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The Peloponnesian War (Oxford World’s Classics)
‘The greatest historian that ever lived’Such was Macaulay’s verdict on Thucydides (c.460-400 BC) and his history of the Peloponnesian War, the momentous struggle between Athens and Sparta as rival powers and political systems that lasted for twenty-seven years from 431 to 404 BC, involved virtually the whole of the Greek world, and ended in the fall of Athens. Thucydides himself was a participant in the war; to his history he brings an awesome intellect, brilliant narrative, and penetrating analysis of the nature of power, as it affects both states and individuals.
Of his own work Thucydides wrote: ‘I shall be content if [my history] is judged useful by those who will want to have a clear understanding of what happened – and, such is the human condition, will happen again … It was composed as a permanent legacy, not a showpiece for a single hearing.’ So it has proved. Of the prose writers of Greece and Rome Thucydides has had more lasting influence on western thought than all but Plato and Aristotle. This new edition combines a masterly translation with comprehensive supporting material.
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Read more
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The End of the Spanish Civil War: Alicante 1939
The Spanish Civil War ended in Alicante. After Catalonia fell to the Hitler and Mussolini backed military rebellion of Franco’s Nationalists at the outset of 1939, the legitimate Republican government of Dr Negrín was faced with a choice between apparently futile resistance or unconditional surrender to the triumphant Nationalists. Choosing the path of continued defiance until they could force concessions or at least implement a mass evacuation of those Republicans most at risk in Franco’s new Spain, the government withdrew to Elda in the province of Alicante. However, their plans were thwarted by a new rebellion of Republican officers, led by Colonel Segismundo Casado, who resented Negrín’s reliance on the Communist Party and the USSR and believed themselves better equipped to negotiate a peace settlement with Franco. They were misguided, Franco had no wish, and ultimately no need to negotiate. Meanwhile, faced with the imminent risk of arrest by the new junta, the Prime Minister and his cabinet were forced to abandon Spain from the tiny aerodrome of Monóvar. A relatively quiet port on the eastern, Mediterranean coast of Spain, Alicante had remained at some distance from the frontlines throughout the fighting on the ground, but swiftly became a target for Italian bombers operating out of bases in the Balearic Islands. In May 1938, at the height of the air offensive, Italian bombers attacked the marketplace, causing a massacre as tragic as the events in Guernica, yet largely ignored by historians. As the war drew towards its conclusion, Alicante became increasingly significant as attention focused on the plight of the defeated Republicans. In the second half of March 1939, the fronts collapsed, and Madrid finally fell to the insurgents. Tens of thousands of refugees descended on Alicante in the forlorn hope of rescue by French and British ships that had been promised but which failed to materialise. Amid the tragedy, as the British and French governments declined to engage in any humanitarian intervention that might offend Hitler and Mussolini, a single hero emerged; Captain Archibald Dickson, the Welsh master of the Stanbrook who ditched his cargo and transported 3,000 refugees to safety in North Africa. On 30 March 1939, Franco’s vanguard, the Italian ‘Volunteer’ Corps under General Gastone Gambara, occupied a town already under the control of the Fifth Column. Two days later the Generalísimo issued a communiqué from his headquarters in Burgos, declaring that the war was over. The bulk of the Republicans surrounded and captured in the port were marched to an improvised internment camp, known as the Campo de los Almendros (Field of Almond Trees). They were then transferred to the infamous concentration camp at Albatera to share the fate of defeated Republicans across Spain and to undergo the programme of ideological cleansing of the new fascist authorities.Read more
£20.00£23.80The End of the Spanish Civil War: Alicante 1939
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Afterlives of War: A Descendants’ History (Cultural History of Modern War)
Afterlives of war documents the lives and historical pursuits of the generations who grew up in Australia, Britain and Germany after the First World War. Although they were not direct witnesses to the conflict, they experienced its effects from their earliest years. Based on ninety oral history interviews and observation during the First World War Centenary, this pioneering study reveals the contribution of descendants to the contemporary memory of the First World War, and the intimate personal legacies of the conflict that animate their history-making.Read more
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Wales in World War 2: Wales in World War II
The most comprehensive study to date of Wales’ role in the British response to World War II, and the impact of the war on Wales itself. Wales was vital to the war effort, from military training to public entertainment, from hosting several of Britain’s most secretive weapons programs to housing 110,000 child evacuees, from the war economy to food security. The devastating 1940 blitz in the cities of the south is well known, but the book covers every region comprehensively. Politicians, civil servants and civilian volunteers; miners, steelworkers, farmers, factory workers and entertainers; local children, host families and evacuees; new recruits, soldiers, prisoners of war and pacifists – the book looks at the experience of every part of the population present in Wales during the war. Long-standing tensions between the Welsh people and the English authorities meant for a sometimes strained relationship, affecting the role of film, radio and the arts in propaganda directed to audiences in the home. The book also looks at the legacy of the conflict on Wales after the war.A well-researched, well-written account and analysis drawing on a wide range of sources. It provides international context but also the experiences of regions, communities and individuals. A major advance in writing on this still rather neglected topic. – Dr Neil Evans, Honorary Research Fellow, Bangor University
World War II was a defining moment in the history and the lives of many Welsh people. Yet it has been relatively neglected by historians of Wales. This book sets out to correct that omission with a well-researched account of a war that changed the very course of the history of the nation. – Professor Martin Johnes, Dept of History, Heritage and Classics, Swansea University
Comprehensively researched, with an eloquent yet easy-to-read narrative, this book is highly recommended for anyone wishing to learn about a neglected piece of twentieth-century history: the experiences of World War 2 in Wales. – Kate Sullivan, Project Coordinator, ‘People’s Voices in a People’s War: Aberystwyth, 1938-1945
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£13.50£14.20Wales in World War 2: Wales in World War II
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My Revision Notes: Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History: Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91 (Hodder GCSE History for Edexcel)
Exam Board: Pearson Edexcel
Level: GCSE
Subject: History
First teaching: September 2016
First exams: Summer 2018Endorsed for Edexcel
Target success in Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History with this proven formula for effective, structured revision.
