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First Polish Armoured Division 1938–47: A History
by Evan McGilvray Janusz JarzembowskiThe First Polish armored Division was formed in Scotland in February 1942 from Polish exiles who had escaped first Poland and then France. Its commander, Stanislaw Maczek, and many of its men had previously served in Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade (10 BKS), which had taken part in the Polish invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and given a good account of itself in the defense of Poland against German and Soviet invasion of 1939. Under Maczek’s leadership the division was trained and equipped along British lines in preparation for the invasion of France. Attached to 1st Canadian Army, the division was sent to Normandy in late July 1944. It suffered heavily during Operation Totalize but went on to play a crucial role in preventing an orderly German withdrawal from the Falaise Pocket by its stand at Hill 262. They then played their part in the advance across Western Europe and into Germany. This detailed history, supported by dozens of archive photos, concludes by looking at the often-poor treatment of Maczek and his men after the war.
First Rate: The Greatest Warships in the Age of Sail
by Rif WinfieldIn the sailing era First Rates were the largest, most powerful and most costly ships to construct, maintain and operate. Built to the highest standards, they were lavishly decorated and given carefully considered names that reflected the pride and prestige of their country. They were the very embodiment of national power, and as such drew the attention of artists, engravers and printmakers. This means that virtually every British First Rate from the Prince Royal of 1610 to the end of sail is represented by an array of paintings, drawings, models or plans.This book is a celebration of these magnificent ships, combining an authoritative history of their development with reproductions of many of the best (and least familiar) images of the ships, chosen for their accuracy, detail and sheer visual power in an extra-large format that does full justice to the images themselves. It also includes comparative data on similar vessels in other navies, so it is a book that everyone with an interest in wooden warships will find both enlightening and a pleasure to peruse.
First SEALs: The Untold Story of the Forging of America's Most Elite Unit
by Patrick K. O'DonnellFrom bestselling author Patrick K. O'Donnell, the untold story of World War II's first unit of special operations combat swimmers-precursors of today's US Navy SEALs
First Soldiers Down: Canada's Friendly Fire Deaths in Afghanistan
by Ron Corbett Colonel Pat StogranOn April 18, 2002, "friendly fire" killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, Canada’s first combat deaths since the Korean War. On April 18, 2002, Alpha Company, Third Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, was on a training exercise at Tarnak Farms, a former Taliban artillery range in southern Afghanistan. The exercise had been underway for nearly seven hours when two American fighter pilots flew overhead. One, Major Harry Schmidt, saw the artillery fire below, and thinking he was under attack, dropped a laser-guided bomb.Four Canadian soldiers died that night, the first Canadian combat fatalities since the Korean War. For many in Canada the tragedy signalled the true beginning of Canada’s lengthy combat mission in Afghanistan.First Soldiers Down recounts what happened that evening through archival material and the recollections of troops. It also tells the personal stories of the fallen Sergeant Marc Lger, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer, Private Richard Green, and Private Nathan Smith as well as what happened to the loved ones of each of the four in the decade since the incident.
First Special Service Force 1942-44
by Michael Welply Bret WernerThis is a concise history of the unique integrated commando-style brigade of US and Canadian volunteers formed in 1942. Hand picked, and trained in airborne, amphibious, mountain and winter warfare, demolitions and close-quarter tactics, they left a combat legacy still recognized amongst today's Special Forces. This book explores the remarkable results the FSSF achieved in Italy - in the harsh mountain fighting on the Winter Line, in the trenches of Anzio, and in the breakthrough to Rome. Accompanied by unique combat photography and illustrations of their distinctive uniforms, this is an insight into a famous, but little explored unit.
First Strike (Carrier #19)
by Keith DouglassRussian radicals refuse to end the Cold War without a bang-a nuclear one. But Tombstone MacGruder and the Carrier Battle Group will see the U.S. attacked...when hell freezes over.
First Strike: America, Terrorism, and Moral Tradition
by Mark TottenCan the use of force first against a less-than-imminent threat be both morally acceptable and consistent with American values? In this timely book Mark Totten offers the first in-depth, historical examination of the use of preemptive and preventive force through the lens of the just war tradition. Although critical of the American incursion into Iraq as a so-called "preemptive war," Totten argues that the new terrorist threat nonetheless demands careful consideration of when the first use of force is legitimate. The moral tradition, he concludes, provides a principled way forward that reconciles American values and the demands of security.
