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Mercenaries and Their Masters: Warfare in Renaissance Italy
by Michael MallettThe eminent Renaissance historian&’s classic study of warfare between Italian city-states between the 13th and 16th centuries. Michael Mallett&’s lucid account of the age of the condottieri—or mercenary captains of fortune—and of the soldiers who fought under them is set in the wider context of the Italian society of the time and of the warring city-states who employed them. Mallett presents a colorful portrait of the mercenaries themselves, as well as their commanders and their campaigns, while also exploring how war was practiced in the Renaissance world. Mallett puts special focus on the 15th century, a confused period of turbulence and transition when standing armies were formed in Italy and more modern types of military organization took hold across Europe. But it also looks back to the middle ages, and forward to the Italian wars of the sixteenth century when foreign armies disputed the European balance of power on Italian soil. First published I 1974, Mallett&’s pioneering study remains an essential text on the subject of warfare in the late medieval period and the Renaissance.
Mercenaries to Conquerors: Norman Warfare in the Eleventh & Twelfth-Century Mediterranean
by Paul BrownWhen a band of Norman adventurers arrived in southern Italy to fight in the Lombard insurrections against the Byzantine empire in the early 1000s, few would have predicted that within a generation these men would have seized control of Apulia, Calabria and Sicily. How did they make such extraordinary gains and then consolidate their power? Paul Brown, in this thoroughly researched and absorbing study, seeks to answer these questions and throw light onto the Norman conquests across the Mediterranean. Throughout he focuses on the military side of their progress, as they advanced from mercenaries to conquerors, then crusaders. The story of the campaigns they undertook in Italy, Sicily, the Balkans and the Near East reveals their remarkable talent for war. The dominant role played by a succession of Norman leaders is a key theme of the narrative a line of ambitious and ruthless soldiers that ran from Robert Guiscard and Bohemond to Roger II and Tancred.
Mercenaries, Hybrid Armies and National Security: Private Soldiers and the State in the 21st Century (LSE International Studies Series)
by Caroline VarinThis book assesses the use of ‘mercenaries’ by states, and their integration into the national armed forces as part of a new hybridisation trend of contemporary armies. Governments, especially in the West, are undertaking an unprecedented wave of demilitarisation and military budget cuts. Simultaneously, these same governments are increasingly opening their armies up to foreign nationals and outsourcing military operations to private companies. This book explores the impact of this hybridisation on the values, cohesion and effectiveness of the armed forces by comparing and contrasting the experiences of the French Foreign Legion, private military companies in Angola, and the merging of private contractors and American troops in Iraq. Examining the employment of foreign citizens and private security companies as military forces and tools of foreign policy, and their subsequent impact on the national armed forces, the book investigates whether the difficulties of coordinating soldiers of various nationalities and allegiances within public-private joint military operations undermines the legitimacy of the state. Furthermore, the author questions whether this trend for outsourcing security can realistically provide a long term and positive contribution to national security. This book will be of much interest to students of private military companies, strategic studies, international security and IR in general.
Mercenaries: An African Security Dilemma
by Abdel-Fatau Musah J. 'Kayode Fayemi Kayode FayemiThis powerful book critiques mercenary involvement in post-Cold War African conflicts. The contributors investigate the links between the rise in internal conflicts and the proliferation of mercenary activities in the 1990s; the distinction in the methods adopted by Cold War mercenaries and their contemporary counterparts; the convoluted network between private armies; business interests and sustained poverty in Africa’s poorest countries; and the connection between mercenary activities and arms proliferation. Countries discussed include Sierra Leone, Zaire, Angola, Uganda and Congo.
Mercenaries: Soldiers of Fortune, from Ancient Greece to Today's Private Military Companies
by Michael Lee LanningSOLDIERS OF $$. Privateers, contract killers,corporate warriors. Contract soldiers go by many names, but they all have one thing in common: They fight for money and plunder rather than liberty, God, or country. Now acclaimed author and war vet Michael Lee Lanning traces the compelling history of these fighting machines--from the "Sea Peoples" who fought for the pharaohs' greater glory to today's soldiers for hire from private military companies (PMCs) in Iraq and Afghanistan. What emerges is a fascinating account of the men who fight other people's wars--the Greeks who built an empire for Alexander the Great, the Nubians who accompanied Hannibal across the Alps, the Irish who became the first to go global in their search for work. Soldiers of fortune have always had the power to change the course of war, and Lanning examines their pivotal roles in individual battles and in the rise and fall of empires. As the employment of contract soldiers spreads in Iraq and America's War on Terrorism--the U. S. paid $30 billion to PMCs in 2003 alone--Mercenaries offers a valuable inside look at a system that appears embedded in our nation's future.
