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The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign, Dec. 1862-July 1863
by Shelby FooteThe companion volume to Stars in Their Courses, this marvelous account of Grant's siege of the Mississippi port of Vicksburg continues Foote's narrative of the great battles of the Civil War--culled from his massive three-volume history.
The Belgian Army in World War I
by Patrice Courcelle Ronald PawlyWhile small in numbers, the Belgian Army played a vital role in World War I (1939-1945) that is often overlooked. Germany's invasion of neutral Belgium, which led Britain to declare war in August 1914, should have been swift and fierce yet the unexpected heroic defense, against great odds, of Belgian fortresses, frustrated the German Schlieffen Plan for a thrust to Paris and a lightning victory. The plucky Belgian resistance proved successful in buying time for French and British troops to mobilize and report to the front, where the Belgians would then go on to fight, stubbornly defending the northern end of the Allied trench line for the rest of the war. Discover the story of this determined Army, from their organization and commanders, to their uniforms and equipment. The only main combatant army of World War I not previously covered by Osprey, this volume will be an important addition to any enthusiast's collection, accompanied by detailed artwork and archive photographs.
The Bell of Treason: The 1938 Munich Agreement in Czechoslovakia
by P. E. CaquetDrawing on a wealth of previously unexamined material, this staggering account sheds new light on the Allies’ responsibility for a landmark agreement that had dire consequences. On returning from Germany on September 30, 1938, after signing an agreement with Hitler on the carve-up of Czechoslovakia, Neville Chamberlain addressed the British crowds: “My good friends…I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.” Winston Churchill rejoined: “You have chosen dishonor and you will have war.” P. E. Caquet’s history of the events leading to the Munich Agreement and its aftermath is told for the first time from the point of view of the peoples of Czechoslovakia. Basing his work on previously unexamined sources, including press, memoirs, private journals, army plans, cabinet records, and radio, Caquet presents one of the most shameful episodes in modern European history. Among his most explosive revelations is the strength of the French and Czechoslovak forces before Munich; Germany’s dominance turns out to have been an illusion. The case for appeasement never existed. The result is a nail-biting story of diplomatic intrigue, perhaps the nearest thing to a morality play that history ever furnishes. The Czechoslovak authorities were Cassandras in their own country, the only ones who could see Hitler’s threat for what it was, and appeasement as the disaster it proved to be. In Caquet’s devastating account, their doomed struggle against extinction and the complacency of their notional allies finally gets the memorial it deserves.
The Belly Of The Bow: Fencer Trilogy Volume 2 (Fencer Trilogy #2)
by K. J. Parker'One of the most entertaining fantasy debuts in recent years... incredibly vivid, refreshing, fun, thoughtful, absorbing.' - SFX'There's a mordant wit to the workings of Parker's mind' - Time OutThe city of Perimadeia has fallen. Bardas Loredan, the man who was supposed to save it, is now living on the Island - a recluce, living apart from his family in the mountains, with only a young apprentice for company. His life as a fencer-at-law is over. Instead, Loredon spends his days perfecting the art of bow-making. But his isolation will not last forever; and when the Island comes under attack, his skills as a soldier and general are once again called upon.COLOURS IN THE STEEL, Volume One of the Fencer Trilogy, introduced a remarkable new voice in fantasy fiction. THE BELLY OF THE BOW confirms that rich promise and establishes K. J. Parker in the top rank of writers.Books by K.J. Parker:Fencer TrilogyThe Colours in the SteelThe Belly of the BowThe Proof HouseScavenger TrilogyShadowPatternMemoryEngineer TrilogyDevices and DesiresEvil for EvilThe EscapementSaloninusBlue and GoldThe Devil You KnowTwo of SwordsThe Two of Swords: Part 1The Two of Swords: Part 2The Two of Swords: Part 3NovelsThe CompanyThe Folding KnifeThe HammerSharpsSavagesSixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CityMy Beautiful Life
