Specific wars and military campaigns Books
Penguin Books Ltd Russia Against Napoleon
Book Synopsis''A compulsive page-turner ... a triumph of brilliant storytelling ... an instant classic that is an awesome, remarkable and exuberant achievement'' Simon Sebag Montefiore Winner of the Wolfson History Prize and shortlisted for the Duff Cooper PrizeIn the summer of 1812 Napoleon, the master of Europe, marched into Russia with the largest army ever assembled, confident that he would sweep everything before him. Yet less than two years later his empire lay in ruins, and Russia had triumphed. This is the first history to explore in depth Russia''s crucial role in the Napoleonic Wars, re-creating the epic battle between two empires as never before. Dominic Lieven writes with great panache and insight to describe from the Russians'' viewpoint how they went from retreat, defeat and the burning of Moscow to becoming the new liberators of Europe; the consequences of which could not have been more important.Ultimately this book shows, memTrade ReviewA compulsive page-turner ... a triumph of brilliant storytelling ... an instant classic that is an awesome, remarkable and exuberant achievement -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Evening Standard *Radically alters our assumptions about how Napoleon was beaten -- Andrew Roberts * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *(He creates) an historic canvas that is both overwhelming and meticulous ... he inevitably touches the nerve points of modern power politics. * The Economist *A compulsive read. This master storyteller and scholar has written an instant classic that is awesome, remarkable and exuberant. -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * The Scotsman *An essential reference ... the Princess would have approved. * The Spectator *(An) erudite, monumental piece of historial research ... it's a great tale with a clear argument, baked by an impressive array of sources and detail. -- Charles Clover * Financial Times *A superbly crafted book -- Alexander M. Martin * TLS *A lucid and detailed account -- Geoffrey Hosking * London Review of Books *
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd The Longest Afternoon
Book Synopsis''A superb little book that is micro-history at its best'' Washington Post''The brevity of this remarkable book belies the amount of work that went into it. One can only marvel at how well Professor Simms has gone through the original sources - the surviving journals, reminiscences and letters of the individual combatants - to produce a coherent and gripping narrative'' Nick Lezard, GuardianThe true story, told minute by minute, of the soldiers who defeated Napoleon - from Brendan Simms, acclaimed author of Europe: The Struggle for SupremacyEurope had been at war for over twenty years. After a short respite in exile, Napoleon had returned to France and threatened another generation of fighting across the devastated and exhausted continent. At the small Belgian village of Waterloo two large, hastily mobilized armies faced each other to decide the future of Europe.Unknown either to Napoleon or Wellington the bTrade ReviewThe brevity of this remarkable book belies the amount of work that went into it. One can only marvel at how well Professor Simms has gone through the original sources - the surviving journals, reminiscences and letters of the individual combatants - to produce a coherent and gripping narrative -- Nick Lezard * The Guardian *A superb little book that is micro-history at its best -- Paul O’Keeffe * Washington Post *Mr. Simms's fluent and meticulously researched narrative provides enough context to engage not only specialists, but also readers unfamiliar with the broader historical background...by focusing upon a particular episode, rather than the bigger picture, Mr. Simms manages to reflect the grim reality of Waterloo better than some more comprehensive surveys -- Stephen Brumwell * The Wall Street Journal *[Simms] tells more about realities of boots-on-the-ground combat than any other Waterloo book I have encountered. A five-gun read. -- Joseph C. Goulden * Washington Times *
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Company Commander
Book SynopsisMajor Russell Lewis MC was commissioned in to the Parachute Regiment in 1994. He has served three tours in Northern Ireland, one in Kosovo, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan in 2008, after which he was awarded the Military Cross.Trade ReviewFor those of us who have never seen active service, Russell Lewis’s book is an exciting introduction to the tough and dangerous world of military leadership under fire * Chris Patten *The pressures on a Company Commander are huge and in this book Russell Lewis brings to life most vividly both the intensity of the combat and the depth of care for those under his command. It is a most compelling book that shines new light on the ferocity and the humanity of the Afghanistan conflict. I commend this book to military historians and the general reader alike * General The Lord Dannatt *
£16.14
McFarland and Company, Inc. The Confederate Dirty War Arson Bombings
Book SynopsisA shadowy underground organization orchestrating plans to bring down the government; saboteurs slipping in from Canada to attempt coordinated acts of destruction; plans to poison water supplies and spread diseases among the urban populace - all part of a Confederate strategy to wreak ""terror and consternation"" upon the North during the Civil War.
£14.99
Random House Publishing Group Dear Mom
Book SynopsisIn Vietnam''s jungle war, only one group of men was feared more than death itself—the Marine Scout Snipers. . . .The U.S. Marine Scout Snipers were among the most highly trained soldiers in Vietnam. With their unparalleled skill, freedom of movement, and deadly accurate long-range Remington 700 bolt rifles, the Scout Snipers were sought after by every Marine unit—and so feared by the enemy that the VC bounty on the Scout Snipers was higher than on any other elite American unit.Joseph Ward''s letters home reveal a side of war seldom seen. Whether under nightly mortar attack in An Hoa, with a Marine company in the bullet-scarred jungle, on secret missions to Laos, or on dangerous two-man hunter-kills, Ward lived the war in a way few men did. And he fought the enemy as few men did—up close and personal.
£8.54
Pen & Sword Books Ltd How Can Man Die Better: The Secrets of Isandlwana
Book SynopsisWednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the long and distinguished history of the British Army. At noon a massive Zulu host attacked the 24th Regiment in its encampment at the foot of the mountain of Isandlwana, a distinctive feature that bore an eerie resemblance to the Sphinx badge of the outnumbered redcoats. Disaster ensued. Later that afternoon the victorious Zulus would strike the tiny British garrison at Rorke's Drift. How Can Man Die Better is a unique analysis of Isandlwana - of the weapons, tactics, ground, and the intriguing characters who made the key military decisions. Because the fatal loss was so high on the British side there is still much that is unknown about the battle. This is a work of unparalleled depth, which eschews the commonly held perception that the British collapse was sudden and that the 24th Regiment was quickly overwhelmed. Rather, there was a protracted and heroic defence against a determined and equally heroic foe. The author reconstructs the final phase of the battle in a way that has never been attempted before. It was to become the stuff of legend, which brings to life so vividly the fear and smell the blood.
£14.24
Berghahn Books Investigating Srebrenica: Institutions, Facts,
Book Synopsis In July 1995, the Bosnian Serb Army commanded by General Ratko Mladic attacked the enclave of Srebrenica, a UN “safe area” since 1993, and massacred about 8,000 Bosniac men. While the responsibility for the massacre itself lays clearly with the Serb political and military leadership, the question of the responsibility of various international organizations and national authorities for the fall of the enclave is still passionately discussed, and has given rise to various rumors and conspiracy theories. Follow-up investigations by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and by several commissions have dissipated most of these rumors and contributed to a better knowledge of the Srebrenica events and the part played by the main local and international actors. This volume represents the first systematic, comparative analysis of those investigations. It brings together analyses from both the external standpoint of academics and the inside perspective of various professionals who participated directly in the inquiries, including police officers, members of parliament, high-ranking civil servants, and other experts. Evaluating how institutions establish facts and ascribe responsibilities, this volume presents a historiographical and epistemological reflection on the very possibility of writing a history of the present time.Trade Review “This volume is much more than agglomeration of interesting and important case studies… Digesting thousands of pages of different reports and dissecting their content is a timely and insightful venture...It challenges conventional modes of historical, legal and political representation, yet demands to be addressed through responsible research and emphatic debate.” · Southeast European and Black Sea Studies “The newest addition to Berghahn Books' outstanding 'Studies in Contemporary European History' series, [this book] is an impressive compilation of eight major papers that provide an informed and informative analytical description of how an horrific event has been reported by various governments and agencies. Enhanced with six area maps, a lengthy Bibliography, a Name Index, and a Subject Index, [it] is an important and highly recommended addition to academic library reference collections.” · Reviewer's Bookwatch “[This book] provides us with a framework to analyse the hundreds of reports that are being written around the world in an effort to come to terms with past atrocities. Whether readers are interested in international relations, law, human rights, history or sociology, this book will have something to bear in the way in which we all approach the issue of understanding rationales behind knowledge. This work fills a gap in the current literature on the main reports and investigations of Srebrenica, since these had not been, until now, the objects of comparative analysis.” · LSE BlogTable of Contents List of maps Acknowledgements List of abbreviations and acronyms List of the Srebrenica reports and websites Chronology and Maps Introduction: The Judge, the Historian, and the Legislator Isabelle Delpla, Xavier Bougarel and Jean-Louis Fournel Chapter 1. The ICTY Investigations Jean-René Ruez Chapter 2. Introduction to the “Report-Form”: Characteristics and Temporalities of a Production of Public Truth Jean-Louis Fournel Chapter 3. Reassessing the French Parliamentary Fact-Finding Mission on Srebrenica Pierre Brana Chapter 4. A Tale of Two Commissions: Dutch Parliamentary Inquiries during the Srebrenica-Aftermath Christ Klep Chapter 5. Reflecting on the Dutch NIOD Report: Academic Logic and the Culture of Consensus Pieter Lagrou Chapter 6. Reopening the Wounds? The Parliament of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Question of Bosniak Responsibilities Xavier Bougarel Chapter 7. The Long Way to Admission: The Report of the Government of the Republika Srpska Michèle Picard and Asta Zinbo Chapter 8. Facts, Responsibility, Intelligibility: Comparing the Investigations and Reports Isabelle Delpla Bibliography Notes on contributors Index
£26.55
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Wellingtons Cavalry and Technical Corps 18001815
Book SynopsisThis volume covers both British cavalry and artillery of the Napoleonic Wars, as well as supporting units such as engineers.
