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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Land forces & warfare > General

Marching through Chaos - The Descent of Armies in Theory and Practice (Hardcover, New): John A. English Marching through Chaos - The Descent of Armies in Theory and Practice (Hardcover, New)
John A. English
R2,868 Discovery Miles 28 680 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In spite of the outcome of the Cold War, English argues persuasively here that the nuclear defensive posture adopted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was inherently flawed. Victory in the Cold War, moreover, seems to have increased the attractiveness of this potentially dangerous model. In fact, NATO's attempts to replace conventional armies with nuclear technology represented a misreading of history inasmuch as war has always been more of a social than technological phenomenon. From his succinct survey of the growth and operations of field armies from medieval times to the Gulf War, English concludes that the legitimately constituted conventional army of the nation-state still remains the best instrument for bringing some semblance of order to the destructive chaos of war.

The development of field armies has involved much more sophistication than generally supposed. In both practice and theory, army operations have been as knowledge-based and intellectually rigorous as any academic discipline, ensuring them an enduring place as a practical means of applying massive force. Fortunately, the NATO attempt to replace conventional armies with nuclear technology was never tested in a real war. But English suggests that the likelihood of deterrence continuing in war, because of its transmutability, also offers hope that it can be controlled in the future, as it was in the past, by social forces. This book offers a longer, more realistic view of war than that normally embraced by technocrats in search of better weapons and peacemakers in search of utopia.

This book also addresses in detail the questions of why armies became so large and why war itself transmutated. The technological transformation of war that occurred after 1815 is discussed, in turn, for the effect it exerted upon the future operations of armies. A novel perspective on the tactical and operational progression of warfighting up to the end of World War II is also provided through an examination of modern defensive theory. On a more elevated plane, the book critically assesses the ways in which nuclear deterrence ultimately affected NATO's defensive posture in central Europe. Also subjected to detailed scrutiny are the theoretical and practical dimensions of ground force concepts for the defense of the NATO central front. Finally, English evaluates ground force operations in the Gulf War with a view to drawing relevant conclusions and lessons for the future.

Military Power - Land Warfare in Theory and Practice (Hardcover, illustrated edition): Brian Holden Reid Military Power - Land Warfare in Theory and Practice (Hardcover, illustrated edition)
Brian Holden Reid
R4,589 Discovery Miles 45 890 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The great strength of this collection of studies is that academics and senior military practitioners have been brought together, drawing from similar sources and working to the highest scholarly standards, but bringing their own perspectives to bear on complex military subjects. The essays on multifarious aspects of the Anglo-American approach to war range from study of volunteer soldiering in the Mexican War of 1846-48, analyses of operations in the two World Wars, to a reconsideration of the nature of future warfare. All the contributors thoroughly consider the overall historical context and explore the relationship between theory and practice in military operations. They also review the problems of transition from the small-scale duties of an imperial or frontier constabulary to coping with the demands of continental warfare, a central feature of the Anglo-American military tradition. Throughout a major theme is the importance of peacetime in mental preparation and training for war.

Issues in Civilian Outplacement Strategies - Proceedings of a Workshop (Paperback): National Research Council, Division of... Issues in Civilian Outplacement Strategies - Proceedings of a Workshop (Paperback)
National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Edited by Renae F Broderick
R1,213 Discovery Miles 12 130 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

In the past six years, planned downsizing has reduced the civilian work force of the U.S. Department of Defense from over 1 million to just under 850,000. By 2001, approximately 119,000 more civilian jobs will be eliminated. The reemployment picture for civilians is not strong, and the economic impact of base closings will also be felt by the surrounding communities. This book presents creative ideas for civilian outplacement based on or suggested by private-sector experiences. It discusses a number of issues that the Department of Defense must consider in its outplacement efforts, including organizational planning for effective outplacement services, whether or not to customize services for particular types of employees, monitoring outplacement practices to learn what works, and working with local communities in providing both job search and social services. Table of Contents FRONT MATTER INTRODUCTION PART I: OUTPLACEMENT RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE PART II: INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE WITH OUTPLACEMENT PART III: THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OUTPLACEMENT TASK APPENDIX: WORKSHOP AGENDA AND PARTICIPANTS LIST

Kekionga! - The Worst Defeat in the History of the U.S. Army (Hardcover, New): Wilbur Edel Kekionga! - The Worst Defeat in the History of the U.S. Army (Hardcover, New)
Wilbur Edel
R2,834 Discovery Miles 28 340 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