The Belly Of The Bow: Fencer Trilogy Volume 2 (Fencer Trilogy Ser. #2)
by K. J. Parker'One of the most entertaining fantasy debuts in recent years... incredibly vivid, refreshing, fun, thoughtful, absorbing.' - SFX'There's a mordant wit to the workings of Parker's mind' - Time OutThe city of Perimadeia has fallen. Bardas Loredan, the man who was supposed to save it, is now living on the Island - a recluce, living apart from his family in the mountains, with only a young apprentice for company. His life as a fencer-at-law is over. Instead, Loredon spends his days perfecting the art of bow-making. But his isolation will not last forever; and when the Island comes under attack, his skills as a soldier and general are once again called upon.COLOURS IN THE STEEL, Volume One of the Fencer Trilogy, introduced a remarkable new voice in fantasy fiction. THE BELLY OF THE BOW confirms that rich promise and establishes K. J. Parker in the top rank of writers.Books by K.J. Parker:Fencer TrilogyThe Colours in the SteelThe Belly of the BowThe Proof HouseScavenger TrilogyShadowPatternMemoryEngineer TrilogyDevices and DesiresEvil for EvilThe EscapementSaloninusBlue and GoldThe Devil You KnowTwo of SwordsThe Two of Swords: Part 1The Two of Swords: Part 2The Two of Swords: Part 3NovelsThe CompanyThe Folding KnifeThe HammerSharpsSavagesSixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CityMy Beautiful Life
The Belzec Death Camp: History, Biographies, Remembrance
by Chris WebbThis book is a comprehensive account of the Belzec death camp in Poland, which was the first death camp to use static gas chambers as part of the Aktion Reinhardt mass murder program. It covers the construction and the development of the mechanisms of mass murder. The story is painstakingly told from all sides—the Jewish inmates, the perpetrators, and the Polish inhabitants of the village of Belzec, who lived near the factory of death. A major part of this work is the Jewish Roll of Remembrance, which covers the few survivors and the lives of some of the Jews among the many hundreds of thousands who perished in Belzec. The book is richly illustrated with historical and modern photographs, some of which are previously unpublished, as well as documents and drawings.
The Benedict Arnold Connection (The George Williams Novels #2)
by Joseph DiMonaON JULY 2, AT 6 P.M., ATLANTIC CITY WILL VANISH INTO THE SEA. AND SO WILL THE HAMPTONS . . . AND OCEAN CITY . . . AND CAPE MAY . . . AND . . . George Williams&’s orders came directly from the president: Find the live nuclear warhead buried under three hundred feet of ocean, somewhere off the Jersey shore. And bring back the brilliant man who put it there. Williams&’s only link to both: an ancient map bearing the coded words of Benedict Arnold, the infamous Tory spy. It is now July 1. Within thirty-six hours, the bomb will explode. A million tons of radioactive water will smash over the Eastern seaboard. Millions of people will die. The countdown has begun . . .
The Benn Diaries: 1940-1990
by Tony BennThe Benn Diaries, embracing the years 1940-1990, are already established as a uniquely authoritative, fascinating and readable record of political life. The selected highlights that form this single-volume edition include the most notable events, arguments and personal reflections throughout Benn's long and remarkable career as a leading politician.The narrative starts with Benn as a schoolboy and takes the reader through his youthful wartime experiences as a trainee pilot, his nervous excitement as a new MP during Clement Atlee's premiership and the tribulations of Labour in the 1950s, when the Conservatives were in firm control. It ends with the Tories again in power, but on the eve of Margaret Thatcher's fall, while Tony Benn is on a mission to Baghdad before the impending Gulf War.Over the span of fifty years, the public and private turmoil in British and world politics is recorded as Benn himself moves from wartime service to become the baby of the House, Cabinet Minister, and finally the Commons' most senior Labour Member.
