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The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
by Walter Isaacson Evan ThomasWith a new introduction by the authors, this is the classic account of the American statesmen who rebuilt the world after the catastrophe of World War II.A captivating blend of personal biography and public drama, The Wise Men introduces six close friends who shaped the role their country would play in the dangerous years following World War II.They were the original best and brightest, whose towering intellects, outsize personalities, and dramatic actions would bring order to the postwar chaos and leave a legacy that dominates American policy to this day.The Wise Men shares the stories of Averell Harriman, the freewheeling diplomat and Roosevelt&’s special envoy to Churchill and Stalin; Dean Acheson, the secretary of state who was more responsible for the Truman Doctrine than Truman and for the Marshall Plan than General Marshall; George Kennan, self-cast outsider and intellectual darling of the Washington elite; Robert Lovett, assistant secretary of war, undersecretary of state, and secretary of defense throughout the formative years of the Cold War; John McCloy, one of the nation&’s most influential private citizens; and Charles Bohlen, adroit diplomat and ambassador to the Soviet Union.
Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story
by Ricardo S. Sanchez Donald T. PhillipsAmidst all of the criticisms of America's war in Iraq, one essential voice has remained silent . . . until now. In his groundbreaking new memoir, Wiser in Battle, LTG (Ret) Ricardo S. Sanchez, former Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq, reports back from the front lines of the global War on Terror to provide a comprehensive and chilling exploration of America's historic military and foreign policy blunder.
The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill
by Max Morris'The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.'This inspiring collection gathers together Winston Churchill’s wisest and wittiest quotations.The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill showcases his finest hour and is sure to delight all admirers of this great British statesman’s rousing and compelling way with words.
The Witch's Kind: A Novel
by Louisa MorganAn absorbing tale of love, sacrifice, family ties, and magic, set in the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of World War II, by the author of A Secret History of Witches Barrie Anne Blythe and her aunt Charlotte have always known that the other residents of their small coastal community find them peculiar -- two women living alone on the outskirts of town. It is the price of concealing their strange and dangerous family secret. But two events threaten to upend their lives forever. The first is the arrival of a mysterious abandoned baby with a hint of power like their own. The second is the sudden reappearance of Barrie Anne's long-lost husband -- who is not quite the man she thought she married. Together, Barrie Anne and Charlotte must decide how far they are willing to go to protect themselves -- and the child they think of as their own -- from suspicious neighbors, the government, and even their own family...For more from Louisa Morgan, check out A Secret History of Witches.
With 6th Airborne Division in Palestine, 1945–1948
by Major General Dare WilsonThe 6th Airborne Division was a major element of the British Security Force in Palestine between September, 1945 and May 1948. Faced with the unenviable task of upholding the law in a lawless country, the individual British soldier had to face continual opposition from a hostile Jewish community. This story is described by General Wilson, then a Major, who served with the division during this period. The mission of British forces was simply "to keep the peace". To achieve this goal, the 6th Airborne Division conducted a variety of counter-insurgency operations in both urban and rural environments. These operations were designed to locate illegal arms caches, limit Jewish-Arab violence and capture dissidents who had attacked British positions. The destruction of the King David Hotel, the most famous terrorist attack of the Mandate period, is treated in great detail. With 6th Airborne Division in Palestine 1945 - 48 is a tribute to the British soldier. It is also an excellent case study in unconventional warfare. It will be of great interest to any student of the intricate problem that Palestine presents.
With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France & Italy: April 1915 to the Armistice
by V.F. EberleA memoir of the First World War from the rare perspective of an engineer.VF Eberle MC joined up upon the outbreak of the war in No 2 Field Company Royal Engineers, 48th (South Midland) Division, the same company as his brother, who was a captain. He was commissioned before sailing for France at the end of March 1915 and remained with it for the rest of the war. In that time he saw action on the Somme and in the Advance to the Hindenburg Line before his Division took part for most of the Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele). Transferred to Italy at the end of 1917, he took part in the final stages of the war, including the Battle of Asiago. Besides his eloquent description of the work of a field company RE, he spends some time in outlining his role in the development of the Bangalore Torpedo.Based on his wartime letters, diaries, and records—which can now be consulted in the Imperial War Museum—this book gives a detailed picture of the employment of a field company in war, during both periods of both relative tranquility and major offensives. There are relatively few memoirs of Royal Engineers’ officers, especially of those in his position, so close to the line. The memoirs benefit from his key eye for observation and his skillful use of the material available to him, making this a fine addition to the literature of the Great War.
