Military History Books

Book SynopsisThe Royal Armouries' collection of Islamic arms and armour is one of the finest in the world. This introductory book showcases the arms and armour of the medieval and early modern periods, where a rich and vibrant diversity of military cultures existed in the Ottoman Empire, Arabia, North Africa, Persia, Afghanistan, India and Indonesia.

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Book SynopsisThis fully illustrated book assesses the trial of strength between US Navy PT boats and Japanese destroyers operating in the Solomon Islands during 194243. During the Solomons fighting, the IJN was forced to rely on destroyers to move men and materiel to its forward garrisons. Conducted at night to avoid American air power, these missions, first seen during the struggle for Guadalcanal, were dubbed the Tokyo Express. Unable to derail the Tokyo Express by using its destroyers, the USN deployed PT boats off Guadalcanal from October 1942; sinking one destroyer and damaging another. As the fighting moved into the Central Solomons, the USN attempted to disrupt the build-up of Japanese forces on New Georgia Island and other Japanese strongholds by using cruisers and destroyers, but this approach resulted in heavy losses. PT boat operations were increasingly important after the Japanese turned to barges to move troops and supplies. Full-colour artwork and mapping and carefully chosen ar

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940, the future of Britain and the free world depended on the morale and skill of the young men of Fighter Command. This is their story.The Battle of Britain is one of the most crucial battles ever fought, and the victory of Fighter Command over the Luftwaffe has always been celebrated as a classic feat of arms. But, as Patrick Bishop shows in this superb history, it was also a triumph of the spirit in which the attitudes of the pilots themselves played a crucial part. Reaching beyond the myths to convey the fear and exhilaration of life on this most perilous of frontlines, Patrick Bishop offers an intimate and compelling account that is a soaring tribute to the exceptional young men of Fighter Command.Trade Review‘I know of no more thoughtful nor yet more moving study of their achievement.’ Max Hastings, Sunday Telegraph ‘A living, breathing monument to the fighter boys.’ Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday ‘As a vivid chronicle of who the Battle of Britain pilots were, what motivated them, and why they were ultimately successful, “Fighter Boys” is unsurpassed.’ Daily Telegraph ‘No one reading this book can possibly doubt the heroism of those involved…there can’t be a finer history.’ James Holland, New Statesman ‘Powerful yet restrained, at times almost unbearably touching.’ T. J. Binyon, Evening Standard

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLEREvery time Churchill took to the airwaves it was as if he were injecting adrenaline-soaked courage directly into the British people Larson tells the story of how that feat was accomplished Fresh, fast and deeply moving.' New York TimesA STARTLING, GRIPPING PORTRAIT OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ALIVE IN BRITAIN DURING THE BLITZ, AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE AROUND CHURCHILL.On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, the Nazis would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons and destroying two million homes.In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson gives a new and brilliantly cinematic account of how Britain's most iconic leader set about unifying the nation at its most vulnerable moment, and teaching the art of being fearless.'Drawing on once-secret intelligence reports and Trade Review THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER PICKED BY BARACK OBAMA AND BILL GATES AS A BEST BOOK OF 2020 ‘If you want to look back at a really important part of history with fresh eyes, this is the book for you … Gripping and wonderful’Alan Carr ‘An enthralling page-turner’O: The Oprah Magazine ‘Fresh, fast and deeply moving … Larson’s deft portraits show the essential connection that words created between the powerful and the powerless, capturing the moments that defined life for millions struggling to survive the decisions of a few’New York Times Book Review ‘There are countless books about World War II, but there’s only one Erik Larson … There are many things to admire about The Splendid and the Vile, but chief among them is Larson’s electric writing. The book reads like a novel, and even though everyone (hopefully) knows how the war ultimately ended, he keeps the reader turning the pages with his gripping prose.’NPR ‘A particularly gripping read, written with bounce and brio. Larson pulls together vivid vignettes – some moving, some amusing, a few grim … A fine writer of narrative nonfiction history.’Robbie Millen, Times ‘This book is peppered with eye-popping details … A deeply compelling work of history … Without resorting to heroism, it makes one long powerfully for real leadership’Lit Hub ‘I have an early copy of this book on my desk and idly began reading the first pages—and suddenly time disappeared.’Seattle Times ‘Larson’s skill at integrating vast research and talent for capturing compelling human dramas culminate in an inspirational portrait of one of history’s finest, most fearless leaders’Booklist (starred review) ‘A captivating history of Churchill’s heroic year, with more than the usual emphasis on his intimates.’Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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Book SynopsisThe copper-bottomed classic from a memorable and courageous pilot.FATE IS THE HUNTER is a fascinating and thrilling account of some of the more memorable experiences Ernest K Gann had in the air. He's flown in both peace and war and come close to death many times. Here he reveals the characters he's known and the dramas he's experienced, portraying fate (or death) as a hunter constantly in pursuit of pilots. This is a fabulous account of both the history of aviation and one man's life in the air.

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Book SynopsisMeticulously researched, this book examines the evidence for the post-Roman military forces of France and Britain during the ''Dark Ages'', reconstructing their way of life and the battles they fought in compelling detail.The collapse of the former Western Roman Empire during the so called ''Dark Ages'' c. AD 410 was gradual and piecemeal. Out of this vacuum arose regional tribes and leaders determined to take back kingdoms that were theirs and oust any Roman presence for good. However, the Roman guard was tenacious and survived in small pockets that emerged in both Gaul and Britain. These areas of Romano-Celtic resistance held out against the Saxons until at least the mid 6th century in Britain and against the Visigoths and the Merovingian Franks until the late 8th century in France.Drawing on archaeological finds, contemporary sculpture and manuscript illuminations, Dr Raffaele D'Amato presents contemporary evidence for 5th to 9th-century Gallic and British ''Dark Age'' armiesTrade ReviewOverall, a handy book, which wargamers will find particularly helpful. * The Balkan Wargamer *All in all for such a short book this is an insightful look at the history of the military forces, weapons, artefacts, personalities and warfare techniques of this period. * Army Rumour Service *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION Sub-Roman and post-Roman - Sources SELECT CHRONOLOGY POST-ROMAN GAUL Historical background: the Patricii - Armorica - The Arborychi - Southern Gaul Military organization - Armies of the Patricii - Armorica and Brittany - Post-Roman enclaves and cities POST-ROMAN BRITAIN Historical background: the warlords - Ambrosius - Arthur Kingdoms - Bryneichn - Reghed and Cumbria - Elmet - Gododdin - Strathclyde - Gwynedd, Dyfed and Powys - Dumnonia - Other Romano-British enclaves Military organization - Warlord armies - Romano-British kingdoms - Teulu, Gosgordd and Nifer - Size of armies EQUIPMENT, ARMS & CLOTHING Gallo-Roman Patricii armies - Helmets - Body armour - Weapons - Other equipment - Military dress - Germanic equipment Brittany and Armorica - Helmets - Armour and shields - Weapons - Horse equipment - Military dress British warlord armies - Helmets - Body armour - Shields - Military belts - Weapons: Spears - Swords - Daggers and knives - Axes Cavalry warfare and equipment - Standards Post-Roman kingdoms - Helmets - Armour - Shields - Weapons - Cavalry warfare - Military dress SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisWith the United States producing almost 90,000 AFVs during World War II, American tanks made up the bulk of those deployed by the western Allies, and were even supplied through the lend-lease scheme to the Soviet army on the Eastern Front. American Tanks of World War II explores the tanks, self-propelled guns, halftracks and armoured cars deployed by American forces, from the Torch landings in Algeria to the hard fighting in Normandy and the bitter Ardennes offensive. Organised chronologically by type, the entries include the M3 Stuart, the first American-crewed tank to engage the enemy in tank combat in the war; the ubiquitous M4 Sherman, which proved cheap and reliable and was built in great numbers and in many variants; the M22 Locust light tank, designed to be air-dropped in support of airborne units; and the M26 Pershing, a heavy tank that arrived late in the war and was capable of beating the best tanks Germany had to offer. There are also chapters on the many motor gun carriages used by US forces, including the M8 HMC and T12 halftrack, both designed to provide close support for infantry. Illustrated with expert colour profile artworks for each entry and completed with technical specifications, American Tanks of World War II is a detailed reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in World War II AFV technology.Table of ContentsContents includes: Introduction Light Tanks Marmon-Herrington CTLS-4TA T1 ‘Cunningham’ M2 Light Tank M3 Stuart Light Tank M3A1 Satan M5 Stuart M22 Locust M24 Chaffee Canal Defence Light (CDL) Medium Tanks M2 series M3 Lee-Grant M4 Sherman – M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, M4A5, and M4A6 Sherman Crocodile USMC Improvised M4A2 Flail Tank Assault Tank M4A3E2 Jumbo M7 (T7 Project) T23 Prototype Heavy Tanks M6 Heavy Tank Heavy Tank M6A2E1 T14 Heavy Tank M26 Pershing T26E4 ‘Super Pershing’ Tank Destroyers and Assault Guns M18 Hellcat M10 GMC Wolverine M36 GMC Jackson Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 Priest Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Halftracks and Armoured Cars M2 Halftrack T28E1 AA variant M3 Halftrack T30 75mm (2.95in) HMC (Howitzer Motor Carriage) T12 75mm (2.95in) HMC (Howitzer Motor Carriage) M13 AA adaption M16 AA adaption M1 armoured car M8 Greyhound armoured car M3 Scout Car Amphibious Landing Vehicles LVT-1 Alligator LVT-2 Water Buffalo LVT-3 Bushmaster LVT-4 Water Buffalo LVT(A)-1 GMC DUKW Glossary and Abbreviations Index

