Military history: post-WW2 conflicts Books

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Book Synopsis‘Sometimes my mind reaches back beyond the fear and the arid landscapes of war, to memories of childhood that fill me with happiness and laughter.’___________‘A humane and gripping book which proves beyond doubt why the Gurkhas are known as such formidable warriors.’ – Sir Ranulph Fiennes___________This is a searingly honest memoir by Kailash Limbu, a serving Gurkha soldier who undertook five tours of active service in Afghanistan. Kailash Limbu was in the front line of the fighting in Helmand Province. On dangerous resupply missions and on offensive patrols that took them to the heart of the ‘killing zone’, he and his men came under frequent attack from Taliban fighters.He talks of other operations in which he has served – and, perhaps most movingly, of the other Gurkha soldiers – the united band of brothers – with whom he serves and on whom he relies every day.On many occasions he has feared he would not live to see the end of the day – and, inevitably, he lost several friends and colleagues from the close-knit Gurkha brotherhood. His means of coping with the trauma of conflict was to travel back in his mind to his childhood in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. But even amid the simplicity of mountain life, danger and tragedy lurked.In this compelling narrative Capt Limbu celebrates his Gurkha heritage, relates remarkable stories of courage (his own and others’), and confronts demons that have shaped but never broken him. The result is a record of war and peace that is rare in its honesty and humility.

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Book SynopsisThe first eye-witness account ever published of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, this riveting memoir of a young Israeli soldier became an instant bestseller on publication in 1949, and is still recognized as the outstanding book of that war, in the tradition of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. First joining the Givati Brigade and later volunteering for "Samson’s Foxes", the legendary commando unit, Avnery took part in almost all the major battles on the Jerusalem and southern fronts. Written from the trenches, and from a military hospital bed, he offers an extraordinarily detailed account of the war, of fast-paced battles, and acts of extreme bravery, as well as the camaraderie and off-duty exploits of young men and women thrust into the front line. This is a gripping, sensitive, and at times deeply poignant account of the day-to-day brutalities of one of the most significant wars of our times.Trade Review"The two books by this remarkable man are brought together here for the first time." * The Good Book Guide *"1948” is a tenacious attempt to communicate the reality of war. It has invited comparison to Erich Maria Remarque’s 1928 classic “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and deserves it. * Christian Science Monitor *“This is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of Israel and the War of Independence.” * The Jerusalem Post *