With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France & Italy: April 1915 to the Armistice
by V.F. EberleA memoir of the First World War from the rare perspective of an engineer.VF Eberle MC joined up upon the outbreak of the war in No 2 Field Company Royal Engineers, 48th (South Midland) Division, the same company as his brother, who was a captain. He was commissioned before sailing for France at the end of March 1915 and remained with it for the rest of the war. In that time he saw action on the Somme and in the Advance to the Hindenburg Line before his Division took part for most of the Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele). Transferred to Italy at the end of 1917, he took part in the final stages of the war, including the Battle of Asiago. Besides his eloquent description of the work of a field company RE, he spends some time in outlining his role in the development of the Bangalore Torpedo.Based on his wartime letters, diaries, and records—which can now be consulted in the Imperial War Museum—this book gives a detailed picture of the employment of a field company in war, during both periods of both relative tranquility and major offensives. There are relatively few memoirs of Royal Engineers’ officers, especially of those in his position, so close to the line. The memoirs benefit from his key eye for observation and his skillful use of the material available to him, making this a fine addition to the literature of the Great War.
With a Smile and a Wave: The Life of Captain Aidan Liddell VC MC
by Peter DaybellDuring the late summer of 1915 Captain Aidan Liddell's gallant exploits filled many newspaper columns and he was feted as a national hero. Already decorated for bravery while serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and it was as a pilot that he attracted national acclaim.Badly wounded over enemy occupied Belgium, Liddell lost consciousness as his two-seater RE5 aircraft was raked by machine gun fire, and plunged out of control towards the ground. Despite terrible injuries and the extensive damage to his machine, he somehow recovered from an inverted dive and flew on for a further half an hour to the safety of the Allied lines, so saving his observer and a valuable aircraft.For this action he was awarded the Victoria Cross, but did not live to receive Britain's highest gallantry award and succumbed to his wounds a month later. With a Smile and a Wave provides a vivid picture of the squalor and danger of war, the backbreaking hardship of trench life and of the challenges of pioneer air fighting. It draws extensively on Captain Liddell's own letters and diaries and exposes the character and courage of the man in his own often compelling and moving words. But it is a story not just of war, but of growing up in a devout and prosperous family, of a Jesuit education at Stonyhurst College, and of Edwardian Oxford before the Great War. It portrays the privileged lifestyle of the English country gentleman, and describes how a very close knit and patriotic family dealt with the adversity of war.
With a Sword in One Hand and Jomini in the Other
by Carol ReardonWhen the Civil War began, Northern soldiers and civilians alike sought a framework to help make sense of the chaos that confronted them. Many turned first to the classic European military texts from the Napoleonic era, especially Antoine Henri Jomini's Summary of the Art of War. As Carol Reardon shows, Jomini's work was only one voice in what ultimately became a lively and contentious national discourse about how the North should conduct war at a time when warfare itself was rapidly changing. She argues that the absence of a strong intellectual foundation for the conduct of war at its start--or, indeed, any consensus on the need for such a foundation--ultimately contributed to the length and cost of the conflict.Reardon examines the great profusion of new or newly translated military texts of the Civil War years, intended to fill that intellectual void, and draws as well on the views of the soldiers and civilians who turned to them in the search for a winning strategy. In examining how debates over principles of military thought entered into the question of qualifications of officers entrusted to command the armies of Northern citizen soldiers, she explores the limitations of nineteenth-century military thought in dealing with the human elements of combat.
