Military history: post-WW2 conflicts Books

1005 products


  • Cambridge University Press Winds of Hope Storms of Discord

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn brisk and engaging prose, this comprehensive introductory textbook traverses the broad sweep of US history since 1945. Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord explores how Americans from all walks of life political leaders, businesspeople, public intellectuals, workers, students, activists, migrants, and others struggled to define the nation''s political, economic, geopolitical, demographic, and social character. It chronicles the nation''s ceaseless ferment, from the rocky conversion to peacetime in the early aftermath of World War II; to the frightening emergence of the Cold War and repeated US military adventures abroad; to the struggles of African Americans and other minorities to claim a share of the American Dream; to the striking transformations in social attitudes catalyzed by the women''s movement and struggles for gay and lesbian liberation; to the dynamic force of political, economic, and social conservatism. Carrying the story to the spring of 2022, Winds of Hope also shows hTrade Review'Salim Yaqub has mastered the most recent scholarship on such diverse topics as social justice movements, modern conservatism, and the impact of technology, and woven it seamlessly into a deeply engaging narrative of the United States from 1945 to the 2020s. It is not just the wide sweep that impresses, but also the sharp eye for compelling, poignant detail. Personal yet authoritative, trenchant but even-handed, humane and witty, this is historical writing at its very best.' Hugh Wilford, California State University, Long Beach'A sweeping synthesis of US history since World War II. Winds of Change, Storms of Discord shows the author's mastery of the most recent scholarship on foreign policy, social change, and domestic conflict, yet it remains accessible and engaging. Highly recommended for students at all levels as well as general readers.' Kathryn Olmsted, University of California, Davis'Yaqub has set the new standard for histories of post-1945 America. Incredibly complete and up to the minute, Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord is wonderfully readable and filled with careful judgments. Yaqub's writing is marvelously clear and his account is lively as well as precise and authoritative. Students and teachers rejoice!' Doug Rossinow, Metropolitan State University'This is the post-1945 US history textbook you have been waiting for. Comprehensive, concise, and highly readable, Salim Yaqub brilliantly distills the diversity of the American experience from the end of World War II to US support of Ukraine in 2022. Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord is the new standard-bearer for how to write multifaceted US history.' Kathryn Statler, University of San Diego'Filled with twists and turns, Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord sends readers racing through its pages to discover how the world they thought they knew is actually far more interesting - and surprising - than they had previously understood. Salim Yaqub writes with the compassion, objectivity, and fresh curiosity of a master scholar who listens to every voice.' Elizabeth Cobbs, Texas A&M University'Winds of Hope, Storms of Discord by Salim Yaqub is a masterful exploration of US history since 1945. Useful for students in a variety of courses as well as beginning researchers, the book chronicles the often rapid and dramatic changes in US society, culture, politics, technology, economics, and foreign relations during the tumultuous years from the end of World War II through the present. The fact that it ends in 2022 is novel and useful. Despite its ambitious scope, the book has a clear narrative and singular point of view that make it compelling and highly readable. The author deftly weaves together multiple themes to tell a story that is a must-read for anyone who wants to know why the United States today is the way it is.' Kelly J. Shannon, Florida Atlantic UniversityTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction; 1. Wake up Willie: from war to postwar, 1945–1948; 2. We may not now relax our guard: hot war abroad and cold war at home, 1949–1954; 3. It's like turning over a rock: America in the fifties; 4. Listen, Yankee: the transformation of America's Cold War, 1956–1963; 5. Is this America?: civil rights and the liberal movement, 1960–1965; 6. Berkeley Cong: fighting abroad and unraveling at home, 1963–1968; 7. Expletive deleted: the presidency of Richard Nixon, 1969–1974; 8. Great blinding lightbulb: women's rights, gay and lesbian rights, and new understandings of gender, sexuality, and family, 1960–1975; 9. Soylent Green is people: America in the seventies; 10. The picture always overrides: America in the Reagan years, 1981–1989; 11. To look over the horizon: from New Cold War to New World Order, 1981–1991; 12. Triangulation: the nineties and Bill Clinton; 13. Freedom fries: George W. Bush, 9/11, and the Iraq war, 2001–2008; 14. Yes we can't: American politics, 2009–2015; 15. Crossfire hurricane: the Trump years, 2015–2021; Epilogue; Index.

