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Writing War
by Aaron William MooreWriting War examines over two hundred diaries, and many more letters, postcards, and memoirs, written by Chinese, Japanese, and American servicemen in the Pacific from 1937 to 1945. As he describes conflicts that have often been overlooked by historians, Aaron William Moore reflects on diaries as tools in the construction of modern identity.
Written in Blood: The Battles for Fortress Przemyl in WWI (Twentieth-Century Battles)
by Graydon A. Tunstall Jr.Bloodier than Verdun, the battles for Fortress Przemyl were pivotal to victory on the Eastern Front during the early years of World War I. Control of the fortress changed hands three times during the fall of 1914. In 1915, the Austro-Hungarian armies launched three major offensives to penetrate the Russian encirclement and relieve the 120,000 trapped in the besieged fortress. Drawing on myriad sources, historian Graydon A. Tunstall tells of the impossible conditions facing the garrison: starvation, "horse-meat" diets, deplorable medical care, prostitution, alcoholism, dismal morale, and a failed breakout attempt. By the time the fortress finally fell to the Russians on March 22, 1915, the Hapsburg Army had sustained 800,000 casualties; the Russians, over a million. The fortress, however, had served its purpose. Tunstall argues that the besieged garrison kept the Russian army from advancing farther and obliterating the already weakening Austro-Hungarian forces at the outset of the War to End All Wars.
Written In Darkness
by Anne S. SomerhausenWritten in Darkness, first published in 1946, is the diary of Belgian Anne Somerhausen, written during the war-time years of 1940 to 1945 – years of invasion, resistance, terror and eventual liberation. Described is life under the Germans: the political and economic administration, controls, deceptions, inflation, money and food shortages, anti-Semitism and increasing violence, black markets, resistance and reprisals, deaths and deportations. Written in Darkness also portrays Somerhausen's own life and that of her family: her need to find a job, her husband away in a prison camp, and her three boys, particularly Luke, the youngest, who wastes away on the meager starvation rations and almost dies, but regains his health through the efforts of kind people in the countryside. The diary remains a classic example of quiet heroism and determination to survive during a grim and frightening period.
Written on the Knee: A Diary from the Greek-Italian Front of WWII
by Helen Electrie LindsayDuring the Greek-Italian conflict of World War II, Dr. Theodore Electris, newly married and idealistic, was called up to the Greek-Italian front in the remote mountains of Albania. <P><P>Homesick, hungry and desperately missing his young wife, Chrysoula, he kept an intimate journal to preserve his experiences for her.Translated by his daughter, Helen Electrie Lindsay, Electris's entries and letters come together in Written on the Knee. Fully illustrated and accompanied by supporting reference material, the collection serves as both an authentic historical document of Greek involvement in WWII and a story of love, separation and family ties threatened and strengthened by war.Often overlooked in the scope of WWII, Greece's six-month conflict with Mussolini's forces played a pivotal role in the war's outcome. The small country's fierce resistance against the Italians delayed Hitler's move into the Soviet Union, which many historians believe turned the war in favor of the Allies.From Dr. Electris's first entry to his last, Written on the Knee captures the true story of love and war during a crucial time in modern history.
Written on the Knee
by Theodore Electris Helen Electrie LindsayDuring the Greek-Italian conflict of World War II, Dr. Theodore Electris, newly married and idealistic, was called up to the Greek-Italian front in the remote mountains of Albania. Homesick, hungry and desperately missing his young wife, Chrysoula, he kept an intimate journal to preserve his experiences for her. Translated by his daughter, Helen Electrie Lindsay, Electris’s entries and letters come together in Written on the Knee. Fully illustrated and accompanied by supporting reference material, the collection serves as both an authentic historical document of Greek involvement in WWII and a story of love, separation and family ties threatened and strengthened by war. Often overlooked in the scope of WWII, Greece’s six-month conflict with Mussolini’s forces played a pivotal role in the war’s outcome. The small country’s fierce resistance against the Italians delayed Hitler’s move into the Soviet Union, which many historians believe turned the war in favor of the Allies. From Dr. Electris’s first entry to his last, Written on the Knee captures the true story of love and war during a crucial time in modern history.
