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Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates (Young Readers Adaptation)
by Brian Kilmeade Don YaegerA page-turning middle-grade adaptation of the New York Times bestseller about how a newly independent nation was challenged by foreign powers and what happened when America's third president decided to stand up to intimidation.When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa routinely captured American sailors and held them as captives demanding ransom and tribute far beyond what the new country could afford.Jefferson found it impossible to negotiate a truce, and decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy and Marines to blockade Tripoli--launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America's journey toward future superpower status.This vivid and accessible young readers adaptation of the New York Times bestseller features an exclusive new introduction, extensive back matter, and eye-catching art throughout. Chronicling a crucial moment in American history, this historical thriller will excite and inspire the next generation of patriots.
Thomas Jefferson Travels: Selected Writings, 1784-1789
by Anthony BrandtEloquent and powerful, Thomas Jefferson's letters and travel diaries from his years abroad as the U.S. minister to France spill onto the pages of this volume in wonderful detail, covering the full range of his interests and passions.
The Thomas Keneally Collection
by Thomas KeneallyA powerful collection of three seminal works by Booker prize-winning author Thomas Keneally.SCHINDLER'S ARK, THE BOOK BEHIND OSCAR-WINNING FILM "SCHINDLER'S LIST": In the shadow of Auschwitz, a flamboyant German industrialist grew into a living legend to the Jews of Cracow. He was a womaniser, a heavy-drinker and a bon viveur, but to them he became a saviour. This is the extraordinary story of Oskar Schindler, who risked his life to protect Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland and who was transformed by the war into a man with a mission, a compassionate angel of mercy.SEARCHING FOR SCHINDLER, THE TRUE STORY BEHIND SCHINDLER'S ARK: In 1980 Thomas Keneally walked into a shop in Beverley Hills to buy a briefcase, an impulse that was to change his life. For the owner, Leopold Pfefferberg, had a story he'd been trying to interest writers and Hollywood in for years. It was the story of Oskar Schindler.A FAMILY MADNESS: Inspired by a true incident, this powerful and disturbing novel focuses on Rudi Kabbel, a survivor of Nazi-occupied Belorussia, and Terry Delaney, a young Australian rugby player who falls in love with Kabbel's daughter. With the optimism and innocence of those unscathed by war, Delaney gropes to understand Kabbel's outlook on life and all too slowly grasps its implications.
Thomas Mann's War: Literature, Politics, and the World Republic of Letters
by Tobias BoesIn Thomas Mann's War, Tobias Boes traces how the acclaimed and bestselling author became one of America's most prominent anti-fascists and the spokesperson for a German cultural ideal that Nazism had perverted.Thomas Mann, winner of the 1929 Nobel Prize in literature and author of such world-renowned novels as Buddenbrooks and The Magic Mountain, began his self-imposed exile in the United States in 1938, having fled his native Germany in the wake of Nazi persecution and public burnings of his books. Mann embraced his role as a public intellectual, deftly using his literary reputation and his connections in an increasingly global publishing industry to refute Nazi propaganda. As Boes shows, Mann undertook successful lecture tours of the country and penned widely-read articles that alerted US audiences and readers to the dangers of complacency in the face of Nazism's existential threat. Spanning four decades, from the eve of World War I, when Mann was first translated into English, to 1952, the year in which he left an America increasingly disfigured by McCarthyism, Boes establishes Mann as a significant figure in the wartime global republic of letters.
Thomas Schelling and the Nuclear Age: Strategy as Social Science (Strategy And History Ser.)
by Robert AysonAn illuminating insight into the work of Thomas Schelling, one of the most influential strategic thinkers of the nuclear age. By the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the United States' early forays into Vietnam, he had become one of the most distinctive voices in Western strategy. This book shows how Schelling's thinking is much more than a reaction to the tensions of the Cold War. In a demonstration that ideas can be just as significant as superpower politics, Robert Ayson traces the way this Harvard University professor built a unique intellectual framework using a mix of social-scientific reasoning, from economics to social theory and psychology. As such, this volume offers a rare glimpse into the intellectual history which underpins classical thinking on nuclear strategy and arms control - thinking which still has an enormous influence in the early twenty-first century.
