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Angel of Oblivion
by Maja Haderlap Tess LewisHaderlap is an accomplished poet, and that lyricism leaves clear traces on this ravishing debut, which won the prestigious Bachmann Prize in 2011. The descriptions are sensual, and the unusual similes and metaphors occasionally change perspective unexpectedly. Angel of Oblivion deals with harrowing subjects - murder, torture, persecution and discrimination of an ethnic minority - in intricate and lyrical prose.The novel tells the story of a family from the Slovenian minority in Austria. The first-person narrator starts off with her childhood memories of rural life, in a community anchored in the past. Yet behind this rural idyll, an unresolved conflict is smouldering. At first, the child wonders about the border to Yugoslavia, which runs not far away from her home. Then gradually the stories that the adults tell at every opportunity start to make sense. All the locals are scarred by the war. Her grandfather, we find out, was a partisan fighting the Nazis from forest hideouts. Her grandmother was arrested and survived Ravensbrück.As the narrator grows older, she finds out more. Through conversations at family gatherings and long nights talking to her grandmother, she learns that her father was arrested by the Austrian police and tortured - at the age of ten - to extract information on the whereabouts of his father. Her grandmother lost her foster-daughter and many friends and relatives in Ravensbrück and only escaped the gas chamber by hiding inside the camp itself. The narrator begins to notice the frequent suicides and violent deaths in her home region, and she develops an eye for how the Slovenians are treated by the majority of German-speaking Austrians. As an adult, the narrator becomes politicised and openly criticises the way in which Austria deals with the war and its own Nazi past. In the closing section, she visits Ravensbrück and finds it strangely lifeless - realising that her personal memories of her grandmother are stronger.Illuminating an almost forgotten chapter of European history and the European present, the book deals with family dynamics scarred by war and torture - a dominant grandmother, a long-suffering mother, a violent father who loves his children but is impossible to live with. And interwoven with this is compelling reflection on storytelling: the narrator hoping to rid herself of the emotional burden of her past and to tell stories on behalf of those who cannot.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Angel of the North
by Annie WilkinsonWho can she turn to when life gets tough? April 1941, Hull. Nurse Marie Larsen has grown used to the challenges of keeping Hull Royal Infirmary running during the Germans' attacks on her city. Amidst the sudden power cuts, blown out windows and with wounded civilians pouring into the hospital at each new attack, she always thanks her lucky stars that the latest bomb didn't have her name on it. But when a fresh wave of bombings tears Hull apart, this time tragedy strikes close to home. With her mother now critically ill in hospital, and her father missing, Marie will have some tough decisions to make if she is to keep her younger brother and sister, Alfie and Pam, safe. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, it is Marie's beau, Chas Elsworth, who alone is able to keep her spirits up via letters and phone calls from his post. So when evidence comes to light that Chas might not be the dependable rock that Marie has come to rely upon - where can Marie turn for support? A gripping tale of ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges, Angel of the North, is perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Margaret Dickinson.
The Angels: A History of the 11th Airborne Division 1943-1946
by Major Edward M. Flanagan Jr.This is the definitive account of the history of the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division (The Angels) from 1943-1946, by then-Major Edward M. Flanagan, Jr. who served with that division in the Pacific War.“The Division was activated at Camp Mackall, N. Carolina on Feb. 25, 1943, and was composed of former glider and veteran Airborne troops. Upon activation, the Division began intensive training to get the glider troops jump-qualified, and the Division was ready to move overseas in early 1944. Sent first to New Guinea for training in jungle combat, the Division took part in the Leyte landings in the Philippines in Nov. 1944. Moving inland, the unit relieved the battle-weary 24th and 37th Inf. Divs. with the mission to clear a mountain pass from Burauen to Ormoc. It took 3 months of bitter fighting, often hand-to-hand, to drive the Japanese defenders from the pass and surrounding heights.In late January, 1945, the 11th went back into action after a short rest, landing at Nasgubu Beach, Luzon, 70 miles from Manila. Their objective was to remove enemy opposition from a major highway and link with Allied forces attacking Manila. After capturing Fort McKinley and Nichols field, the 11th launched their assault on Manila joining the 1st Cav. Div. and the 37th Inf. Div. who were attacking from the North. Once the capitol was secured, the 11th made a daring raid behind enemy lines and freed more than 2,100 Allied civilian and military POWs from the Los Baños Internment Camp, considered one of the most successful rescues in military history. Following the Los Baños raid, the 11th Airborne spent the next few weeks mopping up resistance in southern Luzon.In May, 1945, the Division began preparations for the expected invasion of Japan, but with Japan's surrender in August, the Division instead moved to Okinawa to escort Gen. Douglas MacArthur into Japan. The 11th Airborne remained in Japan until 1949 before returning to the U.S.”-print ed.
