Military Titles for Review

The memoir of a WWII tank gunner who reflects on his time in the war, and the letters he wrote home.

In 1943, eighteen-year-old Walter Stitt enlisted in the U.S. Army, ready to serve his country. From his time in basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana, throughout his time as a tank gunner in the 33rd Armored Regiment, to his post-injury service in England, he wrote home to the family he had left at home.

Unbeknown to him, his mother carefully numbered and saved the letters, treasuring them until her death. This book brings together the very different two versions of Walter’s war: the version that a teenage soldier could reveal to his parents and younger siblings without scaring them or invoking the censor’s pen, and the full and often terrifying details of serving as a tank loader and gunner in France and Belgium, remembered so clearly eighty years later. Walter explains the forced omissions and partial truths his teenage self offered to comfort his family while he survived the destruction of three Sherman tanks, the death of three crew members, and two wounds.

Born in West Virginia, Walter’s Appalachian roots and values are apparent through the memories he held dear as a soldier and the values he clung to while fighting in one of the darkest periods of human history. His memoir recounts his experiences of serving during World War II while honoring those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.

"Mission Iran is a must-have for any military library of the Cold War and special operators...reveals new and previously classified information on what really happened during one of the U.S.’s most pivotal missions." — Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horse Soldiers and In Harm’s Way

On 4 November 1979, “student” supporters of the Ayatollah seized the U.S. Embassy with over 60 hostages. Although the Cold War was in full swing, the Iran hostage crisis was a watershed for the United States. The counterterrorism learning curve, both political and military, would be steep and often deadly.

Detachment A had been established in Berlin early in the Cold War to harass and delay any Soviet military advance west. This Special unit trained relentlessly for every aspect of unconventional warfare, and was later assigned a second mission of counterterrorism. Due to this mix of skills, Det A would be called upon to undertake additional missions, including providing protection to General Al Haig and General Frederick Kroesen following assassination attempts. When American planners were trying to work out how to rescue hostages being held at two sites in the middle of a hostile country, it became apparent that the unit—the only US military dual-capability unit—would be integral to the effort.

The plan for Operation Eagle Claw, as it became known, was extremely complex. The first stage was intelligence gathering—no mean feat as most of the CIA’s capabilities in the country had been eliminated. With operatives trained in intelligence work, fluent in many languages and adept at blending in, Det A took on the advanced recon of the targets. Then, when Delta Force admitted that it could only manage the assault of the Embassy, Det A volunteered to rescue the three Americans at the Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile for security purposes, all existing training and exercise commitments in Berlin would continue with no Teams broken up. This caused some consternation as none of the men wanted to miss out on this mission reminiscent of Son Tay.

Veteran and historian James Stejskal details Det A’s unique and integral role in Operation Eagle Claw, based upon firsthand accounts of the operatives involved.

A must-read book for those intrigued by the ever-shifting landscape of unconventional warfare and its profound impact on contemporary global dynamics.

Throughout history, conflicts have given rise to unconventional forms of warfare, often propelled by personal, religious, tribal, or national ambitions. Historian David Rooney highlights pivotal figures such as the Maccabees, Napoleon, the Boer Wars, Michael Collins, Mao Tse Tung, T. E. Lawrence, Castro, Guevara, the Guerrillas of World War II, and Al Qaeda's Osama Bin Laden, illustrating the evolution of guerrilla theories.

In today's era of swiftly forsaking convention and tradition for immediate results, the adoption of unconventional strategies by twenty-first-century warriors appears more prevalent than ever. Public discourse surrounding this topic is vibrant, and understanding its evolution is vital for increased awareness.

Dive into the riveting exploration of unconventional warfare throughout the ages with historian David Rooney's insightful narrative.

This compelling account not only unveils the trailblazing leaders who reshaped military strategies but also delves into the timely relevance of non-conventional approaches in today's fast-paced world. A must-read for those intrigued by the ever-shifting landscape of unconventional warfare and its profound impact on contemporary global dynamics

Scholar William Nester explores Franklin D. Roosevelt’s character, personality, and presidential power.