First Strike: Preemptive War in Modern History
by Matthew J. FlynnPreemptive warfare is the practice of attempting to avoid an enemy’s seemingly imminent attack by taking military action against them first. It is undertaken in self-defense. Preemptive war is often confused with preventive war, which is an attack launched to defeat a potential opponent and is an act of aggression. Preemptive war is thought to be justified and honorable, while preventive war violates international law. In the real world, the distinction between the two is highly contested. In First Strike, Matthew J. Flynn examines case studies of preemptive war throughout history, from Napoleonic France to the American Civil War, and from Hitler’s Germany to the recent U.S. invasion of Iraq. Flynn takes an analytical look at the international use of military and political preemption throughout the last two hundred years of western history, to show how George W. Bush’s recent use of this dubiously "honorable" way of making war is really just the latest of a long line of previously failed attempts. Balanced and historically grounded, First Strike provides a comprehensive history of one of the most controversial military strategies in the history of international foreign policy.
First Team (First Team #1)
by Larry Bond Jim DefeliceSpecial team composed of the CIA and military special forces track missing nuclear waste being used by terrorists to convert a 747 into a dirty headed for Hawaii.
First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign
by John B. LundstromFrom huddled command conferences to cramped cockpits, John Lundstrom guides readers though the maelstrom of air combat at Guadalcanal in this impressively researched sequel to his earlier study. Picking up the story after Midway, the author presents a scrupulously accurate account of what happened, describing in rich detail the actual planes and pilots pitted in the ferocious battles that helped turn the tide of war. Based on correspondence with 150 American and Japanese veterans, or their families, he reveals the thoughts, pressures, and fears of the airmen and their crews as he reconstructs the battles. These are the stories of the Wildcat and Zero fighters, and the Dauntless, Avenger, Betty, Kate, and Val bombers. Lavishly illustrated with drawings, maps, and photographs, this fresh look at the campaign set a standard for aviation histories when first published in 1994.
First Team: Fires Of War (Larry Bond's First Team Ser. #3)
by Larry Bond Jim DeFeliceLarry Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Dangerous Ground, and Jim DeFelice have earned widespread acclaim for the gritty authenticity and spellbinding suspense of their military-political adventures involving the First Team. "The Team" lead by top CIA officer Bob Ferguson, and supported by Special Forces commando Stephen Rankin and Marine Jack Young, is authorized to take immediate action, beyond the bureaucratic restraints of US intelligence or the military establishment, in the ever-surprising War on Terror. After years of exhaustive negotiations, North Korea's Kim Jong Il abruptly agrees to surrender all of his nuclear weapons. This sudden change in policy has the US suspicious, and the Team is dispatched to uncover the truth. Newest Team operative, the young and beautiful Thera Majed, goes undercover during the preliminary inspections of the entire Korean peninsula, on a mission so sensitive that she will be disavowed if discovered. But when she discovers hidden weapons in South Korea, a firestorm of debate is set off in Washington. A public announcement of their suspicions could derail the North Korean agreement, and the South Korean government may not even be aware of the weapons' existence. Ferg and the rest of the Team jump in to investigate, and the closer they get to the truth, the harder mysterious forces work to keep them away. Someone is planning for a full-scale nuclear attack that would throw the civilized world into political and economic upheaval, and Ferg and the Team are the only ones in the position to stop them.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
by Loung UngUntil the age of five, Lounge Ung lived in Phnom Penh, one of seven children of a high-ranking government official. She was a precocious child who loved the open city markets, fried crickets, chicken fights, and sassing her parents. While her beautiful mother worried that Loung was a troublemaker -- that she stomped around like a thirsty cow -- her beloved father knew Loung was a clever girl. When Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into Phnom Penh in April 1975, Ung's family fled their home and moved from village to village to hide their identity, their education, their former life of privilege. Eventually, the family dispersed in order to survive. Because Loung was resilient and determined, she was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, while other siblings were sent to labor camps.
First Through The Clouds: The Autobiography of a Box-Kite Pioneer
by Frederick Warren MerriamThe early years of aviation were marked by flimsy, unreliable machines and daring adventurous young men. One of the pioneer aviators leading the way in Britain was F. Warren Merriam who, following Louis Blriots first flight across the Channel in 1809, joined the Bristol and Colonial Aeroplane Company through which he obtained a Royal Aero Clubs aviators certificate.Much of the flying training in those early days was a case of the blind leading the blind and, as Merriam wrote, Flying was a dangerous business then. Airplanes were constantly breaking up in the air let alone on takeoff and landing; there were no parachutes and the pilots were ever expectant of mishaps. This was hardly the career for a decent young man and for a long time he had to keep his flying a secret from his parents.Aviation did indeed develop into a career, with Merriam becoming a certified instructor at Brooklands aerodrome. There he taught many of the men who became pioneers in aviation and others who joined the Royal Flying Corps that crossed to France in the early months of the First World War.The term pioneer could also be ascribed to Merriam for he was the first person in Britain to fly through the clouds. Until that day in 1912, it had been assumed that pilots would always stay within sight of the ground. Why would anyone want to go so high?This entertaining autobiography takes the reader on a journey through Merriams early flying career, from how it started through his first shaky solo, through a series of crashes into his First World War service. His account is the story of the early history of aviation, the development of aircraft and the personalities that led the way in those exciting, if risk-strewn days of yore.
