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FDR's Shadow: Louis Howe, the Force That Shaped Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
by Julie M. Fenster"FDR's Shadow" is a brilliant look at how the indomitable and enlightened Louis Howe became the mega-advisor of the Roosevelt Clan. A must read for anybody interested in U. S. political history. --Douglas Brinkley, author of "The Wilderness Warrior. "
FE 2b/d vs Albatros Scouts
by James Miller Jim LaurierWorld War I aerial combat went through periods of alternating aerial superiority based on technology leaps. Sopwith Camels, Fokkers, and Spads became famous because they dominated later in the war, but this was an ongoing cycle for years. In the spring of 1916 the deployment of the RFC's FE 2 - with its rotary engine 'pusher' configuration affording excellent visibility for its pilot and observer, and removing the need for synchronized machine guns - helped wrest aerial dominance from Imperial Germany's Fokker Eindecker monoplanes, and then contributed to retaining it throughout the Somme battles of that fateful summer. However, by autumn German reorganization saw the birth of the Jagdstaffeln (specialised fighter squadrons) and the arrival of the new Albatros D scout, a sleek inline-engined machine built for speed and twin-gun firepower. Thus, for the remainder of 1916 and well into the next year an epic struggle for aerial superiority raged above the horrors of the Somme and Passchendaele battlefields, pitting the FE 2 against the better-armed and faster Albatros scouts that were focused on attacking and destroying their two-seater opponents. In the end the Germans would regain air superiority, and hold it into the following summer with the employment of their new Jagdgeschwader (larger fighter groupings), but the FE 2 remained a tenacious foe that inflicted many casualties - some of whom were Germany's best aces (including 'The Red Baron').
FIFTH ARMY AT THE WINTER LINE 15 November 1943 - 15 January 1944 [Illustrated Edition]
by AnonIllustrated with 28 maps and 35 Illustrations.THE WINTER LINE operations, lasting from 15 November 1943 to 15 January 1944, continued the Allied campaign to drive the Germans out of southern Italy. The underlying plan was to keep pressure on the enemy and, if possible, to break through toward Rome. Both the terrain and the season reduced the chances for effecting a breakthrough. By maintaining pressure, however, the Allies would prevent the Germans from, resting and refitting the tired and depleted divisions which they might hold as a mobile reserve for the close defense of Rome in the event of a new Allied landing on the west coast or for use in a possible counteroffensive in the opening months of 1944. Then too, the fighting in Italy had its effects on the over-all military situation in Europe. As long as the Germans were actively engaged on the Italian front, they would be forced to feed in men and supplies which would otherwise be available for the war in Russia or for strengthening their Atlantic Wall against an expected Allied invasion in 1944. Continuation of the Italian campaign was not in question; the problem was how best to carry it on.The Allied effort was therefore maintained in an offensive planned to break the enemy's Winter Line, a series of well-prepared positions along the shortest possible line across the waist of Italy-from the Garigliano River on the west through mountains in the center to the Sangro River on the east. For the individual soldiers of the Fifth Army, the attack resolved itself into the familiar pattern of bitter fighting from hill to hill.
FIGHT AT THE LOCK [Illustrated Edition]
by Colonel S. L. A. MarshallIncludes 6 mapsAs the tens of thousands of American troops began their approach toward the forbidding German-defended Normandy coast, their comrades in the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions had already flown over the Channel and began dropping and gliding into enemy territory. The Airborne Divisions had a role critical to the success of the entire Normandy Landings; beyond the initial beach landing areas were miles of flooded defended ditches and waterways. If the German troops managed to defend these bottlenecks the Americans on Utah Beach, at the extreme right of the operation, would be unable to move forward and might have foundered on the beach..."According to plan, the D Day objectives of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment were well concentrated. After dropping into Normandy a little to the north and east of the city of Carentan, the regiment was to press south and westward and establish the defensive position in this direction. In detail, it was to secure the line of the lower Douve River, first by seizing the strategic lock on the Canal De Vire Et Taute at Le Barquette and then by blowing the river bridges..."From the beginning, American attention was directed at the Le Barquette lock. This unique objective and its possible military application appears to have fascinated the imaginations not only of those who planned Operation Neptune but of the commanders who were to execute it. To get to the lock first and to make certain that the enemy would have no use of it became an overriding consideration with the planning and tactical forces. American apprehensions as to what might happen if the Germans gained control of the lock superinduced one of the boldest strokes of the Normandy campaign, a stroke boldly made and tactically productive. Yet whether the emphasis placed on the position by the Allied planners was justifiable was never confirmed by the attitude of the enemy."