Angels Against the Sun: A WWII Saga of Grunts, Grit, and Brotherhood
by James M. FenelonIn the tradition of Band of Brothers, historian and former paratrooper James M. Fenelon offers a grunt&’s-eye view of the 11th Airborne&’s heroic campaign to liberate the Philippines in World War II. A soldier&’s history at its best.A Grunt&’s-Eye View of Pacific WarfareThe Pacific theater of World War II pitted American fighting men against two merciless enemies: the relentless Japanese army and the combined forces of monsoons, swamps, mud, privation, and disease. General Joseph Swing&’s rowdy paratroopers of the 11th Airborne Division— nicknamed the &“Angels&”—fought in some of the war&’s most dramatic campaigns, from bloody skirmishes in Leyte&’s unforgiving rainforests to the ferocious battles on Luzon, including the hellish urban combat of Manila. The Angels were trained as elite shock troops, but high American casualties often forced them into action as ground-pounding infantrymen. Surviving on airdropped supplies and reinforcements, the Angels fought their way across nearly impassable terrain, emerging as one of the most lethal units in the Pacific War. Their final task was the occupation of Japan, where they were the first American boots on the ground. Angels Against the Sun is an unforgettable account of the liberation of the Philippines. In the tradition of Band of Brothers, historian and former paratrooper James M. Fenelon offers a grunt&’s-eye view of the war. This is a soldier&’s history at its best.
Angels in the Gloom
by Anne PerryWith this latest entry in a bestselling series that evokes all the passion and heroism of history's most heartbreaking conflict-the war that was meant to end all wars-Anne Perry adds new luster to her worldwide reputation.Angels in the Gloom is an intense saga of love, hate, obsession, and murder that features an honorable English family-brothers Joseph and Matthew Reavley and their sisters, Judith and Hannah.In March 1916, Joseph, a chaplain at the front, and Judith, an ambulance driver, are fighting not only the Germans but the bitter cold and the appalling casualties at Ypres. Scarcely less at risk, Matthew, an officer in England's Secret Intelligence Service, fights the war covertly from London. Only Hannah, living with her children in the family home in tranquil Cambridgeshire, seems safe.Appearances, however, are deceiving. By the time Joseph returns home to Cambridgeshire, rumors of spies and traitors are rampant. And when the savagely brutalized body of a weapons scientist is discovered in a village byway, the fear that haunts the battlefields settles over the town-along with the shadow of the obsessed ideologue who murdered the Reavleys' parents on the eve of the war. Once again, this icy, anonymous powerbroker, the Peacemaker, is plotting to kill.Perry's kaleidoscopic new novel illuminates an entire world, from the hell of the trenches to the London nightclub where a beautiful Irish spy plies her trade; from the sequestered laboratory where a weapon that can end the war is being perfected to the matchless glory of the English countryside in spring. Steeped in history and radiant with truth, Angels in the Gloom is a masterpiece that warms the heart even as it chills the blood.From the Hardcover edition.
Angels in the Sky: How A Band Of Volunteer Airmen Saved The New State Of Israel
by Robert GandtThe gripping story of how an all-volunteer air force helped defeat five Arab nations and protect the fledgling Jewish state. In 1948, only three years after the Holocaust, the newly founded nation of Israel came under siege from a coalition of Arab states. The invaders vowed to annihilate the tiny country and its 600,000 settlers. A second Holocaust was in the making. Outnumbered sixty to one, the Israelis had no allies, no regular army, no air force, no superpower to intercede on their behalf. The United States, Great Britain, and most of Europe enforced a strict embargo on the shipment of arms to the embattled country. In the first few days, the Arab armies overran Israel. The Egyptian air force owned the sky, making continuous air attacks on Israeli cities and army positions. Israel’s extinction seemed certain. And then came help. From the United States, Canada, Britain, France, South Africa arrived a band of volunteer airmen. Most were World War II veterans—young, idealistic, swaggering, noble, eccentric, courageous beyond measure. Many were Jews, a third were not. Most of them knowingly violated their nations’ embargoes on the shipment of arms and aircraft to Israel. They smuggled in Messerschmitt fighters from Czechoslovakia, painting over swastikas with Israeli stars. Defying their own countries’ strict laws, the airmen risked everything—their lives, careers, citizenship—to fight for Israel. They were a small group, fewer than 150. In the crucible of war they became brothers in a righteous cause. They flew, fought, died, and, against all odds, helped save a new nation. The saga of the volunteer airmen in Israel’s war of independence stands as one of the most stirring—and untold—war stories of the past century.
