned notions of gallantry. An engrossing read for the military scholar and the general reader alike, this is a classic of military history that looks beyond the mythology, to explore all the tragedy and comedy; the brutality and compassion of war.Trade Review‘Stephen Bungay delves into new ground. These threads have been woven together to form an eloquent and informative tapestry€¦ It will be difficult for a new work on this subject to add any more to our knowledge of those months in 1940’ ‘The magnitude and vital importance of the Battle of Britain has found a superb chronicler in Stephen Bungay, whose book is the best single-volume history to be published in over a decade’'A fascinating case history in illusion and reality. He dispels the myths and kills the cliches... Admirable''The most exhaustive and detailed account of the Battle of Britain that has yet appeared''A fascinating case history in illusion and reality. He dispels the myths and kills the cliches... Admirable'‘The magnitude and vital importance of the Battle of Britain has found a superb chronicler in Stephen Bungay, whose book is the best single-volume history to be published in over a decade’‘Stephen Bungay delves into new ground. These threads have been woven together to form an eloquent and informative tapestry… It will be difficult for a new work on this subject to add any more to our knowledge of those months in 1940’

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in Germany in 1955, and in England and the United States in 1958, this classic memoir of WWII by a man who was an acknowledged military genius and probably Germany's top WWII general, is now made available again. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein described his book as a personal narrative of a soldier, discussing only those matters that had direct bearing on events in the military field. The essential thing, as he wrote, is to 'know how the main personalities thought and reacted to events.' This is what he tells us in this book. His account is detailed, yet dispassionate and objective. 'Nothing is certain in war, when all is said and done,' But in Manstein's record, at least, we can see clearly what forces were in action. In retrospect, perhaps his book takes on an even greater significance.Trade ReviewWall Street Journal, October 7, 2006"Generals don't make the best memoirists, mainly because they embellish while writing for posterity; the higher the rank, the worse the tome. The exception is the breathtaking autobiography of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the brilliant author of many Germany victories against the Soviets in World War II. Dismissive of oft-cited ‘turning points,’ such as the German defeat at Stalingrad, von Manstein contends that the war was never winnable for Germany because of the leader prosecuting it. As for Hitler's once much-vaunted kinship with regular soldiers, he says the Fuehrer had ‘as little in common with the thoughts and emotions of soldiers as had his party with the Prussian virtues which it was so fond of invoking.’ Coming from Hitler's greatest general, it's a most effective filleting.”WWII History, December 2005“Manstein’s Lost Victories is definitely one of the more interesting and informative German autobiographies to emerge from World War II. New publisher Zenith Press is to be commended for republishing it.”

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Book Synopsis'A compelling, beautifully written story of resilience, friendship and survival.' Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of AuschwitzThe thrilling story of how nine young women, captured by the Nazis for being part of the Resistance, launched a breathtakingly bold escape and found their way home.As the Second World War raged across Europe, and the Nazi regime tightened its reign of horror and oppression, nine women, some still in their teens, joined the French and Dutch Resistance. Caught out in heroic acts against the brutal occupiers, they were each tortured and sent east into Greater Germany to a concentration camp, where they formed a powerful friendship. In 1945, as the war turned against Hitler, they were forced on a Death March, facing starvation and almost certain death. Determined to survive, they made a bid for freedom, and so began one of the most breathtaking tales of escape and resilience of the Second World War. The author is the great-niece of one of the nine, and she interweaves their gripping flight across war-torn Europe with her own detective work, uncovering the heart-stopping escape and survival of these heroes who fought fearlessly against Nazi Germany and lived to tell the tale.---------'A truly extraordinary tale, beautifully written, one that chills and excites, [A] work of rare passion, power and principle' Philippe Sands, author of East-West Street and The Ratline'Utterly gripping' Anna Sebba author of Les Parisiennes'The Nine is poignant, powerful, and shattering, distilling the horror of the Holocaust through the lens of nine unforgettable women...' Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice NetworkTrade ReviewA compelling, beautifully written story of resilience, friendship and survival. The story of Women's resistance during World War II needs to be told and The Nine accomplishes this in spades. -- Heather Morris * Author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz *The Nine is a triumph of the imagination... Strauss read memoirs and toured Europe in search of relatives to give the women literary immortality... It is an ingeniously constructed book... -- Christina Hardyment * The Times *This haunting account provides yet more evidence not only of the power of female friendship but that the often unrecorded courage and resilience of ordinary women must be honoured and celebrated. It's a most inspiring read, occasionally the horrific ordeal seems unbearable but then there's a moment of laughter. Utterly gripping. -- Anna Sebba * author of Les Parisiennes *The Nine is poignant, powerful, and shattering, distilling the horror of the Holocaust through the lens of nine unforgettable women. Banding together in the hellscape of Ravensbruck, the nine resistance fighters turned prisoners make a desperate bid for escape in the chaos of the war's end, embarking across battle-ravaged Germany toward home. Gwen Strauss melds a poet's pen and a decade of research into a tale of friendship, courage, and indomitable will. -- Kate Quinn * New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network *I love this book. It delivers beauty, grace, horror, and suspense-an important work that also happens to be a hell of a read! -- Anthony Swofford * author of Jarhead *At this moment of worldwide chaos and despair, this is a book that reminds us about what is important, and about finding strength and purpose during the worst of times. Highly recommended. -- Goldie Goldbloom * author of Paperbark Shoe and On Division *It's high time we got our Band of Sisters, and there could be no better author to tell their story than the riveting and rigorous Strauss. Equal parts exhilarating, devastating, and inspiring. -- Lauren Sandler * author of This is All I Got *Strauss, niece of one of the nine heroines and third-generation 'Witness of the Witnesses', answers questions and challenges with great finesse. In a writing of rare historical accuracy and deep empathy, a woman of today tells the stories of yesterday. -- Agnès Triebel * Secretary General of the International Buchenwald-Dora Committee *With Gwen Strauss' book and the scope of her research, that whole unknown period came to me as a gift from heaven... The precision of the speech, the delicacy of the style, the joys and misfortunes brought tears that I was happy to shed. -- Marc Spijker * son of Guigui, one of the nine *'A paean to female bravery and live-saving friendship.' * The i *

