Military History Books

Book SynopsisHow the Nazis lost the war1944 was a year of trial for the German Army. While the Allies were preparing to invade the Third Reich from the west, Stalin was set on a massive offensive to liberate the last remaining areas of Soviet territory still held by the Germans. Hitler was determined to hold fast. His muddled strategic thinking nullified the undoubted operational ability of his generals, and disaster was the inevitable result.This book is a gripping analysis of the Soviet campaign to capture Byelorussia, the German attempts to counter it, and the final, terrible collapse of Army Group Centre, inflicting even greater losses on the Germans than their earlier defeat at Stalingrad. It was a catastrophe of unbelievable proportions: 28 of 34 divisions, over 300,000 men, were lost. Hitler’s war effort was doomed and broken.An unputdownable history perfect for readers of Antony Beevor or James Holland.

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Book SynopsisThe year the once all-conquering German army was finally defeated.By the summer of 1944, Germany was in crisis. The Allied landings had forced another battle arena upon an army already fighting on the vast Eastern front. The July bomb plot attempt on Hitler’s life made the dictator even more paranoid and suspicious of his own military commanders.In this absorbing study, James Lucas examines the army’s changing structure and weaponry throughout this final year of war, and reveals the often surprising measures taken to confront a situation Hitler had never contemplated, and never really accepted.From D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge and on to the Fall of Berlin, the author examines the last battles fought by the German army – which had by no means given up its struggle – as the Allies swept across Europe, charting the very unique experiences of a military force moving from dominance to defeat.Perfect for readers of Antony Beevor and Max Hastings.

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Book SynopsisThis entry in the MiddleEast@War series is illustrated with abundant photographs from previously unused, or very rarely used, private and official sources.Air Power and the Arab World, 1909?1955 Volume 10 continues the story of the men and machines of the first half-century of military aviation in the Arab world. It tells the story of the first two weeks of the first of the Arab-Israeli Wars ? also known as the Palestine War ? in May 1948. Whilst part of an ongoing series, this volume stands alone as a history of the period covered.By that time, in Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, newly-independent Syria, Lebanon, and, to a lesser extent, Saudi Arabia, significant efforts had already been made to strengthen these countries? armed forces. Where Egypt, Iraq and Syria were concerned, these efforts included a determination to improve or, in the case of Syria, to establish their air forces. All three air forces were thrown into the First Phase of the Palestine War and, in the view of most subsequent commentators or historians, they had failed to perform as well as their government and populations had expected. However, closer investigation and the removal of layers of propaganda which have obscured the realities of this first Arab-Israeli War show that the Arab air forces performed better than is generally realized. Arguably, they had their limitations and weaknesses, and these had also become apparent as the fighting intensified and losses began to mount. All this was always clearly pointed out in Arabic sources, both official and unofficial, unpublished, or published only with limited circulation.Volume 10 of Air Power and the Arab World focuses on day-to-day events on the ground, in the air and at sea during this hard-fought phase. It does so in remarkable detail because the authors have accessed previously unpublished Arab official military documents supplemented by translations from Arabic books and articles containing official and personal accounts by those involved. Perhaps the most remarkable such source is the Operational Diary of the Royal Egyptian Air Force?s Tactical Air Force based at al-Arish in north-eastern Sinai.Air Power and the Arab World, 1909?1955 Volume 10 is illustrated by abundant photographs from previously unused, or very rarely used, private and official sources, and includes specially commissioned color artworks.

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Book SynopsisThe Honvéd War provides a detailed and informative account of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence from 1848 to 1849, a pivotal conflict in Central European history. Nigel Smith?s work focuses on the organization, tactics, and operations of the Hungarian Honvéd Army, as well as the forces of the Austrian Empire and their Russian allies.Drawing on a wide range of sources, including military records and contemporary accounts, the book explores the structure of the armies involved, their leadership, and the strategic challenges they faced. Special attention is given to the composition and command of the Hungarian, Austrian, and Russian forces, the tactical innovations of the period, and the key battles and campaigns that shaped the outcome of the war.Smith?s detailed analysis of troop movements, regimental organization, and the role of foreign mercenaries provides valuable insights into the military history of the period. The book also covers the broader political context, examining the revolutionary movements across Europe and their impact on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.With comprehensive maps, illustrations including specially-commissioned artworks, and battle diagrams, The Honvéd War is an essential resource for military historians and specialists interested in the 19th-century European conflicts. It offers a clear, in-depth understanding of a war that played a crucial role in shaping the future of Hungary and the wider region.

