Naval forces and warfare Books

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Book SynopsisEarning 15 Battle Stars, the North Carolina is AmericaΓÇÖs most-decorated battleship!

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated in a striking landscape format, Ships contains 300 mercantile and military vessels arranged in chronological order, from ancient times to the present day. Every type of vessel from every part of the world is featured, from Phoenician war galleys from 1500BC, through the graceful trading clippers of the nineteenth century, to the sophisticated and heavily armed submarines of the nuclear era. In these information-packed pages you will find out about ancient galleys, Viking longships, medieval cogs, galleasses, galleons, men-of-war sailing ships, coastal gunboats, iron-clad steam boats, dreadnoughts, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. Many well-known ships are included, such as Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, the ill-fated passenger liner Titanic, the infamous German World War II battlecruiser Bismarck and many, many more. Each ship is illustrated with a colourful artwork, while lively text offers a concise service history of the ship and a specification box provides comprehensive technical data, including displacement, dimensions, machinery, armament, speed and complement.Table of ContentsIntroduction Cheops ship/Egyptian warship Phoenician cargo ship Greek War Galley Roman War Galley Roman/Mediterranean cargo ship Viking longship English warship/Christopher Hanseatic Cog Chinese Junk Nao Caravel/Caravel Redonda/Nina Carrack/Santa Maria Great Harry Galleon/San Martin Mediterranean Galley Ark Royal Slave Carrack St Louis Sovereign of the Seas Fluyt Galleass Dutch Frigate Le Soleil Royal Chebeck Bucintoro Boston Endeavour Victory Santissima Trinidad South Carolina Turtle Bounty 74-gun ship/Vanguard Constitution Essex Fulton Claremont Astrolabe Demologos Morris Sirius Great Western Jane Gifford Congress Great Britain Bertha Washington Agamemnon Powhatan Bretagne Gloire Warrior Alabama Monitor/Monadnock Banshee Hope/Savannah Parramatta Adelaide Canada Friedrich Karl Natchez Devastation City of Berlin Collingwood Dogali Charleston Gymnote Lawhill Texas Havoc Louisville/St. Louis Esmerelda Forban Majestic D'Entrecasteaux Fuji Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Chateaurenault Giuseppe Garibaldi Bayan Mikasa Deutschland Blucher Discovery Bainbridge Thomas W Lawson Archibald Russel Lusitania Chester class Dreadnought Scharnhorst (Gneisenau) Invincible Emden Wyoming Michigan/Delaware class Titanic Courbet class Gangut/Octyabr Revolutskya Cap Trafalgar E-class submarine Kongo class/Haruna Queen Elizabeth class Fuso Nevada class U-21 Baden Pennsylvania/Arizona R class/Royal Oak Courageous class Furious M1/M2 New Mexico class/Idaho Eagle Hood Hermes Java Akagi/Kaga William G Mather Lexington class Nelson class Takao class (Myoko) Koln Infanta Beatriz Ardent/A class Exeter/York Amerigo Vespucci Zara Conte di Savoia Rex Indianapolis Achilles/Leander Class Astoria Fantasque class Town class/Belfast Queen Mary Graf Spee/Deutschland class Mogami Normandie Condottiere class Dunkerque La Galissonniere/Gloire Brooklyn class Scharnhorst class Type II Type VII Yorktown class Giulio Cesare (modernised) Tromp Ark Royal Soryu/Hiryu Tribal class Vittorio Veneto Niew Amsterdam Atlantis Hipper class K, J and N classes/Kelly T-class subs T-class (German) Z class Shokaku/Zuikaku Audacity Bismarck class Hunt class/Atherstone Illustrious/Indomitable class Kagero class/Hamakaze Marconi class Renown 2nd mod Richelieu S boote Flower class/Acanthus King George V class/Howe Wasp North Carolina/Washington Ognevoi class PC class Type IX V and W classes (modernised)/Walker Yamato class J, O and P classes Akitsuki Gato class RO class South Dakota class Baltimore class Bogue class Essex class Fletcher class Independence class Iowa class S-class subs/Seraph S-W classes Ashland LSD Artemis attack transport Allen M Sumner class Taiho Esso Manchester C class destroyer Colossus class Gearing class/Duncan Shinano Type XXI Type XXIII Midway class/Coral Sea Daring class Ark Royal/Eagle Neutrashimyy United States Albacore Trieste Forrestal Endurance November class Hermes/Viraat Farragut Skipjack class Savannah Osa/Komar class Foxtrot George Washington class Long Beach/Bainbridge/Truxton Oberon/Porpoise class County class Dreadnought/Valiant Enterprise Iwo Jima Kitty Hawk class/JFK Kruppnyy class Canberra France/Norway Leander Class Galileo Galei Kashin class Alligator Moskva Fearless/Intrepid Queen Elizabeth 2 Sturgeon class Kresta class Resolution Type 201/206/209 Yankee class Gus class Vittorio Veneto Han class Knox/Baleares California/Virginia class Le Redoutable A class/Amazon class Kiev class Nanuchka Tango Class Type 42 class Charlie class Sparviero Agosta/Daphne Los Angeles Tachikaze Nimitz class Spruance Broadsword class Delta class Lupo/Maestrale Oliver Hazard Perry Class Tarawa Ivan Rogov Kirov class Invincible class Nacken class Sovremenny Typhoon/Akula Victor III MEKO series frigates Udaloy AP .1-88 CG47 class/Ticonderoga Giuseppe Garibaldi Sierra class Slava class T class submarines Aster Minehunter Whidbey Island Xia Jakob van Heemskerk Vastergotland Index Halifax Neutrashimyy Club Med Arleigh Burke Floreal Kongo Jervis Bay Futura Type 123 Brandenburg Le Triomphant Vanguard Murasame class Chakri Naruebet Oyashio Ferry Lavender Voyager of the Seas

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Book SynopsisDesigned with little more than a passing nod to the international naval treaties of the inter-war period, the Imperial Japanese Navy's heavy cruisers were fast and heavily armed. Like the other vessels of the Japanese Navy, the heavy cruisers were technologically superior to and far more innovative than their Allied rivals, whom they met in many of the major Pacific Theatre battles, including Midway and Leyte Gulf. Mark Stille continues his study of the IJN of WWII with this fascinating topic, addressing the design and development of all 18 ships in the six heavy cruiser classes, from pre-war construction and mid-war alterations, to their operational histories and eventual fates.Table of ContentsIntroduction Japanese naval strategy and the role of the heavy cruiser Japanese heavy cruiser doctrine Japanese heavy cruiser design and development and impact of the Washington and London Naval Treaties Japanese heavy cruiser weapons Japanese heavy cruiser radar The Heavy Cruiser Classes Furutaka Class Aoba Class Myoko Class Takao Class Mogami Class Tone Class Analysis and Conclusion