FIRE BRIGADE: U.S. Marines In The Pusan Perimeter [Illustrated Edition] (Marines In The Korean War Commemorative Series #4)
by Captain John J. Chapin USMCIncludes over 30 maps, photos and illustrations.The Battle of Pusan Perimeter was a large-scale battle between United Nations and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the Korean War. An army of 140,000 UN troops, having been pushed to the brink of defeat, were rallied to make a final stand against the invading North Korean army, 98,000 men strong.UN forces, having been repeatedly defeated by the advancing North Koreans, were forced back to the "Pusan Perimeter", a 140-mile (230 km) defensive line around an area on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula that included the port of Pusan. The UN troops, consisting mostly of forces from the Republic of Korea (ROK), United States and United Kingdom, mounted a last stand around the perimeter, fighting off repeated North Korean attacks for six weeks as they were engaged around the cities of Taegu, Masan, and P'ohang, and the Naktong River. The massive North Korean assaults were unsuccessful in forcing the United Nations troops back further from the perimeter, despite two major pushes in August and September.North Korean troops, hampered by supply shortages and massive losses, continually staged attacks on UN forces in an attempt to penetrate the perimeter and collapse the line. However, the UN used the port to amass an overwhelming advantage in troops, equipment, and logistics, and its navy and air forces remained unchallenged by the North Koreans during the fight. After six weeks, the North Korean force collapsed and retreated in defeat after the UN force launched a counterattack at Inchon on September 15. The battle would be the furthest the North Korean troops would advance in the war, as subsequent fighting ground the war into a stalemate.
FIRE POWER IN THE LAB: Automation in the Fight Against Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism
by Scott P. Layne Tony J. Beugelsdijk C. Kumar N. PatelToday's world poses a triple threat to the American population: infectious diseases, contamination of food and water, and bioattacks (biowarfare or bioterrorism). At least 17 countries are producing weapons of mass destruction using viruses, bacteria, or their toxins. AIDS, E. coli contamination, drug-resistant tuberculosis, and virulent flu strains are perhaps the best known of a host of disease threats. What these dangers have in common is the amount of data required to achieve solutions; in some cases, as much as a petabit (1 followed by 15 zeros) of data is required to study large numbers of samples from widespread locations.Firepower in the Lab examines how the nation can combat this triple threat by improving our ability to detect, measure, and monitor harmful biological agents. It explores the potential of today's exciting new laboratory automation and computer technologies as well as the emerging tools of molecular biology--how we can generate and analyze more data quickly and reduce human hands-on involvement, which inevitably introduces errors.The book discusses how to improve and apply technologies such as robotics, laboratory automation, "lab-on-a-chip," bioinformatics, and Internet control innovations. It reviews lessons learned from our experience with pandemic flu viruses. It also presents strategies for developing new high-throughput technologies, including how to address the lack of public funding for critical research undertakings.
FLYING FURY: Five Years In The Royal Flying Corps [illustrated Edition]
by James Thomas Byford McCudden VC DSO & Ba, MC & Bar MMIllustrated Edition - contains 30 photosThe highest scoring British Air Ace reveals his daily life at the front, in the air and in combat with the Germans above the Western Front.In the muddy trenches of the Western front few rankers would have considered that they would achieve field rank of major and international celebrity. In the skies above the shell-torn landscape, any man with enough talent, daring and skill could hope to become a 'Flying Ace' by claiming five or more victories over enemy aviators. Such an adventurous warrior was James McCudden; born in 1895 in Kent, he enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1910 as soon as he could. But he was smitten with the service in the air after a flight in his brothers plane in 1913 and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. However he was only an engineer in 1914, but once in France despite his modest rank he was allowed to go up with his squadron and act as an observer in a two seater plane. After much good service as an observer his superiors put him forward for pilot training in 1916.McCudden's tally of the enemy over the next two years would rank him among the greatest of the World War One Aces; he claimed some 57 enemy aircraft even three in a single day in 1918. His exploits in the air were legendary, surviving an attack by the Red Baron himself, he pioneered new tactics that enabled him the edge of his enemy by using his engineering skill to fine tune his aircraft. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, DSO with Bar, MC with Bar and a Military Medal and the French Croix de Guerre for his daring, bravery and skill. It is with a sad irony that it was not his German foe that eventually ended his outstanding military service but a flying accident in 1918. He was only 23 at the time.His own exploits, adventures, tactics and escapes are best left to him in his own words, but suffice to say despite his modest retelling of his life in a day-by-day fashion remains both dramatic and engaging.