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Book SynopsisHalf of the book is a detailed description, mainly told in the words of participants, of three battles fought over four days in the Rhineland south of Goch between 27 February and March 2 1945. The battles were between 3rd Division supported by 6 Guards Armoured Brigade, and 8. Fallschirmjäger Division. For the first time the combined actions of over 50,000 men during 96 hours have been analysed from the ground up in an unprecedented attempt to provide understanding of a significant military event. 3 Scots Guards said of Winnekendonk, "It is suggested that this will surely rank as one of the finest small scale tank/infantry battles ever executed and well worthy of more close study." The fighting was bloody and heroic, and some controversial aspects are explained for the first time. The other half of the book is an analysis of the units and people involved in the two divisions and their supporting armour and aviation. An answer is provided as to why only two months before the end of hostilities, 21 Army Group could manage only quite slow and costly progress. The answer comes from the analysis, and is tested through comparison with the contemporary Canadian Operation Blockbuster, and with two battles in the Hitler Line. Evidence is provided that there is no truth to recent claims that Montgomery''s generalship was efficient and saved lives. Instead, it is shown that the military hierarchy, including Churchill, ignored the all-arms operational methodology under unitary command which Sir John Monash had developed to bring victory in 1918. In the Second World War, by contrast, the Royal Armoured Corps and 2 TAF never integrated with the infantry and artillery, and were never suitably equipped, being bound to the cultic pursuit of mobility. General Elles required that the Infantry Tank be immune to all German anti-tank guns, and his Matilda II was a major reason for the deliverance from Dunkirk and for the success of Operation Compass in North Africa. Compared with the Hundred Days of 1918, the author suggests that the British Armed forces in 1945 were relatively less efficient in all respects except that of killing German civilians in area bombing. This book''s fully documented and researched conclusions provide a new and controversial interpretation of 21 Army Group.

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Book SynopsisConfrontation of Kings presents, for the first time in English, the largest battle of the war of the Swedish Deluge (1655-1660). During three days of fighting, the Swedish-Brandenburg Alliance faced the combined Polish, Lithuanian, and Tatar armies. It was a clash between Western and Eastern styles of warfare, but it was also a clash between the irreconcilable Polish and Swedish monarchs, John II Casimir and Charles X Gustavus, over hegemony in the Baltic region. This is an in-depth study of the battle based on contemporary sources, including previously unpublished archival materials, many of which were written by soldiers who took part in the struggle. In addition, Confrontation of Kings provides full details on the dissimilar military systems of Sweden, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Brandenburg-Prussia, and the Tatar Khanate of the Crimea, with detailed reconstructions of the organisation and strength of the armies that confronted each other at Warsaw. The book will equally appeal to enthusiasts of military history and professional historians. The authors present new research on a war previously seldom described in English, describing the battle from the perspective of both sides. As well as examining the wider picture of the previous campaigns in Poland and the events that led up to the battle itself.

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Book SynopsisThis book sheds light on an almost unknown military campaign conducted by a French army, 100,000 men strong. The army was referred to by the French king as the ?Sons of St. Louis? and was pitted against parts of the regular Spanish army and a numerous militia. The cause of the war was a revolution in Spain in 1820 which brought in a ?Liberal? government and the Spanish parliament, the Cortez, held Ferdinand, the Spanish king, a virtual prisoner. Ferdinand appealed for help from the French who were supported by an army of Spanish Royalists. A few years earlier many of these Royalist volunteers had been France?s bitter enemies and had fought Napoleon?s generals to a standstill. The French troops who crossed the Pyrenees were part of a newly-forged army, taken from the debris of Napoleon?s old regiments augmented with newly-raised conscripts and many inexperienced officers drawn from emigrés and the old nobility who had returned to France after the Battle of Waterloo. However, it was led by battle-hardened former Imperial officers and was placed under the overall command of the king of France?s nephew, who was also in line for the throne of France. Since 1824, when a small number of works appeared in France, there has been no book on the subject, in any language. A full account of the campaign is given, together with detailed descriptions of the armies of France and Spain, illustrated with contemporary pictures and modern interpretations and including maps and plans of the war. The final and crucial battle, the taking of the forts on the island of the Trocadero, opposite Cadiz, is given special attention. Although small by recent European standards, the fight was decisive for bringing about the end to the war and for establishing the spirit of the new French Royal army and restoring France to a position as one of the leading world powers. The organisation of the armies, and the uniforms of the post-Napoleonic French forces is covered in detail. The critical book list adds to the reader?s understanding of the sources used.

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Book SynopsisThe Armchair General team has done it again. An absorbing read for Christmas.'Peter Caddick-AdamsBrilliant and immersive.'Harry SidebottomThe second book in the Armchair General series, where YOU choose the fate of the First World War________________________________HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE VICTORS. WILL IT BE YOU?TAKE THE HOTSEATAssume the role of real historic decision-makers: general, leaders, soldiers and intelligence officers of the Allied Forces during World War I.EXAMINE THE INTELLIGENCEExplore eight key moments from the First World War, using real contemporaneous intelligence: including the July Crisis, the Battle of the Somme, and the Russian Revolution.CONSIDER THE SCENARIO & MAKE YOUR DECISIONFrom battlefields to the Royal Courts, each tactical and strategic decision you make leads to a different outcome.

