- Table View
- List View
On the Roads of War: A Soviet Cavalryman on the Eastern Front
by Ivan YakushinA World War II survivor describes his combat experiences as a member of the Red Army&’s 5th Guards Cavalry Division in the fight against the Nazi Germany. Ivan Yakushin survived the Siege of Leningrad, fought at the Battle of Kursk and pursued the retreating German army through Russia, Belorussia, Poland and into Germany itself. This is the story of his war. He tells the tale in his own words, with remarkable clarity of recall, and gives an authentic insight into what combat on the Eastern Front was like for the ordinary soldier. He also provides a detailed, firsthand record of cavalry operations during a highly mechanized war, and this gives his book its special value. The war for Yakushin began in Leningrad where he endured the terrifying first winter of the German siege. He describes the perils and privations that beset the city during a period in which over half a million civilians lost their lives. Yet it is his vivid recollections of his experiences as an artillery man, then a cavalry officer on the Eastern Front that are at the heart of this rare memoir. In the Kursk salient Yakushin was severely wounded in the legs, during the Nevel offensive and Operation Bagration he took part in daring cavalry raids behind the German lines and, as the Soviet army penetrated into East Prussia and Germany itself, he was confronted by increasingly desperate German units struggling to defend their homeland. His descriptions of the merciless fighting during these last months of the war, in particular against the fanatical German Volkssturm, make fascinating reading.
On the Seven Seas
by Steve Noon Chris PeersOn the Seven Seas is a set of wargames rules covering the high adventure and low morals of the world of the pirate. From Drake and his sea-rovers to Blackbeard, the Barbary Corsairs and the Wo-k'ou of the Far East, pirates have haunted seas across the globe, preying on port and vessel alike. Now you too can recreate the exploits of pirate captains or the naval commanders that hunted them. Whether you want skirmishes between crews on uncharted islands and in the alleyways of Caribbean ports or ship-to-ship duels that culminate in bloodthirsty boarding actions, the rules offer a quick-to-learn basic game. These small forces of buccaneers, commanded by captains and kept in line by trusted lieutenants, can also be scaled up with ease for larger engagements. Gameplay centers on two driving motivations that epitomize the pirate life - Fear and Greed. Cunning captains will have to balance these two elements, instilling fear in their opponents with bloodthirsty reputations, while keeping their own crews in line with the promise of loot and wealth.
On the Shadow Tracks: A Journey through Occupied Myanmar
by Clare Hammond'On the Shadow Tracks harnesses the railway lines of Myanmar’s complicated past to its turbulent present, and the result is part travelogue, part history and completely absorbing. An astonishing achievement’Joanna LumleyIn 2016, while working as a journalist in Yangon, Clare Hammond discovered an obscure map that showed a web of new railways spanning the length and breadth of the country - railways not shown on any other publicly available maps. She was determined to uncover the railways' origins, purpose, and most of all, the silence that surrounded them. She would spend three months travelling on these mysterious railways, and the next five years piecing their story together.Her journey would take her from Myanmar's tropical south to the embattled mountain towns that border India and China. In dilapidated carriages, along tracks in disrepair, through contested ethnic states and former sites of forced labour, visiting temples, tea shops and festivals, Clare encountered a colourful and contradictory Myanmar through the stories of its people. Simultaneously a lush and evocative travelogue, an unsparing account of Myanmar's recent history, and an astonishing, conversation-shifting engagement with Britain's colonial legacy, On the Shadow Tracks is that rare and necessary thing: a book that finds and tells the truth.