After almost two centuries of on-and-off resistance to white encroachment on Indian lands, a band of Ohio Indians attacked and almost destroyed the army of the infant U.S.A. The battle for the Indian village of Kekionga, unmentioned in any history textbook, stunned President Washington and Congress and provoked both a change in military policy and the first legislative investigation of an executive department under the Constitution. This history of the relations between Native Americans and European settlers, principally during the colonial and revolutionary periods, focuses on the clash of two very different civilizations in the struggle for control of the land. It also sets in world perspective the savagery of the French and Indian Wars, disposing of the myth that brutally inhumane treatment of the enemy was characteristic only of Indian fighting methods. Subsequent to the Indians' supression after Kekionga, government and private indifference to Indian rights and gross mistreatment persisted until the last quarter of the 20th century.

Russian Army of the Seven Years War (2) (Paperback): Angus Konstam Russian Army of the Seven Years War (2) (Paperback)
Angus Konstam; Illustrated by Bill Younghusband
R526 Discovery Miles 5 260 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This second volume (see MAA 297) by Angus Konstam on the Russian Army of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) concentrates on the cavalry, both the regular troops and irregular forces, considering their composition, nature and effectiveness. It also outlines the state of the Russian train of artillery, which was seen as the premier branch of the army and dominated Russian military doctrine throughout the 18th century. As a result of reforms, the Russians entered the war with Prussia somewhat wrong footed. The ability of the army to recover from this in the crucible of war is a major part of this story.

The Russian Army in a Time of Troubles (Paperback): Pavel Baev The Russian Army in a Time of Troubles (Paperback)
Pavel Baev
R1,968 Discovery Miles 19 680 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This study of the Russian army and how it has fared in the uncertain transitional period since independence in December 1991 provides the basis for understanding its present and potential future role in the new political developments within Russia. Following an historical overview of Russia's security agenda and an examination of the Russian/Soviet army's tradition of involvement in politics, the book then examines Russia's current security interests and the role of the army in protecting them. Geopolitical perspectives are linked to the security issues of the `Near Abroad', and to the nuclear dimension of security. Pavel K Baev then considers the question of the feasibility of political control over the Russian army. The problem of the politicization of the army is followed through the interlinked issues of stalled military reform and a drastically reduced military budget. Baev examines the current military role of the army with case studies on conflict management in the Caucasus and the army's performance in the role of peace-keeper in the Chechen War. Finally, the place of the army in Russia's peace-keeping activities within a broader European context is examined.

The Soviet Armed Forces, 1918-1992 - A Research Guide to Soviet Sources (Hardcover, New): Ljubica Erickson The Soviet Armed Forces, 1918-1992 - A Research Guide to Soviet Sources (Hardcover, New)
Ljubica Erickson
R2,144 Discovery Miles 21 440 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In a compact guide to essential sources, this bibliography covers the Soviet armed forces from the birth of the Red Army and the origins of the Soviet military system to the demise of the Soviet Union. The authors have selected over 1,400 titles that accommodate both wider interests and those of the specialist. Taking accessibility into account, they have provided a wealth of information on sources available in the West.

The bibliography opens with a section on reference sources and the imperial antecedents to the Soviet system. Part Two includes chapters on the Revolution and Civil War, the period from 1922-1940, and the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. In the concluding section, the authors cover the postwar period. The final chapter, Breakthrough Books, includes those works that have radically influenced the perception and discussion of Soviet military affairs.

Stormtroop Tactics - Innovation in the German Army, 1914-1918 (Paperback, New Ed): Bruce I. Gudmundsson Stormtroop Tactics - Innovation in the German Army, 1914-1918 (Paperback, New Ed)
Bruce I. Gudmundsson
R1,406 Discovery Miles 14 060 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Describing the radical transformation in German Infantry tactics that took place during World War I, this book presents the first detailed account of the evolution of stormtroop tactics available in English. It covers areas previously left unexplored: the German Infantry's tactical heritage, the squad's evolution as a tactical unit, the use of new weapons for close combat, the role of the elite assault units in the development of new tactics, and detailed descriptions of offensive battles that provided the inspiration and testing ground for this new way of fighting. Both a historical investigation and a standard of excellence in infantry tactics, Stormtroop Tactics is required reading for professional military officers and historians as well as enthusiasts. Contrary to previous studies, Stormtroop Tactics proposes that the German Infantry adaption to modern warfare was not a straightforward process resulting from the "top down" intervention of reformers but instead a "bottom up" phenomenon. It was an accumulation of improvisations and ways of dealing with pressing situations that were later sewn together to form what we now call "Blitzkrieg." Focusing on action at the company, platoon, and squad level, Stormtroop Tactics provides a detailed description of the evolution of German defensive tactics during World War I--tactics that were the direct forbears of those used in World War II.

