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Wilfred Owen
by Jon StallworthyOf all the poets of the First World War, Wilfred Owen most fires the imagination today – this is the comprehensive literary biography of the greatest WW1 poetWilfred Owen tragically died in battle just a few days before the Armistice. Now, during the centenary year of his death, this biography honours Owen’s brief yet remarkable life, and the enduring legacy he left. Stallworthy covers his life from the childhood spent in the backstreets of Shrewsbury to the appalling final months in the trenches. More than a simple account of his life, it is also a poet's enquiry into the workings of a poet's mind. This revised edition contains the beautiful illustrations of the original edition, including the drawings by Owen and facsimile manuscripts of his greatest poems, as well as a new preface by the author.‘One of the finest biographies of our time.’ Graham Greene‘An outstanding book, a worthy memorial to its subject.’ Kingsley Amis ‘As lovingly detailed as the records of Owen's short life permit, but it is always fascinatingly readable, in fact engrossing.’ Sunday Telegraph
Wilhelm I as German Emperor: Staging the Kaiser (Palgrave Studies in Modern Monarchy)
by Frederik Frank SterkenburghThis book offers the first-ever scholarly study of Wilhelm I as Germany’s first Kaiser. For decades, Wilhelm has been dismissed by historians as a political nullity and an unwilling imperial figurehead, who was perpetually overruled by chancellor Otto von Bismarck. As a result, scholars concluded that the imperial role did not reach maturity until the accession of Wilhelm II. This book challenges this assumption by analysing how Wilhelm used self-staging to effectuate his role as German emperor and set the precedent for his successors, Friedrich III and Wilhelm II. It explores how he oversaw and intervened in the political and military decision-making processes, his use of politics of history, his understanding and practicing of the imperial role towards other German states and dynasties, his self-presentation in the new German capital, and how his public persona was distorted in German cultural memory after his death in 1888. The book draws on a wealth of previously unexplored sources, including material from Wilhelm’s personal archive, the archives of the Hohenzollern monarchy, the Prussian state, and local archives. It offers a much-needed reassessment of Wilhelm I and makes an important contribution to debates on the role of the Kaiser in German politics, the political system, and culture of the early German nation state, and how the Hohenzollern monarchy adapted to the demands of generating popular support for its new German imperial role.
Will
by Jeroen OlyslaegersA tense, thrilling, morally murky read, set in Nazi-occupied Antwerp and inspired by the author's own family history of collaboration during WWIIIt is 1941, and Antwerp is in the grip of Nazi occupation. Young policeman Wilfried Wils has no intention of being a hero - but war has a way of catching up with people. When his idealistic best friend draws him into the growing resistance movement, and an SS commander tries to force him into collaborating, Wilfried's loyalties become horribly, fatally torn. As the beatings, destruction and round-ups intensify across the city, he is forced into an act that will have consequences he could never have imagined. Will asks what any of us would risk to fight evil.
Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
by Laurie CalkhovenTwelve-year-old Will wants to be a drummer in the Union army, but he's stuck far from the fighting in his sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Then the Union and Confederate armies converge on Gettysburg, and suddenly Will and his family are caught up in the battle. From delivering important messages and helping the wounded to even saving a young soldier's life, Will takes readers on a firsthand trip through one of the Civil War's most significant battles.
The Will of the People: The Revolutionary Birth of America
by T. H. BreenT. H. Breen introduces us to the ordinary men and women who took responsibility for the course of the American revolution. Far from the actions of the Continental Congress and the Continental Army, they took the reins of power and preserved a political culture based on the rule of law, creating America’s political identity in the process.
Will-To-Fight: Japan’s Imperial Institution And The U.S. Strategy To End World War II
by Major Eric S. FowlerSun Tzu asserts that success is not winning every battle fought, but subduing the enemy's will without fighting. Nevertheless, modern military thought fails to distinguish an enemy's will-to-fight from their means to do so, limiting the ways military leaders apply operational art, problem framing, and conflict termination in pursuit of strategic objectives. The author asserts that gaining and maintaining a position of relative advantage for favorable conflict resolution requires leaders to understand the enemy's will-to-fight with equal fidelity as their means. This study examines U.S. planning efforts for post-WWII Japan from 1942 to 1945, focusing on the options planners possessed to achieve their ends; their choice to safeguard the Japanese Emperor; their understanding of the Japanese will-to-fight; and the way planners developed that understanding. The record reveals that-despite more forceful options-planners favored safeguarding the Imperial Institution; planners considered the Japanese people's will-to-fight as inexorably linked to the condition of their Sovereign, increasing in response to threats against Japanese national identity; and planners developed this understanding through discourse among experts in diplomacy, military governance, political culture, anthropology, and military intelligence. The implication-an enemy's will-to-fight can be targeted separate from their means and doing so may not require fighting.
