War and defence operations Books

Book SynopsisOf the five beaches attacked on 6 June, Omaha saw the sternest fighting. Well-placed defenders on the high ground and extensive beach defenses did their job. On top of this, so much had gone wrong with the first wave: many of the amphibious DD Sherman tanks didn’t reach the beach. They were released from their landing craft too far away where the greater swell swamped them and the troops landing on Omaha missed their firepower. Another problem was that many units landed in the wrong place. Strong tides and winds carried the landing craft off line and led to confusion. Finally, the German emplacements and defenses were well-placed on high ground and the only cover on the beach face=Calibri>– the seawal – was over a killing ground. There were 32 fortified areas located between the Vire River and Port-en-Bessin: in all, 12 of these strongpoints were able to direct fire on Omaha Beach. The attacking forcesface=Calibri>–units of the US 29th and 1st Inf Divs – suffered over 2,000 casualties, many of them drowned during the approach, but led by US Rangers, themselves misplaced (they were the follow-up troops to Rudder’s Rangers who had scaled the Pointe du Hoc) the American troops pushed forward and by nightfall, they had gained hold of the beach and its immediate hinterland. Despite the casualties, 34,000 troops had been landed by the end of the day.Trade ReviewThey are lavishly illustrated…good value for money and are recommended. * Fortress Studies Journal *These books are great for all ages but the younger me would have loved them and each volume is an ideal present for the history mad youth in your family. * War History Online *If you have never been, I think this will encourage you to visit Omaha Beach, and it would be handy to take this with you for reference while you are there. * Military Modelling.com *An amazing account of the D-Day landing at Omaha beach in this fascinating new series: PAST & PRESENT from Casemate… * Books Monthly *

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Book Synopsis"Die Wehrmacht im Kampf" Battles and Problems of the Second World War is a series originally edited by Hermann Teske and published in German in the 1950s and 1960s. Written by former members of the German Army in World War II, it provides valuable and historically significant information on the perspective of the German Army of many crucial campaigns and battles. Now being published in English for the first time, each volume has a modern introduction by Matthias Strohn, a lecturer at Sandhurst and The University of Buckingham and an expert on the German Army.This volume in the Die Wehrmacht im Kampf series examines the principles of mobile defensive operations by analysing examples of defensive combat that took place on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. It is written by Ferdinand Maria von Senger und Etterlin, a German officer in the panzer troops who fought in several defensive battles against the Russians.Table of ContentsPart 1: Delaying tactics Part 2: Defensive positions Part 3: Counteroffensive and reaction forces Part 4: Conclusions

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Book SynopsisCybersecurity is a complex and contested issue in international politics. By focusing on the 'great powers'--the US, the EU, Russia and China--studies in the field often fail to capture the specific politics of cybersecurity in the Middle East, especially in Egypt and the GCC states. For these countries, cybersecurity policies and practices are entangled with those of long-standing allies in the US and Europe, and are built on reciprocal flows of data, capital, technology and expertise. At the same time, these states have authoritarian systems of governance more reminiscent of Russia or China, including approaches to digital technologies centred on sovereignty and surveillance. This book is a pioneering examination of the politics of cybersecurity in the Middle East. Drawing on new interviews and original fieldwork, James Shires shows how the label of cybersecurity is repurposed by states, companies and other organisations to encompass a variety of concepts, including state conflict, targeted spyware, domestic information controls, and foreign interference through leaks and disinformation. These shifting meanings shape key technological systems as well as the social relations underpinning digital development. But however the term is interpreted, it is clear that cybersecurity is an integral aspect of the region's contemporary politics.Trade Review'One of the best books about cybersecurity in the Middle East. Shires does a great job of unpacking how cybersecurity is used to further political and societal goals and the impact that this has on domestic and regional dynamics.' -- Joyce Hakmeh, Senior Research Fellow, Chatham House, and co-editor of the 'Journal for Cyber Policy''James Shires has produced an ambitious yet deeply thoughtful treatment of the stark effects of moral maneuvers in cyberspace. His deft blend of culture, technology, and politics betrays a talent on the rise and offers compelling new insights.' -- Trey Herr, Director of the Atlantic Council's Cyber Statecraft Initiative'Dr Shires masterfully weaves together three complex narratives-politics, cybersecurity, and the Middle East-into a policy-relevant analysis that provides insight into how and why governments use the cybersecurity domain to advance their interests.' -- Lauren Zabierek, Executive Director of the Cyber Project, Harvard Kennedy School'An excellent book. Shires does an admirable job of showing how decisions over the politics of cybersecurity have a real-world impact "on the ground." Clear and compelling, it will appeal to scholars and policy practitioners alike.' -- Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University'Shires' book uses the concept of moral maneuvers to explore the relationship between values and norms within the cybersecurity community. There is little academic work on cybersecurity in the Middle East, so this is a unique contribution. Thorough, engaging and well written.' -- -- Marc Owen Jones, Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar, and author of 'Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East'

