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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > War & defence operations > General

Latin Siege Warfare in the Twelfth Century (Paperback, New Ed): Randall Rogers Latin Siege Warfare in the Twelfth Century (Paperback, New Ed)
Randall Rogers
R1,912 Discovery Miles 19 120 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

This is a carefully researched and illuminating study of siege warfare in the twelfth century. The siege was an integral part of medieval military experience, and was particularly significant in the Mediterranean region. Dr Rogers explores siege warfare and the role it played in the First Crusade and the establishment of the Crusader States, in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and in the seaborne expeditions of the Italian maritime states. Dr Rogers sets out to discover how it was that crusading forces handicapped by rudimentary organisation and logistical support were able to conduct some of the most dramatic siege operations of the pre-gunpowder period. He traces the development and diffusion of techniques; and analyses the experience of siege warfare in every aspect, from the question of supplies of component parts for siege engines to the often complex political situations of besieger and besieged. This is a book which contributes not only to the military history of the twelfth century but also to its political and cultural history. `excellent work, written by a scholar who has a thorough grasp of the subject and who presents it in a lucid manner.' Speculum `an excellent work ... a fine study, full of intriguing ideas for readers interested in crusading, municipalities, and the role of warfare.' The Historian `Rogers's book is an excellent look at the medieval world's most bellicose century.' American Historical Review

Iron Fist from the Sea - South Africa's Seaborne Raiders 1978-1988 (Paperback): Lt. Col. Douw Steyn, Arne Soederlund Iron Fist from the Sea - South Africa's Seaborne Raiders 1978-1988 (Paperback)
Lt. Col. Douw Steyn, Arne Soederlund
R938 R796 Discovery Miles 7 960 Save R142 (15%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

Comparison between The Full Edition of Iron Fist From The Sea and The Abridged Edition of Iron Fist From The Sea. A Number of the First Chapters cut in the abridged edition, so less background information. Certain Appendices have been Cut from the Abridged Edition. A Number of Military Operations have been cut. The Full Edition provides the whole operational history, whereas the abridged edition is lacking in background and much less detail on specific operations. This seminal work documents the clandestine seaborne operations undertaken by South Africa's 4 Reconnaissance Commando Regiment. It breathtakingly reveals the versatility and effectiveness of this elite unit which worked with a range of other South African and Rhodesian forces, including the Rhodesian SAS, to engage in a range of raiding and war fighting activities. These operations saw the clandestine reconnaissance of harbours, the sinking of enemy shipping and the destruction of shore installations in Angola and Mozambique. Just some of the tasks undertaken by this extraordinary maritime capability which totalled no more than 45 operators, both black and white! With unparalleled access to previously secret material, the authors, both of whom worked to develop 4 Recce's operating capabilities, trace the origins of the Regiment back to the 1970's when the South African's determined the need for a maritime force projection capability. They relate how maritime doctrine was developed within South Africa's wider Special Forces capability and how joint operational approaches were configured with the South African Navy. This saw the development of a range of swimmer, reconnaissance, diving and boat operator training courses, along with the design of specialist raiding craft and amphibious assault platforms, which were originated to operate from the Navy's existing shipping and submarines. All of which demonstrated the immense potential of this newly emergent force and the resourcefulness of its individual operators. Required to successfully complete a gruelling selection process, the operators of 4 Recce were relentlessly tested to prove their physical and mental mettle, not to mention their leadership skills and initiative. Steyn and Soederlund's chronological analysis of the operations undertaken by 4 Recce and the South African Navy is stunning to behold. They impartially detail the secret and specialised actions which saw both success and failure. From Cabinda on the West Coast to Tanzania on the East, 4 Recce, and whose existence and capability was largely kept secret even within the South African Defence Force, conducted numerous clandestine raids. They attacked shipping and strategic targets such as oil facilities, transport infrastructure and even ANC offices. And sometimes the raids did go wrong, spectacularly so in one instance when two operators were killed and Captain Wynand Du Toit was captured. He was later paraded in front of the world's media, much to the embarrassment of the South African government. This is a fascinating work and one that will enthral anyone with an interest in Special Forces operations. Profusely illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, it stands as a testament to the author's endeavours as, respectively, the former Operations Commander of 4 Recce and the former Commander Task Group of the SA Navy - as well as the incredible operators of 4 Recce.