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Book SynopsisThe Kaiser's Panzers charts the development of German armoured vehicles during the First World War. Late to adopt the tank as an offensive weapon, in a theatre characterized by bloody trench warfare, the Imperial German Army's fledgling tank force fielded only twenty A7V tanks by the time of the November 1918 Armistice. To address this shortcoming, the German Army pressed more captured British Mark IV tanks into service through a dedicated workshop facility in Belgium during the final year of the war. A handful of these vehicles later saw service in the Freikorps to suppress left-wing uprisings in Berlin and Leipzig. Although German tanks played an insignificant part in the conflict, two early commanders rose to prominence in the Third Reich: Ernest Volckheim a leading interwar armour theorist and later Panzer commander; Josef Sepp' Dietrich a SS Panzer general implicated in the 1945 Malmedy massacre. Drawing on contemporary records, newsreels and newspaper accounts, The Kaiser's Panzers is a heavily illustrated record of Germany's first tanks, the predecessor force to Adolf Hitler's vaunted Panzertruppen, and will be enjoyed by all military history enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisThe Army That Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception tells the remarkable story of the deceptions, hoaxes and misdirections carried out by the Allies ahead of the most pivotal moment of the Second World War - the D-Day invasion. The most audacious of these schemes aimed to convince German forces that plans to storm Normandy were a mere sideshow, and featured a fictitious army led by General Patton and furnished with hundreds of real-world dummy landing craft, tanks and aircraft. New research reveals a hidden link with Britain's film industry, as the fascinating behind-the-scenes story of this dramatic gambit is explored in detail. Full of fascinating characters from the US, Britain and Germany, this compelling and propulsive narrative explores one of the most remarkable secret campaigns of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisThe German Navy – known as the Kriegsmarine – played a crucial role during World War II in disrupting Allied shipping, especially in the early years, when Britain stood alone against Nazi aggression following the fall of France. Broken down by campaign and key encounters within each theatre of war, German Kriegsmarine in World War II illustrates the strengths and organizational structures of the Third Reich’s naval forces, building into a detailed compendium of information. Full-colour order of battle tree diagrams at fleet and flotilla level help the reader quickly understand how and where the ships and U-boats of the German Navy were employed at any given time between 1939 and 1945. Reference tables provide fleet strengths while organizational diagrams show the types and numbers of ships involved in specific operations, such as the U-Boat wolfpacks that hunted Allied merchant shipping in the North Atlantic and the invasion fleet used for the assault on Crete. With extensive organizational diagrams and full-colour operations maps, German Kriegsmarine in World War II is an easy-to-use guide to German naval forces. The book is an essential reference for anyone with a serious interest in the naval warfare of World War II.Table of ContentsThe Pre-War Kriegsmarine Early Operations: 1939–40 Surface War in the West: 1941–43 The U-Boat War: 1939–41 The U-Boat War: 1942–45 The Mediterranean: 1941–45 Defeat in the North: 1942–45 Appendices Glossary of Key Abbreviations Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisA Daily Telegraph History Book of the Year 'An astonishing story... brilliantly told' Antony Beevor'Gripping... Will appeal to anyone who relishes Ben Macintyre's tales of wartime espionage and cryptic codes.' Sunday TelegraphSummertime, 1935. On a lake near Berlin, a young man is out sailing when he glimpses a woman reclining in the prow of a passing boat. Their eyes meet - and one of history's greatest conspiracies is born.Harro Schulze-Boysen had already shed blood in the fight against Nazism by the time he and Libertas Haas-Heye began their whirlwind romance. She joined the cause, and soon the two lovers were leading a network of antifascists that stretched across Berlin's bohemian underworld. Harro himself infiltrated German intelligence and began funnelling Nazi battle plans to the Allies, including the details of Hitler's surprise attack on the Soviet Union. But nothing could prepare Harro and Libertas for the betrayals they would suffer in this war of secrets - a struggle in which friend could be indistinguishable from foe. Drawing on unpublished diaries, letters and Gestapo files, Norman Ohler spins an unforgettable tale of love, heroism and sacrifice.Trade ReviewThe Infiltrators is an astonishing story of the anti-Nazi resistance - a story of love, incredible bravery and self-sacrifice, which could end only in death - and it is brilliantly told. -- Antony Beevor, bestselling author of THE SECOND WORLD WARDeeply engaging, enticingly written and extremely affecting... Original and fascinating... This is a remarkable story, powerfully told, of love and courage and of the balance in the relationship between a couple... A timely reminder of what some citizens are willing to do in the face of autocracy and oppression that once again haunts our times. -- Philippe Sands * Spectator *Gripping... Will appeal to anyone who relishes Ben Macintyre's tales of wartime espionage and cryptic codes, underpinned by terrifying risk, desperate courage, and double dealing... Moving at a cracking pace through a succession of snapshot cross-cut chapters, it is ripe for transformation into a film or television series. But great heroism is properly honoured here: Ohler has done his research diligently and he has an enthralling story to tell. * Sunday Telegraph *The Infiltrators describes an idealistic young German couple, Harro Schulze-Boysen and Libertas Haas-Heye who set up an anti-fascist network that burrowed deep into Nazi society and leaked to the Allies. With depressing inevitability, betrayal and merciless punishment intervened - but this is nonetheless an uplifting tale of heroism. * Simon Heffer, 'History Books of the Year', Daily Telegraph *Ohler masterfully establishes his trustworthiness as a narrator, which is crucial as we travel with him back to the 1930s and then on through the war. He weaves a detailed and meticulously researched tale about a pair of young German resisters that reads like a thriller. * New York Times *Lively... Ohler has given vim to the historical narrative, restored humanity and a genuine love story to the communist canonisation of Schulze-Boysen. * The Times *An unforgettable portrait of two young lovers and their circle of friends in the anti-Hitler resistance, The Infiltrators offers a fascinating glimpse of life in Nazi Germany, where the simple self-assertion of youth was a political act, and daily life was a minefield where missteps could have fatal consequences. -- Joseph Kanon, bestselling author of LEAVING BERLINA thrilling and urgent true story. Inside Nazi Germany, as tyranny spreads, a few friends decide to resist, and a secret circle of anti-fascists starts to grow. They are not mythic heroes but instead flawed humans struggling for meaning in a time of terror: writers, artists, a fashion designer, a dentist. With skill and passion, Norman Ohler brings these remarkable men and women back to life. The Infiltrators is a gift of a book - one I feel a little stronger, a little braver, after reading. -- Jason Fagone, bestselling author of THE WOMAN WHO SMASHED CODESOhler creates a taut, absorbing tale of anti-Nazi resistance. Told in the present tense, the narrative conveys a sense of immediacy and encroaching terror... Sharply drawn characters enliven a tragic history. * Kirkus Reviews *The fascinating and tragic tale of a ragtag, idealistic crew of nonconformists hiding in plain sight while secretly working to fight the Nazis from within... This unbelievable yet true story is richly detailed thanks to the participation of descendants of these courageous resistance fighters; with their help, Ohler succeeds in vividly thwarting the Nazis' attempts to erase these heroes from history. * Booklist *This deeply researched and stylishly written account unearths an appealing yet overlooked chapter in WWII history. Espionage enthusiasts will be riveted. * Publishers Weekly *The Infiltrators paints a picture of a marriage of intellectual equals who are driven by a single shared cause: to bring down the Nazis from within. In telling this story the book draws on diaries, letters and Gestapo files, many of which are previously unpublished, bringing much greater detail to an otherwise known but under-reported story... Gripping. * All About History *Remarkable... Vivid and engaging * TLS *Table of Contents0: The Thick of I 1: Adversaries 2: Work and Marriage (1933-39) 3: Resistance and Love (1939-42) 4: The Black Curtain (Fall 1942) 5: Restitutio Memoriae

