Military History Books
Double 9 Books The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the Worldfrom
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Central European University Press Russia'S Imperial Endeavor and its Geopolitical
Book SynopsisAside from the near-complete devastation of a sovereign state and reversal of the global balance of power, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is leading to a radical transformation in the Eastern European and Eurasian regions – including Russia itself. The 13 chapters in this volume examine the main geopolitical consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. They examine the ideological tools of history falsification as an integral part of hybrid warfare. Turning to the economy, the book discusses how the war and economic sanctions imposed on Russia are redrawing the geopolitical map and how economic relations would change following a regime transformation. The book discusses the reactions of members of the international community to the invasion, whether threatened or neutral parties or allies. The collection therefore offers a comprehensive picture of the main consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. Equipped with the conceptual tools of the analysis with a focus on the patronal features of the political-economic system, the book considers the aftermath of the war. This collection complements the book entitled Ukraine. Patronal Democracy and the Russian Invasion.Table of ContentsChronology of Russia (1985-2022) Foreword by Kirill Rogov I. Russia’s Patronal Autocracy: Ideology and Sociology of Imperial Warfare Elites in the war and after Putin (Nikolay Petrov) Socially Inclusive and Exclusive Warfighting: Comparing Ukraine and Russia’s Ways of War (András Rácz) The Falsification of History: War and Russian Memory Politics (Zoltán Sz. Bíró) Enter the “Bloody Clown”: Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky in the Lens of Russia’s Media Machine (Kostiantyn Fedorenko) Authoritarian Deflation: How Russia Lost the Information War against the West (Péter Krekó, Boglárka Rédl) II. Geopolitical Structures and the War: The Changing Position of Russia and Ukraine In the Gravitational Tensions of East and West: The Systemic and Geopolitical Integration Patterns of Ukraine and Moldova (Kálmán Mizsei) Neo-Backwardness and Prospects for Long-Term Growth: The effects of Western sanctions on Russia and the changing embeddedness of Ukraine in the world economy (Dóra Győrffy) The politics of energy and natural resources in Ukraine (Dmytro Tuzhanskyi) Forced Displacement of Ukrainians during the War: Patterns of Internal and External Migration (2014-2022) (Oksana Mikheieva, Viktoria Sereda, Lidia Kuzemska) III. The International Community: Patronal and Non-Patronal Responses to the War Crescent Rising? The Baltic, Romanian, and “V3” Reaction to the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war (Zsombor Zeöld) Hungary’s Dubious Loyalty: Orbán’s Regime Strategy in the Russia-Ukraine War (Bálint Madlovics, Bálint Magyar) Defensive Submission, Lucrative Neutrality, and Silent Detachment: Post-Soviet Patronal Autocracies in the Shadow of Russian Invasion (Anatoly Reshetnikov) The Russia-Ukraine War and China: Neutrality with Imperial Characteristics (Gyula Krajczár)
£24.65
Little, Brown Book Group What Would Winston Do Dads ask their questions
Book Synopsis(This book is a parody and is not authorised by the Estate of Winston S. Churchill) THE PERFECT GIFT FOR DADS THIS FATHER''S DAY Dear Winston,We''ve just started our baby on solids and I''m about to change his first nappy since then. What pep talk can I give myself?Reyansh, Chatham, 26WC: Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: ''This was their finest hour''.---Winston Churchill, oft-named greatest Briton of all time, had wisdom in abundance. Now, for the first time, that wisdom is being applied to the people most in need: FATHERS. Whether you''re a 28-year-old newbie after advice on how to remove your toddler''s dummy, a 40-year-old long-timer wishing your teenager would try harder at their GCSEs, or a 63-year-old veteran wanting to know how best to
£7.19
Little, Brown Book Group The Mammoth Book of the Vietnam War
Book SynopsisBy 1969, following the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, over 500,000 US troops were in country' in Vietnam. Before America's longest war had ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975, 450,000 Vietnamese had died, along with 36,000 Americans. The Vietnam War was the first rock 'n' roll war, the first helicopter war with its doctrine of airmobility', and the first television war; it made napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange infamous, and gave us the New Journalism of Michael Herr and others. It also saw the establishment of the Navy SEALs and Delta Force. At home, America fractured, with the peace movement protesting against the war; at Kent State University, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on unarmed students, killing four and injuring nine. Lewis's compelling selection of the best writing to come out of a war covered by some truly outstanding writers, both journalists and combatants, includes an eyewitness account of the first major battle between the US Army and the People's Army
£12.34
Boydell Press Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century
Book SynopsisDeVries has focused on an intriguing problem, and his detailed analysis of battles provides an important reassessment of the way in which infantry and dismounted cavalry achieved such striking successes. HISTORYTrade ReviewProfessor DeVries has focused on an intriguing problem, and his detailed analysis of battles provides an important reassessment of the way in which infantry and dismounted cavalry achieved such striking successes. HISTORY [Michael Prestwich] This remarkable study of fourteenth-century battles confirms [DeVries's] emergence as one of the major scholars of his generation. JOURNAL OF MILITARY HISTORY A very useful contribution to our understanding of how war at the end of the middle ages came to be fought. WAR IN HISTORY A good - and, at times, an exciting - read... an enjoyable and rewarding study of infantry battle tactics. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Table of ContentsThe Battle of Courtrai, 1302; the Battle of Arques, 1303; the Battle of Mons-en-Pevele, 1304; the Battle of Loudon Hill, 1307; the Battle of Kephissos, 1311; the Battle of Bannockburn, 1314; the Battle of Boroughbridge, 1322; the Battle of Cassel, 1328; the battles of Dupplin Moor, 1332, and Halidon Hill, 1333; the Battle of Laupen, 1339; the Battle of Morlaix, 1342; the battles of Staveren, 1345, and Votem, 1346; the Battle of Crecy, 1346; the Battle of Neville's Cross, 1346; three infantry ambushes - the battles of Morgarten, 1315, Auberoche, 1345, and La Roche-Derrien, 1347.
£22.49
Bonnier Books UK Limited Hope for The Good Time Girls
Book SynopsisLondon, June 1942. The bombs are falling, the music plays on, but can the Good Time Girls keep dancing?Everything has finally fallen into place for Renee. So when vicar Roger asks her to support a new dance hall, it should be a great way to give back to the community. Except Renee has a terrible secret she is holding onto. One that Roger can never know about...Nancy will keep Renee's secret. But she's got her own problems: handsome GI Jack has turned her head, and the American soldiers are causing a stir. Temperance has made a new friend - but now that she has someone who can understand the challenges she faces, will her relationship with Archie survive?All Violet wants is to spend every minute with her precious baby Eamon. But with her sweetheart dead and cruel gossips making life a misery for her and her mixed-race son, will she be able to weather the hostility she's forced to face every day?Things have never been so tough for the Good Time Girls, but they'll get through it as long as they have each other... An absolutely gripping and heart-warming wartime saga about the power of love and friendship. Perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Vicki Beeby and Nancy Revell.
