War and defence operations Books

Book SynopsisDuring the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency's biggest and longest paramilitary operation was in the tiny kingdom of Laos. Hundreds of advisors and support personnel trained and led guerrilla formations across the mountainous Laotian countryside, as well as running smaller road-watch and agent teams that stretched from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Chinese frontier. Added to this number were hundreds of contract personnel providing covert aviation services.It was dangerous work. On the Memorial Wall at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, nine stars are dedicated to officers who perished in Laos. On top of this are more than one hundred from propriety airlines killed in aviation mishaps between 1961 and 1973. Combined, this grim casualty figure is orders of magnitude larger than any other CIA paramilitary operation.But for the Foreign Intelligence officers at Langley, Laos was more than a paramilitary battleground. Because of its geographic location as a buffer state, as well as its trifurcated political structure, Laos was a unique Cold War melting pot. All three of the Lao political factions, including the communist Pathet Lao, had representation in Vientiane. The Soviet Union had an extremely active embassy in the capital, while the People's Republic of China - though in the throes of the Cultural Revolution - had multiple diplomatic outposts across the kingdom. So, too, did both North and South Vietnam. All of this made Laos fertile ground for clandestine operations. This book comprehensively details the cloak-and-dagger side of the war in Laos for the first time, from agent recruitments to servicing dead-drops in Vientiane.Trade Review...offers a good spy tale and is a well-researched and credible history. It is a valuable addition to the intelligence literature. * International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence 26/10/2022 *...sheds light brighter than any spy fiction on an important aspect of the Indochina experience. * John Prados, author of Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975 25/06/2021 *People in the book—friends and foes—come through clearly in Conboy’s thoughtful vignettes about them. He presents backgrounds of many men and a few women in a manner that personalizes each—for good or for bad. Some of them practically walk off the page and greet the reader. * The VVA Veteran *...a masterful book on the secret exploits of the Central Intelligence Agency […] This is is a “must read” for anyone interested in the Indochina Wars and some operations that have never been recorded before. * Barry Broman, author of Risk Taker, Spy Maker 25/06/2021 *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Chapter One Growing Pains Chapter Two The Young Turks Chapter Three Hell is a City Chapter Four Apéritif Chapter Five The Teams Chapter Six The Flying Squad Chapter Seven The Holy Grail Chapter Eight Hard Target Chapter Nine Rock and a Hard Place Chapter Ten The Art of Seduction Chapter Eleven Suspicious Minds Chapter Twelve Writing on the Wall Chapter Thirteen Eye of the Hurricane Chapter Fourteen Surreptitious Entries Chapter Fifteen Dénouement Chapter Sixteen Cloak and Keris

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Book SynopsisTo prevent German occupying forces in Norway from reinforcing their defences during the final months of World War II, the Office of Strategic Services launched Operation Rype, with the mission of sabotaging the Nordland Railway in Mid-Norway. Rype was led by Major William E. Colby, later director of the CIA.After several delays, the Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) dropped over the Snåsa mountains on the night of March 24. Out of eight B-24s, only three dropped on target. One dropped in Sweden, the remaining four returned to Britain. Two of the B-24s crashed, killing all but one of their crews. Reinforcement and resupply of the unit failed due to extreme Arctic conditions.Relying heavily on help from the Norwegian resistance, NORSO managed to sever the railway at two points. On both occasions, they withdrew with Germans hot on their tail. On May 2, a German patrol blundered into their camp, resulting in the killing of all of the Germans and one wounded Norwegian resistance fighter. Whether the Germans were killed in the ensuing firefight, or were executed later, has been hotly debated ever since.After the war ended, NORSO was allowed down from the mountains, but were sent on bogus missions by the British commanders in Trondheim. They eventually managed to get recognition for their contribution to victory.This new history of the operation is based on German, Norwegian, American and Swedish sources. It examines how the outcome of the operation was affected by the limitations of equipment in sub-Arctic conditions, and British-American rivalry and cooperation throughout the operation.Trade Review[A]n incomparable writer to tell the story, warts and all. Frode Lindgjerdet works for the Norwegian Armed Forces Museums, and lectures on all aspects of the Second World War in Norway. In addition, he is a Staff Sergeant with the Norwegian Home Guard. * ARGunners.com *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Existing Literature & Sources Strategic background The OSS Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) The German forces in the Area of Operation Grong to Snåsa Operation CARPETBAGGER SOE Operations against the Nordland Railroad Planning of Operation RYPE Deployment Phase & Supply Swedish Escapades Walliwall Tragedy Attack on the Tangen Bridge Plukkutjønn Crash The Lierne Plan and Supply Issues Attack against the railway between Lurudal and Agle Endgame The German Patrol Incident Peace Conclusions The legacy Literature Appendix: Biographies

