Military History Books

Book SynopsisRobert Harvey brilliantly recreates the story of the greatest conflict that stretches from the first blaze of revolution in Paris in 1789 to final victory on the muddy fields of Waterloo.On land and at sea, throughout the four corners of the continent, from the frozen plains surrounding Moscow and terror on the Caribbean seas, to the muddy low lands of Flanders and the becalmed waters of Trafalgar, The War of Wars tells the powerful story of the greatest conflict of the age.Trade Review"'This is the 'definitive' one-volume account of a particualry rich slab of history. Harvey is an energetic writer - he shuttles us along without ever losing pace.' Daily Express. 'Harvey's narrative and the development of his thesis are comprehensive, clear, persuasive and entertaining; indeed it is truly impressive. I doubt a better account of the never-ending war will be written in many a year.' Allan Mallinson, The Spectator. 'an exhillirating sequence of dramatic set-pieces in narrative history's best traditions.' Literary Review"

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Book SynopsisPrison on Wheels is a remarkable diary kept by a young Hungarian woman, Eva Dános, during sixteen horror-filled days and nights of deportation by the Nazis in 1945. It is an eyewitness report of a 700-kilometre rail journey from Ravensbrück, north of Berlin, to Burgau, near Munich, one of the countless such operations that took place within Nazi Germany''s vast network of labour and concentration camps. What makes this account of particular interest is the fact that the author had been a member of a small, underground group in Budapest led by Gitta Mallasz, and her fellow-prisoners included some of these same comrades. Their humanity helped to sustain them.

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Book SynopsisWednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the long and distinguished history of the British Army. At noon a massive Zulu host attacked the 24th Regiment in its encampment at the foot of the mountain of Isandlwana, a distinctive feature that bore an eerie resemblance to the Sphinx badge of the outnumbered redcoats. Disaster ensued. Later that afternoon the victorious Zulus would strike the tiny British garrison at Rorke's Drift. How Can Man Die Better is a unique analysis of Isandlwana - of the weapons, tactics, ground, and the intriguing characters who made the key military decisions. Because the fatal loss was so high on the British side there is still much that is unknown about the battle. This is a work of unparalleled depth, which eschews the commonly held perception that the British collapse was sudden and that the 24th Regiment was quickly overwhelmed. Rather, there was a protracted and heroic defence against a determined and equally heroic foe. The author reconstructs the final phase of the battle in a way that has never been attempted before. It was to become the stuff of legend, which brings to life so vividly the fear and smell the blood.

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Book SynopsisA special 60th anniversary edition of the bestselling re-creation of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, by the author of A Night to Remember.Sunday, December 7, 1941, was, as President Roosevelt said, a date which will live in infamy. Day of Infamy is a fascinating account of that unforgettable day''s events. In brilliant detail Walter Lord traces the human drama of the great attack: the spies behind it; the Japanese pilots; the crews on the stricken warships; the men at the airfields and the bases; the Japanese pilot who captured an island single-handedly when he could not get back to his carrier; the generals, the sailors, the housewives, and the children who responded to the attack with anger, numbness, and magnificent courage.In piecing together the saga of Pearl Harbor, Lord traveled over fourteen thousand miles and spoke or corresponded with over five hundred individuals who were there. He obtained exclusive interviews with members of the

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when World War II began, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to a doomed flight on a May afternoon in 1943. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived, adrift on a foundering life raft. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.   Appearing in paperback for the first time—with twenty arresting new photos and an extensive Q&A with the author—Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand.Hailed as the top nonfiction book of the year by Time magazine • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography and the Indies Choice Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year award   “Extraordinarily moving . . . a powerfully drawn survival epic.”—The Wall Street Journal   “[A] one-in-a-billion story . . . designed to wrench from self-respecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid: It is amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring.”—New York   “Staggering . . . mesmerizing . . . Hillenbrand’s writing is so ferociously cinematic, the events she describes so incredible, you don’t dare take your eyes off the page.”—People   “A meticulous, soaring and beautifully written account of an extraordinary life.”—The Washington Post   “Ambitious and powerful . . . a startling narrative and an inspirational book.”—The New York Times Book Review  “Magnificent . . . incredible . . . [Hillenbrand] has crafted another masterful blend of sports, history and overcoming terrific odds; this is biography taken to the nth degree, a chronicle of a remarkable life lived through extraordinary times.”—The Dallas Morning News   “An astonishing testament to the superhuman power of tenacity.”—Entertainment Weekly   “A tale of triumph and redemption . . . astonishingly detailed.”—O: The Oprah Magazine   “[A] masterfully told true story . . . nothing less than a marvel.”—Washingtonian   “[Hillenbrand tells this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.”—Time   “Hillenbrand [is] one of our best writers of narrative history. You don’t have to be a sports fan or a war-history buff to devour this book—you just have to love great storytelling.”—Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

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Book SynopsisOriginally published: Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military, 2013.

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Book Synopsis''Vibrant and illuminating ... [Dywer] tells a fascinating tale'' The Times''Refreshing scholarship Energetic, readable and filled with colourful detail Napoleon: Passion, Death and Resurrection is a thoroughly enjoyable book which divides well the reality of exile from the legend that sprang from it'' Literary ReviewThis meticulously researched study opens with Napoleon no longer in power, but instead a prisoner on the island of St Helena. This may have been a great fall from power, but Napoleon still held immense attraction. Every day, huge crowds would gather on the far shore in the hope of catching a glimpse of him. Philip Dwyer closes his ambitious trilogy exploring Napoleon's life, legacy and myth by moving from those first months of imprisonment, through the years of exile, up to death and then beyond, examining how the foundations of legend that had been laid by Napoleon during his lifetime continued to be built uTrade ReviewVibrant and illuminating ... [Dywer] tells a fascinating tale -- Lawrence James * The Times *Refreshing scholarship … Energetic, readable and filled with colourful detail … Napoleon: Passion, Death and Resurrection is a thoroughly enjoyable book which divides well the reality of exile from the legend that sprang from it -- Ambrogio A Caiani * Literary Review *Remarkable ... a satisfying, psychologically convincing account ... Even-handed and authoritative, this fascinating and highly enjoyable book will be an eye opener even to those who think they know the subject well -- Praise for 'Napoleon: The Path to Power 1769-1799' * Sunday Times *The work that Dwyer was placed on earth to write ... We are clearly in the presence of what will be a monumental work ... meticulously researched and well-written -- Praise for 'Napoleon: The Path to Power 1769-1799', Andrew Roberts * Literary Review *A very fine book, which explains Napoleon’s extraordinary rise to power and equally meteoric fall, with great erudition, skill and verve -- Praise for 'Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power 1799-1815' * Spectator *Exemplary scholarship ... A book of meticulous research and beautifully detailed descriptions of Napoleon’s military adventures, brings home the full horrific cost of the march on Russia -- Praise for 'Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power 1799-1815' * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisIn June 1940, the German Army had brought the rest of Europe to its knees. ''Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world will move forward into broad, sunlit uplands,'' said Churchill. The future of Europe depended on Britain. A self-confident Herman Göring thought that it would be only a matter of weeks before his planes had forced Britain to surrender. The courage, resourcefulness and brilliant organisation of the RAF were to prove him wrong. By late September 1940, the RAF had proved invincible, thanks to the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire. It exceeded anything that any other air force possessed. RJ Mitchell, a shy and almost painfully modest engineer, was the genius behind the Spitfire. On the 5th March 1936, following its successful maiden flight, a legend was born. Prize-winning historian Leo McKinstry''s vivid history of the Spitfire brings together a rich Trade ReviewPraise for ROSEBERY: * . *Stunning ... As well as being meticulously researched, it is beautifully written and has tremendous pace * Literary Review *Absorbing ... McKinstry has here proved himself to be a first-class historical biographer * Mail on Sunday *With masterly skill and sympathy, Leo McKinstry resurrects him as the Hamlet of late Victorian England * Daily Mail *An authoritative and original biography which is also a riveting read' * Spectator *Superbly well-researched and well-written ... A truly first-class addition to the genre of Prime Ministerial biography * Sunday Telegraph *'An absolutely wonderful biography ... gripping and entertaining' * Evening Standard *'A first class biography, scholarly, judicious and always interesting' * Glasgow Herald *'Remarkable' * Country Life *'Judicious, well-researched and engrossing' * Sunday Times *'This is undoubtably the definitive biography of Rosebery. Written with elegance, clarity and well-judged colour' * Jonathan Parry, Times Literary Supplement *'It does a wonderful job of conjuring up the lost world of late Victorian politics' * Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph *'Admirable biography of a paradoxical figure whose tenure at No 10 was a disaster' * Jeremy Lewis, Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisWhen the Union Jack was hauled down over the Atlantic naval ports of Cobh, Berehaven and Lough Swilly in 1939, the Irish were jubilant. But in London, Churchhill brooded on the ''incomprehensible'' act of surrendering three of the Royal Navy''s finest ports when Europe was about to go to war.Eighteen months later, Churchill was talking of military action against Ireland. He demanded the return of the ports and the Irish made ready to defend their country against British as well as German invasion.In Northern Ireland, a Unionist Government vainly tried to introduce conscription. Along the west coast British submarines prowled the seas searching for German U-boats sheltering in the bays; British agents toured the villages of Donegal in search of fifth columnists while their German counterparts tried to make contact with the IRA.This is a fasinating study of Ireland during the Second World War.Anybody interested in Irish affairs will have to get Fisk''s book

