Modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisThis first volume of Solomons Air War chronicles aerial warfare in the opening phase of the war in the Solomons Islands theatre, being the critical period of August-September 1942.After occupying the Solomon Islands capital of Tulagi with ease in May 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy commenced building an airfield on the adjacent island of Guadalcanal. The indispensable airfield was over 600 miles distant from their main base of Rabaul and promised to extend the reach of their aircraft into the Allied occupied island chains of Fiji, the New Hebrides and New Caledonia. Much was at stake and the airfield would be held at all costs. Then, in early August 1942 a bold American invasion of both Tulagi and Guadalcanal caught the IJN completely off guard. Nevertheless, Japanese air power responded swiftly and in some cases desperately. So began the knife-edge struggle for Guadalcanal.An ever-increasing variety and number of IJN units was poured into the struggle, met initially with USN carrier-Trade ReviewThe authors are a benchmark of quality and accuracy for their accounts of the air actions in the South Pacific during World War Two. * Flypast Magazine *Throughout the book there are plenty of archive images, along with some neat colour profile artwork of a wide variety of aircraft types and markings. Two appendices at the end, with details of aircraft losses and fatalities for both sides. The level of detail in the book is far greater than I have ever seen before about the story of Guadalcanal and the Solomons, and most especially, that it is I think fairly balanced with detail for both sides, right down to individual aircrew names. Well written, this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading and couldn't put down once started. Easy one to recommend in my view. * Military Model Scene *

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Book SynopsisConsidered a classic in aviation circles, this re-issue is sure to provoke a positive reaction. With access to new images, this edition will provide an expanded pictorial account of Crosley's famed endeavours. Sure to appeal to aviation and naval enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisAs the Soviet troops fought their way ever closer to the Reich Chancellery in the final days of the Third Reich, deep underground in Hitler's bunker fateful decisions were being made. Hitler and some of those closest to him resolved to commit suicide, whilst others sought to try and escape. But who did manage to slip past the Russian soldiers and reach freedom? How did they escape, and what routes did they take through the ruined streets of Berlin? Equally, what became of those who escaped, where did they go, and what happened to those who did not get away? All of these questions are answered in this book. Following years of research in Berlin, the author has been able to identify the various groups and individuals that left the bunker and has traced the paths taken by those who escaped and those that perished. The final days in Hitler's bunker are revealed in atmospheric detail, as the Red Army closed in and the inevitable end loomed menacingly nearer with the passing of every hour. Many notable persons, such as Bormann, Speer, Goering and Hanna Reitsch, went to say a last farewell to the Fuhrer, while others, such as Goebbels, prepared themselves for suicide rather than being taken prisoner by the Russians. By using first-hand testimony from those who survived, photographs of the devastated German capital in 1945, as well as images of the various routes that the escapers followed through Berlin as they appear today, the author explores the last moments of the Third Reich in startling clarity.

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating book is the first to cover the little known C Squadron of the Special Air Service. Operating in East Africa, the Squadron was involved in almost continuous counter communist terrorist operations over the period 1968 to 1980. In the unstable final stages of British colonial and white rule, the Squadron was never short of action. African nationalist movements, backed by Russia's and China's direct and indirect support posed a constant and deadly threat to the existing regimes. Small highly trained detachments of the SAS with highly developed bush warfare skills proved devastatingly effective and achieved results out of all proportion to their size. Often their enemies believed that they were facing rival factions and turned on each other. The inevitable involvement of African wildlife adds an extra dimension of excitement Written by a seasoned former senior member of C Squadron, Secret SAS Missions in Africa paints a graphic and thrilling account of their covert operations and the colourful characters that undertook them.

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940 the fate of Europe hung in the balance. Victory in the forthcoming air battle would mean national survival; defeat would establish German tyranny.The Luftwaffe greatly outnumbered the RAF, but during the Battle of Britain it was the RAF that emerged triumphant, thanks to two key fighter planes, the Spitfire and the Hurricane. The Hurricane made up over half of Fighter Command's front-line strength, and its revolutionary design transformed the RAF's capabilities. Leo McKinstry tells the story of the remarkable plane from its designers to the first-hand testimonies of those brave pilots who flew it; he takes in the full military and political background but always keeps the human stories to the fore - to restore the Hawker Hurricane to its rightful place in history.Trade Review'Superb volume . . . great merit of [his] style . . . enthralling . . .' * Literary Review *A superb volume . . . The great merit of McKinstry's style is that he skilfully mixes the story of the machines with those of the men behind them... enthralling * Literary Review *As with his earlier books McKinstry interweaves the engineering lore and red-tape disputes behind the aircraft's manufacturing history with first-hand descriptions of its reliability and effectiveness. The tale he has to tell is a powerful one, like the Hurricane itself but once again he has proved himself an ace at the controls * Daily Express *'Superb' * Saul David, Daily Telegraph *'McKinstry is brilliant at bringing to life the tales of these machines for a new generation. His book is both worthy tribute and a genuinely page-turning read' * News of the World *Here the author does for the Hurricane what he has already done for the Spitfire, reminding us of the crucial role that the Hawker Hurricane played in the Battle of Britain...Leo McKinstry is particularly good on the 'bullish' character of Sidney Camm, the Hurricane's designer * Sunday Telegraph *McKinstry's case is persuasive * Daily Mail *'Those interested in the history of aviation, and the Second World War more generally, will be delighted with Leo McKinstry's latest book. This is a beautifully crafted and thoroughly researched study of the Hurricane's role . . . One particular strength of the book is that it sets the narrative of the Hurricane's development against the contextual backdrop of the era. Another is that it sheds a light on a cross section of people who were involved with its development and employment, not least its designer, Sit Sydney Camm...Hurricane is a compelling read, and has done precisely what it set out to achieve: to restore the Hurricane to its rightful place in the story of the Second World War' * BBC History *

