Modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisThe Partisan's Companion was produced by the Red Army to train partisans to fight the Nazi invader. Its usefulness outlived World War II, as it was later used to train Third World guerrillas in their wars of national liberation during the 1950s–70s, and even the Fedayeen guerrillas who fought US and coalition forces in Iraq.By the end of 1942, it was obvious that Germany was losing the war. The partisan ranks grew as did the training requirements for partisan commanders. The 1942 edition of The Partisan's Companion helped quickly train new guerrillas to a common standard. Besides field craft, it covers partisan tactics, German counter-guerrilla tactics, demolitions, German and Soviet weapons, scouting, camouflage, anti-tank warfare and anti-aircraft defense for squad and platoon-level instruction. It contains the Soviet lessons of two bitter years of war and provides a good look at the tactics and training of a mature partisan force. The partisans moved and lived clandestinely, harassed the enemy, and supported the Red Army through reconnaissance and attacks on German supply lines. They clearly frustrated German logistics and forced the Germans to periodically sideline divisions for rear-area security. The partisans and their handbook were clearly part of the eventual Soviet victory over Germany. This pocket manual puts The Partisan's Companion in context, explaining its importance.

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Book SynopsisThis latest in the Casemate Illustrated series explores American armor during the Pacific Campaign of WWII, from 1942-45. During this period there were over twenty major tank battles and operations where tanks provided heavy support to infantry units. These operations include the battle of Tarawa and the Bougainville Campaign. Relying heavily on first-person accounts, the strategies and tactics of the opposing forces are discussed.This book also looks at the Pacific theater, and how American armor was employed with great success in that theater of war. Detailed information on American and Japanese armored forces, including development, equipment, capabilities, organization, and order of battle, is given.Trade Review...an excellent little survey of tank warfare in the Pacific. Guardia’s narrative sticks closely to tank operations and he does not get bogged down in detail – he allows his profile pages to do that work. * Wargames Illustrated 12/04/2021 *This is a very fine work with great attention to detail, interwoven with first-hand accounts and Unit Profiles to give more infromation about the forces involved. * Gun Mart *This should be interesting for history fans and modelers who would like to have more references...it will also make a nice addition to your library. * DetailScaleView *

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Book SynopsisThis is the first major biography of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay in fifty years. Ramsay masterminded the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in 1940. Initially, it was thought that 40,000 troops at most could be rescued. But Ramsay's planning and determination led to some 338,000 being brought back to fight another day, although the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy paid a high price in ships and men. Ramsay continued to play a crucial role in the conduct of the Second World War – the invasion of Sicily in 1943 was successful in large part due to his vision, and he had a key role in the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion – coordinating and commanding the 7,000 ships that delivered the invasion force onto the beaches of Normandy.After forty years in the Royal Navy he was forced to retire in 1938 after falling out with a future First Sea Lord but months later, with war looming, he was given a new post. However he was not reinstated on the Active List until April 1944, at which point he was promoted to Admiral and appointed Naval Commander-in-Chief for the D-Day naval expeditionary force. Dying in a mysterious air crash in 1945, Ramsay’s legacy has been remembered by the Royal Navy but his key role in the Allied victory has been widely forgotten. After the war ended his achievements ranked alongside those of Sir Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke, Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery and General Dwight Eisenhower, yet he never received the public recognition he deserved.Brian Izzard’s new biography of Ramsay puts him and his work back centre-stage, arguing that Ramsay was the mastermind without whom the outcome of both Dunkirk and D-Day – and perhaps the entire war – could have been very different.Trade ReviewThis excellent modern biography is long overdue, superbly written and will hopefully help restore the worthy prominence owed to one of Britain's greatest naval officers. * Britain at War Magazine *Well and attractively written and a good read. * Navy News *This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, easy to read, and informative. * Naval Review 05/07/2021 *Brian Izzard has written a splendid, much needed and long overdue full biography of Admiral Ramsay, with access to far more material, significant amounts of it formerly classified, than that available to WS Chalmers with his much earlier biography, written sixty years ago. But the book also includes an excellent history of Operation Dynamo, the amazing story of the Dunkirk evacuation, it is the best account that I have read of that incredible strategic rescue of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). * Scuttlebutt 12/06/2020 *This reviewer is firmly of the opinion that many of the best histories are written by journalists or former journalists. This book is no exception. The author is a journalist of vast experience who also happens to write great military history. He certainly has a talent for weaving a fascinating and readable tale … [a] quite personal but very inspiring biography. * Baird Maritime 11/06/2020 *Brian Izzard has written a fascinating and complete biography that is a delight to read of the man described as the “mastermind of amphibious operations”. Very highly recommended. * Warships World 09/07/2020 *‘’This is a fascinating… account of a great admiral's life and times.’’ * Warships International *Table of ContentsChapter 1 The Banished Warrior Chapter 2 A Ramsay Who Riled Wellington Chapter 3 War Breaks Out Chapter 4 New Horizons Chapter 5 Battle of the Admirals Chapter 6 King of the Castle Chapter 7 The Troops Head to France Chapter 8 Operation Dynamo Chapters 9 to 16: Dunkirk evacuation Chapter 17 Salute to Ramsay Chapter 18 Mutiny Chapter 19 Threat of Invasion Chapter 20 1941 Chapter 21 The Great Escape Chapter 22 Go To It! Chapter 23 Operation Torch Chapter 24 The Burning Torch Chapter 25 The Tide Turns Chapter 26 Onward to Sicily Chapter 27 D-Day Chapter 28 Death

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Book SynopsisBetween 1940 and 1945, large numbers of trucks of all categories were delivered to the U.S. Army by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors. Over 160,000 of these trucks were the G-506 light four-wheel drive trucks - which became the standard 1 1/2-ton, 4x4 truck for both the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps during the war. In addition, many more thousands were delivered to Allied forces as part of the Lend-Lease program, including nearly 50,000 delivered to the Soviet Union. Tough, well-built and more agile than the deuce and a half, the Chevy 1½ton played a part in every theater of operations during the war. Its durability and mechanical reliability made it ideal for a wide range of missions. Not for nothing did Chevy advertise the trucks during the war as “Vehicles of victory.”More than 75 years after it was designed, the small Chevrolet truck is still a favourite with collectors.This fully illustrated book details the different series of trucks and their many uses within the U.S. Army including cargo trucks, panel delivery trucks for the Signal Corps, dump trucks for engineers, telephone trucks, tractors, bomb service trucks for the air force. It also covers their part in the Lend-Lease program, and their continued use after the war.Trade ReviewThis is a quality publication looking at this important truck of WWII and its many uses. There are great photos throughout which will be of interest to the modeller and WWII buff alike. Highly recommended. * Britmodeller.com *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Different Series 3. Cargo Trucks 4. Panel Delivery Trucks 5. Cargo Dump Trucks 6. Tractor Trucks 7. M6 Bomb Service 8. Telephone Trucks 9. Chassis with Cab 10. Cabs over Engine 11. Low Silhouettes 12. The 1-ton Trailer 13. On Campaign 14. A planned Obsolescence? 15. Lend-Lease 16. After the War 17. The Chevy’s Posterity Appendices Bibliography and Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisIn November 1945, two French officers secretly entered the Führerbunker, the air raid shelter near the Chancellery in Berlin. The bunker was the last home of Adolf Hitler, the background of the last months of his life, and the war, where he married Eva Braun on April 29, 1945, and where he killed himself less than two days later. In the middle of a heap of furniture and broken objects, the two officers found hundreds of documents littering the ground. Among the documents that they retrieved were a dozen telegrams of historic importance that allow us to understand the spirit of the last leaders of the Third Reich as well as the events that took place between April 23 and 26, 1945. These and other documents are presented for the first time in this book, presented in their proper context and with an expert commentary.Trade ReviewBut although the building may have gone, troves of historic documents survived. Now, many have been published for the first time in this new visual history, an excellent guide to the horrendous final days, hours, and minutes of the Third Reich. * Military History Matters (Book Reviews) *...offers a layer of detail that will be appreciated by anyone who guides Berlin. * Battlefields Trust Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Reich Chancellery The subterranean complex The last landmark Running the War from the Bunker The last days of the Bunker The Bunker of Apocalypse A visit to the Chancellery Reconnecting the Thread of History The documents

