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The Wars of Justinian I
by Michael WhitbyDetails the Roman army of Justinian – equipment, organization, leadership, strategy and tactics – illustrated with strategic maps and tactical battle diagrams.Justinian I was the last great conquering Roman emperor, who dramatically increased the size of his realm although he never actually led an army in person. His long reign (527-565) was devoted to the challenging project of renovatio imperii, that is the renovation of Empire. His was the will and vision behind campaigns that saw the reconquest of Rome itself and Italy from the Ostrogoths, North Africa from the Vandals, and parts of Spain from the Visigoths. These grand schemes were largely accomplished through the services of two talented generals, Belisarius and Narses, and in spite of the distractions of wars against the Persians in the east for most of his reign and the devastation caused by bubonic plague. This is the only book available devoted to analysing all of Justinian's campaigns on the basis of the full range of sources. Besides narrating the course and outcome of these wars, Michael Whitby analyses the Roman army of the period, considering its equipment, organization, leadership, strategy and tactics, and considers the longer-term impact of Justinian’s military ventures on the stability of the empire.
The Wars of Louis XIV 1667-1714 (Modern Wars In Perspective)
by John A. LynnWarfare dominated the long reign of the `Sun-king', Louis XIV. For forty years from 1672, France was continuously at war and had one of the largest armies seen in the West since the fall of imperial Rome. The campaigns secured little territory, but almost bankrupted the country and the consequences for the French monarchy were dramatic - contributing to its eventual downfall. John Lynn examines the wars for evidence of a coherent strategic policy; he explores the operational logistics of the campaigns; and considers their significance for France's diplomatic, political, mililtary, administrative and institutional This is the first modern, comprehensive study in any language, and offers a vivid insight into 17th and 18th century statesmanship and warfare - reaching a climax with the defeat of France by Marlborough at Blenheim.
The Wars of Napoleon: The Wars Of Napoleon (Modern Wars In Perspective)
by Charles J EsdaileFirst published in 1995 to great critical acclaim, The Wars of Napoleon provides students with a comprehensive survey of the Napoleonic Wars around the central theme of the scale of French military power and its impact on other European states, from Portugal to Russia and from Scandinavia to Sicily. The book introduces the reader to the rise of Napoleon and the wider diplomatic and political context before analysing such subjects as how France came to dominate Europe; the impact of French conquest and the spread of French ideas; the response of European powers; the experience of the conflicts of 1799–1815 on such areas of the world as the West Indies, India and South America; the reasons why Napoleon’s triumph proved ephemeral; and the long-term impact of the period. This second edition has been revised throughout to include a completely re-written section on collaboration and resistance, a new chapter on the impact of the Napoleonic Wars in the wider world and material on the various ways in which women became involved in, or were affected by, the conflict. Thoroughly updated and offering students a view of the subject that challenges many preconceived ideas, The Wars of Napoleon remains an essential resource for all students of the French Revolutionary Wars as well as students of European and military history during this period.
The Wars of the Ancient Greeks and Their Invention of Western Military Culture
by John Keegan Victor Davis HansonA history of various Greek/Helinistic period wars and concepts.
The Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, 1792-1815 (Warfare and History)
by Owen ConnellyWritten by an experienced author and expert in the field, Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, 1792-1815 provides a thorough re-examination of the crucial period in the history of France for students of history and military studies. Based on extensive research, and including twenty detailed maps, this study is unique in its focus on the wars of both the French Revolution and Napoleon. Owen Connelly expertly analyzes them both to provide a broader context for warfare. Examining the causes of the wars, and how the practices of warfare during this period were to influence mode of combat throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Connelly also establishes trends discernable in the First and Second World Wars and examines key issues including: * the impact of the population explosion on armies and war* the legacy of the ancient regime impact on revolutionary armies* the impact of the Revolution on leadership, strategy, organization and weaponry* Was Napoleon’s leadership style unique, or could another have played his role?* contributions from the governments of the early Revolution, the Terror, the Directory and the Napoleonic regime* What did twenty-three successive years of war accomplish?* Was this era a turning point in the history of warfare?