Angels Of Armageddon: The Royal Air Force In The Battle Of Megiddo [Illustrated Edition]
by Major Gary J. MoreaIncludes World War One In The Desert Illustration Pack- 115 photos/illustrations and 19 maps spanning the Desert campaigns 1914-1918Egypt and Palestine offered the British an opportunity to fight a war of movement. Unlike the Western Front, Egypt and Palestine were undeveloped with wide expanses of land. It was ripe for the development of maneuver warfare using the mechanical products of the industrial age: motor cars, machine guns, tanks and aeroplanes. In particular, the use of aeroplanes proved vital to the successful British defense of the Suez Canal by providing reconnaissance of enemy formations and early warnings of attack. This role of the Royal Flying Corps expanded in this theater to cover the breadth and depth of British efforts at the tactical, operational and strategic levels. The strategic success of the Royal Air Force in wrestling air superiority from the Germans was the key that allowed the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) to prepare and conduct its campaign against the central powers across the plains surrounding Megiddo. It provided the EEF intelligence of enemy positions, freedom to maneuver forces undetected, and the depth to attack and rout the retreating Turkish forces to the point of annihilation. The evolution of local air superiority in Palestine, properly coordinated with the ground offensive, was the deciding factor for victory in that theater.
Angels of Darkness (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Space Marines)
by Gav ThorpeTHE DARK ANGELS Space Marines are devout servants of the Imperium, but the mysterious nature of their Chapter has led some to question their motives. The Chapter harbours a dark and horrific secret that stretches back over ten thousand years to the time of the Horus Heresy. The long-buried truths from this dark time threaten to be unleashed when an Interrogator-Chaplain discovers that the line between good and evil is all too easily crossed. The truth about this mysterious Space Marine Chapter is revealed in this highly popular Warhammer 40,000 novel.
Angels of Mercy: A gripping saga of sisters, love and war
by Lyn AndrewsAs the Great War looms, two sisters' lives are about to change forever... In Angels of Mercy, Lyn Andrews writes a dramatic, moving saga of two sisters who set off to become nurses in the Great War, far from their loving Liverpudlian homes. Perfect for fans of Anne Baker, Nadine Dorries and Kate Thompson.Blue-eyed, blond-haired, full of smiles and sweetness, even as babies twins Kate and Evvie Greenway captured the hearts of Liverpool's Scotland Road slumlands. But now they are almost adults the two girls find that being pleasant, popular and blessed with a loving family isn't quite enough. For they've both fallen for men who will break their youthful hearts...But these sorrows are nothing compared to the tragedies that await them and so many others when the Great War breaks out. Determined to do their part, Kate and Evvie sign up for nursing training and are despatched to the Front, a terrible world far from the life-affirming energy of their homes. Can anything, hope, love or the bond that has always united the sisters, survive all that lies in store for them? What readers are saying about Angels of Mercy: '[This] book tugs at every single one of your emotions, and you won't be able to put it down''Lots of twists and turns for the people in this book. It made me laugh and it also made me cry... It really does make you think, but it's a page turner, and that's what Lyn Andrews does best!''Lyn Andrews ranks as one of the best saga writers in my book. Having just finished Angels of Mercy, I found this novel poignant, engrossing and unputdownable'
Angels of Mercy: A gripping saga of sisters, love and war
by Lyn AndrewsBestselling author Lyn Andrews' unputdownable saga ANGELS OF MERCY is perfect for fans of Kate Thompson and Kitty Neale.Blue-eyed, blond-haired, full of smiles and sweetness, even as babies twins Kate and Evvie Greenway captured the hearts of Liverpool's Scotland Road slumlands. But now they are almost adults the two girls find that being pleasant, popular and blessed with a loving family isn't quite enough. For they've both fallen for men who will break their youthful hearts...But these sorrows are nothing compared to the tragedies that await them and so many others when the Great War breaks out. Determined to do their part, Kate and Evvie sign up for nursing training and are despatched to the Front, a terrible world far from the life-affirming energy of their homes. Can anything, hope, love or the bond that has always united the sisters, survive all that lies in store for them?