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Book SynopsisSHUT UP & SIT DOWN RECOMMENDSThe greatest World War II board game of all time Shut Up & Sit Down2022 GOLDEN GEEK AWARDS BEST 2-PLAYER GAMELead your stalwart troops to victory in this epic two-player campaign, played out in the war's most infamous city. Stalingrad, 1942. Before you awaits a gruelling conflict in this cornerstone battleground. As the bullets and bombs tear the city asunder, only through wits and valour can you seize the cornerstone of the entire Eastern Front and change the course of history. A heavy burden rests on your shoulders. Every casualty suffered in battle will weaken your forces for the entire campaign. Every bomb blast and mortar shell leaves the very ground for which you are fighting in further ruin. Every inch lost to the enemy brings you closer to the jaws of defeat. Over the course of up to fifteen branching scenarios, you will decide the fate of Stalingrad and, perhaps, the war itself. Even though the consequences of your actions will persist, the ga

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLERTHE BOOK BEHIND THE HIT BBC SERIES SAS: ROGUE HEROES, STARRING CONNOR SWINDELLS, JACK O''CONNELL, ALFIE ALLEN AND DOMINIC WESTFrom the secret SAS archives and bestselling author Ben Macintyre: The first ever authorized history of the SAS.''A master at setting the pulse racing'' Daily Mail________________In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, has a vision for a new kind of war: attacking the enemy where they least expect it - from behind their own lines.Despite the intense opposition of many in British High Command, Winston Churchill personally gives Stirling permission to recruit the toughest, brightest and most ruthless soldiers he can find. And so begins the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world: the SAS.With unprecedented access to the SAS secret files, unseen footage and exclusive interviews with its founder members, SAS: Rogue Heroes tells the remarkable story behind an extraordinary fighting force, and the immense cost of making it a reality.________________''Thorough and highly entertaining. It would be nigh on impossible to praise it too highly'' Daily Express''Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II'' Antony Beevor''Told with deceptive brilliance . . . one the finest books of its kind'' Evening StandardSunday Times bestseller, April 2017Trade ReviewThis book has many strengths but perhaps its greatest is how thought-provoking it is -- Laurence Rees * Sunday Times *Macintyre provides a riveting history of a revolutionary fighting force . . . A ripping good read * Washington Post 10 Best Books of 2016 *The sharp style and sly wit reveal some pretty acute insights into the politics of the nation's favourite undercover boys * Evening Standard Books of the Year *So good and so much more than the boys own adventure you might think it will read like. Ben is a brilliant writer * Dermot O'Leary *

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with original artwork and archive photos, this is the history of Germany''s extensive use of captured tanks in World War II.In this book Steven J. Zaloga, one of the world''s leading armor authorities, uncovers the history of one of the least-known aspects of Germany''s World War II Panzers: the extensive use of captured armored vehicles, Beutepanzer. The best came from the fall of France, and the Somua S 35 and Panhard 178 proved popular in German service. Others, such as the antique Renault FT, were used for secondary tasks such as anti-partisan missions and airfield protection. Most curious of all were the Becker conversions, a private venture of a German artillery officer with family industry, who mechanized his unit's towed artillery and went on to oversee the modernization and upgunning of many French Beutepanzers. These would play a particularly important role in Normandy in 1944.Although the Wehrmacht captured large numbers of Soviet tanks,