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Book SynopsisFifteen elite mountain divisions and a multitude of small units fought for the Wehrmacht during World War II. They fought on all fronts, operating in hostile environments ranging from the far north to Libya, the Atlantic to the Caucasus - serving in all the “hot spots.” This book, the culmination of some four decades of research and the support of many veterans and collectors, describes the life, operations and equipment of these specialist units.Trade Review...supported by a great collection of colour and monochrome photographs - one with the men wearing patterned tablecloths to stave off the cold in Norway is my favourite. […] it will appeal to readers interested in the German army in the early phases of World War II. * Wargames Illustrated *Table of ContentsMountain Troops 1935–39 Poland, 1939 Campaigns in the West, Norway and France, 1940 The Balkans, 1941 North Africa, 1941–43 The Eastern Front, 1941–43 The Northern Front, 1941–43 Afterword Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisBagration was the code word that the Soviet Army gave for their summer offensive in 1944. This massive offensive led to the destruction of the German Army Group Center and was the greatest military defeat ever experienced by the German Army during World War Two. This book provides an absorbing insight into the German defeat and the Russian offensive using a wide variety of rare and previously unpublished photographs. With detailed captions and text together with 20 artist profiles and maps, the book shows the compelling story of how German Army Group Center tried to counter the overwhelming might of the Soviet Army as it poured thousands of men, weapons and armor across the German lines, smashing its way through.What ensued was a swift and bloody battle of attrition as the German Army tried to contain the might of its unstoppable enemy. In the days and weeks that followed German units fought and gradually retreated under the constant hammer blows of Russian ground and aerial bombardments, and endless armored and infantry attacks. Many German units fighting to the grim death were duty-bound not to withdraw, and what followed was a disaster of a colossal magnitude. As the Soviet might punched a massive hole in the German lines it sent huge shock waves through Army Group Center forcing them to retreat or face total annihilation.However, the Russian offensive was so quick that many of the German units with their precious panzer and infantry divisions quickly became encircled and destroyed - its remnants retreating west in order to save itself. By the end of the battle this cataclysm was bigger than that experienced at Stalingrad. It saw the German Army being pushed out of Russia towards Poland with the loss of over 300,000 men and most of its weaponry lost.The story of the destruction of Army Group Center during the summer of 1944 has been completely overshadowed by the D-Day campaign in Normandy three weeks earlier. Yet, the battle in which the German forces endured on the Eastern Front that fateful summer was more catastrophic than that experienced by the Allies on the Western Front, but little is known of the operation. This book reveals the lesser-known battle in the East and shows how the German forces fought and lost against overwhelming odds.Trade ReviewIt is recommended for the general reader, the modeller and vehicle enthusiast and those with an interest in the Eastern Front. * Miniature Wargames *The photographs really make this book, as I do not recall seeing many in print before. Recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *Table of ContentsPreparations Operation Bagration: The Attack: 22 June–28 June 1944 Fighting for Survival: 29 June–6 July 1944 Destruction: 6 July–11 July 1944 Aftermath: The fate of Army Group Center Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe record of Carrier Air Group 15 in World War II is astonishing by any measure: it scored 312 enemy aircraft destroyed, 33 probably destroyed, and 65 damaged in aerial combat, plus 348 destroyed, 161 probably destroyed, and 129 damaged in ground attacks. Twenty-six Fighting 15 pilots became aces, including their leader, Commander David McCampbell, who became the U.S. Navy’s “Ace of Aces.” Twenty-one squadron pilots were killed in action and one in an operational accident aboard the carrier Essex.The fighter squadron’s partners, Bombing Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadron 15, scored 174,300 tons of enemy shipping, including 37 cargo vessels sunk, 10 probably sunk, and 39 damaged. As well, Musashi, the world’s largest battleship, was sunk, along with a light aircraft carrier, a destroyer, destroyer escort, two minesweepers and other craft - plus the Zuikaku, the last surviving carrier that participated in the Pearl Harbor attack. Incredibly, every pilot of Torpedo 15 was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest award for bravery after the Medal of Honor.All of this took place between May and November, 1944. No other American combat unit in any service came close to a similar score in such a short time period. Air Group 15 participated in the two greatest naval battles in history, the Philippine Sea - also known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot - and Leyte Gulf, which saw the end of Japanese naval power. On June 19, 1944, Fighting 15 shot down 68.5 attacking Japanese aircraft, a one-day record unmatched by any other U.S. fighter squadron.In documenting the saga of Air Group 15's momentous six months at war, the author provides an intimate and insightful view of the group’s fabled combat tour, including details of daily life and human interactions aboard the fleet carrier USS Essex during the busiest phase of the Pacific War.Trade ReviewThis is a fascinating story of the CAG15 war in some of the key battles of the Pacific theatre. It is strongly recommended for both the general reader and the expert alike. * Miniature Wargames 11/05/2021 *..an interesting read for improving your history knowledge and your next model build. * DetailScaleView 02/08/2021 *The vivid description gives the reader a real feel for the time, showing just how gruelling and frustrating life at sea as a pilot or enlisted air crewman could be in 1944 as they tried to follow a key rule of combat flying, "Never get to like a guy so well you can't see him die. * Classic Wings 01/09/2021 *Their story is told here in a most exciting and interesting way. It is very hard to put down. * Baird Maritime *This is an action-packed book that, once started, is difficult to put down. * Flight Line Book Review 11/05/2021 *I highly recommend this book to historians, enthusiasts, and anyone with an interest in US carrier aviation in the Pacific during the Second World War. It is a fitting tribute to the men of Carrier Air Group 15. * Military Enthusiast Book Club 05/07/2021 *

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Book SynopsisIn the closing months of World War II, with Budapest’s fall on 12 February 1945 and the breakout attempt by the IX SS-Gebirgskorps having failed, the only thing the IV. SS-Panzerkorps could do was fall back to a more defensible line and fortify the key city of Stuhlweissenburg. Exhausted after three relief attempts in January 1945 and outnumbered by the ever-increasing power of Marshal Tolbukhin’s Third Ukrainian Front, SS-Obergruppenführer Gille’s veterans dug in for a lengthy period of defensive warfare.However, Adolf Hitler had not forgotten about the Hungarian theatre of operations nor the country’s rich oilfields and was sending help. To the detriment of the defence of Berlin, SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich’s legendary 6. Panzerarmee was on its way, not to retake Budapest, but to encircle and destroy Tolbukhin’s forces and completely reverse the situation in south-eastern Europe in Hitler’s favour. This overly ambitious offensive, known as Frühlingserwachen (Spring Awakening), was soon bogged down in the face of resolute Soviet defences aided by the springtime thaw. Heralded as Nazi Germany’s last great offensive of World War II, it resulted in great losses to Hitler’s last armoured reserve in exchange for only minor gains. Though it played a supporting role during the battle, the IV. SS-Panzerkorps was soon caught up in its aftermath, after the Red Army launched its Vienna Operation that nearly swept the armies of Heeresgruppe Süd from the battlefield.Withdrawing into Austria, Gille’s battered corps attempted to bar the route into Germany, while the Red Army bore down on Vienna. Forced to endure relentless Soviet attacks as well as the caustic leadership of the 6. Armee commander, General Hermann Balck, the men of the IV. SS-Panzerkorps fought their way through Austria to reach the safety of the demarcation line where it finally surrendered to U.S. forces on 9 May 1945 after nearly a year of relentless campaigning.Trade ReviewFor anyone with the slightest interest in the Eastern Front, this concluding volume of the trilogy of IV SS Panzer-korps is simply a must-read. Nash has done yeoman’s work in marshaling sources for this period of the war when records and record-keeping went into an abeyance, from the Lake Balaton Offensive to keeping the Hungarian oil fields. * ARMOR Magazine 21/12/2022 *Table of ContentsIntroduction List of Maps List of Figures Illustrations Chapter 1: A South Wind Brings Hope Chapter 2: Operation Spring Awakening Chapter 3: The Defense of Stuhlweissenburg Chapter 4: Withdrawal to the Reichsschutzstellung Chapter 5: Defending the Reich Chapter 6: War’s End Appendices Endnotes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn February 1942, a reconnaissance party of United States Army Air Forces officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force - an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were hastily built across the eastern counties of England.At the heart of the Eighth Air Force were its bombardment groups, each equipped with scores of heavily armed, four-engine bombers. These Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators were soon punching through the enemy's defences to bomb targets vital to its war effort. They were crewed by thousands of young American airmen, most of whom were volunteers.This book tells the story of just one "Bomb Group" - the 381st, which crossed the Atlantic in May 1943. Arriving at RAF Ridgewell on the Essex-Suffolk border, its airmen quickly found themselves thrown into the hazardous and attritional air battle raging in the skies over Europe.Bomb Group follows the 381st's path from its formation in the Texan desert, to its 297th and final bombing mission deep into the heart of Hitler's Third Reich. It is the remarkable story of one group and the part it played in the strategic bombing campaign of "The Mighty Eighth."Trade ReviewThe authors do a good job using the diaries, interviews, and books written by group members to convey a vivid – sometimes too vivid – picture of war at its most elemental. The human element is portrayed using the actual words of those who participated. Particularly poignant are the stories of rude awakenings of fresh arrivals to the cost of war on their first few missions. * The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation *The authors' passion for their subject is obvious in the detailed research and meticulous organization of the book. Extensive use of veteran recollec­tions bring life to the narrative. This book is a fitting tribute to the veterans of the 381st. * WWII History Magazine *Bingley and Peters offer a wonderful accounting of how the 381st contributed to the strategic bombing campaign of the Mighty Eighth. * ARGunners.com 14/12/2022 *I can not recommend this book enough. It is a fitting tribute to all of those who served in the 381st Bomb Group but also all of the personnel who served in the Eighth Air Force bomb groups. If you want to know what it was like to fly in, work on, or support a B-17 this is a book you must read. It is a testament to the subsequent generations that owe their existence to men like those described in this book. And finally, the last sentence of the book really hits home, “...just 25 percent completed their tour.” * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club *I think this is a great memorial to all those men who went to war from what is now a quiet corner of Essex. Definitely one I recommend to you. * Military Model Scene *In an extraordinary achievement of marrying historical research with a smooth writing style, Bomb Group works as an introduction to the Eighth Air Force as well as required reading for the well-versed in the subject. Authors Paul Bingley and Mike Peters have produced a detailed account of the 381st BG, and at the same time overlaid the larger historical context of the United States’ first air force with an offensive mission – an offensive mission unproven in its day. Richly researched and full of personal stories recalling training, the horrors and otherworldly nature of aerial warfare, sweating out missions on the ground and the sense of duty, Bomb Group is a valuable addition to the body of work on Eighth Air Force history. Be forewarned, after reading this book your debt of gratitude to these teenagers and young men of the 381st and the whole of the Eighth Air Force will grow exponentially. * Scott W. Loehr, President & CEO, National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Swift 2. Bolero 3. Black Ribbons and Oil 4. Forward Together 5. Operation A 6. A Sham 7. The Jinxed Ship 8. Beating the Life 9. Scrub the Sky 10. Snow and Skis 11. Total War 12. Ridgewell's Revenge 13. Trafalgar 14. Big B 15. Work Hard for Doolittle 16. The European Theatre's Stage Door 17. Secrets and Lies 18. Triumphant We Fly 19. Tails and Fins 20. Buzz Bomb Alley 21. Allies and Enemies 22. Leading the Way 23. A Last Farewell 24. Some Sunny Day 25. The Lie of the Land

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Book SynopsisIn 1941, military operations were conducted by large formations along the northern coast of Scandinavia – for the first time in history of warfare. A modern army suddenly swept into that isolated and inhospitable region that was yet to possess the level of importance it would later assume in Cold War polar strategy.The Arctic Front was the northernmost theatre in the war waged by Germany against Russia. For a period of four years, German troops from all branches of the Wehrmacht fought side by side with Finnish border guard units. The high point of the war on the Arctic Front was the assembly and advance of Germany’s Mountain Corps Norway in the summer and autumn of 1941. Commanded by general of the mountain troops, Eduard Dietl, and composed of the 2nd and 3rd Mountain Divisions, the Mountain Corps advanced out of occupied North Norway, assembled in the Petsamo Corridor in North Finland, and struck into Russian territory in an attempt to seize Murmansk. It did not reach its objective.This account of the operation was written by Wilhelm Hess, quartermaster of the Mountain Corps Norway. He draws upon his personal experience of the conditions and actions on the Arctic Front in order to describe and analyse the environment, the sequence of events, and the reasons behind certain decisions. In addition to describing how operations conducted by the Mountain Corps unfolded, Hess provides insight as to how the terrain, the flow of supplies, and the war at sea impacted those operations.Trade Review...if you have any kind of interest in understanding what it entails to wage warfare in the Arctic Circle or an interest in military logistics - then this book is a must read. * Misc US Reviewer *This is a serious, thoughtful book about war "on the right wing of the Western Front and the left wing of the Eastern Front" in conditions hardly conducive to survival, let alone combat. Definitely recommended. * Stone & Stone Second World War Books *Table of Contents1. The Mountain Corps Norway 2. Fennoscandia and Kola 3. The threat from the west 4. Assembly of forces in the east 5. Operational plans 6. Petsamo 7. Cutting off Rybachy Peninsula 8. Overcoming the border fortifications 9. Meeting engagements 10. The first attack over the Litsa River 11. The second attack over the Litsa River 12. The operations of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla 13. Mopping up the Duchy 14. The last days of summer 15. The third attack over the Litsa River 16. The reasons for failure 17. Upheaval and relief 18. Positional warfare and the line of security 19. On the Luttojoki River 20. The supply of the mountain corps

