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La luz que no puedes ver
by Anthony DoerrPremio Pulitzer de Ficción 2015. Un corazón puro puede brillar aun en la noche más oscura. Y en el más terrible de los tiempos. Marie-Laure vive con su padre en París, cerca del Museo de Historia Natural, donde él trabaja como responsable de sus mil cerraduras. Cuando, siendo muy niña, Marie-Laure se queda ciega, su padre le construye una perfecta miniatura de su barrio para que pueda memorizarla gracias al tacto y encontrar el camino a casa. A sus doce años, los nazis ocupan París y padre e hija tienen que huir a la ciudad amurallada de Saint-Malo. Con ellos se llevan la que podría ser la más preciada y peligrosa joya del museo. En una ciudad minera de Alemania, el joven huérfano Werner crece junto a su hermana pequeña, cautivado por una rudimentaria radio que ambos encuentran. Werner se convierte en un experto en construir y reparar estos aparatos cruciales para los nuevos tiempos, untalento que no pasa desapercibido a las Juventudes Hitlerianas. Siguiendo al ejército alemán, Werner deberá atravesar el corazón en guerra de Europa. Hasta que en la última noche antes de la liberación de Saint-Malo los caminos de Werner y Marie-Laure por fin se crucen. Y sus vidas cambien para siempre. N.º 1 en las listas de bestsellers en Estados Unidos.Finalista del National Book Award.Mejor novela de 2014 en iTunes.Entre los mejores diez libros del año para The New York Times.Nº. 1 de ficción histórica de 2014 en Goodreads.Premio 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal de novela de la American Library Association. «Estoy leyendo un libro maravilloso. Solo llevo la mitad así que no puedo hablar hasta el final, pero es un verdadero placer. Quería contároslo. Estilo impecable, personajes maravillosos y una vívida recreación de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?... ¿Y no es preciosa la cubierta?»Kate Morton Reseñas:«La luz que no puedes ver es un clásico instantáneo, y, además, para todos los públicos. Quien no se deje arrastrar por su trama lo hará por la emoción, y habrá quien quede embobado, simplemente, ante el lirismo de la prosa de Doerr. Una experiencia memorable.»Juan Manuel Freire, El Dominical «Uno de los puntos fuertes de esta novela es situar al lector en la época como alguien de la época, sin todo lo que hoy sabemos y no podemos olvidar.»Inocencia Newman, Qué Leer «Inolvidablemente hermoso.»The New York Times «No creo que este año vaya a leer un libro mejor que La luz que no puedes ver. »Washington Post «Una hermosa, valiente, desgarradora y extrañamente alegre novela.»The Seattle Times «Incandescente... Una luminosa obra de lucha y trascendencia.»O, the Oprah magazine «Magnífica.»The Guardian «Una obra de arte.»BBC
La luz que no puedes ver
by Anthony DoerrPremio Pulitzer de Ficción 2015. Un corazón puro puede brillar aun en la noche más oscura. Y en el más terrible de los tiempos. Marie-Laure vive con su padre en París, cerca del Museo de Historia Natural, donde él trabaja como responsable de sus mil cerraduras. Cuando, siendo muy niña, Marie-Laure se queda ciega, su padre le construye una perfecta miniatura de su barrio para que pueda memorizarla gracias al tacto y encontrar el camino a casa. A sus doce años, los nazis ocupan París y padre e hija tienen que huir a la ciudad amurallada de Saint-Malo. Con ellos se llevan la que podría ser la más preciada y peligrosa joya del museo. En una ciudad minera de Alemania, el joven huérfano Werner crece junto a su hermana pequeña, cautivado por una rudimentaria radio que ambos encuentran. Werner se convierte en un experto en construir y reparar estos aparatos cruciales para los nuevos tiempos, untalento que no pasa desapercibido a las Juventudes Hitlerianas. Siguiendo al ejército alemán, Werner deberá atravesar el corazón en guerra de Europa. Hasta que en la última noche antes de la liberación de Saint-Malo los caminos de Werner y Marie-Laure por fin se crucen. Y sus vidas cambien para siempre. N.º 1 en las listas de bestsellers en Estados Unidos.Finalista del National Book Award.Mejor novela de 2014 en iTunes.Entre los mejores diez libros del año para The New York Times.Nº. 1 de ficción histórica de 2014 en Goodreads.Premio 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal de novela de la American Library Association. «Estoy leyendo un libro maravilloso. Solo llevo la mitad así que no puedo hablar hasta el final, pero es un verdadero placer. Quería contároslo. Estilo impecable, personajes maravillosos y una vívida recreación de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?... ¿Y no es preciosa la cubierta?»Kate Morton Reseñas:«La luz que no puedes ver es un clásico instantáneo, y, además, para todos los públicos. Quien no se deje arrastrar por su trama lo hará por la emoción, y habrá quien quede embobado, simplemente, ante el lirismo de la prosa de Doerr. Una experiencia memorable.»Juan Manuel Freire, El Dominical «Uno de los puntos fuertes de esta novela es situar al lector en la época como alguien de la época, sin todo lo que hoy sabemos y no podemos olvidar.»Inocencia Newman, Qué Leer «Inolvidablemente hermoso.»The New York Times «No creo que este año vaya a leer un libro mejor que La luz que no puedes ver.»Washington Post «Una hermosa, valiente, desgarradora y extrañamente alegre novela.»The Seattle Times «Incandescente... Una luminosa obra de lucha y trascendencia.»The Oprah magazine «Magnífica.»The Guardian «Una obra de arte.»BBC
Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust and the David Irving Trial
by Richard J. EvansTo those who argue that the London court's 2000 ruling against Holocaust denier Irving threatens to silence legitimate historians' questions on the Nazi extermination of Jews, the Cambridge U. specialist on modern German history who was the principal expert witness for the defense (of Deborah Lipstadt for libel) says, in effect, rubbish. Evans explains how Irving's "analysis" distorts the historical record to serve his revisionist agenda.
Lying with the Enemy
by Tim BindingIn 1943, 145,000 Germans had been slaughtered in Stalingrad. The tide of the war was beginning to turn. But not on the quiet, idyllic island of Guernsey, the only British territory to be occupied by German troops in the Second World War. Here Nazi officers still party with local girls, love affairs blossom, and the amateur dramatic society continues to stage its theatricals, if with suspiciously jackbooted pirates in Peter Pan. Then the body of a young woman, her nose and mouth filled with cement, turns up, and the comedy of manners played out by the collaborators and their captors turns sour. Food becomes scarce, facades of civility crack, the skies over Guernsey darken, and the search for a killer unearths horrors shared by the islanders and the enemy alike.
Lyndon B. Johnson and the Politics of Arms Sales to Israel: In the Shadow of the Hawk (Israeli History, Politics And Society Ser.)
by Abraham Ben-ZviLyndon B. Johnson and the Politics of Arms Sales to Israel seeks to reconstruct and elucidate the processes behind the decisions made by the Johnson Administration during the years 1965-68 to sell Israel M-48 tanks, A-4 Skyhawk planes and F-4 Phantom planes. This examination is based on a distinction between three factions which competed for influe
Lyndon Johnson's War: The Road to Stalemate in Vietnam
by Larry Berman"Stunning....The portrait of the embattled and unyielding president that emerges is vivid and memorable."--Publishers Weekly By 1968, the United States had committed over 525,000 men to Vietnam and bombed virtually all military targets recommended by the joint Chiefs of Staff. Yet, the United States was no closer to securing its objectives than it had been prior to the Americanization of the war. The long-promised light at the end of the tunnel was a mirage. This absorbing account reveals the bankruptcy of the bombing campaign against North Vietnam, the failures of political reform in South Vietnam and the bitter bureaucratic conflicts between the US government and its military commanders.
M: A Novel
by Antonio ScuratiThe massive international bestseller—an epic historical novel that chronicles the birth and rise of fascism in Italy, witnessed through the eyes of its founder, the terrifyingly charismatic figure who would become one of the most notorious dictators of the twentieth century, Benito Mussolini.It is 1919, and the Great War that has ravaged Europe is over. In Italy, the people are exhausted. Tired of the political class. Tired of vague promises, inept moderates, and the agonizing machinations of a democracy that has failed ordinary citizens.While elite leaders have sat idly by, achieving nothing, one outsider—the director of a small opposition newspaper and a tireless political agitator—is electrifying the masses, promising hope for a demoralized nation hungry for change.A former socialist leader ousted by his own party, he is a drifter who knows what it is to feel lost. His voice speaks for the misfits and the outcasts; he is a protector of those who are forgotten. He is Benito Mussolini. And soon Italy—and the world—will be forever remade. In M: Son of the Century, Antonio Scurati tells the story of fascism from within the mind of its founder, the man known to his followers as Il Duce. Steeped in historical detail and interspersed with period documents and sources, this masterful saga explores the seductive power of nationalism and idolatry, revealing how authoritarianism took hold and a nation bent to the will of one ruthless strongman. Provocative and resonant, M is a chilling reminder that the past is never gone, and that it holds urgent lessons for us today.