On the Treadmill to Pearl Harbor: The Memoirs of Admiral James O. Richardson
by George C. DyerEndless debates have raged over the reasons the Japanese were able to execute their surprise attack on the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor so successfully. Military neglect, political and diplomatic ineptitude, and even what could only be described as accusations of malfeasance against the President of the United States all have been argued and reargued for more than 60 years. One key source of information for this ongoing and sometime passionate discussion is "On the Treadmill to Pearl Harbor: the Memoirs of Admiral James O. Richardson." As commander of the U.S. Fleet in 1940 and 1941, Admiral Richardson was in a unique position to observe and reach conclusions about the readiness or lack of readiness of the fleet, as well as the political atmosphere in which crucial strategic and tactical decisions were reached. Because many crucial naval records perished at Pearl Harbor, Admiral Richardson's recollections, as told to Rear Admiral George C. Dyer, constitute an important primary source for war plans, including War Plan Orange for operations in case of a war with Japan. He also addresses his deep concern about the lack of preparedness of the Navy, particularly its low prewar staffing levels, and the folly of sending a poorly prepared naval force to Pearl Harbor as a deterrent to aggression by a better prepared Japanese fleet. He forthrightly places much of the blamed for this situation on President Roosevelt and his advisers. Interestingly, in light of the many conspiracy theories surrounding December 7, 1941, he criticizes these men for consistently underestimating the Japanese threat rather than courting an attack as a way of embroiling the U.S. in the war. On the Treadmill to Pearl Harbor is an important source for naval historians and students of World War II, as well as an intriguing first-person account of the crucial months preceding "the day of infamy."
On the Warpath in the Pacific
by Clark ReynoldsWhen J.J. Clark graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at the end of World War I he was ready to be a pioneer in one of the great transformations of the U.S. Navy in the twentieth century - the change from a surface-only force to one in which aviation played a key if not determinant role. Under the leadership of the key aviation admirals, William Moffett and John Towers, "Jocko" Clark with other aviation-minded officers battled low budgets and unsympathetic policy makers to champion the development of naval aviation during the 1920s and 30s. Pearl Harbor proved them right. As captain of the new Yorktown (the original was sunk at Midway), Clark provided aggressive leadership in the capture of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. As a carrier task group commander, Clark was instrumental in the brilliant victory at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which included the Marianas Turkey Shoot. He withstood numerous kamikaze attacks at Iwo Jima and Okinawa while seeing that Japan's airpower was destroyed. After the war he was instrumental in salvaging naval aviation from the attacks of other services and policy makers. During the Korean War he served as Commander Seventh Fleet in the all-important naval air support of that conflict. Naval historian Clark Reynolds is particularly well placed to write this book because he had access to family papers and was co-author of the Admiral Clark's autobiography.
On the Waters of the World: The Story of the Meloon Family
by Robert G. FloodIn the closing months of World War II, a Florida-based boat-building firm built hundreds of assault boats under an "impossible" deadline and helped General Dwight Eisenhower defeat Hitler's armies along the Rhine. The feat drew the praise of the U.S. Government and the attention of National Geographic. Today that same firm, Correct Craft of Orlando, Florida, builds the Ski Nautique, considered by many the world's foremost water ski towboat. Behind the genius of Correct Craft, America's oldest family-owned boat building firm, lies the inspiring story of the Meloon family and their commitment to honor God in their business decisions. They kept that commitment, even in times of hardship, and it led them to risk bankruptcy rather than compromise the firm's Christian-based business ethic. Roaming from Cypress Gardens to Sea World, from professional water ski tournaments to nations abroad, these pages tell the story of one family's remarkable impact "on the waters of the world."
On the Western Front: Eyewitness Accounts from Australians in the Great War
by Michael EnrightHow Australian civilians came to the Western Front and why, in their own words
On the Wings of War and Peace: The RCAF during the Early Cold War
by William March Randall Wakelam Peter RaylsBringing together leading researchers on Canadian air power, On the Wings of War and Peace captures the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the first decades of the Cold War – a period which marked the zenith of air force accomplishments in peacetime Canada. The volume covers topics that go beyond straightforward flying operations, examining policies that drove operational needs and capabilities and the personnel, technical, and logistical functions that made those operations possible. With contributions written by former RCAF members who have both expert and personal knowledge of their topics, On the Wings of War and Peace brings new perspectives to the RCAF’s role in shaping the modern Canadian nation.