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Book SynopsisCodenamed Operation Telic, the British component of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was the largest gathering of British troops since the Second World War. Whilst the British public prepared for the worst as its soldiers were facing weapons of mass destruction, most servicemen and women were under no illusion that they were invading Iraq to rid the people of Saddam Hussein.While much has been said about WMD and Tony Blair’s government, not nearly enough has been heard from those men and women that took part in Operation Telic. Based upon dozens of veteran interviews, personal diaries and archival material, this book tells their stories, in their own words.From controlling the vast Allied Air Forces at 34,000 feet in an AWACS plane down to submariners beneath the warm waves of the Persian Gulf firing Tomahawk Cruise missiles, from the steaming hot turret of a Challenger Tank as it is peppered with RPGs, to being on your belly in a sandstorm disarming unexploded bombs face=Calibri>– these veteran accounts cover the whole spectrum of experiences.Polarised public opinion and the post-war media portrayal of the war has detracted from what was achieved by these forces, when tasked to do so, often with insufficient or inadequate resources. These are their stories of courage, fortitude, pride, and brotherhood amidst the harsh realities of modern asymmetric warfare.Trade Review[A] fascinating contribution to our understanding of the Iraq War. * Midwest Book Review *There are dozens of books about the U.S. involvement in Iraq but very few about what the British experience so Burning Horizon helps fill in that part of the history. Basing it upon first-hand accounts also makes it much more engaging than your usual military account. * Musings on Iraq *This is an important book. . . . Burning Horizon is unofficial history; detailed, confused and unadulterated. It is probably too much to hope, as Peter Caddick-Adams alludes in his fine foreword, that an official campaign history is in the offing. In the meantime this book will keep memories alive. * Military Historical Society Bulletin *In these detailed and compelling recollections of British soldiers at the very start of the Iraq war in 2003, Julian Whippy not only captures the chaos of those earliest days of the war but also how the UK military stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US as they have done so often and for so many years. Burning Horizon reminds us how British and American servicemen and women train together, learn together, and, when called upon, fight together to defeat threats to our common values. * General James N. Mattis, US Marine Corps (retired) *Table of ContentsOrder of Battle Introduction Chapter 1. 9/11 and all that Chapter 2. The Brown envelope Chapter 3. On the Bus Chapter 4. SCUDs, Goolies and Gold Chapter 5. Zero hour Chapter 6. Breaching the berms Chapter 7. Danger: UXB Chapter 8. Caveman and Bondo Chapter 9. Hackles raised Chapter 10. Here come the Cavalry Chapter 11. Major Combat Operations cease Chapter 12. Going home The Veterans – where are they now Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIt is the night of 28 March 1942. Royal Navy and British commandos are poised to assault the German-held port of Saint-Nazaire in what will be one of the most audacious and daring raids of the Second World War. The plan is simple: to drive an old destroyer, packed with three tons of explosive, at full speed into the outer gate of the Normandie dock. The aim is to destroy the base from which the formidable battleship Tirpitz would be able to devastate the convoys supplying Britain from the United States. 'Operation Chariot' was to be dramatically successful, but at a great cost. Fewer than half the men who went on the mission returned. In recognition of their valour, eighty-nine decorations were awarded, including five Victoria Crosses. Into the Jaws of Death is the true story of how the decisive courage of a small group of men changed the course of the war.Table of ContentsPreface. Dramatis Personae. Author's Note. Britain, early 1942. Enter the Commandos. Training for War. The First Raids. Raids in 1941. Tirpitz. Saint-Nazaire. Resistance. The Decision Made. Planning. Falmouth. Ryder and Willetts's Plans. Newman's Orders. Final Preparations. The Bay of Biscay. Into the Loire. The Run-In. Ordeal in the River. The Demolitions. Dash for Freedom. Escaping from the Loire. Aftermath. Epilogue. Glossary. Map 1 The Journey to and from Saint-Nazaire. Map 2 Targets for the Commando Groups. Map 3 Vessel movements during the raid. Map 4 Entrance into the Loire Estuary. Appendix 1 Combined Operations Raids, 1940-2. Appendix 2 Flotilla Cruising Order for Entry into the Loire. Appendix 3 Victoria Cross Citations. Sources. Select Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Index.

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Book SynopsisWith the seeming defeat of ISIS, has jihadism disappeared from world politics? In this startling new book, Stephen Chan uncovers the ideological foundations that allow ISIS and other jihadi groups to survive, as they propagate terror by sophisticated means online and continue thrusting their spear at the West. Far from presenting simple-minded, black-clad fighters, Chan describes an elaborate process of online recruitment, which is, in its own terrible way, meaningful and thoughtful. He examines the foundations of this thought and the step-by-step methods of jihadi indoctrination, exposing the lack of IT knowledge among Western world leaders and urging the 'moderate' Islamic community in the West to challenge jihadi ideology with a courageous, non-violent ideology of its own. Without a counter-ideology, Chan argues, alienated Muslim youth are drawn not only to glamorised dreams of violence, but also to the pull of a totalising system of politics and theology. Spear to the West picks apart the fallacy of 'thoughtless' jihadi carnage, arguing that—dangerous and gruesome as it might be—there is more thought behind this phenomenon of destruction than meets the eye.Trade Review‘Chan’s argument … has at least two major implications: only those capable of speaking within the ideological terms of jihadis can counter their appeal, and counterterrorism strategists must consider using the Internet in ways they have not yet tried.’ -- Foreign Affairs‘Chan’s succinct and discerning study of violent jihadism and radicalization will reward specialists and policy-makers, but its apportionment in discrete, digestible essays makes it a good choice for anyone needing a primer on its complex and critically important subject.’ -- Michigan War Studies Review'With erudition and élan, this insightful book challenges us to rise above facile condemnations and to acknowledge that contemporary jihadists evince a moral reasoning--one that is, at once, motivating, arrogant, and self-limiting.' -- James Piscatori, co-author of 'Muslim Politics'‘For anyone who is seeking to understand the mind of the jihadis, Chen has provided a wealth of information and insights.’'Stephen Chan is one of the great doyens of world politics. His book "Spear to the West" displays his distinctive global consciousness and unique cultural empathy, even when tackling the most contentious topics.' -- Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Professor in Global Thought and Comparative Philosophies, SOAS, University of London'In this brilliant, disturbing work Chan lays bare the global jihad’s sinister engagement with modernity. Full of insights, it is one of the best treatments of radicalisation I have read.' -- John Calvert, Professor of History, Creighton University'Chan shows how the West incubates jihad and must instead respond actively to digital recruitment by ISIS. He also argues powerfully for debate within Islamic scholarship to accommodate Muslim aspirations for justice.' -- Alison Scott-Baumann, Professor of Society and Belief, SOAS University of London

