World History: Military History

THE AFFAIR: The Case of Alfred Dreyfus
by Jean-Denis Bredin. Condition: Gently pre-read 1986 George Braziller huge Trade Paperback [628 pages], no printing given. No major problems, just pre-read. Content: A detailed history of the shameful French military episode involving Alfred Dreyus, a Jewish scapegoat. Bredin unravels the legal aspects of the "Affair" and presents the whole conspiracy in a manner that is consistenly fascinating. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
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THE ANATOMY OF A RAID: Australia at Celtic Wood, Ypres Sector 1914 - 1918, 9th October 1917 (Cameos of the Western Front series)
by Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith. Edited by Ted Smith. Intro by John Laffin. B&W era photos and maps illustrate. Condition: NEW 1998 Leo Cooper-Pen & Sword Trade Paperback, revised edition. Content: On October 9th, 1917, a group of 85 men from the 10th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force were sent out on a seemingly pointless raid. At least 35 disappeared without a trace. The mystery of what happened at Celtic Wood has never been officially solved and remains a point of contention between the British and Australian governments. Fascinating military history. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
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ARDENNES: The Battle of the Bulge, 1944-45
by J. Mark Connell. Loaded with B&W maps and era photos. Condition: NEW 2003 Brassey's soft cover, assumed first printing. Content: In December 1944, desperate to hold out for the new weaponry he expected and shocked by losing the port of Antwerp, Adolf Hitler embarked on an audacious counteroffensive that was intended to drive back the all-conquering Allied forces that had caused Germany to retreat from Normandy to its own borders. It was a foolhardy exercise but it had surprise on its side and for some days the fate of the war in Europe was in the hands of the commanders and men of a few American divisions and some supporting British forces. The Germans got within a few miles of their first objective - the River Meuse - but, by then, their own shortcomings had been found out and the Allies had regrouped. This avidly studied battle is given a fresh and all-embracing approach in this 55,000 word account of the fluctuating fortunes of the combatants and the role in the action of the leading generals, including Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, Model, Dietrich and von Rundstedt. Though Germany was destined for defeat, its industry produced remarkable amounts of weaponry for this offensive and an assortment of troops, many too young or too old, were assembled for Hitler's astonishing but ultimately futile final battlefield venture. The Battle of the Bulge is an example of a short action where almost every military tactic was deployed and is charted on a daily basis here. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

ARMOR FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN TIMES
by Petr Klucina. Beautiful, detailed color illustrations by Pavol Pevny. Condition: Very gently pre-read 1997 large hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Size: Apx. 12 x 10 (133 pages). Content: From the DJ: The author and illustrator have drawn upon the world's most renowned collections, both privately held and in museums, to tell the complete story of the development of defensive armor. The armor of each historical period is carefully described, with considerable attention to how the armor evolved and its practical function in the battlefield tactics of the time. A detailed account is given of how European armor was influenced by, and in turn influenced, armor from the Middle East and Asia. [1 copy available]
$ 13.50 + $ 3.59 media shipping.

THE ART OF WAR IN THE MIDDLE AGES
by C.W.C. Oman. Revised & edited by John H. Beeler. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1986 Cornell Univ. Press Trade Paperback, 6th printing. Light edge wear to front cover edge with shelf wear hinge crease. Interior clean & tight - perfect. Content: Reviewer: "This is an excellent and fascinating work. I highly recomend it for anyone interested in warfare, the middle ages, or both. It is full of well-researched insights and synthesizes and provides a broad general framework for understanding warfare in this period. Serious scholars or those seeking to use this as a textbook should note that the original version that forms the basis of this book was written a century ago and is probably outdated, despite the rewritten portions. However, the greatest strength of this book is that it is extraordinarily well-written, and a pleasure to read." [1 copy available]
$ 11.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