M-26: A Biography of the Cuban Revolution
by Robert TaberM-26: A Biography of the Cuban Revolution, first published in 1961, is a reporter’s account of the overthrow of the Batista regime and Fidel Castro’s successful rise to power. Author Robert Taber, a correspondent for CBS, details the political and economic situation which helped foster the revolution, plus chronicles events of the revolution and his experiences while living with the guerrilla fighters in Cuba’s mountainous interior. M26 (the name is from an earlier unsuccessful uprising—Movimiento Revolucionario—led by Castro in July, 1953) is a valuable resource for anyone seeking a well-written account of this critical period in Cuba’s history.
M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors
by Richard HookerBefore there were the movie and the television series, there was the novel that gave birth to such American immortals as Hawkeye and Trapper John, Hot Lips Houlihan, Frank Burns, Radar O'Reilly, and the rest of the 4077th MASH--a place like no place else in Korea or on earth. The doctors and nurses who worked in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) during the Korean War were well trained, dedicated, and pushed to the brink. And they were young--too young to be doing what they had to do. As Richard Hooker writes in the Foreword, "A few flipped their lids, but most of them just raised hell, in a variety of ways and degrees." Meet the true-life heroes and lunatics who fought in the Korean War, and experience the martini-laced mornings, marathon hijinks, sexual escapades, and that perfectly corrupt football game that every fan of the movie will remember. It's also a story of hard work and skill in the face of enormous pressure and odds. Here is where it all began--the novel that made M *A *S *H a legend.
M*a*s*h Goes To Paris
by Richard Hooker William E. ButterworthWhen HAWKEYE, king of the links and surgeon extraordinaire TRAPPER JOHN, bon vivant of the operating room and so good with his hands HOT LIPS, who's discovered... well... religion RADAR, with his great new idea for a fast-food empire and the rest of the lunatic crew from M*A*S*H hit the sin city on the Seine, the French had better look out! Things happen fast, funny and furious when the inimitable ambassadors of goodwill and goonery arrive, bringing inevitable chaos in their wake.
M.I.A.: Accounting for the Missing in Southeast Asia
by Paul D. MatherAmong the numerous analyses of those missing in action in Southeast Asia, this study is the first to concentrate on the process whereby the US military tried to resolve each case. Much of the continuing controversy ignores or refuses to accept the fact that the US Government, through the Joint Casualty Resolution Center and other mechanisms, has made a thorough, sustained, good faith effort to determine the fate of every serviceman declared missing in action in that conflict. The author, who spent more than 15 years in Southeast Asia taking part in those endeavors, tells the story of this unique effort from the point of view of an informed insider.A member of the MIA search team from the early 1970s through the late 1980s, Paul Mather is well qualified to relate the history of this effort. He covers a wide range of topics, from field work at crash sites and personal interchanges with Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao, and Thai officials, through the various international accords that governed the activities of the US investigatory teams. Although political changes in the United States alternately facilitated or hampered search efforts, the attempt to resolve every case never ceased. Colonel Mather faithfully records the efforts of individuals and organizations that played major roles in. this drama: congressional committees; the National League of Families; private citizens who made sincere efforts to help; senior government officials like General John Vessey, who headed a special full-accounting commission; military agencies such as the Joint Casualty Resolution Center and the Army’s Central Identification Laboratory; scoundrels and swindlers who exploited the tragedy for personal gain; and self-styled Rambos who acted on their own.This account should help to wrap up an especially emotional chapter of the Vietnam War. By telling how the process worked for almost two decades, it contributes to the full accounting desired by all.
