Search results for ""Author Michael Green""

During the arduous campaigns in theatres of war from the Pacific to North West Europe, American infantry weapons played a key role in the eventual victory over the Axis forces. In so doing they earned a special reputation for ruggedness and reliability. In addition to being used by US ground forces they were widely adopted by other Allied nations. Expert author Michael Green puts the full range of small arms, be they rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, pistols, machine guns as well as mortars, anti-tank weapons and close infantry support artillery under the microscope. Many names such as the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and the incomparable semi-automatic Garand will be well known whereas others (the Johnson Rifle and Reising SMG) are not. The typically informative text completes the wide range of photographic images.

Read more less

This classic Images of War book traces the key role played by destroyers of the United States Navy since the first order for 16 in 1898\. Prior to the USA's entry into the First World War a further 63 destroyers were commissioned and, due to the U-boat threat, 267 more were authorised by Congress once hostilities were joined. Between 1932 and Pearl Harbor ten new classes totalling 169 destroyers came into service. During the war years American shipyards turned out a further 334 vessels. Of the three classes, the 175 Fletcher-class were judged the most successful. The Cold War years saw the development of seven more classes. More recently 82 of the stealth shaped Arleigh Burke class have been ordered but the futuristic Zumwalt-class programme has been curtailed for cost reasons. Expert author Michael Green is to be commended for compiling this comprehensive account of the USN's impressive destroyer programme with its authoritative text and superb images.

Read more less

Expert author Michael Green has compiled a full inventory of the tanks developed and deployed by the Allied armies during the six year war against Nazi Germany and her Axis partners. There were four categories of tank: Light, Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy. Combat experience proved Light tanks (such as the Stuart and T-26) to be ineffective. Medium tanks (the US M4 series, named Sherman by the British, and Russian T-34) soon dominated with their fire power, protection and mobility. The later stages of the War required the Allies to answer the Axis Panther and Tiger tanks with up-gunned and up-armoured second generation M4s, T-34-85s and the Sherman Firefly. Totally new heavy tanks such as the M-26, Pershing, Soviet KV-1 series and the British Centurion only saw action in the final months. Allied Tanks of the Second World War covers all these categories in detail as well as the few super heavy tanks such as the French Char 2C and the TOG. For an informed and highly illustrated work this book has no comparable rival.

Read more less

The Ml Abrams has proved itself to be the finest main battle tank in the World since its introduction into US Army service in 1981. It combines the ultimate balance between firepower, mobility and protection as demonstrated by its superior performance during the two Gulf Wars and in Afghanistan. It routed the Soviet equipment of Saddam Hussein's army and today remains the yardstick by which friends' and foes' MBTs are judged. Its versatility and continual modernisation of weaponry armour and engineering guarantees that the MI Abrams will remain the US Army's spearpoint for years to come. Expert author Michael Green has produced a comprehensive collection of images and highly informed text.

Read more less

Expert author Michael Green has compiled a full inventory of the armoured fighting vehicles developed and deployed by the Allied armies during the six year war against Nazi Germany and her Axis partners. Tank destroyers included the US Armys M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson, the British Archer and Achilles and the Soviets SU-85, SU-100 and SU-122. Self-propelled artillery vehicles provide indirect fire support. Examples of these were the British Bishop and Sexton, the US M7 Army Priest and The Red Armys SU-152 Beast Slayer. For reconnaissance the Allies fielded armoured cars and scout cars such as the Daimler Dingo, the US M8 Greyhound and T17 Staghound, and the Russian BA-10, -20 and -64. AFVs such as the British full tracked Universal Carrier and US M3 halftracks were fitted with a range of weapon systems, such as mortars or machine guns. All these and many more AFVs are expertly described in words and captioned images in this comprehensive work which is the companion volume to the authors Allied Tanks of the Second World War.

