Specific wars and military campaigns Books

Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Jon Snow. In July 1936 insurgent Spanish troops organized a military coup to oust the elected Republican government in Madrid. The rebel generals expected to force a quick, clean regime change but they failed. The botched uprising turned into a bloody civil war. Hundreds of thousands died in a bitter conflict which tore the country apart and rapidly turned into the prelude for an even greater conflict yet to com--the Second World War. The siege of Madrid was the key battle of the war. The world watched and waited for the city to surrender as General Franco's Nationalist army, backed by Hitler and Mussolini, closed in on the Spanish capital. But Madrid did not fall. Madrilenos fought tooth and nail to defend their city. Helped by volunteers from fifty other countries--the International Brigades--they held out against all the odds until the end of the conflict in 1939. Despite its central role in twentieth-century history, the siege of Madrid is an episode largely hidden from today's visitor. There is no guide to the war sites and few clues for the inquisitive traveller who wants to know more. Frontline Madrid fills that gap. This unique guide book explains what life was like in the city under siege and what happened in the battlefield dramas. The simple to follow maps and diagrams make it easy to visit the frontline sites. The vividly written descriptions bring events and people compellingly to life. The role of prominent individuals, British and American--Orwell, Hemingway, John Cornford - is explored. Off the beaten track, from the University district in the city centre to the mountains of Guadarrama less than an hour away, the remains of the war in Madrid can still be found--gun emplacements, bunkers, trenches and occasional debris. Frontline Madrid retraces the footsteps of those who lived through the conflict to take the reader on a tour in time. The usual tourist traps are left far behind to enter the gripping world of a war which shaped modern European history.

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Book SynopsisBetween 1760 and 1815, British troops campaigned from Manila to Montreal, Cape Town to Copenhagen, Washington to Waterloo. The naval dimension of Britain’s expansion has been superbly covered by a number of excellent studies, but there has not been a single volume that does the same for the army and, in particular, looks at how and why it became a world-operating force, one capable of beating the Marathas as well as the French. This book will both offer a new perspective, one that concentrates on the global role of the army and its central part in imperial expansion and preservation, and as such will be a major book for military history and world history. There will be a focus on what the army brought to power equations and how this made it a world-level force. The multi-purpose character of the army emerges as the key point, one seen in particular in the career of Wellington: while referred to disparagingly by Napoleon as a ‘sepoy general,’ Wellington’s ability to operate successfully in India and Europe was not only impressive but also reflected synergies in experience and acquired skill that characterised the British army. No other army matched this. The closest capability was that of Russia able, in 1806-14, to defeat both the Turks and Napoleon, but without having the trans-oceanic capability and experience enjoyed by the British army. The experience was a matter in part of debate, including over doctrine, as in the tension between the ‘Americans’ and ‘Germans,’ a reference to fields of British campaigning concentration during the Seven Years War. This synergy proved best developed in the operations in Iberia in 1809-14, with logistical and combat skills utilised in India employed in a European context in which they were of particular value. The books aims to further to address the question of how this army was achieved despite the strong anti-army ideology/practice derived from the hostile response to Oliver Cromwell and to James II. Thus, perception and politics are both part of the story, as well as the exigencies and practicalities of conflict, including force structure, command issues, and institutional developments. At the same time, there was no inevitability about British success over this period, and it is necessary to consider developments in the context of other states and, in particular, the reasons why British forces did well and that Britain was not dependent alone on naval effectiveness.Trade Review…detailed and illuminating […] in the light of Iraq and Afghanistan, including the recent debacle in Kabul, and the Integrated Review, which has favoured the Navy and RAF at the expense of the Army, this section of the book becomes immediately pertinent for defence planners and senior officers today. * Chair of War Studies, Warwick University 31/08/2021 *...a majestic study of the British Army’s evolution from essentially a royal bodyguard in the 17th century to a formal, highly disciplined, well-trained, and militarily effective standing force by the early 19th century. […] Historians and military history enthusiasts will find this book fundamentally important for understanding the rise of the modern British Army. * Stanley D.M. Carpenter, Emeritus Professor of Strategy, U.S. Naval War College 17/05/2021 *...challenges hoary impressions of the British military while encouraging readers to dig more deeply into the origins, meanings, and consequences of Britain’s increasingly hybrid army. * NYMAS Review 02/11/2022 *One strength is a focus on the experiences of individual officers, demonstrating just how varied the experiences of individual army officers could be. This often comes across in histories of the Royal Navy, but not so often in accounts of the army. […] a useful account of the role of the British army, with a deliberate effort to focus on how the army, and the individuals within in, found themselves operating all around the world, and fighting in very different wars. * History of War 13/09/2021 *First-class, stimulating and provocative, I really do think this book is a significant addition to the literature. * Professor Emeritus Charles J. Esdaile, FRHistS 17/05/2021 *Table of ContentsAbbreviations Preface 1. Introduction 2. Winning the Home Base, 1688–1746 3. Fighting the French on the Continent, 1689–1748 4. Fighting for Empire, 1689–1753 5. Winning Empire, 1749–63 6. Fighting for America, 1763–83 7. Winning another Empire: India, 1746–1815 8. Fighting in Europe, 1793–1815 9. The Army around the World, 1793–1815 10. A Political Force 11. Culmination, 1815 12. Conclusions Selected Further Reading