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Book SynopsisThey were the unsung heroines of World War II; the wives and mothers and teenage girls who clocked in daily to work in vast munitions factories, helping to make explosives, bullets, shells, bombs and war machines that would ensure victory. It was dangerous, dirty and exhausting work. They worked round the clock, often exposed to toxic, lethal chemicals. A factory accident could mean blindness, loss of limb - or worse. Many went home with acid burns, yellow skin or damaged hair, others were forced to leave their loved ones and move to live with strangers in unfamiliar surroundings. Frequently, their male bosses were coarse and unsympathetic. Yet this hidden army of nearly two million women toiled on regardless through the hardest years of the war, cheerfully ignoring the dangers and the exhaustion, as bombing, rationing and the heartbreak of loss or separation took their toll on everyone in the country. Here, in their own words, are the vivid wartime memories of the 'secret army' of female munitions workers, whose resilience and sheer grit in the face of danger has only started to emerge. Republished to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of VE Day in May 1945, this revised edition now offers an entirely new, astonishing account of a young woman who worked in a vast munitions plant in Lancashire.

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of the Somme has become a byword for sacrifice and senseless slaughter. It had a searing impact on the British mindset that still resonates over a century after it occurred. This largely stems from the events of 1 July 1916, the first day of the battle which cost the British Army over 19,000 dead and nearly another 40,000 wounded, captured and missing, the bloodiest day in the Army''s history.Yet the battle continued for four and a half months and a century of research suggests a far more nuanced picture. Britain was not fighting alone and the French contribution, often overlooked, was clearly very significant. The Somme also saw the very first use of tanks in battle, at Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916, an event that changed the course of warfare forever.Moreover, there are now commentators who believe the Somme was a victory, albeit an expensive one. The Somme also had an immense social historical significance, due to both the way it impacted virtually every community in Britain and to the films which held audiences spellbound all over Europe.While a great deal has been written about the Somme, this book is much more than just a history of the battle. It focuses on the equipment and tactics used by both sides and the strategic objectives the battle was designed to achieve. Uniforms, logistics, weapons, all the components of the battleplan are discussed and described in detail in a creative and innovative manner. This new approach to one of the most significant battles in British military history will attract a great degree of interest from a wide range of readers.

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Book SynopsisImagine standing over a bomb - you need to make a choice. Remember, your life depends on it.In this extraordinary memoir, Lucy Lewis reveals the hidden world of bomb disposal training and how she came to be the UK's first female bomb disposal expert. From joining Sandhurst to rushing to her first bomb disposal call-out, Lucy's story is full of high stakes and tense situations that for most of us, are beyond comprehension. Lucy's story however is also a deeply inspirational one - joining the military in the 1980s just as women were taking on more dangerous roles, Lucy's every move was watched and scrutinised. This didn't hold her back however, and this is how she broke through the ceiling, fought against sexism and achieved something no woman had ever done before. Lighting the Fuse is an eye-opening memoir, that reveals the hidden world of being a woman in the military and how a young woman with an ordinary background, made history - not just once, but twice.Trade ReviewGripping and eye-opening * Choice magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Trench - Life and Death on The Western Front - with a Foreword by Michael Morpugo.The horrors of the First World War scarred an entire generation at the beginning of the twentieth century. Now, one hundred years later, we are asked to reflect upon it and remember what a disastrous episode of history it was. During the next four years many thousands of people, especially the young in school parties, will visit the battle sites of the Western Front in France and Belgium,with their museums, memorials and trench reconstructions. These last were the setting for so much of the carnage. This book offers a brief, straightforward, illustrated history of the First World War in some 96 pages. In particular, it explains the trenches and what it was like to live and fight in them. Using his own diagrams, illustrations, and maps, author Trevor Yorke explains the architecture of them, with their command posts, sally points, tunnels, machine gun nests, duck boards, and sleeping billets. There are chapters to explain tactics, weaponry, and daily life. There are special features on the introduction of new weapons of war, such as tanks, early aeroplanes, and the first use of poison gas.The political events throughout the war are described in outline. There are summaries of the major battles and there is information about special places to visit in France and Belgium including key museums, battle sites and memorials.These can bring home to us a real understanding of the unique inhumanity of the war, and why the date 1914 - 1918 require all generations of today to remember and learn from them.As Michael Morpurgo says in his foreword:'As we begin to mark the centenary of the First World War, we should honour those who died, most certainly,and gratefully too, but we should never glorify. During these next four years of commemoration, we should read the poems, the stories, the history, the diaries, visit the cemeteries - German cemeteries as well as ours - they were all sons and brothers and lovers and husbands and fathers too.'

