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In many countries around the world, the end of the First World War, far from leading to a new world order of stability, ushered in an era of uncertainty and economic decline. To solve the problems of unemployment, high inflation, low wages and poor working conditions, many turned to the political right for a solution - to leaders such as Mussolini and Hitler. But it was not only in countries such as Italy and Germany that people saw fascism as an alternative to democracy.It is sometimes said fascism in America first manifested itself as a reaction by a native-born population to the surge in the numbers of European immigrants in 1830. It went on to find a voice at least another four times up to the outbreak of the Second World War, most obviously in the formation of the German American Bund.American politicians and commentators have traditionally avoided applying the label of 'fascist' to any movement, preferring instead to describe extreme right-wing groups as 'nativist', money-making rackets exploiting gullible followers, or simply the 'lunatic fringe'. For many years this denied them the opportunity to examine the possibility that American fascist ideologies or social structures were rooted in patterns of the American past, as opposed to being a foreign import.The Ku Klux Klan has been described as the world's first fascist organization and this book looks at the arguments for and against that assertion. It also examines how the philosophy behind that movement remained as a potent undercurrent in American politics up to the start of the Second World War. There is also an examination of how American racial policies were used by the Nazis when drawing up their own.while argument persists over whether movements such as the Silver Shirts and the Friends of New Germany were truly fascist, it is undoubtedly the case that personalities behind them, individuals such as William Dudley Pelley and Father Charles Coughlin, exhibited all the classic characteristics of fascism. And they were by no means unpopular. A proponent of many of Hitler's policies, during the 1930s, when the US population was about 120 million, an estimated 30 million listeners, for example, tuned in to Coughlin's weekly radio program.This book compares the ways that both the United States and fascist regimes, especially that in Germany, tackled the immense social and economic problems resulting from the Great Depression. It also explores the way that European fascist regimes, especially that in Nazi Germany, tried to influence the American political process both legally and illegally and analyses the level of success they achieved in both.

General WÅ'adysÅ'aw Sikorski was the Head of the wartime Polish Government and Polish Commander-in-Chief, 1939-1943\. Sikorski rose to prominence in Poland between 1910 and 1918 as part of the movement towards Polish independence, achieved in 1918\. In 1920 Sikorski was largely responsible for the defeat of the Red Army. In 1926 he fell from favour following a military coup. During this fallow period, 1926-1939, Sikorski travelled, mainly in France. He also wrote influential military-science treatises. In September 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union invaded and annexed Poland. Sikorski, his military offices refused by the Polish Government, fled to Romania. There he was intercepted by the French ambassador to Poland and taken to Paris where he established a Polish Government-in-Exile and rebuilt the Polish Army. In May 1940 France was overrun by Germany. Sikorski removed himself and his government to London. There he began to re-build the Polish army largely lost in France. Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Sikorski was forced by the British Government to accept the Soviets as allies. This led to a larger Polish army being formed in the Soviet Union and sent to the Middle East, commanded by General Anders who was to become a thorn in SikorskiâEUR(TM)s side. By 1943, the two men were clearly enemies. Sikorski died in an air crash off Gibraltar. The cause has never been satisfactory established.

Military commanders matter. They win or lose battles, determine the outcomes of wars and often shape the history of nations. But they are also human individuals. This study of thirty-four British commanders, from Boudica to Bomber Harris, reflects on their personal stories, as individuals and warriors; as husbands and wives, libertines and lovers, strategists and shapers of British history over almost two thousand years. Short biographical essays, by military analyst Michael Clarke, cover a sweep of British history from the epic story of Queen Boudica in Roman Britain, to the generals, admirals and air marshals of the First and Second World Wars. Their styles of leadership, their strategies âEUR" or in some cases lack of them âEUR" are examined as they throw themselves on fortune. And the Gods of War decide whom will be lucky, and whom not. Some commanders described here were obvious shapers of British history, like King Alfred, William the Conqueror, Henry V, Cromwell, Marlborough, Wellington or Montgomery. Some were unlucky and seemed beset by failure, like Walter Raleigh, Sir John Moore or General John Gort. Others are less well-known as significant commanders; like Lady Aethelflaid of Mercia, the Empress Matilda, the âEUR¿greatest knightâEUR(TM), Sir William Marshal, or Cuthbert Collingwood who served with Nelson at Trafalgar. All have fascinating stories. Their experiences are compared in two final chapters that draw from unique interviews with a number of living British commanders who reflect on the âEUR¿eternal veritiesâEUR(TM) of command but also the new conditions of twenty-first century warfare.

The sixth addition to Chris Scullion's best-selling video game encyclopedias!The Game Boy Encyclopedia is the sixth book in Scottish author and journalist Chris Scullion's critically-acclaimed series of video game encyclopedias. There are few video game systems as iconic and important as the Nintendo Game Boy. Released in 1989, the handheld's humble green-tinted display allowed for a low-cost portable console that won over players where it mattered most: the quality of its games. From huge early successes like the iconic Tetris and Super Mario Land to its revival years later with the groundbreaking Pokémon games, the Game Boy stands proudly as one of the greatest gaming systems ever. Its 1998 successor, the Game Boy Color, addressed the one main weak spot in the Game Boy's armor and offered full-color games. Combined, nearly 120 million Game Boy and Game Boy Color handhelds were sold worldwide, with both models playing a huge role in so many childhoods (and adulthoods). This book contains every game released in the west for both handhelds: around 580 on the Game Boy and around 560 on the Game Boy Color. With around 1,150 games covered in total, screenshots and trivia factoids for every single title and a light-hearted writing style designed for an informative but entertaining read, The Game Boy Encyclopedia is the definitive guide to a legendary gaming platform.