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Book SynopsisA documentary and statistical foundation for Colossus Reborn. Its includes a roster of the senior command cadre during wartime, a description of the army's weaponry and equipment, and a listing of the Red Army's and NKVD's order of battle at six crucial points from June 22, 1941, through December 31, 1943.

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Book SynopsisThe culmination of decades of research by premier military historians, this is the first comprehensive, single-volume account of how and why World War II evolved as it did. Moving between the war room and the battlefield, we see how strategies were crafted and revised, and how the multitudes of combat troops struggled to discharge their orders.Trade ReviewTheir book, full of measured and incisive judgment…is a major contribution to the vast literature of World War II. -- Gabriel Schoenfeld * Wall Street Journal *Compulsively readable… It supersedes all previous one-volume histories of the war and is likely to remain the standard account for years to come. A War To Be Won could hardly be more timely, more welcome, or indeed more essential. -- Andrew J. Bacevich * Strategic Review *The West’s eventual triumph is the subject of A War To Be Won, a comprehensive and highly readable history by two eminent and prolific military historians. Williamson Murray and Allan Millett focus on operations but range far and wide into politics, strategy, military doctrines (why armies fight the way they do), weapons, science and tactics, from the bumbling politics of the ’30s to the Cold War… This is edgy, though expert, history. The ordeal of the Soviet war against Germany is dramatically and vividly told, as is the pillage and rape that Red Army soldiers inflicted on prisoners and civilians within reach… This is not written to be history from the soldier’s point of view, but it becomes the story of the soldiers’ war, and of the world they saved. -- Robert Killebrew * Washington Post *[Murray and Millett] are military historians but take an extraordinarily broad view of the conflict [of World War II]—its political and economic origins, its diplomatic maneuvering, its strategic designs and its human toll, but above all its combat. In 600-plus pages, they zero in on the troops who did the fighting and the commanders who led—and sometimes misled—them… The writing is brisk and lively, the revelations sometimes startling, and the selection of photographs generous and revealing. This is as masterful and readable a one-volume history of the Second World War as anyone is likely to write. -- Herbert Kupferberg * Parade Magazine *This is the one we have been waiting for… This work is so richly textured that every reader will find in it a box of delights… The authors omit no important dimension of the war. -- Colin Gray * Naval War College Review *In A War To Be Won: Fighting the Second World War, Williamson Murray and Allan Millett have…eschewed grand strategy for what they describe as operational history. They have plugged a large gap… Their organization is exemplary; they combine firm and fresh judgments with common humanity; and they achieve balance not only between the theaters of war but also between themselves. Murray knows about Germany, Britain and air power, Millett about the United States and its armed forces. If they divided their subject matter accordingly, the seams are never evident. This is an outstanding history of the war. -- Hew Strachan * Times Literary Supplement *Most recent single-volume histories of the Second World War have been disappointing. It is a Herculean task to cover such a vast canvas of time and space. Authors wilt visibly under the strain. Here, however, is a work of exceptional quality from two distinguished American military historians… This book makes an important contribution to understanding both the military context and the nature of this vast global conflict. -- Max Hastings * Evening Standard *The best synthesis of all of [the] new scholarship on WWII is, in my opinion, Williamson Murray and Allan Millett’s superb comprehensive history of the war… There are a number of rather surprising assessments of individual commanders in the war… Anyone interested in this deadliest of all wars should consult this marvelous book. -- Louis Ray Sadler * Albuquerque Journal *An outstanding single-volume history of [a] central moment… [The authors] write in a brisk, confident and knowledgeable style, often sprinkling their analyses with pithy irony, sardonic wit and sharp insights… Murray and Millett have produced a magnificent volume, one that will fascinate and enlighten both expert and layman alike. A War To Be Won now takes its place as the core volume in any library on the history of the Second World War, and it will likely remain so for years to come. -- Calvin L. Christman * Dallas Morning News *Military historians Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millett dissect tactics and operations of the war’s major players in A War To Be Won… Unlike other volumes on WWII, many of which examine the soldiers’ day-to-day life in the trenches, A War To Be Won focuses on the overall picture, the strategic successes and failures of the warring nations. -- Dick Kreck * Denver Post *World War II is fast slipping from memory. So it takes a book, such as A War To Be Won…to make one realize the horror of that conflict… In this comprehensive history of the military aspect of World War II…[the authors] provide a broad view of the two-hemisphere tragedy. -- Fred Slater * St. Joseph News-Press *Thousands of books have been published about World War II, but very few have possessed the level of scholarly perspective, encompassing scale, and insightful detail to be found in this one. With its penetrating view of operational strategy on all sides during the war, it is among the finest of WWII studies and the best one-volume account of the military conflict I’ve ever read. -- William W. Starr * The State (Columbia, SC) *While…several volumes present admirably comprehensive panoramas of the second world war, the very nature of this approach precludes close operational analysis as opposed to general operational narrative. This is the gap that A War To Be Won fills—an operational history of the 1939–1945 war focusing on military operations, with dispassionate discussion of military effectiveness whether involving the Allies or the Axis… A War To Be Won, confined within a single volume, is a remarkable achievement deserving of the many plaudits it has received. It has a narrative deftness that will attract the general reader, operational analysis incisive and original enough to engage the specialist, technical evaluation and tactical appraisal of military effectiveness in abundance, though not without controversial, even acerbic comment where appropriate. -- John Erickson * Times Higher Education Supplement *Two highly accomplished historians…collaborated to produce this magnificent one-volume history of World War II. While they do not neglect political or economic factors, what truly sets this work apart is their focus on ‘the conduct of operations by the military organizations that waged the war.’… This is a riveting book that stimulates as much as it informs—and is a must read for any student of World War II or military professional. -- Richard B. Frank * Naval History *It is the most complete, balanced, and well-informed history of military operations now available. -- James J. Sheehan * Political Science Quarterly *A magisterial, hypnotically detailed tactical narrative of WWII, with competing military, political, and social histories of the maelstrom writ large—yet comprehensibly presented… Coauthors Murray and Millett spent decades on their research, and the result is an essential plurality of understanding that allows them to consider the military strategies (and underlying realities) of the various Allied and Axis nations. Intentionally or otherwise, this book covers ground distinct from Stephen Ambrose’s popular books, in that they focus much less on the personalized experiences of the soldier and more on the significant strategies, decisions, and movements of governments and generals (and the corresponding actions of the many individual naval, combat, and bomber units, and sundry partisan and espionage triumphs) that taken together, form the artificial patchwork of industrialized devastation we think of as the war. Surprisingly, this ‘globalized’ perspective does produce abstract or diffuse results, but allows the authors to present a nuanced panorama of scarce information and unique interpretation… Strongly written with the stern clarity of senior historians, this is a spellbinding history: the reader will hear the whine of the bombers and see the guttering lights of Europe, and find this rich assemblage of horror and destiny hard to set down. * Kirkus Reviews *Scholarship and insight place this book in the front rank of military history written in the 20th century’s final decade. The authors…make no secret of their convictions on personal, institutional and operational issues, but are nevertheless remarkably successful at avoiding the armchair debunking that mars so many histories of the period. * Publishers Weekly *Without question A War To Be Won is the most compelling single-volume history of the Second World War ever written. Murray and Millett are superb historians imbued with a trenchant gift for analysis, detachment, and synthesis. A noble, grand, and sweeping achievement. -- Douglas Brinkley, Director, The Eisenhower Center, University of New OrleansAn excellent history of the Second World War, which offers a new and deeply illuminating view of why the major operations were launched and of the effectiveness with which they were conducted. The story is enriched by an original analysis of the ideas, ideological aims, technology, social consequences and international impact of the most intense conflict that the world has seen. A comprehensive, well-founded and enlightening single volume history. -- Robert O’Neill, Chichele Professor of the History of War, All Souls College, OxfordMurray and Millett have done an enormous service by providing a wonderful, one-volume history of the fighting of World War II. Those of us who fought the war must applaud them. It is a book for everyone, not just for the military history buff. I plan to tell my grandchildren that to understand World War II, the defining event of the Twentieth Century, and the generation that fought it, they must read this book. -- General John W. Vessey, U.S. Army (Ret.) and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffAmid the immense literature on the Second World War, it is remarkable that one niche has not hitherto been filled: a one-volume history focusing on military operations. This book remedies that omission and does so superbly, with accuracy and interpretive flair. There is nothing else quite like it. -- Russell F. Weigley, author of The American Way of War: A History of United States Military Strategy and Policy

