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The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich
by Callum MacDonaldA &“gripping&” account of the killing of the high-level Nazi widely considered Hitler&’s likely successor (The New York Times). On June 4, 1942, one of the most powerful figures of the Nazi regime died in agony from wounds sustained during an assassination attempt in Prague. This is the story of the killing of Reinhard Heydrich, a man of extraordinary intelligence, ruthlessness, and ambition who had risen from obscurity to become head of the Nazi security police and Governor of Bohemia-Moravia. Regarded by many as Hitler&’s most likely successor, he was feared and hated even by other high-ranking Nazi officials. Heydrich&’s death caused shockwaves throughout the Nazi leadership, provoking ferocious reprisals against Czechs and Jews. Those who carried out the assassination were hunted down, and, trapped like rats in the cellar of a Prague church, they committed suicide rather than face the certainty of torture and execution at the hands of the S.S. Based on original archive material, interviews with surviving members of the Special Operations Executive who trained the Czech assassins in the United Kingdom, and Czech military intelligence, Callum MacDonald&’s book is a well-researched and gripping account of one of the most audacious assassinations of the Second World War. &“Aided by previously unpublished files of the British Foreign Office, English author MacDonald provides the most complete account yet of the assassination of Heydrich.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Assassination of the Archduke: Sarajevo 1914 and the Romance That Changed the World
by Greg King Sue WoolmansDrawing on unpublished letters and rare primary sources, King and Woolmans tell the true story behind the tragic romance and brutal assassination that sparked World War IIn the summer of 1914, three great empires dominated Europe: Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. Four years later all had vanished in the chaos of World War I. One event precipitated the conflict, and at its hear was a tragic love story. When Austrian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand married for love against the wishes of the emperor, he and his wife Sophie were humiliated and shunned, yet they remained devoted to each other and to their children. The two bullets fired in Sarajevo not only ended their love story, but also led to war and a century of conflict.Set against a backdrop of glittering privilege, The Assassination of the Archduke combines royal history, touching romance, and political murder in a moving portrait of the end of an era. One hundred years after the event, it offers the startling truth behind the Sarajevo assassinations, including Serbian complicity and examines rumors of conspiracy and official negligence. Events in Sarajevo also doomed the couple's children to lives of loss, exile, and the horrors of Nazi concentration camps, their plight echoing the horrors unleashed by their parents' deaths. Challenging a century of myth, The Assassination of the Archduke resonates as a very human story of love destroyed by murder, revolution, and war.
The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq
by George PackerAs the death toll mounts in the Iraq War, Americans are agonizing over how the mess started and what to do now. George Packer, a staff writer at The New Yorker, joins the debate with his thoughtful book The Assassins' Gate. Packer describes himself as an ambivalent pro-war liberal "who supported a war [in Iraq] by about the same margin that the voting public had supported Al Gore." He never believed the argument that Iraq should be invaded because of weapons of mass destruction. Instead, he saw the war as a way to get rid of Saddam Hussein and build democracy in Iraq, in the vein of the U.S. interventions in Haiti and Bosnia. How did such lofty aims get so derailed? How did the U.S. get stuck in a quagmire in the Middle East? Packer traces the roots of the war back to a historic shift in U.S. policy that President Bush made immediately after 9/11. No longer would the U.S. be hamstrung by multilateralism or working through the UN. It would act unilaterally around the world--forging temporary coalitions with other nations where suitable--and defend its status as the sole superpower. But when it came to Iraq, even Bush administration officials were deeply divided. Packer takes readers inside the vicious bureaucratic warfare between the Pentagon and State Department that turned U.S. policy on Iraq into an incoherent mess. We see the consequences in the second half of The Assassins' Gate, which takes the reader to Iraq after the bombs have stopped dropping. Packer writes vividly about how the country deteriorated into chaos, with U.S. authorities in Iraq operating in crisis mode. The book fails to capture much of the debate about the war among Iraqis themselves--instead relying mostly on the views of one prominent Iraqi exile--but it is an insightful contribution to the debate about the decisions--and blunders--behind the war. --Alex Roslin
The Assassins: A Novel
by Oliver L. North Joe MusserThis book follows: The Jericho Sanction. Years after the September 11 th attacks on America, the world awakes one morning to the news that Islamic Jihadists have assailed multiple targets in Saudi Arabia, destroying oil-pumping equipment, crippling pipelines, and assassinating most of the royal family. Inflation rocks the world's financial markets. The normal rules no longer apply. In a closed session of Congress an "Assassination Bill" is introduced. General Peter Newman is assigned to head a new "Threat Mitigation Unit," and he is given authority to recruit and train up to 100 specialists for the ominous task at hand-to assassinate terrorists. Soon, intelligence shows Iranians are planning to attack America, and as Newman and his team are dispatched, a chase around the world ensues. But the enemy's backup plan involves hijacked airplanes with nuclear weapons targeting najor American cities.