£10.39
University Press of Kansas Afghanistan A Military History from the Ancient
Book SynopsisCovers the military history of a region encompassing Afghanistan, Central and South Asia, and West Asia, over some 2,500 years. This is the first comprehensive study in any language published on the millennia-long competition for domination and influence in one of the key regions of the Eurasian continent.Trade ReviewAli Ahmed Jalali has produced the first military history of ancient, medieval, and early modern Afghanistan on a scale commensurate with the subject. This work will be invaluable to military historians and area specialists; it combines sound scholarship and accurate translations from the full range of sources." - Jeremy Black, author of Military Strategy: A Global History
£41.36
Cambridge University Press Uncivil War
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The KamenetsPodolsky Pocket 1944
Book SynopsisA detailed exploration of a critical month-long battle, which set the stage for German strategic-level defeats on both the Eastern and Western fronts.In February 1944, 1st Panzer Army (under Generaloberst Hube) played a major role in the relief operation that saved part of the German forces trapped in the Korsun Pocket. However, the losses suffered in that effort left Hube's forces materially weakened, exhausted and with vulnerable flanks. Unexpectedly, Zhukov's 1st Ukrainian Front and Konev's 2nd Ukrainian Front attacked on 4 March, conducting a huge pincer operation against 1st Panzer Army. Within three weeks, Hube's 200,000-strong army was isolated, with its back to the Dniester River. The destruction of Hube's army would doubtless precipitate a rapid German collapse on the Eastern Front two months before the Allied invasion of France. In this work, Eastern Front expert Robert Forczyk presents a superbly illustrated examination of the initial Soviet encirclement operation, Hube's full-scale breakout operation to save his army, and the relief operation by 2nd SS-Panzer Corps (redeployed from the West) in April 1944. Although Hube's army managed to escape Zhukov's trap, it lost most of its equipment and was no longer fully combat capable. The German Army in the East had been seriously weakened, and the amount of German armour deployed in the West to counter any Allied landings in France had simultaneously been reduced.
£15.29
Abrams The Bomb
Book Synopsis
£18.69
Amber Books Ltd German Fighter Aircraft of World War II
Book SynopsisArranged by type, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the most important fighters used by the Luftwaffe during the conflict. It features such classics as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110, the Heinkel He 100D-1 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 187 and Fw 190, as well as curiosities such as the Arado Ar 68F-1, Henschel Hs 123 and Heinkel He 51B biplanes. Late war innovations, such as the jet and rocket powered Me 262, Me 163 and Heinkel He 162, are also included. Most types are represented in numerous variants and with examples drawn from different theatres of the war. The book includes all the major fighters that served in the invasion of Poland, the defeat of France, the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, the war in the Mediterranean, the fighting on the Eastern Front and the Defence of the Reich. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by detailed specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Biplanes Arado Ar 66 Arado Ar 68 Heinkel He 50 Heinkel He 51 2. Single-Seat Monoplanes Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 112 Messerschmitt Bf 109 Focke Wulf Fw 190 Focke Wulf Ta 152 Focke Wulf Ta 154 Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Blohm & Voss BV 40 3. Heavy Fighters Messerschmitt Bf 110 Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Falke Dornier Do 17Z night fighter Dornier Do 215 night fighter Dornier Do 217 night fighter Junkers Ju 88 night fighter Heinkel He 219 Uhu Messerschmitt Me 210 Messerschmitt Me 410 4. Jet and Rocket Fighters Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Messerschmitt Me 262 Heinkel He 162 Salamander Bachem Ba 349 Natter Appendices Aircraft compared, variants, production numbers, losses Index
£16.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC German Field Artillery of World War II
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
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tanks in the Philippines 194445
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
£12.34
Amber Books Ltd Soviet Tank Units 1939–45: Identification Guide
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
£16.99
Amber Books Ltd Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War II:
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
£16.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Battle of the Atlantic 1
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
£15.29
Amber Books Ltd World War I Illustrated Atlas
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
£19.54
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Early Pacific Raids 1942
Book SynopsisA fascinating exploration of how between February 1 and March 10, 1942, three small US task forces launched several unexpected raids across the Japanese defensive perimeter in the Central and South Pacific. After the devastating Japanese blows of December 1941, the Allies found themselves reeling with defeat everywhere in the Pacific. Although stripped of his battleships and outnumbered 10:3 in carriers, the US Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Ernest J. King decided to hit back at Japan''s rapidly expanding Pacific empire immediately, in an effort to keep the Japanese off-balance. On February 1, 1942, Vice Admiral Bill Halsey led the US Pacific Fleet carriers on their first raid, using high-speed hit-and-run tactics to strike at the Japanese, at a time when most of the Japanese carrier fleet was in the Indian Ocean. Halsey''s aggressive commitment inspired its American participants to invent the mythical Haul Ass With Halsey club. The last of the 1942 US carrieTrade ReviewAn enjoyable read that covers a lot of action. -- Neil Smith * Wargames Illustrated *Table of ContentsORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN Pearl Harbor and aftermath, December 7–10, 1941 Failed Wake Island relief, December 14–23 Yamamoto’s Submarine Offensive against Hawaii and the US West Coast, December 1941 Reforming the US Pacific Fleet 1941–42 Reinforcing the Central and South Pacific CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Japanese United States OPPOSING FORCES Japanese United States Marshalls–Gilberts raid orders of battle, February 1, 1942 OPPOSING PLANS Japanese United States THE CAMPAIGN Commander Michimune Inaba’s I-6 torpedoes Saratoga, January 11, 1942 US Pacific Fleet carrier plans, January 1942 Operation R: the Japanese invasion of Rabaul and Kavieng, January 20–23, 1942 Brown’s aborted Task Force 11 raid against Wake, January 23, 1942 Halsey and Fletcher raid the Marshalls and Gilberts, February 1, 1942 US Pacific Fleet strategy, February 1942 Japanese carrier actions, February 1–19, 1942 Action off Bougainville, February 20, 1942 Halsey’s Task Force 16 raids Wake Island, February 24, 1942 Halsey strikes Marcus Island, March 4, 1942 Shokaku and Zuikaku redeploy to defend the Home Islands The Japanese invasion of Lae and Salamaua, March 8, 1942 Brown and Fletcher strike Lae and Salamaua, March 10, 1942 AFTERMATH THE BATTLEFIELDS TODAY SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Carrhae 53 BC
Book SynopsisExplores the critical battle of Carrhae, a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats.The Battle of Carrhae is from a heady moment in Roman history that of the clever carve-up of power between the ''First Triumvirate'' of Caius Iulius Caesar, Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus (the Roman general who had famously put down the Spartacan revolt). It is a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats at the hands of the Parthians, not far from a trade-route town hunkered down on the fringes of the arid wastes of northern Mesopotamia, sending shock waves through the Roman power structure. In this work, classical historian Dr Nic Fields draws out the crucial psychological and political factors (including Crassus'' lust for military glory and popular acclaim) that played a key role in this brutal battle. DesTrade ReviewThe author has produced a thoroughly researched profile of this humiliating defeat of one of the Triumvirate and the loss of most of a Roman army. He combines a knowledge of the classical sources (as usual, few in number and reliability) with a grasp of the military issues at both strategic and tactical level. -- Chris Jarvis * Miniature Wargames *Complemented by excellent illustrations and maps plus photographs where appropriate I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book. * Amy Rumour Service *Table of ContentsORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN OPPOSING COMMANDERS Marcus Licinius Crassus Surena OPPOSING FORCES Crassus’ army Surena’s army THE BACKGROUND TO WAR Departing Rome The setting THE BATTLE OF CARRHAE Into Parthia The day of battle The Roman retreat The death of Crassus The reasons why AFTERMATH Cicero in Cilicia Bloodshed at home Roman renegade Marcus Antonius’ adventure Augustus the avenger ABBREVIATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
£14.39
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Sumatra 194445
Book SynopsisThe first history of how the aircraft of the British Pacific Fleet shattered Japanese oilfields in Sumatra, starving Japan of oil and proving how Anglo-American navies could fight together.With the war in Europe in its final stages, by 1944 the Royal Navy was able to put together a major force to join the campaign against Japan. The British Pacific Fleet was arguably the most powerful fleet the Royal Navy has ever sent into action. In this book, renowned naval historian Angus Konstam explores how the first target of British naval power in the Pacific would be the strategically vital oil fields in Japanese-occupied Sumatra, part of the Dutch East Indies. Between April 1944 and January 1945, the task force struck oil fields and production centres, Japanese airfields, naval facilities and troop concentrations. Initially working alongside US Navy carriers, and learning their ruthlessly effective fast carrier doctrine, the British would end the Sumatra campaign wit
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Operation Pedestal 1942