Mercenary
by Michele MannonSometimes in life, choices just aren't part of the plan. When fate interferes and bulldozes right over you.That's how I felt the first time I saw him. Standing in my kitchen, soaking wet, hotter than a man has the right to be, and holding a knife.Declan's cold, stone-cold. I can't help but want him. His presence stirs up some raw emotion within me. He seems so...alone. But is he here to kill me or save me?He's the one man I should never want...and the one I can never forget.
Mercenary's Woman
by Diana PalmerA fan-favorite contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer"Retired" soldier of fortune Ebenezer Scott was a bad boy to the core. Schoolteacher Sally Johnson was the fresh scrubbed beauty from across the street. When Sally's life was put in danger, Ebenezer fought to protect her. But this sweet-natured beauty yearned for so much more. She dreamed of a lifetime of love in Ebenezer Scott's big, strong arms. Could she slip through his ironclad defenses and become this beloved mercenary's bride?Previously published.
Merchant Kings: When Companies Ruled the World, 1600--1900
by Stephen R. BownCommerce meets conquest in this swashbuckling story of the six merchant-adventurers who built the modern world <P><P> It was an era when monopoly trading companies were the unofficial agents of European expansion, controlling vast numbers of people and huge tracts of land, and taking on governmental and military functions. They managed their territories as business interests, treating their subjects as employees, customers, or competitors. The leaders of these trading enterprises exercised virtually unaccountable, dictatorial political power over millions of people. <P><P> The merchant kings of the Age of Heroic Commerce were a rogue's gallery of larger-than-life men who, for a couple hundred years, expanded their far-flung commercial enterprises over a sizable portion of the world. They include Jan Pieterszoon Coen, the violent and autocratic pioneer of the Dutch East India Company; Peter Stuyvesant, the one-legged governor of the Dutch West India Company, whose narrow-minded approach lost Manhattan to the British; Robert Clive, who rose from company clerk to become head of the British East India Company and one of the wealthiest men in Britain; Alexandr Baranov of the Russian American Company; Cecil Rhodes, founder of De Beers and Rhodesia; and George Simpson, the "Little Emperor" of the Hudson's Bay Company, who was chauffeured about his vast fur domain in a giant canoe, exhorting his voyageurs to paddle harder so he could set speed records.
Merchant Sailors at War, 1943–1945: Beating the U-Boat (Images of War)
by Philip KaplanThe Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all through the war. Never for one moment could we forget that everything happening elsewhere, on land, at sea, or in the air, depended ultimately on its outcome. - Winston ChurchillFeatured in this new volume from Philip Kaplan are images of some of the most iconic and important merchant ships of the latter years of the Second World War, along with intriguing shots of the men who sailed and worked on them. The indomitable HMS Sackville, the only surviving corvette of the Second World War, is afforded particularly prominent coverage, alongside a host of lesser-known but equally formidable ships. The Corvettes (vessels that escorted convoys throughout the war) were amongst the wettest and most uncomfortable of all warships, and their crews were undoubtedly amongst the most heroic. This volume is, in effect, a photo essay on the corvette. Escorting the convoy system of defensive Allied boats in the Atlantic and tasked with preventing merchant ships from being sunk by German submarines and U-boats, the Corvette's job was invaluable. This history, told in words and images, is sure to appeal to all military and maritime enthusiasts, representing an exciting addition to the established Images of War series.
Merchants and the Military in Eighteenth-Century Britain: British Army Contracts and Domestic Supply, 1739-1763
by Gordon E. BannermanInvestigates the contract sector of the British Army during the long eighteenth century. This book argues that this group of financiers, private merchants, businessmen and farmers represented a vital interest group which was at the nexus of the fiscal-military structure. It draws on papers from the War Office, the Treasury and the Audit Office.
Mercs True Stories of Mercenaries in Action
by Bill FawcettRanging from ancient times to the Vietnam War to the drug wars of modern-day Central and South America, this collection of true-life accounts chronicles the experiences and exploits of professional soldiers of fortune.