£18.00
McFarland & Company Gaston County North Carolina in the Civil War
Book SynopsisThe 1863 Gaston County tax list defines people's lives economically and socially, and diaries, soldier letters, and other previously unpublished documents tell the story of the war from each perspective. Wives and mothers, children, soldiers, politicians, deserters, and slaves communicate their feelings, reflect their fears and aspirations.
£27.54
Penguin Books Ltd Fiasco The American Military Adventure in Iraq
Book SynopsisCutting through the headlines and spin, this is the first book to give us a true picture of the reality on the ground, through the words of the people there - from commanders to intelligence officers, army doctors to ordinary soldiers. Providing eye-witness accounts that contradict the official stories and figures, they give a chilling picture of the deceit, stupidity, wishful thinking, lack of forward planning and total intellectual failure of those behind the invasion. The result is an extraordinary new insight into the plight of ordinary soldiers doing nightmarish jobs, and the real nature of the fighting in Iraq.
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Beating Napoleon
Book Synopsis''If it had not been for you English, I should have been Emperor of the East; but wherever there is water to float a ship, we are sure to find you in our way.'' Emperor NapoleonBut just thirty-five years earlier, Britain lacked any major continental allies, and was wracked by crises and corruption. Many thought that she would follow France into revolution. The British elite had no such troubling illusions: defeat was not a possibility. Since not all shared that certainty, the resumption of the conflict and its pursuit through years of Napoleonic dominance is a remarkable story of aristocratic confidence and assertion of national superiority. Winning these wars meant ruthless imperialist expansion, spiteful political combat, working under a mad king and forging the most united national effort since the days of the Armada. And it meant setting the foundations for the greatest empire the world has ever known.Trade ReviewA vivid picture of how the British Empire not only had to defeat Napoleon but also some of its own people * Herald *
£9.74
Granta Books Ghosts of Afghanistan: The Haunted Battleground
Book SynopsisYes, there are dozens of books on the Afghan wars. Most of them are all about firefights and heroics. But this is the first to take the events of the war Bush and Blair started and put them in the context of the Soviet war and even the British imperial wars that preceded them, and draw the lessons out, and make a sharp summary of what should happen next. Ghosts of Afghanistan stands out for the combination of its calm clarity and comprehensibility, the firmness of its arguments, Steele's stature as an analyst of the region of 30 years standing, his position as the one UK journalist who had first access to the WikiLeaks cache on Afghanistan, and his interpretation of what he found there.
£9.49
Casemate Publishers America'S First Clash with Iran: The Tanker War
Book Synopsis“This book is well paced, factual... and is a really good read, especially for those unfamiliar with the ‘war’ in the first place.” - Scale Military Modeller International, June 2009“A detailed and exciting account of incidents in the 1987-8 tanker war in the Gulf.” -The Naval Review, November 2008In May 1987 the US guided missile frigate Stark, sailing the waters of the Persian Gulf, was suddenly blown apart by an Exocet missile fired by a MiG of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein. A fifth of the ship’s crew were killed and many others wounded. This event jump-started one of the most mysterious conflicts in American history, the Tanker War, which was waged for control of the Middle East’s oil supply, and was carried out in the shadow of the Iran-Iraq War.Losing on the battlefield, Ayatollah Khomeini’s Iran had decided to close the Persian Gulf against shipments from Iraq, and especially from their oil-rich backers, the emirate of Kuwait. The Kuwaitis appealed for international help to protect their tankers, and the Soviet Union was first to respond. This prompted America to react and send their own fleet to the Gulf, raising the Stars and Stripes over Kuwait’s commercial tankers. The result was a free-for-all, as the Iranians laid mines throughout the passage and launched their torpedo attacks. The Tanker War was the US Navy’s largest surface battle since World War II.Trade ReviewThis book is well paced, factual and does an excellent job of describing the tension aboard the US ships and helicopter/air crews and is a really good read, especially for those unfamiliar with the ‘war’ in the first place.Anyone thirsting for the maximum detail of the period under the spotlight will not be disappointed. It is packed with information, covering the politics, the global impact, and the tiniest minutia of life on board the various naval vessels that are suddenly thrust into a scary war. * Royal Navy & Maritime Book Reviews *A detailed and exciting account of incidents in the 1987-8 tanker war in the Gulf. * The Naval Review *
£21.38
Grub Street Publishing Vulcan Test Pilot
Book SynopsisIn June 2007 a very special event will happen in the aviation world. A restored Avro Vulcan Mark 2 XH558 will take to the air again to help commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict. To coincide with this the memoirs of one of its test pilots, Tony Blackman, will be published the first ever book about test flying this monumental delta-wing aircraft which dominated the history of the late 20th century. Tony is the ideal man to write such a tale as he flew no less than 105 of the 136 built, logging 850 flights at over 1,327 hours. His book will describe in laymans terms what it was like to tame the first prototypes and to master the unusual characteristics necessitated by the Vulcans shape. Although Tony puts the developments, demonstrations, incidents and accidents in their political and historical context, his story is a highly personal one. He explains how this awesome aircraft became a national treasure and captured the imagination of the whole country. His words, descriptions and hitherto largely unpublished photographs will make people feel as he did the excitement of handling such an incredibly powerful monster always in the knowledge that he had to be in complete charge all the time as the monster could and did bite back.