Essay on the Life of the Honourable Major-General Israel Putnam (Hardcover): David Humphreys Essay on the Life of the Honourable Major-General Israel Putnam (Hardcover)
David Humphreys; Foreword by William C. Dowling
R537 Discovery Miles 5 370 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

David Humphreys was aide-de-camp to Washington during the American Revolution. His "Life of Israel Putnam, " originally published in 1788, has rightly been described as "the first biography of an American written by an American." It is, as William C. Dowling observes, "a classic of revolutionary writing, very readable and immensely interesting in what it says about the temper of the new republic in the period immediately after the American Revolution." The subject--General Israel Putnam--is remembered to history and legend as exclaiming: "Don't fire 'til you see the whites of their eyes " to American soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. As Professor Dowling notes, "All the episodes are retold--Bunker Hill, the Battle of White Plains, the crossing of the Delaware, the Battle of Princeton--but from the perspective of one who was there throughout, and who always permits us to see Putnam as the sort of character by whom history is, in the last analysis, made." Humphreys wrote the biography when formation of the Society of the Cincinnati, composed of men who were officers in the Revolution, "focused debate in the new republic about the competing claims of individual liberty and the good of the community."William C. Dowling is a Professor of English at Rutgers University

Essay on the Life of the Honourable Major-General Israel Putnam (Paperback): David Humphreys Essay on the Life of the Honourable Major-General Israel Putnam (Paperback)
David Humphreys; Foreword by William C. Dowling
R282 Discovery Miles 2 820 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

David Humphreys was aide-de-camp to Washington during the American Revolution. His "Life of Israel Putnam, " originally published in 1788, has rightly been described as "the first biography of an American written by an American." It is, as William C. Dowling observes, "a classic of revolutionary writing, very readable and immensely interesting in what it says about the temper of the new republic in the period immediately after the American Revolution." The subject--General Israel Putnam--is remembered to history and legend as exclaiming: "Don't fire 'til you see the whites of their eyes " to American soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. As Professor Dowling notes, "All the episodes are retold--Bunker Hill, the Battle of White Plains, the crossing of the Delaware, the Battle of Princeton--but from the perspective of one who was there throughout, and who always permits us to see Putnam as the sort of character by whom history is, in the last analysis, made." Humphreys wrote the biography when formation of the Society of the Cincinnati, composed of men who were officers in the Revolution, "focused debate in the new republic about the competing claims of individual liberty and the good of the community."William C. Dowling is a Professor of English at Rutgers University

Arms, Armies and Fortifications in the Hundred Years War (Paperback, New Ed): Anne Curry, Michael Hughes Arms, Armies and Fortifications in the Hundred Years War (Paperback, New Ed)
Anne Curry, Michael Hughes
R866 Discovery Miles 8 660 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

`Careful, original and wide-ranging study of many different aspects of late medieval military history.' HISTORY The Hundred Years War embraced warfare in all aspects, from the grand set pieces of Crecy and Agincourt to the pillaged lands of the dispossessed population. What makes this book different from previous studies emphasising the great battles is its use of less familiar evidence, such as administrative records and landscape archaeology, to gain a truer picture of the realities of medieval warfare. From a general review of battle tactics, the book turns to examine (at points enlisting computer analysis) a number of issues: the composition of the English army, the management of affairs in Aquitaine, the response in England at large to the war and the consequent propaganda and hardship,and the impact of warfare on local communities. Close study of surviving artefacts - weapons, fortifications - also allows realistic assessments of military and naval experiences. Contributors: ANDREW AYTON, MATTHEW BENNETT,ANNE CURRY, IAN FRIEL, ROBERT HARDY, MICHAEL HUGHES, MICHAEL JONES, BRIAN KEMP, JOHN KENYON, MARK ORMROD, ROBERT SMITH, MALCOLM VALE.