FOB Doc
by Ray WissMilitary doctors serving in Afghanistan usually spend their entire tour in the relatively safe confines of the main base. FOB Doc is the story of one Canadian doctor who spent nearly his entire tour in combat. Captain Ray Wiss was stationed at Forward Operating Bases - FOBs - in Khandahar province, the birthplace of the Taliban and the most intense zone combat in Afghanistan. He shares the 'terror and boredom' of the front-line soldier's life in this candid personal diary. One day, he might be participating in combat operations, treating severe and bloody injuries and coping with the deaths of fellow soldiers, both Afghans and NATO allies; another day, he might be writing about the challenges of going to the latrine in sub-zero weather. FOB Doc is heartbreaking and hilarious, often on the same page.
FORCEnet: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
by National Research Council of the National AcademiesThe National Academies Press (NAP)--publisher for the National Academies--publishes more than 200 books a year offering the most authoritative views, definitive information, and groundbreaking recommendations on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health. Our books are unique in that they are authored by the nation's leading experts in every scientific field.
FRISCO'S KID: Frisco's Kid Everyday, Average Jones (Tall, Dark and Dangerous #3)
by Suzanne BrockmannNew York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann has thrilled audiences with her Tall, Dark and Dangerous series. Experience it here with a hero who must face the most daring adventure of all—falling in love.His body may heal, but his heart is another story…Being a Navy SEAL is more than a career to Alan "Frisco" Francisco—it's his whole identity. But when a severe injury threatens Frisco's ability to function in combat, he's determined to achieve a full recovery.But the unexpected appearance of his abandoned niece leaves Frisco with little time for anything but dealing with the five-year-old girl. He knows even less about parenting than he does about how to mend his broken body. And there's no way he's going to accept offers of help from his interfering neighbor, Mia Summerton. He doesn't need anyone s help. Not to care for his niece, not to accept his limitations and certainly not to fall in love.
FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II
by Gordon L. RottmanHumorous, sarcastic, sober, pessimistic, fatalistic, defiant or defeatist, slang is an important part of every soldier's vocabulary. Much of the slang of World War II was handed down from World War I and earlier conflicts. These words were so ingrained into the soldier's vocabulary that their use was continued by a new generation of soldiers and by the end of the war some terms had even passed into standard everyday usage. This book is a detailed survey of the slang of WWII as used and evolved by US, German and Commonwealth fighting men and women. It lists hundreds of these distinctive and evocative words with their definitions and origins, but and also includes contemporary cartoons and images, transporting the reader back through the decades into the world of the WWII warrior.
FUEGO A DISCRECION (EBOOK)
by Antonio Dal MasettoLa noche puede ser tan salvaje como lo requiera el alcohol. La lengua suelta, la boca seca, los sentidos confusos. En el umbral, al acecho, el remordimiento. Hasta que, en lugar de salvajes, eufóricas, locas, las noches empiezan a parecer simplemente repetidas. Entonces el que las presencia y las vive tiene que elegir entre las misiones equívocas del aburrimiento y el sacrificio. Fuego a discreción cuenta con aplomado fervor y una ternura exenta por completo de sentimentalismo el tránsito entre una vida que va a consumarse sin conciencia y una especie de resurrección que nos deja a salvo de cualquier exterioridad ingenuamente optimista. Escrita en el crepúsculo de la última dictadura militar, la ciudad de Fuego a discreción es víctima de un verano opresivo que traduce en clave meteorológica la situación política. Patrullas de la policía, operativos del ejército. El capítulo XV precipita una reflexión despiadada sobre la humillación y la tortura. Sin embargo, inexorablemente, se acerca el tiempo de las elecciones. La novela más negra del Tano mantiene con magia narrativa el diurno ritual de la esperanza.
FV430 Series (Images of War)
by Robert GriffinFully illustrated with archival photographs, this volume examines the development of this Cold War era armored vehicle. During the Second World War, the British infantry found itself lacking suitable transport to cope with the fast-moving German Blitzkrieg tactics. While various stopgap measures were implemented during the war, the postwar threats from nuclear, biological and chemical warfare made it imperative that a robust solution be found. By the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, the AFV430 series was introduced. The FV300 and FV400 Cambridge carriers paved the way for the AFV430. Initially a basic armored personnel carrier, the series grew to cover a multitude of roles, including command, recovery, mortar, Swingfire, and remote mine clearing. This volume of the Images of War series describes in words and images the AFV430 and traces the development of infantry carriers for the British Army.
