Résultats de recherche de titre
Articles 16421 à 16440 sur 17963
Darwin Spitfires: The Real Battle for Australia
Par Anthony Cooper. 2022
The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942 are well-known to most Australians, although not perhaps to the…
rest of the world. What happened afterwards, however, remains unknown to many. This publication attempts to illuminate this little-known period of war history, charting the exploits, losses and successes of the RAF's No 1 Fighter Wing and the contribution they made to the allied war effort. The stalwart Spitfire is celebrated in a narrative that is sure to appeal widely.For almost two years the airspace over North West Australia was routinely penetrated by Japanese raids, tallying about 70 in total. The 1942-43 air raids on Darwin constituted the only sustained and intensive direct assault on Australian mainland territory in the whole of World War II - and the whole history of post- 1788 Australia - yet, surprisingly, most Australians have no idea that it ever happened. And the rest of the world are yet more so in the dark.Telling the story of the RAF'S No 1 Fighter Wing, composed of both Australian and British Spitfire pilots, Darwin Spitfires explores the little known 1943 season of air combat over the top end, recovering important aspects of Australian history. It brings to the attention of the world the heroic exploits of the skilled pilots who did so much to protect Australia and support the Allied effort. This important publication attempts to celebrate and commemorate the spirit of solidarity that characterized the experiences of No 1 Fighter Wing.As featured in Aeroplane MonthlyKorean War—Imjin River: Fall of the Glosters to the Armistice, April 1951–July 1953 (Cold War, 1945–1991)
Par Gerry Van Tonder. 2020
An in-depth look at the disastrous consequences of misjudgment and impulsiveness by the United States during the Korean War.As of…
October 1950, a quarter of a million Communist Chinese troops, in twenty-seven divisions, had poured across the Yalu River into North Korea, with the singular objective of forcing General Douglas MacArthur’s United Nations troops back across the 38th Parallel and into the Sea of Japan.Shortly before midnight on April 22, 1951, to the west of the U.S. Eighth Army’s defensive front, the Chinese Sixty-third Army fell on the British 29th Brigade. On the left flank, the 1st Battalion, Gloucester Regiment (“Glosters”) held a tenuous position at a ford on the Imjin River. Despite a gallant defense, the battalion was pushed back to make a desperate but futile stand on Hill 235. On what became known as “Glosters’ Hill,” the battalion ceased to exist. It was subsequently estimated that the attacking force of 27,000 Chinese troops suffered 10,000 casualties, forcing the Chinese army to be withdrawn from the front.From August 1951 to the summer of 1952, the USAF conducted Operation Strangle in a futile and costly attempt to disrupt Chinese supply routes. In the last two years of fighting, Communist Chinese and UN forces faced each other from well-entrenched positions in hilly terrain, where mapped hill numbers were contested. From June 1952 to March 1953, a series of five hard-fought engagements took place in central Korea as the antagonists sought ownership of Hill 266, commonly referred to as “Old Baldy.” This was followed during April–July 1953 by two tactically pointless battles over Pork Chop Hill, in which the UN forces won the first battle and the Chinese the second, with both sides sustaining major casualties. On July 27, 1953, the two belligerents signed an armistice agreement, implementing a ceasefire that stands to this day. De facto, the Korean War has never ended.Dunkirk Evacuation, Operation Dynamo: Nine Days that Saved an Army (Images of War)
Par John Grehan, Alexander Nicoll. 2020
&“Takes you right to the scene of the action in late May and early June 1940, when more than 300,000…
soldiers were saved from capture or death.&” —Rambles The &“miracle&” of Dunkirk is one of the most inspiring stories of all time. The British Expeditionary Force had been all but surrounded, and, with the French armies collapsing on all sides, it appeared that Britain was about to suffer the heaviest defeat in its history. When Winston Churchill&’s War Cabinet finally accepted that the Battle of France had been lost, preparations were made to try and rescue as many soldiers as possible from one of the few ports left open to the British Expeditionary Force—Dunkirk. So rushed and chaotic was the retreat to the Channel coast, with thousands of guns, vehicles and tanks being abandoned, there was little time for soldiers to consider taking photographs of the shocking scenes