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Book SynopsisAfter 75 years, this story presents archaeological evidence, archival records, and respected elders’ accounts from WWII and the most catastrophic period in Pacific Basin history, and then into modern times on Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. On June 15, 1944, Afetna Point was called ‘Yellow Beach 2’ by the U.S. Marines and Army infantry braving Japanese resistance to establish a beachhead before capturing As Lito airfield the following days. The beachhead then served as a resupply landing for the next two weeks or more as U.S. forces slowly cleared the island of enemy strongpoints, and removed wounded Americans and battle weary civilians to off-shore medical treatment. At the end of the battle Chamorro, Carolinian, Okinawan, and Korean residents were relocated into stockades for their separation from Japanese soldiers until liberation on July 4, 1946. American military and eventual civilian administration of the San Antonio area transformed the agrarian landscape into a busy corridor of residential, industrial, and then tourist development. Once again in the 21st century, competition for regional tourism and investment makes Saipan a nexus of geopolitical intrigue and economic speculation where the past is not forgotten.Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter 1. Introduction to Yellow Beach 2 on Saipan ; Chapter 2. The Afetna Point Archaeological Project ; Chapter 3. Environmental Context of Afetna Point ; Chapter 4. Research Design and Methods Employed ; Chapter 5. Yellow Beach 2: Historic Context of Afetna Point ; Chapter 6. WWII Era Results ; Chapter 7. Osteological Analysis ; Chapter 8. San Antonio Memories Today ; Chapter 9. Discussion of Research Questions ; Chapter 10. Larger Research Implications ; Chapter 11. References Cited by Major Topics

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Book SynopsisAfter securing the capture of Jerusalem General Allenby planned a campaign that would knock Turkey out of World War 1. In a spectacular campaign General Allenby's Egyptian Expeditionary Force achieved the breakthrough in Palestine that commanders on the Western Front had only dreamed of. Supported by Lawrence and his Arab irregulars, the Desert Mounted Corps swept across the Turkish rear, destroying three armies in the process. Turkey's war was over and the days of the tottering Ottoman Empire were numbered. This was a British 'Blitzkrieg' with a speed of advance that stunned the world twenty years before Germany's Panzers rolled across Europe.Table of ContentsThe course of the campaign; opposing commanders; opposing armies; opposing plans; the battle of Megiddo; the legacy of Megiddo; the battlefield today; chronology; wargaming Megiddo.

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Book SynopsisThe horrific Hamas attacks on Simchat Torah Day -7 October 23- and the Israeli retaliation into Gaza that followed, has triggered another Israel-Palestine war. The war has drawn in other parties and could plunge the entire Middle East into conflict.The Gaza war has shifted attention from the Russia-Ukraine War. This war will divert much-needed aid and equipment from Ukraine and impact its eventual outcome. The endgame in the Ukraine war is slowly coming into sight, even as it seems to continue for some time to come.

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Book SynopsisThe collapse of the USSR was relatively bloodless. The Chechen Wars were not. A tiny nation on the edge of Russia, Chechnya brought one of the largest armies in the world to its knees. Trauma and Truth examines significant works about these wars by some of Russia’s leading contemporary war authors, including Anna Politkovskaya, Arkady Babchenko, and Zakhar Prilepin. Combining close reading of the texts with descriptions of the authors’ social and political activities and suggestions on how to teach these challenging authors and texts, Trauma and Truth traces the psychological effects of the wars on their participants, and concludes with a discussion of what this means for Russia today.Trade Review“Elena Pedigo Clark’s Trauma and Truth is a welcome contribution to critical pedagogy in Russian literary and cultural studies… Trauma and Truth offers readers both critical insight into the contemporary literature and journalistic writing that emerged from the modern wars in Chechnya, as well as an embedded, carefully crafted model course on literature and the trauma of war. There is a deep symbiosis between these two constituent parts that resist hierarchy: Is it a volume of teaching-informed scholarship, or an example of researched-informed pedagogy? It is both… The volume’s empathetic approach to the “War is Hell” message of all four authors can and should be included in almost any course on contemporary Russian literature and culture designed for the current generation of students.”— Thomas Jesús Garza, The Russian ReviewTable of ContentsIntroductionThe Structure of This BookA Note on Transliteration and Citation1. A Brief Historical Background2. The Literature of Trauma3. Anna Politkovskaya: The Martyr of Russian Journalism4. Mikail Eldin: Rebel with a Cause5. Arkady Babchenko: “The Motherland will Abandon You, Son. Always”6. Zakhar Prilepin: The Warrior-Bard of Russian PatriotismConclusionBibliography

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Book SynopsisA definitive work of military history that gives the Indian military its rightful place as a key contributor to Indian democracy. Arjun Subramaniam offers an engaging narrative that combines superb storytelling with the academic rigour of deep research and analysis.

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Book SynopsisDuring World War II, Adolf Hitler gave the order for a line of defence to be constructed along the coasts of the western front. Ranging from the French-Spanish border to the north of Norway, this Atlantic Wall is a series of bunkers, barricades and coastal batteries. Over the past year, Stephan Vanfleteren has photographed this 'wall' of more than 2600 kilometres in his trademark black-and-white style. He planted his tripod on various beaches in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, climbed cliff faces in France, sailed between the fjords of Norway and stood in the surf in Denmark to photograph the ruins of the largest military structure of the previous century. Vanfleteren shows his wonder for the untamed architectural beauty of these concrete structures, and the power of nature as it slowly reclaims a wall that was once considered impenetrable.Table of ContentsContents: Stephan Vanfleteren: Pebblestones of history; Benoit Strubbe & Mathieu de Meyer: The Phenomenon of the AtlanticWall