    15 in stock

    £85.49

  • Cambridge University Press International Law and New Wars

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisInternational Law and New Wars examines how international law fails to address the contemporary experience of what are known as ''new wars'' - instances of armed conflict and violence in places such as Syria, Ukraine, Libya, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. International law, largely constructed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, rests to a great extent on the outmoded concept of war drawn from European experience - inter-state clashes involving battles between regular and identifiable armed forces. The book shows how different approaches are associated with different interpretations of international law, and, in some cases, this has dangerously weakened the legal restraints on war established after 1945. It puts forward a practical case for what it defines as second generation human security and the implications this carries for international law.Trade Review'Chinkin and Kaldor understand deeply and explain clearly the legal issues and distortions involved in justifications for international interventions into 'new wars' and their aftermath. Their human security lens provides new creative focus to a burgeoning literature.' Antonia Chayes, Tufts University, Massachusetts'An inspired collaboration between two leading world experts on the linkages between international law and war. International Law and New Wars is an outstanding contribution to scholarship, being the most comprehensive and authoritative treatment of this most important of all current global challenges. It seems to be the most significant book on international law published in the last decade.' Richard Falk, University of California, Santa Barbara'International Law and New Wars is a magisterial achievement of breathtaking power and originality. Chinkin and Kaldor lay out a realistic and achievable blueprint for peace and security in the twnety-first century.' Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO, New America'Christine Chinkin and Mary Kaldor's International Law and New Wars should be on the reading list of every service as well as that of the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and it should be taught in every war college. … [T]his is a book that should be read again and again. It is an energizing vehicle for facilitating vigorous discussion.' Cornelia Weiss, ParametersTable of ContentsPart I. Conceptual Framework: 1. Introduction; 2. Sovereignty and the authority to use force; 3. The relevance of international law; Part II. Jus ad Bellum: 4. Self-defence as a justification for war: the geopolitical and war on terror models; 5. The humanitarian model for recourse to use force; Part III. Jus in Bello: 6. How force is used; 7. Weapons; Part IV. Jus Post-Bellum: 8. 'Post-conflict' and governance; 9. The liberal peace: peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding; 10. Justice and accountability; Part V. The Way Forward: 11. Second generation human security; 12. What does human security require of international law?

    7 in stock

    £39.89

  • The League of Wives

    The League of Wives

    20 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe true story of the fierce band of women who battled Washington - and Hanoi - to bring their husbands home from the jungles of Vietnam.

    20 in stock

    £11.24

  • Cold War Frequencies

    McFarland & Co Inc Cold War Frequencies

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis Published for the first time, the history of the CIA''s clandestine short-wave radio broadcasts to Eastern Europe and the USSR during the early Cold War is covered in-depth. Chapters describe the gray broadcasting of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty in Munich; clandestine or black radio broadcasts from Radio Nacional de Espana in Madrid to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine; transmissions to Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Ukraine and the USSR from a secret site near Athens; and broadcasts to Byelorussia and Slovakia. Infiltrated behind the Iron Curtain through dangerous air drops and boat landings, CIA and other intelligence service agents faced counterespionage, kidnapping, assassination, arrest and imprisonment. Excerpts from broadcasts taken from monitoring reports of Eastern Europe intelligence agencies are included.

    1 in stock

    £30.39

  • Createspace Independent Publishing Platform Airpower Advantage

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £29.37

  • Memories Unleashed: Vietnam Legacy

    Casemate Publishers Memories Unleashed: Vietnam Legacy

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis memoir of the Vietnam War is structured as a series of short stories that convey the emotional and physical landscape of the Vietnam War. It is a window into the war from the perspective of the author, who served in a rapid response assault force, as 'the Marine'.The reader shares the Marine's experience through a year of combat that tested his character and shaped his destiny. Small joined the Marine Corps in 1969 at 19 years old, coming from a small Vermont farming community. After boot camp and speciality training he landed in Da Nang as a private first class. With three battlefield promotions in 8 months, he soon became a platoon sergeant.Small did not talk of his experiences in Vietnam over the next forty years, but has now written this book, for veterans' families, including his own, to understand what their loved ones experienced. It is a unique and powerful text that is that it is written in such a way it brings you inside the marine; you see what he sees, feel what he feels. You know him; his back story; what he is thinking; why he made the decisions he needed to make. No names are mentioned throughout the book.Memories Unleashed is an assemblage of memories, consisting of stories that stand alone to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. It addresses the warrior, the lives of innocent people caught up in the war, and the American and Vietnamese families impacted by those who fought.Trade ReviewA great read, one I’m sure I will read again. 5 stars all day long. * Army Rumour Service 28/05/2019 *A fascinating read and I think it is worth saying thank you to author Carl Small for finally feeling able to write down his experiences and share them with the rest of us at last. * Military Model Scene 07/05/2019 *

    1 in stock

    £31.56

  • Iraq Lie: How the White House Sold the War

    Progressive Press Iraq Lie: How the White House Sold the War

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £9.49

  • Afghanistan in Transition: Before & After the

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Afghanistan in Transition: Before & After the

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £119.99

  • The War of Nerves: Inside the Cold War Mind

    Profile Books Ltd The War of Nerves: Inside the Cold War Mind

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBBC Radio 4 Book of the Week 'It was time for a vivid, popular history of the Cold War, and this is it' The Times 'Essential ... endlessly fascinating ... to read Sixsmith is to want to read more Sixsmith' Forbes More than any other conflict, the Cold War was fought on the battlefield of the human mind. Nearly thirty years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, its legacy still endures: not only in our politics, but in our own thoughts and fears. Drawing on a vast array of untapped archives and unseen sources, Martin Sixsmith vividly recreates the tensions and paranoia of the Cold War, framing it for the first time from a psychological perspective. Revisiting towering personalities like Khrushchev, Kennedy and Nixon, as well as the lives of the unknown millions who were caught up in the conflict, this is a gripping account of fear itself - one which is more resonant than ever today.Trade ReviewEssential ... endlessly fascinating ... to read Sixsmith is to want to read more Sixsmith * Forbes *An ambitious study of the cold war ... filled with fascinating insights into the psychology of one of the most dangerous periods in world history ... illuminating -- PD Smith * Guardian *There have been many histories of the cold war, but the virtue and originality of Mr Sixsmith's is to see almost every aspect of the stand-off in psychological terms * Economist *Written with exemplary clarity and full of succulent anecdotes ... Sixsmith's huge canvas encompasses the Space Race, the motivations of the Cambridge spies, and the details of Project MK Ultra * The Daily Telegraph *Peppered with anecdotes, archival nuggets and flashes of insight ... stands out from other Cold War narratives by [its] sheer range of cultural references and detail ... it was time for a vivid, popular history of the Cold War, and this is it * The Times *This fascinating study of Cold War psychology also has much to teach us about contemporary tensions -- Vin Arthey * Scotsman *Praise for Martin Sixsmith: 'Sixsmith has the knack of delivering complex material with a clear voice * The Times *A lively chronicle -- Orlando Figes * Sunday Times *Russia, a 1,000 Year Chronicle of the Wild East contains many of the required ingredients to become the leading popular history of Russia. Colloquial, personal and anecdotal in style ... well researched and factually sound. * TLS *Russia delivers a thoroughly satisfying history...a lively opinionated narrative. * Publishers Weekly *

