Specific battles Books

Book SynopsisA concise illustrated study of one of the most iconic battles in English history. Henry V's forces were tired, hungry, and faced a French army three to six times more numerous. However, they possessed several advantages, and English success resulted from the combination of heavily armoured men-at-arms with troops armed with the infamous longbow: the havoc this weapon wreaked was crucial. Using original fifteenth-century evidence, including the surviving French battle plan and the accounts of men present in both armies, this fully illustrated title featuring maps, photographs and detailed original artwork discusses the lead-up to the battle, the tactical dispositions of the two forces and the reasons for the ultimate English success.Table of ContentsOrigins of the Battle The Opposing Commanders The Opposing Armies The Agincourt Campaign The Battle of Agincourt The Outcome of the Battle The Battlefield Today Chronology A Guide to Further Reading Wargaming Agincourt

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Book SynopsisIt was nearly half a century ago that After the Battle first began visiting the battlefields of the Second World War, matching up photographs of the period with their present-day comparisons. Our 'then and now' theme caught on with like-minded readers around the world, all interested to know what the places looked like today - as we say 'keeping history alive'. Searching for the locations where the wartime captions were imprecise, took much time, and there were occasions when a whole day might be spent in pin-pointing where a particular photograph had been taken. No stone was left unturned if a particular comparison was important to illustrate the story, even if it meant a special visit to take one photo. Most of the battlefields have changed over the years so it has been our intention where possible to illustrate many of the places with new colour comparisons rather than use those in the original story, many of which were taken in the old black and white days. Since we launched our first edition in August 1973, After the Battle has travelled around the globe and has covered hundreds of battles - over 750 at the last count – and taken thousands of photographs, covering major operations down to individual exploits. Selecting a cross-section of just a few from the stories that we have covered has not been easy, but we hope that you will find some of your favourites within the pages of this volume, covering the best of After the Battle. 750 illustrations

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Book SynopsisAn “engagingly written” (The Wall Street Journal) account of the “Punitive Expedition” of 1916 that brought Pancho Villa and Gen. John J. Pershing into conflict, and whose reverberations continue in the Southwestern US to this day.Jeff Guinn, chronicler of the Southwestern US and of American undesirables (Bonnie and Clyde, Charles Manson, and Jim Jones) tells the “riveting and supremely entertaining narrative” (S.C. Gwynne, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of the Summer Moon) of Pancho Villa’s bloody raid on a small US border town that sparked a violent conflict with the US. The “Punitive Expedition” was launched in retaliation under Pershing’s command and brought together the Army, National Guard, and the Texas Rangers—who were little more than organized vigilantes with a profound dislike of Mexicans on both sides of the border. Opposing this motley military brigade was Villa, a guerrilla fighter who commanded an ever-changing force of conscripts in northern Mexico. The American expedition was the last action by the legendary African American “Buffalo Soldiers.” It was also the first time the Army used automobiles and trucks, which were of limited value in Mexico, a country with no paved roads or gas stations. Curtiss Jenny airplanes did reconnaissance, another first. One era of warfare was coming to a close as another was beginning. But despite some bloody encounters, the Punitive Expedition eventually withdrew without capturing Villa. Today Anglos and Latinos in Columbus, New Mexico, where Villa’s raid took place, commemorate those events, but with differing emotions. And although the bloodshed has ended, the US-Mexico border remains as vexed and volatile an issue as ever.Trade Review"The Mexican borderlands in the early 20th century are a history buff’s dream: violent, romantic, epic in scale, a little bit crazy, and featuring an astounding cast of larger-than-life historical characters. Out of this striking raw material Jeff Guinn has fashioned a riveting and supremely entertaining narrative. I highly recommend it.” -- S. C. Gwynne, author of New York Times bestsellers Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell"Engagingly written. . . . Mr. Guinn’s deft writing makes War on the Border an enjoyable primer on Mexican-American relations in the latter years of the 19th-century and during the Mexican Revolution, as well as an adequate introduction to Mexican political intrigues of the time." -- Peter Cozzens * The Wall Street Journal *"A tightly focused history of the relations between the U.S. and Mexico in the early 20th century . . . A riveting account of a dynamic period featuring larger-than-life characters and plenty of drama and suspense." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *"A lively, intricate narrative of America’s early-twentieth-century conflicts with Mexico, including the nearly year-long Punitive Expedition. . . . A rich examination of a thorny clash within the Mexican government and a quietly damning indictment of American foreign policy at a time when the U.S. expected Mexico to capitulate to every demand." -- Chris Vognar * Texas Monthly *"General 'Black Jack' Pershing’s 1916 pursuit of Pancho Villa into Mexico has, unfortunately, long occupied a dusty and overlooked corner of history. Let us now give thanks that Jeff Guinn has written a stirring book that promises to be the classic treatment of this hair-raising time and place. This is a terrific tale of valorous advances and feckless blunders, of brilliant commanders and greedy knaves, and every page crackles with high adventure." -- Doug J. Swanson, author of Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers"Jeff Guinn has focused on a memorable period of border history -- the decade (1910-1920) of the Mexican Revolution. A gifted writer, Guinn is able to explain a complex situation peopled with larger-than-life figures." -- Charles H. Harris III, coauthor of The Texas Rangers in Transition: From Gunfighters to Criminal Investigators, 1921–1935"Guinn brings the U.S.-Mexico conflicts of the early 20th century to vibrant life in this superior history. . . . A riveting introduction to a lesser-known chapter in American history." * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *"Guinn gives us a riveting account of one of the most dynamic periods in U.S.-Mexican relations. His captivating narrative is a result of his strong source materials and nuanced storytelling. This is a great read for both the academic and non-academic audiences alike." -- Miguel A. Levario, author of Militarizing the Border: When Mexicans Became the Enemy

