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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Military life & institutions > General
How does a state effectively mobilize its citizens for armed conflict? Why do citizens allow themselves to be placed in harm's way? The military relationship between the state and its citizens, in terms of rights and obligations, remains as important today as it did when Europe first moved from under the shadow of the Ancien Regime. Reform in Revolutionary Times explores the evolution of the civil-military relationship during one of the more unique periods of modern European history. Born through revolution during the First World War, the Soviet state was plunged immediately into a civil war which included foreign intervention by American, British, French, Japanese, and Czech soldiers. The fires had not yet been extinguished when conflict with Poland further threatened its existence. Pragmatism vied with ideology, as the Soviets mobilized the population to unheard of levels through fundamental reforms, simply to survive these early years of revolution and war.
The study of asymmetrical warfare extends from the earliest known writings of man to the present day. While the term «asymmetrical warfare may be unfamiliar to the lay person, the concept is by no means strange to any who have even minimal exposure to historical events. From the biblical story of David and Goliath to Herodotus' account of the Battle of Thermopylae to the American Revolution asymmetrical warfare has been recounted or documented throughout human history. Latest since 9/11 the phenomenon of asymmetric warfare has become a subject within the international relations. The essays in the book offer a detailed look at various aspects of asymmetrical warfare from the theoretical to the practical to manifestations of asymmetry in recent history. While not a comprehensive list of all the contemporary avenues of research on the subject, the authors provide a sample of the broad range of approaches to the study of asymmetrical warfare.
The purpose of this study, commissioned by the Army, was to document the process by which the Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded from December 7, 1941, through September 1, 1948; to identify units in which African Americans served; to identify by name all black soldiers whose names were submitted for the medal and to document any errors in the processing of their nominations; and to compile a list of all black soldiers who received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest award. Based on this work, in January 1997 President Clinton awarded seven African Americans the Medal of Honor. The authors were selected by Shaw University of Raleigh, North Carolina, to conduct this study under a U.S. Army contract.
This book examines the changing nature and location of NATO's operations, concentrating on the development of its extra-European interventions. The objectives of the book are twofold. The first is to provide a historical overview of the importance of the out-of-area issue to NATO. The book takes a chronological approach to this and maps the evolution of the debates that took place about NATO's appropriate response to threats beyond the North Atlantic area from NATO's founding in 1949 until the present day. The second objective is to assess how successfully NATO has made the transition from being a security actor with regional responsibilities to one that responds to global security threats. The author considers the argument that emerged post-9/11 that the key to ensuring NATO's future vitality was to expand its geographic area of responsibility to encompass threats occurring both within and beyond the Euro-Atlantic area. This book therefore provides the first detailed examination of the evolution of NATO's global role and the success with which NATO has adapted to its new responsibilities.
This compelling study presents the most comprehensive examination available of the role of religion in the army during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Through extensive analysis of official military sources, religious publications and personal memoirs, Michael Snape challenges the widely-held assumption that religion did not play a role in the British Army until the mid-Victorian period, and demonstrates that the British soldier was highly susceptible to religious influences long before the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny rendered the subject of wider public concern. In The Redcoat and Religion Snape argues that religion was of significant, even defining, importance to the British soldier and reveals the enduring strength and vitality of religion in contemporary British society, challenging the view that the popular religious culture of the era was wholly dependent upon the presence and activities of women. Students of British history, military history, and religion will all find this an insightful resource for their studies.
Building on constructivist approaches to international relations this book develops a narrative theory of identity, action and foreign policy, which is then applied to account for the evolution of Finnish foreign policy. The book adopts an innovative approach by showing how foreign policy orientations need to be seen as grounded in overlapping and competing sets of identity narratives that reappear in different forms through history. By emphasising the dynamism implicit within identity narratives the book not only challenges traditional rationalist materialist approaches to foreign policy analysis, but also the current tendency to depict the story of Finnish foreign policy, identity and history as one of a gradual move towards a Western location. Rather the book emphasises elements of multiplicity and contingency, whilst re-establishing foreign policy as a highly political process concerned with power and the right to define reality and national subjectivity.