    1 in stock

    £23.75

  • Cold War: A Captivating Guide to the Korean War

    Createspace Independent Publishing Platform Cold War: A Captivating Guide to the Korean War

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £15.65

  • Midsea Books Ltd,Malta Malta’s Armed Forces: Its Journey: 2022

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £31.50

  • HarperCollins Publishers Hellfire

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe true story of one man''s determination to master the world''s deadliest helicopter and of a split-second decision that changed the face of modern warfare.May 2006. Pilot Ed Macy arrives in Afghanistan with a contingent of the Apache AH Mk1. It's the first operational tour for the deadly machines and confidence in the cripplingly expensive attack helicopter is low. It doesn't help that for their first month in action', Ed and his mates see little more than the back-end of a Chinook.But when the men of 3 Para get pinned down during Op Mutay, reservations about the fearsome new attack helicopters are thrown out the window. In the blistering firefight that follows, Ed unleashes the first ever Hellfire missile in combat and, with one squeeze of the trigger, changes the war in Afghanistan forever. What had been rumoured as a 4.2 billion mistake quickly becomes the British Army's greatest asset, as the awe-inspiring Apache is dramatically redirected to fight the enemy head-on.In this gripTrade Review‘Ed Macy is a 21st Century Top Gun. His journey to the gunship pilot elite is truly awesome.’ Andy McNab Praise for ‘Apache’: ‘Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn’t invent…’ Andy McNab 'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read. Forget his Hellfire missiles, the book itself is enough to blow you away' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of number one bestseller Sniper One 'An honest account of exceptional bravery' Ross Kemp

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • HarperCollins Because Each Life Is Precious

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £12.34

  • HarperCollins Chain of Command

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £11.99

  • HarperCollins Publishers Inc We Are Soldiers Still A Journey Back to the

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe authors receive letters from readers wanting to know what's happened to the characters of "We Were Soldiers Once And Young" (1992). This title answers these questions. It takes us back to the battlefields by the commanders and veterans of both sides.Trade Review“It would be a monumental task for Moore and Galloway to top their classic 1992 memoir, We Were Soldiers Once...and Young. But they come close in this sterling sequel...This book proves again that Moore is an exceptionally thoughtful, compassionate and courageous leader and a strong voice for reconciliation and for honoring the men with whom he served.” -- Publishers Weekly(starred review)“An emotional follow-up to military lifer Moore and reporter Galloway’s intense 1992 telling of the Vietnam War’s first major battle between American and North Vietnamese troops. This time, the two, along with other American survivors of the fight, revisit the Ia Drang valley, scene of the bloody 1965 battle—accompanied by the Communist commanders and soldiers who were trying to kill them.” -- New York Post“A worthy and wise successor to one of the best books ever about combat in Vietnam.” -- Kirkus Reviews“We Are Soldiers Still tells the recent story of how Moore and Galloway organized meetings with the Vietnamese commanders they’d fought against so fiercely. . . . There is honor and a measure of military glory in the retelling and in the reunion.” -- Christian Science Monitor“Bookstores are filled with rows of books on leadership and management, but We Are Soldiers Still stands over the rest. Words like riveting and compelling hardly do the book justice...Moore’s reflections on leadership alone make this book worth its purchase price...Moore and Galloway’s latest volume is a moving tribute to the American soldier.” -- Army magazine"A moving testimonial. . . .The memoir poignantly addresses the blindness of war and the compensatory urgings of the heart to be human." -- Rocky Mountain News

    15 in stock

    £14.30

  • HarperCollins The Things They Cannot Say Stories Soldiers Wont Tell You About What Theyve Seen Done or Failed to Do in War

