Search results for ""Zeughausverlag GmbH""

Until the introduction of camouflage uniforms, "The King's Coat" dominated the appearance of Western armies. Originally designed for economic reasons, uniforms in the Baroque era served to erase a soldier's individuality in favour of a regimental esprit de corps. Uniforms distinguished soldiers from civilians, and served ceremonial functions at court by representing the absolute power of princes. However, pre-modern manufacturing practices from the limited capacities to dye fabrics uniformly to the individual workmanship of different tailors undermined this ideal of a uniform military appearance just as swiftly as the demands of a campaign, in which uniforms wore out and had to be supplemented by a variety of different garments. This book attempts to explore the history of the military uniform from its origins to the present day. The thematic approach comprises various aspects of military costume, examining materials, function, limits as well as the deliberate modification of uniformity. Topics also include the symbolic character of the uniform, its own assertive potential, and the influence of contemporary fashion. It is a cultural history of military costume which seeks to go beyond the boundaries of fashion alone.

Read more less

For millennia, cavalry was the premier combat arm. Horses gave armies mobility and speed; often cavalry charges, either on the enemy’s flanks and into his rear or through his center, led to the decision in a battle. This book analyzes the use of mounted troops from prehistoric times to recent conflicts in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In contrast to many military history treatises that seek to identify a decline of cavalry over time in favor of modern infantry, Alexander Querengässer argues that only modern motor vehicles were able to replace cavalry. The book examines the many historical uses of cavalry, analyzing conditions for its employment, the role of geographic and climatic factors in its use, and developments in equipment and tactics. More than two hundred contemporary illustrations round out the volume.

Read more less

With the outbreak of the Hussite Revolution in 1419, Bohemia found itself opposed by a superior force of European crusader armies. German knighthood was experiencing its last heyday. But the Bohemian heretics’ army, under the leadership of energetic commanders like Jan Zizka, developed tactics with which they won one battle after another. The employment of the defensive Wagenburg (“wagon castle”) and intensive use of the first cannon as field artillery brought them many successes. The Hussites were the first soldiers since Roman times to employ all the available branches in coordination on the battlefield. This book highlights not just the history of the conflicts, but also the weapons and military branches, organization and tactics of the Hussite armies.

Read more less

The "Burgundian Wars" are generally considered the campaigns of Charles the Bold, the last Duke of Burgundy, against the Swiss, but they were actually far more extensive. This book presents the European politics leading to the conflicts, then the Duke’s campaigns against Liège starting in 1467, his siege of Neuss on the Rhine, the fighting in the Sundgau and Lorraine. It moves on to the battles against the Swiss staring in 1474, and finally addresses the conflict with the Duke of Lorraine in 1477. Charles the Bold created an impressive army but lost many battles. His defeat and death at the Battle of Nancy in early 1477 and the resulting conflicts over the succession are of tremendous historical significance because they mark the beginning of the German-French relationship as "hereditary enemies". The book recognizes the often-overlooked role of the allies of the Swiss and it also addresses the significance of the French and English kings fueling in this conflict, as well as the role of the Holy Roman Emperor. The authors present the driving forces behind the war against Charles the Bold and which factors led to his downfall. At the same time, they present some heretofore little-known details about the Burgundian Duke’s military innovations and his death. This book describes the battles and sieges in detail and comprehensively portrays the organization, troop strengths, equipment, artillery, tactics, etc. of Burgundy’s and its opponents’ armies. The work is illustrated with numerous color contemporary prints, photos of international reenactment groups, maps, etc. It is based on extensive research into rare sources and also contains an extensive bibliography.

Read more less

Drawn from authentic sources by the artist Charles James Lyall, one of the classic English uniform artists at the beginning of the 20thcentury. In 1894 Lyall launched a series of uniform plates on the armies at Waterloo in 1815. Lyall compiled series of numerous uniform prints of British, Indian and various European armies and epochs. His works can be found in the large uniform collections such as the Anne S. K. Brown Collection, USA. This volume presents the Allied armies of 1815 with Dutch-Belgian, Hanoverian (including the King's German Legion - KGL), Nassau and Brunswick units. The volume addresses the foreign units that took part in the 1815 campaign in the Netherlands with the Duke of Wellington, whose British Army was presented in the first volume. Along with the Hanoverian units, either as the KGL or as new formations that were created in the Kingdom of Hanover starting in 1813, these were primarily troops from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They consisted not only of the original Dutch but also Belgian units plus a small Nassau contingent. The smallest body of troops was the contingent provided by the Duke of Brunswick.

