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The Debutante: A Novel
by Kathleen TessaroA brilliant, unforgettable novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfume Collector.Can the secrets of one woman's past change another woman's future?Cate Albion is a gifted young artist at a crossroads in her life. Looking to escape New York for the summer, she takes a job in her aunt's London auction house and is soon sent on assignment to the English countryside to value the contents of Endsleigh House, the once gracious but now crumbling estate of a former Jazz Age socialite. There, hidden in the back of a dusty bookshelf, Cate discovers an old shoebox, and inside, a peculiar assortment of objects, including an exquisite pair of 1930s dancing shoes; a faded photograph of a handsome young sailor, and a rare Tiffany pearl and emerald bracelet.Intrigued, Cate sets out to learn more about the box and its contents, and becomes immersed in the mystery of its owner, Diana “Baby” Blythe, the younger of the infamous, glamorous Blythe sisters. Bright, beautiful, and reckless, Baby was the most famous debutante of her generation . . . until she suddenly disappeared entirely from view. As a shocking tale of love and betrayal begins to unravel, Cate finds herself being drawn deeper into Baby's tragic life story—one that will force Cate to confront some dark truths about her own choices.
The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War
by Thaddeus HoltIn World War II, the Allies employed unprecedented methods and practiced the most successful military deception ever seen, meticulously feeding misinformation to Axis intelligence to lead Axis commanders into erroneous action. Thaddeus Holt's elegantly written and comprehensive book is the first to tell the full story behind these operations. Exactly how the Allies engaged in strategic deception has remained secret for decades. Now, with the help of newly declassified material, Holt reveals this secret to the world in a riveting work of historical scholarship. Once the Americans joined the war in 1941, they had much to learn from their British counterparts, who had been honing their deception skills for years. As the war progressed, the British took charge of misinformation efforts in the European theater, while the Americans focused on the Pacific. The Deceivers takes readers from the early British achievements in the Middle East and Europe at the beginning of the war to the massive Allied success of D-Day, American victory in the Pacific theater, and the war's culmination on the brink of an invasion of Japan. Colonel John Bevan, who managed British deception operations from London, described the three essentials to strategic deception as good plans, double agents, and codebreaking, and The Deceivers covers each of these aspects in minute detail. Holt brings to life the little-known men, British and American, who ran Allied deception, such as Bevan, Dudley Clarke, Peter Fleming, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Newman Smith. He tracks the development of deception techniques and tells the hitherto unknown story of double agent management and other deception through the American FBI and Joint Security Control. Full of fascinating sources and astounding revelations, The Deceivers is an indispensable volume and an unparalleled contribution to World War II literature.
The Decision to Disarm Germany: British Policy Towards Postwar German Disarmament, 1914-1919 (Routledge Revivals)
by Lorna S. JaffeOriginally published in 1985 The Decision to Disarm Germany offers a fresh approach to Britain’s First World War and Paris Peace Conference policy on the question of German military disarmament. It offers interpretations based on extensive research into unpublished records and private papers and provides important new conclusions about British policy. The book shows the interaction of domestic concerns and strategic considerations in the wartime development of British thinking on the issue of post-war German disarmament and in the post-Armistice formulation and implementation of Britain’s German disarmament policy. It establishes the crucial interrelationship in British thinking and policy between German disarmament and general disarmament. It also shows the interwar consequences of wartime attitudes and peace conference policy.
The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb
by Dennis D. WainstockIn 1945 Imperial Japan was making every effort to seek an honorable surrender while the United States was trying to decide whether or not to drop the atomic bomb. While the main focus remains on the political aspects of the decision President Harry Truman was about to make, the author also focuses on the logistics and military situation of the United States and Japan during the last year of the war. The Potsdam Conference plays a key role in the unfolding drama of the Imperial decisions that led to Japan's surrender.Dennis D. Wainstock teaches at Salem-Tieyko University in Salem, West Virginia.
The Decision to Drop the Bomb (Routledge Library Editions: WW2 #7)
by Len Giovannitti Fred FreedThis book, first published in 1967, examines the circumstances and events that led to the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan, devastating Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The death of President Roosevelt three weeks before the end of the European war led to an incoming President, Truman, who had heard nothing of the project before taking office. He and his advisers had no precedents to guide them as they considered what to do, and withing their closely drawn circle there were genuine differences of opinion about the use of atomic weapons. This book traces the course of the discussions between the politicians and their technical advisers, the part played by personal relationships, and the attempt by some of the scientists to stop the bomb being used without warning. In addition, it supplies a thorough analysis of developments abroad, and in particular the situation in Japan. It shows that the debate in Washington and the atomic plants was careful and wide-ranging, and that issues are no less complex for being supremely important. The result is to provide both a study of decision-making and a valuable contribution to our understanding of the closing months of the Second World War.
