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At All Costs
by Bryan PerrettFrom the jaws of defeat, incredible victories.AT ALL COSTS! transports you to the battlefront for over two centuries of astonishing military confrontations. From the Battle of Minden in 1795 to dramatic second world war stories and the Battle for Goose Green in the Falklands, Bryan Perrett gives astoundingly vivid accounts of international forces in daring actions, achieving victory against the odds.These real-life military adventures are meticulously, accurately described, giving a true flavour of some of the most important moments in world history.
At All Costs
by Bryan PerrettFrom the jaws of defeat, incredible victories.AT ALL COSTS! transports you to the battlefront for over two centuries of astonishing military confrontations. From the Battle of Minden in 1795 to dramatic second world war stories and the Battle for Goose Green in the Falklands, Bryan Perrett gives astoundingly vivid accounts of international forces in daring actions, achieving victory against the odds.These real-life military adventures are meticulously, accurately described, giving a true flavour of some of the most important moments in world history.
At All Costs: Stories Of Impossible Victories (Cassell Military Classics Ser.)
by Bryan PerrettFrom the jaws of defeat, incredible victories.
At Any Price: The ANZACS at the Battle of Messines 1917
by Craig DeaytonThe enemy must not get the Messines Ridge at any price… So read the orders to German troops defending the vital high ground south of Ypres. On 7 June 1917, the British Second Army launched its attack with an opening like no other. In the largest secret operation of the First World War, British and Commonwealth mining companies placed over a million pounds of explosive beneath the German front-line positions in 19 giant mines which erupted like a volcano. This was just the beginning. By the end of that brilliant summer&’s day, one of the strongest positions on the Western Front had fallen in the greatest British victory in three long years of war. For the ANZACs, who comprised one third of the triumphant Second Army, it was their most significant achievement to that point; for the men of the New Zealand Division, it would be their finest hour. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Messines for the Australians, whose first two years of war had represented an almost unending catalogue of disaster. This was both the first real victory for the AIF and the first test in senior command for Major General John Monash, who commanded the newly formed 3rd Division. Messines was a baptism of fire for the 3rd Division which came into the line alongside the battle-scarred 4th Australian Division, badly mauled at Bullecourt just six weeks earlier. The fighting at Messines would descend into unimaginable savagery, a lethal and sometimes hand-to-hand affair of bayonets, clubs, bombs and incessant machine-gun fire, described by one Australian as &‘72 hours of Hell&’. After their string of bloody defeats over 1915 and 1916, Messines would prove the ultimate test for the Australians.
At Attention
by Annabeth AlbertLieutenant Apollo Floros can ace tactical training missions, but being a single dad to his twin daughters is more than he can handle. He needs live-in help, and he's lucky a friend's younger brother needs a place to stay. He's surprised to see Dylan all grown up with a college degree...and a college athlete's body. Apollo's widowed heart may still be broken, but Dylan has his blood heating up. It's been eight years since the teenage Dylan followed Apollo around like a lovesick puppy, and it's time he showed Lieutenant Hard-to-Please that he's all man now-an adult who's fully capable of choosing responsibility over lust. He can handle Apollo's muscular sex appeal, but Apollo the caring father? Dylan can't afford to fall for that guy. He's determined to hold out for someone who's able to love him back, not someone who only sees him as a kid brother. Apollo is shocked by the intensity of his attraction to Dylan. Maybe some no-strings summer fun will bring this former SEAL back to life. But the combination of scorching desire and warm affection is more than he'd expected, and the emotion between them scares him senseless. No fling lasts forever, and Apollo will need to decide what's more important-his past or his future-if he wants to keep Dylan in his life. Book Two of the Out of Uniform series This book is approximately 73,000 words One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you're looking for with an HEA/HFN. It's a promise!