Opération Friction 1990-1991 - Golfe Persique: Le rôle joué par les Forces canadiennes (Paperback, French Ed): Jean H Morin,... Opération Friction 1990-1991 - Golfe Persique: Le rôle joué par les Forces canadiennes (Paperback, French Ed)
Jean H Morin, Richard H. Gimblett
R680 R624 Discovery Miles 6 240 Save R56 (8%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

An official account of the crisis in the Persian Gulf that traces the Canadian Forces’ commitment to the Gulf region in response to Iraqi aggression in 1990-1991. This title includes text in French.

Foreign Military Intervention - The Dynamics of Protracted Conflict (Paperback, New ed): Ariel Levite, Bruce Jentleson, Larry... Foreign Military Intervention - The Dynamics of Protracted Conflict (Paperback, New ed)
Ariel Levite, Bruce Jentleson, Larry Berman
R1,214 Discovery Miles 12 140 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Foreign Military Intervention brings together prominent scholars in an ambitious and innovative comparative study. The six case studies-the United States in Vietnam, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, Syria in Lebanon, Israel in Lebanon, South Africa and Cuba in Angola, and India in Sri Lanka-constitute a diverse set, involving superpowers and regional powers, democracies and nondemocracies, neighboring states and distant states, and incumbent regimes and insurgent movements.

Civilians in the Path of War (Paperback): Mark Grimsley, Clifford J. Rogers Civilians in the Path of War (Paperback)
Mark Grimsley, Clifford J. Rogers
R786 Discovery Miles 7 860 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

"War," wrote Gen. William T. Sherman, "is cruelty, and you cannot refine it." Throughout history, noncombatants have always been among the victims of war's violence. In this book, nine distinguished historians examine twenty-five hundred years of human conflicts and their varied impacts on civilian society. Each case study examines not only what military forces did to noncombatants in the area of their operations, but why they did it and how they justified their actions. The focus, however, remains firmly on the practical realities of war, not on normative theories or the prescriptions of the "laws of war."

The patterns that emerge from the nine case studies are not simple ones. Some of the same factors and pressures appear again and again, though the balance among them and the ultimate outcome vary greatly. We see how often devastation has served as a tool of coercive diplomacy, but also how logistic considerations have greatly affected the calculus of pillage versus restraint. The importance of precedent, of culture, of ideology or morality, and of morale become clear.

This book addresses crucial issues in an era in which historians have come to appreciate that a full understanding of war must address its victims as well as its victors, and when policymakers are perhaps more concerned than ever with minimizing the impact of war on civilian society.

The Organization of the German State Forces in 1866 (Hardcover): Stuart Sutherland The Organization of the German State Forces in 1866 (Hardcover)
Stuart Sutherland
R1,463 R1,173 Discovery Miles 11 730 Save R290 (20%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

The so-called Seven Weeks' War of 1866 between Prussia and Italy and Austria was notable not only for its effect on future German history but also because it was the last time the armies of the smaller German states fought as independent contingents. Forces from 30 smaller states were involved and they were either of some strength or barely able to guard their rulers' palaces. They have largely been ignored in standard histories and this book attempts to begin to redress that imbalance by presenting for the first time in English detailed information about the organization of the armies of the smaller states. States covered: Anhalt, Baden, Bavaria, Bremen, Brunswick, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Hanover, Electoral Hesse, Grand Ducal Hesse, Landgravial Hesse, Liechtenstein, Limburg, Lippe-Detmold, Lubeck, Luxembourg, The Mecklenburgs, Nassau, Oldenburg, The Reusses, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Saxony, Schaumburg-Lippe, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Waldeck, Wurttemberg. An introduction places this information in context and appendices give selected orders of battle and a chronology of the preliminaries and main events of the war in Germany.

