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The Bofors Gun
by Terry GanderThe definitive history of this enduring and versatile anti-aircraft weapon, including many photos and drawings. The 40mm Bofors gun, first produced in the 1930s, has become one of the most famous artillery pieces of all time. It shows no sign of fading from the defense scene as, in the second decade of the twenty-first century, it performs in many roles that were not contemplated by its original designers. It has also proven to be so versatile that it is now allied to electronic and other technological marvels that were mere pipe dreams only a few years ago. When the Bofors entered the international defense market, its primary quarry, the military aircraft, was still a slow and fragile machine that could be terminally damaged by a single hit from a 40mm projectile. Terry Gander describes this early period in the gun&’s development and he shows how, despite recent increases in target speed and other performance parameters, it can still inflict a one-hit kill on almost any aircraft, helicopter or guided missile. Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of the story is that the fundamentals of today&’s Bofors guns remain virtually unchanged from the very first examples to come off the Karlskoga production line in Sweden. In all its forms, the Bofors continues to be a sound, reliable, and lethal piece of military hardware that has given good service to gunners all over the world. Terry Gander&’s comprehensive account of the history of this remarkable weapon over the course of almost eighty years is fascinating reading and an invaluable work of reference for military historians and artillery specialists alike.
The Bohemians: The Lovers Who Led Germany's Resistance Against the Nazis
by Norman Ohler“An astonishing story of the anti-Nazi resistance—a story of love, incredible bravery and self-sacrifice . . . brilliantly told.” —Antony Beevor, New York Times-bestselling author Harro Schulze-Boysen already had shed blood in the fight against Nazism by the time he and Libertas Haas-Heye began their whirlwind romance. She joined the cause, and soon the two lovers were leading a network of anti-fascist fighters that stretched across Berlin’s bohemian underworld. But nothing could prepare Harro and Libertas for the betrayals they would suffer in this war of secrets—a struggle in which friend could be indistinguishable from foe. Drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and Gestapo files, Norman Ohler spins an unforgettable tale of love, heroism, and sacrifice in The Bohemians.“An unforgettable portrait of two young lovers and their circle of friends in the anti-Hitler resistance, The Bohemians offers a fascinating glimpse of life in Nazi Germany, where the simple self-assertion of youth was a political act, and daily life was a minefield where missteps could have fatal consequences.” —Joseph Kanon, New York Times-bestselling author“A detailed and meticulously researched tale . . . that reads like a thriller.” —The New York Times Book Review“A taut, absorbing tale of anti-Nazi resistance . . . Sharply drawn characters enliven a tragic history.” —Kirkus Reviews“Each chapter leaves readers wanting more and rooting for the ill-fated group . . . Ohler’s gifts as a writer shine as he brings to life the personalities, motivations, and machinations of the Red Orchestra.” —Library Journal“This deeply researched and stylishly written account unearths an appealing yet overlooked chapter in WWII history.” —Publishers Weekly
The Boiling Moat: Urgent Steps to Defend Taiwan
by Matt PottingerChinese leader Xi Jinping has openly expressed his intention to annex Taiwan to mainland China, even threatening the use of force. An invasion or blockade of Taiwan by Chinese forces would be catastrophic, with severe consequences for democracies worldwide. In The Boiling Moat, Matt Pottinger and a team of scholars and distinguished military and political leaders urgently outline practical steps for deterrence. The authors stress that preventing a war is more affordable than waging one and emphasize the importance of learning from recent failures in deterrence, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The book argues that a robust military strategy is essential for countering Beijing's aggression. Pottinger and his team map out a workable military strategy for Taiwan, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Europe to pursue collectively, urging quick adoption to avert a devastating war. The significance of Taiwan to the world economy, semiconductor supply, and Indo-Pacific security is underscored.The authors stress that preventing China's coercive annexation of Taiwan requires democracies to demonstrate not just the means but also the will to effectively resist, conveying the message that a military attempt by Xi would likely lead to disastrous consequences, both for China and for the international community.