The Wrong End of Time: The Wrong End Of Time, The Ladder In The Sky, And The Productions Of Time
by John BrunnerIn the face of an alien threat, Russia and a xenophobic US must work together to save humanity in &“one of the better science fiction novels of the year&” (Library Journal). In a near future where a paranoid America has sealed itself off from the rest of the world by a vast and complicated defense system, a young Russian scientist infiltrates all defenses to tell an almost unbelievable and truly terrifying story. At the outer reaches of the solar system, near Pluto, has been detected a superior form of intelligent life, far smarter than man and in possession of technology that makes it immune to attack from human weaponry and strong enough to easily destroy planet Earth. Can humans set aside their differences and mutual fears to work together and defeat a common enemy? For each generation, there is a writer meant to bend the rules of what we know. Hugo Award winner (Best Novel, Stand on Zanzibar) and British science fiction master John Brunner remains one of the most influential and respected authors of all time, and now many of his classic works are being reintroduced. For readers familiar with his vision, it is a chance to reexamine his thoughtful worlds and words, while for new readers, Brunner&’s work proves itself the very definition of timeless.
The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan, 2001–2014
by Carlotta GallA journalist with deep knowledge of the region provides &“an enthralling and largely firsthand account of the war in Afghanistan&” (Financial Times). Few reporters know as much about Afghanistan as Carlotta Gall. She was there in the 1990s after the Russians were driven out. She witnessed the early flourishing of radical Islam, imported from abroad, which caused so much local suffering. She was there right after 9/11, when US special forces helped the Northern Alliance drive the Taliban out of the north and then the south, fighting pitched battles and causing their enemies to flee underground and into Pakistan. Gall knows just how much this war has cost the Afghan people—and just how much damage can be traced to Pakistan and its duplicitous government and intelligence forces. Combining searing personal accounts of battles and betrayals with moving portraits of the ordinary Afghans who were caught up in the conflict for more than a decade, The Wrong Enemy is a sweeping account of a war brought by American leaders against an enemy they barely understood and could not truly engage.
The Wrong Goodbye
by Toshihiko YahagiA classic slice of Japanese hard-boiled noir paying homage to the master of the genre: Raymond ChandlerThe Wrong Goodbye pits homicide detective Eiji Futamura against a shady Chinese business empire and U.S. military intelligence in the docklands of recession Japan. After the frozen corpse of immigrant barman Tran Binh Long washes up in midsummer near Yokosuka U.S. Navy Base, Futamura meets a strange customer from Tran's bar. Vietnam vet pilot Billy Lou Bonney talks Futamura into hauling three suitcases of "goods" to Yokota US Air Base late at night and flies off leaving a dead woman behind. Thereby implicated in a murder suspect's escape and relieved from active duty, Futamura takes on hack work for the beautiful concert violinist Aileen Hsu, a "boat people" orphan whose Japanese adoption mother has mysteriously gone missing. And now a phone call from a bestselling yakuza author, a one-time black marketeer in Saigon, hints at inside information on "former Vietcong mole" Tran and his "old sidekick" Billy Lou, both of whom crossed a triad tycoon who is buying up huge tracts of Mekong Delta marshland for a massive development scheme. As the loose strands flashback to Vietnam, the string of official lies and mysterious allegiances build into a dark picture of the U.S.-Japan postwar alliance. Translated from the Japanese by Alfred Birnbaum
The Wrong Goodbye
by Toshihiko YahagiA classic slice of Japanese hard-boiled noir paying homage to the master of the genre: Raymond ChandlerThe Wrong Goodbye pits homicide detective Eiji Futamura against a shady Chinese business empire and U.S. military intelligence in the docklands of recession Japan. After the frozen corpse of immigrant barman Tran Binh Long washes up in midsummer near Yokosuka U.S. Navy Base, Futamura meets a strange customer from Tran's bar. Vietnam vet pilot Billy Lou Bonney talks Futamura into hauling three suitcases of "goods" to Yokota US Air Base late at night and flies off leaving a dead woman behind. Thereby implicated in a murder suspect's escape and relieved from active duty, Futamura takes on hack work for the beautiful concert violinist Aileen Hsu, a "boat people" orphan whose Japanese adoption mother has mysteriously gone missing. And now a phone call from a bestselling yakuza author, a one-time black marketeer in Saigon, hints at inside information on "former Vietcong mole" Tran and his "old sidekick" Billy Lou, both of whom crossed a triad tycoon who is buying up huge tracts of Mekong Delta marshland for a massive development scheme. As the loose strands flashback to Vietnam, the string of official lies and mysterious allegiances build into a dark picture of the U.S.-Japan postwar alliance. Translated from the Japanese by Alfred Birnbaum(P)2021 Quercus Editions Limited