Mercury Pictures Presents
by Anthony MarraThe epic tale of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive, moving from Mussolini's Italy to 1940s Los Angeles-a timeless story of love, deceit, and sacrifice from the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaLike many before her, Maria Lagana has come to Hollywood to outrun her past. Born in Rome, where every Sunday her father took her to the cinema instead of church, Maria immigrates with her mother to Los Angeles after a childhood transgression leads to her father's arrest.Fifteen years later, on the eve of America's entry into World War II, Maria is an associate producer at Mercury Pictures, trying to keep her personal and professional lives from falling apart. Her mother won't speak to her. Her boss, a man of many toupees, has been summoned to Washington by congressional investigators. Her boyfriend, a virtuoso Chinese American actor, can't escape the studio's narrow typecasting. And the studio itself, Maria's only home in exile, teeters on the verge of bankruptcy.Over the coming months, as the bright lights go dark across Los Angeles, Mercury Pictures becomes a nexus of European émigrés: modernist poets trying their luck as B-movie screenwriters, once-celebrated architects becoming scale-model miniaturists, and refugee actors finding work playing the very villains they fled. While the world descends into war, Maria rises through a maze of conflicting politics, divided loyalties, and jockeying ambitions. But when the arrival of a stranger from her father's past threatens Maria's carefully constructed facade, she must finally confront her father's fate-and her own.Written with intelligence, wit, and an exhilarating sense of possibility, Mercury Pictures Presents spans many moods and tones, from the heartbreaking to the ecstatic. It is a love letter to life's bit players, a panorama of an era that casts a long shadow over our own, and a tour de force by a novelist whose work The Washington Post calls 'a flash in the heavens that makes you look up and believe in miracles.'
Mercury Pictures Presents
by Anthony MarraThe epic tale of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive, moving from Mussolini's Italy to 1940s Los Angeles-a timeless story of love, deceit, and sacrifice from the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaLike many before her, Maria Lagana has come to Hollywood to outrun her past. Born in Rome, where every Sunday her father took her to the cinema instead of church, Maria immigrates with her mother to Los Angeles after a childhood transgression leads to her father's arrest.Fifteen years later, on the eve of America's entry into World War II, Maria is an associate producer at Mercury Pictures, trying to keep her personal and professional lives from falling apart. Her mother won't speak to her. Her boss, a man of many toupees, has been summoned to Washington by congressional investigators. Her boyfriend, a virtuoso Chinese American actor, can't escape the studio's narrow typecasting. And the studio itself, Maria's only home in exile, teeters on the verge of bankruptcy.Over the coming months, as the bright lights go dark across Los Angeles, Mercury Pictures becomes a nexus of European émigrés: modernist poets trying their luck as B-movie screenwriters, once-celebrated architects becoming scale-model miniaturists, and refugee actors finding work playing the very villains they fled. While the world descends into war, Maria rises through a maze of conflicting politics, divided loyalties, and jockeying ambitions. But when the arrival of a stranger from her father's past threatens Maria's carefully constructed facade, she must finally confront her father's fate-and her own.Written with intelligence, wit, and an exhilarating sense of possibility, Mercury Pictures Presents spans many moods and tones, from the heartbreaking to the ecstatic. It is a love letter to life's bit players, a panorama of an era that casts a long shadow over our own, and a tour de force by a novelist whose work The Washington Post calls 'a flash in the heavens that makes you look up and believe in miracles.'(P) 2022 Penguin Audio
Mercury Striking: A thrilling page-turner of dangerous race for survivial against a deadly bacteria... (The Scorpius Syndrome)
by Rebecca Zanetti'This dark, post-apocalyptic tale is a testament to the power of hope and love against all odds' Romantic TimesIt's a dangerous race for survival in the aftermath of a deadly bacteria spreading across the globe.One man protects the weak and leads the strong and every hope rests on him...With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynne Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man - a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He's more than muscle and firepower - and in post-plague L.A., he's her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynne is the single most volatile - and vulnerable - creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury, danger has never looked quite so delicious...'Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!' Lara AdrianFor more thrilling passion played out against the dangerous race for survival, look for all the titles in The Scorpius Syndrome series: Mercury StrikingShadow FallingJustice AscendingStorm GatheringWinter IgnitingKnight Awakening
Mercy Mission
by William ChristieIn this nerve-wracking sequel to THE WARRIORS OF GOD, Richard Welsh returns, now working as an aide to a U.S. Senator.Three U.S. Marine security guards are gunned down by unknown assailants at an outdoor café in Guatemala City, far from Afghanistan and the world's attention. Could it be terrorism, or backlash from the war on drugs?Welsh is sent down to Guatemala to investigate, for the most mundane of reasons: the father of one of the dead Marines was a major political contributor. No one expects him to find out anything, least of all himself. But, as soon as he arrives in Guatemala City, he falls into a series of discoveries, each one more disturbing than the last.The attack on the Marines seems to stretch from events as far back as the dirty guerrilla wars of the 80's to the mountains of drugs making their way along Central American pathways from Colombia to Mexico today. Circumstances force Welsh together with a mysterious American woman whose motives are unclear. She may be his ally, or she may regard him as a sacrificial pawn in pursuit of her own agenda. When the final crucial piece of information comes into Welsh's hands it will take every last bit of luck and skill for him to make it out of Guatemala alive.Because, strangely enough, it seems that as many people in Washington as in Guatemala want him dead.There are many jungles, from the tropical rainforest to Washington back rooms. But in each case the most dangerous predator is always the same.