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Book SynopsisThe war in Afghanistan is over ten years old. It has cost countless lives and hundreds of billions of pounds. Politicians talk of progress, but the violence is worse than ever. In this powerful and shocking exposé from the front lines in Helmand province, leading journalist and documentary-maker Ben Anderson (HBO, Panorama, and Dispatches) shows just how bad it has got. Detailing battles that last for days, only to be fought again weeks later, Anderson witnesses IED explosions and sniper fire, amid disturbing incompetence and corruption among the Afghan army and police. Also revealing the daily struggle to win over the long-suffering local population, who often express open support for the Taliban, No Worse Enemy is a heartbreaking insight into the chaos at the heart of the region. Raising urgent questions about our supposed achievements and the politicians’ desire for a hasty exit, Anderson highlights the vast gulf that exists between what we are told and what is actually happening on the ground. A product of five years’ unrivalled access to UK forces and US Marines, this is the most intimate and horrifying account of the Afghan war ever published.Trade ReviewEssential reading * The Bookseller *Similar to Michael Herr's high-octane Vietnam War classic, Dispatches, Anderson delivers a gritty, brutal, realistic account of British and American troops on the Afghan frontlines in a bitter counterpoint to all the policy concessions and peace chatter. * Publishers Weekly *"Unusually courageous… With humor, compassion and a fine eye for detail, Anderson meticulously pieces together each scene with the skill of a good choreographer… [This is] an engrossing blow-by-blow account of the nuts and bolts of modern warfare." * Kirkus Reviews *Anderson's book makes a vivid contribution to the record of the conflict, and left me gasping at his courage. * Max Hastings for The Sunday Times *"An essential if unsettling synopsis that brutally strips away any pretence that this is a just or even necessary conflict ... Highly recommended for those with even a passing interest in what is being done in our name in far-off Afghanistan." * Military History Monthly *‘[A] brilliantly observed but troubling memoir… [an] outstanding book.’ * Daily Mail *"Wonderful… offers real insight into the war." * The Sun *Gripping. * Warfare Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'A stone cold classic. One of the best military aviaton memoirs ever written' Rowland White, author of Vulcan 607 'I only have to think Speed, and I am at 600 knots in seconds. Think Height and I am gazing down from a eight-mile-high perch within one minute. Think Freedom and I am wrested away from a dank, cold world, cloudbase at 300 feet, through a brief shock of cloud to emerge into a golden blue world, another dimension, crystal clear for miles and miles' Fighter Pilot. Robert Prest had never wanted to be anything else. And even as a boy he had set his sights on flying the awesome McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. The big, twin-engined interceptor offered an irresistible combination of charisma, power and performance. Air combat, strike, gunnery, bombing and rocketry, the F-4 was jack-of-all-trades, master of most. From the lonely pursuit of Soviet intruders out over the North Sea and strength-sapping high-g dogfights, to maintaining Quick Reaction Alert on Germany's Eastern border, ready to scramble Battle Flight at a moment's notice, Prest and his fellow aviators stood toe-to-toe with a powerful opponent. But the defence of the West came at a cost, and comrades in arms would pay with their lives. No other book so vividly brings to life the high-pressure, high stakes, high-speed world of an RAF fighter pilot on the Cold War frontline. But it's more than that. In capturing a sense of the wonder and magic of flying, Prest's book ranks aviation classics from writers like Saint-Exupery, Richard Bach, Cecil Lewis and Ernest Gann.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of a breathtaking rescue in the frenzied final hours of the US evacuation of Afghanistan — and how a brave Afghan mother and a compassionate American officer engineered a daring escape. When the US began its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Afghan army instantly collapsed, Homeira Qaderi was marked for death at the hands of the Taliban. A celebrated author, academic, and champion for women’s liberation, Homeira had achieved celebrity in her home country by winning custody of her son in a contentious divorce, a rarity in Afghanistan’s patriarchal society. Despite her fierce determination to stay in her homeland, it finally became clear to Homeira that escaping was the only way she and her family would survive. However, like so many, she was mired in the chaos that ensued at Kabul Airport, struggling to get on a plane with her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family. Meanwhile, a young US foreign service officer, Sam Aronson, who had volunteered to help rescue the more than 100,000 Americans and their Afghan helpers stranded in Kabul, learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into Kabul Airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates. He started bringing families directly through, and on the very last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira’s literary agent, who persuaded him to help Homeira get out. The story that follows is unbelievable but true. Zuckoff’s firsthand accounts come exclusively and directly from Homeira, Aronson, and Homeira’s literary agent. The Secret Gate is beyond riveting, and will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Trade Review‘In Mitchell Zuckoff’s capable hands, here is an unforgettable account of a daring attempt to temper the brutality of war. It’s all here: the impossible moral choices; the desperation and the ingenuity; the courage to step in and help when it’s most needed; the anguish of those who must uproot themselves and take the struggle for freedom to another shore. The Secret Gate is inspiring on every level.’ -- Robert Kolker, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road‘Mitchell Zuckoff’s The Secret Gate is the harrowing and emotional true-life story of survival during the Afghanistan evacuation. The fast-paced drama centres around the American diplomat Sam Aronson and the Afghan women’s rights activist Homeira Qaderi. This riveting book has major motion picture written all over it. A must read!’ -- Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author of Silent Spring Revolution and American Moonshot‘Mitchell Zuckoff has located a genuinely thrilling tale, told with style, grace, and empathy. The Secret Gate will get your blood pumping.’ -- Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and On Desperate Ground‘An American diplomat intervenes to help a women’s rights activist and her son flee Kabul before it falls to the Taliban in this taut account from journalist Zuckoff … Drawing on extensive interviews with Aronson and Qaderi, Zuckoff reveals the human side of geopolitics. Readers won’t be able to put this down.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A suspenseful chronicle of a dramatic rescue at the end of America’s evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021 … An uplifting account of genuine heroics in the latest American military debacle.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Reads like a thriller … Zuckoff does a remarkable job not only of describing the chaos and confusion at Kabul airport, but also of framing the fraught choices faced by Afghans and Americans alike. The Secret Gate describes, in compelling detail, the excruciating decisions faced by members of the diplomatic corps and military as they decided who to evacuate and who to leave behind; however, the book doesn’t fall into the trap of allowing the American narrative to subsume the Afghan one. [It] is a fast-paced escape narrative, but it is also a morally complex interrogation of Homeira’s wrenching choice.’ * The Washington Post *Praise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘With his rigorous research and moral clarity, Mitchell Zuckoff has provided us with an invaluable service. He has deepened our understanding of what happened on 9/11 and recorded the voices of the victims and the survivors. What's more, he has ensured that we never forget.’ -- David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower MoonPraise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘The 9/11 book we’ve been waiting for. A terrific storyteller and gifted researcher, Mitchell Zuckoff has rendered that world-changing day on a scale both intimate and monumental. This is narrative history at its very best.’ -- Cokie Roberts, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalistPraise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11: ‘Inspiring, depressing, heartbreaking, and simply astonishing … Zuckoff delivers a master-class in long-form historical journalism.’ * The Sydney Morning Herald *Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi: ‘A crisply written, gripping narrative of the events of the battle in Benghazi that adds considerable detail to the public record of what happened there … [an] authoritative account.’ * The Wall Street Journal *Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi: ‘A great number of journalists and government instrumentalities have tilted at Benghazi … All of those efforts look fragmentary when placed side-by-side with 13 Hours.’ * The Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisThe theme of the book is the creation of tactics for littoral warfare – as opposed to the more common blue ocean perspective. Themes are how NATO perceived the goals of the enemy; the purposes of the NATO organisations, the military instruments they had to organise, the organization of cooperation among units from sovereign states, and how they tested their military capabilities. Research is based on war plans and tactics of the Danish and West German navies and their planned support from air forces. We follow the modernisations of the navies from guns to missiles. Tactical discussions among military top offi cers are laid bare, and intelligence reports about the Warsaw Pact and its military capabilities are presented. Exercises are analysed based on the military reports.