_Stuart Spouses_ looks at the oft-overshadowed consorts of the Stuart monarchs, from 1406 to 1714\. By focusing on these people and detailing their rises to matrimony, the trials and tribulations of their courtships, and the impact their unions and dissolutions had on the kingdoms of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales, one learns not only the history of these kingdoms but the true, sometimes soft, power behind the throne.

In the early hours of 10 May 1940, HitlerâEUR(TM)s armed forces launched their invasion of France and the Low Countries. Shattering the tense peace of the Phoney War, German troops poured west over the borders of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, supported throughout by the Luftwaffe. Having been deployed to the Continent on the outbreak of war in 1939, the aircrew of the RAFâEUR(TM)s Advanced Air Striking Force had long trained and planned for, as well as anticipated, such a moment. Consequently, at 17.15 hours on that fateful Friday Flight Lieutenant William Simpson took off at the controls of his 12 Squadron Fairey Battle having been ordered to attack enemy transport advancing near the town of Junglinster, some ten miles from Luxembourg. It would prove to be SimpsonâEUR(TM)s only offensive sortie of the Second World War. As they rained their bombs down on the German column, Simpson and his crew were met by a ferocious hail of anti-aircraft fire. They pressed home the attack, scoring four direct hits on the enemy. Their Battle, however, was badly damaged and owing to a leak in the petrol tank Simpson was forced to make an emergency landing. As the Battle slewed to a halt, the cockpit quickly became enveloped in flames. Initially trapped in his seat, Simpson was rescued from the inferno by his two crew, his hands and face severely burnt. Initially helped to a nearby convent by Belgian peasants, Simpson was taken by ambulance back into France and handed over to French Army doctors at a casualty clearing station. At first it was not expected that Simpson would survive his wounds. Both of his eyelids had been burnt off, his nose was virtually destroyed, his eyes swollen and battered, and those of his fingers that remained had been reduced to charred talons. But against all odds, Simpson refused to give in to his shocking injuries. Over the next year-and-a-half, he endured treatment in no less seven French hospitals in both the Occupied and Unoccupied zones of France. Eventually the German and Vichy French authorities agreed to SimpsonâEUR(TM)s repatriation on medical grounds. His passage home, which involved him travelling through France, Spain and Portugal, finally began on 10 October 1941\. Back in Britain, Simpson soon found himself in the hands of the renowned plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe. The operations that followed over the next two years helped rebuild his shattered body. In _One of Our PilotâEUR(TM)s Is Safe_, Simpson graphically reveals his moving journey from operational pilot in the Battle of France to membership of the famous Guinea Pig Club.

Gold is not what we think. It is usually discussed in the context of wealth and art but this book has a broader subject, so fundamental that it has been largely unremarked. Informed by a mass of recent discoveries and a South American indigenous perspective, it offers a new way of understanding the history of civilization. Gold has been coinage, treasure and adornment. But it has been much more, as the hidden driver of wars and revolutions, the rise and fall of empires and the transformation of societies. As the sun travelled east to west across the sky, gold, incorruptible and corrupting, flowed west to east, hand to hand across the world.That flow has brought empires to grow and collapse and driven plunder, conquest and colonization. It brought about wars and revolutions, empowered new forms of arts and science and created the capitalist consumer economy that dominates us now. All the gold people ever shaped still exists, shining as new; it can be mislaid but never decays. Right from its first appearance on the west shore of the Black Sea, long before the rise of Egypt and Mesopotamia, gold crowned the first proto-king. Ever since, it has been regarded as value incarnate with transcendental power. The quantity we take has been increasing steadily for 6,500 years. Now extraction accelerates. Our gold mountain has doubled in the last fifty years. Yet its price increases faster. While the quantity doubled, its buying power multiplied by six. What does gold do that makes us want it so much?As Alan Ereira reveals in this skilfully woven narrative, gold is the hidden actor that shapes our story.

The industrial revolution was forged with the lives of our ancestorsâEUR(TM) children. All over Britain, children and young people toiled for hours every day. Their workplaces were pitch-dark mines, fiery furnaces, brightly-lit mills with deadly machines, and mud-filled brickyards. Some workers were pauper apprentices, sent thousands of miles from their homes and indentured until the age of twenty-one. Almost every item in our ancestorsâEUR(TM) homes and wardrobes was made by children and youngsters: buttons, glass, carpets, cotton, cutlery, pins, candles, lace, pottery, straw hats, and even matches. In grand houses and ordinary homes, tiny chimney sweeps climbed chimneys choked with soot, and boys and girls worked as domestic servants. On the land, both sexes worked in all weathers. Children worked at home, too âEUR" many helped their parents earn a living. From the early 1800s, men like Robert Owen tried to improve childrenâEUR(TM)s lives. But reform was held back for decades by wealthy mill-owners, landowners and politicians who believed that profits were more important than people. Sue Wilkes tells the story of the battle for workplace and educational reforms led by Lord Shaftesbury, Richard Oastler, and the indefatigable factory inspectors. But it took many decades to transform societyâEUR(TM)s attitude towards childhood itself. Young Workers of the Industrial Age takes a fresh look at the childhoods stolen to create BritainâEUR(TM)s industrial empire.