Angels of the Pacific: A Novel of World War II
by Elise Hooper"Absolutely riveting. A stay-up-all night read about two very different women who discover just how strong they can be—and just how much they'll dare—during the brutal Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. This story of endurance and sisterhood will have you turning pages late into the night." —Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling authorIf you loved Beantown Girls by Jane Healey and Hazel Gaynor’s When We Were Young & Brave, then you won’t want to miss critically acclaimed author Elise Hooper’s powerful new novel of the Angels of Bataan, nurses held as prisoners during the occupation of the Philippines in World War II.Their survival would depend on sisterhood and service.Inspired by the extraordinary true stories of World War II’s American Army nurses famously known as the Angels of Bataan and the unsung contributions of Filipinas of the resistance, this novel transports us to a remarkable era of hope, bravery, perseverance, and ultimately—victory.The Philippines, 1941: Tess Abbott, an American Army nurse, has fled the hardships of the Great Depression at home for the glamour and adventure of Manila, one of the most desirable postings in the world. But everything changes when the Japanese Imperial Army invades with lightning speed and devastating results. Tess and her band of nurses serve on the front lines until they are captured as prisoners of war and held behind the high stone walls of Manila’s Santo Tomas Internment Camp.When the Japanese occupation of her beloved homeland commences, Flor Dalisay, a Filipina university student, will be drawn into the underground network of resistance, discovering within herself reserves of courage, resilience, and leadership she never knew she possessed.As the war continues, Tess and Flor face danger, deprivation, and terror, leading them into a web of danger as they unexpectedly work together to save lives and win their freedom.
Angels of the Resistance: A WWII Novel
by Noelle Salazar&“Angels of the Resistance brings to life a deadly-effective and deeply moving sisterhood.&” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose CodeFrom the bestselling author of The Flight Girls comes a story inspired by true events, about courageous women who risked everything for country, for family, and for each other.Netherlands, 1940As bombs fall across Europe, fourteen-year-old Lien Vinke fears that the reality of war is inescapable. Though she lives a quiet life with her mother and older sister, Elif, in their small town of Haarlem, they are no strangers to heartache, having recently suffered an immeasurable loss. And when the Nazis invade the Netherlands, joining the Dutch resistance with Elif offers just the atonement Lien craves.Trained to shoot by their late father, the sisters are deadly wolves in sheep&’s clothing. They soon find themselves entrenched in the underground movement, forging friendships with the other young recruits, and Lien even discovers a kindred spirit in a boy named Charlie. But in wartime, emotional attachments are a liability she can&’t afford, especially when a deeply personal mission jeopardizes everything she holds dear—her friendships, her family, and her one shot at redemption.&“This story of two teenage sisters who risk everything to join the Dutch Resistance is a dazzling tour-de-force.&” —Karen Robards, bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris
Angels of Vengeance
by John BirminghamWhen an inexplicable wave of energy slammed into North America, millions died. In the rest of the world, wars erupted, borders vanished, and the powerful lost their grip on power. Against this backdrop, with a conflicted U.S. president struggling to make momentous decisions in Seattle and a madman fomenting rebellion in Texas, three women are fighting their own battles--for survival, justice, and revenge.Special agent Caitlin Monroe moves stealthily through a South American jungle. Her target: a former French official now held prisoner by a ruthless despot. To free the prisoner, Caitlin will kill anyone who gets in her way. And then she will get the truth about how a master terrorist escaped a secret detention center in French Guadeloupe to strike a fatal blow in New York City.Sofia Peiraro is a teenage girl who witnessed firsthand the murder and mayhem of Texas under the rule of General Mad Jack Blackstone. Sofia might have tried to build a life with her father in the struggling remnants of Kansas City--if a vicious murder hadn't set her on another course altogether: back to Texas, even to Blackstone himself.Julianne Balwyn is a British-born aristocrat turned smuggler. Shopping in the most fashionable neighborhood of Darwin, Australia--now a fantastic neo-urban frontier--Jules has a pistol holstered in the small of her lovely back. She is playing the most dangerous game of all: waiting for the person who is hunting her to show his face--so she can kill him first.Three women in three corners of a world plunged into electrifying chaos. Nation-states struggling for their survival. Immigrants struggling for new lives. John Birmingham's astounding new novel--the conclusion to the series begun in Without Warning and After America--is an intense adventure that races from the halls of power to shattered streets to gleaming new cities, as humanity struggles to grasp its better angels--and purge its worst demons.From the Hardcover edition.