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of the big guns of Hitler''s army the Wehrmacht''s field artillery, its capabilities and its role in German fighting units of World War II. Often overshadowed in military history by the tanks and aircraft of Blitzkrieg, Germany's artillery was key to its methods of waging war throughout World War II. Field artillery remained the primary killer on the battlefield, often responsible for three-quarters of combat casualties inflicted.Redressing the balance, this book surveys the major Wehrmacht guns of the war, and the basic organizational structure of the German field artillery. Its primary focus is on the divisional field guns, especially the lFH 18 10.5cm field howitzer and the 15cm sFH 18 field howitzer that formed the backbone of German artillery. A brief survey is also made of the infantry guns used at the regimental level, and of corps-level heavy artillery. The issue of the use ofBeutewaffen, captured war-booty field guns, is also looked Table of ContentsIntroduction Artillery organization Infantry guns Light infantry guns Heavy infantry guns Divisional artillery Old and eccentric: the 7.5cm field gun Backbone of the artillery: the 10.5cm light field howitzer 10.5cm gun battery organization 10.5cm leFH 18 operation The 10.5cm mountain howitzer The 15cm heavy field howitzer GHQ artillery 10cm gun 12.8cm K 81 gun 15cm guns 17cm gun K 18 in Mörserlafette 21cm Mörser 18 21cm Kanone Beutegeschütze Rocket artillery 15cm Nebelwerfer 41 21cm Nebelwerfer 42 28/32cm schwere Wurfgerät Artillery in combat Artillery on the Eastern Front 1941–45 Artillery on the Western Front 1944–45 Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERUPDATED PAPERBACK FEATURING NEW CONTENTA Daily Mail Royal Book of the Year, 2021A Spectator Book of the Year, 2021'Briskly written and compulsively readable' - A.N. Wilson, TLS'Meticulously researched' - Spectator'Entertaining, convincing, timely' - Evening StandardDecember 1936. The King of England, Edward VIII, has given up his Crown, foregoing his duty for the love of Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. Their courtship has been dogged by controversy and scandal, but with Edward's abdication, they can live happily ever after. But do they?In Traitor King, bestselling historian Andrew Lownie draws on hitherto unexplored archives to uncover the dramatic world of the Windsors post-abdication. Lownie reveals a couple obsessed with their status, financially exploiting their position and manipulating the media. Filled with treachery and betrayal, this is a story of an exiled Royal and the Nazi attempts to recruit him to their cause. And of why the Royal family never forgave the Duke for choosing love over duty.Trade ReviewMeticulously researched * Spectator *Lownie expertly captures the extravagance (they never travelled with fewer than 73 pieces of luggage), the sense of entitlement, the snobbery, the vanity, the selfpity, the bone-idle laziness, the fundamental uselessness of their lives as outcasts. 'I never saw a man so bored,' said one acquaintance. Should this be required reading in a certain household in Montecito, California? * Daily Mail History Books of the Year *Briskly written and compulsively readable...Does Andrew Lownie persuade me that it is worth telling the story again, and that he has made out the case for his unforgiving title? The answer is an unambiguous yes. -- A.N. Wilson * TLS *Entertaining... convincing... timely. Urgent reading for royals * Evening Standard *Darkly compelling...hundreds of eye-popping details...Gripping though it is, this is an unrelentingly damning portrait of the Windsors * Daily Mail *Compelling... a devastating portrait of the duke and duchess... a timely point of comparison when set against the ongoing trials and tribulations of the House of Windsor * The Tablet *Lownie reveals Edward not as a dupe of the Nazis, but an active and culpable collaborator...The list of individuals interviewed and archives consulted is formidable. The more impressive then, that this is a wonderfully readable and succinct story * BBC History Magazine *Thoroughly researched and compelling narrative of one of the most controversial periods in royal history. -- Andrew MortonAndrew Lownie has a remarkable ability to fashion a compelling narrative from raw archive text and personal reminiscence. His Traitor King (Blink, £25), about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and their questionable cohorts, is every bit as absorbing as his earlier history of the Mountbattens. -- Andrew Lycett, Spectator Books of the Year'definitively answering some of the enduring mysteries ...Lownie fearlessly yet fairly provides the answers. Lownie appears to have red every book ever written about the Windsors and drilled deep into unpublished archives as well...Lownie has dug into the couple's complex love lives just as deeply...The full ghastly truth about them has remained obscure until now, partly thanks to a judicious cover-up by the British Establishment...' -- History TodayMeticulously researched and with so much new material on one of the most controversial Royals of the 20th century. Lownie reveals shocking new aspects to the life of Edward, Duke of Windsor, and firmly placed the Duke as a traitor to his country. -- Aspects of Historythis "explosive new royal biography" (front-cover blurb) by the highly regarded author of books about Guy Burgess and the Mountbattens,.. a biographer as serious and scholarly as Andrew Lownie ...Lownie gives heft to George Orwell's famous observation that the England of that time was a family, but one "with the wrong members in control" * Times Book of the Week *"Andrew Lownie's compelling volume... an unflattering portrait of this entitled couple." * Daily Mail Books of the Year 2021 *Through meticulous research Lownie makes a convincing argument for the duke's treachery...Edward is revealed for what he was: a traitor to the British people and an ally to Hitler....Academic in its tone and shocking in its contents Lownie goes where no royal biography has gone before. It sheds new light on British history and during the Second World War and would make for a stellar tv series. * The Lady *Compelling and conclusive. * Clive Irving, bestselling author of The Last Queen *Andrew Lownie does not pull his punches. His well researched biography of the former Edward V111, before and after his abdication, will shock even the most loyal royalist. * Sir Christopher Ondaatje, author of The Last Colonial *An absorbing and easily digestible book * Telegraph *This readable, damning synthesis confirms that Edward's abdication was the free world's good fortune. * Wall St Journal *Compelling and conclusive. Wallis Simpson performed a great service to the Windsors by removing Edward VIII from the throne. As Andrew Lownie definitively proves, he was totally unfit to be king and his willingness to be Hitler's satrap would have finished the monarchy. * Clive Irving, bestselling author of The Last Queen *Lownie has uncovered an array of new sources regarding the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and he exhibits a sovereign command of the existing biographies. Tackling the most sensitive subjects-the Duke and Duchess' sexuality, their pro-Nazi views, their problematic behavior during the war, and the complicated nature of their relationship-Lownie has painted the most convincing portrait of the couple to date. The results are fascinating. * Jonathan Petropoulos, author of Royals and the Reich: The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany *"Lownie gathers convincing evidence of Edward's collaboration with Germany and amasses a wealth of new material, including intimate details about the Duchess's affair with American socialite James Donahue. Royal watchers will be riveted." * Publishers Weekly *Lownie's well-researched and comprehensive book proves there's more to learn about the couple. Readers will find not salacious gossip but careful analysis and an accurate portrait of an unpleasant, grasping, manipulative couple trying to find purpose in their lives. Edward later publicly renounced the worst Nazi offenses, but his friendships, comments, and antisemitism reveal another truth. Crisp prose, meticulous research, and careful objectivity make Lownie's biography accessible to all readers. * Library Journal *'Does anyone want to read yet another book about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor? Perhaps not, but if you tackle this most recent one, there will be no need to read any more on the subject. Among the dozens of biographies, memoirs, diaries, novels, documentaries, interviews, musicals, dramas, and films that have emerged over the last eighty years, none-until Andrew Lownie's book Traitor King-has fully uncovered the devastating truth of what the two were really up to in their collaboration with Hitler and the Nazi Party' * Criterion *'...admirably detached and well supported by evidence....an agreeably unsentimental approach to the narrative.' * Jonathan Keates *