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Book SynopsisChoreographies of 21st Century Wars is the first book to analyze the interface between choreography and contemporary warfare, a pertinent inquiry since choreography has long been linked to war and military training. Authors from a range of disciplines reconceptualize choreography in the face of this century's never ending wars.Trade ReviewChoreogrphies of 21st Century Wars helps readers to contemplate the potential of choreography as construct and practice to grapple with the complexities and ineffable experience of a world dominated by war. Offering critical insights about the disconnection between our understanding and the realities of war, Choreographies encourages dancer-artists and scholars to explore the potential of choreography to illuminate how we shall live and dance in this world. Living in a state where the Korean War has not yet ended, I appreciate the rigorous analyses of this anthology that helps me to realize and critically comprehend the very real choreographies of war. * Dance Chronicle *Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction: Contemporary Choreographies of Wars, Gay Morris and Jens Richard Giersdorf ; Chapter 1: Access Denied and Sumud: Making a Dance of Asymmetric Warfare, Nicholas Rowe ; Chapter 2: Questioning the Truth: Rachid Ouramdane's Investigation of Torture in Des Temoins Ordinaires/Ordinary Witnesses, Alessandra Nicifero ; Chapter 3: "There's a Soldier in All of Us": Choreographing Virtual Recruitment, Derek A. Burrill ; Chapter 4: African Refugees Asunder in South Africa: Performing the Fallout of Violence in Every Day, Every Year, I am Walking, Sarah Davies Cordova ; Chapter 5: From Temple to Battlefield: Bharata Natyam in the Sri Lankan Civil War, Janet O'Shea ; Chapter 6: Choreographing Masculinity in Contemporary Israeli Culture, Yehuda Sharim ; Chapter 7: Affective Temporalities: Dance, Media, and the War on Terror, Harmony Bench ; Chapter 8: Specter of War, Spectacle of Peace: The Lowering of Flag Ceremony at Wagah and Hussainiwala Borders, Neelima Jeychandran ; Chapter 9: A Choreographer's Statement, Bill T. Jones ; Chapter 10: Dancing in the Spring: Dance, Hegemony and Change, Rosemary Martin ; Chapter 11: War and P.E.A.C.E, Maaike Bleeker & Janez Jansa ; Chapter 12: The Body is the Frontline, Rosie Kay and Dee Reynolds ; Chapter 13: Geo-Choreography and Necropolitics: Faustin Linyekula's Studios Kabako, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ariel Osterweis ; Chapter 14: Re: moving bodies in the Mexico-USA drug, border, cold, and terror wars ; Ruth Hellier-Tinoco ; Chapter 15: After Cranach: War, Representation and the Body in William Forsythe's Three Atmospheric Studies, Gerald Siegmund ; Chapter 16: The Role of Choreography in Civil Society under Siege: William Forsythe's Three Atmospheric Studies, Mark Franko ; Contributors ; Index