Read more less

From the early 17th century until the 1860s, Japan was ruled by samurai led by the Shoguns of the powerful Tokugawa dynasty. The long period of peace following almost incessant civil war had negative effects on the proficiency of these feudal warriors. When industrialized Western powers whose armies and navies were equipped with the most modern weapons began to take interest in Japan in the 1850s, a tumultuous period of reforms and radical changes ensued – Bakumatsu. From this time emerged a country which had thoroughly albeit painfully rid itself of former taboos: modern rifles and artillery produced new tactics, while modern uniforms replaced the samurai’s former splendour in arms. Now even non-samurai could become fighting men. By the 1870s, the Emperor Meiji ruled over a new Japan which no longer had any use for its ancient warrior élite. The Zeughaus Verlag’s third volume of the history of the samurai provides a detailed overview of the opposing parties as well as their respective military reforms. The reader is introduced to the various modern and traditional-minded combatants, from lowly but efficient regular infantry to the gallant desperadoes filling the ranks of the Shinsengumi. Rag-tag militias replaced proud and resplendently attired samurai fighting for a lost cause. Tactics, arms, clothing and equipment are presented in detail. The author describes the campaigns and battles which changed the country’s face between 1866 and 1869, and introduces the protagonists of the struggle which culminated in modern Japan’s entrance onto the world stage.

Read more less

The 1487 Venetian War between the maritime, major power Venice and the alpine Archduchy of Tirol began from insignificant events and led to considerable political disruptions - especially in Tirol. The conflict is closely tied to Archduke Sigismund of Tirol's partially tragic, partially odd biography. The Venetian War occurred on the threshold between the ending Middle Ages and the beginning of modern times: on one side the knightly duel between Johann von Waldburg-Sonnenberg und Antonia Maria da Sanseverino, and on the other the drawn-out battle with heavy artillery for the city and castle of Rovereto. The Battle of Calliano was decisive: on one side, a veteran of the Burgundian Wars, on the other a highly respected condottiere, with the breathtaking mountains of the Adige Valley as the backdrop. For the first time, the new type of soldier, the Landsknecht was decisive in battle. The material remains of the Venetian War are partially still visible today and a scientific treasure trove for archaeologists and historians. This book came about in close cooperation with reenactment groups from Italy, Austria and Germany. It contains, along with detailed depictions of weapons, color illustrations and some excellent reconstruction drawings by Wolfgang Braun.

Read more less

The early 3rd century AD saw the Roman Empire confronted with an increasing number of problems: the northern frontiers shattered under the impact of attacks at the hands of Germanic and Sarmatian tribes, while the Persians ravaged the Eastern provinces almost with impunity. Economic crisis, the effects of the Antonine Plague, endless usurpations and climate change brought the Roman Empire to the verge of collapse. In the year 238 AD, the Emperor Alexander Severus was murdered at Mainz by his own troops. The accession of his successor Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus ushered in five decades of inner unrest and enemy incursions, in which emperors in quick succession constantly fought among themselves while desperately trying to stabilize the tottering Empire. The fateful era of the Soldier Emperors had begun. This book seeks to provide a concise overview over organisation, tactics, and equipment of the Roman army at the beginning of this era, and also sheds light on Maximinus' German campaign, in which Rome's army once more ventured deep into unconquered German territory. The discovery of the Harzhorn battlefield has enabled archaeologists and historians to reconstruct a dramatic episode from this dramatic time.

Read more less

Comprising 448 pages, this illustrated book is the first comprehensive reference work covering winter uniforms used by the German Army, Air Force and Waffen-SS during the period from 1942 to 1945. The book is intended for collectors, historians, model makers and those with an interest in military history. Following the attack on the Soviet Union and the first experiences with the Russian winter in 1941-42, it quickly became clear to the powers that be standard German Army uniform was completely unsuitable for waging war in the east, where temperatures often dropped far below zero. This made it necessary to create a new uniform capable of dealing with the climactic conditions on the Eastern Front. This book describes the creation of the Winteranzug 42 winter uniform, the first of its kind, and the following versions for the army, air force and Waffen-SS later in the war. First the complete winter uniform - balaclava, parka, trousers and mittens - is illustrated schematically in all its details.