of death and destruction which surrounded them. Yet images do exist of the ships and boats of all descriptions which braved the bombs and guns of the German Air Force to rescue Britain&’s only field army from the clutches of Hitler&’s panzer divisions. One man in particular, Sub-Lieutenant John Rutherford Crosby, a member of the crew of the minesweeper, and converted Clyde paddle steamer, HMS Oriole, left a legacy of dramatic images. These include the never-to-be-forgotten scenes of long lines of tired and anxious troops stretching into the sea and of bombs exploding on the packed beaches—all with his own personal little camera. Other images in this book paint a vivid and memorable picture, as no words ever could, of the greatest evacuation of troops under fire.Bronze Age Military Equipment
Par Dan Howard. 2011
&“A very valuable piece of work, providing a splendid overview&” of the weapons, armor, shields and chariots used in warfare…
from 3000 BC to 1200 BC (HistoryOfWar.org). This book is a fascinating discussion of the development of the military equipment of the earliest organized armies. Dan Howard describes the development of weapons, armor and chariots, how they were made and their tactical use in battle. Spanning from the introduction of massed infantry by the Sumerians (c. 26th century BC) through to the collapse of the chariot civilizations (c. 12th century BC), this is the period of the epic struggles described in the Old Testament and Homer&’s Iliad, the clashes of mighty empires like those of the Babylonians, Egyptians and Hittites. In Bronze Age Military Equipment, Howard provides &“an able and readable review that is supported in the text by drawings and sketches, but there is also an excellent full color photographic section that shows replica weapons and armor created in bronze&” (Firetrench).The French Army in the Great War (Images of War)
Par David Bilton. 2019
A history of the fighting and day-to-day lives of French soldiers on the Western Front in World War I, filled…
with rare archival photos. Few books have been written in English about the French Army during the Great War, and those that exist feature very few illustrations. This book aims to provide a highly readable and succinct account of the work of the French Army on the Western Front, as well as provide the reader with a wealth of photographs that show the daily life of the French soldier both in and out of the trenches. All of the images are contemporary, many coming from wartime and postwar magazines, interspersed with many previously unpublished images. The book aims to give a concise overview of the war seen through French eyes and includes the casualties incurred. Although the May 1917 mutinies were an important but brief part of the story, they are not dealt with at length because they can distract from the main story of the valor shown by the French troops in battles where the casualties were extremely high. Also included is a lengthy introduction that explains the structure of the army at the onset of the war and some of the problems it faced, as well as a section that looks at the uniforms worn and how they changed during the war.With Recce at Arnhem: The Recollections of Trooper Des Evans, a 1st Airborne Division Veteran
Par Mike Gallagher. 2015
Determined to 'do his bit' Des Evans absconded from a reserved occupation and joined the newly formed Reconnaissance Corps. He…
saw action in North Africa and Italy before being evacuated back to England with pneumonia in early 1944. Fully recovered he volunteered as a wireless operator with 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron and after parachute training joined C Troop before the ill-fated but glorious attempt to seize the Rhine Bridge at Arnhem.Des vividly describes the intense action that followed the drop. Ambushed twice and badly wounded he was made a POW and eventually succeeded in escaping.Fresh first-hand accounts of the bitter fighting at Arnhem are rare indeed and this one is brutally honest, at times shockingly so. Des Evans was born in Liverpool in 1923. Despite being in a Reserve Occupation he finally succeeded in joining the Army. This book covers his wartime service in North Africa, Italy and at Arnhem. Post war he served in Italy, Palestine, Germany and the Suez Canal Zone. Cuckolded by his first wife he was convicted of the manslaughter of her lover. On release from prison he met Betty and they enjoyed nearly 40 years together until dementia necessitated residential care. Betty died in March 2010 and Des followed her three months later.At Hitler's Side: The Memoirs of Hitler's Luftwaffe Adjutant 1937–1945 (Greenhill Military Paperbacks)
Par Nicolaus Von Below. 2001