The Will to Live: A Japanese POWs Memoir of Captivity and the Railway
by L.L. BaynesThe Author kept a diary recording his 1,000 days of captivity at the hands of the Japanese army. The difficulties and risks involved in this task were immense, yet he persevered although it meant deliberately defacing and cutting up the small pieces of paper. As a result, his memoir is both contemporaneous and entirely reliable.Reading this account of life and death during the fruitless fighting and his subsequent captivity in numerous camps in Singapore and on the Death Railway in Thailand is a humbling and moving experience. He describes not just the appalling hardship and brutality but, tellingly, his relationships with fellow POWs, his captors and the local population. As an NCO, Len found himself fronting up for his men and, being a self-sufficient man with strong beliefs, this led to some difficult situations, at times, with both the Japanese and his British superiors. While critical about a number of the latter, he has nothing but respect for others such as the legendary Colonel Toosey of Tamarkan Camp.Thanks to his honest and direct style, The Will To Live is a fine and inspiring firsthand example of the ever popular Japanese POW/Railway of Death genre. It reveals much about the nightmare experiences suffered by the Author and his colleagues and the way they coped under the most adverse conditions. His drawings complement the text and the Foreword by Ronald Searle, also a POW, speaks for itself.
The Will to Survive: Three and a Half Years as a Prisoner of the Japanese
by Arthur GodmanTaken prisoner after the fall of Singapore in 1942, Arthur Godman spent the next three and a half years on the Burma-Siam railway, living in camps along the River Kwai. Like other PoWs, he experienced disease and malnutrition and witnessed the painful deaths of many of his comrades. Yet somehow he retained his sense of humour and perspective, recalling, among the casual cruelties inflicted by the Japanese, small acts of kindness between guards and prisoners which enabled him to retain his faith in humanity. In order to survive he attempted to achieve a relationship with his captors based on their common experience of adversity, learning Thai, teaching bridge and stealing food. The Will to Survive gives the reader a glimpse of the terrifying world of the PoW and includes pictures by another famous captive, Ronald Searle.
Will We See Tomorrow?: A German Cavalryman at War, 1939–1942
by Max KuhnertThis memoir of a Nazi cavalryman offers a rare glimpse at the frontlines of WWII—in Poland, France, and Russia—from the perspective of a German soldier. Throughout the Second World War, the German Army was regarded as the most organized and technologically advanced fighting force in the world. And yet, while much is written about its Luftwaffe and Panzer tanks, the German military was mostly horse-drawn. The memoir of German mounted cavalryman Max Kuhnert takes readers inside this vital yet often overlooked aspect of the conflict. Originally from Dresden, Kuhnert enlisted in the German Army in 1939, and was posted to a cavalry unit which would go on to provide mounted reconnaissance troops for infantry regiments. His account tells of mobilization, time spent in occupied Denmark, and the invasions of Poland, France, and Russia. He also recounts the retreat from Russia, as well as his return to Germany after being wounded
William Henry Harrison and the Conquest of the Ohio Country: Frontier Fighting in the War of 1812 (Johns Hopkins Books on the War of 1812)
by David Curtis SkaggsWho was William Henry Harrison, and what does his military career reveal about the War of 1812 in the Great Lakes Region?In his study of William Henry Harrison, David Curtis Skaggs sheds light on the role of citizen-soldiers in taming the wilderness of the old Northwest. Perhaps best known for the Whig slogan in 1840—"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"—Harrison used his efforts to pacify Native Americans and defeat the British in the War of 1812 to promote a political career that eventually elevated him to the presidency.Harrison exemplified the citizen-soldier on the Ohio frontier in the days when white men settled on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains at their peril. Punctuated by almost continuous small-scale operations and sporadic larger engagements, warfare in this region revolved around a shifting system of alliances among various Indian tribes, government figures, white settlers, and business leaders. Skaggs focuses on Harrison’s early life and military exploits, especially his role on Major General Anthony Wayne's staff during the Fallen Timbers campaign and Harrison's leadership of the Tippecanoe campaign. He explores how the military and its leaders performed in the age of a small standing army and part-time, Cincinnatus-like forces. This richly detailed work reveals how the military and Indian policies of the early republic played out on the frontier, freshly revisiting a subject central to American history: how white settlers tamed the west—and at what cost.