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Book SynopsisA strategically important natural harbor in the Orkney Islands, Scapa Flow served as Britain''s main fleet anchorage during World Wars I and II. It held Jellicoe''s Grand Fleet from 1914-18, and it was from here that it sailed out to do battle with the Germans at Jutland in 1916. In 1914 the British began building a comprehensive defensive network by fortifying the entrances to Scapa Flow and then extending these defenses to cover most of Orkney. These static defenses were augmented with boom nets, naval patrols and minefields, creating the largest fortified naval base in the world.With the outbreak of the Second World War, Scapa Flow again proved ideally situated to counter the German naval threat and served as the base for Britain''s Home Fleet. Despite constant attacks from aircraft and U-boats, one of which managed to sink the British battleship Royal Oak, the defenses of Scapa Flow were again augmented and improved. By 1940, Orkney had become an island fortress, the lar

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Book SynopsisRoyal Navy Uniforms 1930 - 1945 uses over 400 illustrations - both period images and new colour photographs of original items - to show the clothing of both Officers and Ratings in World War II and during the years leading up to it, when Naval uniforms underwent significant modernization. The illustrations are supported by detailed text describing the development and use of Naval clothing of the time. Its contents include Officers' clothing and effects; Class 1 and III Ratings' clothing and effects; seamens' clothing and effects; battledress and tropical clothing; miscellaneous clothing, personal effects and substantive and non-substantive insignia. This is the first book to offer a detailed study of Royal Navy clothing in the 1930s and World War II and will be a vital resource for collectors, historians and enthusiasts.

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Book Synopsis Provides an authoritative guide to over 50 of the world's most important submarines Includes over 200 artworks and photographs showing each featured submarine in fine detail Each submarine is accompanied by full specifications and key features

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Book SynopsisSunk by a U-boat, Attacked by Kamikazes tells the story of one man's experiences during the years 1939 to 1947. Aged sixteen when the war broke out, Joseph Marsden worked casual shiftwork on the Liverpool docks. Lucky to survive an air raid on the night of 4 May 1941, he lost two members of his family before the Liverpool blitz came to an end. On 9 June 1941 - his eighteenth birthday - he volunteered for service with the Royal Navy. After completing basic training at Malvern, he was finally sent to his home town in April 1943 to join HMS Woodpecker, a sloop recently assigned to Johnny Walker's famous Second Support Group. After seeing action in the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, Woodpecker was sunk during an anti-submarine patrol in February 1944, a patrol during which Walker's ships sank six U-boats. After completing his two weeks of survivors' leave he was recalled to Devonport. Demoralised by the thought of surviving on half-pay for six months, he lost

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Book SynopsisThe true story of how Britain''s maritime power helped gain this country unparalleled dominance of the world''s economy, Admirals celebrates the rare talents of the men who shaped the most successful fighting force in world history. Told through the lives and battles of eleven of our most remarkable admirals - men such as James II and Robert Blake - Andrew Lambert''s book stretches from the Spanish Armada to the Second World War, culminating with the spirit which led Andrew Browne Cunningham famously to declare, when the army feared he would lose too many ships, ''it takes three years to build a ship; it takes three centuries to build a tradition.''

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary...serious naval history and a detective story, told with passion.' The Times'Vividly detailed...compelling yet comprehensive.' Los Angeles Times'Simply outstanding.' Booklist (starred review)'Gripping... This yarn has it all.' USA TodayThe sinking of the USS Indianapolis is still the biggest single loss of life at sea to be suffered by the United States navy. From a crew of 1,196 men, only 317 survived. Torpedoed by the Japanese, dying of thirst and eaten by sharks. For 70 years, the story of the USS Indianapolis has been told as a sinking story, or a shark story, or a story of military justice gone awry. But in Indianapolis, the true story of this mighty vessel is revealed. As the USS Arizona embodies the beginning of the Pacific wTrade Review‘A wonderful book . . . Thanks to Indianapolis, we now have a complete and accessible story of this saga. It is a gripping and engaging tale that features grievous mistakes, extraordinary courage, unimaginable horror, and a cover-up. . . . Vincent and Vladic spent years talking to the dwindling band of survivors and giving voice to their stories. . . . This exhaustive and comprehensive assessment is as complete an account of this tragic tale as we are likely to have. It is compelling history.’ * Christian Science Monitor *‘Sharks, torpedoes, deadly secrets . . . In Indianapolis, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic expose what really happened that day in 1945 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the Navy cruiser.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘Gripping . . . This yarn has it all . . . Stories of courage, cowardice, and sharks—lots of sharks . . . The disaster has been the subject of numerous books . . . [and] you wouldn’t think there would be much left to say. But, as it turns out, there is. Vincent and Vladic have delivered an account that stands out through its crisp writing and superb research. Indianapolis also goes where past books haven’t, to the full story behind the decades-long movement to clear the captain’s besmirched name. . . . Somehow, Vincent and Vladic manage to weave the story of the fateful voyage with events occurring fifty-five or more years later, making for taut action throughout the book. Is this the definitive and final narrative of the Navy’s worst sea disaster? Indianapolis is sure to hold its own for a long time.’ * USA Today *‘Vividly detailed . . . In a brisk, fact-based narrative, Indianapolis mixes horror and scandal. . . . With diligent reporting and sharp writing, Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic have accomplished a daunting chore facing writers of historic nonfiction: take a story whose outline is known to the public and craft an account that is compelling yet comprehensive.’ * Los Angeles Times *‘Enthralling . . . Meticulously researched . . . A gripping study of the greatest sea disaster in the history of the U.S. Navy and its aftermath.’ * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *‘Simply outstanding . . . Indianapolis is a must-read . . . Sea battles, adventures, the secret mission to deliver materials for the assemblage of the atomic bomb to the Pacific Islands, tragedy, disaster, an epic ordeal—sharks included—in the open ocean, courtroom drama, political intrigue, and the uphill battle by the band of survivors to exonerate the ship’s captain will all have readers unable to put this book down. . . . Vincent and Vladic have produced a tour de force of true human drama.’ * Booklist (starred review) *‘The story of USS Indianapolis is movingly and vividly captured in this visceral account, the result of more than a decade’s research and interviews conducted by its authors. . . . This is an eye-popping book, with as many twists and turns as an airport thriller. . . . Vincent and Vladic’s extraordinary book morphs from high seas adventure to courtroom drama and congressional hearing. . . . It is a work of serious naval history and a detective story, told with passion.’ * The Times *‘Chilling . . . The facts are more horrible than fiction.’ * New York Daily News *‘Indianapolis is a gripping and emotional read. You may know part of the story from the famous speech in Jaws, but this book goes far beyond that. The product of extraordinary research, it is a brilliant, stunning, and stirring book.’ -- Don Winslow, author of The Force and The Cartel‘It was the worst sea disaster in U.S. naval history and Indianapolis, by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic, tells the grisly story without flinching. Their tale has almost everything. There’s a secret mission, an honorable enemy and a scapegoated captain. There’s madmen, heroes and cannibals. There’s enough in this tale for several movies.’ * San Diego Union-Tribune *‘Simultaneously a gripping narrative, a convincing analysis, and a pitiless exposure of institutional mendacity . . . The systemic oversights and misjudgments that enabled this tragedy remained obscure until this investigation, which drew upon new sources clarifying how the file was amended. This exposé will be valuable for scholars and general readers alike.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Valuable and illuminating. Vladic and Vincent’s work brings to life the history of this valorous and extraordinary ship.’ -- Doug Stanton, # 1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way and The Odyssey of Echo Company‘Our hearts quickened while racing through this page-turning book. You may think you know the story of the worst seafaring disaster in the history of the United States Navy. You would be wrong. As Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic’s propulsive narrative segues from wartime action-adventure to riveting courtroom drama, their newly unearthed mountain of details encompassing this tragedy and its shape-shifting aftermath will not only enhance your understanding of the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of the American sailors so evocatively portrayed in Indianapolis, but shine a light on their dogged pursuit of truth and justice. It is astonishingly rare when such a significant work of history also brings tears to your eyes. Vincent and Vladic’s ultimate tale of redemption accomplishes just that feat.’ -- Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthors of Halsey’s Typhoon, The Heart of Everything That Is, and Valley Forge‘Vincent and Vladic have rendered this long-overdue story in a way few writers of narrative nonfiction could ever achieve. They are consummate storytellers, and their research is impeccable, including accounts not only from the sailors and officers who survived, but also from the Japanese kamikaze and submarine commanders who were there. The authors reveal all that is good and all that is bad about humanity: the destruction and the courage, the selfishness and selflessness, and ultimately the shared respect and dignity of those who were once enemies. Few other books will satisfy a reader’s longing for a true and truly great story more than Indianapolis.’ -- Gary Kinder, New York Times bestselling author of Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea‘This is an absorbing book. The attention to detail is superb, the clear result of lots of plain hard work. Yet the detail doesn’t get in the way, but rather serves, along with a driving narrative, to get the reader as close to experiencing this most tragic episode of World War II as is possible without living through it.’ -- Karl Marlantes, New York Times bestselling author of Matterhorn‘The voices of the Greatest Generation come alive in Indianapolis. Through first-person accounts we hear horrific stories of fear, pain, and anger but also of resilience, hope, and courage. Stories of the friendships the sailors forged with each other on board and the sacrifices they made for each other in their darkest hours are inspirational. Ultimately, Indianapolis is about the sacrifice these men made for our country at a time of unparalleled risk and of their lifelong search for justice for the captain of their ship. It’s a beautifully told and incredibly detailed narrative that brings this famous disaster to life.’ -- Kate Andersen Brower, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Residence and First Women‘This is a brilliant, highly readable, and ultimately groundbreaking account of a proud ship’s life and times, not simply a rendering of her tragic ending. Absolutely superb.’ -- James Stavridis, U.S. Navy Admiral (Ret.), Supreme Allied Commander at NATO (2009-2013), and Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