The Wars of the French Revolution: 1792–1801
by Charles J EsdaileThe Wars of the French Revolution, 1792–1801 offers a comprehensive and jargon-free coverage of this turbulent period and unites political, social, military and international history in one volume. Carefully designed for undergraduate students, through twelve chapters this book offers an introduction to the origins and international context of the French Revolution as well as an in-depth examination of the reasons why war began. Aspects unpicked within the book include how France acquired a de facto empire stretching from Holland to Naples; the impact of French conquest on the areas concerned; the spread of French ideas beyond the frontiers of the French imperium; the response of the powers of Europe to the sudden expansion in French military power; the experience of the conflicts unleashed by the French Revolution in such areas as the West Indies, Egypt and India; and the impact of war on the Revolution itself. Offering extensive geographical coverage and challenging many preconceived ideas, The Wars of the French Revolution, 1792–1801 is the perfect resource for students of the French Revolution and international military history more broadly.
The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to the Present
by Robin Moore Michael Lennon Scott NeilLegendary adventurer and raconteur Robin Moore has teamed up with third-generation Army officer Michael "Doc” Lennon to share the stories of the soldiers who have earned the right to wear the Green Beret.From Vietnam to the present day, The Wars of the Green Berets retells the stranger-than-fiction, hair-raising experiences of the stout men who have risked it all, from their firefights on the Cambodian border to their present-day patrols on the dangerous streets of Baghdad. It takes us to the streets of Mogadishu in the days before and after the events of Black Hawk Down. It puts us on the rocky moonscapes of Afghanistan in search of the enemy, where soldiers face the dangers of friendly fire as well as fierce Taliban fighters.Featuring a new foreword by a former Green Beret about the continued efforts and role Special Forces play in modern warfare, this is a work of fiction that is more real than many works of history. It’s destined to become a classic.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction-novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to the Present Day
by Robin Moore Michael LennonAuthors Robin Moore and Michael Lennon team up in this exciting new novel to tell the "fictionalized" stories of the men who have risked it all for the U.S.A.: the Green Berets. They take us from firefights on the Cambodian border during the Vietnam War to the streets and alleyways of Iraq today. They teach us what it was really like to patrol the streets of Mogadishu in the days of Black Hawk Down. They show the horror that was Saddam's Iraq during the first Gulf War. They take us to the moonscape that is Afghanistan in search of the Taliban. The Wars of the Green Berets continues the saga of Moore's classic The Green Berets, revealing more than a few tantalizing secrets and anecdotes for the first time.
The Wars of the Roses
by J R LanderThe dynastic struggles of the Wars of the Roses (1455-85) have traditionally been portrayed as belonging to one of the most dramatic periods in the history of England, an age of murder and melodrama. In this classic history of the wars, charting their origins, progress, conclusions and effects, Professor Lander sets the record straight. By putting the wars into their contemporary context, using the written records of the time (many of which are reproduced in the text) and the results of modern research and scholarship, the true picture emerges. The wars were, in fact, very limited. While not denying that contemporary English society was disorderly and violent, Lander suggests that this state of affairs was due far less to civil war than to habits of violence among all classes of society. Fluently and clearly written "The Wars of the Roses" is the perfect overview of one of the most famous of medieval conflicts. Shedding light, as it does, on fifteenth-century history as a whole, the roots of the Tudor dynasty, and the background to Shakespeare's history plays, this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in this most turbulent period.
The Wars of the Roses
by Robin NeillandsA concise and entertaining study of the vicious wars between the English noble houses of York and Lancaster during the 15th century.The vicious wars between the English noble houses of York and Lancaster marked the end of medieval England and the birth of the Renaissance. The end of that thirty-year period of strife and bloodshed saw the collapse of the great Plantagenet dynasty, rulers of all England and much of France for over three hundred years, and the rise of the Tudors. All the characters are here: Henry V and his luckless son, Henry VI, together with his unfortunate uncles, John of Bedford and Humphrey of Gloucester, not to mention the notorious Richard III and his nephews - The Princes in the Tower. Neillands skilfully tackles this complex period providing a clear and entertaining analysis.