America's Armed Forces - A Handbook of Current and Future Capabilities (Hardcover, New): Robert E. Connor, Sam C. Sarkesian America's Armed Forces - A Handbook of Current and Future Capabilities (Hardcover, New)
Robert E. Connor, Sam C. Sarkesian
R2,590 Discovery Miles 25 900 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This handbook by 14 well-known experts provides an overall analysis of U.S. military strengths and weaknesses in the 1990s and needs at the turn of the century. The first part of the book covers the U.S. armed forces under the Department of Defense and the military chain of command. The second half of the book deals with the American way of war, different military conflicts, and noncombat contingencies. The introduction defines national security concepts and sets the stage for the assessments that follow; the conclusion evaluates the military challenges confronting the United States in the 21st century. Each chapter offers short lists of readings. A glossary and comprehensive index make this an easy-to-use reference for students, teachers, professionals, and general readers concerned with America's defense needs.

The Rebirth of the Habsburg Army - Friedrich Beck and the Rise of the General Staff (Hardcover): Scott Lackey The Rebirth of the Habsburg Army - Friedrich Beck and the Rise of the General Staff (Hardcover)
Scott Lackey
R2,019 Discovery Miles 20 190 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Friedrich Beck was the single most important figure in the transformation of the inept Habsburg military into the modern military state that would wage World War I. He correctly perceived that only an elite body of officers responsible for war planning and preparation could provide lasting security for the Austro-Hungarian empire. After firmly establishing the general staff as an institution, Beck led war planning to counter threats from Russia, Italy, and the Balkans; and spearheaded a vast rebuilding of the rail network. While his rise to power marked a return to the favorite system of military administration of the early Franz Joseph period, Beck proved himself a man with real military ability that revolutionized an army.

The Specht Journal - A Military Journal of the Burgoyne Campaign (Hardcover): Helga Doblin The Specht Journal - A Military Journal of the Burgoyne Campaign (Hardcover)
Helga Doblin; Edited by Mary C. Lynn
R2,862 Discovery Miles 28 620 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

"The Specht Journal" is one of the major diaries written by Braunschweig military personnel during the Burgoyne campaign of the American Revolutionary War. From the departure from Wolfenbuttel on February 22, 1776 to the end on Winter Hill near Boston on November 9, 1777, the narrator faithfully accounts for each day of the ill-fated campaign. He describes the astonishing affair at Ticonderoga, the short battle at Hubbardton, and the toilsome march south to Fort Miller via Forts Ann and Edward. The campaign ends after two indecisive battles at Saratoga, where Burgoyne, without supplies and badly outnumbered, has to sign a Convention with the victorious American commander Horatio Gates.

Zebulon Butler - Hero of the Revolutionary Frontier (Hardcover, New): Linda A. Fossler, James R. Williamson Zebulon Butler - Hero of the Revolutionary Frontier (Hardcover, New)
Linda A. Fossler, James R. Williamson
R2,844 Discovery Miles 28 440 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This is a comprehensive study of the life of Zebulon Butler, a participant in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the intercolonial confrontations known as the Yankee-Pennamite Wars. Butler migrated to Pennsylvania in 1769 and soon became the military and civil leader of the Connecticut settlers in the Wyoming Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania. During the Revolutionary War, he served in one of the most dangerous theatres of the war--the isolated Susquehanna frontier of Pennsylvania--where the struggling settlers were subject to Indian-Tory attacks and the hostility of the Pennsylvania government. After the war, Butler sought peace with the Pennsylvania authorities and exercised a steadying influence on the Wyoming community. When the longstanding land controversy between Connecticut and Pennsylvania again erupted in civil war and sparked a separate state movement encouraged by Ethan Allen, Butler counseled peace and assisted Timothy Pickering in the establishment of Luzerne County.