At Close Quarters
by Robert J. BulkleySmall though they were, PT boats played a key role in World War II, carrying out an astonishing variety of missions where fast, versatile, and strongly armed vessels were needed. Called "weapons of opportunity," they met the enemy at closer quarters and with greater frequency than any other type of surface craft. Among the most famous PT commanders was John F. Kennedy, whose courageous actions in the Pacific are now well known to the American public. The author of the book, another distinguished PT boat commander in the Pacific, compiled this history of PT-boat operations in World War II for the U.S. Navy shortly after V-J Day, when memories were fresh and records easily assessable. The book was first made available to the public in 1962 after Kennedy's inauguration as president of the United States interest in PTs was at a peak.Bulkley provides a wealth of facts about these motor torpedo boats, whose vast range of operation covered two oceans as well as the Mediterranean and the English Channel. Although their primary mission was to attack surface ships and craft close to shore, they were also used effectively to lay mines and smoke screens, to rescue downed aviators, and to carry out intelligence and raider operations. The author gives special attention to the crews, paying well-deserved tribute to their heroism, skill, and sacrifice that helped to win the war.
At Close Quarters; PT Boats In The United States Navy [Illustrated Edition]
by Rear Admiral Earnest McNeill Eller President John F. Kennedy Captain Robert J. Bulkley Jr.Includes over 110 illustrations charting the history of the US Navy PT Boats."The destiny of our country has been inextricably interwoven with the sea. This was never more true than in the giant World War II that involved all seas and most of mankind. To fight the sea war we needed many types of ships, large and small, from aircraft carriers and battleships to PT boats."Small though they were, the PT boats played a key role. Like most naval ships, they could carry out numerous tasks with dispatch and versatility. In narrow waters or in-fighting close to land they could deliver a powerful punch with torpedo or gun. On occasion they could lay mines or drop depth charges. They could speed through reefs and shark infested waters to rescue downed pilots or secretly close the shore to make contacts with coast watchers and guerrilla forces. PT boats were an embodiment of John Paul Jones' words:"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way.""Naval strength must function from shore to shore and on inland waters where the mobility and flexibility provided by ships can be employed to support land operations. PT boats filled an important need in World War II in shallow waters, complementing the achievements of greater ships in greater seas. This need for small, fast, versatile, strongly armed vessels does not wane. In fact it may increase in these troubled times when operations requiring just these capabilities are the most likely of those which may confront us."The thorough and competent account herein of over-all PT boat operations in World War II, compiled by Captain Robert Bulkley, a distinguished PT boat commander, should therefore prove of wide interest. The widest use of the sea, integrated fully into our national strength, is as important to America in the age of nuclear power and space travel as in those stirring days of the birth of the Republic."-President John F Kennedy.
At Close Range (Tracers #11)
by Laura GriffinNew York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin &“delivers the goods&” (Publishers Weekly) again with the eleventh title in the gritty, heart-pounding Tracers series.When a lakeside tryst ends in a double murder, police detective Daniele Harper arrives on the scene determined to get answers. Clues are everywhere, but nothing adds up. Dani turns to the Delphi Center crime lab for help, but soon regrets it when her secret attraction to their chief firearms examiner threatens to distract her from the most important case of her career. As a ballistics expert and former Navy SEAL, Scott Black knows firearms, and he knows he can help Dani unravel her case. Scott has managed to hide his interest in his best friend’s younger sister for years, but when her investigation brings them together, the sparks between them quickly burn out of control. Scott resolves to keep his hands off Dani and his eyes on the goal—identifying a killer. But when that killer zeroes in on her, all bets are off. There isn’t a line Scott won’t cross to convince Dani to trust him so that he can help her take down a ruthless murderer who has her in his sights.
At Close Range: One Regiment 1939 - 1945
by Peter HartThe best way to understand what it was like to fight in the Second World War is to see it through the eyes of the soldiers who fought it. The South Notts Hussars fought at almost every major battle of the Second World War, from the Siege of Tobruk to the Battle of El Alamein and the D-Day Landings.Here, Peter Hart draws on detailed interviews conducted with members of the regiment, to provide both a comprehensive account of the conflict and reconstruct its most thrilling moments in the words of the men who experienced it.This is military history at its best: outlining the path from despair to victory, and allowing us to share in soldiers' hopes and fears; the deafening explosions of the shells, the scream of the diving Stukas and the wounded; the pleasures of good comrades and the devastating despair at lost friends.
