Saracen Strongholds 1100-1500, David Nicole. The Central and Eastern Islamic Lands, David Nicolle. An effective introduction or overview of a vast topic, looking at the fortifications of the Seljuks, Ayyubids, Mamluks, Mongols and Assassins in an area that stretched from modern Turkey and Egypt east to India.
[read full review]
Roman Conquests: Italy, Ross Cowan. A look at the Roman conquest of the Italian Peninsula, the series of wars that saw Rome transformed from a small city state in central Italy into a power that was on the verge of conquering the ancient Mediterranean world. A lack of contemporary sources makes this a difficult period to write about, but Cowan has produced a convincing narrative without ignoring some of the complexity.
[read full review]
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Reviews: Hitler's Gulf War & Nuclear Dawn
Hitler's Gulf War - The Fight for Iraq 1941, Barrie G James. A compelling account of one of the more obscure but important campaigns of the Second World War, presented from the point of view of the British, Iraqi and German participants in the Iraqi revolt that threatened to hand the Germans a commanding position in the Middle East. [read full review]
Nuclear Dawn: The Atomic Bomb from the Manhattan Project to the Cold War, James P. Delgado. A look at the development of the Nuclear Bomb from the first research in radiation, to the wartime development and use of the first atom bombs and on to the tests at Bikini Atoll and the early years of the Cold War. [read full review]
Nuclear Dawn: The Atomic Bomb from the Manhattan Project to the Cold War, James P. Delgado. A look at the development of the Nuclear Bomb from the first research in radiation, to the wartime development and use of the first atom bombs and on to the tests at Bikini Atoll and the early years of the Cold War. [read full review]
Reviews: Carmarthen Pals & The Art of Leadership
Carmarthen Pals: A History of the 15th (Service) Battalion The Welsh Regiment, 1914-1919, Steven John. A detailed and sobering account of the activities of a single battalion on the Western Front during some of the most famous battles of the First World War, including the Somme, Passchendaele and the final victorious offensives of 1918. [read full review]
The Art of Leadership, Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. This is a revised edition of Monty's classic work on leadership including a chapter comparing Churchill and Eisenhower that was excluded from the original work. Of interest both for Montgomery's thoughts on what made a good leader and for the insight it gives us into his attitudes towards some of his wartime contemporaries. [read full review]
The Art of Leadership, Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. This is a revised edition of Monty's classic work on leadership including a chapter comparing Churchill and Eisenhower that was excluded from the original work. Of interest both for Montgomery's thoughts on what made a good leader and for the insight it gives us into his attitudes towards some of his wartime contemporaries. [read full review]
First Gallic Invasion of Italy and sack of Rome
The First Gallic Invasion of Italy of 390 B.C. was a pivotal event in the history of the Roman Republic and saw the city occupied and sacked for the last time in eight hundred years.
The battle of the Allia (18 July 390 B.C.) was one of the most embarrassing defeats in Roman history, and left the city defenceless in the face of a Gallic war band.
The sack of Rome (390 B.C.) was the worst recorded disaster in the history of the early Roman Republic, and saw a Gallic war band led by Brennus capture and sack most of the city, after winning an easy victory on the Allia
The battle of the Trausian Plain (c.390-384 B.C.) probably saw an Etruscan army from the city of Caere defeat all or part of the Gallic war band that was responsible for the sack of Rome
The battle of the Allia (18 July 390 B.C.) was one of the most embarrassing defeats in Roman history, and left the city defenceless in the face of a Gallic war band.
The sack of Rome (390 B.C.) was the worst recorded disaster in the history of the early Roman Republic, and saw a Gallic war band led by Brennus capture and sack most of the city, after winning an easy victory on the Allia
The battle of the Trausian Plain (c.390-384 B.C.) probably saw an Etruscan army from the city of Caere defeat all or part of the Gallic war band that was responsible for the sack of Rome
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
War: From Ancient Egypt to Iraq, ed. Saul David
War: From Ancient Egypt to Iraq, ed. Saul David. A massive and beautifully illustrated look at the history of war from the earliest recorded battles to the recent conflict in Iraq. By focusing on the most significant wars the authors have been able to produce a more readable book than is normal in this genre, and the wide scope of the book means that every reader should find something that is new to them. [read full review]
The Bantams, Sidney Allinson
The Bantams, Sidney Allinson. A look at the Bantam units raised in Britain and Empire during the First World War for men under the 5'3" height requirement for the British Army. Well supported by reminiscences from the Bantams, this book should help to prevent them from being forgotten.
