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Fortnight of Infamy
by John BurtonWhile America was preoccupied with the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, an even greater tragedy was unfolding across Southeast Asia. From Wake Island to Burma, the Empire of Japan opened the largest front in the history of warfare: an aircraft-driven invasion of colonial possessions throughout the Far East that crumbled the entire Western imperial legacy of the nineteenth-century. Events during the first two weeks of battle set the stage for the greatest military defeats America and Great Britain would suffer during any conflict.This book offers the first comprehensive overview of the collapse of Allied air forces during the period between December 8 and 24, 1941. Written for a wide audience, it gives readers both a cockpit view of the desperate actions that took place and an understanding of why such heavy losses occurred. The narrative account includes enough detail and analysis to hold the interest of serious students of Pacific War aviation and enough exciting descriptions of air combat to attract those with little knowledge of the subject.Explaining how and why the Japanese were able to win a quick victory, John Burton points to U.S. failures in the concepts for employment of airpower and a significant underestimation of Japanese "air-mindedness" and aviation capabilities, failures that resulted in the loss or surrender of more than 200,000 troops at Bataan and Singapore.
Fortress: The Story of the Siege and Fall of Singapore
by Kenneth AttiwillFortress: The Story of the Siege and Fall of Singapore, first published in 1959, is the sobering account of the failed defense of Singapore in late 1941 and early 1942 against the advancing Japanese Army.In Fortress, author Kenneth Attiwill—himself a prisoner of the Japanese for three and a half years—recreates, in vivid detail, the fall of Singapore in World War II: the unforgettable atmosphere of chaos, misunderstanding, panic bombings, evacuation of civilians, ill-trained troops, the invasion of Japanese troops, and the beginnings of tortures as the “Fortress” fell.Here is an engrossing analysis of the Singapore defeat—in strategy caused by the failure of the Chief of Staff in London to activate the British defense in Malaya; in the air due to disorganization at Air Command Headquarters; on the sea, because Japanese efficiency was underestimated; and on land, through misjudgment of the invasion of Malaya.Richly illustrated throughout with 14 pages of maps and photographs.
The Fortress: The Siege of Przemysl and the Making of Europe's Bloodlands
by Alexander WatsonA prizewinning historian tells the dramatic story of the siege that changed the course of the First World WarIn September 1914, just a month into World War I, the Russian army laid siege to the fortress city of Przemysl, the Hapsburg Empire's most important bulwark against invasion. For six months, against storm and starvation, the ragtag garrison bitterly resisted, denying the Russians a quick victory. Only in March 1915 did the city fall, bringing occupation, persecution, and brutal ethnic cleansing.In The Fortress, historian Alexander Watson tells the story of the battle for Przemysl, showing how it marked the dawn of total war in Europe and how it laid the roots of the bloody century that followed. Vividly told, with close attention to the unfolding of combat in the forts and trenches and to the experiences of civilians trapped in the city, The Fortress offers an unprecedentedly intimate perspective on the eastern front's horror and human tragedy.
Fortress America: The American Military and the Consequences of Peace
by William GreiderThe economic consequences of a large peace-time military.
Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 To The Present
by J. E. KaufmannFrom the earliest colonial settlements to Cold War bunkers, the North American continent has been home to thousands of forts and fortress structures. Fortress America surveys the broad sweep of fortifications throughout North America-from seacoast forts of the late eighteenth century to wooden inland forts built to defend against Native American, English,French, or Spanish attack; from Civil War-era coastal and inland waterways forts to the Great Plains' forts of the Old West; from World War II subterranean bunkers to Cold Warconcrete missile silos. The text of Fortress America is complemented with never-before-published photographs, and extraordinary drawings, cut-aways, and diagrams illustrating the design and structure of American forts.
Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present
by J. E. Kaufmann H. W. KaufmannFrom the earliest colonial settlements to Cold War bunkers, the North American continent has been home to thousands of forts and fortress structures. Fortress America surveys the broad sweep of fortifications throughout North America-from seacoast forts of the late eighteenth century to wooden inland forts built to defend against Native American, English, French, or Spanish attack; from Civil War-era coastal and inland waterways forts to the Great Plains' forts of the Old West; from World War II subterranean bunkers to Cold War concrete missile silos. The text of Fortress America is complemented with never-before-published photographs, and extraordinary drawings, cut-aways, and diagrams illustrating the design and structure of American forts.