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Book SynopsisTalks about the lesser known facts and accounts of the intrusions and the war from various commanders and officers, some of whom have also served during the conflict. The book has been divided into five parts. The first part titled, ‘Blood, Guts and Glory,’ briefly discusses the actual battles fought in Dras, Mushkoh, Batalik, Kaksar and Turtuk sub-sectors, to evict the Pakistani intruders from the dominating heights in the Kargil region. The aim was to restore the LoC to its originally held positions. The second part analyses the supporting forces which synergised the effort to victory, in the true spirit of ‘Op Vijay’. In the third part, individual officers, associated with Kargil, have shared their perceptions and opinions about the Kargil conflict and the scenario after 20 years. The fourth part focuses on ‘Motivation;’ and reflects the saga of courage and valour of the Indian Armed Forces, and the junior leadership, during the summer of 1999. The fifth part, ‘Emerging Challenges and the Way Ahead’ looks at the emerging global-cum-regional scenario, the envisaged threats, our preparedness, and makes substantial recommendations to face the conflicts of the future.The forecasts provided by some of the most senior military officers of the country give a sneak peek into the emerging challenges of the future and India’s preparatory responses to them. Given the emerging world order and the revolutionary changes in technology and character of conflicts, the book restates the fundamental focus of the Indian Armed forces: to be prepared to face the envisaged threats and challenges of the future.

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Book SynopsisIn 1798, young French general Napoleon Bonaparte entered Egypt with a veteran army and a specialist group of savants—scientists, engineers, and artists—his aim being not just conquest, but the rediscovery of the lost Nile kingdom. A year later, in the ruins of an old fort in the small port of Rosetta, the savants made a startling discovery: a large, flat stone, inscribed in Greek, demotic Egyptian, and ancient hieroglyphics. This was the Rosetta Stone, key to the two-thousand-year mystery of hieroglyphs, and to Egypt itself. Two years later, French forces retreated before the English and Ottoman armies, but would not give up the stone. Caught between the opposing generals at the siege of Alexandria, British special agents went in to find the Rosetta Stone, rescue the French savants, and secure a fragile peace treaty. Discovery at Rosetta uses French, Egyptian, and English eyewitness accounts to tell the complete story of the discovery, decipherment, and capture of the Rosetta Stone, investigating the rivalries and politics of the time, and the fate of the stone today.Trade ReviewDowns tells an engrossing story full of larger-than-life and sometimes simply wacky characters. * Publishers Weekly *A real-life story of intrigue, sacrifice and distrust in a country at war—the first complete account of the stone itself. * Ancient Egypt *A cracking good read. * Professor Richard Holmes *A skillfully written, entertaining, and factual account of the stone’s origins. * Professor Zahi Hawass *

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Book SynopsisProvides a systematic examination of the American abolition movement's direct impacts on antislavery politics from colonial times to the Civil War and after. Stanley Harrold focuses on abolitionists' political tactics - petitioning, lobbying, establishing bonds with sympathetic politicians - and on their disruptions of slavery itself.