The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
by Gar AlperovitzControversial in nature, this book demonstrates that the United States did not need to use the atomic bomb against Japan. Alperovitz criticizes one of the most hotly debated precursory events to the Cold War, an event that was largely responsible for the evolution of post-World War II American politics and culture.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Decisive Campaigns of the Desert Air Force, 1942–1945
by Bryn EvansCompared to the RAF's Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular.DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force co-operation on the battlefield, DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge.While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies' advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower the artillery from the sky. They were the first multi-national air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield.With first-hand accounts by veteran airmen form Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, this book reveals the decisive victories with which DAF won the war over North Africa, the Mediterranean and Italy in 1942-45.
The Decisiveness Of Israeli Small-Unit Leadership On The Golan Heights In The 1973 Yom Kippur War
by Major Oakland MccullochThis study is an analysis of the decisiveness of Israeli small-unit leadership on the Golan Heights during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. What allowed the Israeli brigades on the Golan Heights to defeat an Arab coalition that launched a surprise attack with a force that vastly outnumbered the Israelis in men, tanks and artillery? The one advantage the Israelis had was the quality of leadership at the small-unit level. This study begins with a brief review of the strategic and operational situation in the Middle East in 1973. This includes background information on the Israeli and Arab forces facing each other on the Golan Heights and their plans for the defense and attack respectfully prior to the start of hostilities. The majority of the thesis discussion is concerned with the actual battle on the Golan Heights. It highlights the contributions that small-unit leadership made during the battle that allowed the vastly outnumbered IDF to destroy a massive Soviet-style Arab army. This portion of the study also looks at the experiences of those Israeli leaders involved in the fighting. The study then looks at leadership from the Israeli perspective. I define what leadership is and why it is important at the small-unit level. I take a close look at how the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) picks and trains its leaders and what role the Israeli Military Culture plays in that process. The conclusion of the thesis is that the IDF was able to fight and win even though surprised and vastly outnumbered due to the quality of leadership at the small-unit level. This lesson may prove to be important still today as the armies of the Western societies continue to get smaller even though they still face the threat of fighting the massive Soviet-style armies of the "Axis of Evil" for decades to come.
The Decline of Bismarck's European Order: Franco-Russian Relations 1875-1890
by George Frost KennanIn an attempt to discover some of the underlying origins of World War I, the eminent diplomat and writer George Kennan focuses on a small sector of offstage events to show how they affected the drama at large long before the war even began. In the introduction to his book George Kennan tells us, "I came to see World War I . . . as the great seminal catastrophe of this century--the event which . . . lay at the heart of the failure and decline of this Western civilization." But, he asks, who could help being struck by the contrast between this apocalyptic result and the "delirious euphoria" of the crowds on the streets of Europe at the outbreak of war in 1914! "Were we not," he suggests, "in the face of some monstrous miscalculation--some pervasive failure to read correctly the outward indicators of one's own situation?" It is from this perspective that Mr. Kennan launches a "micro-history" of the Franco-Russian relationship as far back as the 1870s in an effort to determine the motives that led people "to wander so blindly" into the horrors of the First World War.
The Decline of Bismarck’s European Order: Franco-Russian Relations, 1875-1890
by George F. KennanThe Franco-Russian alliance evolved more and more steadily into a long-term military alliance, an instrument of foreign policy that Kennan deplored as too rigid and unresponsive to a changing international situation.
The Decoys: A Tale of Three Atlantic Convoys, 1942
by Bernard EdwardsIn November 1942, Britain and America launched Operation TORCH, the ambitious invasion of French North Africa.To convey 70,000 troops and their equipment required 600 merchant ships crossing the U-boat infested North Atlantic. The need for their protection meant withdrawing escorts from the routine convoys. Amongst those left without adequate defence were RB 1 and SC 107, both eastbound from America, and SL 125, northbound from Freetown. All three were at sea at the same time as the TORCH convoys.