With Alex at War: From the Irrawaddy to the Po, 1941–1945
by Rupert ClarkeAs a young Irish Guards Officer in 1940, Sir Rupert Clarke became ADC to Alexander, already a distinguished officer thanks to his intelligence and courage.Alex had been the last senior officer to leave the Dunkirk beaches. For the next 4 years, the author was Alex's constant companion. In this book he shares the excitement and experiences of those years. Alex had Churchill's unwavering confidence, protected Montgomery like no other could, and was respected and loved by those who served him
With An Ambulance During The Franco-German War [Illustrated Edition]: Personal Experiences And Adventures With Both Armies, 1870-1871
by Dr Charles Edward Ryan[Illustrated with portrait of the Author and additional maps]"A classic of 19th century war reportage by an Irish surgeon who led an ambulance unit on both sides of the Franco-Prussian War. Includes eye witness descriptions of the debacle at Sedan and the gruelling siege of Paris.Charles Ryan was an Irish surgeon from Tipperary who served with a horse-drawn Anglo-American ambulance unit in the latter stages of the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War. This vivid account of his experiences is a fascinating glimpse of the war and the siege of Paris which concluded it from a civilian whose work involved him at the sharp end. The book opens by describing the disastrous French debacle at Sedan where an army, commanded by the Emperor Napoleon III in person, was trapped and crushed by the artillery of surrounding Prussian forces, despite heroic charges by the French cavalry. Later in the war, Ryan's unit saw the war at close quarters on both sides of the lines - inside besieged Paris; and at the Prussian HQ at Versailles. Because this account, compiled from Ryan's own recollections and his letters home, was not originally written for publication, it has a freshness and an immediacy that make it a classic of 19th century humane war reportage."-N&M Print Version.
With The Battle Cruisers [Illustrated Edition]
by Filson YoungContains 54 illustrations and 3 maps.By the time that Filson Young found himself aboard Admiral Sir David Beatty's flagship in the North Sea just before the First World War he had a varied career as a novelist, journalist and war correspondent. He had been a special reporter during the Boer War and also written about naval subjects such as the voyages of Christopher Columbus and the Titanic. In this novel, also known as "With Beatty in the North Sea" chronicles his time as a Royal Naval Reserve Lieutenant with the Grand Fleet in 1915-1916, and he provides a gripping eye-witness account of the Battle of Dogger Bank. He left the Navy in 1916 before the battle of Jutland. He recorded his experiences a few years later of his life at sea in the Grand Fleet in this book which captures but the action of the battle and the personalities of the crews he served with.
With Bayonets Fixed: The 12th & 13th Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry in the Great War
by John SheenIn August and September 1914 the Regimental Depot of the Durham Light Infantry at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle was overwhelmed by the number of men enlisting. Accommodation was tight so the men were formed into batches and sent off to training grounds in the south of England. Over 2,000 men were sent to Bulllswater near Woking in Surrey where they became the 12th and 13th Battalions of the DLI serving in 68 Brigade of the 23rd Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Sir James Babington KCB KCMG. The Division never failed to take an objective between 1915 and 1918.After initial training around Aldershot and Ashford, in May they embarked for France on 25 August 1915. In November Private Thomas Kenny, of the 13th DLI, a miner from Wingate, County Durham, won the Victoria Cross rescuing his wounded officer. In the summer of 1916 they joined the fighting on the Somme and took part in the capture of Contalmaison on 10 July. In October the two battalions took part in the capture of Le Sars before being sent north to the Ypres Salient. In Flanders they took part in the Battle of Messines and the 3rd Battle of Ypres. In November 1917 the 23rd Division was ordered to the Italian Front. The 12th and 13th Battalions were initially deployed on the Montello before moving into the mountainous region of the Asiago Plateau. They were attacked by the Austrians on 15 June 1918, however, the only enemy soldiers that entered the Durhams' trenches did so as prisoners, brought in by men of the two battalions. The 13th DLI was ordered back to France in September 1918 where it took part in the advance to victory; the battalion suffered many casualties in the last six weeks of the war. The 12th DLI remained in Italy and took part in the crossing of the River Piave in October 1918 and the Battle of Vittorio Veneto that led to the end of the war in Italy.The book uses unpublished memoirs and diaries along with letters from officers and men of both battalions. Using the soldiers personal documents this book reveals many of the tragic stories that led to unnecessary loss of life. Lists of gallantry awards and nominal rolls of officers of both battalions are included.
With Blood and Iron
by Douglas ReemanIt's January 1944. On the vast grey waters of the Atlantic the balance of power has shifted. For Rudolf Steiger, ace U-boat commander, there is a new sense of urgency. Dedicated, ruthless, fanatical, he has become a legend in his own time, a symbol of Germany's greatness. But now, he faces a new and deadly enemy.