William Holmes: The Soldiers' General
by Geoffrey TraversThe road that first leads people from Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney is named General Holmes Drive, but nowadays few Australians know anything about General Holmes. William Holmes could be remembered for his lifelong public service in developing Sydney’s water supply and sewerage system — but he should be remembered as one of the foremost Australian citizen soldiers of his time. Holmes commanded Australia’s first independent military expeditionary force in World War I, and in New Guinea accepted the first German surrender for Australia. At Gallipoli, Pozières, Bullecourt and Messines, Holmes earned a reputation for fearlessness in battle, believing that at critical times and even during pauses in engagement, reconnaissance should be conducted by the officers in command making the decisions. He was known to all his soldiers and his leadership inspired their affection and loyalty. Philosophical about the risks he took on the battlefield, it was cruel irony indeed that Holmes was killed on the day he took extra safety precautions. Holmes, a contemporary of John Monash, arguably achieved more in his early career than his peer and would certainly have been a contender for command of the Australian Corps in 1918 had he still been alive. This is his story.
William L. Shirer: The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988 (Twentieth Century Journey)
by William L. ShirerNow in one volume: the three-part autobiography from the National Book Award–winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The former CBS foreign correspondent and historian provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. The Start (1904-1930): In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells the story of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. The Nightmare Years (1930-1940): In the second of a three-volume series, Shirer chronicles his time in Europe as Hitler dominated Germany and began one of the most dangerous conflicts in world history. A Native&’s Return (1945-1988): The most personal of the three volumes, this edition offers an honest look at the many personal and professional setbacks Shirer experienced after World War II ended—and delivers a fascinating take on the aftermath of the war. Series praise &“Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland &‘objective&’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler&’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.&” —The New York Times &“Included in Shirer&’s well-wrought narrative are such little-known events as the trials of American broadcasters who propagandized for the Third Reich during WWII, as well as such more familiar matters as the McCarthyism of the 1950s. The author&’s comments are refreshingly unfettered by self-consciousness . . . A fine, fitting conclusion to an important work of autobiography.&” —Kirkus Reviews
William of Germany: A Succinct Biography of William I., German Emperor and King of Prussia
by Archibald ForbesForbes, a brilliant war correspondent, spent his later years in literary work. Here he turns his attention to telling the story of the splendid events and heroism through which King William of Prussia was enabled to win unity for Germany, and for himself and his heirs the proud dignity of German Emperor. Forbes had the opportunity, during the Franco-German war, of accompanying King William on the campaign through Alsace and Lorraine, up to the walls of Paris, and his account of that portion of the dead Emperor's life has, consequently, great value, as being not only the work of an historian, but of a special correspondent, fitted by long training and natural ability to give pictures of the great scenes he witnessed with artistic and thrilling accuracy.-Print ed.
William of Orange and the Fight for the Crown of England: The Glorious Revolution
by Brian BestIn 1688, a vast fleet of 463 ships, twice the size of the Spanish Armada, put to sea from Holland. On board was William of Orange with 40,000 soldiers – their objective, England. The Protestant William had been encouraged by a group of Church of England bishops to risk everything and oust the Catholic King James. He landed at Tor Bay in Devon and soon gathered enough support, including that of John Churchill, the future Duke of Marlborough, to cause King James to flee to France. It had been seen, in the eyes of most in England and Scotland as a ‘Glorious’ Revolution. William ascended the throne along with his wife Mary, the daughter of England’s Charles II, who had preceded James. Though the revolution had been virtually bloodless, William had to fight to keep his crown. Most Irish were Catholics and King William’s armies met stiff opposition there. In this, James saw a chance to regain his crown. Sailing to Ireland, he led his Jacobite troops against William at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690. James was defeated, ending his hopes of ousting William. There were also large numbers of Catholics in Scotland, but they too were defeated by William’s army at the Battle of Killiecrankie. This, in turn, led to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. The accession of William and Mary to the throne was a landmark moment in British history, one which saw Parliament emerge into the modern state. In January 1689, two months after the Glorious Revolution, Parliament met and in February a Declaration of Rights was incorporated into the Bill of Rights. This included the measure that the crown could not tax without Parliament’s consent or interfere in elections. William, therefore, is not only known both for being one of England’s most revolutionary kings, but also one of the least remembered.