The Wrong Stuff (Destroyer #125)
by Richard Sapir Warren MurphyIt's a blast to the past for CURE when an old foe finds a new home at NASA. KILL, CRUSH DESTROY... A mechanical killer space spider goes on the rampage in Florida. This, however, is no simple angry arachnid robbing armored cars and supermarkets. It's the adopted new brainchild of the reality-challenged head of NASA and his elite cadre of Space Cadets. But not even Captain Kirk is aware of the nightmare that's been unleashed in the name of interplanetary exploration. An old enemy is back in action and, with a click and a whir, can morph from titanium spider into his ugly old android self. And with NASA and America's favorite horror writer in his steel-plated back pocket, he's got a leg-or eight-up on his true mission: destroy the Destroyer. This time, failure is not an option.
Wrong Turn: America's Deadly Embrace of Counter-Insurgency
by Colonel Gian GentileA searing indictment of US strategy in Afghanistan from a distinguished military leader and West Point military historian—&“A remarkable book&” (National Review). In 2008, Col. Gian Gentile exposed a growing rift among military intellectuals with an article titled &“Misreading the Surge Threatens U.S. Army&’s Conventional Capabilities,&” that appeared in World Politics Review. While the years of US strategy in Afghanistan had been dominated by the doctrine of counterinsurgency (COIN), Gentile and a small group of dissident officers and defense analysts began to question the necessity and efficacy of COIN—essentially armed nation-building—in achieving the United States&’ limited core policy objective in Afghanistan: the destruction of Al Qaeda. Drawing both on the author&’s experiences as a combat battalion commander in the Iraq War and his research into the application of counterinsurgency in a variety of historical contexts, Wrong Turn is a brilliant summation of Gentile&’s views of the failures of COIN, as well as a trenchant reevaluation of US operations in Afghanistan. &“Gentile is convinced that Obama&’s &‘surge&’ in Afghanistan can&’t work. . . . And, if Afghanistan doesn&’t turn around soon, the Democrats . . . who have come to embrace the Petraeus-Nagl view of modern warfare . . . may find themselves wondering whether it&’s time to go back to the drawing board.&” —The New Republic
The Wrong War: Grit, Strategy, and the Way out of Afghanistan
by Bing WestAmerica cannot afford to lose the war in Afghanistan, and yet Americans cannot win it. In this definitive account of the conflict, acclaimed war correspondent and bestselling author Bing West provides a practical way out. Drawing on his expertise as both a combat-hardened Marine and a former assistant secretary of defense, West has written a tour de force narrative that shows the consequences when strategic theory meets tactical reality. Having embedded with dozens of frontline units over the past two years, he takes the reader on a battlefield journey from the mountains in the north to the opium fields in the south. West--dubbed "the grunt's Homer"--shows why the Taliban fear the ferocity of our soldiers. Each chapter, rich with vivid characters and gritty combat, illustrates a key component of dogged campaigns that go on for years. These never-ending battles show why idealistic theories about counterinsurgency have bogged us down for a decade. The official rhetoric denies reality. Instead of turning the population against the Taliban, our lavish aid has created a culture of entitlement and selfishness. Our senior commanders are risk-averse, while our troops know the enemy respects only the brave. A fighter who understands strategy, West builds the case for changing course. As long as we do most of the fighting, the Afghans will hold back. Yet the Afghan military will crumble without our combat troops. His conclusion is sure to provoke debate: remove most of the troops from Afghanistan, stop spending billions on the dream of a modern democracy, transition to a tough adviser corps, and insist the Afghans fight their own battles. Amid debate about this maddening war, Bing West's book is a page-turner about brave men and cunning enemies that examines our realistic choices as a nation.From the Hardcover edition.
