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The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East
Par Nicholas Morton. 2022
How the Mongol invasions of the Near East reshaped the balance of world power in the Middle Ages For…
centuries, the Crusades have been central to the story of the medieval Near East, but these religious wars are only part of the region&’s complex history. As The Mongol Storm reveals, during the same era the Near East was utterly remade by another series of wars: the Mongol invasions. In a single generation, the Mongols conquered vast swaths of the Near East and upended the region&’s geopolitics. Amid the chaos of the Mongol onslaught, long-standing powers such as the Byzantines, the Seljuk Turks, and the crusaders struggled to survive, while new players such as the Ottomans arose to fight back. The Mongol conquests forever transformed the region, while forging closer ties among societies spread across Eurasia. This is the definitive history of the Mongol assault on the Near East and its enduring global consequences.Unsettled Land: From Revolution to Republic, the Struggle for Texas
Par Sam W. Haynes. 2020
A bold new history of the origins and aftermath of the Texas Revolution, revealing how Indians, Mexicans, and Americans battled for survival in one of the…
continent&’s most diverse regions The Texas Revolution has long been cast as an epic episode in the origins of the American West. As the story goes, larger-than-life figures like Sam Houston, David Crockett, and William Barret Travis fought to free Texas from repressive Mexican rule. In Unsettled Land, historian Sam Haynes reveals the reality beneath this powerful creation myth. He shows how the lives of ordinary people—white Americans, Mexicans, Native Americans, and those of African descent—were upended by extraordinary events over twenty-five years. After the battle of San Jacinto, racial lines snapped taut as a new nation, the Lone Star republic, sought to expel Indians, marginalize Mexicans, and tighten its grip on the enslaved. This is a revelatory and essential new narrative of a major turning point in the history of North America.Wrong Turn: America's Deadly Embrace of Counter-Insurgency
Par Colonel Gian Gentile. 2007
A searing indictment of US strategy in Afghanistan from a distinguished military leader and West Point military historian—&“A remarkable book&”…
(National Review). In 2008, Col. Gian Gentile exposed a growing rift among military intellectuals with an article titled &“Misreading the Surge Threatens U.S. Army&’s Conventional Capabilities,&” that appeared in World Politics Review. While the years of US strategy in Afghanistan had been dominated by the doctrine of counterinsurgency (COIN), Gentile and a small group of dissident officers and defense analysts began to question the necessity and efficacy of COIN—essentially armed nation-building—in achieving the United States&’ limited core policy objective in Afghanistan: the destruction of Al Qaeda. Drawing both on the author&’s experiences as a combat battalion commander in the Iraq War and his research into the application of counterinsurgency in a variety of historical contexts, Wrong Turn is a brilliant summation of Gentile&’s views of the failures of COIN, as well as a trenchant reevaluation of US operations in Afghanistan. &“Gentile is convinced that Obama&’s &‘surge&’ in Afghanistan can&’t work. . . . And, if Afghanistan doesn&’t turn around soon, the Democrats . . . who have come to embrace the Petraeus-Nagl view of modern warfare . . . may find themselves wondering whether it&’s time to go back to the drawing board.&” —The New Republic5th SS Wiking at War, 1941–1945: A History of the Division (Images of War)
Par Ian Baxter. 2018
A photographic documentation of the German foreign volunteer unit—&“a valuable addition to any enthusiast&’s library of WWII military history books&”…
(Firetrench). Drawing on a superb collection of rare and unpublished photographs, the 5th SS Division Wiking 1941-1945 is the 5th book in the Waffen-SS Images of War Series by Ian Baxter. The book tells the dramatic story of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking at War. The men of the division were recruited from foreign volunteers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Belgium under the command of German officers. Not all were collaborators—the choice they were all too often presented with was join up or be locked up—or worse. During the course of the war, the division served on the Eastern Front in 1941. It surrendered in May 1945 to the American forces in Austria. &“The photos are mostly unpublished before and give an excellent impression of Wiking at war. We see a good variety of conditions over the 5 years of their war, from the height of summer to the depths of winter. We see fine detail of their uniforms and personal equipment as well as the development of larger equipment from motorcycles and early Panzer IVs, to the larger Panthers of the final period. There is also good coverage of anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons as well as heavier artillery. There is a good spread of detail in here which will interest the historian as well as the reenactors, militaria collectors and modelers alike.&”—Military Model SceneBayonets and Scimitars: Arms, Armies and Mercenaries 1700–1789