Read more less

In the 7th century BC, the Assyrians carved out the first great empire in history under the leadership of a line of powerful kings from the Sargonid dynasty. Its power was based on a well-equipped and highly organized army led by the Great King himself. This army comprised infantry and cavalry, chariots, craftsmen, engineers, and sappers. In its ranks served native Assyrians and foreign mercenaries, regular soldiers fought alongside local levies, vassal troops and allied contingents. A wealth of resources, but also booty taken in war and a refined tribute system made sure that the Assyrian army could rely on equipment and supplies of the highest standards. Since Assyria had already entered the Iron Age by the time of its ascent, weapons and armour were manufactured of both bronze and iron. For more than a century, Assyria’s neighbours proved incapable of resisting its insatiable lust for conquest and expansion. At the height of its power, the Assyrian Empire stretched from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Zagros Mountains, and from Armenia to the Persian Gulf. Even Egypt temporarily fell under the Assyrian yoke. Based on archaeological finds, this volume provides a detailed overview of the Assyrian military from its apogee to the fall of Nineveh.

Read more less

The elegant, multi-storey main towers of Japanese castles, surrounded by massive fortifications, are widely known as symbols of samurai rule. However, the first of these tenshukaku were built only at the very end of the Sengoku period. Most fortifications were built of wood with eart- hen ramparts and ditches exploiting the natural environment. The second volume of this series details these constructions as well as the fortifications that were affected by major sieges: Fushimi, Tanabe, Otsu and Ueda in 1600, and Osaka in 1614/15. The author explains the sophisticated siege techniques and countermeasures employed by samurai armies of the period, and the Japanese artillery of the time.

Read more less

After Napoleon's victories over Austria and Prussia, he rearranged the map of Germany. In 1807, he created the Kingdom of Westphalia as a model state within the Confederation of the Rhine. The Kingdom, with its French-based internal organization, was supposed to serve as a model for the desired structures of the other member states of the Confederation of the Rhine. Napoleon's brother, Jérôme Bonaparte, was installed as Westphalia's king. The Kingdom was essentially assembled from the conquered lands of the Electoral Principality of Hesse, the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and the Prussian territories east of the Elbe River. In 1810, the territories of the former Electoral Principality of Hanover were added. Because Napoleon considered the Confederation of the Rhine to be primarily a military alliance, the Westphalian Army was of special importance. Its army was also organized completely on the French model. The authors describe the army's structure and its employment, including its operations in Spain, Germany, and Russia. Yet the focus of the book is on providing a comprehensive depiction of the colorful uniforms of the individual units, as well as their military actions. Along with that, it addresses in detail the branches that are usually overlooked, like administration, medical service, national guard, gendarmerie, etc. The book draws on all the available sources in order to put together this very comprehensive overview. It is, without doubt, the definitive work on the Westphalian army. It is extensively illustrated with Peter Bunde's uniform graphics, contemporary images, maps, and photos of museum pieces (uniforms, equipment, etc.). It also contains order of battle, generals' biographies and other information drawn from myriad sources.

Read more less

During the Napoleon era, the Kingdom of Bavaria among the France’s German allied states, provided the largest contingent with 30,000 soldiers and due to its size took part in decisive fighting in the 1809 and 1812 campaigns. In this book, the authors present a comprehensive work about the organization and individual branches of the Bavarian Army, their uniforms, the regulations for its deployment and the missions of the individual branches in the field, as well as the army’s internal structure. These descriptions are supplemented by accounts of the Bavarians’ combat engagements in the campaigns of 1806-07 against Prussia and Russia, of 1809 against Austria, of 1812 against Russia, as well as of 1813 against Prussia and Russia.

Read more less

The books will be indispensable to collectors, uniform enthusiasts and military historians alike. This three-volume work is the most comprehensive and detailed study of the World War II German paratrooper to date, providing in-depth examinations of nearly every uniform item - including all models of jump smocks - and equipment used from the airborne forces’ establishment in the mid-1930s to May 1945. It also extensively covers specific insignia and various unique ephemera. Finally, the work provides in-depth summaries of the operations the “Green Devils” fought in, from the air assaults on Norway, Belgium’s Fort Eben Emael, Holland and Crete, over ground combat in North Africa, Russia, Italy and Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and on to the last days of the Third Reich.

Read more less

The books will be indispensable to collectors, uniform enthusiasts and military historians alike. This three-volume work is the most comprehensive and detailed study of the World War II German paratrooper to date, providing in-depth examinations of nearly every uniform item - including all models of jump smocks - and equipment used from the airborne forces' establishment in the mid-1930s to May 1945. It also extensively covers specific insignia and various unique ephemera. Finally, the work provides in-depth summaries of the operations the "Green Devils" fought in, from the air assaults on Norway, Belgium's Fort Eben Emael, Holland and Crete, over ground combat in North Africa, Russia, Italy and Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and on to the last days of the Third Reich.