Key content coverage is combined with exam-style questions, revision tasks and practical tips to create a revision guide that students can rely on to review, strengthen and test their knowledge.
With My Revision Notes every student can:
> Plan and manage a successful revision programme using the topic-by-topic planner
> Enjoy an interactive approach to revision, with clear topic summaries that consolidate knowledge and related activities that put the content into context
> Build, practise and enhance exam skills by progressing through activities set at different levels
> Improve exam technique through exam-style questions and model answers with commentary from expert authors and teachers
> Get exam ready with extra quick quizzes and answers to the activities available online
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GCSE Edexcel History Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–1991: Illustrated Revision and Practice (ClearRevise Edexcel GCSE History 1HI0)
Subject level: GCSE History
Exam board: Edexcel
A new generation of revision guides – from the experts at ClearRevise!
Do images help you learn?
This illustrated revision guide is perfectly matched to the GCSE Edexcel History 1HI0 Superpower relations and the Cold War specification.
Our content is expertly compiled by outstanding teachers, industry professionals and highly experienced examiners. All the key points have been clearly explained in PG Online’s signature style, and there are plenty of practice questions to check the content has really stuck. Even better, each page has been beautifully designed, so it even looks good too! It’s everything you need to be fully prepared ahead of the exam.
PG Online are multi-award-winning specialists with decades of teaching, examining and design experience.
Features:
- Over 200 marks worth of exam-style questions
- Answers provided for all questions with mark allocations
- Illustrated topics to improve memory and recall
- Specification references for every topic
- Handy, lightweight, book-bag size
- Examination tips and techniques
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The Irish Civil War: Law, Execution and Atrocity
During the Irish Civil War eighty-three executions were carried out by the National Army of the emerging Free State government, including four prisoners not tried or convicted of any charge. After the war the trial records were destroyed and the execution policy became a bitter memory that was rarely discussed. In this groundbreaking work, Seán Enright examines how a climate emerged in which prisoners could be tried by rudimentary military courts and then executed, and how so many other prisoners were killed without any trial at all.
The government of the emerging state relied on the National Army to fight the war and implement policy, but the National Army was new and lacked discipline. More than 125 further prisoners were killed in the custody of the state; shot at the point of capture or killed in custody. ‘Shot while trying to escape’ became an all too familiar press release. Seventeen prisoners were killed in the Kerry landmine massacres alone.
In the struggle to survive, the new state turned a blind eye and the rule of law simply unravelled. Featuring new material from the Irish Military Archives, The Irish Civil War: Law, Execution and Atrocity examines the dark legacy of this chaotic and bitter conflict.
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£10.90£12.30The Irish Civil War: Law, Execution and Atrocity
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Warplanes of World War II: Fighters, Bombers, Ground Attack Aircraft
Warplanes of World War II provides a detailed look at 50 key aircraft in service between 1939 and 1945. Warplanes profiled include fighters, bombers, fighter- bombers, ground attack and other aircraft from the US, USSR, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Poland and Italy. A large-format side-on photograph in full colour shows every detail of each aircraft, with notes pointing out features that made it unique. This is followed by an in-depth description of the aircraft’s development, manufacturing history and technical profile – all accompanied by colour photographs and a detailed specification panel.
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This Divided Island: Stories from the Sri Lankan War
SHORTLISTED FOR THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE 2015
In the summer of 2009, the leader of the dreaded Tamil Tiger guerrillas was killed, bringing to a bloody end the stubborn and complicated civil war in Sri Lanka. For nearly thirty years, the war’s fingers had reached everywhere: into the bustle of Colombo, the Buddhist monasteries scattered across the island, the soft hills of central Sri Lanka, the curves of the eastern coast near Batticaloa and Trincomalee, and the stark, hot north. With its genius for brutality, the war left few places, and fewer people, untouched.
What happens to the texture of life in a country that endures such bitter conflict? What happens to the country’s soul? Samanth Subramanian gives us an extraordinary account of the Sri Lankan war and the lives it changed. Taking us to the ghosts of summers past, and to other battles from other times, he draws out the story of Sri Lanka today – an exhausted, disturbed society, still hot from the embers of the war. Through travels and conversations, he examines how people reconcile themselves to violence, how religion and state conspire, how the powerful become cruel, and how victory can be put to the task of reshaping memory and burying histories.
This Divided Island is a harrowing and humane investigation of a country still inflamed.