Mercy River: A Van Shaw Novel (Van Shaw Novels Ser. #4)
by Glen Erik HamiltonHelping a fellow veteran accused of murder, Van Shaw is drawn into a dangerous labyrinth involving smuggled opioids, ruthless mercenaries, and deadly family secrets that will challenge his notions of brotherhood and justice in this riveting thriller from Anthony, Macavity and Strand Critics Award-winning author Glen Erik Hamilton.When his friend Leo Pak is arrested on suspicion of murder and armed robbery, Van Shaw journeys to a remote Oregon county to help his fellow Ranger. Van had been Leo’s sergeant when they served with the 75th Regiment in Afghanistan, and back in the States, Leo had helped Van when he needed it most.Arriving in the isolated town of Mercy River, Van learns that his troubled friend had planned to join a raucous three-day party that dominates the place for one weekend each year. Attended by hundreds of former and active Rangers, the event is more than just a reunion; it’s the central celebration of a growing support network called the Rally, founded and led by a highly decorated Special Operations general named Macomber.But there’s more going on in Mercy River than just a bunch of Army hard cases blowing off steam. The murder victim—the owner of a local gun shop where Leo worked part time—was dealing in stolen heroin-grade opiates. Worse, the town has a dark history with a community of white supremacists, growing in strength and threatening to turn Mercy River into their private enclave. The cops have damning evidence linking Leo to the murder, and Van knows that backwaters like Mercy River are notorious for protecting their own. His quest to clear Leo’s name will stir up old grudges and dark secrets beneath the surface of this secretive small town, pit his criminal instincts against his loyalties to his brothers in arms, and force him to question his own belief in putting justice above the letter of the law.Glen Erik Hamilton creates crime fiction that pulsates with emotional intensity and is “as much fun to read as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher” (J. A. Jance). In Mercy River, Hamilton highlights the unique and powerful moral struggle inherent in Van Shaw’s iconoclastic character—an honorable man torn between upholding the law and breaking it to save innocent lives. Action-packed, riveting, and powerful, Mercy River is a novel that goes to the heart and soul of what it means to be a hero in a corrupt and punishing world.
Mercy in Hell: An American Ambulance Driver with the Eighth Army
by Capt. Andrew GeerThis is the story of the American Field Service, by its second in command, Captain Andrew Geer.Geer left from Halifax in 1942 with some hundred miscellaneous volunteers of all ages, some sincere in their mission, others using it as an escape from failure, from the draft. After a crossing and a journey of 110 days, the unit reached Egypt. Geer follows their work, through the fall of Tobruk, Matruh, below Bir Hacheim, etc. He writes of emergency surgery, evacuations, hazardous driving on virtually impassable roads, the loss of men and ambulances, day and night duty with no relief.Finally, the American landing, Montgomery’s advance, a turn for the better—and Geer’s return to America.