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Book SynopsisA gripping illustrated narrative of the Cimbrian (or Cimbric) War, in which the armies of the Roman Republic finally defeated the Germanic tribes of the Cimbri, Teutons, Ambrons and Tigurini.Rome''s victory in the Cimbrian War was born of a number of huge and devastating defeats at the hands of the Germanic tribes (chiefly the Cimbri and Teutones), who had migrated en masse southwards in the late 2nd century BC. These included the defeat in 113 BC of the consul Cnaeus Papirius Carbo at Noreia; the smashing of Marcus Iunius Silanus'' army near Burdigala (Bourdeaux) in 109 BC, and the humiliating destruction of two consular armies at Arausio (Orange) four years later. This work explores how, in the autumn of 105 BC, Caius Marius managed to contain the Germanic threat in the north, before crushing it in two successful battles, at Aquae Sextiae (Aix-en-Provence) in Gallia Transalpina in 102 BC and at Vercellae (Vercelli) in Gallia Cisalpina in 101 Table of ContentsORIGINS OF THE WAR CHRONOLOGY The Roman consuls during the war COMMAND: CAIUS MARIUS New man The ambitious soldier War with Iugurtha OPPOSING FORCES The Northern tribes Roman: Marius’ mules THE CIMBRIAN WAR First encounters, 113–107 BC Arausio, 105 BC Aquae Sextiae, 102 BC Vercellae, 101 BC AFTERMATH Political wilderness ABBREVIATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisA brilliant book' Alastair Campbell, The Rest is Politics''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 MatthewsA very good book' Mark GaleottiUndeterred 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 enablers for sanctions evasion.Filled with propulsive, fly-on-the-wall details, Punishing Putin takes us into the frantic backroom deliberations that led to a whole new era of economic statecraft and radically rearranged global alliances, influencing world order for generations to come.

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Book SynopsisWith an impressive 13 years of distinguished and decorated military service, Staz was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for combat actions in 2013. Staz left the UK Special Forces in 2018 and launched the technical clothing company, ThruDark. ThruDark is now known as one of the best high-performance outerwear brands in the UK.

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with detailed artworks of World War II-era German aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Luftwaffe Squadrons 1939–45: Identification Guide is the definitive study of the equipment and organisation of the Luftwaffe’s combat units. Organised by theatre of operations and the many campaigns fought by the Luftwaffe, the book describes in depth the various units that were fighting on the front at key points in the war and describes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings. With information boxes accompanying the full-colour artworks, Luftwaffe Squadrons 1939–45 is an essential reference guide for modellers and any enthusiast with an interest in the aircraft of the German war machine.Table of ContentsThe Early Years: First Battles Mediterranean Theatre War on the Eastern Front Maritime Operations The Defence of the Reich The Final Months Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisThe first book to examine the Japanese and American tank forces in the Philippines campaigns, which saw the biggest armored clashes of the Pacific War. The Philippines saw the most extensive tank combat of any single theater in the Pacific War. In this book, armor expert Steven J. Zaloga explains the capabilities of the tank forces involved and how they fought. He explains how while the first tank clashes on Leyte were relatively small scale, the fighting for Luzon, including the capital Manila, saw massive use of tanks by Pacific standards, and indeed, Luzon was the only place where a Japanese armored division was thrown into combat against US forces. While there was some tank-vs-tank combat in northern Luzon when the Japanese 2nd Tank Division faced separate US Army tank battalions, most tank fighting in the Philippines involved their use in the traditional infantry support role, including in the largest urban battle of the Pacific War, the horrific struggle

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Book SynopsisThis engrossing book pits the legionaries of Imperial Rome against their Germanic and Sarmatian opponents in the 2nd century AD.Shortly after Marcus Aurelius came to power in AD 161, the Roman Empire was racked by a series of military crises. While unrest in Britain and a new war with Parthia were swiftly dealt with, the invasion of Roman territory by the Chatti and Chauci peoples heralded a resurgent threat from the empire's European neighbours. Soon the Marcomanni and the Quadi, as well as the Dacians and the Sarmatian Iazyges, would attack the Romans in a series of savage conflicts that continued until AD 175 and would see the first invasion of Roman Italy since the beginning of the 1st century BC.In this book, the two sides' objectives, weapons and equipment and fighting styles are assessed and compared in the context of three featured battles: Carnuntum (170), where a Roman legion was vanquished and Italy invaded; the Battle on the Ice' (172), where the RTable of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Carnuntum, AD 170 The Battle on the Ice, AD 172 The Miracle of the Rain, AD 174 Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Kriegsmarines Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, described either as a battleship or battlecruiser, and the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. She was launched on 3 October 1936 and completed in January 1939, armed with nine 28cm C/34 guns in three triple turrets. She operated with Gneisenau for much of the early portion of World War II, including sorties into the Atlantic to raid British merchant shipping. They took part in Operation Weserübung (AprilJune 1940), the German invasion of Norway, during which they sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her escort destroyers Acasta and Ardent. Scharnhorst also sank HMS Rawalpindi in November 1939. In early 1943, Scharnhorst joined the Tirpitz in Norway to intercept Allied convoys to the Soviet Union. On a sortie from Norway to attack a convoy, the German force was intercepted by British ships and during the Battle of the

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Book SynopsisThe terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this book recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously untold testimony and astute strategic analysis recognising a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations /List of Maps /Author’s Note /Preface /Introduction: the Slavs and the Teutons /1 Fritz and Ivan: The Opposing Forces /2 Memel /3 Nemmersdorf /4 The Last Christmas /5 The House of Cards - the Great January Offensive /6 Cherniakhovsky and the Pregel Valley /7 Rokossovsky reaches the Coast /8 Encircled in East Prussia /9 Hannibal - The Baltic Evacuation Begins /10 The Riviera of Hades and the Fall of Pomerania /11 Heiligenbeil - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea /12 Konigsberg /13 Danzig /14 The Last Command /15 The Long Road Home /Notes /Bibliography /Index

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Book Synopsis'A riveting, unvarnished and wholly unforgettable portrait of America’s most storied commandos at war.' - Joby Warrick, author of Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction   A stirringly evocative, thought-provoking, and often jaw-dropping account of SEAL Team Operator Robert O’Neill’s awe-inspiring 400-mission career. O’Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs’ most elite unit.The Operatordescribes the nonstop action of O’Neill’s deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, evoking the black humor of years-long combat, and reveals firsthand details of the most discussed anti-terrorist operation in military history.