The Bold Cavaliers: Morgan's Second Kentucky Cavalry Raiders
by Dee BrownAn &“exciting&” Civil War history of the Confederate cavalrymen, Morgan&’s Raiders, by the New York Times–bestselling author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Kirkus Reviews). In this vibrant and thoroughly researched Civil War study, Dee Brown tells the story of Morgan&’s Raiders, the Kentucky cavalrymen famed and feared for their attacks on the North. In 1861, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and his brother-in-law Basil Duke put together a group of formidable horsemen, and set to violent work. They began in their home state, staging raids, recruiting new soldiers, and intercepting Union telegraphs. Most were imprisoned after unsuccessful incursions into Ohio and Indiana years later, but some Raiders would escape, regroup, and fight again in different conflicts, participating in the so-called Great Conspiracy in Canada. The Bold Cavaliers is as engrossing in its historical detail as in its rich adventure. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Dee Brown including rare photos from the author&’s personal collection.
The Bomb
by Howard ZinnAs a World War II combat soldier, Howard Zinn took part in the aerial bombing of Royan, France. Two decades later, he was invited to visit Hiroshima and meet survivors of the atomic attack. In this short and powerful book, Zinn offers his deep personal reflections and political analysis of these events, their consequences, and the profound influence they had in transforming him from an order-taking combat soldier to one of our greatest anti-authoritarian, antiwar historians. This book was finalized just prior to Zinn's passing in January 2010, and is published on the sixty-fifth anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
The Bomb
by Theodore TaylorIt is 1946, a year after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and World War II is over. But the U.S. government has decided that further tests of atomic bombs must be conducted. When Bikini Atoll is chosen for the testing site, the inhabitants of the tiny island are told they must relocate for just two years. But sixteen-year-old Sorry Rinamu believes the Americans are lying and that it will never be safe to return. He must find a way to stop the first bomb before it is dropped . . . even if it means risking his own destruction. <P> <P><b> Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction </b>
The Bomb Vessel: Number 4 in series (Nathaniel Drinkwater #4)
by Richard WoodmanIt is 1801. Napoleon is reaching supreme power in France and has allied himself with Tsar Paul of Russia. Young captain Nathaniel Drinkwater is given command of an old ship, the Virago, to be sent to the Baltic as a bomb vessel. Drinkwater's ambition is to turn it back into a fighting ship, but his plans are thwarted. At the same time, Drinkwater's brother appeals for help in his desperate attempt to escape the gallows. As Sir Hyde Parker's fleet approaches the Danish coast, the Virago joins the battle. Amid gales and ice, Drinkwater strives to save his ship and his brother. But personal aims meet international war as, against the hazardous backdrop of Napoleon's onward march, Drinkwater's actions in the complex and bloody battle of Copenhagen become crucial.
The Bomb and America's Missile Age (The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science #133)
by Christopher GainorHow nuclear weapons helped drive the United States into the missile age.The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), designed to quickly deliver thermonuclear weapons to distant targets, was the central weapons system of the Cold War. ICBMs also carried the first astronauts and cosmonauts into orbit. More than a generation later, we are still living with the political, technological, and scientific effects of the space race, while nuclear-armed ICBMs remain on alert and in the headlines around the world.In The Bomb and America’s Missile Age, Christopher Gainor explores the US Air Force’s (USAF) decision, in March 1954, to build the Atlas, America’s first ICBM. Beginning with the story of the guided missiles that were created before and during World War II, Gainor describes how the early Soviet and American rocket programs evolved over the course of the following decade. He argues that the USAF was wrongly criticized for unduly delaying the start of its ICBM program, endangering national security, and causing America embarrassment when a Soviet ICBM successfully put Sputnik into orbit ahead of any American satellite. Shedding fresh light on the roots of America’s space program and the development of US strategic forces, The Bomb and America’s Missile Age uses evidence uncovered in the past few decades to set the creation of the Atlas ICBM in its true context—not only in the America of the postwar years but also in comparison with the real story of the Soviet missiles that propelled the space race and the Cold War. Aimed at readers interested in the history of the Cold War and of space exploration, the book makes a major contribution to the history of rocket development and the nuclear age.