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Book SynopsisWhen Portuguese traders took advantage of the constant violence in Japan to sell the Japanese their first firearms, one of the quickest to take advantage of this new technology was the powerful daimyo Oda Nobunaga. In 1575 the impetuous Takeda Katsuyori laid siege to Nagashino castle, a possession of Nobunaga's ally, Tokugawa Ieyasu. An army was despatched to relieve the siege, and the two sides faced each other across the Shidarahara. The Takeda samurai were brave, loyal and renowned for their cavalry charges, but Nobunaga, counting on Katsuyori's impetuosity, had 3,000 musketeers waiting behind prepared defences for their assault. The outcome of this clash of tactics and technologies was to change the face of Japanese warfare forever.Table of ContentsNagashino and the age of war; the Takeda clan; opposing commanders; opposing armies; opposing plans; the siege of Nagashino Castle; the Battle of Nagashino; aftermath; military lessons of nagashino;; select bibliography; the battlefield today; wargaming Nagashino.

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Book SynopsisIn July 1940 Britain faced the very real possibility of being invaded by Germany. Hitler's war machine had subjugated the Continent in six weeks and 'Engeland' was next on the list. The German Navy had been working on the logistics for a seaborne invasion of England since the autumn of 1939, just in case it was sprung on them at short notice some-time in the future. In July 1940 the operation was given the code-name 'Seeloewe' (Sealion) which was to be mounted from French, Belgian and Dutch ports on the Channel coast. However, arguments between the German Army, Navy and Air Force took weeks to resolve, yet in the end it was the failure of Hermann Goering's Luftwaffe to achieve air supremacy over the Royal Air Force that prevented the invasion becoming a reality. In this book we recount the story right from the beginning, covering all the significant events in the months from August 1939, through the build-up in the summer months, to October 1940 when Hitler accepted that orders must be given to postpone 'Seeloewe'.Table of Contents7 Introduction 8 Sealion Diary 10 The Abwehr makes the first move at Jablunka 14 More Cross-border incursions centred on Gleiwitz 20 Prelude to the Second World War 26 Warsaw 30 The First Shots on the Western Front 32 Directives by Hitler 34 Plan 'Julius Caesar' 40 German Strategy 50 The Invasion of Denmark and Norway 54 The Fuhrer's Headquarters for the Campaign in the West 62 Blitzkrieg! 64 May 11: Panzers in the Ardennes 66 May 12: Guderian Crosses the Semois 67 May 13: Rommel Over the Meuse 68 May 14: Defeat on the Meuse 70 May 15: Break-out is Achieved 75 Operation 'Dynamo' 94 Surrender 98 Hitler's Victory Tour 112 Invasion Plans 118 Questions 119 Planning 121 Narrow or Broad Front? 125 Selection of Landing Areas 128 Intelligence of the Enemy 136 The Diversionary Measures 137 The Carrying Out of the Naval Preparations 150 Cross-Channel Guns 155 Air Operations in Relation to the Planning of 'Seeloewe' 164 The Days of Decision 168 Summary 170 Conclusion

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Book SynopsisVolume 2 of this two-volume history of Operation "Market-Garden" continues the story as XXX Corps links up with the 82nd Airborne at Nijmegen which leads to the dramatic and spectacular capture of the vital bridges there over the Waal river. But at Arnhem the tide of battle has already turned. The main force of lst Airborne is thrown back to the Oosterbeek perimeter, leaving John Frost's isolated force at the road bridge to fight it out till the end. As the Polish Brigade is dropped south of the Rhine, and the ground army desperately tries to relieve the beleaguered British paras, down in the south the Germans launch repeated attacks on the narrow corridor in an attempt to cut the Allied supply artery. As savage battles rage for possession of "Hell's Highway", the airborne battle is lost and on September 26 the survivors of lst Airborne are evacuated back across the Rhine.Table of ContentsPart IV In search of time lost: The Second Link-Up - XXX Corps reaches Nijmegen; First German Attacks on the Corridor; 1st Airborne Division, September 19 (D+2); Arnhem Bridge, September 17-21; The Allies capture the Nijmegen Bridges. Part V The battle is lost: The 43rd (Wessex) Division moves up; Hell's Highway; VIII and XII Corps cover the Flanks; The Guards are stopped short of Elst; The Polish Parachute Brigade lands at Driel; The Third Link-Up - XXX Corps reaches Driel; The Long-delayed Last Lift. Part VI The Oosterbeek perimeter: The Perimeter Battle, September 20-25; The Evacuation. Part VII Aftermath: A German Appraisal of Operation "Market-Garden".

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Book SynopsisFeatures photographs that capture the fear and powerlessness of the Lebanese population in the face of the ceaseless Israeli air strikes, revealing the terror and despair of families and friends witnessing the deaths of their loved ones, whilst around them their homes were destroyed.