M1 Abrams: Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives (Images of War)
by David DoyleA photographic history of the principal main battle tank of the modern US military. Conceived to counter the threat of a massive Soviet armored incursion in Europe, the M1 Abrams tank gained considerable fame during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and its combat record has continued to climb. With such a long service life, the Abrams has undergone continual improvements and upgrades, which are illustrated in great detail in this volume. The unique features of the various models are detailed in stunning color photos, and the combat use of these fearsome vehicles is richly illustrated through previously unpublished photos. The story of the Abrams begins in the late 1960s when the threat of Soviet Armor developments forced the U.S. to look for a suitable replacement for the M60 series. A joint venture between the U.S. and West Germany to build a suitable common Main Battle Tank brought about the unorthodox and terribly expensive MBT70. It never saw series production. When this program was cancelled in 1970, a quest for a more cost-effective tank was begun. The constant development, upgrade, and conversion of the series have kept the Abrams at the forefront of main battle tank technology—and it has proven itself on the battlefield time and time again. This book, filled with rare archival photos, takes us through decades of its remarkable history, including improvements to its armor, transmission, and engine; the addition of an integrated nuclear, biological, and chemical system; the installation of a layer of depleted uranium and interior blast doors to protect the crew, and more.
M1 Abrams: The US's Main Battle Tank in American and Foreign Service, 1981–2019 (Tank Craft)
by David GrummittA history of the iconic vehicle: &“This modeler's delight showcases the M1 and its variations with all sorts of camouflage schemes.&” —Historical Miniatures Gaming Society Since its introduction in 1981, at the height of the Cold War, the Abrams main battle tank has been one of the most visible symbols of American military power, and it is the fascinating subject of this heavily illustrated historical and modeling guide in the TankCraft series by David Grummitt. Designed to meet head-on the massed tank forces of the Warsaw Pact, its combat debut actually came in a different scenario in 1991, during the First Gulf War. Since then it has served in a peacekeeping role in the former Yugoslavia and seen combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. It has gone through a series of modifications and modernizations that see it set to remain the backbone of the US Army until at least 2050. As well as charting the development and combat history of the vehicle, this book is illustrated throughout with color photos and specially commissioned color profiles. Five different models, covering the service history of the Abrams, are featured, as is a modeler&’s guide to the existing kits and accessories in the all the popular scales.
M1 Abrams: The US's Main Battle Tank in American and Foreign Service, 1981–2019 (Tank Craft)
by David GrummittA history of the iconic vehicle: &“This modeler's delight showcases the M1 and its variations with all sorts of camouflage schemes.&” —Historical Miniatures Gaming Society Since its introduction in 1981, at the height of the Cold War, the Abrams main battle tank has been one of the most visible symbols of American military power, and it is the fascinating subject of this heavily illustrated historical and modeling guide in the TankCraft series by David Grummitt. Designed to meet head-on the massed tank forces of the Warsaw Pact, its combat debut actually came in a different scenario in 1991, during the First Gulf War. Since then it has served in a peacekeeping role in the former Yugoslavia and seen combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. It has gone through a series of modifications and modernizations that see it set to remain the backbone of the US Army until at least 2050. As well as charting the development and combat history of the vehicle, this book is illustrated throughout with color photos and specially commissioned color profiles. Five different models, covering the service history of the Abrams, are featured, as is a modeler&’s guide to the existing kits and accessories in the all the popular scales.
M1 Abrams Tank (Images of War)
by Michael GreenThis pictorial history of the legendary M1 Abrams Tank illustrates its versatility and advancement from the Cold War Era to the present day. The M1 Abrams has proved itself to be the finest main battle tank in the world since its introduction into US Army service in 1981. It combines the ultimate balance between firepower, mobility and protection as demonstrated by its superior performance during the two Gulf Wars and in Afghanistan. It routed the Soviet equipment of Saddam Hussein's army and today remains the yardstick by which friends' and foes' MBTs are judged. As military expert Michael Green demonstrates in this illustrated history, the M1&’s versatility, and its continual modernization of weaponry armor and engineering, guarantees that it will remain the US Army's spearpoint for years to come. With its comprehensive collection of images and authoritative text, this volume is an ideal resource for information on M1 Abrams Tank design and combat operations.
