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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Weapons & equipment > General
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The Longbow
(Paperback)
Mike Loades; Illustrated by Peter Dennis
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R398
Discovery Miles 3 980
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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An iconic medieval missile weapon, the deadly longbow made possible
the English victories at Crecy and Poitiers at the height of the
Hundred Years' War. The longbow was the weapon at the heart of the
English military ascendancy in the century after 1340. Capable of
subjecting the enemy to a hail of deadly projectiles, the longbow
in the hands of massed archers made possible the extraordinary
victories enjoyed by English forces over superior numbers at Crecy
and Poitiers, and remained a key battlefield weapon throughout the
Wars of the Roses and beyond. It also played a leading role in
raiding, siege and naval warfare. Its influence and use spread to
the armies of Burgundy, Scotland and other powers, and its
reputation as a cost-effective and easily produced weapon led to
calls for its widespread adoption among the nascent armies of the
American Republic as late as the 1770s.
Adopted from the Celts in the 1st century BC, the spatha, a lethal
and formidable chopping blade, became the primary sword of the
Roman soldier in the Later Empire. Over the following centuries,
the blade, its scabbard, and its system of carriage underwent a
series of developments, until by the 3rd century AD it was the
universal sidearm of both infantry and cavalry. Thanks to its long
reach, the spatha was the ideal cavalry weapon, replacing the long
gladius hispaniensis in the later Republican period. As the manner
in which Roman infantrymen fought evolved, styles of hand-to-hand
combat changed so much that the gladius was superseded by the
longer spatha during the 2nd century AD. Like the gladius, the
spatha was technologically advanced, with a carefully controlled
use of steel. Easy maintenance was key to its success and the
spatha was designed to be easily repaired in the field where access
to a forge may have been limited. It remained the main Roman sword
into the Late Roman period and its influence survived into the Dark
Ages with Byzantine, Carolingian and Viking blades. Drawing
together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results
of the latest scientific analyses of the blades, renowned authority
M.C. Bishop reveals the full history of the development,
technology, training and use of the spatha: the sword that defended
an empire.
Luftwaffe Panzer division formed from the paratroop corps was one
of the elite units in the Wehrmacht and fought in North Africa and
Italy.
This series focuses on the soldiers and warriors of specific
historic conflicts. The in-depth text and illustrations will not
fail to inspire modelers, historians, re-enactors and enthusiasts
alike. Each volume features 20-22 detailed colour plates of
fighting men in realistic settings, produced by world class
artists. As the seemingly unstoppable German juggernaut tore
through the heart of Europe, battled on the sands of Africa, and
flooded across the steppes of Russia, much of the world girdled
itself to resist the Blitzkrieg - the Lightning War. There was no
secret to the initial German successes. The newly developed
combined arms force - Panzer, artillery, infantry and Luftwaffe -
coupled with well planned operations from an effective command and
control system, lead to the success of the German Army during the
early years of World War II. Gordon Rottman brings us twenty
scenarios during the Blitzkrieg years, 1939 to 1941, with a
background of history and description of uniform and equipment in
each scenario. Among the battles covered are Warsaw, Narvik, Somme,
Crete, Sidi Rezegh, Sollum, Smolensk and Leningrad.
Numerous action photographs and a detailed text depict the use of
German medium flak in combat.
This new, extensively researched volume (volume two in the series)
is a comprehensive guide to the history, development, wear, and use
of uniforms and equipment during American military advisors
involvement in the Vietnam War. Included are insignia, headgear,
camouflage uniforms, modified items, Flak vests, boots, clothing
accessories, paper items and personal items from the years
1957-1972, all examined in great detail. Using re-constructed and
period photos, the author presents the look and appearance of
American Army, Navy, and Marine Corps advisors in Vietnam. ARVN
Ranger, Airborne, and ARVN infantry advisors, all have their own
chapter, along with Junk Force, RAG Force, and South Vietnamese
Naval and Marine Corps advisors.
Over 750 detailed, high-quality illustrations from rare 19th-century sources: suits of armor, chain mail, swords, helmets, knives, crossbows and other implements, along with scenes of battle, soldiers, horses, artillery and more. Especially suitable for projects requiring a medieval or old-fashioned flavor, these illustrations will fill a myriad of needs for battle-related graphic art.
This book covers the design and use of the self-propelled armored
vehicle Wespe in WWII.
