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Book SynopsisLieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Diane Allen had 30 years' experience in the British Army. She was one of the first women at Sandhurst. Sandhurst was so unprepared there were no boots small enough for women and no beds for them (a recurrent theme). She served in Northern Ireland and Germany in the regular army, then 25 years in the reserves, alongside a career in the public and private sector. She moved through the ranks into more senior military leadership, creating new intelligence units. But with each success she achieved, resistance from those in charge increased. In November 2018, Diane was awarded the OBE for services to military intelligence. But by November 2019, she had started a messy divorce with the Army. She isn't leaving voluntarily - she has been pushed out. This is her account of her time in the army; the comical, the tragic, the painful and the honest story of a woman for whom the Army will always be her true family.

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Book SynopsisOften typified by the large tank battles of the Eastern Front, the hunt for U-boats in the Atlantic and the dogfights over European skies, the Second World War saw mechanised warfare on an unprecedented scale. Yet there was another side to the fighting. This was also the infantryman’s conflict where an individual fighting man and the comrades to whom he was attached were asked to play a more diverse – and decisive – role than ever before. The Second World War was as much a war of small units as of big battalions. Here, Alexander Shaw explores the significance of this emphasis on small units for the men who fought between 1939 and 1945. He describes the evolution of the infantry rifle section of the British Army and brings together the history of their weaponry, their small-unit tactics and the soldiers’ personal experiences. Covering every major theatre of operations where British infantrymen saw action, Shaw offers a compelling narrative of Britain’s fighting philosophy and the part played by the individual. Drawing upon unpublished research into War Office publications, government documents, soldiers’ memoirs and several archives, this is a new and methodologically original interpretation of Britain’s war.