At War in the Shadow of Vietnam - United States Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government, 1955-75 (Paperback, Revised): Timothy... At War in the Shadow of Vietnam - United States Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government, 1955-75 (Paperback, Revised)
Timothy Castle
R1,080 Discovery Miles 10 800 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

The first book to recount the full story of U.S. covert operations in Laos during the Vietnam war. Based on newly declassified materials and interviews with dozens of key American and Lao officials, it examines the structure of the U.S. "secret war" in Laos and the long-term consequences associated with it.

Red Team - How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy (Hardcover): Micah Zenko Red Team - How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy (Hardcover)
Micah Zenko
R876 Discovery Miles 8 760 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

Red teaming. It is a practice as old as the Devil's Advocate, the eleventh-century Vatican official charged with discrediting candidates for sainthood. Today, red teams,comprised primarily of fearless skeptics and those assuming the role of saboteurs who seek to better understand the interests, intentions, and capabilities of institutions or potential competitors,are used widely in both the public and private sector. Red teaming, including simulations, vulnerability probes, and alternative analyses, helps institutions in competitive environments to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses, challenge assumptions, and anticipate potential threats ahead of the next special operations raid, malicious cyberattack, or corporate merger. But not all red teams are created equal indeed, some cause more damage than they prevent. In Red Team , national security expert Micah Zenko provides an in-depth investigation into the work of red teams, revealing the best practices, most common pitfalls, and most effective applications of these modern-day Devil's Advocates. The best practices of red teaming can be applied to the CIA, NYPD, or a pharmaceutical company, and executed correctly they can yield impressive results: red teams give businesses an edge over their competition, poke holes in vital intelligence estimates, and troubleshoot dangerous military missions long before boots are on the ground. But red teams are only as good as leaders allow them to be, and Zenko shows not only how to create and empower red teams, but also what to do with the information they produce.Essential reading for business leaders and policymakers alike, Red Team will revolutionize the way organizations think about, exploit, compensate for, and correct their institutional strengths and weaknesses. Drawing on little-known case studies and unprecedented access to elite red teamers in the United States and abroad, Zenko shows how any group,from military units to friendly hackers,can win by thinking like the enemy.

This Glorious Cause - The Adventures of Two Company Officers in Washington's Army (Paperback): Herbert Treadwell Wade,... This Glorious Cause - The Adventures of Two Company Officers in Washington's Army (Paperback)
Herbert Treadwell Wade, Robert A Lively
R1,243 Discovery Miles 12 430 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

"As I am ingaged in this glories Cause I am will to go whare I am Called"-so Joseph Hodgkins, a shoemaker of Ipswich, Massachusetts, declared to his wife the purpose that sustained him through four crucial years of the American Revolution. Hodgkins and his fellow townsman Nathaniel Wade, a carpenter, turned out for the Lexington alarm, fought at Bunker Hill, retreated from Long Island past White Plains, attacked at Trenton and Princeton, and enjoyed triumph at Saratoga. One of them wintered at Valley Forge, and the other was promoted to command at West Point on the night that Benedict Arnold was revealed as a traitor. On countless nights of his long march Hodgkins wrote to his wife of his adventures, his fears and hopes; and she replied with homely details of family life in a wartime New England village. The letters that survive from the exchange, printed here as an appendix to the text, are a principal source for this intimate history of two company officers in Washington's army. This Glorious Cause is a heartwarming and stirring book, illuminating a significant part of our national experience and adding to our knowledge of why thousands of unknown patriots fought, how they fought, and what it meant to fight. Originally published in 1958. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

War and Responsibility - Constitutional Lessons of Vietnam and Its Aftermath (Paperback, 1st Paperback Ed): John Hart Ely War and Responsibility - Constitutional Lessons of Vietnam and Its Aftermath (Paperback, 1st Paperback Ed)
John Hart Ely
R1,130 Discovery Miles 11 300 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

Twenty years after the signing of the Paris Accords, the constitutional ambiguities of American involvement in the Vietnam War remain unresolved. John Hart Ely examines the overall constitutionality of America's role in Vietnam; and shows that Congress authorized each new phase of American involvement without committing itself to the stated aims of intervention.