After their independence and civil wars, Americans never faced a greater threat than the sixteen years of global depression followed by global war from 1929 to 1945. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the president for the last dozen of those years, during which he led the nation first to alleviate the Great Depression then led an international alliance that vanquished the fascist powers during the Second World War. Along the way, he established the modern presidency with centralized powers to make and implement domestic and foreign policies. He was naturally a master politician who eventually, through daunting trials and errors, became an accomplished statesman.

For all that, historians regularly rank Roosevelt among the top three presidents. Yet, most historians and countless others criticize Roosevelt for an array of things that he did or failed to do. Conservatives lambast him for creating a welfare state and trying to pack federal courts with liberal judges while liberals condemn him for interning 120,000 Japanese-Americans during the war and doing little to advance civil rights for African Americans. Critics blister war commander Roosevelt for caving into strategies demanded by powerful leaders that squandered countless lives and treasure in literal and figurative dead ends. These include Prime Minister Churchill’s push to invade the Italian peninsula and General MacArthur’s determination to recapture the Philippines.

At times, his policies violated his principles. Like President Wilson during the Second World War, Roosevelt championed self-determination but not for every nation. He badgered Churchill to break up Britain’s empire while bowing to Stalin’s brutal communist conquest of eastern Europe. And those are just the opening barrages against Roosevelt. Although he won four presidential elections with overwhelming majorities, nearly as many people reviled him as they adored him.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Art of Leadership explores the dynamic among Roosevelt’s character, personality, and presidential power with which he asserted policies that overcame first the Great Depression and then the Axis powers during the Second World War. Along the way, the book raises and answers key questions. What were Roosevelt’s leadership skills and how did he develop them over time? Which New Deal policies succeeded, which failed, and what explains those results? Which war strategies succeeded, which failed, and what explains those results? What policies rooted in Roosevelt’s instincts proved to be superior to alternatives grounded in thick official reports advocated by his advisors? Finally, how does Roosevelt rank as an American and global leader?

"Indochina Hand grippingly tells us how Barry Broman became the man he is and what role he played in events around the Cold War and after. I saw him in action for some of it and call him friend." — Tim Carney, retired ambassador, U.S. Foreign Service

Barry Broman joined the CIA in 1971 straight out of the Marine Corps, choosing a career in intelligence largely because he wanted to spend his working life in Southeast Asia. Over the next thirty years, he had the privilege of working with brave men and women who were prepared to put their lives on the line in support of the free world during the Cold War, and he enjoyed the life of adventure he had been seeking since childhood.

This book brings together tales from his career as a CIA case officer during the Cold War, giving fascinating insights into handling double agents, working in denied areas, assessing and recruiting Soviet targets, flying with Air America, acting to discredit Soviet agents with Moscow, and what happened when a case officer set a “scavenger hunt” around Bangkok for fellow spies—and at least one active target.

A selection of stories told in engaging style proving that often the truth is more unbelievable than fiction.

In this thoroughly researched, detailed and exhaustive study, aviation historian Luigino Caliaro tells the story of the three main fighters to serve in World War II produced by the Varese-based Aeronautica Macchi. The C.200 Saetta (Lightning) was conceived in 1935 by Ing. Mario Castoldi as a short-range interceptor powered by a Fiat A.74 R.C.38 14-cylinder radial engine and armed with twin 12.7 mm machine guns. By war's end some 1,150 examples had been built. The C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) incorporated the German Daimler-Benz 601A in-line engine licensed-built by Alfa Romeo.

Finally, the C.205 Veltro (Greyhound) was powered by the more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605. The internationally renowned British test pilot, Captain Eric Brown, told the author that the C.205 was 'was a superb fighter, with a beautiful line and good armament... In my opinion its flying performance was totally comparable with the Spitfire.'