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat is it like to kill? What is it like to be under fire? How do you know what's right? What can you never forget? The author asks the difficult questions of these combatants, many of whom he first met while in Afghanistan and Iraq and others he sought out from different wars.Trade Review"Sites highlights the importance of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and sharing stories. Most importantly, he forces readers, those average civilians, to look at what war does to people and think about whether it's always worth it." -- San Francisco Chronicle "The harrowing accounts detail the experiencesof 11 US soldiers and Marines who have been ravaged by modern warfare and its psychological aftermath. What makes Kevin's reporting unique and essential is that it didn't stop on the battlefield-he followed his subjects home." -- Vice "Brilliant! An unprecedented view into the heart, mind and soul of American Warriors from every generation. A must read for every American." -- Sean Parnell, New York Times Bestselling Author of Outlaw Platoon A vivid set of portrats of modern combatants written in prose taht moves with speed and heat." -- Edward Tick, Ph. D., codirector of Solider's heart and authof of War and Soul "Riveting and emotionally raw...These gripping stories...are evidence of a profound desire to heal." -- Publishers Weekly "This is tough stuff, as many of the experiences recounted here are graphic, cruel, and bloody, but they offer an intimate look at the costs of war on a personal, elemental level." -- Booklist "In sensitive, honest prose, the author emphasizes that this is a book about hope. An important book for warriors and the communities that send them to war." -- Kirkus Reviews A gritty look at postwar distress, including veterans' personal accounts, by a journalist with his own intimate perspective on the subject. -- Shelf Awareness (Bruce Jacobs of Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, KS

    15 in stock

    £13.60

  • HarperCollins The Trident

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £18.99

  • HarperCollins American Sniper

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £20.69

  • HarperCollins The Hunter Killers

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £19.94

  • Oxford University Press Waging Insurgent Warfare

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £30.39

  • Oxford University Press Inc Viet Nam

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book narrates the history of the different peoples who have lived in the three major regions of Viet Nam over the past 3,000 years. It brings to life their relationships with these regions'' landscapes, water resources, and climatic conditions, their changing cultures and religious traditions, and their interactions with their neighbors in China and Southeast Asia. Key themes include the dramatic impact of changing weather patterns from ancient to medieval and modern times, the central importance of riverine and maritime communications, ecological and economic transformations, and linguistic and literary changes. The country''s long experience of regional diversity, multi-ethnic populations, and a multi-religious heritage that ranges from local spirit cults to the influences of Buddhism, Confucianism and Catholicism, makes for a vividly pluralistic narrative. The arcs of Vietnamese history include the rise and fall of different political formations, from chiefdoms to Chinese provinces, from independent kingdoms to divided regions, civil wars, French colonies, and modern republics. In the twentieth century anticolonial nationalism, the worldwide depression, Japanese occupation, a French attempt at reconquest, the traumatic American-Vietnamese war, and the 1975 communist victory all set the scene for the making of contemporary Viet Nam. Rapid economic growth in recent decades has transformed this one-party state into a global trading nation. Yet its rich history still casts a long shadow. Along with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Viet Nam is now involved in a tense territorial standoff in the South China Sea, as a rival of China and a partner of the United States. If its independence and future geographical unity seem assured, Viet Nam''s regional security and prospects for democracy remain clouded.Trade ReviewKiernan's dispassionate recording of the behaviour of the regional powers - Champa, Cambodia, China, India - should help to make Viet Nam: A History from Earliest Times a durable work * Sophie Quinn-Judge, Times Literary Supplement *Ben Kiernan shifts his gaze eastward in this ambitious study, Viet Nam: A History from Earliest Times to the Present.... By assessing the long durée, Kiernan reveals the multifaceted nature of Vietnam's history and suggests that there was a relatively transient nature to the ebb and flow of the various dynasties that competed with one another within Vietnam's territory...suggesting, quite rightly, that there were alternative historical paths that might have been taken....A clearly written and broad introductory overview to the history of Vietnam that is appropriate for an upper-level undergraduate class. * Geoffrey C. Stewart, American Historical Review *In Viet Nam, Ben Kiernan synthesises three millennia of history in a beautiful book that aids the reader with numerous maps and over a dozen photographs documenting the daily life of the Vietnamese people. It is a work full of insights for students of Southeast Asia generally and, more specifically, for comparative historians and political scientists interested in nationalism, anti-colonialism, US foreign policy, and the reform and modernisation of socialism. By taking the long view, the author successfully liberates the history of Viet Nam from the reductionist view of a US military misadventure, revealing long-term trends in political organisation, culture and environmental changes.Comprehensive yet readable ... It will serve the needs of both experts in Vietnamese history and general readers interested in Vietnam.... Viet Nam's ability to integrate ecology into political, cultural and economic history is truly impressive. * Michael G. Vann, Asian Studies Review *A major contribution to contemporary Southeast Asian scholarship... a sympathetic study of a tenacious and capable people. * Robin Gerster, Australian Book Review *This is a remarkably evocative, multifaceted, sophisticated, and original study not only of those groups who haltingly coalesced as Vietnamese, but also of the many peoples with whom they interacted, and indeed of an entire region during two millennia. This book, I suspect, will become a classic in Asian as well as Southeast Asian historiography. * Victor Lieberman, University of Michigan *An audacious book, Kiernan's Viet Nam presents the country's long history to new, global audiences, eloquently showing how the deep past continues to shape and inform the present. * David Biggs, author of Quagmire: Nation-Building and Nature in the Mekong Delta *This outstanding book shows that 'Viet Nam has always been much more than a war.' By making his themes the perennial continuities and changes in the vital ecologies and polyethnic cultures of the country, Ben Kiernan tells a story of shifting layers that is lucid and rich. His work is a kaleidoscope of Vietnamese history. * Greg Lockhart, author of Nation in Arms: the Origins of the People's Army of Vietnam *Kiernan offers a comprehensive overview of Vietnamese history from prehistoric times to the 21st century ... A distinctive quality of this work is its inclusion of environmental and linguistic history. The author effectively explains how geography and changing weather patterns (droughts, etc.) impacted historical development and demonstrates how changes in language over time provides information about Vietnam's past ... Essential for all students of Vietnamese history. Extensive descriptions of Vietnam's relations with its neighbors also make this valuable reading for those interested in Chinese or Southeast Asian history. * Library Journal *Table of ContentsAbbreviations Note on Spelling Preface Introduction Part I: Chiefdoms Ch. 1 Water, Rice, and Bronze: Prehistoric Viet Nam Part II: Provinces Ch. 2 Calming the Waves: Imperial Conquest and Indigenization, 221 BCE-540 CE Ch. 3 Mountains and Rivers of the South: Annam and its Neighbors, 6th-10th Centuries Part III: Kingdoms Ch. 4 "Rice from the Sky": Assembling the Spirits of Dai Viet, 940-1340 Ch. 5 Smooth-Flowing Waters of Government: The Triumph of Confucianism, 1340-1570 Part IV: Regions Ch. 6 Contending Shogunates: Inner and Outer Regions, 1570-1770 Ch. 7 Alternative Unifications: Rebellion and Restoration, 1771-1859 Part V: Colonies Ch. 8 "World Trends" and French Conquest, 1860-1920 Ch. 9 Writing and Revolution from Colonialism to Independence, 1920-1954 Part VI: Republics Ch. 10 The American-Vietnamese War, 1954-1975 Ch. 11 The Making of Contemporary Viet Nam, 1975-2015 Epilogue Notes Index