Book SynopsisA fascinating story of a key turning point in the War in the Mediterranean, as the island of Malta was thrown a vital lifeline. Since 1940, the island of Malta had been a thorn in the Axis'' side. It sat astride the direct sea route between Italy and its North African colonies, and from 1941 the Royal Navy had used the island as a base for its attacks on Axis convoys. The island, though, relied on convoys to survive, and from early 1941 these came under increasingly heavy air and submarine attack. As the situation became critical in 1942, the decision was made to send through a heavily protected convoy, carrying fuel and supplies, in an effort to save the island. This mission was codenamed Operation Pedestal. This fascinating work describes how, after leaving Britain on 2 August 1942, the convoy was repeatedly pummeled by Axis air and submarine attacks as it ground its way towards Malta, with most of the merchant ships sunk during the passage, along with an aircraft carriTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN OPPOSING COMMANDERS Allies Axis OPPOSING FORCES Allies Axis Orders of Battle OPPOSING PLANS Allies Axis OPERATION PEDESTAL The first leg Through the Western Mediterranean, 10–11 August The secondary operations, 10–12 August The Western Mediterranean, 12 August The night action, 12/13 August Da Zara’s sortie The last air attacks, 13 August The stragglers AFTERMATH THE LEGACY OF PEDESTAL FURTHER READING INDEX
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Cape Matapan 1941
Book SynopsisThe first ever illustrated study of the largest and most significant clash between the Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina.The Battle of Matapan witnessed the first use of decisive new technologies to bring about a stunning British victory over the Italian Navy. The Allies had tapped into the Ultra coded messages sent by the Axis powers, and the battle witnessed the use of radar and carrier-based air strikes to bring about a critical night action. The result was the most decisive engagement of the Mediterranean naval war.Written by renowned naval historian Angus Konstam, this book offers for the first time a unique and fully illustrated exploration of the battle. It also examines why, despite the emphatic and decisive Royal Navy victory, the Allies failed to capitalize on the strategic advantage earned in the months that followed. Battlescene artworks bring to life the cruiser clashes early on 28 March off Gavdos, the Fleet Air Arm attacks on the Italian fTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION Origins of the campaign CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Regia Marina Royal Navy OPPOSING FORCES Regia Marina Royal Navy Orders of Battle OPPOSING PLANS Regia Marina Royal Navy THE BATTLE OF CAPE MATAPAN First contact Pursuits and ambushes The first air strikes The general chase The afternoon air strikes The dusk strike Cattaneo’s mission The night action AFTERMATH COMMEMORATING THE BATTLE FURTHER READING INDEX
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Oil Campaign 194445
Book SynopsisA new illustrated history of one of the key air campaigns of late World War II the American effort to cripple Germany''s oil production, and grind its armed forces to a halt.With retreating German forces losing their oilfields on the Eastern Front, Germany was reliant on its own facilities, particularly for producing synthetic oil from coal. However, these were within range of the increasingly mighty Allied air forces. In 1944 the head of the US Strategic Air Forces, General Carl Spaatz was intent on a new campaign that aimed to cripple the German war machine by depriving it of fuel. The USAAF's Oil Campaign built up momentum during the summer of 1944 and targeted these refineries and plants with its daylight heavy bombers. Decrypted German communications made it clear that the Oil Campaign was having an effect against the Wehrmacht. Fuel shortages in the autumn of 1944 forced the Luftwaffe to ground most of its combat units except for fighters involved in the defense ofTrade ReviewThis author really needs no accolade from the likes of me. Once again, he provides an excellent description and analysis of WWII equipment, tactics, operational method, and strategic impact in a well-blended and thoroughly researched manner. Allied industrial/military intelligence identified the German oil industry as a critical point in their infrastructure, the crippling of which would lead not only to severe logistics issues (including the loss of associated key chemical by-products such as nitrogen for explosives) but also attrition of German fighter defences in aerial combat. The book focuses on the operational and strategic aspects of the campaign rather than detailed (but still adequate) descriptions of equipment – aircraft and anti-aircraft, radar and anti-radar – so is ideal for that level of wargaming. There are numerous tables of bomb tonnage, sorties, oil production, fighter strength, etc set against a background of mammoth air ‘missions’, with up to 2,000 Allied bombers and fighters at a time. German fighter losses in the later engagements were horrific – up to 50% of aircraft engaged. An excellent account, with a good bibliography too. -- Chris Jarvis * Miniature Wargames *This fascinating book packed with key photos and illustrations examines the controversies and debates over the focus of the US bombing campaign in the final year of the war, and the impact it had on the war effort overall. This campaign was so successful the Luftwaffe had to ground most of its aircraft due to the fuel shortage caused by the campaign. -- Jason Hubbard * Irregular Magazine *The 12 pages of exceptional artwork covering the type’s various colour schemes are by Polish artist Janusz Swiatlon, and will no doubt be of great value to scale modellers. Recommended. * Aviation News *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ATTACKER’S CAPABILITIES Allied bomber strength in 1944 Royal Air Force US Army Air Forces DEFENDER’S CAPABILITIES Luftflotte reich Luftwaffe organization Luftwaffe daylight tactics Luftwaffe night tactics Luftwaffe Flak CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES The crucial commodity The Oil Plan THE CAMPAIGN Collapsing the German war economy Mission 353: May 12, 1944 Ploesti attacks resume Impact of the initial Oil Campaign German countermeasures Bomber Command joins the battle Post-invasion USSTAF Oil Campaign August Oil Campaign Ploesti subdued Summer assessment The Fall 1944 Oil Campaign October missions The November reprieve Hitler’s December gamble Bodenplatte January 1945 Luftwaffe demoralization The February decline The final campaign ANALYSIS FURTHER READING INDEX
£13.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Stalingrad 194243 1
Book SynopsisThe first in a three-book series examining the Stalingrad campaign, one of the most decisive military operations in World War II that set the stage for the ultimate defeat of the Third Reich.After failing to defeat the Soviet Union with Operation Barbarossa in 1941, Adolf Hitler planned a new campaign for the summer of 1942 that was intended to achieve a decisive victory: Operation Blue (Case Blau). In this new campaign, Hitler directed that one army group (Heeresgruppe A) would advance to seize the Soviet oilfields in the Caucasus, while the other (Heeresgruppe B) pushed on to the Volga River. The expectation was for a rapid victory instead, German forces had to fight hard just to reach the outskirts of Stalingrad, and then found themselves embroiled in a protracted urban battle amid the ruins of a devastated city on the Volga.The Soviet Red Army was hit hard by the initial German offensive but held onto the city and then launched OperaTable of ContentsOrigins of the Campaign Chronology Opposing Commanders Opposing Forces plus Order of Battle, 28 June 1942 Opposing Plans The Campaign Analysis The Battlefield Today Further Reading Index
£15.29
Faber & Faber Beware of Small States
Book Synopsis''Beware of Small States'' wrote Mikhail Bukanin in 1870. He could have meant Lebanon: a sectarian state no bigger than Wales that has become battleground for one of the defining conflicts of twentieth-century history. Throughout its short existence, it has been attacked, invaded, occupied or interfered with to serve the political interests of foreign powers, resulting a series of devastating wars and crises. To understand Lebanon''s history is to understand the history of the entire region - and, with the rise of Hizbullah, it has come to assume a disproportionate, dangerous power of its own. Iran and Israel now face each other in the hills of south Lebanon.David Hirst, author of The Gun and the Olive Branch, is a hugely respected commentator on the Arab-Israeli crisis. In a masterly narrative, he gives a much-needed, comprehensive history of the country and its conflicts, culminating with the recent war in Gaza and its fallout in Lebanon. Powerful and often moving,
£13.49
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc The Battle of the Bulge
Book SynopsisFought in the winter of 1944-1945, the coldest season in over 100 years, the Battle of the Bulge still ranks as the single largest battle ever fought by the United States Army. Thirty-one American divisions - fully one-third of the U.S. Army raised during World War II - saw action in this battle. This battle was truly a test: could this conscript army from a pacifistic democracy defeat the best remaining men and machines that Germany''s totalitarian government could produce? In Battle of the Bulge, author and artist Wayne Vansant brings readers into the frozen foxholes, haunting forests, and devastated villages of the Ardennes during that freezing cold winter. With meticulous historical accuracy and hand-drawn visuals that can tell a story in ways words alone cannot, Vansant recounts the Bulge with insightful detail, replaying the thrusts and volleys of both the combined Allied and German forces during the tumultuous battle. This is a story of panic, fear, and physical
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Big Week
Book Synopsis''James Holland is a master'' BBC HistoryIt was to be the battle to end the air war once and for all.During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and at the same time draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Big Week is the knife-edge story of bomber against flak gun and fighter, but also, crucially, fighter against fighter. Following the fortunes of pilots and aircrew from both sides, this is a blistering narrative of one of the most critical periods of the entire war. Big Week was the largest air battle ever witnessed, but it has been largely forgotten until now.