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Book SynopsisEvery war has its bridge--Old North Bridge at Concord, Burnside''s Bridge at Antietam, the railway bridge over Burma''s River Kwai, the bridge over Germany''s Rhine River at Remagen, and the bridges over Korea''s Toko Ri. In Vietnam it was the bridge at Thanh Hoa, called Dragon''s Jaw.For seven long years hundreds of young US airmen flew sortie after sortie against North Vietnam''s formidable and strategically important bridge, dodging a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire and enemy MiG planes. Many American airmen were shot down, killed, or captured and taken to the infamous Hanoi Hilton POW camp. But after each air attack, when the smoke cleared and the debris settled, the bridge stubbornly remained standing. For the North Vietnamese it became a symbol of their invincibility; for US war planners an obsession; for US airmen a testament to American mettle and valor.Using after-action reports, official records, and interviews with surviving pilots, as well as un

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of The Chosen Few, a riveting, gritty account of the single Marine battalion that routed the fanatic fighters of Al-Qaeda in Iraq in dangerous Anbar province

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of the Green Berets' "hearts and minds" counterinsurgency in Afghanistan's notorious Pech River Valley told by the unit commander who befriended the locals while hunting for terrorists in the dangerous early days of America's war on terror.

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Book SynopsisEnsure your students have access to the authoritative and in-depth content of this popular and trusted A Level History series. For over twenty years Access to History has been providing students with reliable, engaging and accessible content on a wide range of topics. Each title in the series provides comprehensive coverage of different history topics on current AS and A2 level history specifications, alongside exam-style practice questions and tips to help students achieve their best. The series:- Ensures students gain a good understanding of the AS and A2 level history topics through an engaging, in-depth and up-to-date narrative, presented in an accessible way. - Aids revision of the key A level history topics and themes through frequent summary diagrams- Gives support with assessment, both through the books providing exam-style questions and tips for AQA, Edexcel and OCR A level history specifications and through FREE model answers Trade Review'This book is well written, informative and very useful for anyone doing A-level history. It's relatively interesting in contrast to most textbooks and is highly accessible. Sets a standard for all history textbooks.' * Amazon reviewer *Table of Contents : Chapter 1 Introduction: The United States and Vietnam : 1. Introduction : 2. Overview of the War : 3. Overview of the Debates on the Vietnam War : Chapter 2 Vietnam and Foreigners before 1953 : 1. Ho Chi Minh and Vietnamese Nationalism : 2. The United States and Vietnam, 1941–5 : 3. The Reasons for the Early American Involvement in Vietnam : 4. 'These Situations ... Have a Way of Snowballing' : 5. Key Debates on the Truman Years : Chapter 3 Eisenhower and Two Vietnams : 1. Ho, Giap and the French Failure in Indochina : 2. Dienbienphu – the Debate over American Intervention : 3. The Geneva Conference on Indochina, 1954 : 4. Two Vietnams and Two Leaders : 5. Assessment of Eisenhower’s Policy : 6. Key Debates : Chapter 4 'Vietnam is the Place' – the Kennedy Crusade (1961–3) : 1. Introduction: Kennedy's War? : 2. Kennedy’s Early Ideas about Vietnam : 3. The President and his Advisers : 4. Kennedy’s Actions in the Third World : 5. Kennedy and Diem : 6. Conclusions : 7. Key Debates : Study Guide : Chapter 5 'Johnson's War'? : 1. Why Johnson Continued US involvement in the War : 2. How Johnson Was Able to Escalate the War 3. Why Did Johnson Escalate the American Involvement in: Vietnam? : 4. 'Where Are We Going?' : 5. Historians and 'Johnson's War'? : Study guide : Chapter 6 Why the USA Failed: I – The People in Vietnam : 1. The Vietnamese : 2. The Americans : 3. Key Debates : Chapter 7 Why the USA Failed: II - US Politicians and People : 1. Problems with Johnson’s Aims and Methods : 2. Why and How Johnson was Forced to Retreat : 3. Johnson’s Last Months : 4. Conclusions about Johnson and the War : Study Guide : Chapter 8 1969–73: Richard Nixon – Diplomatic Genius or Mad Bomber? : 1. The Transformation of a Cold Warrior? : 2. President Nixon : 3. 1969–71 : 4. 1972 – Getting Re-elected : 5. Assessment of Nixon’s Vietnam Policy : 6. Key Debates : Study Guide : Chapter 9 Conclusions : 1. Summarising the Debates : 2. The Effects of the War : 3. The Lessons of the Vietnam War : Glossary : Index