BAYONETS FOR HIRE: Mercenaries at War, 1550 - 1789
by William Urban. Foreword by William McNeill. There may be illustrations. Condition: NEW 2007 Greenhill Books hardcover (still shrink-wrapped), no printing available due to shrink wrap. Mylar jacket for DJ is available upon shipping if you would like the shrink wrap removed. Content: From the Greek professional armies of Alexander, through the Hundred Years War, indeed, to today, mercenaries have been ever-present, their role constantly evolving. In this compelling new history William Urban takes up their captivating and turbulent story from 1550 to 1763. The 16th century saw the beginning of a revolution in military technology and strategy. Political and economic systems were radically evolving, too. Mercenaries are often considered a marginal phenomenon, but Urban shows that they were integral to these developments. Increasingly not just individual soldiers and officers became mercenaries, but entire armies were available to friends and allies. By the mid-1700s military service had become a profession. The mercenary was less common, but he would not disappear until swept away by the volunteer armies of the French Revolution. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE BOER WAR GENERALS
by Peter Trew. B&W photo section with B&W maps and era photos throughout. Condition: NEW 2001 Wrens Park hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first thus. Content: The Boer War (1899-1902) witnessed the professionals of the British Army pitted against the gifted amateurs who led the Boer commandos. For the Boers, it was a struggle for independence; for Britain, an attempt once and for all to assert her political supremacy in South Africa. While sheer weight of numbers and ruthless tactics eventually secured a British military victory, the extraordinary Boer effort won respect worldwide. This is an in-depth study of the principal commanders on both sides, in a conflict that was both "the last of the gentlemen's wars" and the first modern one. The three British Commanders-in-Chief were established regular soldiers who stood high in public esteem when they went out to South Africa. For Roberts, the war was a final triumph, albeit somewhat tainted when it dragged on for another year and a half after his departure; for Kitchener, it was a tedious and exhausting interlude which delayed his appointment as Commander-in-Chief in India; and for Buller, the graveyard of his reputation. The Boer Generals were Louis Botha, Christiaan de Wet, Koos de la Rey and Jan Smuts, of whom the first three were farmers and legislators with little conventional military experience. Smuts, after a brilliant academic career at Cambridge, was a senior but very young state official. In the course of the war, the men proved in different ways to have outstanding natural military ability. For De Wet, this was a time of fulfilment when all his special gifts came into play; for Smuts and Botha, it was a preparation for their future careers as politicians; and for De la Rey, who hated war, it was a heavy but unavoidable duty which he discharged with distinction. Peter Trew's narrative examines each personality separately, highlighting the differences between the command styles of the experienced, professional British generals and the natural ingenuity of the "amateur" Boers. [1 copy available]
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THE CONFIDENT HOPE OF A MIRACLE: The True History of the Spanish Armada
by Neil Hanson. Two beautiful color photo sections. DJ is a tapestry depicting the battle. Condition: NEW 2005 Knopf hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first American ediiton. Content: This splendid volume takes its title from a Spaniard's description of his compatriots' mood when the Armada sailed; a miracle was not forthcoming, however, for the Spanish or English fleets. The Spanish lacked the strength to overcome the inherent strategic disadvantages of having to bring a fleet and an army together over such a long distance; the English achieved their naval victory by sheer hard fighting, which nearly exhausted their ammunition and in which not only Sir Francis Drake displayed a freebooter's contempt toward disciplined obedience. Hanson is superlative in doing justice to the social complexities of the time and the suffering of the many who fought on both sides. He does an equally fine job capturing the epic scope of this naval confrontation, which may not have caused the decline of Spain but certainly prevented that of England. The annotation is thorough, and the 16-page color insert (along with 21 b&w illustrations) includes a rare unglamorized portrait of Elizabeth —no legendary Gloriana this, but a shrewd working monarch. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 7.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INVASIONS AND CONQUESTS: From Ancient Times to the Present
by Paul K. Davis. B&W maps, art reproduction, photos. Condition: UNREAD 1998 Norton large soft cover, first printing. Light edge wear. Content: A single-volume encyclopedia that attempts to squeeze a lot of history into a few pages. The book is organized into seven broad eras ranging from the ancient world to the 20th century; within each time period, invasions and conquests are presented in alphabetical order. An introduction lists and numbers the events included and locates them on a vague outline map that does not delineate political boundaries. Articles are two-to-five pages in length. There are 35 black-and-white reproductions of illustrations, portraits, and photographs. Although the scope of the work is extensive, it is limited by the author's definitions of "conquest" and "invasion." Conquest is defined as "the occupation and long-term domination of one country by another." Invasion is described as "one country invading another," thus eliminating all civil wars and most revolutions. Many entries are vague; there are not enough specific dates and facts, and the battles or incidents are not placed within their larger historical context. The organization might lead to confusion in finding specific events. This volume might be useful for quick ready reference and the extensive bibliography will facilitate further research. Does not include our invasion of Iraq. [1 copy available]
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ENEMY AT THE GATES: The Battle for Stalingrad (Movie Edition)
by William Craig. B&W photo section. Fiennes & Law movie cover art. B&W maps. Condition: UNREAD 2001 Penguin Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: The bloodiest battle in the history of warfare, Stalingrad was perhaps the single most important engagement of World War II. A major loss for the Axis powers, the battle for Stalingrad signaled the beginning of the end for the Third Reich of Adolf Hitler. During the 5 years Craig spent researching the battle, he traveled extensively on three continents, studying documents and interviewing hundreds of survivors, both military and civilian. This unique account is their story and the stories of the nearly two million men and women who lost their lives. The movie of the same name states only that this book was "an inspiration" for the movie. [1 copy available]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE EVADERS: The Story of the Most Amazing Mass Escape of World War II
by Leo Heaps. B&W photo section. Condition: UNREAD 1976 William Morrow hardcover & DJ (in mylr jacket), Book Club Edition. The book is in excellent condition, but the DJ has problems of edgewear and rubbings front cover panel. Content: This is the story of what happened beyond "the bridge too far." After the Battle of Arnhem (September 1944) only 2,000 men returned across the Rhine. While in an area occupied by German combat troops, 250 men were hidden by the Dutch. Singly and in groups, assisted by the Resistance, these men made some of the most remarkable individual and mass escapes of World War II. Heaps, a Canadian, served in the British army and parachuted into the pine trees ner Arnhem with the 1st Airborne Division. Camptured by the Germans, he escaped by jumping off a train taking him to Germany and was hidden and aided by the Dutch Resistance. This is his story and the stories of others who shared similar experiences. [1 copy available]
$ 2.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THE FLIGHT OF RUDOLF HESS: Myths and Reality
by Roy Conyers Nesbit and Georges Van Acker. Foreword by The Duke of Hamilton. B&W photo section. Condition: NEW 2002 Sutton Publishing Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: On 10 May 1941 Rudolf Hess - Deputy Fuhrer of the Third Reich - embarked on his astonishing flight from Augsburg to Scotland. He parachuted onto a Scottish Moor and was taken into custody. Why Scotland? Did Hitler authorize him to seek a peace with the Allies? Was British Intelligence involved? Drawing on a variety of archive and eye witness sources in Britain, Germany and the US, [the authors] have written what must be the most objective assessment of the Hess story yet to be published. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
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THE GREAT ESCAPE
by Paul Brickhill. B&W drawings by fellow inmate, Kenyon. Steve McQueen cover. Condition: NEW 2000 Cassell Military Trade Paperback, no printing given. Content: Everyone knows the story of theh "great escape" from World War II. Even more familiar is the great 1963 movie made from the book - directed by John Sturges. It starred Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, David McCallum (Ducky), and Hannes Messemer. Havaen't seen it? Shame on you. [1 copy available]
$ 6.29 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