The Asset
by Anna Del MarAnna del Mar's explosive, sexy debut novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and Lora Leigh--the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save herAsh Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured in Afghanistan, he's gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother's isolated cottage--and finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.Like recognizes like. Lia Stewart's in hiding from the cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town. Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the right thing to do...it's loving him that might get them both killed. Soon, Ash realizes he's not the only one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the boundaries of her shattered soul, he'll protect Lia until his last breath. This book is approximately 97,000 words
The Astonishing General: The Life and Legacy of Sir Isaac Brock
by Wesley B. TurnerWinner of the 2011 OHS Donald Grant Creighton Award This book is about Major General Sir Isaac Brock (1769 - October 13, 1812). It tells of his life, his career and legacy, particularly in the Canadas, and of the context within which he lived. One of the most enduring legacies of the War of 1812 on both the United States and Canadian sides was the creation of heroes and heroines. The earliest of those heroic individuals was Isaac Brock who in some ways was the most unlikely of heroes. For one thing, he was admired by his American foes almost as much as by his own people. Even more striking is how a British general whose military role in that two-and-a-half-year war lasted less than five months became the best known hero and one revered far and wide. Wesley B. Turner finds this outcome astonishing and approaches the subject from that point of view.
The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story
by Lily KoppelDiscover the true story of the women who stood beside some of the greatest heroes of American space travel. <p><p> As America's Mercury Seven astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, television cameras focused on the brave smiles of their young wives. Overnight, these women were transformed from military spouses into American royalty. They had tea with Jackie Kennedy, appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and quickly grew into fashion icons. <p><p> Annie Glenn, with her picture-perfect marriage, was the envy of the other wives; JFK made it clear that platinum-blonde Rene Carpenter was his favorite; and licensed pilot Trudy Cooper arrived with a secret that needed to stay hidden from NASA. Together with the other wives they formed the Astronaut Wives Club, providing one another with support and friendship, coffee and cocktails. <p><p> As their celebrity rose—and as divorce and tragedy began to touch their lives—the wives continued to rally together, forming bonds that would withstand the test of time, and they have stayed friends for over half a century.
The Asutra
by Jack VanceGastel Etzwane had held total power in the Land of Shant: the brooding musician, turned man of action with his corps of Brave Free Men, rid the land of slavery and alien invaders in one masterful stroke-only to discover the greatest threat of all - alien parasites of inconceivable intelligence and unfathomable purpose. Their expulsion from Shat has been celebrated by all, but Etzwane is uneasy. For wild rumours come out of the hidden land of Caraz-and once again the musician must don the cloak of action, setting out on a dangerous quest for knowledge that will take him farther than he ever wanted to go: to the grim reaches of a hideously alien world, there to learn the secret of the Asutra!
The Athens Solution: A Short Story (The Scot Harvath Series #1)
by Brad ThorFrom Brad Thor, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code of Conduct, comes a lightning-paced short story, pitting Scot Harvath against a threat unlike any he’s faced before…A deadly betrayal is at the center of The Athens Solution. When a game-changing weapon falls into the wrong hands, the US Ambassador to Greece must risk everything to recover it, even if it means participating in a ruse that costs his life. With the ambassador dead and the device still at large, covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath rushes to eliminate a terror cell about to sell the dangerous technology to Iran. As the sun sets on the Aegean Sea, Harvath must go head-to-head with a traitorous adversary in a confrontation that puts the fate of America and her allies at risk. Originally published in the short story anthology, Thriller, The Athens Solution has been revised and includes a brand new, bonus afterword. This riveting addition to the Scot Harvath thrillers delivers all the pulse-pounding action and high stakes fans have come to know and love from Brad Thor. Without a doubt, The Athens Solution will leave fans hungry for more!