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Book SynopsisThe end of the beginning… An epic conflictNorth Africa was a turning point for the British in the Second World War: a harsh landscape of sand and enemy tanks, but ultimately a place of victory, that Churchill famously called ‘the end of the beginning.’When General Montgomery became commander of the Allied Eighth Army in 1942, he found the troops dispirited after a series of defeats by his nemesis, General Rommel. However, under Monty’s inspired leadership the army turned their fortunes around, going on to win seven battles and driving the enemy out of North Africa.However, little credit has been attributed to the Eighth Army for its victories, and even the legendary Battle of El Alamein has been consistently underrated. This highly informed and gripping account brings to light how the troops, and their leaders, won these decisive battles, and helped to win the war.Lucid and accessible, this masterly account is vital reading for all enthusiasts of military history. Perfect for readers of Jonathan Dimbleby and Max Hastings.

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Book SynopsisAnne Glyn- Jones opens up the secret world of the interceptors of German Morse Code signals during World War II. Leaving her girls boarding school with romantic ideas about joining the navy as a Wren, Anne had no idea that she would be working for the mysterious ''Station X'', which we now know to be Bletchley Park. Round the clock shifts, bed bugs, rats and poor diet took its toll, as well as the ongoing lack of recognition from the Navy hierarchy. Morse Code Wrens of Station X is a very personal memoir of a young woman's experiences of war time service, as well as providing fascinating insights into the daily realities of the battle for military intelligence superiority.

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Book SynopsisThis timely analysis of security in Europe identifies the factors that enable and hinder the creation of networks of defence cooperation across the continent. Going beyond regional arrangements established by NATO and the European Union, this book considers the subregional level by focusing on bilateral and minilateral defence collaborations. It provides a new conceptual framework to assess the rationales, leadership and the complex dynamics within these alliances, and highlights how they shape and interact with NATO and EU initiatives.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Multinational Defence Cooperation in Europe 3. Conceptualizing Defence Cooperation 4. The European Security Community 5. Defence Budgets 6. Previous Defence Collaborations 7. Strong Leadership and Chemistry 8. Supportive Political Milieu 9. How to Achieve Defence Cooperation in Europe 10. Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisPrimary source engravings, drawings and paintings with 100 images from the Great War period.

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Book SynopsisThe Duke of Wellington''s victory over Napoleon in 1815 at Waterloo ensured British dominance for the rest of the nineteenth century. It took three days and two hours for word to travel from Belgium in a form that people could rely upon. This is a tragi-comic midsummer''s tale that begins amidst terrible carnage and weaves through a world of politics and military convention, enterprise and roguery, frustration, doubt and jealousy, to end spectacularly in the heart of Regency society at a grand soiree in St James''s Square after feverish journeys by coach and horseback, a Channel crossing delayed by falling tides and a flat calm, and a final dash by coach and four from Dover to London. At least five men were involved in bringing the news or parts of it to London, and their stories are fascinating. Brian Cathcart, a brilliant storyteller and historian, has visited the battlefield, travelled the messengers'' routes, and traced untapped British, French and

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Book SynopsisIn almost every military intervention in its history, the US has made cultural mistakes that hindered attainment of its policy goals. From the counterproductive strategic bombing of Vietnam to the misguided accidental burning of the Koran in Afghanistan, the US has blundered around with little consideration of local cultural beliefs and almost no concern for the long-term effects on the host nation's society. Cultural anthropology--the so-called 'handmaiden of colonialism'--has historically served as an intellectual bridge between sovereign Western powers and local nationals. What light can it shed on the difficult intersection of the US military and foreign societies today? Each chapter in this book tells the story of an anthropologist who worked directly for the military, such as Ursula Graham Bower, the only woman to hold a British combat command during WWII. Each faced challenges including the negative outcomes of exporting Western political models to societies where they don't fit, and errors of perception that prevent understanding of indigenous societies. Ranging from the British colonial era in Africa to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Military Anthropology illustrates the conceptual, cultural and practical barriers encountered by military organisations.Trade Review‘A fascinating and pioneering study.' -- Asian Affairs‘Never before has cultural awareness mattered so much to military operations. By exploring the extraordinary lives and experiences of a remarkable bunch of characters, Montgomery McFate demonstrates the importance of military anthropology to the study and conduct of war. This is a most enlightening volume.’ -- Theo Farrell, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, City, University of London, author of 'Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan'‘Montgomery McFate has written a dense but fascinating book that examines the role of anthropologists in warfare, focusing on the importance of understanding culture to achieve success in counterinsurgency, unconventional warfare, and information operations. Invaluable to strategic practitioners in a world that promises continuing American engagement in small wars.’ -- John Nagl, US Army Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), Headmaster of The Haverford School, and author of 'Knife Fights: A Memoir of Modern War''A long overdue study of a critical yet often overlooked dimension of strategy and war. McFate puts her finger on why the military and academia find it so difficult to trust each other, and why both must find a way to do so.' -- Antulio J. Echevarria II, Editor, Parameters, US Army War College