£11.69
Lawrence & Wishart Ltd Miners Against Fascism: Wales and the Spanish
Book SynopsisWelsh miners made up one of the largest contingents within the British Battalion of the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Coming from the valleys all across South Wales, they brought with them a political tradition unique in Britain in its combination of trade union militancy, radical extra-parliamentary activity and internationalism. Hywel Francis draws on a wide variety of contemporary sources to paint a vivid picture of the tumultuous politics of South Wales in the 1920s and 1930s - the context for the decision made by so many to volunteer. The book describes the process of volunteering, the militant role played by the Welsh volunteers, and the mass movements of political solidarity with Spain within Wales. It also includes many illustrations, and reproduces letters written by volunteers to their relatives and friends back in Wales. This updated 2012 edition includes a new preface and a newly compiled complete list of all Welsh volunteers.Trade Review'A fascinating study - pays homage to Cambria rather than Catalonia, and memorably so' Kenneth O Morgan, TLS 'Succeeds brilliantly in restoring the humanity of his true subjects, the volunteers - men formed by their time and place who consciously chose to express their commitment to a cause in the bravest way possible.' Dai Smith, Guardian
£20.00
University of California Press Body Counts
Book SynopsisExamines how the Vietnam War has continued to serve as a stage for the shoring up of American imperialist adventure and for the (re)production of American and Vietnamese American identities.Trade Review"An important addition to the transnational history of the Vietnam War, Cold War global history, and the history of Asian migration to the United States... An Innovative work." -- Heonik Kwon American Journal of Sociology (AJS)Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Critical Refuge(e) Studies 2. Militarized Refuge(es) 3. Refugee Camps and the Politics of Living 4. The "Good Warriors" and the "Good Refugee" 5. Refugee Remembering--and Remembrance 6. Refugee Postmemories: The "Generation After" 7. "The Endings That Are Not Over" Notes References Index
£21.25
University of California Press Hanois Road to the Vietnam War 19541965
Book SynopsisBasing on inaccessible Vietnamese materials as well as French, British, Canadian, and American documents, this book examines the internal debates and other elements that shaped Hanoi's revolutionary strategy in the decade preceding US military intervention, and resulting domestic and foreign programs.Trade Review"Highly recommended." CHOICE "Excellent new [work] on the Vietnam War." -- Geoffrey C. Stewart Cross-Currents "Outstanding... Illuminating." Proceedings "A valuable contribution to any discussion of North Vietnam's road to war, and the origins of the American stage in the Vietnam War." -- Tal Tovy H-Net "Asselin's excellent study ... will remain an indispensible source for students of Vietnam, the Cold War, and twentieth-century world history for many years to come." -- Jessica Elkind The Journal of American History "This authoritative and compelling book fills a long-felt need for a scholarly treatment of policy making in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. Pierre Asselin has conducted careful and exhaustive research into available Vietnamese and Western archival sources and consulted widely secondary writings on his topic. The result is a meticulously researched, lucidly written, and highly revealing volume on a previously obscure aspect of the Indochina conflict... Asselin pushes the frontier of our knowledge about Hanoi's strategic thinking and diplomatic maneuver during the Indochina conflict further than anyone else." Journal of American-East Asian RelationsTable of ContentsForeword by the series editors Acknowledgments Glossary of Terms and Acronyms Introduction 1. Choosing Peace, 1954--1956 2. Changing Course, 1957--1959 3. Treading Cautiously, 1960 4. Buying Time, 1961 5. Exploring Neutralization, 1962 6. Choosing War, 1963 7. Waging War, 1964 Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
£21.25
Missouri Historical Society Press My Dear Molly: The Civil War Letters of Captain
Book SynopsisThe Missouri History Museum archives are bursting with collections that provide firsthand accounts of both historic and everyday moments, but when archivist M. E. Kodner came across the James Love letters, she knew she had discovered something extraordinary. My Dear Molly consists of the 166 letters that St. Louisan James Love wrote to his fiancee, Eliza Mary "Molly" Wilson, during his Civil War service. The letters discuss the war, including activities in Missouri, battles, Love's life as a soldier, and his time in a Confederate prison, in addition to detailing the love story of James and Molly. Spanning the entire Civil War period, the letters give a full account of both the ongoing conflict and the many different aspects of Love's life, making My Dear Molly a unique contribution to our literature of the time period. The book opens with a prologue describing Love's life before the war, including his immigration to the United States from Ireland, his early career, and a trip to Australia he took in the 1850s. The body of the text consists of his letters and is divided into three sections: Love's early service with the Fifth US Reserve Corps, most of which was spent in Missouri; his service with the Eighth Kansas Infantry, which includes descriptions of military life and battle, ending with him being wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga and taken prisoner; and his years in various Confederate prisons and his attempts to escape. Each portion of the book begins with an introduction to place the letters in their historical context and to briefly explain the events and people that Love mentions in his letters. It concludes with an epilogue describing his final, successful escape, his life with Molly after the war, how the letters came to the Missouri History Museum, and Kodner's discovery of her connections through family friends to James and Molly's descendants. My Dear Molly is a remarkable, riveting volume that will add much to our knowledge of the Civil War period-its battles and conflicts as well as the experiences of ordinary Americans like James and Molly.
£21.38
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC M113 APC 196075
Book SynopsisThe M113 is the most widely used and versatile armored vehicle in the world. Fielded in 1960 as a simple battlefield taxi, over 80,000 M113s would see service with 50 nations around the world and 55 years later, many thousands are still in use. In addition to its original role of transporting troops across the battlefield, specialized versions perform a multitude of other functions including command and control, fire support, anti-tank and anti-aircraft defense, and casualty evacuation.This new fully illustrated study examines the service record of the M113 from its initial fielding through the end of the Vietnam War. It will also describe the many US, South Vietnamese, and Australian variants of the M113 used in the Vietnam War as well as information on tactics, unit tables of organization and equipment, and a selection of engagements in which the M113 played a decisive role.
£11.39
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Why Comrades Go to War: Liberation Politics and
Book SynopsisIn October 1996, a motley crew of ageing Marxists and unemployed youth coalesced to revolt against Mobutu Seso Seko, president of Zaire/Congo since 1965. The rebels of the AFDL marched over 1500km in seven months to crush the dictatorship, heralding liberation as a second independence for Central Africa as a whole. US President Bill Clinton toasted AFDL leader Laurent-Desire Kabila and his regional allies - having developed a unique camaraderie and personal trust on the region's battlefronts -- as a 'new generation of African leaders' ushering in an 'African Renaissance.' Within months, however, the Pan-Africanist alliance fell apart. The AFDL's collapse triggered a cataclysmic fratricide between the heroes of liberationthat became the deadliest conflict since the Second World War, drawing in eight African countries. This book draws on hundreds of interviews with protagonists from Africa and the international community to offer a novel theoretical and empirical account of Africa's Great War. Bridging the gap between comparative politics and international relations, it argues that the renewed outbreak of calamitous violence in August 1998 was a function of the kind of regime the AFDL was and how its leaders saw Congo, theregion and themselves. As a Pan-Africanist liberation movement, the collapse of the AFDL government internally and the unravelling of regional order externally were inextricably linked.Trade Review'[Roessler and Verhoeven’s] purpose is to answer the question: “Why did comrades go to war?” and to view the conflict through the prism of “liberation politics”. The merit of their book is that it includes interviews with many of the protagonists, clarifying critical details about their involvement … The depth of the authors’ research is impressive.' * Times Literary Supplement *'A novel lens through which to understand the First Congo War . . . sure to provoke renewed discussion.''Vivid and compelling . . . a precious contribution to our understanding of the most complex and deadliest African conflict of the late 20th century.'One of the most intelligent books on conflict in Africa that I have read in a long time. Based on an astoundingly comprehensive array of interviews with the key actors in this war.' * Professor William Reno, Northwestern University *'This is a rare combination: a book that combines exceptional academic rigor with deep, personal knowledge of a place and its main actors. As important for political scientists as it is for historians and congophiles.' * Jason Stearns, Director, Congo Research Group, New York University and author of Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa *'An exceptionally well researched and argued book. Based on a wealth of hitherto unknown information, including many interviews with crucial stakeholders, it offers new and refreshing insights into very complex and dramatic events that continue to impact Central Africa up to the present day.' * Filip Reyntjens, Professor of Law and Politics at the University of Antwerp, and author of Political Governance in Post-Genocide Rwanda and The Great African War: Congo and Regional Geopolitics, 1996-2006 *'Why Comrades Go To War is a detailed and compelling account of the bitter grapes of post-colonialism in Africa. The authors range widely over Central Africa but provide a detailed account of the often sordid and always tragic events that ruined the lives of millions of people. I find an almost Greek tragedy -- an inevitability -- in the events they relate, but the authors wisely temper this impression by showing how the leaders' choices, fears, ambitions, greed, and mistakes made the tragedy modern. An important book.' * William Polk, author of Violent Politics and Neighbors and Strangers, among many other books *'Why Comrades Go to War is a welcome addition to the literature on the Congo Wars, first to overthrow Mobutu and then to overthrow his successor, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Roessler and Verhoeven demonstrate that a focus on elite actors (above all, Kabila and his Rwandan Tutsi backers, Generals Kagame and Kabarebe) is essential to understanding why the first war led inexorably to the second.' * Tom Turner, author of The Congo Wars: Conflict, Myth and Reality *'Africa's most deadly war was rooted not only in geopolitics, but in an ideological state conspiracy as well. This puzzling story is told in Why Comrades Go to War, a cross between a political people's magazine and a late twentieth-century overview of eastern and central Africa. A must for those wanting to track the labyrinths underpinning visible African events.' * Gérard Prunier, author of The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide and From Genocide to Continental War *