The Beretta M9 Pistol
by Leroy Thompson Johnny ShumateIn 1990 the Beretta M9 replaced the venerable Colt 1911 as the main pistol of choice for the US Army. At the time the decision was controversial particularly because it was perceived that a smaller caliber weapon such as the Beretta would lack the necessary stopping power and range in comparison to the .45 caliber Colt. The situation was not helped by the rumour that the adoption of this Italian designed pistol was in exchange for the creation of US missile bases within Italy. Nonetheless, the Beretta, although not a perfect pistol, has since proved many of its distractors wrong with widespread use in Iraq and Afghanistan. Written by a leading pistol expert who currently trains US Special Forces in the use of this weapon, this book is an honest appraisal of the successes and failings of the Beretta design. The volume traces the Beretta designs, which preceded the M9 as well as its use on the battlefield, including the impact it has had on close combat training due to the larger magazine capacity. It also details the adoption of the Beretta by US law enforcement agencies and the impact this has had. This is a fascinating history of a classic pistol and its future use.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Berlin Agent: A gripping and unforgettable World War Two historical thriller (John Cook)
by Stephen Ronson'Once I started I just did not want to stop. So atmospheric and written in such a way I felt like I was truly there transported back in time living it all... A highly thrilling, fast paced and totally captivating unforgettable read... An absolute must read for any historical thriller fan' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A country at war. Bombers fill the skies. A parachute drops in the dead of night...England 1940: Paris has fallen to the Third Reich. Farmer John Cook and society heiress Lady Margaret are waiting for the day when German tanks roll across the green fields of their homes. Both are ready for the moment they will disappear into the woods and the fields to carry out their top-secret orders - to do whatever it takes to fight the Nazis once they arrive on British soil.Their worst fears are realised when a parachutist drops from a German bomber during an air raid. Arriving at the scene, Cook finds the white silk hanging from a branch, and a mysterious crate containing a complex piece of machinery. The spy is nowhere to be found.But at night, Cook and Margaret hear German voices in the darkness. Reports come in of others hearing similar things, and there are whispers of an agent from Berlin...With enemies already hiding among them, how far will Cook and Margaret go to protect the country and the people they love?Everyone is gripped by the John Cook novels:'Thrilling WWII set thriller that has heart-pounding action, but more importantly, a lot of heart... Completely gripping... A narrative that is as taut as piano wire! ...Not to be missed if you enjoy action-packed historical thrillers' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'My God, this was great. It left me with a book hangover. I felt like I was there in 1940s England... I learned so much from this book... The writing is really 3D. You really feel like you're there. It's very immersive, and I love the witty humour. John Cook is a wonderful character' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'John Cook is the Jack Reacher of 1940's Britain' Damien Lewis'Gripping World War Two thriller that masterfully blends historical accuracy with intense action... a tense game of cat and mouse with a mysterious enemy agent... A must-read for fans of World War Two thrillers' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A compelling read and felt as if I was actually back in 1939. A delicious group of main characters... Great read' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A brilliant noir thriller set in the darkest days of the Second World War' Stephen Leather
The Berlin Agent: A gripping and unforgettable World War Two historical thriller (John Cook)
