- Table View
- List View
The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion: Fighting on Both Fronts
by Samuel de KorteFinalist, 2022 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing AwardsThe 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, USA and, like many other tank destroyer battalions, would be sent to Europe. It saw combat in France, where a platoon earned the Distinguished Unit Citation, and later continued to fight gallantly in Germany and Austria until the war was over. However, unlike many other tank destroyer battalions that fought in the Second World War, this unit was crewed only by black soldiers. The men had been subjected to racism from their countrymen during training, although the battalion did eventually win the respect of the white soldiers they fought alongside. When the third platoon deployed their guns on the slopes near Climbach, France, they weren’t just fighting against the Germans, but also against any prejudices that their white countrymen might have had. Having earned the respect of the 103d Infantry Division, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion shared in their triumphs and tragedies. So when the division needed to retreat during a blizzard, or when Task Force Rhine pushed its way across the German plains, or when the division suffered heavy losses at Schillersdorf, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was there with them. Included in this book are lists of medals awarded to the men during the war, as well as a list of casualties and those that served in the unit.
617: Going to War with Today's Dambusters
by Tim BouquetThe inside story of today's Dambusters, 617 Squadron RAF, at war in Afghanistan.In May 1943, 617 Squadron RAF executed one of the most daring operations in military history as bombers mounted a raid against hydro-electric dams in Germany. 617 Squadron became a Second World War legend. Nearly 70 years later, in April 2011, a new generation of elite flyers, now flying supersonic Tornado GR4 bombers, was deployed to Afghanistan - their mission: to provide close air support to troops on the ground.Tim Bouquet was given unprecedented access to 617's pre-deployment training and blistering tour in Afghanistan. From dramatic air strikes to the life-and-death search for IEDs and low-flying shows of force designed to drive insurgents from civilian cover, he tracked every mission - and the skill, resilience, banter and exceptional airmanship that saw 617 through.
617 Dambuster Squadron At War: Images Of War
by Chris WardNo. 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command is world-famous for its daring raids on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe Dams, the Dortmund-Ems Canal and the attacks on the German ship Tirpitz. This book contains rarely seen photographs of the squadrons aircraft, crews and other behind-the-scenes operations. Each image is accompanied by a lengthy caption that convey the location and history surrounding the subject in question.
62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees, and the Pursuit of Greatness
by Bryan Hoch&“The definitive story&” (Tyler Kepner, The New York Times baseball columnist) of Yankees slugger Aaron Judge&’s incredible, unparalleled run to break Roger Maris&’s home run record and the franchise both men called home.Aaron Judge, the hulking superman who carried an easy aw-shucks demeanor from small-town California to stardom in the Big Apple, had long established his place as one of baseball&’s most intimidating power hitters. Baseballs frequently rocketed off his bat like cannon fire, dispatching heat-seeking missiles toward the &“Judge&’s Chambers&” seating area in right field, sending delirious fans scattering for souvenirs. But even in a high-tech universe where computers measure each swing to the nth degree, Roger Maris&’s American League mark of sixty-one home runs seemed largely out of reach. It had been more than a decade since baseball wiped clean the stains of its performance-enhanced era, in which cartoonish sluggers Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds made a mockery of the record book. Given a more level playing field against pitchers sporting hellacious arsenals unlike anything Babe Ruth or Maris could have imagined, only an exceptional talent could even consider making a run at sixty-one homers. Judge, who placed the bet of his life by turning down a $213.5 million extension on the eve of the regular season, promised to rise to the challenge. &“In the most thorough telling yet of an all-time-great Yankees performance&” (Jeff Passan, New York Times bestselling author), veteran Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch unravels the remarkable journey of Judge&’s run to shatter Maris&’s beloved sixty-one-year-old record. In-depth, inspiring, and with an expert&’s insight, 62 also investigates the more significant questions raised in a season unlike any other, including how—and where—Judge will deliver his encore.