The Rainbow Division in the Great War - 1917-1919 (Hardcover, New): James J. Cooke The Rainbow Division in the Great War - 1917-1919 (Hardcover, New)
James J. Cooke
R3,185 Discovery Miles 31 850 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

The Rainbow Division (42nd Infantry Division) was the premier National Guard division to fight on the Western Front in the Great War. Made up of units from 26 states and the District of Columbia, the Rainbow was a unique attempt to combine units from every section of the nation and to get them to France as quickly as possible. The Rainbow arrived in France in December 1917, and served in every major battle the AEF (American Expeditionary Force) participated in. After the end of the war in November 1918, the Rainbow was selected to serve in the Army of Occupation, remaining in Germany until the spring of 1919. The division counted in its leadership Douglas MacArthur, William J. Wild Bill Donovan (later known for his service as the head of the OSS in World War II and for founding the CIA), soldier-poet Joyce Kilmer, Father Francis P. Duffy, plus future secretaries of the Army and the Air Force and two who would become Army Chiefs of Staff. George S. Patton's tanks supported The Rainbow Division during the St. Mihiel operations, the first time the legendary Patton planned for the use of tanks on the battlefield.

Lieutenant General Karl Strecker - The Life and Thought of a German Military Man (Hardcover, New): Uli Haller Lieutenant General Karl Strecker - The Life and Thought of a German Military Man (Hardcover, New)
Uli Haller
R2,019 Discovery Miles 20 190 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

For Karl Strecker the defeat at Stalingrad and his subsequent captivity were the climax of a lifetime of political and military frustration. At an early age Strecker dedicated his life to the service of his country, but during his lifetime his country underwent so many political changes that he often had trouble understanding what or whom he was serving. Strecker often found himself applying his hard-earned military skills in an undeclared civil war and in the successive world wars that destroyed German military power and ultimately led to a politically divided Germany. The battle of Stalingrad serves as the focal point of this story because, for Strecker, it represented the height of military futility.

Some Even Volunteered - The First Wolfhounds Pacify Vietnam (Hardcover, New): Alfred S. Bradford Some Even Volunteered - The First Wolfhounds Pacify Vietnam (Hardcover, New)
Alfred S. Bradford
R2,278 Discovery Miles 22 780 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

I was hooked by the unusual style and, moreso, by the unusual approach to the familiar material . . . Articulate, sensitive, and intelligent . . . an unusually readable and persuasive narrative. Robert W. Lewis North Dakota Quarterly When in 1968 an American rifle battalion known as the First Wolfhounds landed near Dau Tieng, a rest area controlled by the North Vietnamese Army, they expected to interdict the NVA supply line there within three days. Instead, the soldiers found a prohibitive network of NVA troops, headquarters, hospitals, supplies, and local support for the NVA. It seemed impossible, even for the Wolfhounds, famed for their numbers and fighting strength. In the vivid prose of a mission survivor, Some Even Volunteered chronicles these brave soldiers' daily, deadly contact with the NVA, their attempts to win the villagers' trust, and how they struggled to accept and survive their circumstances. Eight months later, the Wolfhounds succeeded--destroying, in the process, an NVA unit of their own size. Alfred Bradford's sardonic voice is compelling. This narrative is witty, sometimes hilarious, and always captivating. Bradford--now a history professor--also provides one of the most insightful discussions ever written of Vietnam's assumed position in military history. Some Even Volunteered provides a marvelous description and a succinct evaluation of the life and the achievement of the American soldier in Vietnam trying to win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese. In a style reminiscent of Michael Herr in Dispatches but still distinctly his own, Bradford relates the story of the First Battalion of the 27th Infantry Regiment (First Wolfhounds) of the 25th Infantry Division as they pacified the district of Tri Tam. The First Battalion--which had the highest body count of any rifle battalion in Vietnam--was air-lifted into an NVA rest area south of Dau Tieng (IIId Brigade basecamp) in the district of Tri Tam on 24 October 1968. They had been ordered to interdict the NVA supply line that stretched from the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia through Dau Tieng to Saigon. They were expected to complete their mission in three days, but they uncovered such an extensive network of headquarters, hospitals, supply, troop concentrations and local support that the mission was extended to a week, then to a month, and finally, to eight months. Eight months later, the Wolfhounds had succeeded. Their fire support base was assaulted three times, their Brigade base twice. They established four independent forts, ran missions throughout the Third Brigade Area of Operations, and accepted the surrender of dozens of Viet Cong and NVA. In effect, they had destroyed an NVA unit of their own size. In vivid, staccato prose, Bradford delivers a first-rate narrative. In addition, the last chapter, entitled, The Will of the People, provides the reader with one of the best discussions ever written of Vietnam's assumed position in military history.