[read full review]
[read full review]
At Rommel's Side: The Lost Letters of Hans-Joachim Schraepler, ed. Hans-Albrecht Schraepler.
At Rommel's Side: The Lost Letters of Hans-Joachim Schraepler, ed. Hans-Albrecht Schraepler. A series of letters written by Rommel's adjutant in North Africa in 1941 and edited by his son and that provide an interesting new layer of information to our knowledge of the war in the desert.
[read full review]
[read full review]
Who Dares Wins: The SAS and the Iranian Embassy Siege 1980
Who Dares Wins: The SAS and the Iranian Embassy Siege 1980, Gregory Fremont-Barnes. A look at the events behind one of the defining images of the early 1980s - the first public appearance of the SAS on the balcony of the Iranian Embassy as they ended the six-day long siege.
[read full review]
[read full review]
Young Nelsons - Boy Sailors during the Napoleonic Wars
Young Nelsons - Boy Sailors during the Napoleonic Wars, D.A.B. Ronald. A fascinating book that looks at the boy sailors of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, casting an interesting light on a group of sailors who only otherwise seem to appear in early volumes of long running series of naval novels.
[read full review]
[read full review]
Ancient Warfare Volume III Issue 4
Ancient Warfare Volume III Issue 4 . Ancient Warfare Vol III, Issue 4: August/ September 2009: Implacable enemies: the Barcids at War. A nice spread of articles on Hannibal and his family, looking at Cannae, Hannibal's siege craft, Hasdrubal's invasion of Italy and the Barcid army, supported by articles on the Ancient Egyptian Archer and a 7th century Byzantine military treatise that portrays a very unfamiliar cavalry army. [see more]
Marching with the Tigers: The History of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment 1955-1975
Marching with the Tigers: The History of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment 1955-1975, Michael Goldschmidt. A good example of the classic regimental history that should be of great interest to anyone who has an association with the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, while also making a useful contribution to the history of the post-war British army. [read full review]
The Peninsular War: A Battlefield Guide
The Peninsular War: A Battlefield Guide, Andrew Rawson. A very useful guide book for anyone wanting to visit the British battlefields of the Peninsular War, from Portugal to the French border, with accounts of each major battle followed by a tour of the modern battlefield, each supported by photographs of key features and sketch maps to illustrate the battles. [read full review]
Israel's Lightning Strike; Panzer Divisions 1944-45; Rangers Lead the Way
Israel's Lightning Strike: The raid on Entebbe 1976, Simon Dunstan. This second entry in Osprey's new Raid series looks at the long range operation mounted by the Israelis to rescue terrorist hostages being held at Entebbe in Uganda. After sections on hijacking and the Palestinian terrorist organisations, we get a day-by-day account of the crisis, while the second half of the book focuses on the raid. A well organized and clearly written account of one of the most daring anti-terrorist operations ever carried out. [Read Full Review]
Panzer Divisions 1944-45, Pier Paolo Battistelli. This lavishly illustrated Osprey covers the later days of the German panzer divisions, including background on weapons, tactics, operations and silhouette style organisational charts. A fascinating period, with the once feared panzer divisions no longer kings of the battlefield but still a powerful force and capable of small scale victories against the vast tide of Soviet, British and American forces [read full review]
Rangers Lead the Way: Pointe-du-Hoc D-Day 1944, Steven J. Zaloga. This is the first entry in a new Osprey series, looking at some of the most famous raids in military history, starting with the US Rangers' attack on the German gun battery on Pointe-du-Hoc on D-Day. The result is a detailed account of the raid that includes some very interesting material about the German coastal defences, as well as a good account of the raid itself and the German counterattack. A promising start to this new series. [read full review]
Panzer Divisions 1944-45, Pier Paolo Battistelli. This lavishly illustrated Osprey covers the later days of the German panzer divisions, including background on weapons, tactics, operations and silhouette style organisational charts. A fascinating period, with the once feared panzer divisions no longer kings of the battlefield but still a powerful force and capable of small scale victories against the vast tide of Soviet, British and American forces [read full review]
Rangers Lead the Way: Pointe-du-Hoc D-Day 1944, Steven J. Zaloga. This is the first entry in a new Osprey series, looking at some of the most famous raids in military history, starting with the US Rangers' attack on the German gun battery on Pointe-du-Hoc on D-Day. The result is a detailed account of the raid that includes some very interesting material about the German coastal defences, as well as a good account of the raid itself and the German counterattack. A promising start to this new series. [read full review]
First, Second and Third Veientine Wars
The First Veientine War (483-474 B.C.) was the first of three clashes between Rome and her nearest Etruscan neighbour, the city of Veii.