634 Maneras de matar a Fidel: Planes de la CIA y la Mafia para asasinar a Fidel Castro
by Fabian EscalanteExpansivo recuento de los diversos, creativos, frecuentemente extraños y sin embargo increíblemente inquietantes intentos de asesinar a Fidel Castro.Fabián Escalante, el fundador de los servicios de seguridad cubanos y jefe del Departamento de Seguridad del Estado Cubano provee un lúcido recuento en primera persona de sus experiencias defendiendo a Castro contra extraordinarios intentos de homicidio. Escrito en el estilo de una novela de suspenso político, pero lleno de detalles históricos sobre Fidel, Cuba, el movimiento comunista y los intentos de Estados Unidos de silenciar la rebelión, este libro clarifica los peligros inherentes que conlleva luchar por un mundo mejor.634 maneras de matar a Fidel ilumina la amenaza que Castro y el movimiento revolucionario cubano presentaban para la hegemonía estadounidense. El resultado es un inquietante retrato de cómo los impuestos de ciudadanos estadounidenses financian campañas para reprimir el disentimiento e intentar quebrar movimientos en el Sur Global que luchan por la soberanía, la justicia, la autodeterminación y, básicamente, un mundo mejor."Planes de asesinato concebidos contra Fidel Castro a lo largo de muchos años involucraron armas tales como venenos letales, potentes explosivos plásticos, cigarros conteniendo sustancias peligrosas, granadas a lanzar en espacios públicos, armas con telescopios sofisticados, jeringas llenas de veneno con agujas tan finas que el contacto con la piel pasaría desapercibido, lanzadores de misiles y bazucas, y cargas explosivas escondidas en caños bajo tierra con un temporizador contando los minutos y segundos hasta la explosión."
634 Ways to Kill Fidel
by Fabian EscalanteA sprawling account of the various, creative, often bizarre, yet incredibly disturbing attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro. Soon to be a TV series from Jed Mercurio, show runner for "The Bodyguard," and Richard Brown, producer of "True Detective" and "Catch-22."Fabián Escalante, the founder of the Cuban intelligence services, and head of the Cuban State Security Department, provides a clear-eyed first-person account of his experiences defending Fidel Castro from the extraordinary attempts to take his life. From lethal poisons to plastic explosives to bazookas, Escalante introduces and describes an array of assassination plots and historical figures and depicts the ensuing cat-and-mouse game in the midst of the Cold War. Written in the style of a political thriller yet based on real events, 634 Ways to Kill Fidel Castro is a well-researched and documented series of vignettes put together by multiple investigations in Cuba and the experiences of the author, who participated in several of them; dozens of interviews with participants; extensive documentary evidence; and the collaboration of officials, and undercover agents who dismantled these plots. Filled with harrowing stories of deceitful FBI tactics such as moles who infiltrated the revolutionary Cuban government and gained a reputation with them with the ultimate goal of bombing their military bases. As well as undercover attempts to give Fidel poison laced cigars, Escalante takes the reader from DC to New York, Miami to Havana and uncovers the intricate conspiracy to silence dissent and kill Fidel Castro. 634 Ways to Kill Fidel Castro is filled to the brim with historical details on the CIA, Cuba, the communist movement, US government officials, and Fidel himself. Escalante&’s first-hand account provides evidence of the lengths to which the CIA went through to assassinate Fidel Castro and the determined efforts to protect him and what he stood for.
64 Geeks: The Brains Who Shaped Our World
by Chas Newkey-BurdenWe wouldn't have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi today without the ingenuity of an actress once described as "the most beautiful woman in the world."And we might have had mobile messaging as early as 1901, were it not for the fickleness of a banker. From celebrated prodigies and self-proclaimed geniuses to history's hidden heroes-64 GEEKS brings you the incredible stories of the world's best brains, all presented alongside clever 8-bit likenesses.
64 Geeks: The Brains Who Shaped Our World
by Chas Newkey-BurdenWe wouldn't have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi today without the ingenuity of an actress once described as "the most beautiful woman in the world."And we might have had mobile messaging as early as 1901, were it not for the fickleness of a banker. From celebrated prodigies and self-proclaimed geniuses to history's hidden heroes-64 GEEKS brings you the incredible stories of the world's best brains, all presented alongside clever 8-bit likenesses.