On Infantry (Paperback, 2nd edition): John A. English, Bruce I. Gudmundsson On Infantry (Paperback, 2nd edition)
John A. English, Bruce I. Gudmundsson
R1,406 Discovery Miles 14 060 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Another volume in Praeger's "The Military Profession" series, this revised edition of the 1984 Praeger classic tells the story of infantry in the 20th century and its impact on the major conflicts of our time. Its purpose is to provide the reader--whether infantryman or not--with hitherto unavailable insights on the role that infantry plays in the larger battle and how that has helped shape the world that we live in today. Unique aspects of the book include the treatment of technical issues in non-technical language, the extensive use of German and French sources generally unavailable to the English-speaking reader, and the shattering of some long-cherished myths. Combat motivation and combat refusal, the role played by small units (such as the squad and fire team), the role of infantry in the Blitzkrieg, and many other issues often papered over in the literature of infantry are discussed and analyzed in detail in this revised edition.

Air Mobility - The Development of a Doctrine (Hardcover, New): Christop C Cheng Air Mobility - The Development of a Doctrine (Hardcover, New)
Christop C Cheng
R2,868 Discovery Miles 28 680 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In the immediate post-World War II period, Army aviation began to evolve from an observatory role to a mobility role. Helicopter air mobility began to develop in the Army from 1949 onwards. The outbreak of the Korean war assisted and accelerated the acceptance of greater helicopter air mobility within the Army. The Eisenhower period was a golden age for Army aviation, with rapid and extensive developments in air mobility doctrine and tactics. There was also a strong research and development effort to overcome the initial technological lag. These developments allowed the formation of the first air mobile division in 1965 to meet the growing demands of the Vietnam war. This work gives a new understanding of the process of military innovation. Moreover, this case study has important general implications for future military policy-making.

General Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964 - Historiography and Annotated Bibliography (Hardcover, Annotated edition): Eugene L. Rasor General Douglas MacArthur, 1880-1964 - Historiography and Annotated Bibliography (Hardcover, Annotated edition)
Eugene L. Rasor
R2,152 Discovery Miles 21 520 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an extraordinary military leader and one of the most controversial figures in American history. An enormous amout of literature has accumulated about his career, which spanned most of the 20th century. General MacArthur is the subject of this first comprehensive assessment and survey of all of the writings by ad about him. Publication coincides and reflects the formal commemoration of the 50th anniversary of World War II. A short biographical essay and chronology set the stage for the historiographical critique, which is organized topically and into different time periods. This extensive historiographical narrative is cross-referenced to the annotated bibliography of 759 published and unpublished sources, both academic and popular, including film and fiction. Author and subject indexes complete the volume. This guide to the literature on MacArthur describes archival collections and research facilities; points to conflicting interpretations about the role of General MacArthur as Chief of Staff of the Army, in World War II, in the occupation of Japan, in the Korean War, and in the sensational recall from his position as Far Eastern Commander in 1951; and suggests areas for further research. The historiographical narrative and annotated bibliography cover the career of the general from his earliest years to his death in 1964. This easy-to-use research tool is designed for students, scholars, and readers at all levels; for use by all those concerned with recent U.S. and world history; and for special commemorations of World War II.