On to Rome: Anzio and Victory at Cassino, 1944 (Images of War)
by Jon Diamond Dr.Early in 1944 the Allied advance was halted by the German defence of the Gustav Line. Even with the deployment of Eighth Army reinforcements from the Adriatic, every effort to capture Monte Cassino failed.Fifth Armys VI Corps amphibious landing at Anzio in January, while initially successful stalled in the face of formidable German counter-attacks and the beach-head was effectively besieged.The stalemate at Anzio and along the Gustav Line was finally broken in mid May by the Allied Spring offensive. After bitter fighting and the total destruction of the famous Benedictine Abbey, the Germans began their withdrawal towards Rome. Days later the reinforced VI Corps broke out of the Anzio bridgehead and linked up with Fifth Army units on 25 May. But by evading the Allied attempt to trap them south of Rome and despite Rome being occupied by the Allies in early June the bulk of the German 14th Army lived to fight another day. The Italian campaign had another nine costly months to run.This superbly researched account traces the course of the bitterly fought battles between January and June 1944 in words and images.
On to Stalingrad: Operation Winter Thunderstorm and the Attempt to Relieve Sixth Army, December 1942 (Die Wehrmacht im Kampf)
by Horst ScheibertThe first English translation of a German account of the attempt to relieve the Nazis&’ Sixth Army at Stalingrad during World War II. In late November 1942, Soviet forces surrounded General Friedrich Paulus&’ Sixth Army in a pocket at the Russian city of Stalingrad. In response the Germans planned a relief operation, Operation Winter Thunderstorm, intended to break through the Soviet forces and open the pocket, releasing the encircled units. The 6th Panzer Division was the spearhead of the German relief force. The attack started on 12 December 1942 and was aborted on 23 December after heavy Soviet counterattacks. This failure sealed the fate of the German Sixth Army in Stalingrad. This account of the operation was first published in German in 1956, written by the well-respected military historian and retired German officer, Horst Scheibert, who was a tank commander in 6th Panzer Division during the attempt. Utilizing many excerpts from war diaries, and telegrams sent during operations, it is a unique account of the entire operation from the situation in mid-November through the two German offensives, the Soviet counteroffensive, and ongoing fighting until early January. This book includes 16 maps from the original edition and is the first English translation of this important German account.Praise for On to Stalingrad &“Rich and detailed like very few of its kind are, with a crisp writing style and critical eye for the events of the battlefield that almost makes you feel as if you were there with Sixth Panzer. On to Stalingrad is a book so compelling that it simply should not be overlooked for your personal and professional enjoyment.&” —ARMOR Magazine &“Offers a unique viewpoint from an actual veteran who is able to provide an immediate military analysis of this mostly forgotten operation of the Stalingrad campaign.&” —New York Journal of Books
On to Victory
by Mark ZuehlkeThe eighth Canadian Battle Series volume is the little-told story of the tense final days of World War II, remembered in the Netherlands as "the sweetest of springs," which saw the country's liberation from German occupation.The Liberation Campaign, a series of fierce, desperate battles during the last three months of the war, was bittersweet. A nation's freedom was won and the war concluded, but these final hostilities cost Canada 6,298 casualties, including 1,482 dead.With his trademark "you are there" style that draws upon official records, veteran memories, and a keen understanding of the combat experience, Mark Zuehlke brings to life this concluding chapter in the story of Canada in World War II.May 4, 2010, will mark the 65th anniversary of the Netherlands' liberation.
Once
by Morris GleitzmanOnce I escaped from an orphanage to find my Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.
Once More the Hawks (RAF Trilogy)
by Max HennessyOne last mission, a disastrous result, an impossible escape...Last in the RAF Trilogy, this story charts the final days of service of world-class British fighter pilot Dicken Quinney, in his most dangerous adventure yet. It is the summer of 1939, and the greatest war in history is on the horizon. Dicken is stationed in France when the fighting starts, but disaster strikes and his plane is shot out of the sky above enemy territory. Beset on all sides with mortal peril, and with only his own survival skills to aid him, Dicken is forced to make a breathtaking escape across Nazi Europe, pursued by his nemesis, General Lee Tse Liu.The crowning finale to the RAF trilogy, Once More the Hawks is a triumph, perfect for fans of Thomas Wood, W. E. Johns and David Black.
