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In the Teeth of the Wind: Memoirs of the Royal Navy Air Service in the First World War
by C. P. BartlettSo rapid have been the advances in the science of aeronautics since the end of the First World War that it requires a considerable feat of imagination to cast one's mind back over the comparatively short period of seventy years to the days when Flight Commander Bartlett of the Royal Naval Air Service was flying some of the world's first bombers over the Western Front.An equal adjustment for those more used to accounts of the nerve-chilling existence of bomber crews in the Second World War is called for when tuning in to the extra ordinarily happy-go-lucky atmosphere which seemed to prevail among these early pilots. Not for them the nail-biting tension as they head over the trenches - rather the schoolboy exuberance of a jolly outing.Philip Bartlett's account is a unique and fascinating record of a pilot's life in the dawn of aerial warfare and, as history, of the first use of the bomber in war, strangely, by the Navy's aircraft.Flying by day and night alone, without navigational aids, the author moves from attacks on the U-boat bases to bombing the German Gothas as they prepared to raid London, and then to the support of Haig's drive to the coast which ended in the mud of Passchendaele. The climax in March, 1918, is reached when the author's squadron finds itself directly in the path of Ludendorff's massive thrust, which broke the British Vth Army and nearly decided the War. Attacked by Richthofen's aces, No 5 Squadron RNAS flew continuous and desperate missions against the advancing troops from aerodomes which were over-run time after time. At a time when the life of a pilot was reckoned in weeks, the author flew 101 missions, enduring the rigours of flying without heating or oxygen, with hesitant engines, no parachutes and the attention of German fighters. Yet there is continual evidence of the pure joy of flying and wonder at the sheer beauty of the the sky.
In the Time of the Tyrants: Panama, 1968-1990
by Richard M. Koster Guillermo Sanchez BorbonAn eyewitness account of how Panama, since 1968, has fallen victim to a line of military dictators who have fattened on the misery of a country once democratic and prosperous. The authors, an American novelist and a Panamanian journalist, were actors in the drama of Panama as well as observers. They tell the story of how the darkness fell on Panama, how the tyrants, from Omar Torrijos to Manuel Noriega, became creatures of the secret government of the United States, and were supported long after their true nature was known. It is the story of those tyrants killed, those they corrupted and those who were brave enough to stand up to them.
In the Trenches at Petersburg: Field Fortification & Confederate Defeat
by Earl J. HessIn the Trenches at Petersburg, the final volume of Earl J. Hess's trilogy of works on the fortifications of the Civil War, recounts the strategic and tactical operations around Petersburg during the last ten months of the Civil War. Hess covers all aspects of the Petersburg campaign, from important engagements that punctuated the long months of siege to mining and countermining operations, the fashioning of wire entanglements and the laying of torpedo fields to impede attacks, and the construction of underground shelters to protect the men manning the works. In the Trenches at Petersburg humanizes the experience of the soldiers working in the fortifications and reveals the human cost of trench warfare in the waning days of the struggle.
In the Trenches: A Russian Woman Soldier's Story of World War I
by Tatiana L. DubinskayaTatiana L. Dubinskaya&’s autobiographical novel of life in the Russian army marked the first major work published by a female World War I soldier in the Soviet Union. Often compared to All Quiet on the Western Front, Dubinskaya&’s stark and unsparing story presents a rare look at women in combat and one of the few works of fiction set on the eastern front. Zinaida, a Russian schoolgirl, runs away from home to join the army. Sent to the front, she endures the horrors of trench warfare and the hardships of military life. Undercurrents of revolutionary thinking filter into the ranks as morale begins to crumble. Zinaida must come to grips with the havoc unleashed by the czar&’s overthrow and the new socialist government&’s attempts to impose revolutionary reforms on the army. Destabilization and desertion follow, and her regiment joins the chaotic mass retreat of the Russian army in the summer of 1917. In addition to Dubinskaya&’s original novel, this edition includes selections from her 1936 autobiographical work, Machine Gunner, which she rewrote to satisfy Stalinist censors.
