Specific wars and military campaigns Books

Book SynopsisLoraine Petre is widely recognised as the father of Napoleonic Wars history writing. In this volume on the Emperor''s last campaign in Germany - the scene of so many of his previous triumphs - Petre pictures Bonaparte at bay, with his Grande Armee decimated by the disastrous retreat from Moscow. Napoleon was fighting off overwhelming odds in a series of battles at Saale, Lutzen, Bautzen, Dresden, Dennewitz - culminating at the great ''Battle of the Nations'' at Leipzig when he faced a massive defeat which propelled him along the road back to Paris and abdication.

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Book Synopsis‘Sometimes my mind reaches back beyond the fear and the arid landscapes of war, to memories of childhood that fill me with happiness and laughter.’___________‘A humane and gripping book which proves beyond doubt why the Gurkhas are known as such formidable warriors.’ – Sir Ranulph Fiennes___________This is a searingly honest memoir by Kailash Limbu, a serving Gurkha soldier who undertook five tours of active service in Afghanistan. Kailash Limbu was in the front line of the fighting in Helmand Province. On dangerous resupply missions and on offensive patrols that took them to the heart of the ‘killing zone’, he and his men came under frequent attack from Taliban fighters.He talks of other operations in which he has served – and, perhaps most movingly, of the other Gurkha soldiers – the united band of brothers – with whom he serves and on whom he relies every day.On many occasions he has feared he would not live to see the end of the day – and, inevitably, he lost several friends and colleagues from the close-knit Gurkha brotherhood. His means of coping with the trauma of conflict was to travel back in his mind to his childhood in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. But even amid the simplicity of mountain life, danger and tragedy lurked.In this compelling narrative Capt Limbu celebrates his Gurkha heritage, relates remarkable stories of courage (his own and others’), and confronts demons that have shaped but never broken him. The result is a record of war and peace that is rare in its honesty and humility.

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Book SynopsisA Union Army at war against the ConfederacyThe Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal armies of the Union Army. It was first commanded by Rosecrans who commanded it through its first significant engagement at Stones River and then subsequently during the Tullahoma campaign and at Chickamauga where it received a savaging which was instrumental in causing it to become besieged in Chattanooga. Grant, uncertain of its morale, gave the Cumberland, now under Thomas, a minor role at Missionary Ridge but his concerns were unfounded because, after achieving its primary objective, four divisions stormed the main enemy positions helping to complete the victory. Thomas commanded to the end of the war, but not before the Army of the Cumberland fought in the Atlanta Campaign, at Peachtree Creek, Franklin and finally at the decisive Battle of Nashville where with it crushed Confederate forces under Hood. This is a well rounded unit history. Essential reading for every student of the period. Available in soft cover and cloth bound hard back with dust jacket, head and tail bands and gold foil lettering to the spine.

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Book SynopsisAt its height, the Napoleonic Empire spanned much of mainland Europe. Feted and feared by millions of citizens, Napoleon was the most powerful and famous man of his age. But following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo the future of the one-time Emperor of France and master of Europe seemed irredeemably bleak. How did the brilliant tactician cope with being at the mercy of his captors? How did he react to a life in exile on St Helena - and how did the other inhabitants of that isolated and impregnable island respond to his presence there? And what tactics did he develop to preserve his legacy in such drastically reduced circumstances? Tracing events from the dramatic defeat at Waterloo to his death six years later, this is the first modern comprehensive account of the last phase of Napoleon's life. Drawing on many previously overlooked journals and letters, Brian Unwin has pieced together a remarkably vivid account of Napoleon's final years which also offers fresh insights into the character of this giant of European history. "Terrible Exile" brilliantly evokes the claustrophobic atmosphere of life on St Helena, offering a colourful and original history of the period as well as a persuasive psychological portrait of a great man in reduced circumstances. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in Napoleonic history and is an important addition to our understanding of the subject.Trade Review'A masterpiece of historic tragedy. Every one of the hundred French and English emerges clearly, including Napoleon himself, revealing fresh details about his lone affair.' - Vincent Cronin, author of 'Napoleon'; 'A work of impeccable fairness. Without rehabilitating Lowe, Brian Unwin points out the extreme difficulties faced by the British general, dismisses the complex conspiracy theories of a plot to murder Napoleon by degrees, and points out the intransigence of a man who had thought he possessed a destiny to rule the world, only to discover that, at the end, he was no better than ordinary mortals. A refreshingly objective account of a subject much perverted by myth, anti-Anglicism and daft conspiracy.' - Richard Woodman, author of the 'Nathaniel Drinkwater' Naval History seriesTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE: FROM WATERLOO TO ROCHEFORT CHAPTER TWO (FROM ROCHEFORT TO PLYMOUTH) CHAPTER THREE: THE VOYAGE TO ST HELENA CHAPTER FOUR: ARRIVAL AT ST HELENA CHAPTER FIVE: LONGWOOD HOUSE CHAPTER SIX: THE ARRIVAL OF SIR HUDSON LOWE CHAPTER SEVEN: CAPTIVITY AND CONFRONTATION CHAPTER EIGHT: NAPOLEON’S CONTINUING PROBLEMS CHAPTER NINE: SIR HUDSON LOWE’S PROBLEMS CHAPTER TEN: THE ROAD TO THE END CHAPTER ELEVEN: A JUDGEMENT EPILOGUE