£24.75
Transworld Publishers Ltd Vulcan 607
Book SynopsisIt was to be one of the most ambitious operations since 617 Squadron bounced their revolutionary bombs into the dams of the Ruhr Valley in 1943 . . . April 1982. Argentine forces had invaded the Falkland Islands. Britain needed an answer. And fast. The idea was simple: to destroy the vital landing strip at Port Stanley. The reality was more complicated. The only aircraft that could possibly do the job was three months from being scrapped, and the distance it had to travel was four thousand miles beyond its maximum range. It would take fifteen Victor tankers and seventeen separate in-flight refuellings to get one Avro Vulcan B2 over the target, and give its crew any chance of coming back alive.Yet less than a month later, a formation of elderly British jets launched from a remote island airbase to carry out the longest-range air attack in history. At its head was a single aircraft, six men, and twenty-one thousand-pound bombs, facing the hornet's nest oTrade ReviewExciting and breathtakingly pacy...This is exactly how modern history should be written * Andy McNab *Gripping, endlessly fascinating detail. I read the book in one sitting: it is an utterly compelling war story, brilliantly written * Simon Winchester *A masterwork of narrative history. Brilliantly described, the story of an impossible British mission is a compelling one; it's telling long overdue * Clive Cussler *Big heavy bombers. Proper old-fashioned heroism. And triumph of ingenuity over limited funding. So far as I'm concerned, it has the lot and to cap it all it reads like fiction when it's actually fact. I more than enjoyed it, it could have been written specially for me * Jeremy Clarkson *Exceptional...Written like the very best thriller, it draws the reader into the exclusive world of the combat crew in a unique and truly gripping way * John Nichol *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Bravo Two Zero 20th Anniversary Edition
Book SynopsisIn January 1991, eight members of SAS regiment embarked upon a top secret mission that was to infiltrate them deep behind enemy lines. Under the command of Sergeant Andy McNab, they were to sever the underground communication link between Baghdad and north-west Iraq, and to seek and destroy mobile Scud launchers. Their call sign: Bravo Two Zero.Trade Review"The best account yet of the SAS in action" Sunday Times "Extraordinary" The Times "Gripping" Daily Telegraph "Magnificent" Independent on Sunday "A gripping account of special forces at work...a tremendous adventure story" Daily Telegraph
£11.69
Harvard University Press The IranIraq War
Book SynopsisFrom 1980 to 1988 Iran and Iraq fought the longest conventional war of the century. It included tragic slaughter of child soldiers, use of chemical weapons, striking of civilian shipping, and destruction of cities. Pierre Razoux offers an unflinching look at a conflict seared into the region’s collective memory but little understood in the West.Trade Review[A] heavyweight work of history…[Razoux] brings a cool, factual approach to a large subject that has hitherto received too little attention…Razoux’s deep research and analytical style make the book something of a general-staff history…It adds up to something extraordinary. -- Bartle Bull * Wall Street Journal *Once a decade, a book appears in which the creative genius and technical skill of the author perfectly match a vast subject. The French defense expert Pierre Razoux’s book on the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq war is superb and hugely topical… Razoux has a brilliant and economical way of making what became huge and complex battles intensely readable (the maps are excellent too)… This is a masterwork and anyone interested in where Iran goes next—for Iraq will surely cease to be a unitary state—should read the historian of real genius. -- Michael Burleigh * The Times *Pierre Razoux’s The Iran-Iraq War is better by a mile than most of the military history that floods the English market. Very topical too since we will be getting to know Iran much more in future and its history should be required reading. -- Michael Burleigh * Evening Standard *What emerges in illuminating detail from Razoux’s study is the impact of the power struggle between Ayatollah Khomeini’s two protégés, the men he promoted and protected till the end of his life in June 1989, and left in charge of a house divided by their rivalry: Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ali Hosseini Khamenei. -- Joost Hiltermann * London Review of Books *Oddly this war isn’t discussed much any more, even though it is arguably the breakthrough event for the ongoing collapse of parts of the Middle East…I found Pierre Razoux’s The Iran-Iraq War to be a highly readable and useful account. -- Tyler Cowen * Marginal Revolution *This is an impressive, well-researched account of a conflict that helped define the modern Middle East, and it explains, as Razoux shows, much subsequent Iraqi and Iranian history… Razoux brilliantly links the conflict to the regional and Great Power politics of the period… Thus the Iran–Iraq war led directly into post–Cold War geopolitics and conflict. Razoux has produced the best book available on this important war. -- Jeremy Black * Military History *Although it was the longest war of the 20th century and caused over a million casualties, the Iran-Iraq War is largely forgotten by the Western world outside of a few military analysts and Middle East scholars…In spite of the ramifications of this war, a complete and readable single volume narrative has not been written in the West, until now. Razoux…has written a comprehensive and engrossing account of this war. Using a wealth of new or untapped sources, including the complete set of transcripts of the American debriefing of Saddam Hussein after his capture in 2004 and numerous interviews with Iranian and Iraqi commanders, Razoux provides unique insights into the strategic and operational thinking of both sides throughout the war…What makes this book so useful to both military historians and students of Middle Eastern politics is that Razoux is able to incorporate a complete look at the ripples caused by this conflict throughout the Middle East and within the Cold War as a whole…There is almost nothing occurring in the Middle East today that wasn’t somehow influenced by this virtually unknown war. It has been long overdue for a comprehensive single-volume history, which this book ably fulfills. This is definitely a volume that both military historians and Middle Eastern scholars should have on their bookshelf. -- Jerry D. Lenaburg * New York Journal of Books *The Iran–Iraq War marked a turning point in the history of the Middle East. One cannot comprehend the situation in the Gulf today—the Iranian nuclear program or the political crises in Baghdad and Tehran—without understanding the frustrations and fears that sprang from that war. * Diplomatie *This is an important book, not least for the time devoted to it: ten years’ work by the author, with hundreds of meetings and interviews, unpublished archives, and the deciphering of the famous audiotapes of Saddam Hussein and his staff. And for the first time, Iranian sources are included as well… Razoux examines the military dimension with a knack for detail and a commanding narrative sense, but also addresses the political, diplomatic, and economic aspects. * Libération Week-End *The chapter on the tribulations of the Iranian child-soldiers is poignant, the one on the torment of the Kurds gassed at Halabja overwhelming… It is impossible to grasp the Iraqi and Iranian crises of the twenty-first century without going back to this first, brutal war in the Gulf. * Le Monde *Razoux’s detailed, wide-ranging and elegantly written account is the best hope we have of seeing this epoch-defining conflict for what it was. Drawing on a decade of research, during which he accessed Saddam's audio records of military and political meetings, investigated Iranian sources and conducted countless interviews with military, political and business figures from around the world, Razoux gives the reader a uniquely broad and deep look at the conflict…One of the most fascinating insights this book offers is its illustration of the impact the conflict had on the Islamic Republic of Iran and how that nation moved from fledgling revolutionary state to an established Islamic theocracy…Razoux’s excellent and lucidly translated study does this awful conflict justice in an even-handed and professional manner. It is a must read for anyone with an interest in Iran, Iraq and the region as it stands today. -- C. P. W. Gammell * Literary Review *Using published Western sources, interviews, still-classified French intelligence reports, and the translated transcripts of the audio tapes Saddam kept of all his meetings, Razoux…has produced a blow-by-blow military history which is the first significant reappraisal of the war since the downfall of Saddam…Razoux writes well on the interplay of war and politics (and has been translated well and sympathetically); there are many insights and telling anecdotes. -- James Barr * Times Literary Supplement *
£33.96
Manchester University Press The Debate on the Crusades 10992010
Book SynopsisThis is the first book-length study to chart how the dramatic events of 30 generations ago have been understood, shaped and manipulated by writers in successive periods since and to show how modern images of the crusades are as much a product of our own and intervening times as of the bloody wars of the cross themselves. -- .Trade Review[An] Engaging and extremely worthwhile bookJournal of Ecclesiastical History 63 (3) July 2012'It is Christopher Tyerman’s great achievement to have given us a coherent narrative which spans the very beginnings of recording the First Crusade to today’s analytical approaches to a medieval movement which has fascinated different ages for different reasons.'Christoph T. Maie, Crusades, 2012 -- .Table of ContentsGeneral Editor’s forewordPrefaceIntroduction1. Medieval views on the Crusades2. Reformation, revision, texts and nations 1500-17003. Reason, faith and progress: a contested Enlightenment4. Empathy and materialism: keeping the crusade up to date5. Scholarship, politics and the Golden Age of research6. The end of colonial consensus7. Erdmann and Runciman and the end of tradition8. Definitions and directionsEpilogueSelective guide to further readingIndex
£18.99
McFarland & Company Col. Frank Huger C.S.A.
Book Synopsis Mostly cheerful and optimistic in tone, these missives include sketches of the battles in which Huger participated and fair and honest opinions of his superiors and fellow soldiers, including harsh criticism of generals Braxton Bragg and James Longstreet. Huger also declares his frustration with technical artillery problems and his appetite for the charms of young women at home. The colonel''s correspondence offers insights into the day-to-day life of an artillery man in Virginia and Tennessee and reveals the trials and triumphs of one patriotic family during wartime. An informative introduction details his family background, his education at West Point, and his postwar career as a railroad executive.