GUADALCANAL DIARY
by Richard Tregaskis. Foreword by General A. A. Vandegrift. Condition: UNREAD 1959 Popular Library paperback, 17th printing. The interior is clean & tight but is tanning. Light edgewear. Content: In the summer and fall of 1942, American Marines landed on the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal and began the slow, bloody work of defeating the Japanese empire. Their landing was significant not only for the outcome of World War II, but also for the conduct of war ever since, for the invasion of Guadalcanal marked the first time that a combined air, sea, and land assault had ever been attempted. It is for that reason that tacticians and military historians study the months-long battle today, and their primary guide to that conflict is Richard Tregaskis's extraordinary Guadalcanal Diary. A volunteer combat correspondent, Tregaskis braved much danger to bring the story of the fighting to American readers. The 1943 movie of the same name was directed by Lewis Seiler and is considered one of the top ten war movies ever made. The cast included: William Bendix, Lloyd Nolan, Preston Foster, Richard Conte, Anthony Quinn, Richard Jaeckel, Lionel Stander, John Archer and Reed Hadley (correspondent & narrator). [1 copy available]
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HUNTERS FROM THE SKY: The German Parachute Corps 1940 - 1945
by Charles Whiting. Two B&W photo sections. Condition: UNREAD 1974 Leo Cooper hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), Book Club Edition. Light taning to DJ edges but none to interior pages. Content: This comprehensive history of the German Parachute Corps, from its creation to its ultimate decimation, captures the terror and exhilaration of the combat parachute combat drops made by the Germas in Holland, Crete, Italy, Greece, and during the Battle of the Bulge. [1 copy available]
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THE JEWISH BRIGADE: An Army With Two Masters 1944-45
by Morris Beckman. Foreword by Edmund De Rothschild. B&W photo section with B&W maps. Condition: NEW 2009 Spellmount Trade Paperback, third printing. Content: A brigade was formed in 1944 as part of the British Army and fought with distinction in Italy. It was the first all-Jewish army, and knowledge of its existence and its role in defeating the Nazis gave an immense boost to Jews everywhere. After the war the brigade helped Jewish refugees beat the British blockade of Palestine. After the war, the Brigade had a very different agenda. they tracked down and killed up to 1,500 high-ranking Nazis. It became the backbone of the IDF, providing it with 35 generals. Beckman was born in London and took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy in the Second World War. He was a founding member of the '43 Group' of Jewish ex-servicemen, which attacked and destroyed Mosley's emergent Fascist party in a protracted campaign in the late 1940s. [1 copy available]
$ 5.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