At Cold War's End: U.S. Intelligence on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe 1989-1991
by Ben B. FischerThe last great drama of the Cold War—the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the end of the four-decade-old East-West conflict—unfolded in three acts between 1989 and 1991. Even as the story began, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev already had made the largest opening to the outside world in Russian history. To convince the West, and above all the new administration in Washington, of his sincerity, Gorbachev had made major concessions on arms control, withdrawn Soviet troops from Afghanistan, pledged to reduce Soviet ground forces by half a million, and rejected class warfare in favor of “pan-human values” as the basis of Soviet foreign policy...The second act of the drama began in the fall of 1989 with peaceful revolutions in Eastern and Central Europe (except Romania) and the fall of the Soviet “outer empire.” The de facto collapse of the Warsaw Pact (it would formally dissolve itself a year later) plus a new treaty that substantially reduced Soviet superiority in conventional forces in Europe resulted in a stronger Western alliance—so strong that the US could redeploy forces from Europe to the Persian Gulf for use against Iraq...The third and final act closed with the 1991 dissolution of the USSR. The centrifugal forces in the “outer empire” stimulated and accelerated those in the “inner empire” as the Soviet republics sought sovereignty and then independence from Moscow. At the same time, Gorbachev’s domestic reforms ran into serious trouble, and the economy went into a tailspin. Gorbachev’s struggle with the old imperial elite in the communist party, the armed forces, and the military-industrial complex culminated in the August 1991 coup, which, when it failed, finished off the USSR—and Gorbachev himself...The USSR officially ceased to exist on 31 December.
At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor; Revised Edition
by Gordon W. Prange Donald M. Goldstein Katherine V. DillonRevisit the definitive book on Pearl Harbor in advance of the 75th anniversary (December 7, 2016) of the "date which will live in infamy"At 7:53 a.m., December 7, 1941, America's national consciousness and confidence were rocked as the first wave of Japanese warplanes took aim at the U.S. Naval fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. As intense and absorbing as a suspense novel, At Dawn We Slept is the unparalleled and exhaustive account of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is widely regarded as the definitive assessment of the events surrounding one of the most daring and brilliant naval operations of all time. Through extensive research and interviews with American and Japanese leaders, Gordon W. Prange has written a remarkable historical account of the assault that-sixty years later-America cannot forget."The reader is bound to feel its power....It is impossible to forget such an account." —The New York Times Book Review"At Dawn We Slept is the definitive account of Pearl Harbor." —Chicago Sun-TimesFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends
by Dwight D. EisenhowerPresident Eisenhower here tells a number of stories for the simple pleasure of telling them. In warm and personal terms, he writes about his life, his acquaintances both celebrated and little known, and the history that unfolded before his eyes. In anecdote after anecdote, we learn about life at West Point, in turn-of-the-century Kansas, in an "ordinary" but remarkable family. His storytelling suggests what it was like to grow up and go to school at a time when the wild west had just become the rural west, when the frontier was his home town. It awakened the dreams of adventure in a boy's imagination--and carried him from the wrong side of the tracks in Abilene to the leadership of a great alliance and military expedition, a great university, and a great nation. The young Eisenhower's dreams, he thought, could probably best be realized at Annapolis. And yet--through a fortuitous turn or events--the future naval officer settled in at West Point. From the Point to the Presidency is a chronicle that now belongs to history, and the author has done his duty in Crusade in Europe, Mandate for Change and Waging Peace (THE WHITE HOUSE YEARS). This new book is written for fun--as he remembers his tour of duty in the Canal Zone, life with his young wife Mamie, and how, on patrol in tropical terrain, he was tutored in Clausewitz, Tacitus, and Plato by his mentor, a little known and wonderful general named Fox Conner. He recalls his first encounter with a spirited colonel, George Patton, and his appointment, later, as aide to the already controversial general, Douglas MacArthur. Roosevelt, Churchill, Zhukov, Marshall, Bradley, SHAPE, TORCH, Columbia, NATO--the men and events and institutions that have become household words are touched upon here and newly illumined, as are the lesser known people and places in a peaceful man's peacetime existence. Up to the moment he returns to the United States to run for the Presidency, we are given--as friends--stories written by a President at ease and rendered with all the sincerity, geniality, conviction, and persuasiveness the entire world has come to know.
