- Table View
- List View
Syzygy
by Michael G. ConeyOnce every fifty-two years Arcadia's six erratic moons come together in a constellation that plays havoc with the ecological balance of the planet.As a marine biologist at Riverside Research Centre, Mark Swindon is chiefly concerned about the effect of catastrophic tides on his precious fish pens.Then, without warning, a wave of seemingly motiveless violence sweeps through the normally sleepy colony - and Mark too feels himself drawn against his will into a mysterious cycle of death and rebirth.
T-26 Light Tank
by Steven J. ZalogaThis book surveys the development of the T-26 as well as its combat record in the Spanish Civil War, the war in China, the border wars with Poland and Finland in 1939-40, and the disastrous battles of 1941 during Operation Barbarossa.The T-26 was the first major Soviet program of the 1930s, beginning as a license-built version of the British Vickers 6-ton export tank. Although the T-26 retained the basic Vickers hull and suspension, the Red Army began to make extensive changes to the turret and armament, starting with the addition of a 45mm tank gun in 1933. The T-26 was built in larger numbers than any other tank prior to World War II. Indeed, more T-26 tanks were manufactured than the combined tank production of Germany, France, Britain, and the United States in 1931-40.
T-34 in Action: Soviet Tank Troops In World War Ii (Stackpole Military History Ser.)
by Artem Drabkin Oleg SheremetFirst-hand accounts from the Russian veterans of World War II who fought in the celebrated tanks that powered the Soviet armored forces. The Soviet T-34 medium tank was one of the most famous and effective fighting vehicles of the Second World War. Along with the German Tiger and the American Sherman, it was a milestone in tank design that changed the course of the conflict. Much has been written about the technical history of the tank and the vital part it played in the huge tank battles on the Eastern Front, but less has been said about the men who went to war in the T-34 and lived, fought and sometimes died in these remarkable machines. This pioneering book, which is based on extensive interviews with tank crews, records their experiences and offers a compelling inside view of armored warfare in the mid-twentieth century. &“An engaging book, and you will find yourself feeling the discomfort, anxiety, fear, pride and joy of a Soviet Tanker in WWII as you read the T-34 in Action.&”—Military Trader &“An excellent read and a good book for tank enthusiasts.&”—The Armourer
T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944-94
by Steven Zaloga Peter SarsonThe T-34-85 tank is one of those rare weapons that have remained in service for more than half a century. First introduced in 1944, it has seen combat in nearly every corner of the globe. Steven Zaloga and Jim Kinnear look at this long-serving tank at length. Although long obsolete in Europe, it has proven a reliable and potent weapon in many Third World conflicts, and is still in service with more than a dozen armies around the world.
T-34-85 vs M26 Pershing
by Steven Zaloga Richard ChasemoreA hotly-debated topic amongst tank buffs is of the relative merits of the Soviet and American tanks of World War II. Using recently revealed documents, Steven Zaloga sheds light on the crucial tank battles of the Korean War as the rival superpowers' finest tanks battled for supremacy. The Soviet-equipped North Korean Peoples Army initially dominated the battlefield with the seemingly unstoppable T34-85. As US tank battalions hastily arrived throughout the late summer and early autumn of 1950, the M26 Pershing took the fight to North Korea with increasing success.From the Trade Paperback edition.
T-34/76 Medium Tank 1941-45
by Steven Zaloga Peter SarsonThe T-34 was the most influential tank design of World War 2. When first introduced into combat in the summer of 1941, it represented a revolutionary leap forward in tank design. Its firepower, armour protection and mobility were superior to that of any other medium tank of the period. This superiority did not last long. While the T-34 underwent a series of incremental improvements during 1943, it was being surpassed by new German tank designs, most notably the Panther. This title traces the life of the original T-34 through all its difficulties to eventual success.