The "Gladiatoria" group of German fencing manuscripts are several
editions of a treatise on armoured foot combat, specifically aimed
at duel fighting. Gloriously-illustrated, and replete with
substantial commentary, these works are some of the greatest
achievements in the corpus of late medieval fight books. These
works have both tremendous artistic merit and incalculable
historical value. In this remarkable full colour volume, authors
Dierk Hagedorn and Bart?omiej Walczak elegantly present their work
on the copy of this treatise now in the Yale Center for British
Art, including a reproduction of the manuscript, a full
transcription, and translations into English. The work includes a
foreword by Sydney Anglo which explains how the work shows a highly
sophisticated pedagogical system of movement and applauds the
editors for presenting the material in a clear and practical way.
Additional essays discuss other aspects of the manuscript -
including a tale of Dierk Hagedorn's adventures tracking down the
manuscript.
The English Civil Wars tore families and friendships apart, setting
father against son and brother against brother. Raging across
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the conflict was the greatest
political upheaval in the British Isles in six hundred years, and
led directly to the execution of King Charles I in 1649. Keith
Dowen tells the absorbing story of the arms and armour of the civil
wars, and demonstrates how emerging weaponry contributed to some of
the most well-known battles in British history. The book forms part
of a series of introductions to aspects of the Royal Armouries'
collection of arms and armour. Written by specialists in the field,
they are packed full of fascinating information and stunning
photography. Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and
armour, with sites at Leeds, the Tower of London and Fort Nelson,
Hampshire.
Karen Coates and Jerry Redfern spent more than seven years
traveling in Laos, talking to farmers, scrap-metal hunters, people
who make and use tools from UXO, people who hunt for death beneath
the earth and render it harmless. With their words and photographs,
they reveal the beauty of Laos, the strength of Laotians, and the
commitment of bomb-disposal teams. People take precedence in this
account, which is deeply personal without ever becoming a polemic.
This book was written to provide an in-depth study of the Danish
and Norwegian armies of the Napoleonic Wars. The goal was to
provide a working document which is as accurate as possible,
covering the uniforms of these armies, their weapons and their
evolution as well as their colours and a look at their basic
tactics. Although this is principally a uniform book, historical
background is also provided to place the details in their context.
This second volume looks in depth at the regular cavalry and field
artillery covering all aspects, organisation, uniforms, arms and
equipment, in particular cannon, limbers, and wagons, with 54
original full colour plates. The fortress and coastal artillery are
not forgotten, as with one of the longest coastlines in Europe
compared to the size of the country it was more important than in
most countries. Unlike the few other works in English this book has
been conducted with the assistance of respected Danish historians,
as well as Norwegian and German historians.
2014 Reprint of 1936 Edition. Full facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. In this
classic work on the subject, Keith covers the selection, use, and
hand loading of revolver cartridges in various calibers. Keith
covers both revolvers that have remained popular to this day, as
well as many that were popular several decades ago and have since
fallen into obscurity. Elmer Keith uses his wealth of experience
with the sixgun to analyze and recommend the correct cartridges and
calibers for various situations. This is not only a manual covering
the practical use of the revolver, but is also a valuable reference
for anyone interested in the history and development of the modern
revolver cartridges.
German Machine Guns of the Second World War is a highly illustrated
record of the German war machine between 1939 - 1945. Many of the
photographs, all from the authors collection, come originally from
the albums of individuals who took part in the war. Arranged by
theatre chronologically, the book analyses the development of the
machine gun and describes how the Germans carefully utilised
weapons such as the MG34 and the much vaunted MG42 into both
offensive and defensive roles. Supported by a host of other machine
guns like the MP28, MP38/40 and the lethal Sturmgerher 44, it
depicts how these formidable machine guns fought against an ever
increasing enemy threat. Using over 250 rare and unpublished
photographs together with detailed captions and accompanying text,
this book provides a unique insight into German weaponry from early
Blitzkrieg campaigns to the final demise of the Nazi empire.
2012 Reprint of 1948 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Julian
Sommerville Hatcher was a noted firearms expert and author of the
early twentieth century. He is credited with several technical
books and articles relating to military firearms, ballistics, and
auto loading weapons. His premier works are "Hatcher's Notebook"
and "Book of the Garand." He was also a pioneer in the forensic
identification of firearms and their ammunition. Hatcher retired
from the United States Army as a Major General. Afterward, he
served as Technical Editor of the National Rifle Association's
"American Rifleman" magazine. Hatcher's "Book of the Garand" is the
definitive chronicle of the rifle General George S. Patton called
"the greatest battle implement ever devised." Hatcher follows the
evolution of the M1 Garand from the first semiautomatic hunting
rifles to the devastating U.S. infantry weapon of WWII.