&“An intimate glimpse into the decision-making process of the Nazi military leadership&” from a Luftwaffe aide at Hitler&’s side until…
the last days in Berlin (Library Journal). Nicolaus von Below was a 29-year-old pilot when Goering selected him for the position of Hitler&’s Luftwaffe adjutant. He was with Hitler at every stage as the Second World War unfolded. His observations tell of Hitler&’s responses to momentous events as well as military decisions and policy-making at headquarters. Published for the first time in English, this is a superb historical source describing life in Hitler&’s inner circle, relied upon by Gitta Sereny in her biography of Albert Speer. The book provides fascinating insight into how Hitler planned the invasions of Poland and Russia; what he thought of Britain and America; why he placed his faith in the V-1 and V-2 projects; how others dealt with him; and much more. Von Below was present at the assassination attempt in July 1944, and records the effect on Hitler and his followers. He was also the last of Hitler&’s close military entourage to emerge from the bunker alive, eventually imprisoned as a material witness at Nuremberg. &“Sure to become an important memoir for those studying the Nazi war machine.&”—Publishers Weekly &“Indispensable.&”—Ian Kershaw, author of Hitler: A BiographyCounter Insurgency: Lessons from History
Par Ian F. Beckett, John Pimlott. 2011
An international study of counter-insurgency strategies, tactics, and techniques developed in warzones from Vietnam to Latin America and beyond.Insurgencies account…
for most of the modern world’s armed conflicts. Leading armies across the globe are constantly developing and adjusting counter-insurgency strategies based on experience in the field. Learning from this experience is essential to ongoing peacekeeping effort.Editors Ian Beckett and John Pimlott brought together a team of expert contributors who provided an international overview of counter-insurgency strategies and techniques as they were perceived and put into practice a generation ago. Each chapter considers a different army and describes its reaction to insurgency, its operations in the field and the thinking behind its counter-insurgency strategy. Changes made in strategy and tactics in response to shifting circumstances and new threats are given particular attention.In the Legions of Napoleon: The Memoirs of a Polish Officer in Spain and Russia, 1808–1813 (The Napoleonic Library)
Par Henrich Von Brandt. 1999
In the Legions of Napoleon recounts the adventures of an intrepid Polish soldier who fought for Napoleon the length and…
breadth of Europe. By the time he was twenty-five, Heinrich von Brandt had marched from Madrid to Moscow and had been severely wounded on three separate occasions. From 1808 to 1812 he was caught up in Napoleons attempt to subjugate Spain, fighting in battles, sieges including the siege of Saragossa and hunting and being hunted by merciless bands of guerrillas. In 1812 his unit took part in the crossing of the Niemen and the epic retreat from Moscow.In his extraordinary memoirs Brandt describes in great detail the actions in which he fought, the type of officers and men he served with, and the grueling campaigns in which they participated. He also gives fascinating insight into the minds of his comrades and superiors. This book is a must for every Napoleonic historian, enthusiast, and anyone who likes a good story of high adventure.Armoured Warfare in Northwest Europe, 1944–1945: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)
Par Anthony Tucker-Jones. 2013
This latest volume in Anthony Tucker-Joness series of photographic histories of armored warfare records in graphic detail the role played…
by tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery during the decisive campaign in northwest Europe in 1944-5. In a sequence of over 200 archive photographs he shows how American, British, Canadian, and Polish armored divisions spearheaded the assault on the Third Reich, and how the Wehrmacht mounted a desperate armored defense. Tanks were required to operate in the dust of Normandy, the mud and waters of the Scheldt and Rhine rivers and the snows of the Ardennes and the forests of Germany. A succession of crucial armored engagements was fought during the D-Day landings, Operation Goodwood and the struggle for the Bourgubus ridge, the Falaise pocket, the Seine crossing, Arnhem, the German attack in the Ardennes, the Rhine crossing, in the Reichswald and during the rearguard actions and the last-ditch tank battles fought by the panzers in the Ruhr before the German surrender. Anthony Tucker-Joness photographic survey of the ultimate tank battles of the Second World War illustrates the range of armored fighting vehicles that were developed during the conflict, and it features the specialized vehicles deployed in Europe for the first time such as the Buffalo, DUKW, Weasel and Terrapin.Battle for Paris 1815: The Untold Story of the Fighting After Waterloo