With British Snipers to the Reich
by Capt. C. ShoreFirst published in 1948, this book is a practical guide to the sniper’s art in World War II. Captain Shore’s enthusiasm for firearms and especially for rifles led him to take every possible opportunity to try out different weapons, ammunition and methods of shooting. His interest was combined with sound common sense, and he would never countenance a rumour about a particular weapon or incident unless he was able to confirm it for himself.As a result everything in this book is based on his personal experience. In World War II Captain Shore took part in the British landings at D-Day, and fought in Normandy and northern Europe. He came across many different weapons in varying condition, some of the worst being those used by the Dutch and Belgian resistance fighters. He was keen to learn from experienced snipers and then to train others, and he became an officer sniping instructor at the British Army of the Rhine Training Centre.He shares a wealth of first-hand knowledge of different rifles, pistols, machine guns, ammunition, telescopes, binoculars and all the equipment a sniper should carry. This is not only an account of sniping in World War II but also a guide to all aspects of sniping based on personal knowledge and experience in training and battle. Illustrated heavily with photos, pictures and other illustrations of snipers, their weapons and their tactics.
With The Camel Corps Up the Nile
by Edward GleichenA fine account by one of its officers of the role of the Camel Corps in the abortive attempt to save Gen. Gordon and Khartoum in 1885. Despite the grim context the book manages to be witty on the subject of camels.An intriguing account of the part played by the Camel Corps in the 1885 expedition mounted—too late, in the author’s opinion—by the Gladstone Government in the forlorn hope of saving Khartoum from the forces of the Mahdi, and rescuing General Gordon. Gleichen was an aristocratic officer of the Grenadier Guards seconded—to his great joy—to the Camel Corps from garrison duty in Dublin. His book is a record of battles fought and won, of dangers run and difficulties overcome—and of ultimate frustration when the ‘worst possible news’ arrives of Gordon’s death. En route the reader learns a great deal about the behaviour and management of camels. With four appendices on the Camel Corp’s composition and losses, and illustrated with the author’s own talented and witty drawings and a map.-Print ed.
With The Cameliers In Palestine
by Major James Robertson"Major Robertson is doing a great service to his old comrades in publishing this History of the New Zealand Companies of the Camel Corps. In New Zealand as in Australia, it is only natural that more interest has been shown in the Western theatre of the Great War than in the Eastern theatres as the great bulk of their soldiers served in the former. The Palestine campaign is consequently little known in these countries. Nevertheless, that campaign has been more used as a "text book" for the examination of officers in the British Army than any other phase of the Great War. In fact it bids fair to take the place of Stonewall Jackson's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley which had been used for this purpose for several generations before the Great War. In spite of the fact that no American troops fought in Palestine, Lord Allenby's campaign is better known in the United States Army, particularly in the cavalry, than it is in Australia and New Zealand whose troops played such an important part in it."Owing to its extreme mobility and suitability for desert warfare, The Imperial Camel Corps Brigade had many and varied roles to fill, all of which were filled with credit to the brigade and its gallant leader. The map of Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula is better known to its members than to any other troops. In Palestine where there is little desert, the particular value of their camels largely disappeared, but the brigade held its own with the cavalry in the fighting round Beersheba, the pursuit up the Philistine Plain, and the raid on Amman. After their transformation to cavalry, as the 14th and 15th Australian Light Horse Regiments and the 2nd New Zealand Machine Gun Squadron, the Australian and New Zealand "Cameliers" well upheld their traditions in the Battle of Megiddo and the advance on, and capture of, Damascus."-Introduction
With Cavalry In 1915, The British Trooper In The Trench Line, Through Second Battle Of Ypres [Illustrated Edition]
by Frederic Abernethy ColemanFrederic Coleman returns to the front with the British Army in 1915 after his adventures in 1914, as recounted in his first reminiscences "From Mons to Ypres with General French". Once again attached to the British cavalry, grand movements had ceased and the positional war of attrition, artillery and trenches would dominate from then to the end of the war. 1915 would see much hard fighting and the cavalry divisions would often be pressed into service in the trenches alongside the infantry. The early months of 1915 were a period of relative quiet, which allowed the author to tour and recount the devastated scenery of Ypres, St. Eloi and all along the line; he also records the effects of war on the civilian French and Belgian populations as he tours along in his car. However, as the year goes on, the Spring would see the second battle of Ypres and the advent of the use of poison gas. Hard pressed all along the line, Coleman paints vivid picture of the desperate measures undertaken by the British to hold on at all costs.An excellent First World War One memoir.Author -- Frederic Abernethy Coleman 1876-1931Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in London: S. Low, Marston & co., limited, 1916.Original Page Count - xvi and 302 pages.Illustrations - numerous illustrations throughout.