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Book SynopsisWhen Jarra Brown hears church bells he cannot fail to be reminded of the hundreds â?? 345 to be precise â?? of service personnel who passed through the beautiful rural Wiltshire countryside into Oxfordshire. These men and women were not hiking across its green pastures or sitting on top of the number 55 bus, instead they were lifeless, resting inside a coffin draped with the Union flag. By the end of August 2011 the bells of St Bartholomewâ??s Church in Wootton Bassett had tolled more times than the residents of this once peaceful town cared to think about, for each chime represented the moment the police convoy accompanying the hearse from RAF Lyneham entered the High Street.A moment frozen in time, a moment when the residents of this town came to show their respects, a moment that couldnâ??t have been more fitting even it had been choreographed. There was no call to arms by the Town Crier, just a spontaneous, modest and unprompted response to those who had paid the ultimate price in the name of duty. 46 Miles is not a book about the politics of war, the whys and wherefores of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, or indeed the hidden agendas and government strategies. It is about a town which captured the hearts of our nation and whose emotions rippled the entire 46 mile journey of honour, dignity and respect into Oxford. It is dedicated to those 345 people who, having signed up to serve their Queen and country, paid with their lives. Wootton Bassett, who nurtured the grieving on every occasion, wanted to let the nation know that these brave soldiers will never be forgotten.

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF)is a standing reminder of the heroism and sacrifice of countless British and Commonwealth aircrew who flew and fought during the Second World War.Formed at RAF Biggin Hill on July 11, 1957, as the Historic Aircraft Flight, today the BBMF's incredible collection of aircraft includes six Spitfires, two Hurricanes, one of only two airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers in the world, a Douglas C-47 Dakota and two de Havilland Chipmunks.The Flight's Second World War aircraft have survived against the odds to exist in flying condition today and this publication charts each of their careers over the last seven decades or more.Author and illustrator Chris Sandham-Bailey has meticulously reproduced every known paint scheme worn by each of the aircraft - as well as gathering together an unrivalled collection of photographs to show how the appearance of the aircraft has changed.Never before have all of the BBMF aircraft liveries from the war's end to the present day been catalogued and illustrated in one publication. Here you can see them both as Chris' aircraft profile artworks and in rare photographs. This publication is a must for anyone with an interest in the BBMF aircraft and their histories.

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Book SynopsisIn the new year of 1944 the French Resistance in northern France was on its knees. Relentless attacks on its diverse and disorganised networks by the Gestapo and the Abwehr had put many of its best operatives in prison, or worse. But in the lead up to Operation Overlord, 'D Day', the Resistance had never been more important to the Allied war effort, and many groups were in the pay of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. One such was organised by a patriot called Dominic Ponchardier. For months he had watched helplessly as his friends and colleagues had been swept up by the Nazi drag net, and cast into the old prison on the eastern outskirts of Amiens. In desperation he asked his MI6 handlers for help, and once London agreed it led to one of the most daring missions of the war. On the morning of 18 February 1944, nineteen Mosquito bombers flew at low level across the channel, skimming just above the ground to drop their bombs on sections of the walls of Amiens Prison. Hundreds escaped, scores of whom evaded recapture to continue the fight against Nazi repression. It was an epic of precision bombing, in which one of the most notable RAF heroes of the war, Group Captain Charles Pickard, lost his life. Robert Lyman's book reveals, from previously unseen sources, the full truth of MI6's involvement in the French Resistance, and narrates in vivid detail a stirring tale of courage and skill.Trade ReviewUnbearably tense . . . will make you feel proud to be British - Daily ExpressHeroism, adventure, tragedy, a superman hero and the loathsome Boche. This comprehensive retelling of the story has not lost any of its firepower - Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisConceptualising the foundations of national defence and organising a conformingly robust military structure is a humungous task of extremely complexities. Even nations who possess pristine strategic vision and deep rooted military culture find it practically impossible to home on to the right equation between their political goals, military power and optimal resource allocation.The reason lies in the fact that no matter what mock drills one puts up, outcome of military campaigns often remain uncertain and unpredictable, and independent of the forces fielded to secure victory. There can be no right formulae, no right examples and no practice round to hone one`s concepts and practices before the final, bloody and destructive showdown. Irreversibility of war further makes it a nightmare for military planners to guarantee success. At the best they can apply their professional insight to anticipate adverse situations, notionally replicate these and then harness tactical acumen to find possibly the most effective courses of actions to deal with the circumstances.It is here that the salience of various issues discussed in this book come into contention. The book does not offer formulae for the achievement of military success. Rather it offers an insight into the ingredients and processes that enable military planners to conceive the best possible force composition to win wars.