The Thompson Submachine Gun: From Prohibition Chicago to World War II
by Martin PeglerOsprey's new Weapon series provides a highly-detailed yet affordable overview of the development, use, and impact of small arms throughout history -- from the sword to the machine gun. Learn the true story of one of history's most well travelled weapons. Developed late in World War I to be a fearsome trench-warfare weapon, the Thompson submachine gun's fame and success came in unexpected quarters. An iconic and innovative design, the M1921 Thompson was soon adopted by Prohibition-era gangs and used ruthlessly on the streets of New York and Chicago. But its military career was relaunched with the outbreak of World War II, used by armies, commandos and resistance groups worldwide. Using expert knowledge and first-hand accounts, this chronicle of one of the world's greatest submachine guns analyzes the Thompson's development, its legacy, and the experiences of the men who used it in combat.
A Thorn in Transatlantic Relations
by Mary N. HamptonAmericans and Europeans perceive threat differently. Americans remain more religious than Europeans and generally still believe their nation is providentially blessed. American security culture is relatively stable and includes the deeply held belief that existential threat in the world emanates from the work of evil-doers. The US must therefore sometimes intervene militarily against evil. The European Union (EU) security culture model differs from traditional European iterations and from the American variant. The concept of threat as evil lost salience as Western Europe became more secularist. Threats became problems to manage and resolve. The upsurge in anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner sentiment in the midst of economic crisis undermines this model.
Those About to Die
by Daniel P. MannixThe basis for the new Peacock television series: The classic, in-depth account of the ancient Romans&’ obsession with the bloody and brutal gladiatorial games. &“If you can imagine a superior American sports writer suddenly being transported back in time to cover the ancient Roman games, you will have some idea of the flavor and zest of [Those About to Die],&” said the Los Angeles Times about Daniel P. Mannix&’s century-by-century—and nearly moment-by-moment—narrative of the Roman Empire&’s national institution. Putting the games in the context of Rome&’s rise and dramatic fall, Mannix captures all the history, planning, and savage pageantry that went into creating the first spectator sports. The games began in 238 BC as nearly county fair–like entertainment, with trick riding, acrobats, trained animals, chariot racing, and athletic events. The contests then evolved into slave fights thanks to wealthy patricians Marcus and Decimus Brutus, who wanted to give their father an unforgettable funeral by reviving an old tradition. What the brothers wrought, Rome devoured, demanding even greater violence to satisfy the bloodlust of the crowd. Architectural wonders in themselves, massive arenas like Circus Maximus and the Colosseum were built, able to host sea battle reenactments on actual water. Successful gladiators found fame, fortune—and freedom. But as Rome began to fall in the fifth century, so did the games, devolving into nothing more than pointless massacres. In the end, millions of humans and animals were sacrificed in barbaric displays. What were once ceremonies given in honor of gods met an inglorious fate, yet they still captivate the imagination of people today.
Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941
by Lynne OlsonFrom the acclaimed author of Citizens of London comes the definitive account of the debate over American intervention in World War II--a bitter, sometimes violent clash of personalities and ideas that divided the nation and ultimately determined the fate of the free world. At the center of this controversy stood the two most famous men in America: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who championed the interventionist cause, and aviator Charles Lindbergh, who as unofficial leader and spokesman for America's isolationists emerged as the president's most formidable adversary. Their contest of wills personified the divisions within the country at large, and Lynne Olson makes masterly use of their dramatic personal stories to create a poignant and riveting narrative. While FDR, buffeted by political pressures on all sides, struggled to marshal public support for aid to Winston Churchill's Britain, Lindbergh saw his heroic reputation besmirched--and his marriage thrown into turmoil--by allegations that he was a Nazi sympathizer. Spanning the years 1939 to 1941, Those Angry Days vividly re-creates the rancorous internal squabbles that gripped the United States in the period leading up to Pearl Harbor. After Germany vanquished most of Europe, America found itself torn between its traditional isolationism and the urgent need to come to the aid of Britain, the only country still battling Hitler. The conflict over intervention was, as FDR noted, "a dirty fight," rife with chicanery and intrigue, and Those Angry Days recounts every bruising detail. In Washington, a group of high-ranking military officers, including the Air Force chief of staff, worked to sabotage FDR's pro-British policies. Roosevelt, meanwhile, authorized FBI wiretaps of Lindbergh and other opponents of intervention. At the same time, a covert British operation, approved by the president, spied on antiwar groups, dug up dirt on congressional isolationists, and planted propaganda in U.S. newspapers. The stakes could not have been higher. The combatants were larger than life. With the immediacy of a great novel, Those Angry Days brilliantly recalls a time fraught with danger when the future of democracy and America's role in the world hung in the balance.Advance praise for Those Angry Days "With this stirring book, Lynne Olson confirms her status as our era's foremost chronicler of World War II politics and diplomacy. Those Angry Days tells the extraordinary tale of America's internal debate about whether and how to stop Hitler. Filled with fascinating anecdotes and surprising twists, the text raises moral and practical questions that we still struggle with today. Compelling for students of history and casual readers alike."--Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State "Lynne Olson has done it again. Those Angry Days is a riveting account of the political tensions and cast of historic figures engaged in an epic battle over the role of the United States in the early years of World War II. It's all here: FDR, Lindbergh, Churchill, Hitler, war in Europe and the Pacific. The stakes could not have been higher and the outcome was never certain. Modern leaders and citizens alike can learn so much from Those Angry Days."--Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation
"Those Damn Horse Soldiers": True Tales of the Civil War Cavalry
by George WalshThe historian and author of Whip the Rebellion shares “an excellent popular history of Civil War cavalry” from the outbreak of war to its bitter end (Booklist).Many accounts of the Civil War battles, armies, and key figures have been written over the years, but none have looked at the bloodiest war in our nation’s history through the eyes of the cavalry. The horse soldiers in the Civil War are often referred to as the last of the cavaliers, men who valued their honor as much as their cause.In this sweeping history, George Walsh brings to life anew the gallant horse soldiers of the North and South, showing in dramatic detail how their raids and expeditions affected the outcome of the war and how their fortunes waxed and waned. Walsh offers vivid portraits of cavalrymen such as Fitzhugh Lee, son of Confederate commanding general Robert E. Lee; the “Gray Ghost” John Singleton Mosby; the young and fiery George Armstrong Custer; and many others.
Those Devils In Baggy Pants
by Ross S. Carter"THE GLORY AND SHAME OF WAR, VIVIDLY PORTRAYED IN A BOOK THAT IS 'ONE OF THE VERY BEST'"--F. Van Wyck MasonSuicide SquadRoss Carter was one of three men who survived the suicide stands of his platoon of paratroopers. They had a three-way destiny--to be wounded, killed, or captured. But bound together by deep comradeship and extraordinary daring, the twelve men in his unit set incredible records of heroism.Here are the unvarnished stories of ordinary men faced with the reality of death at any moment. They beef, get drunk, quarrel violently, take their women where they find them, and yet achieve an epic grandeur in their deeds."Every level of society had its representation among us. Senators' sons rubbed shoulders with ex-cowboys. Steel workers chummed up with tough guys from city slums. Farm boys, millionaires' spoiled brats, white-collar men, factory workers, ex-convicts, jailbirds, and hoboes joined for the thrill and adventure of parachute jumping. And so the army's largest collection of adventurous men congregated in the parachute troops."From their first jumps in Africa through the Battle of the Bulge, this is their story--a story filled with breathtaking suspense and inspiring gallantry.