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Book SynopsisIncludes a selection of rarely seen photographs, the book looks at the war from the Central Powers' side.

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Book SynopsisAward-winning historian Mike Walling captures the essence of the Arctic Convoys of World War II.In 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest offensive operation ever undertaken. Operation Barbarossa saw defeat after defeat heaped on the Soviet army. With Russia''s forces left staggering under the strain and in desperate need of supplies, Britain and the United States launched an ambitious operation to resupply the Soviet Union using convoys sent through the Arctic.Their journey was punctuated by torpedo attacks in freezing conditions, Stuka dive bombers, naval gun fire, and weeks of total darkness in the Arctic winter, with ships disappearing below the waves weighed down by the ice and snow on their decks.Drawing on hundreds of oral histories from eyewitnesses and veterans of the convoys, plus original research into the Russian Navy archives at Murmansk, historian Michael G. Walling offers a fresh retelling of one of World War II''s pivotal yet largely overlooked camTable of ContentsAcknowledgements /Chapter 1: Briefing /Chapter 2: Skirmishing, August 1941–March 1942 /Chapter 3: Arctic Shooting Gallery, March 1942 /Chapter 4: Fateful Voyages, April–June 1942 /Chapter 5: White Nights, May 1942 /Chapter 6: Apocalypse, June–July 1942 /Chapter 7: Task Forces, July–September 1942 /Chapter 8: An Autumn in Hell, September–December 1942 /Chapter 9: German Götterdämmerung, December 1942–May 1945 /Chapter 10: A Few Final Words /Resources /About the Author /Index

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Book Synopsis“One of the last remaining and persistent mysteries of the Pearl Harbor attack is that of the Japanese Midget Submarines. It is a fascinating story of innovation, courage, secrets, and failed expectations. And it is not only a story of the morning hours of December 7, but of the years before to develop these weapons and the years after, where they were deployed in the great Pacific War and how they fared as weapons of war.”These words by Daniel J. Basta, Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, from the foreword of this manuscript, capture both the essence and the impact of this work, assembled by James P. Delgado and his coauthors. Th e authors have combed the records of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the recollections of its veterans as well as US Department of Defense archives. They have logged hours of direct observation and research on the mini-subs in their final resting places, in some cases more than 1,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific. And in the end, they have woven a tapestry of scholarship, historical sleuthing, scientific insight, and good storytelling that will enthrall specialists and history buff s alike.

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Book SynopsisThe Command of the Ocean describes with unprecedented authority and scholarship the rise of Britain to naval greatness, and the central place of the Navy and naval activity in the life of the nation and government. It describes not just battles, voyages and cruises but how the Navy was manned, how it was supplied with timber, hemp and iron, how its men (and sometimes women) were fed, and above all how it was financed and directed. It was during the century and a half covered by this book that the successful organizing of these last three - victualling, money and management - took the Navy to the heart of the British state. It is the great achievement of the book to show how completely integrated and mutually dependent Britain and the Navy then became.

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Book SynopsisFor over a century and a half, since the Uniform Regulations of 1856 were introduced, identification of rank amongst officers in the Royal Navy, its branches and its reserves has not been restricted to a single, or even small number, of insignia. Rank may be seen on jacket cuffs, on shoulder badges, on shoulder boards and on epaulettes. It may be seen on swords and buttons, and in the manner in which buttons are worn. Cap peaks indicate rank, as do collars, cocked hat ornaments and cuff slashes.

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Book SynopsisWith the exception of the royal marines, who adopted light infantry rank insignia from their earliest days, the Royal Navy was slow to introduce distinguishing rate badges for those serving on the 'lower deck'. Even when they were introduced, in 1853, the corresponding introduction of a uniform was still four years away. As for officers, the design and arrangement of buttons also played a part in distinguishing one rating from another.