Drawing on company and military archive reports, the author traces the origins of Aeronautica Macchi before examining the design and development of each type, as well as, in each case, production, prototypes and technical aspects. Also covered in this profusely illustrated volume are details of the operational variants and project designs, along with a detailed narrative covering the history of each aircraft in service with the Regia Aeronautica, the Aviazione Nazionale Repubblicana, the Luftwaffe and Croatian Air Legion. Additionally, post-war service with the Aeronautica Militare and the Royal Egyptian Air Force is explored, as well as camouflage, markings, heraldry and insignia.

With hundreds of photographs, drawings and colour artwork, this book forms the most comprehensive and informative account of this trio of aircraft in the English language.

"Another splendid work of scholarship, beautifully written and brilliantly researched. There are few, if any, who know more about this topic than Dr. Linden, and this book will define the field for years to come." — Simon Shorvon, Professor of Neurology, University College London

Shell shock was the great leveller of post-war experience. Beyond the Great Silence:The Legacy of Shell Shock in Britain and Germany 1918-1924 traces the stories of shell-shocked soldiers and civilians. Medical authorities were reluctant to accept the link between illness and war and thus deprived shell shock victims not only of war pensions but also of a much-needed explanation for their suffering.

The rise of shell shock exemplifies the traumatic experience of the Great War. It has transcended its original meaning as a medical concept in historical and cultural discourse. Throughout the war military medicine of all combatant nations faced similar challenges and had to ensure the fighting strength of their forces in the face of increasing numbers of traumatized soldiers. Following the Armistice, the former Allied and Central Powers were in very different situations. Whereas London returned to a period of relative stability, Berlin was transformed into the chaotic center of a failed state. For the traumatized soldiers treated at the Berlin Charité or the London National Hospital, this did not make much of a difference – hospitals continued to operate in both capitols with surprising efficiency, and the trauma of war only knows victims, no victors. Beyond the suffering caused by shell shock, many veterans suffered further humiliation war pension denials because they had been relabeled with a neurological diagnosis that was unrelated to war service or were branded as ‘psychopaths’ with inherited mental weakness. The medical system was thus quick to cut the link between the illness of veterans and war experience. Therefore, many ex-servicemen were cut-off not only from pensions but also from an explanation for their suffering.

Beyond the Great Silence combines the personal experience of the traumatized military and civilian patients with contemporary medical literature and press reports to provide the cultural background for the varying presentations of shell shock and responses of medical professionals and wider society. Shell shock was a deeply political concept, and its history can only be understood against the backdrop of the revolutionary changes to European society in the immediate aftermath of war.

A new assessment of the Battle of Passchendaele.

Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, until in recent decades eclipsed by the Somme, stood as the representative image of First World War frightfulness and fruitless endeavor. Post-war memory of its myriad horrors arose from the dissemination of traumatic personal experience; the tradition of futility largely from the 1930s condemnation by military historian Basil Liddell Hart and, rather ironically, the Prime Minister who authorized it, David Lloyd George. The former wrote of it ‘so fruitless in its results, so depressing in its direction was [it] that Passchendaele has come to be … a synonym for military failure- a name black-bordered in the records of the British Army’.

The frightfulness has never been doubted. The first month, failing to achieve, or come near, the objectives set for the first day, and the last month, struggling to reach what was originally delineated as the first stage, took place in shocking conditions of rain and mud, sufficient to render difficult existence and movement, let alone fighting. Nor has the attempt by the Official Historian to claim the battle as largely successful engaged much traction or dented the impression of futility.

It is therefore unsurprising that historical writing on the subject gravitates toward the issue of responsibility: responsibility for fighting the battle at the time and in the place chosen, responsibility for the failure of the first month and responsibility for continuing the battle into November when it became clear that the original object of clearing the Belgian coast could not be achieved. Far From Suitable? Haig, Gough and Passchendaele: A Reappraisal is about responsibility for the failure of the first month and the relationship between the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas Haig, and the man who bears the brunt of modern criticism, Sir Hubert Gough, the Commander of Fifth Army at Passchendaele.