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Book SynopsisSummer 1942 and the war in the Middle East is in the balance; Rommel's Axis forces are posed on the borders of Egypt and all that is needed is one last push. For that to succeed, Rommel needs supplies and for the Allies to be denied supplies. With Malta still active and disrupting the Axis shipping routes across the Mediterranean he is denied those supplies. Meanwhile, the Allied build-up continues, and Montgomery holds at El Alamein and then counter attacks Rommel is pushed back and then in a double blow, the Allies land in Tunisia. The collapse of North Africa leads to the invasion of Italy and contributes to the final Axis defeat. But what if Rommel had won? In this alternate history, Ken Delve proposes that with a few strategic changes by the Axis, poor decision by Allied Commanders, the outcome of could have been very different. In this scenario, the Allied invasion in Tunisia fails, Rommel defeats Montgomery and seizes Egypt, leaving the Germans well-placed to sweep up through the Middle East, capturing oil installations and joining up with German forces in Russia.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERDo tough times create tougher people? Can humanity handle the power of its weapons without destroying itself? Will human technology ever peak or regress? And why, since the dawn of time, has it always seemed as though death and destruction are waiting just around the corner?Combining his trademark thrilling, expansive storytelling with rigorous history and thought experiment, Dan Carlin connects past with future to explore the tipping points of collapsing civilisations from the plague to nuclear war.Looking across every brush with apocalypse, crisis and collapse, this book also weighs, knowing all we do about human patterns, whether our world is likely to become a ruin for future archaeologists to dig up and explore.FROM THE CREATOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING, 100+ MILLION DOWNLOAD PODCASTHARDCORE HISTORYTrade Review‘Carlin puts the 'hardcore' in Hardcore History by focusing his narratives on the most violent and dramatic moments in human history, filling his show with colorful anecdotes that were most likely left out of your high school history class.’Time ‘A master of storytelling, Dan Carlin uses vivid detail and intuitive empathy to imagine what it was like to live through the end of the world … Carlin's engaging and accessible style invites us to ponder the rise and fall of civilizations and ask where we are headed. The end of the world is not merely a catastrophe that waits for us down the road; it is a ghost that haunts the places we've already been.’Mike Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of The Storm Before the Storm ‘This is the perfect thought experiment for anyone who believes the world is doomed, if only to remind them of one essential reality: the world has always, always seemed doomed…It feels odd to classify a book about barbarians and flu pandemics and the morality of nuclear war as fun, but that's the single best modifier for The End is Always Near. It's an apocalyptic discotheque.’Chuck Klosterman, author of But What If We're Wrong? ‘For podcast fanatics, each new release is akin to the Super Bowl … Host Dan Carlin, a former radio broadcaster, brings both passion and showmanship as he unspools historical narratives with a flair for tension and intensity.’AV Club ‘Walking listeners through Operation Barbarossa, the German attempt to capture Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, and Germany's ouster from the Soviet Union, Carlin is a wide-eyed, colorful guide to a dreadful story.’Slate ‘Carlin serves as a notable example of… a person who can discuss issues deeply and idiosyncratically.’Los Angeles Times

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Book Synopsis''An energetic, ambitious, provocative work by a young historian of notable gifts, which deserves a wide readership'' Max Hastings, The Sunday Times''Bold and breathtaking... I have never read a more daringly panoramic survey of the period'' Jonathan Wright, Herald ScotlandThe most terrible emergency in Britain''s history, the Second World War required an unprecedented national effort. An exhausted country had to fight an unexpectedly long war and found itself much diminished amongst the victors. Yet the outcome of the war was nonetheless a triumph, not least for a political system that proved well adapted to the demands of a total conflict and for a population who had to make many sacrifices but who were spared most of the horrors experienced in the rest of Europe.Britain''s War is a narrative of these epic events, an analysis of the myriad factors that shaped military success and failure, and an explanation of what Trade ReviewThis is an energetic, ambitious, provocative work by a young historian of notable gifts, which deserves a wide readership -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *A gifted historian...he tells the big story well but also illustrates his themes with many small stories and appealing anecdotes. -- Peter Clarke * Financial Times *Todman explores every aspect of the British experience of the war...rich in telling detail and reliant on the records kept by a host of ordinary Britons as they came to terms with the events going on around them...what ordinary people thought about the time they were living through provides a texture and depth that older wartime narratives have often lacked. -- Richard Overy * Literary Review *[Dan Todman] has succeeded in creating something that adds to our perception of what happened during this critical period...It is a compliment to Todman that time and again in reading his book I found myself thinking that I wanted to know more about this or that aspect. -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *The first volume of Dan Todman's new history of Britain and the Second World War is a tour de force. Taking the story up to the end of 1941, Todman provides us with a judicious guide to the road to war and its catastrophic first phase, offering in addition a shrewd portrait of Churchill which is worth the price of the book alone. Total history at its best. -- Jay Winter, Yale UniversityBold and breathtaking... I have never read a more daringly panoramic survey of the period...Todman has taken on a mammoth task but, at half-time, he shows every sign of completing it triumphantly. -- Jonathan Wright * Herald Scotland *

