Chemical weapons are still a viable military option. This book assesses their appeal by examining how the agents, munitions and protective equipment of chemical warfare have evolved since 1915; how technological innovations and refinements in weaponry have altered tactical assumptions and how these weapons have been employed in conflicts from the First World War to the Gulf War.;The author argues that the weapon technology has proved inherently dynamic, that a new generation of biochemical agents may soon be available and that arms control may not be able to curb these developments. He contends that the pursuit of global disarmament agreement has to be complemented by the maintenance of research and development centres, anti-chemical defences and a credible deterrent.;Edward Spiers has also written " Haldane: An Army Reformer", "Army And Society 1815-1914", "Radical General: Sir George de Lacy Evans" and "Chemical Warfare".

Ever since its employment in the First World War, chemical warfare has always aroused controversy. Governments have responded by pursuing the policies of disarmament and deterrence in the hope of avoiding its recurrence. However, despite the signing of the Geneva Protocol in 1925 which banned the use of poison gas, chemical weapons have been used in subsequent conflicts and most recently in the Gulf War between Iraq and Iran. In this work the policies of disarmament and deterrence will be reassessed within a broad historical and strategic context. It will be argued that poison gas could still be used in a modern European conflict; that the Soviet forces are the best equipped to operate in a contaminated environment; and that weaknesses persist in NATO's anti-chemical defences and in her deterrent. It will be emphasised, too, that the Geneva disarmament talks, which have made some progress in recent years, still face formidable difficulties over the issues of verification and compliance. Above all, it will be claimed that the onset of nuclear parity between the superpowers has eroded the credibility of a deterrent to chemical attack based upon the threat of nuclear release. Accordingly, this book will contend that the United States should modernize her stockpile of chemical weapons to bolster the Western deterrent and to provide more leverage for the negotiations in Geneva.

On 2 September 1898 Kitchener's Anglo-Egyptian army defeated the massed armies of dervishes at the battle of Omdurman. To commemorate the centenary of these events, eleven historians have collaborated to produce a fresh reappraisal of the reconquest and its international repercussions. They examine some of the policies, personalities and issues involved from different perspectives.
British political and military policies are reviewed, with studies of the aims and motives of Lord Salisbury, the political problems of Kitchener's command, and the experience of campaigning in the Sudan. There are analyses of the images sent back from the Sudan, the difficulties of reporting the campaign, and the role of unofficial correspondents, with a facsimile reproduction of a dispatch from Winston Churchill.
The contributors examine the colonial difficulties that triggered the campaign, the machinations of the Kaiser in trying to bring about a war between Britain and France, the evolution of French attitudes and the resolution of the Fashoda crisis, the well-informed and incisive monitoring of events by Austria-Hungary, and the widespread European view that Omdurman constituted a triumph for 'civilisation'. Finally, the significance of the reconquest is reviewed for its impact upon Sudanese history, particularly for the deeply rooted and enduring legacy of Mahdism.

On 2 September 1898 Kitchener's Anglo-Egyptian army defeated the massed armies of dervishes at the battle of Omdurman. To commemorate the centenary of these events, eleven historians have collaborated to produce a fresh reappraisal of the reconquest and its international repercussions. They examine some of the policies, personalities and issues involved from different perspectives.
British political and military policies are reviewed, with studies of the aims and motives of Lord Salisbury, the political problems of Kitchener's command, and the experience of campaigning in the Sudan. There are analyses of the images sent back from the Sudan, the difficulties of reporting the campaign, and the role of unofficial correspondents, with a facsimile reproduction of a dispatch from Winston Churchill.
The contributors examine the colonial difficulties that triggered the campaign, the machinations of the Kaiser in trying to bring about a war between Britain and France, the evolution of French attitudes and the resolution of the Fashoda crisis, the well-informed and incisive monitoring of events by Austria-Hungary, and the widespread European view that Omdurman constituted a triumph for 'civilisation'. Finally, the significance of the reconquest is reviewed for its impact upon Sudanese history, particularly for the deeply rooted and enduring legacy of Mahdism.

Chemical weapons are still a viable military option. This book assesses their appeal by examining how the agents, munitions and protective equipment of chemical warfare have evolved since 1915; how technological innovations and refinements in weaponry have altered tactical assumptions; and how these weapons have been employed in conflicts from the First World War to the Gulf War. The author argues that the weapon technology has proved inherently dynamic, that a new generation of biochemical agents may soon be available, and that arms control may not be able to curb these developments.