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The RAF’s Armourers: Safely Making Aircraft Dangerous Since the First World War
It is said that one of the earliest trades in the world is that of the Armourer. Historically, it is a profession dated slightly after prostitution, but well before banking! Since the birth of the Royal Flying Corps in 1912 through to the modern Royal Air Force, the role of the Armourer has been pivotal. Not for nothing did the founder of the RAF, Lord Trenchard, once declare: The Armourer – without him there is no need for an air force.’ In the years since the need for RAF Armourers was first recognised, it has been a role that has evolved with the times. What has remained constant, however, is the fact that it is still a fascinating and potentially dangerous trade with many different branches and specialisms. In this book the authors, one of whom, Tony Lamsdale, is himself a former RAF Armourer, reveal the previously untold story of how the trade has adapted to the most modern of military machines, the aircraft. The authors look at the shared history of the Armourer and the RAF through the eyes of those who served. These veterans’ stories span decades, and their first-hand accounts and insights into conflict and peace-time operations demonstrate the qualities and characteristics that make Armourers unique. The book starts with a brief history of the Armourer, then before capturing the adventures and exploits of RAF Armourers from the Second World War and on into the Cold War. The dangerous duties of the Armourers on deployment in such places as the Falklands, Iran, Iraq or Afghanistan are all explored. There is also the question of having to learn of bomb dumps, the use of small arms and the unique world of the Armourer with its own peculiar language and the camaraderie of the crew room. With each chapter brought to life through personal anecdotes and shared experiences, this book provides an insight into an utterly essential role which has remained largely hidden – until now.Read more
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Bosnian War: A History from Beginning to End
Discover the tragic history of the Bosnian War…
Free BONUS Inside!In the annals of modern history, few episodes cast a darker shadow than the Bosnian War. It was during this war that the world became acquainted with the chilling term “ethnic cleansing,” a phrase that encapsulates the unspeakable acts of mass deportation, imprisonment, rape, and murder perpetrated against civilians based on their religious and ethnic identities. During the Bosnian War, the media bombarded the global audience with nightmarish images of brutal massacres, mass graves, and undeniable evidence of heinous crimes against humanity. Yet, for many observers, the roots and reasons behind this war remain enigmatic and elusive.
Yugoslavia was a nation deeply fractured by ethnic and religious divisions. The iron grip of Josip Broz Tito’s communist dictatorship, established after World War II, momentarily silenced these tensions, but upon Tito’s death and the subsequent disintegration of the communist regime in Yugoslavia, these dormant fissures erupted once more, giving rise to a period of anarchy, violence, and conflict known as the Yugoslav Wars. The Bosnian War was not a single, isolated conflict but rather formed part of this wider series of wars. To unravel the complexities of the Bosnian War, one must delve into the intricate web of connections with these other conflicts and the fragmentation of Yugoslavia itself. Even then, it is essential to recognize that the root causes of this war still linger.
This is the story of the complex, horrifying, and brutal human tragedy that became known as the Bosnian War.
Discover a plethora of topics such as
- World War II: The Creation of Socialist Yugoslavia
- Rise of Nationalism in Yugoslavia
- Violence Begins
- Bosnian Genocide: Ethnic Cleansing
- Srebrenica Massacre
- International Intervention
- And much more!
So if you want a concise and informative book on the Bosnian War, simply scroll up and click the “Buy now” button for instant access!
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A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade and the Battle for Christendom (Pivotal Moments in World History)
The Albigensian Crusade, the first in which Christians were promised salvation for killing other Christians, lasted twenty bloody years–a long savage war for the soul of Christendom. In A Most Holy War, historian Mark Pegg has produced a swift-moving, gripping narrative of this horrific crusade. Pegg draws in part on thousands of testimonies collected by inquisitors in the years 1235 to 1245, accounts of ordinary men and women remembering what it was like to live through such brutal times. In responding to heresy with a holy genocidal war, Innocent III fundamentally changed how Western civilization dealt with individuals accused of corrupting society. This change, Pegg argues, led directly to the creation of the inquisition, the rise of an anti-Semitism, and even the holy violence of the Reconquista in Spain.“A bold, erudite, engaging, and superbly written study of what has long been one of the most central topics in medieval and Mediterranean history.”
–Teofilo F. Ruiz, Professor of History, UCLARead more
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A WAAF AT WAR: OR BALLOONS TO BLETCHLEY PARK
This is Margaret’s story, an ordinary young woman from the shires who voluntarily joined the war against Germany and the Nazi Party.
It is a story that takes us from a small rural coal mining town to the sheer hard graft of handling highly hazardous barrage balloons, a sojourn at an operational bomber base.
From there we are taken into the almost monastic world of signals intelligence collection at Bletchley Park. Not for her the interminable copying of sacred texts, rather the transcribing of enemy signal traffic.
To this day Margaret will not talk about her work at Bletchley Park in any detail. This has caused frustration amongst historians, including Bletchley Park itself.
Winston Churchill described the young women at Bletchley as ‘the geese that laid the golden eggs and never cackled.’
And so it has proved.
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The Vietnam War: 1956–75 (Essential Histories)
In this fully illustrated introduction, leading Vietnam War historian Dr Andrew Wiest provides a concise overview of America’s most divisive war.America entered the Vietnam War certain of its Cold War doctrines and convinced of its moral mission to save the world from the advance of communism. However, the war was not at all what the United States expected. Dr Andrew Wiest examines how, outnumbered and outgunned, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces resorted to a guerrilla war based on the theories of Mao Zedong of China, while the US responded with firepower and overwhelming force. Drawing on the latest research for this new edition, Wiest examines the brutal and prolonged resultant conflict, and how its consequences would change America forever, leaving the country battered and unsure as it sought to face the challenges of the final acts of the Cold War. As for Vietnam, the conflict would continue long after the US had exited its military adventure in Southeast Asia.
Updated and revised, with full-colour maps and new images throughout, this is an accessible introduction to the most important event of the “American Century.”