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Book SynopsisIn his fascinating, in-depth study, Bertis English analyses why Perry county, situated in the heart of a violence-prone subregion, enjoyed more peaceful race relations and less bloodshed than several neighbouring counties.Trade ReviewBertis D. English presents a treasure chest of relevant and important historical material related to Perry County, Alabama, providing information that comprehensively illuminates experiences of the area’s residents in a way that state and regional studies cannot." —Kenneth M. Hamilton, author of Booker T. Washington in American Memory"Among the understudied aspects of Reconstruction, are the places where the Klan dog didn’t bark, much, and where terrorist violence was less common. Bertis English’s book examines one of these areas, where white elites and freedpeople stepped back from the brink of all-out racial conflict. Understanding how this occurred, and what the constraints were, animates this illuminating study. This unusual approach deserves attention." —Michael W. Fitzgerald, author of Reconstruction in Alabama: From Civil War to Redemption in the Cotton SouthTable of Contents A Note about Terminology List of Illustrations Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Secession and War 2. Political Organization, Economic Reorganization, and Racial Violence in the Aftermath of War 3. Religious and Educational Development from the Antebellum through Early Postbellum Years 4. First Redemption, 1870 to 1872 5. Rousing Reconstruction: The Republican Interlude of 1872 to 1874, Part I 6. Racial Conflict, Agricultural Competition, and Political Conquest: The Republican Interlude of 1872 to 1874, Part II 7. The Onset of Second Redemption, 1874 to 1875, and Onward 8. Hope, Travail, and Reconciliation: The Importance of Perry County, Past and Present Appendix A: Black Delegates to the 1867 Alabama Constitutional Convention Appendix B: Perry County Business Licenses, 1870 and 1871 Appendix C: African Americans Who Held Major Political Offices in Alabama, 1867 to 1875 Appendix D: Historically Black American Colleges and Universities That Predate the Alabama State Lincoln Normal School and University in Marion Appendix E: Black Men in Perry County Who Voted for the 1875 State Constitution Appendix F: Selected Earned Doctorates by Alumni of the Alabama State Lincoln Normal School and University in Marion, 1884 to 1936 Notes Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOffers a comprehensive history and analysis of Republican political life during the Spanish Civil War. Completed by Burnett Bolloten just before his death in 1987 and first published in English in 1991, The Spanish Civil War is the culmination of fifty years of dedicated and painstaking research and is the most exhaustive study on the subject in any language.

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Book SynopsisIn this landmark book, Daniel Crofts examines a little-known episode in the most celebrated aspect of Abraham Lincoln's life: his role as the Great Emancipator. Crofts argues that Lincoln no intention of being the Great Emancipator when he took office. Only amid the crucible of combat did the war to save the Union become a war for freedom.Trade ReviewA well-written and exhaustively researched study" - Civil War Monitor"A highly readable account of a seldom-remembered feature of early Civil War history. Highly recommended." - Choice"A well researched and thought-provoking book about Abraham Lincoln and his position on slavery." - North Carolina Historical Review"An essential study of Republican ideology and the political efforts to prevent secession in the months following Lincoln's election." - The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society"With impressive research in politicians' speeches and correspondence, Crofts reconstructs the tangled legislative history of the amendment during the secession winter of 1860-1861, as moderates North and South struggled to find a compromise that would forestall disunion and war." - Journal of American History"A worthwhile addition to our literature on the Civil War and the slavery issue in general." - American Historical Review"With astute inferential skill and admittedly sparse archival attestations to build from, he pieces together the processes and hints of backroom deals that carried the amendment through both chambers by the narrowest of margins and through deft parliamentary maneuvering and overnight vote reversals." - Reviews in History"Meticulously detailed. . . . A thorough look at the dissension that tore the country apart." - Kirkus Reviews"[An] intelligent and absorbing book. . . . Challenges the dominant emancipationist narrative and forces a new look at the dynamics and directions of politics and public interest during the secession crisis." - Library Journal