The Fortress at the End of Time
by Joe M. McdermottCaptain Ronaldo Aldo has committed an unforgivable crime. He will ask for forgiveness all the same: from you, from God, even from himself.Connected by ansible, humanity has spread across galaxies and fought a war against an enemy that remains a mystery. At the edge of human space sits the Citadel—a relic of the war and a listening station for the enemy's return. For a young Ensign Aldo, fresh from the academy and newly cloned across the ansible line, it's a prison from which he may never escape.Deplorable work conditions and deafening silence from the blackness of space have left morale on the station low and tensions high. Aldo's only hope of transcending his station, and cloning a piece of his soul somewhere new is both his triumph and his terrible crime.The Fortress at the End of Time is a new science fiction novel from Joe M. McDermott.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Fortress Falklands: Life Under Siege in Britain's Last Outpost
by Graham BoundThe Falkland Islands sprang to fame in 1982, when Argentine Forces invaded and occupied them. British rule was re-established following an intensely violent war. But, as the 30th anniversary of that conflict approaches, the causes of conflict in the Falklands have not been resolved. Simmering tensions means that a powerful military machine remains on the islands, and its guard is never relaxed. The UK has some of its most modern and powerful defense assets there, and on permanent standby. These include Eurofighter Typhoon interceptors; ground to air missiles; mountaintop radar sites, and destroyers and frigates. In addition, the islanders themselves have a potent infantry defense force. Graham Bounds book Fortress Falklands examines the defenses of the islands today and the ongoing need for vigilance.Relations with Argentina have deteriorated since the discovery of oil in Falklands waters and a boom in the Falklands economy. In response, Buenos Aires has established a ban on shipping links between South America and the islands, and they exploit every opportunity to press their case for sovereignty. Islanders believe they are under economic siege.
Fortress Falklands: Life Under Siege in Britain's Last Outpost
by Graham BoundThe Falkland Islands sprang to fame in 1982, when Argentine Forces invaded and occupied them. British rule was re-established following an intensely violent war. But, as the 30th anniversary of that conflict approaches, the causes of conflict in the Falklands have not been resolved. Simmering tensions means that a powerful military machine remains on the islands, and its guard is never relaxed. The UK has some of its most modern and powerful defense assets there, and on permanent standby. These include Eurofighter Typhoon interceptors; ground to air missiles; mountaintop radar sites, and destroyers and frigates. In addition, the islanders themselves have a potent infantry defense force. Graham Bounds book Fortress Falklands examines the defenses of the islands today and the ongoing need for vigilance.Relations with Argentina have deteriorated since the discovery of oil in Falklands waters and a boom in the Falklands economy. In response, Buenos Aires has established a ban on shipping links between South America and the islands, and they exploit every opportunity to press their case for sovereignty. Islanders believe they are under economic siege.
The Fortress in Orion (Dead Enders #1)
by Mike ResnickThe Democracy is at war with the alien Traanskei Coalition. War hero Colonel Nathan Pretorius has a record of success on dangerous behind-enemy-lines missions, missions that usually leave him in the hospital. Now he's recruited for a near-impossible assignment that may well leave him dead. At the cost of many lives, the Democracy has managed to clone and train General Michkag, one of the Traanskei's master strategists. Colonel Pretorius and a hand-picked team must kidnap the real Michkag if they can, assassinate him if they can't, but no matter which, put the clone in his place, where he will misdirect the enemy's forces and funnel vital information to the Democracy.Against the odds, Pretorius, along with Cyborg Felix Ortega, computer expert Toni Levi, convict and contortionist Sally "Snake" Kowalski, the near-human empath Marlowe, the alien Gzychurlyx, and Madam Methuselah - the Dead Enders - must infiltrate the Fortress in Orion, accomplish their mission, and escape with their lives.
The Fortress in the Age of Vauban and Frederick the Great 1660-1789 (Routledge Library Editions: Military and Naval History #8)
by Christopher DuffyThe later seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have been acclaimed as the classic period of artillery fortification. This was an era when fortresses and fortress systems shaped the calculations of strategists and statesmen, and often dictated the course of campaigns. The age was one of almost constant conflict and this book, originally published in 1985, explores the influence of the fortress in the dynastic wars of Bourbon, Habsburg and Hohenzollern, the contest for influence in the Baltic, the last crusades of the West against the Turks, and in the peculiar conditions of colonial campaigning and the War of the American Independence.