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Book SynopsisIn World War I the 30th Infantry Division earned more Medals of Honor than any other American division. In World War II it spent more consecutive days in combat than almost any other outfit. Recruited mainly from the Carolinas and George and Tennessee, they were one of the hardest-fighting units the U.S. ever fielded in Europe. What was it about these men that made them so indomitable? They were tough and resilient for a start, but this division had something else. They possessed intrinsic zeal to engage the enemy that often left their adversaries in awe. Their U.S. Army nickname was the "Old Hickory" Division. But after encountering them on the battleifled, the Germans themselves came to call them "Roosevelt’s SS."This book is a combat chronicle of this illustrious division that takes the reader right to the heart of the fighting through the eyes of those who were actually there. It goes from the hedgerows of Normandy to the 30th's gallant stand against panzers at Mortain, to the brutal slugs around Aachen and the Westwall, and then to the Battle of the Bulge. Each chapter is meticulously researched and assembled with accurate timelines and after-action reports. The last remaining veterans of the 30th Division and attached units who saw the action firsthand relate their remarkable experiences here for the first, and probably the last time. This is precisely what military historians mean when they write about "fighting spirit."There have been only a few books written about the 30th Division and none contained direct interviews with the veterans. This work follows their story from Normandy to the final victory in Germany, packed with previously untold accounts from the survivors. These are the men whose incredible stories epitomize what it was to be a GI in one of the toughest divisions in WWII.

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Book SynopsisThe infamous Rape of Nanjing looms like a dark shadow over the history of Asia in the 20th century, and is among the most widely recognized chapters of World War II in China. By contrast, the story of the month-long campaign before this notorious massacre has never been told in its entirety. Nanjing 1937 by Peter Harmsen fills this gap. This is the follow-up to Harmsen's best-selling Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze, and begins where that book left off. In stirring prose, it describes how the Japanese Army, having invaded the mainland and emerging victorious from the Battle of Shanghai, pushed on toward the capital Nanjing in a crushing advance that confirmed its reputation for bravery and savagery in equal measure. While much of the struggle over Shanghai had carried echoes of the grueling war in the trenches two decades earlier, the Nanjing campaign was a fast-paced mobile operation in which armor and air power played mayor roles. It was blitzkrieg two years before Hitler's invasion of Poland. Facing the full might of modern, mechanized warfare, China's resistance was heroic, but ultimately futile. As in Shanghai, the battle for Nanjing was more than a clash between Chinese and Japanese. Soldiers and citizens of a variety of nations witnessed or took part in the hostilities. German advisors, American journalists and British diplomats all played important parts in this vast drama. And a new power appeared on the scene: Soviet pilots dispatched by Stalin to challenge Japan's control of the skies. This epic tale is told with verve and attention to detail by Harmsen, a veteran East Asia correspondent who consolidates his status as the foremost chronicler of World War II in China with this path-breaking work of narrative history.Trade ReviewYou certainly get a feel for the pace and nature of the campaign, and the tensions between politicians and generals. […] a useful foray into a rare topic, with a 14-page bibliography demonstrating considerable research effort. * Miniature Wargames 19/07/2021 *The author has obviously researched both widely and deeply. That, combined, provides a really good overview of what was a particularly cataclysmic event in comparatively recent military history. * Baird Maritime 13/09/2021 *

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Book SynopsisCharged with monitoring the huge civilian press corps that descended on Hue during the Vietnam War's Tet offensive, US Army Captain George W. Smith witnessed firsthand a vicious twenty-five day battle. Smith recounts in harrowing detail the separate, poorly coordinated wars that were fought in the retaking of the Hue. Notably, he documents the little-known contributions of the South Vietnamese forces, who prevented the Citadel portion of the city from being overrun, and who then assisted the US Marine Corps in evicting the North Vietnamese Army. He also tells of the social and political upheaval in the city, reporting the execution of nearly 3,000 civilians by the NVA and the Vietcong. The tenacity of the NVA forces in Hue earned the respect of the troops on the field and triggered a sequence of attitudinal changes in the United States. It was those changes, Smith suggests, that eventually led to the US abandonment of the war.Trade ReviewMilitary history buffs will have a heyday with this account of the longest continuous battle in the Vietnam War.... Smith, who was stationed in Hue during the battle, provides an intensely realistic description of the horror of warfare and hand-to-hand combat. A riveting, first-person account of the pivotal 25-day 1968 Battle of Hue. Smith has put together a harrowing eyewitness account of the largest single engagement of the Vietnam War.... [It is] a disturbing and informative book that would be a welcome addition to any military library. Smith provides a sense of intimate knowledge as he outlines the desperate nature of the urban combat. His inclusion of South Vietnamese units and the description of the role played stands out in the reporting of the war. Table of Contents Next Stop Vietnam. The Lotus Flower. Staying Alive. To the Rescue. Help for the Citadel. Facing the Unknown. Total War. The Tide Turns. Live, From Hue. The Citadel. A Jump Start. Beginning of the End. Credit the ARVN. The Aftermath.

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Book Synopsis"General Gavin was a very brave man who had great faith in his men. The battle or the weather never stopped him from going to check the troops. He would go in the rain or snow. If the battle was severe, he would crawl from foxhole to foxhole to talk to his men to let them know he was with them. Words cannot explain the love and pride I had for General Gavin." - Walter Woods, World War II aide to General GavinLieutenant General James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during WWII, is one of the best-known figures of the war. Beginning as the commander of the 505th Parachute Combat Team that spearheaded the American assault on Sicily in July 1943, Gavin advanced to division command and finally command of US forces in Berlin. Throughout this time he kept a wartime diary that starts in April 1943, as the unit was preparing to go to northern Africa, and continues through to his final entry on 1 September 1945 during the occupation of Berlin.During the war years, Gavin came into close contact with virtually all the leading airborne commanders and many others who would advance to the top levels of Army leadership. His diary includes observations on fellow military and political leaders, such as General Dwight Eisenhower and the British Field Marshal Montgomery, Army operations, and the general's personal life. Gavin was an officer who led by example: on four combat jumps - into Sicily, at Salerno, then Normandy and the Netherlands - he was the first man out the door. Two Distinguished Service Crosses, two Silver Stars, and the Purple Heart rewarded his service.For decades, Gavin kept the existence of the journal a secret; the general's family discovered it among his belongings after his death. Editor Lewis "Bob" Sorley has worked closely with the Gavin family and the Army Heritage Center to prepare the diary for publication. His edited and annotated version includes a prologue and epilogue to frame the entries within the wider scope of the general's life.Trade ReviewDr. Lewis S. Sorley, III, himself a West Point graduate, Vietnam War veteran, and acclaimed historian, has masterfully edited this unique look into the mind of one of America's greatest combat commanders. * On Point: The Journal of Army History *All readers who are interested in World War II will find much to enjoy in this book, and it is highly recommended. * Journal of America's Military Past *Gavin’s writing provides a primer on leadership and reminds us that it is a constant cycle of learning and improving, coupled with the moral obligation to make difficult personal choices. * ARMY Magazine 07/12/2022 *Gavin at War is a must have addition to the library of anyone interested in airborne operations, combat leadership, or the history of the Second World War. It is a rare opportunity to understand the experiences of a renowned combat leader in his own words. * ARGunners 02/12/2022 *Table of ContentsWalter Woods Letter Editor's Note on the Text Editor's Prologue 1 Going to War 2 Sicily 3 Africa 4 Italy 5 London 6 Back to the 82nd 7 Normandy and After 8 Division Command and Nijmegen 9 France and Belgium 10 Germany 11 Berlin Editor's Epilogue Acknowledgments Citations Glossary Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBetween 1964 and 1975, 2.6 million American personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, of whom an estimated 1-1.6 million actually fought in combat. At the tip of the spear were the infantry, the "grunts" who entered an extraordinary tropical combat zone completely alien to the world they had left behind in the United States. In South Vietnam, and occasionally spilling over into neighboring Laos and Cambodia, they fought a relentless counterinsurgency and conventional war against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC). The terrain was as challenging as the enemy - soaring mountains or jungle-choked valleys; bleached, sandy coastal zones; major urban centers; riverine districts. Their opponents fought them with relentless and terrible ingenuity, on a daily basis with ambushes, booby traps, and mines, then occasionally with full-force offensives on a scale to rival the campaigns of World War II.This pocket manual draws its content not only from essential U.S. military field manuals of the Vietnam era, but also a vast collection of declassified primary documents, including rare after-action reports, intelligence analysis, first-hand accounts, and combat studies. Through these documents the pocket manual provides a deep insight into what it was like for infantry to live, survive, and fight in Vietnam, whether conducting a major airmobile search-and-destroy operation or conducting endless hot and humid small-unit patrols from jungle firebases. The book includes infantry intelligence documents about the NVA and VC threats, plus chapters explaining hard-won lessons about using weaponry, surviving and moving through the jungle, tactical maneuvers, and applications of the ubiquitous helicopter for combat and support.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Training 2. Kit, equipment and weaponry 3. The enemy 4. Tactics - Search-and-destroy and irregular warfare 5. Airmobile combat and air/fire support 6. Survival, escape, and evasion

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Book Synopsis1970 - the height of the Vietnam War. A group of young Forward Air Controllers based in Thailand are assigned with supporting the Truck War and the People's War in southern Laos, where the fate of the Vietnam War, and Laos' very future, is being decided.Tasked with shutting down the Ho Chi Minh Trail - the North Vietnamese supply lines running into South Vietnam - literally stopping the constant stream of trucks in their tracks, these American airmen, call sign "Nail," fly missions 24 hours a day. Daily they run the gauntlet of intense anti-aircraft fire to bring in accurate attacks by American fighter bombers. At night, streams of red tracers scream up from the ground, seeking the metallic flesh of their fragile craft. During the day, they search the skies for the telltale black puffs of smoke that reveal the self-destructive warheads of the North Vietnamese gunners. Even when tragedy befalls the group, they perserve with their mission. But will courage and dedication be enough?