Far From Suitable? is not a narrative history: it is a detailed examination of how and by whom the plans for the opening of the campaign were made; whether they were deficient, negligent or, as often alleged, reckless; and whether they caused needless loss. It further considers the conduct of the battle for the remainder of the first month’s fighting, up to the point where the primary role in the battle was transferred to General Sir Herbert Plumer at the end of August 1917.

Far From Suitable? challenges the account given in the Official History, in an attempt fairly to consider what happened, and why.

The story of how a young cavalry officer eager to serve his country became a pilot and then, when success beckoned, had his life taken over by a very skilled group of publicists, writers, photographers and artists.

It is more than a hundred years since Manfred von Richthofen, the ‘Red Baron’, was killed in combat on the Western Front. Yet this gallant fighter pilot is probably as well known today as he was his lifetime.

Beginning in 1916, when his lethal skills were first realized, his image proved a godsend to his country’s propaganda machine. There, far above the misery of life in the trenches, was a shooting star of unimaginable potency to help pacify a weary nation that was now beginning to believe that the war was no longer necessary or the losses justified. And so, an image of chivalry was conjured up and exploited with little regard of the cost of this to an increasingly war weary man.

Manfred von Richthofen: The Red Baron and the High Price of Glory draws on many sources, some previously untapped, including interviews with pilots he fought alongside and against, official documents held in collections around the world and the work of three noted Great War historians, two of whom began their work in the 1920s, all now dead but who left a rich legacy of research for us to explore. In addition, there are interviews with fifty or so pilots from the Second World War, who went through much that von Richthofen experienced above the Western Front and could speak with authority about the effects of continuous combat flying on aviators.

This is the story of how a young cavalry officer eager to serve his country became a pilot and then, when success beckoned, had his life taken over by a very skilled group of publicists, writers, photographers and artists. Every element of his life was picked over, dissected and revealed to an ever-growing and intrusive audience. If he had simply been a celebrity – royalty, an actor or politician – this attention might have been accepted, but he was a front line pilot daily courting death, leading many other men in a constant life or death struggle.

So here we have a man severely stressed by war, then stripped of his privacy and any opportunity to rest. Inevitably, some might say, he became another victim of a bloody war, but even in death the exploitation continued and was then re-awakened a decade or so later by the Nazi’s to help promote an even bloodier war.

This work features a vast array of personal and official photographs that show Goering the politician, the diplomat, the legendary aviator, the field marshal, the glutton, the entertainer and the family man at the summit of his power

1939 was a glorious year for Hermann Goering. He spent it entertaining dignitaries visiting the Third Reich, attending galas, going on official visits, giving rousing speeches at factories and military parades, hunting on his estates and indulging in his love of fine art, rich cuisine and sumptuous clothes and jewels. Ever vain, pompous and ambitious, in 1939 he attained the summit of his power and popularity when Hitler, speaking to a packed Reich Chancellery in September, named him his successor.

Goering’s meteoric rise was inseparable from that of his Luftwaffe. As commander-in-chief, he bathed in the glory of the Condor Legion’s victory in Spain in April and the Luftwaffe’s decisive role in the Blitzkrieg of Poland in September. Out of these encounters in 1939, the Luftwaffe emerged as the world’s most feared and respected air force. But beyond the trappings of victory were deep-rooted weaknesses: Goering feared their exposure during a longer conflict against a more powerful enemy, and was therefore desperate to avoid a confrontation with the western powers. At the same time, however, he was apparently powerless to divert from it.

A history of the Second Suffolk, 5th (Indian) Division during World War II's Burma campaign.

Between December 1943 and August 1944, Second Suffolk, as part of the 5th (Indian) Division, played a key role opposing the Japanese in Burma and later at the critical battle at Imphal. The odds could not have been higher or the challenges greater.

The Japanese had already earned an awesome reputation as a formidable and ruthless enemy who could only be described as fanatical. The rugged jungle terrain, over which the Battalion had to fight, was tough and unforgiving and pushed all ranks to the limits of their physical and mental endurance. Against them too was the harsh tropical climate and the extremes of the monsoon season. The combination of these three factors called for the highest standards of leadership and discipline.