Wuhan 1938: War, Refugees, and the Making of Modern China
by Stephen R. MackinnonDuring the spring of 1938, a flood of Chinese refugees displaced by the Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945) converged on the central Yangzi valley tri-city complex of Wuhan. Stephen MacKinnon tells the full story of Wuhan's defense and fall, and how the siege's aftermath led to new directions in the history of modern Chinese culture, society, and politics.
Wunderland: A Novel
by Jennifer Cody EpsteinAn intimate portrait of a friendship severed by history, and a sweeping saga of wartime, motherhood, and legacy by an award-winning novelist East Village, 1989 Things had never been easy between Ava Fisher and her estranged mother Ilse. Too many questions hovered between them: Who was Ava's father? Where had Ilse been during the war? Why had she left her only child in a German orphanage during the war’s final months? But now Ilse’s ashes have arrived from Germany, and with them, a trove of unsent letters addressed to someone else unknown to Ava: Renate Bauer, a childhood friend. As her mother’s letters unfurl a dark past, Ava spirals deep into the shocking history of a woman she never truly knew. Berlin, 1933 As the Nazi party tightens its grip on the city, Ilse and Renate find their friendship under siege—and Ilse’s increasing involvement in the Hitler Youth movement leaves them on opposing sides of the gathering storm. Then the Nuremburg Laws force Renate to confront a long-buried past, and a catastrophic betrayal is set in motion. . . . An unflinching exploration of Nazi Germany and its legacy, Wunderland is a at once a powerful portrait of an unspeakable crime history and a page-turning contemplation of womanhood, wartime, and just how far we might go in order to belong. Praise for Wunderland“The title of this searing account of life in Nazi Germany alludes to Alice’s Adventures—and the surreal feeling of watching what you thought was true exposed as false. . . . Inspired by the memoir of a Hitler Youth member, it’s a heartbreaking page-turner.”—People (Book of the Week)“Engrossing . . . Epstein reveals the devastating choices these women make.”—Real Simple “Wunderland is both an engrossing family drama and a foray into a dark period of history . . . a wholly original angle to the WWII novel. You’ll read it in one shivered sitting.”—Refinery29 “[A] heartbreaking historical tour de force . . . Man’s inhumanity to man—and the redemptive power of forgiveness—is on stark and effective display in Epstein’s gripping novel, a devastating tale bound for bestseller lists.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
WW III #10: Payback
by Ian SlaterOld soldiers never die. They just come back for more. Three terrorist missiles have struck three jetliners filled with innocent people. America knows this shock all too well. But unlike 9/11, the nation is already on a war footing. The White House and Pentagon are primed. All they need now is a target and someone bold--and expendable--enough to strike it. That someone is retired Gen. Douglas Freeman, the infamous warrior who has proved his courage, made his enemies, and built his legend from body-strewn battlegrounds to the snake pits of Washington. Using a team of "retired" Special Forces operatives and a top-secret, still-unproven stealth attack craft, Freeman sets off to obliterate the source of the missiles, a weapons stockpile in North Korea. Some desktop warriors expect Freeman to fail--especially when an unexpected foe meets his team on the Sea of Japan. But Freeman won't turn back even as his plan explodes in his face and the Pacific Rim roils over--because this old soldier can taste his ultimate reward.