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Book SynopsisA mesmerising, chilling close-up portrayal of Stalin from Milovan Djilas, a Communist insider - with an introduction from Anne Applebaum, author of Gulag and Iron CurtainThis extraordinarily vivid and unnerving book three meetings held with Stalin during and after the Second World War. Djilas brilliantly describes the dictator in his lair - cunning, cruel, enormously talented. Few books give as clear a sense of what made Stalin such a compelling figure and how he was able to hypnotise and terrify those around him. Djilas also describes the key members of Stalin''s court: Beria, Malenkov, Zhukov, Molotov and Khruschchev. The result is a gripping account of the ruler at the height of his fame and power.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding Adolf Hitler''s ideology provides insights into the mental world of an extremist politics that, over the course of the Third Reich, developed explosive energies culminating in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Too often the theories underlying National Socialism or Nazism are dismissed as an irrational hodge-podge of ideas. Yet that ideology drove Hitler''s quest for power in 1933, colored everything in the Third Reich, and transformed him, however briefly, into the most powerful leader in the world.How did he discover that ideology? How was it that cohorts of leaders, followers, and ordinary citizens adopted aspects of National Socialism without experiencing the leader first-hand or reading his works? They shared a collective desire to create a harmonious, racially select, community of the people to build on Germany''s socialist-oriented political culture and to seek national renewal. If we wish to understand the rise of the Nazi Party and the new dictatorship''s remarkable staying power, we have to take the nationalist and socialist aspects of this ideology seriously. Hitler became a kind of representative figure for ideas, emotions, and aims that he shared with thousands, and eventually millions, of true believers who were of like mind . They projected onto him the properties of the necessary leader, a commanding figure at the head of a uniformed corps that would rally the masses and storm the barricades. It remains remarkable that millions of people in a well-educated and cultured nation eventually came to accept or accommodate themselves to the tenants of an extremist ideology laced with hatred and laden with such obvious murderous implications.Trade ReviewThis work is worthy of serious attention. The way in which the nationalist, socialist, and antisemitic view of Hitler and his political party fit with the preferences of many Germans surely deserves the exposure that this book affords them. * The Journal of Interdisciplinary History *This sweeping account draws on career-long research by one of the foremost scholars of Nazism today. Hitler's True Believers gets at the core of a perennial question: why did people choose to follow Hitler? Rather than focusing on the leader himself, Gellately delves deeply into an ideology defined by nationalism, socialism, and antisemitism. Nazi socialism must be taken especially seriously, he argues, and he shows that Germans often shared the party's ideas before they joined it, just as the party drew on popular impulses. To learn how the Nazis obtained and maintained the support of millions of Germans, this outstanding book will be essential reading for many years to come. * Julia Torrie, Professor of History, St. Thomas University *A remarkable read. Gellately argues with conviction that if we want to fully understand why millions of ordinary Germans became 'true believers' in Nazism, then we need to look beyond Hitler's 'charisma' and take seriously the presence of National Socialist dreams and desires in the plural. * Matthew Stibbe, Professor of Modern European History, Sheffield Hallam University, UK *Robert Gellately's Hitler's True Believers provides a powerful rebuttal of the tendency to present National Socialism as 'nonsensical and irrational.' Its arguments - that Hitler was a man of ideas and that we cannot understand Nazi Germany's considerable staying powers unless we take the regime's socialist attitudes and expectations seriously - are as provocative as they are persuasive. Gellately's book is the most important and original book on the history of the Third Reich published in a generation. * Thomas Weber, author of Becoming Hitler: The Making of a Nazi *A clear and accessible account of an atrocious yet widely popular regime. * Moritz Föllmer, American Historical Review *Thoughtful, thorough and well-written book. * H-Soz-Kult *Table of ContentsChapter 1: How Hitler Found National Socialist Ideas Chapter 2: Early Leaders' Paths to National Socialism Chapter 3: The National Socialist "Left" Chapter 4: The Militants Chapter 5: The Nazi Voters Chapter 6: National Socialism Gains Power Chapter 7: Embracing the Volksgemeinschaft Chapter 8: Striving for Unanimity Chapter 9: Quest for a Cultural Revolution Chapter 10: The Racist Ideology Chapter 11: Nationalism and Militarism Chapter 12: War and Genocide Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThere are few moments in American history in which the course of events tipped so suddenly and so dramatically as at the Battle of Midway. At dawn of June 4, 1942, a rampaging Japanese navy ruled the Pacific. By sunset, their vaunted carrier force (the Kido Butai) had been sunk and their grip on the Pacific had been loosened forever. In this riveting account of a key moment in the history of World War II, one of America''s leading naval historians, Craig L. Symonds, paints an unforgettable portrait of ingenuity, courage, and sacrifice. Symonds begins with the arrival of Admiral Chester A. Nimitz at Pearl Harbor after the devastating Japanese attack, and describes the key events leading to the climactic battle, including both Coral Sea--the first battle in history against opposing carrier forces--and Jimmy Doolittle''s daring raid of Tokyo. He focuses throughout on the people involved, offering telling portraits of Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Spruance and numerous other Americans, as well as the leading Japanese figures, including the poker-loving Admiral Yamamoto. Indeed, Symonds sheds much light on the aspects of Japanese culture--such as their single-minded devotion to combat, which led to poorly armored planes and inadequate fire-safety measures on their ships--that contributed to their defeat. Symond''s account of the battle itself is masterful, weaving together the many disparate threads of attack--attacks which failed in the early going--that ultimately created a five-minute window in which three of the four Japanese carriers were mortally wounded, changing the course of the Pacific war in an eye-blink.Symonds is the first historian to argue that the victory at Midway was not simply a matter of luck, pointing out that Nimitz had equal forces, superior intelligence, and the element of surprise. Nimitz had a strong hand, Symonds concludes, and he rightly expected to win.Trade Review"The Battle of Midway was the hinge on which the war in the Pacific turned. Its story deserves retelling, and Symonds' book does a wonderful job of it." --The American Spectator "Mr. Symonds has marshaled the data of seven decades to produce an account that is clear and readable, benefiting from his easy expertise in naval matters." --The Wall Street Journal "Important...documenting a role too often overlooked and too little understood: the essential role played by the U.S. Navy in winning the war in the Pacific." - The Dallas Morning News "[W]holly satisfying . . . a lucid, intensely researched, mildly revisionist account of a significant moment in American military history." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Craig Symonds has delivered yet another outstanding work, a work that will set the standard for studies of the Battle of Midway for years to come. Even if one thinks one knows all there is to know about Midway, Mr. Symonds' plethora of new facts, rationales for what and why each side performed the way it did, human interest stories and more make The Battle of Midway indispensable . . . The story of the battle unfolding and being fought is absolutely outstanding, but the events before and after it are equally well told. In addition, the supporting charts, photographs, references and bibliography are awesome. For anyone at all interested in the Battle of Midway, the Pacific War or the Navy, this is a must read." --The Washington Times Selected as a Best Book of 2011 by Military History Quarterly "Deeply researched, shrewdly argued, and powerfully narrated, The Battle of Midway is a superb work of the historian's craft. It easily takes its place as the best and most comprehensive account of the pivotal battle from the American perspective." -Richard B. Frank, author of Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle and Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire "In The Battle of Midway Symonds has effectively synthesized the huge mass of information about the Midway battle into a fast-moving, highly readable account filled with nuggets of fascinating biographical material about many of the principals, both American and Japanese . . . Symonds describes the scenes of the Battle of Midway itself with the knowing eye of a fine historian . . . Craig Symonds has crafted an excellent addition to the pantheon of important literature about the transcendent American naval victory at Midway. The Battle of Midway deserves to be read and enjoyed." --Naval History "Compulsively readable" --The Week "Well documented through interviews, official records, and secondary sources, the book will show readers that Midway was, as Wellington would have said, "a close-run thing." General military history enthusiasts will be fascinated, and specialists will revel in the careful dissection of the action. -- Library Journal "[A] superb narrative, clearly, vividly, and energetically written, with attention to detail that is always relevant to his interpretation . . . this book will be read appreciatively by other non-specialists. Indeed, it demonstrates why military history should not be considered 'merely' a 'niche' subject, but part of the mainstream of the national narrative." --HNN.com "A fascinating and informative retelling of the most important naval battle of the Pacific War. Symonds once again demonstrates his superb mastery of his craft." -Jonathan Parshall, co-author of Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway Chosen as one of Proceedings Notable Books of 2011Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. CinCPac ; 2. The Kido Butai ; 3. The Brownshoe Navy ; 4. American Counterstrike ; 5. Seeking the Decisive Battle ; 6. Pete and Jimmy ; 7. The Codebreakers ; 8. The Coral Sea ; 9. The Eve of Battle ; 10. Opening Act ; 11. Nagumo's Dilemma (4:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.) ; 12. The Flight to Nowhere (7:00 A.M. to 11:20 A.M.) ; 13. Attack of the Torpedo Squadrons (8:30 A.M. to 10:20 A.M.) ; 14. The Tipping Point (7:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.) ; 15. The Japanese Counterstrike (11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.) ; 16. Denouement ; Epilogue

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Book SynopsisConsiders the crucial question of how armies adapt to changing circumstances during the course of conflicts for which they are initially unprepared. This book is a timely examination of the lessons of previous counterinsurgency campaigns that will be hailed by both military leaders and interested civilians.Trade Review"Nagl's study is especially relevant today, and one that military leaders and interested citizens at all levels should read. It suggests how to encourage the spirit of innovation - a spirit that helped the British Army succeed in Malaya and that is currently transforming America's Army in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and around the globe." - From the Foreword by General Peter J. Schoomaker "Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife has become must reading for high-level officers in Iraq because its lessons seem so directly applicable to the situation there." - National Review Online"

