Pen & Sword Books

Ron Chapman's life changed on 7 September 1940, leading him to join the RAF and serve in various significant squadrons.It was the night of 7 September 1940 which changed Ron Chapman’s life. It was the start of Hitler’s Blitz on London. The death and destruction the German bombers wreaked across Islington and the East End so shocked and appalled Ron, that three days later he presented himself to the RAF recruiting office near Euston station. After basic training, and a few days before his twentieth birthday, he received a posting to 485 (New Zealand) Squadron — Ron was at last with an operational Spitfire squadron.After just three weeks with 485 (NZ) Squadron, he was posted to 341 (Free French) Squadron. Operating as part of the RAF’s 145 Wing in 84 Group, the squadron was led by the renowned Commandant René Mouchotte DFC, while 145 Wing itself was commanded by the Battle of Britain fighter ace Group Captain ‘Sailor’ Malan. There was also 340 Squadron, known as ‘Churchill’s Own’, and Nos. 329 and 345 squadrons.As a member of 341 Squadron’s groundcrew, Ron Chapman’s memoirs provide a unique insight into the functioning of a fighter unit from the perspective of fitters, riggers, and armorers. But, in addition, his service with the Free French fighter squadrons adds greatly to our knowledge of this important part of the RAF’s history.As an element of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, 84 Group was continually moved from airfield to airfield across the South Coast. The idea was to get the squadrons accustomed to nomadic conditions. After the D-Day invasion plans were finally unveiled, the squadron’s groundcrew and support staff were eventually trucked to Gosport where they boarded the landing craft that would transport them across the Channel as part of Operation Overlord. They landed at Arromanches-les-Bains in August.Ron’s story then follows the actions of 145 Wing, as it battled the Luftwaffe across Europe. As the Allied forces moved eastwards, so Ron and the groundcrew moved with them through France, Belgium and finally into Germany. Ron remained with 341 Squadron until the end of the war.This book is far more than a personal memoir, it is the largely neglected story of the French fighter wing throughout the years when the 2nd Tactical Air Force moved on to the offensive against the Luftwaffe. It will undoubtedly become recognized as an important addition to the history of the RAF.

Cavaliers and Roundheads are figures who appear in hundreds of English ghost stories. In this innovative account, Charles Esdaile argues that such tales are in reality folk memories of an episode of English history that was second only to the Black Death in terms of individual and collective suffering alike, and, further, that they reveal important truths about the way in which the conflict was represented: it is no surprise, then, to find that spectral Cavaliers are often romantic figures and revenant Roundheads grim ones full of menace. Yet, the book is no mere catalogue. On the contrary, rather than being discussed in a vacuum, the tales of haunting are rather set within a detailed regional history of the conflicts of 1642–1651 of a sort that has never yet been attempted, but is, for all that, badly needed.

Heavy gun mountings dominated the design of larger warships, on account of their size, weight, protection and cost. In the 1890s, British gun mountings developed rapidly with new gun technologies (wire winding, cordite) and the rise of the two major ordnance companies, Armstrongs and Vickers, producing large numbers of weapons for the Royal Navy and for worldwide export. But by 1960, aircraft and guided missiles had made the big gun redundant, so the period from 1890s to 1950s covering the two world wars is the most historically significant.The focus of this book is on the larger mountings and those fitted in the larger ships — the massively engineered ‘non transferable’ mountings, whose complexities and associated magazines took up a huge volume of the ship, unlike the smaller calibre ‘transferable’ mountings mostly bolted to the deck. Such mountings could weigh over 1000 tons, take two years to build and make up a quarter of the cost of a battleship.Although they existed in many variants, there were only about forty basic mountings from 4.5in to 18in calibre fitted to the majority of the RN’s larger ships so these take up the bulk of the book. For each, well illustrated handbooks with colored plates were produced, but are largely inaccessible to the public, so about 50 of these highly detailed drawings are reproduced at large scale. The smaller mountings and the guns themselves each have a separate chapter.Although the impact of the book is largely visual, there is an expert account of the design, construction and installation of such mountings, and their manufacturers, supported by a range of internal and close-up photographs. The reference value of the work is enhanced by a comprehensive table of mountings and their characteristics, plus a list of all the mountings made by Vickers of Barrow between 1900 and 1950.Providing easy access to so much rarely seen material, this handsome volume will appeal to modelmakers, ship enthusiasts and technical historians.

The Mosquito was the most successful battle-winning multi-role combat aircraft of the Second World War. It was introduced by the de Havilland Aircraft Company as an unarmed, un-interceptable, long range, high speed, high altitude medium bomber. An unarmed bomber without protective armament was a concept that ran directly contrary to the tactical doctrines of both the Royal Air Force and the US Army Air Force. Notwithstanding, it was developed to carry out almost unlimited roles including ground-attack dive-bomber, anti-shipping strike aircraft, day, and night fighter, 'Pathfinder’ marking targets for a main heavy bomber force, and long-range reconnaissance aircraft. There seemed to be nothing it could not be adapted to do with unmatched success. Its most important role was as a deadly long-range, low level precision ground attack fighter-bomber, ideal for 'special duties' operations. The book examines the crucial role of designers and engineers from drawing board to production and company support. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines it could carry the same bombload as four-engine heavy bombers but at much greater speeds and at altitudes from low-level to ultra-high. It was the combination of this performance with its prodigious range capability that made it a truly strategic weapon in air warfare, striking precision targets in the heart of Nazi-Germany and sapping morale.The text is of full of detailed and dramatic attacks from the aircrew point of view.“It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I run green and yellow with envy.” — Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring.