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Book SynopsisA TLS and a Prospect Book of the Year A revelatory, explosive new analysis of the military today. Over the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Britain has changed enormously. During this time, the British Army fought two campaigns, in Iraq and Afghanistan, at considerable financial and human cost. Yet neither war achieved its objectives. This book questions why, and provides challenging but necessary answers. Composed from assiduous documentary research, field reportage, and hundreds of interviews with many soldiers and officers who served, as well as the politicians who directed them, the allies who accompanied them, and the family members who loved and — on occasion — lost them, it is a strikingly rich, nuanced portrait of one of our pivotal national institutions in a time of great stress. Award-winning journalist Simon Akam, who spent a year in the army when he was 18, returned a decade later to see how the institution had changed. His book examines the relevance of the armed forces today — their social, economic, political, and cultural role. This is as much a book about Britain, and about the politics of failure, as it is about the military.Trade Review‘Akam’s beautifully written, from the inside out, account of the British Army’s reluctance to engage with the realities of recent small wars, in Afghanistan in particular, is a must-read for every serious student of modern military history. At one level, it explains how and why we managed to turn victory over Al Qaeda in Afghanistan into defeat at the hands of the Taliban. But this book is about much more than the army in Afghanistan — it is a parable about failure, the failure of a revered institution, with a proud history and an uncritical public, to come to terms with a changed and changing world.’ -- Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, former British ambassador to Afghanistan‘Simon Akam has written a perceptive, challenging and passionate book that looks at modern soldiering. In doing so, Akam provides an invaluable look at how the British Army works — and how the changing world in the 21st century is asking new and complex questions for soldiers and military strategy alike.’ -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads‘This brave, absorbing and prodigiously well-researched tour de force renders every previous account of the British Army in its disastrous recent campaigns obsolete. Akam makes an unanswerable case that we are no longer very good at fighting wars, building his arguments with panache and good sense. In doing so he has done his country, and the army, a great service — although the Generals may not see it quite that way just yet. Put away the self-serving autobiographies and the obsequious histories of in-house academics; this is the definitive account of the British Army in its 21st Century misadventures.’ -- Frank Ledwidge, author of Losing Small Wars‘Simon Akam delivers a devastating indictment of Britain’s military chiefs for overseeing the shocking decline of the nation’s armed forces. His book is compulsory reading for every patriot.’ -- Tom Bower, biographer‘A brilliant book … Gets right to the heart of so many of the British Army’s problems.’ -- Simon Scarrow, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Eagles of the Empire series‘A new book looks at the changes the British Army has undergone and roles it has played as an almost volunteer sidekick to the American military in the war on terror.’ -- CJ Chivers * The New York Times *‘The truth about the British Army’ -- Jason Burke * The Guardian *‘Akam is an angry young man and the book is better for it.’ * The Times *‘A blockbuster critique … with heaps of evidence.’ -- Matthew Paris * The Times *‘A passionate book.’ -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *‘It’s compellingly written — I got through all 500-plus pages in two sittings — and it is certainly worth the effort.’ -- Adrian Weale * Mail on Sunday *‘Detailed and well structured.’ -- Anthony Loyd * New Statesman *‘Impassioned … It is a valuable addition to analysing the past, present and future of a venerated institution.’ -- Kim Sengupta * The Independent *‘A blistering account … Akam’s research, including interviews with 260 individuals, is formidable.’ -- Richard Norton-Taylor * Declassified UK *‘A scathing account of the British army in the years after 9/11 … Akam has not just done his homework, interviewing 260 people, but also shows his working in 89 pages of footnotes, full of forensic detail — and delicious gossip.’ -- Shashank Joshi * Spectator Australia *‘Akam makes many important points and reports in depth on officers’ recollections of specific episodes.’ -- Helen Parr * Prospect *‘The Changing of the Guard is a major book that provides the first serious analysis of the effectiveness of the modern British Army … With a particular focus on the failure of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he gives a brunt assessment of the Army as an institution and its role in society. There is lots of interesting material here and some relevant lessons for Australia.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘It is a review of the British Army … It does not tell a ‘pretty’ story — rather, it is a ‘warts and all’ tale … Simon Akam has written a fine book on how and why the British Army has changed, between 2001 and 2020. For those who have seen military service, it will provide a broad picture of the conditions some soldiers have faced in the early 21st Century. For those who have not, it shows clearly the true face of war, as it is fought in this day and age, and may, possibly, be fought in the near future and within current social value sets.’ -- Rob Ellis * RUSI VIC Library *‘[In] beautifully written, evocative and passionate prose, [Akam places] you in the boots of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan suddenly discovering the mission they’ve volunteered for isn’t the war they’re fighting at all … He begins asking questions at ground level, 260 interviews probing everyone from commanders, medal winners to those convicted of war crimes … This breadth of research gives Akam’s book immense power.’ -- Nicholas Stuart * The Canberra Times *‘Simon Akam … has written a timely, elegant and important book, The Changing of the Guard, about the British army’s failures in Afghanistan and Iraq.’ -- David Patrikarakos * The Spectator *‘Full of gripping reportage and compelling personal stories … the story he tells is profoundly important.’ -- David French * TLS *‘A powerful, compelling, and fascinating polemic. Essential reading.’ -- William Boyd‘A “state-of-the-nation” book of resounding power, deep conviction, and far-reaching significance.’ -- Richard Davenport-Hines * TLS *‘Akam contends that there was as little accountability within the military hierarchy as there was outside it … The military would obviously like to avoid a close examination of this unbroken string of catastrophes, but Akam’s book is a gentle account — critical, but not unsympathetic.’ -- Tom Stevenson * London Review of Books *‘Gripping and thoroughly disheartening.’ -- Al Murray‘[A] valuable and salutary read.’ * Foreign Affairs *‘The Changing of the Guard has contributed to the ongoing debate over how the British Army might change further as it enters a post-pandemic world where security challenges demand considerable flexibility of mind… Anything that provokes such self-awareness is good for institutions.’ * War on the Rocks *‘This is an unofficial oral history, created by hundreds of interviews as well as documents and personal observations by the author … This is a well written, organised and researched book … It reads well and is dynamic keeping the reader engaged … I commend Simon Akam for creating an accurate book that could be used as a Leadership discussion case study for the British Army as well as other militaries … It should become required reading at Sandhurst and the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College as well as the Defence Academy of the UK.’ -- Preston McLaughlin * Small Wars Journal *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisA TLS and a Prospect Book of the Year A revelatory, explosive new analysis of the military today. Over the first two decades of the twenty-first century the British Army fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, at considerable financial and human cost. Yet neither war achieved its objectives. Award-winning journalist Simon Akam questions why, and provides challenging but necessary answers. Composed from assiduous documentary research, field reportage, and hundreds of interviews, this book is a strikingly rich, nuanced portrait of one of our pivotal national institutions in a time of great stress. This is as much a book about Britain, and about the politics of failure, as it is about the military.Trade Review‘The truth about the British Army’ -- Jason Burke * The Guardian *‘A blockbuster critique … with heaps of evidence.’ -- Matthew Paris * The Times *‘Akam’s beautifully written, from the inside out, account of the British Army’s reluctance to engage with the realities of recent small wars, in Afghanistan in particular, is a must-read for every serious student of modern military history. At one level, it explains how and why we managed to turn victory over Al Qaeda in Afghanistan into defeat at the hands of the Taliban. But this book is about much more than the army in Afghanistan — it is a parable about failure, the failure of a revered institution, with a proud history and an uncritical public, to come to terms with a changed and changing world.’ -- Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, former British ambassador to Afghanistan‘Simon Akam has written a perceptive, challenging, and passionate book that looks at modern soldiering. In doing so, Akam provides an invaluable look at how the British Army works — and how the changing world in the 21st century is asking new and complex questions for soldiers and military strategy alike.’ -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads‘This brave, absorbing, and prodigiously well-researched tour de force renders every previous account of the British Army in its disastrous recent campaigns obsolete. Akam makes an unanswerable case that we are no longer very good at fighting wars, building his arguments with panache and good sense. In doing so he has done his country, and the army, a great service — although the Generals may not see it quite that way just yet. Put away the self-serving autobiographies and the obsequious histories of in-house academics; this is the definitive account of the British Army in its 21st Century misadventures.’ -- Frank Ledwidge, author of Losing Small Wars‘Simon Akam delivers a devastating indictment of Britain’s military chiefs for overseeing the shocking decline of the nation’s armed forces. His book is compulsory reading for every patriot.’ -- Tom Bower, biographer‘A powerful, compelling, and fascinating polemic. Essential reading.’ -- William Boyd‘A brilliant book … Gets right to the heart of so many of the British Army’s problems.’ -- Simon Scarrow, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Eagles of the Empire series‘A new book looks at the changes the British Army has undergone and roles it has played as an almost volunteer sidekick to the American military in the war on terror.’ -- CJ Chivers * The New York Times *‘Akam is an angry young man and the book is better for it.’ * The Times *‘A passionate book.’ -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *‘It’s compellingly written — I got through all 500-plus pages in two sittings – and it is certainly worth the effort.’ -- Adrian Weale * Mail on Sunday *‘Detailed and well structured.’ -- Anthony Loyd * New Statesman *‘Impassioned … It is a valuable addition to analysing the past, present, and future of a venerated institution.’ -- Kim Sengupta * The Independent *‘Gripping and thoroughly disheartening.’ -- Al Murray‘Simon Akam … has written a timely, elegant, and important book, The Changing of the Guard, about the British army’s failures in Afghanistan and Iraq.’ -- David Patrikarakos * The Spectator *‘Full of gripping reportage and compelling personal stories … the story he tells is profoundly important.’ -- David French * TLS *‘Akam makes many important points and reports in depth on officers’ recollections of specific episodes.’ -- Helen Parr * Prospect *‘A “state-of-the-nation” book of resounding power, deep conviction, and far-reaching significance.’ -- Richard Davenport-Hines * TLS *‘A blistering account … Akam’s research, including interviews with 260 individuals, is formidable.’ -- Richard Norton-Taylor * Declassified UK *‘Akam contends that there was as little accountability within the military hierarchy as there was outside it … The military would obviously like to avoid a close examination of this unbroken string of catastrophes, but Akam’s book is a gentle account — critical, but not unsympathetic.’ -- Tom Stevenson * London Review of Books *‘The Changing of the Guard is a major book that provides the first serious analysis of the effectiveness of the modern British Army … With a particular focus on the failure of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he gives a brunt assessment of the Army as an institution and its role in society. There is lots of interesting material here and some relevant lessons for Australia.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘A scathing account of the British army in the years after 9/11 … Akam has not just done his homework, interviewing 260 people, but also shows his working in 89 pages of footnotes, full of forensic detail — and delicious gossip.’ -- Shashank Joshi * Spectator Australia *‘It is a review of the British Army … It does not tell a ‘pretty’ story — rather, it is a ‘warts and all’ tale … Simon Akam has written a fine book on how and why the British Army has changed, between 2001 and 2020. For those who have seen military service, it will provide a broad picture of the conditions some soldiers have faced in the early 21st Century. For those who have not, it shows clearly the true face of war, as it is fought in this day and age, and may, possibly, be fought in the near future and within current social value sets.’ -- Rob Ellis * RUSI VIC Library *‘[In] beautifully written, evocative, and passionate prose, [Akam places] you in the boots of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan suddenly discovering the mission they’ve volunteered for isn’t the war they’re fighting at all … He begins asking questions at ground level, 260 interviews probing everyone from commanders, medal winners to those convicted of war crimes … This breadth of research gives Akam’s book immense power.’ -- Nicholas Stuart * The Canberra Times *‘[A] valuable and salutary read.’ * Foreign Affairs *‘The Changing of the Guard has contributed to the ongoing debate over how the British Army might change further as it enters a post-pandemic world where security challenges demand considerable flexibility of mind… Anything that provokes such self-awareness is good for institutions.’ * War on the Rocks *‘This is an unofficial oral history, created by hundreds of interviews as well as documents and personal observations by the author … This is a well written, organised and researched book … It reads well and is dynamic keeping the reader engaged … I commend Simon Akam for creating an accurate book that could be used as a Leadership discussion case study for the British Army as well as other militaries … It should become required reading at Sandhurst and the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College as well as the Defence Academy of the UK.’ -- Preston McLaughlin * Small Wars Journal *