Shortly after the surprise bombing of Pearl Harbor in late 1941, over 70,000 American and Filipino servicemen were captured by the Japanese in the Philippines. What ensued for these young men is considered by many military historians to be one of the most barbaric sequences of war crimes in history, yet it remains an incredibly inspiring story of unmatched heroism and survival. According to the Japanese code of _Bushido_ a soldier captured alive had dishonoured himself and his country, so their new prisoners were often regarded with utter contempt. Then Second Lieutenant Patrick Rafferty and his fellow âEURœBattling Bastards of BataanâEUR? had just forfeited the right to be treated humanely, at least in the eyes of their captors. Forced to march shoeless over sixty-five miles northward in unbearable heat with no water or food, men were routinely executed if they showed any signs of slowing the forward progress towards their internment camp. Some estimates suggest that nearly 18,000 men perished during the infamous Bataan Death March, bones and souls left unceremoniously in shallow graves on a dusty roadside. Ghastly Japanese prison camps awaited those âEUR¿luckyâEUR(TM) enough to survive the Death March. Long, hard days of unrelenting slave labour under the watchful eyes and beating sticks of the prison guards drove many a young soldier to his early grave. If the torture and executions did not take oneâEUR(TM)s life, any number of intestinal diseases could, and often did. Having no communication with the outside world, the prisoners were assured the US and its allies had surrendered, adding heavy layers of mental anguish on top of the gruesome physical toll endured. Adding to this tortuous uncertainty, prisoners like Rafferty were routinely shuffled to new locations, sometimes via the notorious âEUR¿hell shipsâEUR(TM) like _Oryoku Maru_, where Allied soldiers were routinely drowned or murdered by the thousands, often by friendly fire. Still, tales of unwavering friendship and comradery thread beautifully throughout RaffertyâEUR(TM)s account, often charmed by his Boston-Irish sense of humour, offering well-placed balance to the horrors. Decades later, then Lieutenant Colonel Rafferty would finally, bravely share his long-suppressed memories and the pain they brought. Speaking into a handheld tape recorder with striking detail, he revealed the true story of what he and his comrades endured. Amongst other jaw-dropping anecdotes from his three-and-a-half years as a POW, perhaps his most gripping personal horror was burying his sickly friend alive as a bayonet pointed into the back of his own neck to ensure the shovelling continued. This, then, is a moving first-hand account of survival at its most brutal core.

The invention by Whittle of the turbo-jet engine, and the determined effort to design, develop and demonstrate that such a novel new method of propulsion would replace piston engines in the air, was one of the most important technical achievements of the twentieth century. That one man accomplished this working with a small but dedicated team of engineers and craftsman in the middle of a war, and in the face of many doubters, was a truly monumental achievement. The jet engine envisaged by Frank Whittle, a young Royal Air Force cadet, changed aviation forever. It was an invention that has, in the years since, had the effect of shrinking the world we live in. We think nothing today of flying between continents in a few hours, when just a two or three generations ago this would have been a major expedition. In short, the jet engine, developed with great tenacity by Whittle, has made the world a village, and has introduced world-wide travel to ordinary people everywhere. This accomplishment was all the more remarkable given WhittleâEUR(TM)s humble background as the son of a highly skilled but largely uneducated mechanic and machinist. A young man from a working-class family, Frank Whittle wanted to become a pilot, but he was denied admission into the RAF due to his physical limitations. Nevertheless, he persisted until finally he was accepted on an air mechanicâEUR(TM)s (or fitterâEUR(TM)s) apprenticeship at RAF Cranwell. It was a course which was primarily used to train officer cadets. Cranwell included a flying training school and it was WhittleâEUR(TM)s secret hope that he may be one step closer to achieving his aim of learning to fly. The air mechanicâEUR(TM)s apprenticeship was a three-year course aimed at providing a thorough practical understanding of all aircraft structural components as well as a detailed knowledge of the different types of aircraft engines then in use. He was a diligent apprentice, and happily threw himself into every aspect of the rigorous training provided, while at the same time keeping an eye on the officer cadets on the flying courses. Inspired by his training, Frank Whittle developed an idea. He believed it was possible for aircraft to fly faster and higher âEUR" and he turned his vision into reality. This incredible accomplishment was not without considerable personal cost though, as Whittle had to face the realities of war, as well as personal and commercial issues that nearly turned his dream into a nightmare. In addition, this biography, written by someone who met Frank Whittle, includes details of his rather colourful personal life, which have not been previously documented.

