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William Henry Harrison and the Conquest of the Ohio Country: Frontier Fighting in the War of 1812 (Johns Hopkins Books on the War of 1812)
by David Curtis SkaggsWho was William Henry Harrison, and what does his military career reveal about the War of 1812 in the Great Lakes Region?In his study of William Henry Harrison, David Curtis Skaggs sheds light on the role of citizen-soldiers in taming the wilderness of the old Northwest. Perhaps best known for the Whig slogan in 1840—"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"—Harrison used his efforts to pacify Native Americans and defeat the British in the War of 1812 to promote a political career that eventually elevated him to the presidency.Harrison exemplified the citizen-soldier on the Ohio frontier in the days when white men settled on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains at their peril. Punctuated by almost continuous small-scale operations and sporadic larger engagements, warfare in this region revolved around a shifting system of alliances among various Indian tribes, government figures, white settlers, and business leaders. Skaggs focuses on Harrison’s early life and military exploits, especially his role on Major General Anthony Wayne's staff during the Fallen Timbers campaign and Harrison's leadership of the Tippecanoe campaign. He explores how the military and its leaders performed in the age of a small standing army and part-time, Cincinnatus-like forces. This richly detailed work reveals how the military and Indian policies of the early republic played out on the frontier, freshly revisiting a subject central to American history: how white settlers tamed the west—and at what cost.
William Holmes: The Soldiers' General
by Geoffrey TraversThe road that first leads people from Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney is named General Holmes Drive, but nowadays few Australians know anything about General Holmes. William Holmes could be remembered for his lifelong public service in developing Sydney’s water supply and sewerage system — but he should be remembered as one of the foremost Australian citizen soldiers of his time. Holmes commanded Australia’s first independent military expeditionary force in World War I, and in New Guinea accepted the first German surrender for Australia. At Gallipoli, Pozières, Bullecourt and Messines, Holmes earned a reputation for fearlessness in battle, believing that at critical times and even during pauses in engagement, reconnaissance should be conducted by the officers in command making the decisions. He was known to all his soldiers and his leadership inspired their affection and loyalty. Philosophical about the risks he took on the battlefield, it was cruel irony indeed that Holmes was killed on the day he took extra safety precautions. Holmes, a contemporary of John Monash, arguably achieved more in his early career than his peer and would certainly have been a contender for command of the Australian Corps in 1918 had he still been alive. This is his story.
William L. Shirer: The Start, 1904–1930; The Nightmare Years, 1930–1940; A Native's Return, 1945–1988 (Twentieth Century Journey)
by William L. ShirerNow in one volume: the three-part autobiography from the National Book Award–winning author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. The former CBS foreign correspondent and historian provides an invaluable look back at his life—and the events that forged the twentieth century. The Start (1904-1930): In the first of a three-volume series, Shirer tells the story of his early life, growing up in Cedar Rapids, and later serving as a new reporter in Paris. The Nightmare Years (1930-1940): In the second of a three-volume series, Shirer chronicles his time in Europe as Hitler dominated Germany and began one of the most dangerous conflicts in world history. A Native&’s Return (1945-1988): The most personal of the three volumes, this edition offers an honest look at the many personal and professional setbacks Shirer experienced after World War II ended—and delivers a fascinating take on the aftermath of the war. Series praise &“Mr. Shirer stirs the ashes of memory in a personal way that results in both a strong view of world events and of the need for outspoken journalism. Had Mr. Shirer been merely a bland &‘objective&’ reporter without passion while covering Hitler&’s Third Reich, this book and his other histories could never have been written.&” —The New York Times &“Included in Shirer&’s well-wrought narrative are such little-known events as the trials of American broadcasters who propagandized for the Third Reich during WWII, as well as such more familiar matters as the McCarthyism of the 1950s. The author&’s comments are refreshingly unfettered by self-consciousness . . . A fine, fitting conclusion to an important work of autobiography.&” —Kirkus Reviews
William of Germany: A Succinct Biography of William I., German Emperor and King of Prussia
by Archibald ForbesForbes, a brilliant war correspondent, spent his later years in literary work. Here he turns his attention to telling the story of the splendid events and heroism through which King William of Prussia was enabled to win unity for Germany, and for himself and his heirs the proud dignity of German Emperor. Forbes had the opportunity, during the Franco-German war, of accompanying King William on the campaign through Alsace and Lorraine, up to the walls of Paris, and his account of that portion of the dead Emperor's life has, consequently, great value, as being not only the work of an historian, but of a special correspondent, fitted by long training and natural ability to give pictures of the great scenes he witnessed with artistic and thrilling accuracy.-Print ed.