Par Paul L. Dawson. 2019
&“For anyone seeking a full understanding of the end of the Napoleonic era this book is a must read .…
. . [a] tour de force of research.&” —Clash of Steel On the morning of 3 July 1815, the French General Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans, at the head of a brigade of dragoons, fired the last shots in the defense of Paris until the Franco-Prussian War sixty-five years later. Why did he do so? Traditional stories of 1815 end with Waterloo, that fateful day of 18 June, when Napoleon Bonaparte fought and lost his last battle, abdicating his throne on 22 June. But Waterloo was not the end; it was the beginning of a new and untold story. Seldom studied in French histories and virtually ignored by English writers, the French Army fought on after Waterloo. Many commanders sought to reverse that defeat—at Versailles, Sevres, Rocquencourt, and La Souffel, the last great battle and the last French victory of the Napoleonic Wars. Marshal Grouchy, much maligned, fought his army back to Paris by 29 June, with the Prussians hard on his heels. On 1 July, Vandamme, Exelmans and Marshal Davout began the defense of Paris. Davout took to the field in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris along with regiments of the Imperial Guard and battalions of National Guards. For the first time ever, using the wealth of material held in the French Army archives in Paris, along with eyewitness testimonies from those who were there, Paul Dawson brings alive the bitter and desperate fighting in defense of the French capital. The 100 Days Campaign did not end at Waterloo, it ended under the walls of Paris fifteen days later.Hitler's Alpine Headquarters
Par James Wilson. 2013
&“A photographic history of the Nazi party&’s building works in Munich and in the Berchtesgaden and Obersalzberg . . . These postcards…
are fascinating&” (HistoryOfWar.org). Hitler&’s Alpine Headquarters looks at the development of the Obersalzberg from a small, long established farming community into Hitler&’s country residence and the Nazis&’ southern headquarters. Introducing new images and additional text, this book is a much-expanded sequel to the author&’s acclaimed Hitler&’s Alpine Retreat. It explains how and why Hitler chose this area to build a home and his connection to this region. New chapters focus on buildings and individuals of Hitler&’s inner circle not covered in the earlier book. The development of the region is extensively covered by use of contemporary propaganda postcards and accompanying detailed text, allowing the reader to view the subject matter as it was presented to the masses at that time. With over 300 images and three maps, and the opportunity to compare a number of &“then and now&” images, the story of Hitler&’s southern headquarters is brought to life through this extensive coverage. Two seasons as an expert tour guide specializing in the history of the region during the Third Reich period allowed the author to carry out his own detailed research. There is an interview with a local man, who, as a small boy was photographed with Hitler, together with comments gathered during a recent meeting with Rochus Misch who served on Hitler&’s staff. &“An interesting and captivating book. The author has given the material an excellent treatment and there are numerous period photographs which serve to show the subject in its &‘original&’ state.&” —Military Archive ResearchThis superb and comprehensive book details the foreign units which formed such an important part of Napoleon's forces. It examines…
each non-French unit in turn, giving an overview of the unit's origins, its organizational and combat history, its uniforms and standards, and details of the unit's eventual fate. Colourful accounts, taken from contemporary reports and memoirs, emphasize the qualities of the unit and throw light on what life was like for many of the foreign soldiers recruited into the Grande Armée. In total more than 100 different foreign units that served in the French Army are investigated in detail in this ambitious publication. Some foreign units fought and flourished throughout the Consulate and Empire, whilst others lasted for just a few months. Covers Polish, German, Swiss, Italian, Spanish, and other units in the French Army and presents a combat history and details uniforms for each regiment. Napoleon's Mercenaries is the best single-volume study of this aspect of Napoleon s army and a vital reference for every Napoleonic enthusiast. Little can be found on the foreign units that were an integral part of the French army ... For a long time a gap has existed, but now Napoleon s Mercenaries fills this gap. Robert Burnham, Napoleonic SeriesBusiness in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars, 1916–1945 (Wordsworth Military Library)