William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania
by Prof. William I. Hull“The original purpose of this monograph was to tell the European half of the story of William Penn’s relations with the Dutch Quakers who emigrated to Pennsylvania. But the predominance of the Dutch Quaker pioneers, as revealed by that story, in the settlement of Germantown made it desirable to follow them across the Atlantic and indicate the part which they played for at least a quarter-century in the affairs of the Quaker colony.“Hence the study comprises, first, Penn’s efforts on his three journeys to Holland and Germany to convert to Quakerism the Labadists, Pietists and Quietists whom he found there; second, the way in which small Quaker communities on the Continent had prepared the way for these visits; and finally, the rise and progress of those congregations of Dutch and German Quakers who, fleeing from persecution, accepted Penn’s invitation to settle in Pennsylvania.”—William I. Hull, Introduction
William T. Sherman: Evolution Of An Operational Artist [Illustrated Edition]
by Major Steven E. JackowskiIncludes Civil War Map and Illustrations Pack - 224 battle plans, campaign maps and detailed analyses of actions spanning the entire period of hostilities.General of the Army William Tecumseh Sherman was an extraordinary, controversial and complex individual. His ascension into the pantheon of American great captains was neither preordained nor expected. Wading through an average military career following his graduation from West Point, Sherman resigned his commission and tried his hand in the business and education sectors prior to the breakout of the American Civil War. Returned to active service in 1861, Sherman slogged through the first year of the war and found himself relegated to a recruiting and training billet in St. Louis, Missouri. Grasping the rising star of General of the Army Ulysses S. Grant, Sherman saved himself and elevated his performance to that of greatness. Forever associated with the Battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Chattanooga, Meridian and Atlanta and the Georgia and Carolina Campaigns, Sherman propelled himself from tactical mediocrity to operational brilliance. How did Sherman overcome his lackluster beginnings and transform himself into an inspiring figurehead studied throughout the world for his military accomplishments? By analyzing Sherman's battles and campaigns from 1862-1865, this paper delves into his transformation by exploring his visualization and understanding of operational art through the lens of current United States Army doctrine.
William Tecumseh Sherman: The Growth Of A Strategist
by LTC James M. Diamond US ArmyThis paper examines Sherman's growth as a strategic thinker and successful strategist. It explores how his life shaped him to fill the role that he did in the Civil War and what things contributed to his development into the soldier who could plan and execute the North's strategy in the last year of the war. It also focuses on specific instances of success and failure that led him to the position from which he could influence, if not actually author, the strategy followed by the Union in the last year of the war.It also examines what Sherman brought to his relationship with Ulysses S. Grant and how that relationship affected the evolving strategy that guided the Union Army after Grant ascended to the leadership of all Union Armies.
William Tecumseh Sherman: In The Service Of My Country: A Life
by James Lee McdonoughA major new biography of one of America's most storied military figures. General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts, and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end by devastating Southern resources in the Carolinas and on his famous March to the Sea. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's warm friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, his strained relationship with his wife, Ellen, and his unassuageable grief over the death of his young son, Willy. The result is a remarkable, comprehensive life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day.
William Wallace: Brave Heart
by Dr James MackaySir William Wallace of Ellerslie is one of history's greatest heroes, but also one of its greatest enigmas - a shadowy figure whose edges have been blurred by myth and legend. Even the date and place of his birth have been mis-stated - until now. James Mackay uses all his skills as a historical detective to produce this definitive biography, telling the incredible story of a man who, without wealth or noble birth, rose to become Guardian of Scotland. William Wallace, with superb generalship and tactical genius, led a country with no previous warlike tradition to triumph gloriously over the much larger, better-armed and better-trained English forces. Seven hundred years later, the heroism and betrayal, the valiant deeds and the dark atrocities, and the struggle of a small nation against a brutal and powerful empire, still create a compelling tale.
Willingly into the Frey: One Hundred Years of Australian Army Nursing
by Catherine McCullaghWillingly into the Fray comprises the personal stories of sixty-five individual nurses, their voices preserved and their words, often fraught with emotion and mired in distress at what they have seen, endured and railed against, carefully retained. Many of these stories are told for the first time, particularly those of the recent campaigns, peacekeeping operations, disaster relief and humanitarian missions. These are men and women who, like those before them, often worked in the most primitive conditions, as one nurse remarked tellingly, ‘with TLC and little more’. It is typical of Australian Army nurses to proceed ‘willingly into the fray’, often with little warning, but always with courage, determination and a strong sense of humour. In the hundred or so years since the first intrepid Boer War nurses set out, Australian Army nurses have forged a proud and enviable reputation. They are justifiably renowned for their determination to provide quality medical care despite extreme privation, perilous circumstances, and a lack of the most rudimentary medical equipment. If this is the reputation they can forge in the face of such adversity, then we have much to look forward to over the next one hundred years. Willingly into the Fray provides a rare opportunity for the reader, to take a personal journey through the lives of Army nurses from the early days of 1899 to modern times, and to experience the vast changes in society that accompanied those hundred or so years.