by Stephen Ronson'John Cook is the Jack Reacher of 1940's Britain' - Damien LewisEVERYONE IS GRIPPED BY STEPHEN RONSON:'A brilliant noir thriller set in the darkest days of the Second World War' - Stephen Leather'A vivid sense of place with tension on every level, The Last Line dripped with historical detail and authenticity. I absolutely loved it!' - Marion Todd'This is an excellent debut novel with a gripping storyline' - Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This is a first class 5 star read that is a cleverly written compelling, captivating historical crime thriller that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys an unputdownable thrilling read' - Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Stephen has a way of describing his characters so tremendously that you really fall in love with them. John, Margaret and Doc for me are just the most incredible characters' - Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A superb novel which I thoroughly enjoyed' - Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If you like Lee Child then you will like this book. It has all the familiar hallmarks . . . vivid writing, well crafted characters, excellent plot and a crusading Superman with definite ideas about right and wrong and meting out his version of justice' - Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Berlin Agent: A gripping and unforgettable World War Two historical thriller (John Cook)
by Stephen RonsonA country at war. Bombers fill the skies. A parachute drops in the dead of night...'A gripping World War Two thriller... Every shadow hides a potential threat and the tension never lets up. A must read' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐England 1940: Paris has fallen to the Third Reich. Farmer John Cook and society heiress Lady Margaret are waiting for the day when German tanks roll across the green fields of their homes. Both are ready for the moment they will disappear into the woods and the fields to carry out their top-secret orders - to do whatever it takes to fight the Nazis once they arrive on British soil.Their worst fears are realised when a parachutist drops from a German bomber during an air raid. Arriving at the scene, Cook finds the white silk hanging from a branch, and a mysterious crate containing a complex piece of machinery. The spy is nowhere to be found.But at night, Cook and Margaret hear German voices in the darkness. Reports come in of others hearing similar things, and there are whispers of an agent from Berlin...With enemies already hiding among them, how far will Cook and Margaret go to protect the country and the people they love?An absolutely gripping WWII historical thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Robert Harris, Kate Quinn and Rory Clements. Everyone is gripped by the John Cook novels:'Thrilling WWII set thriller that has heart-pounding action, but more importantly, a lot of heart... Completely gripping... A narrative that is as taut as piano wire!.. .Not to be missed if you enjoy action-packed historical thrillers' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'My God, this was great. It left me with a book hangover. I felt like I was there in 1940s England... I learned so much from this book... The writing is really 3D. You really feel like you're there. It's very immersive, and I love the witty humour. John Cook is a wonderful character' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'John Cook is the Jack Reacher of 1940s Britain' Damien Lewis'A compelling read and felt as if I was actually back in 1939. A delicious group of main characters... Great read' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A brilliant noir thriller set in the darkest days of the Second World War' Stephen Leather
The Berlin Airlift: The Cold War Mission to Save a City
by Ann Tusa John TusaA Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.
The Berlin Airlift: The Salvation of a City
by Diane Canwell Jon SutherlandAt the end of World War II, the Americans and their allies divided Berlin, the capital of Germany, into four sectors, with the Russians taking one of the sectors. The problem was that the Western (American) sector of Berlin was surrounded by the Russian sector of Germany, which was also divided. In June of 1948, Joseph Stalin stopped all road and rail traffic coming into and out of the Allied Sector of Berlin. He simultaneously cut off all electricity to the city, leaving only a twenty-mile-wide sector of air corridors and one way to get supplies to desperate, starving people. The United States, using the only method they could, led Allies to mobilize an unprecedented airlift of thousands of tons of supplies each day. By September 1948, the airlift was transporting food, coal, medical supplies, and other necessities into West Berlin as aid for the residents. At the same time, Russian military threatened to strike down any aircraft caught flying outside of the corridor. Finally, by April of 1949, Russia announced their intent to end the blockade, and in August of the same year, the United States airlift operation was terminated. With an unparalleled attention to detail, Jon Sutherland and Diane Canwell, relay the intricacies and maneuverings of the Berlin airlift. This amazing true story is set against the backdrop of 1948 Germany, the post-World War II world, and the beginning of the Cold War.