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Book Synopsis'Read this book, it will only serve you well' Ant Middleton'Incredible ... Staz is an inspiration' Nims Purja 'A must read for anyone who wants to succeed and thrive under pressure' Dylan Hartley 'Stacked with insights ... The book you need when the going gets tough' Aldo KaneElite Discipline meets Creative EffortAnthony 'Staz' Stazicker served an impressive 13 years of distinguished and decorated military service, ten within the Special Forces, before founding the multi-million pound technical clothing company ThruDark. Throughout his career in the Special Forces - featuring gunfights, door-kicking operations, and against-the-odds escapes - he learned hard lessons that would later provide crucial intelligence equally applicable to business, innovation and enterprise.The Hard Road Will Take You Home provides a mission plan that distils the processes and tactics Staz gathered throughout his career and translates them into tools that can be used in any number of settings, and by individuals with a wide range of experience and backgrounds. It instils the psychological cues required to bring next level success to any mission. And it lays bare the levels of discipline required to maintain that next level success.Introducing four concepts that make up the life of an elite operator - battle prep; techniques, tactics and procedures; teamwork and the lessons we should all consider when learning how to innovate, persevere and succeed - this book comes stacked with insight, easily applicable techniques and psychological processes gathered from Staz's time serving with the most resilient fighting force in the world. As a creative resource, it's a weapon.Trade ReviewStaz is someone who I hugely admire and have huge respect for & more importantly who I spent my whole Royal Marines and UKSF career with and is in 'THE KNOW'! Read his book, it will only serve you well... * Ant Middleton *If you only put 50 per cent of what you learn here into practice, I reckon you'll be on to a winner ... Inspiring * Jason Fox *Table of Contentsi: Foreword by Jason Fox ii: Introduction: By Strength and Guile iii: Part One: Battle Prep 1: Into the Dark (The Leap of Faith) 2: Redefine Your Disasters 3: Darts at the Dartboard 4: Red Cell Analysis 5: How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything iv: Part Two: Techniques, Tactics & Procedures 6: Kaizen 7: The Underdog Advantage 8: Contact 9: The Controllables 10: The Armour of Daily Habits v: Part Three: In Union There's Strength 11: Never Above You. Never Below You. Always Beside You 12: Create Community, Not Work 13: Pick People Over Talent 14: Hire Smart, Fire Fast 15: You Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar vi: Part Four: The Hard Lessons 16: The White Belt Mentality 17: Ego is the Enemy 18: Kinetic Intelligence is a Weapon 19: Medals are for Mothers: The Success Conundrum vii: The Final Word: The Hard Road Will Take You Home viii: Plate Section: Photography Credits ix: Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisOpen up a world of adventure, bravery and dramatic wartime scenes with Phil Earle's magnificent World War Two animal stories. Inspired by a true story from World War Two, the award-winning When the Sky Falls follows Joseph when he is left alone to guard a silverback gorilla's cage in a deserted zoo. If the bombs fall and set the animal rampaging free, will Joseph have the courage to pull the trigger?In While the Storm Rages, Noah and his friends fight to rescue all the animals who are at risk upon the outbreak of war. In Until the Road Ends, Peggy must leave her beloved dog Beau behind in war-torn London, but Beau is determined to find her again. Praise for When the Sky Falls:A magnificent story It deserves every prize going' Philip PullmanA remarkable achievement' Michael Morpurgo