The Athens Solution: A Thriller (The Thriller Shorts #1)
by Brad ThorIn this action-packed story by a #1 New York Times–bestselling author, a covert agent faces off against a terrorist cell armed with a powerful weapon.A deadly betrayal is at the center of ”The Athens Solution.” When a game-changing weapon falls into the wrong hands, the US Ambassador to Greece must risk everything to recover it, even if it means participating in a ruse that costs his life. With the ambassador dead and the device still at large, covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath rushes to eliminate a terror cell about to sell the dangerous technology to Iran. As the sun sets on the Aegean Sea, Harvath must go head-to-head with a traitorous adversary in a confrontation that puts the fate of America and her allies at risk . . . Originally published in the short story anthology, Thriller, ”The Athens Solution” has been revised and includes a brand new, bonus afterword. This riveting addition to the Scot Harvath thrillers delivers all the pulse-pounding action and high stakes fans have come to know and love from Brad Thor. Without a doubt, ”The Athens Solution” will leave fans hungry for more!Praise for “The Athens Solution”“Nobody can pack as much action into fifty pages as Brad Thor . . . Undoubtedly the best short story I’ve ever read.” —The Real Book Spy
The Atlantic Wall
by Steven J. Zaloga Adam HookFollowing on from two previous volumes covering the Atlantic Wall, this book completes the story of one of the most formidable defensive lines in Europe in World War II, looking at the lesser known Mediterranean extension and describing how it was conceived of, built and used. After the alarming collapse of Italy in 1943, the Germans launched a crash building program and the 'Sudwall,' (South Wall) sprang up quickly along the French Mediterranean coast and the neighbouring Italian coast around Genoa. The new defences were bolstered by existing French fortifications of key port towns such as Marseilles and Toulon - many of them bristling with heavy artillery. Whilst describing the wall's physical design features, this book also recounts the defences' role in the Allied invasion of Southern France; Operation Dragoon - 'The Second D-Day'. As the Germans' worst fears became a reality, the southern Atlantic Wall would face its ultimate test.
The Atlantic Wall: Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway
by Steven Zaloga Adam HookGermany's Atlantic Wall was the most ambitious military fortification program of World War II. Following its conquest of Western Europe, Germany had to defend some 5,000 kilometers of Atlantic coastline from the Spanish border to the Arctic Circle. The United States' entry into the war and the inevitability of an Anglo-American landing in Western Europe resulted in the fortification of this coastline along its entire length. Focusing on the northern Atlantic Wall in the Low Countries and Scandinavia, this title addresses the special defensive features and unique aspects of fortification in these countries, such as the early focus on fortifying Norway, due to early British commando raids; the greater use of turreted naval guns; and the establishment of first-line Flak defenses in the Low Countries to counter the Allied strategic bombing campaign. From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Atlantic Wall: France
by Hugh Johnson Steven ZalogaIn 1942, with Germany's gradual loss of the strategic initiative to the Allies, Hitler was forced to construct an impenetrable wall of fortifications along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast. However, Hitler's grandiose Atlantic wall scheme was hampered by the realities of Germany's wartime economy. Without the resources and manpower to fortify the entire coast, the emphasis was placed on the great festung ports, the likely location of an Allied amphibious landing. This first volume in a series of three deals solely with the structures on the French Atlantic coast starting with the Pas de Calais and extending down to Spain. Featuring detailed illustrations and diagrams of the various sections of the Atlantic Wall and the role that they played, it gives an insightful analysis into some of the most accessible fortifications of World War II.
The Atlantic Wall: History and Guide
by A. Jankovic-Potocnik H. W. Kaufmann J. E. Kaufmann Vladimir TonicThis WWII history and visitor&’s guide explores the extensive network of Nazi fortifications built to defend Fortress Europe. Hitler's Atlantic Wall, the complex system of coastal fortifications that stretched from Norway to the Spanish border during the Second World War, was built to defend occupied Europe from Allied invasion. Many of its principal structures survive and can be visited today. This authoritative guide provides both practical information for visitors and essential historical context. The wall, which was constructed on a massive scale between 1942 and 1944 by German engineers, forced laborers and troops, consisted of strong points, artillery casemates, bunkers, troop shelters, minefields, anti-tank and anti-boat obstacles. It also included the concrete U-boat and E-boat pens in the key ports and, behind the Channel coast, the V-weapon sites. This huge scheme of fortifications was one of the longest series of defensive lines in military history. This comprehensive volume takes readers and visitors through the entire story of the fortifications from the fall of France to the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy that finally broke through. As a guide to some of the most impressive relics of the Second World War, this book is essential reading for travelers or anyone interested in the liberation of occupied Europe.