The Deed
by Gerold FrankA NON-FICTION THRILLER BY THE AUTHOR OF “THE BOSTON STRANGLER”TWO YOUNG RADICALS ASSASSINATE A HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. WERE THEY PATRIOTS OR MURDERERS?CAIRO, EGYPT: The car moved slowly through the baking heat and noise of the city and finally arrived at Lord Moyne’s residence. The car halted and the chauffeur hurried to open the door for the British Ambassador. On the other side, two figures leapt up and raced toward the car—both carrying revolvers. One youth reached the automobile, wrenched open the back door and fired three times at Lord Moyne.“Stop, murderers, stop!”Within seconds police had captured the two.“Who are you? Why have you done this?”One boy spoke. “We have nothing to say. We await the judgment of mankind.”“Brilliant and suspenseful. I can think of few reading experiences in the last year as compelling as The Deed.”—Los Angeles Times“SPELLBINDING SUSPENSE…a slice of history beautifully and accurately told. The Deed is by far the finest book Gerold Frank has ever written; it is easy to read but awfully, awfully hard to forget.”—Quentin Reynolds, Saturday Review“COMPELLING, IMPORTANT. Even if it were not true—and it is agonizingly true—it would be a genuine literary work. It is a book not to be forgotten.”—Herald Tribune“A NARRATIVE THAT WON’T LET YOU GO…moving and disturbing.”—Chicago Tribune“POWER AND POIGNANCY…gives life to a footnote in history. The opening prickles with suspense. The book reaches a climax of genuine pathos. Few, I predict, will fail to be moved by the closing pages of The Deed.”—John Barkham, Saturday Review Syndicate
The Deeds Of Valiant Men: A Study In Leadership. The Marauders In North Burma, 1944
by LTC Henry L. Kinnison IVThis paper is intended to examine key aspects of senior leadership in the execution of the North Burma Campaign of 1944 by the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). The paper addresses the formation and training of the unit, also known as Merrill's Marauders. It also addresses the three major missions performed by the Marauders to include the seizing of the Myitkyina airstrip. In particular, the paper considers the leadership of Generals Stilwell and Merrill during the campaign and examines new evidence concerning their performance.
The Deep Well At Noon (Beckman Saga #1)
by Jessica Stirling[From inside dust jacket flaps:] "Mayfair, Lambeth, Pimlico--from the joyous turmoil of Armistice Day, 1918, young Holly Beckman is drawn out of London's grey back streets into conflict with the rich, brilliant and corrupt members of Mayfair's Smart Set. Holly's job in Aspinall's Antique Shop is threatened when the owner James Aspinall dies. Aspinall, however, has trained the girl well. Acknowledging her flair and honesty, he bequeaths her a quarter share of the business on condition that it remains a going concern. Aspinall's charming but dissolute son David and his snobbish daughter Andrea furiously oppose Holly's inheritance. But Holly Beckman has been given a purpose in life and will not yield. Determination and skills as an antique dealer become prime weapons in a war of prejudice and distrust. Aided by her astute Russian grandfather, Tal Kirsanoff, Holly defies her father's drunken rages, her brother Ritchie's criminal intentions and every pitfall the Aspinalls lay for her to make the business a success. In a society tainted by the horrors of the Great War, hunger for pleasure and profit has become a dominating force. There is no room for pity and, it seems, no love without a price. Holly cannot resist David's easy charm and drifts into an affair with him. But it is Christopher Deems, a handsome war-scarred poet, who captures her heart and drives Holly to the most difficult decision she will ever have to make. She must choose between love and ambition, unaware that tragedy lies in wait for her down each shadowed path." Check for books 2 and 3 in this sweeping historical trilogy about life in post World War 1 London. #2 The Blue Evening Gone and #3 The Gates of Midnight. You will also find two more trilogies by Jessica Stirling, Stalker Trilogy about a mining family in Scotland including: #1 The Spoilt Earth, #2 The Hiring Fair and #3 The Dark Pasture, and the Isle of Mull trilogy comprised of #1 The Island Wife, #2 The Wind From The Hills and #3 The Strawberry season, about rural life on an island on the Scottish coast.
The Deerslayer
by James Fenimore CooperBook Description In this final volume in the Leatherstocking saga, the Indian-raised Deerslayer has become a man of courage and moral certainty-and he emerges from tribal warfare with nobility as pure and proud as the wilderness whose fierce beauty and freedom have claimed his heart.