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Book SynopsisCollected letters of a Confederate officer and his family detail daily life and loss on the battlefield.Hope, sacrifice, and restoration: throughout the American Civil War and its aftermath, the Foster family endured all of these in no small measure. Drawing from dozens of public and privately owned letters, A. Gibert Kennedy recounts the story of his great-great-grandfather and his family in A South Carolina Upcountry Saga: The Civil War Letters of Barham Bobo Foster and His Family, 1860–1863.Barham Bobo Foster was a gentleman planter from the Piedmont who signed the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession and served as a lieutenant colonel in the Third South Carolina Volunteers alongside his two sons. Kennedy’s primary sources are letters written by Foster and his sons, but he also references correspondence involving Foster’s daughters and his wife, Mary Ann.The letters describe experiences on the battlefields of Virginia and South Carolina, vividly detailing camp life, movements, and battles along with stories of bravery, loss, and sacrifice. The Civil War cost Foster his health, all that he owned, and his two sons, though he was able to rebuild with the help of his wife and three daughters. Supplementing the correspondence with maps, illustrations, and genealogical information, Kennedy shows the full arc of the Foster family’s struggle and endurance in the Civil War era.

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Book SynopsisMost general histories of the Civil War pay scant attention to the many important military events that took place in the Lower Rio Grande Valley along the Texas-Mexico border. It was here, for example, that many of the South's cotton exports, all-important to its funding for the war effort, were shuttled across the Rio Grande into Mexico for shipment to markets across the Atlantic. It was here that the Union blockade was felt perhaps most keenly. And it was here where longstanding cross-border rivalries and shifting political fortunes on both sides of the river made for a constant undercurrent of intrigue. And yet, most accounts of this long and bloody conflict give short shrift to the complexities of the ethnic tensions, political maneuvering, and international diplomacy that vividly colored the Civil War in this region.Now, Christopher L. Miller, Russell K. Skowronek, and Roseann Bacha-Garza have woven together the history and archaeology of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a densely illustrated travel guide featuring important historical and military sites of the Civil War period. Blue and Gray on the Border integrates the sites, colorful personalities, cross-border conflicts, and intriguing historical vignettes that outline the story of the Civil War along the Texas-Mexico border. This resource-packed book will aid heritage travelers, students, and history buffs in their discovery of the rich history of the Civil War in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Book SynopsisCompiled by an acknowledged expert in the field. Never originally intended for publication, many of the accounts in this book provide an honest view of campaign life.

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Book Synopsis'A riveting, unvarnished and wholly unforgettable portrait of America’s most storied commandos at war.' - Joby Warrick, author of Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction   A stirringly evocative, thought-provoking, and often jaw-dropping account of SEAL Team Operator Robert O’Neill’s awe-inspiring 400-mission career. O’Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs’ most elite unit.The Operatordescribes the nonstop action of O’Neill’s deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, evoking the black humor of years-long combat, and reveals firsthand details of the most discussed anti-terrorist operation in military history.

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Book SynopsisThe Horse Soldiers is the true, dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who entered Afghanistan immediately following September 11, 2001 and, riding to war on horses, defeated the Taliban. Heavily outnumbered, they nonetheless succeed in capturing the strategic Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, where they are welcomed as liberators as they ride on horseback into the city, the streets thronged with Afghans overjoyed that the Taliban have been kicked out. The soldiers rest easy, as they feel they have accomplished their mission. Then the action takes a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers are ambushed by the would-be P.O.W.s and, still dangerously outnumbered, they must fight for their lives in the city's ancient fortress known as Qala-I Janghi, or the House of War…

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Book SynopsisThe American Civil War has intrigued millions of readers for 150 years. But how much do we know about the real lives of Americans on the battlefields and in trenches and winter quarters when the sodiers has a respite from combat? Civil War Trivia looks inside the conflict to examine the many fascinating and heartrending stories about this great war.

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Book SynopsisThe Reaper is the astonishing memoir of Special Operations Direct Action Sniper Nicholas Irving, the 3rd Ranger Battalion's deadliest sniper. In the bestselling tradition of American Sniper and Shooter, Irving shares the true story of his extraordinary career, including his deployment to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009.

