This beautifully illustrated book reviews the extraordinary evolution of Japans military institutions at a period of enormous transformation. Conversely, as this book shows with many fine color plates, Japanese art deeply influenced emergent impressionist Western artists. The uniforms, equipment and ships are shown with much realism while keeping the tradition of great art. For the first time in art history as well as military history, this book documents what the prints show thanks to extremely rare early military regulations and related documents whose illustrations are also exquisite if totally unknown.

The history of the Vikings is bloody and eventful, and Viking warriors capture the popular imagination to this day. They made history, establishing the dukedom of Normandy, providing the Byzantine Emperors' bodyguard and landing on the shores of America 500 years before Columbus. Beautifully illustrated with colour photographs and original Osprey artwork, this book presents a new window into their way of life including detailed studies of the Hersir, the raiding warrior of the Viking world, and the legendary Viking longship.

In 1758, at the height of the French and Indian War, British Brigadier General John Forbes led his army on a methodical advance against Fort Duquesene, French headquarters in the Ohio valley. As his army closed in upon the fort, he sent Major Grant of the 77th Highlanders and 850 men on a reconnaissance in force against the fort. The French, alerted to this move, launched their own counter-raid. 500 French and Canadians, backed by 500 Indian allies, ambushed the highlanders and sent them fleeing back to the main army. With the success of that operation, the French planned their own raid against the English encampment at Fort Ligonier less than fifty miles away. With only 600 men, against an enemy strength of 4,000, the French & Amerindians launched a daring night attack on the heart of the enemy encampment. This book tells the complete story of these ambitious raids and counter-raids, giving in-depth detail on the forces, terrain, and tactics.

The reign of Louis XIV of France had a great impact on the course of European and world military history. The years 1643 to 1715 were a defining epoch for western military, diplomatic, and economic matters. Most of those years were marked by conflict between major European powers and the Sun King's forces. This four-volume series is the first that present an extensive account of the many facets of the French army and the wars it fought. It was an era during which the Sun King's and eventually all armies saw extraordinarily significant changes such as: the advent of very large professional armies, increasingly centralized command systems, professional training for officers and men, introduction of obligatory military service, improvements in discipline and control, technical advances regarding armament thus affecting battlefield tactics, marked progress regarding fortifications, introduction of uniforms, logistics capable of supplying large armies, financial practices that permitted the upkeep and pay large military forces. The above and even more factors produced many influences that weighted heavily in European geo-political and geo-strategic maters. In these, the Sun King largely dominated Europe's agenda from the time he took effective autocratic power in 1661 to his last moments in 1715. Since his army was, initially, the largest, most modern and effective in Europe, he had success to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master at geo-strategy, notably regarding the balance that he managed to maintain with the Ottoman Empire whose forces always threatened the eastern frontiers of France's opponents. Thus, France's forces were always sufficient to keep enemies mostly on the defensive; it was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris. These and many more topics are presented in this four volume work. Each volume is basically in two parts. The first part is the era of the wars and their context, the second part consist of a detailed look at a part of the French army. The appendices present certain aspects such as uniform lists of the period and evaluations of opponent and allied armies of the Sun King's forces.

Canada was the first Commonwealth ally to come to Britain's aid in 1940, and until final victory Canadian troops fought alongside the British and later the US armies. The Canadian divisions earned a high reputation on the battlefields of Italy, Normandy and North-West Europe, and others fought in the Far East. This is an illustrated study of their uniforms, weapons and equipment, with many battlefield photographs, and eight colour plates by famous Canadian military illustrator Ron Volstad. Navy, Airforce, tank crews and paratroopers are all discussed in detail.