At Empire's Edge (Empire #1)
by William C. DietzThe national bestselling author of Battle Hymn delivers a high-velocity sci-fi thriller in which a lone lawman must take down those who would topple an empire…For centuries, the Uman Empire has ruled the civilized universe. But not all of the alien races who were “invited” to join the Empire have done so willingly. To deal with these alien species, the Xeno Corps was formed—bio-engineered humans with extra-sensory enhancements who can hunt down, capture or eliminate all such threats to Pax Umana.Jak Cato is a one of them—but he’s far from a perfect specimen. Saddled with a dislike for authority and a penchant for self-destructive behavior, only his devotion to duty and sense of honor have kept him afloat in the Corps.When he and his comrades are waylaid on a remote planet while transferring a lethal, shapeshifting Sagathi prisoner, Cato is sent into town for supplies, only to end up drunk, beaten and robbed. But worse news awaits him when he wakes. His entire detachment has been mercilessly slaughtered and the Sagathi is gone.Now Cato must use all his innate skills to hunt down the fugitive and pay back the bastards who murdered his team. But what he doesn’t know is that his pursuit will lead him outside the law and into a shadowy world of Imperial intrigue—where those who seek justice rarely get it, and rarely survive…“A testosterone-soaked tale of violent retribution.”—Publishers Weekly"Dietz writes fast-paced military SF.”—Library Journal
At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse
by Mike Yorkey Walt LarimoreWhat makes 2nd Lieutenant Phil Larimore&’s story special is what happened in World War II&’s closing days and the people—and horses—he interacted with in this Forrest Gump-like tale that is emotional, heartbreaking, and inspiring.Growing up in the 1930s in Memphis, Tennessee, Phil Larimore is the ultimate Boy Scout—able to read maps, put a compass to good use, and traverse wild swamps and desolate canyons. His other great skill is riding horses. Phil does poorly in school, however, leading his parents send to him to a military academy. After Pearl Harbor, Phil realizes he is destined for war. Three weeks before his eighteenth birthday, he becomes the youngest candidate to ever graduate from Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia. Landing on the Anzio beachhead in February 1944, Phil is put in charge of an Ammunition Pioneer Platoon in the 3rd Infantry Division. Their job: deliver ammunition to the frontline foxholes—a dangerous assignment involving regular forays into No Man&’s Land. As Phil fights his way up the Italian boot, into Southern France and across the Rhine River into Germany, he is caught up in some of the most intense combat ever. But it&’s what happens in the final stages of the war and his homecoming that makes Phil&’s story incredibly special and heartwarming. An emotional tale of courage, daring, and heroism, At First Light will remind you of the indomitable human spirit that lives in all of us.
At First Touch
by Cindy MilesDon't trust your eyes. Trust your heart... After suffering a tragic accident, Reagan Quinn has her military career cut short and her sight gone forever. Returning to her childhood home only reminds Reagan of what she's lost. No light, no color-just shadows and indistinct forms. But one man refuses to let her give up on herself. Reagan can't see Eric Malone. All she knows is that he's there every day, driving her completely bonkers. Eric pushes her out of the darkness and into a world shaped by taste, touch and scent. But Reagan isn't quite prepared for what happens when she stops depending on her sight...and starts seeing with her heart.