The $66 Summer: A Novel of the Segregated South
by John ArmisteadMore than anything else, George Harrington wants a motorcycle. He works in his grandmother's store in Obadiah, Alabama, trying to save enough money for the precious bike. Esther Garrison works at the store, too, trying to earn money for a dream of her own — to continue her education. George, Esther, and Esther’s brother Bennett quickly become friends, even though George is white and the Garrisons are black. The three spend their time together sneaking onto Mr. Vorhise’s property to fish and search for outlaw treasure, avoiding his vicious dogs and the strange old woman who seems to stalk them. George, Esther, and Bennett find more than fish on Mr. Vorhise's land — they stumble onto chilling evidence that shatters their idyllic summer and the town’s peaceful surface. As the tragic events unfold, George must confront the ugly realities of racism, realities that force him to rethink his priorities. John Armistead’s memorable, carefully drawn characters capture the hope and heartbreak of a turbulent era.
'68
by Paco Ignacio Taibo II Donald Nicholson-SmithOn the night of October 2, 1968, there occurred a bloody showdown between student demonstrators and the Mexican government in Tlatelolco Square. At least two hundred students were shot dead and many more were detained. Then the bodies were trucked out, the cobblestones were washed clean. Detainees were held without recourse until 1971. Official denial of the killing continues even today: In the first week of February 2003, Mexico's Education Secretary Reyes Tamiz ordered a new history textbook that mentions the massacre-Claudia Sierra's History of Mexico: An Analytical Approach-removed from shelves and classrooms. (Public outcry led Tamiz to reverse his decision days later.) No one has yet been held accountable for the official acts of savagery. With provocative, anecdotal, and analytical prose, Taibo claims for history "one more of the many unredeemed and sleepless ghosts that live in our lands."
6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment in the Great War
by John HartleyThe 6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, was a prewar Territorial unit. Many of its members held white collar positions employed by the Citys legal, financial and stockbroking practices or worked for the major commercial organizations trading and manufacturing cotton goods. It went overseas in September 1914, taking with it many new recruits who would undertake their basic training whilst the Battalion formed part of the British garrison in Egypt.It saw action at Gallipoli from May 1915 until the evacuation at the end of the year and fascinating campaign is dealt with in considerable detail. The Battalion returned to Egypt until the spring of 1917 when it moved to France.The Manchesters saw regular action for most of 1918, coming under attack in the German offensive in March. Throughout the summer and autumn, the Battalion took part in the Advance to Victory and was still advancing when the Armistice was signed in November.The book also recounts the history of the second line battalion, the 2/6th Manchesters, from its inception in 1914 until it was all but destroyed in March 1918.The author draws on official records and personal accounts to tell the story of these fine battalions.
6th Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment in the Great War: A Territorial Battalion on the Western Front 1914–1918
by John HartleyThe 6th Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment, was a prewar Territorial battalion that recruited in the North Cheshire towns of Stockport, Hyde and Stalybridge, together with the Derbyshire town of Glossop. The majority of its part-time soldiers worked in the areas cotton mills and hat making factories. One of the first Territorial battalions to see action in the Great War, it went overseas in November 1914, taking part in the famous Christmas truce a few weeks later.In 1916, it saw major action during the Battle of the Somme. The following year, it suffered heavy casualties during the action around the Belgian town of Ypres, which is often known as the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918 the Battalion fought to hold off German advances in the spring but, along with the rest of the BEF, was forced to retreat many miles. By the summer of that year the tide had turned and the Cheshire's took part in the final advances that ended the war in November.The story is told from the Battalions formation in 1908 to its disbandment in the 1920s and beyond with details of the Old Comrades Association. Official accounts are supplemented by the mens own words, taken from diaries, letters and newspaper reports.
6th SS Mountain Division Nord at War, 1941–1945: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)
by Ian BaxterDrawing on a superb collection of rare and unpublished photographs the 6th SS Mountain Division Nord 1941 - 1945 is the 6th book in the Waffen-SS Images of War Series compiled by Ian Baxter. The book tells the story of the 6th SS Mountain Division Nord, which was formed in February 1941 as SS Kampfgruppe Nord (SS Battle Group North). The Division was the only Waffen-SS unit to fight in the Arctic Circle when it was stationed in Finland and northern Russia between June and November 1941. It fought in Karelia until the Moscow Armistice in September 1944, at which point it left Finland. It suffered heavy losses in the Operation Nordwind in January 1945 and in early April 1945, the division was destroyed by the US forces near Budingen, Germany.