This fourth and final part of our study concentrates on the early 18th century War of Spanish Succession. It was the largest and most difficult conflict in Europe since the Thirty Years War and unsurpassed until the Napoleonic Wars. It started because of Bourbon France and Habsburg Austria's conflicting candidates to the Spanish that soon involved other nations such as Great Britain and the Netherlands. It was mostly fought on three fronts: Flanders, northern Italy and Spain. Due to various factors, it proved to be a very difficult period for the Sun King. During the first decade, there were repeated and massive defeats in Flanders and Germany where French princes and marshals proved to be unequal to the genial Duke of Marlborough and the competent Prince Eugene. The hard-pressed French forces in the northern Italian front eventually collapsed in 1706. The Spanish front, although it started badly for Felipe V, the French pretender, things improved and the allied troops supporting the Austrian Carlos III were decisively defeated in 1707, again in 1710 and finally at Barcelona in 1714. Meanwhile, following the hard fought battle at Malplaquet, the main French armies, that were amazingly resilient reflecting the nation's tenacity from the Sun King to the humblest folks, now had some success under Marshal Villars culminating in the strategic 1712 victory at Denain. This led to many previous allied gains now being lost. This was happening when Great Britain basically withdrew its support for the war. The treaties signed from 1713 basically gave the Sun King and France what it most wanted: Felipe V as King of Spain and its empire. It was a hard fought conflict but, in the end, France won. The study then discusses the economic and the serious climactic effects notably brought about by the awful winter of 1708-1709 in France that was also severe in other countries. The economic pressure was enormous on the Sun King's government, but it finally managed to go through it thanks to the amazing resilience of the French economy. French histories often state it was catastrophic, yet Britain's economy had a national debt rising up to four times faster than France's and this was obviously a factor in Britain's withdrawal from the alliance. The French army's technical and support services, many of which were the first to be organised as corps befitting a modern army, are next presented. The artillery that was totally militarised and its materiel modernised to standards copied by all other nations. Engineering under the guidance of Marshal Vauban became peerless and imitated in all nations. Up to the Sun King's time, old and crippled veteran soldiers were left to a pauper's miserable survival; he first introduced a pension system and, in the 1670s, had the splendid Invalides hospital built in Paris to care for these soldiers. We will also glance at what religious personnel was attached to army units and hospitals to care for soldiers broken bodies and souls. Since Medieval times in France, troops that were considered part of the army were specifically concerned with controlling bandits and applying the law under the command of a Marshal. Their original name of archers remained long after they adopted firearms and they could be found in all parts of France. They still are today, but under the name of gendarme in most countries. They were often veteran soldiers and this section will also feature what punishments a soldier could expect when condemned of some wrongdoing. Many towns and cities had their own regular local troops on duty as garrisons and security corps and we describe a number of these well appointed and effective soldiers, some of whom saw action. A fairly large section is devoted to the reserve forces. France had three types of militias. The best-known is the 1688 Royal Militia, which was the first integrated system leading to what became national conscription for military service in the regular armies. Next to unknown are the Coast Guard Militia organisation that might might muster 150,000 men and, most of all, the Bourgeois Militia in all the cities and towns of the realm that probably amounted to some half a million men, many of them well armed and uniformed. This section includes a number of notices describing the Bourgeois Militias and their Privileged companies showing an almost totally unknown sedentary "territorial" army that performed well in the few times when some were called upon. The last section will be a look at the social life of soldiers, their "families", camp followers and and sutlers. There were many women and children in the wake of regiments, as prints show and some documents elude, but they were not officially recognised in the army yet should not be forgotten.

This book takes a detailed look at the fortifications of various types that were built from the times of the earliest British settlements in North America in the late 16th century until the end of the Seven Years' War, when France ceded New France to Britain. It begins with a study of the forts built by colonists on Roanoke Island between 1585 and 1590, and the famous settlements in Jamestown (Virginia) from 1607. It moves on to cover the British settlements that followed in New England, Nova Scotia and other points on the North American coast, as well as the Dutch fortified settlements in what are now the states of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, and the Swedish forts in Delaware between 1638 and 1655.

The 'Spanish Main' - the Spanish possessions in the West Indies and the Central American and Mexican coast - was the envy of Englishmen, Frenchmen and Dutchmen from the 16th to the 19th centuries. To counter their assaults as well as those of pirates, the Spanish built an outstanding system of fortifications - much of which still stands today. This title will cover the three main periods of development including the first 'castles' in Americas based on medieval styles built to protect against marauding adventurers including Sir Francis Drake. Later these forts were adapted to reflect the improved power of artillery. Following the fall of Havana to the British in 1762, the defences of the Spanish Main were revealed as outmoded and a complete reconstruction of them was ordered in the final stage of development as tremendous Vauban-style fortifications were created.