T-34: An Illustrated History of Stalin's Greatest Tank
by Anthony Tucker-Jones Wolfgang Fleischer“A wide-ranging and detailed account of the design and development of what was arguably the best tank of World War II.” —Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicles AssociationAlthough the Red Army suffered continual heavy tank losses, the rugged and reliable T-34 was an immense success story and was ultimately instrumental in turning the tide of the war. This photographic history follows the story of this exceptional armored vehicle from its disastrous first action during Operation Barbarossa to its miraculous defense of Moscow, its envelopment of the Axis forces at Stalingrad and victory at Kursk, and finally, the advance to the gates of Warsaw then on to Berlin.Packed with a wealth of images, including rare archive photographs and photographs of surviving examples, this is an extraordinary record of both the tank and its personnel. The accompanying text features an in-depth technical evaluation outlining the differences in the myriad of models, including detailed plans of each type, alongside a gripping breakdown of the tank’s entire operational history.“I totally recommend this book for all who love Russian armor or what was one of the hardest and biggest tank battles during World War 2 at Kursk, superb book.” —Armorama“A thoroughly definitive study of one of the world’s historic engines of war.” —The Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)“This is about as comprehensive as anybody could want in tracing the development, production, operational deployment and technical elements of the T-34 and its derivatives. Whatever you might want to know about the tank is here. Supplemented by drawings, copious images and tables it is a go-to reference book.” —Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide
T-34: An Illustrated History of Stalin’s Greatest Tank
by Anthony Tucker-Jones Wolfgang Fleischer“A wide-ranging and detailed account of the design and development of what was arguably the best tank of World War II.” —Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicles AssociationAlthough the Red Army suffered continual heavy tank losses, the rugged and reliable T-34 was an immense success story and was ultimately instrumental in turning the tide of the war. This photographic history follows the story of this exceptional armored vehicle from its disastrous first action during Operation Barbarossa to its miraculous defense of Moscow, its envelopment of the Axis forces at Stalingrad and victory at Kursk, and finally, the advance to the gates of Warsaw then on to Berlin.Packed with a wealth of images, including rare archive photographs and photographs of surviving examples, this is an extraordinary record of both the tank and its personnel. The accompanying text features an in-depth technical evaluation outlining the differences in the myriad of models, including detailed plans of each type, alongside a gripping breakdown of the tank’s entire operational history.“I totally recommend this book for all who love Russian armor or what was one of the hardest and biggest tank battles during World War 2 at Kursk, superb book.” —Armorama“A thoroughly definitive study of one of the world’s historic engines of war.” —The Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)“This is about as comprehensive as anybody could want in tracing the development, production, operational deployment and technical elements of the T-34 and its derivatives. Whatever you might want to know about the tank is here. Supplemented by drawings, copious images and tables it is a go-to reference book.” —Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide
T-34: Russia's Armoured Spearhead
by Robert JacksonVon Kleist, one of Hitlers best panzer leaders, described the T-34 as The finest tank in the world. There could have been no finer accolade from a commander whose panzer divisions experienced the full fury of its devastating attacks on the Eastern Front. Without doubt, the T-34 was one of the best tanks of all time, and in this volume in the TankCraft series Robert Jackson tells its story. He describes its conception in the 1930s, its development during the Second World War, and its postwar deployment to over thirty countries within the Soviet sphere of influence.His book is an excellent reference work for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to the T-34 by its operators throughout the world. Photographs, many in color, illustrate the T-34 in action and there is a section dealing with the range of armored vehicles that were built using the T-34 chassis.Robert Jackson's introduction to the T-34 is necessary reading for tank enthusiasts and tank modelers alike.
T-34: The Red Army's Legendary Medium Tank (Images of War)
by Anthony Tucker-Jones&“The most iconic tank for the Red Army in World War II . . . a pictorial history of the design, development and usage of the T-34 and its derivatives.&” —Military Archive Research It could be said that the T-34 was the tank that won the Second World War. In total, 57,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945. Stalin&’s tank factories outstripped Hitler&’s by a factor of three to one, and production of the T-34 also exceeded that of the famed American M4 Sherman. Not only did this output swamp German panzer production, the T-34 was a robust, no-frills war-winning design—easy to manufacture and reliable. Its sloping armor was innovative at the time, and its wide tracks suited it to off-road warfare. Crucially, it required little maintenance in comparison to German tanks, and its chassis was used as the basis for a range of assault guns: the SU-85, SU-100, and SU-122. Anthony Tucker-Jones&’s photographic history of this exceptional armored vehicle follows its story through the course of the war, from its combat debut against the Wehrmacht during Operation Barbarossa, through the Red Army&’s defeats and retreats of 1941 and 1942, to the tide-turning victories at Stalingrad and Kursk, and on through the long, rapid Soviet advance across Ukraine and Byelorussia to Berlin. As well as a range of rare archive photographs and those of a surviving example of the T-34, the book features specially commissioned color illustrations. &“There is a plethora of information for the modeler and armor enthusiasts . . . I really don&’t think you would go wrong with this book. Recommended.&” —inSCALE
T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks, 1944-2004
by Steven J. ZalogaThe T-54 and T-55 tanks are the most widely manufactured tanks of all time. They have become ubiquitous to wars around the globe since the 1950s, starting with Hungary in 1956, and including the the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967, 1973 and 1982, the Vietnam war of 1967-75, the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, the Afghanistan conflict, Operation Desert Storm, the Yugoslav Civil Wars, and the recent conflict in Iraq. This book will examine the roots of this prolific tank family, starting with the Soviet Army's first attempts to replace the legendary T-34 during World War II, and covering the T-43 and the T-44, the more successful T-54, and its ultimate evolution into the T-55.