With Commodore Perry to Japan
by John A. Wolter John J. Mcdonough David A RanzanWith Commodore Perry to Japan offers a personable account of Commodore Perry's expedition to Japan through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old purser's clerk of the Mississippi. The National Historic Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC) -endorsed documentary edition provides excellent coverage of both the political mission of the Perry expedition - the opening of relations with Japan - and of the social history of a naval warship as well. Speiden kept entries on a regular basis, although not always daily, and he filled more than three hundred, closely written pages dating from 9 March 1852 to 16 February 1855. Adding significantly to the interest of Speiden's account are nearly seventy illustrations ranging from hand drawn, pen-and-ink scenes of everyday life sketched by Speiden and other members of the crew to exquisitely colored and detailed pith paintings by Chinese artists.Before its departure for Japan, the Mississippi made calls at several ports on the East Coast and also devoted more than a month to investigating problems involving fishing rights in Canadian waters. On 24 November 1852, following a visit from President Millard Fillmore, the Mississippi headed across the Atlantic Ocean. After a brief stop at Madeira and a visit ashore at St. Helena, where Napoleon's gravesite was described and sketched, the Mississippi headed for the Cape of Good Hope. Cape Town was reached on 24 January 1853, and after a stay of ten days, where Speiden visited the countryside remarking on the turmoil between the English and the Xhosa tribes, the voyage was continued across the Indian Ocean by way of Mauritius, Ceylon, Malacca, and Singapore to Macao and Hong Kong.On 31 March 1854, Speiden was among the few select officers in the landing party on the great occasion, the signing of the treaty between the United States and Japan. As a young purser's clerk Speiden played only a minor role in these historic undertakings but he was enthusiastic and alert, and made the most of his situation and the opportunities it presented. A return visit, occupying most of June, was made to Shimoda before sailing for Hong Kong by way of the Loo Choo Islands. On 12 September 1854, Speiden and the Mississippi went to sea the following day, and the remainder of his journal, filling thirty-two pages, recounts visits to Honolulu, San Francisco (including a trip to the gold fields near Sacramento), and Valparaiso.
With Courage: The U.S. Army Air Forces In WWII
by Bernard C. Nalty Alfred M. BeckThe four years between 1941 and 1945 were years in which the nation raised and trained an air armada and committed it to operations on a scale unknown to that time. With Courage: The U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II retells the story of sacrifice, valor, and achievements in air campaigns against tough determined adversaries. It describes the development of a uniquely American doctrine for the application of air power against an opponent's key industries and centers of national life, a doctrine whose legacy today is the Global Reach-Global Power strategic planning framework of the modern U.S. Air Force. The narrative integrates aspects of strategic intelligence, logistics, technology, and leadership to offer a full yet concise account of the contributions of American air power to victory in that war.--Print Ed.
With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and his German Allies in the 1809 Campaign
by John H. GillWhen Napoleon's Grand Armee went to war against the might of the Habsburg empire in 1809, its forces included more than 100,000 allied German troops. From his earliest imperial campaigns, these troops provided played a key role as Napoleon swept from victory to victory and in 1809 their fighting abilities were crucial to the campaign. With Napoleon's French troops depleted and debilitated after the long struggle in the Spanish War, the German troops for the first time played a major combat role in the centre of the battle line.Aiming at a union of German states under French protection to replace the decrepit Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon sought to expand French influence in central Germany at the expense of the Austrian and Prussian monarchies, ensuring Frances own security. The campaign Napoleon waged in 1809 was his career watershed. He suffered his first reverse at Aspern. Victory was achieved at Wagram was not the knock-out blow he had envisaged.In this epic work, John Gill presents an unprecedented and comprehensive study of this year of glory for the German soldiers fighting for Napoleon, When combat opened they were in the thick of the action, fighting within French divisions and often without any French support at all. They demonstrated tremendous skill, courage and loyalty.