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Book SynopsisMen of Bronze takes up one of the most important and fiercely debated subjects in ancient history and classics: how did archaic Greek hoplites fight, and what role, if any, did hoplite warfare play in shaping the Greek polis? In the nineteenth century, George Grote argued that the phalanx battle formation of the hoplite farmer citizen-soldier was tTrade Review"In no other work will readers find the foremost experts on Greek political and military history, including Paul Cartledge, Donald Kagan, Hans Van Wees, and Peter Krentz, together."--Choice "This book is geared to presenting the parameters of the hoplite debate in the clearest possible terms, a goal in which it succeeds. Anyone charged with teaching about hoplite warfare and its role in Greek history, let alone anyone doing original research on the subject, will find this book useful and necessary."--Matthew A. Sears, Bryn Mawr Classical Review "Men of Bronze carries the debate forward brilliantly and, in the process, illuminates many other facets of the archaic and classical Greek world."--William Shepherd, Anglo-Hellenic ReviewTable of ContentsList of Figures vii Preface Donald Kagan and Gregory F. Viggiano ix Introduction Donald Kagan and Gregory F. Viggiano xi Chapter 1 The Hoplite Debate, Donald Kagan and Gregory F. Viggiano1 Chapter 2 The Arms, Armor, and Iconography of Early Greek Hoplite Warfare, Gregory F. Viggiano and Hans van Wees 57 Chapter 3 Hoplitai/Politai: Refighting Ancient Battles, Paul Cartledge 74 Chapter 4 Setting the Frame Chronologically, Anthony Snodgrass 85 Chapter 5 Early Greek Infantry Fighting in a Mediterranean Context, Kurt A. Raaflaub 95 Chapter 6 The Hoplite Revolution and the Rise of the Polis, Gregory F. Viggiano 112 Chapter 7 Hoplite Hell: How Hoplites Fought, Peter Krentz 134 Chapter 8 Large Weapons, Small Greeks: The Practical Limitations of Hoplite Weapons and Equipment, Adam Schwartz 157 Chapter 9 Not Patriots, Not Farmers, Not Amateurs: Greek Soldiers of Fortune and the Origins of Hoplite Warfare, John R. Hale 176 Chapter 10 Can We See the "Hoplite Revolution" on the Ground? Archaeological Landscapes, Material Culture, and Social Status in Early Greece, Lin Foxhall 194 Chapter 11 Farmers and Hoplites: Models of Historical Development, Hans van Wees 222 Chapter 12 The Hoplite Narrative, Victor Davis Hanson 256 List of Contributors 277 Index 279

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFeatured in Flypast magazine, March 2016 - British army veteran and author Phil Froom takes a close look at these remarkable inventions and the ways in which they helped downed airmen make it home.Featured in 'The Globe and Laurel' - the Royal Marines magazine - April 2016."What a book! Packed full of colour illustrations, maps and photos, it portrays every conceivable type of escape equipment, explaining who used them, how, why, when and where. It also explains their manufacture in top-secret locations together with how the cunning gadgets fooled the enemy. A huge volume, it deserves a place on the shelf of all historians." - This England, Autumn 2016The first page I opened of this beautifully produced book featured the Caterpillar Club. As my father in law was a member, having bailed out of his burning plane over Denmark, I was immediately hooked. With over 700 unique images of immensely rare devices, this is a fascinating book which covers the evolution, formation and role of the secret wartime organisation known as MI9 and its US mirror organisation MIS-X. These two organisations were responsible for the invention, production and distribution of a huge variety of ingenious evasion and escape devices issued to allied air crew and Special Operations personnel to enable them to evade capture after being forced down, or cut off behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, hopefully to evade and safely return to their Squadrons and Regiments to continue the struggle against Axis powers. The escape items featured include pens, pencils, razors, shaving brushes, tooth brushes, combs, cigarette lighters, books, mirrors, games, sporting goods, dart boards and numerous other everyday items, all constructed with escape devices concealed inside. - Antiques Diary May 2016"A lavishly illustrated, glossy and impressive publication which proved to be a thoroughly good read." - Armourer, issue 133 2016The Mail Online featured an article: "Revealed: The real-life James Bond gadgets invented by MI9 spies in WWII including compasses in dice and daggers in pens that were smuggled into PoW camps inside board games" which includes several illustrations of the intriguing gadgets in this book - take a look at the link below!

