Monday, September 30, 2013

Siege of Azaz (15 May-21 June 1176)

The siege of Azaz (15 May-21 June 1176) was one of a series of successes for Saladin in the aftermath of his victory at the battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176) and helped put pressure on the authorities in Aleppo.

Nur ad-Din's three campaigns in Egypt in 1164-69

Nur ad-Din's three campaigns in Egypt in 1164-69 led to the overthrow of the Shi'a Fatimid dynasty, the restoration of orthodox Sunni rule in Egypt, and played a major part in the rise of Saladin.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Nakajima L1N1 Navy Type AT-2 Transport

The Nakajima L1N1 Navy Type AT-2 Transport was the designation given to a number of Army Ki-34 twin-engined transport aircraft that were handed over to the Japanese Navy.

Nakajima E12N1 Experimental 12-Shi Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane

The Nakajima E12N1 Experimental 12-Shi Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane was Nakajima's last reconnaissance seaplane design and lacked the handling to enter service.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam, Andrew Wiest.

The Boys of '67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam, Andrew Wiest.

Inspired by a meeting with a veteran of the company, this followed Charlie Company from its formation in the US, through training and on to its original men's year-long tour of duty in Vietnam. A rather melancholy book, as the men we have followed begin to be killed or wounded without any sign that their efforts were having any impact in Vietnam, but a very valuable study of the impact of war.
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Giap - The General who Defeated American in Vietnam, James A Warren.

Giap - The General who Defeated American in Vietnam, James A Warren.

 Biography of the most important Vietnamese general during the wars against France and the United States, a military leader who understood that political will was the key to the result of both wars and who was able to wear down the will of one of the world's great super powers.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Nakajima J5N1 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder)

The Nakajima J5N1 Tenrai (Heavenly Thunder) was a design for a single-seat twin-engine interceptor that reached the prototype stage during 1944 but that didn't enter production.

Nakajima J1N

The Nakajima J1N, allied code name 'Irving', was originally designed as a long range fighter aircraft for operations over China, but entered service as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and later became a night fighter, when it was known as the Gekko (Moonlight).

Friday, September 20, 2013

The Hunters and the Hunted - the Elimination of German Surface Warships around the World, 1914-15, Bryan Perrett.

The Hunters and the Hunted - the Elimination of German Surface Warships around the World, 1914-15, Bryan Perrett.

A study of the fate of the warships of Imperial Germany's that found themselves posted overseas at the start of the First World War, most of which undertook campaigns as surface raiders, attacking Allied shipping around the world. Some had dramatic careers, but all were tracked down and sunk by early in 1915, after a major effort by the Royal Navy and other Allied navies.
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Bayonets - An Illustrated History, Martin J. Brayley.

Bayonets - An Illustrated History, Martin J. Brayley.

A super guide for the collector or reference work for the historian, looking at the bayonets used in thirty-seven countries since 1650, covering over 300 different bayonets with historical details, design notes and excellent colour photos. Perhaps a bit too focused for the general reader, but a valuable reference work for the bayonet collector or military historian.
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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Nakajima Ki-201 Karyu (Fire Dragon)

The Nakajima Ki-201 Karyu (Fire Dragon) was the Japanese Army's attempt to produce a jet fighter, and like the Navy's Kikka closely resembled the Messerschmitt Me 262.

Nakajima Ki-82

The Nakajima Ki-82 was a design for a new aircraft to replace the disappointing Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu, but the success of the Mitsubishi Ki-67 meant that the design was never completed.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176)

The battle of Tall as-Sultan (22 April 1176) was a major victory won by Saladin during his conquest of Syria, and saw him defeat the allied armies of Aleppo and Mosul.

Siege of Alexandria of 29 July- 2 August 1174

The siege of Alexandria of 29 July- 2 August 1174 was a brief and very unsuccessful attempt by the Normans of Sicily to play a part in the overthrow of Saladin, then vizier of Egypt.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 3: Conquerors of Italy: The Early Roman Republic..

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 3: Conquerors of Italy: The Early Roman Republic..

Focuses on the centuries of warfare that saw Rome grow from a small city-state dominated by its Etruscan neighbours into the only power left in mainland Italy and one on the verge of bursting out into the rest of the Ancient world.  An interesting selection of articles on this pivotal but fairly obscure period of Roman history.
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Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 2: Struggle for control: Wars in ancient Sicily.