The Wars of the Roses
by Robin NeillandsA concise and entertaining study of the vicious wars between the English noble houses of York and Lancaster during the 15th century.The vicious wars between the English noble houses of York and Lancaster marked the end of medieval England and the birth of the Renaissance. The end of that thirty-year period of strife and bloodshed saw the collapse of the great Plantagenet dynasty, rulers of all England and much of France for over three hundred years, and the rise of the Tudors. All the characters are here: Henry V and his luckless son, Henry VI, together with his unfortunate uncles, John of Bedford and Humphrey of Gloucester, not to mention the notorious Richard III and his nephews - The Princes in the Tower. Neillands skilfully tackles this complex period providing a clear and entertaining analysis.
The Wars of the Roses: Magnates And Their Motives In The Wars Of The Roses (Essential Histories Ser. #Vol. 54)
by Michael HicksA new assessment of the battle for the English throne: &“All readers interested in late medieval history will appreciate this&” (Library Journal). The Wars of the Roses (1455–85) were a major turning point in English history. But the underlying causes for the successive upheavals have been hotly contested by historians ever since. In this original and stimulating new synthesis, distinguished historian Michael Hicks examines the difficult economic, military, and financial crises and explains, for the first time, the real reasons why the conflicts between the House of Lancaster and the House of York began, why they kept recurring, and why, eventually, they ceased. Alongside fresh assessments of key personalities, Hicks sheds new light on the significance of the involvement of the people in politics, the intervention of foreign powers in English affairs, and a fifteenth-century credit crunch. Combining a meticulous dissection of competing dynamics with a clear account of the course of events, this is a definitive and indispensable history of a compelling, complex period.
The Warsaw Anagrams: A Novel (Bride Series)
by Richard ZimlerThe bestselling author of The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon delivers a wartime thriller that’s “equal parts riveting, heartbreaking, inspiring, and intelligent” (San Francisco Chronicle). With his international-bestseller The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, Richard Zimler made a name as a master of historical thrillers. In this chilling mystery, winner of the Marques de Ouro Prize, Zimler has woven a gripping tale in the tradition of The Shadow of the Wind. It is autumn, 1940, and the Nazis have sealed four-hundred-thousand Jews into the Warsaw Ghetto. Erik Cohen, an elderly psychiatrist, moves into a tiny apartment with his last remaining relatives. Then his beloved great-nephew Adam goes missing and his body is discovered tangled in the barbed wire, strangely mutilated. Soon afterward, another body turns up, this time a young girl. Could there be a Jewish traitor luring children to their deaths? With an unlikely hero and hair-raising suspense, The Warsaw Anagrams is a profoundly moving and darkly atmospheric thriller. “Part murder mystery and part historical fiction . . . Thrilling.” —The Boston Globe “A gripping, heartbreaking and beautiful thriller.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times–bestselling author of The Romanovs “Spare but striking prose . . . Masterful.” —Newsday “A fast-moving, powerful and intellectual murder mystery set within wartime Warsaw Poland during World War II . . . Zimler provides layer after layer of intrigue and excitement. This is not simply a novel about the Holocaust. It is a murder mystery that will challenge the reader to uncover a frightening truth within a world turned upside down by war and genocide.” —New York Journal of Books
The Warsaw Orphan: A WWII Historical Fiction Novel
by Kelly RimmerInstant New York Times bestseller—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!Inspired by the real-life heroine who saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII, The Warsaw Orphan is Kelly Rimmer&’s most anticipated novel since her bestselling sensation, The Things We Cannot Say. &“Gripping… This one easily stands on its own.&” —Publishers Weekly&“Heart-stopping.&” – Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author&“A surefire hit.&” – Kristin Harmel, #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorIn the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.Using Sara's credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever. From Nazi occupation to the threat of a communist regime, The Warsaw Orphan is the unforgettable story of Elzbieta and Roman's perilous attempt to reclaim the love and life they once knew.Don&’t miss Kelly Rimmer&’s newest novel, The Paris Agent, where a family&’s innocent search for answers brings a long-forgotten, twenty-five-year-old mystery featuring two female SOE operatives comes to light! For more by Kelly Rimmer, look for: Before I Let You Go The Things We Cannot Say Truths I Never Told You The German Wife The Midnight Estate
The Warsaw Uprisings, 1943–1944: Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives (Images of War)
by Ian BaxterBy 1942 the Nazi leadership had decided that the Jewish ghettos across occupied Poland should be liquidated, with Warsaw’s being the largest , processed in phases. In response the left-wing Jewish Combat Organisation (ZOB) and right-wing Jewish Military Union (ZZW) formed and began training, preparing defences and smuggling in arms and explosives. The first Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began in April 1943. Although this was quelled at devastating cost to the Jewish community, resistance continued until the summer of 1944. By this time the Red Army was closing on the city and with liberation apparently imminent the 40,000 resistance fighters of the Polish Home Army launched a second uprising. For sixty-three days the insurgents battled their oppressors on the streets, in ruined buildings and cellars. Rather than come to their aid the Russians waited and watched the inevitable slaughter. This gallant but tragic struggle is brought to life in this book by the superb collection of photographs drawn from the album compiled for none other than Heinrich Himmler entitled Warschauer Aufstand 1944.