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Book SynopsisThroughout 1943, the German army, heirs to a military tradition that demanded and perfected relentless offensive operations, succumbed to the realities of its own overreach and the demands of twentieth-century industrialized warfare. In his new study, Robert Citino chronicles this weakening Wehrmacht, now fighting desperately on the defensive but still remarkably dangerous and lethal.

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Book SynopsisExamines anthropologists' little-known contributions to the Second World War. This book looks at the role played by the two primary US anthropological organizations, the American Anthropological Association and the Society for Applied Anthropology, in facilitating the application of anthropological methods to the problems of war.Trade Review“Anthropological Intelligence is written with vigor. Its author, David Price, is the foremost authority on the way anthropology was transformed by the Cold War and World War II. . . . There are no heroes or villains in this detailed study and this is a testament to Price’s scholarship, careful documentation, and command of the subject matter.” - William J. Peace, Comparative Studies in Society and History"A work of immense scholarship, historical importance and, like all his work in this field, courageous. . . .The publication of Anthropological Intelligence is timely, coming as it does when many anthropologists are concerned about the militarisation of their subject through the use of ‘embedded ethnographers’ and the US military's Human Terrain Programme (HTP), which teams social scientists with military units in Iraq and Afghanistan to help soldiers better understand the local culture." - Jeremy Keenan, Times Higher Education Supplement“David H. Price’s book adds substantially to a historical understanding of social scientists’ service to government and the military during World War II, and it raises troubling questions about the social and institutional roles of knowledge professionals that transcend the temporal conditions of total war. . . . [A] fascinating and important study. . . .” - David Paul Haney, American Historical Review“[A] provocative thesis that deserves to be scrutinized in current debates about the proper role of intellectuals in the societies and polities of which they are members and citizens — and it should be discussed for the sake of clearing away ‘specifically intellectual obstacles to commensuration, communication, and comprehension.’ . . . Anthropological Intelligence assembles a wealth of detailed information, much of it drawn from previously hidden and unusual government archives. . . .” - Richard A. Shweder, Common Knowledge“One of this book’s great merits is the combination of meticulous documentation with lucid analysis. . . . Although we may not agree with him on all analytical conclusions he draws, the scholarly community still has to be grateful for this impressive scholarly achievement. After all, it provides for the very first time a solid basis for a debate which has been long overdue. In all likelihood, this volume will remain the standard reference book for the years to come. It is an indispensable source of insights not only for anthropologists, who will gain a thoroughly new understanding about their own field’s historical contexts of reemergence after 1945.” - Andre Gingrich, Left History“David H. Price is, without any doubt, our foremost authority on the ways in which anthropologists were used in World War II and the Cold War and on the ways in which those wars changed anthropology. Price knows how to use the Freedom of Information Act like no other anthropologist, and he has succeeded in unearthing a wealth of fascinating information about the military uses of anthropology in World War II. Anthropological Intelligence is at once a fascinating and entertaining source of trivia on anthropology’s ancestors and a keenly argued lament for what war has done to a humane discipline. Showing an encyclopedic command of the facts, Price writes with urbane elegance and a strikingly judicious compassion toward those whom he critiques. Anthropological Intelligence could not be more timely. At a moment when war is once more on anthropologists’ minds, it will become the canonical book on anthropology and the ‘good war’ while raising troubling questions for those in the age of the ‘war on terror’ who would like, once more, to mobilize anthropology for war.”—Hugh Gusterson, author of People of the Bomb: Portraits of America’s Nuclear Complex“In this objective and scrupulous account, David H. Price performs an invaluable service by raising a central ethical question: To what extent should social scientists lend their skills to national tasks, even if the goals are not those with which they are in agreement? By carefully documenting what American anthropologists did to help win World War II, he illuminates that murky ethical space that lies between patriotism and the tasks of science.”—Sidney W. Mintz, Johns Hopkins University“Anthropological Intelligence is written with vigor. Its author, David Price, is the foremost authority on the way anthropology was transformed by the Cold War and World War II. . . . There are no heroes or villains in this detailed study and this is a testament to Price’s scholarship, careful documentation, and command of the subject matter.” -- William J. Peace * Comparative Studies in Society and History *“[A] provocative thesis that deserves to be scrutinized in current debates about the proper role of intellectuals in the societies and polities of which they are members and citizens — and it should be discussed for the sake of clearing away ‘specifically intellectual obstacles to commensuration, communication, and comprehension.’ . . . Anthropological Intelligence assembles a wealth of detailed information, much of it drawn from previously hidden and unusual government archives. . . .” -- Richard A. Shweder * Common Knowledge *“David H. Price’s book adds substantially to a historical understanding of social scientists’ service to government and the military during World War II, and it raises troubling questions about the social and institutional roles of knowledge professionals that transcend the temporal conditions of total war. . . . [A] fascinating and important study. . . .” -- David Paul Haney * American Historical Review *“One of this book’s great merits is the combination of meticulous documentation with lucid analysis. . . . Although we may not agree with him on all analytical conclusions he draws, the scholarly community still has to be grateful for this impressive scholarly achievement. After all, it provides for the very first time a solid basis for a debate which has been long overdue. In all likelihood, this volume will remain the standard reference book for the years to come. It is an indispensable source of insights not only for anthropologists, who will gain a thoroughly new understanding about their own field’s historical contexts of reemergence after 1945.” -- Andre Gingrich * Left History *"A work of immense scholarship, historical importance and, like all his work in this field, courageous. . . .The publication of Anthropological Intelligence is timely, coming as it does when many anthropologists are concerned about the militarisation of their subject through the use of ‘embedded ethnographers’ and the US military's Human Terrain Programme (HTP), which teams social scientists with military units in Iraq and Afghanistan to help soldiers better understand the local culture." -- Jeremy Keenan * Times Higher Education *Table of ContentsPreface ix Abbreviations xxi 1. American Anthropology and the War to End All Wars 1 2. Professional Associations and the Scope of American Anthropology's Wartime Applications 18 3. Allied and Axis Anthropologies 53 4. The War on Campus 74 5. American Anthropologists Join the Wartime Brain Trust 91 6. Anthropologists and White House War Projects 117 7. Internment Fieldwork: Anthropologists and the War Relocation Authority 143 8. Anthropology and Nihonjinron at the Office of War Information 171 9. Archaeology and J. Edgar Hoover's Special Intelligence Service 200 10. Culture at War: Weaponizing Anthropology at the OSS 220 11. Postwar Ambiguities: Looking Back at the War 262 Notes 283 Bibliography 317 Index 353