MILITARY INSIGNIA
by Derek Avery. Full-color photos & designs. Condition: Very good + 1995 Wordsworth Color Handbooks (Wordsworth Editions), London, hardcover with pictorial boards (no DJ issued). 96 pages. Gently pre-read. Content: "Details the fighting forces to today's world (c. 1995), including those of land, sea, and air, personnel and equipment. Illustrated throughout, it contains military insignia from the varioius services around the world, from fleet commands to aircraft carriers, from quartermasters to special forces and special operations." Great research tool for writers and scholars. [1 copy available]
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NAPOLEON'S GERMAN ALLIES (5): Hessen-Darmstadt & Hessen-Kassel
(Osprey, Men-At-Arms series # 122)
by Otto Von Pivka. Beautiful, detailed colour plates by Bryan Fosten. Condition: PLEASE READ! UNREAD, but not perfect, 1982 Osprey soft cover, no printing given. Thre is a light "stain" top edges (so light I missesd it until now) which shows on the top edges of many pages. None on the text. Very light, but there. Content: The process of dividing inherited lands between all surviving male beneficaries, which steadily reduced Germany to a trivial conglomeration of petty principalities over a period of centuries, was responsible for the splitting of Hessen-Kassel and Hessen-Darmstadt in 1567. Both states fought against France in the Revolutionary Wars, but in 1795 Hessen-Kassel made peace with France at Basle, and Hess-Darmstadt, under the Landgraf Ludwig X, made peace at Luneville in 1801. Otto von Pivka examines the history, organisation and uniforms of the armies of these two states.Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present. [1 copy available]
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P.O.W.: A Soldier's Story of His Ten Escapes from Nazi Prison Camps
by Douglas Collins. B&W photo section & maps. Condition: UNREAD (but not perfect) 1969 Pocket Books paperback, first thus, first printing. Small edgewear with binder's glue wrinkle down spine, pale shelfwear hinge crease, interior clean & tight but tanning. Content: Reviewer: "P.O.W" is a gripping tale of escape and captivity during World War II. Collins's breakouts (10 in all!) take him from Nazi Germany south to Hungary and Rumania - two neutrals that later became Axis satellites. In addition to vividly describing his wartime experiences, Collins briefly analyzes the convoluted political and military situation in these two countries during that time - an aspect of World War II about which little has been written." [1 copy available]
$ 5.89 + $ 2.94 media shipping.

POLITICAL ARMIES: The Military and Nation Building in the Age of Democracy
edited by Kees Koonings & Dirk Kruijt. Condition: NEW 2002 Zed (UK) Trade Paperback, no printing given. Small binding error bottom cpine. Content: This is a comparative examination of the politicized armed forces of Peru, Burma, Chile, Turkey, Algeria, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Nigeria, and Guatemala. The volume looks at the consequences of military rule for nation building and economic development, and also addresses the effects the rise of globalization on the military, as well as the role of political armies in the consolidation of civil politics and democratic governance. The contributors provide a fascinating glimpse into the future, and make interesting connections between the role of the military and politics. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 4.00 + $ 3.29 media shipping. International shipping available - please use the drop-down menu