The War Of The Running Dogs - How Malaya Defeated The Communist Guerrillas 1948-1960 (Paperback): Noel Barber The War Of The Running Dogs - How Malaya Defeated The Communist Guerrillas 1948-1960 (Paperback)
Noel Barber
R345 R316 Discovery Miles 3 160 Save R29 (8%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

Only three short years after the end of the Japanese occupation, war came again to Malaya. The Chinese-backed guerrillas called it the War of the Running Dogs - their contemptuous term for those in Malaya who remained loyal to the British.

The British Government referred to this bloody and costly struggle as the 'Malayan Emergency'. Yet it was a war that lasted twelve years and cost thousands of lives. By the time it was over Malaya had obtained its independence - but on British, not on Chinese or Communist terms.

Here is the war as it was. Here are the planters and their wives on their remote rubber estates, the policemen, the generals and the soldiers, the Malays, Chinese and Indians of a polyglot country, all fighting an astute, ruthless, and well organized enemy.

The Sino-Soviet Split - Cold War in the Communist World (Paperback): Lorenz M. Luthi The Sino-Soviet Split - Cold War in the Communist World (Paperback)
Lorenz M. Luthi
R1,147 Discovery Miles 11 470 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

A decade after the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China established their formidable alliance in 1950, escalating public disagreements between them broke the international communist movement apart. In "The Sino-Soviet Split," Lorenz Luthi tells the story of this rupture, which became one of the defining events of the Cold War. Identifying the primary role of disputes over Marxist-Leninist ideology, Luthi traces their devastating impact in sowing conflict between the two nations in the areas of economic development, party relations, and foreign policy. The source of this estrangement was Mao Zedong's ideological radicalization at a time when Soviet leaders, mainly Nikita Khrushchev, became committed to more pragmatic domestic and foreign policies.

Using a wide array of archival and documentary sources from three continents, Luthi presents a richly detailed account of Sino-Soviet political relations in the 1950s and 1960s. He explores how Sino-Soviet relations were linked to Chinese domestic politics and to Mao's struggles with internal political rivals. Furthermore, Luthi argues, the Sino-Soviet split had far-reaching consequences for the socialist camp and its connections to the nonaligned movement, the global Cold War, and the Vietnam War.

"The Sino-Soviet Split" provides a meticulous and cogent analysis of a major political fallout between two global powers, opening new areas of research for anyone interested in the history of international relations in the socialist world."

The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations - Lessons from Afghanistan, 2001-2011 (Hardcover): Philip A Berry The War on Drugs and Anglo-American Relations - Lessons from Afghanistan, 2001-2011 (Hardcover)
Philip A Berry
R2,651 Discovery Miles 26 510 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

Reveals the inside story of the formulation and implementation of the US and UK's counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan Through interviews with key policy practitioners on both sides of the Atlantic, this study reveals the complex picture of counter narcotics strategy in Afghanistan. It highlights the key points of cooperation and contention, and details the often contradictory and competitive objectives of the overall war effort in Afghanistan. Western counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan failed dismally after opium poppy cultivation surged to unprecedented levels. The Anglo-American partnership at the centre of this battleground was divided by competing and opposing views of how to address the opium problem, which troubled the well-established Anglo-American relationship.

Strategic Defenses - Two Reports by the Office of Technology Assessment (Paperback): Office Of The Technology Assessment Strategic Defenses - Two Reports by the Office of Technology Assessment (Paperback)
Office Of The Technology Assessment
R2,587 Discovery Miles 25 870 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

To contribute to the worldwide debate on President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, here are two important studies, Ballistic Missile Defense Technologies and Anti-Satellite Weapons, Countermeasures. and Arms Control.