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Book SynopsisPerhaps more than any other war in the twentieth century, the Spanish Civil War was seen as a 'writers' war' - names such as Hemingway and Orwell spring to mind. But the women who went to Spain and wrote about it have often been forgotten. This anthology is part of efforts to redress the balance. It includes writing by women from Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand - and from unsung nurses and relief workers as well as internationally celebrated writers. Bringing together extracts from memoirs, letters, diaries and poems, this collection provides a moving overview of the Spanish Civil War from the perspective of women participants. Contributors include Emma Goldman, Lillian Hellman, Jessica Mitford and Sylvia Townsend Warner.Trade Review'the power of human reciprocity and a profound spiritual rejection of fascism shine through'Sheila Rowbotham'I was absorbed by the book A... its publication is a tribute to the noble role of many women in the Spanish war' Jack Jones

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Book Synopsis'A stone cold classic. One of the best military aviaton memoirs ever written' Rowland White, author of Vulcan 607 'I only have to think Speed, and I am at 600 knots in seconds. Think Height and I am gazing down from a eight-mile-high perch within one minute. Think Freedom and I am wrested away from a dank, cold world, cloudbase at 300 feet, through a brief shock of cloud to emerge into a golden blue world, another dimension, crystal clear for miles and miles' Fighter Pilot. Robert Prest had never wanted to be anything else. And even as a boy he had set his sights on flying the awesome McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. The big, twin-engined interceptor offered an irresistible combination of charisma, power and performance. Air combat, strike, gunnery, bombing and rocketry, the F-4 was jack-of-all-trades, master of most. From the lonely pursuit of Soviet intruders out over the North Sea and strength-sapping high-g dogfights, to maintaining Quick Reaction Alert on Germany's Eastern border, ready to scramble Battle Flight at a moment's notice, Prest and his fellow aviators stood toe-to-toe with a powerful opponent. But the defence of the West came at a cost, and comrades in arms would pay with their lives. No other book so vividly brings to life the high-pressure, high stakes, high-speed world of an RAF fighter pilot on the Cold War frontline. But it's more than that. In capturing a sense of the wonder and magic of flying, Prest's book ranks aviation classics from writers like Saint-Exupery, Richard Bach, Cecil Lewis and Ernest Gann.