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Book Synopsis''Stands in the absolute first rank of books about the resistance in World War II. If you wish to read about a man more courageous and honourable than Jan Karski, I would have no idea who to recommend'' Alan Furst It is 1939. Jan Karski, a brilliant young Polish student, enjoys a life of parties and pleasure. Then war breaks out and his familiar world is destroyed. Now he must live under a new identity, in the resistance. And, in a secret mission that could change the course of the war, he must risk his own life to try and save those of millions. ''Insistently asks the question: What would you do? Would you fight, or acquiesce, or collaborate? ... Karski was deeply patriotic and ludicrously brave ... an astonishing testament of survival'' Ben Macintyre ''Karski''s adventures are worthy of the wildest spy thriller'' Daily Telegraph ''This eye-witness testimony is imbued with a passion that subsequent memoirs can rarely match'' Financial Times ''Deeply moving'' Daily Mail ''Reads like the screenplay to an incredibly exciting war movie - but it is all true'' Andrew RobertsTrade ReviewJan Karski's Story of a Secret State stands in the absolute first rank of books about the resistance in World War II. If you wish to read about a man more courageous and honorable than Jan Karski I would have no idea who to recommend. Yes, it's that good. -- Alan FurstIt deserves its status as a Penguin Classic, not only because it is a great historic document, but also because it's a cracking good read: Karski's adventures are worthy of the wildest spy thriller -- Nigel Jones * Telegraph *His account of his missions is an electrifying tale of false identities, near captures, spies and secret film capsules ... in human terms, Karski's account is invaluable -- Frank Trentmann * Daily Express *Story of a Secret State is now viewed as a classic insider's account of the Resistance in occupied Europe...After all the harrowing descriptions of Holocaust horrors there have been over the years from survivors of Auschwitz, Belsen, and Ravensbruck, Karski's vivid account of what he saw back in 1942 is still deeply moving. We feel his shock and incredulity that this could really be happening in 20th century 'civilised' Europe. -- Tony Rennell * Daily Mail *The bravery of the man who risked all to tell the world about the Holocaust is truly staggering ... an extraordinary testament to Man's inhumanity to Man, and the even more remarkable courage required to resist it -- Ben McIntyre * The Times *Karski's exploration of the moral fog in which he and his colleagues operated ... made me recall thrillers like Man Hunt and Hangmen Also Die ... two episodes resemble scenes tantalisingly directed by Hitchcock ... Karski's account of the systematic brutality of the Nazi regime is literally chilling -- Peter Conrad * The Observer *Reads like the screenplay to an incredibly exciting war movie - but it is all true -- Andrew RobertsSeared with an urgency that pitches the reader into the heart of the horror -- Ben Felsenburg * Metro *His story deserves not just revival but reflection ... Karski's electrifying words still speak only too eloquently for themselves -- Marek Kohn * Independent *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the story of the Second World War brought to life in full colour by renowned historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns''A fully immersive experience. A comprehensive yet fast-paced and gripping insight into the Second World War. Not just accessible, but riveting. An absolute pleasure to read'' GET HISTORY''A ground-breaking collaboration between bestselling historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns presents the war in full colour, bringing the text vividly to life'' HISTORY OF WAR__________From the great cities of Europe to the jungles of Burma, and from the deserts of North Africa to the remote islands of the South Pacific and the freezing waters of the Arctic, the Second World War touched every continent and ocean on the planet. And from the Blitzkrieg to the atom bomb, the fighting fuelled new technological development on land, at sea and in the air at a ferocious pace. Our futuTrade ReviewA bold attempt to expand the market for military history . . . aimed at a general reader who wants to get an overall grasp of a massive subject . . . this is an impressive achievement * BOOKBRUNCH *A ground-breaking collaboration between bestselling historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns presents the war in full colour, bringing the text vividly to life * HISTORY OF WAR *Gripping text, masterful imagery and touching personal stories make this a must-buy for anyone with an interest in World War Two * CLASSIC MILITARY VEHICLES *The war itself becomes something tangible, a fully immersive experience where the reader is transported to the mosquito-infested, stinking, dripping jungles of Burma, or to the arid, baked expanses of the North African desert . . . Both sides of the book - the written and the drawn - independently are stunning. But together they create something greater: a comprehensive yet fast-paced and gripping insight into the Second World War. This illustrated history ticks every box. For the reasonably uninitiated, there is enough explanation, enough references to films and TV series, and enough action to make the book not just accessible, but riveting. For those familiar with the Second World War, Holland's style, his arguments and his anecdotes, along with the exquisite illustrations of Burns, make The Second World War: An Illustrated History an absolute pleasure to read * GET HISTORY *Epic * HISTORY FIRST *Superb * Damcasters podcast *

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Book Synopsis* * * Special 75th Anniversary Edition * * * Hugh Sebag-Montefiore''s Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man tells the story of the rescue in May 1940 of British soldiers fleeing capture and defeat by the Nazis at Dunkirk.Dunkirk was not just about what happened at sea and on the beaches. The evacuation would never have succeeded had it not been for the tenacity of the British soldiers who stayed behind to ensure they got away. Men like Sergeant Major Gus Jennings who died smothering a German stick bomb in the church at Esquelbecq in an effort to save his comrades, and Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews VC who single-handedly held back a German attack on the Dunkirk perimeter thereby allowing the British line to form up behind him. Told to stand and fight to the last man, these brave few battalions fought in whatever manner they could to buy precious time for the evacuation. Outnumbered and outgunned, they launched spectacular and heroic attacks time and again, despite ferocious fighting and the knowledge that for many only capture or death would end their struggle.''A searing story . . . both meticulous military history and a deeply moving testimony to the extraordinary personal bravery of individual soldiers'' Tim Gardam, The Times ''Sebag-Montefiore tells [the story] with gusto, a remarkable attention to detail and an inexhaustible appetite for tracking down the evidence'' Richard Ovary, Telegraph Hugh Sebag-Montefiore was a barrister before becoming a journalist and then an author. He wrote the best-selling Enigma: The Battle for the Code. One of his ancestors was evacuated from Dunkirk.Trade ReviewA searing story . . . both meticulous military history and a deeply moving testimony to the extraordinary personal bravery of individual soldiers -- Tim Gardam * The Times *Sebag-Montefiore tells [the story] with gusto, a remarkable attention to detail and an inexhaustible appetite for tracking down the evidence -- Richard Overy * Telegraph *Several fine books have been written about "the miracle of Dunkirk", but none better than this -- Andrew Roberts * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThe controversial account of what really happened in the south Atlantic skiesSharkey Ward commanded 801 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Invincible, was senior Sea Harrier adviser to the Command, flew over sixty missions and was awarded DSC. Yet had he followed all his instructions to the letter, Britain might well have lost the Falklands War.His dramatic first-hand story of the air war in the South Atlantic is also an extraordinary, outspoken account of inter-Service rivalries, bureaucratic interference, and dangerous ignorance of the realities of air combat among many senior commanders. As Sharkey Ward reveals, the 801 pilots were fighting not just the enemy, exhaustion, and the hostile weather, but also the prejudice and ignorance of their own side.Trade ReviewThe definitive account of the battle above the South Atlantic islands * NAVY NEWS *the definitive account of the battle above the South Atlantic islands * Navy News *