Mere Moments: A Story of Pearl Harbor; The Day the Towers Fell
by Larry Johnson Amanda JenkinsJimmy is a sailor fighting to get up the courage to propose to Doreen. The next morning, he's fighting for his life because the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor! Aaron's looking forward to his day off from school until he learns of the attack on the Twin Towers, where his mother works! How will these characters deal with such life-changing events? Read these stories to find out. (Set of 6 with Teacher's Guide and Comprehension Question Card)
Merlin at War: A wonderfully compelling classic espionage thriller (The DCI Frank Merlin Series #2)
by Mark EllisVividly atmospheric and brimming with suspense, Mark Ellis presents this insanely captivating wartime thriller of classic espionage.The third instalment in the Frank Merlin series, following on from Stalin's Gold.PRAISE FOR THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DCI FRANK MERLIN SERIES:'A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series' - Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author'So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers . . . Another belter!' - Fiona Phillips'A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end' - Dorset Book Detective'Brimming with action . . . complex, addictive and highly entertaining . . . I cannot wait to read more books by Mark Ellis' - The Book Cosy Book Club'Brimming with authentic details . . . A compelling tale of crime fiction' - Foreword Reviews'A mammoth read with a Dickensian plethora of characters that I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in . . . meticulously researched . . . deliciously complex' - CARAMEROLLOVESBOOKS___________Violent deaths. French double agents. Daring fraud.DCI Frank Merlin sets out on his most complex case yet...War rages across Europe.France is under the Nazi thumb. Britain has its back to the wall. In London, Scotland Yard detective Merlin investigates a series of disturbing events - a young girl killed in a botched abortion, a French emigré shot in a seedy Notting Hill flat, a mysterious letter written by a British officer, gunned down in Crete.With action spanning Buenos Aires, New York, Cairo and Occupied France, Merlin and his team are plunged into a dark world of espionage, murder, love and betrayal.___________And don't forget the other titles in the highly praised DCI Frank Merlin series: Princess Gate, Stalin's Gold and A Death In Mayfair.
Merlin at War: A wonderfully compelling classic espionage thriller (The\dci Frank Merlin Ser. #3)
by Mark EllisVividly atmospheric and brimming with suspense, Mark Ellis presents this insanely captivating wartime thriller of classic espionage.The third instalment in the Frank Merlin series, following on from Stalin's Gold.PRAISE FOR THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DCI FRANK MERLIN SERIES:'A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series' - Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author'So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers . . . Another belter!' - Fiona Phillips'A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end' - Dorset Book Detective'Brimming with action . . . complex, addictive and highly entertaining . . . I cannot wait to read more books by Mark Ellis' - The Book Cosy Book Club'Brimming with authentic details . . . A compelling tale of crime fiction' - Foreword Reviews'A mammoth read with a Dickensian plethora of characters that I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in . . . meticulously researched . . . deliciously complex' - CARAMEROLLOVESBOOKS___________Violent deaths. French double agents. Daring fraud.DCI Frank Merlin sets out on his most complex case yet...War rages across Europe.France is under the Nazi thumb. Britain has its back to the wall. In London, Scotland Yard detective Merlin investigates a series of disturbing events - a young girl killed in a botched abortion, a French emigré shot in a seedy Notting Hill flat, a mysterious letter written by a British officer, gunned down in Crete.With action spanning Buenos Aires, New York, Cairo and Occupied France, Merlin and his team are plunged into a dark world of espionage, murder, love and betrayal.___________And don't forget the other titles in the highly praised DCI Frank Merlin series: Princess Gate, Stalin's Gold and A Death In Mayfair.
Merrill's Marauders
by Adam Hook Edward YoungMerrill's Marauders were the first American Army infantry unit to fight in the China-Burma-India theater, and one of the most renowned units to come out of World War II (1939-1945). The Marauders established a lasting reputation for hard fighting and tenacity in the face of adversity, combating a determined enemy, some of the most difficult and disease-ridden terrain in the world, and a seemingly indifferent higher command. Pushed beyond the limit of their endurance, at the end of nearly six months of operations behind Japanese lines, the remaining Marauders were withdrawn from combat after suffering over 90% casualties. Because of its courageous actions, the unit received the very rare honor of having every member presented with a Bronze Star for gallantry. This book explores the creation, training and combat experiences of the Marauders, one of the most famous units in the US Army's roll of honor.