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Book Synopsis1314. On a marsh-fringed plain south of Stirling Castle, King Robert the Bruce led the Scottish army in a singularly devastating victory over the English. Bannockburn was Scotland's greatest battlefield triumph, achieved against the odds by a combination of brilliant tactical leadership and the fatal overconfidence of the English King, Edward II.On the 700th anniversary of the battle, Peter Reese's definitive history shines a spotlight on this pivotal moment in Scottish History and considers the wider implications of this momentous victory.Trade ReviewAn admirably vivid account of the Scots' greatest victory over the English . . .The measured, precise build-up makes the final eruption of violence all the more compelling and impresses upon the reader just how much was at stake on the battlefield of Bannockburn in the summer of 1314. * * Scotsman * *A cracker of a book, which reads like a novel yet has the authority of many a weightier tome * * Sunday Herald * *A thoroughly researched overview of this crucial period of Scotland's history . . . it is the sense of calm progression that makes this book so effective * * Scots Magazine * *Peter Reese has vision, insight and understanding. * * The Herald * *

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Book Synopsis2016 is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme''There was hardly a household in the land'', writes Lyn Macdonald, ''there was no trade, occupation, profession or community, which was not represented in the thousands of innocent enthusiasts who made up the ranks of Kitchener''s Army before the Battle of the Somme...''The year 1916 was one of the great turning-points in British history: as the youthful hopes of a generation were crushed in a desperate struggle to survive, and traditional attitudes to authority were destroyed for ever. On paper, few battles have ever been so meticulously planned. Yet while there were good political reasons to launch a joint offensive with a French Army demoralized by huge casualties at Verdun, the raw troops on the ground knew nothing of that. A hundred and fifty thousand were killed in the punishing shellfire, the endless ordeal of attack and counter-attack; twice that number were left maimed or wounded. Here, aTrade ReviewSomme expresses the full range of meaning of the word 'grim'...I doubt if there are any better than this -- John Terraine * Daily Telegraph *A worthy addition to the literature of the Great War * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated, this enthralling study explores how the Vandals in North Africa attempted to defend their kingdom against the resurgent Byzantine Empire during 53336.In AD 533, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I launched the first of his campaigns to reconquer the Western Roman Empire. This effort began in North Africa (modern Algeria and Tunisia), targeting the Vandal kingdom established there a century earlier, which also included Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands. Featuring full-colour artwork and mapping alongside carefully chosen archive illustrations, this book shows how the Byzantine general Belisarius established his formidable reputation in the lightning-fast campaign that ensued, exploring the origins, tactics and reputation of the two sides'' forces as they fought for control of North Africa.The landing of Belisarius'' forces took the Vandal king, Gelimer, completely by surprise; in September 533 the two sides met in battle near Carthage Table of ContentsIntroduction The Opposing Sides Ad Decimum, 15 September AD 533 Tricamarum, 15 December AD 533 The Bagradas River and Scalae Veteres, AD 536 Analysis Aftermath Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe summer of 1940 remains a pivotal moment in modern British history - still inspiring immense national pride and a global fascination. The Fall of France was catastrophic. Britain stood alone and within range of German air attack. America, with its vast resources was neutral, Hitler's forces unbeaten, the outlook for Britain bleak. As Britain's wartime leader, Winston Churchill, rightly predicted, the Battle of Britain is about to begin'. Famously, Churchill mobilised the English language, emboldening the nation with rousing rhetoric. In this darkest of hours, Churchill told the people that this was, in fact, their Finest Hour', a time of unprecedented courage and defiance which defined the British people. Connecting the crucial battle with Shakespeare's heroic Henry V and Agincourt, Churchill also immortalised Fighter Command's young aircrew as the Few' - to whom so many owed everything. The Few comprised nearly 3,000 aircrew, 544 of which gave their lives during the Battle of Britain's sixteen weeks of high drama. Arguably, however, the official dates of 10 July - 31 October 1940 are arbitrary, the fighting actually ongoing before and afterwards. Many gave their lives whose names are not included among the Few, as, of course, did civilians, seamen and ground staff - which is not overlooked in this ground-breaking book. In this unique study, veteran historian and author Dilip Sarkar explores the individual stories of a wide selection of those who lost their lives during the Finest Hour', examining their all-too brief lives and sharing these tragic stories - told here, in full, for the first time. Also included is the story of a German fighter pilot, indicating the breadth of investigation involved. Researched with the full cooperation of the families concerned, this work is a crucial contribution to the Battle of Britain's bibliography.