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Book SynopsisEdward Stourton is the author of six books. He is writer and presenter of several high-profile current-affairs programmes and documentaries for radio and television, and regularly presents BBC Radio Four programmes such as The World at One, The World This Weekend, Sunday and Analysis. He is a frequent contributor to the Today programme, where for ten years he was one of the main presenters.Trade ReviewThis is a very shocking book. It recaptures the adventure and the horror as it brilliantly conjures up the voices of the past. -- Jason Goodwin * Country Life *Charming but astute, Stourton captures not only the extraordinary courage of the escapers and the passeurs, or guides, who helped them, but the sense of danger and excitement as they evaded their pursuers. -- Adrian Brewer * The Tablet *A moving retelling of some of the war's most heroic episodes -- Nigel Jones * Sunday Telegraph *Stourton's richly rewarding research into the wartime journeys across the Pyrenees reminds us of so many dramatic stories of courage, tragedy, endurance and survival. -- Iain Finlayson * Saga Magazine *Stourton writes evocatively and with sensitivity... an engaging collection of tales. -- Viv Watts * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisJapan 1945. In one of the defining moments of the twentieth century, more than 100,000 people were killed instantly by two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by US Air Force B29s. Hundreds of thousands more succumbed to their horrific injuries, or slowly perished of radiation-related sickness. Hiroshima Nagasaki tells the story of the tragedy through the eyes of the survivors, from the twelve-year-olds forced to work in war factories to the wives and children who faced it alone. Through their harrowing personal testimonies, we are reminded that these were ordinary people, given no warning and no chance to escape the horror.American leaders claimed that the bombings were ''our least abhorrent choice'' and fell strictly on ''military targets''. Even today, most people believe they ended the Pacific War and saved millions of American and Japanese lives. Hiroshima Nagasaki challenges this deep-set perception, revealing that the atomic bombings were the final crippling blow to the Japanese in a stratgic air war waged primarily against civilians.Trade Review[A] vivid, comprehensive and quietly furious account...Paul Ham brings new tools to the job, unearthing fresh evidence of a deeply disturbing sort. He has a magpie eye for the telling detail -- Ben Macintyre * The Times *We are in Paul Ham's debt for showing that it is unjustifiable to consider ever again dropping an atomic bomb...Comprehensive and horrifying -- Jonathan Mirsky * Literary Review *Provocative and challenging, Paul Ham's book strips away the cosy myth that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the Second World War...A voice that is both vigorous and passionate -- Christopher Sylvester * Daily Express *Controversial...Gives an eye-witness picture that leaves Dante's Inferno looking pale...Well documented and stringently argued -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *With more detail than the average text book yet written in a way that pulls you in ... this is essential for anyone remotely interested in our history * Sydney Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIndia is a vast sub-continent with a complex history and a great array of languages, cultures and religions. This books serves as a short introduction to the exquisite weapons used in the region from the earliest times to the twentieth century. Among others, it covers archery, swords, shields, daggers, firearms, artillery and elephant armour.

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Book SynopsisEdward Thomas was perhaps the most beguiling and influential of First World War poets. Now All Roads Lead to France is an account of his final five years, centred on his extraordinary friendship with Robert Frost and Thomas''s fatal decision to fight in the war.The book also evokes an astonishingly creative moment in English literature, when London was a battleground for new, ambitious kinds of writing. A generation that included W. B. Yeats, Ezra Pound, Robert Frost and Rupert Brooke were ''making it new'' - vehemently and pugnaciously. These larger-than-life characters surround a central figure, tormented by his work and his marriage. But as his friendship with Frost blossomed, Thomas wrote poem after poem, and his emotional affliction began to lift. In 1914 the two friends formed the ideas that would produce some of the most remarkable verse of the twentieth century. Their writing was far more than just war poetry, but it was World War I that put an ocean b

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Book Synopsis''Essential reading, not just for those interested in the Eastern Front, but for anyone who wants to understand Russia.'' Antony Beevor, Sunday Times They died in their millions, shattered by German shells and tanks, freezing behind the wire of prison camps, driven forward in suicidal charges by the secret police. Yet in all the books about the Second World War on the eastern front, there is very little about how the Russian soldier lived, dreamed and died. Catherine Merridale''s discovery of archives of letters, diaries and police reports have allowed her to write a major history of a figure too often treated as part of a vast mechanical horde. Here are moving and terrible stories of men and women in appalling conditions, many not far from death. They allow us to understand the strange mixture of courage, patriotism, anger and fear that made it possible for these badly fed, dreadfully governed soldiers to defeat the Nazi army that would otherwise have ensTrade Review"'Essential reading, not just for those interested in the Eastern Front, but for anyone who wants to understand Russia.' Antony Beevor, Sunday Times 'Outstanding.' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'A harrowing but unforgettable report on the chaos and tragedy that brought this Europe to birth... Magnificent.' Boyd Tonkin, Independent"

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Book SynopsisThe Duke of Wellington''s victory over Napoleon in 1815 at Waterloo ensured British dominance for the rest of the nineteenth century. It took three days and two hours for word to travel from Belgium in a form that people could rely upon. This is a tragi-comic midsummer''s tale that begins amidst terrible carnage and weaves through a world of politics and military convention, enterprise and roguery, frustration, doubt and jealousy, to end spectacularly in the heart of Regency society at a grand soiree in St James''s Square after feverish journeys by coach and horseback, a Channel crossing delayed by falling tides and a flat calm, and a final dash by coach and four from Dover to London. At least five men were involved in bringing the news or parts of it to London, and their stories are fascinating. Brian Cathcart, a brilliant storyteller and historian, has visited the battlefield, travelled the messengers'' routes, and traced untapped British, French and

