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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Military life & institutions
A total of eleven British armoured divisions were formed during the
1939-1945 war but, as this highly informative book reveals, just
eight saw action. In 1940 only 1st Armoured Division faced the
overwhelming German blitzkrieg and it was in the North African
desert that the armoured division concept came of age. The terrain
was ideal for armoured warfare and six divisions of 8th Army fought
Rommel's panzers to a standstill. Three were disbanded prior to the
invasion of Sicily and Italy. D-Day saw the Guards Armoured, the
Desert Rats, 11th and the unique 79th Armoured Divisions in action.
Of particular interest is the influence of the men who led these
formations and the way their characters contributed to the success
or failure of operations. While some went on the greater heights
others were dismissed either fairly or unfairly. The stakes were
high. The author describes many fascinating aspects of armoured
warfare, from the reluctance to replace the horse, the development
of tactics or the different and improving tanks be they infantry
support (I-Tank) or the faster cruiser tanks. Due to British design
failure, great reliance was placed on the US Grant and Sherman with
the Comet coming late and the Centurion too late. The combination
of historical narrative and well researched analysis and fact make
this an invaluable book for the student of WW2 and armoured
warfare.
In 1922 the fledgling Irish Free State decided to replace the RIC
with the Civic Guard (An Garda Siochana). This new Irish police
force found itself dealing with an unsettled population, many of
whom were suspicions of law and order after centuries of forceful
policing by the British. It was decided that the Gardai would
uphold the law with the consent of the people however, and that
they would remain unarmed. This brave decision may have been
popular with ordinary Irishmen and women, but it left members of
the force vulnerable to attack and even murder. Many Gardai met
their death in the first decades of the Irish State. This is their
story.
A finalist for the Los Angeles Times Science & Technology Book
Prize 'The most entertaining writer in science' - The Times, Books
of the Year War. Mention it and most of us think of history, of
conflicts on foreign soil, of heroism and compromise, of strategy
and weapons. But there's a whole other side to the gruesome
business of the battlefield. In Grunt, the inimitable Mary Roach
explores the science of keeping human beings intact, awake, sane,
uninfected and uninfested in the bizarre and extreme circumstances
of war. Setting about her task with infectious enthusiasm, she
sniffs World War II stink bombs, tests earplugs in a simulated war
zone and burns the midnight oil with the crew of a nuclear
submarine. Speaking to the scientists and the soldiers, she learns
about everything from life-changing medical procedures to
innovations as esoteric as firing dead chickens at fighter jets.
Engrossing, insightful and laugh-out-loud funny, this is an
irresistible ride to the wilder shores of modern military life.
Permission to speak, Sah! In the aftermath of the Second World War,
over two million men were conscripted to serve in Britain's armed
services. Some were sent abroad and watched their friends die in
combat. Others remained in barracks and painted coal white. But
despite delivering such varied experiences, National Service helped
to shape the outlook of an entire generation of young British
males. Historian Dr Colin Shindler has interviewed a wide range of
ex-conscripts, from all backgrounds, across all ranks, and spanning
the entire fourteen years that peacetime conscription lasted, and
captured their memories in this engrossing book. From them, we
experience the tension of a postwar Berlin surrounded by Russians,
the exotic heat and colour of Tripoli in 1948, the brief but
intense flashpoint of the Suez Crisis, and the fear of the Mau Mau
uprising in Kenya. But we also hear about the other end of the
scale, the conscripts who didn't make it outside the confines of
their barracks, or in one case, beyond his home town. Through these
conversations we learn as much about the changing attitudes of
servicemen as war became more of a distant memory as we do about
the varied nature of their experiences. We see, too, the changing
face of British society across these pivotal years, which span
everything from the coronation of Elizabeth II, to the birth of
rock 'n' roll, to the beginning of the end of the Empire. The
stories within these pages are fascinating. And they deserve to be
told before they are lost forever.