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Book SynopsisFor many, the Waffen-SS soldier represents the archetype of the combatant, if not the warrior: well-armed, well-trained, possessing intelligence in combat, imbued with political and ideological fanaticism, he is an elite soldier par excellence, even if a lack of scruples casts a long shadow. However, is this picture true? In the case of the Battle of Normandy, opinions diverged, not only among today's historians, but also amongst the German generals at the time.In all, the Waffen-SS fielded six divisions during the Battle of Normandy, as well as two heavy battalions of Tiger tanks. But they were by no means a single homogenous entity, for with the exception of II. SS-Panzerkorps, the divisions arrived at the front one after another and were immediately thrown into battle.This volume in the Casemate Illustrated series examines the Waffen-SS in Normandy during the fierce fighting of June 1944, when they struggled to hold back the Allied advance on Caen, though the picture was by no means one-sided. Extensively illustrated with photographs, tank profiles, maps, and accompanied by biographies of key personnel and explanatory text boxes, this volume gives a clear and accessible account of events, challenging some popular perceptions along the way.Trade ReviewI found this book an intriguing read, hard to put down and quite thought-provoking. This is a book that will suit both historian and modeller alike. Highly recommended. * Army Rumour Service *One book will bring you impressive amount of photos and easily digestable text. Extra knowledge always come handy and here you have easy way to get some extra references for your build. * DetailScaleView 25/02/2019 *This concise volume carries a lot of information in a very readable format with plenty of good quality images to support the text… * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *

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Book SynopsisScholars each have their own rationale as to the ‘site’ of this momentous battle. Their thirst for recognition has created diverse arguments, some flooding the media, others proposing to the point of acrimony that they have this ‘site’. The ‘conundrum’ is whether any identification of the ‘site’ is correct for all, apart from the circumspect, have taken assorted place-names similar to Brúnanburh as their starting point. The author chose to disregard the place-name approach and look at the topographic references in the manuscript. The first references were maritime then latterly landscape leading to field-names which have a more stable base than the constantly changing place-names. He found inconsistences in various positions held by some scholars to that of historical record about Brúnanburh. One major stumbling block was the phrase “ón dingesmere” which has created controversy, some scholars totally dismissing it but the ‘sea of noise’ appears to have some scientific foundation. Obviously it had some special significance to the Anglo-Saxon’s and their Christian allies and may well have been a kenning. Importantly, ‘who were these allies?’ The challenge for the author was to unearth the correct locale of these historic events. As an archaeologist he decided to interpret the topographic phrases in the manuscript evidence as material culture. The results were surprising.

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Book SynopsisFollowing the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans’s Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga, Gen. Braxton Bragg and the Army of Tennessee followed the retreating Federal army to Chattanooga and partially surrounded Rosecrans and his men by occupying Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga Valley, and Missionary Ridge. The Battle of Chattanooga would prove the final defeat of the Confederacy in East Tennessee and open the door to Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. In this newly revised second edition of his classic guidebook, Matt Spruill revisits his standard-setting tours of the Chattanooga National Military Park, providing updates and new directions after twenty years of park improvements. He recounts the story of the November 1863 battle of Chattanooga using official reports and observations by commanding officers in their own words. The book is organized in a format still used by the military on staff rides, allowing the reader to understand how the battle was fought and why leaders made the decisions they did. Unlike other books on the battle of Chattanooga, this work guides the reader through the battlefield, allowing both visitor and armchair traveler alike to see the battle through the eyes of its participants. Numerous tour “stops” take the reader through the battles for Chattanooga, Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, Orchard Knob, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold Gap. With easy-to-follow instructions, extensive and updated tactical maps, eyewitness accounts, and editorial analyses, the reader is transported to the center of the action. With this second edition, Storming the Heights will continue to be the go-to guide for Civil War enthusiasts interested in touring this sacred ground.