General Jacob L. "Jake" Devers (1897--1979) was one of only two officers -- the other was Omar C. Bradley -- to command an army group during the decisive campaigns of 1944--1945 that liberated Europe and ended the war with Nazi Germany. After the war, Devers led the Army Ground Forces in the United States and eventually retired in 1949 after forty years of service. Despite incredible successes on the battlefield, General George C. Marshall's "dependable man" remains one of the most underrated and overlooked figures of his generation. In this definitive biography, James Scott Wheeler delivers a groundbreaking reassessment of the American commander whose contributions to victory in Europe are topped only by General Dwight D. Eisenhower's. Wheeler's exhaustively researched chronicle of Devers's life and career reveals a leader who demonstrated an extraordinary ability to cut through red tape and solve complex problems. Nevertheless, Eisenhower disliked Devers -- a fact laid bare when he ordered Devers's Sixth Army Group to halt at the Rhine. After the war, Eisenhower's and Bradley's accounts of the generals' disagreements over strategy and tactics became received wisdom, to the detriment of Devers's reputation. An essential contribution to twentieth-century history, Jacob L. Devers provides a fresh and nuanced interpretation of the senior command during World War II and offers a new perspective on a highly accomplished soldier.
First published in 1976. This study is perhaps the most comprehensive, objective, and accurate analysis to date of the State Department's Foreign Service personnel system. Largely based on in-depth interviews of 330 Foreign Service officers ranging in rank from career minister to newly appointed officer, and extensively documented, the book examines the needs of the Foreign Service organization and its personnel and presents an analysis of the policies and procedures according to which it operates. Areas covered include recruitment, training, assignments, performance evaluation, promotions, and attrition. Also discussed in detail is the structure and functioning of the informal system of rules and regulations developed by Foreign Service officers; individuals use this system-which is outside of the prescribed channels--in attempting to influence their career development. Despite its specialized orientation, the study utilizes a methodology that can be applied to any large organization.
"Exceptional military history worthy of its heroic subject." -Matthew J. Davenport In the vein of Band of Brothers and American Sniper, a riveting history of Alvin York, the World War I legend who killed two dozen Germans and captured more than 100, detailing York's heroics yet also restoring the unsung heroes of his patrol to their rightful place in history-from renowned World War I historian James Carl Nelson. October 8, 1918 was a banner day for heroes of the American Expeditionary Force. Thirteen men performed heroic deeds that would earn them Medals of Honor. Of this group, one man emerged as the single greatest American hero of the Great War: Alvin Cullum York. A poor young farmer from Tennessee, Sergeant York was said to have single-handedly killed two dozen Germans and captured another 132 of the enemy plus thirty-five machine guns before noon on that fateful Day of Valor. York would become an American legend, celebrated in magazines, books, and a blockbuster biopic starring Gary Cooper. The film, Sergeant York, told of a hell-raiser from backwoods Tennessee who had a come-to-Jesus moment, then wrestled with his newfound Christian convictions to become one of the greatest heroes the U.S. Army had ever known. It was a great story-but not the whole story. In this absorbing history, James Carl Nelson unspools, for the first time, the complete story of Alvin York and the events that occurred in the Argonne Forest on that day. Nelson gives voice, in particular, to the sixteen "others" who fought beside York. Hailing from big cities and small towns across the U.S. as well as several foreign countries, these soldiers included a patrician Connecticut farmer whose lineage could be traced back to the American Revolution, a poor runaway from Massachusetts who joined the Army under a false name, and a Polish immigrant who enlisted in hopes of expediting his citizenship. The York Patrol shines a long overdue spotlight on these men and York, and pays homage to their bravery and sacrifice. Illustrated with 25 black-and-white images, The York Patrol is a rousing tale of courage, tragedy, and heroism.