Fortress Islands Malta: Defence & Re-Supply During the Siege
by Peter JacobsThe introduction of Italy into the Second World War on 10 June 1940 signalled the start of the siege of Malta, and for the next two and a half years the Axis powers did all they could to batter the small island into submission. Maltas defences were initially verging on non-existent but the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, could not give up on the island. Laying at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, where the supply route between Italy and the Axis armies in Libya crossed the Allied sea route between Gibraltar and Alexandria, almost exactly at its mid-point, Malta was strategically too important and held the key to the door of the desert war being fought in North Africa.If Malta could be held then it would allow British forces to maintain an offensive capability in the Mediterranean and prevent Axis supplies from reaching North Africa. But everything needed to fight a campaign people, food, fuel, ammunition, medical stores, aircraft and spares would have to be delivered to Malta in sufficient numbers and on a regular basis. It would take a monumental air and maritime effort just to survive, let alone hit back, and to manage both would require those in command to carefully balance Maltas precious and limited resources. Otherwise, it meant surrender and who knows what the outcome of the Second World War might have been had the island fallen. Here, the accomplished military author Peter Jacobs tells the extraordinary story of the heroic defence and re-supply of the Fortress Island of Malta during the longest siege in British history.Links End Links Author
Fortress Kent
by Roy IngletonSince the dawn of civilization, Britain has been menaced by foreign powers and invasive hordes, anxious either to pillage and plunder or to invade and rule over this green and pleasant land. Situated on the extreme southeastern corner of England, the county of Kent is the nearest point to continental Europe, and has so been the targeted landing point for most of these incursions. From the time of the Angles, Jutes and Saxons to the Second World War, the Men of Kent and Kentish Men have had to set up and maintain defensive structures, from Norman castles to 1940 pill boxes, from the Royal Military Canal to the anti-tank ditches carved out of the hills around the coast. This book is the story of these: the threats which led to the erection and construction of various defensive obstacles, their upkeep and garrisoning and, in some cases, their ultimate destruction.
The Fortress Kingdom: The Wars of Aethelflaed & Edward the Elder, 899–927
by Paul HillIn this the second part of his four-volume military and political history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Paul Hill follows the careers of Æthelflæd, Alfred the Great’s eldest daughter, and Edward the Elder, Alfred’s eldest son, as they campaigned to expand their rule after Alfred’s death. They faced, as Alfred had done, the full force of Danish hostility during the early years of the tenth century, a period of unrelenting turbulence and open warfare. But through their military strength, in particular their strategy of fortress building, they retained their hold on the kingdom and conquered lands which had been under Danish lords for generations. Æthelflæd’s forces captured Derby and Leicester by both force and diplomacy. Edward’s power was always immense. How each of them used forts (burhs) to hold territory, is explored. Fortifications across central England became key. These included Bridgnorth, Tamworth, Stafford, Warwick, Chirbury and Runcorn (Æthelflæd) and also Hertford, Witham, Buckingham, Bedford and Maldon (Edward), to name a few. Paul Hill’s absorbing narrative incorporates the latest theories and evidence for the military organization and capabilities of the Anglo-Saxons and their Danish adversaries. His book gives the reader a detailed and dramatic insight into a very sophisticated Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege 1940-1943
by James HollandThe extraordinary drama of Malta's WWII victory against impossible odds told through the eyes of the people who were there.In March and April 1942, more explosives were dropped on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta - smaller than the Isle of Wight - than on the whole of Britain during the first year of the Blitz. Malta had become one of the most strategically important places in the world. From there, the Allies could attack Axis supply lines to North Africa; without it, Rommel would be able to march unchecked into Egypt, Suez and the Middle East. For the Allies this would have been catastrophic. As Churchill said, Malta had to be held 'at all costs'.FORTRESS MALTA follows the story through the eyes of those who were there: young men such as twenty-year-old fighter pilot Raoul Daddo-Langlois, anti-aircraft gunner Ken Griffiths, American Art Roscoe and submariner Tubby Crawford - who served on the most successful Allied submarine of the Second World War; cabaret dancer-turned RAF plotter Christina Ratcliffe, and her lover, the brilliant and irrepressible reconnaissance pilot, Adrian Warburton. Their stories and others provide extraordinary first-hand accounts of heroism, resilience, love, and loss, highlighting one of the most remarkable stories of World War II.
Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege 1940-1943 (W&N Military)
by James HollandThe extraordinary drama of Malta's WWII victory against impossible odds told through the eyes of the people who were there.In March and April 1942, more explosives were dropped on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta - smaller than the Isle of Wight - than on the whole of Britain during the first year of the Blitz. Malta had become one of the most strategically important places in the world. From there, the Allies could attack Axis supply lines to North Africa; without it, Rommel would be able to march unchecked into Egypt, Suez and the Middle East. For the Allies this would have been catastrophic. As Churchill said, Malta had to be held 'at all costs'.FORTRESS MALTA follows the story through the eyes of those who were there: young men such as twenty-year-old fighter pilot Raoul Daddo-Langlois, anti-aircraft gunner Ken Griffiths, American Art Roscoe and submariner Tubby Crawford - who served on the most successful Allied submarine of the Second World War; cabaret dancer-turned RAF plotter Christina Ratcliffe, and her lover, the brilliant and irrepressible reconnaissance pilot, Adrian Warburton. Their stories and others provide extraordinary first-hand accounts of heroism, resilience, love, and loss, highlighting one of the most remarkable stories of World War II.
Fortress Monasteries of the Himalayas
by Peter Harrison Peter DennisBuddhism has been influential in the mountain kingdoms of the Himalayas since the 7th century AD, most notably in the kingdom of Tibet where it permeated all aspects and levels of society until the 20th century. From the 9th-century AD onwards, the secular rulers of Tibet sought to extend their influence, and that of Buddhism, throughout the region. To this end, huge stone and mud-brick fortifications, known as dzongs, were constructed to dominate the secular landscape, while massive Buddhist monasteries dominated the religious - both following a very specific style of Tibetan architecture. It has been estimated that as many as 3,000 monasteries were built along with 200 dzongs. Mongol invasions from the 12th century onwards provided another influence, while internecine fighting in the 17th century led to increased fortification of the monasteries and the rise of the Dalai Lama as the head of a theocracy in Tibet, centred on the Potala Palace in Lhasa - a true fusion between secular dzong and religious monastery.Elsewhere in the Tibetan-influenced Himlayas the Buddhist Indian Kashmiri kingdom of Ladakh withstood assaults by both Muslims and Sikhs and developed a style of fortress monastery located on rocky peaks for defence, these often became combined with the fortified palaces of the rulers of Ladakh. With the foundation of Bhutan in the 17th century, further fortified monasteries were created in an effort to protect the new state's independence form the Dalai Lama.These fortifications have survived largely intact through today, as Chinese control over the Tibetan Autonomous Region has led to the destruction of the vast majority of the fortified monasteries and dzongs of that particular area.This title recreates the dramatic and colorful fortifications created in these mountain kingdoms, and recounts their operational history through the foreign incursions, religious conflicts and civil wars that litter their history, right through to the Tibetan uprising and flight of the Dalai Lama form the Potala Palace in 1959
Fortress of Magi (Chronicles of Amicae #3)
by Mirah BolenderMirah Bolender follows The Monstrous Citadel with Fortress of Magi—the pulse-pounding conclusion to her debut fantasy trilogy in which a bomb squad defuses the magic weapons of a long forgotten warThe Hive Mind has done the impossible—left its island prison. It's a matter of time before Amicae falls, and Laura Kramer has very few resources left to prevent it.The council has tied her hands, and the gangs want her dead. Her only real choice is to walk away and leave the city to its fate.Chronicles of AmicaeCity of Broken MagicThe Monstrous CitadelFortress of MagiAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Fortress of Rhodes 1309-1522
by Konstantin Nossov Brian DelfFirst besieged in 305 BC, the island of Rhodes became part of the Roman Empire and was later fortified in the Byzantine style. Due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, Rhodes was also attacked and besieged for over a century by Islamic forces. This title details the development of these fascinating fortifications, as well as the sieges that sought to reduce them.
Fortresses of the Peninsular War 1808-14
by Ian Fletcher Chris TaylorIn the course of the Peninsular War, Wellington's army fought several hard battles and smaller actions, but it was the bloody sieges that troubled him more than anything else. Indeed, the performance of his army during the sieges was probably the most disappointing aspect of what was otherwise an extremely successful campaign. Taking 1808 as its starting point, this title deals with the fortress sieges that involved Wellington's AngloPortuguese army, and concentrates on four key sites in particular (Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Burgos and San Sebastián). All of these played a vital role in the war due to their strategically important positions. It documents both the sieges and the storming of the fortresses, as well as the general role of the fortresses in Spain and the impact they had on the thinking of the commanders and strategies of the armies involved.