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Book SynopsisReveals, from a non-Eurocentric perspective, how Indian states developed and implemented maritime strategies which posed a serious threat to British naval power in the region. Most books on the colonisation of India view the subject in Eurocentric imperial terms, focusing on the ways in which European powers competed with each other on land and at sea and defeated Indian states on land, and viewing Indian states as having little interest in naval matters. This book, in contrast, reveals that there was substantial naval activity on the part of some Indian states and that this activity represented a serious threat to Britain's naval power. Considering the subject from an Indian point of view, the book discusses the naval activities of the Mahratta Confederacy and later those of Mysore under its energetic rulers Haidar Ali and his successor Tipu Sultan. Itshows how these states chose deliberately to develop a naval strategy, seeing this as the most effective way of expelling the British from India; how their strategies learned from European maritime technology, successfully blending this with Indian technology; how their opposition to British naval power was at its most effective when they allied themselves with the other European naval powers in the region - France, Portugal and the Netherlands, whose maritime activities in the region are fully outlined and assessed; and how ultimately the Indian states' naval strategies failed. Philip MacDougall, a former lecturer in economic history at the University of Kent, is a founder member of the Navy Dockyards Society, editor of the Society's Transactions, and the author or editor of seven books in maritime history, including The Naval Mutinies of 1797 (The Boydell Press, 2011).Trade ReviewA broad history of IndoEuropean maritime conflicts that is accessibly written and enjoyable. Additionally, he uses his background in maritime history to make valuable observations on the ships, strategies, and naval facilities of various Indian powers. * INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARITIME HISTORY *This is an excellent study of a neglected but important aspect of Anglo-Indian history, and comes highly recommended. * WWW.HISTORYOFWAR.ORG *Historians outside MacDougall's geographic specialization would do well to take notice of this recent historiographical contribution. Maritime, military, and global historians as well as historians of technology and indigenous peoples will all find valuable examples to enrich their own comparative analyses. * H-NET Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction Calicut: The City of Spice Surat: Home of the Gujarat Sea Trade Bombay: a poor little island Alibag: fleet base of the Maratha northern command London: from where India came to be governed Vijaydurg: the strongest place in all India Jamalabad: main fleet base of the Mysore navy Port Louis, Ile de France: the grand arsenal Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA monumental, wholly accessible work of scholarship that retells human history through the story of mankind's relationship with the sea.An accomplishment of both great sweep and illuminating detail, The Sea and Civilization is a stunning work of history that reveals in breathtaking depth how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, and how goods, languages, religions, and entire cultures spread across and along the world's waterways.Lincoln Paine takes us back to the origins of long-distance migration by sea with our ancestors' first forays from Africa and Eurasia to Australia and the Americas. He demonstrates the critical role of maritime trade to the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley. He reacquaints us with the great seafaring cultures of antiquity like those of the Phoenicians and Greeks, as well as those of India, Southeast and East Asia who parlayed their navigational skills, shipbuilding techniques, and commercial acumen to establish vibrant overseas colonies and trade routes in the centuries leading up to the age of European overseas expansion. His narrative traces subsequent developments in commercial and naval shipping through the post-Cold War era. Above all, Paine makes clear how the rise and fall of civilizations can be traced to the sea.Trade ReviewA magnificently sweeping world history that takes us from the people of Oceania and concludes with the container. In contrast to most books on maritime history, the majority of The Sea and Civilization covers the history of the world before Columbus sailed the ocean blue and at least as much of the narrative focuses on Asia as it does on Europe. -- Ben Wilson * Daily Telegraph *The Sea and Civilization is, without doubt, the most comprehensive maritime history ever produced... Some of the most exciting history published today is by freelancers like Paine who can ignore the rules of academia * The Times *A brilliantly researched and ambitious affirmation of the sea and civilisation -- Philip Hoare * New Statesman *A true expert, Paine offers up treats... and drenches his pages with diverse, immersive detail -- Bettany Hughes * Prospect *The most enjoyable, the most refreshing, the most stimulating, the most comprehensive, the most discerning, the most insightful, the most up-to-date - in short, the best maritime history of the world. -- Felipe Fernández-ArmestoElegantly written and encyclopedic in scope, with an expert grasp of the demands of seamanship in every age, The Sea and Civilization deserves a wide readership. * Wall Street Journal *Fascinating and beautifully written . . . Paine steps back from [an] Eurocentric view to tell the story of maritime travel through the entire sweep of human history. . . With its richness of detail, [The Sea and Civilization offers] an eloquent vision of how the sea served as a path to the modern world. * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisIn the vast literature of the Second World War there has never been a naval atlas showing graphically the complexities of the war at sea, a war which spread across every ocean. This new book will fill the gap.With more than 200 beautifully-designed maps and charts, the atlas sets out to visualise the great campaigns and major battles as well as the smaller operations, amphibious landings, convoys, sieges, skirmishes and sinkings. While whole sections are given over to the Pacific war, the battle of the Atlantic and the campaigns in the Mediterranean, smaller but crucial events such as the landings at Dieppe receive in-depth treatment. The maps depict the dynamics of campaigns and battles but also include extensive information on the opposing forces, their ships and equipment and the strategic significance of events. General thematic maps, for instance, on ship losses, aerial strengths or convoy routes, give the reader an understanding of the many contributing factors that shaped the tactics and strategies of the Allied and Axis forces.No other work has attempted such an ambitious coverage of the war at sea in this period and it is destined to become a definitive reference work for naval enthusiasts and historians as well as general readers fascinated by the naval war that extended from the coldest arctic seas to the tropical islands of the Pacific.

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Book SynopsisAlfred Thayer Mahan has been called Americaâs nineteenth-century âevangelist of sea powerâ and the intellectual father of the modern US Navy. His theories have a timeless appeal, and Chinese analysts now routinely invoke Mahanâs writings, exhorting their nation to build a powerful navy. Economics is the prime motivation for maritime reorientation, and securing the sea lanes that convey foreign energy supplies and other commodities now ranks near or at the top of Chinaâs list of military priorities. This book is the first systematic effort to test the interplay between Western military thought and Chinese strategic traditions vis-Ã-vis the nautical arena. It uncovers some universal axioms about how theories of sea power influence the behaviour of great powers and examines how Mahanian thought could shape Chinaâs encounters on the high seas. Empirical analysis adds a new dimension to the current debate over Chinaâs âriseâ and its importance for international relations. The findings also clarify the possible implications of Chinaâs maritime rise for the United States, and illuminate how the two powers can manage their bilateral interactions on the high seas.Chinese Naval Strategy in the 21st Century will be of much interest to students of naval history, Chinese politics and security studies.Table of ContentsPreface: Is History Bunk? 1. China Turns Seaward 2. Mahanian Sea-Power Theory and History 3. China Interprets Mahan 4. China’s Littoral Dilemma 5. Mahanian Sea Power with Chinese Characteristics 6. Commanding China’s Commons 7. Potential Futures for China’s Maritime Strategy 8. A Roadmap for Asian Maritime Stability