World War I found American soldiers overseas participating in unprecedented acts of bravery and valor. Faced with the need to recognize these outstanding deeds by soldiers of all ranks and creeds, the United States established the Silver Star citation, consisting of a small star which was placed on a Victory Medal Ribbon by the honored soldier. These citations were issued by each division as well as by the Armed Expeditionary Force. This sometimes resulted in duplicate honors for one feat of valor and contributed to the general lack of a consistent process for awarding such citations. Nevertheless, the Silver Star, along with more prestigious awards such as the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, reflected the significant contributions U.S. soldiers made to the war effort. This volume contains a complete accounting of every member of the Fourth Marine Brigade who received an award of some kind during World War I. Beginning with an overview of the brigade's contributions to the war effort, the book lists each individual and the honors he received. Citations, which were generally written by a superior (usually an officer), read as originally written and consequently do not always provide an accurate representation of the heroic act. Prewar and postwar experience is noted when available. The award entry site - designated as Verdum, Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, Blanc Mont or Meuse Argonne - is also listed. Foreign honors such as the French Croix de Guerre, the Montenegrin Silver Medal of Valor and Italian War Cross are denoted when applicable. An appendix contains detailed information on the inauguration of the Silver Star citation.
This volume explores ethnicity and gender developments in relation to the military. In some countries, the armed forces have a long history in responding to ethnic diversity, while elsewhere it has come up only recently as a policy issue. An even-handed representation of ethnic minorities in the military is recognized as crucial for enhancing its social legitimacy and professional quality. The same can be said about the integration of women in the military, which during a few decades across the board has grown into more than just another issue of personnel policies. Indeed with regard to gender, the symbolism and sensitivities surrounding core identities are at stake - as with the presence of gays and lesbians in the military. Written by experts in the field, the chapters cover fourteen countries around the world: the USA, Canada, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, South-Africa, Eritrea, India, Israel, Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. Taken together, the armed forces of these countries offer a fascinating mix of similarities and differences in the ways they try to manage cultural diversity. Cultural Diversity in the Armed Forces will be of interest to students and scholars of military studies, sociology, gender and political science.
The Orders and Decorations of the "enemy" during the Vietnam War have remained shrouded in mystery for many years. References to them are scarce and interrogations of captives during the war often led to the proliferation of misinformation concerning them. To confuse the situation even more, these awards were bestowed by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), known then as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF), and a myriad of political and local organizations. Covered ar those Orders and Decorations now considered official by the SRV, as well as many of the obsolete awards bestowed by the DRV and the NLF. It also discusses many of the commemorative, political and local awards. Includes value guide.
The winter of 1917-18 found the United States in a general upheaval. A large percentage of the world's population was at war and the United States itself was fully occupied with an unprecedented mass mobilization of its military forces, which were rushing headlong into an era of modern warfare. It was in this setting that the Liberty Theatres were opened. Created by the War Department's Commission on Training Camp Activities, these theatres aimed to produce ""morally uplifting"" plays and movies as a form of entertainment for thousands of troops - ideally proving more effective than policing the camps. In actuality, however, Liberty Theatres became little more than public relations ploys. Ultimately, although the theatres endeavored to provide a constructive form of recreation and diversion, they - and CTCA - fell far short of what had been promised. Compiled from a variety of government documents, camp newspapers and entertainment trade journals, this volume provides an in-depth look at the 42 Liberty Theatres created by the War Department during 1918 and 1919. It discusses the way in which these theatres were designed and run, as well as the relationship between CTCA's somewhat idealistic leaders and the theatrical professionals who handled this day-to-day operation. Setting the military and the American theatre within their respective historical contexts, the book also explores the role of Liberty Theatres with regard to both entities. Appendices contain a listing of Liberty Theatre opening and closing dates; Liberty Theatre expenses; gross receipts and estimates of attendance; and the average weekly receipts of Liberty Theatres.