Supplies too were often not forthcoming but despite these difficulties and a lack of appreciation of their efforts in the press at home, morale of the stolid regular Suffolk soldier and his newer drafted comrades, always remained high as they learned to fight their enemy in the way that he fought him.

For over seventy-five years their story has remained largely forgotten and untold but, now drawing on previously unpublished accounts of those who served there, together with unpublished photographs, this book describes the Battalion’s outstanding service during the Burma Campaign.

A significant new contribution to the underrepresented historiography of the British campaign in Italy during 1917-1918.

A Brilliant Little Victory is a history of the 48th (South Midland) during the First World War, including its successful defense of a critical position on the Asiago Plateau in June 1918. It charts the history of the division from establishment in 1908 to its initial deployment on the Western Front in March 1915. What followed was an introduction to the trenches at Ploegsteert Wood; participation in the Battle of the Somme where it assisted with the capture of Pozières in July–August 1916 and the pursuit of the German army to the Hindenburg Line the following spring.

The role of the South Midland Division during the Third Ypres offensive in late summer and autumn of 1917 is also chronicled. Following this, the division entrained for Italy where it was part of the Franco-British force dispatched to reinforce the Italian Army following the Caporetto disaster.

It was 48th Division’s successful defense of the tactically important Asiago Plateau high above the Lombardy Plain on 15 June 1918 that contributed to the defeat of Austro-Hungarian attackers attempting to break into the rear of the main Italian position on the Piave with potentially disastrous results. Despite fighting an effective defensive action, subsequently described by one officer as ‘a brilliant little victory’, the Divisional Commander, Major General Sir Robert Fanshawe, was sacked and sent home much to the dismay of officers and men. In seeking to understand what lay behind the shocking removal of an apparently successful commander, A Brilliant Little Victory provides a detailed analysis of the battle and factors that may have contributed to this sacking before offering a conclusion about whether or not it was, given the standards of the era, justified.

An essential manual for all US Navy enthusiasts and historians.

This series of books provides details of all USN warships from 1893 to the present day. Every class and individual ship has an entry providing details of the procurement, dimensions and characteristics, and a summary of each ship's history and development. Profusely illustrated with photos. An essential manual for all US Navy enthusiasts and historians.

This is volume four, part two - Destroyers (1918-1937).

An accurate, exciting diary-like chronicle of the day-to-day machinations of the German generals as they struggle to prepare to meet the enemy in the West.

In December 1943 with the rising realization that the Allies are planning to invade Fortress Europe, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel is assigned the title of General Inspector for the Atlantic Wall. His mission is to assess their readiness.

What he finds disgusts him. The famed Atlantikwall is nothing but a paper tiger, woefully unprepared for the forces being massed across the English Channel. His task—to turn back the Allied invasion—already seems hopeless.

His superior, theater commander, crusty old Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, who had led the Reich to victory in the early years of the war, is now fed up with the whole Nazi regime. He lives comfortably in a plush villa in a quiet Paris suburb, waiting for the inevitable Allied invasion that will bring about their final defeat.

General der Artillerie Erich Marcks, badly injured in Russia, is the corps commander on the ground in Normandy, trying to build up the coastal defenses with woefully inadequate supplies and a shortage of men to fulfill Rommel's demands. Marcks is convinced that the Allies will land in his sector, but no one higher up the chain of command seems interested in what he thinks.

Meanwhile, aristocratic Generaloberst Hans von Salmuth, an outspoken, cocky, experienced veteran of the Russian Front, has been given responsibility for defending Fifteenth Army's coastline at Calais—the area that the High Command thinks is most likely to be the Allies' objective. General der Panzertruppen Geyr von Schweppenburg is preparing the élite panzer divisions for what may lie ahead. Generalmajor Max Pemsel struggles in coordinating efforts to prepare Seventh Army, suspecting that if an invasion comes he will be the hub of the German response. All of the Western Theater commanders are subject to the whims of Adolf Hitler, hundreds of miles away but continually issuing orders increasingly divorced from the reality of the war.