A Willingness to Die: Memories from Fighter Command
by Brian KingcomeIn 1938 Brian Kingcome joined the RAF with a permanent commission and was posted to No 65 Fighter Squadron at Hornchurch, soon to be equipped with the Spitfire, and so it came about that Brian flew the Spitfire throughout the war. He became acting CO for No 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill and led over sixty operations, achieving the highest success rate of any squadron in the Battle of Britain. In May 1943 Brian joined Desert Air Force in Malta and took command of 244 Wing. At this time he was confirmed Flight Lieutenant, acting Squadron Leader, acting Wing Commander and at twenty-five was one of the youngest Group Captains in the Royal Air Force. Brian Kingcome may have been the last Battle of Britain pilot of repute to put his extraordinary story into print; looked upon by other members of his squadron as possibly their finest pilot, his nonetheless unassuming memoirs are related with a subtle and compassionate regard for a generation who were, as he felt, born to a specific task. Brian's memoirs have been edited and introduced by Peter Ford, ex-National Serviceman in Malaya.
Williwaw: Julian; Williwaw; The Judgement Of Paris; Messiah; The City; The Pillar
by Gore VidalWilliwaw first published in 1946, is the notable first novel of a young Gore Vidal, who during World War II was a first mate of a supply ship stationed in the Aleutian Islands. The story revolves around the small ship and her crew as they battle both the elements in the Bering Sea and the mounting tensions between some of the crew members. An intense wind—williwaw—strikes the ship, damaging the craft as she struggles to make her way back to port.
Willow Grove Abbey: A Historical World War II Romance Novel (Somerville Trilogy #1)
by Mary Christian PayneIn this epic tale of friendship, family, and romance in World War II England, a young noblewoman must choose between her inheritance and the man she loves.To many, Lady Sophia Somerville appears to live a privileged life. Still, it’s a life full of obstacles to be overcome . . .As a student at The Ashwick Park School, Sophia meets classmate Edwina Phillips. The two become the best of friends, but it is all put to the test by an unbelievable betrayal . . .Sophia’s debutante season is much anticipated. Yet when she falls in love with physician and RAF Group Captain Spencer Stanton, theirs is a relationship her parents cannot bless . . .Sophia’s parents appear to be the epitome of grace, charm and dignity, but that’s far from the truth. Her father is charismatic but unscrupulous, while her beautiful mother is prone to fits of rage. And as terrible as they may seem, Sophia still yearns for their approval—even as her values begin to turn away from theirs.Soon, long held family secrets emerge and threaten to destroy the Somervilles. Sophia is faced with an untenable decision: whether to hold fast to her beliefs and cut ties with her family or continue to be the dependent little girl her parents insist she is. Ultimately, Sophia must face the challenge of comprehending, forgiving, and loving her profoundly imperfect family.
Willow Run (Images of Aviation)
by Michael W.R. Davis Randy HottonIn May 1940, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 50,000 military airplanes. He then drafted the president of General Motors, William Knudsen, to mobilize industry in the United States. The automotive companies were called upon to produce a massive fleet of bombers, as well as tanks, trucks, guns, and engines. By the Willow Run, a sleepy little creek near Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ford Motor Company built the world's most famous bomber factory, which was the ultimate manifestation of the automotive industry's role in building armaments during World War II. By the spring of 1944, Willow Run was producing a four-engine B-24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. With tremendous assistance from the Yankee Air Museum, this book presents a pictorial history of Willow Run during World War II.
Willpower: A Historical Study Of An Influential Leadership Attribute
by Lcdr David SchappertThis thesis investigates a single leadership attribute: willpower. Willpower is defined as the amalgamation of continuing in the face of adversity; the refusal to accept failure; and the power to affect a desired outcome in others. The central research question investigates how a leader generates willpower and transmits it to produce a desired effect. The methodology employed investigates three historical military leaders at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war over a sixty year period. The leaders analyzed are General Colin Powell, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and Lieutenant General Harold Moore. This analysis method was chosen to answer the three secondary research questions: Is there a common thread? Is willpower different at different levels of war? Has willpower transmission changed over time? To provide objectivity, a leader who possessed willpower and still failed, General Douglas MacArthur, is also studied. The historical leaders studied are found to have similarities in how they generate and transmit willpower. The willpower transmission techniques employed by the research subjects have not changed significantly over the period studied. However, willpower transmission techniques do reveal differences over the three levels of war.