Forts and Forays: A Dragoon in New Mexico, 1850-1856
by Dr James A. Bennett Clinton E. BrooksForts and Forays is a rare account of frontier soldiering in the pre-Civil War Southwest by an enlisted man. James A. Bennett joined the regular army in 1849 and was stationed in New Mexico for six years before he deserted to Mexico. Assigned to the First Dragoons, he visited most major New Mexico posts such as Forts Union, Craig, and Fillmore. His company was stationed at or passed through Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Socorro, and other New Mexico settlements. In six years, his rank climbed from private to sergeant before an unknown infraction reduced him to the ranks. Bennett served under future Civil War generals Edwin V. Sumner, Richard S. Ewell, and John W. Davidson.During his service, Bennett waged war on the Kicarilla, Mogollon, Mescalero, and Mimbres Apaches, the Navajos, and the Utes, suffering serious wounds at the Battle of Cienguilla Forts and Forays is a unique glimpse into the routine duties and terrifying ordeals of soldiering in the antebellum Southwest.
The Forts and Fortifications of Europe 1815- 1945: The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland
by H.W. KaufmannAfter the Napoleonic Wars the borders of Europe were redrawn and relative peace endured across the region, but the volatile politics of the late nineteenth century generated an atmosphere of fear and distrust, and it gave rise to a new era of fortress building. In the neutral states situated between France and Germany - The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland - the need for extensive fixed defences was particularly urgent, and this is the subject of this highly illustrated new study. The strategic thinking that gave rise to these defensive schemes is described in detail, as is the planning, design and construction of the lines themselves. Their operational history in wartime, in particular during the Second World War, is a key element of this expert account.
Forts and Roman Strategy: A New Approach and Interpretation
by Paul CobyPaul Coby here proposes a new system for the recording and mapping of Roman forts and fortifications that integrates all the data, including size, dating and identification of occupying units. Application of these methods allows analysis that brings new insights into the placement of these forts, the units garrisoning them and the strategy of conquest and defense they underpinned. This is a new and original contribution to the long-running debate over whether the Roman Empire had a coherent grand strategy or merely reacted piecemeal to emerging needs. Although the author focuses on several major campaigns in Britain as case studies, the author stresses that his method's are also applicable to elsewhere in the Empire. Lavishly illustrated with color maps, the book is also supported by a website and blogs, encouraging further investigation and discussion.
The Forts & Fortifications of Europe 1815-1945: Germany, Austria-Hungry and Czechoslovakia
by J. E. Kaufmann H. W. Kaufmann&“Extremely well written and presented and gives you every scrap of information you&’ll ever need on cupolas, embrasures and cloches.&”—War History Online After the Napoleonic Wars, the borders of Central Europe were redrawn and relative peace endured across the region, but the volatile politics of the late nineteenth century generated an atmosphere of fear and distrust, and it gave rise to a new era of fortress building, and this is the subject of this highly illustrated new study. The authors describe how defensive lines and structures on a massive scale were constructed along national frontiers to deter aggression. The Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Czechs all embarked on ambitious building programs. Artillery positions, barbed-wire networks, casemates, concrete bunkers, trench lines, observation posts all sprang up in a vain attempt to keep the peace and to delay the invader. The strategic thinking that gave rise to these defensive schemes is described in detail in this study, as is the planning, design and construction of the lines themselves. Their operational history in wartime, in particular during the Second World War, is a key element of the account. &“A useful introduction for those wishing to develop a knowledge of fortifications and their impact on the conduct of war.&”—Firetrench &“The maps and plans, especially the plans, are numerous and extremely helpful. They show the arrangement of fortifications in a way that simple text would have found impossible. For those with an interest in European land fortifications of the 19th and 20th centuries, this book is an excellent general survey.&”—The Coast Defense Journal
The Forts of Judaea 168 BC-AD 73
by Samuel Rocca Adam HookThis book analyzes the fortifications of Hasmonaean and Herodian Judaea from the middle of the second century BC, when the Maccabees rebelled against their Seleucids overlords and established an independent state, until the end of the Jewish-Roman War in AD 73.