Fabulous Farmer: The Story of Walter Knott and His Berry Farm
by Paul Bailey Roger HolmesTWENTY MILLION people have walked the acres of Knott’s Berry Farm at Buena Park, California. Its chicken dinners, its wild west atmosphere, its “Ghost Town,” are familiarly known to travellers from every part of the world. Less known, perhaps, is the remarkable story of Walter Knott and his family, who have built their strange enterprise into one of the wonder of the west.Here is the story of how a once penniless sharecropper parlayed ten acres of berries into a farm of golden wonders. How a chicken dinner became a national institution, ad how boysenberries, both in an out of pies, became the means of assembling on hundred acres of historical marvels that have delighted and amused the Farm’s millions of visitors.FABULOUS FARMER is the tale of how one man turned poverty and adversity into dazzling success. It is a story of free American enterprise with odd and new twists. It is an inspiring, human recital of a family whose teamwork, thrift and industry fought through every hardship and crisis until success was theirs. Through its candid, exciting pages breathes the same warmth and friendliness that is so deeply senses by every visitor to the Farm.FABULOUS FARMER is as typically American as Mrs. Knott’s berry pies and fried chicken. It is a joyful, rewarding book that builds courage and faith in its readers, and a book every American will want to read as tonic for his own fears, and antidote for anything that might water down his faith in the future and his belief in himself.
Fabulous Flying Boats: A History of the World's Passenger Flying Boats
by Leslie DawsonThe history of the development and operations of flying boats in the early twentieth century is a vibrant one, full of colourful characters and experimentation. In 'Fabulous Flying Boats', Leslie Dawson captures this spirit of dynamism, reminding us of the most successful early pioneers of the seaplanes development, including a little known and oft-overlooked rival to the Wright Brothers, working to put their mutual successes in context. He goes on to describe, in clear and vivid detail, and using first hand-accounts, what it was like to be aboard one of the resulting huge passenger flying boats, as air crew and as a passenger. He also recounts the part played by the military boats inevitably seconded to such use. Incredibly well researched, the narrative embraces the globe-trotting air routes, from Europe to the Far East and to the Americas, and is well supported with evocative images from private and corporate collections, and the worlds aviation museums. The in-depth Appendix is virtually a book in itself. This book is sure to be a welcome addition to any Aviation enthusiasts library as it covers a particularly important period of Aviation development which formed a fertile environment for a host of young experimenters. The process of development continues to this day.
Fabulous Harbours
by Michael MoorcockAward-winning author Michael Moorcock continuously astonishes readers and critics alike with each new literary offering. Revered for his eloquent, lyrical prose, his work is a testament to the emotional power of words. Fabulous Harbors is the second of a three-book set, and is a bridge between the novels Blood and The War Amongst the Angels. Comprised of 11 interlocking tales, Fabulous Harbors takes the reader by the hand and guides him into and through Moorcock's spectacular expanding multiverse - a luminously realized, richly layered world of fantastic invention and lovingly drawn characters.Here, in the comfort and peace of Sporting Club Square - an obscure and perhaps magical corner of London that seems oddly immune to the normal effects of time - Begg family patriarch Sir Sexton and various family members and friends gather to swap memories, anecdotes and dreams. Come, sit by the fire and listen to the continuing exploits of the brave Sam Oakenhurst, the mysterious and seductive Rose von Bek, old friend and adventure Jerry Cornelius and Elric, the brooding albino prince of ruins, among others.Haunting and compelling, Fabulous Harbors is an extraordinary achievement from a true star in the literary firmament.