This is the first-ever analytical study of Nazi Germany's political
foreign intelligence service, Office VI of the
Reichssicherheitshauptamt and its head, Walter Schellenberg. Katrin
Paehler tells the story of Schellenberg's career in policing and
intelligence, charts the development and activities of the service
he eventually headed, and discusses his attempts to place it at the
center of Nazi foreign intelligence and foreign policy. The book
locates the service in its proper pedigree of the SS as well as in
relation to its two main rivals - the Abwehr and the Auswartige
Amt. It also considers the role Nazi ideology played in the
conceptualization and execution of foreign intelligence, revealing
how this ideological prism fractured and distorted Office VI's view
of the world. The book is based on contemporary and postwar
documents - many recently declassified - from archives in the
United States, Germany, and Russia.
Throughout the relatively short yet highly distinguished history of
the Royal Air Force there has been a tendency for the men and women
of the Service to be overshadowed by the glamour of the aircraft.
Nonetheless it is surprising that there has never before been a
complete record of the uniforms and badges of the RAF and its
predecessor, the Royal Flying Corps. Malcolm Hobart and Pen and
Sword Books have cooperated to rectify this serious omission with
this superbly colour illustrated and comprehensive collector's
guide. Badges of rank and trade are all depicted not only for the
flying arms but for ground staff. This valuable addition to our
Collector series also covers the RAF Reserves and Auxiliary
Service, Air Training Corps and the Royal Observer Corps. SELLING
POINTS: . Comprehensive collector's guide . Superbly illustrated
throughout . Also covers RAF Reserves, Auxiliary Service, Air
Training Corps and the royal Observer Corps . ILLUSTRATIONS:
Superbly illustrated *
The brand NEW instalment in the bestselling Harpers Emporium series
by Rosie Clarke. Can the Harpers Girls look forward to some happy
times as a new dawn rises over London?Sally Harper is busy juggling
running London's Oxford Street Store Harpers and looking after her
beautiful new-born daughter, whilst husband Ben is overseas on
another dangerous mission, this time to rescue a friend in need.
Young Becky Stockbridge finds herself in a difficult situation
which could bring shame to her and her family. Will Becky, with the
help of her friends find her happy ever after and keep her secret?
Marion Jackson is blessed with a son as she eagerly awaits the
return of her husband Reggie. But all is not right when Reggie
returns. Is Marion strong enough to save her family from yet
another crisis? As the war clouds retreat and the victory bells
ring, tears and joy mingle with those of sadness as the world
counts the true toll of war and celebrates peace.
Bristol - 1945 The war has ended; the men are returning home to
their loved ones, but for some things have changed. Charlotte
Hennessey-White's husband, David is no longer the gentle loving man
he once was and Charlotte, so independent during the war, is
devastated. Edna Burbage's strong fiancee, Colin has suffered
appalling physical injuries. He won't hold her to her promise of
marriage, but she insists her feelings are unchanged. But is that
true? Is she marrying him out of love or pity? And Polly Chandler's
sweetheart, Gavin who'd she'd planned her whole future around,
hasn't come home at all. War and suffering have changed their men
leaving the women to cope on their own. But they too are changed.
They harbour secrets best kept that could do untold damage to these
already fragile lives. Praise for Lizzie Lane: 'A gripping saga and
a storyline that will keep you hooked' Rosie Goodwin 'The Tobacco
Girls is another heartwarming tale of love and friendship and a
must-read for all saga fans.' Jean Fullerton 'Lizzie Lane opens the
door to a past of factory girls, redolent with life-affirming
friendship, drama, and choices that are as relevant today as they
were then.' Catrin Collier 'If you want an exciting, authentic
historical saga then look no further than Lizzie Lane.' Fenella J
Miller
Due to its partitions and dissolution in the late eighteenth
century, hundreds of thousands of Polish soldiers enlisted in
distinct units in the armies of many countries - primarily those of
the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires, but also that of the
German Reich and the French Republic.