'Far, Far from Home' - The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, Third South Carolina Volunteers (Paperback):... 'Far, Far from Home' - The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, Third South Carolina Volunteers (Paperback)
Guy R. Everson, Edward H Simpson
R1,326 Discovery Miles 13 260 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In April 1861, Dick and Tally Simpson, sons of South Carolina Congressman Richard F. Simpson, enlisted in Company A of the Third South Carolina Volunteers of the Confederate army. Their letters home--published here for the first time--read like a historical novel, complete with plot, romance, character, suspense, and tragedy. In their last year of college when the war broke out, Dick and Tally were hastily handed their diplomas so they could volunteer for military duty. Dick was twenty; Tally was twenty-two.
Well educated, intelligent, and thoughtful young men, Dick and Tally cared deeply for their country, their family, and their comrades-in-arms and wrote frequently to their loved ones in Pendleton, South Carolina, offering firsthand accounts of dramatic events from the battle of First Manassas in July 1861 to the battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. Their letters provide a picture of war as it was actually experienced at the time, not as it was remembered some twenty or thirty years later. It is a picture that neither glorifies war nor condemns it, but simply "tells it like it is." Written to a number of different people, the boys' letters home dealt with a number of different subjects. Letters to "Pa" went into great detail about military matters in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia--troop movements, casualties, and how well particular units had fought; letters to "Ma" and sisters Anna and Mary were about camp life and family friends in the army and usually included requests for much-needed food and clothing; letters to Aunt Caroline and her daughter Carrie usually concerned affairs of the heart, for Aunt Caroline continued to be Dick and Tally's trusted confidante, even whenthey were "far, far from home."
The value of these letters lies not so much in the detailed information they provide as in the overall picture they convey--a picture of how one Southern family, for better or for worse, at home and at the front--coped with the experience of war. These are not wartime reminiscences, but wartime letters, written from the camp, the battlefield, the hospital bed, the picket line--wherever the boys happened to be when they found time to write home. It is a poignant picture of war as it was actually experienced in the South as the Civil War unfolded.
My dear Aunt
With pleasure do I attempt to scratch you a few lines. I have passed the line of sentinels and am now far out in the woods sitting on the ground writing with a pencil about long enough to ketch with two fingers and on a little piece of plank about as large as my paper, so you must excuse this scrawl....We are now in the land of danger, far, far from home, fighting for our homes and those near our hearts. I have been from home for months at a time, but I never wished to be back as bad in my life. How memory recalls every little spot, and how vividly every little scene flashes before my mind. Oh! if there is one place dear to me it is home sweet home. How many joys cluster there. To join once more our family circle (I mean you all) and talk of times gone by would be more to me than all else besides...your
Most affectionate nephew
R W S

'Far, Far from Home' - The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, Third South Carolina Volunteers (Hardcover):... 'Far, Far from Home' - The Wartime Letters of Dick and Tally Simpson, Third South Carolina Volunteers (Hardcover)
Guy R. Everson, Edward H Simpson
R5,684 Discovery Miles 56 840 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In April 1861, Dick and Tally Simpson, sons of South Carolina Congressman Richard F. Simpson, enlisted in Company A of the Third South Carolina Volunteers of the Confederate army. Their letters home--published here for the first time--read like a historical novel, complete with plot, romance, character, suspense, and tragedy. In their last year of college when the war broke out, Dick and Tally were hastily handed their diplomas so they could volunteer for military duty. Dick was twenty; Tally was twenty-two.
Well educated, intelligent, and thoughtful young men, Dick and Tally cared deeply for their country, their family, and their comrades-in-arms and wrote frequently to their loved ones in Pendleton, South Carolina, offering firsthand accounts of dramatic events from the battle of First Manassas in July 1861 to the battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. Their letters provide a picture of war as it was actually experienced at the time, not as it was remembered some twenty or thirty years later. It is a picture that neither glorifies war nor condemns it, but simply "tells it like it is." Written to a number of different people, the boys' letters home dealt with a number of different subjects. Letters to "Pa" went into great detail about military matters in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia--troop movements, casualties, and how well particular units had fought; letters to "Ma" and sisters Anna and Mary were about camp life and family friends in the army and usually included requests for much-needed food and clothing; letters to Aunt Caroline and her daughter Carrie usually concerned affairs of the heart, for Aunt Caroline continued to be Dick and Tally's trusted confidante, even when they were "far, far from home."
The value of these letters lies not so much in the detailed information they provide as in the overall picture they convey--a picture of how one Southern family, for better or for worse, at home and at the front--coped with the experience of war. These are not wartime reminiscences, but wartime letters, written from the camp, the battlefield, the hospital bed, the picket line--wherever the boys happened to be when they found time to write home. It is a poignant picture of war as it was actually experienced in the South as the Civil War unfolded.

The Field Artillery - History and Sourcebook (Hardcover): Boyd L. Dastrup The Field Artillery - History and Sourcebook (Hardcover)
Boyd L. Dastrup
R2,143 Discovery Miles 21 430 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This reference book by a well-known historian is the very first to give a short history of the development of the field artillery from the Middle Ages to the present, along with biographical profiles of leading figures, and bibliographical essays about the most important writings on the subject. Dastrup defines the evolution of this combat force and weapons system in terms of technology, organization, tactics, and doctrine. This volume is designed for academic and professional library reference sections and for use in courses in military history and military technology. This guide is suitable for reference and text purposes, and made accessible for varied uses through internal cross-referencing, appendices, and a well-framed general index.