Read more less

On June 25, 1950, the North Korean Army invaded South Korea. Among the US forces sent to South Korea was the 1st Marine Division. In September 1950, the Division audaciously landed deep behind enemy lines at Inchon port, throwing the North Korea Army into disarray. In November 1950, the Chinese Army invaded North Korea with eight divisions tasked with the destruction of the 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir. The Marines made a 78-mile fighting withdrawal in arctic conditions before being evacuated by the US Navy. In February 1951, the 1st Marine Division returned to combat assisting Eighth (US) Army to repulse five Chinese Army offensives over four months. By November 1951, the large-scale back and forth offensives operations by the opposing sides had ended, replaced by a stalemate which lasted until the 27 July, 1953 armistice. The bitter three-year conflict accounted for the death of 4,267 Marines with another 23,744 wounded. In classic Images of War style, expert author Michael Green describes the Marine Corps' outstanding contribution, organization, tactics, fighting doctrine and weaponry.

Read more less

The routing of the British and French Armies in May and June 1940 by the Wehrmacht's armoured divisions caused a major rethink by the US Army's senior leadership. The result was the formation of the two armoured divisions in July 1940; the first named 'Old Ironside' and second designated 'Hell on Wheels'. In 1941, a further three armoured divisions were created; the third (Spearhead), the fourth (remained unnamed) and the fifth called 'Victory'. The following year seven more were created, the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth. The final two armoured divisions formed in 1943 numbered the sixteenth and twentieth. All but one of these powerful formations went on to see service in the European Theatre of Operation (ETO); the exception being the 1st Armoured Division that served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. These fourteen divisions proved their effectiveness against the Axis forces. In this carefully researched book military historian and much published author Michael Green explains their operational and fighting doctrine. Equipment enthusiasts will appreciate the lavish images and informed captions of the armoured fighting vehicles and other equipment employed.

Read more less

To counter the Soviet threat and that of their client States during the Cold War years 1949-1991, the American military deployed an impressive range of main battle tanks (MBTs) and armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). The Patton series of medium MBTs (including the M46, M47 and M48) supplemented by the M103s Heavy Tank initially formed the core of the US tank fleet. In 1960 the M60 MBT with its British designed 105mm gun entered service and, in turn, was replaced by the M1 Abrams in 1980. In support were armoured reconnaissance vehicles, progressively the M41 bull dog (1951); the M114 (1961), the M551 Sheridan (1967) and M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (1981). The armoured personnel carrier (APC) range included the ubiquitous M113 and its replacement the M2 Bradley, cousin of the M3. Expert author Michael Green covers all these vehicles and their variants in this informative and superbly illustrated Images of War series work.

Read more less

During the Second World War the Axis powers, most prolifically the Germans, deployed a vast array of armoured fighting vehicles to support their tanks and infantry. These included tank destroyers, reconnaissance vehicles, self-propelled artillery pieces, flame-thrower vehicles and self-propelled artillery pieces. Armoured tank destroyers, such as the Marder series, the Nashorn, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger and the turretless German Stu III series (based on the Panzer III medium tank), helped the Nazis overcome their shortage of tanks. Copying the Stu III series the Italians created the turretless Semovente da 75/18 assault gun and the Hungarians the turretless Zrinyi. In the role of self-propelled artillery the German fielded the Hummel, the Wespe and the Grille while the Brummbar and the Sturmtiger performed in the dedicated assault gun role. For armoured reconnaissance German industry came up with a series of capable armored cars; examples were the eight-wheel Puma and the full-tracked Luchs reconnaissance tank. The Italians developed the impressive four-wheel Autoblinda armoured cars. Specialized anti-aircraft tanks such the Mobelwagen, Wirbelwind and the Ostwind gave some protection against the ever more powerful Allied air forces. This fine book covers all these variants and many more besides in words and rare images and will delight readers, collectors, model-makers and war-gamers.

Read more less

We've all heard the rationale: "It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere." Or "All religions are pretty much the same." But are they the same? Does it matter which one you follow? In this insightful and compelling book, Michael Green invites readers into a relationship with Jesus Christ, the divine revelation and only pathway to the one true God. In a conversational style geared toward nonbelievers, Green compares Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and other religions to help spiritual seekers navigate the multi-faith maze. "But Don't All Religions Lead to God?" is an ideal reference and evangelism tool for churches and individual Christians as well. It offers scriptural references, looks at how divergent religious traditions view salvation and eternity, and answers difficult questions such as "What about people who have never heard of Jesus?" and "How should Christians regard other religions?" In the midst of our pluralistic and tolerant culture, here is an important and convincing argument for faith in Jesus-the only great teacher whose death and resurrection provided grace, forgiveness, and an eternity in the presence of God.

