Casemate (14)

Romans At War

ISBN: 9781612008851

Author: SImon Elliott    Publisher: Casemate

The Roman military machine was preeminent in the ancient world, projecting power across the known world over a vast chronology, and an increasingly huge and div...


The Roman military machine was preeminent in the ancient world, projecting power across the known world over a vast chronology, and an increasingly huge and diverse geography. One of the most powerful instruments of war in the history of conflict, it proved uniquely adept at learning from setbacks, always coming back the stronger for it. In so doing it displayed two of the most important traits associated with the world of Rome. Firstly grit, that key ability to remain steadfast and to overcome adversity even in the most challenging of circumstances, as faced for example by the Republic in the Second Punic War against Hannibal. Secondly, the ability to copy the successful technical and tactical innovations of their enemies, enabling the Roman military to always stay one step ahead of its opponents on campaign and in battle. In this grand tour, covering every aspect of the Roman military, leading expert Dr Simon Elliott first provides a detailed background to the Roman Republic and Empire to provide context for all that follows. He then looks specifically at the Roman military in its three key chronological phases: the Republic, the Principate Empire, and the Dominate Empire. Next he forensically examines specific instances of the Roman military on campaign and in battle, and of its engineering prowess. Finally, he investigates the many enemies faced by the Roman Republic and Empire. This all provides a firm structure to enable the reader to come to grips with this incredible military machine, one whose exploits still resonate in the world to this very day.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 368


Dimensions: 203 x 254 mm


Publication Date: 15-09-2020


Tags: History   Military
$85.00
Medieval Military Combat

ISBN: 9781612008875

Author: Tom Lewis    Publisher: Casemate

We don't know how medieval soldiers fought. Did they just walk forward in their armour, to smash each other with their maces and poleaxes, for hours on end, as ...


We don't know how medieval soldiers fought. Did they just walk forward in their armour, to smash each other with their maces and poleaxes, for hours on end, as depicted on film in programs such as Game of Thrones? They could not have done so. It is impossible to fight in such a manner for more than several minutes as exhaustion becomes a preventative factor. Indeed, we know more of how the Roman and Greek armies fought than we do of the 1300 to 1550 period. So how did medieval soldiers in the War of the Roses, and in the infantry sections of battles such as Agincourt and Towton, carry out their grim work? Medieval Military Combat shows, for the first time, the techniques of such battles. It also breaks new ground in establishing medieval battle numbers as highly exaggerated, and that we need to look again at the accounts of actions such as the famous Battle of Towton, which this work uses as a basic for its overall study.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm


Publication Date: 28-09-2020


Tags: History   Military
$69.99
Sharks of the Air

ISBN: 9781612008929

Author: James Harvey    Publisher: Casemate

In July 1944 the Allies were stunned by the appearance of the Messerschmitt Me-262, the world's first operational jet warplane. This new German fighter was more...


In July 1944 the Allies were stunned by the appearance of the Messerschmitt Me-262, the world's first operational jet warplane. This new German fighter was more than 100mph faster than any other aircraft in the skies. Although always greatly outnumbered, the Me-262 gained scores of victories over Allied fighters and bombers, and by the end of the war, many of the Luftwaffe's greatest aces had clamored to be in their cockpits. No wonder military leaders believed that if it had been introduced earlier, this jet could have changed the outcome of the war. Sharks of the Air tells the story of Willy Messerschmitt's life, and shows how this aeronautical genius built many revolutionary airplanes - not excluding the Luftwaffe's mainstay, the Me-109 - and culminating in the Me-262. It describes how his various warplanes fought in Spain, Poland, France, Britain, the U.S.S.R., and over Germany, and it provides thrilling accounts of air battles drawn from combat reports and interviews with veterans. This book also shows how Messerschmitt - like other geniuses such as Porsche, vonBraun, and Speer - was affected by cutthroat Nazi politics, and describes his intense rivalries with other aircraft designers. It reveals aspects of his life never before made public, including his love affair with the beautiful Baroness Lilly Michel-Rolino, a rich aristocrat who left her husband to live with Willy. And finally it shows how in World War II Messerschmitt believed he was loyally supporting the Fatherland, until he realized too late that Hitler was a madman. Like many of the technical innovations of Nazi Germany in the war, production arrived too late in order to change the final outcome. If Messerschmitt had been given free rein from the start, however, Allied air superiority might never have occurred.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 408


Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm


Publication Date: 15-08-2020


Tags: Military   Transport
$55.00
Pearl : December 7 1941

ISBN: 9781612009384

Author: Daniel Allen Butler    Publisher: Casemate

What happened at Pearl Harbor? What really happened? The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is one of those rare moments where, in the space of a few hours, the "h...