The Warship Mary Rose: The Life and Times of King Henry VII's Flagship
by David ChildsThis new paperback edition brings the history of Henry VIII's famous warship right up to date with new chapters on the stunning presentation of the hull and the 19,000 salvaged artefacts in the new museum in Portsmouth.Mary Rose has, along with HMS Victory, become an instantly recognisable symbol of Britain's maritime past, while the extraordinary richness of the massive collection of artefacts gleaned from the wreck has meant that the ship has acquired the status of some sort of 'time capsule', as if it were a Tudor burial site. But she is much more than an archaeological relic; she was a warship, and a revolutionary one, that served in the King's navy for thirty-four years, almost the entire length of his reign.This book tells the story of her eventful career, placing it firmly within the colourful context of Tudor politics, court life and the developing administration of a permanent navy. And though the author also brings the story right down to the present day, with chapters on the recovery, the fresh ideas and information thrown up by the massive programme of archaeological work since undertaken, and the new display just recently opened at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, it is at heart a vivid retelling of her career and, at the end, her dramatic sinking.With this fine narrative and the beautiful illustrations the book will appeal to the historian and enthusiast, and also to the general reader and museum visitor.
The Wartime Book Club
by Kate ThompsonInspired by true events, The Wartime Book Club is an unforgettable story of everyday bravery and resistance, full of romance, drama, and camaraderie and a tribute to the joy of reading and the power of books in our darkest hour. The Isle of Jersey was once a warm and neighborly community, but in 1943, German soldiers patrol the cobbled streets, imposing a harsh rule. Nazis have ordered Grace La Mottée, the island's only librarian, to destroy books that threaten the new regime. Instead, she hides the stories away in secret. Along with her headstrong best friend, she wants to fight back. So she forms the Wartime Book Club: a lifeline, offering fearful islanders the joy and escapism of reading. But as the occupation drags on, the women's quiet acts of bravery become more perilous – and more important – than ever before. And when tensions turn to violence, they are forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance . . . Based on astonishing real events, The Wartime Book Club is a love letter to the power of books in the darkest of times – as well as a moving page-turner that brings to life the remarkable, untold story of an island at war.