T-54/55: The Most-Produced Tank in Military History (TankCraft #16)
by Robert JacksonA guide that blends the history behind this Soviet, Cold War-era battle tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts. During the Cold War, the T-54/55 series of tanks represented the most serious threat to NATO land forces in Europe. Available in huge quantities, it formed the core of the Warsaw Pact armored warfare doctrine, which envisaged massed tank attacks against the weakest point in NATO&’s front-line defenses. Yet the T-54/55 could be stopped by smaller numbers of tanks which had the benefit of better technology and training, as was demonstrated during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 when Israeli tanks dealt out appalling punishment to T-55s of the Syrian army. Despite these limitations, the T-54/55 was one of the most successful tanks ever produced, and this volume in the TankCraft series by Robert Jackson is the ideal introduction to it. As well as tracing the history of the T-54/55, his book is an excellent source of reference for the modeler, providing details of available kits and photographs of award-winning models, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of archive photographs.
T-54/55: The Soviet Army's Cold War Main Battle Tank (Images of War)
by Anthony Tucker-JonesThe Soviet T-54/55 is probably the best-known tank of the Cold War, and it was produced in greater numbers that any other tank in history. It first went into service just after the Second World War and over 70,000 were made, and its design was so successful that it even outlasted its successor the T-62. For a generation it formed the backbone of the armored forces of the Warsaw Pact and it was exported all over the world, remaining in the front-line until the 1990s. This photographic history in the Images of War series by Anthony Tucker-Jones is the ideal introduction to it. In over 150 archive photographs and a detailed analytical text, he traces the design and development of the T-54/55 and records its operational history. He describes how it was conceived as a main battle tank, an all-rounder, contrasting with the light, medium and heavy tanks produced in the past, and it proved to be extraordinarily effective. It was as adaptable as it was long-lasting, different versions being produced by China, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania. Its relatively simple design also meant it was easy to maintain even in difficult conditions and it was used by armies across the Third World, in particular in wars in Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Somalia. Anthony Tucker-Jones's history of this remarkable armored vehicle will be absorbing reading for tank enthusiasts and a valuable source for modelers.
T-62 Main Battle Tank 1965-2005
by Steven Zaloga Tony BryanThe Soviet Army hastily developed the T-62 in a struggle to compete against the rapid proliferation of NATO tanks in the 1960s. It was essentially a modification of the widely-manufactured T-55 tank with the addition of a new 115mm gun. Within the USSR itself, the T-62 was quickly superseded, but it was widely exported, becoming a critical component of the Egyptian and Syrian armies in the 1973 Yom Kippur conflict and heavily influenced later designs of the M1 Abrams and Challenger tanks. In the first English-language history of this tank, Steven Zaloga examines the development of the T-62 using detailed combat descriptions to bring to life the operational history of this tank from the deserts of the Sinai to the harsh terrain of Afghanistan. From the Trade Paperback edition.
T-64 Battle Tank
by Steven J. Zaloga Ian PalmerThe T-64 tank was the most revolutionary design of the whole Cold War, designed to provide the firepower and armor protection of a heavy tank in a medium-weight design. It pioneered a host of sophisticated new technologies including laminate armor, stereoscopic tank rangefinders, opposed-piston engines, smooth-bore tank guns with discarding sabot ammunition, and gun-fired guided projectiles. These impressive features meant that the Russians were loath to part with the secrets of the design, and the T-64 was the only Soviet tank type of the Cold War that was never exported. Written by an armor expert, this detailed technical history sheds light on the secrets behind the Cold War's most controversial tank, revealing how its highly advanced technologies proved to be both a blessing and a curse.