Those Golden Days
by Sally SpencerContinuing the brilliant East End saga featuring Becky and her family, from the author of UP OUR STREETThe shadow of war hangs over the village of Marston, and Becky worries that her hot-headed son Billy will enlist the army. Her daughter Michelle is another cause for concern - since her illness she has withdrawn into herself, and Becky fears she will never be able to find real happyness. And Becky is not even aware of the great danger which looms on the horizon in the shape of her wicked brother -in-law Richard Worrel, who is determined to use his own son to destroy Beck's family
Those In Peril: A dramatic, feel-good and moving WW2 saga, perfect for curling up with
by Margaret MayhewA powerful and emotional saga set in World War Two, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Fiona Valpy and Kristin Hannah.READERS ARE LOVING THOSE IN PERIL!"A feel good, love story that maybe we all experience in our lifetime." - 5 STARS"As always...well written in an easy style and I found it hard to put down. The housework had to wait until I had finished it! It is a must for all Mayhew fans." - 5 STARS"loved this book, from beginning to end. I want to read all the books written by Margaret Mayhew now..." - 5 STARS********************************************TWO RESISTANCE FIGHTERS CAUGHT IN A BLOODY, SECRET WAR...AND AN INTENSE LOVE TRIANGLE. June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis and painter Louis Duval flees his homeland to join the Resistance. He is soon caught up in the movement and finds himself in dangerous circumstances alongside Lieutenant - Commander Alan Powell, unfit for active service and overseeing operations.But that is not the only battle they will fight. For Alan can't help but find himself drawn to Barbara Hillyard, a young widow and Duval's landlady - but she only has eyes for the dashing Frenchman...
Those Paris Days: With The World At The Crossroads
by Dr Samuel N. WatsonIn the volume the former Dean of the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris Samuel N. Watson recounts his experiences across America and Europe in his many years in the priesthood. Perhaps of particular interest are his reminiscences of the First World War, from which period the book takes its title and forms the majority of the pages, the Dean was a well-known and well respected pillar of the expatriate American community in Paris. Through his contacts and by his charm and grace he organized a great deal of the aid effort that flowed through the Church during World War One. An interesting snapshot of the Great War from a different perspective than the many frontline accounts.
Those Terrible Grey Horses: An Illustrated History of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
by Stephen WoodOn June 18, 1815, the Royal Scots Greys charged Napoleon's infantry columns as they reached the British line, capturing the eagle of the French 45th Infantry. Napoleon is said to have commented of the regiment, 'Ah, ces terribles chevaux gris (those terrible grey horses)'. Today the captured eagle is the regimental badge of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, formed from an amalgamation of 3rd Dragoon Guards, 6th Dragoon Guards and the Scots Greys - Scotland's senior regiment and her only regular cavalry. The Royal Scots Dragoons and their antecedents have been involved in every major British campaign since they were raised in the 17th century. Here Stephen Wood tells the fascinating story of glorious cavalry charges and terrifying tank battles, from the Western Front to the liberation of Basra. Stunning paintings bring the narrative to life while contemporary photography depicts both the horror and the compassion of modern warfare as witnessed by the officers and troopers of this unique regiment.
Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom: Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and the American Revolution
by Christopher S. WrenThe myth and the reality of Ethan Allen and the much-loved Green Mountain Boys of Vermont—a &“surprising and interesting new account…useful, informative reexamination of an often-misunderstood aspect of the American Revolution&” (Booklist).In the &“highly recommended&” (Library Journal) Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom, Wren overturns the myth of Ethan Allen as a legendary hero of the American Revolution and a patriotic son of Vermont and offers a different portrait of Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. They were ruffians who joined the rush for cheap land on the northern frontier of the colonies in the years before the American Revolution. Allen did not serve in the Continental Army but he raced Benedict Arnold for the famous seizure of Britain&’s Fort Ticonderoga. Allen and Arnold loathed each other. General George Washington, leery of Allen, refused to give him troops. In a botched attempt to capture Montreal against specific orders of the commanding American general, Allen was captured in 1775 and shipped to England to be hanged. Freed in 1778, he spent the rest of his time negotiating with the British but failing to bring Vermont back under British rule. &“A worthy addition to the canon of works written about this fractious period in this country&’s history&” (Addison County Independent), this is a groundbreaking account of an important and little-known front of the Revolutionary War, of George Washington (and his good sense), and of a major American myth. Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom is an &“engrossing&” (Publishers Weekly) and essential contribution to the history of the American Revolution.
Those Who Are Saved
by Alexis LandauIn the spirit of We Were the Lucky Ones and We Must Be Brave, a heartbreaking World War II novel of one mother's impossible choice, and her search for her daughter against the odds.As a Russian Jewish émigré to France, Vera's wealth cannot protect her or her four-year-old-daughter, Lucie, once the Nazis occupy the country. After receiving notice that all foreigners must report to an internment camp, Vera has just a few hours to make an impossible choice: Does she subject Lucie to the horrid conditions of the camp, or does she put her into hiding with her beloved and trusted governess, safe until Vera can retrieve her? Believing the war will end soon, Vera chooses to leave Lucie in safety. She cannot know that she and her husband will have an opportunity to escape, to flee to America. She cannot know that Lucie's governess will have fled with Lucie to family in rural France, too far to reach in time. And so begins a heartbreaking journey and separation, a war and a continent apart. Vera's marriage will falter under the surreal sun of California. Her ability to write--once her passion--will disappear. But Vera's love for Lucie, her faith that her daughter lives, will only grow. As Vera's determination to return to France and find Lucie crystalizes, she meets Sasha, a man on his own search for meaning. She is stronger with Sasha than she is alone. Together they will journey to Lucie. They will find her fate.
Those Who Have Borne the Battle: A History of America's Wars and Those Who Fought Them
by James WrightAt the heart of the story of AmericaOCOs wars are our OC citizen soldiersOCOOCothose hometown heroes who fought and sacrificed from Bunker Hill at Charlestown to Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, and beyond, without expectation of recognition or recompense. Americans like to think that the service of its citizen volunteers is, and always has been, of momentous importance in our politics and society. But though this has made for good storytelling, the reality of AmericaOCOs relationship to its veterans is far more complex. In "Those Who Have Borne the Battle, "historian and marine veteran James Wright tells the story of the long, often troubled relationship between America and those who have defended herOCofrom the Revolutionary War to todayOCoshedding new light both on our history and on the issues our country and its armed forces face today. aFrom the beginning, American gratitude to its warriors was not a given. Prior to World War II, the prevailing view was that, as citizen soldiers, the service of its young men was the price of citizenship in a free society. Even Revolutionary War veterans were affectionately, but only temporarily, embraced, as the new nation and its citizens had much else to do. aIn time, the celebration of the nationOCOs heroes became an important part of our culture, building to the response to World War II, where warriors were celebrated and new government programs provided support for veterans. aThe greater transformation came in the wars after World War II, as the way we mobilize for war, fight our wars, and honor those who serve has changed in drastic and troubling ways. Unclear and changing military objectives have made our actions harder for civilians to stand behind, a situation compounded by the fact that the armed forces have become less representative of American society as a whole. Few citizens join in the sacrifice that war demands. The support systems seem less and less capable of handling the increasing number of wounded warriors returning from our numerous and bewildering conflicts abroad. aaaaaaaaaaa A masterful work of history, "Those Who Have Borne the Battle" expertly relates the burdens carried by veterans dating back to the Revolution, as well as those fighting todayOCOs wars. And it challenges Americans to do better for those who serve and sacrifice today.