At G.H.Q.
by Brigadier-General John CharterisArguably the most personal of the major British command memoirs of WWI, covering the full duration of the conflict. Charteris was Haig's BGGS (Intelligence) from 1916 to 1918; his nickname 'The Principal Boy' derives from his early promotion (Brigadier-General at 38) and his perceived influence upon Haig himself.“All of us who served through those four eventful years from August 1914 onwards, have stored in our memories recollections that we treasure. We can hardly expect that any of the years still remaining to us will rival in interest that period of our lives.Many may have had the good fortune which was mine, that every scrap of writing sent home from the front was carefully preserved. Others also may have sought to frame from these letters for the benefit of their own families, some readable and coherent record of their doings and their thoughts in the years of crisis and strain. Such was my intention when I began the writing which has now developed into this volume. For, as I wrote, I found it necessary to refer to the records which I myself had of my work at G.H.Q. I had not kept a formal diary; but very early in my days at G.H.Q., I found it necessary to keep notes of my views from day to day, and in particular of the conversations which I had with many people in high places. A most careful and painstaking secretary had seen to it that all the letters which I received and wrote, other than those to my own home, were carefully filed.From these records I have compiled this volume. It is published in the hope that it will serve to give some idea of the life and problems of G.H.Q., and perhaps throw some light on events that are still obscure.”—Brig.-Gen. John Charteris
At Gettysburg, Or, What A Girl Saw And Heard Of The Battle. A True Narrative. [Illustrated Edition]
by Matilda "Tillie" Pierce AllemanIncludes Gettysburg Map and Illustrations Pack - 30 additional maps, plans and illustrations"The experience of a little girl, during three days of a hard fought battle, as portrayed in this volume is certainly of rare occurrence, and very likely has never been realized before.Such a narrative as the following, is worthy of preservation among the pages of our nations literature.The story is told with such marked faithfulness, such honesty of expression, such vividness of portrayal, that those who lived in, and passed through those scenes, or similar ones, will at once recognize the situations, and surroundings, as natural and real.While perusing its pages, the veteran will again live in the days gone by; when he tramped the dusty march, joined in the terrible charge, or suffered in the army hospital.The Heroine of this book, performed her part well; but it is doubtful whether, at the time, she fully realized the heart-felt thanks, and noble thoughts that sprang from the "Boys in Blue," in response to her heroism and kindness.How vividly is presented the weary march to the field of conflict; our eagerness to quaff the sparkling water, as she handed it to us, fresh from the cooling spring.We thanked her, but she did not hear the full gratitude that was in our hearts."-Preface.
At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace
by Claude Anshin ThomasIn this raw and moving memoir, Claude Thomas describes his service in Vietnam, his subsequent emotional collapse, and his remarkable journey toward healing. At Hell's Gate is not only a gripping coming-of-age story but a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to the discovery of inner peace—a journey that inspired Thomas to become a Zen monk and peace activist who travels to war-scarred regions around the world. "Everyone has their Vietnam," Thomas writes. "Everyone has their own experience of violence, calamity, or trauma." With simplicity and power, this book offers timeless teachings on how we can all find healing, and it presents practical guidance on how mindfulness and compassion can transform our lives. This expanded paperback edition features: • Discussion questions for reading groups • A new afterword by the author reflecting on how the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are affecting soldiers—and offering advice on how to help returning soldiers to cope with their combat experiences
At Her Majestys Secret Service: The Chiefs of Britains Intelligence Service, MI6
by Nigel WestIn August 1909, a kindly, balding, figure named Mansfield Smith-Cumming was summoned to London by Admiral Alexander Bethell, Director of Naval Intelligence. He was to assume the inaugural position of Chief – more famously known as ‘C – of what has become
At His Side: The Story of the American Red Cross Overseas in World War II
by George Gershon KorsonAt His Side, first published in 1945, is the authoritative work on the many important overseas activities of the American Red Cross during the Second World War. From field hospitals, nursing, blood collection, entertainment, to simply providing coffee and fresh doughnuts to exhausted troops, the dedicated workers of the Red Cross were there to save lives and boost morale. The book includes personal accounts of many Red Cross workers involved in all aspects of the Red Cross' overseas wartime efforts, and from all regions of the globe—reports from India, China, North Africa, Guadalcanal, the Philippines, Europe, Australia, Iceland, and more, are presented in a highly readable fashion. Included are 17 maps of the various theaters where the Red Cross operated.