    15 in stock

    £46.40

  • OUP USA Kosovo

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisOn February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its independence, becoming the seventh state to emerge from the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. A tiny country of just two million people, 90% of whom are ethnic Albanians, Kosovo is central - geographically, historically, and politically - to the future of the Western Balkans and, in turn, its potential future within the European Union. But the fate of both Kosovo, condemned by Serbian leaders as a fake state and the region as a whole, remains uncertain. In Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know, Tim Judah provides a straight-forward guide to the complicated place that is Kosovo. Judah, who has spent years covering the region, offers succinct, penetrating answers to a wide range of questions: Why is Kosovo important? Who are the Albanians? Who are the Serbs? Why is Kosovo so important to Serbs? What role does Kosovo play in the region and in the world? Judah reveals how things stand now and presents the history and geopolitical dynamics that have led to it. The most important of these is the question of the right to self-determination, invoked by the Kosovo Albanians, as opposed to right of territorial integrity invoked by the Serbs. For many Serbs, Kosovo's declaration of independence and subsequent recognition has been traumatic, a savage blow to national pride. Albanians, on the other hand, believe their independence rights an historical wrong: the Serbian conquest (Serbs say liberation) of Kosovo in 1912. For anyone wishing to understand both the history and possible future of Kosovo at this pivotal moment in its history, this book offers a wealth of insight and information in a uniquely accessible format.Trade Review"A straightforward guide to the history and geopolitics of Kosovo and the first book on the country since its declaration of independence in February this year."--The Economist "Packs a surprising amount of nuance into a slim volume... a solid introduction to an important topic."--Booklist "Judah does a commendable job of telling the dense story in an understandable fashion. Because the region changes so quickly, an up-to-date history like this is welcome."--Library Journal "[A] concise and updated version of his longer and more detailed history published in 2000...Judah's short history of Kosovo is a fair and sympathetic account of an impossible situation..."--New York Review of BooksTable of ContentsPreface: Why Kosovo? ; Albanians ; Serbs ; Creating History ; From Dardania to Yugoslavia ; Kosovo in Yugoslavia ; From the Golden Age to the Memorandum ; The Milosevic-Rugova Years ; The War ; Kosovo after 1999 ; March 2004 and the Ahtisaari Plan ; Kosovo and the Region ; Kosovo and the World ; Not the Last Chapter: Independence