7,000 Clams: A Novel
by Lee IrbyFrank Hearn is a down-on-his-luck bootlegger and bruiser, looking for the big score in the heart of the Roaring Twenties. When he loses a shipment of top-quality booze to a double-crossing government thief, Frank hunts him down, roughs him up, and finds something that catches his eye. What at first appears to be a scrap of paper is actually a handwritten and unmistakably authentic IOU for $7,000, signed by Babe Ruth. Seven-thousand clams is a lot of money--and when Frank gets a tip that the Yankees are about to begin spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida, he wastes no time leaving New Jersey to track down the Babe. Frank thinks he's covered his bases: Along for the ride is a dangerous and curvy blonde named Ginger DeMore. She's smart, she packs a snub-nose pistol in her purse, and she's the perfect accomplice to help convince the Babe to cough up the dough. It seems like the perfect plan, but Frank and Ginger aren't the only ones seeking their fortunes in Florida. 1920's St. Pete is a veritable nest of vipers. Hustlers, gamblers, Yankee fans, and even a sociopath are lurking in the booming burg--not to mention a team of gangsters sent by a prominent Chicago mobster named Al Capone (who's instructed his boys to scour the town for a curvy dame by the name of Ginger DeMore). In this taut Roaring Twenties crime novel, filled with colorful characters both real and imagined, Lee Irby takes readers straight into the authentic heart of the era, bringing to life all the sizzling style--from the slang and the fashions to the smell of bathtub gin. Worthy of a place at Elmore Leonard's table, 7,000 CLAMS is an enormously entertaining tale and a superb fiction debut.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
by Stuart Turton"Pop your favorite Agatha Christie whodunnit into a blender with a scoop of Downton Abbey, a dash of Quantum Leap, and a liberal sprinkling of Groundhog Day and you'll get this unique murder mystery." —Harper's BazaarTHE NATIONAL BESTSELLER!The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man's race to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked-room mystery that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel of intrigue and suspense.International bestselling author Stuart Turton delivers inventive twists in a thriller of such unexpected creativity it will leave readers guessing until the very last page.ALSO BY STUART TURTON: The Devil and the Dark WaterThe Last Murder at the End of the World
7 December 1941: The Air Force Story [Illustrated Edition]
by Leatrice R. Arakaki John R. KubornIncludes 3 charts, 7 tables and 137 photosDecember 7, 1941, was by any assessment a devastating day. The Hawaiian Air Force suffered a crippling blow, but the genesis of recovery and final victory over the enemy emerged in the valor of those who weathered the onslaught and fought back with everything they had.In the 50 years since then, the attack has become a faded memory for some and to many members of the younger generation just another moment in history. It deserves better understanding and commemoration, however, for this sudden, damaging strike on our forces marked the beginning of America's involvement in a terrible global war that was massive in scope and destruction.At Hickam Air Force Base, reminders of the attack are still visible. The tattered flag that flew over the base that fateful morning is encased and on display in the lobby of the Pacific Air Forces Headquarters building, where bullet-scarred walls serve as a constant reminder to never again be caught unprepared. Memorial tablets surrounding the base flagpole pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our country.Our predecessors, with their blood and sweat, boldly wrote a major chapter of our military history. We must never forget their story and the legacy of their experience--that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance and readiness.
7 Greeks
by Guy Davenport"Overall, this volume will afford great pleasure to scholars, teachers, and also those who simply love to watch delightful souls disport themselves in language."--Anne Carson Here is a colorful variety pf works by seven Greek poets and philosophers who lived from the eighth to the third centuries BC. Salvaged from shattered pottery vases and tattered scrolls of papyrus, everything decipherable from the remains of these ancient authors is assembled here. From early to later, the collection contains: Archilochos; Sappho; Alkman; Anakreon; the philosophers Herakleitos and Diogenes; and Herondas. This composite of fragments translated by Guy Davenport is the most complete collection of its kind ever to appear in one volume.