Angels of Wrath (First Team #2)
by Larry Bond Jim DefeliceLed by CIA agent par excellence Bob Ferguson, the Team pitches in to help the FBI investigate a radical group of zealots who want to create a "post-Christian" era by instigating a catastrophic showdown in Jerusalem. But Ferg and company soon discover that the cult has strange connections to the Iraqi resistance and to a Syrian arms dealer. Enlisting the help of Thera Majed, a beautiful paramilitary and an expert on Middle Eastern relations, the team breaks up to track each link. They seek to stop anything catastrophic from happening before the president arrives in Iraq for the next round of elections. Their quarries lead Team members into an immensely complicated world of fanatical terrorists, each potentially dangerous... but who among them is the next to strike? Uncertain of the most imminent threat, the Team finds that they have landed in the midst of an operation headed by Israel's famous Mossad and are ordered to cooperate with the Israelis... but are the Israelis cooperating with them? Unsure of their allies, the Team realizes that they are on the trail of two completely different attacks, whose targets are thousands of miles apart. Both operations are intended to trigger a vast religious war. With the clock ticking down, can the team extinguish the spark of Armageddon?
Angels Zero
by Robert BrulleRobert V. Brulle, who flew seventy ground support missions with the 366th Fighter Group, links his daily experiences in the cockpit not only with the battles in which he participated but also with events in the wider European theater. Combining anecdotes from his personal diary, research in US and German records, and interviews with participants from both sides, Brulle details a combat career that began just after D-Day, when he flew column cover for Allied troops as they chased the German military out of France. He then describes the brutal, six-week Hürtgen Forest campaign, during which his fighter group lost 15 pilots and 18 aircraft. He also tells how the otherwise bitterly fought Battle of the Bulge provided the 366th with an opportunity to successfully engage 60 Luftwaffe airplanes in a dogfight directly over their airfield.Angels Zero combines both personal and historical detail to vividly re-create a lesser-known aspect of the air war in Europe.
Angle of Attack (An Alex Morgan Thriller #1)
by Leo J. MaloneyReal-life Black Ops veteran Leo J. Maloney launches an electrifying new series featuring Alex Morgan, daughter of legendary operative Dan Morgan and a formidable force in her own right.ANGLE OF ATTACK Alex Morgan&’s new mission for Zeta plunges her into a web of danger threatening Europe&’s glamorous Formula One racing circuit. It quickly escalates into a race against time to track down a missing supply of weapons-grade plutonium headed for North America. From a secret prison in Iran to the glittering casinos of Monaco, to the jungles of Malaysia, and to the dark side of Montreal, Alex is up against a deadly and far-reaching conspiracy. Each step of the way, she&’s dogged by a shadowy figure determined to destroy her. Alex has the grit to deal with any external threat, but this is a new kind of peril from a source shockingly close to home—one that will make Alex question everything she once believed... Praise for Leo J. Maloney and His Novels &”Fine writing and real insider knowledge.&” —Lee Child &“Rings with authenticity.&” —John Gilstrap &“Everything a thriller reader wants.&” —Ben Coes &“The new master of the modern spy game.&” —Mark Sullivan &“A ripping story!&” —Meg Gardiner
Anglo-American Strategic Relations and the Far East, 1933-1939: Imperial Crossroads (Strategy and History #No. 5)
by Greg KennedyThis volume charts how the national strategic needs of the United States of America and Great Britain created a "parallel but not joint" relationship towards the Far East as the crisis in that region evolved from 1933-39. In short, it is a look at the relationship shared between the two nations with respect to accommodating one another on certain strategic and diplomatic issues so that they could become more confident of one another in any potential showdowns with Japan.