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Book SynopsisLucid and damning an absorbing and infuriating tale of complicity, coverup and denial' PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE, author of EMPIRE OF PAINA groundbreaking investigation of how the Nazis helped German tycoons make billions from the horrors of the Third Reich and World War II and how the world allowed them to get away with it.In 1946, Günther Quandt patriarch of Germany's most iconic industrial empire, a dynasty that today controls BMW was arrested for suspected Nazi collaboration. Quandt claimed that he had been forced to join the party by his arch-rival, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, and the courts acquitted him. But Quandt lied. And his heirs, and those of other Nazi billionaires, have only grown wealthier in the generations since, while their reckoning with this dark past remains incomplete at best. Many of them continue to control swaths of the world economy, owning iconic brands whose products blanket the globe. The brutal legacy of the dynasties that dominated Daimler-Benz, cofounded Allianz and still control Porsche, Volkswagen and BMW has remained hidden in plain sight until now.In this landmark work, investigative journalist David de Jong reveals the true story of how Germany's wealthiest business dynasties amassed untold money and power by abetting the atrocities of the Third Reich. Using a wealth of untapped sources, de Jong shows how these tycoons seized Jewish businesses, procured slave labourers and ramped up weapons production to equip Hitler's army as Europe burnt around them. Most shocking of all, de Jong exposes how the wider world's political expediency enabled these billionaires to get away with their crimes, covering up a bloodstain that defiles the German and global economy to this day.Trade Review‘It is impossible to fault de Jong’s fierce indignation in his book. He must be right to urge that the descendants of Hitler’s tycoons should admit their ancestors’ criminality’Max Hastings, Sunday Times ‘Fascinating … de Jong tells the story with the brisk clarity of the good financial journalist he is and lets the fact speak for themselves. It leaves you awestruck at the power of greed’Daily Telegraph ‘The author cleverly weaves his astonishing facts and figures into human stories … Its fascinating detail and engaging style make Nazi Billionaires a forceful book, revealing to a wide audience a vital aspect of Germany’s ongoing discussion with itself’Spectator ‘Lucid, and damning, Nazi Billionaires unearths decades of family secrets and exposes the tainted origins of several of the world's most significant dynastic fortunes. As adept in the archive as he is on the page, de Jong draws on a vast wealth of historical evidence to tell an absorbing – and infuriating – tale of complicity, coverup, and denial, and to unearth the sordid war crimes behind some of today's most vaunted consumer brands’Patrick Radden Keefe, bestselling author of Empire of Pain ‘Eloquent, thorough, and profound, David de Jong’s brilliant debut illuminates a dark chapter of the past while also shining a stark and uncanny light onto our present, and, perhaps, our near future – showing how an insidious mix of capitalism and fascism can destroy democracy and countless lives. An absolute must-read’Norman Ohler, bestselling author of Blitzed ‘As riveting as it is disturbing. At times, it felt like reading the anti-Schindler's List: instead of secretly helping the Jews, Germany's most powerful tycoons brutally exploited their suffering for personal profit’Bradley Hope, bestselling co-author of Billion Dollar Whale

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Book Synopsis''The essential, must-read insider account of the West's cat and mouse economic warfare against Russia and how it is changing the face of global trade. Magisterial and gripping' Catherine BeltonA brilliant, engagingly written and timely book' Owen MatthewsUndeterred by eight years of timid US sanctions, Vladimir Putin ordered his full-scale assault on Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In the hours that followed, Western leaders weaponized economic tools in a world-changing financial experiment. The goal was to sap the strength of Putin's war machine by damaging its economy, without risking a global recession in the process.In Punishing Putin, veteran journalist Stephanie Baker uncovers how this furious financial war has unfolded, from seizing superyachts to manipulating the global price of oil to blocking the sale of military technology. Baker reveals how the West mobilized an army of white-collar-crime investigators to crack down on illicit Russian money, targeting oligarchs and their enab