In the Trenches: Those Who Were There
by Rachel BiltonA wide range of personal experiences are covered in the seventeen chapters of this book. All the stories are written by the participants who describe exactly what happened to them while they fought in the greatest battles of the First World War. What makes them special is that their stories were written while the images were fresh in their minds. The experiences recorded are those of civilians, officers and men, in the mud of the Western Front, in the sand of the desert, on the scorching beaches of Gallipoli and on the forgotten front of Salonika. Where possible information about these men has been provided to explain their life before and after the war. Also included are rarely seen images that augment the text.The stories cover the whole of the war, starting with the chance meeting of a reporter and men of the Royal Field Artillery resting after the retreat. Wilfrid Ewart paints a vivid picture of everyday life in the trenches during the first winter of the war. Captain Pollard, a VC winner, provides a grim vignette, breathlessly told, of an infantry charge on a German trench. Sergeant Cooper details life in the French Foreign Legion at Gallipoli and the 'fierce fighting such as men reckless to the point of indifference can execute'. Charles Douie describes the battlefields of the Somme when the guns are silent. The bitter story of the hell endured by the men who bled and died during the battle for Passchendaele is told by A.M. Burrage, ex-Private X. The psychiatric problems of war are clearly outlined by David Phillips and Herbert Read tells of days of fighting, hunger, desperation, loss of life, all thrown away for no gain when the order to evacuate the post was given. Two stories close the war: the first battle between tanks and a poignant description of the end of the war.
In the Tunnel
by Julie LeeTrapped in an enemy tunnel, a young refugee experiences the Korean War firsthand in this searing story of survival, loss, and hope, a companion to the Freeman Award-winning novel Brother&’s Keeper.Myung-gi knows war is coming: War between North and South Korea. Life in communist North Korea has become more and more unbearable—there is no freedom of speech, movement, association, or thought—and his parents have been carefully planning the family&’s escape.But when his father is abducted by the secret police, all those plans fall apart. How can Myung-gi leave North Korea without his dad? Especially when he believes that the abduction was his fault?Set during a cataclysmic war which shaped the world we know today, this is the story of one boy&’s coming-of-age during a time when inhumanity, lawlessness, and terror reigned supreme. Myung-gi, his mother, and his twelve-year-old sister Yoomee do everything they can to protect one another. But gentle, quiet, bookish Myung-gi has plans to find his father at any cost—even if it means joining the army and being sent to the front lines, where his deepest fears await him.A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionA Book Riot Best New Book of 2023"An absolute must-read."—Booklist, starred review"Vivid, powerful."—School Library Journal"Moving."—Publishers Weekly"Searing. . . . Beautifully written."—Book Riot
In the Wars: An uplifting, life-enhancing autobiography, a poignant story of the power of resilience
by Dr Waheed ArianAS HEARD ON DESERT ISLAND DISCSAS SEEN ON THE CHANGEMAKERS, a Paramount+ docuseries profiling activists fighting for changeA WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR'A riveting story of loss, exile, and rebirth.' KHALED HOSSEINI, author of The Kite Runner'One of the most incredible life stories you will ever hear.' JAMES O'BRIEN'A remarkable story. I thought this book was brilliant.' NAGA MUNCHETTY__________Born in war-torn Afghanistan, Waheed Arian's first memories are of bombs. His first-hand experience of the power of medicine inspired him to dedicate his life to healing others. But how does a boy with nothing hope to become a doctor?Fleeing the conflict with his family, he spent much of his childhood in refugee camps in Pakistan, living sometimes ten to a room without basic sanitation or access to education. Waheed largely taught himself, from textbooks bought from street-sellers, and learned English from the BBC World Service.Smuggled to the UK at fifteen with just a hundred dollars in his pocket, he found a job in a shop. He was advised to set his sights on becoming a taxi driver. But the boy from Kabul had bigger ambitions.Working through PTSD and anxiety, he studied all hours to achieve his vocation. He was accepted to read medicine at Cambridge University, Imperial College and Harvard, and went on to become a doctor in the NHS, currently in A&E.But he wanted to do more. In 2015 he founded Arian Teleheal, a pioneering global charity that connects doctors in war zones and low-resource countries with their counterparts in the US, UK, Europe and Australia. Together, learning from each other, they save and change lives - the lives of millions of people just like Waheed.For readers of Educated and War Doctor, this is the extraordinary memoir of a boy who recognized the power of education and dreamed about helping others. It is a tale of courage, ambition and unwavering resilience in the face of all the challenges that life can throw in your way.__________WINNER OF:UNESCO's Global Hero AwardWho Cares Wins Best Doctor AwardThe Times's Man of the Year Award