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Airborne
Book SynopsisThe engrossing account of one of World War II's legendary figures. A member of the legendary Band of Brothers, Ed Shames was involved in some of the most important battles of World War II. His incredible combat record includes parachuting into Normandy on D-Day, and service during Operation Market Garden, at Bastogne and in Germany itself. Shames' own words and recollections fuel a searing account that gives a soldier's glimpse into the ferocity of the fighting on the ground and the close fellowship that developed between the men in Easy Company. The first member of the 101st Airborne Division to enter Dachau concentration camp, just days after its liberation, Shames ended the war in the bombed out shell of Hitler's Eagles Nest, surrounded by his comrades in arms.Written by the author of the critically acclaimed Tonight We Die As Men, this is the phenomenal story of a remarkable young lieutenant during World War II, from training at Toccoa, Georgia right through Table of ContentsForeword by James C. Roberts /Introduction /Acknowledgments /1. "Take the A train" /2. "Beyond golden fields" /3. "The other side of tomorrow" /4. "The river runs red" /5. "Five seconds to forget" /6. "Bullets from the sun" /7. "Dead men's shoes" /8. "The bucket list" /9. "And the rain drank champagne" /10. "Faith and justice" /11. "Northwind" /12. "Ruhr Pocket" /13. "Last stand" /14. "Ameritocracy" /Epilogue by Ed Shames /Bibliography /Glossary /Index
£11.69
Volker Ruff Der Tiger: Schwere Panzerabteilung 503: Vol. 3
Book Synopsis
£23.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Romania 1944
Book SynopsisThe complex and fascinating story of Romania's ''turning of arms'' against Nazi Germany, and the battle for Romania - an important but overlooked and misunderstood episode of World War II. The battle for Romania from March to September 1944 is a multifaceted story involving German, Romanian, Soviet, American, and British forces. Romania's defection from the Axis denied Nazi Germany not just resources (especially oil) but also turned the Romanian Army, formerly its most important support on the Eastern Front, from friend to foe. The fighting witnessed the German Sixth Army being destroyed for a second time (after Stalingrad).This in-depth work explores the strategic struggle within German-Romanian relations and the tactical development of the Battle of Romania. The detailed 2D maps and 3D diagrams guide you step-by-step through the Axis defence of Romania in March-May during the first Iasi-Chisinau offensive, the Allied campaign in April-August to assist the So
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Second Arakan 194344
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£15.29
Bloomsbury USA Second Sirte 1942
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Pompey the Great
Book SynopsisPompey, hailed as ''Roman Alexander,'' rose from a young commander to lead Rome in wars against pirates, Mithridates, and Caesar.Pompey?s career in command began at a young age, taking control of his deceased father?s legions in support of Sulla during the civil war with Marius. A precocious and ambitious talent, he held repeated commands before he was the legal age. Sulla called him ?the teenage butcher?. He served in the Sertorian War in Spain (recovering from an early defeat), helped crush Spartacus? revolt then freed the Eastern Mediterranean from the depradations of Cilician pirates in a matter of weeks. He brought a victorious end to the long-running Third Mithridatic War and brought the whole of Asia Minor, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Judea under Roman influence by a mix of force and diplomacy. For good reason he was hailed even in his own lifetime as the ?Roman Alexander? and Lee Fratantuono gives these events the detailed coverage they deserve.All this came before the events for which he is usually remembered: his great civil war against Julius Caesar. There is detailed analysis of the opening moves in Italy, Pompey?s victory over Caesar at Dyrrhachium and the climactic battle at Pharsalus in September 48 BC. Pompey was defeated, fled ignominiously and was assassinated, leaving his two sons to carry on the war.