The Atlantropa Articles: A Novel (The\atlantropa Articles Ser.)
by Cody FranklinIn this novel by the creator of Alternate History Hub, WWII never happened, all of Europe hails Hitler, and the Mediterranean Sea is a desert. Instead of attempting to take over the world, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party orchestrate an entirely different, yet equally ambitious plan: draining the Mediterranean Sea. With the promise of fertile new land for settlement, millions of jobs and endless hydroelectric energy, all of Europe signs a treaty called The Atlantropa Articles to bring about this new world. With Hitler hailed as a new Napoleon, fascism becomes a mainstream ideology. Two millennia later, Europe has been united under the swastika. But the plan of a lush new land was never realized. Instead, the Mediterranean Sea has become a desert basin known only as the Kiln, and southern Europe has been abandoned. This is where Ansel Engel&’s story begins. Deep in the Kiln, Ansel faithfully serves the Reich—until a shocking discovery leads him to unravel generations of lies and false prophets.
The Atlas of Military History: An Around-the-world Survey Of Warfare Through The Ages
by Amanda LomazoffA comprehensive guide to the armed conflicts that have shaped our civilizations and our lives.Aggression. Disruption. Violence. Mortality. The components of war are familiar to us all, but it&’s often hard to understand how these battles throughout history continue to affect us today. The story of our world, from its earliest beginnings thousands of years BCE to today, is the often the story of our conflicts.The Atlas of Military History offers a fascinating look at the many wars that have been fought over land, independence, and other factors all over the globe. Organized into sections based on location and then in chronological order, this compendium covers everything from the Punic Wars in Carthage that began in 247 BCE, to the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, to World War II, to the recent Arab Spring. Full-color photos and maps, as well as highlighted sections on legendary leaders, battles, and weapons, are included. Perfect for students or anyone wanting to know more about this important aspect of our world, the Atlas of Military History is a complete portrait of our conflicts and resolutions.
The Atlas of Special Operations of World War II
by Alexander SwanstonAs author Alex Swanston explains in his introduction, "World War II was a truly global conflict, involving almost all nations in the struggle to stop the spread of totalitarianism. This meant that battles were fought in all climates and on all sorts of terrain. . . . Technology had also progressed, meaning that war could be fought under the surface of the sea or in the air 40,000 feet above. This unique scenario involving all aspects of the military meant that specialist units bloomed, using the rough ground or unique setting to their advantage." The Atlas of Special Operations of World War II covers special operations from all parts of the armed forces of the Second World War. From early Fallschirmjager raids to capture strategic targets to the massed airdrops of Operation Market Garden, from the low level raids of the Dam Busters to small scale Commando raids along the Norwegian coast, it covers the formation of specific units, why and how they were employed and details the outcomes of their actions and how these operations affected the wider war. The raids, carried out by select and specially trained men and women of the Allied and Axis forces, are covered from the deserts of North Africa and the Cold Balkan mountains to the deep jungle of Burma and the vast openness of the Pacific Ocean.Featuring eighty photographs and more than one hundred maps detailing the operations, The Atlas of Special Operations of World War II is perfect for anyone who wants to see how the war was really fought-and won!
The Atlas of World War II
by Dr. John PimlottThe Atlas of World War II traces the course of the conflict chronologically by showing each major campaign as a full-color map, further illustrated by archive action pictures. Skillfully bringing to life the human experience of war with eyewitness accounts of the struggle, this book presents the political and strategic conditions that led to the war, offering a unique insight into military operations and tactics. World War II remains a topic of fascination and study, and this book is an ideal addition to the shelves of all interested readers.
The Atlas of the Civil War
by James M. McPhersonFrom the first shots fired at Fort Sumter in 1861 to the final clashes on the Road to Appomattox in 1864, The Atlas of the Civil War reconstructs the battles of America's bloodiest war with unparalleled clarity and precision. Edited by Pulitzer Prize recipient James M. McPherson and written by America's leading military historians, this peerless reference charts the major campaigns and skirmishes of the Civil War. Each battle is meticulously plotted on one of 200 specially commissioned full-color maps. Timelines provide detailed, play-by-play maneuvers, and the accompanying text highlights the strategic aims and tactical considerations of the men in charge. Each of the battle, communications, and locator maps are cross-referenced to provide a comprehensive overview of the fighting as it swept across the country. With more than two hundred photographs and countless personal accounts that vividly describe the experiences of soldiers in the fields, The Atlas of the Civil War brings to life the human drama that pitted state against state and brother against brother.