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Book SynopsisIt has the privacy and immediacy of a diary but holds the interest like a novel. It follows the adventures, trials and tribulations of Nuibin Amhlaigh who keeps getting into trouble in his good soldier’s progress through army life. A lost treasure of Irish writing translated for the first time into English.Trade Review“Mac Amhlaigh sought to record every pub and dancehall, every sunset, stone wall and rainbow in his mind, to pack the city in his suitcase so that she remained with him forever, so he could all at once hear her lost voice everywhere.” Colum McCann; “Mícheál Ó hAodha has done the literary world a huge service by translating Dónall Mac Amhlaigh's work into English.” Gillian Mawson; "a work that exudes authenticity and immediacy.” Liam Harte

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Book SynopsisOn July 3rd, 1866, a Prussian army overwhelmed and defeated an Austrian army near the fortress city of Königgrätz in a bloody battle that lasted all day. The foremost power in Germany and central Europe had been reduced to a second rate player. The event caused alarm in the rest of the Western world. How was a country like Prussia able to upset the balance of power in Europe, when only sixteen years earlier Austria’s treaty of Olmützit had put it in its place? Its performance as an Austrian ally had been less than stellar in the 2nd Schleswig War of 1864. Yet within five years a Prussian-led army would humble France and a Prussian King would be crowned Emperor of a united Germany. The history of the world would be changed forever.The story of this army is the subject of The Armies of Bismarck’s Wars, a new book by acclaimed military author and artist, Bruce Bassett-Powell. He chronicles its growth from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the reforms of the 1860s, as well as giving a full account of the wars against Denmark and Austria, showing how the confluence of the lives of Kaiser Wilhelm I, Helmuth von Molkte and Otto von Bismarck provided the ingredients that created such an irresistible force.This lavishly illustrated book describes the history and battles of the Prussian army, as well as lesser known details concerning its rise to prominence. The growth and influence of the General Staff is also examined, along with the recruitment and training of officers and men. The author fully describes the organisation of Prussia’s army and its fledgling navy, as well as the weapons with which they fought, in particular giving a detailed account of their dress and accoutrements, accompanied by 24 full-page colour illustrations of over 70 uniforms.

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Book SynopsisThe Wiking Division was the only SS armoured division exclusively to fight on the Eastern Front. The division was partly composed of volunteers Flemish, Dutch and Scandinavian whose primary motivation, for many of them, was to fight against Bolshevism. They fought with an energy which never wavered even if the efforts and sacrifices were not always rewarded with victory. Counted among its ranks officers of unusual caliber as Felix Steiner, Herbert -Otto Gille , August Dieckmann and Hans Dorr Walter Schmidt to name a few. This book recounts their history in unparalleled details.Trade ReviewEven as a book taken by itself this one is amazing...while coupled with the two previous volumes it makes for what is I think the most detailed history of an individual unit that I can remember reading while the huge number of associated archive photos across all three books is equally stunning. * Military Model Scene *