The Second Veientine War (437-434 or 428-425 B.C.) was fought for control of the crossing over the Tiber at Fidenae, five miles upstream from Rome.
The battle of the Anio (437 or 428 B.C.) was a Roman victory early in the Second Veientine War that was won after Lars Tolumnius, king of Veii, was killed in single combat
The battle of Nomentum (435 or 426 B.C.) was a Roman victory over a combined army from Veii and Fidenae that was followed by a successful Roman attack on Fidenae, and possibly by the end of the Second Veientine War.
The siege of Fidenae (435 or 426 B.C.) saw the Romans capture the town only five miles upstream on the Tiber and eliminate the last Veientine enclave on the right bank of the Tiber.
The Third Veientine War (405-396 B.C.) saw the Roman Republic finally capture and destroy their closest rival, the Etruscan city of Veii, after a siege that lasted for ten years
The ten year long siege of Veii (405-396 B.C.) was the main event of the Third Veientine War and saw the Romans finally conquer their nearest rival, the Etruscan city of Veii.
The Second Veientine War (437-434 or 428-425 B.C.) was fought for control of the crossing over the Tiber at Fidenae, five miles upstream from Rome.
The battle of the Anio (437 or 428 B.C.) was a Roman victory early in the Second Veientine War that was won after Lars Tolumnius, king of Veii, was killed in single combat
The battle of Nomentum (435 or 426 B.C.) was a Roman victory over a combined army from Veii and Fidenae that was followed by a successful Roman attack on Fidenae, and possibly by the end of the Second Veientine War.
The siege of Fidenae (435 or 426 B.C.) saw the Romans capture the town only five miles upstream on the Tiber and eliminate the last Veientine enclave on the right bank of the Tiber.
The Third Veientine War (405-396 B.C.) saw the Roman Republic finally capture and destroy their closest rival, the Etruscan city of Veii, after a siege that lasted for ten years
The ten year long siege of Veii (405-396 B.C.) was the main event of the Third Veientine War and saw the Romans finally conquer their nearest rival, the Etruscan city of Veii.
battle of Lake Regillus (499 or 496 BC)
The battle of Lake Regillus (499 or 496 BC) was a narrow Roman victory over the Latin League early in the life of the Republic that helped to prevent the last of the kings of Rome from regaining his throne.
Breguet 693 and Breguet 695 family
The Breguet 690 was a three-seat twin-engined fighter produced in response to a French Air Ministry specification of 1934 but that entered produced as the Br 691 two-seat attack bomber.
The Breguet 691 AB2 was a two-seat attack bomber developed from the Br 690 twin engined fighter
The Breguet 692 AB2 was the designation given to a version of the Breguet 693 two-seat attack bomber that would have been powered by two 980hp Gnôme & Rhône 14N radial engines.
The Breguet 693 AB2 two-seat attack bomber was one of the newer aircraft designs to be in service with the French Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France of 1940, and was a re-engined version of the Br 691
The Breguet 694 was a three-seat reconnaissance aircraft based on the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 695 was a version of the Br 691/603 two-seat attack bomber that was powered by two Pratt & Whitney engines in an attempt to make up for a shortage of French built aircraft engines during pre-war attempts to increase the strength of the Armée de l'Air
The Breguet 696 was a two-seat bomber based on the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 697 was the designation given to a standard Br 691 attack bomber given more powerful engines in an attempt to prove that the aircraft could be used as a heavy fighter
The Breguet 698 Bp2 was the designation given to a design for a dive bomber based on the Br 691 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 699 B2 was the designation given to a bomber version of the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber that would have been powered by two 825hp Pratt & Whitney SB4G radial engines
The Breguet 700 C2 (Destroyer) was the designation given to a heavy fighter that would have been based on the Br 691 two-seat attack bomber, which had itself been developed from the Br 690 twin-engined fighter
The Breguet 691 AB2 was a two-seat attack bomber developed from the Br 690 twin engined fighter
The Breguet 692 AB2 was the designation given to a version of the Breguet 693 two-seat attack bomber that would have been powered by two 980hp Gnôme & Rhône 14N radial engines.