The Defeat of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918 (Major Battles and Campaigns #1)
by Rod PaschallThe Defeat of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918 by Rod Paschall is the first volume in the Major Battles and Campaigns series under the general editorship of John S. D. Eisenhower. <P><P>Designed for the "armchair strategist," this book offers striking proof of the inaccuracy of the conventional depiction of the trench warfare of the First World War, in which commanding generals are seen as mediocre and unimaginative, having stubbornly sent hundreds of thousands of troops over the top to be mowed down by the lethal weaponry of modern war. Paschall builds a compelling case that the generals on both sides invented ingenious new strategies that simply failed in the context of a war of attrition. <P> In a series of vivid analyses of successive offenses, Paschall describes the generals' plans, how their plans were aimed at dislodging the entrenched enemy and restoring maneuver and breakthrough on the Western Front, and what happened when the massed soldiery under their command sought to carry out their orders. Though these strategies and tactics largely failed at the time, they would prove successful when implemented twenty years later during World War II. <P>Dozens of photographs, many never before published, as well as theater and battlefield maps help make The Defeat of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918 an outstanding and original contribution to the body of knowledge of the Great War.
The Defeat of the Damned: The Destruction of the Dirlewanger Brigade at the Battle of Ipolysag, December 1944
by Douglas E Nash"Doug Nash addresses a crucial period of December 1944... This latest of his works, which all stand on their own merits, is the best read to date." — Marine Corps Gazette One of the most notorious yet least understood body of troops that fought for the Third Reich during World War II was the infamous Sondereinheit Dirlewanger, or the “Dirlewanger Special Unit.” Formed initially as a company-sized formation in June 1940 from convicted poachers, it served under the command of SS-Obersturmführer Oskar Dirlewanger, one of the most infamous criminals in military history. First used to guard the Jewish ghetto in Lublin and support security operations carried out in occupied Poland by SS and Police forces, the unit was soon transferred to Belarus to combat the increasingly active Soviet partisan movement. After assisting in putting down the Warsaw Uprising during August–September 1944, by November of that year it had been enlarged and retitled as the 2. SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger. One month later, it fought one of its most controversial actions near the town of Ipolysag, Hungary, now known by its Slovak name of Šahy, between 13 and 18 December 1944. As a result of its overly hasty and haphazard deployment, lack of heavy armament, and a confusing chain of command, it was virtually destroyed by two Soviet mechanized corps. Consequently, the Wehrmacht leadership blamed Dirlewanger and the performance of his troops for the encirclement of the Hungarian capital of Budapest during late December 1944 that led to the annihilation of its garrison two months later. The brigade’s defeat at Ipolysag also led to its compulsory removal from the front lines by General der Panzertruppe Hermann Balck and its eventual shipment to a rest area where it would be completely rebuilt, so thorough was its destruction. Despite its lackluster performance, the brigade was rebuilt once again and sent to East Prussia in February 1945, but never recovered from the thrashing it received at the hands of the 6th Guards Army in December.
The Defeat of the Zeppelins: Zeppelin Raids and Anti-Airship Operations 1916-18
by Mick PowisMick Powis describes the novel threat posed to the British war effort by the raids of German airships, or Zeppelins, and the struggle to develop effective defenses against them. Despite their size and relatively slow speed, the Zeppelins were hard to locate and destroy at first. They could fly higher than existing fighters and the early raids benefited from a lack of coordination between British services. The development of radio, better aircraft, incendiary ammunition, and, above all, a more coordinated defensive policy, gradually allowed the British to inflict heavy losses on the Zeppelins. The innovative use of seaplanes and planes launched from aircraft carriers allowed the Zeppelins to be intercepted before they reached Britain and to strike back with raids on the Zeppelin sheds. July 1918 saw the RAF and Royal Navy cooperate to destroy two Zeppelins in their base at Tondern (the first attack by aircraft launched from a carrier deck). The last Zeppelin raid on England came in August 1918 and resulted in the destruction of Zeppelin L70 and the death of Peter Strasser, Commander of the Imperial German Navys Zeppelin force.