Read more less

The entry of the US into World War II provided the Allies with the industrial might to finally take the war to German and Japanese forces across the world. Central to this was the focus of the American military industrial complex on the manufacture of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles. Between 1939 and 1945, 88,140 tanks and 18,620 other armored vehicles were built – almost twice the number that Germany and Great Britain combined were able to supply. In this lavishly illustrated volume, armour expert Michael Green examines the dizzying array of machinery fielded by the US Army, from the famed M4 Sherman, M3 Stuart and M3 Lee through to the half-tracks, armored cars, self-propelled artillery, tank destroyers, armored recovery vehicles and tracked landing vehicles that provided the armoured fist that the Allies needed to break Axis resistance in Europe and the Pacific. Publishing in paperback for the first time and packed with historical and contemporary colour photography, this encyclopedic new study details the design, development, and construction of these vehicles, their deployment in battle and the impact that they had on the outcome of the war.

Read more less

Soon after the American Revolution, certain of the founders began to recognize the strategic significance of Asia and the Pacific and the vast material and cultural resources at stake there. Over the coming generations, the United States continued to ask how best to expand trade with the region and whether to partner with China, at the center of the continent, or Japan, looking toward the Pacific. Where should the United States draw its defensive line, and how should it export democratic principles? In a history that spans the eighteenth century to the present, Michael J. Green follows the development of U.S. strategic thinking toward East Asia, identifying recurring themes in American statecraft that reflect the nation's political philosophy and material realities.Drawing on archives, interviews, and his own experience in the Pentagon and White House, Green finds one overarching concern driving U.S. policy toward East Asia: a fear that a rival power might use the Pacific to isolate and threaten the United States and prevent the ocean from becoming a conduit for the westward free flow of trade, values, and forward defense. By More Than Providence works through these problems from the perspective of history's major strategists and statesmen, from Thomas Jefferson to Alfred Thayer Mahan and Henry Kissinger. It records the fate of their ideas as they collided with the realities of the Far East and adds clarity to America's stakes in the region, especially when compared with those of Europe and the Middle East.

Read more less

United States Marine Corps played a leading role in the war against Japan from Pearl Harbour in December 1941 until VJ Day on 2 September 1945. Living up to its motto the First to Fight , the 1st Marine Division landed on the Japanese-occupied island of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific on August 7, 1942 and fought its way up the central Solomon islands to Cape Gloucester in the territory of New Guinea. In November 1943, the Marine Corps captured Tarawa Atoll and so began their advance across the Central Pacific, fighting many famous and bloody battles such as Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and finally the 82-day epic struggle for Okinawa. These victories came at high cost, with 19,737 Marines killed, and 67,207 wounded. This classic Images of War title presents a graphic overview of the Corps' legendary campaign in text and contemporary images. The Author expertly describes the full range of Marine Corps weaponry and explains their organization, tactics and fighting doctrine.

Read more less

An inspiring, thematic approach to the Book of Acts. Each theme is applied directly to modern church life, and to the relationship between the church and today's world. Themes opened up include church planting, evangelistic preaching, guidance, leadership and effective communication of the gospel in message and life-style.

Read more less

No other country has devised a grand strategy for managing China’s rising economic and military power as deliberately or successfully as Japan. Seeking to counter Chinese ambitions toward regional hegemony, Japan has taken an increasingly assertive role in East Asia and the world. During the tenure of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, the country pursued closer security cooperation with the United States and other democracies, established a more centralized national defense system, and advanced rules and norms to preserve the open regional order in the Indo-Pacific that is crucial to its prosperity and survival—all while managing an important economic relationship with China.In Line of Advantage, Michael J. Green provides a groundbreaking and comprehensive account of Japan’s strategic thinking under Abe. He explains the foundational logic and the worldview behind this approach, from key precedents in Japanese history to the specific economic, defense, and diplomatic priorities shaping contemporary policy toward China, the United States, the two Koreas, and the Indo-Pacific region. Drawing on two decades of access to Abe and other Japanese political, military, and business leaders, Green provides an insider’s perspective on subjects such as how Japan pursued competition with China without losing the benefits of economic cooperation. Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Japan’s new active role, Line of Advantage sheds new light on a period with profound implications for the future of U.S. competition with China and international affairs in Asia more broadly.