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Al Capone’s Beer Wars: A Complete History of Organized Crime in Chicago during Prohibition
Although much has been written about Al Capone, there has not been–until now–a complete history of organized crime in Chicago during Prohibition. This exhaustively researched book covers the entire period from 1920 to 1933. Author John J. Binder, a recognized authority on the history of organized crime in Chicago, discusses all the important bootlegging gangs in the city and the suburbs and also examines the other major rackets, such as prostitution, gambling, labor and business racketeering, and narcotics. A major focus is how the Capone gang — one of twelve major bootlegging mobs in Chicago at the start of Prohibition–gained a virtual monopoly over organized crime in northern Illinois and beyond. Binder also describes the fight by federal and local authorities, as well as citizens’ groups, against organized crime. In the process, he refutes numerous myths and misconceptions related to the Capone gang, other criminal groups, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and gangland killings. What emerges is a big picture of how Chicago’s underworld evolved during this period. This broad perspective goes well beyond Capone and specific acts of violence and brings to light what was happening elsewhere in Chicagoland and after Capone went to jail. Based on 25 years of research and using many previously unexplored sources, this fascinating account of a bloody and colorful era in Chicago history will become the definitive work on the subject.Read more
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The Tank War: The British Band of Brothers – One Tank Regiment’s World War II
From the evacuation of France in 1940 to the final dash to Hamburg in 1945, the 5th Royal Tank Regiment were on the front line throughout the Second World War. Theirs was a war that saw them serve in Africa as part of the Desert Rats, before returning to Europe for the Normandy landings. Wherever they went, the notoriety of the ‘Filthy Fifth’ grew – they revelled in their reputation for fighting by their own rules.
The Tank War explains how Britain, having lost its advantage in tank warfare by 1939, regained ground through shifts in tactics and leadership methods, as well as the daring and bravery of the crews themselves. Overturning the received wisdom of much Second World War history, Mark Urban shows how the tank regiments’ advances were the equal of the feats of the German Panzer divisions.
Drawing on a wealth of new material, from interviews with surviving soldiers to rarely seen archive material, this is an unflinchingly honest, unsentimental and often brutal account of the 5th RTR’s wartime experiences. Capturing the characters in the crews and exploring the strategy behind their success, The Tank War is not just the story of an battle hardened unit, but something more extraordinary: the triumph of ordinary men, against long odds, in the darkest of times.
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£11.40£12.30 -
Connecting History: National 4 & 5 The Wars of Independence, 1286–1328
Exam board: SQA
Level: National 4 & 5
Subject: History
First teaching: September 2017
First assessment: Summer 2018Fresh stories, fresh scholarship and a fresh structure. Connecting History informs and empowers tomorrow’s citizens, today.
Bringing together lesser-told narratives, academic excellence, accessibility and a sharp focus on assessment success, this series provides a rich, relevant and representative History curriculum.
> Connect the past to the present. Overarching themes of social justice, equality, change and power help students to understand the importance of events and issues, then and now.
> Go far beyond other resources. With respect and aspiration for the transformative power of History, this series incorporates the latest research, challenges old interpretations and embeds diverse experiences throughout.
> Follow a clear and consistent structure. The key issues in the N5 specification form the chapters in each book, and the content descriptors are subheadings within the chapters. Finding the information that you need has never been easier.
> Meet the demands of the assessments. Connecting History develops the knowledge and skills for success, with appropriate breadth, depth and pace. The narrative and sources take centre stage and the authors model the process of answering questions effectively through that narrative, ensuring that students know all the key points that they need to. Activities throughout each chapter consolidate and extend learning.
> Benefit from pedagogic and academic expertise. The authors are highly experienced teachers and examiners who know how to spark critical curiosity in students. Each book has been rigorously reviewed by an academic from the University of Glasgow, so you can rest assured that the content is accurate and up to date.
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The Frontier Sea: The Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic
Most of the great powers contested the lands around the Adriatic Sea during the Napoleonic wars. While never a major theatre of operations, it was part of the overall strategy of most of the combatants. It had an essential role in the conflict, influencing alliances and diverting troops and ships, which all contributed to the defeat of Napoleon. It was also a period of significant change, with the French and British intervening in a region that had long been a battleground reserved for the Austrian, Russian and Ottoman empires.This book examines the campaigns, armies, navies and personalities that fought in the region between 1797 and 1815. Campaigns rarely mentioned in the history of the period. Austrian, French, Russian, British, and their foreign regiments fought up and down the coast, sometimes with or against local leaders like Peter I of Montenegro and Ali Pasha of Ioannina. Many commanders were far from home, with orders taking weeks to reach them. This meant even junior officers could take military and diplomatic decisions usually reserved for more senior officers.
This is a story of strategy and small wars with many colourful personalities playing their part in a fascinating, if violent, tale against the backdrop of the frontier sea.
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Grimsby in the Great War (Your Towns and Cities in the Great War)
An account of the Home Front experience in Grimsby.Read more
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World War Two: 500 Interesting Facts About Major Events, Battles, and People (Curious Histories Collection)
Uncover the fascinating history of World War Two with 500 interesting facts!From the invasion of Poland to V-J Day, this book is your definitive guide to understanding this historical event. Gain insight into pivotal battles, such as Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Stalingrad. Learn about the weapons and technologies used in the battles and discover how women played a significant role during wartime. Unearth meaningful resistance movements and explore the legacies of WWII.
You are in for an exciting ride, so buckle in!
Delve deep into history with chapters including:
- The outbreak of WWII
- Battle of Britain
- Attack on Pearl Harbor
- Battle of Stalingrad
- Japanese American Internment
- And so much more!
This book is a must-have for anyone looking to gain an in-depth understanding of one of history’s most defining moments. Get your copy today, and explore 500 interesting facts about World War Two!