In the Waves: My Quest to Solve the Mystery of a Civil War Submarine
by Rachel LanceOne of "The Most Fascinating Books WIRED Read in 2020""One part science book, one part historical narrative, one part memoir . . . harrowing and inspiring.&”—The Wall Street Journal How a determined scientist cracked the case of the first successful—and disastrous—submarine attack On the night of February 17, 1864, the tiny Confederate submarine HL Hunley made its way toward the USS Housatonic just outside Charleston harbor. Within a matter of hours, the Union ship&’s stern was blown open in a spray of wood planks. The explosion sank the ship, killing many of its crew. And the submarine, the first ever to be successful in combat, disappeared without a trace. For 131 years the eight-man crew of the HL Hunley lay in their watery graves, undiscovered. When finally raised, the narrow metal vessel revealed a puzzling sight. There was no indication the blast had breached the hull, and all eight men were still seated at their stations—frozen in time after more than a century. Why did it sink? Why did the men die? Archaeologists and conservationists have been studying the boat and the remains for years, and now one woman has the answers. In the Waves is much more than just a military perspective or a technical account. It&’s also the story of Rachel Lance&’s single-minded obsession spanning three years, the story of the extreme highs and lows in her quest to find all the puzzle pieces of the Hunley. Balancing a gripping historical tale and original research with a personal story of professional and private obstacles, In the Waves is an enthralling look at a unique part of the Civil War and the lengths one scientist will go to uncover its secrets.
In the Words of Napoleon: The Emperor Day by Day (The Napoleonic Library)
by Philip HaythornethwaiteA powerful portrait of a complex individual. It uses Napoleons own words to show his genius, arrogance, insecurities, and frustrations. The reader will be amazed by Napoleons attention to detail, from those of pressing national interests to the mundane (such as the problem of heartbroken soldiers in his guard.) . . . This makes it an invaluable reference book that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the period. Rob Burnham, Editor, Napoleon SeriesIn the words of Napoleon is a startling insight into the life and deeds of Napoleon I. Derived from Napoleons extensive correspondence and his other writings and recorded speech, this valuable compilation acts as a diary or journal, encompassing the whole of the emperors life. Napoleons words as recorded on a particular day are set down as entries, and these offer a unique glimpse into the major events of the Napoleonic period.The diary reveals Napoleons thoughts and actions as his great life unfolded and throws light on his attitudes to war, politics and the many varied personalities who surrounded or opposed him. As entries appear on an almost daily basis, the reader has the opportunity to trace the surging course of events as they happened, and to witness the emperors response to the rise and fall of his fortunes.Philip Haythornthwaite provides a fascinating introduction which analyses Napoleons words, and includes biographical sketches of the key personalities of the era.
In the Words of Wellington's Fighting Cocks: The After-action Reports of the Portuguese Army during the Peninsular War 1812–1814
by Moisés GaudêncioThe literature of the Peninsular War is rich with vivid source material – letters, diaries, memoirs, and dispatches – but most of it was written by British soldiers or by the French and their allies. As a result the history and experience of the Portuguese forces – which by 1812 composed close to half of Wellington’s Army – have been seriously under-represented. That is why this pioneering book, which publishes for the first time in English the after-action reports written by the commanders of Portuguese battalions, regiments and brigades, is so important. For these detailed, graphic firsthand accounts give us a fascinating insight into the vital contribution the Portuguese made to the allied army and shed new light on the struggle against the French in the Iberian Peninsula. The authors provide an introduction tracing the history of the Portuguese Army prior to the Salamanca campaign of 1812, while tracking its organizational changes and assignment of commanders from 1808 to 1814. They include detailed notes on the after-action reports which set them in the context of each stage of the conflict.