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Book SynopsisPeter Clark's year in Vietnam began in July 1966, when he was shipped out with hundreds of other young recruits, as a replacement in the 1st Infantry Division. Clark was assigned to the Alpha Company. Clark gives a visceral, vivid and immediate account of life in the platoon, as he progresses from green recruit to seasoned soldier over the course of a year in the complexities of the Vietnamese conflict.Clark gradually learns the techniques developed by US troops to cope with the daily horrors they encountered, the technical skills needed to fight and survive, and how to deal with the awful reality of civilian casualties. Fighting aside, it rained almost every day and insect bites constantly plagued the soldiers as they moved through dense jungle, muddy rice paddy and sandy roads. From the food they ate (largely canned meatballs, beans and potatoes) to the inventive ways they managed to shower, every aspect of the platoon's lives is explored in this revealing book. The troops even managed to fit in some R&Rwhilst off-duty in the bars of Tokyo.Alpha One Sixteen follows Clark as he discovers how to cope with the vagaries of the enemy and the daily confusion the troops faced in distinguishing combatants from civilians. The Viet Cong were a largely unseen enemy who fought a guerrilla war, setting traps and landmines everywhere. Clark's vigilance develops as he gets used to 'living in mortal terror,' which a brush with death in a particularly terrifying fire fight does nothing to dispel. As he continues his journey, he chronicles those less fortunate; the heavy toll being taken all round him is powerfully described at the end of each chapter.

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Book SynopsisThousands of volumes have been published about World War II but relatively little attention has been given to the sniper. Drawing from memoirs, government documents and interviews, this Casemate Illustrated title incorporates eyewitness accounts to weave a comprehensive narrative of snipers in World War II.While certain common traits were shared among belligerents, each had its unique methodology for selecting and training snipers and, as casualties were high, their replacements. Drawn from hunters, competitive shooters, natural marksmen, outdoorsmen, city dwellers, farmers and veteran soldiers, they fought to assert local battlefield dominance and instill among their enemy a paralyzing fear. Sometimes admired and other times reviled by their own comrades because of the retaliation they drew, they were always too few in number. Their battlefield role, their victories and their defeats are retold here from neglected or forgotten sources.The scope of World War II Snipers is extensive, with three chapters each on the major theatres of the war including Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Pacific. These are supported by a lengthy chapter on the sniper rifles used by the snipers and their equipment. Finally, the last chapter discusses many overlooked or ignored subjects not raised by other researchers and provides much food for thought. The bibliography is a valuable resource to future researchers and writers. For the long-range rifle shooter and today's snipers, the lessons of the past are as relevant today as they were when learned and practiced in World War II.Trade ReviewGary Yee takes what is already a well-researched deep dive into the specifics of sniper training, employment and equipment to a new level. * The American Rifleman *If you have any interest in sniping or World War II, you need to have this book in your library. * A Wargamers Needful Things 26/10/2022 *Each combatant nation had its own methods of selecting and training snipers, arming and equipping them, and then utilizing them in action. This book goes over the details of these snipers, with sections covering them in action and the weapons they used. * WWII History Magazine 28/09/2022 *If you like history and want to learn about snipers during WWII this is the book for you. * IPMS/USA 16/11/2022 *There have been many books written about snipers in WWII, but nothing ever like this superb book which has to be the most comprehensive of its type. If there is any aspect on sniping which is missing from this book, then it is not important. … Highly illustrated throughout, this book is for weapon collectors, shooters, … and general readers with an interest in the subject. There is nothing to criticise about this book and readers will find it compelling. * Gun Mart 21/09/2022 *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter I: United Kingdom & Commonwealth Chapter II. US Army and Marine Corps Chapter III. Soviet Union Chapter IV. Axis Nations Chapter V: Western Europe and Northern Africa Chapter VI: Liberation of North Western Europe Chapter VII To the Rhine and Elba Chapter VIII: Drang Nach Osten Chapter IX: Stalingrad Kessel (Cauldron) Chapter X: Verbrannte Erde (Scorched Earth) Retreat to the Reich Chapter XI: Pacific Theatre and the Far East Chapter XII South West Pacific Chapter XIII: South Pacific Chapter XIV: Guns and Equipment Chapter XV. Sniper Miscellany Appendices Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisErnest ‘Andy’ Andrews began his training as a machine gunner at Fort McClellan in Alabama in July 1943. In early 1944, he arrived in the UK for further training before D-Day, ahead of the 1st Infantry Division deploying on the evening of June 5th on the USS Henrico. Due to a problem with his landing craft, Andrews only reached Omaha Beach on the early evening of June 6th, but his experience was still a harrowing one. Fighting in Normandy, he was nicked by a bullet and evacuated to England in late July when the wound became infected, before returning to participate in the Normandy breakout. Following the race across France in late August, he participated in the rout of several retreating German units near Mons, Belgium, and his outfit approached Aachen in mid-September. For a month, Andrews’ squad defended a bunker position in the Siegfried Line against repeated German attacks, then after Aachen surrendered, the unit fought its way through the Hurtgen Forest to take Hill 232. Early on the morning of November 19th, he engaged in his toughest battle of the war as the Germans attempted to retake Hill 232, where he was again wounded. After surgery and a month’s convalescence he rejoined H Company in time to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. His unit then participated in the fast-moving Roer to the Rhine campaign, then the battle to expand the Remagen bridgehead. Breaking out from the Remagen bridgehead, Andrews’ squad stumbled on a German tank unit and this time he narrowly escaped death. Following a rapid advance up to the Paderborn area, the unit raced to Germany’s Harz Mountains, where the Wehrmacht was trying to organize a last stand. They ended the war fighting in Czechoslovakia, where Andrews witnesses the German surrender in early May. Following occupation duty, he returned to the States in October 1945. This vivid first-hand account takes the reader along from Normandy to victory with Andy Andrews and his machine-gun crew. The war shaped the author’s postwar life in countless ways, and in 1994, he made the first of three return visits to the European battlefields where he had fought.Trade Review[O]ffers a treasure trove of the daily experiences of soldiers in the field. The book is accessible to a broad audience, but its level of detail will make it useful to specialists as well. * Michigan War Studies Review 11/01/2023 *[Andrews'] narrative is clear and engaging and his descriptions detailed and interesting. This work presents an unobstructed view of the war from an infantryman's point of view. * WWII History 11/11/2022 *Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE FOREWORD INTRODUCTION PROLOGUE: PRELUDE TO INVASION (Dawn, June 1 - 8:30 a.m., June 6, 1944) CHAPTER ONE: EASY RED BEACH (8:30 a.m., June 6 - Night, June 6-7) CHAPTER TWO: HEADING TOWARD WAR (July 1923 - July 12, 1943) CHAPTER THREE: FORT McCLELLAN (July 12 - Early August, 1943) CHAPTER FOUR: TRAINING AS MACHINE GUNNERS (Early August, 1943 - January 17, 1944) CHAPTER FIVE: ENGLAND (January 17, 1944 - June 1, 1944) CHAPTER SIX: THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY (June 7 - July 27, 1944) CHAPTER SEVEN: VICTORY IN NORMANDY (July 27 - August 25, 1944) CHAPTER EIGHT: THE RACE ACROSS FRANCE (August 25 - September 7, 1944) CHAPTER NINE: TO THE GERMAN FRONTIER (September 7 - 14, 1944) CHAPTER TEN: THE STOLBERG CORRIDOR (September 14 - 23, 1944) CHAPTER ELEVEN: ON THE SIEGFRIED LINE (September 23 - October 22, 1944) CHAPTER TWELVE: THE HÜRTGEN FOREST (October 22 - November 18, 1944) CHAPTER THIRTEEN: HILL 232 (November 18 - 19, 1944) CHAPTER FOURTEEN: A BREAK FROM WAR (November 19 - December 22, 1944) CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE (Dec. 22, 1944 - Jan. 15, 1945) CHAPTER SIXTEEN: WINTER WAR (January 15 - February 6, 1945) CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE ROER TO THE RHINE (February 6 - March 18, 1945) CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: BREAKOUT FROM REMAGEN (March 18 - April 6, 1945) CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE HARZ TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA (April 6 - May 9, 1945) CHAPTER TWENTY: PEACE (May 9 - October 19, 1945) EPILOGUE: THE POSTWAR YEARS (October 19, 1945 - Present) A Word to the Hürtgen Forest FINAL NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Book SynopsisTo prevent German occupying forces in Norway from reinforcing their defences during the final months of World War II, the Office of Strategic Services launched Operation Rype, with the mission of sabotaging the Nordland Railway in Mid-Norway. Rype was led by Major William E. Colby, later director of the CIA.After several delays, the Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) dropped over the Snåsa mountains on the night of March 24. Out of eight B-24s, only three dropped on target. One dropped in Sweden, the remaining four returned to Britain. Two of the B-24s crashed, killing all but one of their crews. Reinforcement and resupply of the unit failed due to extreme Arctic conditions.Relying heavily on help from the Norwegian resistance, NORSO managed to sever the railway at two points. On both occasions, they withdrew with Germans hot on their tail. On May 2, a German patrol blundered into their camp, resulting in the killing of all of the Germans and one wounded Norwegian resistance fighter. Whether the Germans were killed in the ensuing firefight, or were executed later, has been hotly debated ever since.After the war ended, NORSO was allowed down from the mountains, but were sent on bogus missions by the British commanders in Trondheim. They eventually managed to get recognition for their contribution to victory.This new history of the operation is based on German, Norwegian, American and Swedish sources. It examines how the outcome of the operation was affected by the limitations of equipment in sub-Arctic conditions, and British-American rivalry and cooperation throughout the operation.Trade Review[A]n incomparable writer to tell the story, warts and all. Frode Lindgjerdet works for the Norwegian Armed Forces Museums, and lectures on all aspects of the Second World War in Norway. In addition, he is a Staff Sergeant with the Norwegian Home Guard. * ARGunners.com *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Existing Literature & Sources Strategic background The OSS Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) The German forces in the Area of Operation Grong to Snåsa Operation CARPETBAGGER SOE Operations against the Nordland Railroad Planning of Operation RYPE Deployment Phase & Supply Swedish Escapades Walliwall Tragedy Attack on the Tangen Bridge Plukkutjønn Crash The Lierne Plan and Supply Issues Attack against the railway between Lurudal and Agle Endgame The German Patrol Incident Peace Conclusions The legacy Literature Appendix: Biographies