The Bomb in My Garden: The Secrets of Saddam's Nuclear Mastermind
by Mahdi Obeidi Kurt PitzerObeidi, the former director-general of Iraq's Ministry of Industry and Military Industrialization under Saddam Hussein, was involved in Iraq's quest for a nuclear bomb beginning in the late 1970s. In this memoir, he tells his story of his work in the program, describing how the efforts came to a halt after the first Gulf War, and how he watched as the U. S. used allegations he knew were false to justify the invasion of his country. In many parts, the story is as much personal as professional as he worries about the fate of his family in difficult times.
The Bomb in the Basement: How Israel Went Nuclear and What That Means for the World
by Michael KarpinTHE BOMB IN THE BASEMENT tells the fascinating story of how Israel became the Middle East's only nuclear power and -- unlike Iraq and Iran -- succeeded in keeping its atomic program secret. Veteran Israeli journalist Michael Karpin explains how Israel, by far the smallest of the nuclear powers, succeeded in its ambitious effort. David Ben-Gurion saw the need for an atomic capability to offset the numerical superiority of Arab armies at war with Israel. The Israeli program relied heavily on French assistance in its early years, until President Charles de Gaulle reduced his country's cooperation. Once it was discovered, Israel's nuclear program cast a shadow over relations between Israel and the United States. The Kennedy administration opposed it, and President Lyndon Johnson approved it only tacitly. Significant change took place when President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger adopted a new strategy. An Israel that possessed nuclear capability was a more valuable asset to the West than an Israel without such an option. President Nixon ceased to press Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and dropped U.S. surveillance of the Israeli reactor at Dimona. In exchange, Israel committed itself to maintain official ambiguity about its nuclear program. That policy remains in place nearly forty years later. Without American approval and the financial assistance and lobbying of Jews in North America, Israel could not have achieved its nuclear capability. This is a fascinating story of scientists, politicians, spies, and major international personalities who all played a part in an extraordinary undertaking that continues to shape the politics of the world's most volatile region. Today it remains to be seen whether Israel will permit Iran to build a nuclear bomb and threaten Israel's security.
The Bomb: A Life
by Gerard DeGrootBefore the Bomb, there were simply 'bombs', lower case. But it was the twentieth century, one hundred years of almost incredible scientific progress, that saw the birth of the Bomb, the human race's most powerful and most destructive discovery. In this magisterial and enthralling account, Gerard DeGroot gives us the life story of the Bomb, from its birth in the turn-of-the-century physics labs of Europe to a childhood in the New Mexico desert of the 1940s, from adolescence and early adulthood in Nagasaki and Bikini, Australia and Siberia to unsettling maturity in test sites and missile silos all over the globe. By turns horrific, awe-inspiring and blackly comic, The Bomb is never less than compelling.
The Bomb: A Life
by Gerard J. DeGrootIn The Bomb: A Life, Gerard DeGroot tells the story of this once unimaginable weapon that--at least since 8:16 a.m. on August 6, 1945--has haunted our dreams and threatened our existence. His book portrays the Bomb's short but significant existence in all its scope, providing us with a portrait of the times and the people--from Oppenheimer to Sakharov, Stalin to Reagan--whose legacy still shapes our world.