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Wars of the Roses: The People, Places and Battlefields of the Yorkists and Lancastrians
The Wars of the Roses, which saw England and Wales ravaged by warfare for three decades and dynasties rise and fall, decimated the nobility of an entire generation, and saw the rise of the merchant class, the decline of medieval feudalism and opened the country to the enlightened ideals of the Renaissance. Such has been its lasting effects the red and white rose of the Tudors is still a national symbol. This book is an exploration of the buildings, monuments, towns and battlefields of that turbulent era across both England and Wales – places that can still be visited and experienced today. The stories of the great battles of St Albans, Stoke Field, Wakefield, Townton, Barnet, Tewksbury and, of course, Bosworth, are told along with beautiful photographs to help guide the reader round these important sites, as well as the dozens of smaller engagements where the supporters of the Houses of York and Lancaster fought and died. Here are castles and manor houses galore, all of which played their part in this protracted struggle for the throne of England, such as Richard of York’s imposing powerbase of Lulow Castle and the magnificent Tudor stronghold of Bamburg. These are compared with the scant remains of Fotheringhay Castle, the birthplace of Richard III – the man whose remains were so dramatically uncovered in Leicester – and Micklegate Bar, York, was where Richard’s head was placed on a spike. We see the Clocktower of St Albans and ‘Gabriel’ the bell that was rung in 1455 alerting of the Yorkist advance, as well as the Tower of London where Henry VI met his death and the possible burial place of the two princes. These, and scores of other places, monuments, plaques, buildings and battlegrounds, represent not only a journey across England and Wales, but a journey back in time to the bloody conflict that was the War of the Roses.Read more
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The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution and Revenge
UPDATED EDITION
A rousing and full-blooded account of the Spanish Civil War and the rise to prominence of General Franco.No modern conflict has inflamed the passions of both civilians and intellectuals as much as the Spanish Civil War of 1936–39. Burned into our collective historical consciousness, it not only prefigured the imminent Second World War but also ushered in a new and horrific form of warfare that would come to define the twentieth century. At the same time it echoed the revolutionary aspirations of millions of Europeans and Americans after the painful years of the Great Depression.
In this authoritative history, Paul Preston vividly recounts the political ideals and military horrors of the Spanish Civil War – including the controversial bombing of Guernica – and tracks the emergence of General Franco’s brutal but extraordinarily durable fascist dictatorship.
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Britain’s War: A New World, 1942-1947
WINNER OF THE TEMPLER MEDAL BOOK PRIZE 2020
A SPECTATOR, FINANCIAL TIMES AND DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020
‘A stunning achievement’ Max Hastings, Sunday Times
Part Two of Daniel Todman’s epic history of the Second World War opens with one of the greatest disasters in British military history – the fall of Singapore in February 1942. Unlike the aftermath of Dunkirk, there was no redeeming narrative available here – Britain had been defeated by a far smaller Japanese force in her grandly proclaimed, invincible Asian ‘fortress’.
The unique skill of Daniel Todman’s history lies in its never losing sight of the inter-connectedness of the British experience. The agony of Singapore, for example, is seen through the eyes of its inhabitants, of its defenders, of Churchill’s Cabinet and of ordinary people at home. Each stage of the war, from the nadir of early 1942 to the great series of victories in 1944-5 and on to Indian independence, is described both as it was understood at the time and in the light of the very latest historical research.
Britain’s War is a triumph of narrative, empathy and research, as gripping in its handling of individual witnesses to the war – those doomed to struggle with bombing, rationing, exhausting work and above all the absence of millions of family members – as of the gigantic military, social, technological and economic forces that swept the conflict along. It is the definitive account of a drama which reshaped our country.
‘I cannot recommend this history highly enough’ Keith Lowe, Literary Review
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£13.60£16.10Britain’s War: A New World, 1942-1947
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My Revision Notes: OCR AS/A-level History: The Cold War in Europe 1941–1995
Exam board: OCR
Level: A-level
Subject: History
First teaching: September 2015
First exams: Summer 2016Target success in OCR AS/A-level History with this proven formula for effective, structured revision; key content coverage is combined with exam preparation activities and exam-style questions to create a revision guide that students can rely on to review, strengthen and test their knowledge.
– Enables students to plan and manage a successful revision programme using the topic-by-topic planner
– Consolidates knowledge with clear and focused content coverage, organised into easy-to-revise chunks
– Encourages active revision by closely combining historical content with related activities
– Helps students build, practise and enhance their exam skills as they progress through activities set at three different levels
– Improves exam technique through exam-style questions with sample answers and commentary from expert authors and teachers
– Boosts historical knowledge with a useful glossary and timeline
Read more
£9.50 -
D-Day Through German Eyes: How the Wehrmacht Lost France
Everyone is familiar with the story of D-Day and the triumphal liberation of France by the Allies: a barbaric enemy was defeated by Allied ingenuity, courage and overwhelming military force, helped by dreadful German command errors and the terrible state of Wehrmacht forces in the West – but is this all true? The Wehrmacht was hugely experienced, equipped with some of the best weaponry of the war and was holding its own in Italy and Russia at the time. Berlin knew the invasion was coming and had had years to prepare for it. So how did the Germans view the impending invasion and campaign, did they feel ready, what forces did they have and could they have done better? Previous histories have focused on the ‘clash of the generals’; the battle between von Runstedt and Eisenhower, Montgomery and Rommel, but on the German side in particular this was a battle that would be fought by divisional and regimental commanders; the ‘German D-Day colonels’ upon whom the real business of trying to defeat the invasion fell – it was they and their men, outnumbered and outgunned, who somehow held Normandy for ten whole weeks against the greatest seaborne invasion force ever assembled, and occasionally even came close to defeating it. In the end they lost, and the majority of these unsung leaders ended up killed, wounded or captured in the fighting. As for their men, they ranged from élite Waffen-SS stormtroopers through to bewildered teenagers, old men, ‘recycled’ invalids and even anti-communist Eastern legions. Written from the ‘other side’ and told through the words of the veterans, this book is a revelation.Read more
£8.70£9.50 -
The Long War for Britannia 367–664: Arthur and the History of Post-Roman Britain
This history of early medieval Britain sheds light on the real King Arthur and settles longstanding historical misconceptions about the period.