William of Orange and the Fight for the Crown of England: The Glorious Revolution
by Brian BestIn 1688, a vast fleet of 463 ships, twice the size of the Spanish Armada, put to sea from Holland. On board was William of Orange with 40,000 soldiers – their objective, England. The Protestant William had been encouraged by a group of Church of England bishops to risk everything and oust the Catholic King James. He landed at Tor Bay in Devon and soon gathered enough support, including that of John Churchill, the future Duke of Marlborough, to cause King James to flee to France. It had been seen, in the eyes of most in England and Scotland as a ‘Glorious’ Revolution. William ascended the throne along with his wife Mary, the daughter of England’s Charles II, who had preceded James. Though the revolution had been virtually bloodless, William had to fight to keep his crown. Most Irish were Catholics and King William’s armies met stiff opposition there. In this, James saw a chance to regain his crown. Sailing to Ireland, he led his Jacobite troops against William at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690. James was defeated, ending his hopes of ousting William. There were also large numbers of Catholics in Scotland, but they too were defeated by William’s army at the Battle of Killiecrankie. This, in turn, led to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. The accession of William and Mary to the throne was a landmark moment in British history, one which saw Parliament emerge into the modern state. In January 1689, two months after the Glorious Revolution, Parliament met and in February a Declaration of Rights was incorporated into the Bill of Rights. This included the measure that the crown could not tax without Parliament’s consent or interfere in elections. William, therefore, is not only known both for being one of England’s most revolutionary kings, but also one of the least remembered.
William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania
by Prof. William I. Hull“The original purpose of this monograph was to tell the European half of the story of William Penn’s relations with the Dutch Quakers who emigrated to Pennsylvania. But the predominance of the Dutch Quaker pioneers, as revealed by that story, in the settlement of Germantown made it desirable to follow them across the Atlantic and indicate the part which they played for at least a quarter-century in the affairs of the Quaker colony.“Hence the study comprises, first, Penn’s efforts on his three journeys to Holland and Germany to convert to Quakerism the Labadists, Pietists and Quietists whom he found there; second, the way in which small Quaker communities on the Continent had prepared the way for these visits; and finally, the rise and progress of those congregations of Dutch and German Quakers who, fleeing from persecution, accepted Penn’s invitation to settle in Pennsylvania.”—William I. Hull, Introduction
William T. Sherman: Evolution Of An Operational Artist [Illustrated Edition]
by Major Steven E. JackowskiIncludes Civil War Map and Illustrations Pack - 224 battle plans, campaign maps and detailed analyses of actions spanning the entire period of hostilities.General of the Army William Tecumseh Sherman was an extraordinary, controversial and complex individual. His ascension into the pantheon of American great captains was neither preordained nor expected. Wading through an average military career following his graduation from West Point, Sherman resigned his commission and tried his hand in the business and education sectors prior to the breakout of the American Civil War. Returned to active service in 1861, Sherman slogged through the first year of the war and found himself relegated to a recruiting and training billet in St. Louis, Missouri. Grasping the rising star of General of the Army Ulysses S. Grant, Sherman saved himself and elevated his performance to that of greatness. Forever associated with the Battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Chattanooga, Meridian and Atlanta and the Georgia and Carolina Campaigns, Sherman propelled himself from tactical mediocrity to operational brilliance. How did Sherman overcome his lackluster beginnings and transform himself into an inspiring figurehead studied throughout the world for his military accomplishments? By analyzing Sherman's battles and campaigns from 1862-1865, this paper delves into his transformation by exploring his visualization and understanding of operational art through the lens of current United States Army doctrine.