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Book SynopsisUsing diaries and letters as evidence, Fritzsche argues that the essence of Nazism’s ideological grip lay in the Volksgemeinschaft—a “people’s community” that appealed to Germans to be part of a great project to redress the wrongs of the Versailles treaty, revitalize the country, and cleanse the body politic.Trade ReviewA provocative revisionist view of the Third Reich and the complex relationship of Germans to it. This book, more than any other I know, conveys the complex nature of day-to-day life in Nazi Germany from the perspective of its political leaders, German citizens, and Jewish victims. In many ways, Fritzsche's interpretation of National Socialism and its supporters is far more unnerving than a view of a terrorized, hypnotized populace. The book offers not only an admirable analytic clarity but also passages of such human pathos that they leave the reader quaking. -- Thomas Childers, author of In the Shadows of WarWhat makes this thoroughly engrossing account of everyday life in Nazi Germany so important is Fritzsche's ability to show how the ideology of racism enveloped not only the public but also the private sphere and eventually informed all thought and action in this empire of death. This is a major achievement. -- Modris Eksteins, University of TorontoFritzsche has written an extraordinary book--a short, compelling, and yet comprehensive history of the Third Reich. It unfolds a masterful narrative of a regime that set out to restore a nation and in the process turned Europe into a killing field. This history familiarizes the reader with the key events as they unfolded and with contemporary reflections on them in diaries and letters. We come to the quite shocking recognition that these ruminations capture a conversation, for good and evil, that continues to the present day. -- Michael Geyer, University of ChicagoWith remarkable vision and poise, Fritzsche guides us through the interior of the Third Reich's racial imaginary to explore the terrible effectiveness of the efforts required of Germans in thinking themselves into the morally coercive world of the Volksgemeinschaft. Commanding the vast literatures on Nazism with enviable facility, he seamlessly combines major themes with a keen eye for the telling detail. This is one of the most illuminating reflections on the popular history of the Third Reich in many years. -- Geoff Eley, University of MichiganFritzsche effectively takes up one of the key controversies surrounding the Third Reich: to what extent were the German people accomplices of the regime?...Others have argued that the German people were either manipulated and deceived by, or converted to, Nazism. Fritzsche provides a more nuanced argument that the Nazis were quite successful in winning the people's support, but it took time and effort...Fritzsche mines diaries and letters written by the famous and well-placed as well as the unknown, to show that the prospects of German grandeur and unity resonated deeply with many people, even when it meant a hugely destructive war and the genocide of the Jews. Fritzsche offers a significant interpretation of Nazism and the German people, and writes with a vibrancy that is not often found in studies of the Third Reich. * Publishers Weekly *[A] fascinating book...Fritzsche's book demolishes the myth of contemporary ignorance about the Shoah and the artificial divide between the apolitical Wehrmacht and the evil SS. As the aerial bombing campaign destroyed German cities, the citizenry transformed their status as perpetrators and beneficiaries of Nazi policy into that of victims, thereby quelling postwar confrontation with reality for more than a generation. Fritzsche's book demonstrates that there are still numerous areas of the Nazi era in which historians may delve. -- Frederic Krome * Library Journal (starred review) *Peter Fritzsche's book is one that will undoubtedly court controversy. His aim is to show that "more Germans were Nazis" and that Germans were "more National Socialist" than had been previously accepted...This book combines a compelling historical narrative with a thought-provoking analysis. -- Lisa Pine * Times Higher Education Supplement *Fritzsche writes with his customary flair and verve, and packs an enormous amount into a relatively short volume...His immensely readable and intelligent book makes superb use of letters and diaries to communicate the experience of ordinary people under Nazism in a way that few other historians have been able to do. -- Richard J. Evans * New York Review of Books *What Peter Fritzsche does so well in his new book, Life and Death in the Third Reich, is show the systematic breakdown and reshaping of a society...Fritzsche paints such a nuanced and exhaustively researched portrait of German National Socialism that in the end it just doesn't suffice simply to call the Nazis architects of death. They were, of course, but the political wave they rode in on was something of a phenomenon. So adroit were the Nazis at all-consuming manipulation that they were able to essentially recast the entire destiny of a country in such a way as to make the Holocaust actually seem to make sense, at least in the context of their own barbaric political framework. -- Jeffrey White * PopMatters.com *Fritzsche combines the most recent research with his own investigation of primary sources to create an important synthesis of National Socialist goals and ideology among the ordinary citizenry of the Third Reich. -- J. Kleiman * Choice *Table of Contents* Preface * Introduction *1. Reviving the Nation *"Heil Hitler!" * How Far Did Germans Support the Nazis? *Volksgemeinschaft, or the People's Community * Consuming the Nation *Unter Uns, or Nazism's Audiovisual Space *2. Racial Grooming * Aryan Passports * Biology and the National Revolution * Seeing like an Aryan * The Camp * Unworthy Life * The Assault on German Jews *3. Empire of Destruction * Writing Letters * The Imperial Project * The Expansion of the German Empire * Final Solutions to the "Jewish Problem" * The Deportation of German Jews * The Holocaust *4. Intimate Knowledge * Train Station * Jewish Witnesses * German Witnesses * Perpetrators and Victims * Imagining the End of the War * Reading Catastrophe * Notes * Index

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Book SynopsisThis book is a profound reexamination of the role of the German army, the Wehrmacht, in World War II. Until recently, the standard story avowed that the ordinary German soldier in World War II was a good soldier and not an accomplice to massacres of civilians. Wette explodes this myth of a clean Wehrmacht with devastating clarity.Trade ReviewThis is a powerful book, provocative, enlightening, disturbing. Based on three decades of solid research, Wette debunks the myth, created by former Wehrmacht officers and continued by their Allied counterparts, that the German military fought a "clean" war in the East 1941-45. He strips away the layers of obfuscation and cover-up to set the record straight: Wehrmacht and SS hand-in hand conducted a campaign of racial extermination in the USSR. The book is a must read. -- Holger H. Herwig, University of CalgaryA badly needed analysis of how the German World War II military came to descend into mass murder, how this descent originated, how it was systematically obscured by a legend of "clean" warfare, and how that legend is finally being demolished. A fine piece of important research presented in very clear -- and well translated -- prose." -- Gerhard L. Weinberg, University of North CarolinaThe conventional wisdom that the German army in WWII fought a relatively clean fight, unsullied by the atrocities committed by the Nazi SS, has recently been challenged and largely demolished. This probing study explores the rise and fall of that myth in the light of scholarship debunking it...Wette's hard-hitting indictment also emphasizes the broad culpability of German society for the crimes of the Third Reich. * Publisher's Weekly *This is one of those modestly sized books on a large subject that succeeds in being definitive...The Wehrmacht is an important contribution to current German historiography. It seeks an answer to the question that rages in German intellectual circles: Was Nazism an aberration in German history, a sickness that came upon a formerly healthy and civilized nation, or was it a natural outgrowth of traits well-entrenched in the national psyche? It is clear from the outset which side of this controversy Professor Wolfram Wette is on, but it is equally apparent what a thoughtful, well-informed historian he is...The Wehrmacht is as filled with all manner of details--surprising as well as predictable--as it is with passion and insight. Perhaps this is what makes it such a pleasure to read, for Wette never simply asserts, he always proves. Facts, statistics, instances are plentiful, but they never simply lie there on the page; you feel the author's outrage, sometimes his incredulity, even as you trust his veracity and integrity. -- Martin Rubin * San Francisco Chronicle *In the history of WWII, the German army too often has been regarded as an unwilling tool of Adolf Hitler. Wette destroys that myth in his book, an indictment of the German army for its involvement in atrocities against Jews and people in eastern Europe. -- K. Eubank * Choice *Over the last twenty years various scholars, from the pioneering work of Omer Bartov to the more recent work of Ben Shepherd and a host of American and German scholars, have demonstrated that the view of a Wehrmacht with "clean hands" is entirely mistaken. These studies have shown that "average" German soldiers were completely capable of and willing to commit the worst atrocities imaginable. This book is another contribution to that corpus. Thus far the focus has been on explaining how and why the typical Landser became capable of mass murder, but this book is not about the average soldier's descent into barbarism. It is rather a study of the path trod by the commanding officers: the field marshals, generals, and colonels who formulate policy and created an environment in which mass murder could occur. As such, this book complements earlier studies by focusing on the highest levels of the Wehrmacht. Wette demonstrates that this level of command not only knew about and approved of mass murder but, after the war, successfully created the myth that the Wehrmacht had played no role in the crimes committed during the war. -- Lee Baker * Journal of Military History *[Wette’s] arguments will provide a powerful corrective to the outdated view that Wehrmacht leaders were dragged unwillingly into complicity in Nazi-mandated crimes...Attacking the myth of the “clean” Wehrmacht, as Wette reminds us, has been neither easy nor particularly successful in changing popular perceptions. Only through continued research and the writing of critical histories will the complex reality emerge. Wette’s monograph constitutes a key contribution to this effort. -- Stephen G. Fritz * Holocaust and Genocide Studies *Wolfram Wette has synthesized a large body of scholarly studies written by critical military historians in the past thirty years and makes them accessible to a nonspecialist audience...This book is an important contribution to the recent historical literature that reveals the much resisted and painful process by which Germans learned to deal honestly with the unmasterable past. -- Derek S. Linton * The Historian *Table of ContentsPreface to the English-Language Edition by Peter Fritzsche Foreword by Manfred Messerschmidt List of Abbreviations 1. Perceptions of Russia, the Soviet Union, and Bolshevism as Enemies German Perceptions of Russia in the Twentieth Century National Socialists' Perceptions of Russia: "Jewish Bolshevism" Perceptions of Russia among the Wehrmacht Generals 2. Anti-Semitism in the German Military From Anti-Semitism to the Holocaust? Germany under the Kaiser and the First World War The Revolutionary Era of 1918-19 The Postwar Period: War Continued by Different Means The Weimar Republic The National Socialist Era up to 1939 3. The Wehrmacht and the Murder of Jews Issuing Orders and Propaganda in the Wehrmacht Some Theaters of War Anti-Semitism as a Soldier's Duty 4. Generals and Enlisted Men The Military Elites in the Grip of a War Ideology Hitler and the Generals The "Little Guy" in Uniform Soldiers of the Wehrmacht in Light of Recent Research The Will to Survive in the War's Final Phase 5. The Legend of the Wehrmacht's "Clean Hands" The Birth of a Legend The War Crimes Trials Writing History from the Wehrmacht's Point of View The Cold War Begins Wehrmacht Crimes, the Justice System, and the Statute of Limitations 6. A Taboo Shatters Historical Research Perceptions of the Wehrmacht in the Bundeswehr After Fifty Years a Taboo Is Broken 7. Conclusion Notes Index