The Long War for Britannia examines some two centuries of ‘lost’ British history, while providing decisive proof that the early records of the time are far more reliable than many scholars believe. Historian Edwin Pace also demonstrates that King Arthur and Uther Pendragon are the very opposite of medieval fantasy—even if different British regions had very different memories of these post-Roman British rulers.
Some remembered Arthur as the ‘Proud Tyrant’, a monarch who plunged the island into civil war. Others recalled him as the British general who saved Britain when all seemed lost. The deeds of Uther Pendragon replicate the victories of the dread Mercian king Penda. Pace demonstrates how these authentic—yet radically different—narratives have distorted the historical record in way that persist today.
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The Hundred Years War on Palestine By Rashid Khalidi & Enemies and Neighbours Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel By Ian Black 2 Books Collection Set
Please Note That The Following Individual Books As Per Original ISBN and Cover Image In this Listing shall be Dispatched Collectively:The Hundred Years War on Palestine By Rashid Khalidi & Enemies and Neighbours Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel By Ian Black 2 Books Collection Set:
The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine:
ISBN-10 : 1781259348
ISBN-13 : 978-1781259344
The twentieth century for Palestine and the Palestinians has been a century of denial: denial of statehood, denial of nationhood and denial of history. The Hundred Years War on Palestine is Rashid Khalidi’s powerful response. Drawing on his family archives, he reclaims the fundamental right of any people: to narrate their history on their own terms.Beginning in the final days of the Ottoman Empire, Khalidi reveals nascent Palestinian nationalism and the broad recognition by the early Zionists of the colonial nature of their project.Enemies and Neighbours Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel:
ISBN-10 : 0141979143
ISBN-13 : 978-0141979144
Drawing on a wide range of sources – from declassified documents to oral testimonies and his own decades of reporting – Enemies and Neighbours brings much-needed perspective and balance to the long and unresolved struggle between Arabs and Jews in the Holy Land. Beginning in the final years of Ottoman ruleand the British Mandate period, when Zionist immigration transformed Palestine in the face of mounting Arab opposition, the book re-examines the origins of what was a doomed relationship from the start. It sheds fresh light on critical events such as the Arab rebellion of the 1930s; Israel’s independence and the Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba in Arabic) of 1948; the watershed of the 1967 war; two Intifadas; the Oslo Accords and Israel’s shift to the right.Read more
£25.60£26.60 -
The Mammoth Book of the Vietnam War (Mammoth Books)
By 1969, following the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, over 500,000 US troops were ‘in country’ in Vietnam. Before America’s longest war had ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975, 450,000 Vietnamese had died, along with 36,000 Americans. The Vietnam War was the first rock ‘n’ roll war, the first helicopter war with its doctrine of ‘airmobility’, and the first television war; it made napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange infamous, and gave us the New Journalism of Michael Herr and others. It also saw the establishment of the Navy SEALs and Delta Force. At home, America fractured, with the peace movement protesting against the war; at Kent State University, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on unarmed students, killing four and injuring nine.
Lewis’s compelling selection of the best writing to come out of a war covered by some truly outstanding writers, both journalists and combatants, includes an eyewitness account of the first major battle between the US Army and the People’s Army of Vietnam at Ia Drang; a selection of letters home; Nicholas Tomalin’s famous ‘The General Goes Zapping Charlie Cong’; Robert Mason’s ‘R&R’, Studs Terkel’s account of the police breaking up an anti-war protest; John Kifner on the shootings at Kent State; Ron Kovic’s ‘Born on the Fourth of July’; John T. Wheeler’s ‘Khe Sanh: Live in the V Ring’; Pulitzer Prize-winner Seymour Hersh on the massacre at My Lai; Michael Herr’s ‘It Made You Feel Omni’; Viet Cong Truong Nhu Tang’s memoir; naval nurse Maureen Walsh’s memoir, ‘Burning Flesh’; John Pilger on the fall of Saigon; and Tim O’Brien’s ‘If I Die in a Combat Zone’.
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£11.40£12.30The Mammoth Book of the Vietnam War (Mammoth Books)
£11.40£12.30 -
The Korean War: A History: 33 (Modern Library Chronicles)
A BRACING ACCOUNT OF A WAR THAT IS EITHER MISUNDERSTOOD, FORGOTTEN, OR WILLFULLY IGNORED
For Americans, it was a discrete conflict lasting from 1950 to 1953. But for the Asian world the Korean War was a generations-long struggle that still haunts contemporary events. With access to new evidence and secret materials from both here and abroad, including an archive of captured North Korean documents, Bruce Cumings reveals the war as it was actually fought. He describes its origin as a civil war, preordained long before the first shots were fired in June 1950 by lingering fury over Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Cumings then shares the neglected history of America’s post-World War II occupation of Korea, reveals untold stories of bloody insurgencies and rebellions, and tells of the United States officially entering the action on the side of the South, exposing as never before the appalling massacres and atrocities committed on all sides.
Elegantly written and blisteringly honest, The Korean War is, like the war it illuminates, brief, devastating, and essential.
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£11.60£12.10 -
The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History (DK Definitive Visual Histories)
The definitive telling of one of the longest and most controversial wars in US history.Delve into the compelling history and impact of the Vietnam War in reverting detail. This authoritative visual guide unpacks accounts of struggle, sacrifice, and bravery, making this a perfect read for any military history enthusiast.
Inside the pages of this retelling of America’s bloodiest conflict, you’ll discover:
– A vivid, moving, and informative read written in an engaging style.
– A clear and compelling account of the conflict, in short, self-contained events from the Battle of Ia Drang to the Tet Offensive and The Khmer Rouge.