First World War Britain
by Peter DoyleWhen Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, most expected the war to be over by Christmas, and only a handful forecast the length of the conflict, or the impact it would have on a civilian population whose experience of war to date had been reading of the exploits of the British Army in distant Sudan or South Africa. The First World War would change British society, often irrevocably and sometimes for the better, but it also brought hardship and fear. Rationing, government restrictions, censorship, and bombardment from both the sea and air, meant that for the first time, civilians found themselves part and sometimes victims, of 'total war'. Shopkeepers might boast that it was business as usual, but nobody could ignore the social upheaval, the restrictions introduced by new legislation or the strains and privations facing day-to-day existence. Nonetheless, the war also saw Britain galvanise itself in a collective effort to increase industrial productivity, domestic self-sufficiency and reduce waste - all key factors in helping to win the war. Lucinda Gosling explores how the people left at home adapted their lifestyles to meet the challenges of the time, looking at the minutiae of everyday life such as rationing-influenced recipes and popular toys, alongside broader issues like food shortages and industrial unrest.
First World War Great Battles: 5 Minute History (5 Minute History)
by Scott AddingtonHow did the First World War start? Who were the main players? Where did the fighting begin? And why were there so many casualties? If the 100-year anniversary of this war to end all wars has left you feeling a little under-informed, Five Minute History is the perfect way to read up on this major conflict in short bursts and without pages of intricate detail. A perfect overview for the uninitiated, each book will inform and educate you of the ups and downs of the First World War even if you have never read a history book in your life.
First World War Leaders and Commanders: 5 Minute History
by Peter DoyleHow much can you really find out about the Leaders and Commanders of the First World War in five minutes? This handy little history book will surpass all your expectations and leave you well versed on all you wish to know, and maybe even a little bit more… Who were the leaders? Who commanded the British Army on the Somme? Which general committed suicide in shame? Who stopped the German offensive at Verdun? Who invented stormtroopers? Jam-packed with facts and first-hand accounts of the action, all woven together in an accessible way by an expert in the field, this 5 Minute History is a valuable addition to anyone’s bookshelf, ready to be delved into at a moment’s notice.
First World War Trenches: 5 Minute History (5 Minute History)
by Andrew RobertshawHow much can you really find out about the Trenches of the First World War in five minutes? This handy little history book will surpass all your expectations and leave you well versed on all you wish to know, and maybe even a little bit more… Was it always muddy? Was every minute spent under fire? How did they get around? What food was eaten? And how did they build them anyway? Jam-packed with facts, stats and first-hand accounts of the action, all woven together in an accessible way by an expert in the field, this 5 Minute History is a valuable addition to anyone’s bookshelf, ready to be delved into at a moment’s notice.
First World War Uniforms: Lives, Logistics, and Legacy in British Army Uniform Production, 1914–1918 (Modern Conflict Archaeology)
by Catherine Price-RoweView any image of a Tommy and his uniform becomes an assumed item, few would consider where and how that uniform was made. Over 5 million men served on the Western Front, they all required clothing. From August 1914 to March 1919, across all theaters of operations, over 28 million pairs of trousers and c.360 million yards of various cloth was manufactured.Worn by men of all ranks the uniform created an identity for the fighting forces, distinguished friend from foe, gave the enlisted man respect, a sense of unity whilst at the same time stripping away his identity, turning a civilian into a soldier. Men lived, worked, slept, fought and died in their uniform.Using the authors great-grandfather's war service as a backdrop, this book will uncover the textile industries and home front call to arms, the supply chain, salvage and repair workshops in France, and how soldiers maintained their uniform on the front line.Items of a soldiers uniform can become a way to remember and are often cherished by families, creating a tangible physical link with the past, but the durability of cloth to withstand time can create an important legacy. The fallen are still discovered today and remnants of uniform can help to identify them, at the very least the color of cloth or type of hob nail can give the individual his nationality allowing them to be given a final resting place.
First World War Weapons: 5 Minute History
by Scott AddingtonHow did the First World War start? Who were the main players? Where did the fighting begin? And why were there so many casualties? If the 100-year anniversary of this war to end all wars has left you feeling a little under-informed, Five Minute History is the perfect way to read up on this major conflict in short bursts and without pages of intricate detail. A perfect overview for the uninitiated, each book will inform and educate you of the ups and downs of the First World War even if you have never read a history book in your life.