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Book SynopsisChoreographies of 21st Century Wars is the first book to analyze the interface between choreography and contemporary warfare, a pertinent inquiry since choreography has long been linked to war and military training. Authors from a range of disciplines reconceptualize choreography in the face of this century's never ending wars.Trade ReviewChoreogrphies of 21st Century Wars helps readers to contemplate the potential of choreography as construct and practice to grapple with the complexities and ineffable experience of a world dominated by war. Offering critical insights about the disconnection between our understanding and the realities of war, Choreographies encourages dancer-artists and scholars to explore the potential of choreography to illuminate how we shall live and dance in this world. Living in a state where the Korean War has not yet ended, I appreciate the rigorous analyses of this anthology that helps me to realize and critically comprehend the very real choreographies of war. * Dance Chronicle *Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction: Contemporary Choreographies of Wars, Gay Morris and Jens Richard Giersdorf ; Chapter 1: Access Denied and Sumud: Making a Dance of Asymmetric Warfare, Nicholas Rowe ; Chapter 2: Questioning the Truth: Rachid Ouramdane's Investigation of Torture in Des Temoins Ordinaires/Ordinary Witnesses, Alessandra Nicifero ; Chapter 3: "There's a Soldier in All of Us": Choreographing Virtual Recruitment, Derek A. Burrill ; Chapter 4: African Refugees Asunder in South Africa: Performing the Fallout of Violence in Every Day, Every Year, I am Walking, Sarah Davies Cordova ; Chapter 5: From Temple to Battlefield: Bharata Natyam in the Sri Lankan Civil War, Janet O'Shea ; Chapter 6: Choreographing Masculinity in Contemporary Israeli Culture, Yehuda Sharim ; Chapter 7: Affective Temporalities: Dance, Media, and the War on Terror, Harmony Bench ; Chapter 8: Specter of War, Spectacle of Peace: The Lowering of Flag Ceremony at Wagah and Hussainiwala Borders, Neelima Jeychandran ; Chapter 9: A Choreographer's Statement, Bill T. Jones ; Chapter 10: Dancing in the Spring: Dance, Hegemony and Change, Rosemary Martin ; Chapter 11: War and P.E.A.C.E, Maaike Bleeker & Janez Jansa ; Chapter 12: The Body is the Frontline, Rosie Kay and Dee Reynolds ; Chapter 13: Geo-Choreography and Necropolitics: Faustin Linyekula's Studios Kabako, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ariel Osterweis ; Chapter 14: Re: moving bodies in the Mexico-USA drug, border, cold, and terror wars ; Ruth Hellier-Tinoco ; Chapter 15: After Cranach: War, Representation and the Body in William Forsythe's Three Atmospheric Studies, Gerald Siegmund ; Chapter 16: The Role of Choreography in Civil Society under Siege: William Forsythe's Three Atmospheric Studies, Mark Franko ; Contributors ; Index