What happened at Pearl Harbor? What really happened? The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is one of those rare moments where, in the space of a few hours, the "hinge of Fate" turned and the course of history was utterly changed. Nearly eight decades later, it has become one of those events which almost everyone knows of, but hardly anyone seems to know about. How-and why-did the Empire of Japan and the United States of America collide on blood and flames that Sunday morning when the sun rose and the bombs fell? Pearl: The 7th Day of December 1941 is the story of how America and Japan, two nations with seemingly little over which to quarrel, let peace slip away, so that on that "day which will live in infamy," more than 350 dive bombers, high-level bombers, torpedo planes, and fighters of the Imperial Japanese Navy did their best to cripple the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet, killing 2,403 American servicemen and civilians, and wounding another 1,178. It's a story of emperors and presidents, diplomats and politicians, admirals and generals-and it's also the tale of ordinary sailors, soldiers, and airmen, all of whom were overtaken by a rush of events that ultimately overwhelmed them. Pearl shows the real reasons why the America's political and military leaders underestimated Japan's threat America's security, and why their Japanese counterparts ultimately felt compelled to launch the Pearl Harbor attack. Pearl offers more than superficial answers, showing how both sides blundered their way through arrogance, over-confidence, racism, bigotry, and old-fashioned human error to arrive at the moment when the Japanese were convinced that there was no alternative to war. Once battle is joined, Pearl then takes the reader into the heart of the attack, where the fighting men of both nations showed that neither side had a monopoly on heroism, courage, cowardice, or luck, as they fought to protect their nations.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 396


Dimensions: 152 x 229 mm


Publication Date: 15-12-2020


Tags: Christmas 2021   History   Military
$69.99
Alan Brooke : Churchill's Right-Hand Critic

ISBN: 9781612009681

Author: Andrew Sangster    Publisher: Casemate

Lord Alanbrooke was Churchill's right-hand man during World War II, and as Chief of the Imperial General Staff he had an integral part in shaping the strategy o...


Lord Alanbrooke was Churchill's right-hand man during World War II, and as Chief of the Imperial General Staff he had an integral part in shaping the strategy of Britain and the Allies. Despite this crucial role, he is very little known compared to military commanders such as Montgomery, Alexander, Slim, Mountbatten, Patton, or Eisenhower. This new biography of Lord Alanbrooke uses archival material and his diaries to trace his life, including his experiences in World War I and the development of his military career in the interwar years, with a focus on his post as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during World War II. Voted the greatest Briton of the 20th century, Churchill has long been credited with almost single-handedly leading his country to victory in World War II. However without Brooke, a skilled tactician, at his side the outcome might well have been disastrous. Brooke more often than not served as a brake on some of Churchill's more impetuous ideas. However, while Brooke's diaries reveal his fury with some of Churchill's decisions, they also reveal his respect and admiration for the wartime prime minister. In return Churchill must surely have considered Brooke one of his most difficult subordinates but later wrote that he was "fearless, formidable, articulate, and in the end convincing". As CIGS, Brooke was integral to coordination between the Allied forces, and so had to wrestle with the cultural strategy clash between the British and Americans. Comments in his diaries offer up his opinions of both his British and American military colleagues - his negative assessments of Mountbatten's ability, and acerbic comments on the difficult character of de Gaulle and the weaknesses of Eisenhower. Conversely he was clearly over-indulgent in the face of Montgomery's foibles. Brooke was often seen as a stern and humourless figure, but a study of his private life reveals an little-seen lighter side, a lifelong passion for birdwatching, and abiding love for his family. The two tragedies that befell his immediate family were a critical influence on his life. Sangster completes this new biography with a survey of the way various historians have assessed Brooke, explaining how he has lapsed into seeming obscurity in the years since his crucial part in the Allied victory in World War II.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 384


Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm


Publication Date: 26-03-2021


Tags: April 2021   Biography   History   Military
$69.99
British Fighter Aircraft in WWI

ISBN: 9781612008813

Author: Mark Wilkins    Publisher: Casemate

World War I witnessed unprecedented growth and innovation in aircraft design, construction, and as the war progressed - mass production. Each country generated ...


World War I witnessed unprecedented growth and innovation in aircraft design, construction, and as the war progressed - mass production. Each country generated its own innovations sometimes in surprising ways - Albatros Fokker, Pfalz, and Junkers in Germany and Nieuport, Spad, Sopwith and Bristol in France and Britain. This book focuses on the British approach to fighter design, construction, and mass production. Initially the French led the way in Allied fighter development with their Bleriot trainers then nimble Nieuport Scouts - culminating with the powerful, fast gun platforms as exemplified by the Spads. The Spads had a major drawback however, in that they were difficult and counter-intuitive to fix in the field. The British developed fighters in a very different way; Tommy Sopwith had a distinctive approach to fighter design that relied on lightly loaded wings and simple functional box-girder fuselages. His Camel was revolutionary as it combined all the weight well forward; enabling the Camel to turn very quickly - but also making it an unforgiving fighter for the inexperienced. The Royal Aircraft Factory's SE5a represented another leap forward with its comfortable cockpit, modern instrumentation, and inline engine - clearly influenced by both Spads and German aircraft. Each manufacturer and design team vied for the upper hand and deftly and quickly appropriated good ideas from other companies - be they friend or foe. Developments in tactics and deployment also influenced design - from the early reconnaissance planes, to turn fighters, finally planes that relied upon formation tactics, speed, and firepower. Advances were so great that the postwar industry seemed bland by comparison.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 92


Dimensions: 203 x 254 mm


Publication Date: 15-04-2021


Tags: April 2021   Military   Transport   History
$75.00
The Home Front Pocket Manual 1939-45

ISBN: 9781612008677

Author: Luci Gosling    Publisher: Casemate

Compiled from the archives of the Mary Evans archives, this manual brings together articles from fashionable contemporary magazines including Britannia & Eve, t...