Par William Urban. 2013
A look at the tumult and transformations in warfare during the eighteenth century—and the world-changing events that resulted. The…
eighteenth century in Europe was a period of significant economic, political, and technological upheaval—which led to the American and French revolutions, and ultimately paved the way for Europe&’s domination of much of the world during the nineteenth century. The wars and political maneuvering of Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great transformed Prussia and Russia into major players in European politics. France, then the richest nation in the West, survived losing successive wars, then bankrupted itself assisting the Americans in an unnecessary war of revenge. Britain became the model of economic and financial efficiency and made itself supreme in North America, the Caribbean, and in India, only to face such financial troubles that its leaders antagonized its colonial subjects in America. This engaging new book by an esteemed military historian traces the evolution of war-making throughout this turbulent period—the politics, the weaponry, the organization of armies, and the transformation of mercenaries into professionals. This illuminating and highly readable account concentrates not just on high politics and military strategy, but also on the everyday experiences of those involved, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the human drama of eighteenth-century warfare.The Great Task Remaining: The Third Year of Lincoln's War
Par William Marvel. 2010
Focusing on the dramatic events of 1863, this is &“a well-researched and well-written study that will be a fine addition…
to Civil War collections&” (Booklist). The Great Task Remaining is a striking, often poignant portrait of people in conflict—not only in battles between North and South, but within and among themselves as the cost of the ongoing carnage sometimes seemed too much to bear. As 1863 unfolds, we see draft riots in New York, the disaster at Chancellorsville, the battle of Gettysburg, and the end of the siege of Vicksburg. Then, astonishingly, the Confederacy springs vigorously back to life after the Union summer triumphs, setting the stage for Lincoln&’s now famous speech on the Pennsylvania battlefield. Without abandoning the underlying sympathy for Lincoln, William Marvel makes a convincing argument for the Gettysburg Address as being less of a paean to liberty than an appeal to stay the course in the face of rampant antiwar sentiment. This book offers a provocative history of a dramatic year—a year that saw victory and defeat, doubt and riot—as well as a compelling story of a people who clung to the promise of a much-longed-for end. &“By 1863 Northern citizens and soldiers were increasingly and openly wondering whether preserving the union and ending slavery were worth the cost of Mr. Lincoln&’s war. Disillusion and war-weariness had set in: the war&’s only fruits seemed to be moral and political degradation, dangerous constitutional precedents, tens of thousands dead and maimed. The Battle of Chickamauga appeared to have restored the stalemate. Marvel particularly conveys the looming crisis of the impending expiration of the three-year enlistments that were the Union army&’s norm. That, combined with the increasing reluctance of Northern men to volunteer or send their sons, could have ended the war by default. Romance and adventure or misery and peril—which emotions would prevail? As Marvel conclusively demonstrates, the coin remained in the air as 1863 came to an end.&” —Publishers WeeklyGreek Mythology for Kids: Legendary Stories of Gods, Heroes, and Mythological Creatures
Par Zachary Hamby. 2022
Experience adventure and enchantment with Greek mythology for kids 8 to 12 Greek gods and goddesses continue to capture our imaginations…
with tales of epic battles and star-crossed love. Whether you're fighting alongside Zeus in the war against the Titans or witnessing the sabotage of Artemis's love for the mortal Orion, this book will thrill you with extraordinary stories from Greek legend. Classic characters—Dive into 20 exciting, kid-friendly tales featuring the antics of favorite characters like Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Hermes, messenger of the gods, and Persephone, queen of the underworld. Dramatic illustrations—Watch the awe-inspiring world of Greek mythology come to life with the bold art in the style of a graphic novel for kids. A guide to the Greeks—Learn who did what and where with a handy guide to characters and locations that makes exploring Greek mythology fun and easy. Venture into Greek Mythology for Kids!Routledge Handbook of the Global History of Warfare