The Nature of the Operations of Modern Armies (Hardcover): V.K. Triandafillov The Nature of the Operations of Modern Armies (Hardcover)
V.K. Triandafillov; Edited by Jacob W. Kipp
R4,487 Discovery Miles 44 870 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

V K Triandafillov was an outstanding young commander who shaped the military theory and doctrine of the Red Army as it came to grips with the problem of future war. A conscript soldier who rose through the ranks to become an officer in the Tsarist Army, he saw combat in both the First World War and the Russian Civil War. A student of some of the finest military specialists teaching the first generation of young Red commanders, he sought to link theory and practice by using past experience to comprehend future combat.

Advance And Retreat - Personal Experiences In The United States And Confederate States Armies (Paperback, 1st Da Capo Press... Advance And Retreat - Personal Experiences In The United States And Confederate States Armies (Paperback, 1st Da Capo Press ed)
John Hood
R864 Discovery Miles 8 640 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

When John Bell Hood entered into the services of the Confederate Army, he was 29 years old, a handsome man and courageous soldier, loyal to the ideal of Confederate Independence and eager to fight for it. He led his men bravely into the battles of Second Manassas, Gaines's Mill, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Chickamauga. He rose fast, attaining the temporary rank of full general, only to fall faster. Hood emerged from the war with his left arm shattered and uselss, his right leg missing, his face aged far beyond his 33 years, and with his military reputation in disgrace. Blamed by contemporaries for contributing to the defeat of his beloved Confederacy, Hood struggled to refute their accusations. His most vehement critic, General Johnston, charged Hood with insubordination while serving under him and, after succeeding him in command, of recklessly leading Confederate troops to their slaughter" and useless butchery." Sherman, too, in his Memoirs, took a harsh view of Hood. Born of controversy, Advance and Retreat is of course a highly controversial book. It is also full of invaluable information and insights into the retreat from Dalton in early 1864, the fighting around Atlanta, and the disastrous Tennessee Campaign in winter of that year. Far from being a careful, sober, objective account, this book is the passionate, bitter attempt of a soldier to rebut history's judgment of himself as general and man.

The Santiago Campaign of 1898 - A Soldier's View of the Spanish-American War (Hardcover, New): A. B Feuer The Santiago Campaign of 1898 - A Soldier's View of the Spanish-American War (Hardcover, New)
A. B Feuer
R2,845 Discovery Miles 28 450 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This story is an account of the Santiago, Cuba, land campaign of the Spanish-American War, as conducted by General William R. Shafter's Fifth Army Corps. The narrative is based on firsthand information gathered from handwritten diaries, memoirs, and regimental and company histories of the men who participated in the campaign. These chronicles of frontline action paint an entirely different picture of what has been called "The Splendid Little War." The opponent, far from being the cowardly Spanish soldier of myth, is revealed to be a courageous, resourceful foe. Furthermore, the attack on the outer defenses of Santiago was totally mismanaged by William Shafter, the American General in command, and his incompetent staff. Only the U.S. Navy's victory over the Spanish squadron on July 3, 1898, rescued the army from disaster.

In Caesar's Shadow - The Life of General Robert Eichelberger (Hardcover): Paul Chwialkowski In Caesar's Shadow - The Life of General Robert Eichelberger (Hardcover)
Paul Chwialkowski
R2,860 Discovery Miles 28 600 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Although considered by MacArthur as his number one fighting general, Eichelberger is one of the least known of the World War II commanders. Professor Chwialkowski examines General Eichelberger's background, rise through the ranks, and wartime experiences. In the end, he concludes that Eichelberger failed to achieve a widely perceived special competence among his peers, that he had the bad luck to lead in secondary theaters of operations in both world wars, and, most importantly, that his personality undermined his standing among superiors and subordinates alike. As the only in-depth biography of Eichelberger, the volume provides new material on the campaigns at Buna, Biak, and the Philippines, as well as fresh insights on MacArthur's handling of the Pacific theater of operations. As such, the volume will be of considerable value to students of World War II and American twentieth-century military history.

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