In the Ypres Salient, The Story of a Fortnight’s Canadian Fighting, June 2-16 1916 [Illustrated Edition]
by Beckles WillsonEvery evening since 1928, the Last Post is sounded in the town of Ypres in West Flanders, and the local fire brigade turn toward the Menin Gate as the local traffic stops. This Mark of respect to the Allied soldiers who fell defending the Ypres salient has been a tradition in the town for almost one hundred years. Tens of thousands of British, French, Canadian, Australian, Indian, New Zealand, South African and other Dominion troops came, fought and died to hold this little outpost of Belgium during the First World War.To comprehend and record the scale of the actions, battles and, most importantly, the human sacrifice of the four years of war, it is necessary to look at limited periods of the fighting. The author has picked one of the earliest baptisms of fire for the Canadian troops, the battle of Mount Sorrel in 1916. The Canadian Corps under Byng was holding the wooded ground south-east of Ypres town, including the important observation post Hill 62. Across the muddy front line, the German XIII Württemburg Corps was carefully planning an attack stiffened with much extra heavy artillery and trench mortars. On the 2nd of June, the German artillery shattered the morning's peace, and heavy, savage fighting began only to cease on the 13th. The Battle was in the balance until the second and final counter attack by the Canadians on the 11th, as one Historian puts it: "A combination of excellent staff work and planning, brilliantly executed artillery work in poor weather and the formidable courage of the Canadian infantry, had saved the day."--Chris Baker.Author -- Willson, Beckles, 1869-1942.Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & co. ltd., 1916.Original Page Count - 251 pages.Illustrations -- 7 illustrations and maps.
In this Foreign Land: A romantic and page-turning WW1 saga
by Suzie Hull'I beg of you this one thing - that if I should perish here, in this foreign land, that you will look after her.'March, 1914. When talented artist Isobel embarks on a journey to Egypt, it's to reunite her best friend Alice with her husband, Wilfred - and to use the stunning sights of Cairo as inspiration for her own paintings. A whirlwind romance was the last thing she expected, but when Isobel meets Wilfred's handsome brother, Edward, neither can deny the strong connection between them - especially when unexpected tragedy strikes, leaving them all reeling.Just as they get to grips with their grief, WW1 erupts, and the lovers are forced to separate. They promise to meet again in London. But when Edward is listed as 'missing - presumed dead' only weeks after landing in France, Isobel is devastated, unmarried and on the brink of ruin. She has only one way to save her honour... but it means betraying the love she holds so dear. A heartrending and thrilling WW1 romance, In This Foreign Land is the stunning new debut from Suzie Hull, for fans of Kate Hewitt, Shirley Dickson and Kate Eastham.
In this Foreign Land: A romantic and page-turning WW1 saga
by Suzie Hull'I beg of you this one thing - that if I should perish here, in this foreign land, that you will look after her.'March, 1914. When talented artist Isobel embarks on a journey to Egypt, it's to reunite her best friend Alice with her husband, Wilfred - and to use the stunning sights of Cairo as inspiration for her own paintings. A whirlwind romance was the last thing she expected, but when Isobel meets Wilfred's handsome brother, Edward, neither can deny the strong connection between them - especially when unexpected tragedy strikes, leaving them all reeling.Just as they get to grips with their grief, WW1 erupts, and the lovers are forced to separate. They promise to meet again in London. But when Edward is listed as 'missing - presumed dead' only weeks after landing in France, Isobel is devastated, unmarried and on the brink of ruin. She has only one way to save her honour... but it means betraying the love she holds so dear. A heartrending and thrilling WW1 romance, In This Foreign Land is the stunning new debut from Suzie Hull, for fans of Kate Hewitt, Shirley Dickson and Kate Eastham.