In April 1945, American forces were sweeping eastwards toward Berlin, in part advancing across territory that would eventually become part of the Soviet Occupation Zone. As they advanced, US troops uncovered major parts of the manufacturing facilities and the people associated with the engines that powered GermanyâEUR(TM)s last generation of miliary aircraft: the jet fighters and bombers. Understandably, the engine technology involved in powering these aircraft, such as the Messerschmitt Me 262 and the Arado Ar 234, was of great interest to the Allied nations. Among the many questions that needed to be answered was whether the Germans had made important breakthroughs in their successful use of these engines. Having made these discoveries and seizures, the American authorities needed to decide exactly what they would do with them. Would they share the bounty with the other Allies? American collaboration with the British was a fact. The French, while Allies, were, in American eyes, militarily unimportant in realizing the defeat of Nazi Germany. Sharing technology with them was not of great interest. The Soviets were far behind, but nevertheless ambitious and keen to catch up to western military capability. The Americans knew their relation to the Soviets was tense and confrontational: no sharing was likely there. From their perspective, HitlerâEUR(TM)s jet engineers faced not only a lost war, but the economic and intellectual realities that work in Germany would not be available. They had technical knowledge and experiences that were undeniably valuable to the Allied victors. These nations would be engaged in a new competition for control of world affairs that would be called the Cold War. While the major technical interests were atomic bombs, guided missiles, and jet engines, it is the last of these that is explored here. What happened to the people and to the institutions they would staff? This is the story of some who found homes and work in the US and in France and some who were brutally abducted to the Soviet Union. This is also the story of American decisions made regarding the German jet engineers and the consequences for them as people and propulsion technology for American, French, and Soviet aviation. The competitive stance between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies was one of the key elements of the Cold War that followed. It led to a brutal Russian view and execution of war reparations that elevated the Soviet Union into a powerful position to challenge the West.

Mrs. Amelia Dyer was probably the most notorious baby farmer, but she was not working in isolation. The wider story of the myriad of others also classed as baby farmers is told here. Detailing the stories of over 100 baby farmers, the good, the bad and the murderous, it looks at why baby farming became so prevalent during the Victorian period. Why did so many mothers choose to hand their babies over to the care of these people, usually, women? What âEUR¿careâEUR(TM) was meted out to the innocent victims of these crimes? How did baby farmers come to the notice of the authorities, and how did the police track down the perpetrators of this darkest of businesses? What were the punishments meted out to them? And how, eventually, the practice was brought to an end? Find the answers to the questions about the darkest business to be carried out during the Victorian and early Twentieth Century periods in this book that traces the stories of so many baby farmers, many of whom have not had their stories told before. Was there a baby farmer in your family? Did one of your ancestors survive a baby farmer, or had they found a good family to give them the love and care a child needs? This book not only tells of a business that has long gone for its historical interest, but also, can be of use to family historians, and social history researchers.

This is the story of the New Zealand R Patrol, Long Range Desert Group, who within their ranks had some very distinguished icons such as Jake Easonsmith, Don Steele, Dick Croucher Tony Browne, Bluey Grimsey, and Buster Gibb. Their stories are told, including that of many others, mostly in the words of the participants themselves by way of wartime operational reports, diaries, personal letters, and post war interviews. This provides a human touch to the narrative, examining the thoughts and observations of those who served. The work also explains the formation of the unit, including its early missions and of the vehicles, supplies, weapons, and equipment used. In addition, serving as a âEUR¿Taxi ServiceâEUR(TM) for behind the line missions carrying agents, commandos, military observers, rescuing downed airmen and escaped PoWs. Chapters are also devoted to working with the SAS and Free French, supporting the Eighth Army, and undertaking the Road Watch. This includes dramatic accounts of air attacks and ground actions against enemy convoys and engagements with Axis forces. This is all supported by 288 images including maps and art.

COIN - counterinsurgency - is a major element in international relations - both historical and 'IR theory' - and in military history. It was a vital component in the Cold War and decolonisation. COIN is now widely contrasted with 'Big War' theory in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war and proxy-war with NATO, but is still a global phenomenon. Dhofar as a mis-ruled province of 'medieval' Oman, saw insurgency initiated by the Dhofar Liberation Front (DLF) and its successors organizations including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman and the Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG). These were supported variously by China, the USSR and other Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt and Iraq, but the insurgency was defeated by a combination Omani, British, Iranian and Jordanian forces. The COIN win in Dhofar prevented the spread of Communism on the Arabian Peninsula, thereby protecting British Middle Eastern influence and the vital Gulf oil supply to both the UK and wider Western economic bloc. The war and associated counterinsurgency (COIN) campaign can be considered a unique or 'sui generis' military 'success', with revolutionary forces overcome in a difficult and often brutal campaign involving British forces including its elite SAS Regiment, along with Jordanian and Iranian military aid. The study covers much more than the Dhofar campaign and contrasts the Omani example with other British COIN operations in major decolonising territories and 'Emergencies' (1945-1999). These include the campaigns undertaken in Palestine, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, Brunei/Borneo, Aden and Northern Ireland; which highlight the many similar aspects of these examples shared with the Dhofar War, but also that its unique status in the British COIN historiography should be acknowledged.