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Book SynopsisThe question is as searing as it is fundamental to the continuing debate over Japanese culpability in World War II and the period leading up to it: How could Japanese soldiers have committed such acts of violence against Allied prisoners of war and Chinese civilians? During the First World War, the Japanese fought on the side of the Allies and treated German POWs with respect and civility. In the years that followed, under Emperor Hirohito, conformity was the norm and the Japanese psyche became one of selfless devotion to country and emperor soon Japanese soldiers were to engage in mass murder, rape, and even cannibalization of their enemies. Horror in the East examines how this drastic change came about. On the basis of never-before-published interviews with both the victimizers and the victimized, and drawing on never-before-revealed or long-ignored archival records, Rees discloses the full horror of the war in the Pacific, probing the supposed Japanese belief in their own racial sup

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Book SynopsisSea Wolves is the story of the crews who bravely manned British submarines in the Second World War. This small band of highly trained and highly skilled individuals fought in the front line for six long years, undertaking some of the most dangerous missions of the war. Britain''s Sea Wolves operated close to shore in mined waters, attacking warships and heavily guarded convoys. But in the course of these vital operations, the submariners suffered devastating casualties.This is the vivid, thrilling story of the survivors and their promising young comrades who fought with such courage, in the face of the sickening terror of depth-charge attacks and the cold fear of having to escape from a sunken submarine filled with the bodies of close friends.

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Book SynopsisA renowned historian and Resistance fighter—later executed by the Nazis—gives his firsthand perspective on why France fell in 1940.Trade Review"Much has been, and will be, written in explanation of the defeat of France in 1940, but it seems unlikely that the truth of the matter will ever be more accurately and more vividly presented than in this statement of evidence." -- P. J. Philip - New York Times Book Review"The most wisdom-packed commentary on the problem set [before] all intelligent and patriotic Frenchmen by the events of 1940." -- D. W. Brogan - Spectator

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Book Synopsis____________________As vivid and compelling as the best adventure thriller, and a fitting tribute to a small band of men who became heroes' ANDY MCNAB Gripping, revealing and extraordinarily well-researched, this is a riveting new account of a little known but crucial war' SIR RANULPH FIENNES____________________Dawn. 19 July 1972. A force of nearly three hundred heavily armed, well-trained guerrillas launches a surprise attack on the small fishing village of Mirbat. All that stands in their way is a troop of just nine SAS, aided only by an elite band of fighter pilots overhead.Two years earlier a Communist rebellion had threatened the Arabian Peninsula, in the strategically critical Sultanate of Oman. Following a covert intelligence mission, 22 SAS deployed their largest ever assault force against the rebels.But this was to be a bitter and hard-fought campaign culminating the BattlTrade ReviewCatapulting us from the cockpits of heavily armed, low-level attack jets to the beating heart of elite Special Forces soldiers under siege, Storm Front tells this epic story as only the author of Vulcan 607 can. It's as vivid and compelling as the best adventure thriller, and a fitting tribute to a small band of men who became heroes -- Andy McNabGripping, revealing and extraordinarily well-researched, Storm Front is a riveting new account of a little known, but crucial war. Combining page-turning military action in the air and on the ground with a clear-sighted understanding of the big picture it brings to life the campaign in Oman more vividly than any other book I've read -- Sir Ranulph FiennesThe best account I've ever read of this legendary battle. Takes you right to the heart of the action -- Sgt Dan Mills, author of "Sniper One"This is a rare insight into the battle that defined the modern SAS. Storm Front is the best book you will read this year -- Tim CollinsI loved Storm Front. A period of history - and more particularly a single shining moment - that has been obscured by myth and legend. Here is the truth of it all at last in all its spine-tingling, spine-straightening glory -- Neil Oliver

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Book SynopsisPacific Profiles Volume 10 covers the P-47D Thunderbolt which flew combat missions in the New Guinea theatre until mid-1945, serving with a total of eleven Fifth Air Force USAAF combat squadrons, Fifth Fighter Command and the Combat Replacement Training Center.Trade ReviewThe research behind these profiles is a long-time hobby for the author and I think this is another good reference in this Pacific Profiles book series. * Military Model Scene *Table of ContentsContents About the Author Introduction Glossary and Abbreviations Chapter 1 – Markings and Technical Notes Chapter 2 – 9th Fighter Squadron “Flying Knights” Chapter 3 – 36th Fighter Squadron “Flying Fiends” Chapter 4 – 39th Fighter Squadron Chapter 5 – 40th Fighter Squadron “‘Fightin’ Red Devils” Chapter 6 – 41st Fighter Squadron “Flying Buzzsaws” Chapter 7 – 69th Fighter Squadron “The Fightin’ 69th” Chapter 8 – 310th Fighter Squadron Chapter 9 – 311th Fighter Squadron Chapter 10 – 340th Fighter Squadron “The Minute Men” Chapter 11 – 341st Fighter Squadron “The Black Jacks” Chapter 12 – 342nd Fighter Squadron “The Scourgers” Chapter 13 – Fifth Fighter Command Headquarters Chapter 14 – Combat Replacement Training Center Sources & Acknowledgments Index of Names

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Book SynopsisThe Second World War was, for Britain, a ''total war''; no section of society remained untouched by military conscription, air raids, the shipping crisis and the war economy. In this comprehensive and engrossing narrative Angus Calder presents not only the great events and leading figures but also the oddities and banalities of daily life on the Home Front, and in particular the parts played by ordinary people: air raid wardens and Home Guards, factory workers and farmers, housewives and pacifists. Above all this revisionist and important work reveals how, in those six years, the British people came closer to discarding their social conventions than at any time since Cromwell''s republic.Winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys prize in 1970, The People's War draws on oral testimony and a mass of neglected social documentation to question the popularised image of national unity in the fight for victory.Trade ReviewFull of vivid anecdote … and of epigrammatic flair … it is a dense, detailed, moving chronicle. -- Richard Eyre * Independent on Sunday *A tour de force of historical reconstruction * Sunday Times *The People's War is more than a salutary iconoclastic analysis of its period and more than an immensely fastidious social history. It is full of vivid anecdote...and of epigrammatic flair... I've read Angus Calder's book several times and passed it on to friends. I've commissioned and directed several plays and films which have been inspired by it. It is a dense, detailed, moving chronicle that I am still unable to read without feeling both nostalgia and pain for the unfulfilled promise of the world I was born into -- Richard Eyre * Independent on Sunday *No verdict can I pronounce on The People's War other than, read it -- Elizabeth Bowen * Spectator *He has provided an engrossing, beautifully organized book that could provide a valuable education for the post-war generation and a salutary re-education for his elders -- Phillip French * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Myth of the Blitz was nurtured at every level of society. It rested upon the assumed invincibility of an island race distinguished by good humour, understatement and the ability to pluck victory from the jaws of defeat by team work, improvisation and muddling through.In fact, in many ways, the Blitz was not like that. Sixty-thousand people were conscientious objectors; a quarter of London''s population fled to the country; Churchill and the royal family were booed while touring the aftermath of air-raids; Britain was not bombed into classless democracy.Angus Calder provides a compelling examination of the events of 1940 and 1941 - when Britain ''stood alone'' against the Luftwaffe - and of the Myth which sustained her ''finest hour''.Trade ReviewThis is a book written with style, scholarship and compassion, which can only enhance and deepen our understanding of a still critical episode in modern British history -- Ian S. Wood * Scotsman *Disturbing as it may be to those who were there, Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz have to be understood on one level as media events, and this Angus Calder does supremely well -- John Vincent * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisPart of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES.____________Why was North Africa such a key component in Britain''s success over Mussolini and his Italian Army?How did they blunt Italy''s actions?What challenges did they face?And what new technologies were brought to bear?When fascist dictator Mussolini declared war against Britain he was taking a huge risk . . . Italy lacked natural resources, and Britain and France''s wealth.He hoped to create a new Roman Empire across the Mediterranean and into Africa. And with Hitler and the Nazi''s by his side he had a great chance of doing so - but what was it that stopped him?Discover the answers and more inside James Holland''s The Desert War, the thrilling and accessible account that explains what happened, who the key figures were and the tactics, triumphs and failures on both sides . . .Trade ReviewPraise for WW2 Ladybird Experts Series * - *Shines a light on some of the darkest and most dramatic moments of the six-year conflict. * Daily Mail *The artwork is gloriously retro, echoing the original Ladybird house style but containing completely up to date information. * Shiny New Books *