The Berlin Airlift: The World's Largest Ever Air Supply Operation (Images of Aviation)
by John Grehan&“Stuffed with great images . . . and perfectly detailed information, superbly illustrating one of the first major international crises of the Cold War.&” —Vintage Airfix During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, Stalin decided to make the Allied hold on West Berlin untenable by shutting down all the overland routes used to keep the city supplied. The choice faced by the Allies was a stark one—let Berlin fall, or risk war with the Soviets by breaking the Soviet stranglehold. In a remarkably visionary move, the Allies decided that they could keep Berlin supplied by flying over the Soviet blockade, thus avoiding armed conflict with the USSR. On 26 June 1948, the Berlin Airlift began. Throughout the following thirteen months, more than 266,600 flights were undertaken by the men and aircraft from the US, France, Britain and across the Commonwealth, which delivered in excess of 2,223,000 tons of food, fuel and supplies in the greatest airlift in history. The air-bridge eventually became so effective that more supplies were delivered to Berlin than had previously been shipped overland and Stalin saw that his bid to seize control of the German capital could never succeed. At one minute after midnight on 12 May 1949, the Soviet blockade was lifted, and the Soviet advance into Western Europe was brought to a shuddering halt. &“The book is packed full of fascinating photographs detailing the huge variety of aircraft involved in the airlift, each accompanied by detailed explanations and text. The book is a fitting tribute to the aircrew who lost their lives in this incredible operation.&” —Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)
The Berlin Blitz By Those Who Were There
by Martin W. BowmanThe Allied bombing of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target in the Second World War. The Berlin Blitz By Those Who Were There is a compelling, gripping and thought-provoking story of the Allied bombing forces and the ordinary people on the ground, told in their own tongue and with meticulous attention to detail. The result is a coherent, single story which unfolds in a straightforward and incisive narrative. This work draws attention in some detail to the major raids on the Reich capital by RAF Bomber Command from the late summer of 1940 to September 1943. It begins with the reliable but largely ineffective twin-engined Blenheims, Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys, through to the introduction into front-line service of the four-engined ‘heavies’ - the Stirling, Manchester and Halifax, which bore the brunt of the bomber offensive until the advent of the incomparable Avro Lancaster in 1942 and the superlative Mosquito. On 30 January 1943, on the tenth anniversary of Hitler’s usurpation of power, two formations (each of three Mosquitoes) appeared over Berlin in daylight and interrupted large rallies being addressed by Goering and Goebbels. Sir Arthur Harris, Commander-in-Chief, RAF Bomber Command, hoped to ‘wreck Berlin from end to end’ and ‘produce a state of devastation in which German surrender is inevitable’. But the ‘Big City’, as it was known to his faithful ‘old lags’, was never completely destroyed.
The Berlin Candy Bomber
by Gail HalvorsenThe Berlin Candy Bomber is a love story -- how two sticks of gum and one man's kindness to the children of a vanquished enemy grew into an epic of goodwill spanning the globe, and touching the hearts of millions in both Germany and America.
The Berlin Gambit: A page-turning WWII thriller based on true events
by David O'Donnell"[a] pacy debut set in 1941 Berlin and based on real Second World War events...Riveting." — Sunday Post The Reich will protect its secrets. 1942, Berlin. After Police Chief Investigator Rolf Schneider is summoned to a meeting with Himmler and tasked with investigating the assassination of Heydrich, he exposes a web of corruption and secrecy involving the highest-ranking figures in the Reich. Schneider is faced with an agonising dilemma, for the secret he discovers is both the only thing that can save his life and what will mark him down for certain death. His choice propels him into a desperate race against the clock, one in which he must travel to the very heart of darkness. Based around real World War II events. For fans of Philip Kerr, Robert Harris and Volker Kutscher.
The Berlin Mission: The American Who Resisted Nazi Germany from Within
by Richard BreitmanAn unknown story of an unlikely hero--the US consul who best analyzed the threat posed by Nazi Germany and predicted the horrors to comeIn 1929, Raymond Geist went to Berlin as a consul and handled visas for emigrants to the US. Just before Hitler came to power, Geist expedited the exit of Albert Einstein. Once the Nazis began to oppress Jews and others, Geist's role became vitally important. It was Geist who extricated Sigmund Freud from Vienna and Geist who understood the scale and urgency of the humanitarian crisis.Even while hiding his own homosexual relationship with a German, Geist fearlessly challenged the Nazi police state whenever it abused Americans in Germany or threatened US interests. He made greater use of a restrictive US immigration quota and secured exit visas for hundreds of unaccompanied children. All the while, he maintained a working relationship with high Nazi officials such as Heinrich Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich, and Hermann Göring.While US ambassadors and consuls general cycled in and out, the indispensable Geist remained in Berlin for a decade. An invaluable analyst and problem solver, he was the first American official to warn explicitly that what lay ahead for Germany's Jews was what would become known as the Holocaust.