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The staying power of this book is how it models a way to think outside accumulated disasters as discrete events, how to use ethnography to render life under a constant state of precarity and violence. Khayyat’s approach, ethnographic sensitivity, and relentless focus on “living with” rather than “living despite” scale up and apply broadly to accumulated crisis in both other locales and on a planetary scale." * International Journal of Middle East Studies *"A Landscape of War is a rich and daring ethnography. Ethically and politically committed to honoring the terms through which her interlocutors understand their vital and lethal environments, Khayyat conceptualizes war as a place of life and reclaims resistance as political action, highlighting its ordinary and relational nature. . . . a powerful and necessary meditation on the domesticity of war: war as something that is managed and that can be (to a certain extent) tamed, as well as a space that is inhabited, that bitterly becomes home." * Current Anthropology *Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations Prelude: Warlight Acknowledgments Note on Language and the Text Introduction: War, from the South 1. A Brief History of War in South Lebanon 2. Battle/field 3. The Bitter Crop 4. How to Live (and Die) in an Explosive Landscape 5. Maskun, or Nature’s Resistance 6. The Gray Zone Conclusion: Life as War Coda: A Marriage in Galilee Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDrawing on the voices of atomic bomb survivors and the new science of forensic archaeology, Charles Pellegrino describes the events and the aftermath of two days in August when nuclear devices, detonated over Japan, changed life on Earth forever. To Hell and Back offers readers a stunning, “you are there” time capsule, wrapped in elegant prose. Charles Pellegrino’s scientific authority and close relationship with the A-bomb survivors make his account the most gripping and authoritative ever written. At the narrative’s core are eyewitness accounts of those who experienced the atomic explosions firsthand—the Japanese civilians on the ground. As the first city targeted, Hiroshima is the focus of most histories. Pellegrino gives equal weight to the bombing of Nagasaki, symbolized by the thirty people who are known to have fled Hiroshima for Nagasaki—where they arrived just in time to survive the second bomb. One of them, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, is the only person who experienced the full effects of both cataclysms within Ground Zero. The second time, the blast effects were diverted around the stairwell behind which Yamaguchi’s office conference was convened—placing him and few others in a shock cocoon that offered protection while the entire building disappeared around them. Pellegrino weaves spellbinding stories together within an illustrated narrative that challenges the “official report,” showing exactly what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki—and why. Also available from compatible vendors is an enhanced e-book version containing never-before-seen video clips of the survivors, their descendants, and the cities as they are today. Filmed by the author during his research in Japan, these 18 videos are placed throughout the text, taking readers beyond the page and offering an eye-opening and personal way to understand how the effects of the atomic bombs are still felt 70 years after detonation.Trade Review"The nuclear weapons of today make the ones detonated in 1945 look like firecrackers, and more and more countries possess them or threaten to do so. . . . The virtue of [this book] is the reminder of just how horrible nuclear weapons are." * The Wall Street Journal *On the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Pellegrino’s (Farewell, Titanic: Her Final Legacy, 2012, etc.) account of the survivors—a book recalled and pulped in 2010 by its original publisher after doubts about the authenticity of the claims made by one of the author’s sources—now appears in a revised edition. After the atomic devastation of Aug. 6, 1945, in Hiroshima, a surviving father told his daughter: “Thank God we have relatives in Nagasaki. We will be safe there.” Based on interviews, memoirs, archival research, and new reporting, Pellegrino’s narrative is as riveting and powerful as John Hersey’s classic Hiroshima (1946). Recounting graphically detailed stories of the hibakusha (exposed), including double survivors who experienced the bombings of both cities, the author conjures a hellish landscape: we see “flash-burned” images on roads, people dissolving into gas and desiccated carbon, a man seemingly tap-dancing on feetless legs, and men, women, and children “degloved,” their skin pulled off by the wind. Much of the focus is on Hiroshima, which “was converted to a lake of yellowish boiling dust, left behind by a billowing red cloud that rose at impossible speed.” There, thousands of people “lived on the cusp of instantaneous nonexistence, on the verge of dying before it was possible to realize they were about to die.” Others lingered with radiation disease, dying most often from cancer; some survived for many years with nightmares and psychological damage. The second, more powerful bomb actually missed Nagasaki, obliterating an adjacent suburb. As in Hiroshima, some people were vaporized; others, sufficiently sheltered, went unharmed. Concerned mainly with ordinary people whose lives were changed in a “split second catastrophe,” Pellegrino also narrates the heartbreaking stories of the U.S. pilots (“My God, what have we done?” wrote one) and the many atomic orphans, as well as the origin of paper cranes fashioned by survivors as messages of hope. This is horrifying, painful, and necessary reading. * Kirkus *A book that everybody should be reading on the occasion of President Obama’s non-apology tour of Hiroshima is Charles Pellegrino’s To Hell and Back. It’s a meticulous reconstruction of the immediate aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the perspective of the victims. It depicts, as the title implies, an utter hellscape of dazed survivors threading their way through the blasted landscape in ant-like lines to nowhere amid flickering whirlwinds of flame, human ash and bone, rivers of corpses, clouds of flies; and slow death brought on by desperate thirst, blast, burn, and radiation injuries, and the longer terms effects of radiation exposure. . . . Indeed, removing memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been the top priority, especially for American nuclear denialists who resent detailed reporting of the horrors of the atomic bombings and any implication that the US should feel any qualms about what it did. * Asia Times *Pellegrino’s book is a moving and grueling close-up look at the horrors experienced by the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki both on the day of the bombing and in the days and years afterward. . . . There are few opportunities for inspiring ‘triumph of the human spirit’ narratives amid the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombings were titanic, apocalyptic events that mock human scale and comprehension. . . . Nevertheless, Pellegrino documents instances of courage, compassion, and ingenuity and people sustaining their humanity through acts of love and sacrifice. * The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus *I have travelled with Pellegrino to Japan to visit survivors of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, and to consult with officials and historians there. Among that community he is well respected and considered an important voice for the history of these events. Pellegrino combines intense forensic detail—some of it new to history—with unfathomable heartbreak. The author unflinchingly chronicles these most devastating events in Japan, the only times nuclear weapons have been used against human beings, and begs us to hold hands and to pray that it never happens again. A must-read for anyone with a conscience. -- James Cameron, director, producer, engineer, and explorerBy far the best book I have ever read on the subject. . . . No one I know has ever articulated more fully, more accurately, and more effectively the essential nature of the atomic bombings. A great book—a potential game-changer in the struggle to eliminate nuclear weapons. -- Steven Leeper, Hiroshima Jogakuin University, former chair of the Hiroshima Peace Culture FoundationThe book opens with imagery that leaves one speechless. Pellegrino is a poet at heart, a poet with a Japanese soul. -- Francis Kakugawa, poet, Hiroshima family memberDrawing on his considerable scholarly skills as well as his poetic sensibility, Charles Pellegrino has greatly enlarged our understanding of the singular tragedy that was—and is—Hiroshima. The pages themselves seem to weep, drenched as they are in poignancy, passion, and a salutary measure of unbearable truth. -- James Morrow, author of Shambling Towards Hiroshima and This Is the Way the World EndsI just finished reading the book again. Each time I take the journey, the words leave a stronger impression—the most important piece of literature written about the hibakusha (the exposed) since John Hershey’s Hiroshima. -- Paule Savinio, author of From AboveCharles Pellegrino’s writings have provided critical information, particularly on the first twenty-four hours after the nuclear explosion in Hiroshima. This information has added significantly [to our] knowledge and understanding about the medical and pathological events of the early period after the nuclear event. In turn, this information has allowed the development of a plan that could potentially save thousands of lives if another nuclear explosion, similar to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, occurs. Our military believes that this is inevitable. -- Norman Ende, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical SchoolPellegrino fills this fascinating work with dark revelations, incredible imagery, and unforgettable characters. With a scientist's eye for detail, the author sets the record straight about what actually happened. So forget what you thought you knew about the August 1945 atomic bombings and their aftermath. This book is the definitive account. -- Bill Schutt, American Museum of Natural HistoryDuring my forty years as a senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, including thirty years of collaboration with Charlie Pellegrino, I have always found him to be a careful, thoughtful, imaginative, and honest researcher. I was involved in R&D on applications of fission and fusion nuclear energy [for] nuclear rockets, and Charlie and I collaborated on a next step: Interstellar probe designs based on anti-matter propulsion. -- James Powell, Brookhaven National LaboratoryLet's hope this book touches the hearts of the many and that such extreme methods of societal control are finally eliminated. . . . A monumental work. -- Roy Cullimore, founder and president, Droycon BioconceptsCharles Pellegrino's unique forensic archaeological approach . . . should be required reading for all those making decisions of war. Despite past attempts to suppress this history, Charles has succeeded in a detailed immortalization of one of the true turning points in human existence. -- Tom Dettweiler, NOAA ocean explorer and engineer, US NavyBefore reading this, I believed we should be prepared to do unto others as they would do unto us and do it first. I was wrong. I did not really know what an atomic bomb does (to the people beneath it). I believe anyone who even considers the first use of a nuclear weapon (or who designs one), has found the unforgivable sin. -- Amnon Rosenfeld, forensic anthropologist, Israel Geological SurveyThis can be a powerful wake-up call for some of the younger generation—that rare combination of scientific expertise and profound humanism. -- Mark Selden, Asia Pacific Studies, Cornell UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Foreword Chapter 1: The Killing Star Chapter 2: Gojira’s Egg Chapter 3: Setsuko Chapter 4: And the Rest Were Neutrinos Chapter 5: The Crazy Iris Chapter 6: Kaiten and the Faithful Elephants Chapter 7: A Vapor in the Heavens Chapter 8: Threads Chapter 9: Testament Chapter 10: Legacy: To Fold a Thousand Paper Cranes Acknowledgments Notes Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisA detailed exploration of a critical month-long battle, which set the stage for German strategic-level defeats on both the Eastern and Western fronts.In February 1944, 1st Panzer Army (under Generaloberst Hube) played a major role in the relief operation that saved part of the German forces trapped in the Korsun Pocket. However, the losses suffered in that effort left Hube's forces materially weakened, exhausted and with vulnerable flanks. Unexpectedly, Zhukov's 1st Ukrainian Front and Konev's 2nd Ukrainian Front attacked on 4 March, conducting a huge pincer operation against 1st Panzer Army. Within three weeks, Hube's 200,000-strong army was isolated, with its back to the Dniester River. The destruction of Hube's army would doubtless precipitate a rapid German collapse on the Eastern Front two months before the Allied invasion of France. In this work, Eastern Front expert Robert Forczyk presents a superbly illustrated examination of the initial Soviet encirclement operation, Hube's full-scale breakout operation to save his army, and the relief operation by 2nd SS-Panzer Corps (redeployed from the West) in April 1944. Although Hube's army managed to escape Zhukov's trap, it lost most of its equipment and was no longer fully combat capable. The German Army in the East had been seriously weakened, and the amount of German armour deployed in the West to counter any Allied landings in France had simultaneously been reduced.