This volume is the second half of the story of the French artillery during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It covers the howitzers, mortars and large siege (16- and 24-pdrs) and garrison (8- and 12-pdrs) guns, placing a special emphasis on their role, technical significance and operational use. The introduction of the Gribeauval system put in place a collection of mortars and large guns that were lighter and more manageable than those previously used, while offering first class hitting power.

As a young gunner, Napoleon Bonaparte was trained in one of Europe's finest artillery arms. Both the technological sophistication of their weaponry and the skill of their gunners was largely the result of the adoption of the system devised by one man, Jean-Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval. Gribeauval's standardised system of parts and calibres allowed a degree of uniformity and sophistication in the French artillery that was unmatched throughout Europe, and allowed Napoleon to inherit and develop an arm that could dominate the battlefield. This volume covers the field artillery pieces of the system: the 4-, 8- and 12-pdr guns; light 1-pdr guns and mountain guns; and later innovations such as the 6-pdr gun.

In 1811, the French again took the offensive in the peninsula. Soult moved to Badajoz and Massena advanced to relieve Almeida which Wellington had invested. At Fuentes de Onoro Massena and Wellington's armies clashed in a hard-fought contest. The attacks of the French cavalry were thwarted by the stalwart resistance of the British infantry in square. Wellington lost 1800 men, Massna 2700 but the French failed to break Wellington's siege of Almeida and were forced to withdraw. Massena was relieved of his command in disgrace to be relieved by Marshal Marmont. This book features the full story of the construction of the lines of Torres Vedras, the most massive undertakings of military engineering in the whole of the Napoleonic wars.

Osprey's study of James Wolfe's siege of Louisbourg during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Louisbourg represented a major threat to Anglo-American plans to invade Canada. Bypassing it would leave an immensely powerful enemy base astride the Anglo-American lines of communication - Louisbourg had to be taken. Faced with strong beach defences and rough weather, it took six days to land the troops, and it was only due to a stroke of daring on the part of a young brigadier named James Wolfe, who managed to turn the French beach position, that this was achieved. The story is largely based on firsthand accounts from the journals of several participants, including French Governor Drucour's, whose excellent account has never been published.

The reign of Louis XIV of France had a great impact on the course of European and world military history. The years 1643 to 1715 were a defining epoch for western military, diplomatic and economic matters. Most of those years were marked by conflict between major European powers and the Sun King's forces. This four volume series is the first that present an extensive account of the many facets of the French army and the wars it fought. It was an era during which the Sun King's and eventually all armies saw extraordinarily significant changes such as: the advent of very large professional armies; increasingly centralized command systems; professional training for officers and men; introduction of obligatory military service, improvements in discipline and control; technical advances regarding armament thus affecting battlefield tactics; marked progress regarding fortifications; introduction of uniforms; logistics capable of supplying large armies; financial practices that permitted the upkeep and pay large military forces. The above and even more factors produced many influences that weighted heavily in European geo-political and geo-strategic maters. In these, the Sun King largely dominated Europe's agenda from the time he took effective autocratic power in 1661 to his last moments in 1715. Since his army was, initially, the largest, most modern and effective in Europe, he had success to the point that neighbouring countries formed coalitions to stop him. However, the Sun King was a master at geo-strategy, notably regarding the balance that he managed to maintain with the Ottoman Empire whose forces always threatened the eastern frontiers of France's opponents. Thus, France's forces were always sufficient to keep enemies mostly on the defensive; it was unthinkable that they would ever reach Paris. These and many more topics are presented in this four volume work. Each volume is basically in two parts. The first part is the era of the wars and their context, the second part consist of a detailed look at a part of the French army. The appendices present certain aspects such as uniform lists of the period and evaluations of opponent and allied armies of the Sun King's forces. Volume 1 deals with the Sun King's early years, from his birth in 1638, the resounding victory of Rocroi when he was five and a child king, the unstable years of the Fronde civil wars, his seizure of absolute power in 1661, the initial foreign military adventures culminating with the French army's blitzkriegs of 1667-1668. This is followed by a look at the command systems, short biographies of the senior officers, their own guards, their lifestyles and orders of chivalry. Closing with several chapters on the Royal Guard including their more mundane or obscure duties with their battle record, uniforms and material culture. Of the appendices, the largest is devoted to the opponent Spanish army of the 17th century. This volume, like the three others, has about 200 illustrations, most in colour, taken from contemporary sources joined by many works by now nearly forgotten 19th century eminent military illustrators such as Marbot, Titeu, Philippoteaux and JOB. As a bonus, each volume has five especially commissioned colour plates of three figures each showing usually never before seen uniforms reconstructed from descriptions and three especially commissioned colour plates showing colours and standards.