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Book SynopsisPerspectives on Strategy examines in depth five aspects of strategy. Strategic thought and behaviour are explored and explained from the perspectives of intellect, morality, culture, geography, and technology. Each perspective has attracted persisting controversy. Perspectives on Strategy is strongly complementary to the author''s previous book, The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice (OUP, 2010). This new work takes a notably holistic view of strategic phenomena, which serves as a master framework within which detailed examination of strategic history and issues can usefully be pursued in the light of particular perspectives. Foundational for the argument in Perspectives on Strategy is the proposition that distinctive aspects of strategy (e.g. ethics, culture, inter alia) can only be appreciated properly when they are regarded in context. The author shares this view with T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia), who wrote of the ''whole house of war''. Perspectives on Strategy gratefully adapts LaTrade ReviewOne of the most detailed and important investigations of the concept of strategy published in recent decades. * C.Dale Walton, Lindenwood University *Gray . . . is one of the most prolific authors on strategic thought, and one of the most respected . . . anyone interested in the edifice of strategic thought will find it [the book] a useful exercise. * D.McIntosh, Choice Magazine *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Introduction Master Narrative 1: Concepts: Mind and Muscle 2: Ethics: Strategy's Moral Maze 3: Culture: Beliefs, Customs, and Strategic Behaviour 4: Geography: Geopolitics and Deterrence 5: Technology: Magic Bullets? 6: Conclusion: The Whole House of Strategy, Perilous Dualism Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn unseen selection of rare photographs and primary sources from the campaign. This is the essential travelling companion to walking the Gallipoli battlefields.

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Book SynopsisDuring the Second World War, the United States built over two hundred defense installations on sovereign soil in Latin America in the name of cooperation in hemisphere defense. Predictably, it proved to be a fraught affair. Despite widespread acclaim for Pan-American unity with the Allied cause, defense construction incited local conflicts that belied the wartime rhetoric of fraternity and equality. Cooperating with the Colossus reconstructs the history of US basing in World War II Latin America, from the elegant chambers of the American foreign ministries to the cantinas, courtrooms, plazas, and brothels surrounding US defense sites. Foregrounding the wartime experiences of Brazil, Cuba, and Panama, the book considers how Latin American leaders and diplomats used basing rights as bargaining chips to advance their nation-building agendas with US resources, while limiting overreach by the Colossus of the North as best they could. Yet conflicts on the ground over labor rights, discriminaTrade ReviewBurrowing deep into the national archives in Brazil, Cuba, and Panama, Herman has produced a splendid, well-balanced history of an extraordinary but seldom studied period in inter-American relations. She pushes back against the still prevalent academic caricature of the United States as an all-powerful imperial actor, aligning herself instead with a younger generation of scholars that has emphasized Latin American agency and the ability of Latin Americans to astutely bargain with Washington....Herman deftly demonstrates how onsite U.S. commanders and diplomats cooperated with local authorities to find informal, flexible solutions to potentially tricky issues....Such pragmatic accords successfully managed the inherent tensions between international security cooperation and national sovereignty, enabling a brilliant if brief chapter of solidarity in the Western Hemisphere. * Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs *Rebecca Herman's Cooperating with the Colossus is a superb book. Wonderfully written and impressively researched, Herman's history greatly expands our understanding of the way Washington used Latin America as a testing ground for the creation of its worldwide military-base archipelago. Cooperating with the Colossus will immediately find a deserved place in the canon of international diplomatic history. * Greg Grandin, Yale University *The World War II years were a 'transformative crucible' in US relations with Latin America, Rebecca Herman demonstrates, requiring negotiation between the projection of American power in the name of protecting democracy, and incursions in the sovereignty of other nations. An outstanding, nuanced, and deeply researched study. * Mary L. Dudziak, author of War Time: An Idea, Its History, Its Consequences *Cooperating with the Colossus provides a strikingly new perspective on the close encounters between US authorities and Latin American nations during World War II. Rebecca Herman brilliantly brings together the micro-level social tensions that erupted along the 'borderlands' of US military bases in Latin America during the war, and the macro-level impact of US basing on political concerns regarding national sovereignty in the region. Drawing on a vast array of sources from multi-national archival research, Herman delves into the extensive clashes and protests sparked by matters of racial discrimination, criminal jurisdiction, labor rights, and gender norms as US bases multiplied in Brazil, Cuba, and Panama. And then she goes a step further and offers us a stunning synthesis of these local dramas that amounts to a radical reinterpretation of the era of 'The Good Neighbor. * Barbara Weinstein, New York University *The book examines the expansion of US military basing in Latin America as part of the Allied war effort. But it does more than that. Herman's multifaceted and multilevel history takes a renewed look at cooperation in asymmetrical relationships during a consequential moment. Thus, Cooperating with the Colossus joins a handful of existing books as a veritable must-read book on wartime inter-American relations. * Tom Long, International Affairs *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter One: The Specter of Guantanamo Chapter Two: High Politics and Horse-Trading Chapter Three: Base Labor Chapter Four: Discrimination in the Canal Zone Chapter Five: Sex, Honor, and Moral Hygiene Chapter Six: Criminal Jurisdiction Chapter Seven: Cooperation at the War's End Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis 2000 volume analyses the First World War in light of the concept of 'total war'. Leading scholars explore the efforts of soldiers, statesmen and civilians to adjust to the titanic, pervasive pressures that the military stalemate on the western front imposed on belligerent and neutral societies.Trade Review'… a fine collection of essays that students of the Great War should not miss.' The Economic History Review'… this collection can justify its claim to address the 'totality' of war on the Western Front, and the reader can expect a broadening … of his or her knowledge of the conflict from reading this volume.' War in History'The volume is made attractive by the extremely high quality of the contributions, and by its discussion of important questions concerning the historical location of the First World War.' Sven Oliver Müller, German Historical Institute BulletinTable of ContentsIntroduction Stig Förster; Part I. Basic Reflections: 1. From cabinet war to total war: the perspective of military doctrine, 1861–1918 Hew Strachan; 2. World War I and the theory of total war: reflections on the British and German cases Roger Chickering; Part II. The Changing Realities of Warfare: 3. World War I and the revolution in logistics Martin van Creveld; 4. Mass warfare and the impact of technology Dennis E. Showalter; 5. Total war through new weapons? The use of chemical agents in World War I Rolf-Dieter Müller; 6. Planning total war? Falkenhayn and the Battle of Verdun 1916 Holger Afflerbach; 7. The most extensive experiment that imagination can produce: violence of war, emotional stress, and German medicine Wolfgang U. Eckart; Part III. War Against Noncombatants: 8. War between soldiers and enemy civilians, 1914–15 John Horne and Alan Kramer; 9. The blockade of Germany and the strategy of starvation Avner Offer; 10. Total rhetoric, limited war: Germany's U-boat campaign, 1917–18 Holger H. Herwig; 11. The first air war against noncombatants: strategic bombing of German cities in World War I Christian Geinitz; 12. Bullying the neutrals: the case of the Netherlands Marc Frey; Part IV. Politicians, Soldiers and the Problem of Unlimited Warfare: 13. Poincaré, Clemenceau, and the quest for total victory J. F. V. Keiger; 14. Strategy and unlimited warfare in Germany: Moltke, Falkenhayn, and Ludendorff Wilhelm Deist; 15. The strategy of unlimited warfare: Kitchener, Robertson, and Haig David French; 16. French strategy on the Western Front, 1914–18 David Stevenson; 17. Strategy and total war in the United States Russell F. Weigley; Part V. Mobilizing Economies and Finance for War: 18. War aims, state intervention, and business leadership in Germany: the case of Hugo Stinnes Gerald D. Feldman; 19. Lloyd George and the management of the British war economy Keith Grieves; 20. Better late than never: the American economic war effort, 1917–18 Elisabeth Glaser; 21. How (not) to pay for the war: traditional finance and total war Niall Ferguson; Part VI. Societies Mobilized for War: 22. Mobilizing German society for war Richard Bessel; 23. Women's wartime services under the cross: patriotic communities in Germany, 1912–18 Jean H. Quataert; 24. Pandora's Box: propaganda and war hysteria in the United States during World War I Jörg Nagler; 25. Painting and music during and after the Great War: the art of total war Arthur Marwick; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe first day of the Somme has had more of a widespread emotional impact on the psyche of the British public than any other battle in history. Now, 100 years later, Robert Kershaw attempts to understand the carnage, using the voices of the British and German soldiers who lived through that awful day.In the early hours of 1 July 1916, the British General staff placed its faith in patriotism and guts, believing that one ‘Big Push’ would bring on the end of the Great War. By sunset, there were 57,470 men – more than half the size of the present-day British Army – who lay dead, missing or wounded. On that day hope died.Juxtaposing the British trench view against that from the German parapet, Kershaw draws on eyewitness accounts, memories and letters to expose the true horror of that day. Amongst the mud, gore and stench of death, there are also stories of humanity and resilience, of all-embracing comradeship and gritty patriotic British spirit. However i