All these forces were
uniformed and equipped by the parent armies, though often with
explicitly Polish features. The collapse of Tsarist Russia in 1917
and of the Central Powers in 1918 allowed these diverse forces to
unite in a re-created Polish Army under the new-born Second Polish
Republic in November 1918. With full colour illustrations of their
unique and colourful uniforms as well as contemporary photographs,
this is the fascinating story of the Poles who fought on both sides
of the trenches in World War I and then united to fight for their
freedom in the Russian Civil War.
Since its establishment in 1930 the Irish Military College has had
a vital influence on not only the Defence Forces but on the nation.
It has formed all of the nation's commissioned officers, many of
whom have achieved distinction both within and outside of the
Defence Forces. The story of this relatively unknown national
institution is intriguing as it has attempted to fulfill the roles
laid down for it in 1923 in training and instructing officers and
officer candidates. The task has not been easy, as the Military
College has inevitably been subject to the many changes and
fluctuations in the duties, roles and fortunes of the wider Defence
Forces. In this book Colonel Tom Hodson, a former instructor in the
Military College and a graduate of Ecole de Guerre, Paris, charts
its history. He recounts how from its early predecessor, the Army
School of Instruction, the Military College has repeatedly
re-invented itself, culminating in the requirement for today's
modern institution to embrace and impart instruction based on the
needs of the Irish Defence Forces and the procedures of European
and NATO armies.
Imperial Bayonets examines the maneuvering systems of the French,
Prussians, Russians, Austrians and British from 1792 to 1815. It
studies infantry maneuvers and firepower, cavalry maneuvers, and
artillery. It is THE definitive work on Napoleonic tactics and a
must read for anyone wanting to understand the fundamentals of
period tactics. It provides not only a discussion of every major
maneuver of the five major powers, i.e. from line to square, or
column, but does time and motion studies of how long it would take
to execute those maneuvers and compares them to the other nations.
It covers infantry and cavalry maneuvers on this level. It performs
an analysis of both musketry effectiveness and artillery
effectiveness, providing curves that demonstrate the effectiveness
of both. It also covers brigade maneuvers and army marches.
Regular introspection is the key to the continued good health of an
organisation. Complacency breeds degeneration. Hence, issues that
affect the wellbeing of the forces must be debated objectively to
evolve timely corrective measures. The military is a social
organisation, consisting of living human beings who yearn for
empathy, love and respect of their countrymen. When mistreated,
soldiers wonder if the nation understands their trials and
tribulations. The organisational structure of the Indian army is
like a steep pyramid. Supersession is inevitable and hits hard. On
analysing this sensitive issue, the book recommends that the
officers who are superseded must be handled with due compassion.
The tower of the Indian army is built on the twin pillars of
committed leadership and motivated soldiers. Both are intrinsically
linked and are mutually contingent. The book highlights the need to
diligently follow well-evolved norms for the continued sustenance
of the army. Finally, whereas the welfare of ex-servicemen is the
hallmark of all great nations, it is equally important for the
veterans to help in nation-building programmes.
The U.S. military, as the core constituent of the Department of
Defense, collectively represents the largest and most complex
organization on earth. As such, the U.S. military implemented the
largest formal OD programs in the world. These programs, from
inception to present day, utilized diverse and evolving OD
intervention typologies to garner congruence with the environment.
The research for this book, accomplished using an inductive,
grounded theory approach, examined the initiatives that fostered
the use of OD intervention typologies. The findings revealed three
major epochs of OD interventions that span a 50-year timeline. The
epochs include: (1) Traditional OD; (2) Total Quality Management
(TQM); and (3) Continuous Process Improvement (CPI). The epoch of
Traditional OD represents the use of human process interventions
while TQM and CPI represent the use of technostructural
interventions. In the end, the relationship between organization
design and culture, and the selection of OD intervention
typologies, were best explained using variables that explicate
diverse environmental occurrences that influenced senior military
leaders' perceived need for specific OD interventions. These
perceived needs were predicated on the requirement to exploit vital
resources in an effort to bolster warfighting operational readiness
in support of the American citizenry.
From the author of the celebrated Great War memoir
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