From the first combat over Poland in 1939, until Bomber Command’s assault on Hitler’s alpine retreat at Berchtesgaden in April 1945, when the red and white marked Mustangs escorted the bombers on their way to the target, there was no major RAF aerial operation undertaken in Europe without the involvement of Polish fighter squadrons and pilots.As well as mounting offensive sorties from the UK, Polish fighter squadrons fought in North Africa in 1943, where they added to their already formidable reputation. Some Polish airmen were even posted to the US Air Force, again proving themselves in battle.Polish fighter pilots operated over the Normandy beaches in support of the D-Day landings in June 1944. Some of the Polish squadrons were then deployed across the Channel to France, from where they undertook dangerous dive-bombing missions, while their colleagues in Britain chased the much-feared V1 flying bombs.The last Polish claims were made in April 1945, when a number of the Luftwaffe’s technically-advanced Messerschmitt Me 262 jets were destroyed in a dog fight by Nos. 306 and 309 Polish squadrons. These victories marked the end of the journey that started almost six years earlier.After claiming a total of 748 enemy aircraft destroyed under British and American command, Polish fighter pilots gained a reputation for being loyal and fearsome warriors, who sacrificed nearly 550 of their own men, killed in action, wounded, missing, or captured, while fighting for the freedom that their countrymen would not enjoy for many decades.Polish fighter pilots fought in the skies from the very first day of the war until its last. As well as seeing action in Western Europe, they fought in Italy, North Africa and in Asia. The last PAF airman was killed in action on 4 May 1945. He was a fighter pilot of No. 317 (City of Wilno) Squadron. While his Spitfire was going down, not only Wilno, but the rest of Poland, was being absorbed into the Soviet Union. He died for a cause that was already lost. Nevertheless, the achievements of the Polish squadrons, man for man, rank amongst the highest of the Allied nations.

“As dangerous as if she stood on the corner of the street exploding gunpowder.”This was the view of ‘Miles’, a correspondent in the Bedfordshire Mercury, writing about the dangerousness of prostitutes in 1874. They were considered a scourge by the Victorians; a menace to society and a threat to the moral and physical wellbeing of a nation. Carrying disease, committing crime, corrupting others; prostitutes were the most feared ‘social evil’. These women were the focus of controlling and invasive legislation, designed to clear the streets. They were imprisoned and removed from their friends and family. They were scorned and shamed and deemed worthless by much of society.The contemporary view of prostitution in the nineteenth century is colored by years of Ripperology, a grim fascination with the lives of a few mutilated women living in London. However, prostitutes were far more than caricatures of sinners or inevitable victims and lived in every other part of England too. Searching through the plethora of newspaper, census, police, and local history records it is now possible to uncover the lives of prostitutes in greater detail than ever before and discover the real women behind the stereotypes. Piecing together these women’s movements from cradle to grave and from one side of the country to another builds a rich picture of what it meant to be a prostitute, including the lives of prostitutes living in small towns, villages, and islands that have all been previously over-looked.This book explores the lives of the women who were omitted from the genteel history books of the past, aiming to identify what they looked like, what life was like for them, and who the important people in their lives were. It also looks in depth at the lives of a select few prostitutes, examining what drew them into prostitution and what happened to them afterwards. From Whitehaven to North Shields, from Peterborough to Bloomsbury (via Paris), these women led extraordinary, richly textured lives that are still relevant today, and that we can continue to learn so much from.The perfect introduction to Victorian prostitutes for family and local historians, genealogists, and students of the Victorian era.

To the early railway traveller, the prospect of travelling to places in hours rather than days hitherto was an inviting prospect, however a journey was not without its fears as well as excitement. To some, the prospect of travelling through a tunnel without carriage lighting, with smoke permeating the compartment and the confined noise was a horror of the new age. What might happen if we broke down or crashed into another train in the darkness? To others it was exciting, with the light from the footplate flickering against the tunnel walls or spotting the occasional glimpses of light from a ventilation shaft.To the directors of early railway companies, planning a route was governed by expense and the most direct way. Avoiding hills could add miles but tunnelling through them could involve vast expense as the Great Western Railway found at Box and the London and Birmingham at Kilsby. Creating a cutting as an alternative was also costly not only in labour and time, but also in compensation for landowners, who opposed railways on visual and social grounds having seen their land divided by canals.Construction involved millions of bricks or blocks of stone for sufficiently thick walls to withstand collapse. However, the entrance barely seen from the carriage window might be an impressive Italianate arch as at Primrose Hill, or a castellated portal worthy of the Middle Ages as at Bramhope.This book sets out to tell the story of tunnelling in Britain up to about 1870, when it was a question of burrowing through earth and rock with spade and explosive powder, with the constant danger of collapse or flooding leading to injury and death. It uses contemporary accounts, from the dangers of railway travel by Dickens to the excitement of being drawn through the Liverpool Wapping Tunnel by the young composer Mendelssoln. It includes descriptions from early railway company guide books, newspapers and diaries. It also includes numerous photographs and colored architectural elevations from railway archives.