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Book SynopsisPart of the new Ladybird Expert series, The Bomber War is an accessible, insightful and authoritative introduction to the airborne Allied fight against Nazi Germany.- How did aeroplane technology change the theatre of war?- How did the Blitz affect Britain''s ability to fight?- How did the Allies finally triumph?DISCOVER how the complex impact of bomber technology shaped the outcome of World War II. From the Blitz to the Battle of the Ruhr, the Bomber War transformed the state of warfare in the twentieth century. GERMANY''S DEADLY TACTICS, THE ALLIES'' BRUTAL VICTORYWritten by historian, author and broadcaster James Holland and with immersive illustrations by Keith Burns, THE BOMBER WAR is an accessible and enthralling introduction to these critical battles and their impact on the outcome of World War II.Trade ReviewPraise for WW2 Ladybird Experts Series * - *Shines a light on some of the darkest and most dramatic moments of the six-year conflict. * Daily Mail *The artwork is gloriously retro, echoing the original Ladybird house style but containing completely up to date information. * Shiny New Books *

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Book SynopsisThe Spitfire and the Lancaster were the two RAF weapons of victory in the Second World War, but the glamour of the fighter has tended to overshadow the performance of the heavy bomber. Yet without the Lancaster, Britain would never have been able to take the fight to the German homeland. Highlights the scale of the bomber''s achievements, including the famous Dambusters attacks. With its vast bomb bay, ease of handling and surprising speed, the mighty Lancaster transformed the effectiveness of the Bomber Command. Whilst addressing the political controversy surrounding the bombing offensive against Germany, Leo McKinstry also weaves individual tales into this compelling narrative. Rich characters are brought to life, such as Roy Chadwick the designer, who taught himself engineering at night school and Sir Arthur Harris, the austere head of the Bomber Command. This is a rich saga, a story of triumph over disaster and the history of an iconic plane.Trade ReviewConvincing...excellent book * The Daily Telegraph, Phillip Addison *This thorough, engaging new history seeks to draw together all aspects of the bomber and its career...and the controversies which still surround it today * The Spectator, Daniel Swift *'Brilliantly researched and sharply written' * News of the World *'The saga is one of courage, tragedy and drama...all the more fascinating because of its rich cast of characters' * Kent Messenger / Kentish Gazette Group *'Fascinating...rich cast of characters..the definitive record' * Driffield Leader *(Leo McKinstry) describes the Lancaster as a heavy machine rendered graceful by its elegant design. The same description might be applied to his own book * The Literary Review *'Impressive...storytelling. [McKinstry] describes the Lancaster as a heavy machine rendered graceful by its elegant design. The same description might be applied to his own book' * Literary Review, Keith Lowe *'Brilliant' * International Express *'This is one of the most interesting wartime books that I have read for many a day. I recommend it to others' * Dover Express / Folkestone Herald *Extremely readable...rich narrative * Kent on Sunday *'Meticulously researched . . . a first-rate account of a unique British creation whose success and brave crews helped to keep Europe free' * Sunday Express *'There were a good number of high-quality books on military history published last year but none were better than LANCASTER by Leo McKinstry...this is a meticulously researched story ... a first-rate account of a unique British creation whose success and brave crews helped to keep Europe free' * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisIn 1941 Hitler's armies blocked the last roads leading into Leningrad. What followed was one of the most horrific sieges in history.Trade Review'A tribute to the resilience of the human spirit' * Herald *'Where the book stands out is in the portrait of ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances... Fluently written... the uniquely terrible experience of suffering, especially of 1941-2, is effectively described' * BBC History *'Jones's book is set apart from other histories by his careful and judicious use of witness accounts' * Sunday Business Post *'Detailed account of the 872-day siege of the Soviet Union's iconic city' * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisThe thrilling history of the turning point of the Second World War, when Hitler's armies were halted on the Eastern Front.Trade Review'A gripping account . . . told with verve and scholarship' * Andrew Roberts *Praise for STALINGRAD and LENINGRAD by Michael Jones - * : *'A milestone in the treatment of the battle ... highly effective and utterly captivating. Previous accounts have been unable to fully convey the desperate ferocity of the battle. Now we see it in all its horror - and better understand the courage of Stalingrad's defenders. This is the finest history of its type published to date' * David Glanz *'Where the book stands out is in the portrait of ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances ... Fluently written ... the uniquely terrible experience of suffering, especially of 1941-2, is effectively described' * BBC History *'A tribute to the resilience of the human spirit' * HERALD *'A mass of first-person material that has been cleverly assembled to paint a striking picture' * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisBletchley Park, known to those who worked there as Station X, was the scene of one of the greatest Allied triumphs of the Second World War. The breaking of the Nazi Enigma cyphers by Britain''s wartime code-breakers continues to fascinate, with well over 100,000 people visiting the scene of their successes every year. Bletchley Park provided the intelligence that ensured Allied victories in the Battle of Atlantic, the war in North Africa and, most crucially, the D-Day invasion of Europe, and it was also the birthplace of the modern computer. The code-breakers were led by men like Dilly Knox and Alan Turing, but also included thousands of ''ordinary'' people, the vast majority of them young women. This book contains previously unpublished photographs showing them at work and play. It not only explains how their work influenced the battle against Nazi Germany and its Italian and Japanese allies, but also describes how they lived and loved.Table of ContentsCaptain Ridley’s Shooting Party Breaking Enigma Sink the Bismarck A Crime Without a Name The Shark Blackout Colossus: the World’s First Programmable Computer D-Day and Double Cross Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book SynopsisThe guide will take the visitor beyond the ferry terminal and hypermarkets to reveal the hidden Calais and the actions of individuals and units in this defence.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe Third Reich was the name Hitler and the Nazi Party gave to the dictatorship that began in 1933 and ended twelve years later with the utter destruction of Germany and Hitler''s suicide. Defined by the messianic, iconic figure of the Führer, the Third Reich was one of the pivotal periods of the modern age. From small beginnings in the 1920s, Hitler''s movement came to dominate German society in the 1930s, bringing with it the militarization of German society, the apparatus of state terror and a policy of violent discrimination against political opponents, the so-called ''asocials'': gypsies, homosexuals, and, above all, the Jews. The history of the Reich is bound up with territorial aggression, total war and genocide. The end result was the complete defeat of Germany and the annihilation of millions of Europeans, a historical drama without precedent that still lies as a shadow over modern-day Germany. Richard Overy charts the rise and fall of Nazi power in a compelling narratiTable of ContentsMaps. Introduction. Rise to Power 1923-1933. Building the Third Reich 1933-1934. The Fuhrer State 1935-1936. Building the New Order 1937-1939. The Years of Victory 1940-1941. Genocide and Defeats 1942-1943. The Ruined Reich 1944-1945. Legacy of the Third Reich 1944-1945. Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume covers September 3rd, 1939 to September 6th, 1940 of World War II. The book uses extracts from a log compiled by the Ministry of Home Security, which provides a contemporary diary of events. There are also articles by historians and eyewitnesses which interspace the daily happenings.