M1 Abrams vs T-72 Ural: Operation Desert Storm 1991
by Jim Laurier Steven J. ZalogaThe Gulf War bore witness to a number of deadly encounters between these two great adversaries. Heavily armored, highly mobile and capable of killing at over 2500m the M1 Abrams is, to this day, a veritable fighting machine. Superior to both Iraq's Soviet era T-55 and T-62 tanks, nearly all sources claim that no Abrams tank has ever been destroyed by enemy fire. Despite entering service in 1980, the M1 Abrams remained untested in combat until the Gulf War in 1991, where it was to be confronted by its archenemy the Iraqi-assembled Soviet-designed T-72. Entering production in 1971, the T-72 arguably outstripped its contemporaries in a balance of mobility, protection and firepower. By the time of Operation Desert Storm, however, the tables had turned and the tank suffered due to low quality ammunition and poorly trained crews. In this fascinating study, Steven Zaloga pits these two great fighting machines against one another, plotting the development of the Cold War until both tanks met in combat in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait. From the Trade Paperback edition.
The M1 Carbine
by Peter Dennis Leroy ThompsonThe M1 Carbine was produced in more numbers than any other US small arm in World War II (1939-1945). In 1938 the US Chief of Infantry requested that the Ordnance Department develop a carbine or light rifle to be used by service and support troops, artillerymen, machinegun crews, tankers, mortar crews and other troops not needing the power of the M1 Garand rifle. The development of this new weapon was given an added impetus by Germany's successful use of airborne and glider troops early on in World War II. This caused a fear amongst US officers that troops normally considered "behind the lines" personnel might have to fight elite German troops and would therefore require a more effective weapon than their standard pistols. The resulting M1 Carbine was a not a shortened version of the standard service rifle but instead a brand-new design chambering a new cartridge. This new weapon would see service in every theater and with all US service arms as well as American and Allied special units including the OSS, Merrill's Marauders, the SAS and the SBS. Eventually numerous manufacturers would combine to produce over six million M1 Carbines before the end of the war. This new title provides an in-depth analysis on this crucial, trailblazing weapon.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The M1 Garand
by Peter Dennis Leroy ThompsonThe M1 Garand gave US infantrymen a marked edge during World War II. It shot faster and further than enemy infantry rifles and hit harder. No less an authority on killing the enemy than General George S. Patton called the Garand, "The greatest battle implement ever devised." At a time when opposing forces were armed with bolt action rifles, US troops had a highly reliable self-loader. It was the US Army's principal infantry weapon in World War II, beloved of troops for its ability to withstand hard use and be ready when needed. In most battles the Garands speed of fire combined with the powerful .30-06 cartridge gave US troops a distinct advantage. The eight-round clips which were used to load the M1 Garand were, however, viewed with mixed emotions by the troops on the ground. Eight rounds was not much magazine capacity for a self-loading rifle, thus requiring frequent reloading in combat. Some Army and Marine Corps troops allegedly felt that the distinctive "twang" as the Garand's clip was ejected when empty alerted the enemy that the soldiers were reloading and resulted in an attack. But this problem may have been overstated as experienced troops did not all empty their weapons at the same time. It was also a particularly heavy weapon in contrast to the much lighter M1 Carbine. But the Garand became the defining mankiller of the war, despite its weight and magazine problems, and many US combat veterans consider it one of the key reasons they survived the war, as one veteran succinctly commented, "I let my Garand do the talking."
M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers 1942-53
by Peter Sarson Steven ZalogaThe US Army had a unique tactical doctrine during World War II, placing the emphasis for tank fighting on its Tank Destroyer Command whose main early-war vehicle was the M10 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, based on the reliable M4A2 Sherman tank chassis. This durable and versatile vehicle saw combat service from the North Africa campaign in 1943. By 1944, its gun was not powerful enough and it was rearmed with the new 90 mm gun, becoming the M36 90mm Gun Motor Carriage. This book details one of the only US armoured vehicles capable of dealing with the Panther and Tiger during the Battle of the Bulge.