Par John Terraine. 2009
Twice within 25 years Britain was threatened with starvation by the menace of the U-Boat. In this study of submarine…
warfare, the author explains why Winston Churchill wrote "the only thing that ever frightened me during the war was the U-Boat peril". Until it had been overcome, the Anglo-American entry into Europe in 1944 would have been impossible. John Terraine concentrates on the combatants themselves, both German and Allied, but does not overlook the three main factors in the equation—the political, the military and the technological, as well as the intelligence, the weapons and the devices both sides employed in order to outwit each other. He also focuses on the fighting men on either side, seeing the action from "where it was at".Phantom: Uncovering The Secrets Of The Ww2 Special Forces Unit
Par Philip Warner. 2005
The story of the shadowy special reconnaissance unit whose intelligence helped the Allies win World War II. It operated…
in Italy, Sicily, Austria, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. It was at Dieppe with the Commandos, in France with the SAS, at Arnhem with Airborne, and in Germany until the surrender. Phantom—aka GHQ Liaison Regiment—was one of the most secret and most effective of the wartime special regiments. It was formed in 1939 with the mission of finding out exactly where all the Allied forward positions were—a task which required linguistic ability, unlimited tact, and radio expertise. After Dunkirk, its squadrons at first kept an eye on all invasion points, before deploying to Greece and to the Middle East. An indispensable direct communication link between the forward patrols and command headquarters, its members were as varied and colorful as its tasks. Among them were a Cambridge college postgraduate, three professors, a famous actor-playwright, a film star, a famous sculptor, a steward of the Jockey Club, a commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and numerous authors and journalists. This fascinating history goes beyond Phantom&’s aura of mystery and shows how it was so successful in its role of tracking both allied and enemy movements and relaying vital information direct to commanders.The Last Year of the Luftwaffe: May 1944 to May 1945 (Military Ser.)
Par Alfred Price. 2001
A historian analyzes Nazi Germany&’s air force during its final year before Allied forces brought an end to World War…
II in Europe.The Last Year of the Luftwaffe is the story of a once all-conquering force struggling to stave off an inevitable and total defeat. This book gives a complete account of Luftwaffe operations during the last twelve months of the fighting in Europe—including the dramatic Bodenplatte (or &“Baseplate&”) offensive over the Ardennes in December, 1944. In this comprehensive examination of Hitler&’s air force, Dr. Alfred Price examines its state from May, 1944, to May, 1945, analyzing not only the forces available to it, but also the likely potential, and impact, of new aircraft and weapons systems. He also assesses the Luftwaffe&’s High Command&’s performance and the effect of Allied attacks and operations. In doing so he rejects several long-standing myths, clarifies the impact of the jet and rocket fighters, and demonstrates that the Luftwaffe performed as well as could be expected under the harsh circumstances of fighting a losing war.Battlefields In Miniature: Making Realistic And Effective Terrain For Wargames
Par Paul Davies. 2018
&“For the modeller and wargamer . . . looking for something more when recreating their battles in a table-top game or exhibiting their…
work.&” —José Manuél Rico Cortés (&“Mister JM&”), Miniaturas JM Like a good general, a good wargamer should have an eye for the ground. Just as the nature of the battlefield plays a central role in real warfare, so miniature wargames are greatly enhanced by realistic terrain. Besides, when you&’ve spent hundreds of hours collecting and painting your miniature armies, they surely deserve ground worth fighting for. Master terrain modeler Paul Davies takes the reader through the process of creating a visually appealing yet practical terrain system. First the techniques of making the basic landscape are explained, then a series of projects show how this can be adapted to suit different periods or geographic locations, from European farmland to Sudanese desert. There are then detailed chapters on adding vegetation, buildings, roadways, trench systems, and more. The clear, step-by-step instructions are clearly illustrated by numerous specially-taken photographs of the work in progress and Paul&’s inspirational finished pieces. &“Takes the reader through the process of creating a visually appealing yet practical terrain over which miniature battles may be fought . . . The book should be well received by wargamers and diorama builders alike. Recommended.