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Book SynopsisScapa Flow was one of the world's great naval bases and the scene of many of the major events of twentieth-century naval history. During both World Wars, the Royal Navy made Scapa the home for its capital ships, and thousands of servicemen and women were posted to Orkney. From here the Grand Fleet sailed for Jutland in 1916, from here the escorts for the Russian convoys set off, and it was in this beautiful, bleak anchorage that the German High Seas fleet committed the greatest act of suicide ever seen at sea – 'The Grand Scuttle' – before being later raised and scrapped in the most astonishing feat of maritime salvage in history. It was also in Scapa that the last photographs of Kitchener were taken as he boarded HMS Hampshire, shortly before she was sunk by mine off Marwick Head. Scapa is also the grave of many who fought for their country in both World Wars. In its silent waters lie the wrecks of the battleship Vanguard, blown apart by an explosion in 1917, and the Royal Oak, sunk by U-47 in a spectacular raid at the beginning of World War II . Here the first Luftwaffe raids on Britain occured, here too Italian prisoners-of-war built both the spectacular Churchill causeways and the exquisite chapel on the island of Lamb Holm. In this book, illustrated with over 130 archive photographs, James Miller traces the story of this remarkable place, weaving together history, eyewitness accounts and personal experience to capture the life and spirit of Scapa Flow when it was home to thousands of service personnel and the most powerful fleet in the world.Trade Review'a fascinating book, in which every reader will find something she/he never knew' * Scots Magazine * 'an interesting insight into life in a naval base during two world wars' * Broadly Boats *

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Book SynopsisReissued for the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.A Sunday Times Bestseller'Electric... Outstanding.' GuardianIn March 1982 the guided-missile destroyer HMS Coventry was one of a small squadron of ships on exercise off Gibraltar. By the end of April that year she was sailing south in the vanguard of the Task Force towards the front line of the Falklands War.On 25 May, Coventry was attacked by two Argentine Skyhawks, and hit by three bombs. The explosions tore out most of her port side and killed nineteen of the crew, leaving many others injured. Within twenty minutes she had capsized. In her final moments, after all the survivors had been evacuated, her Captain, David Hart Dyke, himself badly burned, climbed down her starboard side and into a life-raft. This is his compelling and moving story.Trade ReviewSuperbly frank and unsentimental... The literature of the Falklands War would be much the poorer without this pithy, well constructed and brutally honest account of the fighting at sea. -- Saul David * Daily Telegraph *Electric... Outstanding. -- John Shirley * Guardian *[An] honest, poignant and moving book. -- Hugh McManners * The Times *Lively, direct, human and engaging, this is one of the best personal memoirs of the bizarre and intense Falklands campaign. -- Robert Fox * BBC History Magazine *A down-to-earth, dramatic account of preparing for war and being plunged into the heart of it. * Glasgow Herald *A justifiably proud account of HMS Coventry's war... A vital but measured story. It will appeal not only to those who were there but to a new generation of readers who will be riveted by this insight into the life on board a Royal Navy ship at war, as well as the sheer drama of Coventry's story... Four Weeks in May is a page-turner, elegantly and tightly written... The tension between his determination to uphold morale, the upbeat letters home, private moments of honest reflection, the self-deprecating humour and what every reader knows will be the disastrous outcome of those four weeks, is compelling... Devastating... Dramatic images of bravery and presence of mind are brilliantly pieced together. -- Alan West * Naval Review *

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Book SynopsisFrom the beginning in 1935 this attractive book describes the different elements that went into the Panzer-Divisions. It describes how the Germans carefully built up their assault forces utilizing all available reserves and resources into making an effective fighting machine. It depicts how these awesome formations grew to be used four years later in war, and provides much historical information and facts about the vehicles and its components that fought in all the campaigns of the war from the early victorious Blitzkrieg in Poland and France to the last ditch defence in Germany in 1945. Each chapter features unseen photographs of light tanks, main battle tanks, assault guns, anti-tank destroyers, artillery, reconnaissance units, support vehicles, pioneers with their bridge building platforms and the motorized infantry or Panzergrenadiers. This book is a visual treat for the military enthusiast and collector and a worthy addition to the Images of War series.