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 2: Struggle for control: Wars in ancient Sicily.

Focuses on the series of wars between Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and native Sicilians that turned Sicily into a battleground in the centuries before the eventual Roman conquest, with good coverage of the wars between the Greek and Punic settlers and the tyrants that ruled for so long. Also looks at Roman ownership marks, attempts to avoid service in the Legions and Alexander's victory at the Granicus.
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Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 1: Warriors of the Nile - Conflict in Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Warfare Vol VII, Issue 1: Warriors of the Nile - Conflict in Ancient Egypt.

 Looks at the sources for Ancient Egyptian military history, the equipment buried with Tutankhamen, the battle of Kadesh, Egypt's fortified borders, the Hyksos, and letters between the major Kings of the period. Also looks at the standards held by the Roman Legion and a clash between an outpost of Macedonian civilisation in central Asia and the Han Empire of China.
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Monday, September 16, 2013

Nakajima Ki-80

The Nakajima Ki-80 was a version of the Ki-49 Donryu Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber designed for use by formation leaders. Two were built in October 1941, but they did not enter service.

Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon) 'Helen'

The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon) 'Helen' was a somewhat disappointing Japanese Army bomber that served in China, New Guinea and the Philippines, but proved to be vulnerable to Allied fighters as the war progressed and to have disappointing speed and handling.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Secret Weapons: Death Rays, Doodlebugs and Churchill's Golden Goose, Brian J. Ford.

Secret Weapons: Death Rays, Doodlebugs and Churchill's Golden Goose, Brian J. Ford.

A good popular history of the secret weapons of the Second World War, the scientific research behind them, their effect on the war (if any) and their impact on the post-war world. Covers a wide range of projects from all of the major combatants, includes good sections on the code breakers, rocketry and the nuclear bomb.
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Edge of Empire: Rome's Frontier on the Lower Rhine, Jona Lendering and Arjen Bosman.

Edge of Empire: Rome's Frontier on the Lower Rhine, Jona Lendering and Arjen Bosman.

An interesting look at the history of the Low Countries and nearby areas during the Roman Empire, when they formed part of the border of the Roman world. The authors paint a picture of a largely prosperous area that survived the fall of Rome better than most, but that was vulnerable to attack from across the Rhine.
[read full review]

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji)

The Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji) was a design for a very heavy bomber capable of reaching the United States from bases in Japan while carrying a useful payload.

Nakajima G5N Shinzen (Mountain Recess)

The Nakajima G5N Shinzen (Mountain Recess) was a four-engined heavy bomber that was based on the Douglas DC-4E transport aircraft.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Siege of Montreal (21 September-October 1171)

The siege of Montreal (21 September-October 1171) was a controversial episode of the career of Saladin after he lifted the siege, probably because his overlord Nur ad-Din was approaching with a second army.

Siege of Ayla/ al-Aqaba (31 December 1170)

The siege of Ayla/ al-Aqaba (31 December 1170) was one of Saladin's earliest successes against the Crusaders and saw him gain control of a key point on the pilgrim route from Egypt to Mecca and Medina.

Sunday, September 01, 2013

To the Last Man - The Battle for Normandy's Cotentin Peninsula and Brittany, Randolph Bradham.

To the Last Man - The Battle for Normandy's Cotentin Peninsula and Brittany, Randolph Bradham.

An account of the American campaigns in the Cotentin and in Brittany, the first well known as part of the D-Day campaign, the second less familiar as the focus of the action began to move east. The second half is stronger, partly because of that lack of familiarity.
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The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror, Gordon Williamson.

The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror, Gordon Williamson.

 Looks at the full history of the SS, including its formation, the Waffen SS fighting units and the many other sections of the organisation, including the SD, the Gestapo, the concentration camps and the vast industrial empires it controlled.
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The True German: The Diary of a World War II Military Judge, Werner Otto Müller-Hill.

The True German: The Diary of a World War II Military Judge, Werner Otto Müller-Hill.

 A diary recording the last year of the Second World War as seen by a German military judge with a hostile view of the Nazi regime and a surprising amount of knowledge of the darker secrets of the holocaust. A fascinating read, and a valuable source for a study of the last year of the Third Reich.
[read full review]