7 Leadership Lessons of D-Day: Lessons from the Longest Day—June 6, 1944
by John Antal<p>“Drawing universal truths from urgent battlefield crises, the author provides a terrific guide and training tool for leaders at all levels” (Ralph Peters, New York Times–bestselling author).<p> <p>The odds were against the Allies on June 6, 1944. The task ahead of the paratroopers who jumped over Normandy and the soldiers who waded ashore onto the beaches, all under fire, was colossal. In such circumstances, good leadership can be the deciding factor of victory or defeat. This book is about the extraordinary leadership of seven men who led American soldiers on D-Day and the days that followed. Some of them, like Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., and Lt. Dick Winters, are well known, while others are barely a footnote in the history books.<p> <p>This book is not a full history of D-Day, nor does it cover the heroic leadership shown by men in the armies of the Allies or members of the French Resistance, who also participated in the Normandy assault and battles for the lodgment areas. It is, however, a primer on how you can lead today, no matter what your occupation or role in life, by learning from the leadership of these seven figures.<p> <p>A critical task for every leader is to understand what leadership is. Socrates once said that you cannot understand something unless you can first define it in your own words. This book provides the reader with the means to define leadership by telling seven dramatic, immersive, and memorable stories that the reader will never forget.<p>
7 Leadership Lessons of the American Revolution: The Founding Fathers, Liberty, and the Struggle for Independence
by John Antal<p>“A leadership book written by a real leader! . . . eminently useful for those ‘in command’ of organizations of any kind. A stimulating five-star work” (Ralph Peters, New York Times–bestselling author).<p> <p>This book tells the dramatic story of seven defining leadership moments from the American Revolution, as well as providing case studies that can improve your leadership at home, business, in your community, in the military, or in government.<p> <p>Leadership is not about position, it is about influence. You can be a leader no matter what your rank or position. It is not about power, it is about selflessness. You cannot be a good leader unless you can also be a good follower. Good leaders don’t shine, they reflect. Lessons like these are the core of this book. The stories in this book are about leaders who were challenged at all corners, adapted, improvised and overcame. The tales of leaders like Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Henry Knox, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, to name a few, are stories you will want to know and tell. These leaders knew how to push teams to succeed under the toughest conditions. These stories will come alive on the pages of this book to fuel your leadership fire and make you a better leader in any endeavor. Learn how they secured our liberty so you can transform today into a better tomorrow.<p>
The 7 Sexes: Biology Of Sex Determination
by Elof Axel Carlson Becky PhillipsFew of us know much about the biology of sex determination, but what could be more interesting than to discover how we are shaped into males and females? In this book, Elof Carlson tells the incredible story of the difficult quest to understand how the body forms girls and boys. Carlson's history takes us from antiquity to the present day to detail how each component of human reproduction and sexuality was identified and studied, how this knowledge enlarged our understanding of sex determination, and how it was employed to interpret such little understood aspects of human biology as the origin of intersex births.
7 Ways of Looking at Religion: The Major Narratives
by Benjamin SchewelAn ambitious scholar&’s lucid analysis of religion&’s shifting place in the modern world.Western intellectuals have long theorized that religion would undergo a process of marginalization and decline as the forces of modernity advanced. Yet recent events have disrupted this seductively straightforward story. As a result, while religion has somehow evolved from its tribal beginnings up through modernity and into the current global age, there is no consensus about what kind of narrative of religious change we should alternatively tell.Seeking clarity, Benjamin Schewel organizes and evaluates the prevalent narratives of religious history that scholars have deployed over the past century and are advancing today. He argues that contemporary scholarly discourse on religion can be categorized according to seven central narratives: subtraction, renewal, transsecular, postnaturalist, construct, perennial, and developmental. Examining the basic logic, insights, and limitations of each of these narratives, Schewel ranges from Martin Heidegger to Muhammad Iqbal, from Daniel Dennett to Charles Taylor, to offer an incisive, broad, and original perspective on religion in the modern world.&“The book should be a widely read guide to the ideas that structure many of the debates scholars are having today about the meaning of postsecularism and future of religion.&” —Geoffrey Cameron, Review of Faith and International Affairs"What is the future of religion and how should we narrate its past? For all readers interested in these questions, this balanced and concise book is a must read.&” —Hans Joas, Humboldt University, Berlin, and University of Chicago