Par Kaushik Roy, Michael W. Charney. 2024
This handbook examines key aspects of the development of the global history of warfare and the changing patterns of warfare over time. Although scholarship…
has long eschewed a chronological narrative of the evolution of warfare that privileges the Western experience, global histories of warfare have had difficulty avoiding an overemphasis on the West. The present volume is a collection of themes rather than a history per se; it provides important perspectives on the emergence of warfare as a global historical experience from the ancient past to the present day. Drawing together numerous experts, it tells a broader, more inclusive story of the global, human experience with wars and warfare. The 35 cahtpers are organised in eight thematic parts: Part I: Origins of Warfare Part II: Polities and Armed Forces in the Pre-Modern Era Part III: Steppe Nomads of Eurasia Part IV: Naval Warfare and Piracy in the Pre-Industrial World Part V: The Impact of Gunpowder Part VI: Transition from Industrial to Total War Part VII: Wars of Decolonisation and Cold War Part VIII: Postmodern/New Wars These Parts offer an overview of the global experience of warfare to help readers understand how the wars and the militaries we see today have been shaped by historical developments across the globe. This handbook will be of great interest to students of military history, naval history, strategic studies and world history in general.The U.S. Navy and the Rise of Great Power Competition: Looking Beyond the Western Pacific (Cass Series: Naval Policy and History)
Par James J. Wirtz, Jeffrey E. Kline, James A. Russell. 2024
This volume describes how technological and geo-political trends are rapidly transforming maritime affairs. A mix of original and previously published…
material, this volume describes how the 21st-century great power competition is changing the face of naval operations in general, and U.S. Navy operations in the Western Pacific in particular. The rise of an assertive China and its new anti-access and area-denial capabilities threaten the aircraft carrier-based maritime dominance of the U.S. Navy. Military and political trends in the Western Pacific and beyond suggest that the world is encountering a pivotal moment when existing weapons, tactics, and operations might be rendered obsolete by techno-strategic change. This volume considers these developments from three perspectives by describing: (1) the techno-strategic setting; (2) the institutional constraints that impede the ability of the U.S. Navy to respond to these changes; and (3) a new approach to naval force planning and strategy to cope with these developments. The volume culminates in a discussion of sophisticated strategies and operational concepts that position the U.S. Navy and its maritime allies and partners to prevail in today’s techno-strategic churn. This book will be of much interest to students of naval policy, strategic studies, Asia-Pacific politics, and International Relations.Instruments of Darkness: The History of Electronic Warfare, 1939–1945
Par Alfred Price. 2005
The rapid evolution of radio and radar systems for military use during the Second World War, and devices to counter…
them, led to a technological battle that neither the Axis nor the Allied powers could afford to lose. The result was a continual series of thrusts, parries and counter-thrusts, as first one side then the other sought to wrest the initiative in the struggle to control the ether. This was a battle fought with strange-sounding weapons: 'Freya', 'Mandrel', 'Boozer' and 'Window'; and was characterised by the bravery, self-sacrifice and skill of those who took part in it. However, for many years the use of electronic-warfare systems during the conflict remained a closely guarded military secret. When that veil of secrecy was finally lifted, the technicalities of the subject meant that it remained beyond the reach of lay researchers and readers. Alfred Price, an aircrew officer with the RAF where he flew with V-Force and specialised in electronic warfare and air fighting tactics, was in the unique position to lift the lid on this largely unexplored aspect of the Second World War. When it was first published in 1967, Instruments of Darkness came to be regarded as a standard reference work on this intriguing subject. This completely revised edition concludes with the Japanese surrender in August 1945 and brings the analysis fully up to date in the light of what we now know. 'This book is expertly done. An excellent treatise.' The Times Literary SupplementThe Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future
Par Victor Cha. 2012
From a seasoned advisor, &“a meaty, fast-paced portrait of North Korean society, economy, politics and foreign policy&” (Foreign Affairs). …
