Fully revised and restructured, the sixth edition of World War II: A Global History offers students a concise and yet thorough textbook that examines history's bloodiest conflict. The chapters alternate between chronological chapters on Europe and Asia-Pacific and thematic chapters on innovations, home fronts, brutal regimes, and logistics. This textbook includes the following features: A lively narrative of facts, events, people, and ideas that incorporates thoughtful analysis New material and restructured content on global factors that affected the causes, conduct, and consequences of World War II Balanced pace that does not bog readers down in too many details yet gives them sufficient depth and breadth for context Chapters, sections, and sidebars arranged in ways that can complement lectures and assignments Fifty new photographs that illustrate the human condition and weaponry during World War II. Global in focus, by blending both geographic and thematic chapters to ensure readers gain a comprehensive understanding of impact of the war worldwide, this is the perfect volume for all students of the biggest global conflict of the twentieth century.

The Routledge History of Global War and Society offers a sweeping introduction to the most significant research on the causes, experiences, and impacts of war throughout history. This collection of twenty-seven essays by leading historians demonstrates how war and society studies have dramatically expanded the chronological, geographic, and thematic breadth of the field of military history. Each chapter addresses the ways in which recent scholarship has integrated cultural, ethical, environmental, medical, and ideological factors to explain both conventional conflicts and genocide, terrorism, and other forms of mass violence. The broad scope of the collection makes it the perfect primer for scholars and students seeking to understand the complex interactions of warfare and those affecting and affected by conflict.

From the first interactions between European and native peoples to the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, military issues have always played an important role in American history. Now in its updated second edition, Ways of War comprehensively explains the place of the military within the wider context of the history of the United States, showing its centrality to American culture, economics, and politics. The fifteen chapters provide a complete survey of the American military's evolution that is designed for semester-length courses. Features of the revised and fully-updated second edition include: * Chronological and comprehensive coverage of North American conflicts in the seventeenth century and all wars undertaken by the United States; * New or expanded sections on Non-English Colonization in Northeast North America, the Beaver Wars, Pontiac's War, causes of the American Revolution, borderlands conflict from 1848 to 1865, causes of the American Civil War, Reconstruction, the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, Barack Obama's second term as president, the Syrian Civil War, and the rise of the Islamic State; * 50 revised maps, 20 new images, chapter timelines identifying key events, and text boxes providing biographical information and first-person accounts; * A companion website featuring a testbank of essay and multiple choice questions for instructors, as well as student study resources such as an interactive timeline, chapter summaries, annotated further readings, links to online resources, flashcards, and a glossary of key terms. Extensively illustrated and written by experienced instructors, the second edition of Ways of War remains essential reading for all students of American Military History.

Fully revised and restructured, the sixth edition of World War II: A Global History offers students a concise and yet thorough textbook that examines history's bloodiest conflict. The chapters alternate between chronological chapters on Europe and Asia-Pacific and thematic chapters on innovations, home fronts, brutal regimes, and logistics. This textbook includes the following features: A lively narrative of facts, events, people, and ideas that incorporates thoughtful analysis New material and restructured content on global factors that affected the causes, conduct, and consequences of World War II Balanced pace that does not bog readers down in too many details yet gives them sufficient depth and breadth for context Chapters, sections, and sidebars arranged in ways that can complement lectures and assignments Fifty new photographs that illustrate the human condition and weaponry during World War II. Global in focus, by blending both geographic and thematic chapters to ensure readers gain a comprehensive understanding of impact of the war worldwide, this is the perfect volume for all students of the biggest global conflict of the twentieth century.

From the first interactions between European and native peoples to the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, military issues have always played an important role in American history. Now in its updated second edition, Ways of War comprehensively explains the place of the military within the wider context of the history of the United States, showing its centrality to American culture, economics, and politics. The fifteen chapters provide a complete survey of the American military's evolution that is designed for semester-length courses. Features of the revised and fully-updated second edition include: * Chronological and comprehensive coverage of North American conflicts in the seventeenth century and all wars undertaken by the United States; * New or expanded sections on Non-English Colonization in Northeast North America, the Beaver Wars, Pontiac's War, causes of the American Revolution, borderlands conflict from 1848 to 1865, causes of the American Civil War, Reconstruction, the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, Barack Obama's second term as president, the Syrian Civil War, and the rise of the Islamic State; * 50 revised maps, 20 new images, chapter timelines identifying key events, and text boxes providing biographical information and first-person accounts; * A companion website featuring a testbank of essay and multiple choice questions for instructors, as well as student study resources such as an interactive timeline, chapter summaries, annotated further readings, links to online resources, flashcards, and a glossary of key terms. Extensively illustrated and written by experienced instructors, the second edition of Ways of War remains essential reading for all students of American Military History.

The Routledge History of Global War and Society offers a sweeping introduction to the most significant research on the causes, experiences, and impacts of war throughout history. This collection of twenty-seven essays by leading historians demonstrates how war and society studies have dramatically expanded the chronological, geographic, and thematic breadth of the field of military history. Each chapter addresses the ways in which recent scholarship has integrated cultural, ethical, environmental, medical, and ideological factors to explain both conventional conflicts and genocide, terrorism, and other forms of mass violence. The broad scope of the collection makes it the perfect primer for scholars and students seeking to understand the complex interactions of warfare and those affecting and affected by conflict.

Historians of the Marine Corps have conducted significant research on the development of the Fleet Marine Force's amphibious assault mission. However, little has been written about the evolution of the defense battalion. From 1900 until 1940, advanced base defense's significance in Naval strategy surpassed or equaled amphibious assault. During 1940 and 1941, establishing defense battalions fell to the Corps' second priority. Likewise, few studies have examined Thomas Holcomb. As Commandant from 1936 through 1943, he installed the Corps as the premier seaborne support force and supervised its massive expansion. Commandant Thomas Holcomb was an excellent strategist, manager, and publicist. Understanding his actions will help illuminate the mentality and institutions of the military and government prior to World War II. The defense battalion provides a case study for examining Holcomb's leadership. Defense battalions also clearly found their roots in long standing advanced base defense theory. As Commandant from 1936 to 1943, Holcomb directed the Corps' expansion including the creation of the heavily armed defense battalion. On a tactical level, planners designed these units to defend island outposts against air, sea, and amphibious assaults Likewise, in holding island bases in the central and western Pacific, defense battalions fit into the grand strategy of the United States Navy. They comprised one half of the Corps' dual missions: amphibious assault and base defense. Finally, defense battalions served an equally pivotal public relations function Holcomb struggled to market the Marine Corps as a vital and unique branch of the American military. Serious challenges confronted Commandant Thomas Holcomb. For example, he was plagued by lack of funds, promotion stagnation, slow supply lines, and the isolationist tendencies of Congress and the American public. Throughout this study, the Corps' complete dependence on outside forces becomes abundantly clear. Sometimes Holcomb benefited from events beyond his control. Other times, he fought to turn seemingly damaging events into advantages for the Corps.

David J. Ulbrich examined a portion of the Commandancy of Lieutenant General Thomas Holcomb from 1936 to 1943. When Holcomb took over the Marine Corps it numbered 17,239 officers and men. The Fleet Marine Force consisted of two brigades of 1,500 men, with no heavy artillery or armour, and about nine squadrons of aircraft. When Holcomb left, the Corps had expended to 309, 559 men and women, with four amphibious divisions, 15 independent battalions, and four aircraft wings.