William Tecumseh Sherman: The Growth Of A Strategist
by LTC James M. Diamond US ArmyThis paper examines Sherman's growth as a strategic thinker and successful strategist. It explores how his life shaped him to fill the role that he did in the Civil War and what things contributed to his development into the soldier who could plan and execute the North's strategy in the last year of the war. It also focuses on specific instances of success and failure that led him to the position from which he could influence, if not actually author, the strategy followed by the Union in the last year of the war.It also examines what Sherman brought to his relationship with Ulysses S. Grant and how that relationship affected the evolving strategy that guided the Union Army after Grant ascended to the leadership of all Union Armies.
William Tecumseh Sherman: In The Service Of My Country: A Life
by James Lee McdonoughA major new biography of one of America's most storied military figures. General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts, and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end by devastating Southern resources in the Carolinas and on his famous March to the Sea. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's warm friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, his strained relationship with his wife, Ellen, and his unassuageable grief over the death of his young son, Willy. The result is a remarkable, comprehensive life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day.
William Wallace: Brave Heart
by Dr James MackaySir William Wallace of Ellerslie is one of history's greatest heroes, but also one of its greatest enigmas - a shadowy figure whose edges have been blurred by myth and legend. Even the date and place of his birth have been mis-stated - until now. James Mackay uses all his skills as a historical detective to produce this definitive biography, telling the incredible story of a man who, without wealth or noble birth, rose to become Guardian of Scotland. William Wallace, with superb generalship and tactical genius, led a country with no previous warlike tradition to triumph gloriously over the much larger, better-armed and better-trained English forces. Seven hundred years later, the heroism and betrayal, the valiant deeds and the dark atrocities, and the struggle of a small nation against a brutal and powerful empire, still create a compelling tale.
Willingly into the Frey: One Hundred Years of Australian Army Nursing
by Catherine McCullaghWillingly into the Fray comprises the personal stories of sixty-five individual nurses, their voices preserved and their words, often fraught with emotion and mired in distress at what they have seen, endured and railed against, carefully retained. Many of these stories are told for the first time, particularly those of the recent campaigns, peacekeeping operations, disaster relief and humanitarian missions. These are men and women who, like those before them, often worked in the most primitive conditions, as one nurse remarked tellingly, ‘with TLC and little more’. It is typical of Australian Army nurses to proceed ‘willingly into the fray’, often with little warning, but always with courage, determination and a strong sense of humour. In the hundred or so years since the first intrepid Boer War nurses set out, Australian Army nurses have forged a proud and enviable reputation. They are justifiably renowned for their determination to provide quality medical care despite extreme privation, perilous circumstances, and a lack of the most rudimentary medical equipment. If this is the reputation they can forge in the face of such adversity, then we have much to look forward to over the next one hundred years. Willingly into the Fray provides a rare opportunity for the reader, to take a personal journey through the lives of Army nurses from the early days of 1899 to modern times, and to experience the vast changes in society that accompanied those hundred or so years.
A Willingness to Die: Memories from Fighter Command
by Brian KingcomeIn 1938 Brian Kingcome joined the RAF with a permanent commission and was posted to No 65 Fighter Squadron at Hornchurch, soon to be equipped with the Spitfire, and so it came about that Brian flew the Spitfire throughout the war. He became acting CO for No 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill and led over sixty operations, achieving the highest success rate of any squadron in the Battle of Britain. In May 1943 Brian joined Desert Air Force in Malta and took command of 244 Wing. At this time he was confirmed Flight Lieutenant, acting Squadron Leader, acting Wing Commander and at twenty-five was one of the youngest Group Captains in the Royal Air Force. Brian Kingcome may have been the last Battle of Britain pilot of repute to put his extraordinary story into print; looked upon by other members of his squadron as possibly their finest pilot, his nonetheless unassuming memoirs are related with a subtle and compassionate regard for a generation who were, as he felt, born to a specific task. Brian's memoirs have been edited and introduced by Peter Ford, ex-National Serviceman in Malaya.