In The Impossible State, international-policy expert and former Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council Victor Cha pulls back the curtain on this controversial and isolated country, providing the best look yet at North Korea&’s history, the rise of the Kim family dynasty, and the obsessive personality cult that empowers them. He illuminates the repressive regime's complex economy and culture, its appalling record of human-rights abuses, and its belligerent relationship with the United States, and analyzes the regime&’s major security issues—from the seemingly endless war with its southern neighbor to its frightening nuclear ambitions—all in light of the destabilizing effects of Kim Jong-il's death and the pivotal and disquieting transition of power from tyrannical father to inexperienced son. How this enigmatic nation-state—one that regularly violates its own citizens&’ inalienable rights and has suffered famine, global economic sanctions, a collapsed economy, and near total isolation from the rest of the world—has continued to survive has long been a question that preoccupies the West. Cha reveals a land of contradictions, and delves into the ideology that leads an oppressed, starving populace to cling so fiercely to its failed leadership. With rare personal anecdotes from the author&’s time in Pyongyang and his tenure as an adviser in the White House, this authoritative, accessible, &“engrossing&” history (The Economist) offers much-needed understanding of the country&’s veiled past and uncertain future. &“An up-close, insightful portrait.&” —The Washington Post &“An eye-opening view of the closed, repressive dictatorship of North Korea. . . . A useful, pertinent work for understanding the human story behind the headlines.&” —Kirkus ReviewsThe Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic
Par Mike Duncan. 2017
The creator of the award-winning podcast series The History of Rome and Revolutions brings to life the bloody battles, political…
machinations, and human drama that set the stage for the fall of the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of civilization. Beginning as a small city-state in central Italy, Rome gradually expanded into a wider world filled with petty tyrants, barbarian chieftains, and despotic kings. Through the centuries, Rome's model of cooperative and participatory government remained remarkably durable and unmatched in the history of the ancient world. In 146 BC, Rome finally emerged as the strongest power in the Mediterranean. But the very success of the Republic proved to be its undoing. The republican system was unable to cope with the vast empire Rome now ruled: rising economic inequality disrupted traditional ways of life, endemic social and ethnic prejudice led to clashes over citizenship and voting rights, and rampant corruption and ruthless ambition sparked violent political clashes that cracked the once indestructible foundations of the Republic. Chronicling the years 146-78 BC, The Storm Before the Storm dives headlong into the first generation to face this treacherous new political environment. Abandoning the ancient principles of their forbearers, men like Marius, Sulla, and the Gracchi brothers set dangerous new precedents that would start the Republic on the road to destruction and provide a stark warning about what can happen to a civilization that has lost its way.Limca Book of Records 2024
Par Hachette India. 2024
India's longest-running record book completing 34 yearsFEATS OF EXTRAORDINARY TENACITYSTORIES OF STUNNING PERFORMANCESTRIUMPHS OF NEVER-SAY-DIE ACHIEVERSIndia's most comprehensive book of…
records captures the country's stellar achievements in human endeavour, structures, sports, education, defence, government, science and technology, adventure, business, cinema, environment and sustainability, literature, and the arts. From the longest, tallest, and fastest to the unique and truly extraordinary, this curation of superlatives presents a remarkable range of newly set records and those that have stood steadfast over the years. A recap of the record-breaking show at the Asian Games 2022 and a focus section on Indian Parliament make this edition extra special. Records in the conservation of the environment and betterment of our communities, among others, are sure to resonate and motivate readers. This edition of India's number one record-cum-reference book, with over 450 coloured images, is packed with informative timelines, reader-friendly infographics, tables, and number trivia. Limca Book of Records 2024 promises to thrill, enrich, and entertain! ... as always!The Virgin Warrior: The Life and Death of Joan of Arc
Par Larissa Juliet Taylor. 1994
&“A fresh and provocative biography of La Pucelle . . . her transformation from a naive girl to a strong-willed,…