First World War in the Air: 5 Minute History
by Norman FergusonHow much can you really find out about the War in the Air during the First World War in five minutes? This handy little history book will surpass all your expectations and leave you well versed on all you wish to know, and maybe even a little bit more… Who was the highest-scoring ace? Which plane looked like a dog begging? What was the Black Flight? How many died in the first Blitz? What was the Fokker Scourge? Jam-packed with facts, stats and first-hand accounts of the action, all woven together in an accessible way by an expert in the field, this 5 Minute History is a valuable addition to anyone’s bookshelf, ready to be delved into at a moment’s notice.
First You Were Mine
by Andi BremnerBefore moving towns to take up her first teaching position, Georgia shared one steamy night with hot as hell Jack, who was about to depart to serve overseas. Georgia only expected one night with Jack. She most certainly didn't expect him to show up weeks later, in her new town and the brother of her new boyfriend.As Georgia fights against her growing feelings for Jack, knowing she cannot break the brothers apart again after they've only just reestablished their relationship, she must also try and avoid the advances of his brother. But just when Georgia and Jack think they might finally have a chance at love, tragedy strikes and there is only the brother left for Georgia to turn to.
First Ypres 1914
by Ed Dovey David LomasOsprey's overview of the First Battle of Ypres of World War I (1914-1918). In the autumn of 1914 the original British Expeditionary Force faced a heavily reinforced German drive. Field Marshal Sir John French, the British Commander-in-Chief, had sent his men north in an attempt to take the fight into Flanders, so they could fight across open ground. History tells us that this was not to be the case. David Lomas chronicles the first of the trench-warfare battles, where lines that would remain almost static for the rest of the war were established. Although the Germans failed to reach the channel ports, the death knell had rung for the BEF, which was virtually wiped out in this brave defence.
First and Foremost: A Concise Illustrated History of 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, 1945 - 2018
by Bob BreenThis history has been published to mark 70 years of service as well as the 50th Anniversary of the battle of Coral/Balmoral in Vietnam in 1968, the 25th Anniversary of service in Somalia in 1993 and the 10th anniversary of service in Afghanistan in 2008/09. It covers only the ‘wave tops’ of 70 years of history and mentions only a few individuals, mostly commanding officers or contingent commanders who had ultimate responsibility for operational success or failure; thus, deserving their prominence. Photographs and tables do their best to enhance the narrative in the expectation of, ‘A picture is worth a 1000 words’. By measures of its operational record, The 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is one of the first and foremost battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment.
First in the Field: 651 Squadron Army Air Corps
by Guy Warner651 was the first Air Observation Post (AOP) Squadron, formed at Old Sarum on August 1 1941 to work closely with army units in artillery spotting and liaison. It was still part of the RAF but all the pilots, drivers and signalers were from the Royal Artillery, while the RAF supplied the Adjutant, Engineer Officer and technicians. It is therefore the premier Army Air Corps squadron. Its first aircraft were an assortment of Taylorcraft Plus Cs and Ds, three Piper Cubs and a Stinson Voyager. Then later that year all 651s aircraft were replaced by the version of the Plus D manufactured by Taylorcraft in Britain and renamed the Auster I. These were deployed on active service in November 1942, to Algeria and then Tunisia, as part of Operation Torch. Its main duties were the direction of artillery fire, reconnaissance and light liaison. By May 1943 Tunisia was under Allied control and 651 moved to Sicily in support of offensive operations by 8th Army in August. Now equipped with Auster IIIs and flying by night and day, support was given to XIII Corps on the coast of the island, registering targets and directing counter-battery fire, including that of Royal Naval warships. On September 4, it became the first AOP unit to cross the Straits of Messina to participate in the invasion of Italy, again with 8th Army. In May 1944, the Squadron flew in support of 2nd Polish Corps during the capture of Monte Cassino, a major obstacle in the advance of Allied forces on Rome. Throughout the remainder of the war the Auster IVs and Vs of 651 Squadron worked with almost every division in Italy as they came in and out of the front line. Over the years that followed, 651 Squadron served in Austria, Palestine on internal security duties (where a landing was made on the aircraft carrier HMS Ocean in 1947), Eritrea protecting Italian civilians from Shifta bandits, Libya, Iraq during the Persian Oil Dispute, Egypt patrolling the Canal Zone and Cyprus, where in August 1953 HQ and 1910 Flights were the first AOP assets to deploy there. Further marks of Auster were introduced, AOP 6s, 9s and T.7sIn 2000 it was selected as the Attack Helicopter Fielding Squadron to bring the Westland Apache AH.1 into service, in which role it served very successfully for the next three years at Middle Wallop. Then in 2004 it was all change again with a move to RAF Odiham to operate the Defender AL.1 in the ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) support role as part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing. Since that time it has been continuously engaged in operations.