With Fidel: A Portrait of Castro and Cuba
by Frank Mankiewicz Kirby Jones Fidel CastroThis book is the result of three trips to Cuba in 1974 and 1975 by Frank Mankiewicz and Kirby Jones. The first trip lasted from June 29 to July 21, 1974; the second from September 28 to October 6, 1974; and the third from January 24 to February 4, 1975. The main purpose of the trips was to conduct an in-depth interview with Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro for American television. Over the course of four days and nights from July 18 to July 21, we spent more than eleven hours in formal interview with Castro and another twelve hours in informal conversation and traveling with him by jeep throughout the Havana area. All conversations with Castro were conducted in Spanish. During the second trip, there were an additional two hours of filmed interview, and over six hours were spent meeting informally with Castro.
With A Field Ambulance At Ypres, Being Letters Written March 7-August 15, 1915: Being Letters Written March 7, To August 15, 1915 (1916)
by William BoydAs an Allied soldier, the Ypres salient was a hellish tongue of land to serve in during the First World War. Overlooked by German forces, surrounded on three sides by the enemies' guns, with little or no protection from the land features, it became a symbol of the stubborn resistance of the Allied soldier in the thin grim trenches. The troops faced shells, bullets, mortars, grenades and poison on a daily basis, whilst only just behind the frontline the Royal Army Medical Corps struggled to deal with the influx of wounded.Captain Boyd, as he then was, recounts his experiences in the bloody, cramped and over-worked hospitals as he attempted to save lives so brutally injured by the war. The Author went on to have an illustrious career as an internationally famed pathologist in Canada.Author -William Boyd, MB, ChB, MD, MRCP.Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in New York, George H. Doran company 1916.Original Page Count - 110 pages.
With The Fleet In The Dardanelles, Some Impressions Of Naval Men And Incidents During The Campaign In The Spring Of 1915
by William Harold. D. Price Sir Everard Fraser K. C. M. G.As warfare ground to a halt in the static, bloody trenches of the Western Front in 1914, the Allied command sought to lever Germany's Turkish allies out of the war. Although the British had but a small standing peacetime army, she possessed the largest fleet in the world, and planned to use the awesome power of her huge naval guns to blast a passage through the Turkish defences of the strait. Constantinople would thereby be threatened and Turkey forced to sue for peace. The plan was bold, ambitious and doomed to fail.As the confident fleet steamed up through the Mediterranean, Padre Price kept a diary of his experiences and anecdotes of the Jolly Tars. However, his notes are filled with danger and bloodshed as the fleet encounter the brave and stubborn shore batteries, taking its baptism of fire. Though gallant and bloodied by the shells of the enemy, the fleet could not force the passage - a fateful failure that would lead to the landings at Gallipoli and further allied failures. Author -- Price, William Harold. D. 1917Preface -- Sir Everard Fraser K.C.M.G. (1859-1922)Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in London, A. Melrose, ltd. 1915Original Page Count - xvi and 124 pages.Illustrations -- 6 Illustrations.
With The French Flying Corps [Illustrated Edition]
by Carroll Dana Winslow"Petite bleu to pilote-a young American's flight into warThe author of this book, Dana Winslow, was a young American in Paris as France recruited men to fight the invading German forces of the Kaiser at the outbreak of the First World War. Feeling strongly for the plight and cause of the French, he immediately went to Les Invalides and there enlisted in the French Flying Corps as a trainee pilot. This vital first hand account is an essential source work of the period which reveals the training of the earliest French military aviators of the great conflict on the Western Front and it follows Winslow on his 'rite of passage' from inexperienced civilian, to lowly and little regarded aeronautical student (petit bleu) through his first perilous days in the combat zone to his time as an experienced and much prized pilote in the hostile skies over the trenches of the front lines. As may be expected, Winslow takes us to his war of dogfights, mid-air collisions, artillery spotting and reconnaissance in vivid-if humbly recounted-detail. Winslow's book is especially valuable as an insight into the variety of aircraft employed by the French during his time with them and he provides useful details as to their construction, abilities, applications and flying characteristics such-as those of the peculiar 'cut down' Bleriot that was 'the Penguin.' He also gives an interesting view of the business of military flying in wartime, which he distinguishes as entirely separate from piloting, as he describes it, as a mere 'conductor.' Accounts of battling in the air during the Great War are not common, so this volume is, of course, a welcome addition to their limited number and will be of interest to everyone interested in the subject."--Leonaur Print Version.Author -- Winslow, Carroll Dana.Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in New York, C. Scribner's sons, 1917.Original Page Count - xi and 226 pagesIllustration -- 15 illustrations.