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Book SynopsisDenis Judd is Professor Emeritus of Imperial and Commonwealth History, London Metropolitan University, and Professor at New York University in London. His books include Empire; George VI (both published by I.B.Tauris); The Lion and the Tiger: The Rise and Fall of the British Raj; Balfour and the British Empire; Radical Joe - A Life of Joseph Chamberlain; The Victorian Empire; Palmerston; The Crimean War and Jawaharlal Nehru. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Keith Surridge is an independent scholar. He is the author of Managing the South African War 1899-1902.Table of ContentsIllustrations Acknowledgements Maps Preface Introduction: An Irrepressible Conflict? PART I: THE BACKGROUND TO THE WAR British Rule, Confrontation and Compromise 1815-1886 The Descent to War 1886-1899 PART II: THE COMBATANTS 3. The British Army 4. Rallying the Empire 5. The Boers PART III: THE CAMPAIGNS 1899-1902 6. The Opening Battles, October 1899 7. The Disasters of Black Week, December 1899: The Battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso, and their less disastrous prelude 8. Humiliation, January and February 1900: The Battles of Spion Kop and Vaal Krantz 9. ‘I thank God we have kept the flag flying’: The Besieged Towns of Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking 10. The Turn of the Tide, February 1900: The Relief of Kimberley, the Battle of Paardeberg, the Relief of Ladysmith 11. Marching to Pretoria (and Johannesburg): The British Advance through the Boer Republics, the Relief of Mafeking, the Start of the Guerrilla War 12. Methods of Barbarism? December 1900 to October 1901: The Guerrilla War, Farm Burning, the Concentration Camps 13. Seeking Peace, March 1900-June 1901 14. The Final Battles, May 1901-May 1902 PART IV: THE AMBIVALENCES OF WAR 15. Big Business, Capitalism and War 16. The Last of the Gentlemen’s Wars? 17. The Pro-Boers 18. Foreigners and the War 19. The Press and the War 20. The Literature of the War PART V: THE PEACE 21. The Talks Begin 22. Taking Stock Peace at Last

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Book SynopsisAt Le Cateau on 26 August 1914, the commanders of the Second Corps of the British Expeditionary Force elected to fight the German First Army and, although outnumbered three to one, delivered such a smashing blow to the German invaders that the whole of the BEF was able to continue the Retreat to Compiegne without being seriously threatened. Although the British suffered 1,200 of their men and officers killed, and were forced to leave their dead and many of their wounded on the battlefield, as well as thirty-six of their field guns, they inflicted losses on von Kluck's army of nearly 9,000. Yet the architect of this feat of arms, Second Corps commander Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, was sacked soon afterward, while First Corps commander Sir Douglas Haig, who had performed far less impressively, took command of the whole BEF.

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Book SynopsisEach year, the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps selects one book that he believes is both relevant and timeless for reading by all Marines. The Commandant's choice for 1993 was We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young. In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Together, these actions at the landing zones X-Ray and Albany constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War. How these men persevered--sacrificed themselves for their comrades and never gave up--makes a vivid portrait of war at its most inspiring and devastating. General Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting, have interviewed hundreds of

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a concise, lively, up-to-date portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte''s character and career, including his most important battles, while situating him firmly in historical context.David Bell emphasizes the astonishing sense of human possibility - for both good and ill - that Napoleon represented. By his late twenties, Napoleon was already one of the greatest generals in European history. At thirty, he had become absolute master of Europe''s most powerful country. In his early forties, he ruled a European empire more powerful than any since Rome, fighting wars that changed the shape of the continent and brought death to millions. Then everything collapsed, leading him to spend his last years in miserable exile in the South Atlantic. Bell underlines the importance of the French Revolution of 1789 in understanding Napoleon''s career. It was the Revolution that made possible the unprecedented concentration of political authority that Napoleon developed, as well as his unprecedented success in mobilizing human and material resources. The Revolution gave birth to the radically new, intense form of warfare that Napoleon later practiced. Without the political changes brought about by the Revolution, Napoleon could not have fought his wars. Without the wars, he could not have seized and held onto power. He did betray much of the Revolution''s heritage of liberty and equality, and ruled as a virtual dictator. But his life and career were, nonetheless, revolutionary.Trade ReviewThere are plenty of big lives of Napoleon, and the last few years have seen the appearance of a whole new crop. Their general standard has been very high, but the detail is often daunting, not to mention the weight in the hand. Pocket-sized biographies by reputable scholars have been surprisingly less common. The best English one in recent times, by Felix Markham, was published as long ago as 1963. Napoleonic studies have moved on considerably since then, and David Bell has been one of the leaders in advancing the field with his survey in 2007 of what he called the First Total War. Now he offers a crisp and up-to-date introduction to the amazing career of the man at the centre of it all. - * William Doyle, History *A very concise, but very illuminating history of one of the world's greatest generals. * Steve Craggs, Northern Echo *It is entertaining to read and discusses the important events and developments surrounding Napoleons reign. * Michael J. Hughes, European History Quarterly *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Corsican, 1769-1796 2. The General, 1796-1799 3. The First Consul, 1799-1804 4. The Emperor, 1804-1812 5. Downfall, 1812-1815 Epilogue: 1815-2015