£20.89
The History Press Ltd British Napoleonic Uniforms
Book SynopsisFor the first time in print a book identifies each regiment and illustrates the change in uniforms, the colour of the facings and the nature and shape of the lace for the officers, NCOs and private soldiers over the period of the Napoleonic War 1793-1815. In British Napoleonic Uniforms, Carl Franklin's lavishly illustrated third volume for The History Press, these changes to the uniforms of all the numbered regiments of cavalry and infantry are discussed in detail. It is illustrated with more than two hundred full-colour plates of the uniforms and every aspect of their regimental distinctions.The book is divided into four parts. Part One looks at the commonalities of the cavalry and considers uniforms appropriate to each regiment such as headwear, the evolution of the uniforms and horse furniture. Part Two considers the uniforms of the heavy and light cavalry regiments. It includes full-page colour illustrations of the Household Cavalry, the Heavy Cavalry (Dragoon Guards and Dragoons), and Light Cavalry (the Light Dragoons and Hussars). Part Three shows the commonalties of the infantry and considers the uniform appropriate to each regiment, such as those of the Drummers and Highland Regiments, as well as their tartans. Part Four discusses the uniforms and distinctions of the infantry, including the regiments of Foot Guards and Infantry of the Line (Fusiliers, Light Infantry, Riflemen and Highland Regiments). For this revised edition Carl Franklin has updated many of the artworks and provided a colour guide specifically for modellers.
£48.00
The History Press Ltd Napoleonic Wargaming
Book SynopsisFollowing the success of his previous publications Wargaming: an Introduction and Ancient and Medieval Wargaming, Neil Thomas presents a new volume devoted to the intricacies of Napoleonic wargaming. Thomas sets out his wargame rules, the principles behind them, extensive army lists, how to set up a game and a battle report describing a war game in progress. The appendices provide a full range of support material such as figure sizes. Napoleonic Wargaming also includes historical background and the art of Napoleonic warfare to provide essential contextual information for players. This book is an invaluable tool for wargamers and coincides with the bicentenary of the wars themselves.
£20.62
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Seven Myths of the Civil War
Book Synopsis"Readers of this book who thought they knew a lot about the U.S. Civil War will discover that much of what they 'knew' is wrong. For readers whose previous knowledge is sketchy but whose desire to learn is strong, the separation of myth from reality is an important step toward mastering the subject. The essays will generate lively discussion and new insights." —James M. McPherson, Professor Emeritus, Princeton UniversityTrade Review"I never imagined that my Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, first published in 2003, would prove to be so enduring a format for helping students of all kinds to rethink key moments in human history. It is therefore a great honor to see that the book has now inspired Hackett Publishing Company's "Myths of History" series, expertly and effectively edited by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt.” —Matthew Restall, Pennsylvania State University"Wesley Moody's clear, engaging book tackles enduring Civil War myths with grace, candor, and persuasive evidence. By exploring a wide range of subjects including the war's causes, soldiers, leaders, prisons, and battlefields, this volume's group of talented historians accomplishes more than myth busting. Each scholar reveals deeper, more satisfying stories hidden beneath Civil War fallacies and falsehoods. As a result, Civil War students and enthusiasts will find more than facts in this compelling book; they’ll encounter the complexities of real war, the long shadows of memory, and the hard work that historians conduct to illuminate the past." —Jason Phillips, Eberly Professor of Civil War History, West Virginia University"Seven Myths of the Civil War is well-written, engaging, accessible, and of very sound scholarship. In this volume some of the premier scholars in the field of Civil War history weigh in and root out the causes, courses, and continuing consequences of these persistent mythologies in ways that are at once both easily accessible and necessarily nuanced. I plan to use this collection of essays as a centerpiece of my next Civil War-themed course. I’ll use it to introduce the prevailing myths regarding the Civil War Era, then point up the ways in which the historical record can be seen to utterly debunk those myths." —James Hill Welborn III, Georgia College & State UniversityTable of ContentsContents: Series Editors' Foreword Editor's Preface Introduction Confederate States' Rights: A Contradiction in Terms Was Abraham Lincoln a Racist? African Americans in Confederate Military Service: Myth and Reality The Myth of the "Great" Conventional Battlefield War Civil War Prisons: The Legacy of Responsibility The Lost Causers' Favorite Target: Grant the Butcher Marching through Georgia: The Myth of Sherman's Total War Epilogue Suggested Readings
£47.59
The History Press Ltd Katanga 196063
Book SynopsisThe first full account of an African secession that introduced the modern mercenary ‒ and killed the head of the United Nations
£21.18
Oxford University Press Inc Armies of Sand
Book SynopsisSince World War II, Arab armed forces have consistently punched below their weight--they have lost many wars that by all rights they should have won, and in their best performances only ever achieved quite modest accomplishments. Over time, soldiers, scholars, and military experts have offered various explanations for this pattern. Reliance on Soviet military methods, the poor civil-military relations of the Arab world, the underdevelopment of the Arab states, and patterns of behavior derived from the wider Arab culture, have all been suggested as the ultimate source of Arab military difficulties. Armies of Sand, powerful and riveting history of Arab armies from the end of World War Two to the present, assesses these differing explanations and isolates the most important causes. Over the course of the book, he examines the combat performance of fifteen Arab armies and air forces in virtually every Middle Eastern war, from the Jordanians and Syrians in 1948 to Hizballah in 2006 and the Iraqis and ISIS in 2014-2017. He then compares these experiences to the performance of the Argentine, Chadian, Chinese, Cuban, North Korean, and South Vietnamese armed forces in their own combat operations during the twentieth century. The book ultimately concludes that reliance on Soviet doctrine was more of a help than a hindrance to the Arabs. In contrast, politicization and underdevelopment were both important factors limiting Arab military effectiveness, but patterns of behavior derived from the dominant Arab culture was the most important factor of all. Pollack closes with a discussion of the rapid changes occurring across the Arab world-political, economic, and cultural-as well as the rapid evolution in war making as a result of the information revolution. He suggests that because both Arab society and warfare are changing, the problems that have bedeviled Arab armed forces in the past could dissipate or even vanish in the future, with potentially dramatic consequences for the Middle East military balance. Sweeping in its historical coverage and highly accessible, this will be the go-to reference for anyone interested in the history of warfare in the Middle East since 1945.Trade ReviewA masterful, wide-ranging, compelling study of why Arab armies have typically fared poorly in combat. With this certain-to-be classic work, Ken Pollack solidifies his position as one of the world's foremost scholars on Middle Eastern military and political affairs. * General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Director of the CIA *Ken Pollack argues convincingly that efforts to uncover causes of military success or failure must begin far from the battlefield. He shines new light on social, economic, political, and cultural impediments to improving military effectiveness in Arab states. His argument that the influence of culture is predominant is certain to generate introspection among Arab leaders and their overseas partners who support their military reform efforts. This should be read and debated by readers who want to understand better this complex and important region. * H.R. McMaster, Former National Security Advisor and author of Dereliction of Duty *Few if any military analysts know as much, or have thought as deeply, about Arab armies as has Ken Pollack. In Armies of Sand-a masterpiece of political science-he distills a lifetime of learning to grapple with the most important and most difficult questions that lie at the intersection of technology, culture and politics. Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of warfare in the Middle East. * Max Boot, author of Invisible Armies *Armies of Sand belongs in the library of every military professional serving in the Middle East, whether Western or Arab. It is a unique blend of military history and social science that comprehensively explains the military effectiveness of our Arab friends and foes alike. Pollack has courageously and objectively tackled the sensitive subject of culture, which we ignore at our peril. Armed with its insights, future commanders might avoid the surprises and frustrations that have long been the hallmarks of military operations in this theater of persistent conflict. * Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, U.S. Army (Ret.); Commander of Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, 2015-2016 *This is a path-breaking volume on an uncomfortable topic: Arab military failure. Kenneth Pollack is the model of the engaged scholar, whose extensive field experience on today's battlefields complements his knowledge of military affairs and the Arab world more broadly. The volume is lucid, comprehensive and fascinating. His conclusions about the relationship between culture and military effectiveness will be controversial, but they are compellingly put and will set the terms of debate for years to come. * Eliot A. Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor of Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins-SAIS *Table of ContentsForeword Acknowledgments Introduction: The Six-Day War and the Mystery of Arab Military Ineffectiveness 1. Pattens of Arab Military Performance Part I: Soviet Doctrine 2. The Soviet Way of War 3. Arab Militaries and Soviet Doctrine 4. North Korea, Cuba, and Soviet Doctrine Part II: Politicization 5. Politicization 6. Arab Militaries and Politicization: Egypt 7. Arab Militaries and Politicization: Iraq 8. Politicization and the South Vietnamese Armed Forces 9. Politicization and the Argentine Armed Forces Part III: Underdevelopment 10. Economic Development and Military Effectiveness 11. Economic Development and Syrian Military Effectiveness 12. Economic Development and the Libya-Chad Wars 13. Economic Development and Chinese Military Effectiveness 14. Economic Development and Arab Military Effectiveness Part IV: Culture 15. War and Culture 16. Arab Culture as an Explanation for Military Ineffectiveness 17. Aab Culture: Patterns and Predilections 18. Arab Culture and Arab Military Effectiveness 19. Arab Culture and Civilian Organizations 20. Culture and Education: The Causal Link 21. Arab Military Training Methods 22. Exceptional Arab Militaries: State Armed Forces 23. Exceptional Arab Militaries: Nonstate Armies Conclusions: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness Notes Selected Bibliography Index