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Book SynopsisThe Amazon History Book of the Year 2013 is a magisterial chronicle of the calamity that befell Europe in 1914 as the continent shifted from the glamour of the Edwardian era to the tragedy of total war.In 1914, Europe plunged into the 20th century's first terrible act of self-immolation what was then called The Great War. On the eve of its centenary, Max Hastings seeks to explain both how the conflict came about and what befell millions of men and women during the first months of strife.He finds the evidence overwhelming, that Austria and Germany must accept principal blame for the outbreak. While what followed was a vast tragedy, he argues passionately against the poets' view', that the war was not worth winning. It was vital to the freedom of Europe, he says, that the Kaiser's Germany should be defeated.His narrative of the early battles will astonish those whose images of the war are simply of mud, wire, trenches and steel helmets. Hastings describes how the French Army marched intTrade ReviewBOOK OF THE YEAR – AS CHOSEN BY THE INDEPENDENT, FINANCIAL TIMES, OBSERVER, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT AND SPECTATOR. ‘Like one of Field Marshal Haig’s family whiskies, Max Hastings is a dram that steadily improves with age … His position as Britain’s leading military historian is now unassailable … In this enormously impressive new book, Hastings effortlessly masters the complex lead-up to and opening weeks of the First World War … [He] is as magisterial as we would expect … This is a magnificent and deeply moving book, and with Max Hastings as our guide we are in the hands of a master’ Nigel Jones, Telegraph ‘Hastings is the author of consistently good histories of WWII. But with ‘Catastrophe’ he has reached a new level of excellence’ The Times ‘Magnificent … Hastings writes with an enviable grasp of pace and balance, as well as an acute eye for human detail. Even for readers who care nothing for the difference between a battalion and a division, his book is at once moving, provocative and utterly engrossing’ Sunday Times ‘Masterly … Hastings is a brilliant guide to that strange, febrile twilight before Europe plunged into darkness. Writing in pungent prose suffused with irony and underpinned by a strong sense of moral outrage … this is history-writing at its best, scholarly and fluent … for anyone wanting to understand how that ghastly, much-misunderstood conflict came about, there could be no better place to start than this fine book’ The Times ‘One could scarcely ask for a better guide to these horrors than Max Hastings … he is a superb writer with a rare gift for evoking the rhythm, mood and raw physical terror of battle … If you are looking for a humane and compelling interpretive chronicle of the formative months of this horrific conflict, you will find none better’ Mail on Sunday ‘Very readable. Character, pace, sense of landscape, battlefield detail – all are superbly done … it's a splendid read’ Observer

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Book SynopsisA new illustrated history of the German and Italian air campaigns in the invasions of Greece and Yugoslavia, the last full-scale Axis air offensives before Operation Barbarossa.The Greece campaign was launched by Italy in October 1940, the first large-scale campaign of the Italian Air Force outside North Africa, and its last major solo effort. With the German involvement in April 1941, and with the invasion of Yugoslavia, the Balkans saw the last large-scale Axis air campaign in Europe before the invasion of the USSR. It was also the campaign that saw expeditionary units of the RAF fighting alongside the Greeks most famously, the handful of Hurricanes that fought to the end from makeshift olive-grove airfields, among them the Hurricane ace and future novelist Roald Dahl.In this book, renowned historian Pier Paolo Battistelli and air power expert Basilio di Martino explain how this unique campaign was fought. They highlight elements such as the Italians

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Book SynopsisThe former head of Lockheed''s SKUNK WORKS reveals the amazing story of the secret aircraft that changed the course of history - from the U-2 to the Stealth Fighter. A must-read for anyone interested in aviation, advanced technologies, Cold War history, and thrilling true stories.SKUNK WORKS is the true story, told for the first time, of America''s most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation''s brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the story of Lockheed''s legendary Skunk Works is a high-stakes drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds.SKUNK WORKS is dramatic and immediate. Direct from the cockpits of these astonishing aircraft - U-2 spy-plane, SR-71 Blackbird and F-117 Stealth Fighter. It is a tribute to genius in the unrelenting contest for mastery of the skies.Trade ReviewDynamite - the true story of one of America's crown jewels! * Tom Clancy *

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Book SynopsisJapanese swords, particularly those wielded by famous samurai warriors, hold a continuing fascination for collectors of fine arts and historical military weapons. This book is designed to enhance one's appreciation for the wide variety of Japanese swords (as well as their related polearms), their manufacture and their preservation. A fascinating opening chapter explains how the elite Samurai class dominated Japan for more than a thousand years, how technological and ideological advances overtook the Samurai in the 1860s, heralding a more up-to-date political and military system of governance, and how such changes affected Samurai sword design and manufacture. Subsequent chapters present topics of greatest relevance to today's sword collector: namely, the modern Japanese sword; different types of swords and their construction and testing; collecting and studying Japanese swords (and the tremendously important etiquette involved); and techniques of preserving and polishing swords. This book is beautifully illustrated with paintings, photographs, drawings, and maps. In addition, there is an in-depth glossary and useful tables explaining Japanese calligraphic symbols relating to swords, both of great value to the collector.Trade Review"There are several things I immediately like about this book. It is easy enough to comprehend, yet detailed enough to serve as a reference book for later study. That's a hard thing to accomplish. If you're looking to at least be able to understand and carry on a conversation about Japanese swords in an intelligent manner than you shouldn't look any farther than this book." --Martial Thoughts podcast"Sinclaire's beautifully illustrated book is not merely about the niceties of dealing in antiques, although it is well designed for the eccentric reader of his subtitle. It offers a grand tour of its subject, taking in plenty of the basics." --Times Literary Supplement"Sinclaire takes you on the most thorough of journeys and provides a realistic, helpful guide to appreciating and collecting these blades from ancient, antique and contemporary sources. Fully illustrated, erudite, and well edited, this is a fine guide." --Maine Antique Digest

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated, this is the second volume in a detailed study of the German auxiliary troops who fought for Britain in the American Revolutionary War. During the American Revolutionary War (177583), German auxiliary troops provided a vital element of the British war effort. While the largest body of German troops was from Hessen-Cassel (see the first volume of this study), the British also fielded troops from Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, Hessen-Hanau, Waldeck and Pyrmont, Brandenburg Ansbach and Brandenburg-Bayreuth, and Anhalt-Zerbst. This volume also covers the Hanoverian soldiers involved in the sieges of Gibraltar and Menorca.Fighting on a host of battlefields from Saratoga to Yorktown, these hired soldiers provided the Crown Forces with much-needed manpower and contributed crucial combat skills in the form of the Jäger, renowned specialists in open-order warfare. Featuring eight specially commissioned artwork plates and an array of carefully chosTable of Contents(Subject to confirmation) Introduction Chronology Braunschweig troops Waldeck troops Hessen-Hanau troops Ansbach-Bayreuth troops Anhalt-Zerbst troops Further reading Plate commentaries Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA parable written for the age of technological disruption . . . brilliantly told -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Remarkable . . . a work of art . . . one puts this book down shaking one's head at the folly and human cost of it all -- Paul Kennedy * Wall Street Journal *Gripping . . . in Gladwell's deft hands, the Air Force generals of World War II come back to life as the stirring 20th-century equivalent of Adm. Horatio Nelson and his band of audacious captains from the age of fighting sail . . . Gladwell is a wonderful storyteller -- Thomas E. Ricks * The New York Times *Impassioned . . . engagingly written -- Saul David * Telegraph *Riveting . . .The Bomber Mafia looks at one of the greatest moral challenges of the Second World War -- Michael Lewis * author of The Fifth Risk *Told with the muscular, driving narrative and fizzingly charismatic (real-life) characters of a movie -- Ed Grenby * Radio Times *A thought-provoking, accessible account of how people respond to difficult choices in difficult times . . . Gladwell's easy conversational style works well . . . his portraits of individuals are compelling -- Diana Preston * Washington Post *Unexpected empathy . . . fabulistic energy * Esquire *Lively, engaging . . . a fascinating story -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Important and characteristically readable . . . Gladwell is possibly the most confident storyteller in non-fiction. He always knows exactly where he is going, and he takes you with him in pleasure and comfort. -- Simon Kuper * New Statesman *Gladwell's eloquence and flair for lateral thinking make for a compelling read -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisD-Day before dawn. Minute by minute, hour by hour the danger grows...    In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a small detachment of British airborne troops stormed the German defence forces and paved the way for the Allied invasion of Europe. Pegasus Bridge was the first engagement of D-Day, the turning point of World War II. This gripping account by acclaimed author Stephen E. Ambrose brings to life a daring mission so crucial that, had it been unsuccessful, the entire Normandy invasion might have failed. Ambrose traces each step of the preparations over many months to the minute-by-minute excitement of the hand-to-hand confrontations on the bridge. This is a story of heroism and cowardice, kindness and brutality - the stuff of all great adventures.