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Book SynopsisA collection of writings on the use of strategy in war. It provides a learned framework for understanding global political history. It includes writings from ancient and modern Europe, China, Byzantium, the Arab world, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire.Table of Contents List of maps Foreword by Lucien Poirier Preface to the American edition Preliminary Note Warfare and Strategic Cultures in History by Gerard Chaliand 1. THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST The Kadesh Inscription (c. 1295 B.c.) The Battle of Kadesh Deuteronomy (eighth-sixth centuries B.c.) The Conduct of War The Dead Sea Scrolls (first century B.c.?) The War Rule 2. GREECE AND ROME Thucydides (c. 460-c. 399 B.c.) The Dispute over Corcyra Pericles' Reply to the Spartan Ultimatum Xenophon (c. 426-c. 354 B.c.) The Expedition of Cyrus The Duties of a Cavalry Commander Polybius (c. 202-c. 120 B.c.) The Battle of Lake Trasimene The Battle of Cannae Julius Caesar (c. 101-44 B.c.) The Siege of Massilia The Battle of Pharsalus 132 Sallust (c. 86-c. 35 B.c.) Guerrilla Warfare Josephus (c. A.D. 37-c. 100) The Organization of the Roman Army Onasander (first century A.D.) The General Plutarch (c. A.D. 46-c. 120) An Absolute Disaster Tacitus (c. A.D. 55-c. 120) War and the Germans Germanicus' s Campaigns on the Rhine Arrian (c. A.D. 92-175) The Battle ofissus The Battle of Gaugamela The War against Porus Cassius Dio (c. A.D. 155-235?) The Battle of Actium Flavius Vegetius (late fourth century A.D.) Dispositions for Action 3.CHINA Sun Zi (fourth century B.c.) TheArtofWar Shang Yang (fourth century B.c.) The Book of Lord Shang 239 Ssu-ma Ch'ien (c. 145-c. 86 B.c.) LordShang Tien Tan Lien Po and Lin Hsiang-ju Chang Liang, Marquis of Liu The Marquis ofHuai-yin (Han Hsin) 4· INDIA Kautilya (fourth century B.c.?) The Six-fold Policy The Work of an Invader Concerning a Powerful Enemy Strategic Means to Capture a Fortress 5· BYZANTIUM Procopius (c. A.D. 500-565?) The Persian War 335 The Gothic War 341 Maurildos(c.A.D.539-602) Strategy 348 Leo VI (A.D. 865-912) Tactics 356 Liutprand (c. A.D. 920-972) The Use of Greek Fire against the Rus Kritovoulos (c. 1410-?) The Fall of Constantinople 6. THE ARAB WORLD The Koran (seventh century) On Holy War Al-Muttaqi' al-Hindi (1477-1567) Sayings Ascribed to the Prophet Al-Bukhari (810-870) Sayings Ascribed to the Prophet Al-Tabari (c. 838-923) Abu Bakr on the Rules of War Conquest The Battle of Kadisaya The Battle of Karbala' Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233) The Battle of Hittin Baha' ad-Din Ibn Shaddad (1145-1234) The Fall of Acre Ibn Hudhayl al-Andalusi (fourteenth century) Principles of War Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) Bedouins and Sedentary People The Admiralty Methods of Waging War Practiced by the Various Nations 7· PERSIA Kai Ka'us Ibn Iskandar (c. 1020-1085) On Giving Battle to an Enemy The Art of Controlling an Armed Force Nizam al-Mulk (1018-1092) The Book of Government Al-Rawandi (thirteenth century) Conduct of War, Conduct of Battle Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274) The Use of War Mubarakshah (c. 1150-1224) The Rules of War and Bravery Sa'di (c. 1209-1291) On War 8. THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Ottoman Chronicle (fourteenth century) The Origin of the ]anissaries Busbecq (1522-1592) The Sultan in the Field 9. MONGOLIA AND CENTRAL ASIA Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233) The Coming of the Mongols John ofPlano Carpino (c. 1182-1252) How Mongols Fight How to Fight Mongols Ata Malik al-Juwayni (1226-1283) The Mongols in Iran Timur (1336-1405) The Conquest of Dehli Babur (1483-1530) The Conquest of H industan 10. LIMITED WARS IN THE WEST Jean Froissart (c. 1337-1404?) The Battle of Crecy Hernan Cortes (1485-1547) The Siege ofT(mochtitlan Francisco de Jerez (c. 1497-?) The Capture of Atahuallpa Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) Of Different Kinds ofTroops The Art of War War and Political Strategy On the Object of War and the Use of Victory Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540) The Perfection