T-72 Main Battle Tank 1974-93
by Steven Zaloga Peter SarsonThe Russian T-72 Ural tank is the most widely-deployed main battle tank of the current generation. Used by the armies of the former Warsaw pact and Soviet Union, it has also been exported in large numbers to many of the states in the Middle East. This book reveals the previously secret history behind the tank. Steven J Zaloga examines the conditions under which the T-72 was designed and produced. Technical aspects of the weapon are also discussed, including its EDZ reactive armour which, when it first appeared in December 1984, gave NATO a nasty shock.
T-80 Standard Tank: The Soviet Army's Last Armored Champion
by Steven Zaloga Johnny ShumateThe Soviet T-80 Standard Tank was the last tank fielded before the Soviet collapse, and the most controversial. Like the US M1 Abrams tank, the T-80 used a turbine power plant rather than a conventional diesel. Although the design was blessed with some of the most sophisticated armament, fire controls, and multi-layer armor ever fielded on a Soviet tank, its power plant remained a source of considerable trouble through its career. It saw very little service in the Chechen War, though T-80 tanks were used in some of the regional conflicts in the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. Although the collapse of the Soviet Union might seem the end of the story, the T-80 lived on in Ukraine where one of its tank plants was based. A diesel powered version of the T-80 was developed, the T-84, which was successfully exported, including a major sale to Pakistan to counterbalance the Indian Army's Russian T-90 tanks. Steven J Zaloga charts the little-known history of the T-80, covering the initial construction, through the development to the subsequent variants, the T-84 and Russia's enigmatic "Black Eagle Tank." Accompanying detailed cut-away artwork illustrates the unusual design features that made the T-80 so controversial. From the Trade Paperback edition.
T. E. Lawrence: Theorist And Campaign Planner [Illustrated Edition]
by Major Lawrence W MooresIncludes World War One In The Desert Illustration Pack- 115 photos/illustrations and 19 maps spanning the Desert campaigns 1914-1918.This monograph analyzes T.E. Lawrence as a military theorist and campaign planner. It investigates whether Lawrence's development of his own theory of war assisted him in planning the Arab campaign during World War I. The monograph focuses in four areas. The first section discusses the historical background of Lawrence and the Arab revolt. This section establishes the basis for Lawrence's understanding of war and of the theater of operations. In addition, it identifies the aims of the Arab revolt and why Arab actions were important to the Allied cause. The second section focuses on Lawrence's theory of war. This section explains his theory and how he developed it. The third section deals with how Lawrence's theory addressed the Arab's ends (desired end state for the war), means (use of the resources available), and ways (the method for employing the means to attain the ends). In a fourth and concluding section. The monograph proposes that T. E. Lawrence's development of a theory of war did assist him in planning the Arab campaign during World War I. Lawrence's theory of war accomplished two functions. First. it clarified the past, what had happened in the Arab revolt to that point. Secondly, it helped Lawrence anticipate the future. A future that came to fruition because of Lawrence's ability to transcend his role as a theorist. Using his theory as a basis, Lawrence carried his rational approach to war into the development of an operational concept, the "war of detachment" and a fighting doctrine to fulfill it. With these means in hand, Lawrence devised a way to employ them. Logically, the way Lawrence devised was a campaign plan designed in accordance with his theory.
T.E. Lawrence and the Red Sea Patrol: The Royal Navy's Role in Creating the Legend
by John Johnson AllenAlthough many books have been written about T E Lawrence and the Arab Revolt, none before has fully explored the pivotal role of the Royal Navy in the Red Sea at the time. This is the first book to be written about the Navy's role in the success of the Arab Revolt in the creation of the legendary figure of Lawrence of Arabia. Following extensive and detailed research into the activities of the ships of the Red Sea Patrol by the author, a maritime historian and former Merchant Navy officer, it has become evident that, without the work of those ships, the Arab revolt would have failed and T E Lawrence would have remained an obscure officer in the military bureaucracy of Cairo.Lawrence was very aware of the importance and relevance of the Royal Navy in their operations in the Red Sea and commented on it on many occasions, notably in 1918, saying 'The naval side of the operations, when the time comes to tell of it, will provide a most interesting case of the value of command of the sea..'. Until now, nobody has investigated this angle in any detail. By doing this so comprehensively, this book gives a fresh dimension to the Lawrence of Arabia legend.