Originally published in 1986.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Battle Cry of Freedom - The Civil War Era (Hardcover): James M Mcpherson Battle Cry of Freedom - The Civil War Era (Hardcover)
James M Mcpherson
R1,370 R1,124 Discovery Miles 11 240 Save R246 (18%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

This book covers one of the most turbulent periods of the USA's history, from the Mexican War in 1848 to the end of the Civil War in 1865. With a broad historical sweep, it traces the heightening sectional conflict of the 1850s: the growing estrangement of the South and its impassioned defence of slavery; the formation of the Republican Party in the North, with its increasing opposition to slavery; and the struggle over territorial expansion, with its accompanying social tensions and economic expansion. The whole panorama of the Civil War is captured in these pages, from the military campaign, which is described with vividness, immediacy, a grasp of strategy and logistics, and a keen awareness of the military leaders and the common soldiers involved, to its political and social aspects.

Shock Army of the British Empire - The Canadian Corps in the Last 100 Days of the Great War (Hardcover, New): Shane B. Schreiber Shock Army of the British Empire - The Canadian Corps in the Last 100 Days of the Great War (Hardcover, New)
Shane B. Schreiber
R2,759 Discovery Miles 27 590 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This book is an operational history of the Canadian Corps in the battles of the final 100 days of World War I, beginning with the battle of Amiens, August 8, 1918, and culminating in the retaking of Mons on November 11, 1918, only hours before the war ended. During the late summer and autumn of 1918, the Canadian Corps, under Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur Currie, played a crucial role in the defeat of the German Army on the Western Front. This work examines the operational, organizational, and tactical innovations developed by the Corps during this campaign and their subsequent effect on military thought. Six battles are examined for their planning, conduct, and lessons: the Battle of Amiens, the breaking of the Drocourt-Queant line, the Canal du Nord and Cambrai, the pursuit to Valenciennes, the storming of Mount Huoy, and the return to Mons.

The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Paperback): Jonathan Roth The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Paperback)
Jonathan Roth
R1,638 Discovery Miles 16 380 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Relying on a variety of literary, documentary and archaeological sources, this work explores the Roman military supply system from the Punic Wars to the end of the Principate. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of logistics: supply needs and rations; packs, trains and military servants; foraging and requisition; supply lines; sources of supply; administration; and the impact of logistics on Roman warfare. As a whole the book traces the development of the Roman logistics into a highly sophisticated supply system - a vital element in the success of Roman arms. In addition, it makes a critical study of important technical questions of Roman logistics, such as the size of the soldier's grain ration, the function of military servants, and the changes in logistical management under the Republic and Empire.

Blood and Ruins - The Great Imperial War, 1931-1945 (Paperback): Richard Overy Blood and Ruins - The Great Imperial War, 1931-1945 (Paperback)
Richard Overy
R601 R540 Discovery Miles 5 400 Save R61 (10%) Ships in 9 - 17 working days

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY SHORTLISTED FOR THE GILDER LEHRMAN PRIZE FOR MILITARY HISTORY 'A masterpiece. It puts all previous single-volume works of the conflict in the shade' Saul David, The Times A bold new approach to the Second World War from one of Britain's foremost military historians Richard Overy sets out in Blood and Ruins to recast the way in which we view the Second World War and its origins and aftermath. He argues that this was the 'great imperial war', a violent end to almost a century of global imperial expansion which reached its peak in the ambitions of Italy, Germany and Japan in the 1930s and early 1940s, before descending into the largest and costliest war in human history and the end, after 1945, of all territorial empires. How war on a huge scale was fought, supplied, paid for, supported by mass mobilization and morally justified forms the heart of this new account. Above all, Overy explains the bitter cost for those involved in fighting, and the exceptional level of crime and atrocity that marked these imperial projects, the war and its aftermath. This war was as deadly for civilians as it was for the military, a war to the death over the future of the global order. Blood and Ruins is a masterpiece from of one of the most renowned historians of the Second World War, which will compel us to view the war in novel and unfamiliar ways. Thought-provoking, original and challenging, Blood and Ruins sets out to understand the war anew.