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Book SynopsisIt was a crucial moment of WW2. 1940. The Royal Air Force, virtually alone, defended the skies of Britain against massed formations of German bombers. They put up such a ferocious defence that Hitler gave up ideas of invading Britain and turned his attention to an assault on the Soviet Union. Of those pilots who courageously flew their Spitfires and Hurricanes against the Luftwaffe barely a handful remain. However the authors have interviewed no less than eighteen survivors and it is their memories and anecdotes that make this book unique. Highly illustrated throughout with rarely seen images, Battle of Britain is packed with great stories of aerial combat and being shot down, of the classic fighters that they flew and fought in and against, of making and losing friends and colleagues; of a strained social life in the midst of battle; and, most of all, of standing steadfast in the face of overwhelming odds. It is coupled with an authoritative and lively narrative.

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of Franklin pitted beleaguered Confederate general John Bell Hood against Union general John Schofield and his Army of the Ohio. The Army of Tennessee had nearly twenty thousand men when it began assaulting the Union’s fortified positions around Franklin. While Hood forced the Army of Ohio to retreat to Nashville, his losses were considerable, and he would face a fortified Army of the Ohio yet again. Hood’s defeat in the subsequent battle of Nashville shrunk the Army of Tennessee to fewer than ten thousand men and effectively neutralized the army for the remainder of the Civil War.Decisions at Franklin explores the critical decisions made by Confederate and Union commanders during the battle and how these decisions shaped its outcome. Rather than offering a history of the battle, Andrew Bledsoe hones in on a sequence of critical decisions made by commanders on both sides of the contest to provide a blueprint of the Battle of Franklin at its tactical core. Identifying and exploring the critical decisions in this way allows students of the battle to progress from a knowledge of what happened to a deep understanding of why events happened. Complete with maps and a driving tour, Decisions at Franklin is an indispensable primer, and readers looking for a concise introduction to the battle can tour this sacred ground—or read about it at their leisure—with key insights into the campaign and a greater understanding of the Civil War itself.Decisions at Franklin is the sixteenth in a series of books that will explore the critical decisions of major campaigns and battles of the Civil War.

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Book SynopsisThe Classic Account of the Battle of Britain

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Book Synopsis'Gripping ... A terrific action narrative' Max Hastings 'Reads like a Tom Clancy thriller, yet every word is true ... This is modern warfare close-up and raw' Andrew Roberts Bestselling and Orwell Prize-winning author Toby Harnden tells the gripping and incredible story of the six-day battle that began the War in Afghanistan and how it set the scene for twenty years of conflict. The West is in shock. Al-Qaeda has struck the US on 9/11 and thousands are dead.Within weeks, UK Special Forces enter the fray in Afghanistan alongside the CIA's Team Alpha and US troops.Victory is swift, but fragile. Hundreds of jihadists surrender and two operatives from Team Alpha enter Qala-i Jangi – the 'Fort of War' – to interrogate them. The prisoners revolt, one CIA man falls, and the other is trapped inside the fort. Seven members of the SBS – elite British Special Forces – volunteer for the rescue force and race into danger and the unknown.The six-day battle that follows proves to be one of the bloodiest of the Afghanistan war as the SBS and their American comrades face an enemy determined to die in the mud citadel.Superbly researched, First Casualty is based on unprecedented access to the CIA, SBS, and US Special Forces. Orwell Prize-winning author Toby Harnden recounts the gripping story of that first battle in Afghanistan and how the haunting foretelling it contained – unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant bombs – was ignored, fueling the twenty-year conflict to come.Trade Review'Gripping ... A terrific action narrative' -- Max Hastings'Reads like a Tom Clancy thriller, yet every word is true ... This is modern warfare close-up and raw' -- Andrew Roberts'Meticulously researched and told with page-turning pace and power' * Waterstones, Politics Books of the Year *

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Book Synopsis‘[An] important book to grace your bookshelves.’ – JoeAnn Ricca, Founder of the Richard III Foundation, Inc.Bosworth Field saw the two great dynasties of the day clash on the battlefield: the reigning House of York, led by Richard III, against the rising House of Tudor, led by Henry Tudor, soon to become Henry VII.On 22 August 1485 this penultimate battle in the Wars of the Roses was fought, with the might of the Yorkists ranged against Henry Tudor’s small army. In Bosworth 1485, historian Mike Ingram describes how they came to meet on the battlefield and how the tactics employed by Henry Tudor and his captains eventually led to the larger force’s defeat and the death of King Richard III.Illustrated throughout and supplemented with maps and accessible timelines, this book explores the unfolding action and puts the reader on the front line of this crucial battle.

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Book SynopsisIn July 1943, Hitler launched Operation Zitadelle, the last German offensive on the Eastern Front. It was an attempt to shorten the German lines by eliminating the Kursk salient and was designed to result in the encirclement of the Red Army. In reality, the German tanks came up against impenetrable Russian defences: minefields, artillery and anti-tank emplacements, spread through lines 250km deep and manned by Russian troops whose actions often verged on the suicidal. The greatest tank battle in history, Operation Zitadelle assured the Nazis’ defeat and was ‘the swan song of the German tank arm’.Involving over 9,000 tanks, 5,000 aircraft, 35,000 guns and mortars, 2.7 million troops and 230,000 casualties, the Battle of Kursk’s scale and barbarity eclipsed all other clashes in Europe. In this book, historian Mark Healy gives a clear, concise account of those dramatic days in 1943.