£21.25
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Panzer III
Book SynopsisThis highly illustrated title details the history of the Panzer III throughout World War II, from its early development in the pre-war years through its pivotal role in the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and Western Europe and its eventual obsolescence on the Eastern Front.The Panzer III was the mainstay of the German armored force in the early years of World War II, and spearheaded the victories in Poland, Western Europe, and the Balkans. Designed and developed in the mid-1930s, it was originally equipped with a 3.7cm gun and with 30mm thick armor. Early combat in Poland and France saw the need for this to be upgraded, and later models were armed with a 5cm KwK L/42 gun and had the frontal armor reinforced to 60mm by adding extra plating. This later version proved to be particularly effective during the campaigns in the Balkans and against British armor in the North African desert campaign. However, in the first months of Operation Barbarossa -- the German invTrade ReviewA well written, well examined and thorough dive into an often-forgotten part of the German armoured machine. * Classic Military Vehicle *Well illustrated and superbly researched... this is a reference book with class and is sure to please anyone with an interest in WWII German tanks, from modeller to historian. * Gun Mart & Militaria Mart magazine *Table of ContentsBlitzkrieg Panzer 1. Development 2. Production Begins 3. Combat in Poland 4. Combat in France 5. Further Development 6. The Balkan Invasion 7. North Africa 8. The Invasion of Russia 9. Progress 10: In Africa 11. Russia–1942/43 12. Support Vehicles Index Acknowledgements
£31.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC British Paratrooper 194045
Book SynopsisThis new history of the British Paratrooper, from 1940 to 1945, details the unique training, weapons and equipment used by these elite troops. Inspired by the exploits of the German Fallschirmjäger in the blitzkrieg campaigns, Winston Churchill called for the formation of a 5,000-strong Airborne Force in June 1940. From these beginnings the Parachute Regiment became one of the foremost units of the British Army both in World War II and up to the present day. A wealth of first-hand and until now unpublished materials brings the history of the ordinary Para to life, drawing on the author''s position as a curator of the Regimental Museum. Illustrations and photographs illuminate the equipment and combat performance of the elite ''paras'' in the context of some of the most significant campaigns of World War II, including D-Day and Operation market-garden.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Recruitment and Enlistment /Training /Appearance and Equipment /Belief and Belonging /Conditions of Service /Experience of Battle /After the Battle /Collections and Museums/Glossary
£13.49
Pan Macmillan No Way Out: The Searing True Story of Men Under
Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller, powerful, highly-charged and moving, No Way Out is Adam Jowett’s tribute to the men of Easy Company who paid a heavy price for serving their country in Afghanistan.'Fiercely immersive. Truly heroic.' – Tom Marcus, bestselling author of Soldier Spy.______________In Helmand province in July 2006, Major Adam Jowett was given command of Easy Company, a hastily assembled and under-strength unit of Paras and Royal Irish rangers. Their mission was to hold the District Centre of Musa Qala at any cost. Easy Company found themselves in a ramshackle compound, cut off and heavily outnumbered by the Taliban in the town.In No Way Out, Adam evokes the heat and chaos of battle as the Taliban hit Easy Company with wave after wave of brutal attack. He describes what it was like to have responsibility for the lives of his men as they fought back heroically over twenty-one days and nights of relentless, nerve-shredding combat. Finally, as they came down to their last rounds and death stared Easy Company in the face, the siege took an extraordinary turn . . ._____________'Vivid and brilliantly written: a pulsating account of the battle for Musa Qala, the Rorke's Drift of our times.’ – Martin Bell, OBE, war reporter.'A superb account of the chaos and brutality of conflict' – Levison WoodTrade ReviewFerociously immersive. Truly heroic. The action is relentless and claustrophobic as, surrounded by death, Easy Company fought for each other. I challenge you to read a more brutally honest account of brotherhood, survival and belonging. -- Tom Marcus, bestselling author of Soldier SpyA brilliant first hand account of men and war that crackles with action and brims with humanity -- Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of 3 Para, Fighter Boys, Bomber Boys, Air Force BlueSoldierly, vivid and brilliantly written: a pulsating account of the battle for Musa Qala, the Rorke's Drift of our times. * Martin Bell, OBE, war reporter *A superb account of the chaos and brutality of conflict which conveys the highs and lows of life on the front line with vivid accuracy. It us ultimately a fascinating story of modern soldiering and the bravery of Easy Company fighting a battle far from home. * Levison Wood *A truly extraordinary story of courage and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds . . . Brilliantly written and with a clear pride in the tenacity and grit of the nineteen-year-olds under his command who performed so bravely, Jowett's book belongs on the shelves of anyone interested in modern conflict and the experience of soldiering. -- Barney Campbell, author of RainA gritty, heart-pounding account of combat and courage that brings the siege of Musa Qala to life, from the 'crump' of mortar fire to the exhaustion and dogged determination of Easy Company as they fought on alone. -- Dan Jarvis MP
£10.44
Biteback Publishing Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz
Book Synopsis'Through thick and thin, never separate. Stick together, guard each other, and live for one another.' As Hitler's war intensified, the Ovitz family would have good reason to stand by their mother's mantra. Descending from the cattle train into the death camp of Auschwitz, all twelve emerged in 1945 as survivors - the largest family to survive intact. What saved them? Ironically, the fact that they were sought out by the 'Angel of Death' himself - Dr Joseph Mengele. For seven of the Ovitzes were dwarfs - and not just any dwarfs, but a beloved and highly successful vaudeville act known as the Lilliput Troupe. Together, they were the only all-dwarf ensemble with a full show of their own in the history of entertainment. The Ovitzes intrigued Mengele, and amongst the thousands on whom he performed his loathsome experiments, they became his prize 'patients': 'You're something special, not like the rest of them.' It was this disturbing affection that saved their lives. After being plunged into the darkest moments in modern history, this remarkable troupe emerged with spirits undimmed, and went on to light up Europe and Israel, which offered them a new home, with their unique performances. Giants reveals their moving and inspirational story.Trade Review"An astonishing story: both wretchedly sad and oddly uplifting - Giants can scarcely fail to stay with you." Mail on Sunday '[An] amazing story sympathetically and eloquently told ... The authors show great respect and affection for the Ovitzes ... Theirs was a life worth living and a story very worth telling.' New York Review of Books "Their remarkable story, extensively researched, is so beautifully and sympathetically written that it fully deserves to appeal far beyond its core audience." BBC History Magazine
£9.49
Bloomsbury USA Caesarian Legionary vs Pompeian Legionary
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£14.39
HarperCollins Publishers Together We Stand
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Fortress Malta this is the second book in the Mediterranean war trilogy. This book looks afresh at the conflict in Northern Africa, focusing for the first time on the involvement of the US and the way this early collaboration to defeat shaped the whole Anglo-American axis for the rest of the war in Europe.By June 1942, Britain had reached her lowest ebb. Her military command was in tatters, her armies beaten, and in the Middle East it seemed all might be lost. Her new ally, America, had only fledgling armed forces and was severely under-trained, yet it was this alliance of the weary combatant and naïve newcomer, coming together for the first time in North Africa, that would eventually bring about the defeat of Nazi Germany.This crucial period from defeat at Gazala through to the victories of Alamein and, ultimately, Tunisia was a time of learning for the Allies. Yet by the end Britain and America had finally gained material and certain tactical advantagTrade Review'Anyone who wants to know how it felt to fight in the desert war should read Holland's book. It represents a remarkable collation of personal experience and sensible historical judgments.'Sunday Telegraph, Max Hastings 'Holland has produced a wonderful book whose pace…never seems to flag … he is a master at evoking time and place, with haunting descriptions of the desert landscape … If there is a better book on the North African campaign, I haven't read it.'Daily Telegraph, Saul David 'Using personal testimony and private memoirs as effectively as official archives, he recreates the hardships and challenges faced by ordinary soldiers and reassesses the tactical and strategic innovations that finally gave the allies the upper hand.'Sunday Times 'as Holland shows, this period saw the realisation of how the war might eventually be won'BBC History Magazine 'stands out from the crowd’Literary Review, Nigel Jones 'The book gives the individuals, be they commander-in-chiefs or infantry, space that attests to their bravery and sacrifices … a comprehensive appraisal of the war in North Africa.'Good Book Guide 'Holland tells the story brilliantly. He has delved into archives for letters and diaries and diligently tracked down survivors … Vividly, intelligently, movingly, Holland's monumental chronicle tells it like it was.'Patrick Bishop, Mail on Sunday