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Book SynopsisFeaturing archive photography and full-colour maps, a rich analysis of the Germans'' early success in France.The German victory of 1940 stunned the world. France, major European power and owner of the world''s largest armies had fallen in less than seven weeks to the might of the German Wehrmacht. The secret of the Wehrmacht''s success lay in its carefully thought out organization and the tactics of blitzkrieg. Fast moving tank divisions supported by armoured, mobile infantry swept over opposition, helped by both conventional bombers and deadly Stuka dive-bombers.Alan Shepperd''s highly detailed text examines the tactics, organization and equipment of the Allied and German forces, and provides a daily account of the most crucial period of the battle.Table of ContentsBackground for War/The Opposing Commanders/The Opposing Armies/The Opposing Plans/The Battle for France/The Result/Chronology/A Guide to Further Reading/Wargaming France 1940

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Book SynopsisThe tiny French hamlet of Serre is the subject of this guide. It covers four battles for the high ground upon which Serre is situated: June 1915: July 1916: November 1916 and July and August 1918.

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Book SynopsisThe battle for Guillemont raged throughout August 1916. Like so many of the battles into which the 'Big Push' degenerated, the struggle centred around a wood, Trones, and a heavily fortified village. It was in this battle that Noel Chavasse won the first of his two VCs.

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Book SynopsisExplains how the Channel Islands were demilitarised in 1940 to save them from destruction.