SAMURAI! (Specially Illustrated Edition)
by Saburo Sakai with Martin Caidin and Fred Saito. Condition: Gently pre-read 1978 Bantam War Book, specially illustrated edition first printing. Fold out color illustration of a Japanese Zero. Content: Written by Marin Caidin from Saburo Sakai's own memoirs and journalist Fred Saito's extensive interviews with the fighter piot, SAMURAI! vividly documents the chivalry and valor of Saburo Sakai, the combat aviator who time after time fought American fighter pilots and, with 64 kills, would survive the war as Japan's greatest living ace. Here are the harrowing experiences of one of Japan's greatst aces: from fighter pilot school - where the harsh training expelled over half of his class - to the thrilling early Japanese victories; from his incredible six hundred mile fight for life from Guadalcanal to his base in Rabaul, to the poignant story of the now-handicapped veteran's return to the air during the final desperate months of World War II. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.50 + $ 2.94 media shipping.

SOLDIERS: Fighting Men's Lives, 1901 - 2001
by Philip Ziegler. B&W photos. Condition: NEW 2002 Alfred A. Knopf hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first American edition. Content: Through portraits of nine retired British soldiers, a historian honors the life-changing experiences of those who served in the far reaches of what was once the British Empire. Their recollections of war--and of peace-- convey the special characteristics of the 20th-century fighting man. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002. [1 copy available]
$ 5.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THE VOYAGE OF THE ARMADA: The Spanish Story (Cassell Military series)
by David Howarth. B&W photo section. Condition: NEW 2001 Cassell (UK) Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: In May of 1588, on the order of Spain's King Philip, 30,000 soldiers and sailors armed with arquebus and musket set out to sea. A larger fleet had never before been assembled. In the Voyage of the Armada, David Howarth brilliantly conveys the drama of the Spanish Armada's progress and brings to life the personalities of the men who influenced its course, from the dogmatic and irrational Philip II to Don Juan Martinez de Recalde to Don Pedro and Don Diego de Valdes, who were cousins but also bitter enemies, to the Spanish soldiers and sailors who unquestioningly ventured into unknown seas to confront their fates. Basing his narrative on previously unexplored Spanish sources, David Howarth shows that there is always another side to every conflict. The Voyage of the Armada recounts the adventures of these brave men as they go from battles to storms to wrecks and then finally - for the lucky ones - return home. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 8.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THE WAR AGAINST HITLER: Military Strategy in the West
edited by Albert A. Nofi. Great detailed B&W maps with B&W photos. Condition: NEW 1995 Combined Books Trade Paperback, first printing. Content: Renowned historian and military commentator Albert A. Nofi brings together for the first time in paperback a series of hard-hitting essays on World War II's most pivotal campaigns; clear, concise and packed with information. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
$ 7.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

WAR IN THE PACIFIC: TRIUMPH OF JAPAN (Volume 1)
by Edwin P. Hoyt. Condition: UNREAD 1990 Avon paperback original, first edition, first printing. Pale tanning to interior page edges. Content: 1941. Obsessed with conquest, the Japanese Empire unleashed its awesome military might. They struck swiftly, fiercely - decimating the U.S. fleet in a surprise air raid on Pearl Harbor - then storming through Singapore, the Philippines, the East Indies, Burma, and Java. American and British pacific forces were devastated. The Allied prisoners numbered in the thousands - many of whom would die on the fateful Bataan Death March. Within 6 months, the entire hemisphere was within Japan's grasp and victory was nearly theirs. Questions welcome [1 copy available]
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WHO'S WHO IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY WARFARE
by Spencer C. Tucker. Condition: UNREAD 2001 Routledge (UK/US) hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This is a who's who type of biographical reference. It is worldwide in scope. Coverage includes army, navy, and air force personnel who served during the twentieth century. Most are high-ranking military leaders, but a few are individuals better known for their heroism, such as Alvin C. York. Also included are politicians (Roosevelt, Franklin Delano), explorers (Byrd, Richard E.), physicians (McIndoe, Archibald), writers (Remarque, Erich Maria), and others who played an important role in military history. Most of the approximately 1,000 entries are 250 words in length or less. Information covered includes birth and death years, schooling, commands, battles, and promotions. Assisting users are a short preface and a list of abbreviations and terminology, the latter especially helpful as the author has used many abbreviations to save space and allow for more entries. Great tool for students and writers. [1 copy available]
$ 6.50 + $ 3.29 media shipping.