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Book SynopsisCommentators often dismiss Union general George G. Meade when discussing the great leaders of the Civil War. But in this long-anticipated book, Kent Masterson Brown draws on an expansive archive to reappraise Meade's leadership during the Battle of Gettysburg.

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Book SynopsisFrom June 25 to July 1, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia engaged Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac in a series of battles at the end of the Peninsula Campaign that would collectively become known as the Seven Days Battles. Beginning with the fighting at the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, Lee consistently maneuvered against and attacked McClellan’s Army of the Potomac as it retreated south across the Virginia Peninsula to the James River. At the conclusion of the Battle of Malvern Hill, Lee’s second most costly battle, where McClellan’s strong defensive position of infantry and artillery repelled multiple frontal assaults by Lee’s troops, the Federal army slipped from Lee’s grasp and brought the Seven Days to an end. The Seven Days was a clear Confederate victory that drove the Union army away from the capital at Richmond, began the ascendancy of Robert E. Lee, and commenced a change in the war in the Eastern Theater. It set the stage for the Second Manassas Campaign followed by the Maryland Campaign of 1862.Decisions of the Seven Days explores the critical decisions made by Confederate and Union commanders during the Seven Days Battles and how these decisions shaped the outcome. Rather than offering a history of the battles, Matt Spruill hones in on a sequence of critical decisions made by commanders on both sides of the contests to provide a blueprint of the Seven Days at its tactical core. Identifying and exploring the critical decisions in this way allows students of the battles to progress from knowledge of what happened to a mature grasp of why events happened.Complete with maps and a driving tour, Decisions of the Seven Days is an indispensable primer, and readers looking for a concise introduction to the battles can tour this sacred ground—or read about it at their leisure—with key insights into the campaign and a deeper understanding of the Civil War itself.Decisions of the Seven Days is the ninth in a series of books that will explore the critical decisions of major campaigns and battles of the Civil War.

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Book SynopsisAn engaging, authoritative exploration of the ways in which the ancient Spartans thought about and remembered their wars and their war dead. Matthew Sears shows that the Spartan commemoration informs contemporary acts of remembrance. Thinking about Sparta, he suggests, inspires us to reconsider our own relationship to conflict and memory.Trade Review'At a time when the image of the Spartan has been used to justify white supremacy, military aggression, and controversial commemorative monuments, this book takes an in-depth look not only at Spartan society, military practice, and history, but also at the ways in which the Spartans viewed themselves. Through an examination of ancient literature, art, and archaeology, Matthew A. Sears calls into question many modern presumptions and assumptions about what we 'know' of the Spartans. This volume is certainly a must read for any historian studying the Spartans, but more importantly also for those attempting to use the Spartans as a model for contemporary practice.' C. Jacob Butera, University of North Carolina, Asheville'It would be an exaggeration to say that commemoration of war is all the rage today, but there does seem to be an awful lot of it about, as war remains sadly something we humans can't yet do without. Same goes for the ancient Greeks, only more so, and the Spartans fought more wars than most of the other thousand or so Greek states, so it was a brilliant idea of Prof. Sears to construct an intelligent and thoughtful monograph around this centrally important theme of ancient historical studies.' Paul Cartledge, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsPrologue: Brasidas at Amphipolis; 1. Memory and Mirage; 2. Warrior Poets; 3. Few against Many; 4. The Freedom of the Greeks; 5. Remembering Sparta's Other Liberators; 6. Agesilaus, First King of Greece; 7. From Thermopylae to 300; Epilogue: 'Dulce et Decorum Est'.

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Book SynopsisPutting a human face and voices to the Battle of Kursk (Operation Zitadelle)

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Book SynopsisWritten by Captain A. Radclyffe Dugmore of the Kings Own Light Infantry, this personal memoir provides an excellent account of the Great War up to the Battle of the Somme. A wide ranging and perceptive relation of events, Radclyffe Dugmores pedigree as a professional writer shines through. In 1914, Radclyffe Dugmore travelled to Belgium as a civilian observer where he was wounded before spending a brief time in German captivity. These experiences gained Radclyffe Dugmore a highly unusual viewpoint for the opening battles of the war, that of a civilian, and later as a participant on the front lines of the Somme.Originally published under the title When The Somme Ran Red in 1918, Radclyffe Dugmores memoir has sadly been long out of print. Yet what the author modestly described as Being a very egotistical account of my own personal experiences and observations from the early days of the war in Belgium to the Great Battle of the Somme in July, 1916 proves to be anything but that, consistin