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Book SynopsisA gripping and fascinating account of the Great War - told through the events of 100 key dates between 1914 and 1918.Trade ReviewOriginal and effective...Professor David exceeds the reader's expectations...one of the best measured accounts. * Times Literary Supplement *A splendid read... a specialist in 19th century colonial wars and a fine writer, David has intelligently boiled down recent scholarship on the war. * The Observer *Saul David has come up with an ingenious approach... The charm of this unorthodox technique becomes clear as soon as you open the book... a remarkable book. * Daily Mail *Splendidly well written - fluent, engaging, well paced and, despite the grim subject matter, often entertaining. * New Statesman *Fascinating, original...vivid...brilliantly conveys the global scale of the conflict...if you usually find military history rather turgid you must read this. * The Bookseller *A free-flowing work of great originality and insight. * Charles Spencer *All the really important dates are here, as well as some inspired choices ... If any book will inspire readers to investigate further, this one will. * Mail on Sunday *David picks out 100 individual days from the war that allow him to paint the entire picture ... as ever, he is at his best when shells are landing and whistles are blowing. * Sunday Times *Absorbing because of, not despite, the harrowing detail. * The Independent *100 Days to Victory adopts a remarkably original approach to telling the story of the First World War in an accessible fashion ... the author is gifted with acute judgement as well as accomplished narrative skills. His book offers a really admirable introduction to the conflict. -- Max Hastings * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe World Crisis is considered by many to be Winston S. Churchill's literary masterpiece. Published across five volumes between 1923 and 1931, Churchill here tells the story of The Great War, from its origins to the long shadow it cast on the following decades. At once a history and a first-hand account of Churchill's own involvement in the war, The World Crisis remains a compelling account of the conflict and its importance. Volume I covers the origins and earliest days of the war from 1911-1914, as well as the longer history of the collapse of the Great Power system from the Franco Prussian war onwards. Churchill here explores the international tensions over the Balkan states that triggered the conflict as well as the arms race between the British and German navies.Table of ContentsForeword Preface 1. The Vials of Wrath 2. Milestone to Armageddon 3. The Crisis of Agadir 4. Admirals All 5. The German Navy Law 6. The Romance of Design 7. The North Sea Front 8. Ireland and the European Balance 9. The Crisis 10. The Mobilization of the Navy 11. War: The Passage of the Army 12. The Battle in France 13. On the Oceans 14. In the Narrow Seas 15. Antwerp 16. The Channel Ports 17. The Grand Fleet and the Submarine Alarm 18. Coronel and the Falklands 19. With Fisher at the Admiralty 20. The Bombardment of Scarborough and Hartlepool 21. Turkey and the Balkans Appendixes Appendix A: Naval Staff Training Appendix B: Tables of Fleet Strength Appendix C: Trade Protection Appendix D: Mining Appendix E: First Lord's Minutes

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Book SynopsisWaterloo 1815 is a captivating study of the battle of Waterloo, one of the defining campaigns in European history. In particular it focuses on the desperate struggle for Ligny, which saw the Prussians pushed back after heavy fighting by the French Army in what was to be Napoleon''s last battlefield victory. With Wellington unable to assist his Prussian allies in time, the Prussian centre was overwhelmed as night began to fall, although the flanks were able to retreat in some semblance of order. Stunning illustrations augment the drama of the fighting in this area while considerable new research drawn from unpublished first-hand accounts provide a detailed and engaging resource for all aspects of the battle.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Chronology / Opposing commanders / Opposing forces / Orders of battle / Opposing plans / The campaign opens / Aftermath / The battlefield today / Further reading / Index

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Book SynopsisA new and richly illustrated account of Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox, in North Africa.

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Book SynopsisHow and why the three losers of the Second World War reconsidered their pacifism, embraced a more active military role and transformed their armed forces after the Cold WarTrade Review"Because they lost World War II, Germany, Italy and Japan spent much of the Cold War rejecting militarism and doing the minimum necessary to keep the United States happy and the Soviet threat at bay. In this compelling new book, Coticchia, Dian, and Moro demonstrate the essential role of critical junctures in the post-Cold War transformation of military doctrine and force structure in Germany, Italy, and Japan. In each case, the authors paint a careful picture of how international and domestic factors interact in complex and fascinating ways. This book is essential reading for those interested in the challenges facing military modernization efforts in these countries and beyond." -Jason W. Davidson, University of Mary Washington

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Book SynopsisThis work takes us beneath the veneer of the famous “Green Mountain Boys” to reveal the true story of how a hardened, quasi-commando army happened to be present in America’s northern colonies at the start of the Revolution.Under their first dynamic commander, Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain Boys indeed formed and fought against a larger, oppressive power—this was the Colony of New York, which repeatedly tried to make claim to Vermont land. Meantime Vermont itself was termed the “Hampshire Grants,” and was considered to be a part of that similarly nebulous New England territory.The Vermonters would have little of it, however, even as British Canada also extended its covetous eye, and under Ethan Allen formed their own militia to combat encroachers from either side. Allen was not an innocent in the mix, and had his own agenda, including financial or landowning ones. But the spirit he and his men showed in defense of their isolated mountains has come to epitomize America’s own spirit of independence against any untoward or unwanted regime.When the Revolution against Britain arrived, the Green Mountain Boys were one of the few organized, experienced combat units Washington could call on from the northeast. And they were immediately put to good use, seizing the British fortress at Ticonderoga and afterward helping to invade Canada. But in mid-1777 was declared the “Republic of Vermont,” sending a signal to all comers that those rustic fighters didn’t wish to be governed by anyone except themselves.Nevertheless, at the Battle of Hubbardton, and then Bennington, the Green Mountain Boys performed good service on behalf of the United Colonies. Eventually the Vermonters would be persuaded to join the new nation itself, even if, as this fascinating book proves, they never considered that path such an easy one.

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