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Book SynopsisThe first single-authored, comparative account of European and Asian responses to German and Japanese occupation during World War II. Using eleven comparative case studies from two continents, Roshwald explores three themes: patriotism, civil wars, and anti-colonial nationalism in the context of Axis occupation.Trade Review'Wide-ranging while sharply focused, limpidly written while attuned to complexity and nuance, this confident comparative study of European and Asian societies' reactions to Axis occupation should be read by anyone interested in 20th-century global history.' Sophie De Schaepdrijver, Penn State University'The topic of wartime occupation remains fascinating and controversial, but there has been little study to date of where the European and East Asian experiences resembled each other or differed. Aviel Roshwald breaks new ground by examining occupation in wartime Greece, Italy and France and providing parallels with China and Thailand. This is comparative history at its most stimulating and suggestive.' Rana Mitter, University of Oxford'A masterful synthesis of the Axis occupations and a true global history of World War II. Told with great clarity and interpretive verve, this book makes sense of the diversity of political responses to wartime occupation across Europe and Asia. A must-read!' Jeremy A. Yellen, The Chinese University of Hong KongTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Patriotisms Under Occupation (The Netherlands, France, Denmark, and Thailand); Introduction to Part I; 1. Initial choices and conditions; 2. Patriotic solidarity in the first flush of defeat; 3. The shifting parameters of the patriotically plausible; Conclusion to Part I; Part II. Fractured Societies and Fractal Identities – Civil Wars Under Occupation (Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, and China): Introduction to Part II; 4. The civil wars in a nutshell: historical overview; 5. Continuities and ruptures; 6. From parochial interests to internationalist visions: The fractal structures of political identity in civil wars; Conclusion to Part II; Part III. Conquest in the Guise of Liberation (the Philippines, Indonesia, and Ukraine): Introduction to Part III; 7. Colonial histories; 8. The ghosts of colonialisms past and the weight of occupations present; Conclusion to Part III; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisAmerican Survivors is a fresh and moving historical account of U.S. survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, breaking new ground not only in the study of World War II but also in the public understanding of nuclear weaponry. A truly trans-Pacific history, American Survivors challenges the dualistic distinction between Americans-as-victors and Japanese-as-victims often assumed by scholars of the nuclear war. Using more than 130 oral histories of Japanese American and Korean American survivors, their family members, community activists, and physicians - most of which appear here for the first time - Naoko Wake reveals a cross-national history of war, illness, immigration, gender, family, and community from intimately personal perspectives. American Survivors brings to light the history of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that connects, as much as separates, people across time and national boundaries.Trade Review'This deeply researched, sensitively analyzed, and beautifully written book rests on a source base of 132 interviews with American atomic-bomb survivors. Wake respectfully shows the range of ways that these individuals navigated their complicated lives and made sense of the enormous tragedy at their center.' Laura Hein, Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Professor of History, Northwestern University'Ghostly figures, American survivors of their nation's nuclear holocaust, speak for themselves and for those who failed to survive in profound utterances and silences, the living and the dead. Their haunting testimonies, in translation, speak of the unspeakable and of life - remembering, forging connections with families and other survivors, and working for peace in and across the Pacific. Indeed, as Naoko Wake astutely observes, nuclear holocaust is by definition a global phenomenon for all times.' Gary Y. Okihiro, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University'Naoko Wake's American Survivors is a beautifully written portrayal of the traumas suffered by atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She offers lyrical depictions of the visceral experience and the profound significance of silence. The work also foregrounds the cross-national and gendered experience of being hibakusha and the ways in which they and their allies engaged in transnational forms of activism.' Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, Professor of Asian American Studies, and Director of the Humanities Center, University of California, Irvine'Conceptually original and analytically versatile, American Survivors has made many scholarly contributions. All these achievements, however, are made possible by the extraordinary efforts that the author has made to gather, record, and preserve historical information about US survivors … A groundbreaking study and a call for further research …' Toshihiro Higuchi, Peace & ChangeTable of ContentsList of Figures; Acknowledgements; Notes on the Text; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. Cities of Immigrants; 2. Remembering the Nuclear Holocaust; 3. Reconnecting Families; 4. War and Work Across the Pacific; 5. Finding Survivorhood; 6. Endlessness of Radiation Illness; Epilogue; Glossary; Select Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisShawn McHale explores why the communist-led resistance in Vietnam won the anticolonial war against France (194554), except in the south. He shows how broad swaths of Vietnamese people were uneasily united in 1945 under the Viet Minh Resistance banner, all opposing the French attempt to reclaim control of the country. By 1947, resistance unity had shattered and Khmer-Vietnamese ethnic violence had divided the Mekong delta. From this point on, the war in the south turned into an overt civil war wrapped up in a war against France. Based on extensive archival research in four countries and in three languages, this is the first substantive English-language book focused on southern Vietnam''s transition from colonialism to independence.Trade Review'Finally a book on the First Indochina War that goes beyond the standard account of a simple conflict between Ho Chi Minh's Vietnam and the French. The war against the colonizer is there, but so is the one that divided Vietnamese until the bitter end. McHale provides a wonderfully researched and impressively argued story of violence and statecraft in southern Vietnam. It is a major contribution to our understanding of Vietnam.' Christopher Goscha, Université du Québec à Montréal'In this pathbreaking book, Shawn F. McHale overturns much of the conventional historical wisdom about the Indochina War of 1945–1954 in the Mekong Delta. He shows that the war in the delta differed in crucial ways from the better-studied campaigns and battles that took place in central and northern Indochina. Instead of a straightforward narrative of anticolonial struggle and national liberation, The First Vietnam War reveals a complex and fragmented conflict shaped by local rivalries, ethnic violence, and civil warfare.' Edward Miller, Dartmouth College'McHale's innovative study is a welcome departure from the standard scholarship on the First Indochina War. Creatively combining 'bottom up' and 'top down' approaches, McHale demonstrates that local, ethnic, and religious conflicts shaped the war in the Mekong delta as much as larger imperial and nationalist forces.' Nu-Anh Tran, University of Connecticut'This book is ultimately valuable for understanding conflicts other than through ideology and strategy, to enrich itself with its questions dealing with event history, historical anthropology and political philosophy.' Pascal Bourdeaux, MoussonsTable of ContentsIntroduction: Sovereignty, Violence, and Institutional Collapse at the Edge of France's Empire; Part I. Fracture, 1945–1947: 1. A Plural Mekong Delta under Stress; 2. The Southern General Uprising; 3. Priming Upheavals in the Mekong Delta; 4. The Double Fracture of The Mekong Delta; Part II. Disassemblage/Reassemblage, 1947–1953: 5. Empire, Racial Survival, and Race Hatred; 6. Contesting State and Sovereignty; 7. Forced Migrations and Suffering; 8. French Pacification Meets the Vietnamese Resistance; 9. Alternative Trajectories: Seeing Like Parastates, Militias, And Strongmen; Part III. Endgame, 1953–1956: 10. The Twilight of Empire and the Strange Birth of South Vietnam.