TALLY HO! - Yankee in a Spitfire [Illustrated Edition]
by Pilot Officer Arthur DonahueIncludes 8 Illustrations of the author, his unit and the aircraft they flew.The Immortal speech of Winston Churchill to Parliament in 1940 as the Battle of Britain raged above the skies of England is well-known: "The gratitude of every home in our island, in our Empire and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen, who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" However not all of the pilots that flew in the Battle of Britain were actually British; many came from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa or nations overrun by the Nazis; Poles, Czechs. So direly needed was every pilot that a blind eye was turned on the nationality of the applicant for Fighter Command; one such man was Arthur 'Art' Donahue, an American hailing from the corn fields of Minnesota.Donahue was a humble and unprepossessing man, but despite his self-effacing nature his bravery in joining "The Few" during their time of greatest need is a testament to his keen sense of justice. Having been a pilot for some years before joining he was almost immediately thrown into the frontline fighting and in short order downed a BF 109, the "ratlike" Messerschmitt that hunted the skies. His luck did not hold for long in the frenzied fighting in the skies as he was shot down and badly burnt facially. Amazingly he decided after a brief recuperation to get "back in the saddle" and was flying again with 64 Squadron in the melee in the air. His recounts his experiences with wit, humility and frank honesty; a valuable historical memoir of one of the famous airmen that saved Britain, it is all the more poignant as two years later he was shot down over the English Channel and his body was never recovered.An exciting, vivid memoir of the greatest air conflict of history.
TBD Devastator Units of the US Navy
by Barrett Tillman Tom TullisOsprey's title examining the TBD Devastator Units' short-lived participation in World War II (1939-1945). The first monoplane aircraft ordered by the US Navy for carrier operations, the Douglas TBD Devastator was designed to fulfil a requirement for a new torpedo bomber. Just 129 were built, and when it entered service it was the most modern aircraft of its type anywhere in the world. Its only real taste of action came on 4 June 1942 in the pivotal Battle of Midway, when 35 were shot down in a clash with Japanese A6M Zero fighters. The aircraft was replaced by the Grumman Avenger weeks later.
TERRITORIOS VIGILADOS (EBOOK)
by Telma LuzzaniCada tanto una noticia nos sobresalta. #La IV Flota patrulla aguas sudamericanas#, #EE.UU. busca instalar una base militar en el Chaco# o #entrena tropas en la base chilena de Concón#. Enseguida aparecen versiones tranquilizadoras: #No hay de qué preocuparse, son misiones humanitarias#. Este libro surgió de la evidencia de ese doble discurso. A fines de 2009, Colombia, bajo el gobierno de Álvaro Uribe, autorizó al Pentágono a ocupar siete bases militares de su país; desde hacía un año la IV Flota patrullaba nuestros océanos y cada vez había más señales de que Estados Unidos avanzaba militarmente sobre América del Sur. El viejo mito de que nuestro subcontinente no está en la agenda de la Casa Blanca caía por tierra. Para qué Norteamérica necesita avanzar con una fuerza de tal magnitud sobre una zona claramente desmilitarizada? El comercio, los recursos naturales y la necesidad de mantener su hegemonía en un siglo XXI muy convulso son parte de la respuesta. En ese esquema, los pasos interoceánicos de Panamá, el Estrecho de Magallanes y el Pasaje de Drake (de ahí la importancia de las Islas Malvinas) se han vuelto clave. Telma Luzzani analiza aquí por qué siempre fue vital para Estados Unidos contar con una red de bases militares que garantizara el control político y económico de nuestra región y evitara, a su vez, todo intento de integración o autonomía. La autora indaga además las formas discursivas que utiliza el imperio para minimizar el peligro de esa presencia militar. Se trata de una investigación original e inquietante, necesaria para comprender el pasado y transformar el futuro de nuestro continente.