Though primarily fought in the field, the American Revolution saw fortifications play an important part in some of the key campaigns of the war. Field fortifications were developed around major towns including Boston, New York and Savannah, while the frontier forts at Stanwix, Niagara and Cumberland were to all be touched by the war. This book details all the types of fortification used throughout the conflict, the engineers on all sides who constructed and maintained them, and the actions fought around and over them.

With expert analysis and lively narrative, this engaging study of the Oswego raid casts light on a daring feat of arms at the height of the French and Indian War.
The year 1755 saw the rivalry between Britain and France in North America escalate along the Great Lakes into open warfare as both sides sought to overcome the other's forts and trading posts. Lord Loudoun and the Marquis de Montcalm were sent from the mother countries to take charge, but the French lost no time in seizing the initiative, adopting Canadian-style "wilderness" tactics and planning a series of raids to keep the enemy on their toes.
Amid the snows of March 1756, a 360-man French, Canadian, and Indian force stormed an Anglo-American outpost named Fort Bull in a surprise attack that left few survivors and the fort reduced to charred remains. Fort Bull's fall meant that the Mohawk River, the communication route between British-held Albany and the large and important Anglo-American post at Oswego, could now be cut off. Oswego, on the shore of Lake Ontario, had a formidable garrison based in three forts, named Pepperrell, George, and Ontario. The newly arrived Montcalm was tasked with the job of taking Oswego from the Anglo-Americans.
In July and August 1756, Montcalm's 3,000-strong force - including a full train of artillery, 80 pieces strong - was transported in hundreds of sailing ships and craft. The Anglo-Americans failed to spot the approaching French forces until they had landed and secured their positions. Having surrounded and invested the forts, the French soon knocked out of action a number of British guns. The British evacuated Fort Ontario and then, at 9am on August 14th, a French cannonball killed the British commander, Colonel James Mercer. His successor, Colonel John Littlehales, did not have the stuff of a hero; an hour later, the white flag went up and Oswego surrendered just in time to avert a major onslaught.
The Oswego raid was an outstanding French success; it denied the British a presence on Lake Ontario for the next two years, and relieved British pressure on Fort Frontenac. It demonstrated that the use of traditional European siege tactics in an American setting could reap great rewards, and had a great influence on the French's Indian allies too.

The battle of Talavera in 1809 was one of the major battles of the Peninsular War and Arthur Wellesley's first victory in Spain itself, following which he was created Viscount Wellington of Talavera and Wellington.
Having driven the French forces in Portugal under Marshal Soult out of the country following his victory at the battle of the Douro, Wellesley went onto the offensive and led his army into Spain where he joined up with a substantial forces under the Spanish General Cuesta in order to attack a smaller French force under Marshal Victor at the town of Talavera de la Reina to the south-west of Madrid. Delays caused by the Spanish allowed Victor to withdraw, whilst promised supplies also did not arrived, and a combined French force gathered opposite Wellesley's position that now outnumbered the Anglo-Spanish force.
The French army's nominal commander was King Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, but marshals Victor and Jourdain exercised the actual command. On the night of the 27th the French launched their first attacks, followed up by a general assault on the 28th. Although Wellesely's forces were outnumbers, and a sizeable contingent of the Spanish ran away, he had chosen a superb defensive position and was able to beat off successive French attacks, though at a heavy cost in terms of casualties. Although the French had withdrawn leaving Wellesley the master of the field, his high casualties and approaching French reinforcements led to Wellesley withdrawing to Portugal. His foray into Spain had an enormous effect on Spanish morale as they realized they were not alone in the struggle. British redcoats had had got to within 70km of Madraid, and they would return in future years.