£18.99
Oxford University Press Inc The Glorious Cause
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] tour de force. Middlekauff has the admirable ability to capture historical truths in vivid images and memorable phrases.... Middlekauff's empathy enhances this massive book's cumulative power. The cause was glorious; the book is too."--Dennis Drabelle, Washington Post Book World"This is narrative history at its best, written in a conversational and engaging style.... A major revision and expansion of a popular history of the American Revolutionary period."--Library Journal"The reader in search of a wide-ranging overview of the Revolution would be better off turning to any number of earlier books (from Trevelyan's classic 'American Revolution' to more recent works like 'The Glorious Cause' by Robert Middlekauff)."--Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times, in a review of 1776Table of ContentsMaps Editor's Introduction Porlogue: The Sustaining Truths 1. The Obstructed Giant 2. The Children of the Twice-Born 3. Beginnings: From the Top Down 4. The Stamp Act Crisis 5. Response 6. Selden's Penny 7. Chance and Charles Townshend 8. Boston Takes the Lead 9. The "Bastards of England" 10. Drift 11. Resolution 12. War 13. "Half a War" 14. Independence 15. The War of Posts 16. The War of Maneuver 17. The Revolution Becomes a European War 18. The War in the South 19. The "Fugitive War" 20. Inside the Campaigns 21. Outside the Campaigns 22. Yorktown and Paris 23. The Constitutional Movement 24. The Children of the Twice-Born in the 1780s 25. The Constitutional Convention 26. Ratification: An End and a Beginning Epilogue
£18.89
Vintage Publishing Eleni
Book SynopsisA son's quest to avenge his mother's murder.In 1948, in a Greek mountain village, Eleni Gatzoyiannis was arrested, tortured and shot. She was one of the 158,000 victims of the Greek Civil War. Her crime had been to help her children escape from the Communist guerrillas who occupied their village. Her son, Nicholas Gage, was then eight years old. Eleni is the story of his obsessive and harrowing reconstruction of his mother's life and death and his pursuit of his mother's killer.Trade ReviewA devoted and brilliant achievement. One of the rare books in which the power of art recreates the historical truth * New York Review of Books *Exciting and harrowing... An amazing achievement -- Patrick Leigh FermorI cannot think of another book that so compellingly demonstrates the gradual deterioration of human values in the name of lofty goals. Minutely observed and eloquently rendered * New York Times *
£10.44
Bodleian Library Defying Hitler: The White Rose Pamphlets
Book Synopsis'Long Live Freedom!' — Hans Scholl's last words before his execution The White Rose (die Weiße Rose) resistance circle was a group of students and a professor at the University of Munich who in the early 1940s secretly wrote and distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets. At its heart were Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Professor Kurt Huber, all of whom were executed in 1943 by the Nazi regime. The youngest among them was just twenty-one years old. This book outlines the story of the group and sets their resistance texts in political and historical context, including archival photographs. A series of brief biographical sketches, along with excerpts from letters and diaries, trace each member’s journey towards action against the National Socialist state. The White Rose resistance pamphlets are included in full, translated by students at the University of Oxford. These translations are the result of work by undergraduates around the same age as the original student authors, working together on texts, ideas and issues. This project reflects a crucial aspect of the White Rose: its collaborative nature. The resistance pamphlets were written collaboratively, and they could not have had the reach they did without being distributed by multiple individuals, defying Hitler through words and ideas. Today, the bravery of the White Rose lives on in film and literature and is commemorated not just in Munich but throughout Germany and beyond.Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgements The White Rose: An Introduction Biographical Sketches Sophie Scholl (1921-1943) Hans Scholl (1918-1943) Christoph Probst (1919-1943) Alexander Schmorell (1917-1943) Kurt Huber (1893-1943) Willi Graf (1918-1943) Hans Leipelt (1921-1945) The Pamphlets of the White Rose Pamphlet I Pamphlet II Pamphlet III Pamphlet IV Pamphlet V Pamphlet VI Draft Pamphlet VII Timeline of Events Further Reading and Viewing in English Bibliography Picture Credits Index
£14.25
Profile Books Ltd Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful
Book SynopsisMeet Blackwater USA, the private army that the US government has quietly hired to operate in international war zones and on American soil. Its contacts run from military and intelligence agencies to the upper echelons of the White House; it has a military base, a fleet of aircraft and 20,000 troops, but since September 2007 the firm has been hit by a series of scandals that, far from damaging the company, have led to an unprecedented period of expansion. This revised and updated edition includes Scahill's continued investigative work into one of the outrages of our time: the privatisation of war.Trade ReviewMeticulously researched and fascinating ... Scahill does a fine job * Sunday Times *Scahill deserves commendation. * New Statesman *Blackwater is the utterly gripping and explosive story of how the Bush Administration has spent hundreds of millions of public dollars building a parallel corporate army, an army so loyal to far right causes it constitutes nothing less than a Republican Guard. The most important and chilling book about the death throes of U.S. democracy you will read in years and a triumph of investigative reporting. -- Naomi Klein, author No LogoAn explosive piece of investigative journalism -- Ben Myers * Shortlist *Of all the insane Bush privatization efforts, none is more frightening than the corporatizing of military combat forces. Jeremy Scahill admirably exposes a devastating example of this sinister scheme. -- Michael Moore, Academy Award Winning DirectorA powerful argument against the privatisation of war... exemplary... If the job of writing about "the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army" seems mightily ambitious, it has been undertaken by just the right person... he's the sort of writer who sets out the evidence and lets us make up our own minds * Big Issue *Revelatory -- Aimee Shalan * Guardian *An exhaustively well-researched expose -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *[A] revealing study -- Tom Widger * Sunday Tribune *
£10.44
Quercus Publishing Judy: A Dog in a Million: From Runaway Puppy to
Book SynopsisThe impossibly moving story of how Judy, World War Two's only animal POW, brought hope in the midst of hell.Judy, a beautiful liver and white English pointer, and the only animal POW of WWII, truly was a dog in a million, cherished and adored by the British, Australian, American and other Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her. Viewed largely as human by those who shared her extraordinary life, Judy's uncanny ability to sense danger, matched with her quick-thinking and impossible daring saved countless lives. She was a close companion to men who became like a family to her, sharing in both the tragedies and joys they faced. It was in recognition of the extraordinary friendship and protection she offered amidst the unforgiving and savage environment of a Japanese prison camp in Indonesia that she gained her formal status as a POW. Judy's unique combination of courage, kindness and fun repaid that honour a thousand times over and her incredible story is one of the most heartwarming and inspiring tales you will ever read.Trade ReviewThe dog of war whose sixth sense saved hundreds of British lives * Mail on Sunday *One of the most famous animals of the Second World War * Daily Express *The extraordinary story of the only animal POW held during the Second World War * Sunday Times *
£10.44
Scribe Publications Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: the daring young