£27.44
Little, Brown Book Group Rebel Englishwoman
Book SynopsisWinner of the Mbokodo Award for Women in the Arts for Literature, the ATKV (Afrikaans Language and Culture Association) Award for non-fiction and the kykNet/Rapport Award for non-fiction. ''Here was Emily . . . in these diaries and scrapbooks. An unprecedented, intimate angle on the real Emily''Elsabé Brits has drawn on a treasure trove of previously private sources, including Emily Hobhouse''s diaries, scrap-books and numerous letters that she discovered in Canada, to write a revealing new biography of this remarkable Englishwoman. Hobhouse has been little celebrated in her own country, but she is still revered in South Africa, where she worked so courageously, selflessly and tirelessly to save lives and ameliorate the suffering of thousands of women and children interned in camps set up by British forces during the Anglo-Boer War, in which it is estimated that over 27,000 Boer women and children died; and where her ashes are enshrinedTrade ReviewThis engaging and thoroughly researched account of her life draws on fresh material, including diaries, letters and photographs . . . This beautifully written biography restores her to her rightful place as one of the 20th century's feminist heroines -- Rebecca Wallersteiner * The Lady *
£12.34
Grub Street Publishing Hunter Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the Hawker
Book SynopsisFrom Richard Pike, author of Grub Street's bestselling Lightning Boys series, comes Hunter Boys, a fascinating insight into the experiences of those who flew the iconic Hawker Hunter - an aircraft known affectionately to many as `Queen of the Skies'. In fifteen separate chapters, pilots' stories of the dramas and demands of this incredible aircraft, which changed the future of fighter development, are related in distinctive style, including experiences of the legendary test pilot Neville Duke. One chapter details the remarkable tale of a pilot who flew an unauthorised sortie under London's Tower Bridge at the time of the 50th anniversary of the Royal Air Force. In another, the realities of war are recounted in a poignant personal account taken from diaries penned at the time of the 1971 Indo/Pakistan conflict. Further chapters describe individual experiences of flying in places as diverse as Aden, Gibraltar, Jordan and Kenya. The exceptional performance of this aircraft is evident throughout as is its well-renowned lengthy service life with the RAF and internationally. The scope, flair and pace of the writing in this book will appeal to the general reader as well as to the enthusiast.Trade Review`The contributors have written entertaining and informative tales of success, heroics, fear, relief and exhilaration in and around the Hunter cockpit.' Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal; `An intriguing insight into the experiences of the Hawker Hunter pilots.' Military History Monthly; `The book is an entertaining window into what must have been one of the most glorious periods to be in Fighter Command.' The Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators
£11.69
30 Degrees South Publishers Anecdotes of the Anglo-Boer war: Tales from 'The
Book SynopsisA kaleidoscope of human-interest stories exposing long-kept secrets, mysteries and heroics for the first time. Wars always generate stories and everybody loves a story. Rob Milne has compiled this selection of Anglo-Boer War stories from all over South Africa and recounts them in a book that saddens, mystifies, but most of all entertains. There's the devotion of the English fiancee who for 60 years sent a sprig of heather to the Lake Chrissie Post Office for her beloved's grave, the tale of the lone Boer sniper who held off the entire Guards Brigade for more than a day after the battle of Bergendal, the sighting of UFOs near Pretoria at the beginning of the war and the story of how an unfortunate British soldier ended up being buried under a toilet on a railway station. Read about Sergeant Woodward's two graves in Heidelberg and the ghosts of the British officers that still haunt the Elands River Valley. During the past 12 years since the publication of the first edition, Milne has relentlessly followed up on his stories; but sometimes the stories have followed him ...with unexpected results! There's a photo of the ghosts of the Bergendal farm girl and her British soldier lover who appeared in broad daylight on the battlefield while Milne was investigating the story in 2011. There's the unnamed Welshman who found the long-lost British paymaster's gold 60 years after the military train was ambushed and looted near Greylingstad. Learn the truth of how Churchill and his fellow officers received the daily war news in Morse code while they were prisoners of war at the State Model School in Pretoria, why Prime Minister Botha was sued after the war for stealing the 'Kruger Millions' when entrusted to his care as Commandant-General during the retreat to the Mozambican border. And there's the love story, 'The Legend of the Flowers', about Martha, a Boer girl, and a British soldier, George, which unfolded in Ventersdorp and how Martha involved the author in her story from beyond the grave. A unique and delightfully refreshing read.
£12.30
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Armies of Russias War in Ukraine
Book SynopsisExplaining and illustrating the immediate background to the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, this book investigates the Ukrainian and Russian regular and irregular forces which have been fighting in the Donbas region since 2014. In February 2014, street protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities led to the ousting of the Russian-backed President Yanukovych. Simultaneously, Russia carried out an almost-bloodless seizure of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. Ukraine's Euromaidan Revolution' would see many changes to the country's constitution, and a turn towards the West for civic assistance and military training. Meanwhile, a violent reaction in the mainly Russian-speaking south-eastern industrial Donbas region led to a local armed counter-revolution, backed by Russia from April 2014. This conflict became an essential example of Russia's policy of so-called hybrid warfare', which pursues its strategic aims by a blend of propaganda and misinformation with the clandestine deployment ofTable of ContentsIntroduction: brief overview of the complex relationship between Russia and Ukraine, and the ejection of President Yanukovych in the 'Maidan Revolution' of February 2014. Taking Crimea: summary of Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine, the forces involved, and the military lessons learned. 'Hybrid War' in the Donbas: overview of the war's progress up to 2018, and such incidents as the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. Russian Proxy Forces: local militias, volunteers, Cossacks and mercenaries; career of 'Igor Strelkov', 'defence minister' of the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic; the Vostock Battalion, Chechen veterans organized by the GRU; Russia's difficulty in controlling its proxies. Russian Regular Forces: the battalion tactical groups – order of battle; the battle of Debaltseve – a month-long conflict which obliged Russian regulars to intervene; the battle of Zelenopillya – destruction of Ukrainian mechanized units by Russian artillery. Ukrainian Auxiliary Forces: volunteer militias bankrolled by oligarchs – orders of battle of volunteer battalions. The battle for Donetsk Airport – the vicious four-month 'battle of the Cyborgs'. Ukrainian Regular Forces: structure, equipment, tactics, and developing capabilities; Ukrainian Army order of battle; Ukrainian Navy and Naval Infantry. The Future? Identifiable trends, e.g. drone-controlled artillery; blending of militias; intelligence; deniable regular forces; and Russia's use of mercenaries as part of 'hybrid warfare', in Ukraine and later Syria.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Holy Land in the Era of the Crusades:
Book SynopsisThe Near East in the era of the Crusades was home to diverse populations Orthodox and Latin Christians, Shia and Sunni Muslims, Jews and Samaritans. It was the meeting-point for Arab, Turkish, Byzantine and Frankish culture, the latter itself a mixture of Western traditions adapted to circumstances in the crusader states by the Europeans who had settled in the Holy Land. While the Crusades have become a synonym for brutality and bigotry, the crusader states represented a positive example of harmonious coexistence across two centuries. Likewise, while scholars from a wide range of disciplines including archaeology, art history, and medicine have shed light on diverse aspects of the crusader states, to date there is no single introductory source that provides a comprehensive overview of these unique states as a starting point for the uninitiated. _The Holy Land in the Era of the Crusades_ aims to fill this gap while correcting common misconceptions by bringing together recent scholarly research on a range of topics to create a comprehensive description. It covers the history, demography, state institutions, foreign policy, economy, art, architecture, and lifestyle of the people who lived in the crusader states in the period from 1100 to 1300\. It is organized in two main parts: a chronological historical overview, and a topical discussion of key features of these unique kingdoms. An additional, final chapter describes the rise and fall of the House of Ibelin to give the entire history a human face. _The Holy Land in the Era of the Crusades_ would make an ideal textbook for undergraduates while offering hobby historians an introduction to the crusader states with tips for further research.