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Book SynopsisHow to fly the legendary fighter plane in combat using the manuals and instructions supplied by the RAF during the Second World War. An amazing array of leaflets, books and manuals were issued by the War Office during the Second World War to aid pilots in flying the Supermarine Spitfire, here for the first time and using the original 1940s setting, they are collated into a single book. An introduction is supplied by expert aviation historian Dilip Sarkar. Other sections include aircraft recognition, how to act as an RAF officer, bailing out etc.Trade Review'As a reminder of times as a fighter pilot in WWII this book is a must' -- Aircrew Association

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated account of the little-known operations of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's flying boat units during World War 2.Respectively codenamed the Mavis' and Emily' by the Allies, Japan's H6K and H8K flying boats outstripped their RAF and US Navy counterparts. The 1941 outbreak of war in the Pacific and Southeast Asia saw these remarkable aircraft carry out offensive missions across vast tracts of ocean and employ their unique capabilities to escort convoys and serve as transports between Japan's island bases. However, while the technical details of the H6K and H8K are well known in the West, this important new study marks the first English-language account of their wartime operations.Utilizing newly translated Japanese war diaries, as well as Allied intelligence and combat reports, celebrated Pacific War expert Edward M. Young reveals the full story behind the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's flying boat units. Contemporary photos and 22 colo

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Book SynopsisAn expert account of the development, role, and capabilities of the S-300 and S-400 air defence missile systems, key strategic weapons in Putin's Russia. Few modern missile systems have had such significance as the S-300 family. Highly regarded technically, Russia's most powerful air-defense systems have been a major strategic asset to the country, exported to major powers around the world, and are a key weapon in many international hotspots and in recent wars. In this book, professional missile systems analyst Steve Zaloga uses his specialist knowledge to assess and analyse them in detail. He explains that the S-300 is, in fact, three systems: the S-300P, designed as a replacement for older Soviet strategic SAM systems, the S-300V, developed to defend against Pershing ballistic missiles, and the S-300F, designed for ship defense. He also considers the supplementary S-350 system and the new-generation S-400 system, deployed in Syria and sold to both China and Turkey. An assessmentTrade ReviewThe book is packed with illustrations and photos and technical information. -- Susan Wilson * Army Rumour Service *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION ORIGINS S-300P Biryuza (SA-10A Grumble) S-300PS Volkhov M6 S-50 Moscow Defense Ring The second generation: S-300PM Volkhov M-6M (SA-20A Gargoyle) S-300PMU Export System Catering to the export market: S-300PMU-2 Favorit (SA-20B Gargoyle) S-350 Vityaz The third generation: S-400 Triumf (SA-21A Growler) The Naval S-300F Fort/Rif (SA-N-6 Grumble) S-300V (SA-12 Giant/Gladiator) S-300VM (SA-23) S-500 Prometey ATBM ASSESSMENT FURTHER READING

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Book SynopsisOrganised chronologically by type, German Aircraft of World War I offers a highly-illustrated guide to the main types of aircraft used by the German Air Force during World War I. The book offers a comprehensive survey of German aircraft, from the Albatros B.1 and Fokker E.II of the early years, to the more sophisticated Fokker D.VII and Junkers CL.1 of the final months of the war. All the major and many minor types are featured, including monoplanes, biplanes, single-seater fighters, two-seater fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, night bombers, giant bombers and floatplanes. This includes both well-known and lesser- known models, such as the LVG and Pfalz single-seater fighters, the Gotha and Zeppelin Staaken large bombers, AEG ground attack aircraft, and the Albatross, Halberstadt and Brandenburg two-seater biplanes. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks with detailed specifications, German Aircraft of World War I is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War I enthusiasts.Table of ContentsContents: Introduction Single Seat Fighters D types Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V & Va Fokker D.I, D.II, D.IV Fokker D.III Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Halberstadt D.II, D.III, D.V Junkers D.I Roland D.II & D.IIa Roland D-VIa & D-Vib Pfalz D.III & IIIa Pfalz D.VIII Pfalz D.XII Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Dr & F types Fokker Dr.I E types (Eindecker – armed monoplanes) Fokker E-I Fokker E-II Fokker E-III Fokker E-IV Fokker E-V/D-VIII Pfalz E-types (E-I & E-II) Two-seater Reconnaissance and General Purpose A & B types Albatros B-types Aviatik B-types Fokker A-series Fokker B-series Taube C types (armed two seat biplanes) AEG C-types Albatros C-III Albatros later C-types Aviatik C-types DFW C-types Halberstadt C-types LFG Roland C.II and C.III 'Walfisch' LVG C.II and C.IV LVG C.V and C.VI Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.III and C.IV Ground Attack and Escort Fighters CL types (close support & two seat fighters) Halberstadt CL.II and CL.IV Hannover CL-II Hannover CL-III and CL-IIIa Junkers CL.I J types (ground attack) Albatros J.I and II Junkers J.I Bombers and Seaplanes G & K types (Grossflugzeuge – large bombers, originally Kampfflugzeuge – battleplane) AEG G.I - IV Friedrichshafen G.III & IV Gotha G.I (the Gotha UWD is a seaplane version) Gotha G.II-V Rumpler G series R types (Riesenflugzeuge – giant bombers) Siemens-Schuckert R-series Zeppelin-Staaken R-series W types and other seaplanes (Wasser – floatplane) Gotha WD series Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 (1917) (fighter) Hansa-Brandenburg W.19 (reconnaissance) Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 (1918) (fighter) (includes AEG J.I) Airships Zeppelin and Schutte-Lanz dirigibles