In/visible War: The Culture of War in Twenty-first-Century America
by John Louis Lucaites Purnima Bose David Campbell Diane Rubenstein Wendy Kozol Nina Berman Rebecca A. Adelman James Der Derian Christopher J. Gilbert Claudia Breger De Witt Kilgore Jeremy G. Gordon Jody Madeira Jon Simons Roger StahlIn/Visible War addresses a paradox of twenty-first century American warfare. The contemporary visual American experience of war is ubiquitous, and yet war is simultaneously invisible or absent; we lack a lived sense that “America” is at war. This paradox of in/visibility concerns the gap between the experiences of war zones and the visual, mediated experience of war in public, popular culture, which absents and renders invisible the former. Large portions of the domestic public experience war only at a distance. For these citizens, war seems abstract, or may even seem to have disappeared altogether due to a relative absence of visual images of casualties. Perhaps even more significantly, wars can be fought without sacrifice by the vast majority of Americans. Yet, the normalization of twenty-first century war also renders it highly visible. War is made visible through popular, commercial, mediated culture. The spectacle of war occupies the contemporary public sphere in the forms of celebrations at athletic events and in films, video games, and other media, coming together as MIME, the Military-Industrial-Media-Entertainment Network.
Inadvertent Escalation
by Barry R. PosenIn this sobering book, Barry R. Posen demonstrates how the interplay between conventional military operations and nuclear forces could, in conflicts among states armed with both conventional and nuclear weaponry, inadvertently produce pressures for nuclear escalation. Knowledge of these hidden pressures, he believes, may help some future decision maker avoid catastrophe. Building a formidable argument that moves with cumulative force, he details the way in which escalation could occur not by mindless accident, or by deliberate preference for nuclear escalation, but rather as a natural accompaniment of land, naval, or air warfare at the conventional level. Posen bases his analysis on an empirical study of the east-west military competition in Europe during the 1980s, using a conceptual framework drawn from international relations theory, organization theory, and strategic theory. The lessons of his book, however, go well beyond the east-west competition. Since his observations are relevant to all military competitions between states armed with both conventional and nuclear weaponry, his book speaks to some of the problems that attend the proliferation of nuclear weapons in longstanding regional conflicts. Optimism that small and medium nuclear powers can easily achieve "stable" nuclear balances is, he believes, unwarranted.
Incarceration and Regime Change: European Prisons during and after the Second World War
by Christian G. De Vito Ralf Futselaar Helen GreversPolitical instability is nearly always accompanied by fuller prisons, and this was particularly true during the "long" Second World War, when military mobilization, social disorder, wrenching political changes, and shifting national boundaries swelled the ranks of the imprisoned and broadened the carceral reach of the state. This volume brings together theoretically sophisticated, empirically rich studies of key transitional moments that transformed the scope and nature of European prisons during and after the war. It depicts the complex interactions of both penal and administrative institutions with the men and women who experienced internment, imprisonment, and detention at a time when these categories were in perpetual flux.
Incendiary Circumstances: A Chronicle of the Turmoil of our Times
by Amitav GhoshA journalist who &“illuminates the human drama behind the headlines&” writes about today&’s dramatic events, from terrorist attacks to tsunamis (Publishers Weekly). &“An uncannily honest writer,&” Amitav Ghosh has published firsthand accounts of pivotal world events in publications including the New York Times, Granta, and the New Yorker (The New York Times Book Review). This volume brings together the finest of these pieces, chronicling the turmoil of our times. Incendiary Circumstances begins with Ghosh&’s arrival in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands just days after the devastation of the 2005 tsunami. We then travel back to September 11, 2001, as Ghosh retrieves his young daughter from school, sick with the knowledge that she must witness the kind of firestorm that has been in the background of his life since childhood. In his travels, Ghosh has stood on an icy mountaintop on the contested border between India and Pakistan; interviewed Pol Pot&’s sister-in-law in Cambodia; shared the elation of Egyptians when Naguib Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize; and stood with his threatened Sikh neighbors through the riots following Indira Gandhi&’s assassination. In these pieces, he offers an up-close look at an era defined by the ravages of politics and nature. &“Ghosh is the perfect chronicler of an increasingly globalized world . . . Reading [him] is a mind-expanding experience. Once you&’ve finished this book, you&’re very likely to press it into your friends&’ hands and beg them to read it as well.&” —Sunday Oregonian
Inch'on 1950
by Peter Dennis Gordon RottmanOsprey's study of Inch'on, which was probably the most significant campaign in the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as the last major amphibious assault of division-size conducted in the history of warfare. The odds were stacked against the US troops, with virtually no time for training and many of the divisions unprepared for the conflict. The success of the Inch'on campaign is a testament to the sheer initiative of the officers and NCOs conducted it. This book details the strategy and tactics that led to the operation's success, as well as narrating the experience of the battle in fascinating detail.