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Book SynopsisDebriefing the President presents an astounding, candid portrait of one of our era’s most notorious strongmen. John Nixon, the first man to conduct a prolonged interrogation of Hussein after his capture, offers expert insight into the history and mind of America’s most enigmatic enemy. In December 2003, after one of the largest, most aggressive manhunts in history, US military forces captured Iraqi president Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit. Beset by body-double rumors and false alarms during a nine-month search, the Bush administration needed positive identification of the prisoner before it could make the announcement that would rocket around the world.At the time, John Nixon was a senior CIA leadership analyst who had spent years studying the Iraqi dictator. Called upon to make the official ID, Nixon looked for telltale scars and tribal tattoos and asked Hussein a list of questions only he could answer. The man was indeed

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A pungently written combat narrative and a close-range study of a bunch of twentysomething warriors trying to get a handle on who they are.”—Time“Nuanced and grounded in details often overlooked in daily journalistic accounts...A complex portrait of able young men raised on video games and trained as killers.”—The New York Times“A stellar reporting achievement...Think Black Hawk Down or Michael Herr's Dispatches.”—ottawa Citizen“Shockingly honest.”—Entertainment Weekly“Visceral, sometimes shocking...a brutally honest acount of America's latest generation to experiencethe stark, horrifying realities of warfare.”—Boston Herald“Sidesteps Greatest Generation clichés to find the unexpected—a self-described ‘Marine Corps killer’ who listens to Barry Manilow, a corporal who compares a gunfight to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.”—The Washington PostWright wrote about [his] experience in a three-part series in Rolling Stone that was hailed for its evocative, accurate war reporting. This book, a greatly expanded version of that series, matches its accomplishment. Wright is a perceptive reporter...a personality-driven, readable and insightful look at the Iraq war's first month from the Marine grunt's point of view...compelling portraits...a vivid, well-drawn picture.”—Publishers Weekly“The language is blue, the blood red, and the action explosive. This may be the book of the Iraqi engagement.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

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Book SynopsisWith the planned withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the longest conflicts in our nation''s history were supposed to end. Yet we remain at war against expanding terrorist movements, and our security forces have had to continually adapt to a nihilistic foe that operates in the shadows.The result of fifteen years of reporting, Twilight Warriors is the untold story of the tight-knit brotherhood that changed the way America fights. James Kitfield reveals how brilliant innovators in the US military, Special Forces, and the intelligence and law enforcement communities forged close operational bonds in the crucibles of Iraq and Afghanistan, breaking down institutional barriers to create a relentless, intelligence-driven style of operations. At the forefront of this profound shift were Stanley McChrystal and his interagency team at Joint Special Operations Command, the pioneers behind a hybrid method of warfighting: find, fix, finish, exploit, and analyze. Other key figures inTrade Review"An enlightening tour of 21st-century counterterrorism."-Wall Street Journal "Simply stated, also, and suspenseful."-Military Times "[Twilight Warriors] reads like a collection of gripping stories about the host of evolving security, bureaucratic, and resource challenges faced by these 'twilight warriors' and their respective responses to them. These stories are packed with tension, drama, human interest, vivid vignettes, and insightful analyses of a fast-changing threat environment and the remarkable people who are still navigating its uncharted waters. It should appeal to a wide range of readers, from policy wonks and security professionals to scholars of contemporary national and international affairs, and to the attentive reading public."-CHOICE "Kitfield's insightful and timely work highlights the gaps between policy makers and military brass."-Publishers Weekly "A compelling chronological examination of the new intelligence-driven, multiagency counterterrorism model the U.S. military now uses to meet the 'Age of Superterrorism'... Kitfield gets inside the U.S. military 'brotherhood' to produce an engaging and chilling report."-Kirkus Reviews "Twilight Warriors is undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read. A brilliantly written narrative and real world adventure that draws the reader in, and vividly explains how a group of dedicated professionals helped keep our country safe after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. America faces tough days ahead, but we can take inspiration from this wartime fraternity of twilight warriors who, when confronted with unprecedented challenges, operated on the principle of doing what needed to be done, and asking for permission and forgiveness later."-Gen. Dennis Reimer (ret), 33rd Army Chief of Staff "In his book Prodigal Soldiers, James Kitfield masterfully told the tale of how the post-Vietnam generation of officers rebuilt the U.S. military and marched to victory in the Persian Gulf War. Now with the insightful Twilight Warriors, he tells the story of the next generation of American warriors as they confront the challenges of the 21st Century, battling ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other shadowy groups who are determined to take the fight to our own shores, and pose the deadliest threat to the civilized world."-Mark Thompson, TIME Magazine "Twilight Warriors is bar none the best work yet published on the global struggle against terrorism. James Kitfield's riveting narrative reflects 15 years of insider reporting on the soldiers, spies, and special agents who have fought to keep the nation safe, and changed the way America fights. Breathtaking in its insights and revelations on our bitter, ongoing wars of counter-terrorism. Kitfield has hit a home run." -Barry McCaffrey, former General in the US Army "Twilight Warriors provides a uniquely intimate and timely window into the special operations, intelligence and law enforcement counterterrorism efforts of the past two decades. Compelling and insightful, it is the most up-to-date account available of the ongoing war on terrorism. James Kitfield's gripping portraits of the key figures leading this struggle makes this book required reading for anyone wishing to understand the threat that terrorism continues to pose-and what we are doing to defeat it."-Bruce Hoffman, Professor & Director, Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University, and author of Anonymous Soldiers "James Kitfield is one of the United States' leading national security reporters. In Twilight Warriors, he profiles the key players, and delivers a deeply reported and well-calibrated account of the shadowy conflicts that have defined America's post-9/11 wars."-Peter Bergen, author of United States of Jihad: Investigating America's Homegrown Terrorists