Williwaw: Julian; Williwaw; The Judgement Of Paris; Messiah; The City; The Pillar
by Gore VidalWilliwaw first published in 1946, is the notable first novel of a young Gore Vidal, who during World War II was a first mate of a supply ship stationed in the Aleutian Islands. The story revolves around the small ship and her crew as they battle both the elements in the Bering Sea and the mounting tensions between some of the crew members. An intense wind—williwaw—strikes the ship, damaging the craft as she struggles to make her way back to port.
Willow Grove Abbey: A Historical World War II Romance Novel (Somerville Trilogy #1)
by Mary Christian PayneIn this epic tale of friendship, family, and romance in World War II England, a young noblewoman must choose between her inheritance and the man she loves.To many, Lady Sophia Somerville appears to live a privileged life. Still, it’s a life full of obstacles to be overcome . . .As a student at The Ashwick Park School, Sophia meets classmate Edwina Phillips. The two become the best of friends, but it is all put to the test by an unbelievable betrayal . . .Sophia’s debutante season is much anticipated. Yet when she falls in love with physician and RAF Group Captain Spencer Stanton, theirs is a relationship her parents cannot bless . . .Sophia’s parents appear to be the epitome of grace, charm and dignity, but that’s far from the truth. Her father is charismatic but unscrupulous, while her beautiful mother is prone to fits of rage. And as terrible as they may seem, Sophia still yearns for their approval—even as her values begin to turn away from theirs.Soon, long held family secrets emerge and threaten to destroy the Somervilles. Sophia is faced with an untenable decision: whether to hold fast to her beliefs and cut ties with her family or continue to be the dependent little girl her parents insist she is. Ultimately, Sophia must face the challenge of comprehending, forgiving, and loving her profoundly imperfect family.
Willow Run (Images of Aviation)
by Michael W.R. Davis Randy HottonIn May 1940, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 50,000 military airplanes. He then drafted the president of General Motors, William Knudsen, to mobilize industry in the United States. The automotive companies were called upon to produce a massive fleet of bombers, as well as tanks, trucks, guns, and engines. By the Willow Run, a sleepy little creek near Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ford Motor Company built the world's most famous bomber factory, which was the ultimate manifestation of the automotive industry's role in building armaments during World War II. By the spring of 1944, Willow Run was producing a four-engine B-24 bomber each hour on an assembly line. With tremendous assistance from the Yankee Air Museum, this book presents a pictorial history of Willow Run during World War II.
Willpower: A Historical Study Of An Influential Leadership Attribute
by Lcdr David SchappertThis thesis investigates a single leadership attribute: willpower. Willpower is defined as the amalgamation of continuing in the face of adversity; the refusal to accept failure; and the power to affect a desired outcome in others. The central research question investigates how a leader generates willpower and transmits it to produce a desired effect. The methodology employed investigates three historical military leaders at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war over a sixty year period. The leaders analyzed are General Colin Powell, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and Lieutenant General Harold Moore. This analysis method was chosen to answer the three secondary research questions: Is there a common thread? Is willpower different at different levels of war? Has willpower transmission changed over time? To provide objectivity, a leader who possessed willpower and still failed, General Douglas MacArthur, is also studied. The historical leaders studied are found to have similarities in how they generate and transmit willpower. The willpower transmission techniques employed by the research subjects have not changed significantly over the period studied. However, willpower transmission techniques do reveal differences over the three levels of war.