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Book SynopsisAprès Landser, Ordre Noir et Deutsche Luftwaffe, voici un nouveau livre de la même collection sur les troupes de choc de la Première Guerre mondiale. Les premières unités d'assaut (Sturmtruppen) ont été formées au cours du printemps et de l'été de 1916, quand le Sturmbataillon Rohr a été organisé et après que le général Falkenhayn, chef de la Ligue de l'Ontario, a donné les ordres pour la création de détachements spéciaux. Ces détachements avaient pour mission de répandre une nouvelle tactique qui a transformé de manières décisive les méthodes de combats de l’armée allemande. Mais bien avant cela, un autre type de troupes avait été crée au sein de l’infanterie allemande au cours de l’hiver 1914-1915 : les troupes de choc (Stosstruppen), des groupes d’infanterie qui n’ont jamais été officiellement reconnus comme tels et n’ayant jamais appartenu à une unité permanente, mais qui sont restés actifs jusqu’à la fin de la guerre et qui ont contribué à l’amélioration de la capacité offensive de l’infanterie allemande. Ce livre est un récit de l’histoire des troupes d’assaut et il couvre leurs méthodes de combat. Il propose une description complète de leurs uniformes, de leur équipement, leurs armes, avec un grand nombre d’illustrations et de photographies d’époque rarement vues.

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Book Synopsis“The Guard charges” Napoleon gave special attention to this splendid unit – the Imperial Guard – and it became a sort of little army within the “Grande Armée”. This study of its organisation is here at its most erudite, like the one on the uniforms and equipment. Discover the uniforms, the equipment, and the weapons used by all those “Grognards”, who were launched into a battle as a last resort, at the decisive moment. Explaining how the Guard was organised into Old, Middle and Young Guards, in this volume, the illustrator-researcher André Jouineau shows the colonel-generals, the grenadiers, the chasseurs à pied, fusiliers, velites, flanqueurs, wards, workmen, sappers, doctors, magistrates and foot gunners; in the second volume he shows the centaurs of the Guard’s cavalry. This small practical, clear, concise, logical and visual tool is a real vade mecum, intended for imperial history buffs as well as figurine makers. The third volume – a compilation of two dossiers published in the fifth and sixth issues of the magazine ”Soldat” – is the new, improved, entirely revised and re-drawn larger version (more than fifty per cent more characters) than the previous work published several years ago now by the authors. In this volume : the last mounted units of the Guard, the follow-up units, the Horse Artillery, the Artillery trains and teams, the Health Service, the Guard HQ Staff but also the Emperor’s Household, the Emperor and the first uniforms of the Royal Guard.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of the magnificent Jodhpur Lancers - one of India's most charismatic cavalry regiments - even as centenary celebrations begin of their finest hour, their extraordinary victory at the Battle of Haifa (now in Israel) in 1918. Indeed, the charge, mounted on horses against machine gun fire, at the fortified city then held by German and Turkish forces, is described by many as 'perhaps the greatest cavalry charge ever on a regimental scale', ranking alongside Cromwell's Ironsides at Marston Moor, the Polish Lancers at Somosierra and the German cavalry at Mars-la-Tour. No wonder the Jodhpur Lancers were referred to as the Jo Hokums ('As You Command') by the end of the Great War - no challenge was insurmountable, no order ever refused. Laced with anecdotes and 'inside stories', Michael Creese traces the roots of the regiment from its raising by the legendary Sir Pratap Singh to its early actions in China. From the muddy trenches of France, to Haifa, Aleppo and Damascus; to its eventual mechanisation in the Second World War. Finally, and sadly, to its bureaucratic amalgamation with the Indian Army in the 1950s, where, against many odds, it has been able to retain a slice of its identity and history; the battle cry always 'Ran Banka Rathore' ('The Rathore - Invincible in Battle').

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Book SynopsisThailand remains important by virtue of its location at the centre of the Asia–Pacific region, an area playing a vital role in world affairs. And yet, although Thailand has a comparatively large population and has powerful military forces performing significant roles in state and society, the country itself is seen as having little military power; it is a minor player. Why is this? Using strategic culture as an analytical framework, this book produces a portrait of the Thai state as an accommodative actor. During the period of Western imperial dominance in Asia, Thailand `bent in the wind’ to preserve its independence by a limited trading of territory and sovereignty. This accommodative policy continues to the present day in different forms. A key feature is that military organisational culture reinforces a state ideology of royalist nationalism that in turn reinforces the national strategic culture. Significant here is internal political acceptance of not just militarydomination in civil–military relations but also of the Thai military’s limitations in state-on-state combat. The author finds such `underbalancing’ – not responding to threat, or responding to it inadequately – elsewhere in Southeast Asia, too, especially in Indonesia. Although ASEAN’s two largest economies, and despite the challenges presented by a rising China, neither country is acting to significantly build alliances or rapidly strengthen their military forces. Pointing as well to other Southeast Asian nations with weak civil control of their militaries, including Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia, the book sets out a case that the interplay of civil–military relations and military organisational culture retards the development of strong external defence postures.