M10 Tank Destroyer vs StuG III Assault Gun
by Steven Zaloga Richard ChasemoreAlthough tanks like the Sherman and Panther captured the headlines, the Allies' M10 tank destroyer and the Germans' Sturmgeschütz (StuG) III were the unsung workhorses of the northwest European battlefields of 1944-45. While their mission was not principally fighting one another, their widespread use ensured their frequent encounters, from the Normandy bocage to the rubble-strewn streets of Aachen. The StuG III was the quintessential assault gun: a low-slung, heavily armored, turretless vehicle intended to provide direct-fire support for infantry formations. It was a jack of all trades, being used both for the traditional direct-fire role, but also increasingly for antitank defense; when its armament was improved from a short 75mm gun to the better-known long 75mm gun, it reached its pinnacle and remained largely unchanged from 1943 to 1945. It proved exceptionally valuable in Normandy as its low profile and excellent armament made it a useful infantry support weapon while at the same time it had more than adequate firepower to destroy standard Allied tanks such as the Sherman.The M10 3in Gun Motor Carriage was originally developed as a tank destroyer. It was based on the Sherman tank chassis but with less armor and a more powerful gun. By 1944, however, its 3in gun proved ineffectual against the most thickly armored German tanks such as the Panther and Tiger. As a result, by 1944, the US Army's M10 battalions were usually deployed in support of US infantry divisions to conduct direct-fire support. Essentially, the M10 became the US Army's principal assault gun in the 1944-45 ETO campaign, whether intended for this role or not.Widely deployed in roles their designers had not envisaged, these two armored fighting vehicles clashed repeatedly during the 11-month campaign that saw the Allies advance from Normandy to the heart of the Reich. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this is the story of their confrontation at the height of World War II.
M103 Heavy Tank 1950-74
by Kenneth Estes Richard ChasemoreThe T43 design represented the pinnacle of U.S. Army tank engineering of the late 1940s, with its cast elliptical hull and turret, Continental AV-1790 engine, cross-drive transmission, and torsion bar suspension. A range-finder and mechanical computer directed a powerful 120mm main gun in a novel electro-hydraulic turret, among other features. The heavy tank proved fairly popular with its crews, who above all respected the powerful armament it carried. Many challenges to the crewmen were taken on with a sense of pride. Typical was the job of the second loader to hand-ram both the projectile (positioned by the first loader at the breech) and the propellant cartridge into the chamber in a single movement, all within the confines of a narrow turret. The outbreak of war in Korea brought a rush order in December 1950 which led to a complete production run of 300 vehicles, considered sufficient for Army and Marine Corps requirements. As might have been expected from the rush to production, the T43E1 failed its initial trials at Ft. Knox, mostly for erratic gun controls and poor ballistic performance of the projectiles. A modification program (of over 100 discrepancies) resulted in the standardization of the T43E1 as the 120mm gun combat tank, M103 in 1956. After 1951, the Marine Corps alone retained confidence in the heavy tank program, investing its scarce funds in the improvements necessary to bring about its fielding after a hurried production run in midst of the 'tank crisis' of the year 1950-51. Without the Marine Corps' determination to bring the M103 to operational status, it seems clear that the 300 vehicles would have languished in storage before their eventual disposal. The correctness of the Marine Corps support of the M103 tank was in no small way acknowledged by the Army's borrowing of 72 M103A1 improved USMC tanks necessary for its single heavy tank battalion in Germany. No other weapon system, before the era of antitank missiles, could guarantee the destruction of the Russian heavies, which continued their service through the late 1960s. The eventual retirement of the M103 in 1972, over 20 years after manufacture and after 14 years of operational service, demonstrated the soundness of its engineering and fulfillment of its designed role. It may have been the unwanted 'ugly duckling' of the Army, which refrained from naming the M103 alone of all its postwar tanks. For the Marine Corps, it served the purpose defined for it in 1949 until the automotive and weapons technology of the United States could produce viable alternatives.