Merrill's Marauders: The Untold Story of Unit Galahad and the Toughest Special Forces Mission of World War II
by Gavin MortimerA critically acclaimed historian reveals the heroism and perseverance of a US Army special ops unit during one of the most overlooked campaigns of WWII.In August of 1943, a call went out for American soldiers willing to embark on a “hazardous and dangerous mission” behind enemy lines in Burma. The war department wanted 3,000 volunteers, and it didn’t care who they were; they would be expendable, with an expected casualty rate of eighty-five percent. The men who took up the challenge were, in the words of one, “bums and cast-offs” with rap sheets and reputations for trouble. One war reporter described them as “Dead End Kids,” but by the end of their five-month mission, those that remained had become the legendary “Merrill’s Marauders.”From award-winning historian Gavin Mortimer, Merrill’s Marauders is the story of the American World War II special forces unit originally codenamed “Galahad,” which, in 1944, fought its way through 700 miles of snake-infested Burmese jungle—what Winston Churchill described as “the most forbidding fighting country imaginable.” Though their mission to disrupt Japanese supply lines and communications was ultimately successful, paving the way for the Allied conquest of Burma, the Marauders paid a terrible price for their victory. By the time they captured the crucial airfield of Myitkyina in May 1944, only 200 of the original 3,000 men remained; the rest were dead, wounded, or riddled with disease. This is the definitive nonfiction narrative of arguably the most extraordinary, but also unsung, American special forces unit in World War II.
Merrill’s Marauders February - May 1944 [Illustrated Edition]
by AnonIncludes 27 Maps, 2 Sketches and 23 PhotosTHE 5307th COMPOSITE UNIT (Provisional) of the Army of the United States was organized and trained for long-range penetration behind enemy lines in Japanese-held Burma. Commanded by Brig. Gen. (now Maj. Gen.) Frank D. Merrill, its 2,997 officers and men became popularly known as "Merrill's Marauders." From February to May, 1944 the operations of the Marauders were closely coordinated with those of the Chinese 22d and 38th Divisions in a drive to recover northern Burma and clear the way for the construction of the Ledo Road, which was to link the Indian railhead at Ledo with the old Burma Road to China. The Marauders were foot soldiers who marched and fought through jungles and over mountains from the Hukawng Valley in northwestern Burma to Myitkyina on the Irrawaddy River. In 5 major and 30 minor engagements they met and defeated the veteran soldiers of the Japanese 18th Division. Operating in the rear of the main forces of the Japanese, they prepared the way for the southward advance of the Chinese by disorganizing supply lines and communications. The climax of the Marauders' operations was the capture of the Myitkyina airfield, the only all-weather strip in northern Burma. This was the final victory of the 5307th Composite Unit, which was disbanded in August, 1944.
Merrill’s Marauders: Combined Operations In Northern Burma In 1944 [Illustrated Edition]
by Dr Gary J. BjorgeIncludes the US Special Forces in World War II Illustrations Pack with 95 maps, plans, and photos.Coalition warfare is generally a two-edged sword. When several countries join forces to fight a common enemy, the weight of their combined effort can be overwhelming. The effectiveness of this effort, however, can be dissipated or even rendered counterproductive if members of the coalition cannot find common ground among themselves on such vital issues as the nature and objectives of the war and the appropriate strategy, command structure, and methods for fighting it.In this Special Study, Dr. Gary Bjorge of the Combat Studies Institute offers a case study in coalition warfare during the Second World War. While the focus of his study is Merrill's Marauders, his analysis offers a broader perspective on how coalition considerations affected strategy, command and protocol, and military operations and tactics in the China-Burma-India theater. The lesson for today's professional officer is clear. It may be the responsibility of the political authorities to fashion a wartime coalition, but once in place, the partnership will have an impact on military considerations from the strategic through the tactical levels. Few officers involved in the combined effort will escape the fallout in one form or another from decisions made by the coalition leaders. Officers must be prepared for this, and Dr. Bjorge's study is designed to assist in that preparation.
Merry Hell
by Brian TennysonMerry Hell is the only complete history of the 25th Canadian infantry battalion, which was recruited in the autumn and winter of 1914-15 and served overseas from spring 1915 until spring 1919. Author Robert N Clements, who served in the battalion throughout that period and rose from private to captain, wrote the story many years after the war, based on his personal memories and experiences. As such, his story reflects two unique perspectives on Canadian military history - the remarkably fresh recollections and anecdotes of a veteran, and the outlook of a man eager to share what his generation contributed to the nation's history, character, and identity.Professional military historian Brian Douglas Tennyson buttresses Clements's story with a valuable critical apparatus, including an analytical introduction that contextualizes the history and notes that explain unfamiliar points and people. Merry Hell is a captivating tale for those who enjoy stories of war and battle, and one that will entertain readers with Clements's richly colourful anecdotes and witty poems, none of which have been published before.