Once There Were Titans: Napoleon's Generals and Their Battles, 1800–1815
by Kevin F. KileyThe first serious investigation of Napoleon's generals Covers the well known to the relatively obscure Provides a fresh insight into the periodThis is a masterly study of generalship in Napoleon's Grande Arme. Napoleon arguably had the greatest collection of military talent to ever serve one man working for him during the period 1800-15. The role of the Marshals of the Empire has been covered many times, and due credit is also given to them here; however, for the first time Kevin Kiley also examines in depth the contribution of the generals who never made that rank. Fifty-two general officers are examined using the battles they fought to illustrate just how valuable they were. From Marengo in 1800 to Ligny in 1815, both French victories and defeats are studied in meticulous detail, each chapter covering a battle fought and the generals who commanded them. Diverse source material has been consulted in the preparation of this volume, including after-action reports, memoirs and correspondence from officers including Senarmont, Eble, Drouot, Teste, Marmont, and Davout, as well as from lesser-known characters such as the artillerymen Boulart and Nol, and the Polish cavalryman Niegelewski, who led the final dash up the pass of Somosierra. Furthermore, those closest to Napoleon such as Fain and Marchand give their piece and provide invaluable information. Taken individually, this material paints a vivid picture of the Grande Arme and those who led it into fire. Taken as a whole, it provides an invaluable source and tells the story of the officers without whom Napoleon could never have achieved as much.
Once Upon a Distant War: David Halberstam, Neil Sheehan, Peter Arnett--Young War Correspondents and Their Early Vientnam Battles
by William ProchnauOnce Upon a Distance War tells the stories of such young Vietnam war correspondents as Neil Sheehan, Peter Arnett, and David Halberstam, providing a riveting chronicle of high adventure and brutal slapstick, gallantry and cynicism, as well as a vital addition to the history they shaped. "Prochnau . . . tells a Vietnam story we haven't heard before. . . . Complex, witty, and humane."--Tobias Wolff. of photos.
Once Upon a SEAL (Lucky Thirteen #5)
by S. M. ButlerMaddie Benson has spent her entire life in Sugar Falls and has never ventured--nor wanted to venture--beyond her small town's safe borders. But when her delivery job takes her to the doorstep of one very reclusive, former Navy SEAL, Sebastian McIntyre, her small town perceptions are challenged with every conversation they have. It's not long before she's losing herself--and her heart--to the mysterious man behind the door.Bastian's scars are deeper than the surface. They're embedded into his soul, and he's content to keep them buried. But the second Maddie ends up on his doorstep with her sparkling smile and her sunshine hair, his quiet new life shatters and she just might be able to excise the demons he's tried hard to keep tucked away--if he lets her in.When Bastian's old life comes haunting them, he knows he should let her go. But the light she shines on his soul keeps the darkness within him at bay. Letting her go may take more strength than he has, and keeping her close could get her killed. Reading order of this series: * Killing Honor, #1* Wounded Courage, #2* Dying Commitment, #3* SEALed until Christmas, #4* Once Upon a SEAL, #5
Once Upon a Time in Iraq
by Renad Mansour James BluemelIn war, there is no easy victory.When troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime, most people expected an easy victory. Instead, the gamble we took was a grave mistake, and its ramifications continue to reverberate through the lives of millions, in Iraq and the West. As we gain more distance from those events, it can be argued that many of the issues facing us today – the rise of the Islamic State, increased Islamic terrorism, intensified violence in the Middle East, mass migration, and more – can be traced back to the decision to invade Iraq.In The Iraq War, award-winning documentary maker James Bluemel collects first-hand testimony from those who lived through the horrors of the invasion and whose actions were dictated by such extreme circumstances. It takes in all sides of the conflict – working class Iraqi families watching their country erupt into civil war; soldiers and journalists on the ground; American families dealing with the grief of losing their son or daughter; parents of a suicide bomber coming to terms with unfathomable events – to create the most in-depth and multi-faceted portrait of the Iraq War to date. Accompanying a major BBC series, James Bluemel’s book is an essential account of a conflict that continues to shape our world, and a startling reminder of the consequences of our past decisions.
Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen
by Bob GreeneIn search of "the best America there ever was," bestselling author and award-winning journalist Bob Greene finds it in a small Nebraska town few people pass through today—a town where Greene discovers the echoes of the most touching love story imaginable: a love story between a country and its sons. During World War II, American soldiers from every city and walk of life rolled through North Platte, Nebraska, on troop trains en route to their ultimate destinations in Europe and the Pacific. The tiny town, wanting to offer the servicemen warmth and support, transformed its modest railroad depot into the North Platte Canteen. Every day of the year, every day of the war, the Canteen—staffed and funded entirely by local volunteers—was open from five a.m. until the last troop train of the day pulled away after midnight. Astonishingly, this remote plains community of only 12,000 people provided welcoming words, friendship, and baskets of food and treats to more than six million GIs by the time the war ended. In this poignant and heartwarming eyewitness history, based on interviews with North Platte residents and the soldiers who once passed through, Bob Greene tells a classic, lost-in-the-mists-of-time American story of a grateful country honoring its brave and dedicated sons.
Once Was A Time
by Leila SalesIn the war-ravaged England of 1940, Charlotte Bromley is sure of only one thing: Kitty McLaughlin is her best friend in the whole world. But when Charlotte's scientist father makes an astonishing discovery that the Germans will covet for themselves, Charlotte is faced with an impossible choice between danger and safety. Should she remain with her friend or journey to another time and place? Her split-second decision has huge consequences, and when she finds herself alone in the world, unsure of Kitty's fate, she knows that somehow, some way, she must find her way back to her friend. Written in the spirit of classic time-travel tales, this book is an imaginative and heartfelt tribute to the unbreakable ties of friendship.
Once We Were Brothers
by Ronald BalsonOnce We Were Brothers is the compelling tale of two boys and a family that struggles to survive in war-torn Poland. It is also the story of a young lawyer who must face not only a powerful adversary, but her own self-doubts. Two lives, two worlds and sixty years all on course to collide in a fastpaced legal thriller. The author, Ronald H. Balson, is a Chicago trial attorney and educator. His practice has taken him to international venues, including small villages in Poland, which have inspired this novel.
Once We Were Here: A Novel
by Christopher CosmosAs World War II intrudes upon their home, three young friends risk everything for freedom, love, and a chance at a better life. On October 28th, 1940, Mussolini provides Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas with an ultimatum: either allow Axis forces to occupy their country, or face war, and Greece's response is swift. "Oxi!" they say. "No!" In a small village nestled against the radiant waters of the Aegean Sea, we find Alexei, the son of a local fisherman, and his best friend Costa, who were both born on the same night eighteen years earlier and have been like brothers ever since, though now, like all the other young men in their village and throughout Greece, they will leave their homes to bravely fight for their country. But before they go, Alexei asks Philia, the girl that he's loved his entire life, to marry him, which sets into motion the events which will change the lives of these three and their family and friends forever, and begins an epic and unforgettable story of courage, survival, sacrifice, the strength of the human spirit, and of a love and friendship that will echo across time and generations. A spellbinding novel and sweeping romance that performs the remarkable feat of creating action-packed scenes, characters that we care deeply about, and revealing in vivid detail the untold true story of how Greece helped the Allies to win World War II, Once We Were Here is an unforgettable tale that pays tribute to the brave men and women who fought and gave everything for their country, for each other, and for freedom.