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Book SynopsisDerek Wright learnt about small boats from his father, who tragically died when Derek was just 14 years old. Sent away from his family to finish his education, he left school at 16 to join the global tea trade. Soon after he finished his training with Brooke Bond, famous for their 'Dividend' tea, Hitler invaded Poland and Britain was at war.By then known to his friends as 'Jake', he was one of the first Volunteer Reserves to be called up to fight for his country. Plucked from his naval training in HMS King Alfred, his warfighting initiation was on the beach at Dunkirk, helping evacuate stragglers after Operation DYNAMO. He then volunteered for Motor Torpedo Boats, where he served with valour and distinction.Whilst Hitler's U-Boats were torpedoing shipments of tea bound for Great Britain, Jake Wright reciprocated by torpedoing Axis coastal shipping off Europe. His first Command was MTB 331, trained for a daredevil mission to puncture German boom defences protecting their battleships. In his next Command, MTB 32, he was wounded in action whilst torpedoing a German convoy, but kept his small ship fighting against the odds to win the action and sink his enemy; for his bravery he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Further acts of gallantry in action, combined with tactical innovation, saw him earn two bars to his DSC as well as a Mention in Despatches; he became one of only 44 officers in the Second World War to receive a DSC with two Bars.After demobilisation he returned to the tea trade, rising to become one of Brooke Bond's senior directors supplying Britain's beloved beverage. He even helped refine how to make the perfect cup of tea.This is the life story of a determined, brave, innovative and decorated officer who has earned a place in the hearts of our nation. It is the story of Derek 'Jake' Wright, DSC**.Trade ReviewJake Wright clearly had a really action-packed war and this book skilfully combines his coastal forces experiences with his influential role in the tea business. * The Naval Review *Table of ContentsPrelude Attach with Torpedoes Tea and Sea Any Stragglers? The Operation that Never Was - MTB 331 East Coast Adventures Praying Mantis The Big Boats Sent Ashore Home for Tea Sailing By Epilogue Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA revealing yet accessible examination of the Nuremberg trial, and most crucially all 23 men who stood accused, not just the most infamous—Speer, Hess, and Göring. This account sets the scene by explaining the procedures, the legal context, and the moments of hypocrisy in the Allies’ prosecution—ignoring the fact that the Katyń massacre was a Soviet crime and overlooking carpet bombing.Author Andrew Sangster discusses how the word “Holocaust” was not used until long after the trial, probably due to Russian objection as they had lost many more people, and because the Allies generally were not innocent of anti-Semitism themselves, especially Russia and Vichy France. However, the defendants to a person immediately recognised that this was the singular issue which placed them on the steps of the gallows, and their various defences on this charge are therefore crucial to understanding the trial. Sangster also explores how the prisoners related to one another in their approach to defending themselves on the charge of genocide and extermination camps, especially in facing the bully-boy Göring.This new study utilises not only the trial manuscripts, but the pre-trial interrogations, the views of the psychiatrists and psychologists, and the often-overheard conversations between prisoners—who did not know their guards spoke German—to give the fullest exploration of the defendants, their state of mind, and their attitudes towards the Third Reich, Hitler and each other as they faced judgement by the victors of the war.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent summary of the trials' main points and defenses -- following orders, amnesia, under the influence of others, blame others, and even protestations of innocence. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society 11/01/2023 *WWII readers will forever be appreciative of what Andrew has prepared for us and our personal libraries. * ARGunners 10/11/2022 *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Two Critical Issues Procedures Hermann Göring 1893–1946 Rudolf Hess 1894–1987 Joachim Von Ribbentrop 1893–1946 Wilhelm Keitel 1892–1946 Ernst Kaltenbrunner 1903–46 Alfred Rosenberg 1893–1946 Hans Frank 1900–46 Wilhelm Frick 1877–1946 Julius Streicher 1885–1946 Hjalmar Schacht 1877–1970 Walther Funk 1890–1960 Karl Dönitz 1891–1980 Erich Raeder 1876–1960 Baldur Von Schirach 1907–76 Fritz Sauckel 1894–1946 Alfred Jodl 1890–1946 Arthur Seyss–Inquart 1892–1946 Franz Von Papen 1879–1969 Albert Speer 1905–1981 Constantin Von Neurath 1873–1956 Hans Fritzsche 1900–53 Robert Ley 1890–1945 Reflections Final Thoughts Glossary And Abbreviations Appendix Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisIn August 1943, a highly classified US Army Air Force unit, code-named the 'Wright Project', departed Langley Field for Guadalcanal in the South Pacific to join the fight against the Empire of Japan. Operating independently, under sealed orders drafted at the highest levels of Army Air Force, the Wright Project was unique, both in terms of the war-fighting capabilities provided by classified systems the ten B-24 Liberators of this small group of airmen brought to the war, and in the success these 'crash-built' technologies allowed. The Wright airmen would fly only at night, usually as lone hunters of enemy ships. In so doing they would pave the way for the United States to enter and dominate a new dimension of war in the air for generations to come.This is their story, from humble beginnings at MIT’s Radiation Lab and hunting U-boats off America’s eastern shore, through to the campaigns of the war in the Pacific in their two-year march toward Tokyo. The Wright Project would prove itself to be a combat leader many times over and an outstanding technology innovator, evolving to become the 868th Bomb Squadron. Along the way the unit would be embraced by unique personalities and the dynamic leadership, from Army Air Force General Hap Arnold through combat commanders who flew the missions.In this account, the reader will meet radar warfare pioneers and squadron leaders who were never satisfied that they had pushed the men, the aircraft, and the technologies to the full limit of their possibilities. Comprehensive and highly personal, this story can now be revealed for the very first time, based on official sources, and interviews with the young men who flew into the night.Trade ReviewThis is a limber romp across the world of electronics and into the history of World War II. Going beyond palaver, Lawless traces a critical development program through MIT’s Radiation Laboratory, showing how ultra-short-wave radar was adapted for aircraft and a unit organized to prove the concept, then follows the exploits of these men and their device right through to the Japanese surrender. * ARGunners.com *Lawless’ engaging and descriptive approach takes the reader into the Pacific war and offers a front-row seat to the exploits of the Wright Project and their highly innovative technology. * War History Network *The author has done some remarkable research into both the squadron, the technology & the men involved. This unit & its 'Wright Project' name was deemed 'highly classified', so don't be surprised, if like me, you hadn't heard about it previously. Some of the narrative is almost a squadron diary formed from operation reports, but this feels necessary to tell the story. One that I'm sure will draw a lot of interest. * Books2Cover *Table of ContentsPrologue Introduction Chapter 1 World War Comes to America January-May 1942 Chapter 2 Rad Labs and Microwave Radar 1940-1943 Chapter 3 Langley Field and the First Sea Search Attack Group June-December 1942 Chapter 4 Low-Altitude Bombing January-July 1943 Chapter 5 The Wright Project July-August 1943 Chapter 6 Guadalcanal August-September 1943 Chapter 7 Battles in the Slot October-December 1943 Chapter 8 Munda and Rabaul December 1943-March 1944 Chapter 9 Mighty Truk, Deadly Truk March-June 1944 Chapter 10 Vince Splane and “Devil’s Delight” September 1943-March 1944 Chapter 11 Munda to Momote April-June 1944 Chapter 12 Art De Land and Crew and “396” April-June 1944 Chapter 13 Radar Reflections 1943-1944 Chapter 14 Ever Forward Toward Tokyo July-November 1944 Chapter 15 Balikpapan and Makassar Strait October 1944 Chapter 16 The Philippines November-December 1944 Chapter 17 Captain Earle Smith and Lieutenant Ron Moyer August 1944 Chapter 18 Tough Times January-February 1945 Chapter 19 Turnaround and Baylis Harriss March 1945 Chapter 20 Morotai Missions April 1945 Chapter 21 Bob Thompson and Crew November 1944-June 1945 Chapter 22 Strangling the Empire, Morotai Operations May-June 1945 Chapter 23 Morotai to Okinawa Via Leyte July 1945 Chapter 24 Okinawa and Japan August 1945 Chapter 25 Coming Home September-October 1945 Chapter 26 The “Other Snoopers”: The Scott and Hopson SB-24 Projects 1943-1945 Epilogue Appendices Bibliographies Index

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Book SynopsisThe Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States Special Forces unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War. The unit conducted strategic reconnaissance missions in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; carried out the capture of enemy prisoners, rescued downed pilots, and conducted rescue operations to retrieve allied prisoners of war throughout Southeast Asia; and conducted clandestine agent team activities and psychological operations.This book tells the story of the Teams operating out of FOB2 Kontum, near the tri-border area, in 1968–69. From recon missions over the fence to the heroic, and sometimes fatal efforts undertaken to try and rescue missing SOG members, the events are told through the words of the men themselves, supported by previously unreleased official documents.Trade ReviewEvery one of the personnel mentioned in SOG Kontum is a hero. The book also provides a list of medals/decorations awarded after some missions described, but the awards are only a footnote to the highly engaging narrative. The men of SOG-MACV fought for each other, not for the awards or glory. * On Point: The Journal of Army History *This book is a very moving tribute to the heroism of the top-secret unit based on research and oral histories gathered from SOG veterans themselves. . . [A] powerful sense of sacrifice permeates the book and makes it profound and unique—especially when one considers the void of secrecy in which SOG existed. * Vietnam Magazine *The format of the book works well. The move from one eyewitness account to the next is seamless . … [A] tribute to the SOG personnel and to the helicopter crews who risked their lives picking up endangered units * The VVA Veteran *Table of ContentsRoad Mining Mission with Tony Love Kedenburg Loss Tony Love - Bob Barnes Duffield - RT Hawaii Hunt and Love - Wolfkeil Grommett - Tho wounded Bryant Bright Light Dennis Mack Ghost Helo SOG SLAM VII w/Jaeger comments Last Days SOG SLAM VII Russian Helo Scherdin-Jerson Loss- Huey Crash with RT-Vermont Insertion Attempt RT-Iowa HP Recon in Force Goulet-Cadenbach; Insert RT-NM Insert HP - Hill 1152 Attack on FOB - March 2 Loss of Ripanti Operation Nightcap Attack on 'Yard camp Operation Spindown