Read more less

For those in or entering Leadership positions both inside and outside the Church. Are you looking to find the true principles of leadership explained in non-academic language and allow those principles to impact your leadership? We will know the reason why a recovery of the New Testament teaching is so vital if Christianity is to grow and thrive, and not just survive. How did Jesus lead? What are the key principles of leadership that he encouraged in his disciples? Michael Green draws out the radical teaching of the New Testament, and explains why a recovery of that teaching is so vital if Christianity is to grow and thrive, and not just survive.

Read more less

The first regiment of artillery in the American Continental Army was formed in 1775\. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) artillery evolved from the employment of individual batteries to massed fire of grouped batteries. In 1907, the US Army Artillery Corps was reorganized into the Field Artillery and the Coast Artillery Corps. During the First World War (1914-1918), a lack of American-made weapons saw the adoption of foreign artillery pieces. The Second World War demanded the introduction of many new field artillery pieces by the US Army. General Patton later commented, "I don't have to tell you who won the war, you know our artillery did." American artillery firepower also took a heavy toll of the enemy during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During the Cold War American artillery continued to develop, embracing new weapons systems including tactical nuclear missiles which thankfully never had to be used. Conventional artillery proved highly effective during both Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. This superbly illustrated and authoritative work covers the full range of artillery weaponry which has been in service with US armed forces.

Read more less

In 1942 the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were formed and three more followed. 17th and 92nd (All American Division) and 101st (Screaming Eagles) fought in Sicily, D-Day, MARKET GARDEN and the Rhine Crossing (VARSITY). The 11th served in the Far East. The 13th did not see combat. Only the 82nd survived the post-war cull. The Screaming Eagles were reactivated in 1956 and both divisions served in Vietnam with the 101st becoming a helicopter delivered airmobile' division in 1968 before being re-designated an air assault' division in 1974. As this superbly illustrated book describes, both 82nd and 101st earned their reputations as crack' divisions at the forefront of US operations and military interventions, be it Grenada (URGENT FURY), Panama (JUST CAUSE), the Gulf Wars and most recently Afghanistan (ENDURING FREEDOM). Thanks to the Author's knowledge and research, this Images of War book gives the reader a full insight into the battles and the men and their equipment that have made these divisions the elite of the US Army.

Read more less

The German Army used tanks to devastating effect in their Blitzkrieg campaigns during the early years of the Second World War and in the intense defensive battles leading up to final defeat in 1945. It may be a surprise to many that the Japanese Army had more tanks than Nazi Germany in 1938; these included the Type 95 light tank and the Type 89 and 97 medium tanks. Co-belligerents in the Axis Alliance that built their own tanks included Italy, Romania and Hungary. The latter was responsible for the Toldi and Turan light tank series. As can be seen from the descriptions and images in this classic Images of War series work, the Axis powers had drawn on British and, in some cases, French design for their tanks in the period leading up to the Second World War: the Carden-Loyd tankette suspension was used in the Panzer 1 series and the light Italian and Japanese tanks. German engineering talent resulted in the original and ingenious designs of the Panzer II, III and IV series and, later in the War, the Panther Medium and Tiger heavy tanks. This latest work by author and expert Mike Green will fascinate and inform historians, engineers and war gamers.

Read more less

The Second Letter of Peter and the Letter of Jude both address false teaching - teaching that affects behaviour. The recipients had within their midst people whose lives contradicted the gospel that was preached. They defiled the love-feasts; they were themselves immoral and minimized the importance of law in the Christian life. They scoffed at the parousia and were fond of their own rhetoric. Michael Green offers a penetrating analysis that sets both letters in their historical context and shows their relevance to life today.