The Breguet 693 AB2 two-seat attack bomber was one of the newer aircraft designs to be in service with the French Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France of 1940, and was a re-engined version of the Br 691
The Breguet 694 was a three-seat reconnaissance aircraft based on the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 695 was a version of the Br 691/603 two-seat attack bomber that was powered by two Pratt & Whitney engines in an attempt to make up for a shortage of French built aircraft engines during pre-war attempts to increase the strength of the Armée de l'Air
The Breguet 696 was a two-seat bomber based on the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 697 was the designation given to a standard Br 691 attack bomber given more powerful engines in an attempt to prove that the aircraft could be used as a heavy fighter
The Breguet 698 Bp2 was the designation given to a design for a dive bomber based on the Br 691 two-seat attack bomber
The Breguet 699 B2 was the designation given to a bomber version of the Br 693 two-seat attack bomber that would have been powered by two 825hp Pratt & Whitney SB4G radial engines
The Breguet 700 C2 (Destroyer) was the designation given to a heavy fighter that would have been based on the Br 691 two-seat attack bomber, which had itself been developed from the Br 690 twin-engined fighter
Bloch MB.210 family
The Bloch MB.200 was a twin-engined day bomber that entered service with the Armée d l'Air in 1934, and was still in use in small numbers at the start of the Second World War.
The Bloch MB.210 BN5 five-seat night bomber was the most numerous French bomber at the start of the Second World War, although it was already in the process of being replaced by more modern aircraft, and had declined in importance by the start of the Battle of France in May 1940
The Bloch MB.211 BN4 was the designation given to the second prototype of the Bloch 210 night bomber to reflect a change of engine from air cooled radials to liquid cooled inline engines.
The Bloch MB.212 was the designation given to the prototype Bloch 211 four-seat night bomber after its inline engines were replaced with Hispano-Suiza air-cooled radial engines during 1936.
The Bloch MB.210 BN5 five-seat night bomber was the most numerous French bomber at the start of the Second World War, although it was already in the process of being replaced by more modern aircraft, and had declined in importance by the start of the Battle of France in May 1940
The Bloch MB.211 BN4 was the designation given to the second prototype of the Bloch 210 night bomber to reflect a change of engine from air cooled radials to liquid cooled inline engines.
The Bloch MB.212 was the designation given to the prototype Bloch 211 four-seat night bomber after its inline engines were replaced with Hispano-Suiza air-cooled radial engines during 1936.
Amiot 350 family
The Amiot 340 was a three-seat twin engined bomber based on the graceful Amiot 370 racing aircraft and which was the basis for the Amiot 350 family of bombers
The Amiot 350 was one of a number of variants on the Amiot 351/354 twin-engined bomber that were designed in an attempt to use as many different engine types as possible.
The Amiot 351 was one of only two members of the Amiot 350 family of twin-engined bombers to actually enter service with the French Armée d l'Air before the Battle of France
The Amiot 352 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that was to have been powered by two 1,100hp Hispano-Suiza 12Y50/51 liquid-cooled inline engines
The Amiot 353 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that would have been powered by two 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III liquid-cooled inline engines.
The Amiot 354 was the most advanced member of the Amiot 350 family of twin engined bombers to enter production
The Amiot 355 was a member of the Amiot 351/354 family that was to be powered by 1,030hp Gnôme & Rhône 14P engines as part of an attempt to use as many different types of engines as possible to speed up production of the entire family of aircraft.
The Amiot 356 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that was to be powered by 1,130hp Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines
The Amiot 357 was to have been a high-altitude pressurized bomber based on the Amiot 350 family of twin engined aircraft.
The Amiot 350 was one of a number of variants on the Amiot 351/354 twin-engined bomber that were designed in an attempt to use as many different engine types as possible.
The Amiot 351 was one of only two members of the Amiot 350 family of twin-engined bombers to actually enter service with the French Armée d l'Air before the Battle of France
The Amiot 352 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that was to have been powered by two 1,100hp Hispano-Suiza 12Y50/51 liquid-cooled inline engines
The Amiot 353 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that would have been powered by two 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III liquid-cooled inline engines.
The Amiot 354 was the most advanced member of the Amiot 350 family of twin engined bombers to enter production
The Amiot 355 was a member of the Amiot 351/354 family that was to be powered by 1,030hp Gnôme & Rhône 14P engines as part of an attempt to use as many different types of engines as possible to speed up production of the entire family of aircraft.
The Amiot 356 was a version of the Amiot 351/354 twin engined bomber that was to be powered by 1,130hp Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines
The Amiot 357 was to have been a high-altitude pressurized bomber based on the Amiot 350 family of twin engined aircraft.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