The Wartime Book Club: a gripping and heart-warming new story of love, bravery and resistance in WW2, inspired by a true story
by Kate Thompson*BASED ON A TRUE STORY, CONTAINS 50+ PAGES OF EXTRA CONTENT ON THE REAL PEOPLE THE BOOK IS INSPIRED BY*Jersey, 1943. When the German Army invades the tranquil island, librarian Grace La Motée is determined to keep her services running. Ordered to destroy books which threaten the Nazi regime, she refuses, instead hiding them away and fighting back by forming a book club: a lifeline to help islanders escape the terror of war, one chapter at a time.But soon Grace's quiet acts of bravery become even more perilous. She's harbouring dangerous secrets - ones that put her life in danger - and when tensions turn to violence, she is forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance . . .Based on astonishing real events, The Wartime Book Club is a love letter to the power of books in the darkest of times - as well as a moving page-turner that brings to life the remarkable, untold story of an island at war.EVERYONE LOVES THE WARTIME BOOK CLUB:'Wish I could give it more stars' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I was utterly enthralled . . . it reminds us how strong we can be in the face of adversity' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Tears, laughs and genuine love for all the characters in this book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A heartwarming tale . . . shows against all odds and hardships people can survive' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Full of wonderful characters and their determination to get through the worst times' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐AND SO DO YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS...'One of the very best books I've read in a long time' PETER JAMES'Engaging' RACHEL HORE'Both heartwarming and heartbreaking' GILL PAUL'A poignant masterpiece' MADELINE MARTIN'A book to be savoured and remembered' GILL THOMPSON
The Wartime Book Club: the heart-warming and inspiring new novel of love, bravery and resistance in WW2
by Kate ThompsonA gripping and heartwarming novel inspired by the true events of the women who joined the resistance in Jersey during the German occupation in WW2.From enchanting cliff tops and white sandy bays to the pretty cobbled streets of St Helier, Jersey is known as the land of milk and honey. But for best friends Bea Rose (the local postwoman) and Grace Le Motte (who works in the island's only library) it becomes the frontline to everyday resistance when their beloved island is occupied by German forces in 1940.Inspired by astonishing true events, THE WARTIME BOOK CLUB is an unforgettable story of everyday bravery and resistance, full of romance, drama and camaraderie and a tribute to the joy of reading and the power of books in our darkest hour.(P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Wartime Bookshop: The first in a heart-warming WWII saga series about community and friendship, from the bestselling author (The Wartime Bookshop #1)
by Lesley EamesThe first in a brand-new nostalgic and heart-warming WWII series, perfect for fans of Donna Douglas and Elaine Everest.Alice is nursing an injured hand and a broken heart when she moves to the village of Churchwood at the start of WWII. She is desperate to be independent but worries that her injuries will make that impossible.Kate lives with her family on Brimbles Farm, where her father and brothers treat her no better than a servant. With no mother or sisters, and shunned by the locals, Kate longs for a friend of her own.Naomi is looked up to for owning the best house in the village. But privately, she carries the hurts of childlessness, a husband who has little time for her and some deep-rooted insecurities.With war raging overseas, and difficulties to overcome at home, friendship is needed now more than ever. Can the war effort and a shared love of books bring these women - and the community of Churchwood - together?**The fifth novel, A Foundling at the Wartime Bookshop, is available to buy now!**-------------------------------**Real readers are LOVING The Wartime Bookshop**'BRILLIANT''Oh I loved this book... please carry on the good writing''Wow what a brilliant start to a new series''Outstandingly fabulous, warm and inviting... so glad there is going to be a follow-on''I was only two pages in when I knew this would be a 5 star read... I honestly can't put my excitement into words at the thought of reading the next one'
The Washington Conference, 1921-22: Naval Rivalry, East Asian Stability and the Road to Pearl Harbor
by Erik Goldstein John MaurerThe Washington Conference regulated the inter-war naval race between the world powers. In the era when it was still believed that battleships were the epitome of naval power and a sign of a country's strength, this conference led to limitations on the building of such weapons by the naval powers of Britain, the USA and Japan. This collection of essays deals with many aspects of the conference; the factors that caused it, the interests of the participating nations both present and future, and the results.
The Washington Decree
by Jussi Adler-OlsenThe New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Department Q series is back, with a terrifyingly relevant stand-alone novel about an America in chaos. THE NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR24 MILLION BOOKS SOLDWINNER OF THE GLASS KEY AWARD"The president has gone way too far. . . . These are practically dictatorial methods we're talking about." When Democratic Senator Bruce Jansen is elected president of the United States, it is a personal victory for Dorothy "Dottie" Rogers. She has secured a job in the White House, has proved to her Republican father that she was right to support Jansen, and is proud to see the rise of an intelligent, inspiring leader who shares her ideals. But the triumph is short-lived: Jansen's pregnant wife is assassinated on election night, and the alleged mastermind behind the shooting is none other than Dottie's own father. When Jansen ascends to the White House, he is a changed man, determined to end gun violence by any means necessary. Rights are taken away as quickly as weapons. Checkpoints and roadblocks destroy infrastructure. The media is censored. Militias declare civil war on the government. The country is in chaos, and Dottie's finds herself fighting for the life of her father, who just may be innocent.
