The first book that presents the so called Hitler-Library. It sheds new light on the readings of Hitler and on his techniques how to read a book. He played the role of the ideal reader of Schopenhauer, nevertheless his remarks destroy the image of the contemporary Hitler-cult, mainly if we see how he re-read his Mein Kampf. Hitler is presented in this book as a reader and it verifies the explication of his personality (Hitler as a follower of Wagner, Hitler as a philosopher, Hitler as crazy, Hitler as a clever politician, Hitler as a hero): it gives the picture of a half-educated gangster.

'Magisterial . . . [a] fine, balanced and superb account. It deserves to be read for many years to come.' TELEGRAPH March 1945. Allied troops are poised to cross the Rhine and sweep on into Germany. Victory is at last within their grasp. But if they believe this victory can be easily won, they face swift disillusionment. The final I 00 days of the Second World War will prove to be bitterly and bloodily fought, village by village, town by town. This is the extraordinary and gripping story of those final I00 days. _________________________________________________ 'Superbly written and full of wisdom and deep understanding, this will stand as a defining work on these darkest months of the conflic.' JAMES HOLLAND 'This is the most vivid and detailed narrative of the subject that we are likely to see.' MILITARY HISTORY MAGAZINE 'An impressive work. Lively, informative and comprehensively researched.' CAROLINE MOOREHEAD, SPECTATOR 'An important contribution to military history. A great read and powerful reminder of how the Second World War in Europe was definitely not over until the final surrender.' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

Post-heroism is often perceived as one of the main aspects of change in the character of war. Large parts of the contemporary strategic discourse rest on the assumption that war today is no longer fuelled by heroic motivations, and does not produce any popular public heroes, particularly in western democracies. Willingness to kill or die for the cause of one's socio-political community appears to be either a phenomenon of an historical stage that western states have long left behind, or an indicator of nationalistic or religious fanaticism. This is what has been described as the 'post-heroic condition' of western societies. According to this view, demographic and cultural changes in the west have severely decreased the tolerance for casualties in war. This edited volume provides a critical examination of this idea.

Drawing on family materials, historical records, and eyewitness accounts, this book shows the impact of war on individual women caught up in diverse and often treacherous situations. It relates stories of partisans in Holland, an Italian woman carrying guns and provisions in the face of hostile soldiers, and Kikuyu women involved in the Mau Mau insurrection in Kenya. A woman displaced from Silesia recalls fleeing with children across war-torn Germany, and women caught up in conflicts in Burma and in Rwanda share their tales. War's aftermath can be traumatic, as shown by journalists in Libya and by a midwife on the Cambodian border who helps refugees to give birth and regain hope. Finally, British women on active service in Afghanistan and at NATO headquarters also speak.

In his memoir, Forrest N. Easley began recording events pertinent to his life for his children and grandchildren, as well as for posterity, whomever that might include. In addition to sharing his own memories, he also records events that took place among his family members before his lifetime, thus creating a true family history.

He includes details of his parents and grandparents, focusing on their immigration experiences, which would prove to have great impact on his own and his family's lives. He then tells some of the many stories resulting from their pioneering experiences, their hardships, and their individual loyalties to their new home country, America.

Easley intends to describe true events as they happened in order to illustrate and to record the actual life experiences that collectively had great influence on his own development as a person. He considers himself formed in a mold that taught him to experience great inward feelings of tenderness, honest love, great sorrow for others' misfortune, sacrifice and self-denial for the sake of his children, and an insatiable desire for learning-all built on a true and great love for God.

In exploring his own and his family's history, he hopes to preserve these records for future generations.

This is a fast-paced survey of the history of war in the Eurasian world from classical Greece to the French Revolution. Defining the period as the era of pre-industrial warfare, Frederic Baumgartner describes the broad differences, as well as the similarities, in the armies through those 2,000 years. He suggests that the Greek hoplite, the Roman legionary, the nomadic horse archer, the medieval knight, the Swiss pikeman, the early musketeer, and other military types have more in common with each other than with the soldier of the twentieth century. Although he concentrates on the wars and military systems of western Europe, Baumgartner devotes considerable attention to those societies that had a significant impact on European warfare. The Byzantine Empire, the Arabs, the Central Asian nomads, and the Ottoman Turks are examined as are the countries of eastern Europe. Naval history is well integrated into the work with special attention given to galley warfare in the Mediterranean between Christendom and Islam. Fortification and siegecraft are also discussed extensively.

Baumgartner has produced a significant original synthesis of scholarship on military history. It is not a series of biographies of great commanders or studies of the tactics of great battles, although a number of battles are examined in some detail to illustrate the tactics, fighting style, or weapons system typical of a particular era. Baumgartner is more concerned with illuminating the close relationship between social and economic change and military change throughout history. This work will be useful as a textbook for a college-level course in military history or as supplemental reading for classes in Western civilization.

This reference guide is the only study available that concentrates on the most important military trends in the Third World since 1945. Designed for students and history buffs, this short reference is handy for beginning research on different countries and regions and for examining the most significant military events for the United States and the world over the last 50 years. Figures and tables provide up-to-date data in succinct form, and the factual information in this guide has been collected from many sources which are not always easily accessible. An appendix points to key events, and a short bibliography notes significant government documents, reference materials, and interesting and useful books on the subject.

From I Shall Return to Old Soldiers Never Die, General MacArthur's phraseology invariably captured an audience's attention. The MacArthur persona may be familiar to many Americans more because of his oratory than because of his military deeds. Covering both his martial and his political oratory, this book provides a balanced, full-length study of MacArthur's oratorical accomplishments and their impact. Part I is a critical analysis of MacArthur and his speeches, while Part II contains the texts of the addresses discussed.

In their analysis, the authors avoid extremes of praise or blame. The highlight of the book is its account of MacArthur's rhetoric persuading Army and Navy chiefs to undertake the Inchon landing, arguably his finest hour. When MacArthur challenged Truman, taking policy differences to Congress, his rhetoric enabled more than one congressman to see deity in the general. Duffy and Carpenter analyze well the measured cadences of that speech as well as the platitudes of the keynote speech at the 1952 Republican National Convention. If 'Old Soldiers Never Die' polished his halo, the convention address tarnished it. This book captures both the brilliant flashes and the arrogant stupidities of the man. (Quoted from the foreword by Robert P. Newman)

This is the first biography of one of the most important yet least well-known American military leaders of World War II. Written by a veteran journalist and former staff officer who served under General Patch in the Pacific and Europe, it offers a firsthand account of the general's life, personality, and style of command as well as detailed histories of the military campaigns on which his reputation rests.

As commander of the U.S. Seventh Army, General Patch came to prominence in the Pacific, where he led army and marine troops to victory over the Japanese at Guadalcanal. This achievement earned Patch the coveted assignment of leading the assault on the beaches of southern France in 1944, which was to prepare the way for D-Day and the landing at Normandy. The most important battles of his career, however, came in the winter of 1944-1945, when Patch's Seventh Army was able to foresee and crush the last desperate German counterattack mounted in France and join Patton's troops in the closing months of the war. Patch, who was often overshadowed by Patton's colorful and very public persona, deliberately maintained a low profile throughout the war, earning respect through his decisiveness, acute strategic judgment, and deep concern for the safety of his men. World War II military leadership is an area of growing interest to military historians, biographers, and World War II specialists, and this groundbreaking study provides a comprehensive profile of a relatively unknown but much-revered Army officer.