Anglo-American Strategic Relations and the French Problem, 1960-1963: A Troubled Partnership
by Constantine A. PagedasDrawing on official records and private papers, this book offers insights into Anglo-American reactions to France's development of an independent nuclear capability; France's bid for the political leadership of Europe; Britain's first application to join the EEC; the controversial US multilateral force (MLF) proposal for NATO; Britain's numerous propositions to France for the development of an independent European nuclear force; the tense Anglo-American diplomatic quarrel that was the Skybolt crisis; and the creative diplomacy that produced the Nassau Agreement of December 1962.
Anglo-Australian Naval Relations, 1945–1975: A More Independent Service
by Mark GjessingThis book examines Anglo-Australian naval relations between 1945-75, a period of great change for both Australia and Great Britain and their respective navies. It explores the cultural and historical ties between the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the efficacy of communications between the services, and the importance of personal relations to the overall inter-service relationship. The author assesses the dilemmas faced by Great Britain associated with that nation’s declining power, and the impact of the retreat from ‘East of Suez’ on the strategic relationship between the United Kingdom and Australia. The book also considers operational co-operation between the Royal Navy and the RAN including conflicts such as the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, and confrontation with Indonesia, as well as peacetime pursuits such as port visits and the testing of atomic weapons in the 1950s. Co-operation in matters of personnel and training are also dealt with in great detail, along with the co-operation between the Royal Navy and the RAN in equipment procurement and design and the increased ability of the RAN to look to non-British sources for equipment procurement. The book considers the impact of stronger Australian-American ties on the RAN and appraises the role it played in the conflict in Vietnam.
The Anglo-Kuki War, 1917–1919: A Frontier Uprising against Imperialism during the First World War
by Jangkhomang Guite Thongkholal HaokipThis book explores the Kuki uprising against the British Empire during the First World War in Northeast frontier of India (then Assam-Burma frontier). It underlines how of the three-year war (1917–1919), spanning over 6,000 square miles, is crucial to understanding present-day Northeast India. The essays in the volume examine several aspects of the war, which had far-reaching consequences for the indigenous population as well as for British attitudes and policy towards the region – including military strategy and tactics, violence, politics, identity, institutions, gender, culture, and the frontier dimensions of the First World War itself. The volume also looks at how the conflict affected the larger dynamics of the region within Asia, and its relevance in world politics beyond the Great War. Drawing on archival sources, extensive fieldwork and oral histories, the volume will be a significant contribution to comprehending the complex geopolitics of the region. It will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of South and Southeast Asian Studies, area studies, modern history, military and strategic studies, insurgency and counterinsurgency studies, tribal warfare and politics.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: Illustrated and Annotated (History From Primary Sources Ser.)
by Bob CarruthersThe essential primary-source history of the British Isles through the early Middle Ages, fully annotated and illustrated with paintings and engravings. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is one of the most important sets of historical documents concerning the history of the British Isles. These vital accounts, thought to be first set down in the late ninth century by a scribe in Wessex, illuminate events through the Dark Ages that would otherwise be lost to history. Without this chronicle, it would be impossible to write the history of the English from the Romans to the Norman Conquest. The compilers of this chronicle included contemporary events they themselves witnessed, as well as those recorded by earlier annalists whose work is in many cases preserved nowhere else. With nine known versions of the Chronicle in existence, this translated edition presents a conflation of passages from different versions. Relying heavily on Rev. James Ingram&’s 1828 translation, the footnotes provided are all those of Rev. Ingram. This edition also includes the complete Parker Manuscript.
The Anglo-Saxons at War, 800–1066: At War, 800-1066
by Paul HillIn the time of the great Anglo-Saxon kings like Alfred and Athelstan, thelred and Edmund Ironside, what was warfare really like how were the armies organized, how and why did they fight, how were the warriors armed and trained, and what was the Anglo-Saxon experience of war? As Paul Hill demonstrates in this compelling new study, documentary records and the growing body of archaeological evidence allows these questions to be answered with more authority than ever before. His broad, detailed and graphic account of the conduct of war in the Anglo-Saxon world in the unstable, violent centuries before the Norman Conquest will be illuminating reading for anyone who wants to learn about this key stage of medieval history.The role of violence and war in Anglo-Saxon society is explored, in particular the parts played by the king and the noblemen, and the means by which, in times of danger, the men of the fyrd were summoned to fight. The controversial subject of the Anglo-Saxon use of cavalry is also explored. Land and naval warfare are central sections of Paul Hills book, but he also covers the politics and diplomacy of warfare the conduct of negotiations, the taking of hostages and the use of treachery.The weapons and armor of the Anglo-Saxons are described the spears, the scramsaxes, axes, bows, swords, helmets, shields and mail that were employed in the close-quarter fighting of the day. Among the most valuable sections of the study are those dealing, in vivid detail, with actual experience of battle and siege with the brutal reality of combat as it is revealed by campaigns against the Danes, in the battles of Ashdown, Maldon and Stamford Bridge, and sieges at Reading and Rochester.