of the French Artillery Walter Raleigh (1554-1618) Sea Warfare and the Defense of England Richard Hakluyt (c. 1553-1616) The Destruction of the Spanish Armada Due de Richelieu (1585-1642) On Sea Power Sebastien de Vauban (1633-1707) General Rules or Maxims for Attacking a Fortress Treatise on the Attack and Defense of Fortresses Raimondo de Montecuccoli (1608-1681) Military Considerations Jean de Folard (1669-1752) On Column Order On Defensive War On Mountain War Peter the Great (1672-1725) "Testament" Maurice de Saxe (1696-1750) Reveries on the Art of War Frederick the Great (1712-1786) Military Instructions for the Generals Henry Lloyd (1729-1783) Armies, Ancient and Modern Jacques de Guibert (1743-1790) Introduction to the Essai general de tactique n. THEAGEOFTOTAL WARS Lazare Carnot (1753-1823) On the Defense of Fortified Places To Michaud, Commander of the Army of the Rhine The Current Campaign on the Northern Frontiers Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) The Trafalgar Memorandum Duke ofWellington (1769-1852) Two Letters Napoleon (1769-1821) Maxims (1) Maxims (2) Geopolitics (from the memoirs of Las Cases) Denis Davydov (17B4-1B39) On Guerrilla Warfare Why Partisan War Suits Russia J. F. A. Le Miere de Corvey (1770-1B32) On Partisans and Irregular Forces Carl von Clausewitz (17B0-1B31) On the Nature of War Henri Jomini (1779-1B69) Statesmanship in Its Relation to War Strategy Strategic Combinations Epitome of Strategy Thomas Bugeaud (17B4-1B49) On Pacification Shaka (c. 17B7-1B2B) The Zulu Army (from the diary of Henry Francis Fynn) Charles Ardant du Picq (1B21-1B70) Confidence, the Soul of Victory William T. Sherman (1B2o-'1B91) The March to the Sea Helmuth von Moltke (1Boo-1B91) On Strategy Friedrich Engels (1B20-1B95) The Spirit of Resistance Erosion by the Waves of Popular Warfare War to the Knife Friedrich Ratzel (1B44-1904) The Spatial Growth of States The Sea and Sea-going Peoples Alfred Thayer Mahan (1B40-1914) Naval Strategy Colmar von der Goltz (1B43-1916) The Nation in Arms Joseph Gallieni (1B49-1916) The Conquest of Madagascar Alfred Schlieffen (1833-1913) Present-day War Charles Callwell (1859-1928) Counterinsurgency Halford J, Mackinder (1861-1947) The Geographical Pivot of History The Round World and the Winning of the Peace Julian Corbett (1854-1922) Strategical Terms and Definitions Friedrich von Bernhardi (1849-1930) On War of Today Jean Colin (1864-1917) The New Conditions of War Ferdinand Foch (1851-1929) Principles of War V. I. Lenin (1870-1924) Advice of an Onlooker Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) The Armored Train T. E. Lawrence (1885-1935) Guerrilla Warfare Giulio Doubet (1869-1930) Command of the Air William Mitchell (1879-1936) The Aeronautical Era Hugh Trenchard (1873-1956) The War Object of an Air Force James Connolly (1868-1916) On Street Fighting Mikhail Tukhachevsky (1893-1937) Counterinsurgency Mounting Threats J. F. C. Fuller (1878-1966) Tank Warfare Basil Liddell Hart (1895-1970) The Strategy of Indirect Approach Raoul Castex (1878-1968) The Significance and Limits of Geography Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) The Army of the Future Winston Churchill (1874-1965) "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat" Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) War and Colonization in the East Proclamation to the German People Heinz Guderian (1888-1954) Tank Attack Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) Rules of Desert Warfare Alexander de Seversky (1894-1974) The Challenge to America Nicholas Spykman (1893-1943) Heartland and Rimland Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948) The Way of Nonviolence Mao Ze-dong (1893-1976) Strategy in China's Revolutionary War 12. THE NUCLEAR ERA Bernard Brodie (1910-1978) War in the Atomic Age Albert Wohlstetter (b. 1912) The Delicate Balance of Terror Thomas C. Schelling (b. 1921) The Diplomacy of Violence Andre Beaufre (1902-1975) Indirect Strategy in the Nuclear Age Henry Kissinger (b. 1923) Defense Policy and Strategy Lucien Poirier (b. 1918) Elements of a Theory of Crisis Pierre M. Gallois (b. 1911) The Social Dimension of Strategy Principal subjects covered