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Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestseller: the incredible untold story of Virginia Hall, an American woman with a wooden leg who infiltrated Occupied France for the SOE and became the Gestapo's most wanted Allied spy, written by acclaimed biographer Sonia Purnell.Trade ReviewPurnell's account of Hall's hectic, amphetamine-fuelled exploits never falters. It recalls Caroline Moorehead's wonderful book, Village of Secrets, but has an added touch of Ben Macintyre's brio ... A rousing tale of derring-do' -- Richard Davenport-Hines * The Times, Book of the Week *Soon to be a film starring Daisy Ridley, Purnell's life of the SOE agent Virginia Hall is a cracking story about an extraordinarily brave woman * Telegraph Best Holiday Beach Reads *As gripping as any thriller ... a superb biography ... Purnell nimbly takes the reader through Hall's complicated manoeuvres all over central France and beyond. And in doing so, she paints a rounded portrait of a complicated, resourceful, determined and above all brave woman * Irish Times *Brimming with moving tales of courage in the face of tyranny, this is a worthy tribute to an incredible figure -- Deirdre O'Brien * Sunday Mirror *A cracking story of an extraordinarily brave woman . . . extraordinarily well-researched . . . thrilling -- Anne de Courcy * Telegraph *Excellent . . . Purnell's meticulous research into Hall's life and work has taken her not only through British SOE papers and resistance files in France, but also through nine levels of security at the CIA in Langley * Spectator *Purnell mixes telling detail with narrative verve to convey both the excitements of Hall's precarious existence and the force of her indomitable spirit * Mail on Sunday *Riveting ... one of the most breath-taking stories yet told of female courage behind enemy lines ... An intimate and moving portrayal * Sarah Helm, author of If This Is A Woman and A Life In Secrets *A gripping, relevant and timely read about a remarkable woman from a talented writer * Deborah Frances-White, author of The Guilty Feminist *Purnell's extensive research brings the facts of Virginia's life into brilliant focus -- Jane Shilling * Evening Standard *With her thriller-writer's style and copious new research, Purnell has written a fitting and moving tribute to an amazing woman * The Economist *It is easy to see why Hollywood is showing interest in Purnell's account of Hall, an authentic heroine who was also American, disabled and a woman. "Marie" thoroughly deserved her laurels -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *The extraordinary facts of [Hall's] life are brought onto the page here with a well-judged balance of empathy and fine detail. This book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down -- Mick Herron * New York Times *Gripping . . . With this book, the true extent of Hall's heroic contribution to the war effort is known at last -- Jane Warren * Express *Impressively researched and compellingly written, this brilliant biography puts Virginia Hall - and her prosthetic leg Cuthbert - back where they belong: right in the heart of resistance history * Clare Mulley, author of The Spy Who Loved and The Women Who Flew for Hitler *The remarkable life of the American Second World War spy Virginia Hall is due to get the Hollywood treatment - the Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley is slated to play her on screen. In Hall's biography by Sonia Purnell all the details of her incredible adventures are gathered together for a breath-taking read * Irish Examiner, This summer's top reads *Courage, resourcefulness, ingenuity: Hall possessed them all, and in Purnell she has found the ideal biographer * Tablet *Sonia Purnell has exhaustively researched Virginia Hall's career in archives in many countries, and she writes with authority and in vivid detail. This book is a cracking story * Oldie *A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance * NPR *An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism * USA Today *An inspiring account of an extraordinary woman's bravery that will keep you gripping your seat -- Rebecca Wallersteiner * The Lady Book of the Week *Remarkable ... this lively examination... shows how, if Hall had been a man, dropping undercover in and out of occupied Vichy, Paris, and Lyon, setting up safe houses, and coordinating couriers for the Resistance, she would now be as famous as James Bond... Meticulous research results in a significant biography of a trailblazer who now has a CIA building named after her * Kirkus Reviews *This true tale of courage will take your breath away * Best *Purnell vividly resurrects an underappreciated hero and delivers an enthralling story of wartime intrigue...fans of WWII history and women's history will be riveted * Publishers Weekly *Fascinating! careful research and skilful writing, Sonia Purnell, in A Woman of No Importance, takes you deep into the covert operations Hall led in Nazi-occupied France, first for the British and then for the Americans. Readers will find this tale of her cunning and courage riveting * Douglas Waller, author of Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage *Virginia Hall was considered the most dangerous of all the Allieds' spies by the Nazis - and her the untold story of the American with a wooden leg who became the French Resistance's key intelligence contact is finally revealed * Independent *This compelling story has remained under wraps until now, with the publication of Sonia Purnell's dramatic and extremely well-researched account. * Country Life *[A Woman of No Importance is] Sonia Purnell's astonishing account of the wartime escapades of special ops agent Virginia Hall . . . Hall's actions, which helped galvanise the Resistance movement, were guided by an indomitable spirit and fierce sense of purpose, and her perilous escape over the Pyrenees in November 1942 makes for nail-biting reading * Financial Times *A cracking biography of Virginia Hall, the tall, beautiful, one-legged Special Operations Executive agent who in 1941 was sent to occupied France undercover as a journalist to mobilise résistants ahead of D-Day. She became, in the Gestapo's view, the Allies' most dangerous spy. -- Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisSoviet Tank Units 1939–45 offers an highly-illustrated guide to the main armoured fighting vehicles used by the Red Army during World War II. This compact volume includes sample unit structures and orders of battle from company up to corps level, providing an organizational context for key campaigns throughout the war. Organised chronologically, the book offers a comprehensive survey of Soviet-employed armoured fighting vehicles by campaign, including the German invasion of 1941, the defence of Moscow, the Stalingrad counter-offensive, the battles of Kharkov and Kursk, Operation ‘Bagration’, and the final defeat of Axis forces in Berlin, Vienna and Budapest in May 1945. All the major and many minor tank that saw action on the Eastern Front is featured. The guide also includes numerous Lend-Lease Armoured fighting vehicles well as many examples of Soviet light vehicles, self-propelled guns, tractors and trucks. Packed with 250 full-colour artworks and photographs with exhaustive specifications, Soviet Tank Units 1939–45: Identification Guide is a key reference source for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Table of Contents1. Prewar Development 2. Defending the Motherland 3. Kursk and Kharkov 4. The Destruction of the Wehrmacht 5. Victory in Europe 6. Victory in the East Appendices Orders of battle, glossary, terminology, total production numbers. Index

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Book SynopsisThe first in a new in-depth nonfiction series examining the devastating terrorist attacks that changed the course of history from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott, beginning with the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. 1983: the United States Marine Corps experiences its greatest single-day loss of life since the Battle of Iwo Jima, when a truck packed with explosives crashes into their headquarters and barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. This horrifying terrorist attack, which killed 241 servicemen, continues to influence US foreign policy and haunts the Marine Corps to this day. Now, the full story is revealed as never before by Jack Carr and historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott. Based on comprehensive interviews with survivors, extensive military records, as well as personal letters, diaries and photographs, this is the authoritative account of the deadly attack. <

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Book SynopsisThe history of how the Luftwaffe planned to knock out Holland in a surgical, lightning campaign, but instead suffered wounds against the outnumbered but effective Dutch that would come to haunt them in the Battle of Britain.From the perspective of the German High Command, its invasion of the Netherlands on May 10, 1940 was supposed to be a lightning fast surgical strike, aimed at shoring up the right flank of the Wehrmacht''s massive assault on France and Belgium. In a bold manoeuvre, the German Luftwaffe would launch what was at the time the largest airborne operation in history, calculating that surprise and speed would negate the need for a lengthy ground campaign or large numbers of ground troops, using paratroops and air-landing troops to capture key strategic point that would clear the path for the subsequent capitulation of main Dutch city and the government itself. The entire operation was expected to take only 24 hours. The actual campaign proved to be much lTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION The Dutch defences Fallschirmjäger and Luftlande troops ATTACKER’S CAPABILITIES Luftflotte 2 in the Holland operation Fighter cover for airborne operations Strike capabilities The transports ORDER OF BATTLE – 10 MAY 1940 DEFENDER’S CAPABILITIES The Dutch defences Dutch military aircraft in the 1930s War looms ORDER OF BATTLE – 10 MAY 1940 CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES Unternehmen F THE CAMPAIGN Five costly days Operations on 10 May 1940 Operations from 11 to 14 May 1940 ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisIllustrated with colourful artworks of carrier aircraft and their markings, Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the aircraft deployed by the Allied navies from 1939 to 1945. Organised chronologically by type and nationality, this book includes fighters, fighter-bombers, torpedo bombers, dive-bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, floatplanes and flying boats. All the best-known types are featured, such as the Grumman F4F Wildcat, Douglas TBD Devastator and Douglas SBD Dauntless that fought at the battle of Midway in 1942, as well as the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber that proved so effective at the Battle of Taranto in 1940 and helped sink the German battleship Bismarck in 1941. 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 Blackburn Skua torpedo bomber, Curtiss SB2 Helldiver dive-bomber and the Vought F4U Corsair heavy fighter. Illustrated with more than 100 artworks, Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts of military aircraft of World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction Fighters and Fighter-Bombers US: Brewster Buffalo Grumman Martlet Grumman F4F WildcatSeversky P-35 Vought F4U Corsair Curtiss P-36 Hawk Curtiss P-40F Warhawk Grumman F6F Hellcat Grumman F7F Tigercat P-47 Thunderbolt (USS Manila) Ryan FR Fireball UK: Fairey Fulmar Blackburn Roc Gloster Sea Gladiator Gloster Gladiator II Hawker Hurricane I (HMS Glorious) Hawker Sea Hurricane Fairey Firefly Supermarine Seafire De Havilland Sea Hornet De Havilland Sea Mosquito Torpedo Bombers and Dive-Bombers US: Vought SB2U Vindicator Northrop BT-1 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator Douglas SBD Dauntless Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf Grumman TBF Avenger UK: Blackburn Skua Fairey Swordfish Fairey Albacore Fairey Barracuda Blackburn Firebrand France: Loire-Nieuport LN.401 Latécoere 299 Reconnaissance Aircraft and Flying Boats Brewster SB2A Buccaneer Sikorsky HNS helicopter Curtiss SO3C Seamew Consolidated PBY Catalina Martin PBM Mariner Appendix Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAssemble your armies and maintain order in this dynamic tile-based wargame, inspired by epic battles from ancient history.Take charge of the formidable Roman legions and their allies. Command the powerful crossbowmen of the Han dynasty as they traverse unfamiliar deserts. Steer the renowned Greco-Bactrian cavalry, and fight for every oasis. Direct Hannibal's diverse array of mercenaries, elephants, and the Sacred Band of Carthage. To lead is to walk the tightrope. Choose a faction, consider its ranks, assemble them into units and, as they fight, carefully balance their orders and sustain your forces in the field. The unique traits of each rank tile will make your units stronger, but combine too many and your units will become unwieldy. Battalion: War of the Ancients is an accessible two or four-player game. Command a wide range of units from four playable historical factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Employ faction-specific