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Book SynopsisSoon after Alexander Gardner's "Photographic Sketch Book" was published, in 1866, it became the Civil War's best-known visual record and helped define how viewers would come to know the war. This study of a pivotal American historical document, approaching it from the perspective of visual studies as well as American literature and history.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction The Image of War Anthony W. Lee Verbal Battlefields Elizabeth Young Acknowledgments Notes Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisAnand Gopal traces the lives of three Afghans caught in America's war on terror. He follows a Taliban commander, who rises from scrawny teenager to leading insurgent; a US-backed warlord, who uses the American military to gain personal wealth and power; and a village housewife trapped between the two sides.

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Book SynopsisA sweeping survey of the impact of the Civil War on American painting and photography in the 19th centuryTrade Review“The Civil War and American Art is a scholarly and a narrative achievement both harrowing and sublime. Eleanor Jones Harvey has written a keenly critical and often lyrical assessment of the war she calls all but “unpaintable.” In genre painting that captured universal meanings out of local episodes in the ugly ironies of war, and especially in the new moods, metaphors, and forms that landscape painters drew from the war, Harvey demonstrates a profound, seismic influence of history on art. But she also brilliantly demonstrates that artists, even the photographers, could not so much re-make the actual history of our Armageddon as they could represent what we might indirectly see or learn from such a withering and mythic experience as modern war.”--David W. Blight, Yale University, author of Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory -- David W. Blight“Eleanor Jones Harvey’s The Civil War and American Art is the rare book that connects the dots between art and history so well that the reader assumes that the subject is well-worn. It is not. The book…deserves to win awards in two disciplines: Art history and American history.…"—Tyler Green, Modern Art Notes -- Tyler Green * Modern Art Notes *“A great art history tour and coffee-table topper.”—Garden & Gun * Garden & Gun *“Provocative and insightful.”—Stephen May, Antiques and the Arts Weekly -- Stephen May * Antiques and the Arts Weekly *"The latest from Harvey. . . provides a nuanced, sensitive, and deeply informed accounting of a major period in the history of American art. . . . The comprehensive study manages to remain engaging across its redolent academic and historical interests, creating a sincere excitement appropriate to Harvey's always insightful and vital reckoning with America's scarred past.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review * Publishers Weekly *Winner in the Photography/Art category at the 2013 Great Southeast Book Festival. -- Great Southeast Festival * JM Northern Media LLC *"The Civil War and American Art is a glorious companion piece to a moving, beautifully curated, perspective-altering show. . . . Harvey’s book is perfect for lovers of American art and history.” —PopMatters * PopMatters *“Harvey skillfully integrates literature and journalism into a thoughtful and rich narrative of this pivotal period. An important cohesive assessment for scholars that is also broadly accessible and well-illustrated…”—Library Journal, starred review * Library Journal *“a beautiful companion volume…”—The Nation * The Nation *“Harvey’s catalogue text stands as a monumental, often thrilling feat of detailed scholarship”—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker -- Peter Schjeldahl * The New Yorker *“One of the great publishing triumphs of the Civil War Sesquicentennial.”—North Carolina Historical Review * North Carolina Historical Review *Selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2013 in the Art & Architecture Category. -- Outstanding Academic Title * Choice *

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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.

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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 *

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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

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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.

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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 *

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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

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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.

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