At Hitler's Side: The Memoirs of Hitler's Luftwaffe Adjutant 1937–1945 (Greenhill Military Paperbacks)
by Nicolaus von Below&“An intimate glimpse into the decision-making process of the Nazi military leadership&” from a Luftwaffe aide at Hitler&’s side until the last days in Berlin (Library Journal). Nicolaus von Below was a 29-year-old pilot when Goering selected him for the position of Hitler&’s Luftwaffe adjutant. He was with Hitler at every stage as the Second World War unfolded. His observations tell of Hitler&’s responses to momentous events as well as military decisions and policy-making at headquarters. Published for the first time in English, this is a superb historical source describing life in Hitler&’s inner circle, relied upon by Gitta Sereny in her biography of Albert Speer. The book provides fascinating insight into how Hitler planned the invasions of Poland and Russia; what he thought of Britain and America; why he placed his faith in the V-1 and V-2 projects; how others dealt with him; and much more. Von Below was present at the assassination attempt in July 1944, and records the effect on Hitler and his followers. He was also the last of Hitler&’s close military entourage to emerge from the bunker alive, eventually imprisoned as a material witness at Nuremberg. &“Sure to become an important memoir for those studying the Nazi war machine.&”—Publishers Weekly &“Indispensable.&”—Ian Kershaw, author of Hitler: A Biography
At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom
by Erin Entrada Kelly"A courageous, uplifting biography of a woman almost lost to history.” –ALA Booklist World War II spy, Filipino guerrilla fighter, war hero, Medal of Freedom recipient, leprosy survivor, teacher, peacemaker . . . The legendary and inspiring life and work of Josefina “Joey” Guerrero is introduced to readers by two-time Newbery Medal winner, National Book Award finalist, and bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly. For fans of Steve Sheinkin and Candace Fleming.Joey Guerrero, a native of the Philippines, was diagnosed with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as World War II unfolded in Europe and Asia. Soon after the Japanese occupied the Philippines, Joey—believing she would die soon—joined the guerrilla movement to complete covert missions in support of the Allies. Because of her condition, she was rarely searched by Japanese soldiers, which allowed her to courier secret messages, including an invaluable minefield map that she taped to her back. She was eventually awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom and admitted to the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana, where she lived for nine years. When she was cured and released, she found it difficult to find work because of racial discrimination and her health history and was forced to pawn her Presidential Medal to make ends meet. Eventually, she shed her previous identity. When she died in 1996, her obituary identified her as a secretary from Manila. But Joey Guerrero was much more than that—she was a hero who changed the course of history.Erin Entrada Kelly’s engaging nonfiction debut combines themes of the Philippines, World War II, the Asia-Pacific War, spy stories, Louisiana, immigration, disease and medicine, racism, perseverance, religious devotion, and hope. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and other illustrative material and featuring sidebars that clearly illuminate key moments in history, At Last She Stood is for readers and educators who love Candace Fleming, Deborah Heiligman, Christina Soontornvat, and Steve Sheinkin. Includes an author’s note, source notes, index, and other back matter.