£21.25
Dorling Kindersley Ltd A Short History of The Vietnam War
Book SynopsisThis is the definitive story of one of the longest and most controversial conflicts in US history.Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this authoritative history of the Vietnam War examines the key figures and events of the conflict, and its lasting effects on the world. This history book for adults combines compelling text with maps and archive photography, A Short History of the Vietnam War is an all-encompassing showcase of every aspect of the fighting and the wider political landscape, from the struggle for civil rights to the treatment of prisoners.Inside the pages of this retelling of America''s bloodiest conflict, you''ll discover:- Vivid, moving, and informative details of the Vietnam war, including eyewitness accounts and iconic photographs - A clear and compelling account of the conflict, in short, self-contained events from the Battle of Ia Drang to the Tet Offensive and The Khmer Rouge - Biography s
£17.09
Stanford University Press When the Iron Bird Flies: China's Secret War in
Book SynopsisAn untold story that reshapes our understanding of Chinese and Tibetan history From 1956 to 1962, devastating military conflicts took place in China's southwestern and northwestern regions. Official record at the time scarcely made mention of the campaign, and in the years since only lukewarm acknowledgment of the violence has surfaced. When the Iron Bird Flies, by Jianglin Li, breaks this decades long silence to reveal for the first time a comprehensive and explosive picture of the six years that would prove definitive in modern Tibetan and Chinese history. The CCP referred to the campaign as "suppressing the Tibetan rebellion." It would lead to the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in India, as well as the Tibetan diaspora in 1959, though the battles lasted three additional years after these events. Featuring key figures in modern Chinese history, the battles waged in this period covered a vast geographical region. This book offers a portrait of chaos, deception, heroism, and massive loss. Beyond the significant death toll across the Tibetan regions, the war also destroyed most Tibetan monasteries in a concerted effort to eradicate local religion and scholarship. Despite being considered a military success, to this day, the operations in the agricultural regions remain unknown. As large numbers of Tibetans have self-immolated in recent years to protest Chinese occupation, Li shows that the largest number of cases occurred in the sites most heavily affected by this hidden war. She argues persuasively that the events described in this book will shed more light on our current moment, and will help us understand the unrelenting struggle of the Tibetan people for their freedom.Trade Review"In this book we have the for the first time a Chinese historian presenting conclusive research on Tibet's recent history. It is my hope that through this historical documentation establishing the truth of what happened, Chinese intellectuals, and all other readers, will come to understand the real situation and be able to deepen their approach to and understanding of the Tibet problem in the spirit of seeking truth from facts. With my praise and admiration for the author on the fruition of her many labours." –His Holiness the Dalai Lama"Jianglin Li is a treasure. The confines of our knowledge about Tibet have expanded dramatically as a result of her dogged research. She has done for Tibet what Chinese historians like Yang Jisheng have done for the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution: uncovered, at considerable personal cost, a history that the Communist Party tried hard to conceal."—Barbara Demick, author of Eat the Buddha"Jianglin Li has pieced together by far the most comprehensive and compelling picture of the devastation wreaked by China upon Tibet. This book is likely to remain the definitive source, and therefore required reading, for anyone interested in this history."—Anne F. Thurston, co-author with Gyalo Thondup of The Noodle Maker of Kalimpong"To have this kind of detail about these events is exceptional. Until now, historians had assumed that 1959 marked the end of major conflict between the PLA and Tibet. This important study corrects those notions, and expands our understanding about the deep tensions that continue to reverberate in much of China's western territories."—Robert Barnett, editor of Forbidden Memory: Tibet during the Cultural Revolution"When the Iron Bird Flies provides the most comprehensive account to date of the brutal and bloody conflicts that took place between the PLA and Tibetans. Combining rigorous research with extensive interviews with Tibetan refugees, this book sheds light on those violent critical years of state incorporation."—Emily T. Yeh, author of Taming Tibet"Authoritative, exhaustive, and reliable, Jianglin Li's account sets a new standard for the history of Sino-Tibetan relations and deftly depicts the momentous historical transition of a region little known to outsiders."—David G. Atwill, coauthor with Yurong Y. Atwill of Sources in Chinese History"This extraordinarily important book reveals for the first time the ruthless military campaign against local rebellions that the PLA waged across vast Tibetan regions. This long-hidden story, told in a series of powerfully dramatic vignettes, reshapes our understanding of the formative years of the People's Republic of China."—Andrew G. Walder, author of China Under Mao"[When the Iron Bird Flies] provides many startling details about how the Chinese Communist Party cracked down on Tibetans from 1956 through 1962. The work of Li, an independent scholar born in China, has an aspect of a detective story because the Chinese government has never disclosed much of what happened... Does any of this matter now, decades later? I think so. As I read Li's study, I thought of the current Chinese government crackdown on the Uyghurs of far northwestern China. I suspect that many of the lessons the Communist Party learned in Tibet are being applied now."—Thomas E. Ricks, The New York Times Book Review"Li draws on interviews with exiled Tibetans and on classified Chinese-language sources to describe battle after battle and the enormous destruction and loss of civilian life that the PLA caused... The story is all the more heartbreaking for the clinical tone of Li's reporting."—Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign AffairsThe book's strength is Li's detailed account and descriptions of events based on rarely accessed Chinese sources supplemented by interviews with Tibetans living in exile. Li sees the book as a personal exploration in pursuit of truth.... Overall, Li tells a powerful story of the Tibetan resistance and provides vivid details about the clash between vastly different value systems that underlay that conflict."—Tsering Shakya, Pacific AffairsTable of Contents1. The Storm Rising in the Mountains 2. Rebellion Sparked in the Year of the Fire Monkey 3. Lithang: The Fallen Buddha of the Future 4. Chatreng: The Broken Mala 5. Nyarong: The Wrath of the Dragoness 6. The First Bend in the Yellow River 7. Tibet: Occupation and "Reform" 8. The Chamdo Pilot Project and "Six Years without Change" 9. Diplomatic Clashes: Zhou Enlai, Nehru, and the Dalai Lama 10. Obscure Events in 1957 11. Gunshots in the Golok Grasslands 12. The Yellow River Massacre 13. Yulshul in Flames 14. Tubten Nyima, a monk from the area, confirmed to the author the location of the battles referred to as the "battle of encirclement and annihilation in southeastern Xinghai" in Chinese sources. It was one of the major campaigns of Qinghai's 1958-1959 suppression of the Tibetan resistance and fleeing Tibetans. 15. The Crossed-Sword Banner at Drigu Lake 16. The 1958 "Religious Reform Movement" 17. Lhasa, the Last Hope 18. "Lhasa Is No More!" 19. The Battle of Lhoka 20. From Namtso to Mitikha 21. Encircling the Plateau in the Depths of Winter 22. The Men Who Fell from the Sky 23. Chamdo's Fight to the Death 24. The Life-or-Death Journey 25. When the Iron Horse Raced Across the Plateau
£26.99
Cornell University Press Invisible Weapons
Book SynopsisThroughout the history of the Crusades, liturgical prayer, masses, and alms were all marshaled in the fight against Muslim armies. In Invisible Weapons, M. Cecilia Gaposchkin focuses on the ways in which Latin Christians communicated their ideas and aspirations for crusade to God through liturgy, how public worship was deployed, and how prayers and masses absorbed the ideals and priorities of crusading. Placing religious texts and practices within the larger narrative of crusading, Gaposchkin offers a new understanding of a crucial facet in the culture of holy war.Open Access edition funded by the National Endowment for the HumanitiesTrade ReviewGaposchkin delivers her argument not only with historical exactitude and ingenuity, but also with the care of a seasoned educator.... Gaposchkin’s work stands at the top of crusade studies. Her work will strengthen the syllabi of seminars dedicated to liturgical history, especially of the medieval and crusading periods, and associated reading lists for doctoral students. * Homiletic *The intricate web linking thought, expression, and action at the heart of this marvelous book [will surely make it] indispensable for anyone interested in the Crusades as a manifestation of medieval religious culture. * American Historical Review *A model demonstration of how the liturgy promoted ecclesiastical goals, and how the technical, seemingly intractable, medieval liturgy can be made accessible to historians.... Comprehensive, convincing, and successful. * H-France Review *This illuminating and detailed book reveals an aspect of crusading that is too easily forgotten—the practice of prayer and its dynamic relationship with the practice of arms—and urges us to remember that medieval Latin Christians were as serious about their faith as they were about their warfare. * Reading Religion *This is a hardworking and exciting piece of work... that makes an original and impressive contribution to scholarship on the crusades. * The Medieval Review *In this exceptionally learned, well-written, and important monograph, Gaposchkin makes a singular contribution to not one but two fields: liturgical studies and crusades history.... This is a monumental work deserving the attention of every medievalist. * Church History *Invisible Weapons is one of the most important books on the crusades to be published in recent decades. Like the very best scholarship in the field, it deepens our understanding of the crusades and the ideology that fuelled them, but situates the whole phenomenon within the wider cultural context of the medieval West, revealing ultimately how 'the liturgy imbibed the ideals of crusade such that crusade ideals and aspirations became part of Christian identity' * Parergon: Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medieval and Early Modern Studies *Table of ContentsIntroductionPreliminariesChapter 1. Liturgy and the Origins of Crusade IdeologyChapter 2. From Pilgrimage to CrusadeChapter 3. On the MarchChapter 4. Celebrating the Capture of Jerusalem in the Holy CityChapter 5. Echoes of Victory in the WestChapter 6. Clamoring to God: Liturgy as a Weapon of WarChapter 7. Praying against the TurksConclusion
£23.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Waterloo Armies: Men, Organization and
Book SynopsisWaterloo is one of the most famous battles in history and it has given rise to a vast and varied literature. The strategy and tactics of the battle and the entire Waterloo campaign have been analysed at length. The commanders, manoeuvres and critical episodes, and the intense experiences of the men who took part, have all been recorded in minute detail. But the organization, structure and fighting strength of the armies that fought in the battle have received less attention, and this is the subject of Philip Haythornthwaite\'s detailed, authoritative and engaging study. Through a close description of the structure and personnel of each of the armies he builds up a fascinating picture of their makeup, their methods and their capabilities. The insight he offers into the contrasting styles and national characteristics of the forces that came together on the Waterloo battlefield gives a fresh perspective on the extraordinary clash of arms that ended the Napoleonic era.