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Book SynopsisIn this highly anticipated follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio brings to light more untold stories from the quickly vanishing ranks of the veterans of World War II.Ordinary Men with Extraordinary PurposeThey are called the Greatest Generation, but they were also ordinary men, sharing in all of humanity’s weaknesses and flaws while responding to the call of duty. These are their unforgettable stories—first-person accounts from the last of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who fought the most dreadful war in history, all collected by a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The idea was simple: travel across the country with a 1945 M1 Garand, the basic U.S. fighting rifle of World War II, ask combat veterans of that war to sign it, and listen carefully as the sight, touch, and feel of that rifle evoke a flood of memories and emotions. In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio once again reveals the astonishing effect his M1 Garand had on the old warriors who held it. The passage of time is swiftly snatching from us the last of those men, but the memories of those who remain are vivid and strong. It’s astonishing to see how grasping that rifle brings out those memories—good, bad, terrifying, and heroic. In Biggio’s riveting account, you will learn:• What it was like to fight for freedom in the various theaters of World War II • The obstacles these world-conquerors faced on returning home and how they overcame them • The special meaning these recollections hold for later combat vets, confirming the brotherhood of warriors • The importance to veterans of memory and respectWar and the weapons with which it is waged shape men forever. Biggio’s inspirational second collection is a must-read for anyone interested in the service and sacrifices of our veterans.