At Leningrad's Gates: The Combat Memoirs of a Soldier with Army Group North
by William Lubbeck<p>“A first-rate memoir” from a German soldier who rose from conscript private to captain of a heavy weapons company on the Eastern Front of World War II (City Book Review).<p> <p>William Lubbeck, age nineteen, was drafted into the Wehrmacht in August 1939. As a member of the 58th Infantry Division, he received his baptism of fire during the 1940 invasion of France. The following spring, his division served on the left flank of Army Group North in Operation Barbarossa. After grueling marches amid countless Russian bodies, burnt-out vehicles, and a great number of cheering Baltic civilians, Lubbeck’s unit entered the outskirts of Leningrad, making the deepest penetration of any German formation.<p> <p>In September 1943, Lubbeck earned the Iron Cross First Class and was assigned to officers’ training school in Dresden. By the time he returned to Russia, Army Group North was in full-scale retreat. In the last chaotic scramble from East Prussia, Lubbeck was able to evacuate on a newly minted German destroyer. He recounts how the ship arrived in the British zone off Denmark with all guns blazing against pursuing Russians. The following morning, May 8, 1945, he learned that the war was over.<p> <p>After his release from British captivity, Lubbeck married his sweetheart, Anneliese, and in 1949, immigrated to the United States where he raised a successful family. With the assistance of David B. Hurt, he has drawn on his wartime notes and letters, Soldatbuch, regimental history, and personal memories to recount his four years of frontline experience. Containing rare firsthand accounts of both triumph and disaster, At Leningrad’s Gates provides a fascinating glimpse into the reality of combat on the Eastern Front.<p>
At Night All Blood Is Black: A Novel
by David DiopSelected by students across France to win the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens, David Diop’s English-language, historical fiction debut At Night All Blood is Black is a “powerful, hypnotic, and dark novel” (Livres Hebdo) of terror and transformation in the trenches of the First World War. <p><p> Alfa Ndiaye is a Senegalese man who, never before having left his village, finds himself fighting as a so-called “Chocolat” soldier with the French army during World War I. When his friend Mademba Diop, in the same regiment, is seriously injured in battle, Diop begs Alfa to kill him and spare him the pain of a long and agonizing death in No Man’s Land. <p><p> Unable to commit this mercy killing, madness creeps into Alfa’s mind as he comes to see this refusal as a cruel moment of cowardice. Anxious to avenge the death of his friend and find forgiveness for himself, he begins a macabre ritual: every night he sneaks across enemy lines to find and murder a blue-eyed German soldier, and every night he returns to base, unharmed, with the German’s severed hand. At first his comrades look at Alfa’s deeds with admiration, but soon rumors begin to circulate that this super soldier isn’t a hero, but a sorcerer, a soul-eater. Plans are hatched to get Alfa away from the front, and to separate him from his growing collection of hands, but how does one reason with a demon, and how far will Alfa go to make amends to his dead friend? <p><p> Peppered with bullets and black magic, this remarkable novel fills in a forgotten chapter in the history of World War I. Blending oral storytelling traditions with the gritty, day-to-day, journalistic horror of life in the trenches, David Diop's At Night All Blood is Black is a dazzling tale of a man’s descent into madness.
At Rommel's Side: The Lost Letters of Hans-Joachim Schraepler
by Hans-Joachim SchraeplerErwin Rommel, Hitler's so-called 'Desert Fox', is possibly the most famous German Field-Marshal of WWII. He is widely regarded as the one of the most skilled commanders of desert warfare and, in contrast to other leaders of Nazi Germany, is considered to have been a chivalrous and humane officer. The letters of his adjutant provide a unique picture of Rommel during his time in Libya. Hans-Joachim Schraepler was by Rommel's side in North Africa for ten crucial months in 1940-41. During that time, he wrote to his wife almost every day. In most cases, the correspondence went via the usual channels but occasionally he used other methods to avoid the censor's gaze.Through his letters, Schraepler supplies a vivid image of the first phase of the North Africa campaign. He covers the siege of Tobruk, the capture of Benghazi, and the difficulties experienced by those fighting in Cyrenica and the wider North African theatre. He also complains that the Italian were poor Allies, lacking training and leadership, and that Berlin regarded North Africa as a theatre of only secondary importance.Schraepler also provides insights into Rommel's character—his dynamism and tactical skill, along with the growing 'cult of personality' which seemed to surround him. One of his unofficial tasks, for example, was to respond in Rommel's name to much of the fan mail that arrived at the Afrikakorps HQ.Hans-Albrecht Schraepler was only seven years old when his father died. The cache of letters was held by his mother and remained untouched for sixty years. His father's last letter, found the day of his death, remains unfinished.