Face to Face with Kaiserism (The World At War)
by James GerardJames Watson Gerard (August 25, 1867 – September 6, 1951) was a United States lawyer and diplomat. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Gerard assumed the care of British interests in Germany, later visiting the camps where British prisoners were confined and doing much to alleviate their condition. His responsibilities were further increased by the fact that German interests in France, Great Britain, and Russia were placed in the care of the American embassies in those countries, the American embassy in Berlin thus becoming a sort of clearing house. From first-hand knowledge he was able to settle the question, much disputed among the Germans themselves, as to the official attitude of the German government toward the violation of Belgian neutrality. Gerard published two books on his experiences, titled “My Four Years in Germany”, released in 1917 and the following year, “Face to Face with Kaiserism”. (Excerpt from Wikipedia)
Faces of Fire (Star Trek: The Original Series #58)
by Michael Jan FriedmanThe U.S.S. Enterprise™ members must resolve a conflict that could be their demise.En route to Alpha Malurian Six to settle a dispute between two religions, the U.S.S. Enterprise™ first stops to do a routine check on the progress of a terraforming colony on Beta Canzandia Three—a colony whose inhabitants include Carol and David Marcus. While Spock is left behind at the terraforming colony to continue his scientific studies, the rest of the crew heads to Alpha Malurian Six to find the dispute has turned to war. As Kirk, McCoy, and Scotty search for a solution to end the conflict, a ship piloted by a Klingon faction arrives at the terraforming colony to take control of the facility. When colonists are imprisoned, Spock and David must defeat the Klingons or face certain death...
Faces of HMS Royal Oak: The 'Mighty Oak' Disaster at Scapa Flow
by Dilip SarkarOn 14 October each year, a White Ensign is placed on the stern of an upturned warship by Royal Navy divers. This act commemorates the 835 men of HMS Royal Oak who died in 1939 when the battleship was sunk at anchor in Scapa Flow by the German U-boat U-47. The sinking of the veteran First World War Revenge-class Royal Oak shocked not only the Admiralty, but the whole nation. Though Scapa Flow was far from being impregnable as a base for the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet, it was surrounded by a ring of islands separated by shallow channels subject to fast-racing tides. While it was recognized that it was not impervious to enemy submarines, measures had been put in place to minimize any such threat. Blockships had been sunk at potentially vulnerable points and anti-submarine booms deployed across the wider channels. The outbreak of war in September 1939 saw additional anti-submarine measures put in hand. Despite these increased precautions, German aerial reconnaissance had spotted weaknesses which were exploited on the night of 13/14 October 1939, by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien in U-47. The German submarine was able to slip into Scapa Flow undetected and fire three torpedoes towards Royal Oak. Only one torpedo found its mark. A second salvo was fired and this time all three hit the battleship, igniting a magazine causing massive damage. Within thirteen minutes, HMS Royal Oak had turned over and sank. In Faces of HMS Royal Oak, Dilip Sarkar not only reveals the tragic and moving stories of many of those who died, but also some of the 399 who survived the sinking of the first Royal Navy battleship lost in the Second World War. Through their photographs, and in some cases words, the horrors of those fateful few minutes as Royal Oak rolled and slid into the cold, dark waters of Scapa Flow, are relived in startling clarity.
Faces of Union Soldiers at Antietam (Civil War Series)
by Joseph Stahl Matthew BordersJoin Matthew Borders and Joseph Stahl as they share their expertise and grant glimpses into the lives of those who fought to preserve the Union.The Battle of Antietam, fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, was the bloodiest day in American history, with more than twenty-three thousand dead, wounded and missing. This book invites the reader to walk the routes of some of the units on the field through the stories of thirty-six individual soldiers who fought on that day. The images of the soldiers in this work, many of which have never been published before, give faces to the fighting men at Antietam, as well as insight into their lives
Faces of Union Soldiers at Culp's Hill: Gettysburg's Critical Defense (Civil War Series)
by Joseph Stahl Matthew BordersThe most pivotal deffensive line in the most pivotal battle in the history of America. The fighting at Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg was some of the fiercest during the bloody battle, and holding the hill, for the Union, was essential not only for victory in battle, but protecting the country as a whole. Authors Matthew Borders and Joseph Stahl present intimate portraits of twenty-eight soldiers who defended Culp's Hill, including in-depth analysis of never before published images and harrowing accounts of heroism in the fight to save the Union.
Faces of Union Soldiers at Fredericksburg (Civil War Series)
by Matthew BordersLook into the eyes of these soldiers and see the faces of those who dared to stare into the face of Death.The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought December 11-15, 1862, is often remembered for the seemingly futile attacks by the Army of the Potomac against dug in Confederates on Marye's Heights. Less well understood is the fighting south of the heights on what has become known as Slaughter Pen Farm. In this work the images of thirty Union soldiers are published for the first time. They give a face and history to those men who struggled across that bloody landscape, as well as to those that charged up the slope of Marye's Heights into Confederate fire. Authors Matthew Borders and Joseph Stahl introduce you to these men, their stories and their sacrifice on the bullet swept battlefield of Fredericksburg.