Read more less

Drawn from authentic sources by Charles Lyall, 1894 Launch of a series of uniforms on the armies at Waterloo 1815, drawn by Charles James Lyall, one of the classic English uniform artists at the beginning of the 20th century. Lyall compiled numerous series of British, Indian and various European armies and epochs. His works can be found in the large collections of uniforms such as the Anne S. K. Brown Collection, USA. In this work, created in 1894, the appearance of the British Army with all the arms and important regiments who participated in this famous Battle of Waterloo in 1815 are displayed on 75 panels. Each unit is treated on one or more panels and with the various degrees of service. The staff and the special groups are also not missing. The panels are annotated by the two editors, Markus Gärtner and Markus Stein, according to current research in this field of the uniforms. An introduction on the uniforming of the various units, a detailed and detailed compilation of the literature supplement this volume. There are further volumes to the Dutch-Belgian constellations, to the Royal German Legion and the Brunswick Corps, as well as to the French and Prussian army.

Read more less

From their appearance in the 13thcentury to the 16th century wars of the Tudor age, the so-called galloglas determined the manner in which war was waged on Irish soil.

Read more less

A proverbial cellar find brought to light a remarkable source for Napoleonic uniformology, which due to its artistic design but also high level of detail offers valuable support in the research of the military dress of Napoleonic mounted troops. A total of 56 large-format hand-coloured watercolours depict cavalry, artillery and train troops of the French Imperial period from 1804 to 1812, the Neapolitan army of 1812, and the Polish uprising of 1831. The work itself is introduced with a foreword by art historian Dr. Hans D. Baumann, commenting on the artistic representation and especially the provenance of the portfolio. It turned out that the watercolours by unknown artists were originally part of the library of the Royal Theatre in Berlin and finally reached Kassel via the salt mines of Thuringia in the course of the Second World War. From there they went to a private collector and then disappeared in the afore-mentioned cellar. The reference to the Royal Theatres in Berlin as well as the posture and presentation of some of the depicted cavalrymen quickly led to Richard Knötel‘s famous Große Uniformenkunde. This is because this doyen of German uniformology cited "coloured hand drawings from the library of the Royal Theatre of Berlin" as the source of some of his plates on the French army. His plates on the Neapolitan army are also partly based on the original source presented here for the first time. Even though the artist (or artists) probably did not produce the 56 watercolours until the late 1830s or 1840s, they are captivatingly accurate and have been assessed by Markus Gärtner and Markus Stein for their historical accuracy. Each plate is accompanied by a brief commentary, which usually classifies the depiction as correct - especially the rarer depictions, such as French carabiniers around 1812 in the sky-blue uniforms, underline the artist’s sound knowledge of Napoleonic military costume. As evidence of the painting’s contemporary origins, some plates are accompanied by illustrations by early 19th century military artists such as Martinet or Weiland, which obviously served as sources. Some illustrations are also supplemented by Knötel‘s plates, enabling readers to verify for themselves the impact these watercolours had on the creation of a work of such fundamental nature as the "Große Uniformenkunde". Thus this book spans 19th century uniformology from the early years to its perfection around 1890. In addition to the commentaries, the plates are also accompanied by historic details outlining the development and wartime deployment of the unit depicted, as well as the standards carried. These additions were made on the basis of rarer works of French military history, while modern works by military historians Markus Gärtner and Markus Stein were also consulted. Since the paintings depict mounted units throughout (both of the Guard and the Line), the reader is able to obtain a comprehensive picture of the splendour of Napoleonic cavalry turned out in their colourful uniforms. The artistic charm of a previously unpublished source and the wide range of units represented will surely make this book a highlight of any library.