The Conquest of Constantinople (Paperback): Robert of Clari The Conquest of Constantinople (Paperback)
Robert of Clari; Translated by Edgar Holmes McNeal
R821 R733 Discovery Miles 7 330 Save R88 (11%) Ships in 12 - 19 working days

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) set out to capture the Holy Land; it ended up sacking Constantinople, an Orthodox Christian city and the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Robert of Clari, an obscure knight from Picardy, provides an extraordinary recounting of the decidedly mixed triumphs of the Fourth Crusade, an event that deepened the rift between the Eastern and Western churches. His chronicle is one of the few accounts of the crusades told from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He provides firsthand descriptions of battles with the Greek defenders of Constantinople and the various hardships endured on the crusaders' eastward journey. Robert also serves as a guide, describing the marvels of Constantinople and other sights he encountered during the crusade.

Robert's account tells of the practical, political, and theological negotiations and disputes that defined the Fourth Crusade. He recounts the Venetian Doge's stubborn bargaining with the crusaders over the use of his ships and how the pope's bishops vigorously campaigned for the conquest of Constantinople. Throughout the crusade, various kings and lords from Europe jockeyed for power as they tried to assert their political and military leadership. Robert's chronicle concludes with the political disputes between various nobles to control the Byzantine Empire and the spoils of battle.

Eminent Victorian Soldiers - Seekers of Glory (Paperback): Byron Farwell Eminent Victorian Soldiers - Seekers of Glory (Paperback)
Byron Farwell
R596 Discovery Miles 5 960 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

This book brings together the lives of eight of Queen Victoria's most renowned and idiosycratic generals, men who helped create the British Empire and whose lives reflect the vigor and diversity of the age. They are: Hugh Gough, Charles Napier, Charles Gordon, Frederick Roberts, Garnet Wolseley, Evelyn Wood, Hector Macdonald, and Herbert Kitchener.

"[Mr. Farwell] reminds us how much of history has always been about war. The figures he etches are Horatio Alger types with epaulets, conventional men whom luck and daring raised to unconventional situations. . . . Sparely but convincingly, Mr. Farwell conveys a sense of the society they worked in, one that tolerated eccentricity and excess but not trangressions of its male mythology—in which riding and religion were crucial, along with laudanum and chloral and stoic hardihood. Those who shun analyses and learned footnotes, preferring a thundering tale well told—or rather eight of them—should not miss this book."—Eugen Weber, New York Times Book Review

Keeping Israel Safe - Serving the Israel Defense Forces (Paperback, Illustrated Ed): Barbara Sofer Keeping Israel Safe - Serving the Israel Defense Forces (Paperback, Illustrated Ed)
Barbara Sofer
R244 R223 Discovery Miles 2 230 Save R21 (9%) Ships in 12 - 19 working days

Meet four Israeli teens as they make their choices to join one of the many branches of the Israel Defense Forces, and learn about the various branches of the IDF. As we get to know the four teens and follow their decision-making process about how to fulfill their mandatory service, we learn how the IDF with its advanced technology, intelligence and weapons systems, grew to be one of the most admired armies in the world.

The American Military - A Narrative History (Paperback, New): BD Lookingbill The American Military - A Narrative History (Paperback, New)
BD Lookingbill
R1,417 Discovery Miles 14 170 Ships in 12 - 19 working days

The American Military: A Narrative History presents a comprehensive introduction to more than four centuries of American military history. * Presents a chronological account of American military history from clashes between militias and Native Americans to 21st-century operations in Afghanistan and Iraq * Features personal vignettes to put a human face on armed conflict * Addresses patterns of national service, the evolution of civil-military relations, and the advent of all-volunteer forces * Puts events in historical context, and considers cultural, social, political, economic, and technological developments

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