The Bomb: A New History
by Steven M. YoungerA former Los Alamos weapons designer shares “an indispensable guide to the science and strategy of nuclear weapons” (Booklist).From his years at Los Alamos and the Nevada Test Site to his meetings with nuclear arms experts in Moscow, former weapons designer Stephen M. Younger has witnessed firsthand the making of nuclear policy. With a deep understanding of both the technology and the politics behind nuclear weapons, he guides us from the Manhattan Project to the Cold War and into the present day, illuminating how nuclear weapons fit into our globalized, war-plagued world. With startling clarity, Younger reveals how weapons work, the myths and realities of what happens after a nuclear explosion, and how our nuclear policy evolved to what it is today. In an era when rogue nations like North Korean and Iran strive to create their own precarious weapons programs, Younger provides much-needed background and insight for students, policy makers, and readers who wish to better understand the important issues involving nuclear weapons and national security.“Younger has provided an insightful guide, especially for the general reader, into today’s array of nuclear powers and their capabilities.” —James Schlesinger, former Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Energy
The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War
by Fred KaplanFrom the author the classic The Wizards of Armageddon and Pulitzer Prize finalist comes the definitive history of American policy on nuclear war—and Presidents&’ actions in nuclear crises—from Truman to Trump.Fred Kaplan, hailed by The New York Times as &“a rare combination of defense intellectual and pugnacious reporter,&” takes us into the White House Situation Room, the Joint Chiefs of Staff&’s &“Tank&” in the Pentagon, and the vast chambers of Strategic Command to bring us the untold stories—based on exclusive interviews and previously classified documents—of how America&’s presidents and generals have thought about, threatened, broached, and just barely avoided nuclear war from the dawn of the atomic age until today. Kaplan&’s historical research and deep reporting will stand as the permanent record of politics. Discussing theories that have dominated nightmare scenarios from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kaplan presents the unthinkable in terms of mass destruction and demonstrates how the nuclear war reality will not go away, regardless of the dire consequences.
The Bomber Aircrew Experience: Dealing Out Punishment from the Air
by Philip KaplanDiscover the wartime experiences of the bomber boys in World War II.Flying bombers during World War II was a harrowing ordeal. Unlike the fighter jocks, who pit their skill and wits against each other in agile aerial combat, the bomber boys had to endure the fear and savagery of the air war with grim acceptance-their only option to sit and take it. Manning lumbering machines that could not maneuver or defend themselves effectively, the aircrews had to rely on tight aircraft formations and their own bravery to survive the onslaught of enemy fighters and anti-aircraft artillery. Within these great planes, they developed bonds like no other; young men thrust together in a shared fate, risking their lives in slow-moving yet beautiful and powerful aircraft over the skies of numerous war zones, thousands of feet above the battlegrounds but no further away from the horrors.Fully illustrated with hundreds of color and black-and-white photographs, as well as dozens of interviews, Philip Kaplan’s The Bomber Aircrew Experience offers an intimate glimpse into the life and times of these wartime airmen. The bomber boys recount their harrowing missions over Germany’s industrial heartland, paving the way for Allied victory in the Second World War’s European Theatre. Discover what it was like to man such planes as the great Flying Fortress and the Liberator, and what it was like for the British and Commonwealth boys flying night missions in the Lancasters, Halifaxes, and Stirlings. And then finally, learn about the development of the modern stealth bombers: the F-117 Nighthawk and the B-2 Spirit.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
The Bomber Boys: Heroes Who Flew the B-17s in World War II
by Travis L. AyresTrue tales of heroism and the men who fought and died in the skies of World War II Europe.In World War II, there were all too many ways for a fighting man to die. But no theater of operations offered more fatal choices than the skies above Nazi-occupied Europe. Inside of a B-17 Bomber, thousands of feet above the earth, death was always a moment away. From the hellish storms of enemy flak and relentless strafing of Luftwaffe fighters, to mid-air collisions, mechanical failure, and simple bad luck, it&’s a wonder any man would volunteer for such dangerous duty. But some very brave men did. Some paid the ultimate price. Some made it home. But in the end, all would achieve victory. Here, author Travis L. Ayres has gathered a collection of previously untold personal accounts of combat and camaraderie aboard the B-17 Bombers that flew countless sorties against the enemy, as related by the men who lived and fought in the air—and survived. They are stories of heroism, sacrifice, miraculous survival and merciless warfare. But they should all be remembered...INCLUDES PHOTOS
The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book, 1939-1945
by Martin Middlebrook Chris EverittThe essential WWII historical reference detailing RAF Bomber Command&’s extensive campaign of strategic bombings across occupied Europe. The Royal Air Force Bomber Command's strategic bombing campaign started on the first day of the Second World War and ended five and a half years later with the final victory in Europe. It was a campaign of such enormous scale that historians have only recently begun to piece together the finer details of the individual raids. Aviation historian Martin Middlebrook and his research colleague, Chris Everitt, were the first to compile a complete review of all the raids and their background stories.The Bomber Command War Diaries not only documents every Bomber Command operation but also details their effects on the ground, drawing on local archives from Germany, Italy, and the occupied countries. It is a groundbreaking work on historical research, bringing together the two sides of Bomber Command&’s war. This edition includes retrospective observations and a new appendix.