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Book SynopsisHMS Conqueror is Britain''s most famous submarine. It is the only sub since World War Two to have sunk an enemy ship. Conqueror''s sinking of the Argentine cruiser Belgrano made inevitable an all-out war over the future of the Falkland Islands, and sparked off one of the most controversial episodes of twentieth century politics. The controversy was fuelled by a war-diary kept by an officer on board HMS Conqueror, and as a young TV producer in the 1980s Stuart Prebble scooped the world by locating the diary''s author and getting his story on the record. But in the course of uncovering his Falklands story, Stuart Prebble also learned a military secret which could have come straight out of a Cold War thriller. It involved the Top Secret activities of the Conqueror in the months before and after the Falklands War.Prebble has waited for thirty years to tell his story. It is a story of incredible courage and derring-do, of men

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Book SynopsisA dramatic blow-by-blow account of the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English fleet - a tale of daring and disaster on the high seas by one of our best narrative historians.After the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558, Protestant England was beset by the hostile Catholic powers of Europe - not least Spain. In October 1585 King Philip II of Spain declared his intention to destroy Protestant England and began preparing invasion plans, leading to an intense intelligence war between the two countries, culminating in the dramatic sea battles of 1588.Robert Hutchinson's tautly written book is the first to examine this battle for intelligence, and uses everything from contemporary eye-witness accounts to papers held by the national archives in Spain and the UK to recount the dramatic battle that raged up the English Channel. Contrary to popular theory, the Armada was not defeated by superior English forces - in fact, Elizabeth I's parsimony meant that her ships had no munitions left by the time the Armada had fought its way up to the south coast of England. In reality it was a combination of inclement weather and bad luck that landed the killer blow on the Spanish forces, and of the 125 Spanish ships that set sail against England, only 60 limped home - the rest sunk or wrecked with barely a shot fired.Trade ReviewThe victory of the English navy over the Spanish Armada in 1588 is one of those defining moments in our history, a shining example, so the story goes, of British pluck and determination to succeed against almost overwhelming odds. Well no, not really, says historian Robert Hutchinson in his revelatory new book. Instead he argues that the Spanish forces were defeated by a combination of bad weather, poor strategy and sheer ill fortune * CHOICE *Napoleon once called history "a fiction that men agree to believe". The Spanish Armada is a case in point, as Robert Hutchinson ably demonstrates in this cogent, readable account of the attempted invasion of England by the Spanish forces in 1588... Hutchinson tells this bloody, brilliant story authoritatively and without sentiment, revealing a real 'game of thrones' that shames the TV series for drama, ruthless ambition and grand enterprise * YOUR FAMILY TREE *The author does a magnificent job of describing the military campaign from Drake's daring raid on Cadiz to the critical battle of Gravelines, but he also shows what a close-run thing it was, and how Elizabeth was not supported unanimously by her own council and nobles. He also argues convincingly that, in terms of intelligence, and particularly the role played by her spymaster Francis Walsingham, this was a truly modern war * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *In a book which successfully weaves together the different elements of the dramatic story, Robert Hutchinson, making use of fresh research (not least his own), sets out to consider the background and the events themselves, using all the evidence now available to historians * THE TABLET *This is a well-written book by an accomplished author and its true strength lies in its skilful presentation of the period context. The account of the Spanish Armada and its unfortunate progress into battle and eventual ruin is well worth reading. Hutchinson places us in the centre of intrigue and action... This is history soaked in blood and bedecked with guts * WARSHIPS INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisIn the mid-eighteenth century, most of the Mediterranean coastline and its hinterlands were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, a vast Islamic power regarded by Christian Europe with awe and fear. By the end of the First World War, however, this great civilisation had been completely subjugated, and its territories occupied by European powers. Sea of Troubles is the definitive account of the European conquest of the Levant and North Africa over three centuries. Ian Rutledge reveals the intense imperial rivalry between six European powers - Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Austria-Hungary and Russia - who all jostled for control of the trade, lands and wealth of the Islamic Mediterranean. The competition between these states made their conquest a far more difficult and extended task than they encountered elsewhere in the world. Yet, as new contenders entered the contest, and as rivalries intensified in the early twentieth century, events would spiral out of control as the continent headed tTrade Review“A lifetime worth of research has gone into this book and Rutledge offers some deep insight and rich detail … We still live with the legacy of the Ottomans and the rise of the West, which is what makes this book an important read.” * Middle East Monitor *Table of ContentsContents: A: Note on 'Mediterranean' B: A Note on 'Colonialism' and 'Imperialism' Introduction PART ONE c.1750 - c.1815 Chapter 1: The Islamic and Christian Worlds of the Eighteenth Century Mediterranean Chapter 2: The Ottoman 'Economic Mind': Innovation, Industry and Trade Chapter 3: The State, land and taxation: the fiscal crisis of the Ottoman system Chapter 4: At the Gateway to the Mediterranean: Britain and the 'Empire' of Morocco Chapter 5: The Ottoman Regencies and the Barbary Corsairs Chapter 6: The Russians in the Mediterranean Chapter 7: Ottoman Egypt: the Empire Fraying at the Edges Chapter 8: A Spanish Disaster Chapter 9: 'Liberating the Egyptians': the Origins of French Republican Imperialism Chapter 10: The French in Egypt: from Military Victory to Colonial failure Chapter 11: The Troubled beginings of Britain's 'Blue-Water Empire' PART TWO c.1815 - c.1870 Chapter 12: The Beginning of the end for the Ottoman Regencies Chapter 13: The Multiple crises of Mahmud II Chapter 14: The French Invasion of Algiers and the growth of the Resistance, 1830-36. Chapter 15: Saving the Sultans: the emergence of inter-imperialist rivalry Chapter 16: Algerie Francaise Chapter 17: Inter-imperialist Rivalry: Proxy War and Real War Chapter 18: France's Second Imperial Venture in the Eastern Mediterranean Chapter 19: The Industrialised and the Non-Industrialised PART THREE c.1870 - c.1895 Chapter 20: The Age of the Rentiers. Chapter 21: The 'Great Eastern Crisis', 1875-78 Chapter 22: Tunisia and Egypt, 1981-82: the Bailiffs arrive Chapter 23: The slow death of the 'Empire' of Morocco PART FOUR c.1895 - c.1918 Chapter 24: Imperialist Realignment, Colonialist Deals, New Imperialists Chapter 25: Imperialism on the Northern Shore: Austria-Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina Chapter 26: The French and Spanish take Morocco, 1909-12 Chapter 27: The Forgotten War: the Italian invasion of Libya, 1911-12 Chapter 28: Unexpected resistance: the Arabs and Turks fight back Chapter 29: 'Playing the Balkan Card': From Imperialism to World War Chapter 30: From World War to Imperialism Appendices A, B, C and D Note on Transliteration and geographical names Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe technical details of British warships were recorded in a set of plans produced by the builders on completion of every ship. Known as the 'as fitted' general arrangements, these drawings represented the exact appearance and fitting of the ship as it entered service. Intended to provide a permanent reference for the Admiralty and the dockyards, these highly detailed plans were drawn with exquisite skill in multi-coloured inks and washes that represent the acme of the draughtsman's art. Today they form part of the incomparable collection of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, which is using the latest scanning technology to make digital copies of the highest quality. This book is one of a series based entirely on these draughts which depict famous warships in an unprecedented degree of detail-complete sets in full colour, with many close-ups and enlargements that make every aspect clear and comprehensible. Extensive captions point the reader to important features to be found in the plans, and an introduction covers the background to the design. HMS _Victorious_ was a ship with two almost separate incarnations-as built in 1941 she was one of a new type of armoured carrier which saw strenuous wartime service; post-war the ship underwent a massive reconstruction lasting nearly eight years that saw her recommission in1958 as one of the best equipped carriers in the world, ready for another decade of duty. Both these phases of the ship's life are fully documented, which allows this novel form of anatomy to cover two generations of carrier design.