Inchon Landing: MacArthur's Korean War Masterstroke, September 1950 (Cold War, 1945–1991)
by Gerry van TonderA history of this dramatic and risky amphibious invasion, with photos included. In the previous two volumes in the author&’s series on battles of the Korean War, North Korean ground forces, armor and artillery cross the 38th Parallel into South Korea, inflicting successive ignominious defeats on the ill-prepared US-led UN troops, pushing them ever southward into a tiny defensive enclave—the Pusan Perimeter—on the tip of the Korean Peninsula. The story continues as General Douglas MacArthur, Second World War veteran of the South East Asia and Pacific theaters, meets with considerable resistance to his plans for a counteroffensive, from both Washington and his staff in South Korea and Japan: it is typhoon season, the approaches to the South Korean port city of Inch&’on are not conducive to amphibious assault, and it will leave the besieged Pusan Perimeter in great danger of being overrun. However, the controversial MacArthur&’s obstinate persistence prevails and, with a mere three weeks to go, the US X Corps is activated to execute the invasion on D-Day, September 15, 1950. Elements of the US Marine Corps land successfully on the scheduled day, and with the element of surprise on their side, immediately strike east to Seoul, only fifteen miles away. The next day, General Walker&’s Eighth US Army breaks out of Pusan to complete the southerly envelopment of the North Korean forces. Seoul falls on the 25th. MacArthur&’s impulsive gamble has paid off, and the South Korean government moves back to their capital. The North Koreans have been driven north of the 38th Parallel, effectively bringing to an end their invasion of the south that started on June 25, 1950. With a timeline and photos included, this book tells the compelling story.
Incident at Arbuk (Star Trek: Voyager #5)
by John Gregory BetancourtTracking a shuttle's distress signal to the nearly deserted Arbuk System, the U.S.S. VoyagerTM crew encounters an unusual weapon a thousand times more powerful than the Starship. Inside the shuttle, the crew discovers an unconscious alien and no more information about the device. Captain Janeway and her crew are attacked by a group of mysterious warships with an interest in the weapon's power. With warp power off line, the crew of the Starship Voyager must find a way to save themselves from a group of aliens desperate to control the superweapon.
Incommunicado
by Randall PlattJust about everyone is incommunicado in the small, sleepy Oregon coastal town of Sea Park during winter. Until Pearl Harbor, that is, when it springs to patriotic life. But is Ruby Opal Pearl (a.k.a. Jewels) Stokes the only person to see what's really happening here? Tommy Kasamoto, the one person in her life who has provided security, shelter, and a smidgeon of respect-and who owns the biggest resort on the coast-is now the cause of the town's rage. Tommy's Japanese ancestry makes him the prime target of an angry mob, not to mention he's also rich, has a shady past, and everyone in town owes him money. As the town's patriotism blossoms into paranoia and turns violent, Jewels has to do something to protect Tommy from internment (or worse), even if that something is going up against the town and the government, not to mention the FBI. Thus begins a fourteen-year-old girl's war within a war.Randall Platt's Incommunicado is both timely and timeless. It's about the meaning of courage and the willingness to stand up for what's right, even when it goes against the prevailing attitudes of the time and place. It's also about the insidious way groups and communities can nurture ignorance and prejudice. But most of all, it's an adventure story set in a town full of unforgettable characters, during a time of great intrigue and peril, no matter which enemy or on what front you fight.