The Berlin Operation, 1945: The Red Army's Offensive Operations In Poland And Eastern Germany 1945
by Soviet General Staff Richard W. HarrisonBerlin Operation, 1945, tells the story of the Red Armys penultimate offensive operation in the war in Europe. Here the forces of three fronts (Second and First Belorussian and First Ukrainian) forced the Oder River and surrounded the defenders of the German capital, reduced the city and drove westward to link up with the Western allies in central Germany. This is another in a series of studies compiled by the Soviet Army General Staff, which during the postwar years set itself the task of gathering and generalizing the experience of the war for the purpose of training the armed forces higher staffs in the conduct of large-scale offensive operations. The study is divided into three parts. The first contains a brief strategic overview of the situation, as it existed by the spring of 1945, with special emphasis on German preparations to meet the inevitable Soviet attack. This section also includes an examination of the decisions by the Stavka of the Supreme High Command on the conduct of the operation. As usual, the fronts materiel-technical and other preparations for the offensive are covered in great detail. These include plans for artillery, artillery and engineer support, as well as the work of the rear services and political organs and the strengths, capabilities and tasks of the individual armies. Part two deals with the Red Armys breakthrough of the Germans Oder defensive position up to the encirclement of the Berlin garrison. This covers the First Belorussian Fronts difficulty in overcoming the defensive along the Seelow Heights along the direct path to Berlin, as well as the First Ukrainian Fronts easier passage over the Oder and its secondary attack along the Dresden axis. The Second Belorussian Fronts breakthrough and its sweep through the Baltic littoral is also covered. Part three covers the intense fighting to reduce the citys defenders from late April until the garrisons surrender on 2 May, as well as operations in the area up to the formal German capitulation. This section contains a number of detailed descriptions of urban fighting at the battalion and regimental level. It closes with conclusions about the role of the various combat arms in the operation.
The Berlin Raids: The Bomber Battle, Winter 1943–1944
by Martin MiddlebrookA &“meticulously documented&” account that covers the RAF&’s controversial attempt to end World War II by the aerial bombing of Berlin (Kirkus Reviews). The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target in the Second World War. Bomber Command Commander-in-Chief, Sir Arthur Harris, hoped to wreak Berlin from end to end and produce a state of devastation in which German surrender was inevitable. He dispatched nineteen major raids between August 1943 and March 1944—more than ten thousand aircraft sorties dropped over thirty thousand tons of bombs on Berlin. It was the RAF&’s supreme effort to end the war by aerial bombing. But Berlin was not destroyed and the RAF lost more than six hundred aircraft and their crews. The controversy over whether the Battle of Berlin was a success or failure has continued ever since. Martin Middlebrook brings to this subject considerable experience as a military historian. In preparing his material he collected documents from both sides (many of the German ones never before used); he has also interviewed and corresponded with over four hundred of the people involved in the battle and has made trips to Germany to interview the people of Berlin and Luftwaffe aircrews. He has achieved the difficult task of bringing together both sides of the Battle of Berlin—the bombing force and the people on the ground—to tell a coherent, single story. &“His straightforward narrative covers the 19 major raids, with a detailed description of three in particular, and includes recollections by British and German airmen as well as German civilians who weathered the storm.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Berlin Shadow: Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport
by Jonathan LichtensteinA deeply moving memoir that confronts the defining trauma of the twentieth century, and its effects on a father and son. In 1939, Jonathan Lichtenstein's father Hans escaped Nazi-occupied Berlin as a child refugee on the Kindertransport. Almost every member of his family died after Kristallnacht, and, upon arriving in England to make his way in the world alone, Hans turned his back on his German Jewish culture. Growing up in post-war rural Wales where the conflict was never spoken of, Jonathan and his siblings were at a loss to understand their father's relentless drive and sometimes eccentric behavior. As Hans enters old age, he and Jonathan set out to retrace his journey back to Berlin. Written with tenderness and grace, The Berlin Shadow is a highly compelling story about time, trauma, family, and a father and son's attempt to emerge from the shadows of history.