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Book Synopsis''[An] excellent account.'' - Richard Overy, The TelegraphShortlisted for the Military History Matters Book of the Year Award 2024A ground-breaking history of one of the greatest ever sieges. Masterfully brought to life by a leading expert using original Russian and German source material. This new history of the first two years of this crucial battle for the heart and soul of Russia is the first in over a decade and also the first to look comprehensively at the wider military strategies of both sides. At a huge cost, the Red Army and the civilian population of Leningrad ultimately endured a bitter 900-day siege, struggling against constant bombing, shelling, and starvation. Throughout the siege, Soviet forces tried to break the German lines and restore contact with the garrison. To Besiege a City charts the first of these offensives which began in January 1942 and was followed by repeated assaults. AcclaimedTrade Review[An] excellent account. -- Richard Overy * The Telegraph *This is another masterly account by this excellent Osprey author, covering the first year of the siege of Leningrad. * Miniature Wargames *Buttar's meticulous and even-handed research leaves no stone unturned. * History of War *Brings to life a dark chapter of World War II history that ought to never be forgotten. * Morning Star *This will surely become the definitive reference work on the Siege of Leningrad. * Classic Military Vehicle *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Dramatis Personae Introduction Chapter 1: The Window to the West Chapter 2: Stalin's Purges Chapter 3: Flawed Plans for War Chapter 4: Barbarossa Unleashed Chapter 5: The Approach to Leningrad Chapter 6: Sinyavino and Tikhvin Chapter 7: Starvation: The First Winter Chapter 8: Bandenkrieg: The Partisan War Chapter 9: Lyuban: The Price of Optimism Chapter 10: Lyuban: Attrition and Failure Chapter 11: Summer 1942 Chapter 12: A Bloodstained Autumn Chapter 13: Towards the Second Winter Chapter 14: A Bitter Stalemate Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book goes back to original documents: reports and first-hand accounts to establish the story of the three separate Ranger Forces that made-up Rudder s Rangers who assaulted not just Pointe du Hoc, where they held out for over 48 hours before relief, but the Western end of Omaha Beach as well.

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Book SynopsisMuch of the popular attention on the Battle of the Somme 1916 is focussed on the first day of the infantry assault, 1st July, when such high hopes were dashed and British casualties ran into the tens of thousands. However, the Somme was a battle that lasted over twenty weeks, running well into the autumn. This book is concerned with fighting south of the famous Albert-Bapaume road from mid September to the official end of the battle. The coverage includes Martinpuich, the hamlet of Eaucourt l'Abbaye, Le Sars and that strange topographical feature the Butte de Warlencourt. The action starts with the major British attack of 15 September 1916, which enjoyed some success and which included the first use of tanks. The book takes up the story from the fall of Martinpuich and follows the British as they inched their way north eastwards to Le Sars and Eaucourt l'Abbaye. This was gruelling warfare, fought in fast deteriorating weather conditions and in the face of ever increasing volumes of artillery fire: the mud was almost as much the enemy of both sides as the weight of lead and iron fired at them. The Butte de Warlencourt has come to have an almost iconic status. This rather insignificant hillock, almost certainly a burial mound of the Romano-Gallic period, marks the point at which the battle officially ceased along the Albert-Bapaume road. For days before the battle ended both sides tussled to secure its possession, numerous limited attacks taking place over devastated, utterly water logged and featureless ground. Indeed it was the 'emptiness' of the area that made the Butte of such significance, a fearsome, solitary landmark standing out against a backdrop of desolation. It was the focus of the fighting in the area for almost six weeks. As well as the customary walks, essential to an understanding of the confused fighting in the area, there is a long car tour, covering many less visited parts of the battlefield to the east and north of the Butte and which places it firmly in the context of the battle. Charles Carrington, who wrote one of the classic memoirs of the war, was not alone amongst those who fought here when he commented that, 'the Butte de Warlencourt terrified us'.

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Book SynopsisIn December 1944 the Third Reich was retreating. It was almost inconceivable that they could mount a counter offensive. To the Allies, the capitulation of the Third Reich was just around the corner. Or was it? Could the Battle of the Bulge succeed in turning the tide of the war for the German high command ? The US 101st Airborne were the only Allied unit capable of slowing down the German advance towards Antwerp - and they were ordered to do just that - at a place called Bastogne. The battle for the small Belgium cross-roads town is now world famous and to add to that historical narrative, the author has located de-classified interviews with the German unit commanders who took part. Brought together for the first time - they provide a unique perspective on the battle as the Germans were forced to make continuous alterations to their plans - and the 101st resisted every attempt to dislodge them. This book offers significant and fresh research on this famous battle and the narrative unfolds in words of the men who were actually there.