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Book SynopsisThis is a major new study of Italian naval camouflage schemes developed and used during World War Two. When Italy entered the War in June 1942, the Regia Marina (Italian navy) was a force still under development and both Italian warships and merchant ships faced the War in their peace colours; and nor had any had prewar plans been made for camouflaging ships. At that time all the principal warships were painted in a light matt grey ('grigio cenerino chiaro'), which had been adopted in the 1920s and early '30s. With the advent of War, and the start of convoy traffic to Libya, the need to camouflage ships for purposes of deception, rather than outright concealment, became apparent and the first initiatives were undertaken. In the first part of the book, employing contemporary schematic drawings, photographs and his own CAD profiles, the author describes the development of the varied schemes that were adopted for the capital ships, such as _Caio Duilia_ and _Littorio_, cruisers, destroyers and torpedo boats, landing craft and merchant ships; even the royal yacht and small tugs were given camouflage schemes. In the second, and longest, part he depicts all the ships and their schemes, at different dates, with both sides of a ship shown where possible, in his own beautifully rendered schematic profiles, all in full colour, and it is this section with more than 700 drawings that gives the reader a complete and detailed picture of the whole development of Italian naval camouflage. He also looks in detail at the Greek theatre where there were many exceptions, influenced by the German presence and by the camouflage schemes of captured vessels. This major new reference book will prove invaluable to historians, collectors, modelmakers and wargamers and follows in the wake of the hugely successful Seaforth editions covering German and British camouflage schemes of the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisOn September 1, 1910, France became the last great naval power to lay down a dreadnought battleship, the Courbet. The ensuing Courbet and Bretagne-class dreadnoughts had a relatively quiet World War I, spending most of it at anchor off the entrance to the Adriatic, keeping watch over the Austro-Hungarian fleet. The constraints of the Washington Naval Treaty prevented new battleships being built until the 1930s, with the innovative Dunkerque-class and excellent Richelieu-class of battleships designed to counter new German designs. After the fall of France in 1940, the dreadnoughts and fast battleships of the Marine Nationale had the unique experience of firing against German, Italian, British, and American targets during the war. This authoritative study examines these fascinating ships, using detailed colour plates and historical photographs, taking them from their inception before World War I, through their service in World War II including the scutt

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Book SynopsisThe complete and authoritative account of the sinking of the HMAS Sydney, and the finding of her wreck in 2008. On 19 November 1941, the pride of the Australian Navy, the light cruiser Sydney, fought a close-quarters battle with the German armed raider HSK Kormoran off Carnarvon on the West Australian coast. Both ships sank - and not one of the 645 men on board the Sydney survived. Was Sydney''s captain guilty of negligence by allowing his ship to manoeuvre within range of Kormoran''s guns? Did the Germans feign surrender before firing a torpedo at the Sydney as she prepared to despatch a boarding party? This updated edition covers the discovery of the wreck - with the light this sheds on the events of that day in 1941, and the closure it has brought to so many grieving families. ''Tom Frame has produced the most comprehensive and compelling account of the loss of HMAS Sydney to dateTrade ReviewA major work of Australian maritime history. - Sydney Morning HeraldFrame has produced an entertaining, passionate and complex work of popular history in which the subsequent efforts to piece together the evidence provide a good dose of detective story. - Courier-MailAn excellent and objective analysis, and well worth reading for anyone with an interest in naval history or the curious behaviour of those writing history with axes to grind. - Newcastle HeraldTom Frame has written a number of books on Australian naval events. With this book, he has produced a most comprehensive and interesting account of the loss of the Sydney. - Australian Defence MagazineFrame's story is a balanced and comprehensive account of the now complete Sydney story. - The Launceston ExaminerFor those with an interest in our naval, maritime or military history, this is an absorbing account of one of our most famous ships and her devastating loss. - Manly DailyTom Frame has produced the most comprehensive and compelling account of the loss of HMAS Sydney to date. His judgements are fair and his conclusions reasoned. If you only read one book on this tragic event in Australian naval history, and want all the facts and theories presented in a balanced way, Tom Frame's book is for you. - Vice Admiral Russ Shalders AO CSC RANR Chief of Navy, 2005-08

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Book SynopsisOften romanticized in print and on the silver screen, real-life pirates were a brutal menace that plagued the high seas. In this book, Angus Konstam separates myth from reality, tracing the history of piracy through the centuries, from the pirates who plagued the Ancient Egyptians to the Viking raids and on to the era of privateers. He discusses the so-called Golden Age of Piracy and colorful characters such as Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, before examining the West''s initial encounters with Eastern pirates off the Chinese coast and the phenomenon of the modern pirate. Highly illustrated with color images and specially commissioned maps throughout, this is a unique exploration of the pirate world.Table of ContentsIntroduction /1.Pirates of the Ancient World /2. Medieval Pirates /3.The Sea Dogs of the Renaissance /4. Mediterranean Corsairs /5. The Buccaneers /6. The Golden Age of Piracy /7. The Pirate Round /8. The Last of the Pirates /9. The Chinese Pirates /10. Modern Piracy /11. Pirates in Fiction /Conclusion /Notes /Select Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisThe old light cruiser Marblehead was living out her final years of naval service as a member of the United States Asiatic Fleet in 1941\. The small group of mostly antiquated ships based in the Philippines sailed the waters of East Asia to show the American flag in places like China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The sudden eruption of World War II in the Pacific put the warship on the front lines of the conflict as Imperial Japan unleased a series of devastating attacks across the region. On the morning of February 4, 1942, the warship was surprised by Japanese planes northeast of Java. Two large bombs slammed into Marblehead causing fires, casualties, and knocking out her steering gear. A third bomb exploded close by underwater. The near miss ripped a large gash into her hull allowing a torrent of water to rush inside the ship. Escape from Java takes the reader all throughout the ship as the story unfolds -next to gunners toiling to keep their guns firing, with medical staff tending to the wounded, and alongside damage control sailors working in flooded compartments. The damage was critical, so much so the Japanese radioed they had sunk the ship. In fact, through courage, sacrifice, and super-human effort, Marblehead would successfully make a harrowing 13,000 mile journey back to the US.