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Book SynopsisA bestselling military historian provides a comprehensive account of how World War II was fought, showing how disparate conflicts waged across the globe in the air, on land, and at sea coalesced into a single war-and how the Allied powers won it

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Book SynopsisHow did the conflict between Vietnamese nationalists and French colonial rulers erupt into a major Cold War struggle between communism and Western liberalism? In this work, leading scholars examine various dimensions of the struggle between France and Vietnamese revolutionaries that began in 1945 and reached its climax at Dien Bien Phu.Trade ReviewOffers a well-written, important step toward a refocus on the international context of an important Cold War conflict. -- Douglas Porch * Journal of Military History *Few Americans realize that the U.S. war in Vietnam was preceded by an equally destructive war waged by French troops attempting to reestablish French colonial domination over the country after Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence in Hanoi in 1945. Even fewer Americans are aware of the extent of U.S. involvement in the French war, and are equally ignorant of the astonishing extent to which Americans began their war in Vietnam from the same mistaken assumptions as the French, repeating many of the same errors of judgment as the French. This new collection will do much to dispel that ignorance. -- C. L. Yates * Choice *A fresh collection of stimulating and impressive essays on the First Vietnam War. Lawrence and Logevall have brought together the leading scholars of the period in what will be essential reading for anyone interested in colonialism and the early Cold War. -- Robert K. Brigham, Vassar CollegeThe most important contribution in decades to the international history of the First Vietnam War. These essays by leading specialists show how the Indochina War connected key participants and historical forces in the making of the post-1945 international system. This book belongs in the library of anyone interested in the Cold War, decolonization, Asian history, Vietnamese studies, and international history. -- Christopher Goscha, Université du Québec à MontréalA splendid collection of essays based on sources from across the world and covering a wide range of topics. An indispensable addition to the literature on the First Vietnam War. -- George C. Herring, University of KentuckyThe First Vietnam War beautifully illustrates the complex interplay between the emerging Cold War, the disintegrating colonial order, and the vibrant social, political, and cultural forces inside Indochina. The volume confirms the promise of the new international history—multi-archival, multi-national, and multi-causal. -- Melvyn P. Leffler, University of VirginiaIn this important book an impressive international group of historians sheds fresh light on the First Indochina War. The years 1945 to 1954 are not just a crucial, formative period for the Vietnamese–American relationship, but also a significant chapter in the international history of the twentieth century. This work will prove most welcome to scholars and general readers alike. -- Robert J. McMahon, The Ohio State UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Abbreviations 1. Introduction Mark Atwood Lawrence and Fredrik Logevall Part I. The First Vietnam War in History 2. Making Sense of the French War: The Postcolonial Moment and the First Vietnam War, 1945-1954 Mark Philip Bradley 3. Vietnamese Historians and the First Indochina War Lien-Hang T. Nguyen Part II. From One War to Another 4. Franklin Roosevelt, Trusteeship, and Indochina: A Reassessment Stein Tonnesson 5. Creating Defense Capacity in Vietnam, 1945-1947 David G. Marr 6. Forging the "Great Combination": Britain and the Indochina Problem, 1945-1950 Mark Atwood Lawrence 7. French Imperial Reconstruction and the Development of the Indochina War, 1945-1950 Martin Thomas Part III. Colonialism and Cold War 8. Ho Chi Minh and the Strategy of People's War William J. Duiker 9. The Declining Value of Indochina: France and the Economics of Empire, 1950-1955 Laurent Cesari 10. France, the United States, and Indochina Marilyn B. Young Part IV. The End of the French War and the Coming of the Americans 11. Assessing Dien Bien Phu John Prados 12. China and the Indochina Settlement at the Geneva Conference of 1954 Chen Jian 13. After Geneva: The French Presence in Vietnam, 1954-1963 Kathryn C. Statler 14. Chronicle of a War Foretold: The United States and Vietnam, 1945-1954 Andrew J. Rotter Notes Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisIn May 1965, the entire 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment--lock, stock, and barrel--embarked for Vietnam. Captain Alex Lee was there. . . .Now combat-veteran Marine captain Alex Lee brings to gritty life the full tour of 2/7. From the search-and-destroy missions to the sudden violent ambushes in the hills and valleys west of Qui Nhon, Lee describes how Marines battled monsoons, malaria, and the enemy as they crept through terrain infested with Viet Cong caves and hideouts.After paving the way in Qui Nhon for the arrival of more American military, 2/7 was assigned to Chu Lai, where the battalion fought its most bitter, deadly battles. With the scalding ring of truth, Lee captures the conditions of the bone-weary 2/7 Marines as they slogged through jungles and spent night after night in dreary, rain-filled foxholes.Although they faced a life of constant danger and occasional mindless confusion, in their seemingly endless marathon of effort, agony, and sacrifi

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Book SynopsisThe death of George Armstrong Custer, and over half of his 7th Cavalry Regiment in the valley of the Little Big Horn on 25 June 1876, has become the most celebrated battle of the Indian wars. It was the greatest, and the last, victory of the Native Americans over the United States military. Disobeying orders, Custer followed a trail to a large encampment of Indians and, without determining the numbers he faced split his command into three groups and attacked. In the resulting chaos Custer and more than half the troops under his command were killed.Table of ContentsThe Warpath to 1876/Plans and Preparations/The Opposing Leaders/The Opposing Armies/Terry and Gibbon/Terry's Plan/The Battle of the Little Big Horn/Custer's Last Stand/The Aftermath/The Battlefield Today/Chronology/Guide to Further Reading/Wargaming the Little Big Horn

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Book SynopsisMany chaplains were not permitted to go near the Front in the First World War - others insisted on doing so, like Kenneth Best in the Gallipoli Campaign. Best had no military training before the war but he felt that he could only fulfil his pastoral role by getting close to the front line and working with the troops under fire. Best was attached to the 42nd East Lancastrians - the first Territorial Army Division to serve overseas in the conflict, so arguably the least experienced in the ways of war. In his diary we follow his progress through his initial training in Egypt and on to his arrival in Gallipoli in May 1915. Gallipoli has become notorious, even by the standards of the First World War. After a naval campaign to open up a supply route to Russia through Turkey failed, some 480,000 Allied troops were drawn into a land invasion in which hundreds of thousands were injured or killed. In his diary, Best records his efforts to encourage frightened men before they go over the top, to comfort the wounded and, when the fighting stops, to bury the dead. His empathy for the troops is matched by a forthright disgust for their leaders, few of whom share his insight into the horrific realities of trench warfare.

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Book SynopsisCombining military and deception histories - so often viewed in isolation - this book provides context for deceptions and adds a layer of knowledge regarding the planning of military operations. The result is a more complete and nuanced view of Allied operations than is to be found in most histories of World War II.

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Book SynopsisMajor General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting.No-one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of there-taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25 Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.