Read more less

This fourth volume concludes the series on the ‘Uniforms of the Armies at Waterloo’. After the previous volumes presented the Allied side, this fourth part deals with its opponents, the French Armée du Nord under the command of Napoleon I. This Northern Army, despite its short existence after Napoleon’s return to France’s imperial throne, consisted of numerous, experienced soldiers from his earlier campaigns, with the caveat that its uniforms did not always comply with regulations due to the army’s rapid mobilization. As in the three previous volumes, the two editors Markus Gärtner and Markus Stein take the opportunity to evaluate Charles Lyall’s uniform plates by using the current knowledge of how the French troops actually appeared in 1815. Due to the special status attributed to the French Imperial Guard, especially in England, numerous Lyall plates deal with Guard units. However, some of the units depicted had already been disbanded before 1815 but the editors decided to publish them in this volume as well, along with a short commentary. As in the other volumes, to complete the visual images in the plates, this one provides the order of battle as well as supplementary descriptions of the organization and uniforms of the Northern Army’s units deployed in the Netherlands. Finally, the description of the Battle of Waterloo, begun in the first volume and continued in the following volumes, is taken up again and continued until the end with the French retreat from the battlefield. This description is accompanied by two more maps from William Siborne’s Atlas to History of the Waterloo Campaign.

Read more less

Drawn from authentic sources by the artist Charles James Lyall, one of the classic English uniform artists at the beginning of the 20thcentury. In 1894 Lyall launched a series of uniform plates on the armies at Waterloo in 1815. Lyall compiled series of numerous uniform prints of British, Indian and various European armies and epochs. His works can be found in the large uniform collections such as the Anne S. K. Brown Collection, USA. This volume contains a description of the 16 June 1815 Battle of Ligny that was fought at the same time as the Battle of Quatre Bras (see Volume 2 of the series). At Ligny, the Prussian forces met French units under the direct command Napoleon, who wanted to exploit the strategic advantage of the separation of the Prussians from Wellington’s forces. Two maps from William Siborne’s rare atlas facilitate understanding of the course of the Battle of Ligny. Like in the two previous volumes, the plates by the 19th century artist Charles Lyall are critiqued based on current knowledge of the uniforms, equipment and weapons. A detailed description of the Prussian forces‘ organization and uniforms supplements Lyall’s illustrations.

Read more less

It remains a stroke of fortune that in the turbulent times of the 17th century with its numerous cultural and military upheavals the artistic depiction of human life took a similarly rapid and proliferous development. Never before in history had society in all its squalor and splendor been presented in so many pictures of outstanding artistic quality. At the end of the 16th century the Golden Age of Painting began to evolve especially in the Low Countries. Many contemporary paintings also show events from the Eighty Years War, the United Provinces' struggle for independence from Spain. However, an entire generation of artists also chose to paint events from the great European conflict which erupted at the same time: the Thirty Years War. Born in Antwerp, Pieter Snayers was a fairly typical representative of this generation of painters. From a military historian's point of view, his works are considered particularly authentic. Many of his paintings showing sieges betray meticulous care in the depiction of the cities and fortresses concerned. Snayers' topographical and analytical approach remains unsurpassed. Even his paintings of major battles (which rarely occurred) defy any form of profound criticism. Snayers' rendering of the everyday life of the common people involved is straightforward, graphic and occasionally dramatic. We are thus able to gain insight into the events of his time unimpeded by cliches and historic myth. Pieter Snayers' works are on display in numerous collections worldwide. With the help of his paintings, many of which are very large in format, this lavishly illustrated book will seek to relate the history of the conflicts depicted. Author Roland Sennewald has compiled a collection of more than 100 of Snayers' works from all over the world, creating an impressive testimony of his creative talent and relating the story of both the Eighty and Thirty Years Wars, and the times before and after.