Book SynopsisA MAIL ON SUNDAY AND WASHINGTON POST BOOK OF THE YEAR. The little-known true story of the woman who headed the largest spy network in Vichy France during World War II. In 1941, a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of Alliance, a vast Resistance organisation — the only woman to hold such a role. Brave, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country’s conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. No other French spy network lasted as long or supplied as much crucial intelligence as Alliance — and as a result, the Gestapo pursued its members relentlessly, capturing, torturing, and executing hundreds of its three thousand agents, including Fourcade’s own lover and many of her key spies. Fourcade herself lived on the run and was captured twice by the Nazis. Both times she managed to escape. Though so many of her agents died defending their country, Fourcade survived the occupation to become active in post-war French politics. Now, in a dramatic account of the war that split France in two and forced its people to live side by side with their hated German occupiers, Lynne Olson tells the fascinating story of a woman who stood up for her nation, her fellow citizens, and herself.Trade Review‘In this deeply researched book, American journalist Lynne Olson tells the story of this extraordinary and overlooked heroine … a splendid biography.’ -- Kathryn Hughes * The Mail on Sunday *‘Fast-paced and impressively researched … Olson writes with verve and a historian’s authority … With this gripping tale, Lynne Olson pays [Marie-Madeleine Fourcade] what history has so far denied her. France, slow to confront the stain of Vichy, would do well to finally honor a fighter most of us want in our foxhole.’ * The New York Times Book Review *‘If Lynne Olson had set out to write a novel, she could not have come up with a more fascinating character than Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the glamorous young woman who led the largest French spy network in World War II. This is a case where fact is far more riveting than fiction. Olson chronicles Fourcade’s extraordinary story with her customary eye for every revealing detail and every breathtakingly dangerous twist.’ -- Andrew Nagorski, author of Hitlerland, The Nazi Hunters, and The Year Germany Lost the War‘Within the pages of this thrilling narrative, Fourcade’s spirit shines through … Madame Fourcade’s Secret War stands out from a crowded field.’ * All About History *‘Brilliantly researched and stylishly written.’ * Military History Monthly *‘This is a stirring story of heroism, charisma, and determination.’ * History Revealed *‘A brilliant, cinematic biography of resistance leader Marie-Madeleine Fourcade ... Olson’s weaving of Fourcade’s diary artfully and liberally into her own writing and her heart-stopping descriptions of Paris, escapes, and internecine warring create a narrative that’s as dramatic as a novel or a film. Olson honours Fourcade’s fight for freedom and her ‘refusal to be silenced’ with a gripping narrative that will thrill WWII history buffs.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *‘A hell of a yarn … Why the heck have we never heard of [Marie-Madeleine] Fourcade? The only woman to lead a major French resistance network. A woman who in later life was elected to the European Parliament. And who, upon her death in 1989 at the age of seventy-nine, became the first woman to be granted a funeral at Les Invalides, the complex in central Paris where Napoleon Bonaparte and other French military heroes are buried. Olson posits a few possible reasons for Fourcade’s relegation to the footnotes of history. The inescapable one, though, circles back to where we began: her gender.’ * The Washington Post *‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson tells one of the great stories of the French Resistance, a story of one woman’s courage amid great danger, a story of heroism, defiance, and, ultimately, victory.’ -- Alan Furst, author of A Hero in France‘In Madame Fourcade’s Secret War, Lynne Olson is at the top of her game, giving us the renowned beauty and elite French socialite, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who surprised everyone — including herself, perhaps — by becoming one of the most consequential players in the high-stakes spy game in Nazi-occupied France. Fourcade’s nerve, resolve, and extraordinary inner resources shine and inspire here. A fascinating portrait of uncommon audacity.’ -- Paula McLain, author of Love and Ruin and The Paris Wife‘In the real-life character of Madame Fourcade, Lynne Olson has found a heroine who seems to come tailor-made for the movie screen — she is beautiful, rich, effortlessly elegant, and an absolutely indomitable spy for the ages. Olson’s clear, unadorned writing style and her meticulous marshaling of facts will keep you on the edge of your seat as Fourcade endures psychological and physical hardship in service of her singular goal — to keep France free of fascism. For all of us who have wondered what we would do in a time of crisis, Olson holds up Madame Fourcade and her relentless fight for the French Resistance as a model of how to fight back when faced with unthinkable evil. Fascinating and timely.’ -- Elizabeth Letts, author of The Perfect Horse‘Incredibly absorbing and long-overdue ... This masterfully told true story reads like fiction and will appeal to readers who devour WWII thrillers à la Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale (2015).’ -- Margaret Flanagan * Booklist *‘Lynne Olson has added yet another brilliant chapter to her vital historical project: documenting the extraordinary efforts of individuals, such as spymaster Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, who helped liberate 20th-century Europe from Nazi occupation. Much like Madame Fourcade herself, Olson goes to great lengths to unearth truth and preserve dignity for those who lived and died during Hitler’s reign of terror — and for that, both the author and her daring subject deserve high praise.’ * Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright *‘Madame Fourcade’s war should never have been a secret, and it takes a historical sleuth like Lynne Olson to bring it, at last, into glorious light. I read this extraordinary book with wonder and admiration, seeing a movie on every page that was both true to life and somehow bigger than life. The canvas is vast, the characters vibrant, the history we thought we knew suddenly as fresh as tomorrow.’ -- Jay Cocks, screenwriter of The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, and Silence‘As well researched and engrossing as her previous books, showcasing her adroit ability to weave personal narratives, political intrigue, and wartime developments to tell a riveting story, Olson’s latest is highly recommended to readers interested in World War II, the history of espionage, women’s history, and European history.’ STARRED REVIEW * Library Journal *‘Lynne Olson is a gifted author and her books about the Allies in World War II are carefully researched and compulsively readable … Thankfully, a new generation of writers is expanding our knowledge of individuals whose roles in World War II deserve more attention.’ * The Christian Science Monitor *‘A comprehensive, often exciting narrative ... [Olson’s] solid descriptive passages help re-create the tension and anxiety Fourcade and her friends felt as they risked everything to save France ... The author brings into the spotlight a woman whose courage and endurance helped shape history yet whose full story had not yet been told. “For several decades following the war,” writes the author, “histories of the French resistance, which were written almost exclusively by men, largely ignored the contributions of women.” Olson rectifies that omission. An engaging, informative addition to World War II history.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Marie-Madeleine Fourcade has largely slipped from popular memory, but during World War II she led the largest spy network in Vichy France ... Olson’s very readable account charts Fourcade’s progress from socialite to leader of a vast resistance movement, and reflects on the irreparable divisions caused by the war.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘This is very well written, it creates almost a fast-paced novel as her exploits get more and more strained … A splendid book indeed, which heartily proves that women are more than capable of maintaining a strong position in a male-dominated world and making it work extremely well at the same time.’ -- Reg Seward * NB Magazine *‘Olson has written a lively and compelling account of a woman who deserves to be remembered and honoured.’ * Military Book History *Praise for Citizens of London: ‘An excellent and revealing chronicle.’ * Booklist *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘[A] pointed volume … [Olson] tells a great story and has a fine eye for character.’ * The Boston Globe *Praise for Last Hope Island: ‘Exhilarating and epic.’ * The Mail on Sunday *
£10.44
Princeton University Press The Last Muslim Conquest
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An intellectual tour de force that does not mince words."---Abdullah Drury, Muslim World Book Review"An impressive book, well written, making good use of both Ottoman and Western sources, and crafted to keep the reader engaged." * Michigan War Studies Review *"[W]hen it comes to the role of the Ottomans in the history of central Europe . . . the book succeeds brilliantly… Ágoston has also succeeded in what I think will stand for a long time as the definitive political and military narrative of the Ottomans in southeastern and central Europe. Over and over again his command of the facts provides the reader with a strong basis for comparing the various powers and their capabilities at the level of population, natural resources, military technology and so on and so forth. . . . Any future research on this area in the early modern period will find Ágoston’s book to be enormously useful, indeed essential, when writing their own studies."---Molly Greene, European Legacy"Gábor Ágoston has written a much-needed overview of Ottoman warfare from the early state along the Byzantine frontier to the empire’s wars with the Holy League in the late seventeenth century. The Last Muslim Conquest successfully combines the work of several regional historiographies and makes important interventions. Along with a narrative and analysis of the wars in this period, Ágoston includes detailed chapters on Ottoman military organization, tactics, and technology. The Last Muslim Conquest also balances both older historiography that over-emphasized religious antagonism as well as newer research that focuses more on cultural contacts between the Ottomans and Europe."---Samuel Stevens, International Journal of Military History and Historiography"Ottomanists, military historians, and non-specialists will find The Last Muslim Conquest an accessible book and one that can provide starting points for further research. Ágoston’s work is an analytical narrative of early modern Ottoman military history that has been needed for some time."---Samuel Stevens, International Journal of Military History and Historiography"Unique."---Colin Imber, Journal of the American Oriental Society"Remarkable in combining a high level of detail with a remarkable clarity of exposition. . . . The richness and brilliant organization of his material and the careful attention to detail invite wider speculation."---Colin Imber, Journal of the American Oriental Society"An outstanding, highly readable study of the Ottoman military, a calm defense of the emphasis on Europe and on conflict on the European frontier in Ottoman historiography, and a work of deeply informed, mature scholarship."---Douglas Howard, Journal of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association