bold, and gifted captain of war.&”—Frederic J. Baumgartner, author of France in the Sixteenth CenturyFrance&’s great heroine and England&’s great scourge: whether a lunatic, a witch, a religious icon, or a skilled soldier and leader, Joan of Arc&’s contemporaries found her as extraordinary and fascinating as the legends that abound about her today. But her life has been so endlessly cast and recast that we have lost sight of the remarkable girl at the heart of it—a teenaged peasant girl who, after claiming to hear voices, convinced the French king to let her lead a disheartened army into battle. In the process she changed the course of European history.In The Virgin Warrior, Larissa Juliet Taylor paints a vivid portrait of Joan as a self-confident, charismatic and supremely determined figure, whose sheer force of will electrified those around her and struck terror into the hearts of the English soldiers and leaders. The drama of Joan&’s life is set against a world where visions and witchcraft were real, where saints could appear to peasants, battles and sieges decided the fate of kingdoms and rigged trials could result in burning at the stake. Yet in her short life, Joan emboldened the French soldiers and villagers with her strength and resolve. A difficult, inflexible leader, she defied her accusers and enemies to the end. From her early years to the myths and fantasies that have swelled since her death, Taylor &“goes deep into Joan of Arc&’s heart and soul and shows us the maiden, the warrior and the heroine&” (Kate Williams, New York Times bestselling author).Building Security in Post-Conflict States: The Domestic Consequences of Security Sector Reform
Par Ursula C. Schroeder and Fairlie Chappuis. 2016
Support for security and justice institutions has become a crucial instrument of international engagement in fragile and conflict-affected states. In…
attempts to shore up security as a precondition for sustainable peace, international actors have become deeply engaged in reforming the security agencies and security governance institutions of states emerging from conflict. But despite their increasing importance in the field of international peace- and state-building, security sector reform (SSR) interventions remain both highly political and deeply contentious processes. Expanding on this theme, this edited volume identifies new directions in research on the domestic consequences of external support to security sector reform. Both empirically and theoretically, the focus lies on the so far neglected role of domestic actors, interests and political power constellations in recipient states. Based on a wide range of empirical cases, the volume discusses how the often conflictual and asymmetric encounters between external and domestic actors with divergent interests and perceptions affect the consequences of international interventions. By taking into account the plurality of state and non-state security actors and institutions beyond classical models of Weberian statehood, the contributions make the case for engaging more closely with the complexity of the domestic security governance configurations that can result from external engagement in the field of security sector reform.This book was published as a special issue of International Peacekeeping.Peace Operations and Human Rights
Par Ray Murphy and Katarina Månsson. 2008
The protection and promotion of human rights is an integral part of contemporary international peacekeeping operations. It is also a…
controversial aspect of peace operations at both an institutional and operational level. By bringing together a wide range of practitioners and academic scholars, this special issue addresses key contemporary legal, political and operational challenges to human rights protection. This book was previously published as a special issue of the leading journal International Peacekeeping.Defending Democracy and Securing Diversity
Par Alan Okros, David Last, David Mason, Christopher Dandeker, Victoria Marie Basham, Karen D. Davis, Jelle van den Berg, Rudy Richardson, Liora Sion, Anne Irwin, Joan Mars, Lindy Heinecken, NoëLle Van Der Wagg-Cowling, Donna Winslow, Christian Leuprecht. 2010
Old sergeants say, "we're here to defend democracy, not to practice it!" But are they right? The special mandate with…
which defence and security organizations are tasked imposes unique constraints with respect to the accommodation of diversity which differs from those faced by any other public or private organization. Yet, the compound effect of demographic, political, economic, social and legal pressures is making diversity as inevitable in the defence and security sector as in any other organization in advanced industrialized democracies. Owing in part to a dearth of research on the way the defence and security sectors can leverage diversity to enhance their functional imperatives, such sectors have been reticent about diversity. The chapters in this volume strive to enlighten the debate by laying out the concepts, clarifying theoretical issues, and providing empirical evidence. The case studies draw on Canada, Guyana, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. They examine ethno-cultural, gender, and sexual-minority diversity in a variety of missions, including Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan. The chapters are notable for their methodological pluralism and interdisciplinary range including political science, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Although scholarly in nature, the book is readily accessible to professionals and practitioners alike. This book was published as a special issue of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics.After the Versailles Treaty: Enforcement, Compliance, Contested Identities