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Book SynopsisThis title includes a new Foreword by WM. Roger Louis. On 26 July 1956, the British Empire received a blow from which it would never recover. On this day, Egypt's President Gamal Abdul Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company, one of the gems of Britain's imperial portfolio. It was to be a fateful day for Britain as a world power. Britain, France and Israel subsequently colluded in attacking Egypt, ostensibly - in the case of Britain and France - to protect the Suez Canal but in reality in an attempt to depose Nasser. The US opposition to this scheme forced an ignominious withdrawal, leaving Nasser triumphant and marking a decisive end to Britain's imperial era. In this, the seminal work on the Suez Crisis, Keith Kyle draws on a wealth of documentary evidence to tell this fascinating political, military and diplomatic story. Including new introductory material, this revised edition of a classic work will be essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the twentieth century, military history and the end of empire.Trade Review"'[Suez] has the quality of making everything that has come before... look like a pamphlet off the top of a partisan's head' - Roy Jenkins, Sunday Times"Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Swing-Door of the British Empire 2. A Jewish State 3. Eden and Nasser 4. Arms and the Dam 5. Turning Against Nasser 6. Code-Word 'De Lesseps' 7. Plotting Nasser’s Downfall 8. A Matter of Timetables 9. Musketeer 10. The First London Conference 11. Keightley in Command 12. The Birth of the SCUA 13. Musketeer Revise 14. The Israeli Factor 15. Taking it to the UN 16. Two Frenchmen at Chequers 17. Sèvres, Conference of Collusion 18. A Parachute Drop at the Mitla 19. Ultimatum 20. The Die is Cast 21. World Opinion Speaks 22. France’s War 23. Slow March to Suez 24. The Empire Strikes Back. Phase I: 5 November 1956 25. The Empire Strikes Back. Phase II: 6 November 1956 26. Picking up the Pieces 27. Forced to Quit 28. Last Stands and New Doctrines 29. The End of the Suez Conflict 30. Suez 1991-2001 31. Epilogue Appendices Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhen the Japanese began their brutal occupation of the Philippines in early 1942, 76,000 ill and starving Filipinos and many Americans were left to defend Bataan, Manila, and surrounding islands. During the three violent years of occupation that followed, Allied sympathizers smuggled supplies and information to guerilla fighters and prisoner camps around the country. Theresa Kaminski''s Angels of the Underground tells the story of two such members of this lesser-known resistance movement--American women known only as Miss U and High Pockets. Incredibly adept at skirting occupation authorities to support the Allied effort, the very nature of their clandestine wartime work meant that the truth behind their dangerous activities had to be obscured as long as the Japanese occupied the Philippines. Were their identities revealed, they would be arrested, tortured, and executed. Throughout the war, Miss U and High Pockets remained hidden behind a veil of deceit and subterfuge.Angels of the UndTrade Review"Two American women, known as Miss U and High Pockets, risked their lives in clandestine efforts to help the Allies, a story related in Angels of the Underground: The American Women Who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II (Oxford Univ., Dec.) by Theresa Kaminski, who also provides an account of life under three years of Japanese occupation." --Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsIntroduction ; Chapter One: The Four Women ; Chapter Two: Manila on the Edge ; Chapter Three: Pearl Harbor ; Chapter Four: The Japanese Occupation of Manila ; Chapter Five: Bataan ; Chapter Six: The Surrender of Bataan and After ; Chapter Seven: Organizing Relief and Resistance in Manila ; Chapter Eight: Cabanatuan ; Chapter Nine: Guerrillas in the Midst of the Occupation ; Chapter Ten: The Manila Underground ; Chapter Eleven: Betrayals and an Arrest ; Chapter Twelve: The Carabao Cart Incident and Another Arrest ; Chapter Thirteen: The War Returns to the Philippines ; Chapter Fourteen: Bloodletting and Liberation ; Chapter Fifteen: Freedom ; Notes

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Book SynopsisA new book on the Thirty Years War, published to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the conflict

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Book SynopsisAs the US fought the Civil War in the early 1860s, the country's western frontier was the site of significant military campaigns that took the lives of both American and Sioux. The Dakota campaign against the Sioux between 1863 and 1864 was greater in scope, intensity and bloodshed than almost all other Indian battles fought in the West.