– Biography pages highlight major military and political figures such as Henry Kissinger, President Nixon, General Thieu, and Ho Chi Minh.
– Features on everyday life in the war offering additional context.
– Stunning image double page features display weapons, spy gear, and other equipment that defined the war.
– Maps and feature boxes provide additional information on significant events during the conflict.Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this history book for adults is an authoritative history of both the first televised war and its lasting impact through the lenses of both sides of the conflict. The Vietnam War explores all aspects of the conflict and the wider political landscape using compelling text, maps, and archive photography of collections of weapons, aircraft, and armored vehicles.
The military techniques and conduct employed against the inferior technologies of the Viet Cong remain controversial and intriguing to date. Eyewitness accounts and iconic photographs bring events to life – from the background of the conflict to the incidents that drew America into Vietnam, the chronological event
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£28.70£30.40 -
The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy: A Story of Resistance, Courage, and Solidarity in a French Village
The fateful days and weeks surrounding 6 June 1944 have been extensively documented in histories of the Second World War, but less attention has been paid to the tremendous impact of these events on the populations nearby. The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy tells the inspiring yet heartbreaking story of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in defense of liberty and freedom. On D-Day, when transport planes dropped paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions hopelessly off-target into marshy waters in northwestern France, the 900 villagers of Graignes welcomed them with open arms. These villagers – predominantly women – provided food, gathered intelligence, and navigated the floods to retrieve the paratroopers’ equipment at great risk to themselves. When the attack by German forces on 11 June forced the overwhelmed paratroopers to withdraw, many made it to safety thanks to the help and resistance of the villagers. In this moving book, historian Stephen G. Rabe, son of one of the paratroopers, meticulously documents the forgotten lives of those who participated in this integral part of D-Day history.Read more
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The Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War by Thucydides is a timeless classic that has shaped the way we understand the past and the present. It is one of the earliest surviving works of history and a key source of information about the Peloponnesian War, which lasted from 431 to 404 BC. Thucydides was an Athenian general who witnessed the war firsthand and meticulously documented the events as they unfolded. In his work, he offers a fascinating account of the war from both sides, including detailed descriptions of battles, speeches and strategy. He even goes beyond the war’s military aspects, examining its social, economic and political ramifications. Ultimately, The Peloponnesian War serves as an invaluable record of a pivotal event in ancient Greek history and a timeless lesson on the power of human ambition. It has been studied and admired by scholars and students of history for centuries, and its insights remain relevant to this day. This edition utilizes the 1874 translation by Welsh academic Richard Crawley (1840-1893).Thucydides (c. 460 BC–c. 395 BC) was an Athenian historian and general whose work, History of the Peloponnesian War, is widely considered one of the most influential works of history in the Western tradition. Thucydides recounts the conflict between Sparta and Athens in the 5th century BC, and his account is noted for its level of detail and unbiased depiction of the events. His writing style is characterized by a combination of narrative and analysis, which has made his work the subject of much scholarly debate. As a historian, Thucydides was the first to document the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War. He was also the first to use speeches and documents to explain events in a narrative form. His work provides insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece, as well as the origins of democracy and war. Thucydides also wrote a brief autobiography, which offers insight into his life and his motivations for writing the History of the Peloponnesian War. In addition to his writing, Thucydides was an active participant in the Peloponnesian War itself. He served as an Athenian general and was involved in the siege of Amphipolis. He was subsequently exiled from Athens for his role in the failed expedition. Thucydides also had a long and distinguished military career, serving in several campaigns and as an advisor to the Athenian government. The legacy of Thucydides has endured for centuries. His work is still widely read and studied, and his analysis of the Peloponnesian War is the basis of much of our understanding of the period. Thucydides is considered one of the most influential historians of all time, and his work is essential reading for those interested in the history of Greece and the ancient world.
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£11.60The Peloponnesian War
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Blackpool at War: A History of the Fylde Coast During the Second World War
Although it escaped bombing raids, Blackpool played an important role in World War Ii as a center for training, with numerous airfields and factories surrounding the area. This book is the first to offer a dedicated history of the town during this period. It includes interesting stories such as the people’s playground, the Freckleton Air Disaster, and an eventbyevent account of activities. Despite being less affected than some other areas, the difficult war years still impacted the local people. Filled with true tales of local courage and of the spirit of the people of Blackpool during these tumultuous years, this nostalgic volume will be of interest to all who know and love Blackpool.Read more
£9.70£14.20 -
The Rifle: Combat Stories from America’s Last WWII Veterans, Told Through an M1 Garand
It all started because of a rifle.The Rifle is an inspirational story and hero’s journey of a 28-year-old U.S. Marine, Andrew Biggio, who returned home from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, full of questions about the price of war. He found answers from those who survived the costliest war of all — WWII veterans.
It began when Biggio bought a 1945 M1 Garand Rifle, the most common rifle used in WWII, to honor his great uncle, a U.S. Army soldier who died on the hills of the Italian countryside. When Biggio showed the gun to his neighbor, WWII veteran Corporal Joseph Drago, it unlocked memories Drago had kept unspoken for 50 years. On the spur of the moment, Biggio asked Drago to sign the rifle. Thus began this Marine’s mission to find as many WWII veterans as he could, get their signatures on the rifle, and document their stories.
For two years, Biggio traveled across the country to interview America’s last-living WWII veterans. Each time he put the M1 Garand Rifle in their hands, their eyes lit up with memories triggered by holding the weapon that had been with them every step of the war. With each visit and every story told to Biggio, the veterans signed their names to the rifle. 96 signatures now cover that rifle, each a reminder of the price of war and the courage of our soldiers.