Will's War: A Novel
by Janice Woods WindleWhen Janice Woods Windle uncovered nearly 3,000 pages of original transcripts from the landmark 1917 treason trial of her grandfather Will Bergfeld, she knew she’d struck literary gold. Accused by the federal government of plotting to assassinate President Woodrow Wilson, Bergfeld became a national figure, and his trial became the Aaron Burr case of its day, exposing the anti-German sentiment that occupied much of this country during World War I. From those transcripts, and from her own family lore, this best-selling author of True Women and Hill Country has written another unforgettable historical novel. Will’s War is the compelling saga of Will Bergfeld and his fight for freedom-and of the three strong women who loved him and made sacrifices on his behalf. Will Bergfeld is a brash, high-spirited young man born and raised in Seguin (pronounced Sea-geen), one of Texas’s oldest German-settled towns. After moving west to Weinert, a new immigrant community, Will becomes a rural mail carrier. He is also a devoted advocate of workers’ and farmers’ rights at a time when robber barons such as Vanderbilt and Rockefeller trampled freely on the little man. As American involvement in the war in Europe became inevitable, its citizens back home turn a suspicious eye to anyone potentially involved in the conflict: This included anybody with a German surname or anybody supposedly involved in government activities. It is no wonder that the outspoken Will Bergfeld soon became a prime suspect. The story of Will’s trial is largely told through the eyes of the women who love him: his wife Virginia, his mother-in-law Bettie King, and his sister Louise. (Readers of Windle’s previous novels will recognize a few of these beloved characters.) Also in the mix are Anna Bennett, the lonely woman Will once jilted whose anger threatens to send him to his death; Bill Atwell, Will’s dapper defense attorney who must match wits with a formidable foe to make sure justice is done; and Tom Grimes, the brooding Texas Ranger whose conscience may help save Will’s life. Will Bergfeld becomes the scapegoat in a vicious witch-hunt spurred on by the same fear and misplaced patriotism that would later give rise to the Japanese internment camps of World War II and the McCarthy congressional hearings of the 1950s. Janice Woods Windle has effortlessly woven pages from the actual trial transcripts into her novel to create a courtroom drama full of false testimony, evidence tampering and governmental wrongdoing-made all the more remarkable since it is based on fact.
The Wilson Plot
by David LeighIn a historic decision, the House of Lords on October 12 reversed the Thatcher government's ban on "quoting from Spycatcher" opening the way for the publication in England and the United States of The Wilson Plot -the highly controversial and explosive account of what the spycatchers were really up to. Using hitherto unknown material from Peter Wright, author of Spycatcher, and interviews with dozens of his sources, the London Observer's David Leigh has put together an unbelievable story of paranoia and treachery in the British and American intelligence agencies, revealing a wealth of "dirty tricks" played against democratic governments - a treason never discussed in the other spycatcher books. Leigh traces the spycatchers' obsession that Labour prime minister Harold Wilson was, incredibly, a Soviet spy - and shows how they tried to persuade British officers to join in an attempt to overthrow the popularly elected government. Leigh discusses the role of CIA chief James Angleton and uncovers the true motives of Wilson's accusers: playing on anti-communist hysteria, the CIA and MI5 set out to defame those individuals whose politics interfered with the intelligence agenda. Amazingly, such plots succeeded in Australia, and perhaps even toppled Willy Brandt's government in Germany as well. In exploring the incredible complexities of postwar espionage, Leigh turns a bright light on the murky corners of a secret world that is illuminated here for the first time.
Wilsonian Approaches to American Conflicts: From the War of 1812 to the First Gulf War (Routledge Studies in US Foreign Policy)
by Ashley CoxThis book explores US foreign policy, specifically the history of America’s entry into the War of 1812, the First World War, the Korean War and the First Gulf War. Using a historical case study approach, it demonstrates how the Wilsonian Framework can give us a unique understanding of why the United States chose to go to war in those four conflicts. Cox argues that the Wilsonian Framework is an important concern for decision makers in the US and that democracy promotion and the concept of international law are driving factors in each of these decisions to go to war. The realist and economic explanations of these conflicts are not sufficient and we must draw on Wilsonianism to gain a clear understanding of these conflicts. Drawing on the history of American liberalism and the work of Walter Russel Mead and Tony Smith, the book presents a definition of Wilsonianism that represents a broad span of the history of The Republic, in order to show consistency across time. It also establishes why the realist and economic explanations fail to provide sufficient explanatory power and how the Wilsonian Framework can give important insights into these conflicts. This book will be of interest to international historians and international relations scholars at both postgraduate and scholar level. It will also be of use to those wishing to conduct future research into the motivations that drive the foreign and security policies of the United States.