The Bomber Command's Forgotten Summer: 1940
by Paul TweddleWhile the heroic exploits of ‘The Few’ of Fighter Command are rightly lauded, those of ‘The Many’ of Bomber Command often remain overlooked. Night after night, the bomber crews ranged across Europe seeking out and attacking targets in an all-out endeavour to undermine the German war effort against Britain and prevent invasion.Bomber Command’s Forgotten Summer tells the stories of the young men who carried out dangerous missions on a nightly basis, battling against both the enemy and the elements, relying on a mix of nerve, skills and luck to hit their target and make it home. Faced with flak and fighters, exposed to the harsh weather conditions and operating at the edge of their capabilities, for the young men of Bomber Command, this was just as vital as the Battle of Britain.
The Bomber Dog
by Megan RixThe Bomber Dog is a heartwarming story for 9+ readers about a brave puppy who joins the paratroopers during the Second World War and becomes a heroic war dog. Perfect for fans of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse and Lauren St John.GREY is just a puppy when he arrives at the War Dog Training school.NATHAN, his trainer, is a brave young soldier.WOLF is a war dog who's seen it all.Grey and Nathan soon become inseparable. Until the day a parachute jump goes tragically wrong . . .As the Second World War rages, Grey faces his most important mission yet: to find his best friend. With Wolf at his side, he must journey across France and behind enemy lines. His path is fraught with danger. Can he reach Nathan before it's too late?Praise for Megan Rix:'If you love Michael Morpurgo, you will enjoy this' Express 'A moving tale told with warmth, kindliness and lashings of good sense that lovers of Dick King-Smith will especially appreciate' The Times'Every now and then a writer comes along with a unique way of storytelling . . . Meet Megan Rix . . . her novels are deeply moving and will strike a chord with animal lovers.' LoveReadingAbout the author:Megan Rix lives in England with her husband, and their adorable dogs, Traffy and Bella. Also available by Megan Rix:The Great Escape, The Victory Dogs.www.meganrix.com
The Bomber In British Strategy: Doctrine, Strategy, and Britain's World Role, 1945-1960 (Routledge Revivals)
by S. J. BallBetween 1945 and 1960, Great Britain constructed a substantial nuclear-armed bomber force. The creation of this force had ramifications that extended well beyond the confines of military policy. The process played a large part in defining relations with the United States, and the belief that these bombers could replace conventional forces convinced successive British governments that Great Britain could maintain a significant global military role. Originally published in 1995 and drawing on both archives and oral testimony, this book analyses British strategic discourse and its influence on British foreign policy in the early decades of the Cold War.