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary...serious naval history and a detective story, told with passion.' The Times'Vividly detailed...compelling yet comprehensive.' Los Angeles Times'Simply outstanding.' Booklist (starred review)'Gripping... This yarn has it all.' USA TodayThe sinking of the USS Indianapolis is still the biggest single loss of life at sea to be suffered by the United States navy. From a crew of 1,196 men, only 317 survived. Torpedoed by the Japanese, dying of thirst and eaten by sharks. For 70 years, the story of the USS Indianapolis has been told as a sinking story, or a shark story, or a story of military justice gone awry. But in Indianapolis, the true story of this mighty vessel is revealed. As the USS Arizona embodies the beginning of the Pacific wTrade Review‘A wonderful book . . . Thanks to Indianapolis, we now have a complete and accessible story of this saga. It is a gripping and engaging tale that features grievous mistakes, extraordinary courage, unimaginable horror, and a cover-up. . . . Vincent and Vladic spent years talking to the dwindling band of survivors and giving voice to their stories. . . . This exhaustive and comprehensive assessment is as complete an account of this tragic tale as we are likely to have. It is compelling history.’ * Christian Science Monitor *‘Sharks, torpedoes, deadly secrets . . . In Indianapolis, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic expose what really happened that day in 1945 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the Navy cruiser.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘Gripping . . . This yarn has it all . . . Stories of courage, cowardice, and sharks—lots of sharks . . . The disaster has been the subject of numerous books . . . [and] you wouldn’t think there would be much left to say. But, as it turns out, there is. Vincent and Vladic have delivered an account that stands out through its crisp writing and superb research. Indianapolis also goes where past books haven’t, to the full story behind the decades-long movement to clear the captain’s besmirched name. . . . Somehow, Vincent and Vladic manage to weave the story of the fateful voyage with events occurring fifty-five or more years later, making for taut action throughout the book. Is this the definitive and final narrative of the Navy’s worst sea disaster? Indianapolis is sure to hold its own for a long time.’ * USA Today *‘Vividly detailed . . . In a brisk, fact-based narrative, Indianapolis mixes horror and scandal. . . . With diligent reporting and sharp writing, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic have accomplished a daunting chore facing writers of historic nonfiction: take a story whose outline is known to the public and craft an account that is compelling yet comprehensive.’ * Los Angeles Times *‘Enthralling . . . Meticulously researched . . . A gripping study of the greatest sea disaster in the history of the U.S. Navy and its aftermath.’ * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *‘Simply outstanding . . . Indianapolis is a must-read . . . Sea battles, adventures, the secret mission to deliver materials for the assemblage of the atomic bomb to the Pacific Islands, tragedy, disaster, an epic ordeal—sharks included—in the open ocean, courtroom drama, political intrigue, and the uphill battle by the band of survivors to exonerate the ship’s captain will all have readers unable to put this book down. . . . Vincent and Vladic have produced a tour de force of true human drama.’ * Booklist (starred review) *‘The story of USS Indianapolis is movingly and vividly captured in this visceral account, the result of more than a decade’s research and interviews conducted by its authors. . . . This is an eye-popping book, with as many twists and turns as an airport thriller. . . . Vincent and Vladic’s extraordinary book morphs from high seas adventure to courtroom drama and congressional hearing. . . . It is a work of serious naval history and a detective story, told with passion.’ * The Times *‘Chilling . . . The facts are more horrible than fiction.’ * New York Daily News *‘Indianapolis is a gripping and emotional read. You may know part of the story from the famous speech in Jaws, but this book goes far beyond that. The product of extraordinary research, it is a brilliant, stunning, and stirring book.’ -- Don Winslow, author of The Force and The Cartel‘It was the worst sea disaster in U.S. naval history and Indianapolis, by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic, tells the grisly story without flinching. Their tale has almost everything. There’s a secret mission, an honorable enemy and a scapegoated captain. There’s madmen, heroes and cannibals. There’s enough in this tale for several movies.’ * San Diego Union-Tribune *‘Simultaneously a gripping narrative, a convincing analysis, and a pitiless exposure of institutional mendacity . . . The systemic oversights and misjudgments that enabled this tragedy remained obscure until this investigation, which drew upon new sources clarifying how the file was amended. This exposé will be valuable for scholars and general readers alike.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Valuable and illuminating. Vladic and Vincent’s work brings to life the history of this valorous and extraordinary ship.’ -- Doug Stanton, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way and The Odyssey of Echo Company‘Our hearts quickened while racing through this page-turning book. You may think you know the story of the worst seafaring disaster in the history of the United States Navy. You would be wrong. As Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic’s propulsive narrative segues from wartime action-adventure to riveting courtroom drama, their newly unearthed mountain of details encompassing this tragedy and its shape-shifting aftermath will not only enhance your understanding of the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of the American sailors so evocatively portrayed in Indianapolis, but shine a light on their dogged pursuit of truth and justice. It is astonishingly rare when such a significant work of history also brings tears to your eyes. Vincent and Vladic’s ultimate tale of redemption accomplishes just that feat.’ -- Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthors of Halsey’s Typhoon, The Heart of Everything That Is, and Valley Forge‘Vincent and Vladic have rendered this long-overdue story in a way few writers of narrative nonfiction could ever achieve. They are consummate storytellers, and their research is impeccable, including accounts not only from the sailors and officers who survived, but also from the Japanese kamikaze and submarine commanders who were there. The authors reveal all that is good and all that is bad about humanity: the destruction and the courage, the selfishness and selflessness, and ultimately the shared respect and dignity of those who were once enemies. Few other books will satisfy a reader’s longing for a true and truly great story more than Indianapolis.’ -- Gary Kinder, New York Times bestselling author of Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea‘This is an absorbing book. The attention to detail is superb, the clear result of lots of plain hard work. Yet the detail doesn’t get in the way, but rather serves, along with a driving narrative, to get the reader as close to experiencing this most tragic episode of World War II as is possible without living through it.’ -- Karl Marlantes, New York Times bestselling author of Matterhorn‘The voices of the Greatest Generation come alive in Indianapolis. Through first-person accounts we hear horrific stories of fear, pain, and anger but also of resilience, hope, and courage. Stories of the friendships the sailors forged with each other on board and the sacrifices they made for each other in their darkest hours are inspirational. Ultimately, Indianapolis is about the sacrifice these men made for our country at a time of unparalleled risk and of their lifelong search for justice for the captain of their ship. It’s a beautifully told and incredibly detailed narrative that brings this famous disaster to life.’ -- Kate Andersen Brower, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Residence and First Women‘This is a brilliant, highly readable, and ultimately groundbreaking account of a proud ship’s life and times, not simply a rendering of her tragic ending. Absolutely superb.’ -- James Stavridis, U.S. Navy Admiral (Ret.), Supreme Allied Commander at NATO (2009-2013), and Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