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Book SynopsisThe new edition of The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare, written and updated by a team of nine distinguished military historians, examines how war was waged by Western powers across a sweeping timeframe, beginning with classical Greece and Rome, moving through the Middle Ages and the early modern period, down to the wars of the twenty-first century in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The book stresses five essential aspects of the Western way of war: a combination of technology, discipline, and an aggressive military tradition with an extraordinary capacity to respond rapidly to challenges and to use capital rather than manpower to win. Although the focus remains on the West, and on the role of violence in its rise, each chapter also examines the military effectiveness of its adversaries and the regions in which the West''s military edge has been - and continues to be - challenged.Trade Review'Here is the story of war as the driving force in the rise of the West from the Greeks to our own day, now updated to 2019. In the fifteen years since the first edition of this book, war has unfortunately not become less central to our concerns - just the opposite. This remarkable volume, written by some of the world's leading experts in military history, helps us to understand why and how something as terrible as war remains so important in the history of the West and the world. Rarely has so much learning, lucidity, and wisdom been found between two covers.' Barry Strauss, Cornell University, and author of Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine'This is, simply, the best survey of the history of warfare in half a century. It explains what the Western way of war is, whence it came, and how it dominated the planet down to the present day. The product of the collaboration of some of the best military historians now writing, it offers judgements as well as a compelling narrative, an argument as well as a story. There can be no better introduction to the study of military history.' Eliot A. Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies'Highly polished and well illustrated, this book is a comprehensive history of the Western (European) way of war … The text is superbly supported by numerous and handy sidebars providing details, insights, and anecdotes.' Library Journal'… this is a well-written and handsomely presented volume … the illustrations are pertinent, and the captions interesting … the range of scholarship is impressive … and it has all been pulled together by the finest military historian currently writing, who has also contributed several important sections'. History in Focus'… exceptional … and beautifully illustrated … A highly readable book, and an interesting one, both for the expert and the amateur enthusiast. A must for college libraries.' USI Journal'… impressive …' Contemporary ReviewTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction: The Western way of war Geoffrey Parker; Part I. The Age of Massed Infantry: 1. Genesis of the infantry, 600–350 BC Victor Davis Hanson; 2. From phalanx to legion, 350–250 BC Victor Davis Hanson; 3. The Roman way of war, 250 BC–AD 300 Victor Davis Hanson; Part II. The Age of Stone Fortifications: 4. On Roman ramparts, 300–1300 Bernard S. Bachrach; 5. New weapons, new tactics, 1300–1500 Christopher Allmand; 6. The gunpowder revolution, 1300–1500 Geoffrey Parker; Part III. The Age of Guns and Sails: 7. Ships of the line, 1500–1650 Geoffrey Parker; 8. The conquest of the Americas, 1500–1650 Patricia Seed; 9. Dynastic war, 1494–1660 Geoffrey Parker; 10. States in conflict, 1661–1763 John A. Lynn; 11. Nations in arms, 1763–1815 John A. Lynn; Part IV. The Age of Mechanized Warfare: 12. The industrialization of war, 1815–1871 Williamson A. Murray; 13. Towards world war, 1871–1914 Williamson A. Murray; 14. The West at war, 1914–1918 Williamson A. Murray; 15. The world in conflict, 1919–1941 Williamson A. Murray; 16. The world at war, 1941–1945 Williamson A. Murray; 17. The post-war world, 1945–1991 Williamson A. Murray; 18. The new world disorder, 1991–2019 Peter Mansoor and Geoffrey Parker; Epilogue: The future of Western warfare Geoffrey Parker and Leif A.Torkelsen; Reference guide; Chronology; Glossary; Bibliography; The contributors; Notes; Picture acknowledgements; Index.

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Book SynopsisFull history of the Waffen-SS from the early 1930s to 1945.

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Book SynopsisIntroduces the modeller to the epic battle of Stalingrad.

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Book SynopsisThe history of a Tank Destroyer Battalion with an excellent combat record and the place of segregated tank destroyer battalions within the armed forces.

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Book SynopsisFirst-hand account of life in the Falklands during the Argentine occupation.

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Book SynopsisThe story of a winter battle fought in appalling ground conditions for combat.

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Book SynopsisDuring Second World War was largest single army worldwide, but is often overlooked. Book compiled from all divisions of the Fourteenth Armys reports. Invaluable source of information for both military and family historians. Citations for all medal winners

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Book SynopsisA rare memoir by a German armoured reconnaissance patrol commander in the elite Panzer-Lehr-Division.

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Book SynopsisThis account of SOE and its agents in Denmark was written immediately after the war by a SOE staff member. A previously unpublished official history of SOE's Danish section.

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Book SynopsisOn 30 August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, the pilots of RAF Fighter Command's No.12 Group were requested to reinforce 11 Group and intercept a Luftwaffe raid on an aircraft factory at Hatfield. The events that day led the swashbuckling, legless, fighter pilot Douglas Bader to submit a report arguing that the more fighters he had at his disposal, the greater would be the execution of the enemy that could be achieved. It was a concept that received support from 12 Group's Air Officer Commanding, Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory. In Bader's proposal, Leigh-Mallory saw an opportunity for 12 Group to play a greater part in what was clearly an historic battle. Leigh-Mallory authorised Bader to lead three, then five, squadrons - a controversial formation that came to be known as the 'Duxford Wing' or 'Big Wing'. For the rest of 1940, Bader and the 'Big Wing', then based at Duxford, played its part in the defence of Britain's skies. Then, in March 1941, the role of 'Wing Comma

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Book SynopsisThe first book to offer an introduction to re-enacting civilian and military aspects of Britain in the 1940s.

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