Los 70, la década que siempre vuelve: Toda la verdad sobre Perón, la guerrilla, la dictadura, los desaparecidos y las otras víctimas
by Ceferino ReatoLa historia definitiva sobre los 70: la década en la que la Argentina llegó a naturalizar la violencia política y vivió horrores que aún estremecen. Toda la verdad sobre Perón, la guerrilla, la dictadura, los desaparecidos y las otras víctimas desde un punto de vista objetivo que presenta los hechos y se abstiene de interpretaciones simplistas. Pronto habrá pasado medio siglo y los argentinos seguiremos discutiendo una y otra vez sobre los 70. En efecto, los 70 siguen vivos, siempre vuelven. O nunca terminan de pasar. Esos años, verdadera orgía de sueños, ideales, sangre y muerte, vieron desfilar tres "patrias" por una misma nación: la socialista, que nunca llegó a nacer; la peronista, que se hizo añicos en poco tiempo; y la militar, cuyos horrores aún estremecen. No hay tragedia griega que se haya atrevido a tanto y, tal vez por eso, esa década -en la que la violencia política da la impresión de haber sido naturalizada- nos sigue interesando y atrayendo. Sin embargo, buena parte de lo dicho y escrito sobre ella lleva impresa la marca de la simplificación maniquea que presenta al pasado como una sucesión de episodios en el que batallan buenos y malos. En búsqueda de consuelo o justificación, unos y otros construyen su relato y, de ese modo, le hacen flaco favor a la historia. Y a la sociedad, porque ¿puede alguien arrogarse el monopolio del sufrimiento? Este libro sostiene que no. En él, Ceferino Reato renuncia a la interpretación y brinda a sus lectores los elementos para que hagan la propia. Logra así lo que parecía una empresa imposible: reunir todo el conocimiento objetivo sobre los 70 del que disponemos los argentinos hasta la fecha en una obra única, que conjuga la información rigurosa que hace justo su contenido con el pulso narrativo que hace apasionante su lectura.
70 Years of China’s Bridges
by Zhongfu Xiang Wei Xu Anshuang Liu Fanchao MengThe book takes time as the axis, selecting 98 bridges (or bridge groups) across the country and 7 representative bridges out of the country, reflecting the steps and development of China's bridge construction in related majors and engineering technicians in colleges and universities. This book aims to let the general public understand the arduous history of China's bridge construction and the rapid development of China's bridge construction without the country's economic development, strength, and hard work of the bridge people. It is also hoped that the public will enjoy the convenience of bridges, highways, railroads, and urban roads and at the same time enhance their awareness of bridge knowledge, knowledge, love, and scientific use of bridges. This book is used by the general public to understand the development of China's bridge construction, but also as a reference book for teachers and students of bridge engineering-related majors and engineering technicians in colleges and universities.
70 Years of Opening-up in China’s Education
by Xiaobing SunThis book gives a panoramic review and summary on the opening up of China’s education to the outside world. Firstly, it introduces the connotation of international education, the development history of international education in China, national legislation and vital released documents. It also provides a general view of historical actuality and classic cases interpretation on the principal components of China’s international education, namely overseas studying, international students studying in China, Sino-foreign cooperative education, overseas school running, cultural exchanges with other countries, multilateral exchanges, “the Belt and Road” educational actions and macro-management departments of international education. This book is bilingual in both Chinese and English and is an essential guidebook for readers to understand how international education has developed in China
72 Hours
by Frank PopeThe Royal Navy's dramatic race to save the crew of a trapped Russian submarine.5 August 2005. On a secret mission to an underwater military installation 30 miles off the coast of Kamchatka, Russian Navy submersible AS-28 ran into a web of cables and stuck fast. With 600 feet of freezing water above them, there was no escape for the seven crew. Trapped in a titanium tomb, all they could do was wait as their air supply slowly dwindled.For more than 24 hours the Russian Navy tried to reach them. Finally - still haunted by the loss of the nuclear submarine Kursk five years before - they requested international assistance. On the other side of the world Commander Ian Riches, leader of the Royal Navy's Submarine Rescue Service, got the call: there was a sub down.With the expertise and specialist equipment available to him Riches knew his team had a chance to save the men, but Kamchatka was at the very limit of their range and time was running out. As the Royal Navy prepared to deploy to Russia's Pacific coast aboard a giant Royal Air Force C-17 airlifter, rescue teams from the United States and Japan also scrambled to reach the area.On board AS-28 the Russian crew shut down all non-essential systems, climbed into thick thermal suits to keep the bone-chilling damp at bay and waited, desperate to eke out the stale, thin air inside the pressure hull of their craft. But as the first of them began to drift in and out of consciousness, they knew the end was close. They started writing their farewells.72 HOURS tells the extraordinary, edge-of-the-seat and real-life story of one of the most dramatic rescue missions of recent years.