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Book SynopsisA detailed account of the war-winning role that a handful of Harrier squadrons played in the Falklands War.On 5 April 1982, the British aircraft carriers Hermes and Invincible sailed for the South Atlantic at the heart of the task force that would retake the Falkland Islands, known to Argentina as the Islas Malvinas. Air power was essential to the operation, and some analysts considered the contest unwinnable. The British had just 42 fighter jets available (28 Sea Harriers and 14 RAF Harrier GR.3s), and were outnumbered three-to-one by the Argentinian Air Force. Naval expert Angus Konstam offers a focused history of naval aviation in the Falklands War. The superbly manoeuvrable Harriers provided air cover during the ferociously contested landings, and later a Harrier Forward Operating Base on the islands was also made available. He explains how the British forces achieved their impressive Falklands air-to-air record, shooting down 21 Argentinian jets for no losses, while suffering more to anti-aircraft fire. He also looks into the Harriers' ground-attack campaign, and explains the roles played by weapons technology, radar, electronic warfare, aerial reconnaissance, and support helicopters.Illustrated throughout with spectacular new artwork, 3D diagrams and maps, this book explains how the brutal test of the Falklands War showed the way forward for naval aviation and fleet air defence for decades to come.

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Book Synopsis2021 BOARDGAMEGEEK GOLDEN GEEK AWARDS BEST 2-PLAYER GAMETHE DICE TOWER SEAL OF EXCELLENCEThe North African Campaign has begun. Take control of the British Army's Long Range Desert Group and operate behind enemy lines or command the formidable Italian forces opposing them. In this standalone sequel to Undaunted: Normandy, players will once again lead their sides through a varied series of missions. As casualties mount, wounded units leave the players' decks, forcing them to adapt in the face of changing tactical circumstances. Use your cards to strengthen your forces, deploy vehicles to advance rapidly across the battlefield, and seize the initiative as you determine the outcome of the North African Theatre.Ages: 14+Players: 2Playing Time: 45-60 minutesContents: 88 cards, 22 large map tiles, 4 dice, tokens, campaign booklet

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with detailed artworks of American, British, Canadian, Australian, French, Polish and other Western Allied nations tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, World War II Tanks: Western Allies 1939–45: Identification Guide offers an highly-illustrated guide to the main armoured fighting vehicles used by the Western Allies during World War II. This compact volume includes sample unit structures and orders of battle from company up to corps level. Organised by division, the book offers a comprehensive survey of Western Allied armoured fighting vehicles by campaign, including the fall of Poland, the defence of the Low Countries and France, desert warfare in North Africa, the push through Italy, the Normandy landings, the Battle of the Bulge and the final defeat of Germany. All the major and many minor tanks are featured, with variations of the M4 Sherman, Churchill and Matilda, as well as mat-laying, engineering and mine-clearing versions. Lesser known models from the early years of the war, armoured cars, halftracks, trucks and amphibious vehicles make this a rounded compendium of Western Allied armoured fighting vehicles. Packed with more than 200 full-colour artworks and photographs with exhaustive specifications, World War II Tanks: Western Allies 1939–45 is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Trade ReviewThese books are simply splendid with many gems amongst the colour artwork to tempt us modellers. Thoroughly recommended. * Military in Scale *...a very good book * Modelarmour *‘bags of useful reference information….’ * Militarymodelling.com *Table of Contents1. POLAND 1939 2. LOW COUNTRIES & FRANCE 1940 3. NORTH AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN – Greece – Western Desert – El Alamein – Operation Torch – Tunisia 4. ITALY – Sicily landings – Salerno/Monte Cassino – Anzio/Rome – Push north 5. NORTHWEST EUROPE – Normandy/battle of France – Push through Low Countries – Battle of the Bulge – Crossing the Rhine/into Germany Appendices Orders of battle, glossary, terminology, total production numbers. Index

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Book SynopsisThe gripping and action-packed new Roman army adventure in the Eagles of the Empire series by Sunday Times bestselling author Simon Scarrow. The perfect read for readers of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell. Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro, hardened veterans of the Roman army, have faced the Empire''s enemies from Britannia to Parthia, from Hispania to Judea. Now once again they are on a mission that will imperil their lives and those of all who serve with them. Loyal to the last to their comrades in battle, fearless in the face of the most brutal or barbaric opponents, they are the finest men the Emperor can call on in the service of Rome. IF YOU DON''T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON''T KNOW ROME!Praise for Simon''s novels:''Scarrow''s [novels] rank with the best'' Independent''Blood, gore, political intrigue'' Daily Sport ''Always a joy'' The TimesTrade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow's novels: 'Gripping... ferocious and compelling * Daily Express *A new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy * The Times *Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best * Independent *I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read -- Bernard Cornwell