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Book SynopsisIn late March 1975, as the Vietnam War raged, an Australian voluntary aid worker named Rosemary Taylor approached the Australian Embassy seeking assistance to fly 600 orphans out of Saigon to safety. Rosemary and Margaret Moses, two former nuns from Adelaide, had spent eight years in Vietnam during the war, building up a complex of nurseries to house war orphans and street waifs as the organisation that built up around them facilitated international adoptions for the children. As the North Vietnamese forces closed in on their nurseries, they needed a plan to evacuate the children, or all their work might count for little ... Based on extensive archival and historical research, and interviews of some of those directly involved in the events described, Operation Babylift details the last month of the Vietnam War from the perspective of the most vulnerable victims of that war: the orphans it created. Through the story of the attempt to save 600 children, we see h

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Book SynopsisOne of the great untold stories of the British services is that of the Royal Navy Submarine Service which entered the fray in World War I with 100 underwater craft. Through World War II, where submariners'' prospects of returning safely from a mission were only 50:50, the Falklands conflict and the sinking of the Belgrano, to present-day elite machines, the Silent Service has played an enormous part in British defence. John Parker''s in-depth investigation is very much personality led with diaries from the early part of the century to substantial first-person testimony from survivors of wartime heroics (when many VCs were won).

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling true story of bomb disposal work that won Ivison a George Medal - and started a living nightmare...Trade ReviewThe honesty with which Kevin relays his fear, his overwhelming sense that he is going to die, is impressive... Ivison's writing is unpretentious and accessible -- Patrick Hennessey * Daily Telegraph *Absorbing ... At the heart of the book is a taut, riveting account of the events of a single day - February 28, 2006 - when Ivison rushed to the scene of an IED ambush on a road known as RED ONE * Daily Mail *The chapters of RED ONE that cover the events of February 28 are as gripping, agonising and memorable as any modern military memoir * Sunday Times *RED ONE is plain-spoken, heart-thumping stuff * The Times *Gripping... a gifted writer as well as a genuine hero... I am humbled at what these heroes do for us all * Literary Review *His account of life on the front lines is at times terrifying, but leavened with black humour * Good Book Guide *Humbling, edge-of-the-sunlounger account of courage under fire. * TESCO MAGAZINE *His account of life on the front lines is at times terrifying, but leavened with black humour. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book SynopsisIn the recent war in Iraq, the 7th Armoured Brigade, bearers of the Desert Rats insignia, was immediately engaged in some of the fiercest early fighting, ultimately taking Basra for the Allies. The war in Iraq revived public focus on the Desert Rats whose famous battles of World War II helped turn the tide of German dominance.After World War II the Desert Rats re-emerged as part of the NATO forces during the Cold War years, and in other major deployments in the 1991 Gulf War, Bosnia and Kosovo. In this latest of his military histories, John Parker once again draws heavily on the drama of first-hand accounts for a story that is a seminal part of modern military history.

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