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Book SynopsisAn authentic and gripping account of one boat's war in the Atlantic. Profusely illustrated with contemporary photographs. Written by an acknowledged expert of the U-boat war.

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Book SynopsisThe ebbs and flows of Indian history can also be charted through the country’s “maritime blindness” – its onset and the national endeavour to overcome it. The story of developing India’s maritime capacity, since independence, is also about the kind of international and regional footprint it needs to have. In this book, the author discusses India’s new and old maritime challenges and contextualises them in terms of its inherent institutional strengths to cope with their bewildering complexity. Their complexity is not just due to their sheer scale; the degrading institutional capacities, within countries and internationally, act as threat multipliers. The dynamics of global geopolitics, the seismic perturbations of global economy, and the dizzying pace of technology belie presuppositions for global future; all strategic analysts recognise our current, persisting conundrums.

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Book SynopsisIn November 2011, Geoff Dyer fulfilled a childhood dream of spending time on an aircraft carrier. Dyer's stay on the USS George Bush, on active service in the Arabian Gulf, proved even more intense, memorable, and frequently hilarious, than he could ever have hoped. In Dyer's hands, the warship becomes a microcosm for a stocktaking of modern Western life: religion, drugs, chauvinism, farting, gyms, steaks, prayer, parental death, relationships and how to have a beach party with 5000 people on a giant floating hunk of steel. Piercingly perceptive and gloriously funny, this is a unique book about work, war and entering other worlds.Trade ReviewReading Dyer is akin to the sudden elation and optimism you feel when you make a new friend, someone as silly as you but cleverer too, in whose company you know you will travel through life more vagrantly, intensely, joyfully * * Daily Telegraph * *Stuffed with wonderful anecdotes * * Independent * *One advantage of Dyer's attention to the minutiae of this strange world is the continual surprise of his descriptive powers; he approaches on-board rituals with an art critic's eye that sometimes renders Steele-Perkins's powerfully constructed photographs redundant * * Observer * *A hilarious account of life on board an aircraft carrier is filled with delights...If this is the new reality, I hunger for more * * Telegraph * *Quite possibly the best living writer in Britain * * Daily Telegraph * *I hope one day to meet the demented genius who decided to put Geoff Dyer aboard an American aircraft carrier. The result sounds in places as if Sterne en route to his sentimental journey had paused for a week's stint on HMS Victory . . . In the end one is forced to call it "a Dyer book," which luckily for him and us is a high compliment -- John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of PULPHEADA great day is any day you get to read Geoff Dyer, and this book is no exception. Witty, empathetic, and insatiably curious, Dyer is the perfect guide to the floating world of an American aircraft carrier. With Another Great Day at Sea he makes a perfect night landing on the "postage stamp, with élan to spare" -- Sam LipsyteAnother Great Day at Sea, Geoff Dyer's chronicle of his two weeks in residence aboard the USS George H. W. Bush, is a tale of routine, lyricism and terror, of long hours and hard work, and of camaraderie and conviction, which are a form of faith. Original, humane, and very funny, Another Great Day is another great book by an incomparable writer -- Brenda WineappleDyer stows himself away on an American aircraft carrier, fortunately, with all his hilarious tics in place. A rare kind of non-fiction, with sentences that keep on giving long after your eye has sailed on -- Steve MartinGeoff Dyer has managed to do again what he does best: insert himself into an exotic and demanding environment (sometimes, his own flat, but here, the violent wonders of an aircraft carrier) and file a report that mixes empathetic appreciation with dips into brilliant comic deflation. Welcome aboard the edifying and sometimes hilarious ship Dyer -- Billy CollinsThere is no contemporary writer I admire more than Dyer, and in no book of his does he address his animating idea - The Only Way Not to Waste Time Is to Waste It - more overtly, urgently, emphatically and eloquently -- David Shields, author of REALITY HUNGEROne of my favourite of all contemporary writers -- Alain de BottonI have read Geoff Dyer on World War I, jazz, photography, the Bienalle, and D. H. Lawrence, among many other subjects. It's as though his mind is slave to some unpredictable Internet browser inaccessible to the rest of us. His new book - an inimitably close study of life on an American aircraft carrier -is one of his best, funniest, and most humane yet. Geoff Dyer remains an unconventionally great writer - perhaps the most bafflingly great writer at work in the English language today -- Tom Bissell

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Book SynopsisFor the first time, a book exposes an obscure theatre of the First World War in great detail and comprehensively, not just in terms of geography but also from the perspectives of both Allied and Axis participants. 'U-Boats off Bermuda' provides details of specific U-Boat patrols and their commanders, as well as a general overview of the situation in the theatre of war around Bermuda. It is a detailed analysis of individual casualties, broken down by a) background of ship, b) background of U-boat, c) attack method (surface and/or submersed), d) details of survivors and their plight at sea and e) their rescue, recuperation and repatriation.Detailed maps and illustrations provide a human face to what were often tragic attacks with fatal consequences. Did you know that half a dozen German submarines came close enough to the Naval Operating Base in Bermuda to see Gibbs Hill? Or that hardy Canadians from a sunken trading schooner rowed and sailed their way to the remote island-on their own? Allied pilots based in Bermuda sank two German U-Boats, rescued dozens in daring water landings, and several crashed.

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Book SynopsisUSS New Jersey saw combat during WWII and the Korean War and was the only battleship of any nation to see service during the Vietnam War.

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Book SynopsisOn 21 June 1919 the ships of the German High Seas Fleet - interned at Scapa Flow since the Armistice - began to founder, taking their British custodians completely by surprise. In breach of agreed terms, the fleet dramatically scuttled itself, in a well-planned operation that consigned nearly half a million tons, and 54 of 72 ships, to the bottom of the sheltered anchorage in a gesture of Wagnerian proportions. This much is well-known, but even a century after the Grand Scuttle' many questions remain. Was von Reuter, the fleet's commander, acting under orders or was it his own initiative? Why was 21 June chosen? Did the British connive in, or even encourage the action? Could more have been done to save the ships? Was it legally justified? And what were the international ramifications? This new book analyses all these issues, beginning with the fleet mutiny in the last months of the War that precipitated a social revolution in Germany and the eventual collapse of the will to fight. The Armistice terms imposed the humiliation of virtual surrender on the High Seas Fleet, and the conditions under which it was interned are described in detail. Meanwhile the victorious Allies wrangled over the fate of the ships, an issue that threatened the whole peace process. Using much new material from German sources and a host of eye-witness testimonies, the circumstances of the scuttling itself are meticulously reconstructed, while the aftermath for all parties is clearly laid out. The story concludes with the biggest salvage operation in history' and a chapter on the significance of the scuttling to the post-war balance of naval power. Published to coincide with the centenary, this book is an important reassessment of the last great action of the First World War.