_Battle of Monte Natale_ brings together contemporary accounts showing war, not only at the strategic level involving Corps, Division, Brigade and Battalion, but also the individual level, by extensive use of War Diaries, personal accounts, missing person reports and the inspiring stories of heroism and the sacrifices made which were recognised by the awards for valour. It is the story of those individuals who fought and died in the Battle of Monte Natale. Minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, by words, pictures, and maps it shows what happened in the three weeks from 17th January to 7th February 1944 in an area of just nine square kilometres. It is a unique glimpse of an important battle from both sides of the conflict and includes personal German and British views of the battle. Few books about World War II show a battle in such detail.

During the war hundreds of German panzer commanders and gunners accomplished the feat of personally destroying at least 20 enemy tanks. In this book they are for the first time all gathered together, with their individual stories examined in detail using officially documented combat actions, kills and awards. and illustrated with over 300 photos.

Although the Guards Armoured Division and its sister formation the 6th Guards (Tank) Brigade shared a common origin, they went on to forge quite different operational records. One of the units would be tarnished by its failures while the other was applauded for its successes. A month after VE Day, the two GuardsâEUR(TM) armoured formations would be reunited one last time before being officially disbanded. During the intervening years, the Guards faced criticism, public ridicule, the threat of disbandment, and many other challenges. Nevertheless, these armoured Guardsmen would prevail on the battlefield. In response to the threat of a German invasion of the British Isles, the Guards Armoured Division formed in the spring of 1941\. But why convert battalions of Foot Guards, considered by many to be first-class infantry, into an armoured formation? Certainly, many people were sceptical that 'spit-and-polish' Guardsmen could ever adapt to a new armoured role. As the threat of invasion receded, the Guards Armoured Division and 6th Guards (Tank) Brigade embarked on years of training while the war raged elsewhere. This book examines the decision to form the Guards Armoured Division and then keep it at home for an extended period. Once deployed to Normandy, the fighting quickly revealed shortcomings in the Division's training, equipment, and operational procedures. In contrast, when the Churchill tanks of the 6th Guards (Tank) Brigade went into action south of Caumont it was to prove an affirmation of everything they had learnt in training. Over the next ten months, the GuardsâEUR(TM) armoured formations would celebrate victories and lament failures while fighting their way across northwest Europe. This book examines how the decision to raise a Guards Armoured Division came about, and why the idea met with such strong opposition. It also takes an in-depth look at the training, equipment, and culture of the Brigade of Guards, and how that influenced the two formationsâEUR(TM) preparedness for war. Once deployed overseas, the book explores how the Guards were able to adapt to changing conditions on the battlefield and adopt new operational and tactical procedures. Finally, the book reveals why the GuardsâEUR(TM) armoured formations were hurriedly disbanded in June 1945\. Additionally, using new archive material, the book discloses why it took over a decade to publish the âEUR¿officialâEUR(TM) history of the Guards Armoured Division.

As the war progressed Hitler did not need obedient bureaucrats like Keitel, failures like Paulus and was paranoid about having military leaders who were loyal. The three field marshals in this book were amongst the best. Field Marshal Kesselring gained a reputation in Italy as an expert in defence, and his Allied code name was The Emperor. Kesselring was diplomatic, charming, known as Smiling Albert, but convicted as a war criminal which may not have happened had it not been for the bitter partisan war. Field Marshal Rommel is surrounded by myths which need disentangling. He possessed exceptional qualities of command and leadership, with personal courage and determination, but had problems caused by two major reasons. The first was his relentless ambition, which prevented him from self-criticism and self-evaluation. The second was his meteoric rise in command, and like many other commanders driven by ambition. Field Marshal Model when on the battlefield led his men so well it is surprising that little is known of him. He fought defensive battles in a way hardly matched by any other German general. He had the immense capability of keeping his nerve, but his skills as a commander, were not matched by the sort of personality which may have given him a similar status as with Rommel, and not helped by challenging Hitler. Model had a reputation of being so tough even Hitler claimed he would not want to serve under him, he was known as the Frontschwein (front-line pig).

Under cloudless blue skies, the Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Montgomery, Alabama hosts the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the United States. Most of the graves contain young RAF trainee pilots killed during their flying training at nearby Maxwell and Gunter airfields during the Second World War. However, there is another grave, located at the edge of the plot, not from the early 1940s but, from 1954\. The grave marks the final resting place of a 44-year-old senior RAF officer, Air Commodore Geoffrey Stephenson CBE. It begs the questions who was he and why is he buried there?This book sets out to answer both these questions. As a result, this is the remarkable story of not only StephensonâEUR(TM)s life but the people, planes and places that would leave an indelible mark on a seasoned fighter pilot. After growing up in Lincolnshire and Ireland, 18-year-old Stephenson joined the RAF in 1928 alongside Douglas Bader who would become a life-long friend. After leaving Cranwell, the pair both joined 23 Squadron. In the 1930s, Stephenson rose through the ranks to command 19 Squadron, a Duxford-based Spitfire unit, that would see his baptism of fire over Dunkirk in late May 1940\. Following the downing of a Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, Stephenson was himself shot down and crash landed on the beach at Sangatte. After a brief period on the run in France and Belgium, Stephenson was taken into captivity, spending the next five years as a prisoner of war, ending up at the iconic Colditz Castle where, ironically, he was reunited with his old friend Bader. Upon his release in April 1945, Stephenson quickly resumed his RAF career commanding, instructing, and flying the latest jet fighters, both at home and overseas. He was aide-de-camp to two monarchs, including escorting a young Queen Elizabeth II during her 1953 Coronation Review. However, his already eventful career would take a tragic turn. In 1954, Stephenson flew to the United States to review their latest acquisitions, which included a flight in the supersonic F-100 Super Sabre. It would be his last flight. Nevertheless, StephensonâEUR(TM)s legacy lives on at his former base at Duxford in the guise of the Imperial War MuseumâEUR(TM)s immaculately restored Spitfire Mk.I N3200\. This was the very aircraft in which he force-landed on 26 May 1940\. Recovered from the French beach, N3200 was painstakingly rebuilt and returned to flying condition. Today, N3200 is often referred to as a âEUR¿National TreasureâEUR(TM). This is the biography of a remarkable pilot, husband and father, revealing the planes he flew, the places he visited, and the incredible people he met along the way.