Once We Were Home: A Novel
by Jennifer RosnerNational Jewish Book Award Finalist · Jewish Fiction Award Honor Book"This forgotten history of displaced WWII children and the return to their roots [is] captivating, thought-provoking, enlightening, and bittersweet." ―Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist"Rosner is one of my favorite authors." ―Lisa Scottoline, #1 bestselling author of EternalFrom the award-winning author of The Yellow Bird Sings, comes a novel based on the true stories of children stolen in the wake of World War II.When your past is stolen, where do you belong?Ana will never forget her mother’s face when she and her baby brother, Oskar, were sent out of their Polish ghetto and into the arms of a Christian friend. For Oskar, though, their new family is the only one he remembers. When a woman from a Jewish reclamation organization seizes them, believing she has their best interest at heart, Ana sees an opportunity to reconnect with her roots, while Oskar sees only the loss of the home he loves. Roger grows up in a monastery in France, inventing stories and trading riddles with his best friend in a life of quiet concealment. When a relative seeks to retrieve him, the Church steals him across the Pyrenees before relinquishing him to family in Jerusalem. Renata, a post-graduate student in archaeology, has spent her life unearthing secrets from the past--except for her own. After her mother’s death, Renata’s grief is entwined with all the questions her mother left unanswered, including why they fled Germany so quickly when Renata was a little girl. Two decades later, they are each building lives for themselves, trying to move on from the trauma and loss that haunts them. But as their stories converge in Israel, in unexpected ways, they must each ask where and to whom they truly belong. Beautifully evocative and tender, filled with both luminosity and anguish, Once We Were Home reveals a little-known history. Based on the true stories of children stolen during wartime, this heart-wrenching novel raises questions of complicity and responsibility, belonging and identity, good intentions and unforeseen consequences, as it confronts what it really means to find home.
Once Well Beloved: Remembering a British Columbia Great War Sacrifice
by Michael Sasges"Our well beloved dead who died that we might live."In the town of Merritt, in British Columbia's Nicola Valley, stands a granite cenotaph erected in memory of 44 men who died soldiering in the First World War. Those men came from a Nicola Valley that had been suddenly and dramatically settled just a decade before by the will of railway executives and the arrival of British colliers.Twelve of those soldiers are the subject of these pages—and through them, we meet the men, women and children of the Nicola Valley, the dead and their survivors: the people who built and were built by a Canadian community that was also distinctly British Columbian.
Once a Grand Duchess: Xenia, Sister of Nicolas II
by John KisteThis biography of Xenia, sister of Nicholas II gives a new angle on the Romanov story and provides new information on relationships within the family after the Revolution. Important new letters and photographs are also included.
Once a Grenadier: The Grenadier Guards, 1945–1995
by Oliver Lindsay'An eminent writer has said that regiments great in history have this in common with mortals- through old in glory and honour, they have yet the vigour of youth. To none may the remark be more truthful applied then the Grenadier Guards...' Thus wrote Chichester and Burges-Short in 1900 and, judging by the Regiment's history over the last fifty years, the words ring as true as ever. For this history of Grenadier Guards is indeed a microcosm of all the proud endeavours of the British Army. There are few places of significance where the Regiment has not served: after the round-up of Nazis in 1945 in Germany and Austria, Grenadiers saw action in Palestine and in the jungles of Malaya, and subsequently served during emergencies in Cyprus, the Cameroons, British Guiana, Belize, Northern Ireland, the Gulf and with the United Nations, to indicate but some of the over seas postings which included the Falklands and Hong Kong. Grenadier have also been responsible for the protection of British Sovereigns and the great ceremonial events in London, including the funerals of King George VI and Winston Churchill. Oliver Lindsay has produced a rigorous work of history-his fourth book- rich in quotation after interviewing Grenadiers, serving and retired, of all generations. Drawing on their accounts as well as his own experiences - for he was a regular soldier for thirty-five years- he has written a book of extraordinary interest. Unique among such historians, he tells of the experiences of wives in such places as war-torn Germany in 1945. Tripoli and Cyprus. The story of Grenadiers who served with the Guards parachute Company and in the SAS is included. Five years in the writing, this comprehensive record included coverage of training, tactics, the pronounced changes in the armed forces and the views and anecdotes of the Non Commissioned Officers and Guardsmen. Profusely illustrated and with 14 detailed maps, this is a dedicated history of the senior infantry Regiment in the British Army and what is probably the most famous Regiment in the world.