Read more less

While the Red Army's arsenal at the start of the Second World War included weapons dating back to the Great War or earlier, the 1930s' modernization programme had introduced the automatic Tokarev pistol and self-loading Tokarev rifle. Its small arms were soon replaced by mass-produced sub-machine guns, such as the PPSh 1941, nicknamed the PePeSha,'. Supplementing the submachine guns, the Degtyarev Light Machine Gun DP-27. Fitted with a circular pan magazine, it received the not-unsurprising nickname Record Player.' New mortars and towed artillery pieces, ranging from 76mm to 203mm, entered service in the pre-war years. In addition to a wide range of towed, self-propelled and anti-tank guns, the Soviets fielded the Katyusha rocket launchers in 1941, nicknamed the Stalin's organ' by the Germans. The 1930s saw the introduction of the BT light tank series. The iconic T-34 medium tank series came into service in late 1940, joined by the IS-2 heavy tank from early 1944, the prefix letters IS' translates to Joseph Stalin. These formidable AFVs led the Red Army to victory in May 1945 over Nazi Germany. All these weapons and more are covered with numerous images in this authoritative overview of the subject.

Read more less

This extraordinary book, unique in its ambition and scope, delves deep into the mystery of the crop circles which appear every summer in the fertile wheat and barley fields of southern England. Follow leading researcher Michael Green as he tells the story of the crop circles, and uncovers and deciphers the ancient symbols and mandalas encoded in these extraordinary patterns. Be prepared, as the revelations precipitate further questions. Could these glyphs be communications by a Cosmic Intelligence intent on awakening us to the plight of life on planet Earth, and to humanity’s divine origin and its infinite potential? Why do crop circles keep appearing in ever larger numbers? Why do their designs keep evolving? If they are portents of change, can we heed their message in time?

Read more less

The end of WW2 and the early Cold War years saw the need for a more powerful tank than the Sherman and Pershing tanks. The first Patton tanks (M46) were converted Pershings which saw service in Korea. As the Cold War intensified, the M47 with a more effective 90mm gun and turret went into mass production (9000 built) and countered the Soviet build up.The M48 entered service in 1953 and the M47s were sold off to allies whose armies were being rebuilt.The original M48 had serious deficiencies. Nevertheless over 12000 of numerous variants (MY8A1/A2/A2C) came into service. These were followed by the M48A3 which the Marines took to Vietnam.In the late 1950s the Americans overcame their aversion to diesel power and the M60 with its British designed 105mm gun came into service. By 1982 over 15000 units had been built in four basic models.Simultaneously 200 of the M48A5 with the 105mm gun went into service with the Army Reserve and National Guard and friendly foreign armies.To complicate matters, countries such as Israel made their own modifications to M48s which remained in service until the late 1990s.As this fascinating book reveals Pattons were made into specialist role vehicles, be they anti-aircraft, flame throwers, recovery, combat engineer.

Read more less

From 1895 to 1944 the US Navy commissioned some 60 steel-clad battleships; the first being Indiana (BB-1) and the last USS Missouri (BB-63). After an impressive showing in the Spanish-American War and the 'Great White Fleet's' circumnavigation of the world, US battleships played only a minor role in the First World War. They came into their own in WW2 primarily bombarding enemy held coastal regions and supporting Allied operations in Europe and the Pacific. Their firepower was awesome and the later examples had nine 16-inch and up to twenty 5-inch guns plus copious anti-aircraft defences. On the few occasions these mighty ships took on Japanese counterparts, they performed brilliantly but protection of the increasingly important aircraft couriers was more decisive. Armour plate nearly a foot and a half thick saved many from fatal attack from suicidal kamikaze pilots. Post WW2 the battleships were relegated to war reserve status but later their value projecting American military power worldwide and their conversion to platforms for cruise missile saw their re-birth. The last US battleship retired in 1992 having served in the Korean and Vietnam War, the Middle East and finally Desert Storm. This fine book gives the expert and layman a privileged overview of one of the greatest weapon systems in military history.

Read more less

From humble beginnings in 1911 with floatplanes, by the 1930s, the US Navy possessed dirigibles and were introducing fighter planes. By the start of WW2, monoplane fighters were replacing bi-planes and a major aircraft carrier build was underway. Fighters such as the Grumman FLF Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair were joined by carrier attack aircraft such as the Dauntless, Devastator and Helldriver. As well as carrier-borne aircraft, others operated from shorebases using both wheels and floats. Post WW2, jet aircraft took over from prop driven, and famous early examples were the Shooting Star and McDonnell Phantom, which saw action in Korea. By Vietnam the F4 Phantom II, Skyhawk and Intruder were in service. As well as these fighter attack aircraft were the Lockheed Viking, anti-sub and nuclear capable Douglas Skywarrior. Post Vietnam the F14 Tomcat and Hornet came into service along with the Prowler (Electronic warfare) and Hawkeye (early warning). These aircraft were complemented by a range of helicopters from the massive Super Stallion, through Sea Kings, Seasprites and Seahawks.Today the Super Hornets predominates along with an impressive multi-capable range of aircraft and helicopters. All these and more are described in expert detail and illustrated in this fine book. Future projects are also covered.