The first days of the Battle of the Bulge saw tactical defeats for several formations of the US army. The Saint-Vith sector was particularly hard hit by the surprise attack that prevailed on the morning of 16 December 1944\. Two American units, the 106th Infantry Division and the 14th Cavalry Group, were crushed in front of this small town, which was of vital importance to the German offensive in the Ardennes. To the north-west of Saint-Vith is a small hamlet consisting of a few houses: Poteau. The area is well known to military history enthusiasts thanks to a series of photographs taken by a German Propaganda Kompagnie, which were later captured by the US Army and have since become famous the world over. Although this series of photographs was a staging point for a propaganda battle, their frequent appearance in history books on the Ardennes offensive prompted the author to investigate what really happened in this small village on the border between the Ardennes and the German-speaking cantons of Belgium, and how its history is closely linked to the drama of the Battle of Saint-Vith.

With its back against the wall in the summer of 1940 methods to hit back at the Germans occupying Europe were urgently sought. The Special Operations Executive was created to operate as a secret army, able to send operatives into Europe and to fight behind enemy lines. Their role encompassed espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance. They were also key in helping to establish resistance networks in occupied countries âEUR" most notably in France in preparation for D-Day. The location of their headquarters led to them being known as âEURœthe Baker Street IrregularsâEUR? and they attracted recruits from the professional classe including lawyers, bankers, secretaries and even housewives. Another rich source was the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry.

This is a study of the officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross during the early period of HitlerâEUR(TM)s assault upon the Soviet Union. This takes us from the great onslaught of Operation _Barbarossa_, through to HitlerâEUR(TM)s decision to abandon his attempt to capture Moscow and adopt a temporary defensive stance due to the early onset of winter. Such was the scale of operations during these momentous first six months of the war on the Eastern Front there were endless opportunities for officers to display courage and leadership. This resulted in a total of 178 generals âEUR" twenty-six _Generalmajors_; fifty-six _Generalleutnants_, eighty-four full _Generals_, eleven _Generalobersts_ and one _Generalfeldmarschall_ âEUR" being awarded the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross in this period alone. One such recipient was _General der Artillerie_ Erich Marcks who personally directed the fire of his guns against enemy bunkers at very close range. On the day he was notified of his award of the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross he was seriously wounded and had to have his left leg amputated. Despite this he returned to service in March 1942 and was later awarded the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross with Oakleaves. _General der Infanterie_ Ernst Schroth, the Commanding General of the XII Army Corps, was awarded the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross for his part in the attack on the Brest-Litvosk Fortress in June 1941\. Considered a staunch supporter of Hitler, he was appointed to the Court of Honour which investigated those members of the Wehrmacht who had participated in the 20 July 1944 _Valkyrie_ plot to kill the Fÿhrer. Hermann-Heinrich Behrend was just a Major when he was awarded the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross on 15 July 1941\. This was for his actions while commanding I. Battalion of the 489th Infantry Regiment in its successful breakthrough of the enemyâEUR(TM)s heavily defended lines southeast and east of Tauroggen in Lithuania on 22 June 1941\. Behrend continued to display great courage and resourcefulness, which saw him rise to the rank of _Generalmajor_ and the later awards of both the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross with Oakleaves, and the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross with Oakleaves and SwordsWith each of these 178 entries there is a detailed description of how and where the KnightâEUR(TM)s Cross was won and in the case of the higher awards, such as the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, who presented the award, where and when. This study provides details of their rank and command at the time of the award as well as also detailing their career during the war and after, with investigations into their fate and post-war life. The book is completed with a considerable number of photographs of many of these officers.

The Commandos stand out as an iconic and fascinating formation who will always be of interest to the reading public. Created in June 1940, just after the fall of France, the commandos were established as a small, elite raiding and reconnaissance force with the express intention of hitting back at the Germans when few alternatives were available. During the war the formation grew in size and complexity, taking part in the most dangerous and compelling actions, and making themselves indispensable.