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Book SynopsisThe first in a series of illustrated books exploring the longest and best-known naval campaign of World War II, focusing on the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and Hitler''s U-boats. When fighting broke out in September 1939, neither the British Royal Navy nor the German Kriegsmarine were prepared for another war in the North Atlantic. Having defeated the U-boats in World War I, the Royal Navy was confident it would succeed again. This was quickly shown to be an illusion, as neither the scale of forces available nor their tactics were sufficient. The Germans were even less prepared, with only a small number of U-boats, most of which were left over from World War I. Respected naval historian Mark Stille examines the struggle between Allied naval and air forces and the German U-boats in the first 15 months of the war. The Germans attempted to win a tonnage war against Allied shipping, with well-trained and bold U-boat commanders enjoying some brilli

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Book SynopsisFeaturing full-color artwork, this book describes and illustrates the Chinese and North Korean troops who fought US and UN forces in Korea during 195053.In June 1950, North Korean forces armed and equipped by the Soviet Union invaded South Korea, forcing back the US and South Korean troops facing them and threatening them with complete defeat. After the US and UN forces mounted a series of counter-offensives, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army crossed into the Korean Peninsula and entered the fray; the conflict would continue for three years until the armistice of July 1953, and tensions remain high today.The exploits of the North Korean and Chinese forces in the Korean War are renowned, but many misconceptions have grown up about these armies. In this study, carefully chosen photographs and specially commissioned artwork combine with authoritative text to reveal the evolving organization, tactics, uniforms, insignia and equipment of these formidable Communist troops during three years of warfare in the Korean Peninsula. Benjamin Lai and Zhao Guoxing reveal the real story of the North Korean and Chinese troops engaged in the Korean War, setting the record straight and deepening our understanding of the conflict.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most remarkable stories in the history of Special Forces' operations - Daily ExpressIn the bleak moments after defeat on mainland Europe in winter 1939, Winston Churchill knew that Britain had to strike back hard. So Britain's wartime leader called for the lightning development of a completely new kind of warfare, recruiting a band of eccentric free-thinking warriors to become the first 'deniable' secret operatives to strike behind enemy lines, offering these volunteers nothing but the potential for glory and all-but-certain death. Churchill's Secret Warriors tells the story of the daring victories for this small force of 'freelance pirates', undertaking devastatingly effective missions against the Nazis, often dressed in enemy uniforms and with enemy kit, breaking all previously held rules of warfare. Master storyteller Damien Lewis brings the adventures of the secret unit to life, weaving together the stories of the soldiers' brotherhood in this compelling narrative, from the unit's earliest missions to the death of their leader just weeks before the end of the war.Trade ReviewOne of the most extraordinary stories of World War II is also one of the least commonly known ... compelling ... an eloquent and welcome tribute to their selfless, sometimes reckless courage - a howitzer of a tale that more people should know about * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisWorld War I might conjure up images of the trenches of the Western Front where the fighting raged for nearly four and half years, but this was only part of what was truly a world war. It was a complex conflict fought in a number of theatres: an air war, a land war fought in the Balkans, Italy, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East, and also a naval war fought in the North Sea, South Atlantic, South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The ‘Great War’ introduced killing on an unprecedented scale and resulted in the loss of millions of lives. World War I Illustrated Atlas is a comprehensive visual guide to this complex conflict. In fine detail, it plots the exact course of the land, sea and air campaigns, enabling the reader to trace the ebb and flow of the fortunes of all sides. With more than 180 full-colour maps, every theatre of war is covered – from the Western Front to Penang, from Gallipoli to Galicia, from Dogger Bank to Dalmatia, from Romania to Rhodesia and from the Falklands to Togo and the Sinai desert. All the maps have been specially commissioned from an expert cartographer. Each map is designed to highlight a particular aspect of the war – thus maps vary in shape and size, with some giving a global perspective while others depict the exact movement of armed forces on land, sea or in the air. Battles such as Jutland, the Somme, Cambrai and the Gallipoli campaign are shown in great detail. All maps are accompanied by an explanatory key. With expert, accessible text and accompanying archival photographs, this complete atlas provides an invaluable work of reference for both the general reader and the serious student of World War I.Table of ContentsContents BACKGROUND TO WAR The World 1914 Franco-Prussian War Russo-Japanese War Austro-Hungarian Empire The Balkans, Crete and Cyprus Bulgaria The Balkans – Ethnic Groups European Alliances and War Plans European Military Strengths The Eastern Front July 1914 THE BALKANS First Invasion of Serbia August 1914 Second Invasion of Serbia Serbian Counter Offensive Invasion of Serbia Serbian Exodus The Balkans 1916 Salonica: The Spring Offensive British Attacks at Lake Dojran The Balkans September–November 1918 THE EASTERN FRONT The Eastern Front August 1914 Tannenberg Masurian Lakes September 1914 The Galician Campaign Przemysl Lodz Eastern Front Late 1914 Winter Battle in Masuria Central Powers Advance May– September 1915 Central Powers Advance May–August 1915 Bolimov – the First Use of Gas Eastern Front End of 1915 Lake Naroch Brusilov Offensive Romanian Invasion of Transylvania Invasion of Romania Eastern Front December 1916–March 1917 Russian Revolution 1917 Kerensky Offensive German Baltic Operations Treaty of Brest-Litovsk The New States of Eastern Europe THE WESTERN FRONT Schlieffen Plan Plan XVII Conquest of Belgium Capture of Liège Battles of the Frontiers Battle of Mons Battle of the Marne Battle of the Aisne The Race to the Sea Yser and Ypres Battle of Armentières First Battle of Champagne The Western Front October–December 1914 Neuve Chapelle Battle of the Woevre Second Battle of Ypres Aubers Ridge and Festubert Second Battle of Champagne Battle of Loos Battle of Artois The Western Front 1915 Plan of Fort Douaumont Verdun Verdun – French Counter-attack First Day of the Somme The Somme July–September 1916 Battle of Delville Wood Pozières Ridge Flers-Courcelette The Somme Sept–Nov 1916 Tanks on the Somme Ancre Heights The Hindenburg Line The Nivelle Offensive Battle of Vimy Ridge Arras and Vimy Ridge Battle of Messines Passchendaele Battle of Cambrai The German Offensive Operation Michael Other German Spring Offensives Franco-American Counter-attacks Black Day of the German Army St. Mihiel Meuse-Argonne Offensive Final Allied Advance The Western Front 1918 THE WIDER WAR The Ottoman Empire Caucasus Campaign Lower Mesopotamia Ottoman Raid on the Suez Canal Naval Attack in the Dardanelles Gallipoli Campaign The Cape Helles Front Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove Russian Capture of Trebizond Mesopotamia Overview Capture of Qurna First Battle of Kut Battle of Ctesiphon Retreat to Kut Sinai and Palestine The Arab Revolt Palestine Gaza and Beersheba Conquest of Jerusalem Central Mesopotamia The End of the Ottoman Empire Italy and its Empire Italian Front Isonzo Battles 1915–17 Isonzo Battles June 1915–March 16 Trentino Offensive May–June 1916 The Isonzo Battles March 1916– September 1917 Trentino Offensive June 1917 Caporetto 24 October–1 November Caporetto 1–12 November 1917 Piave Offensive Africa East Africa Easter Rising U.S. Soldiers by State Central and South America Mexican Revolution SEA & AIR WARFARE World Battle Fleets and Major Naval Bases Voyage of the Emden Pacific Squadron Battle of Heligoland Bight Battle of Dogger Bank North Sea Battles Battle of Jutland U-boat Campaign A Typical Convoy Plan Ships Sunk by U-boats U-boat Losses Submarines Allied Blockades of Germany British Submarines in the Baltic The Mediterranean Aircraft on the Western Front 1916–17 First Air Raids The Largest Airship Raid Bombing of Paris Bombing of England Air Defence of Britain Aircraft of the Western Front 1918 British Strategic Bombing Offensive THE AFTERMATH Central Powers on the Brink The Armistice The Armistice Conditions Break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire European Treaties Poland and Czechoslovakia Sykes-Picot Plan League of Nations Mandate Imperial Manpower Contributions Manpower Table Military Casualties and Civilian Deaths Index