The Defector: A Novel (The Apollo Murders Series #2)
by Chris HadfieldFrom a New York Times bestselling author, astronaut, and fighter pilot comes a "full-throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner" (Jack Carr, New York Times bestselling author) and Cold War thriller perfect for fans of Top Gun and The Hunt for Red October.Israel, October 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MiG fighter plane plummets to an unexpected landing. NASA Flight Controller and former US test pilot Kaz Zemeckis watches from the ground—unaware that its arrival will pull him into a high-stakes game of spies, lies, and secrets that hold the key to Cold War air and space supremacy. For within that plane is a Soviet pilot pleading to defect, offering a prize beyond value: the workings of the Soviets' mythical "Foxbat" MiG-25, the fastest, highest-flying fighter plane in the world. But trusting him is risky, and Kaz must tread a careful line. As Kaz accompanies the defector into the United States, to the military&’s most secret test site, he must hope that, with skill and cunning, the game plays out his way. Rich with insider detail and political intrigue drawn from real events, The Defector is a propulsive thriller from a growing master of the genre, filled with the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat as it could only be told by one of the world's best fighter pilots. "Wondering what to do until Top Gun 3 arrives? Don't worry, Hadfield's got it covered.&” —Rowland White&“Brimming with detail and realism and full of pulse-pounding action.&” —Mark Greaney "Hadfield&’s writing is superb. Fans of The Apollo Murders will seek out this one, but newcomers will also thoroughly enjoy it.&” —BooklistPraise for The Apollo Murders &“A Cold War thriller packed with cosmic action.&” —New York Times&“An exciting journey into an alternate past.&” —Andy Weir, author of The Martian&“Propulsive . . . a space race thrill ride.&” —Newsweek &“An intelligent and surprising nail-biter that Tom Clancy fans will relish.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The Defector: A Novel (The Apollo Murders Series #2)
by Chris Hadfield#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER"A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride!"—Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series"Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters—what more could you want from a thriller?"—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 9th Man and the Cotton Malone seriesFrom the author of the #1 bestselling thriller The Apollo Murders comes the supersonic hunt for a shadowy Soviet defector.Israel, October 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MiG fighter is racing at breakneck speed over the arid scrublands below . . . and promptly disappears.NASA Flight Controller and former top US test pilot Kaz Zemeckis watches the scene from the ground—and is quickly pulled into a dizzying, high-stakes game of spies, lies and a possible high-level defection that plays out across three continents. The prize is beyond value: the secrets of the Soviets&’ mythical &“Foxbat&” MiG-25, the fastest, highest-flying fighter plane in the world and the key to Cold War air supremacy. But every defection is double-edged with risk, and Kaz needs to tread a careful line between trust and suspicion. Ultimately, he must invite the fox into the henhouse—bringing the defector into the heart of the United States&’ most secret test site—and hope that, with skill and cunning, the game plays out his way.For Chris Hadfield&’s second heart-stopping thriller, we move from Space to another rich and exciting part of Chris&’s CV: his time as a top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and as an RCAF fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in North American airspace. Full of insider detail, excitement and political intrigue drawn from real events, The Defector brings us the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat, as told by one of the world's top fighter pilots.
The Defector: Book 2 in the Apollo Murders Series (The Apollo Murders Series)
by Chris HadfieldFrom the author of the international bestselling thriller The Apollo Murders: a supersonic hunt for a shadowy Soviet defector known only as 'Grief'.Israel, late 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MIG fighter is racing at breakneck speed over the arid scrublands below . . . and promptly disappears.It soon becomes clear to Israeli intelligence that the pilot is a defector, desperate to come over to the US side. Houston Flight Controller and former test pilot Kaz Zemeckis is charged with bringing the pilot and his plane to the highly secret Area 51, in the Nevada desert. But every defection carries with it a risk. It soon becomes clear that 'Grief' has the technical ability, and now the opportunity, to gain access to the treasures of the Nevada Test Range - either a prototype stealth fighter or the NERVA nuclear rocket engine. Or both.For Chris Hadfield's second heart-stopping thriller, we move from Space to another rich and exciting part of Chris's professional CV: his time as the top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and as a Cold War pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in North American airspace. Just as Gregg Hurwitz called The Apollo Murders 'an explosive thriller by a writer who has actually been to space and back', here we have a matchless thriller and the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat, as told by one of the world's top fighter pilots.(P) 2023 Hachette Audio
The Defector: Book 2 in the Apollo Murders Series (The Apollo Murders Series)