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£12.20£14.20 -
On Afghanistans Plains: The Story of Britains Afghan Wars
Britain’s military involvement in Afghanistan is a contentious subject, yet it is often forgotten that the current conflict is in fact the fourth in a string of such wars dating back more than 170 years. Aiming to protect British India from the expanding Russian empire, the British fought a series of conflicts on Afghan territory between 1838 and 1919. The Anglo-Afghan wars of the 19th and early 20th centuries were ill-conceived and led to some of the worst military disasters ever sustained by British forces in this part of the world, with poor strategy in the First Afghan War resulting in the annihilation of 16,000 soldiers and civilians in a single week. In his new book, Jules Stewart explores the potential danger of replaying Britain’s military catastrophes and considers what can be learnt from revisiting the story of these earlier Afghan wars.Read more
£5.70£11.40 -
Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan
Afghanistan was an unwinnable war. As British and American troops withdraw, discover this definitive account that explains why.
It could have been a very different story. British forces could have successfully withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2002, having done the job they set out to do: to defeat al-Qaeda. Instead, in the years that followed, Britain paid a devastating price for their presence in Helmand province.
So why did Britain enter, and remain, in an ill-fated war? Why did it fail so dramatically, and was this expedition doomed from the beginning? Drawing on unprecedented access to military reports, government documents and senior individuals, Professor Theo Farrell provides an extraordinary work of scholarship. He explains the origins of the war, details the campaigns over the subsequent years, and examines the West’s failure to understand the dynamics of local conflict and learn the lessons of history that ultimately led to devastating costs and repercussions still relevant today.
‘The best book so far on Britain’s…war in Afghanistan’ International Affairs
‘Masterful, irrefutable… Farrell records all these military encounters with the irresistible pace of a novelist’ Sunday Times
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£9.60£10.40Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan
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The Korean War: An Epic Conflict 1950-1953
The Korean War is journalist and military historian Sir Max Hastings’ compelling account of the forgotten war.
‘The best narrative history of the Korean conflict’ – Guardian
On 25 June 1950 the invasion of South Korea by the Communist North launched one of the bloodiest conflicts of the last century. The seemingly limitless power of the Chinese-backed North was thrown against the ferocious firepower of the UN-backed South in a war that can be seen today as the stark prelude to Vietnam.
Max Hastings draws on first-hand accounts of those who fought on both sides to produce this vivid and incisive reassessment of the Korean War, bringing the military and human dimensions into sharp focus. Critically acclaimed on publication, republished with an introduction from the author, The Korean War remains the best narrative history of this conflict.
‘A brilliant tour-de-force’ – Times Literary Supplement
‘Excellent, readable history by a master of the genre’ – Daily Mail
‘This book establishes him as one of the leading British military historians.’ – New York Times
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£12.30£16.10The Korean War: An Epic Conflict 1950-1953
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Connecting History: National 4 & 5 The Era of the Great War, 1900–1928
Exam board: SQA
Level: National 4 & 5
Subject: History
First teaching: September 2017
First assessment: Summer 2018Fresh stories, fresh scholarship and a fresh structure. Connecting History informs and empowers tomorrow’s citizens, today.
Bringing together lesser-told narratives, academic excellence, accessibility and a sharp focus on assessment success, this series provides a rich, relevant and representative History curriculum.
> Connect the past to the present. Overarching themes of social justice, equality, change and power help students to understand the importance of events and issues, then and now.
> Go far beyond other resources. With respect and aspiration for the transformative power of History, this series incorporates the latest research, challenges old interpretations and embeds diverse experiences throughout.
> Follow a clear and consistent structure. The key issues in the N5 specification form the chapters in each book, and the content descriptors are subheadings within the chapters. Finding the information that you need has never been easier.
> Meet the demands of the assessments. Connecting History develops the knowledge and skills for success, with appropriate breadth, depth and pace. The narrative and sources take centre stage and the authors model the process of answering questions effectively through that narrative, ensuring that students know all the key points that they need to. Activities throughout each chapter consolidate and extend learning.
> Benefit from pedagogic and academic expertise. The authors are highly experienced teachers and examiners who know how to spark critical curiosity in students. Each book has been rigorously reviewed by an academic from the University of Glasgow, so you can rest assured that the content is accurate and up to date.
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The Spanish Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination in Twentieth-Century Spain
Selected as the Sunday Times History Book of the Year for 2012, this is a meticulous work of scholarship from the foremost historian of 20th-century Spain.
The culmination of more than a decade of research, ‘The Spanish Holocaust’ seeks to reflect the intense horrors visited upon Spain during its ferocious civil war, the consequences of which still reverberate bitterly today.
The brutal, murderous persecution of Spaniards between 1936 and 1945 is a truth that should have been told long ago. Paul Preston here offers the first comprehensive picture of what he terms “the Spanish Holocaust”: mass extra-judicial murder of some 200,000 victims, cursory military trials, torture, the systematic abuse of women and children, sweeping imprisonment, the horrors of exile. Those culpable for crimes committed on both sides of the Civil War are named; their victims identified.
‘The Spanish Holocaust’ illuminates one of the darkest, least-known eras of modern European history.
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£3.70£12.30 -
Spitfire Manual 1940
How to fly the legendary fighter plane in combat using the manuals and instructions supplied by the RAF during the Second World War. An amazing array of leaflets, books and manuals were issued by the War Office during the Second World War to aid pilots in flying the Supermarine Spitfire, here for the first time and using the original 1940s setting, they are collated into a single book. An introduction is supplied by expert aviation historian Dilip Sarkar. Other sections include aircraft recognition, how to act as an RAF officer, bailing out etc.Read more
£6.60£9.50Spitfire Manual 1940
£6.60£9.50