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Book Synopsis‘ Well written and persuasive … objective and well-rounded… .this scholarly rehabilitation should be the standard biography’ **** Andrew Roberts, Mail on Sunday ‘ A true judgment of him must lie somewhere between hero and zero, and in this detailed biography Gary Sheffield shows himself well qualified to make it … a balanced portrait’ Sunday Times ‘ Solid scholarship and admirable advocacy’ Sunday Telegraph Douglas Haig is the single most controversial general in British history. In 1918, after his armies had won the First World War, he was feted as a saviour. But within twenty years his reputation was in ruins, and it has never recovered. In this fascinating biography, Professor Gary Sheffield reassesses Haig’ s reputation, assessing his critical role in preparing the army for war.

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Book Synopsis'THE VIETNAMESE ANNE FRANK'Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is the moving diary kept by a 27-year-old Vietnamese doctor who was killed by the Americans during the Vietnam War, while trying to defend her patients. Not only is it an important slice of history, from the opposite side of Dispatches and Apocalypse Now, but it shows the diarist - Dang Thuy Tram - as a vibrant human being, full of youthful idealism, a poetic longing for love, trying hard to be worthy of the Communist Party and doing her best to look after her patients under appalling conditions.She wrote straight from the heart and, because of this, her diary has been a huge bestseller in Vietnam and continues to fascinate at a time of renewed interest in the Vietnam War.Trade ReviewThuy Tram's diary has been described as "the Vietnamese Anne Frank", combining vivid depiction of the violence and dreadful conditions of the conflict with a moving, very personal account' * Glasgow Herald *Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is a book to be read by all and included in any course on the literature of war * Chicago Tribune *The most compelling, honest account of a conflict that killed, by some estimates, between two and three million Vietnamese and other Asians, as well as 58,000 Americans...Raw with human emotions and unvarnished by government propaganda. * Independent *A personal dialogue, a place to shelter her soul and her spirit...Raw emotion is manifest in the diary. * Observer *Remarkable...This is an important and profoundly moving book, which redresses the one-sided macho and gun-toting coverage of the Vietnam War. * Sydney Morning Herald *

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Book SynopsisOn the eve of the first Chechen war in the 1990s, Mikail Eldin was a young and naïve arts journalist. By the end of the second war, he had become a battle-hardened war reporter and mountain partisan who had endured torture and imprisonment in a concentration camp. His compelling memoir traces the unfolding of the conflict from day one, with vivid scenes right from the heart of the war. The Sky Wept Fire presents a unique glimpse into the lives of the Chechen resistance, providing testimony of great historical value. Yet it is not merely the story of the battle for Chechnya: this is the story of the battle within the heart, the struggle to conquer fear, hold on to faith and preserve one's humanity. Eldin was fated to witness key events in Chechnya's history: from the first day of the attack on Grozny, and the full-scale Russian invasion that followed it, to the siege of Grozny five years later that razed the city to the ground and has been compared to the destruction of Dresden. Resurrecting these memories with extraordinary lyricism, Eldin observes the sights, the sounds and smells of war. Having fled Grozny alongside the droves of refugees, he joins the defending army - yet he always considers his role as that of journalist and witness. Shortly after joining the Chechen resistance, Eldin is captured in the mountains. He undergoes barbaric torture as his captors attempt to break his will. They fail to make him talk, and he is eventually transferred to a concentration camp. There a new struggle awaits him: the battle to overcome his own suicidal thoughts and ensuing insanity.Trade ReviewThe descriptions of seeing the first surreal signs of war are detailed, acute, and horrifying. Alongside the grit runs a poetry of introspection... Powerful, lyrical and disturbing -- Arifa Akbar * Independent *[This] is going to be a 21st century classic about war and conflict. In its humanity and honest, it is unlikely to be surpassed. Anna Gunin deserves high praise for her excellent translation - she wove the mood music of the Russian original into smooth English * Tribune *Expertly translated... an unflinching portrait of an oppressed people and a brutal and little-understood battlefront -- Malcolm Forbes * National *Deeply harrowing and searingly honest... A heartfelt, passionate story * New Internationalist *The Sky Wept Fire has a haunting and defiant lyricism * Russia Beyond the Headlines *Anna Gunin captures the elegiac tone of Eldin's prose... [It] vividly conveys the passions and almost inconceivable suffering that accompanied the latest Russo-Chechen conflicts... Riveting [and] lyrical -- Anna Brodsky * TLS *A remarkable work of life-writing and a brilliantly rendered translation * Oxonian Review *