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Book SynopsisA new analysis of exactly how Allied and German tanks fought the Battle of the Bulge, one of the great tank battles of World War II. The Battle of the Bulge raises many questions which, until now, have not been adequately answered: How did the major tank types perform during the battle? What were the specific lessons learned from the combat? And did these lessons result in changes to tanks in the subsequent months?Offering detailed answers to these questions, and many more, this book provides a survey of the principal tank and tank-equivalents (such as tank destroyers and Jagdpanzers) that took part in the Ardennes Campaign of December 1944--January 1945. Beginning with a basic overview of the campaign, accompanied by an order of battle of the major armored units, it examines the opposing forces, covering the organization of the two tank forces to explain how they were deployed. Author Steven Zaloga also scrutinizes the technical balance between the opposing Trade ReviewThere is much here for the rules writer or campaign planner. * Wargames Soldiers and Strategy Magazine *Table of ContentsThe Campaign The Tanks, Doctrine and Organization Technical Factors Battle Analysis Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisSamanth Subramanian studied journalism at Pennsylvania State University and international relations at Columbia University. He has written for, among other publications, the Guardian, the New Yorker, the New York Times, Mint, the Far Eastern Economic Review, Foreign Policy, New Republic, Foreign Affairs, The National and The Hindu. His first book, Following Fish: Travels Around the Indian Coast, was published by Atlantic Books.Trade ReviewA remarkable book by one of India's most talented young writers of non-fiction... This Divided Island - balanced, observant, good-natured, discursive and frequently witty - is a searingly angry and deeply moving portrayal of the agonies of this conflict... This is a major work, containing oral testimonies from all sides of the conflict, and will stand as a fine literary monument against the government's attempt at imposed forgetfulness. -- William Dalrymple * Observer *In this extraordinary book, Subramanian exposes the fallibility of human beings, forcing us to see how superficial is the veneer of civilised life. This Divided Island is a book of our times, about us and about what we are capable of doing to each other. -- Roma Tearne * Independent *Excellent... The book leaves us with a tantalising sense of the ambiguity of peace and victory: of the new and incongruous conservatism of Sinhalese Buddhism. Subramanian withholds judgement, but the precision of the final descriptions is searing. -- Amit Chaudhuri * Guardian *Excellent, powerful... Subramanian tells this sorry story with verve and compassion, relentlessly tracking down survivors of, and witnesses to, Sri Lanka's agonies * Literary Review *Brutal majoritarians and ruthless insurgents have long monopolised our sense of Sri Lanka. Samanth Subramanian's sensitive account makes us aware of a missing human dimension. Exploring a war-ravaged landscape, he is bracingly alert to the role of ambiguity as well as ideology in human affairs. In This Divided Island, one of our finest young writers of non-fiction reveals the complicated lives lived in their shadow. -- Pankaj MishraThe powerful human stories in This Divided Island - told lucidly and vividly - show what Sri Lankans have won and lost * TLS *With the humility of a truly gifted writer, Samanth Subramanian sets out, not to find firm answers to the reasons behind Sri Lanka's civil war, but rather to be changed and opened up by his journey through this war-ravaged land. His journey becomes ours. The things he discovers, the people he meets, haunt us long after we have closed the pages of this sensitive, poignant book. -- Shyam SelvaduraiThere is only one word to describe this book: it's a masterpiece, a Book of the Year, even possibly the decade. -- Mani Shankar Aiyar * India Today *A tour de force. Written with journalistic prowess and integrity, the book succeeds in bringing the war uncomfortably close, so close you can smell the blood. -- Vaishna Roy * The Hindu *Like Philip Gourevitch's account of the genocide in Rwanda, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families, this is a superbly reported book. -- Rahul Jacob * Business Standard *This is narrative journalism at its most literary, diligently researched reportage presented with poetry and flair. -- Shehan Karunatilaka * Mint *The best book on the subject and, what is more, a book different in kind from nearly all that have appeared this far. -- Shyam Tekwan * Tehelka *

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Eugene Sledge became more than a legend with his memoir, With The Old Breed. He became a chronicler, a historian, a storyteller who turns the extremes of the war in the Pacific—the terror, the camaraderie, the banal and the extraordinary—into terms we mortals can grasp.”—Tom HanksIn The Wall Street Journal, Victor Davis Hanson named With the Old Breed one of the top five books on epic twentieth-century battles. Studs Terkel interviewed the author for his definitive oral history, The Good War. Now E. B. Sledge’s acclaimed first-person account of fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa returns to thrill, edify, and inspire a new generation. An Alabama boy steeped in American history and enamored of such heroes as George Washington and Daniel Boone, Eugene B. Sledge became part of the war’s famous 1st Marine Division—3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Even after intense training, he was shocked to be thrown into the battle of Peleliu, where “the world was a nightmare of flashes, explosions, and snapping bullets.” By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic. Based on notes Sledge secretly kept in a copy of the New Testament, With the Old Breed captures with utter simplicity and searing honesty the experience of a soldier in the fierce Pacific Theater. Here is what saved, threatened, and changed his life. Here, too, is the story of how he learned to hate and kill—and came to love—his fellow man.“In all the literature on the Second World War, there is not a more honest, realistic or moving memoir than Eugene Sledge’s. This is the real deal, the real war: unvarnished, brutal, without a shred of sentimentality or false patriotism, a profound primer on what it actually was like to be in that war. It is a classic that will outlive all the armchair generals’ safe accounts of—not the ‘good war’—but the worst war ever.”—Ken Burns

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative visual directory and history to ancient and modern sharp-edged weapons, photographed throughout.

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Book SynopsisCreated during the Peace of Amiens, the nineteen regiments of cuirassiers that existed during the course of the 1e Empire were, after the Imperial Guard, perhaps the most famous and recognisable soldiers of the epoch. This book explores the long gestation of clothing and equipping the cuirassiers, the development of the arm from twelve regiments to twenty-one – if we include the carabiniers from 1811 – and how their clothing evolved across the period. As well as assessing the curiassiers, the story of the evolution of the uniforms of the carabiniers is also told. Much ink has been spilt on the two regiments and their uniforms, yet, as with the cuirassiers, precious little archive research has been carried out. This is one of a series of ground-breaking books which will be the defacto study of this perennially popular subject for historians, researchers, wargamers, re-enactors and artists. Using archive records to ‘set the record straight’, as well as contemporary illustrations and original items of uniforms, the author sets out to describe the uniform of every regiment of Napoleon’s army. Using archive sources found in the Archives Nationales and Service Historique du Armee de Terre in Paris, the author’s unrivalled research over a period of twenty years, will reveal exactly how, for the first time in over 200 years, Napoleon’s army was mounted, clothed and equipped. Having been granted to access to over 1,000 archive boxes, the author assesses how the regulations were adopted in practice. This vast resource, as yet untapped by the majority of researchers and historians for understanding the Napoleonic era in general, include the many regimental archive boxes preserved in the French Army archives. These sources provide, potentially bias free empirical data from which we can reconstruct the life story of a regiment, its officers and above all its clothing. What did trumpeters wear? Did cavalry regiments really have sapeurs? We answer these questions and present the reality of how regiments were dressed derived from diaries, letters, inspection returns, regimental accounts and even cases of fraud. For the first time, this unique series of books discusses the wide ranging 1806 uniform regulation and the more famous Bardin regulation which applied to all arms of the Army and explores the way in which regiments on campaign adopted and adapted their uniforms. For the first time since the days of Napoleon, we can say exactly what was worn by the French army.

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Book SynopsisA highly illustrated, authoritative exploration of Operation Apache Snow, including the infamous Battle of Hamburger Hill (Ap Bia Mountain), one of the most significant and well-known actions in the Vietnam War.Operation Apache Snow was the result of a renewed Allied effort in early 1969 to neutralize the North Vietnamese forces in the A Shau, a 45km-long valley located in the southwestern Thua Thien Province. This area had long provided an infiltration corridor for Communist forces from the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos to the coastal cities of northern I Corps Tactical Zone.The ensuing battle to take Ap Bia Mountain, which became known as Hamburger Hill, lasted for ten days. Although US and South Vietnamese forces were ultimately successful in taking the hill, the heavy casualties incurred in the bitter fighting caused a furor in Congress, with many congressmen denouncing the action.In this work, respected Vietnam War historian James H. Wil

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