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Book SynopsisA daring behind-enemy-lines mission from the author of A Time of Gifts and The Broken Road, who was once described by the BBC as 'a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene'.Trade ReviewIt takes some chutzpah to kidnap a German general - and serious presence of mind to get away with it. Paddy, the Special Operations Executive commander of a group of 11 Cretan andartes, or guerrilla fighters, together with his second-in-command Captain William Stanley Moss, had excessive stores of both . . . Abducting a General . . . is the work of a mature man, anxious to pay proper tribute to the Cretans who were the backbone of the resistance and ran by far the greatest risks. His SOE reports, which run to 90 pages here, provide gripping cinematic portraits of Leigh Fermor the soldier * The Spectator *Beautifully written . . . Fermor's love of Crete and scholarly knowledge of the Classics exude from the pages * The Times *As a pure adventure story . . . it is hard to beat * Financial Times *Superb . . . Leigh Fermor's many fans will find plenty of the old master's fizz in this resurrected work . . . irresistible * Scotsman *Paddy's vividly idiomatic reports irresistibly take us in to the skulduggery and derring-do . . . a wonderful story * Jan Morris, Literary Review *The late, great Pagrick Leigh Fermor, described as a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene, first became famous in 1944 for his daring kidnap of high-ranking German general . . . Afficionados of the tale were spoilt this year * Daily Express *Gripping buccaneering of the old school * Sun *Paddy was the Byron of our time * Standpoint *A riveting first-hand account * Good Book Guide *Abducting a General is filled with the same rich exuberant prose [as his trilogy] and fulfils its objective as portraying the Cretan people as the true heroes of the resistance * TLS *What shines through in Leigh Fermor's account is his connection to and respect and admiration for the spirit of the Cretan people * Daily Mail *A glorious first-hand account of one of the great adventures of the Second World War * Gentleman's Journal *

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Book SynopsisAs the U.S. gained independence, a full fifth of the country’s population was African American. In this compact volume, Nash reorients our understanding of early America, and reveals the perilous choices of the founding fathers that shaped the nation's future. Here is a powerful story of the nation’s multiple, and painful, paths to freedom.Trade ReviewIn this wonderfully detailed narrative, Gary Nash tells the dramatic and engaging story of African American people and the issues of race and slavery at a critical moment in American history. Marshaling compelling evidence, he illuminates the post-Revolutionary debates over slavery and abolition. Had the founders' actions matched their ideals of freedom, we might well have avoided a Civil War. An important book that offers profound insights into the foundations of the history of all Americans. -- James Oliver Horton and Lois E. Horton, co-authors of Slavery and the Making of AmericaGary Nash is one of America's most distinguished historians and he has done as much as anyone to bring 'The Forgotten Fifth' to life. With this incisive and engaging book, he compels Americans to learn more about a remarkable generation of black founders--men and women who helped shape the meaning of liberty and justice for all as surely as their better known counterparts, Jefferson, Washington and Madison. A fine book. -- Richard S. Newman, author of The Transformation of American Abolitionism: Fighting Slavery in the Early RepublicGary Nash has long inspired all those still laboring to bring a missing portion of American history to light. In The Forgotten Fifth, Nash sketches a complex and gripping tale of a road not taken toward true equality at the time of our nation's founding. This veteran historian has placed squarely on the table the largest missing piece in the puzzle of our extraordinary revolution. Now the soul-searching debate about what this complex story means for all Americans can begin. -- Peter Wood, Duke UniversityNash's reminder that African-Americans made up a fifth of the population during the Revolutionary era exemplifies the purpose of this lively, accessible 'corrective to historical amnesia,' comprising three discrete chapters based on lectures he delivered at Harvard in 2004. The wide-ranging first chapter, 'The Black Americans' Revolution,' illustrates how the War for Independence whetted slaves' thirst for freedom. Nash chronicles slave defection to the British (for whom many more blacks fought than for the Americans) and sketches vivid portraits of individuals who sued for their freedom in the courts. The impassioned second chapter asks, 'Could Slavery Have Been Abolished?' and argues the affirmative--that ending slavery during the postrevolutionary period was not only possible but would have unified rather than split the nation. Nash traces broad political and economic conditions (e.g., widespread abolitionist sentiment) to support his argument, and blames the nation's leaders and founding fathers for their lack of political courage. The concluding essay explores questions of citizenship and national identity through the early 19th-century writings of two contemporary Philadelphians, the African-American businessman James Forten and Tench Coxe, a white political economist. Nash exhibits gracefully assertive scholarship in this brief but meaty synthesis. * Publishers Weekly *During the American Revolution, one in every five Americans was black. The British offered freedom in return for joining the fight against the rebels. The Continental Army did not. In a slim but well-researched narrative, historian Nash questions the idea that slavery was an issue best deferred in the early days of the Republic. -- Bob Minzesheimer * USA Today *A book to stimulate robust debate, this one is well worth the read. -- Frank Lampert * American Historical Review *This short book features three provocative essays based on the author's 2004 Nathan Huggins Lectures at Harvard. In characteristic style, Nash challenges historical assumptions about African Americans during the revolutionary period...Well researched, engaging, and thought-provoking. -- Robert Flatley * Library Journal *Gary Nash shows that the African slaves hardly stood by impassively as Revolution approached and that at least part of their plight when their fate was considered at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was that so many of them had made a daring political choice--but a disastrous one as it turned out...Nash illuminates a largely overlooked chapter in black history, the flight of thousands of slaves to the side of the British during the War for Independence...Required reading for anyone who ponders the impact of slavery on our lives today. -- James Srodes * Washington Times *Thoughtful...The modest but forceful reassessment by Nash...evoke[s] colonial and post-colonial greed as fully as the arbitrary and unforgiving boundaries on the map of contemporary Africa. No matter which side won in America, the black population lost. -- Stanley Weintraub * Washington Post Book World *Historians have generally assumed that the postwar flurry of antislavery sentiment and action was superficial and doomed to failure. Nash boldly suggests otherwise, arguing that the movement came very close to success and failed only because of a lack of astute and effective leadership on the part of those who were in a position to make a difference, namely the Founding Fathers...Nash's argument is original and suggestive. -- George M. Fredrickson * New York Review of Books *The Revolutionary generation in America did not end slavery—that is a fact...Moreover, enslaved black Americans were not idle bystanders; they launched a resistance movement, which the author claims identifies them as black founding fathers. But this is not the lesson school children learn; they are taught what the slaveholding minority believed: that ending slavery meant disunion. This is the story eloquently told by Gary B. Nash in this book. Nash does not intend to “destabilize history”; rather, he wants to portray a more diverse picture of the United States (vii)...This skillful historian provides many examples of how African-Americans and their supporters engaged the fight for liberty to include all the people...His elegant prose makes the book accessible virtually to anyone interested in historical literature. -- Stephen Middleton * The Historian *

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