The Berlin Wall and the Intra-German Border 1961-89
by Gordon Rottman Chris TaylorThe border between East and West Germany was closed on 26 May 1953. On 13 August 1961 crude fences and walls were erected around West Berlin: the Berlin Wall had been created. The Wall encircled West Berlin for a distance of 155km, and its barriers and surveillance systems evolved over the years into an advanced obstacle network. The Intra-German Border ran from the Baltic Sea to the Czechoslovak border for 1,381km, and was where NATO forces faced the Warsaw Pact for the 45 years of the Cold War. This book examines the international situation that led to the establishment of the Berlin Wall and the IGB, and discusses how these barrier systems were operated, and finally fell.
The Best Gun in the World: George Woodward Morse and the South Carolina State Military Works
by Robert S. SeiglerA thoroughly researched account of weapons innovation and industrialization in South Carolina during the Civil War and the man who made it happen.A year after seceding from the Union, South Carolina and the Confederate States government faced the daunting challenge of equipping soldiers with weapons, ammunition, and other military implements during the American Civil War. In The Best Gun in the World, Robert S. Seigler explains how South Carolina created its own armory and then enlisted the help of a weapons technology inventor to meet the demand. Seigler mined state and federal factory records, national and state archives, and US patents for detailed information on weapons production, the salaries and status of free and enslaved employees, and other financial records to reveal an interesting, distinctive story of technological innovation and industrialization in South Carolina.George Woodward Morse, originally from New Hampshire, was a machinist and firearms innovator, who settled in Louisiana in the 1840s. He invented a reliable breechloading firearm in the mid-1850s to replace muzzleloaders that were ubiquitous throughout the world. Essential to the successful operation of any breechloader was its ammunition, and Morse perfected the first metallic, center-fire, pre-primed cartridge, his most notable contribution to the development of modern firearms.The US War Department tested Morse rifles and cartridges prior to the beginning of the Civil War and contracted with the inventor to produce the weapons at Harpers Ferry Armory. However, when the war began, Morse, a slave-holding plantation owner, determined that he could sell more of his guns in the South. The South Carolina State Military Works originally designed to cast cannon, produced Morse’s carbine and modified muskets, brass cartridges, cartridge boxes, and other military accoutrements. The armory ultimately produced only about 1,350 Morse firearms. For the next twenty years, Morse sought to regain his legacy as the inventor of the center-fire brass cartridges that are today standard ammunition for military and sporting firearms.“Does justice to one of the greatest stories in American firearms history. If George Woodward Morse had not sided with the Confederacy, his name might be as famous today as Colt or Winchester.” —Gordon L. Jones, Atlanta History Center “Excellent and well-researched.” —Patrick McCawley, South Carolina Department of Archives and History“For connoisseurs and scholars of military history (especially Civil War), history of technology, or Southern/South Carolina history, this is a must-read and reference volume pertaining to a previously little-known aspect of the nineteenth century that had a far-reaching impact in the manner wars would be fought by soldiers decades later.” —Barry L. Stiefel, College of Charleston
The Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century
by Harry Turtledove Martin H. GreenbergExplosive battles fought across the boundaries of time and space and on the frontiers of the human mind. Science fiction's finest have yielded this definitive collection featuring stories of warfare, victory, conquest, heroism, and overwhelming odds.