Incomparable
by Terry CrowdyFrance's 9th Light Infantry regiment was created as an elite battalion in Louis XVI's Royal Army. After the aristocratic officers fled from the Revolution, command of the battalion fell to a close-knit group of grizzly ex-NCOs, idealistic revolutionaries and a young, battle-scarred captain, Mathieu Labassée. In 1799, as First Consul of the Republic, Napoleon needed a military victory to cement his political power. He drove a hastily gathered army across the Swiss Alps to recapture northern Italy from the Austrians. It was a risky gamble which very nearly failed. At Marengo Napoleon is taken by surprise. His army were in open retreat when the Ninth arrived late on the field. As Napoleon's last hope they were launched forward to stop the Austrians and give the rest of the army time to recover. Their charge was so ferocious it breaks Austrian morale and precipitates their headlong flight from the battlefield.With the crown of France within his reach, Napoleon was generous in his praise for the Ninth, dubbing them 'Incomparable'. They were feted as celebrities in Paris, but success went to their heads, some officers turned to drink, others fought duels against rivals in Napoleon's Guard. A new commander, Claude Meunier was brought in to bring about change: The Ninth's prestige was now at its peak.From such heady heights, the fear of failure became a powerful motivator. Through successive campaigns in Austria, Prussia, Poland and Spain, the regiment proved its worth. Eventually the strain began to show. The misery of guerrilla war sucks the life and soul out of the regiment. By the time the Allies reached Paris in 1814, the regiment could muster only a handful of men capable of holding their place in the line. They fight on, regardless. In 1815 Napoleon returns from exile in Elba. The Ninth immediately acclaim his return and take their cherished Eagle out of hiding, promising once again to conquer or die. The climax of the book comes ten miles from Waterloo on a bridge over the River Dyle. The Ninth spearheaded the charge to rejoin Napoleon. Like Marengo, their late arrival might save the day. Unlike Marengo, they fail. Even in defeat their story is extraordinary - even by the standards of the dramatic and turbulent years in which they lived.This is not a traditional regimental history. It is the story of people who were caught up in the blazing trail of Napoleon's epic career. It describes the Napoleonic war machine from within, shedding light on the lives and feats of soldiers on whose toil a spectacular Empire was built and lost.
Incomparable: a collection of essays
by Terry CrowdyAn elite battalion under Louis XVI, the 9th Light Infantry regiment were with Napoleon from almost the beginning of his campaigns, so much so that he dubbed them 'Incomparable'. This collection of essays studies their early history and formation, prior to being so vital during the Napoleonic Wars.
Incomplete Victory: General Allenby And Mission Command In Palestine, 1917-1918
by Lcdr Geronimo NuñoThe Palestine Campaign of the First World War exhibited a fighting style that brought with it various challenges in mission command. While General Allenby, commanding the Allied Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), gained several victories in the early stages of the campaign, he did not comprehensively defeat the Turkish forces in Palestine. He drove them away from their defensive line, but they escaped, avoided destruction, and retreated north to re-establish a defense and engage the EEF at later date. This thesis argues that General Allenby did not achieve the great successes at the battles of Beersheba, Gaza, Sheria, and the pursuit of Turkish forces that ended with Allenby's capture of Jerusalem. Instead, Allenby had to learn how to succeed in Palestine to finally destroy the armies of the Ottoman Empire in Palestine at the battle of Megiddo in September 1918. The research in this study highlights the mission command challenges in Allenby's early campaigns and how he learned to overcome them and adapt his tactics to achieve complete victory at the battle of Megiddo. This thesis will use the tenets of mission command, consisting preparation, combined arms, prioritization of resources, and communication, to examine General Allenby's Palestine campaign. Mission command, both a function of war and a philosophy of leadership comprises one of the key facets of military thought that leaders must consider in order to achieve complete victory.
Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence: Changing the Length of the Maintenance Cycle
by Clifford A. Grammich John F. Schank Roland J. Yardley James G. KallimaniThe U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier fleet must meet the forward presence requirements of theater commanders. With a decreasing fleet size, planners must balance the timing of maintenance, training, and deployment with presence and surge demands. Evaluating multiple one- and two-deployment scenarios per cycle, RAND examines the feasibility of different cycle lengths, their effect on carrier forward presence, and their impact on shipyard workloads.