Whether it is their innovative technical development or the Nazi propaganda harping them as revolutionary wonder weapons, readers interested in World War II find the research on 'German secret weapons' very interesting. The V1, a flying bomb we would now call a cruise missile, opened in June 1944 and soon dozens of them were hitting England day and night. Churchill was so worried that he issued a memorandum proposing to drop poison gas on German cities. To strengthen the faith of the German people in the final victory, despite an increasingly desperate military situation, Nazi propaganda gave the name to this new weapon, V1 for Vergeltungswaffe 1, weapon of revenge number 1. The first V2s, a large liquid-fuelled rocket, were fired against Paris and London on September 8. The V1s and V2s, but also jet engines, were produced by slave workers in the underground factory of Mittelwerk. Inmates from nearby Dora concentration camps provided the labour force, the usual gruesome methods were employed, and over 20,000 of the forced laborers of the Mittelwerk perished. The SS finally seized power not onlye of the production of V-Weapons but also of their operational command. The last months of World War II, when Germany was on the defensive on all fronts and desperately looking for 'wonder weapons', saw a number of ineffective, albeit innovative, technical developments. Among them were the HDP and the Rheinbote, the third and fourth V-Weapons, which were launched into battle in small numbers. V-weapons were indeed inventive weapon concepts, but it must be remembered that Nazi Germany failed to realize that the real super-weapon was going to come from nuclear technology. The only real superweapon of World War II, the atomic bomb, was developed by the Western Allies. The Allied powers had recognized the technical potential of the V2s and to learn German technique of launching long-range rockets, an Operation 'Backfire' was conducted in the summer of 1945 with captured German personnel supervised by British technical experts. Three V2s were launched in October. The United States wasted no time in acquiring 120 top rocket scientist Germans and the first test of a V2 on American soil took place on March 3, 1946\. The Russians also captured German rocket technicians who quickly resumed their work in Russia.

Amir, an Afghan officer, faces trials and survival in the battlefield, rising through the ranks amid challenges.Following the defeat of the Taliban in 2001 Amir joined the Afghan Army becoming an officer. For the next five or so years he is involved in fighting the resurgent Taliban alongside American, British and other coalition soldiers. During an operation to capture a district in Faryab province, his friend Jawad and several other of his soldiers are killed in an ambush and he berates the Afghan Brigade Commander in front of other senior officers, including some from the coalition. Arrested on suspicion of sympathy with the Taliban he faces Court Martial until a US Marine who had been an adviser attached to the Afghan battalion defends him, producing evidence that the Afghan Brigade Commander deliberately suppressed intelligence because the Taliban were holding some of his family hostage. Amir is acquitted but is advised that many senior Afghan officers distrust him for what they see as a betrayal leading Amir to transfer to Special Forces where he is put in command of his own team.On one operation in Helmand, Amir and his team are cut off and besieged in an old fort for nine days, forced to survive by eating snakes and lizards after their food runs out. Fortunately, just before their ammunition ran out a British force backed up by helicopter gunships and American bombers breaks the siege.Amir went on to become a battalion commander for his last four years serving as the US started to withdraw troops and hand over responsibility to the Afghan Army.

From the glamour of Kennedy's presidency to the enigma of Lee Oswald and the murky world of Jack Ruby, learn their motivations, and see the shadows that continue to linger over one of the most significant moments in modern history. Unraveling the threads of the Cold War and the Cuban conflict, this historical backdrop fuels the paranoid tension leading up to that fateful day in Dallas, and offers fresh perspectives on a pivotal period in American history. Explore the Kennedy legacy. In an era marked by skepticism towards powerful institutions, Kennedy's legacy compels us to question, analyze, and seek transparency. JFK's assassination emerges as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked power

Prisoners of war (POWs) are an important part in the history of the Second World War. Nikolaos Theotokis, in this vividly written book, examines the subject, taking a closer look at the hundreds of thousands of Axis military personnel, including women (mostly German), who were held in POW camps, POW cages, prisons or forced labour camps, after being captured by or surrendering to Allied forces, between 1940 and 1945, in the North African, European and Pacific theatres of operations. Hundreds of cases of officers of the Wehrmacht and the SS, as well as of the Royal Italian and the Imperial Japanese Armies have been grouped by the author in two main categories: those who were taken prisoner by Allied forces and those who surrendered to them. This is not a book about military might, but about people, many of whom were proven innocent victims of circumstance. Officers who committed suicide to avoid capture and others who were charged and punished as war criminals are separately presented, along with a great number of foreign volunteers who were captured by or surrendered to Allied forces during the war, after joining units of the German or the Japanese Armies. Members of the military and secretarial staff of Adolf Hitler who were imprisoned after the German capitulation are also highlighted in the book, along with cases of high-ranking officers in co-belligerent Romania, who were harshly punished by their countryâEUR(TM)s post-war communist authorities for being anti-communists and for having fought against the Red Army. Another category also examined by the author are the German prisoners who were handed over to Joseph Stalin by the western Allies in May 1945 as a gesture of friendship, although the Soviet Union had not signed the Geneva Convention. This book is a concise, authoritative account of the Axis POWs, being also an unrivalled source of information on the subject.