The Atom Spies
by Oliver PilatThe Atomic Spies, first published in 1952, remains one of the best accounts of the Soviet atomic espionage rings operating in the U.S. during the 1940s and early 1950s. Tracing the lives of the major players working for the Soviets - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Klaus Fuchs, Ruth and David Greenglass - the book describes the clandestine meetings, the investigations of the FBI, and finally the trial for treason of the Rosenbergs which resulted in their execution in 1953. While new information has become available, especially on the true role of Ethel Rosenberg and the estimate of Julius Rosenberg’s work as a Soviet agent, The Atom Spies well-captures the mood of the times and provides valuable insight into the motives of those involved in providing the Soviets with closely guarded secrets of the U.S. program to build an atomic bomb.
The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War
by Campbell Craig Yuri Smirnov Sergey S. RadchenkoAfter a devastating world war, culminating in the obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it was clear that the United States and the Soviet Union had to establish a cooperative order if the planet was to escape an atomic World War III. In this provocative study, Campbell Craig and Sergey Radchenko show how the atomic bomb pushed the United States and the Soviet Union not toward cooperation but toward deep bipolar confrontation. Joseph Stalin, sure that the Americans meant to deploy their new weapon against Russia and defeat socialism, would stop at nothing to build his own bomb. Harry Truman, initially willing to consider cooperation, discovered that its pursuit would mean political suicide, especially when news of Soviet atomic spies reached the public. Both superpowers, moreover, discerned a new reality of the atomic age: now, cooperation must be total. The dangers posed by the bomb meant that intermediate measures of international cooperation would protect no one. Yet no two nations in history were less prepared to pursue total cooperation than were the United States and the Soviet Union. The logic of the bomb pointed them toward immediate Cold War.
The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War
by Campbell Craig Sergey RadchenkoA study of nuclear warfare&’s key role in triggering the post-World War II confrontation between the US and the USSR After a devastating world war, culminating in the obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it was clear that the United States and the Soviet Union had to establish a cooperative order if the planet was to escape an atomic World War III. In this provocative study, Campbell Craig and Sergey Radchenko show how the atomic bomb pushed the United States and the Soviet Union not toward cooperation but toward deep bipolar confrontation. Joseph Stalin, sure that the Americans meant to deploy their new weapon against Russia and defeat socialism, would stop at nothing to build his own bomb. Harry Truman, initially willing to consider cooperation, discovered that its pursuit would mean political suicide, especially when news of Soviet atomic spies reached the public. Both superpowers, moreover, discerned a new reality of the atomic age: now, cooperation must be total. The dangers posed by the bomb meant that intermediate measures of international cooperation would protect no one. Yet no two nations in history were less prepared to pursue total cooperation than were the United States and the Soviet Union. The logic of the bomb pointed them toward immediate Cold War. &“Sprightly and well-argued…. The complicated history of how the bomb influenced the start of the war has never been explored so well."—Lloyd Gardner, Rutgers University &“An outstanding new interpretation of the origins of the Cold War that gives equal weight to American and Soviet perspectives on the conflict that shaped the contemporary world.&”—Geoffrey Roberts, author of Stalin&’s Wars
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
by The Manhattan Engineer DistrictThis report describes the effects of the atomic bombs which were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively. It summarizes all the authentic information that is available on damage to structures, injuries to personnel, morale effect, etc., which can be released at this time without prejudicing the security of the United States.
The Atrocity
by Jackson BurgessThe Atrocity, first published in 1961, is a World War II novel centering on an American ordnance company stationed in Italy near the end of the war. Following a night of heavy drinking in a nearby town, a group of soldiers rape and brutally beat an Italian woman. The woman refuses to name the men, and an investigation follows by Sgt. Robbie Merrill, the story’s main character. As he pursues his investigation, the men of the company turn against him, and eventually, he too becomes discouraged and demoralized at what he perceives to be the army’s indifference to the situation. After pressure from Merrill to name her attackers, the woman breaks down and takes matters in her own hands by setting fire to a store of harvested wheat located near the company’s ammunition dump. Author Jackson Burgess (1927-1981) was an English professor at the University of California-Berkeley.
The Atrocity Archives
by Charles StrossReading The Atrocity Archives is sort of the linguistic equivalent to surfing the huge waves of Half Moon Bay with Robin Williams tied to the back of your surfboard. It's exhilarating, lightening, mind-blowing, and exhausting. It's more entertaining than anything as weird as itself. You'll find yourself in is of hysterical laughter and deep thought while teetering on he edge of an abyss. It's an exciting, unpredictably wild ride.