    15 in stock

    £15.60

  • Oxford University Press Armies of Sand The Past Present and Future of

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA masterful, wide-ranging, compelling study of why Arab armies have typically fared poorly in combat. With this certain-to-be classic work, Ken Pollack solidifies his position as one of the world's foremost scholars on Middle Eastern military and political affairs. * General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Director of the CIA *Ken Pollack argues convincingly that efforts to uncover causes of military success or failure must begin far from the battlefield. He shines new light on social, economic, political, and cultural impediments to improving military effectiveness in Arab states. His argument that the influence of culture is predominant is certain to generate introspection among Arab leaders and their overseas partners who support their military reform efforts. This should be read and debated by readers who want to understand better this complex and important region. * H.R. McMaster, Former National Security Advisor and author of Dereliction of Duty *Few if any military analysts know as much, or have thought as deeply, about Arab armies as has Ken Pollack. In Armies of Sand-a masterpiece of political science-he distills a lifetime of learning to grapple with the most important and most difficult questions that lie at the intersection of technology, culture and politics. Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of warfare in the Middle East. * Max Boot, author of Invisible Armies *Armies of Sand belongs in the library of every military professional serving in the Middle East, whether Western or Arab. It is a unique blend of military history and social science that comprehensively explains the military effectiveness of our Arab friends and foes alike. Pollack has courageously and objectively tackled the sensitive subject of culture, which we ignore at our peril. Armed with its insights, future commanders might avoid the surprises and frustrations that have long been the hallmarks of military operations in this theater of persistent conflict. * Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, U.S. Army (Ret.); Commander of Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, 2015-2016 *This is a path-breaking volume on an uncomfortable topic: Arab military failure. Kenneth Pollack is the model of the engaged scholar, whose extensive field experience on today's battlefields complements his knowledge of military affairs and the Arab world more broadly. The volume is lucid, comprehensive and fascinating. His conclusions about the relationship between culture and military effectiveness will be controversial, but they are compellingly put and will set the terms of debate for years to come. * Eliot A. Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor of Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins-SAIS *Table of ContentsForeword Acknowledgments Introduction: The Six-Day War and the Mystery of Arab Military Ineffectiveness 1. Pattens of Arab Military Performance Part I: Soviet Doctrine 2. The Soviet Way of War 3. Arab Militaries and Soviet Doctrine 4. North Korea, Cuba, and Soviet Doctrine Part II: Politicization 5. Politicization 6. Arab Militaries and Politicization: Egypt 7. Arab Militaries and Politicization: Iraq 8. Politicization and the South Vietnamese Armed Forces 9. Politicization and the Argentine Armed Forces Part III: Underdevelopment 10. Economic Development and Military Effectiveness 11. Economic Development and Syrian Military Effectiveness 12. Economic Development and the Libya-Chad Wars 13. Economic Development and Chinese Military Effectiveness 14. Economic Development and Arab Military Effectiveness Part IV: Culture 15. War and Culture 16. Arab Culture as an Explanation for Military Ineffectiveness 17. Aab Culture: Patterns and Predilections 18. Arab Culture and Arab Military Effectiveness 19. Arab Culture and Civilian Organizations 20. Culture and Education: The Causal Link 21. Arab Military Training Methods 22. Exceptional Arab Militaries: State Armed Forces 23. Exceptional Arab Militaries: Nonstate Armies Conclusions: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness Notes Selected Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £22.32

  • Oxford University Press The British Way in CounterInsurgency 19451967

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe claim by the Ministry of Defence in 2001 that ''the experience of numerous small wars has provided the British Army with a unique insight into this demanding form of conflict'' unravelled spectacularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. One important reason for that, David French suggests, was because contemporary British counter-insurgency doctrine was based upon a serious misreading of the past. Until now, many observers believed that during the wars of decolonisation in the two decades after 1945, the British had discovered how western liberal notions of right and wrong could be made compatible with the imperatives of waging war amongst the people, that force could be used effectively but with care, and that a more just and prosperous society could emerge from these struggles. By using only the minimum necessary force, and doing so with the utmost discrimination, the British were able to win by securing the ''hearts and minds'' of the people. But this was a serious distortion of actual BrTrade ReviewDavid French's authoritative...exemplarily fair-minded study...should be compulsory reading for modern British officers * Max Hastings, Sunday Times *Brilliant...French explodes the myth that a uniquely British quest to recruit "hearts and minds" made the British end of Empire easy. * Ben Macintyre, The Times *a sobering and timely book ... Professor French marshals an impressive volume of archival research ... fluent and always engrossing * Kenneth Payne, Times Literary Supplement *a brilliant book that sheds light on a misunderstood and misquoted era ... masterly * Patrick Mercer, Military History *a careful, often riveting book that has been constructed on the basis of rigorous archival research. French takes on a major task, insisting on a sweep of place and time that must have demanded he tackle an intimidating quantity of archival material, and the results are frequently a testament to modern historical scholarship. * Musab Younis, The Oxonian Review *French's book represents the first comprehensive reassessment of the violence used by the British across the entire range of these insurgencies * Royal United Services Institute *Based on unparalleled research into official documents on nine campaigns it is likely to be the authoritative work on the subject for years to come ... Indeed, Professor French has set the bar very high, and that can only be a good thing for the rest of us who yet labour in these contested trenches. * David Charters, Canadian Military History *His counter-insurgency volume is ... likely to become the standard work on the subject. Thankfully, he avoid the temptation to adapt the book to the contemporary concerns of the academic-military-industrial complex. * John Newsinger, Race & Class *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; List of Abbreviations ; Introduction ; 1. The Colonial State ; 2. Gangsters, Thugs, and Bandits: the Enemies of the Colonial State ; 3. The Legal Context and Counter-insurgency by Committee ; 4. Varieties of Coercion: Exemplary Force, Counter-terrorism, and Population Control ; 5. Britain's "Dirty Wars"? ; 6. Winning Hearts and Minds ; 7. Counter-insurgency and the Learning Curve ; 8. The Problems of Sustainability ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

    15 in stock

    £135.38

  • Oxford University Press Iraq and the Use of Force in International Law

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe prohibition of the use of force is one of the most crucial elements of the international legal order. Our understanding of that rule was both advanced and challenged during the period commencing with the termination of the Iran-Iraq war and the invasion of Kuwait, and concluding with the invasion and occupation of Iraq. The initial phase was characterized by hopes for a functioning collective security system administered by the United Nations as part of a New World Order. The liberation of Kuwait, in particular, was seen by some as a powerful vindication of the prohibition of the use of force and of the UN Security Council. However, the operation was not really conducted in accordance with the requirements for collective security established in the UN Charter. In a second phase, an international coalition launched a humanitarian intervention operation, first in the north of Iraq, and subsequently in the south. That episode is often seen as the fountainhead of the post-Cold War claiTable of Contents1. Introduction: The Vision of the New World Order and its Collapse ; 2. Iraq and Kuwait 1990/1 ; 3. Forcible Humanitarian Action and the Aerial Exclusion Zones ; 4. The Use of Force in Relation to Iraqi Disarmament Obligations 1991-1998 ; 5. Resolution 1441 (2002) and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq ; 6. The Role of International Law in UK Decision-Making ; 7. Conclusion: The Use of Force in International Law after Iraq