Read more less

Experience the immortal poetry of the great Persian master paired with luminous illustrations “There is this matter of the light in my eyes. If you want to know the Friend, don’t expect elegant arguments! Demand a blessing from one who gives you joy.” —Hafiz (tr. Barks) “Hafiz is without peer!” exclaimed Goethe. Known as “The Tongue of the Hidden Mysteries,” Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafiz of Shiraz is the most revered of Persian poets. When the Sun of Infinite Reality dawned in his being, he poured forth mystic verse so sublime it touched the hearts of kings and commoners alike. Hafiz’s poems of intimate divine love spread through the East in his lifetime, then into the West, influencing such luminaries as Emerson, Brahms, Queen Victoria, Nietzsche, and Garcia Lorca. Today, nearly 700 years after his death, the unmatched genius and bold wit of Hafiz continues to ignite hearts and intoxicate souls everywhere. The Illuminated Hafiz brings together vivid translations by Coleman Barks, Robert Bly, Omid Safi, Meher Baba, Peter Booth, and others with the luminous art of Michael and Saliha Green, weaving them into a stunning contemporary presentation in the tradition of classical Persian illuminated manuscripts and unveiling the mysteries of the path of love. Come, raise a cup! Join with Hafiz and his incomparable love poems in a holy revel on the journey into light.

Read more less

Numerous wheeled armoured fighting vehicles have seen service in the US armed forces on and off for over 80 years. There have been various changes of policy and twice, after the Second World War and Vietnam, they went out of favour but their use is now well established. This well researched and superbly illustrated book describes all the different types and variants since the first M1 was ordered in 1931. The M8 armoured car was widely used during World War Two but it was not until Vietnam that further wheeled AFVs came into service, notably the M706 armoured car. After a lull the US Marine Corps adopted the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) in 1983. The US Army first used armoured Humvees in 1994 and variants remain in service (M1141 and M1116). Other types today include the Guardian (M1117) and the Army version of the LAV names the 'Stryker'. To meet the operational requirements of Iraq and Afghanistan the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) was ordered in bulk from 2007.

Read more less

The present study focuses on the way that Jews were portrayed in various scholarly journals and lay gazettes published in French in the United Provinces of the Netherlands, mostly by Huguenot refuges. Many of these sources have previously escaped scholarly attention, and as such are valuable sources for exploration. The scholarly journals are mostly focused on discussion of historical and theological aspects of Jewish people and Judaism, the origins of their language and its influence on others, and their customs and nuances related to worship. The lay gazettes discuss gossip and contemporary events, portraying the Jews as their editors see them. Jews were depicted in these sources in several unique ways which are identified in this study. Particular attention is given to the dimension of privacy, which provides an additional tool of analysis aimed at better understating of how these constructs were created. The final part of this book is focusing on instances of how Muslims in general and Turks in particular, as well as the Siamese, were portrayed in the same sources, in order to investigate whether they were treated differently than the Jews.

Read more less

Michael Green gives excellent practical advice to help Christians approach and talk naturally with their friends about the Good News. From that first faltering conversation, to following up, he shows us how introducing a friend to Christ is the most worthwhile and fulfilling ministry any Christian can have.