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Book Synopsis'This is the room from which I will direct the war,' Churchill declared, shortly after becoming Prime Minister in 1940. It was from these cramped confines that Churchill turned a seemingly inevitable defeat at the hands of the Nazis into a famous victory. Built in 1938 as a temporary refuge in case of air raid attack, this secret bunker became a second home to Churchill - and to large numbers of military personnel and civil servants whose work until now has been largely unsung. Drawing on a fascinating range of original material, including newly available first-hand accounts of the people who lived there, Holmes reveals how and why the bunker and its war machine developed; how the inhabitants' lives were transformed; and how their work led to victory. Elegant and illuminating, Churchill's Bunker is a unique exploration of one of the most important sites in British history.Trade ReviewSuperb ... Holmes vividly recaptures what it was like to work in Churchill's bunker, the fabulous highs and dispiriting lows ... a fitting memorial to the men and women who worked so hard down there over six gruelling years of war -- Andrew Roberts * Observer *Bright and fascinating ... it illuminates the underground warren of sunless rooms where Churchill's staff functioned below blackened London streets -- John Lukacs * Five Days in London *Vivid and compelling -- Professor Sir Lawrence FreemanHolmes accomplishes much in little space. He gives a readable and cogent description...He successfully recreates the atmosphere of the place -- Geiffrey Best * History Today *Fascinating -- Tim Newark * Tine Out London *

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Book SynopsisOn 30 April 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. The following day, his propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels also killed himself and the crumbling Third Reich passed to Admiral Karl Dönitz. The Nazis' position seemed hopeless. Yet remarkably, the war in the rest of Europe went on for another ten days. After Hitler looks at these days as a narrative day-by-day countdown but also as a broader global history of a European war that had seen some of the most savage battles in history. Relations between the 'Big Three' - the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union - suddenly plunged to near breaking point. This book reveals that tumultuous story.After Hitler also looks at the wider canvas of the war and the terrible humanitarian catastrophe uncovered in Europe. It describes those who felt the joy of freedom, but also those who faced a highly uncertain future. As Red Army soldiers joined forces with their British and American allies, Stalin's East finally came face to face with Churchill's and Truman's West. After Hitler tells of their growing mistrust, but also of moments of remarkable goodwill and co-operation - the brief but poignant hope that these great nations could together fashion a new and safer future. This is a fascinating exploration of the brief but crucial period that shaped the emerging post-war world.Trade ReviewA compelling and little-told account of a few days that set the scene in Europe for much of the next 50 years . . . a 'must-read' for professional and amateur historian alike * General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO, Late Chief of Defence Staff UK *Michael Jones has described the death agonies of Nazism in an excellent, vivid and often moving narrative of the ten days between Hitler's suicide on April 30, 1945, and the celebration of VE day on May 9. He has deftly blended the stories of great events and the great figures who shaped them with the experiences of the myriad men and women who carried out their orders * The Times *An evocative, clear and exciting recreation of the final ten days of the crumbling Third Reich. It is fast paced, exceedingly well written, with some very thoughtful and insightful analysis of the atmosphere between the Great Power leaders on the eve of the Cold War, in particular the sensitive surrender negotiations . . . really well done * Robert Kershaw *[Michael] Jones - a master of the vignette - provides an effective retelling of the story. Using an impressive selection of eyewitness accounts, he skips across Europe in that last week of the war - from Reims to Luneburg, Prague to Flensburg - giving an engaging, lively summary of events * BBC History *An absorbing history . . . communicates the pity of the war and its aftermath with a proper sympathy * Sunday Telegraph *Hitler, broken and despairing, killed himself on 30 April 1945; the war in Europe formally ended on 9 May. Acclaimed historian Michael jones resists the common urge to skip over that gap, unearthing a wealth of intriguing detail, much from primary sources . . . in a year sure to be swamped with war publications, few are likely to offer such novel approaches * Press Association *As such a recognisable and universally reviled figure of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler tends to overshadow what happened after his suicide. This book tells that story, as the German capital Berlin crumbled and tensions between the US, UK and Soviet Union rose * History Revealed *Michael Jones has woven together the many stories of those terrible ten days in a most compelling fashion * The Spectator *A tale of heroism and barbarism; of overwhelming triumph and abysmal defeat; of refugees and revenge; of a nightmare shattered and emerging hopes of a better future . . . Jones demonstrates an ease of command of his historical material and he understands the complex personalities of the commanders who dominate his pages. This is the best book of its genre * Australian *Michael Jones's superbly researched account vividly evokes the death throes of the Third Reich * Mail on Sunday *Fast moving and addictively readable, this book covers the ten days from Hitler's suicide to VE Day in Moscow on 9 May 1945 * Independent *