Major Alexander Sanderson DSO, MC & Bar, MiD was one of the ablest and most experienced mining engineers to serve on the Western Front in the First World War. Following on from his early, adventurous life in the outback, in this biography, written by his grandson, we reveal the full story of the highly technical war he waged below, and above, No ManâEUR(TM)s Land near Lens in France as part of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company. As a young New Zealand-born student of the West Australian Engineer-in-Chief, he attended the School of Mines and became an underground goldmine manager alongside H.C. Hoover, the future US President. After a construction business venture with his friend John Monash (later General Sir), he undertook camel treks across the harsh Ashburton desert, sinking artesian wells and gold prospecting, before joining the Army, having abandoned his claim to a million-acre cattle station to do so. Enrolling as a Captain (HQ staff), as a Mining Corps expert Sanderson was tasked with listing all the equipment, such as winches, fans, generators etc., necessary for speeding up a war underground. SandersonâEUR(TM)s first Military Cross was awarded for his role during the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916, during which he was wounded by shellfire while repairing an explosive charge in No ManâEUR(TM)s Land. Sent to Hill 70 at Loos, his Company was at once pitched into a silent, deadly underground âEUR¿cat and mouseâEUR(TM) war of nerves with German pioneers. SandersonâEUR(TM)s rapid survey of the galleries and his alert listenersâEUR(TM) acuity soon pinpointed the tunnels of the out-manoeuvred enemy miners. Hit by three huge camouflets, the enemy ceased mining. SandersonâEUR(TM)s second MC and wound stripe were awarded after a successful night-time raid to destroy enemy shafts. When his CO was killed by a sniper, he took over command. We also read how the Australians constructed a vast network of defensive subways for the infantry from La BassÃ(c)e to Hill 70\. SandersonâEUR(TM)s defensive Hythe Tunnel, constructed in 1918, complete with pivoting bascule doors and sliding internal walls, was considered one of the finest tunnels on the Western Front. During the Blitz in the Second World War, Sanderson was put in charge of repairs to the bomb-damaged London Underground. Such was his tunnelling skills, he was also a consultant structural engineer for both the Cabinet War Rooms and ChurchillâEUR(TM)s underground bunker, following which Winston presented him with a box of his cigars as a token of the Prime MinisterâEUR(TM)s appreciation. Such was SandersonâEUR(TM)s technical ability, in 1942 he submitted secret revolutionary âEUR¿Tilt-wingâEUR(TM) and âEUR¿Vertical Take OffâEUR(TM) aeronautical designs to the Air Ministry, all of which are revealed in this biography of one manâEUR(TM)s service in two world wars.

Rose West: Her very name is synonymous with evil. Described as a chattel by her father, a cow by her husband, and a monster by the Press, yet the only person to interview her saw her as an ordinary grandmother: she could be the old woman living next door. This is the story of how a pretty young girl became one of Britain's worst female serial killers, with expert analysis on why she embarked on a legacy of slaughter when she was a mere teen, torturing and butchering her own daughter. It sheds new light on her mental state and how, even before she was born, she was receiving an onslaught of irrevocable damage to her development in a unique set of circumstances that created the mind of a serial killer. It is also, more importantly, the stories of the other women involved; her abused mother, the women lured to their deaths, the nanny who escaped, and the family of the most notorious woman still alive in Britain today. Understanding Rose West also uncovers evidence of police involvement in the murders, and looks at more possible victims and their whereabouts, and whether Rose was more involved in the murders than previously thought. It also examines how children are still dying at the hands of abusers today - have lessons been learned?Featuring the latest views of some of the people involved in the Wests' case, Understanding Rose West is the most comprehensive analysis of the psyche of this notorious killer.

Known as âEUR¿Fat AlbertâEUR(TM), LockheedâEUR(TM)s ubiquitous C-130 Hercules was a product of combat experiences gained during the Korean War, a conflict that highlighted the need for a rugged transport aircraft designed with a do-anything, go-anywhere ethos in mind. First flown in August 1954, the C-130, powered by four turboprop engines mounted underneath a high wing which allowed for effortless loading via a rear ramp, soon proved its worth as a highly versatile aircraft. The easily configured cargo area helped the C-130 stand out from the crowd, and soon variants began to appear, with the first being a ski-equipped resupply aircraft. It was this type of tasking the C-130 excelled at, and soon air movement staff was developing new ways to deploy cargo. This included low-level drops, proving invaluable in aiding isolated disaster-struck areas. Other variants included air-to-air tankers, electronic reconnaissance platforms and weather reconnaissance aircraft. Now produced by Lockheed Martin, the C-130 has become synonymous with tactical airlifting and is the longest continuously produced military aircraft since the first one rolled off the production line in 1954\. In fact, since its introduction into service the C-130 has produced over seventy variants, including gunships, search-and-rescue and scientific research aircraft, and is currently in service with some seventy nations. As well as the military C-130, Lockheed has also produced a commercial variant of their famous aircraft, the L-100\. Not for nothing do Lockheed Martin claim that there is at least one C-130 airborne somewhere in the world at any given moment in time. With over 2,500 produced, and some almost thirty years old, that's more than plausible. This Flight Craft title offers the aviation enthusiast, historian and modeller an exciting selection of C-130-related resources through photographs, illustrations and excellent showcase examples to help build their own versions of this hugely successful, highly flexible aircraft.