Read more less

Soon after the American Revolution, ?certain of the founders began to recognize the strategic significance of Asia and the Pacific and the vast material and cultural resources at stake there. Over the coming generations, the United States continued to ask how best to expand trade with the region and whether to partner with China, at the center of the continent, or Japan, looking toward the Pacific. Where should the United States draw its defensive line, and how should it export democratic principles? In a history that spans the eighteenth century to the present, Michael J. Green follows the development of U.S. strategic thinking toward East Asia, identifying recurring themes in American statecraft that reflect the nation's political philosophy and material realities. Drawing on archives, interviews, and his own experience in the Pentagon and White House, Green finds one overarching concern driving U.S. policy toward East Asia: a fear that a rival power might use the Pacific to isolate and threaten the United States and prevent the ocean from becoming a conduit for the westward free flow of trade, values, and forward defense. By More Than Providence works through these problems from the perspective of history's major strategists and statesmen, from Thomas Jefferson to Alfred Thayer Mahan and Henry Kissinger. It records the fate of their ideas as they collided with the realities of the Far East and adds clarity to America's stakes in the region, especially when compared with those of Europe and the Middle East.

Read more less

Historian and collector Michael Green shows in this fascinating and graphically illustrated book that the two wars that engulfed Indochina and North and South Vietnam over 30 years were far more armoured in nature than typically thought of. By skilful use of imagery and descriptive text he describes the many variants deployed and their contribution. The ill-fated French Expeditionary Force was largely US equipped with WW2 M3 and M5 Stuart, M4 Sherman and M24 light tanks as well as armoured cars and half-tracks. Most of these eventually went to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam but were outdated and ineffective due to lack of logistics and training. The US Army and Marine Corps build-up in the 1960s saw vast quantities of M48 Pattons, M113 APCs and many specialist variants and improvised armoured vehicles arrive in theatre. The Australians brought their British Centurion tanks. But it was the Russians, Chinese and North Vietnamese who won the day and their T-38-85 tanks, ZSU anti-aircraft platforms and BTR-40 and -50 swept the Communists to victory. This fine book brings details and images of all these diverse weaponry to the reader in one volume.

Read more less

With the American-supported South Vietnamese government verging on collapse in early 1965, American President Lyndon Johnson decided to commit American conventional ground forces in the form of a United States Marine Corps (USMC) brigade of approximately 3,000 men on March 8, 1965. So began a massive and costly 10-year commitment. At its height in 1968, the USMC had 86,000 men in South Vietnam. Almost 500,000 Marines would eventually rotate in out of South Vietnam during their typical one-year tours of duty. In the end, the fighting during such well-known battles at Con Tien, Chu Lai, Hue, Khe Sanh and Dong Ha and thousands of now forgotten smaller-scale engagements would cost the USMC 13,070 killed in action and 88,630 wounded, more casualties than they suffered during the Second World War. In this book, well-known military historian Michael Green using hundreds of dramatic images tells the dramatic and gallant story of the Marines' contribution to an unwinnable war; the battles, their equipment, from rifles to helicopters and jets, and the strategy adopted by the Corps.

Read more less

At the peak of the Cold War in the 1950s the Soviet Union possessed some 12,000 aircraft, making it the largest air force of all the protagonists. By the 1990s this had declined to around 8,000, the reduction largely reflecting the increase in aircraft capability. As well as fighters and bombers, the Soviet inventory included trainers, transports, seaplanes, electronic warfare and ground attack aircraft, as well as an impressive helicopter fleet, notably the Mi-24 Hind' gunship and the massive Homer transport. The Tu-4 Bull' was the first Russian nuclear-capable bomber, a copy of the US B-29, which was followed by their range of jet bombers, the Il-28 Beagle', Tu-16 Badger' and M-4 Bison'. The prop driven Tu-20 Bear' and its successors including the Tu-22 Backfire' and finally the Tu-160 Backfire', were all formidable. The jet-engined MiG-15 fighter entered service in 1948 and proved itself during the Korean War. The MiG-17, MiG-19 and MiG-21 followed . Ground-attack aircraft included the Su-7 Fitter' and M-23 Flogger'. The 1970s saw the MiG-25 Foxbat' interceptor, followed by the MiG-29 Fulcrum' and Su-27 Flanker', coming into service. All these aircraft and many more are authoritatively described and vividly illustrated in this comprehensive work.