THE ADMIRALTIES - Operations Of The 1st Cavalry Division 29 February - 18 May 1944 [Illustrated Edition]
by AnonIllustrated with 16 maps and 39 IllustrationsThe Admiralty Islands campaign (Operation Brewer) was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of World War II in which the United States Army's 1st Cavalry Division occupied the Japanese-held Admiralty Islands.Acting on reports from airmen that there were no signs of enemy activity and the islands may have been evacuated, General Douglas MacArthur accelerated his timetable for capturing the Admiralties and ordered an immediate reconnaissance in force. The campaign began on 29 February 1944 when a force landed on Los Negros, the third-largest island in the group. By using a small, isolated beach where the Japanese had not anticipated an assault, the force achieved tactical surprise, but the islands proved to be far from unoccupied. A furious battle over the islands ensued.In the end, air superiority and command of the sea allowed the Allies to heavily reinforce their position on Los Negros. The 1st Cavalry Division could then overrun the islands. The campaign officially ended on 18 May 1944. The Allied victory completed the isolation of the major Japanese base at Rabaul that was the ultimate objective of the Allied campaigns of 1942 and 1943. A major air and naval base was developed in the Admiralty Islands that became an important launching point for the campaigns of 1944 in the Pacific.
THE BATTLE OF ALAM HALFA - A BATTLE REPORT [Illustrated Edition]
by Generalleutant Fritz Bayerlein a.D. Major General G. P. B. Roberts C.B. D.S.O. M.C. Captain Basil Liddell-HartIllustrated with 6 maps and numerous photos.The Battle that ended Rommel's offensive in the Desert of North Africa, and the Axis hopes of Victory against the Allied forces by the Generals who commanded the two sides."The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 Aug. and 5 Sep. 1942 south of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Panzerarmee Afrika-a German-Italian force commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel-attempted an envelopment of the British 8th Army, commanded by Bernard Montgomery. In the last major Axis offensive (Operation Brandung) of the Western Desert campaign, Rommel had planned to defeat the British 8th Army before Allied reinforcements made an Axis victory in Africa impossible.Montgomery, who had been forewarned of Rommel's intentions by Ultra intelligence intercepts, left a gap in the southern sector of the front, knowing that Rommel planned to attack there, and deployed the bulk of his armour and artillery around Alam el Halfa ridge, 20 mi (32 km) behind the front. In a new tactic, the tanks were used in an anti-tank role, remaining in their positions on the ridge. Montgomery intended to hold the armour back, refusing to allow them to sortie out as they had in the past.With the attacks on the ridge failing and his supply situation precarious, Rommel ordered a withdrawal. Montgomery failed to exploit his defensive victory, preferring to continue to build his strength for the his fall offensive, the Second Battle of El Alamein...The price of the defeat to the Axis was not just a tactical defeat and retreat. With the Alam Halfa failure, Rommel was deprived not only of the operational ability to initiate offensives, he lost the operational and tactical ability to defend the German base in Africa. Axis strategic aims in the African theatre were no longer possible."
THE CAPTURE of MAKIN (20 - 24 November 1943) [Illustrated Edition]
by AnonIncludes 10 maps, 3 charts and 39 illustrationsInvasion of the Gilbert Islands brought the war in the Central Pacific to a new phase. After almost two years of defense, of critical engagements like the Battle of Midway (3-6 June 1942) and hit-and-run raids like those against Makin (17 August 1942) and Wake Island (24 December 1942), the United Nations were taking the offensive. They were to do in that area what had been done for a year in the Southwest Pacific. The attack upon the Gilberts was for the Central Pacific the counterpart of that upon the Solomons (7 August 1942) in the Southwest Pacific. Japanese-held bases were to be recovered and used against the enemy in further strikes toward the heart of his empire.Before dawn on 20 November 1943, an assemblage of American military might lay waiting off the western shore of Makin, northernmost atoll in the Gilbert Islands. A strong task force, with transports carrying men of the U. S. Army, was about to commence the assault on Makin. Off Tarawa, about 105 miles to the south, an even larger force of U. S. Marines was poised in readiness to seize the airfield and destroy the Japanese there. From points as distant as the Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand, and by several different routes, the separate elements of this armada had gathered to carry out our first aggressive mission in the Central Pacific. The attack upon Makin would be the first seizure of an atoll by an Army landing force.