The M14 Battle Rifle
by Leroy Thompson Johnny ShumateFeaturing specially commissioned full-color artwork and archive and close-up photographs, this engaging study tells the story of the M14, the long-lived battle rifle that remains in front-line service with US forces more than 50 years after its first adoption.The 7.62×51mm M14 select-fire automatic rifle was the primary US service rifle for only a decade from 1957 before being supplanted by the 5.56×45mm M16, yet many familiar with the M14 consider it the best rifle ever to see US service. Based on the well-proven M1 Garand rifle, the M14 addressed the perceived "deficiencies" of the Garand based on the latter's service in World War II and Korea. The M14 incorporated a detachable box magazine and select-fire capability, and used a shortened version of the .30-06 cartridge - the 7.62×51mm NATO round - better suited to a "battle rifle."Though primarily designed for a war in Europe, where it would take its place alongside the other 7.62×51mm battle rifles (FAL, G3, etc.) in the hands of NATO allies, probably the first combat use of the M14 was with the 82nd Airborne Division in the Dominican Republic in 1965-66. The M14 also saw action during the early days of the escalating US involvement in the Vietnam War, though it proved rather too heavy and lengthy for jungle usage and was supplanted in that theater by the M16 in 1966-67. Even so, some Army engineer units continued to use the M14 as did US Marines, who often retained one or two in each squad. Even after the adoption of the M16, US troops in Europe retained the M14 until 1970 for compatibility with other NATO armies.Although the M14 was intended to replace four weapons, namely the .30-06 M1 Garand, the .30 M1 Carbine, the .45 M3 submachine gun (SMG), and - in its M15 and M14A1 models - the .30-06 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), this proved to be an overly optimistic goal. The new weapon was deemed virtually uncontrollable on full-automatic in the SMG role, but its 7.62×51mm round proved too light for the BAR's squad automatic weapon role.Even so, the M14 has remained a Phoenix among US infantry weapons, rising again and again when a more powerful battle rifle has been needed. Its accuracy and reliability led to its modification and adoption in 1975 as a semi-automatic sniping weapon - the M21 - which remained the Army's primary sniper rifle until 1988, although seeing widespread service in Iraq well after that date. Since 2001 the M14 has seen a resurgence as a Designated Marksman Rifle, being employed by all branches of the US military, especially in Afghanistan where the open terrain makes longer-range engagements common. It has remained a viable limited-use US infantry weapon for over five decades, and appears likely to see action wherever US forces require a longer-range, accurate battle rifle for some years to come.
The M16
by Johnny Shumate Gordon RottmanThe M16 was first introduced in 1958 and was revolutionary for its time as it was made of lightweight materials including special aluminium and plastics, which had previously not been used in mainstream weapons. It was first adopted by US Special Forces and airborne troops in 1962 before it was issued to Army and Marine units serving in the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Its use spread throughout the following decades and a number of variants including submachine and carbine versions were also fielded. It was not only the rifle itself that proved revolutionary. The 5.56x45mm cartridge was also ground-breaking and was eventually adopted as the standard NATO cartridge. As a result it is now amongst the three most used combat cartridges in the world while over 10 million M16s and variants have been produced making it one of the most successful American handheld weapons in history . But despite its undeniable success the M16 is not without its detractors. Indeed, the "black rifle", as it is known, is one of the most controversial rifles ever introduced with a long history of design defects, ruggedness issues, cleaning difficulties and reliability problems leading to endless technical refinements. The story is not over either. The M16 is still in production to this day ensuring that its use in future conflicts as well as its impact on world affairs is assured. This volume, written by a Vietnam Special Forces veteran, provides a technical history of the M16 and the struggle to perfect it together with an assessment of its impact on the battlefield drawing on over a decade's combat experience with the rifle.From the Trade Paperback edition.
M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-97
by Steven Zaloga Jim LaurierThe M18 76mm Gun Motor Carriage was developed for the US Army's Tank Destroyer Command. It was the only tank destroyer deployed during World War II actually based on their requirements for speed and firepower. This book examines the development of this vehicle, the controversies over the need for high-speed tank destroyers, and its actual performance during World War II. Special emphasis is placed on examining its performance in its intended mission. Coverage also includes derivative vehicles of the M18 such as the M39 armored utility vehicle.
The M1903 Springfield Rifle
by Steve Noon Leroy ThompsonDeveloped to replace the Model 1892 Krag-Jørgensen rifle, the Model 1903 Springfield was a five-shot bolt-action rifle that introduced the .30-06 cartridge - the standard US round until the introduction of the 7.62mm NATO cartridge - and gave the US infantryman a durable, magazine-fed weapon so renowned for its accuracy that it remained in service as a sniping rifle for decades after it was superseded by the M1 Garand in 1937. Extensively used in World War I, the M1903 Springfield saw widespread combat in World War II and Korea. During World War I, US troops developed a formidable reputation for marksmanship aided by the accuracy of the M1903 Springfield. World War II saw the introduction of the M1903A3, which changed the rear sight so that it was closer to that of the M1 Garand, to allow easier training of troops who might be issued either rifle. Illustrated with specially commissioned color artwork and drawing upon veterans' recollections, this is the engaging story of the M1903 Springfield, an iconic rifle prized for its lethal accuracy that equipped US and other troops for much of the 20th century.