Read more less

It remains a stroke of fortune that in the turbulent times of the 17th century with its numerous cultural and military upheavals the artistic depiction of human life took a similarly rapid and proliferous development. Never before in history had society in all its squalor and splendor been presented in so many pictures of outstanding artistic quality. At the end of the 16th century the Golden Age of Painting began to evolve especially in the Low Countries. Many contemporary paintings also show events from the Eighty Years War, the United Provinces’ struggle for independence from Spain. However, an entire generation of artists also chose to paint events from the great European conflict which erupted at the same time: the Thirty Years War. Born in Antwerp, Pieter Snayers was a fairly typical representative of this generation of painters. From a military historian’s point of view, his works are considered particularly authentic. Many of his paintings showing sieges betray meticulous care in the depiction of the cities and fortresses concerned. Snayers’ topographical and analytical approach remains unsurpassed. Even his paintings of major battles (which rarely occurred) defy any form of profound criticism. Snayers’ rendering of the everyday life of the common people involved is straightforward, graphic and occasionally dramatic. We are thus able to gain insight into the events of his time unimpeded by clichés and historic myth. Pieter Snayers’ works are on display in numerous collections worldwide. With the help of his paintings, many of which are very large in format, this lavishly illustrated book will seek to relate the history of the conflicts depicted. Author Roland Sennewald has compiled a collection of more than 100 of Snayers’ works from all over the world, creating an impressive testimony of his creative talent and relating the story of both the Eighty and Thirty Years Wars, and the times before and after. Pieter Snayers (1592- 1667) Snayers was born in Antwerp where he was baptized on 24 November 1592. His father Lodewijk was the city messenger of Antwerp for Brussels. He was enrolled as a pupil of Sebastiaen Vrancx in Antwerp’s Guild of St. Luke in 1612. Sebastiaen Vrancx was a prominent battle and genre painter. In 1613 Snayers became a master in the Guild. In 1618 Snayers married Anna Schut, a cousin of the painter Cornelis Schut. Their first child Cornelis was baptized on 8 September 1620. Snayers achieved success as an artist. In Antwerp the family lived in luxury and Snayers participated annually in the lavish banquet of the chamber of rhetoric Violieren. Snayers joined the painters‘ guild in Brussels on 16 June 1628. He became a citizen of Brussels at the same time. It is believed he had been working for the Archduke Albert (died in 1621) while living in Antwerp. He had been appointed court painter and ‚domesticq van ‚t Hof” (domestic of the court) by the Archduke. Snayers likely moved to Brussels in order to pursue opportunities at the court of the Archduchess Isabella, the widow of the Archduke and the governess of the Southern Netherlands. After Isabella’s death in 1633, Snayers became court painter to the next two governors, the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria (1634-1641) and the Archduke Leopold (Wilhelm) (1647 to 1656). For them he painted scenes of victorious battles in the tradition of sixteenth-century tapestries. He painted portraits of the aristocracy in Brussels and large landscapes. He also worked for other eminent patrons and the open market. A highlight in his career was a commission for 22 battle paintings by general Ottavio Piccolomini. While working in Brussels he regularly visited his hometown Antwerp but never returned to live there. He collaborated with painters in Antwerp such as Peter Paul Rubens on several occasions, including on the never-finished Life of Henry IV cycle (1628–30) and the Torre de la Parada series (c. 1637–1640). Both during his Antwerp and his Brussels periods, He mingled with the elite of his time. He climbed the social ladder and aspired to live a lifestyle similar to that of the aristocrats of his day. He was thus an example of the 17th century ‚aristocratization‘ of successful citizens. His pupils included Guilliam van Schoor and Adam Frans van der Meulen. The latter became a leading battle painter and court painter to Louis XIV of France. There is no record of when Snayers died but it is believed he died in Brussels in 1667. Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Snayers

Read more less

No army of the German Confederation of the Rhine underwent such fundamental changes in organization and uniforms as did the Saxon forces of the Napoleonic era. Based on the experiences from the 1806-07 campaigns on Prussia’s side and 1809 allied with the French, the Saxon Army undertook extensive reforms. This book presents this "new" Saxon Army with numerous contemporary illustrations, with plates by Patrice Courcelle and Edmund Wagner as well as graphic tables of uniforms of all the regiments by Peter Bunde. A description of the war experiences rounds out the presentation and thus the volume gives the reader a good, thorough introduction to the organization, uniforms and history of the Saxon Army of 1810-1813.

Read more less

The books will be indispensable to collectors, uniform enthusiasts and military historians alike. This three-volume work is the most comprehensive and detailed study of the World War II German paratrooper to date, providing in-depth examinations of nearly every uniform item - including all models of jump smocks - and equipment used from the airborne forces’ establishment in the mid-1930s to May 1945. It also extensively covers specific insignia and various unique ephemera. Finally, the work provides in-depth summaries of the operations the “Green Devils” fought in, from the air assaults on Norway, Belgium’s Fort Eben Emael, Holland and Crete, over ground combat in North Africa, Russia, Italy and Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and on to the last days of the Third Reich.

Read more less

The "Anatomy of a samurai army" details its composition, hierarchies, strengths and weaknesses as well as examining how it fought. Other aspects include: - the differences between samurai and European warfare; - the roles assigned to samurai and ashigaru in different armies; - how these armies, some of which were over 100,000 strong, functioned; - marching orders and camp facilities of the armies and; - where each individual samurai stood in the order of battle. The reader will discover what may seem to be abstract or strange ideas by way of the most detailed examples possible, in both word and picture, that are based on a variety of Japanese sources.

Read more less