Wilsonian Visions: The Williamstown Institute of Politics and American Internationalism after the First World War
by James McAllisterIn Wilsonian Visions, James McAllister recovers the history of the most influential forum of American liberal internationalism in the immediate aftermath of the First World War: The Williamstown Institute of Politics. Established in 1921 by Harry A. Garfield, the president of Williams College, the Institute was dedicated to promoting an informed perspective on world politics even as the United States, still gathering itself after World War I, retreated from the Wilsonian vision of active involvement in European political affairs. Located on the Williams campus in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, the Institute's annual summer session of lectures and roundtables attracted scholars, diplomats, and peace activists from around the world. Newspapers and press services reported the proceedings and controversies of the Institute to an American public divided over fundamental questions about US involvement in the world. In an era where the institutions of liberal internationalism were just taking shape, Garfield's institutional model was rapidly emulated by colleges and universities across the US. McAllister narrates the career of the Institute, tracing its roots back to the tragedy of the First World War and Garfield's disappointment in America's failure to join the League of Nations. He also shows the Progressive Era origins of the Institute and the importance of the political and intellectual relationship formed between Garfield and Wilson at Princeton University in the early 1900s. Drawing on new and previously unexamined archival materials, Wilsonian Visions restores the Institute to its rightful status in the intellectual history of US foreign relations and shows it to be a formative institution as the country transitioned from domestic isolation to global engagement.
Wilson’s Creek Staff Ride And Battlefield Tour [Illustrated Edition]
by Major George E. KnappIncludes more than 14 maps and IllustrationsArmies of the North and South fought the Battle of Wilson's Creek about ten miles southwest of Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday, 10 Aug. 1861...While the action at Wilson's Creek was small compared to that at Gettysburg or Chickamauga, it remains significant and useful to students of military history....The Union defeat in battle and the death of General Nathaniel Lyon, so closely following the disaster at First Bull Run, caused the North to adopt a more serious attitude about the war and to realize that victory would come only with detailed planning and proper resourcing. Thus, the Union reinforced Missouri with soldiers and weapons during the fall and winter of 1861-62, while the Confederacy applied its scanty resources elsewhere. Although the exiled pro-Confederate state government voted to secede and sent delegates to Richmond, Virginia, Missouri effectively remained in the Union. Any questions about Missouri's fate were settled at the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862, when Union forces turned back the last significant Confederate threat to Missouri.Wilson's Creek was a "first battle" for most of the soldiers who fought there. First battles often provide armies with special insights into the application of military art and science, and Wilson's Creek was no exception. The Mexican War model of organization and combined arms battle was generally confirmed, but some key observations relating to technology and command and control emerged as well...In addition, artillery proved decisive at several key moments during the fighting. Cavalry, on its part, proved to be much less valuable, and this fact hinted at lessons to be learned later in the Civil War. Ultimately, the infantry of both sides played out the drama, and many of the most useful insights came from that branch.
Wilson’s Raid: The Final Blow to the Confederacy (Civil War Series)
by Russell W. Jr.In the closing months of the Civil War, General James Wilson led a Union cavalry raid through Alabama and parts of Georgia. Wilson, the young, brash "boy general" of the Union, matched wits against Nathan Bedford Forrest, the South's legendary "wizard of the saddle." Wilson's Raiders swept through cities like Selma, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery, destroying the last remaining industrial production centers of the Confederacy along with any hopes of its survival. Forrest and his desperately outnumbered cavalry had no option but to try to stop the Union's advance. Join Russell Blount as he examines the eyewitness accounts and diaries chronicling this defining moment in America's bloodiest war.