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Book SynopsisThis meticulously researched and illustrated book focuses on the evolution of aircraft carriers and naval aircraft. It features chronological histories and comprehensive directories of the world's most important aviation ships and aircraft, including the first ships to launch primitive aircraft; biplanes that were catapulted from converted destroyers; modern warships capable of carrying jets and helicopters; and state-of-the-art jets that are unique for their vertical take-off ability. With more than 1100 magnificent photographs, this book provides historians and enthusiasts with key information about the world's greatest aircraft carriers and naval aircraft.

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Book SynopsisThe revolutionary battleship Dreadnought of 1906 brought together in one package the new technology of oil fired boilers and steam turbines, and all-big-gun armament; in doing so she rendered all other capital ships then afloat completely obsolete. Ten years later the V&W Class did to destroyers what the dreadnoughts had done to battleships: they set a completely new and higher standard of technology and were a cut above anything that had come before. They were, however, less revolutionary than evolutionary and in this new book John Henshaw takes the reader through all the developmental stages with a detailed history of the step-by-step lessons that were learnt, not all of which were fortuitous. In one package the Royal Navy finally acquired a hull that possessed not just good sea-keeping capability but one that was able to carry heavier armament without any adverse effects. Range and speed were commensurate with their size while the super-firing guns, fore and aft, could be deployed in all weathers for a four-gun broadside. The V & W design set the trend for all destroyer design for the next two decades and, indeed, the basic layout of destroyers stayed the same long beyond that. The formula of a raised foredeck and super-firing guns fore and aft continued in the Royal Navy until the Battle Class of 1944 and in the United States Navy until the Fletcher Class of 1943. That the V & Ws served on through World War II in various forms is a testament to the soundness of the basic concept, their adaptability and strength. The V stood for Venerable, because they certainly proved that, and W for Watershed, because they were truly a turning point in destroyer design. The narrative is superbly illustrated with forty-five detailed profile and deck plans, for which the author is so well known, of the principal early British destroyer types and illustrates all the V&Ws through to the end of World War II, including some conversions that were considered but never completed. The book also looks at the influence of the basic design on the destroyers of other navies. This new book, which will appeal both to naval historians and modelmakers, brings together under one cover a narrative that is comprehensive in its scope, well researched and elegantly supported with detailed line drawings and selected photographs for the period 1890-1945.

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Book SynopsisThe Royal Navy''s battleships at the turn of the 20th century were the most powerful battlefleet in the world, and embodied one of the key periods in warship development - the development of the dreadnought battleship.The term ''pre-dreadnought'' was applied in retrospect, to describe the capital ships built during the decade and a half before the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. At that moment these once great warships were rendered obsolete. However, until then, they were simply called ''battleships' and were unquestionably the most powerful warships of their day. These mighty warships represented the cutting edge of naval technology. The ugly ducklings of the ironclad era had been transformed into beautiful swans, albeit deadly ones.In Britain, this period was dominated by Sir William White, the Navy''s Chief Constructor. Under his guidance the mastless battleships of the 1880s gave way to an altogether more elegant type of capital ship. The period of trial and errorTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT The era of experimentation White’s first battleships Second Class battleships The Spencer classes White’s last battleships The end of an era GUNS, STEAM AND STEEL Armament Propulsion Armour BATTLESHIPS IN ACTION FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisAt Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919, there occurred an event unique in naval history. The German High Seas Fleet, one of the most formidable ever built was deliberately sent to the bottom of the sea at the British Grand Fleet's principal anchorage at Orkney by its own officers and men.The Grand Scuttle became a folk legend in both Germany and Britain. However, few people are aware that Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter became the only man in history to sink his own navy because of a misleading report in a British newspaper; that the Royal Navy guessed his intention but could do nothing to thwart it; that the sinking produced the last casualties and the last prisoners of the war; and that fragments of the Kaiser's fleet are probably on the moon.This is the remarkable story of the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow. It contains previously unused German archive material, eye-witness accounts and the recollections of survivors, as well as many contemporary photos which capture the awesome spectacle of the finest ships of the time being deliberately sunk by their own crew.

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Book SynopsisA history of the US Navy''s remarkable 1945 South China Sea raid against the Japanese, the first time in history that a carrier fleet dared to rampage through coastal waters.As 1945 opened, Japan was fighting defensively everywhere. As the Allies drew closer to the Home Islands, risks of Japanese air and sea attack on the US Navy carrier force increased. US forces wanted to take the island of Luzon which provided a base for Japanese aircraft from Formosa (Taiwan) and Indochina, and from where attacks could easily be devastating for the invasion fleet. US Naval Intelligence also believed Japanese battleships Ise and Hyuga were operating out of Cam Ranh Bay. A fast carrier sweep through the South China Sea was a potential answer with the bonus that it would strike the main nautical highway for cargo from Japan''s conquests in Southeast Asia.Task Force 38 would spend the better part of two weeks marauding through the South China Sea during OperationTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ATTACKER’S CAPABILITIES - Task Force 38 at the height of its power DEFENDER’S CAPABILITIES -The Japanese in the South China Sea CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES -Japan’s critical sea route THE CAMPAIGN - Into the South China Sea AFTERMATH AND ANALYSIS FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisA fascinating account of an often overlooked naval action of World War II, and one of the bloodiest chapters in the history of the Royal Navy. In April 1941, following the Axis invasion of Greece, the British Mediterranean Fleet was ordered to evacuate Allied survivors, many of which were taken to Crete. The Luftwaffe established itself in airfields on the Greek mainland, and formed plans to invade Crete by air and sea, under the cover of 500 fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe''s Fliegerkorps VIII. Facing them were a small and scattered garrison on the island, a handful of under-strength RAF squadrons and the hard-pressed warships of the Mediterranean Fleet. What happened next was a costly, but ultimately inspiring, naval battle, in which Royal Navy crews were placed under intense strain.Using period photographs, stunning battlescene artworks, detailed maps and an authoritative narrative, world-leading maritime historian Angus Konstam tells the fascinating Trade ReviewA gripping story. -- Duncan Evans * The Armourer Magazine *This eloquent campaign analysis of an eventually unsuccessful Royal Navy defence of Crete contains a host of well-illustrated lessons relevant to many studies of maritime warfare * The Naval Review *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION Origins of the campaign CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Allied Axis OPPOSING FORCES Allied Allied order of battle Axis Axis order of battle OPPOSING PLANS Allied Axis THE CAMPAIGN The prelude The fleet deploys The invasion The first clashes The Luftwaffe strikes Black Thursday Mountbatten’s sortie Keeping up the pressure The evacuation AFTERMATH THE BATTLEFIELD TODAY FURTHER READING INDEX

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