£14.39
McFarland & Co Inc Vietnam by Chinook
Book Synopsis Like many other young men during the Vietnam War, Ed Corlew enlisted in hopes of having some influence regarding assignment--safety and training. Instead he found himself in the dangerous door gunner position and, soon after, the crew chief aboard a CH-47 Chinook, 15 miles from the DMZ in 1967 and 1968. Assigned to the famed 1st Cavalry Division, Corlew was shot down three times: in the Battle of Hue, the Battle of Quang Tri, and the A Shau Valley. This memoir began both as a journal and as counselor-recommended therapy for PTSD. He earned four bronze service stars for his service (an estimated 1000 flying hours) during the war''s bloodiest year, enduring enemy mortar and rocket attacks. Engaging, frank, and full of action, Corlew describes his many combat experiences as well as the emotional effects--all through the lens of his Christian faith.Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionOne—Family LifeTwo—Induction Into the ArmyThree—CH-47 Chinook HelicopterFour—Vietnam DutyFive—Crew Chief and Door GunnerSix—Move to Red BeachSeven—The 1968 Tet OffensiveEight—The Chinook Gunship: "Guns A-Go-Go"Nine—Move to LZ Sharon and Operation PegasusTen—Operation DelawareEleven—Life at LZ SharonTwelve—Return to the United StatesThirteen—Marriage and Family LifeFourteen—Veteran's Opinion and Our DistressEpilogueMilitary Service HistoryChapter NotesIndex
£14.24
Media Masters Slaughter and Deception at Batang Kali
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£12.34
McFarland & Co Inc Chasing Charlie
Book Synopsis Richard Fleming served as a scout with the elite U.S. Marine 1st Force Reconnaissance Company during the bloodiest years of the Vietnam War. Dropped deep into enemy territory, Recon relied on stealth and surprise to complete their mission--providing intelligence on enemy positions and conducting raids, prisoner snatches, and ambushes. Fleming''s absorbing memoir recounts his transformation from idealistic recruit to cynical veteran as the war claimed the lives of his friends and the missions became ever more dangerous.
£20.89
Greenhill Books Waterloo: The 1815 Campaign: Volume II: From
Book SynopsisThe concluding volume of this work provides a fresh description of the climatic battle of Waterloo placed in the context of the whole campaign. It discusses several vexed questions: Bl cher s intentions for the battle, Wellington s choice of site, his reasons for placing substantial forces at Hal, the placement of Napoleon s artillery, who authorised the French cavalry attacks, Grouchy s role on 18 and 19 June, Napoleon s own statements on the Garde s formation in the final attack, and the climactic moment when the Prussians reached Wellington s troops near la Belle Alliance. Close attention is paid to the negotiations that led to the capitulation of Paris, and subsequent French claims. The allegations of Las Cases and later historians that Napoleon s surrender to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon amounted to entrapment are also examined. After a survey of the peace settlement of 1815, the book concludes with a masterly chapter reviewing the whole story of the 1815 campaign.
£25.50
Helion & Company The Iran-Iraq War: Volume 1, the Battle for
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£25.18
Oxford University Press Inc A Most Holy War
Book SynopsisThe Albigensian Crusade, the first in which Christians were promised salvation for killing other Christians, lasted twenty bloody years--a long savage war for the soul of Christendom. In A Most Holy War, historian Mark Pegg has produced a swift-moving, gripping narrative of this horrific crusade. Pegg draws in part on thousands of testimonies collected by inquisitors in the years 1235 to 1245, accounts of ordinary men and women remembering what it was like to live through such brutal times. In responding to heresy with a holy genocidal war, Innocent III fundamentally changed how Western civilization dealt with individuals accused of corrupting society. This change, Pegg argues, led directly to the creation of the inquisition, the rise of an anti-Semitism, and even the holy violence of the Reconquista in Spain. A bold, erudite, engaging, and superbly written study of what has long been one of the most central topics in medieval and Mediterranean history. --Teofilo F. Ruiz, Professor oTrade ReviewCompelling account. * Christopher Hirst, the Independent *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgments ; Dramatis Personae ; Genealogical Charts ; A Most Holy War ; Abbreviations Used in Notes ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index
£20.65
Helion & Company Operation Dingo: The Rhodesian Raid on Chimoio
Book Synopsis
£16.10
The Library of America The Civil War: The Final Year Told by Those Who
Book SynopsisFeaturing hundreds of first-hand writings from the American Civil War, this final installment of the highly acclaimed four-volume series traces events from March 1864 to June 1865 After 150 years the Civil War still holds a central place in American history and self-understanding. It is our greatest national drama, at once heroic, tragic, and epic—our Iliad, but also our Bible, a story of sin and judgment, suffering and despair, death and resurrection in a “new birth of freedom.” The Civil War: The Final Year brings together letters, diary entries, speeches, articles, messages, and poems to provide an incomparable literary portrait of a nation at war with itself, while illuminating the military and political events that brought the Union to final victory and slavery and secession to their ultimate destruction. The final volume of this highly acclaimed four-volume series begins with the controversial Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid on Richmond in March 1864 and ends with the proclamation of emancipation in Texas in June 1865. It collects 160 pieces by more than one hundred participants and observers, among them Abraham Lincoln, William T. Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Walt Whitman, Henry Adams, and Herman Melville, as well as Union officers Charles Harvey Brewster, James A. Connolly, and Stephen Minot Weld; Confederate diarists Catherine Edmondston, Kate Stone, and Judith W. McGuire; freed slaves Spottswood Rice, Garrison Frazier, and Frances Johnson; and Confederate soldiers J.F.J. Caldwell, Samuel T. Foster, and William Pegram. The selections include vivid and haunting firsthand accounts of battles and campaigns—the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Atlanta, the Crater, Franklin, and Sherman’s march through Georgia and the Carolinas—as well as of the Fort Pillow massacre; the struggle to survive inside Andersonville prison; the burning of Columbia and Richmond; the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment; the surrender at Appomattox; and Lincoln’s assassination. The Civil War: The Final Year includes an introduction, headnotes, a chronology of events, biographical and explanatory endnotes, full-color endpaper maps, and an index.
£30.00
Canongate Books Born on the Fourth of July
Book SynopsisRon Kovic went to Vietnam dreaming of being an American hero. What he found there changed him profoundly, even before the severe battlefield injury that left him paralysed from the waist down. He returned to an America indifferent to the realities of war and the fate of those who fought for their country. From his wheelchair he became one of the most visible and outspoken opponents of the Vietnam War.Born on the Fourth of July is a journey of self-discovery, a reckoning with the horrors of an unjust war, a testament to courage and a call to protest. A modern classic of anti-war writing, it inspired an Oscar-winning film, sold over one million copies and remains as powerful and relevant today as when it was first published.Trade ReviewClassic and timeless * * New York Times * *Read it and rejoice. Read it and weep -- BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
£9.49