Faces of the Civil War Navies: An Album of Human and Confederate Sailors
by Ronald S. CoddingtonExplore the human side of the Civil War through archival images and biographical sketches of Confederate and Union sailors.During the American Civil War, more than one hundred thousand men fought on ships at sea or on one of America’s great inland rivers. There were no large-scale fleet engagements, yet the navies, particularly the Union Navy, did much to define the character of the war and affect its length. The first hostile shots roared from rebel artillery at Charleston Harbor. Along the Mississippi River and other inland waterways across the South, Union gunboats were often the first to arrive in deadly enemy territory. In the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic seaboard, blockaders in blue floated within earshot of gray garrisons that guarded vital ports. And on the open seas, rebel raiders wreaked havoc on civilian shipping.In Faces of the Civil War Navies, Civil War photograph collector Ronald S. Coddington focuses his skills on the Union and Confederate navies. Using identifiable cartes de visite of common sailors on both sides of the war, many of them never before published, Coddington uncovers the personal histories of each individual. These unique narratives are drawn from military and pension records, letters, diaries, period newspapers, and other primary sources. In addition to presenting the personal stories of seventy-seven intrepid volunteers, Coddington also focuses on the momentous naval events that ushered in an era of ironclad ships and other technical innovations.Taken collectively, these “snapshots” show that the history of war is not merely a chronicle of campaigns won and lost, it is the collective personal odysseys of thousands of individual men.
Faces of the Civil War Navies: An Album of Union and Confederate Sailors
by Ronald S. CoddingtonArchival images and biographical sketches of common sailors on both sides of the conflict reveal the human side of the Civil War.During the American Civil War, more than one hundred thousand men fought on ships at sea or on one of America’s great inland rivers. There were no large-scale fleet engagements, yet the navies, particularly the Union Navy, did much to define the character of the war and affect its length. The first hostile shots roared from rebel artillery at Charleston Harbor. Along the Mississippi River and other inland waterways across the South, Union gunboats were often the first to arrive in deadly enemy territory. In the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic seaboard, blockaders in blue floated within earshot of gray garrisons that guarded vital ports. And on the open seas, rebel raiders wreaked havoc on civilian shipping. In Faces of the Civil War Navies, renowned researcher and Civil War photograph collector Ronald S. Coddington focuses his considerable skills on the Union and Confederate navies. Using identifiable cartes de visite of common sailors on both sides of the war, many of them never before published, Coddington uncovers the personal histories of each individual who looked into the eye of the primitive camera. These unique narratives are drawn from military and pension records, letters, diaries, period newspapers, and other primary sources. In addition to presenting the personal stories of seventy-seven intrepid volunteers, Coddington also focuses on the momentous naval events that ushered in an era of ironclad ships and other technical innovations. The fourth volume in Coddington’s series on Civil War soldiers, this microhistory will appeal to anyone with an interest in the Civil War, social history, or photography. The narratives and photographs in Faces of the Civil War Navies shed new light on a lesser-known part of our American story. Taken collectively, these "snapshots" remind us that the history of war is not merely a chronicle of campaigns won and lost, it is the collective personal odysseys of thousands of individual life stories.
Faces of the Civil War: An Album of Union Soldiers and Their Stories
by Ronald S CoddingtonArchival images and biographical sketches of Union soldiers tell the stories of their lives during and after the Civil War.Before leaving to fight in the Civil War, many Union and Confederate soldiers posed for a carte de visite, or visiting card, to give to their families, friends, or sweethearts. Invented in 1854 by a French photographer, the carte de visite was a small photographic print roughly the size of a modern trading card. The format arrived in America on the eve of the Civil War, fueling intense demand for the keepsakes. Many cards of Civil War soldiers survive today, but the experiences?and often the names?of the individuals portrayed have been lost to time. A passionate collector of Civil War–era photography, Ron Coddington researched the history behind these anonymous faces in military records, pension files, and other public and personal documents.In Faces of the Civil War, Coddington presents 77 cartes de visite of Union soldiers from his collection and tells the stories of their lives during and after the war. These soldiers came from all walks of life. All were volunteers. Their personal stories reveal a tremendous diversity in their experience of war: many served with distinction, some were captured, some never saw combat while others saw little else. The lives of survivors were even more disparate. While some made successful transitions back to civilian life, others suffered permanent physical and mental disabilities, which too often wrecked their families and careers. In compelling words and haunting pictures, Faces of the Civil War offers a unique perspective on the most dramatic and wrenching period in American history.