by Chris Hadfield'A full throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner . . . Get ready to blast off and enjoy the ride!' Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series'Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well-rounded characters - what more could you want from a thriller?' Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 9th Man and the Cotton Malone seriesIsrael, late 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MIG fighter is racing at breakneck speed over the arid scrublands below . . . and promptly disappears.NASA Flight Controller and former US Navy test pilot Kaz Zemeckis watches the scene from the ground - and is quickly pulled into a dizzying, high-stakes game of spies, lies and a possible high-level defection that plays out across three continents. The prize is beyond value: the secrets of the Soviets' mythical 'Foxbat' MiG-25, the fastest, highest-flying fighter plane in the world and the key to Cold War air supremacy. But every defection is double-edged with risk, and Kaz must tread a careful line between trust and suspicion. Ultimately, he must invite the fox into the henhouse - bringing the defector into the heart of the United States' most secret test site - and hope that, with skill and cunning, the game plays out his way. For Chris Hadfield's second heart-stopping thriller, we move from Space to another rich and exciting part of Chris's CV: his time as a top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and as an RCAF fighter pilot intercepting armed Soviet bombers in North American airspace. Full of insider detail, excitement and political intrigue drawn from real events, The Defector brings us the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat, as told by one of the world's best fighter pilots.Praise for The Apollo Murders'A nail-biting Cold War thriller' James Cameron'An exciting journey to an alternate past' Andy Weir 'Not to be missed' Frederick Forsyth 'Explosive' Gregg Hurwitz 'Exciting, authentic' Linwood Barclay
The Defence Industrial Base and the West (Routledge Library Editions: Cold War Security Studies #19)
by David G. HaglundThis book, first published in 1989, analyses the effect that interdependence has had on the defence industrial base, concentrating upon those defence industries situated at the hi-tech end, and paying particular attention to the procurement decisions that affect the production of sophisticated military aircraft. Interdependence raises questions of importance to international relations, strategic studies and defence economics, and Western industrialised states have an ongoing dilemma over the degree to which they should subject their defence industrial bases to the forces of economic interdependence. Despite worries over strategic vulnerability, most Western states have been showing increased interest in arms collaboration, with the aim of maximizing the amount of weaponry available for defence. As this book shows, such a goal becomes increasingly important s the technological sophistication of weapons grows.
The Defence Industrial Triptych: Government as a Customer, Sponsor and Regulator of Defence Industry (Whitehall Papers)
by Trevor Taylor John Louth Henrik HeidenkampThe relationship between government and the businesses that contribute towards the defence and security of the state is a critical one; it often underscores a modern state’s foreign policy and sense of place in the world. Yet, despite its clear importance, this subject is underexplored and rarely analysed in a rigorous manner. As a consequence, government defence industrial policies, if they exist at all, often seem somewhat contrived, ill-considered and contradictory. The Defence Industrial Triptych systematically analyses the components and drivers of the relationships that bind a government to its defence industrial base by examining three major case studies: the UK, US and Germany, who between them account for over three quarters of NATO defence spending. The features of their defence industrial relationships –whether common or unique – provide vital lessons for policy-makers, industrialists and the taxpayer. As defence cuts bite across NATO and as the UK approaches the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the relationships this Whitehall Paper considers are more important than ever.
The Defence and Fall of Greece, 1940–1941
by John CarrOn 28th October 1940, the Greek premier, Ioannis Metaxis, refused to accept a deliberately provocative ultimatum from Mussolini and Italian forces began the invasion of Greece via Albania. This aggression was prompted by Mussolini's desire for a quick victory to rival Hitler's rapid conquest of France and the Low Countries. On paper, Greek forces were poorly equipped and ill-prepared for the conflict but Mussolini had underestimated the skill and determination of the defenders. Within weeks the Italian invasion force was driven back over the border and Greek forces actually advanced deep into Albania.A renewed Italian offensive in March 1941 was also given short shrift, prompting Hitler to intervene to save his ally. German forces invaded Greece via Bulgaria on 6 April. The Greeks, now assisted by British forces, resisted by land, sea and air but were overwhelmed by the superior German forces and their blitzkrieg tactics. Despite a dogged rearguard action by Anzac forces at the famous pass of Thermopyale, Athens fell on the 27th April and the British evacuated 50,000 troops to Crete. This island, whose airfields and naval bases Churchill considered vital to the defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal, was invaded by German airborne troops the following month and eventually captured after a bitter thirteen-day battle. The remaining British troops were evacuated and the fall of Greece completed. John Carr's masterful account of these desperate campaigns, while not disparaging the British and Commonwealth assistance, draws heavily on Greek sources to emphasize the oft-neglected experience of the Greeks themselves and their contribution to the fight against fascism.