The Anglo-Soviet Alliance: Comrades & Allies During WW2
by Colin TurbettConsiders the inter-war and wartime relationship between Britain and the USSR and its impact on the attitudes of ordinary citizens.From the onset of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 until the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Britain enjoyed an ambiguous relationship with the USSR and its people. All inter-war governments were concerned about the communist ideals of the new state and the threat they presented to British interests at home and abroad, and this was inevitably reflected amongst the general population. However there was a well-established British Communist Party whose fortunes were tied to the Soviet Union’s successes and failures. The wartime alliance offered the Communists an opportunity to extend their influence and win electoral support. Or did it? There were influences at work stemming from both sides that sought to put the importance of allied victory above competing ideology, with agreement over the need for a strong and unconditional anti-Fascist alliance. Compromises were made and relationships formed that would have seemed strange indeed to the pre-war observer. There were, however, tensions throughout the period of the war. By mid-1945, the alliance was threatened by differences that reflected original ideologies that had been glossed over for the duration of the conflict: these led to a Cold War for the next 45 years. This book, using both contemporary sources as well as post-war analyses, examines these matters alongside images that take us back to the period and help us understand its intricacies. It will start with a look at Britain’s opposition to the Bolshevik Revolution and the consolidation of the Soviet State under Lenin and then Stalin. The main body of the book goes on to give detail of the Wartime Alliance and the various forms through which it was expressed – from Government led Lend-Lease of equipment, to voluntary 'Aid for Russia. t ends with the War’s aftermath and the division of the world between the influences of capitalism on the one hand, and the “really existing socialism” of the Soviet Union and its satellites on the other. Tensions and expectations resulted, amongst other great social events, in the launch of the Welfare State, the demise of the British Empire, the nuclear arms race and, ultimately, the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The Anglo Zulu War: The Revelation of a Disaster
by Ron LockA concise history of the Battle of Isandlwana, the first encounter of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879.In 1878, H.M. High Commissioner for Southern Africa and the Lieut. General Commanding H.M. Forces, clandestinely conspired to invade the Zulu Kingdom. Drastically underestimating their foe, the invaders had been vanquished within days of entering the Zulu Kingdom, in one of the greatest disasters ever to befall a British army.The author not only dramatically describes the events leading up to the Battle of Isandlwana, and the battle itself but, with new evidence, disputes many aspects of the campaign long held sacrosanct.Praise for The Anglo Zulu War: Isandlwana“It offers a controversial but compelling account of the battle that underlines the consequences of operational arrogance and underestimating the fighting abilities of a less technologically equipped enemy – something that should resonate with all those who serve.” —Soldier“This is a book that should be on the bookshelves of everyone who is interested in the history of South Africa.” —The South African Military Society
The Anglo Zulu War: The Revelation of a Disaster
by Ron LockA concise history of the Battle of Isandlwana, the first encounter of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879.In 1878, H.M. High Commissioner for Southern Africa and the Lieut. General Commanding H.M. Forces, clandestinely conspired to invade the Zulu Kingdom. Drastically underestimating their foe, the invaders had been vanquished within days of entering the Zulu Kingdom, in one of the greatest disasters ever to befall a British army.The author not only dramatically describes the events leading up to the Battle of Isandlwana, and the battle itself but, with new evidence, disputes many aspects of the campaign long held sacrosanct.Praise for The Anglo Zulu War: Isandlwana“It offers a controversial but compelling account of the battle that underlines the consequences of operational arrogance and underestimating the fighting abilities of a less technologically equipped enemy – something that should resonate with all those who serve.” —Soldier“This is a book that should be on the bookshelves of everyone who is interested in the history of South Africa.” —The South African Military Society