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Book SynopsisShould French railwaymen during the Second World War be viewed as great resisters or collaborators in genocide? Ludivine Broch revisits histories of resistance, collaboration and deportation in Vichy France through the prism of the French railwaymen the cheminots. De-sanctifying the idea of railwaymen as heroic saboteurs, Broch reveals the daily life of these workers who accommodated with the Vichy regime, cohabitated with the Germans and stole from their employer. Moreover, by intertwining the history of the working classes with Holocaust history, she highlights unexpected histories under Vichy and sensitive memories of the post-war period. Ultimately, this book bursts the myths of cheminot resistance and collaboration in the Holocaust, and reveals that there is more to their story than this. The cheminots fed both the French nation and the German military apparatus, exemplifying the complexities of personal, professional and political life under occupation.Trade Review'… well researched, well organized and well written, and it establishes thoroughly and clearly several ground-breaking points. The target of the book is to discuss myths, representations regarding the French railway system, and its collaboration with the Nazi, including résistance, strikes, sabotage and the solution finale.' Marie-Noelle Polino, The Journal of Transport History'The cheminots highlight an interesting tension in the dichotomy of resistance and collaboration, and Broch enriches this vein in the historiography with a rich, focused and much-needed reconsideration of France's railway workers. Her book offers a valuable insight into the complex legacy of a group with a strong professional identity and a strongly felt role in the story of France's Occupation.' Andrew W. M. Smith, The English Historical Review'As a study in everyday life under Vichy, this is exceptional. Any historian interested in the Occupation would do well to read this book, which is not only thoroughly well researched but also eminently readable.' David Lees, French HistoryTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Cheminots; 2. Vichy; 3. Bahnofs; 4. Theft; 5. Protest; 6. Sabotage; 7. Shoah; 8. Liberation; Epilogue: memory; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThere is a dilemma facing the US in asymmetric conflicts. Balancing concern for the lives of soldiers and innocent civilians has opened new areas of vulnerability that have been systematically exploited by non-state adversaries. Kaempf examines how the resulting trade-off is forcing decision-makers to have to choose between these two norms.Trade Review'A key normative tension lies at the heart of the contemporary American way of war, caused by the political imperative to avoid own force casualties and the legal requirement to avoid killing civilians. As Kaempf shows, this has created significant problems for US military operations – problems that, however irresolvable, need to be acknowledged. This excellent book makes an important contribution to our understanding of the conduct of modern warfare.' Theo Farrell, Executive Dean of Law, Humanities and the Arts, University of Wollongong, Australia'This is a sophisticated study of the tension between two guiding norms of US military strategy: to limit casualties among US armed forces and to protect civilians from disproportionate harm. Developing insights of theorists ranging from Clausewitz to Walzer, the author reveals how asymmetric conflicts bring this tension to the fore, when weaker adversaries deliberately seek to provoke the US side to violate one or both of the norms. Well-chosen case studies exhibit an impressive mix of empirical, normative, and legal analysis.' Matthew Evangelista, Cornell University, New York'Kaempf makes it easy for the reader to navigate among the wealth of empirical information and writings from political science, international law, political theory, and history.' Cornelius Friesendorf, Journal of Strategic Studies'This is one of the most important books about modern war in decades. Masterfully argued and meticulously researched, the book introduces a paradox: that international humanitarian law (IHL) requires militaries, rightfully, to avoid civilian harm, yet goes silent on how to reduce the risk of soldiers' lives to ensure such civilian protection.' Lionel Beehner, United States Military Academy, West Point, Research Director of West Point's Modern War Institute'Saving Soldiers or Civilians? makes a very important contribution to our understandings of U.S. military policy, civilian casualties, and the dilemmas inherent in trying to follow the laws of armed conflict while simultaneously seeking to maximize military advantage. Kaempf's explanations are clear and plausible, and they must be taken seriously.' Bruce Cronin, Perspectives on PoliticsTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. US warfare and civilian protection; 2. US warfare and casualty-aversion; 3. The interactive dynamics of asymmetric conflicts; 4. Case study I: the US intervention in Somalia; 5. Case study II: the US war in Afghanistan; 6. Case study III: the US war in Iraq; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisDuring the First World War the Australian Government established an official war art scheme, sending artists to the front lines to create a visual record of the Australian experience of the war. Around two thousand sketches and paintings were commissioned and acquired between 1916 and 1922. In Painting War, Margaret Hutchison examines the official art scheme as a key commemorative practice of the First World War and argues that the artworks had many makers beyond the artists. Government officials' selection of artists and subjects for the war paintings and their emphasis on the eyewitness value of the images over their aesthetic merit profoundly shaped the character of the art collection. Richly illustrated, Painting War provides an important understanding of the individuals, institutions and the politics behind the war art scheme that helped shape a national memory of the First World War for Australia.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. A record for posterity, 1916–17; 2. Implementing the art scheme, 1917–18; 3. Gazing on strange and terrible lands, 1916–18; 4. A beautiful graveyard, 1919; 5. A suitable memorial, 1920–22; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisWe are at a time when international law and the law of war are particularly important. Ever since the first nuclear bomb was tested and then used, humanity has lived with the threat of total annihilation. This book discusses the effects of nuclear war and shows a way to eliminate the risks.Table of ContentsPart I. International Law and World Order: 1. The Shimoda case: a legal appraisal of the atomic attacks upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki; 2. Nuclear policy and world order: why denuclearization; 3. Toward a legal regime for nuclear weapons; 4. Nuclear weapons, international law and the world court: a historic encounter; 5. The nuclear weapons advisory opinion and the new jurisprudence of global civil society; 6. Inhibiting reliance on biological weaponry: the role and relevance of international law; Part II. Impacts of Democracy, Neutrality and National Interest: 7. Nuclear weapons and the end of democracy; 8. Nuclear weapons and the renewal of democracy; 9. Neutrality, international law and the nuclear arms race; 10. Nuclearism and national interest – the situation of a non-nuclear ally; 11. A radical world order challenge: addressing global climate change and the threat of nuclear weapons; Part III. Nuclear Policy Initiatives: 12. Arms control, foreign policy, and global reform; 13. The illegitimacy of the non-proliferation regime; 14. No first use of nuclear weapons: pros and cons; 15. Environmental warfare and ecocide facts, appraisal, and proposals; Part IV. Remembering the Past, Encountering the Future: 16. The paucity of the millennial moment: the case of nuclearism; 17. The nuclear challenge after seventy years; 18. The spirit of Thoreau in the age of Trident.

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