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Book SynopsisAs heard on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week.Shortlisted for the Paddy Power Political History Book of the Year Award 2014.In August 1814 the United States' army is defeated in battle by an invading force just outside Washington DC. The US president and his wife have just enough time to pack their belongings and escape from the White House before the enemy enters. The invaders tuck into the dinner they find still sitting on the dining-room table and then set fire to the place. 9/11 was not the first time the heartland of the United States was struck a devastating blow by outsiders. Two centuries earlier, Britain - now America's close friend, then its bitterest enemy - set Washington ablaze before turning its sights to Baltimore. In his compelling narrative style, Peter Snow recounts the fast-changing fortunes of both sides of this extraordinary confrontation, the outcome of which inspired the writing of the 'Star-Spangled Banner', America's national anthem. Using a wealth of material including eyewitness accounts, he also describes the colourful personalities on both sides of these spectacular events: Britain's fiery Admiral Cockburn, the cautious but immensely popular army commander Robert Ross, and sharp-eyed diarists James Scott and George Gleig. On the American side: beleaguered President James Madison, whose young nation is fighting the world's foremost military power, his wife Dolley, a model of courage and determination, military heroes such as Joshua Barney and Sam Smith, and flawed incompetents like Army Chief William Winder and War Secretary John Armstrong. When Britain Burned the White House highlights this unparalleled moment in American history, its far-reaching consequences for both sides and Britain's and America's decision never again to fight each other.Trade Review[An] excellent account . . . Snow, an experienced British journalist, has told the story of those engagements with brio and a fine gift for making sense of the complexities of battle . . . a fine example of serious and literate popular history * Washington Post *Snow's narrative is authoritative and absorbing, his profiles sure and compelling, his judgments considered and fair, and his documentation most impressive * Library Journal *Never before has this story been told more fully or more engagingly, with greater empathy for both sides, or with greater balance. The pace is brisk, the characterizations sure, the judgments done with a light touch. The book distinguishes itself by rounding off the story of Washington with the subsequent Baltimore attack-both part of the larger British Chesapeake campaign. For the story of that campaign, this is now the narrative to read * Publishers Weekly *With ample quotes from English letters and diaries, Snow ably brings out the humanity of his subjects * Kirkus Reviews *Peter Snow's account of this extraordinary event in British-American relations reads like a military thriller, each chapter raising the tension with a mass of detail and a kaleidoscope of characters who transform this book from what could have been a dry, chronological account into a riveting romp . . . Snow adds an extra ingredient - a boyish enthusiasm for his subject . . . a meticulous and fascinating account * The Times *A stirring tale * Max Hastings, The Spectator *The result is superb. When Britain Burned the White House is an exemplary work of history - lucid, witty and humane, with terrific pace, and so even-handed that it will surely be received as well in America as here * The Spectator *Snow builds his account on the voices of those who fought and witnessed the campaign, from nervous US militiamen to Ross, Cockburn and Dolley Madison, the president's resourceful wife. Written with verve and insight, this is a fitting reminder of a remarkable interlude in a war that deserves to be better known * BBC History Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom. The third exciting adventure of maverick spy Captain James Keane. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.The intrepid band of warriors, led by Captain James Keane, have been given their toughest job yet. The Portuguese university city of Coimbra is in ruins. Infiltrating the streets are untrustworthy Spanish guerrilla fighters, local Portuguese out for revenge and rival spies determined to find the famous book of ciphers, hidden in the city and guarded by a dissident Jesuit group. James Keane and his men must prevent the book falling into enemy hands but also to discover which of the guerrilla groups can be trusted. But this means sometimes following their own instincts over Wellington's orders . . . can Keane capture the book without sacrificing his honour, position and reputation?Trade ReviewRichard Sharpe would be delighted to have James Keane on his side! Iain Gale's creation is awonderfully imaginative addition to the fascinating tales of Britain's defiance of Bonaparte - Bernard CornwellA cracking adventure story and a rattling good yarn - The SoldierThis exciting military adventure is ideal for any fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books - The Good Book Guide

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Book SynopsisThe mistreatment and captivity of women by the Japanese is a little known and poorly documented aspect of the Second World War. In The Real Tenko, Mark Felton, who has a fast growing reputation as an authority and author on the war in the Far East, redresses this omission with a typically well researched yet necessarily gruesome account of the plight of Allied service-women, female civilians and local women in Japanese hands.Among the atrocities shamefully committed by the Emperor's forces were numerous massacres of nurses; that at Alexandra Hospital, Singapore being perhaps the best known. The lack of respect for their defeated enemies extended in full measure to both European and Asian women and their vulnerability was all too often shockingly exploited. Those who found themselves imprisoned fared little better and suffered appalling indignities and starvation. Also covered are the hardships of gruelling marches under extreme conditions. Whereas the sexual enslavement of so called 'Comfort Women' has been regarded as affecting only Asiatic women, it transpires that this horror was experienced by whites as well.The Real Tenko is a disturbing and shocking testimony both to the callous and cruel behaviour of the Japanese and to the courage and fortitude of those who suffered at their hands.

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