This volume synthesises the latest scholarship on First World War veterans in post-war Britain and Ireland, investigating the topic through its political, social and cultural dynamics. It examines the post-war experiences of those men and women who served and illuminates the nature of the post-war society for which service had been given. Complicating the homogenising tendency in existing scholarship it offers comparison of the experiences of veterans in different regions of Britain, including perspectives drawn from Ireland. Further nuance is offered by the assessment of the experiences of ex-servicewomen alongside those of ex-servicemen, such focus deeping understanding into the gendered specificities of post-war veteran activities and experiences. Moreover, case studies of specific cohorts of veterans are offered, including focus on disabled veterans and ex-prisoners of war. In these regards the collection offers vital updates to existing scholarship while bringing important new departures and challenges to the current interpretive frameworks of veteran experiences in post-war Britain and Ireland.
This book critically examines the content of British policy towards Sierra Leone from the outbreak of conflict there in 1991 to its official conclusion in 2001. It attempts to find answers to why Britain's New Labour government pursued a more proactive policy in Sierra Leone than its Conservative predecessors. This is done by means of traditionalist but especially transformationalist theoretical approaches. Analysis is made of the influence of major international organisations on British policy towards the Sierra Leone conflict as well as the impact of other important states. As foreign policy is not created in a vacuum, analysis is also made of the impact of the domestic setting, especially bureaucratic institutions.
Deployment comes in many forms and serves many purposes. Any separation from loved ones is an emotionally difficult time for all concerned, especially when children are involved - but separation is now a modern day military reality. Those unfamiliar with the military may not understand the nuances of short term versus long-term deployments. Those that do rarely gain exposure to successful strategies for handling deployments when family, such as young children, disabled or other special circumstances, are also involved. As a result, military families must learn to adapt to long-distance relationships, as well as how to adjust and positively cope with separations for various training deployments and real-life exercises. The Deployment Toolkit: Military Families and Solutions for a Successful Long-Distance Relationship covers the basic challenges military families may face before, during, and after deployment. At times the added stresses of military life often make things seem overwhelming. Luckily, the military is a huge family with scores of support groups, both official and unofficial, to help families prepare for separation and the stresses associated with the long absences. Janelle Moore and Don Philpott provide an easily accessible self-help guide to dealing with and understanding deployment. The authors identify the different types of separations and deployments, emotional adjustments involved, and resources available to families in the military. The Deployment Toolkit is essential reading for those families who need a guide through the modern day reality of military deployment and separation.
This volume summarises the academic work accomplished at the 6th International Security Forum (ISF), convened by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces from 4 to 6 October 2004 at the Montreux Convention Centre, Switzerland. It presents a thematic overview of 150 presentations given at the 6th ISF, either as full-length keynote speeches in the two plenary sessions or in the form of summaries of all speeches given in the six topic sessions and the 24 workshops. The topics discussed respond to the complex new challenges of the post Cold War world with an integrated, multilateral and interdisciplinary approach. The experts contributing to the success of the ISF covered, among other issues, the need for UN Reform, EU and NATO enlargement, Human Security and International Humanitarian Law, the global War on Terror, the role of Private Military Companies, Combating Violence against Women and Children and Security Sector Governance.
Revised and updated, this is the essential guide for servicemembers' wives and families. * Covers all aspects, from marriage and living on base to moving and deployments * Includes sections on benefits, resources, and sound advice for a quality life in the service * Tips on how to survive and prosper, including coping with periodic separations, managing a separate career, pursuing further education, handling finances, living overseas, raising a family, and enjoying the social aspects of military life
Military reform has featured prominently on the agenda of many countries since the end of the Cold War necessitated a re-evaluation of the strategic role of the armed forces, and nowhere more publicly than in Russia. Not since the 1920s have the Russian Armed Forces undergone such fundamental change. President Boris Yeltsin and his successor Vladimir Putin have both grappled with the issue, with varying degrees of success. An international team of experts here consider the essential features of Russian military reform in the decade since the disintegration of the USSR. Fluctuations in the purpose and priorities of the reform process are traced, as well as the many factors influencing change. Chapters analyse the development of Russia's security policy, structural reform of the services, the social impact of military service and experience of military conflict in Chechnya. Critical evaluations of the impact of social change on the Russian Armed Forces' capabilities and expectations complement the analysis of the on-going debate. Russian Military Reform, 1992-2002 will prove invaluable to all those interested in civil-military relationships and international security as well as to students of military theory and practice.