Ever since its employment in the First World War, chemical warfare has always aroused controversy. Governments have responded by pursuing the policies of disarmament and deterrence in the hope of avoiding its recurrence. However, despite the signing of the Geneva Protocol in 1925 which banned the use of poison gas, chemical weapons have been used in subsequent conflicts and most recently in the Gulf War between Iraq and Iran. In this work the policies of disarmament and deterrence will be reassessed within a broad historical and strategic context. It will be argued that poison gas could still be used in a modern European conflict; that the Soviet forces are the best equipped to operate in a contaminated environment; and that weaknesses persist in NATO's anti-chemical defences and in her deterrent. It will be emphasised, too, that the Geneva disarmament talks, which have made some progress in recent years, still face formidable difficulties over the issues of verification and compliance. Above all, it will be claimed that the onset of nuclear parity between the superpowers has eroded the credibility of a deterrent to chemical attack based upon the threat of nuclear release. Accordingly, this book will contend that the United States should modernize her stockpile of chemical weapons to bolster the Western deterrent and to provide more leverage for the negotiations in Geneva.

Often described as the misuse of science, chemical and biological weapons have incurred widespread opposition over the years. Despite condemnation from the United Nations, governments, and the disarmament lobby, they remain very real options for rogue states and terrorists. In this new edition of Agents of War, Edward M. Spiers has expanded and updated this much-needed history with two new chapters on political poisoning and chemical weapons in the Middle East. Spiers breaks new ground by presenting his analysis in both historical and contemporary contexts, giving a comprehensive chronological account of why, where, and when such weapons were used or suspected to be deployed.

Edward Spiers, a leading authority on the Victorian British army, presents here a select edition of letters from the siege of Ladysmith (1899-1900) that have not been seen since their original publication in metropolitan and provincial newspapers. The 250 letters were published in different British newspapers and provide crucial insights into contemporary perceptions of the battles that preceded the siege, the onset of the siege itself, and the desperate and bloody attempts to relieve the town.

Subsequent efforts to defend Ladysmith - and to march to its relief - became the great dramatic saga of the early phase of the Anglo-Boer War, providing the context for a series of dramatic battles that embarrassed the Empire and destroyed established reputations. Much has been written about the failings of the British commanders but it is clear that in no other theater in the war were the practical difficulties so real - or the stakes so high.

These letters reflect vividly the feelings of junior officers and other ranks as they struggled to cope with the demands of modern warfare. Their eyewitness testimonies provide firsthand commentary upon the events in Natal that shattered the prewar confidence in Britain.

The Victorian soldier in Africa re-examines the campaign experience of British soldiers in Africa during the period, 1874-1902 - the zenith of the Victorian imperial expansion - and does so from the perspective of the regimental soldier. The book utilises an unprecedented number of letters and diaries, written by regimental officers and other ranks, to allow soldiers to speak for themselves about their experience of colonial warfare. The sources demonstrate the adaptability of the British army in fighting in different climates, over demanding terrain and against a diverse array of enemies. They also uncover soldiers' responses to army reforms of the era as well as the response to the introduction of new technologies of war. Moreover, the book provides commentary on soldiers' views of commanding officers and politicians alongside assessment of war correspondents, colonial auxiliaries and African natives in their roles as bearers, allies and enemies. This book reveals new insights on imperial and racial attitudes within the army, on relations between soldiers and the media and the production of information and knowledge from frontline to homefront. It will make fascinating reading for students, academics and enthusiasts in imperial history, Victorian studies, military history and colonial warfare.

This is a magisterial work of Scots military history. The Scottish soldier has been at war for over 2000 years. This illustrated pean to his rich heritage explores both the detail of battles and the cultural history of war, devoting eight separate chapters to 'The Cultural and Physical Dimensions' of Scottish military involvement. The volume in its entirety (over 900 pages) offers readers an unparalleled insight into the evolution of the Scottish military tradition. Accompanied by over 100 black and white illustrations and stunning colour plates, the individual chapters trace Scotland's military story from pre-history to the recent conflict in Afghanistan. Edited by leading military historians, and featuring contributions from thirty scholars, they explore the role of warfare in the emergence of a Scottish kingdom, the forging of a Scottish-British military identity, and the participation of Scots in Britain's imperial and world wars. Eschewing a narrow definition of military history, this prize-winning volume, now available in paperback, pays due attention to dimensions such as Scottish military dress and music, as well as the role of the Scottish soldier in art and literature, Scotland's fortifications and battlefield archaeology, and Scotland's military memorials and museum collections.