Those Who Hold Bastogne: The True Story of the Soldiers and Civilians Who Fought in the Biggest Battle of the Bulge
by Peter SchrijversThe acclaimed World War II historian delivers &“a panoramic and compelling boots-on-the-ground illumination of one of the Bulge&’s most epic battles&” (Patrick K. O&’Donnell, author of Washington&’s Immortals). Hitler&’s last gamble, the Battle of the Bulge, was intended to push the Allied invaders of Normandy all the way back to the beaches. The plan nearly succeeded, and almost certainly would have, were it not for one small Belgian town and its tenacious American defenders who held back a tenfold larger German force while awaiting the arrival of Gen. George Patton&’s mighty Third Army. In this dramatic account of the 1944–45 winter of war in Bastogne, historian Peter Schrijvers offers the first full story of the German assault on the strategically located town. From the December stampede of American and Panzer divisions racing to reach Bastogne first, through the bloody eight-day siege from land and air, and through three more weeks of unrelenting fighting even after the siege was broken, events at Bastogne hastened the long-awaited end of WWII. Schrijvers draws on diaries, memoirs, and other fresh sources to illuminate the experiences not only of Bastogne&’s three thousand citizens and their American defenders, but also of German soldiers and commanders desperate for victory. The costs of war are revealed, uncovered in the stories of those who perished and those who emerged from battle to find the world forever changed. &“A fast-paced story . . . Schrijvers does an admirable job of weaving personal accounts into the larger picture of Bastogne&’s horrors.&” —The Wall Street Journal &“Pulse-pounding . . . The first thorough treatment of the famous battle for Bastogne.&” —John C. McManus, author of Fire and Fortitude
Those Who Stayed: A Vietnam Diary
by null Claudia KrichAn American Eyewitness in Vietnam at the End of War and Beginning of Peace By the end of the Vietnam War in April 1975, almost all Americans and thousands of terrified Vietnamese had left Saigon, fearing the bloodbath predicted by many if the Communists took over. But Claudia Krich and a few other humanitarian aid volunteers chose not to leave. They had no weapons, no cement barriers, no bomb shelter, and no safety, but they were determined to remain in Vietnam to see what happened next.Those Who Stayed is Claudia Krich&’s personal firsthand account of the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the beginning of the new Provisional Revolutionary Government. Her vivid impressions of those intense, historic days emerge primarily from her journal, capturing the uncertainty, fear, and excitement as the North Vietnamese soldiers arrived. She intertwines personal, sometimes heartbreaking episodes with major historic events. Several short pieces by others with unusual firsthand knowledge enliven and contextualize the book. Fascinating and unique, engaging and entertaining, Those Who Stayed is the extraordinary story of an adventurous young woman in the right place at the right time to chronicle a pivotal moment in history.
The Thought of High Windows
by Lynne KositskyWhen trapped or frightened, Esther sees windows -- and flying out of them -- as her only salvation. Young, Jewish and on the run from the Nazis, Esther is one of a group of children who manage to flee Germany for Belgium and then France at the beginning of World War II.Despite her perilous situation, she frets over her frumpy looks, is ridiculed by the popular girls and loves a boy who -- at the best of times -- treats her like a sister. As the war rages on and Esther bears witness to its horrors, her pain and isolation grow -- until only the highest windows bring the promise of release.
A Thought of Honour
by Alexander CordellJohn Macmasters is an expert in the highly specialised skill of defusing explosives. his is the most nerve-racking job of them all - face to face with the possibility of a sudden and violent death. But in times of war new weapons must be tested. Macmasters' job is dangerous enough but he has something else to battle againsttoo. His love for Loetia has made him intensely vulnerable. Suddenly he finds himself exposed to the ravages of fear, the enemy within.First published in 1954, A Thought of Honour was the first book in Alexander Cordell's highly prolific and successful career.
Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot
by James B. StockdaleThoughts on issues of character, leadership, integrity, personal and public virtue, and ethics, the selections in this volume converge around the central theme of how man can rise with dignity to prevail in the face of adversity—lessons just as valid for the challenges of present-day life as they were for the author's Vietnam experience.
Thoughts on War
by Phillip S. Meilinger“A remarkable work that challenges the received wisdom of Clausewitz’s On War . . . [a] paradigm as to how to wage combat in our modern global environment.” —John A. English, author of Monty and the Canadian ArmyWar is changing. Unlike when modern military doctrine was forged, the United States no longer mobilizes massive land forces for direct political gain. Instead, the US fights small, overseas wars by global mandate to overthrow dictators, destroy terrorist groups, and broker regional peace. These conflicts hardly resemble the total wars fought and expected by foundational military theorists such as Carl von Clausewitz, yet their paradigms are ingrained in modern thinking. The twenty-first-century’s new geopolitical situation demands new principles for warfare—deemphasizing decisive land victory in favor of airpower, intelligence systems, and indigenous ground forces.In Thoughts on War, Phillip S.Meilinger confronts the shortcomings of US military dogma in search of a new strategic doctrine. Inter-service rivalries and conventional theories failed the US in lengthy Korea, Vietnam, and Middle East conflicts. Jettisoning traditional perspectives and their focus on decisive battles, Meilinger revisits historical campaigns looking for answers to more persistent challenges—how to coordinate forces, manipulate time, and fight on two fronts. This provocative collection of new and expanded essays offers a fresh, if controversial, perspective on time-honored military values, one which encourages a critical revision of US military strategy.“Meilinger presents a new strategic and operational paradigm for how to fight and win tomorrow’s wars with reduced risk and cost. This book will appeal not only to military professionals, but to scholars and civilian policymakers as well.” —Colonel John Andreas Olsen, Royal Norwegian Air Force, author of Airpower Pioneers
A Thousand May Fall: Life, Death, And Survival In The Union Army
by Brian Matthew JordanFrom a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a pathbreaking history of the Civil War centered on a regiment of immigrants and their brutal experience of the conflict. The Civil War ended more than 150 years ago, yet our nation remains fiercely divided over its enduring legacies. In A Thousand May Fall, Pulitzer Prize finalist Brian Matthew Jordan returns us to the war itself, bringing us closer than perhaps any prior historian to the chaos of battle and the trials of military life. Creating an intimate, absorbing chronicle from the ordinary soldier’s perspective, he allows us to see the Civil War anew—and through unexpected eyes. At the heart of Jordan’s vital account is the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was at once representative and exceptional. Its ranks weathered the human ordeal of war in painstakingly routine ways, fighting in two defining battles, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, each time in the thick of the killing. But the men of the 107th were not lauded as heroes for their bravery and their suffering. Most of them were ethnic Germans, set apart by language and identity, and their loyalties were regularly questioned by a nativist Northern press. We so often assume that the Civil War was a uniquely American conflict, yet Jordan emphasizes the forgotten contributions made by immigrants to the Union cause. An incredible one quarter of the Union army was foreign born, he shows, with 200,000 native Germans alone fighting to save their adopted homeland and prove their patriotism. In the course of its service, the 107th Ohio was decimated five times over, and although one of its members earned the Medal of Honor for his daring performance in a skirmish in South Carolina, few others achieved any lasting distinction. Reclaiming these men for posterity, Jordan reveals that even as they endured the horrible extremes of war, the Ohioans contemplated the deeper meanings of the conflict at every turn—from personal questions of citizenship and belonging to the overriding matter of slavery and emancipation. Based on prodigious new research, including diaries, letters, and unpublished memoirs, A Thousand May Fall is a pioneering, revelatory history that restores the common man and the immigrant striver to the center of the Civil War. In our age of fractured politics and emboldened nativism, Jordan forces us to confront the wrenching human realities, and often-forgotten stakes, of the bloodiest episode in our nation’s history.