Read more less

While tanks were the most recognised armoured vehicles during the Cold War, NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armies fielded a wide array of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). These included armoured cars, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), anti-aircraft vehicles and self propelled artillery. Over the Cold War years nations both progressively developed series of AFVs and introduced entirely new ranges. APCs, vital to all frontline units, evolved from machine gun-armed battlefield taxis such as the US M113 and Soviet BTR-60 series into sophisticated infantry fighting vehicles. The Soviet BMP-1, US Bradley M2/M3, West German Marder and British Warrior and CVR series were classic examples of the latter, with numerous variants. The Soviet BRDM-2 series was the most numerous armoured car. The British Army fielded the Saladin, Ferret and Fox and the German Army introduced the eight-wheeled Luchs and tracked SPZ11-2 Kurz. Early anti-aircraft vehicles, such as the American M42 with two 40mm Bofors, were superseded by the formidable Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka and the West German Geopard with radar-guided guns. This authoritative and superbly illustrated book covers the full range of AFVs in service with NATO and WP armies over the four decades of the Cold War. It will be an invaluable addition to the libraries of the expert and layman alike.

Read more less

H.D.’s poetry continues to inspire generations of readers. Bringing together a number of never-before-published essays, this new collection of writings introduces H.D.’s compelling perspectives on art, myth, and the creative process.While H.D. is best known for her elemental poetry, which draws heavily on the imagery of natural and ancient worlds, her critical writings remain a largely underexplored and unpublished part of her oeuvre. Crucial to understanding both the formative contexts surrounding her departure from Imagism following the First World War and her own remarkable creative vision, Notes on Thought and Vision, written in 1918, is one of the central works in this collection. H.D. guides her reader to the untamed shores of the Scilly Isles, where we hear of powerful, transformative experiences and of her intense relationship with the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci. The accompanying essays, many published here for the first time, help color H.D.’s astute critical engagement with the past, from the city of Athens and the poetry of ancient Greece. Like Letters to a Young Painter (2017), also published in the ekphrasis series, this collection is essential reading for anyone interested in the creative process.

Read more less

The inspiration for A Haunting in Venice – now a major motion picture.When a Hallowe’en party turns deadly, it falls to Hercule Poirot to unmask a murderer… During a night of party games, Joyce Reynolds boasts that she once witnessed a murder. No one believes her, but then she is found drowned, face down in an apple-bobbing tub. Set against a night of trickery and the occult, Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver must race to uncover the real evil responsible for this ghastly murder. Hallowe’en Party is the sensational Agatha Christie novel that inspired the brand new feature film directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh. This special edition is introduced by its screenwriter, Michael Green.

Read more less

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the U.S. Navy had a total of 111 submarines. However, this fleet was not nearly as impressive as the number suggests. It was mostly a collection of ageing boats from the late teens and early twenties, with only a few of the newer, more modern Gato-class boats. Fortunately, with the war in Europe already two years old and friction with Japan ever-increasing, help from what would become known as the Silent Service in the Pacific was on the way: there were 73 of the new fleet submarines under construction. The Silent Service in World War II tells the story of America’s intrepid underwater warriors in the words of the men who lived the war in the Pacific against Japan. The enemy had already begun to deploy advanced boats, but the U.S. was soon able to match them. By 1943 the new Gato-class boats were making a difference, carrying the war not just to the Japanese Imperial Navy, but to the vital merchant fleet that carried the vast array of material needed to keep the land of the Rising Sun afloat. As the war progressed, American success in the Solomons, starting with Guadalcanal, began to constrict the Japanese sea lanes, and operating singly or in wolfpacks they were able to press their attacks on convoys operating beyond the range of U.S. airpower, making daring forays even into the home waters of Japan itself in the quest for ever more elusive targets. Also taking on Japanese warships, as well as rescuing downed airmen (such as the grateful first President Bush), U.S. submarines made an enormous contribution to our war against Japan. This book takes you through the war as you learn what it was like to serve on submarines in combat, the exhilaration of a successful attack, and the terror of being depth-charged. And aside from enemy action, the sea itself could prove to be an extremely hostile environment as many of these stories attest. From early war patrols in obsolescent, unreliable S-boats to new, modern fleet submarines roving the Pacific, the forty-six stories in this anthology give you a full understanding of what it was like to be a U.S. Navy submariner in combat.

Read more less

In this powerful and timely book, Michael Green explains the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. No other teacher ever claimed to bring God to us, no other teacher dealt radically with the problem of human wickedness, no other teacher broke the final barrier - death, and no other teacher offered to actually live within his followers.

Read more less