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Book SynopsisThe fighting in Europe during the Seven Years War hung in the balance. After initial successes the Austro-French forces had been driven back across the Rhine. With the opposing sides reinforcing their armies, the campaign of 1759 was going to prove decisive. Britain and her German allies met the French at Minden in Germany. Due to a misunderstanding of orders the British infantry actually attacked and dispersed the French cavalry. That action is still commemorated on 1 August each year with the wearing of roses by the infantry and artillery regiments whose predecessors picked flowers and put them in their coats as they passed through German gardens on the way to the battle. By contrast Lord Sackville, who commanded the British cavalry, was accused of ignoring orders to charge the retreating French which could have turned defeat into rout. He was court-martialled and cashiered. The victory at Minden was just one in a number of British successes that year around the world against French forces and overseas territories. This led to 1759 being described as the Annus Mirabilis - the year of miracles.

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Book SynopsisThe capture of a king in the course of a battle was a relatively rare event. This, the climactic event of the Black Prince's first campaign as commander, came at the end of nearly a year of campaigning across the southwest of France. The battle of Poitiers in 1356 is less well known than more famous clashes such as Agincourt, however, Poitiers was no less dramatic, and equally important in terms of the course of the Hundred Years War. The capture of King Jean brought France to the brink of total defeat, and led to one of the most devastating and destructive periods in French history. It is not exaggeration to say that the battle of Poitiers changed the course of history for both France and England. In the summer of 1356 the Prince and his army drove northward towards the Loire, attacking once again deep into French territory. This time he met real opposition: the full French army led by King Jean and many of the leading nobility of France, some of them veterans of the defeat at Crécy ten years before. Outnumbered, the Prince fell back, but in September he turned near the city of Poitiers to make a stand. The battle that followed was a tense encounter. The French had learned much from the disastrous defeat at Crécy, and took time to organise and prepare before attacking. Their advance was deliberate and well planned. Yet the result was the same. Once again, English and Welsh archers wrought mayhem among the French ranks. The French formations disintegrated, and a violent counter-attack by English men-at-arms caused it to dissolve entirely. King Jean and his eldest son made a final stand with some of their followers, but in the end they were forced to surrender and were taken back to England as prisoners. The core of the book is a day-by-description of the campaign of July-September 1356, climaxing with a detailed description of the Battle of Poitiers itself. The detailed account and analysis of the battle and the campaigns that led up to it has a strong focus on the people involved in the campaign: ordinary men-at-arms and non-combatants as well as princes and nobles.Trade ReviewThe authors cover dynastic machinations, royal weddings, military systems and weaponry, notable persons, propaganda (Edward III turns out to have been a fine PR man), mobilization and logistics, and campaign planning. This is a lively account, as the authors touch on much popular lore, such as the origins of the Order of the Garter. * Strategypage *The authors have successfully woven a narrative that not only demonstrates the military strategy that unfolded through 1355/56, but also places it firmly in the context of the underlying political intrigue and infighting that beset the French monarchy. * Military History Matters (Reviewer) *An engaging campaign account… * Miniature Wargames - Chris Jarvis *

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Book SynopsisThe combined forces invasion of the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on 23 April 1918 remains one of Britain’s most glorious military undertakings; not quite as epic a failure as the charge of the Light Brigade, or as well publicised as the Dam Busters raid, but with many of the same basic ingredients.A force drawn from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines set out on ships and submarines to try to block the key strategic port, in a bold attempt to stem the catastrophic losses being inflicted on British shipping by German submarines. It meant attacking a heavily fortified German naval base. The tide, calm weather and the right wind direction for a smoke screen were crucial to the plan.Judged purely on results, it can only be considered a partial strategic success. Casualties were high and the base only partially blocked. Nonetheless, it came to represent the embodiment of the bulldog spirit, the peculiarly British fighting élan, the belief that anything was possible with enough dash and daring.The essential story of the Zeebrugge mission has been told before, but never through the direct, first-hand accounts of its survivors – including that of Lieutenant Richard Sandford, VC, the acknowledged hero of the day, and the author’s great uncle. The fire and bloodshed of the occasion is the book’s centrepiece, but there is also room for the family and private lives of the men who volunteered in their hundreds for what they knew effectively to be a suicide mission.Zeebrugge gives a very real sense of the existence of the ordinary British men and women of 100 years ago – made extraordinary by their role in what Winston Churchill called the ‘most intrepid and heroic single armed adventure of the Great War.’Trade ReviewThe use of first hand accounts is what brings the book vividly and grippingly to life as action is eventually joined and the cruelly depleted marines and seamen storm the Mole...Here we have a cracking read, very different from some more pedestrian analyses. * Army Rumour Service *Listed in Military History Monthly's round up of the best military history titles for June 2018. * Military History Matters (Reviewer) *This is an important story, well-told and Sandford has given us a deeply satisfying and highly recommended book. * Warships International 30/04/2019 *An extraordinary account of something quite extraordinary… * Books Monthly *Zeebrugge 1918: The Greatest Raid of All provides an easily accessible narrative of a high-risk and high-casualty operation. It is a worthy additon to any book shelf. * Naval Review *