WW III #11: Darpa Alpha
by Ian SlaterIn a bold and devastating move against the United States, terrorists have hijacked Project Darpa Alpha, classified advanced technology that can transform rifle rounds into tank crushers. The White House is stunned at the magnitude of the assault. General Douglas Freeman has already tried and failed to stop the enemy from transporting Darpa Alpha off U. S. soil. Now he's about to get his second-and last-chance. U. S. intelligence has traced the theft to a terrifying military state-within-a-state on...
WW III #8: South China Sea
by Ian SlaterOn the South China Sea an oil rig erupts in flames--as AK-47 tracer rounds stitch the night and men die in pools of blood. The SOSUS underwater network catapults news of the attack to Washington--while ChiCom troops mass on the Vietnamese border. Ten divisions of Chinese shock troops blast their way south, overrunning the U.S.-U.N-led Emergency Response Force. But the West's best warriors fight back. U.S. Special Forces, British SAS, and the legendary Gurkhas, their Kukri knives drawn, go toe-to-toe with the invaders. Tomcats and F-18s pulverize the jungle. And the Military Sealift Command hurls Aegis cruisers and Wasp--Iwo Jima, and Spruance--class attack ships--spearheaded by Sea Wolf subs--into the South China Sea. From Japan to Malaysia, the Pacific Rim is ablaze--in a hell called ... WORLD WAR III. "Superior to the Tom Clancy genre, with characters that came alive ... and the military aspect far more realistic." --The Spectator.
WW2 in Europe (Great Battles for Boys)
by Joe Giorello Sibella GiorelloBeginning with Hitler's invasion of Poland, Great Battles for Boys: WW2 Europe takes young readers to the front lines of the war’s most important clashes. Boys will discover the raw history of warfare and learn the battles in chronological order. From Stalingrad’s hand-to-hand street fighting and the world's largest tank action at Kursk to the spy-led invasion of Sicily and the surprise D-Day invasion of Normandy—and many other exciting battles!
WW2 in the Pacific (Great Battles for Boys)
by Joe Giorello Sibella GiorelloGreat Battles for Boys takes young readers to the front lines of history's most important fights. In this episode of the best-selling history series, the story opens with the Flying Tigers, those wild American soldiers fighting Japan before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After the deadly surprise attack on Hawaii, the battles storm across the Pacific in the lethal "island hopping" military strategy that brought Victory Over Japan.
WWII: A Chronicle of Soldiering
by James JonesThis &“unique and fascinating&” WWII memoir by the acclaimed author of From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line &“stands out as one of the most vivid&” (The Wall Street Journal). In 1975, James Jones was chosen to write the text for an oversized coffee table book featuring visual art from World War II. The book was a best seller, praised for both its images and for Jones&’s text. In subsequent decades, when it became impossible to reproduce the book with its original artwork, it fell out of print and was forgotten. But now, this edition of WWII makes Jones&’s stunning text—his only extended nonfiction writing on the war—available once again. Moving chronologically and thematically through the complex history of World War II, Jones interweaves his own vivid memories of soldiering in the Pacific—from the look on a Japanese fighter pilot&’s face as he bombed Pearl Harbor, so close that Jones could see him smile and wave, to hitting the beach under fire in Guadalcanal—while always returning to resounding larger themes. While much of WWII is a tribute to the commitment of American soldiers, Jones also pulls no punches when recounting questionable strategic choices, wartime suffering, disorganization, the needless loss of life, and the brutal realization that a soldier is merely a cog in a heartless machine
WWII Battle Trivia for Kids: Fascinating Facts about the Biggest Battles, Invasions and Victories of World War II
by Brette SemberImmerse yourself in action-packed trivia all about the largest and most infamous battles of WWII—perfect for middle-grade readers!Learn about what life was like on the battlefield, the first battle fought, blitzkriegs, submarines, and so much more! Written in question-and-answer format, this book is perfect for reluctant readers or any kid who just loves history. With the most interesting facts and historical photographs from 1939 to 1945, readers will feel like they are on the frontlines and in the trenches. Discover the answers to questions like: Who was the youngest American who fought in WWII? Who fought the war on skis? What was the shortest battle in the war? Who was the most decorated woman in WWII? And many more! Plus, kids will discover fascinating new facts on battles they might already be familiar with, including Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Bulge, the Invasion of Normandy, and more.