The Washington Decree
by Jussi Adler-OlsenThe New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Department Q series is back, with a terrifyingly relevant stand-alone novel about an America in chaos. THE NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR24 MILLION BOOKS SOLDWINNER OF THE GLASS KEY AWARD"The president has gone way too far. . . . These are practically dictatorial methods we're talking about." When Democratic Senator Bruce Jansen is elected president of the United States, it is a personal victory for Dorothy "Dottie" Rogers. She has secured a job in the White House, has proved to her Republican father that she was right to support Jansen, and is proud to see the rise of an intelligent, inspiring leader who shares her ideals. But the triumph is short-lived: Jansen's pregnant wife is assassinated on election night, and the alleged mastermind behind the shooting is none other than Dottie's own father. When Jansen ascends to the White House, he is a changed man, determined to end gun violence by any means necessary. Rights are taken away as quickly as weapons. Checkpoints and roadblocks destroy infrastructure. The media is censored. Militias declare civil war on the government. The country is in chaos, and Dottie's finds herself fighting for the life of her father, who just may be innocent.
The Washington Navy Yard
by Edward J. Marolda The Washington Navy YardDuring much of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Washington Navy Yard was the most recognizable symbol of the United States Navy in the nation’s capital. The shipyard built a number of the Navy’s first warships and repaired, refitted, and provisioned most of the frigates, sloops, and other combatants of the fledgling naval service. The masts and rigging of USS Constitution were a common site on the banks of the Anacostia River. Booming cannon became a routine sound in southeast Washington during the mid-19th century as Commander John A. Dahlgren, “father of American naval ordnance,” test-fired new guns for the fleet. The Naval Gun Factory’s fire and smoke-belching blast furnaces, foundries, and mills gave birth to many of the fleet’s weapons, from small boat howitzers to the enormous 14-inch and 16-inch rifles that armed the naval railway batteries in World War I and the Iowa-class battleships in World War II and the Cold War. Rear-Admiral David W. Taylor inaugurated a new era in ship development when he used scientific measurements in his Experimental Model Basin to test the properties of prototype hulls. Before and after World War I, the pioneers of naval aviation experimented in the Anacostia and navy yard facilities with various seaplane types, shipboard catapults, and other equipment that would soon revolutionize warfare at sea.
The Washington War: FDR's Inner Circle and the Politics of Power That Won World War II
by James LaceyA Team of Rivals for World War II—the inside story of how FDR and the towering personalities around him waged war in the corridors of Washington, D.C., to secure ultimate victory on the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific. The Washington War is the story of how the Second World War was fought and won in the capital’s halls of power—and how the United States, which in December 1941 had a nominal army and a decimated naval fleet, was able in only thirty months to fling huge forces onto the European continent and shortly thereafter shatter Imperial Japan’s Pacific strongholds. Three quarters of a century after the overwhelming defeat of the totalitarian Axis forces, the terrifying, razor-thin calculus on which so many critical decisions turned has been forgotten—but had any of these debates gone the other way, the outcome of the war could have been far different: The army in August 1941, about to be disbanded, saved by a single vote. Production plans that would have delayed adequate war matériel for years after Pearl Harbor, circumvented by one uncompromising man’s courage and drive. The delicate ballet that precluded a separate peace between Stalin and Hitler. The almost-adopted strategy to stage D-Day at a fatally different time and place. It was all a breathtakingly close-run thing, again and again. Renowned historian James Lacey takes readers behind the scenes in the cabinet rooms, the Pentagon, the Oval Office, and Hyde Park, and at the pivotal conferences—Campobello Island, Casablanca, Tehran—as these disputes raged. Here are colorful portraits of the great figures—and forgotten geniuses—of the day: New Dealers versus industrialists, political power brokers versus the generals, Churchill and the British high command versus the U.S. chiefs of staff, innovators versus entrenched bureaucrats . . . with the master manipulator, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at the center, setting his brawling patriots one against the other and promoting and capitalizing on the furious turf wars. Based on years of research and extensive, previously untapped archival resources, The Washington War is the first integrated, comprehensive chronicle of how all these elements—and towering personalities—clashed and ultimately coalesced at each vital turning point, the definitive account of Washington at real war and the titanic political and bureaucratic infighting that miraculously led to final victory.