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Book SynopsisMost books gloss over submarines at Midway and, if they are mentioned at all, conclude they failed miserably and had little impact on the outcome of the battle. It is undeniable that carrier aviation and intelligence saved the day, but the role of the submarine was an important one in defence of an anticipated amphibious assault.Midway Submerged is a comprehensive examination of a little-known aspect of this pivotal naval battle, explaining how Nimitz used his submarines at Midway, and the Japanese misused theirs based on a flawed tactical plan. Based on in-depth archival research not only into the battle itself, but also submarine design and construction, and tactical and operational doctrine for both the United States and Japan, it brings a whole new dimension to the discussion of the battle of Midway. It examines the intended role of the submarine in the plans and doctrine of both navies, and what the submarines were expected to accomplish for both fleets during the battle, before assessing the actual accomplishments, successes, and failures of the submarine forces on both sides. Of particular importance, the book offers an analysis of how well these vessels fulfilled the expectations placed on them by their respective naval planners, concluding that submarines played a more important role in the outcome than has been previously understood.Trade ReviewAllen does a very good job of examining the submarine portions of the US and Japanese operational plans . . . an excellent revisionist assessment of submarine employment at the Battle of Midway. * The National Maritime Historical Society *Table of Contents1.Midway Submerged: Introduction 2.Japanese Naval Doctrine 3.Japanese Submarine Strategy and Tactics 4.United States Naval Doctrine 5.United States Submarine Strategy and Tactics 6.Japanese Submarine Actions at Midway 7.United States Submarine Actions at Midway 8.Analysis: Undersea Warfare at Midway 9.Midway Submerged: Conclusions Appendices Bibliography Notes Index

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Book SynopsisCodenamed Operation Telic, the British component of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was the largest gathering of British troops since the Second World War. Whilst the British public prepared for the worst as its soldiers were facing weapons of mass destruction, most servicemen and women were under no illusion that they were invading Iraq to rid the people of Saddam Hussein.While much has been said about WMD and Tony Blair’s government, not nearly enough has been heard from those men and women that took part in Operation Telic. Based upon dozens of veteran interviews, personal diaries and archival material, this book tells their stories, in their own words.From controlling the vast Allied Air Forces at 34,000 feet in an AWACS plane down to submariners beneath the warm waves of the Persian Gulf firing Tomahawk Cruise missiles, from the steaming hot turret of a Challenger Tank as it is peppered with RPGs, to being on your belly in a sandstorm disarming unexploded bombs face=Calibri>– these veteran accounts cover the whole spectrum of experiences.Polarised public opinion and the post-war media portrayal of the war has detracted from what was achieved by these forces, when tasked to do so, often with insufficient or inadequate resources. These are their stories of courage, fortitude, pride, and brotherhood amidst the harsh realities of modern asymmetric warfare.Trade Review[A] fascinating contribution to our understanding of the Iraq War. * Midwest Book Review *There are dozens of books about the U.S. involvement in Iraq but very few about what the British experience so Burning Horizon helps fill in that part of the history. Basing it upon first-hand accounts also makes it much more engaging than your usual military account. * Musings on Iraq *This is an important book. . . . Burning Horizon is unofficial history; detailed, confused and unadulterated. It is probably too much to hope, as Peter Caddick-Adams alludes in his fine foreword, that an official campaign history is in the offing. In the meantime this book will keep memories alive. * Military Historical Society Bulletin *In these detailed and compelling recollections of British soldiers at the very start of the Iraq war in 2003, Julian Whippy not only captures the chaos of those earliest days of the war but also how the UK military stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US as they have done so often and for so many years. Burning Horizon reminds us how British and American servicemen and women train together, learn together, and, when called upon, fight together to defeat threats to our common values. * General James N. Mattis, US Marine Corps (retired) *Table of ContentsOrder of Battle Introduction Chapter 1. 9/11 and all that Chapter 2. The Brown envelope Chapter 3. On the Bus Chapter 4. SCUDs, Goolies and Gold Chapter 5. Zero hour Chapter 6. Breaching the berms Chapter 7. Danger: UXB Chapter 8. Caveman and Bondo Chapter 9. Hackles raised Chapter 10. Here come the Cavalry Chapter 11. Major Combat Operations cease Chapter 12. Going home The Veterans – where are they now Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSpecifically designed as a reconnaissance vehicle, the Ford M8 Light Armored Car was intended primarily for use by mechanized cavalry units. A total of 8,523 units were built. Able to move quickly and cover long distances without refuelling, they supported the advance of armored columns by undertaking reconnaissance. Though the thin floor armor made it vulnerable to mines, the M8 served in Europe and the Pacific until the end of the war. Derived from the M8 series, 3,791 M20 Armored Utility cars were built. The M20 was designed without a turret, enabling its use for more specialized purposes such as carrying personnel or artillery spotting. While the project to build the M8 launched in 1941, the first armored cars were only received by the army in March 1943. An Ordnance Department officer, Lt. J. R. Muray, is tasked with being the link between the various components of the army and the industrialists. Throughout the process of creation and production, Muray kept his notes, reports and letters - 1,500 pages of archives have enabled the author to faithfully retrace the process of creating these cars, from the first draft to the end production in June 1945.Table of ContentsContents The Genesis of Light Armored Cars The M8 Light Armored Car The M20 Utility Armored Car Commonalities Use in Europe Appendixes Bibliography Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisIn December 1937, the Chinese capital, Nanjing, falls and the Japanese army unleash an orgy of torture, murder, and rape. Over the course of six weeks, hundreds of thousands of civilians and prisoners of war are killed. At the very onset of the atrocities, the Danish supervisor at a cement plant just outside the city, 26-year-old Bernhard Arp Sindberg, opens the factory gates and welcomes in 10,000 Chinese civilians to safety, beyond the reach of the blood-thirsty Japanese. He becomes an Asian equivalent of Oskar Schindler, the savior of Jews in the European Holocaust.This biography follows Sindberg from his childhood in the old Viking city of Aarhus and on his first adventures as a sailor and a Foreign Legionnaire to the dramatic 104 days as a rescuer of thousands of helpless men, women, and children in the darkest hour of the Sino-Japanese War. It describes how after his remarkable achievement, he receded back into obscurity, spending decades more at sea and becoming a naturalized American citizen, before dying of old age in Los Angeles in 1983, completely unrecognized. In this respect, too, there is an obvious parallel with Schindler, who only attained posthumous fame.The book sets the record straight by providing the first complete account of Sindberg’s life in English, based on archival sources hitherto unutilized by any historian as well as interviews with surviving relatives. What emerges is the surprising tale of a person who was average in every respect but rose to the occasion when faced with unimaginable brutality, discovering an inner strength and courage that transformed him into one of the great humanitarian figures of the 20th century and an inspiration for our modern age, demonstrating that the determined actions of one person—any person—can make a huge difference.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: From the Foreign Legion to Shanghai (1911–1933) Chapter 2: The Prisoner on the Falstria (1934–1937) Chapter 3: ‘A Stupid Nincompoop’ (March–August 1937) Chapter 4: Death in the Streets (August–September 1937) Chapter 5: ’My Friend Sindbad’ (September–November 1937) Chapter 6: A Capital City at War (November 1937) Chapter 7: A Very Dangerous Job (November 30–December 1, 1937) Chapter 8: Journey to the Heart of Darkness (December 2–5, 1937) Chapter 9: The Fall of Nanjing (December 6–12, 1937) Chapter 10: The Massacre Begins (December 13–15, 1937) Chapter 11: ‘Blood, Blood, and Yet More Blood’ (December 16–19, 1937) Chapter 12: Christmas in Hell (December 20–27, 1937) Chapter 13: The Man with the Flag (December 28, 1937–January 13, 1938) Chapter 14: Friendships (January 14–February 3, 1938) Chapter 15: The New Order (February 4–20, 1938) Chapter 16: Troublemaker (February 21–March 15, 1938) Chapter 17: Guenther’s Letter (March 16–April 25, 1938) Chapter 18: After Nanjing (April 1938–March 1983) Afterword: Sindberg’s 104 Days

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Book SynopsisThe German Army was all-conquering until late 1941 when, only a few miles short of Moscow, it ran out of steam. Maniacal defence, the Russian winter and exhaustion all played their part and, although they didn't realise it, the German forces wouldn't advance further on this front. While they continued their offensives into 1942, Soviet defenses had stiffened. Its equipment – notably the T-34 – had improved and the Germans had lost too many of their best men: the savvy NCOs and experienced junior officers that gave the Wehrmacht its edge over the opposition. They had lost their moral compass as well. Complicity in the massacres of the SS-Einsatzgruppen, the barbarity of the anti-Partisan operations and summary execution for those who flagged, were the hallmarks of the German Army's fight for survival against people it considered less than human.Outnumbered, under attack on many other fronts, their homeland bombarded unceasingly from the air, the German servicemen endured the hell of the Eastern Front until their armies were destroyed in 1945. While the morality of the regime they fought for and its reprehensible actions should never be forgotten, what cannot be denied is the indefatigable courage of the German infantrymen.Fully illustrated with over 200 contemporary photographs and illustrations – and exploring a broad range of topics from uniform, weapons and provisions to tactics and communications – this title provides valuable insights into the Germans' main theater of operations in World War II.Table of ContentsTimeline Introduction The Soldier Facilities Tactics Life in the Field Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisQuite simply, without engineers the U.S. Army would have been unable to fight World War II. The men of the Corps of Engineers, with the strength of more than 700 battalions mobilised during World War II, were tasked with every imaginable engineering challenge. In rear areas and back in the United States they built the facilities essential for everyday military life: showers, toilets, barrack blocks, military hospitals, training camps, storage depots, and much more. To keep logistics flowing to the front, they constructed or repaired thousands of miles of roads and bridges, plus built airfields to support Allied strategic and tactical air operations. Engineers also created endless chains of defensive positions, from simple trench systems to complex bunker networks, as well as retrieving damaged vehicles and equipment from still-contested battlefields. Combat engineers, meanwhile, occupied some of the most dangerous frontline roles in the American armed forces. Heavily armed with demolitions and weapons, plus weighed down by engineering tools and even driving armoured bulldozers, they were tasked with destroying enemy strongpoints, bridges, equipment, vehicles and many other obstacles to the advance, in both overland and amphibious operations.Building the Battlefield: Tactics and Techniques of U.S. Army Engineers in World War II brings together an exceptional collection of primary sources from engineering field manuals, technical manuals, and other official publications. They provide a detailed insight into the work and skills of the U.S. Army engineers, including building a field fortification, laying and defusing mines, making a contested river crossing, or camouflaging a defensive position properly. Through these texts, we gain practical insight into the exceptional individuals who often combined first-rate infantry fighting skills with engineering skill and problem-solving ingenuity.