Shattered Minds is the first book to investigate how American
military bureaucracies have let our troops down by failing to
upgrade one of the most important pieces of personal safety
equipment - the combat helmet. Two longtime employees of North
Dakota defense contractor Sioux Manufacturing discovered that the
required density of the Kevlar material woven into netting of
combat helmets was being shorted. After bringing their discovery to
the attention of management, rather than cleaning up the illegal
practice, their boss accused them of stealing company secrets and
having an adulterous affair. Both employees were fired, leading to
a lawsuit and a judgment they won in court which eventually brought
the company's bad faith practices to light. Around the same time, a
separate whistleblower, retired Navy doctor Robert Meaders, was
pulled into a bizarre and irrational struggle with Army and Marine
bureaucracies when he found out from his Marine grandson that the
protective webbing inside the military helmets provided to troops
was inadequate. Why was the military so resistant to upgrading its
combat equipment, the most essential gear used to protect from
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that plagues soldiers long after their
days of combat? By interweaving these two sets of whistleblowers'
stories, authors Robert Bauman and Dina Rasor explain why the
military, despite news coverage with revelations about these
whistleblowers' personal efforts, continued to do the indefensible.
Using their combined 85 years of knowledge covering and
investigating the Pentagon, the authors try to explain why such a
betrayal of our troops has persisted. They also offer information
on how the public, press, and military departments can fix the
problem and give U.S. troops a better helmet that will help them
survive their service to the United States of America.
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a relatively inexpensive Navy
surface combatant equipped with modular "plug and fight" mission
packages. This book examines the LCS program and the potential
oversight issues for Congress. Congress's decisions on the LCS
program could affect capabilities and funding requirements, and the
shipbuilding industrial base.
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, armour 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. The author
draws on the latest research and archaeology, as well as his own
experiences of using and making replica weapons and armour, to
challenge established views and bring fresh insights to this
fascinating period of military history. The main regions of
discussion are the Aegean, the Near East and the Middle East but
some reference is also made to other relevant cultures such as the
Aryan Indians and the Shang Chinese.
Never before have so many possessed the means to be so lethal. The
diffusion of modern technology (robotics, cyber weapons, 3-D
printing, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence) to
ordinary people has given them access to weapons of mass violence
previously monopolized by the state. In recent years, states have
attempted to stem the flow of such weapons to individuals and
non-state groups, but their efforts are failing. As Audrey Kurth
Cronin explains in Power to the People, what we are seeing now is
an exacerbation of an age-old trend. Over the centuries, the most
surprising developments in warfare have occurred because of
advances in technologies combined with changes in who can use them.
Indeed, accessible innovations in destructive force have long
driven new patterns of political violence. When Nobel invented
dynamite and Kalashnikov designed the AK-47, each inadvertently
spurred terrorist and insurgent movements that killed millions and
upended the international system. That history illuminates our own
situation, in which emerging technologies are altering society and
redistributing power. The twenty-first century "sharing economy"
has already disrupted every institution, including the armed
forces. New technologies are transforming access to the means of
violence. Just as importantly, higher-order functions that
previously had been under state military control (mass
mobilization, force projection, and systems integration) no longer
are. Cronin closes by focusing on how to respond so that we both
preserve the benefits of emerging technologies yet reduce the
risks. Power is flowing to the people, but the same technologies
that empower can imperil global security, unless we act
strategically.
Created by a long-forgotten Austrian nobleman, Adolf Odkolek von
Augezd, the air-cooled Hotchkiss machine gun was the first to
function effectively by tapping propellant gas from the bore as the
gun fired. Although the Hotchkiss would be overshadowed by the
water-cooled Maxim and Vickers Guns, it proved its effectiveness
during the Russo-Japanese War. The gun, quirky though it was, was
successful enough to persuade Laurence Benet and Henri Mercie to
develop the Modele Portative: a man-portable version which, it was
hoped, could move with infantrymen as they advanced. Later mounted
on tanks and aircraft, it became the first automatic weapon to
obtain a 'kill' in aerial combat. Though it served the French and
US armies during World War I (and also the British in areas where
French and British units fought alongside each other), the
Odkolek-Hotchkiss system was to have its longest-term effect in
Japan. Here, a succession of derivatives found favour in theatres
of operations in which water-cooling could be more of a liability
than an asset. When US forces landed on Saipan, Guam and Iwo Jima,
battling their way from island to island across the Pacific, it was
the 'Woodpecker' - the Type 92 Hotchkiss, with its
characteristically slow rate of fire - which cut swathes through
their ranks. Supported by contemporary photographs and full-colour
illustrations, this title explores the exciting and eventful
history of the first successful gas-operated machine gun.
This book covers the guns that were emplaced along the Atlantic
Wall by Germany during WWII.
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