    15 in stock

    £55.10

  • Oxford University Press, USA Counterinsurgents Constitution

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisSince the surge in Iraq in 2006, counterinsurgency effectively became America''s dominant approach for fighting wars. Yet many of the major controversies and debates surrounding counterinsurgency have turned not on military questions but on legal ones: Who can the military attack with drones? Is the occupation of Iraq legitimate? What tradeoffs should the military make between self-protection and civilian casualties? What is the right framework for negotiating with the Taliban? How can we build the rule of law in Afghanistan? The Counterinsurgent''s Constitution tackles this wide range of legal issues from the vantage point of counterinsurgency strategy. Ganesh Sitaraman explains why law matters in counterinsurgency: how it operates on the ground and how law and counterinsurgency strategy can be better integrated. Counterinsurgency, Sitaraman notes, focuses on winning over the population, providing essential services, building political and legal institutions, and fostering economic development. So, unlike in conventional war, where law places humanitarian restraints on combat, law and counterinsurgency are well aligned and reinforce one another. Indeed, following the law and building the rule of law is not just the right thing to do, it is strategically beneficial. Moreover, reconciliation with enemies can both help to end the conflict and preserve the possibility of justice for war crimes. Following the rule of law is an important element of success. The first book on law and counterinsurgency strategy, The Counterinsurgent''s Constitution seamlessly integrates law and military strategy to illuminate some of the most pressing issues in warfare and the transition from war to peace. Its lessons also apply to conflicts in Libya and other hot-spots in the Middle East.Trade Review"Counterinsurgency has been called 'the graduate level of war' because success requires so much more than just killing the enemy. In The Counterinsurgent's Constitution, Ganesh Sitarman provides an invaluable addition to the counterinsurgency playbook: reflections on the role of law as a powerful tool for defeating insurgencies. Highly recommended."--Dr. John A. Nagl, Minerva Research Professor at the US Naval Academy and author of Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam "One of the most significant developments in warfare in the last decade is the rejuvenation of counterinsurgency doctrine and practice. The Counterinsurgent's Constitution is an indispensable guide to the legal and theoretical underpinnings of this development. It intelligently explains why counterinsurgency doctrine has become so important and will remain so, and provides its definitive normative account."--Jack Goldsmith, Henry L. Shattuck Professor of Law, Harvard Law School "The Counterinsurgent's Constitution provides a frame around what is occurring today in Iraq and Afghanistan. Understanding the concept of small wars and the role of international law in those wars is critical to comprehending our country's foreign policy and global strategies." --Reviews of Legal Resources "The book's ambition matches its timeliness. It wields the tools of history, political science, law and other disciplines to analyze counterinsurgency theory and practice, while looking to maintain accessibility for a general readership. The result is both comprehensive and readable ... Recommended." --CHOICETable of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgements ; Table of Contents ; Introduction ; Part I: Of Law and War ; 1. The Strategic Foundations of the Laws of War ; 2. The Laws of Counterinsurgency Warfare ; Part II: From War to Peace ; 3. Turbulent Transitions ; 4. Transitional Justice as Lawfare ; Part III: The Reconstruction of Order ; 5. Warfighting as Villagebuilding ; 6. The Organic Rule of Law ; 7. Counterinsurgency and Constitutional Design ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Index

    15 in stock

    £45.12

  • St Martin's Press How to Break a Terrorist

    15 in stock

    15 in stock

    £12.34

  • ABC-CLIO The Vietnam Experience

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisBy examining those works, this book provides readers with a fascinating resource that explores America's ongoing struggle to assess the war and its legacies.This encyclopedia includes 44 essays, each providing detailed information on an important film, song, or literary work about Vietnam.Table of ContentsAdvisory Board Preface After Our War: Conscientious Objectors and Other Draft Resisters Apocalypse Now: The Vietnam War as Hallucinatory Experience Armies of the Night: The March on the Pentagon "Ballad of the Green Berets": U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam The Best and the Brightest: Policymakers of the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations Bloods: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Black Veterans: African-Americans and Vietnam "Born in the U.S.A.": Returning Home from the War Born on the Fourth of July: Disabled Veterans in America A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam: Military Advisor John Vann and His Experiences in Vietnam Casualties of War: Atrocities in Vietnam Coming Home: Antiwar Vietnam Veterans The Deer Hunter: The Fall of Saigon Dispatches: Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive Fields of Fire: GI View of the Antiwar Movement Fire in the Lake: Impact of the War on Vietnamese Society "Fortunate Son": Vietnam as a Working-Class War Friendly Fire: "Friendly Fire" Casualties and Stateside Grief Full Metal Jacket: Lessons of Basic Training Go Tell the Spartans: U.S. Advisory Effort in Vietnam Going After Cacciato: Desertion during the Vietnam War The Green Berets: U.S. Media Coverage of the War The Hanoi Hilton: American POWs Hearts and Minds: American Apathy after the U.S. Withdrawal Home Before Morning: American Nurses in Vietnam In Country: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial In Pharaoh's Army: "Survivor's Guilt" In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam: Robert McNamara and the War The Killing Fields: The Khmer Rouge Takeover of Cambodia "Masters of War": The Military-Industrial Complex Meditations in Green: Drug Abuse in Vietnam "Ohio": The Kent State Shootings "Okie from Muskogee": Anthems of the "Silent Majority" Paco's Story: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Vietnam Veterans Platoon: Decline in U.S. Military Performance in Vietnam: Causes and Consequences The Quiet American: American Intervention in the French-Viet Minh War Rambo: First Blood, Part II: The Vietnam War and American Self-Image in the 1980s The Real War: American Military Strategy and Its Toll on Vietnam's Land and People A Rumor of War: "Americanization" of the War Song of Napalm: Vietnam Veteran Poetry Sticks and Bones: Postwar Reintegration into Family Networks The Things They Carried: The War in Quang Ngai Province The 13th Valley: "Humping the Boonies": Vietnam's Terrain and Climate "We Gotta Get Out of This Place": Rock and Roll Soundtrack to the War Winners and Losers: Women Correspondents in Vietnam Other Notable Works About the Vietnam War: Fictional Films, Documentary Films, Songs, Fiction, Nonfiction (Memoirs and Oral Narratives), Poetry, Plays Index