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Book SynopsisThe decision to not deploy reoriented, trained Iraqi divisions and other allied forces in numbers significant enough to adequately stabilize the situation in Iraq in 2003–04 resulted in significant shortages of manpower and equipment that eventually led to a less-than-satisfactory ending to the campaign, and significantly challenged the entire Coalition effort in the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The roles and missions assumed by allies were vitally important in the under-resourced effort to bring order to the chaos of Iraq but would remain relatively unheralded throughout most of the campaign.Colonel Tiso’s account of this time offers unique insights into the challenges of planning the Iraqi campaign and the intricacies and challenges of multinational service through the lens of his assignments as a war planner at U.S. Central Command, Senior Military Adviser of the Arab Peninsula Shield Force and the Polish-led Multinational Division (Central-South), and Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (C-3) of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team tasked to develop the New Iraqi Army. His observations cast significant light on the missions these units undertook and the challenges they confronted.His firsthand account of operational planning for war in Iraq captures the concerns of the military planners and senior commanders to liberate and stabilize the country, enabling the reader to better understand the challenges of operational war planning, coalition warfare, the difficulty of stabilizing Iraq after the fall of Baghdad, the development of the New Iraqi Army, and ultimately a deeper understanding of America’s “long war” in Iraq.Table of ContentsForeword Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements Part I: Planning and Training for War 1 Multi-Cultural Experiences in Old New York 2 United States Central Command and the Central Region 3 Leading U.S. and Multinational Forces in the Sinai 4 Fighting the Force Protection Battle in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan 5 Planning the Inevitable War Part II: Operation “Iraqi Freedom” Special Missions 6 Staffing Post Hostilities Operations 7 Duty with the United Nations 8 Stability Operations in Iraq 9 Advising the Peninsula Shield Force 10 Reconnaissance of the Rumaylah Oil Fields 11 Redeployment of the Peninsula Shield Force 12 Assignment to the Coalition Military Assistance Team 13 Building the Foundation of an Army 14 Making the Most of Scant Resources 15 Recruiting, Organizing, and Training the New Iraqi Army Part III: Soldiering With the Multinational Division Central-South 16 Preparing for Duty with a Combat Division 17 Serving with the Multinational Division Central South 18 The Challenges of Multinational Command 19 The Power of the Theater Commander 20 Patrolling with the Ukrainians on the Iranian Border 21 Preparing the Occupation of Iraq 22 Indications of a Growing Insurgency in Central South Iraq 23 Dealing with Generals 24 The War Comes to the Multinational Division Central South 25 Defeating the Enemy with Overwhelming Force 26 Fighting the Battle for Central-South Iraq 27 Combat Action in Al Kut 28 The American Bureaucracy in Baghdad 29 Developing a Strategy to Conduct the Long War 30 False Hope For Peace in Iraq 31 Christmas on the Iranian Border 32 Terrorist Attack and Tragedy in Karbala 33 Transitioning to a New Commander and Division Staff 34 Teaching the New Command to Conduct Combat Operations 35 A New Liaison Team Arrives at Camp Babylon Part IV: Going Home: Reflections on the Long War 36 Going Home via Poland 37 Epilogue Endnotes

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Book SynopsisThere are few names in the annals of military history that evoke such emotion, and in some cases controversy, as the small Belgian town of Bastogne. The 101st Airborne are the best known defenders of Bastogne, but they only constituted one third of the eventual force that saved the city from total annihilation.This book digs deeper into the defense of Bastogne, revealing more details about those indomitable “Screaming Eagles” and the other units that stood with them during that punishingly bitter cold winter of 1944/45. It also presents the perspective of the German soldiers trying desperately to re-take Bastogne that desperate winter. It is a story of sacrifice, dedication to duty, and honor in the face of terrible adversity, but more importantly it’s a human story, one that encapsulates the finest attributes of humankind in the absolute direst of circumstances.Table of Contents1 Setting the Stage 2 We're Heading Where? 3 First into Bastogne 4 Dig in and get ready 5 Lights Out 6 Disintegration and Destruction 7 Hand to Hand, Face to Face 8 We're Running out of Everything 9 The Value of Momentum 10 He Said What? 11 Smiling at Me 12 What's Merry About All This? 13 The Proud Eagle Division 14 A Winter's Tale 15 Who's Patton?

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Book SynopsisThe Luzon campaign of 1945 was the longest island campaign of the Pacific War, lasting from January 1945 to September 1945, and only ended with the surrender of Imperial Japan. It is often overlooked or mentioned in passing by most histories of that war, yet hundreds of thousands of Americans and Japanese fought in some of the worst conditions imaginable for eight months to clear Luzon of the invaders.This full account of the Luzon campaign stretches from planning stages to the end of the war and the surrender of over 50,000 Japanese troops under the noted Japanese general Yamashita. The landings at Lingayen Gulf, the Battle for Manila and the recapture of Corregidor are all included, as well as lesser-known battles for the summer capital of Baguio, the battle for Manila's water supply, constant jungle fighting, the raids to rescue Allied POWs, the recapture of Bataan, destruction of the only Japanese armored division to fight in the Pacific, American parachute drops on Corregidor and Aparri, and much more. Individual acts of heroism are highlighted as are the interactions among the senior commanders involved, including General MacArthur, General Krueger (6th Army) and General Eichelberger (8th Army). The book ends with the surrender of Imperial Japan and the end of the Luzon Campaign in September 1945.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Lingayen Beachhead 3. The Central Plain 4. Securing the Beachhead 5. The Kembo Group 6. The Race to Manila 7. The Tragedy of Manila 8. Intramuros, the Walled City 9. The Shimbu Group 10. Seizing the Dams 11. Southern Luzon 12. North to Baguio 13. The Villa Verde Trail 14. San Jose, Digdig and Baguio 15. Baguio Falls 16. Balete Pass 17. The Bambang Front 18. Aparri 19. Pursuit 20. The Luzon Campaign Appendix A: U. S. Forces Order of Battle Appendix B: Imperial Japanese Army Order of Battle Appendix C: Luzon Campaign Medals of Honor Appendix D: Casualty Comparison Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly vivid Second World War memoir by one of 'the Few' Spitfire fighter pilots.Following the D-Day landings, Battle of Britain hero Tom Neil was assigned as an RAF liaison to an American fighter squadron. As the Allies pushed east, Neil commandeered an abandoned Spitfire as his own personal aeroplane. Erasing any evidence of its provenance and stripping it down to bare metal, it became the RAF's only silver Spitfire. Alongside his US comrades, he took the silver Spitfire into battle until, with the war's end, he was forced to make a difficult decision. Faced with too many questions about the mysterious rogue fighter, he contemplated increasingly desperate measures to offload it, including bailing out mid-Channel. He eventually left the Spitfire at Worthy Down, never to be seen again.THE SILVER SPITFIRE is the first-hand, gripping story of Neil's heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire.Trade ReviewAn icon of battle as well as one of the most successful pilots, Neil is uniquely qualified to tell a story that is both the ultimate military epic and also distinctly personal. * MILITARY TIMES *Tom Neil is one of the last of the Few * BEST OF BRITISH, DAILY EXPRESS *The first-hand, gripping story of Neil's heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire. * ROYAL AIR FORCE NEWS *Amusing and enjoyable. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book SynopsisThe battle for Guadalcanal that lasted from August 1942 to February 1943 was the first major American counteroffensive against the Japanese in the Pacific. The battle of Savo Island on the night of 9 August 1942, saw the Japanese inflict a sever defeat on the Allied force, driving them away from Guadalcanal and leaving the just-landed marines in a perilously exposed position. This was the start of a series of night battles that culminated in the First and Second battles of Guadalcanal, fought on the nights of 13 and 15 November. One further major naval action followed, the battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November 1942, when the US Navy once again suffered a severe defeat, but this time it was too late to alter the course of the battle as the Japanese evacuated Guadalcanal in early February 1943.This title will detail the contrasting fortunes experienced by both sides over the intense course of naval battles around the island throughout the second half of 1942 that did so much to turn the tide in the Pacific.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing fleets /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /Further reading /Index

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Book SynopsisA Detailed History of RAF Manston 1941-1945 covers the station's history during the period that the RAF was on the offensive against the Luftwaffe. Having been badly damaged during the Battle of Britain and the only airfield to have been put out of action, Manston rose from the ashes to become a base for numerous fighter units that attacked Hitler's 'Fortress Europe'. From 1941 onwards, Manston was used by damaged aircraft returning from operations, especially those from Bomber Command. Consequently, a large runway was built and was one of three in the country that was equipped to deal with emergencies. In 1944, 501 Squadron was formed with the Hawker Tempest to destroy enemy armour, aircraft and the feared V1; Squadron Leader Joe Berry was credited to destroying sixty-one V1s. Another first was the arrival of the Meteor jet fighter in August 1944. After the war, Manston became a base for a number of civil airlines, but continued in its role as a major diversion airfield and an emergency landing ground.

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Book SynopsisThis volume carries on where FIRST OF THE FEW finished, in the same style and format. 10 July-the official first day of the Battle of Britain-witnessed increased aerial activity over the Channel and along the eastern and southern seaboards of the British coastline. The main assaults by ever-increasing formations of Luftwaffe bombers, escorted by Bf109s and Bf110s, were initially aimed at British merchant shipping convoys plying their trade of coal and other materials from the north of England to the southern ports. These attacks by the Germans often met with increasing success although RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes endeavoured to repel the Heinkels, Dorniers and Ju88s, frequently with ill-afforded loss in pilots and aircraft. Within a month the Channel was effectively closed to British shipping. Only a change in the Luftwaffe's tactics in mid-August, when the main attack changed to the attempted destruction of the RAF's southern airfields, allowed small convoys to resume sneaking through without too greater hindrance.

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Book SynopsisThe British Army's considerable contribution to The Korean War 1950 - 1953 was largely composed of 'conscripts' or national servicemen. Plucked from civilian life on a 'lottery' basis and given a short basic training, some like Jim Jacobs volunteered for overseas duty and suddenly found themselves in the thick of a war as intensive and dangerous as anything the Second World War had had to offer. As a member of 170 Independent Mortar Battery RA from March 1951 to June 1952 Jim was in the frontline at the famous Battle of the Imjin River. By great luck he evaded capture - and death - unlike so many. He returned to the UK only to volunteer again for a second tour with 120 Light Battery from March 1953 to March 1954. During this period he was in the thick of the action at the Third Battle of the Hook during May 1953. In this gripping memoir Jim calmly and geographically recounts his experiences and emotions from joining the Army through training, the journeys by troopship and, most importantly, on active service in the atrocious and terrifying war fighting that went on in a very foreign place.