Compiled from the archives of the Mary Evans archives, this manual brings together articles from fashionable contemporary magazines including Britannia & Eve, the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News and Tatler, on all aspects of the home front in WWII. These fascinating articles cover complying with black-out regulations; what to do with the family car; augmenting rationed foods and turning them into tasty meals; contributing to the war effort by keeping livestock, salvaging valuable materials and growing food; all the while remaining fashionable and keeping up appearances.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 160


Dimensions: 132 x 198 mm


Publication Date: 04-05-2020


Tags: Military   History
$35.99
The Battle of Britain Pocket Manual

ISBN: 9781612008691

Author: Chris McNab    Publisher: Casemate

In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone. For three long months, brave young RAF pilots took off every day, ready to defend British skies against large-scale ...


In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone. For three long months, brave young RAF pilots took off every day, ready to defend British skies against large-scale Luftwaffe raide. 'The Few' were young, but they were trained and they were determined. Eighty years on the last of the pilots to fly in the Battle of Britain are feted, and their part in World War II is widely remembered. This pocket manual covers the training that these young pilots would have had, and the air combat tactics they were taught to use against the German raiders. It also covers the role of the ground crews; control and command systems; anti-aircraft defences; and radar and raid detection.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 160


Dimensions: 152 x 198 mm


Publication Date: 04-05-2020


Tags: Military   History
$35.99
No Moon As Witness : Missions of the SOE and OSS in World War II

ISBN: 9781612009520

Author: James Stejskal    Publisher: Casemate

Winston Churchill famously instructed the head of the Special Operations Executive to "Set Europe ablaze!" Agents of both the British Special Operations Executi...


Winston Churchill famously instructed the head of the Special Operations Executive to "Set Europe ablaze!" Agents of both the British Special Operations Executive and the American Office of Strategic Services underwent rigorous training before making their way, undetected, into Occupied Europe. Working alone or in small cells, often cooperating with local resistance groups, agents undertook missions behind enemy lines involving sabotage, subversion, organizing resistance groups and intelligence-gathering. The SOE's notable successes included the destruction of a power station in France, the assassination of Himmler's deputy Reinhard Heyrich, and ending the Nazi atomic bomb program by destroying the heavy water plant at Vemork, Norway. OSS operatives established anti-Nazi resistance groups across Europe, and managed to smuggle operatives into Nazi Germany, including running one of the war's most important spies, German diplomat Fritz Kolbe. All of their missions were incredibly dangerous and many agents were captured, tortured, and ultimately killed - the life expectancy of an SOE wireless operator in occupied France was just six weeks. In No Moon as Witness, historian James Stejskal examines why these agencies were established, the training regimen and ingenious tools developed to enable agents to undertake their missions, their operational successes, and their legacy.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 208


Dimensions: 152 x 228 mm


Publication Date: 31-07-2021


$55.00
Across The Rhine

ISBN: 9781612008509

Author: Simon Forty    Publisher: Casemate

The last rites were administered to the Third Reich from the west by a massive concentration of Allied forces and firepower. With France secured, Hitler's vain ...


The last rites were administered to the Third Reich from the west by a massive concentration of Allied forces and firepower. With France secured, Hitler's vain counterattack in the Ardennes held and the Channel and North Sea ports cleared, little stood in the way of the Allies other than the dominant geographical feature of western Europe: the mighty Rhine River stretching from the North Sea almost to Switzerland. In the north, the 21st Army Group executed one of the largest operations of the war: a huge airdrop backed up by an amphibious crossing that made full use of 79th Armoured Division's specialized armour including the Alligators of 4th Royal Tank Regiment. Further south, until it collapsed under the pressure, the Ludendorff Bridge, captured intact at Remagen allowed US First Army to create a bridgehead. They would use it to good effect, wheeling north to surround the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland. Further south, where the river was narrower, Patton's Third Army vaulted the Rhine with its customary elan, as did Devers' Sixth Army Group. Ahead of the Allies were the remains of the German forces, often no more than Volkssturm or Hitlerjugend, determined to resist for as long as possible so that their Fuhrer had time to unleash his super weapons. In the end, these proved figments of Hitler's imagination and the defenders crumbled in the face of units that, after nine months of training, had become deadly proponents of the art of aggressive warfare with modern, new equipment - such as the M26 Pershing and Comet - being rushed to the front in the hope it could see action before the war finished.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 224


Dimensions: 210 x 297 mm


Publication Date: 29-05-2020


Tag: Military
$69.99
© 2024 Nationwide Book Distributors