    15 in stock

    £60.00

  • We Were Soldiers Once...and Young

    Random House USA Inc We Were Soldiers Once...and Young

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £19.55

  • Lulu.com The Idiots Frightful Laughter

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £20.24

  • Penguin Random House LLC Goodnight Saigon

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe true story of the final days of the Vietnam War from the author of Marine Sniper.Culled from extensive interviews and research, Goodnight Saigon is the achingly dramatic story of the end of the Vietnam War as told from both sides of the conflict. Included are never-before-revealed accounts from people of every level involved in the war: NVA and Viet Cong soldiers, U.S. embassy personnel, guerilla commanders, civilians, generals, double agents? and leaders from both sides including former president Gerald Ford and North Vietnamese military commander General Tran Van Tra. From the first hints of the final offensive from the north, to the gut-wrenching hours before the fall of Saigon when a brave pilot defied his orders to return to base and rescued the last five Marines from the rooftop of the U.S. embassy, Goodnight Saigon is an unforgettable narrative of war, and those who live with its aftermath.Winner: American Society of Jou

    15 in stock

    £22.80

  • Penguin Publishing Group No Way Out A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan

    15 in stock

    Trade Review"OP Commando Wrath was an operational marshmallow of the highest order where Mission Impossible and Murphy’s Law collided head on with some of the meanest mothers in the valley--Green Berets from ODA 3336. It’s Blackhawk Down in the Afghan Mountains!"--Dalton Fury, author of Black Site"The book is not just a cautionary tale in warfare, but a powerful portrait of the men who fought to save each other from certain death."--Michael D. Sallah, investigative reporter for The Miami Herald and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting"It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to know how modern battles are fought--and how they should be."--Ames Alexander, award-winning investigative reporter with The Charlotte Observer"In this compelling, multi-dimensional account, Weiss and Maurer remind us of the extraordinary risks soldiers take and the sacrifices they make every day both for their country, and for each other."--Publishers Weekly

    15 in stock

    £21.47

  • Penguin Publishing Group Gentlemen Bastards On the Ground in Afghanistan with Americas Elite Special Forces

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of No Easy Day comes an insightful, inside look at the Green Berets—a legendary corps of soldiers whose exploits made military history. But now, its very identity and role as a fighting force may be forever changed. Until the war in Iraq, Special Forces were the military’s counterinsurgency experts. Their specialty was going behind enemy lines and training insurgent forces. In Afghanistan, they toppled the Taliban by transforming Northern Alliance fighters into cohesive units. But since that time, Special Forces units have focused on offensive raids.With time running short, the Green Berets have now gone back to their roots.Award-winning journalist Kevin Maurer traveled with a Special Forces team in Afghanistan, finding out firsthand the inside story of the lives of this elite group of highly trained soldiers. He witnessed the intense brotherhood, the rigorous selection proces

    15 in stock

    £18.85

  • Immediate Action

    Random House USA Inc Immediate Action

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £9.17

  • Sog The Secret Wars of Americas Commandos in

    Penguin Putnam Inc Sog The Secret Wars of Americas Commandos in

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £8.54

  • When Heaven and Earth Changed Places

    Random House USA Inc When Heaven and Earth Changed Places

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £13.10

  • Lulu Press Vietnam Naval and Riverine Weapons

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

    £33.72

  • 15 in stock

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  • iUniverse Doc Platoon Medic

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

    £24.00

  • iUniverse The Undefeated Rearguard in Vietnam

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

    £18.07

  • iUniverse VIETNAM A MEMOIR SAIGON COP

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

    £14.26

  • iUniverse VIETNAM A MEMOIR MEKONG MUD SOLDIER

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

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  • iUniverse Another Night In Hell

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

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  • iUniverse THE REMEMBERED

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    15 in stock

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  • iUniverse PORTRAITS in BRASS

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    15 in stock

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  • iUniverse A Sphinx The Memories of a Reluctant Spy in Vietnam

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

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  • iUniverse A Sphinx The Memories of a Reluctant Spy in Vietnam

    15 in stock

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    15 in stock

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