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Book SynopsisIn 1948 the USAF, Marine Corps and US Navy were concentrating on converting over to an all-jet force. When the Korean War started in June 1950, the USAF had built up a sizable jet force in the Far East, while the US Navy was in the early stages of getting F9F Panthers operational as replacements for its piston-engined F8F Bearcats. At about this time, the Marine Corps had also begun using the Panthers in limited numbers. Operating from aircraft carriers off the Korean coast, F9Fs helped stop the North Korean invasion within two weeks of the communists crossing the 38th Parallel. The Panthers, escorting carrier-based AD Skyraiders and F4U Corsairs, penetrated as far north as Pyongyang, where they bombed and strafed targets that the North Koreans thought were out of range. The Panthers also took the battle all the way to the Yalu River, long before the MiG-15s became a threat. The F9F’s basic tasking was aerial supremacy and combat air patrols, but they also excelled in bombing and strafing attacks.Table of ContentsUS Navy Panthers strike early/ The war drags on /More missions and more MiGs /Interdiction, RESCAP, CAP and more MiGs /Marine panthers enter the war /Appendices

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Book SynopsisThe super-heavy tanks of World War II are heirs to the siege machine tradition – a means of breaking the deadlock of ground combat. As a class of fighting vehicle, they began with the World War I concept of the search for a ‘breakthrough’ tank, designed to cross enemy lines. It is not surprising that the breakthrough tank projects of the period prior to World War II took place in the armies that suffered the most casualties of the Great War (Russia, France, Germany). All of the principal Axis and Allied nations eventually initiated super-heavy development projects, with increasingly heavy armor and armament. Much as the casualties of World War I prompted the original breakthrough tank developments, as Germany found itself on the defensive, with diminishing operational prospects and an increasingly desperate leadership, so too did its focus turn to the super-heavy tanks that could turn the tide back in their favor.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Design and Development /Operational History /Conclusion and Analysis /Index

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1944, plans began for a complex operation to seize a Rhine river bridge at Arnhem in the Netherlands. The American portion of the airborne mission was to employ two divisions of the US XVIII Airborne Corps to seize key terrain features that otherwise might delay the advance of British tanks towards the bridge. The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions succeeded in their tasks of capturing the vital bridges at Eindhoven at Nijmegen in the face of fierce German resistance. However, the delays caused to the British armored advance, combined with stronger than expected fighting at Arnhem led to the withdrawal of the remnants of the British 1st Airborne Division in one of the Western Allies’ most costly defeats of World War II. Contemporary photographs, maps and detailed color artwork complement extensive archival research that reveals the successes of those American airborne missions, largely overshadowed by the failure of the operation as a whole.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing armies /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /The battlefields today /Further reading /Index

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Book SynopsisIt is the night of 28 March 1942. Royal Navy and British commandos are poised to assault the German-held port of Saint-Nazaire in what will be one of the most audacious and daring raids of the Second World War. The plan is simple: to drive an old destroyer, packed with three tons of explosive, at full speed into the outer gate of the Normandie dock. The aim is to destroy the base from which the formidable battleship Tirpitz would be able to devastate the convoys supplying Britain from the United States. 'Operation Chariot' was to be dramatically successful, but at a great cost. Fewer than half the men who went on the mission returned. In recognition of their valour, eighty-nine decorations were awarded, including five Victoria Crosses. Into the Jaws of Death is the true story of how the decisive courage of a small group of men changed the course of the war.Table of ContentsPreface. Dramatis Personae. Author's Note. Britain, early 1942. Enter the Commandos. Training for War. The First Raids. Raids in 1941. Tirpitz. Saint-Nazaire. Resistance. The Decision Made. Planning. Falmouth. Ryder and Willetts's Plans. Newman's Orders. Final Preparations. The Bay of Biscay. Into the Loire. The Run-In. Ordeal in the River. The Demolitions. Dash for Freedom. Escaping from the Loire. Aftermath. Epilogue. Glossary. Map 1 The Journey to and from Saint-Nazaire. Map 2 Targets for the Commando Groups. Map 3 Vessel movements during the raid. Map 4 Entrance into the Loire Estuary. Appendix 1 Combined Operations Raids, 1940-2. Appendix 2 Flotilla Cruising Order for Entry into the Loire. Appendix 3 Victoria Cross Citations. Sources. Select Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Index.

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Book SynopsisAS HEARD ON RADIO 4'Utterly wonderful' NINA STIBBE, author of Love, NinaTwenty hours have gone since I last wrote. I have been thinking of you. I shall think of you until I post this, and until you get it. Can you feel, as you read these words, that I am thinking of you now; aglow, alive, alert at the thought that you are in the same world, and by some strange chance loving me. In September 1943, Chris Barker was serving as a signalman in North Africa when he decided to brighten the long days of war by writing to old friends. One of these was Bessie Moore, a former work colleague. The unexpected warmth of Bessie's reply changed their lives forever. Crossing continents and years, their funny, affectionate and intensely personal letters are a remarkable portrait of a love played out against the backdrop of the Second World War. Above all, their story is a stirring example of the power of letters to transform ordinary lives.Trade ReviewUtterly wonderful -- NINA STIBBE * * author of LOVE, NINA * *The modern reader is swept along in a gushing sea of yearning, lust, fear, regret and relentlessly candid emotion, and is constantly reminded of the enduring power of letters to transform ordinary lives * * Daily Telegraph * *An immensely affecting set of letters * * Financial Times * *A record - spontaneous, immediate and unassuming - of the implacable triumph of love -- John Carey * * Sunday Times * *These letters are magnificent * * Daily Mail * *Barker and Moore start to fall in love by letter . . . And what a sweaty, lusty love it turns out to be * * Guardian * *What, one longs to know, is going to happen next to Chris and Bessie? . . . The thrillingly intensive experience that they lived through will continue to resonate for as long as those sheets of paper are read -- DIANA ATHILL * * Literary Review * *It's a delight, from the hesitancy of the first letters to the deep, fervent and repeated declarations of love and affection later . . . But it is the openness of the letters that leaves the lasting impression - you get a sense that writing these letters was an opportunity to communicate more freely and deeply than would have been possible elsewhere, even in the most intimate whisperings of pillow talk * * Skinny * *The sheer intensity of their mutual passion, set against the volatility of the war, is heady stuff indeed * * Good Book Guide * *Anyone who has ever got a date using Facebook or Tinder should read this and see what romance really looks like * * Sun * *

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Book SynopsisThe North Koreans' attack on their Southern neighbours shocked and surprised the World. The conflict rapidly escalated with China soon heavily involved on one side and the United States and United Nations on the other. The author, then a young Gunner officer, found himself in the midst of this very nasty war. He describes first handwhat it was like to be at the infamous Battle of the Hook, where UN troops held off massed attacks by the Communists. Few outside the war zone realised just how horrific conditions were. As a qualified Chinese interpreter and, later, a senior military intelligence officer, Parritt is well placed to analyse why the Commonwealth got involved, the mistakes and successes and the extreme risk that the war represented. This is not only a fine memoir but a unique insight into a forgotten War.

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Book SynopsisSeventy years after the end of World War II, the full story of Britain's secret Antarctic expedition has still never been told. Launched in 1943, Operation Tabarin was an expedition to secretly establish bases, keep a watchful eye on German and Japanese activities, and curb opportunistic Argentinian incursions. Ivan Mackenzie Lamb was the expedition's botanist but, until now, his narrative has never been published. His account provides a fascinating insight into this top secret military operation. He was a member of the naval party that established three manned bases, he remained in the field throughout the operation's two-year duration and took part in all three major sledging expeditions. After the war, he used his diary to complete a vivid story of his time in Antarctica. It is a key eyewitness account and has been illustrated with contemporary photos and expedition maps. Operation Tabarin is without doubt one of the most significant expeditions of what might be described as the 'post-Heroic' phase of Antarctic exploration; ultimately it would develop into the British Antarctic Survey, arguably the most important and enduring of all government-sponsored programmes of research in the Antarctic. Operation Tabarin also set in train a series of events that would lead, ultimately, to the Falklands War of 1982.

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Book SynopsisThe Special Boat Service was a small force during World War II, never more than about 300 men. But that did not stop it from inflicting great damage on the enemy. In the Mediterranean arena and in the Aegean, which the Germans controlled after the fall of Greece and Crete, this small commando force kept up a constant campaign of harassment, thus pinning down enemy forces and preventing their joining other fronts. They travelled by night to their targets, using submarines, small surface vessels or canoes, with the commanders of the vessels often putting themselves in danger in order to help the men carry out their dangerous and secret missions. They were reliant on the co-operation of the fiercely independent Greeks and in particular the Cretans, all working together in their common objective against the German invaders. John Lodwick took part in the SBS Mediterranean campaign and writes from personal experience with the panache and verve of the squadron itself. For it is more than the story of the remarkable men who made up the force: men such as Anders Lassen, 'the Dreadful Dane' who was awarded a posthumous VC, Fitzroy Maclean, Eric Newby, Jock Lapraik, and Lord Jellicoe, who commanded the squadron for almost two years and who contributed a memorable foreword to this memoir. Strong, determined individuals, together the men of the Special Boat Service formed a deadly, cohesive fighting force which contributed much to the war in the Mediterranean and to whom John Lodwick's book is an excitingly readable tribute.

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Book SynopsisA visceral account from contemporaneous diaries of a soldier who frequently came close to death but somehow survived. Following his Abitur (A-levels) in 1940, Rehfeldt volunteered for the Panzer Arm but was trained on the heavy mortar and heavy MG with Grossdeutschland Division. He was on the Front from 1941 fighting for the city of Tula, south of Moscow. Battling in freezing conditions, at its lowest -52?, the descriptions of the privations are vivid and terrifying. With no winter clothes they resorted to using those taken from Soviet corpses. In 1942, fighting near Oriel, however, his batallion suffered heavy losses and was disbanded. Ill with frostbitten legs, Rehfeldt was treated in hospital and once recovered was dispatched to the Front. Following various battles (Werch, Bolchov) his batallion again suffered heavy losses and it merged. In agony from severe frostbite to his legs, Rehfeldt defied the odds and astonished his surgeon when he walked again. He was promoted from Gunner to Trained Private Soldier in 1942, and to Corporal for bravery in the field in 1943. He was awarded numerous honours including the Wound Badge and the Infantry Assault Badge. On 3 May 1945 he was captured by US Forces and held as PoW for one month in a camp at Waschow before internment in Holstein from where he was released in July 1945 after agreeing to work on the land. In December 1945 he began studying veterinary medicine: his future career. This astonishing account of a man who kept bouncing back from near death is a testament to the author's determination and sheer strength of spirit.

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