Par Conan Fischer, Alan Sharp. 2008
Designed to secure a lasting peace between the Allies and Germany, the Versailles Settlement soon came apart at the seams.…
In After The Versailles Treaty an international team of historians examines the almost insuperable challenges facing victors and vanquished alike after the ravages of WW1. This is not another diplomatic history, instead focusing on the practicalities of treaty enforcement and compliance as western Germany came under Allied occupation and as the reparations bill was presented to the defeated and bankrupt Germans. It covers issues such as: How did the Allied occupiers conduct themselves and how did the Germans respond? Were reparations really affordable and how did the reparations regime affect ordinary Germans? What lessons did post-WW2 policymakers learn from this earlier reparations settlement The fraught debates over disarmament as German big business struggled to adjust to the sudden disappearance of arms contracts and efforts were made on the international stage to achieve a measure of global disarmament. The price exacted by the redrawing of frontiers on Germany’s eastern and western margins, as well as the (gentler) impact of the peace settlement on identity in French Flanders. This book was previously published as a special issue of Diplomacy and StatecraftCross-National Research Methodology & Practice
Par Linda Hantrais, Steen Mangen. 2007
Cross-National Research Methodology and Practice offers practical guidance for relative newcomers to cross-national research by analysing and evaluating the research…
process by focusing strongly on best practice in terms of methods and management. It raises a number of important issues for cross-national research which have been given insufficient attention in discussions of methods and practice. The volume contains reflexive and theoretically based pieces on the development of contextualization as an approach to cross-national comparative research, on qualitative and quantitative methods, extending to the integration of different methodological approaches. The volume includes practical examples of cross-national research projects which illustrate different methods ranging from: biographical and documentary approaches the collection and analysis of socio-demographic and attitudinal survey data either carried out by lone researchers or teams of researchers the exploration of internet sources and application of computer analysis to quantitative and qualitative data. This collection provides a firm emphasis on methodological issues relating to context, values and discourse.Nuclear Exits: Countries Foregoing the Nuclear Option
Par Ilkka Taipale, Vappu Taipale. 2015
Many countries have the capacity to construct nuclear weapons - even relatively poor and small ones, as the North Korean…
example shows us. So far, only one country - South Africa – has voluntarily given up its nuclear weapons programme. Three others - Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus - gave up the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons after the end of the Cold War. A number of others (including Australia, Sweden and Switzerland) have at one time or another made plans to build nuclear weapons, but eventually opted not to do so. These stories can shed significant light on the prospects for nuclear disarmament – one of the biggest global challenges of our time. Yet they have received little scrutiny in the academic literature to date. This volume addresses that gap, bringing together scholars, practitioners and politicians to reflect on the history of nuclear exits (and nuclear non-entries) and to draw out some key lessons for future nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. Although progress on reducing nuclear arsenals has been frustratingly slow, there are strong indications that world opinion is increasingly supportive of nuclear exits. Organizations such as International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Medical Association have all taken a strong stand against nuclear weapons. Ultimately ridding the world of nuclear weapons requires politicians to take determined action – to decide in favour of nuclear exits. The chapters in this volume show that such decisions are possible and that a worldwide nuclear exit is achievable – within our lifetimes. This book was published as a special issue of Medicine, Conflict and Survival.