When four-star general John Rogers Galvin retired from the US Army after forty-four years of distinguished service in 1992, the Washington Post hailed him as a man "without peer among living generals." In Fighting the Cold War: A Soldier's Memoir, the celebrated soldier, scholar, and statesman recounts his active participation in more than sixty years of international history -- from the onset of World War II through the fall of the Berlin Wall and the post--Cold War era. Galvin's illustrious tenure included the rare opportunity to lead two different Department of Defense unified commands: United States Southern Command in Panama from 1985 to 1987 and United States European Command from 1987 to 1992. In his memoir, he recounts fascinating behind-the-scenes anecdotes about his interactions with world leaders, describing encounters such as his experience of watching President Jose Napoleon Duarte argue eloquently against US intervention in El Salvador; a private conversation with Pope John Paul II in which the pontiff spoke to him about what it means to be a man of peace; and his discussion with General William Westmoreland about soldiers' conduct in the jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia. In addition, Galvin recalls his complex negotiations with a number of often difficult foreign heads of state, including Manuel Noriega, Augusto Pinochet, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Ratko Mladic. As NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during the tumultuous five years that ended the Cold War, Galvin played a key role in shaping a new era. Fighting the Cold War illuminates his leadership and service as one of America's premier soldier-statesmen, revealing him to be not only a brilliant strategist and consummate diplomat but also a gifted historian and writer who taught and mentored generations of students.
Military reform has featured prominently on the agenda of many countries since the end of the Cold War necessitated a re-evaluation of the strategic role of the armed forces, and nowhere more publicly than in Russia. Not since the 1920s have the Russian Armed Forces undergone such fundamental change. President Boris Yeltsin and his successor Vladimir Putin have both grappled with the issue, with varying degrees of success. An international team of experts here consider the essential features of Russian military reform in the decade since the disintegration of the USSR. Fluctuations in the purpose and priorities of the reform process are traced, as well as the many factors influencing change. Chapters analyse the development of Russia's security policy, structural reform of the services, the social impact of military service and experience of military conflict in Chechnya. Critical evaluations of the impact of social change on the Russian Armed Forces' capabilities and expectations complement the analysis of the on-going debate. Russian Military Reform, 1992-2002 will prove invaluable to all those interested in civil-military relationships and international security as well as to students of military theory and practice.
This volume brings together a set of scholarly, readable and
up-to-date essays covering the most significant naval mutinies of
the 20th century, including Russia (1905), Brazil (1910), Austria
(1918), Germany (1918), France (1918-19), Great Britain (1931),
Chile (1931), the United States (1944), India (1946), China (1949),
Australia, and Canada (1949).
In the closing years of the second century B.C., the ancient world watched as the Roman armies maintained clear superiority over all they surveyed. But, social turmoil prevailed at the heart of her territories, led by an increasing number of dispossessed farmers, too little manpower for the army, and an inevitable conflict with the allies who had fought side by side with the Romans to establish Roman dominion. "Storming the Heavens" looks at this dramatic history from a variety of angles. What changed most radically, Santosuosso argues, was the behavior of soldiers in the Roman armies. The troops became the enemies within, their pillage and slaughter of fellow citizens indiscriminate, their loyalty not to the Republic but to their leaders, as long as they were ample providers of booty. By opening the military ranks to all, the new army abandoned its role as depository of the values of the upper classes and the propertied. Instead, it became an institution of the poor and drain on the power of the Empire. Santosuosso also investigates other topics, such as the monopoly of military power in the hands of a few, the connection between the armed forces and the cherished values of the state, the manipulation of the lower classes so that they would accept the view of life, control, and power dictated by the oligarchy, and the subjugation and dehumanization of subject peoples, whether they be Gauls, Britons, Germans, Africans, or even the Romans themselves. |
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