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War
by Malcolm GladwellAn exploration of how technology and best intentions collide in the heat of war In The Bomber Mafia, Malcolm Gladwell weaves together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard to examine one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history. <P><P>Most military thinkers in the years leading up to World War II saw the airplane as an afterthought. But a small band of idealistic strategists, the “Bomber Mafia,” asked: What if precision bombing could cripple the enemy and make war far less lethal? In contrast, the bombing of Tokyo on the deadliest night of the war was the brainchild of General Curtis LeMay, whose brutal pragmatism and scorched-earth tactics in Japan cost thousands of civilian lives, but may have spared even more by averting a planned US invasion. <P><P>In The Bomber Mafia, Gladwell asks, “Was it worth it?” Things might have gone differently had LeMay’s predecessor, General Haywood Hansell, remained in charge. Hansell believed in precision bombing, but when he and Curtis LeMay squared off for a leadership handover in the jungles of Guam, LeMay emerged victorious, leading to the darkest night of World War II. The Bomber Mafia is a riveting tale of persistence, innovation, and the incalculable wages of war. <P><P><b>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
The Bomber War: Book 7 of the Ladybird Expert History of the Second World War (The Ladybird Expert Series #13)
by James HollandPart of the new Ladybird Expert series, The Bomber War is an accessible, insightful and authoritative introduction to the airborne Allied fight against Nazi Germany.- How did aeroplane technology change the theatre of war?- How did the Blitz affect Britain's ability to fight?- How did the Allies finally triumph?DISCOVER how the complex impact of bomber technology shaped the outcome of World War II. From the Blitz to the Battle of the Ruhr, the Bomber War transformed the state of warfare in the twentieth century. GERMANY'S DEADLY TACTICS, THE ALLIES' BRUTAL VICTORYWritten by historian, author and broadcaster James Holland and with immersive illustrations by Keith Burns, THE BOMBER WAR is an accessible and enthralling introduction to these critical battles and their impact on the outcome of World War II.
The Bombers and the Bombed
by Richard OveryThe ultimate history of the Allied bombing campaigns in World War II Technology shapes the nature of all wars, and the Second World War hinged on a most unpredictable weapon: the bomb. Day and night, Britain and the United States unleashed massive fleets of bombers to kill and terrorize occupied Europe, destroying its cities. The grisly consequences call into question how "moral” a war the Allies fought. The Bombers and the Bombed radically overhauls our understanding of World War II. It pairs the story of the civilian front line in the Allied air war alongside the political context that shaped their strategic bombing campaigns, examining the responses to bombing and being bombed with renewed clarity. The first book to examine seriously not only the well-known attacks on Dresden and Hamburg but also the significance of the firebombing on other fronts, including Italy, where the crisis was far more severe than anything experienced in Germany, this is Richard Overy’s finest work yet. It is a rich reminder of the terrible military, technological, and ethical issues that relentlessly drove all the war’s participants into an abyss. .
The Bombers and the Bombed
by Richard OveryThe ultimate history of the Allied bombing campaigns in World War IITechnology shapes the nature of all wars, and the Second World War hinged on a most unpredictable weapon: the bomb. Day and night, Britain and the United States unleashed massive fleets of bombers to kill and terrorize occupied Europe, destroying its cities. The grisly consequences call into question how "moral" a war the Allies fought.The Bombers and the Bombed radically overhauls our understanding of World War II. It pairs the story of the civilian front line in the Allied air war alongside the political context that shaped their strategic bombing campaigns, examining the responses to bombing and being bombed with renewed clarity.The first book to examine seriously not only the well-known attacks on Dresden and Hamburg but also the significance of the firebombing on other fronts, including Italy, where the crisis was far more severe than anything experienced in Germany, this is Richard Overy's finest work yet. It is a rich reminder of the terrible military, technological, and ethical issues that relentlessly drove all the war's participants into an abyss.
The Bombing Of Brittany: Solving The Wrong Problem
by Major Jeremiah S. HeathmanAs a result of the Allied bombing campaign against Nazi submarine bases during the Second World War, the cities of Brest, Lorient, and Saint Nazaire were nearly completely destroyed. Despite thousands of bombing missions, all three submarine bunkers still stand today. This monograph examines the effectiveness of the Allied bombing campaign against German submarine bases in Brittany by analyzing the campaign through the use of a design methodology. Research is broken down into three frames: the operational approach, the operational environment and the problem frame. The first frame provides an account of the bombing missions and effects. Next, an overview of the operational environment is conducted by exploring the historical context of Brittany, German construction efforts and Allied institutional barriers. The study concludes by examining the problem frame, which entails how the Allies perceived their operational problem and developed an approach based on their understanding. Ultimately, the Allies failed to accurately identify their problem and developed an ineffective approach towards defeating the threat. Had the Allies incorporated design thinking into their planning and execution, they may have developed an effective campaign towards defeating the Nazi U-boat threat rather than solving the wrong problem.