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Book SynopsisThailand remains important by virtue of its location at the centre of the Asia–Pacific region, an area playing a vital role in world affairs. And yet, although Thailand has a comparatively large population and has powerful military forces performing significant roles in state and society, the country itself is seen as having little military power; it is a minor player. Why is this? Using strategic culture as an analytical framework, this book produces a portrait of the Thai state as an accommodative actor. During the period of Western imperial dominance in Asia, Thailand `bent in the wind’ to preserve its independence by a limited trading of territory and sovereignty. This accommodative policy continues to the present day in different forms. A key feature is that military organisational culture reinforces a state ideology of royalist nationalism that in turn reinforces the national strategic culture. Significant here is internal political acceptance of not just military domination in civil–military relations but also of the Thai military’s limitations in state-on-state combat. The author finds such `underbalancing’ – not responding to threat, or responding to it inadequately – elsewhere in Southeast Asia, too, especially in Indonesia. Although ASEAN’s two largest economies, and despite the challenges presented by a rising China, neither country is acting to significantly build alliances or rapidly strengthen their military forces. Pointing as well to other Southeast Asian nations with weak civil control of their militaries, including Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia, the book sets out a case that the interplay of civil–military relations and military organisational culture retards the development of strong external defence postures.

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Book SynopsisWar is often prosecuted in conjunction with other services, as also with para-military forces. Indian Army is also involved in safeguarding disputed borders along mountainous and high altitude terrain. Such deployment often leads to clashes arising out of political decisions and military compulsions. India is also facing two nuclear nations; one of them operates below the thresh-hold, yet there can be nuclear weapons use. The Army is also employed in aid to civil authority, natural calamities and disaster management. The human role will continue to predominate, as such, identifying ingredients that constitute a soldier’s potential becomes necessary. The study of Psychology for the Soldiers seems not adequately carried out, at least on the surface, for selection, training, allotment of trades; and eventually for leadership, tactics, strategy and operational employment. This book aims at initiating more study and research on the subject.Table of Contents"Preface 1. Physical and Mental Fitness 2. The Eye 3. The Ear 4. Loyalty 5. Martial Law And Military Governance 6. Yoga 7. Smell In War 8. Stress 9. Emotions 10. Basic And Secondary Needs 11. Compensation 12. Leadership 13. Morale 14. Rumour 15. Psychological War And Propaganda 16. Fear 17. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) 18. Professionalism 19. Connect With Their Base 20. Festivals of India And Relevance to Armed Forces 21. Drugs 22. Cross Border Terrorism and Soldiers 23. NBC Environment 24. Para Military Forces 25. Military History 26. Leadership in Navy and Air Force 27. Conclusion Bibliography Index"

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Book SynopsisIn the rolling hills of the Limburg Province, near the village of Margraten, they slowly loom up, row after row: thousands of white marble crosses and Stars of David. They mark the final resting place of American soldiers who died fighting to liberate the Netherlands during World War II. While the headstones provide the names and ages of those lost, they cannot tell us who these soldiers were, what their lives were like, or who they left behind. Nor can the peace and quiet at the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands reflect the harrowing experience and violent final moments of the men and women who forever rest here. Through hundreds of personal photographs and more than 250 stories, The Faces of Margraten gives these soldiers faces and voices again, telling not only the history of World War II and the ending of the German occupation of the Netherlands, but also revealing how and why the Dutch people have never forgotten their liberators. Concluding with a list of all the soldiers’ names, this commemorative book stands as a testament to the service and sacrifice of the more than 10,000 Americans buried or memorialized as missing in Margraten.Table of ContentsA lasting monument in print The American war effort in northwestern Europe: Uncle Sam comes to the rescue The only American Cemetery in the Netherlands The stories behind the names Epilogue: Singing birds Forever Grateful: Honor Roll Glossary Acknowledgements They remember Sources

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