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Book SynopsisThey marched under the heat with 40-pound rucksacks on their backs. They fired M16s out of the windows of military vehicles, defending their units in deadly firefights. And they did things that their male counterparts could never do--gather intelligence on the Taliban from the women of Afghanistan. As females they could circumvent Muslim traditions and cultivate relationships with Afghan women who were bound by tradition not to speak with American military men. And their work in local villages helped empower Afghan women, providing them with the education and financial tools necessary to rebuild their nation--and the courage to push back against the insurgency that wanted to destroy it. For the women warriors of the military''s Female Engagement Teams (FET) it was dangerous, courageous, and sometimes heartbreaking work.Beyond the Call follows the groundbreaking journeys of three women as they first fight military brass and culture and then enemy fire and tradition.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe true story of Pearl Harbor as you’ve never read it before—action-packed, informative, and told through the eyes of those on all sides of the violence who experienced the terror of the unprecedented attack firsthand. A single day changed the course of history: December 7, 1941. Nobody in America knew Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor was coming. Nobody was prepared for the aftermath.   Filled with firsthand accounts and photographs, this unflinching, action-packed narrative puts readers on the ground in Pearl Harbor through the stories of real stories of a diverse cast of characters. From the attackers to the attacked, daring rescues to tragic losses, unlikely survival to quick-thinking responses, learn the stories of the men, women, and children who experienced that fateful day and its aftereffects.   Perfect for fans of Steven Sheinkin and Deobrah Heiligman, award-winning author Marc Favreau sheds new, compelling light onto a history we think we know, what it means to be American, and the enduring lessons from an event we never saw coming.* “A jaw-dropping account of Pearl Harbor … artfully conceived and grippingly told.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Book SynopsisEnsure your students have access to the authoritative and in-depth content of this popular and trusted A Level History series. For over twenty years Access to History has been providing students with reliable, engaging and accessible content on a wide range of topics. Each title in the series provides comprehensive coverage of different history topics on current AS and A2 level history specifications, alongside exam-style practice questions and tips to help students achieve their best. The series:- Ensures students gain a good understanding of the AS and A2 level history topics through an engaging, in-depth and up-to-date narrative, presented in an accessible way. - Aids revision of the key A level history topics and themes through frequent summary diagrams- Gives support with assessment, both through the books providing exam-style questions and tips for AQA, Edexcel and OCR A level history specifications and through FREE model answers Trade Review'This book is well written, informative and very useful for anyone doing A-level history. It's relatively interesting in contrast to most textbooks and is highly accessible. Sets a standard for all history textbooks.' * Amazon reviewer *Table of Contents : Chapter 1 Introduction: The United States and Vietnam : 1. Introduction : 2. Overview of the War : 3. Overview of the Debates on the Vietnam War : Chapter 2 Vietnam and Foreigners before 1953 : 1. Ho Chi Minh and Vietnamese Nationalism : 2. The United States and Vietnam, 1941–5 : 3. The Reasons for the Early American Involvement in Vietnam : 4. 'These Situations ... Have a Way of Snowballing' : 5. Key Debates on the Truman Years : Chapter 3 Eisenhower and Two Vietnams : 1. Ho, Giap and the French Failure in Indochina : 2. Dienbienphu – the Debate over American Intervention : 3. The Geneva Conference on Indochina, 1954 : 4. Two Vietnams and Two Leaders : 5. Assessment of Eisenhower’s Policy : 6. Key Debates : Chapter 4 'Vietnam is the Place' – the Kennedy Crusade (1961–3) : 1. Introduction: Kennedy's War? : 2. Kennedy’s Early Ideas about Vietnam : 3. The President and his Advisers : 4. Kennedy’s Actions in the Third World : 5. Kennedy and Diem : 6. Conclusions : 7. Key Debates : Study Guide : Chapter 5 'Johnson's War'? : 1. Why Johnson Continued US involvement in the War : 2. How Johnson Was Able to Escalate the War 3. Why Did Johnson Escalate the American Involvement in: Vietnam? : 4. 'Where Are We Going?' : 5. Historians and 'Johnson's War'? : Study guide : Chapter 6 Why the USA Failed: I – The People in Vietnam : 1. The Vietnamese : 2. The Americans : 3. Key Debates : Chapter 7 Why the USA Failed: II - US Politicians and People : 1. Problems with Johnson’s Aims and Methods : 2. Why and How Johnson was Forced to Retreat : 3. Johnson’s Last Months : 4. Conclusions about Johnson and the War : Study Guide : Chapter 8 1969–73: Richard Nixon – Diplomatic Genius or Mad Bomber? : 1. The Transformation of a Cold Warrior? : 2. President Nixon : 3. 1969–71 : 4. 1972 – Getting Re-elected : 5. Assessment of Nixon’s Vietnam Policy : 6. Key Debates : Study Guide : Chapter 9 Conclusions : 1. Summarising the Debates : 2. The Effects of the War : 3. The Lessons of the Vietnam War : Glossary : Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A pungently written combat narrative and a close-range study of a bunch of twentysomething warriors trying to get a handle on who they are.”—Time“Nuanced and grounded in details often overlooked in daily journalistic accounts...A complex portrait of able young men raised on video games and trained as killers.”—The New York Times“A stellar reporting achievement...Think Black Hawk Down or Michael Herr's Dispatches.”—ottawa Citizen“Shockingly honest.”—Entertainment Weekly“Visceral, sometimes shocking...a brutally honest acount of America's latest generation to experiencethe stark, horrifying realities of warfare.”—Boston Herald“Sidesteps Greatest Generation clichés to find the unexpected—a self-described ‘Marine Corps killer’ who listens to Barry Manilow, a corporal who compares a gunfight to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.”—The Washington PostWright wrote about [his] experience in a three-part series in Rolling Stone that was hailed for its evocative, accurate war reporting. This book, a greatly expanded version of that series, matches its accomplishment. Wright is a perceptive reporter...a personality-driven, readable and insightful look at the Iraq war's first month from the Marine grunt's point of view...compelling portraits...a vivid, well-drawn picture.”—Publishers Weekly“The language is blue, the blood red, and the action explosive. This may be the book of the Iraqi engagement.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