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, battleships provided overwhelming firepower at sea. They were not only a major instrument of warfare, but a visible emblem of a nation’s power, wealth and pride. The rise of the aircraft carrier following the Japanese aerial strike on Pearl Harbor in 1941 highlighted the vulnerabilities of the battleship, bringing about its demise as a dominant class of warship. This book offers a detailed guide to the major types of battleships to fight in the two World Wars. Explore HMS Dreadnought, the first of a class of fast, big-gun battleships to be developed at the beginning of the 20th century; see the great capital ships that exchanged salvos at the battle of Jutland, including the German battlecruiser Derfflinger, which sank the British battleship Queen Mary; find out about the destruction of HMS Hood, which exploded after exchanging fire with the Bismarck, which itself was sunk after a trans-Atlantic chase by a combination of battery fire and aircraft-launched torpedoes; and be amazed at the ‘super-battleship’ Yamato, which despite its size and firepower, made minimal contribution to Japan’s war effort and was sunk by air attack during the defence of Okinawa. Illustrated with more than 120 vivid artworks and photographs, Technical Guide: Battleships of World War I and World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and naval warfare enthusiasts.Table of ContentsContents to include: World War I: Jaureguiberry 1896 Canopus 1899 Kearsarge 1900 Mikasa 1902 Tsessarevitch 1903 Dreadnought 1906 Schleswig-Holstein 1908 South Carolina 1910 Hercules 1911 Lion 1912 Wyoming 1912 Derfflinger 1913 Kongo 1913 Royal Oak (or Revenge) 1914 Texas 1914 Andrea Doria 1915 Queen Elizabeth 1915 Barham 1915 Canada 1915 Fuso 1915 Provence 1915 Nevada 1916 Bayern 1916 Royal Sovereign 1916 Courageous 1917 Ise 1917 Mississippi 1917 World War II: Hood 1920 Nagato 1920 Jaime I 1922 Rodney 1927 Lutzow/Graf Spee 1933 Gneisenau 1938 Dunkerque 1937 Scharnhorst 1939 Littorio 1940 Bismarck 1940 Prince of Wales 1940 Richelieu 1940 Yamato 1940 Vittorio Veneto 1940 Prince of Wales 1941 Tirpitz 1941 Howe 1942 Indiana 1942 Iowa 1943 Missouri 1944 Guam 1944 Vanguard 1946

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Book SynopsisThe first book to examine the battleship-led 1941 Pacific Fleet as it was intended to fight. Packed with illustrations, this study explains how the US Navy saw the approaching war unfolding. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the Pacific Fleet was the most powerful in the US Navy. It was still dominated by battleships, but since the late 1930s had been developing naval aviation and integrating them with its battleship-led doctrine. This book is the first to examine the Pacific Fleet as it was intended to fight, and how it had been training and preparing in the months leading up to December 7, 1941. Naval historian Mark Lardas explains how, contrary to modern assumptions, it was not wedded to the battleship, but was hedging its bets, building up both its carrier and battleship strength. Most crucially, it had also been building and honing a massive fleet train, enabling the Pacific Fleet to operate easily thousands of miles from home. It was this foundati

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Book SynopsisTRAITORS OF ROME: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAn enthralling Cato and Macro adventure from bestselling author Simon Scarrow. Not to be missed by readers of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell. AD 56. Battle-hardened veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro are garrisoned at the eastern border, aware that their movements are constantly monitored by spies from dangerous, mysterious Parthia. But the enemy within could be the deadliest threat to the Legion ... and the Empire. There''s a traitor in the ranks. Rome shows no mercy to those who betray their comrades, and the Empire. But first the guilty man must be discovered. Cato and Macro are in a race against time to expose the truth, while the powerful enemy over the border waits to exploit any weaknesses in the Legion. The traitor must die ... Praise for Simon Scarrow''s bestselling novels: ''Blood, gore, political intrigue...A historicaTrade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow's novels: 'Gripping... ferocious and compelling * Daily Express *A new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy * The Times *A new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy * Independent *I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read -- Bernard Cornwell

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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 SynopsisRory Stewart served in the UK Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development, and before that as Prisons Minister, Minister for Africa, Minister for Development, Environment Minister and Chair of the Defence Committee. He ran against Boris Johnson for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 2019. Earlier in his career he was briefly in the British Army, before serving as a diplomat in Indonesia, the Balkans and Iraq, establishing and running a charity in Afghanistan, and holding a chair at Harvard University. His other books include Occupational Hazards, The Marches and Politics on the Edge, which was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.Stewart is now the president of the non-profit organization GiveDirectly, a visiting fellow at Yale's Jackson School and the co-host, with Alastair Campbell, of the UK's leading podcast The Rest is Politics. He tweets at @RoryStewartUK.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1964 to 1998, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane was the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft. Get the insider perspective on all 50 models of this storied jet.