Countdown to D-Day takes a detailed day-to-day journal approach tracing the daily activities and machinations of the German High Command as they try to prepare for the Allied invasion.

"Reading this book is a mission strongly recommended." — The VVA Veteran

It wasn’t rockets or artillery that came through the skies one week during the war. It was the horrific force of nature that suddenly put both sides in awe. As an unofficial truce began, questions and emotions battled inside every air crewman’s mind as they faced masses of Vietnamese civilians outside their protective base perimeters for the first time. Could we trust them not to shoot? Could they trust us not to drop them off in a detention camp? Truces never last, but life changes a bit for all the people involved while they are happening.

Sometimes wars are suspended and fighting stops for a while. A holiday that both sides recognize might do it, as happened in the Christmas truce during World War I. Weather might do it, too, as it did in Vietnam in October 1970. The “typhoon truce” was just as real, and the war stopped for three days in northern I Corps--that area bordering the demilitarized zone separating South Vietnam from the North. The unofficial “typhoon truce” came because first, Super Typhoon Joan arrived, devastating all the coastal lowlands in I Corps and further up into North Vietnam. Then, less than a week later came Super Typhoon Kate. Kate hit the same area with renewed fury, leaving the entire countryside under water and the people there faced with both war and natural disaster at the same time.

No one but the Americans, the foreign warriors fighting throughout the country, had the resources to help the people who lived in the lowlands, and so they did. For the men who took their helicopters out into the unending rain it really made little difference. Perhaps no one would shoot at them for a while, but the everyday dangers they faced remained, magnified by the low clouds and poor visibility. The crews got just as tired, maybe more so, than on normal missions. None of that really mattered. The aircrews of the 101st Airborne went out to help anyway, because rescuing people was now their mission. In this book we see how for a brief period during an otherwise vicious war, saving life took precedence over bloody conflict.

Whether you are a casual reader or a Pacific Theater aficionado, this book, like its predecessor makes a perfect addition to your library." — War Diary Magazine

In early 1942, the Japanese Army and Navy were advancing on all fronts, humiliating their US, British and Dutch foes throughout the Asia Pacific. In a matter of just months, the soldiers and sailors of the Rising Sun conquered an area even bigger than Hitler’s empire at its largest extent. They seemed invincible. Hawaiians and Australians were fearing a future under Hirohito. For half of mankind, fate was hanging in the balance.

Fast forward to the end of 1943, and the tables had been turned entirely. A reinvigorated American-led military machine had kicked into gear, and the Japanese were fighting a defensive battle along a frontline that crossed thousands of miles of land and ocean. Japan Runs Wild, 1942-1943 by acclaimed author Peter Harmsen details the astonishing transformation that took place in that period, setting the Allies on a path to final victory against Japan.

The middle installment in the trilogy, Japan Runs Wild, 1942–1943 picks up the story where its predecessor volume Storm Clouds over the Pacific, 1931-1941 left off. The common theme of the series is a comprehensive view of World War Two in the Asia Pacific, giving due emphasis to the central Japanese-American struggle, but also encompassing the other nations that were engulfed in the vast showdown: British, Australians, Soviets, Filipinos, Indians and Koreans. Above all, the central importance of China is highlighted in a way that no previous general history of the war against Japan has achieved.

After the Napoleonic Wars the borders of Central Europe were redrawn and relative peace endured across the region, but the volatile politics of the late nineteenth century generated an atmosphere of fear and distrust, and it gave rise to a new era of fortress building, and this is the subject of this highly illustrated new study. The authors describe how defensive lines and structures on a massive scale were constructed along national frontiers to deter aggression. The Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Czechs all embarked on ambitious building programs. Artillery positions, barbed-wire networks, casemates, concrete bunkers, trench lines, observation posts all sprang up in a vain attempt to keep the peace and to delay the invader. The strategic thinking that gave rise to these defensive schemes is described in detail in this study, as is the planning, design and construction of the lines themselves. Their operational history in wartime, in particular during the Second World War, is a key element of the account.