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Book SynopsisThis is the first academic study of the British Army in Northern Ireland. It investigates the complex experiences of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish soldiers alike during the often-controversial Operation Banner 1969-2007. The experiences of these soldiers raise many important and difficult questions on war and policy. When do ''troubles'', riots and insurgency become war? How does a liberal state respond to an internal war within its own borders? How does it decide on its rules of engagement for its armed forces?Featuring key interviews with former soldiers, paramilitaries and Special Branch detectives, amongst other key actors, the authors attempt to answer these questions and enhance our knowledge of conflict resolution by providing a deep analysis of one of the most significant British military operations since the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first academic study of the British Army in Northern Ireland. It investigates the complex experiences of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish soldiers alike during the often-controversial Operation Banner 1969-2007. The experiences of these soldiers raise many important and difficult questions on war and policy. When do ''troubles'', riots and insurgency become war? How does a liberal state respond to an internal war within its own borders? How does it decide on its rules of engagement for its armed forces?Featuring key interviews with former soldiers, paramilitaries and Special Branch detectives, amongst other key actors, the authors attempt to answer these questions and enhance our knowledge of conflict resolution by providing a deep analysis of one of the most significant British military operations since the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisAhmad presents a social history of the war's leading agents the neoconservatives and shows how this ideologically coherent group of determined political agents used the contingency of 9/11 to overwhelm a sceptical foreign policy establishment, military brass and intelligence apparatus, propelling the US into war.Trade Review'This forcefully argued and meticulously researched book turns out to be enormously relevant to the present moment - Let me reiterate the enormous significance and relevance of The Road to Iraq. It is a work of tremendous intellectual diligence and moral seriousness. We are all indebted to Ahmad for undertaking this major contribution to the debate on one of the central events of this century, whose aftershocks continue to unfold daily, to disastrous effect. With the neocons poised to make a comeback, this book serves as a cautionary tale of bracing urgency. It is a must-read guide to the history of the present.' - Danny Postel, Associate Director of the Center for Middle East Studies, University of Denver, in The Drouth. 'Ahmad, who teaches journalism in the UK and writes for a variety of American and European publications, traces the remarkable history of neoconservatism in minute detail. He demonstrates its consistent role as the voice of cold-war thinking, segueing smoothly from militant anti-Communism of the era of Scoop Jackson (the "Senator from Boeing") to the new opportunities afforded by Islamic fundamentalism since the 1990s.' - James B. Rule, Dissent. 'A superb analysis of how and why a small band of neoconservatives helped push the United States into a disastrous war. Far from being tough-minded patriots, Ahmad reveals them to be deceitful and manipulative self-promoters who remain influential in policy-making circles, despite the enormous cost of their past follies. His analysis is nuanced, his research comprehensive, and the story he tells is profoundly disturbing.' - Stephen Walt, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Black Gold and Red Herrings; 2. Origins and Interests; 3. Ideology and Institutions; 4. Setting the Agenda; 5. Selling the War; Conclusions; Appendix: Mearsheimer and Walt, Redux.

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Book SynopsisOctober 1962, The Cuban Missile Crisis: the confrontation that brought the world closer to nuclear catastrophe than ever before or since. Both John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev were determined to avoid nuclear war, but events could easily have spiraled out of control with cataclysmic results.Drawing on an extensive body of research, including primary sources released only in the last few years, this work places the crisis in a broader international and chronological context than previously possible. Discover how America was responsible for causing the conflict and Cuba''s role as an important actor rather than a superpower pawn.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements, Abbreviations; Introduction; 1.The United States, the Cuban Revolution and the Cold War, 1959-61; 2.The Decision to Base Nuclear Missiles in Cuba, Spring-Summer 1962; 3. Discovering the Missile Bases, 14-22 October 1962; 4. Confrontation, 22-5 October 1962; 5. A World Crisis, 22-8 October 1962; 6. Nadir and Resolution, 26-8 October 1962; 7. Aftermath I, November-December 1962; 8. Aftermath II, 1963-70; Conclusion; Appendix 1: List of Persons; Appendix 2: Chronology; Appendix 3: Biographies; Appendix 4: Documents; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom spying in the Boer War through brigade command in the First World War and the White Army in Russia in 1919, to Chief of the Imperial General Staff and Commander-in-Chief Home Forces in the Second – this was a man born to command.

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