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with detailed artworks of Japanese aircraft and their markings, Japanese Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the aircraft deployed by the Japanese military from the Second Sino-Japanese War to the surrender in the Pacific in August 1945. Organised alphabetically by manufacturer, this book includes every type of aircraft, from fighters to seaplanes, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, torpedo bombers and carrier aircraft. All the best-known types are featured, such as the Mitsubishi G4M ‘Betty’, Nakajima B6N2 Tenzan, Aichi B7A2 Ryusei torpedo bomber and the world- famous Mitsubishi A6M ‘Zero’ fighter. The entries are accompanied by exhaustive captions and specifications. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views, and special cutaway artworks of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the Aichi D3A1 ‘Val’, Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen, and Nakajima Ki.27 ‘Nate’. Illustrated with more than 120 artworks, Japanese Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in military aircraft of World War II.Table of ContentsMitsubishi G3M (July 1935) Mitsubishi Ki-15 (May 1937) Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Dec 1936) Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Feb 1937) Mitsubishi Ki-51 (June 1939) Kawasaki Ki-48 (July 1939) Nakajima Ki-49 (Aug 1939) Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Aug 1939) Mitsubishi G4M (Oct 1939) Mitsubishi Ki-67 (Dec 1942) Nakajima Ki-27 (Oct 1936) Nakajima Ki-43 (Jan 1939) Nakajima Ki-44 (Aug 1940) Kawasaki Ki-45 (May 1941) Nakajima J1N (May 1941) Kawasaki Ki-61 (Dec 1941) Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Dec 1942) Kawanishi N1K-J (Dec 1942) Nakajima Ki-84 (March 1943) Kawasaki Ki-100 (Feb 1945) Aichi D1A (1934) Mitsubishi A5M (February 1935) Nakajima B5N (January 1937) Aichi D3A (January 1938) Mitsubishi A6M (April 1939) Yokosuka D4Y (December 1940) Nakajima B6N (March 1941) Aichi B7A (May 1942) Mitsubishi F1M (June 1936) Kawanishi H6K (July 1936) Kawanishi H8K (Jan 1941) Aichi E13A ‘Jake’ Nakajima A6M2-N (Dec 1941) Aichi M6A (Nov 1943) Yokosuka MXY7 (October 1944) Mitsubishi J8M (July 1945) Nakajima Kikka (August 1945)

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER‘Stands out for its judicious and unsparing look at events from a British perspective’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesBetween January and August 1947 the conflicting political, religious and social tensions in India culminated in independence from Britain and the creation of Pakistan; in Partition, Barney White-Spunner shines a light on those turbulent months. This period saw the end of ninety years of the British Raj, and the effective power of the Maharajahs, as the Congress Party established itself, commanding a democratic government in Delhi. It also witnessed the rushed creation of Pakistan as a country in two halves whose capitals were 2000 kilometres apart. From September to December 1947 the euphoria surrounding independence dissipated into shame and incrimination; nearly one million people died and countless moreTrade Review'This book is at its most powerful in its month-by-month narrative of how Partition tore apart northern and eastern India, with the new state of Pakistan carved out of communities who had lived together for the past millennium.' -- Zareer Masani * BBC History magazine *‘A highly readable account’ * Times Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisIllustrated throughout, this book explains the composition and qualities of the Soviet tank force that fought Germany's mighty Panzers at the biggest tank battle in history. In the summer of 1943, Hitler's army had rebuilt its Panzer forces after defeat at Stalingrad and retreat from the Caucasus. New types, including the Panther, Tiger, and Elefant, at last added technical superiority to the traditional tactical edge enjoyed by the Panzer divisions. The plan was to begin offensive operations by striking from the north and south to cut off Soviet forces in the Kursk salient. In this book, Soviet military specialist William E. Hiestand explores the armor that met this Panzer force, in the biggest tank battle of World War II. The Soviets had benefited from their prodigious production capabilities but the tanks at Kursk varied widely. Still short of tanks, the Soviets also still operated weak T-60 and T-70 light tanks, along with the increasingly obsolete KV-1 he

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Book SynopsisInvented during World War I to break the grim deadlock of the Western Front trenches, tanks have gone on to revolutionise warfare. From the lightning Blitzkrieg assaults of World War II to the great battles in the Middle Eastern desert and the largest ever tank battles on the Eastern Front, tanks have become one of the key components of the 'combined arms' philosophy of warfare. This pocket guide gives the reader all of the essential information on 40 of history's premiere tanks, including the Tiger, Sherman, Panther and M1A1 Abrams. Each tank is presented with a detailed drawing to aid recognition.

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Book SynopsisArranged by type, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the most important fighters used by the Luftwaffe during the conflict. It features such classics as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110, the Heinkel He 100D-1 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 187 and Fw 190, as well as curiosities such as the Arado Ar 68F-1, Henschel Hs 123 and Heinkel He 51B biplanes. Late war innovations, such as the jet and rocket powered Me 262, Me 163 and Heinkel He 162, are also included. Most types are represented in numerous variants and with examples drawn from different theatres of the war. The book includes all the major fighters that served in the invasion of Poland, the defeat of France, the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, the war in the Mediterranean, the fighting on the Eastern Front and the Defence of the Reich. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by detailed specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Biplanes Arado Ar 66 Arado Ar 68 Heinkel He 50 Heinkel He 51 2. Single-Seat Monoplanes Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 112 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Focke Wulf Fw 190 Focke Wulf Ta 152 Focke Wulf Ta 154 Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Blohm & Voss BV 40 3. Heavy Fighters Messerschmitt Bf 110 Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke Dornier Do 17Z night fighter Dornier Do 215 night fighter Dornier Do 217 night fighter Junkers Ju 88 night fighter Heinkel He 219 Uhu Messerschmitt Me 210 Messerschmitt Me 410 4. Jet and Rocket Fighters Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Messerschmitt Me 262 Heinkel He 162 Salamander Bachem Ba 349 Natter Appendices Aircraft compared, variants, production numbers, losses Index

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