£22.50
Profile Books Ltd The Gun, the Ship and the Pen: Warfare,
Book Synopsis'If there were a Nobel Prize in History, Colley would be my nominee' Jill Lepore, New Yorker 'One of the most exciting historians of her generation, but also one of the most interesting writers of non-fiction around' - William Dalrymple, Guardian 'Colley takes you on intellectual journeys you wouldn't think to take on your own, and when you arrive you wonder that you never did it before' - David Aaronovitch, the Times 'A global history of remarkable depth, imagination and insight' Tony Barber, Financial Times Summer Books Starting not with the United States, but with the Corsican constitution of 1755, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen moves through every continent, disrupting accepted narratives. Both monarchs and radicals play a role, from Catherine the Great of Russia, with her remarkable Nakaz, to Sierra Leone's James Africanus Horton, to Tunisia's Khayr-al-Din, a creator of the first modern Islamic constitution. Throughout, Colley demonstrates how constitutions evolved in tandem with warfare, and how they have functioned to advance empire as well as promote nations, and worked to exclude as well as liberate. Whether reinterpreting Japan's momentous 1889 constitution, or exploring the significance of the first constitution to enfranchise all adult women on Pitcairn Island in the Pacific in 1838, this is one of the most original global histories in decades.Trade ReviewA virtuoso global study of how nations were formed and constitutions written upends the familiar narrative at every turn ... As with all great history books, the big picture is here, but so is the telling detail, the astute comparison, the arresting and memorable turn of phrase, the suggestive moral for our own times. ... A superb retelling of the past, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen will surely make us rethink our present and future -- Miles Taylor * Guardian *Dazzling ... [The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen] abounds with subtle arguments grounded in expertly marshaled sources, generously acknowledged. But perhaps the book's most impressive aspect is its mobility ... The geographic sweep and legal complexities are daunting, but Colley makes them accessible by employing a human scale. [A] bold, packed account [and] a daring revisionist move. -- Jenny Uglow * New York Review of Books *Incandescent, paradigm-shifting ... Colley has upended much of what historians believe about the origins of written constitutions ... If there were a Nobel Prize in History, Colley would be my nominee -- Jill Lepore * New Yorker *A global history of remarkable depth, imagination and insight -- Tony Barber * FT Summer Books *A wide-ranging, beautifully written global history ... Colley's narrative is rich, and she emphasizes the colorful characters who have contributed to constitution-making projects around the world ... Fascinating -- Tom Ginsburg * Washington Post *Fascinating ... Most historians emphasise literacy and liberty, seeing constitutions as the product of high-minded, slightly bloodless political salons. Colley's approach is more imaginative [with] plenty of memorably colourful details ... A different, surprising twist on international history -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Rarely is a history so satisfyingly broad in outlook while avoiding abstraction and generalisation. It is rich, enjoyable, enlightening and imaginative. Colley takes you on intellectual journeys you wouldn't think to take on your own, and when you arrive you wonder that you never did it before -- David Aaronovitch * Times *Wildly ambitious, prodigiously researched ... The narrative ranges widely and fascinatingly across continents and prominent historical figures ... A sweeping, unique, truly world-spanning political and military history * Kirkus Reviews *A book of stupendous range and originality, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen delivers an ambitious new account of the making of the modern world. Linda Colley has an unparalleled ability to bring together the histories of ideas, politics, and people, and to distill prodigious learning into a narrative that is at once incisively argued and an immense pleasure to read. Rippling with fresh interpretations, startling connections, and remarkable stories, this is a masterpiece of global history by one of the greatest historians working today -- Maya Jasanoff, Harvard UniversityThe purest crystallization of modern politics is the written constitution. Despite its lofty ideals, the document's many guises across the world repeatedly failed to meet their stated aspirations. Remarkable therefore are our centuries of persistent belief in constitutions. With her characteristic skill, erudition, and creativity, Linda Colley, one of our greatest historians, explains this seeming conundrum through a history of the durability of human hope, war, and political imagination. This is a monumentally important book -- Alan Mikhail, author of * God’s Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World *A remarkable feat of scholarship on an international scale ... Impressive -- Jonathan Sumption * Spectator *Linda Colley is a historian of her time; but she is also a completely original intelligence -- R. F. FosterIn this ambitious work, Linda Colley seeks to rethink the "long" nineteenth century through the prism of the many constitutions it produced. Written with characteristic vigor and clarity, her book shows the continued validity of "big picture" history in asking searching questions and providing unexpected answers -- Sanjay Subrahmanyam, author of * Europe’s India, Words, People, Empires, 1500–1800 *In this bold, lucid, and wide-ranging book, Linda Colley reveals the international dialogue that created our age of constitutions. She insightfully embeds the emergence of new modes of governance in the global interplay of mass literacy with mass warfare. Colley helps us understand the true origins and growing importance of constitutional government. -- Alan Taylor, author of * Thomas Jefferson's Education *A marvelous tour with a brilliant guide through world history in search of the early adopters of written constitutions --a thoroughly enjoyable read! -- Mary Bilder, author of * Madison’s Hand: Revising the Constitutional Convention *From the Mediterranean to Japan, a dazzling, beautifully-written and surprising tale to discover the deep connections between the transformations of modern warfare and the rise of constitutions across the globe. A must read. -- M’hamed Oualdi, Sciences Po, ParisOne of the most exciting historians of her generation, but also one of the most interesting writers of non-fiction around -- William Dalrymple * Guardian *Linda Colley, in her surprising and insightful new book, asks us to view the development of constitutionalism across the globe as part of an interlinked set of historical processes ... Examples scarcely give a full flavour of Colley's richly integrated history -- Colin Kidd * New Statesman *Reassesses the enduring connection between might and right in the creation of nations, citizens and constitutions -- Clare Mulley * Spectator Books of the Year *Written with Colley's usual erudition, insight and style ... transforms what sounds like the dry matter of paper documents into an enthralling account of how warfare, national identity and colonial exploitation follow each other in the emergence of constitutions across the world. A work of thrilling scholarship -- Joan Bakewell * New Statesman Books of the Year *
£12.34
John Blake Publishing Ltd Undercover War: Britain's Special Forces and
Book SynopsisWhen British troops first deployed to Northern Ireland in 1969 to keep apart rioting factions of loyalists and nationalists, they could not have known that they were being drawn into the longest campaign in the British Army's history, a battle against the threat of a new rising force - the Provisional Irish Republican Army. While patrols, vehicle bombs and incendiary speeches are the defining memories of the Troubles, the real war was fought out of sight and out of mind. For thirty years, Britain's Special Forces waged a ferocious, secretive struggle against a ruthless and implacable enemy. Harry McCallion's deep experience across the theatre of Northern Ireland offers a unique insight into nearly every major military action and operation in the Province. Having served seven tours with the Parachute Regiment, undergone selection for 14 Intelligence Company, completed six years with the SAS - including two tours with their anti-terrorism team - and received two commendations for bravery during service with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, there are few more qualified to tell this astonishing story. This book is his blistering account of the history of Britain's war against the IRA between 1970 and 1998. From new insights into high-profile killings and riveting accounts of enemy contact, to revelations about clandestine missions and the strategies used in combating a merciless enemy, Undercover War is the definitive inside story of the battle against the IRA, one of the most dangerous and effective terrorist organisations in recent history.
£9.49