Wylie: The Brave Street Dog Who Never Gave Up
by Pen Farthing'When people gave up on Wylie, Wylie refused to give up on people.'For a street dog born in the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan, to be crowned top dog at Scruffts, a competition for crossbreeds held during Crufts, the largest dog show on earth, is nothing short of a miracle. But for Wylie, the gentle, cropped eared ball of fur, miracles seemed to happen quite regularly. Beaten and abused while being used as a bait dog, Wylie suffered terrible injuries that needed urgent treatment. Rescued close to death, with hacked off ears and a severed tail, he was attended to by soldiers who feared he would not last the night. Astonishingly he did, only to return days later with new injuries. However a lifeline came when he was handed over to animal welfare Charity Nowzad and flown to Britain in the hope of finding a new life. But would anyone take a chance on a seemingly nervous and undomesticated stray? Luckily for Wylie his biggest adventure yet was about to begin...This is the incredible and heart-warming story, full of tragedy and triumph, of a dog who never gave up hope.
Wylie: The Brave Street Dog Who Never Gave Up
by Pen Farthing'When people gave up on Wylie, Wylie refused to give up on people.'For a street dog born in the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan, to be crowned top dog at Scruffts, a competition for crossbreeds held during Crufts, the largest dog show on earth, is nothing short of a miracle. But for Wylie, the gentle, cropped eared ball of fur, miracles seemed to happen quite regularly. Beaten and abused while being used as a bait dog, Wylie suffered terrible injuries that needed urgent treatment. Rescued close to death, with hacked off ears and a severed tail, he was attended to by soldiers who feared he would not last the night. Astonishingly he did, only to return days later with new injuries. However a lifeline came when he was handed over to animal welfare Charity Nowzad and flown to Britain in the hope of finding a new life. But would anyone take a chance on a seemingly nervous and undomesticated stray? Luckily for Wylie his biggest adventure yet was about to begin...This is the incredible and heart-warming story, full of tragedy and triumph, of a dog who never gave up hope.
Wynne's War: A Novel
by Aaron Gwyn"The book's pacing is cinematic . . . adrenalized." -- New York Times "Rich in equestrian and military detail . . . It'd take wild horses to pull you away." -- Entertainment Weekly When Corporal Elijah Russell's superb horsemanship is revealed during a firefight in northern Iraq, the young army Ranger is assigned to an elite Special Forces unit preparing to stage a secret mission in eastern Afghanistan. Russell's task is to train the Green Berets -- fiercely loyal to their enigmatic commander, Captain Wynne -- to ride the horses they will use to execute this mission through treacherous mountain terrain. But as the team presses farther into enemy territory, the nature of the operation only becomes more mysterious and Wynne's charismatic power takes on a darker cast. Ultimately, Russell finds himself forced to make a choice: on one side, his best friend and his most deeply held beliefs; on the other, a commanding officer driven by a messianic zeal for his mission. This taut, action-packed novel fuses the Western and the war story into a compellingly original tale. "This novel feels like Cormac McCarthy meets Tim O'Brien. I could not stop reading it." -- Philipp Meyer, author of The Son [author photo] © Mark Fortenberry
Wyoming Cowboy Bodyguard (Carsons And Delaneys: Battle Tested Ser. #4)
by Nicole HelmHer bodyguard was murdered.Will she be next?Following her scandalous divorce, fans turned on country music “bad girl” Daisy Delaney. Now someone wants her dead. But former FBI agent Zach Simmons isn’t letting this violent psychopath get any closer to Daisy. Because the bodyguard will do whatever it takes to protect the bad girl he’s falling for…