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Book SynopsisIn 1943 the tide began to turn against Germany on the Eastern Front. Their summer offensive, Operation Citadel, was a failure, and the Red Army seized the initiative, despite appallingly high losses. Waging a war of attrition, the Russians gradually pushed Germany’s Army Group South back. By October 1943 the Russians had reached the Dnepr in Ukraine, Kiev was liberated, and the scene was set for the events described in this book, written by a high-ranking General Nikolaus von Vormann, who commanded XLVII. Panzerkorps.The battle of Cherkassy is also known as the Korsun Pocket, Korsun being the small town at the centre of the area containing the surrounded German forces. After sudden attacks by the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts, in January 1944 the Russians achieved a major encirclement of six German divisions, a total of 60,000 soldiers. The Red Army had the numerical advantage, but two of the Panzer divisions were in good shape, and thus a dramatic battle ensued, with each side both attacking and defending.Strenuous efforts to avoid another Stalingrad were made, with the Germans led by Erich von Manstein attempting to break into the pocket. Atrocious weather plus effective resistance repulsed their attacks and by mid-February it became clear that breaking out of the pocket was the only option for the Germans. Abandoning a huge amount of equipment and the wounded, they succeeded and rejoined the surrounding panzer divisions. The Germans avoided a catastrophe but 34% of the troops did not survive.Generalleutnant von Vormann’s account starts with the retreat to the Dnepr in 1943, describes the battle of Kirowograd from 5th-17th January 1944, the encirclement, the efforts to relieve the trapped troops, the struggle of the troops within the pocket, and the breakout. His mainly factual account also contains a description of the psychological effects on the men of this most brutal and physically exhausting battle. It is one of the few primary source materials that exists and is therefore of significant historical interest.Trade Review'Translated into English for the first time…the details are straight from the people who were there.' * The Armourer *… a fascinating example of how a history is affected not only by who writes it but also why and when * Miniature Wargames 11/07/2019 *

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Book SynopsisAntietam. For generations of Americans this word - the name of a bucolic stream in western Maryland - held the same sense of horror and carnage that the simple date 9/11 does for modern America. Even today, Antietam eclipses only this modern tragedy as America's single bloodiest day, on which 22,000 Americans became casualties in a war to determine our nation’s future. Antietam is forever burned into the American psyche, a battle bathed in blood alone that served no military purpose, brought no decisive victory. This much Americans know. What they didn't know is why this is so face=Calibri>– until now.The Cornfield: Antietam’s Bloody Turning Point for the first time tells the full story of the exciting struggle to control “the Cornfield,” the action on which the costly battle of Antietam turned, in a thorough yet readable narrative. It explains what happened in Antietam’s Cornfield and why. Because Federal and Confederate forces repeatedly traded control of the spot, the fight for the Cornfield is a story of human struggle against fearful odds, of men seeking to do their duty, of simply trying to survive. Many of the included first-hand accounts have never been revealed to modern readers and never have they been assembled in such a comprehensive, readable form.At the same time, The Cornfield offers fresh perspectives about the battle of Antietam, arguing that the battle turned on events in the Cornfield because of two central facts - that Union General George McClellan’s linear thinking demanded that the Cornfield must be taken and that because of this, the repeated failure by the generals McClellan charged with fulfilling this task created a self-reinforcing cycle of disaster that doomed the Union's prospects for success - at the cost of thousands of lives.The Cornfield offers new perspectives that may be controversial - particularly to those who accept unchallenged the views of the battle's first historians and its generals, who too often sought to shape our understanding for their own purposes - but which certain to change modern understanding of how the battle of Antietam was fought and its role in American history.

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Book SynopsisFour years before the Normandy landings, the French coast was the scene of another major episode in the Second World War. This was Operation Dynamo, much less well known than D-Day. And yet you only have to look at the statistics to see how important this part of the story of the Campaign of France was: between 27 May and 4 June, almost 340 000 French and British troops were evacuated from the Dunkirk pocket by a miscellaneous fleet of 850 boats, among which hundreds of fishing vessels, pleasure boats, lifeboats or Merchant Navy vessels. Thanks to the sailors’ courage but also the RAF pilots’ skill, this operation without precedent was a success which enabled the British to continue to fight the Germans, even though they had to leave behind most of their equipment and weapons. Replaced in its context, Operation Dynamo is here narrated in detail with numerous period photos, maps, aircraft profiles and uniform plates. This military operation and human adventure without precedent breathes again, 77 years later thanks to the film director Christopher Nolan, the author of the Batman trilogy and Interstellar which, with Dunkirk, has become an international blockbuster, to which a chapter of this book is devoted

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