&” —Military Modelling &“Inspiring . . . It&’s the detailed &‘build projects&’ and the huge number of images that really serve to make this book such a valuable resource for those who don&’t quite know where to start, or those who would like some inspiration and guidance to serve as a catalyst for their own research and modelling projects.&” —Tabletop GamingBritannia's Dragon: A Naval History of Wales
Par J. D. Davies. 2013
Based on extensive research, The Naval History of Wales tells a compelling story that spans nearly 2,000 years, from the…
Romans to the present.Many Welsh men and women have served in the Royal Navy and the navies of other countries. Welshmen played major parts in voyages of exploration, in the navy’s suppression of the slave trade, and in naval warfare from the Viking era to the Spanish Armada, in the American Civil War, both world wars and the Falklands War.Comprehensive, enlightening, and provocative, The Naval History of Wales also explodes many myths about Welsh history, naval historian J.D. Davies arguing that most Welshmen in the sailing navy were volunteers and that, relative to the size of national populations, proportionately more Welsh seamen than English fought at Trafalgar.Written in vivid detail, this volume is one that no maritime or Welsh historian can do without.Intelligence Images from the Eastern Front (Looking Down on War)
Par Colonel Roy M. Stanley II. 2016
Despite the Luftwaffe being ordered to destroy millions of aerial photos in 1945, the Allies found no less than twenty…
tons of photos in eleven locations, including a hoard in a Bavarian barn. These together with vast numbers of photographs taken by German soldiers used for Intelligence analysis were put into classified Allied Intelligence files at a time when USAAF and RAF imagery was being destroyed. Covering Iron Curtain countries they were valuable for cartography and target intelligence during the Cold War.The captured German imagery (called GX) in this book show what the German Army knew about the Soviet Union before and during Operation Barbarossa. Examples show Eastern Front landforms, key cities such as Stalingrad, Moscow, Sevastopol, Leningrad and factories. They are accompanied by helpful comments from a skilled photo interpreter.This unique and diverse collection, some taken from 28,000 feet overhead, others taken by soldiers on the ground, reveal the war on the Eastern Front as it has never been seen before.Cataphracts: Knights of the Ancient Eastern Empires
Par Erich B Anderson. 2016
A deeply researched and page-turning history of armored cavalry in the ancient world from the Eurasian steppe tribes to the…
late Byzantine Empire. Cataphracts were the most heavily armored form of cavalry in the ancient civilizations of the East, with riders and horses both clad in heavy armor. Originating among the wealthiest nobles of various central Asian steppe tribes such as the Massagetae and Scythians, the traditions and strategies of these proud warriors were adopted and adapted by several major empires—the Achaemenid Persians, Seleucids, Sassanians, and eventually the Romans and their Byzantine successors—from c. 4000 BCE to 1200 CE. Usually armed with long lances, the cataphracts harnessed the mobility and sheer mass of their horses to the durability and solid fighting power of the spear-armed phalanx. Although very expensive to equip and maintain, they were a powerful force in battle and remained in use for many centuries. In this compelling historical survey, Erich B. Anderson assesses the development, equipment, tactics, and combat record of cataphracts and the similar clibinarii, showing also how enemies sought to counter them. This is a valuable study of one of the most interesting weapon systems of the ancient world. &“A valuable study of one of the most interesting troop types of the ancient world.&” —The Armourer &“The first comprehensive survey of heavy armored cavalry . . . that played a particularly important role in the military history of Late Antiquity . . . This is a good survey of the history of heavy cavalry in the ancient world, covering arms, equipment, organization, tactics, and battles.&” —The NYMAS Review