Wilson's War: How Woodrow Wilson's Great Blunder Led to Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, and World War Two
by Jim PowellThe fateful blunder that radically altered the course of the twentieth century--and led to some of the most murderous dictators in history President Woodrow Wilson famously rallied the United States to enter World War I by saying the nation had a duty to make "the world safe for democracy." But as historian Jim Powell demonstrates in this shocking reappraisal, Wilson actually made a horrible blunder by committing the United States to fight. Far from making the world safe for democracy, America's entry into the war opened the door to murderous tyrants and Communist rulers. No other president has had a hand--however unintentional--in so much destruction. That's why, Powell declares, "Wilson surely ranks as the worst president in American history. " Wilson's War reveals the horrifying consequences of our twenty-eighth president's fateful decision to enter the fray in Europe. It led to millions of additional casualties in a war that had ground to a stalemate. And even more disturbing were the long-term consequences--consequences that played out well after Wilson's death. Powell convincingly demonstrates that America's armed forces enabled the Allies to win a decisive victory they would not otherwise have won--thus enabling them to impose the draconian surrender terms on Germany that paved the way for Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Powell also shows how Wilson's naiveté and poor strategy allowed the Bolsheviks to seize power in Russia. Given a boost by Woodrow Wilson, Lenin embarked on a reign of terror that continued under Joseph Stalin. The result of Wilson's blunder was seventy years of Soviet Communism, during which time the Communist government murdered some sixty million people. Just as Powell's FDR's Folly exploded the myths about Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, Wilson's War destroys the conventional image of Woodrow Wilson as a great "progressive" who showed how the United States can do good by intervening in the affairs of other nations. Jim Powell delivers a stunning reminder that we should focus less on a president's high-minded ideals and good intentions than on the consequences of his actions. A selection of the Conservative Book Club and American Compass From the Hardcover edition.
Wimbledon, Merton & Morden at War, 1939–45 (Your Towns & Cities in World War Two)
by Ruth ManserghMore than 350 bombs fell on Wimbledon during the Second World War, killing 150 residents and injuring a further 1,071. Around 12,000 houses were damaged and 810 destroyed.Notable people discussed in this fascinating book include Ernest Leonard Harvey, who was onboard HMS Suffolk on the night Bismarck was spotted; Peter Walley, who died when he steered his crashing aircraft away from housing in the area; Pat Reid, Colditz Castle escapee; PoW Ernest Colman's "Wimbledon Variation"; casualties of the Burma-Thailand railway; and the members of the Mitcham Home Guard who were killed when a German parachute mine hit the Tower Creameries site on Wednesday, 16 April 1941 (after a relatively quiet couple of weeks).This well-researched book also includes a list of the lost hospitals of Wimbledon, as well as war memorials in the London Borough of Merton findings which have since been added to the Imperial War Museum's website, www.iwm.org.uk. It also provides an insight into factory worker jobs that have long-since bitten the dust. Tri-ang in South Wimbledon was a national by-word for toys until it started making munitions for real. And, with the outbreak of war, Vortexion of The Broadway, Wimbledon - a manufacturer of public address amplifiers - found itself under the direction of the Government for war work.Overall, this is a poignant testimony to the momentous efforts, bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Wimbledon during the Second World War, who sought to find normality in a reality so far removed from anything they had ever known.
Winchester in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
by John J. EddlestonThe war of 1914–18 changed Britain forever. The movement for Irish Home Rule strengthened, women were in jobs they had never done before and, at the end of the war, were granted the vote for the first time. Political and military careers were won and lost and in all of these, Winchester played its part. Whilst this is a book about the Great War, that terrible conflagration which claimed so many lives, it is also expertly covers how that war touched the citizens of Winchester. It can be said that every city, town, village and hamlet contributed to the war effort but some cities, of which Winchester is certainly one, were of crucial importance to the final victory. It is true that Winchester was a major army depot, but it was also a city concerned with attempts to keep some normality in life. There were stories of loss but there was also humour, entertainment, fund raising, patriotism and tales of the darker side of life. With over thirty illustrations, some never seen before, Winchester in the Great War is a thorough account of the daily hardships and triumphs of those living in the city during one of the most defining and significant periods in the history of Britain.