“Reporting the Nuremburg Trials is steeped in reverence for an era in journalism faintly lit by modern history despite its many parallels to today. Fletcher again and again reveals lessons for today's real-time news cycles, including the perils of misinformation, professional subterfuge and abbreviated ethics.” — Jesse Garnier, Journalism Chair and Associate Professor, San Francisco State UniversityFor the first time, journalists who shared details about Nazi crimes from the International Military Tribunal, better known as the Nuremberg Trial, have their own story told.As World War II in Europe drew to a close in 1945, the Allies prepared to hold Nazi leaders accountable for crimes against humanity and selected Nuremberg as the site for the trial. The U.S. military took the lead in refurbishing a courtroom and making accommodations for 325 journalists and 23 defendants plus Allied judges, prosecutors, translators and administrative staff. Because publicity was a main consideration, the latest innovations and technology were incorporated into the courtroom to enhance news coverage of the trial. Press passes were in demand worldwide for courtroom seats. A press pool was selected to witness the executions in which 10 criminals were hung on Oct. 16, 1946.Famous war correspondents and young journalists who later became household names were headquartered in a castle, explored bombed ruins and faced dangers as a lingering spirit of Nazism seethed within the city. The lengthy trial became an excruciating endurance test for journalists by the time it ended (far longer than expected) on Oct. 1, 1946, setting a precedent for coverage of subsequent justice at Nuremberg.The author, a long-time journalist and former foreign correspondent, provides an insider’s look at how the news was gathered and conveyed. The book is based on extensive research and insights gathered from Nuremberg, including at the location where the journalists were housed and at the courtroom itself.

The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is one of the milestones of history. Everyone, it is said, remembers where they were when they heard the news. Because the official investigation, the Warren Commission, set up by Kennedy’s successor in the White House, Lyndon Johnson, was such a whitewashing travesty of justice, the world has felt itself free to speculate ever more wildly about what really happened in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, in November 1963.The killer, said the Warren Commission, was the peculiar loner, Lee Harvey Oswald, and he acted alone. Evidence, science and common sense have long ago proved that this was not possible. So it was the Russians. It was the Cubans. It was the Mafia. It was Lyndon Johnson. It was the Secret Service. It was the FBI. It was the CIA. It was that murky conspiratorial bunch, the Military-Industrial Complex.This book evaluates all the above and comes to another conclusion entirely. The reason that we are still arguing about who was responsible for a murder committed in front of a large crowd in broad daylight is that no one was prepared to put up their hands and admit their responsibility for not doing their jobs properly. Yes, there was a conspiracy, but the ‘cock-up’ element was even greater. Why was there inadequate Secret Service protection for the president in Dallas? Why was the motorcade route made public well in advance? Why was Lee Oswald identified on the word of a single witness? Why was Jack Ruby allowed to slip past dozens of policemen to kill Oswald? Why were the lawyers of the Warren Commission allowed to select witnesses and bully them into saying what they had not seen? Why did subsequent governmental inquiries fudge the physics of a headshot and a bungled autopsy? Why does the American mainstream media still cling to the lone gunman, single bullet theory?The answer is simple. Everybody in 1963 and for many years afterwards were far too concerned about covering their own backs. Truth and justice got lost somewhere in all of that.

Does the idea of creative writing excite you, but you've no idea how to begin?Do you want to write a story, a local interest book, or even complete a book of poetry? Maybe you would love to create a legacy piece to hand down to future generations, or capture the essence of your relative’s lives but don't know where to start or what to include?Between suggestions, tips, anecdotes, and exercises, you will glean a mountain of information that will set you on your way no matter if you are new to creative writing or have a book or three under your belt.With a friendly, accessible tone, A Guide to Creative Writing gives you the tools you need to write for the love of it or to take it further.

This gripping memoir chronicles a female security operative's courageous journey in the male-dominated security industry, detailing her experiences in war-torn Iraq, the toll of her work, and the inspiration from her brother's tragic death.In the gripping memoir Female Security Operative, the author takes the reader on a trailblazing journey of chaos through her life in the world of security. Breaking barriers and heroic beliefs, she reveals her remarkable journey as she navigates a male dominated industry with unwavering determination and courage.From her early days as an unassuming woman from England to her transformation into a formidable security operative, the author shares the pivotal moments that shaped her character and propelled her into the realm where resilience and vigilance are paramount.With no-nonsense storytelling and raw honesty, she invites readers on a heart pounding adventure through the treacherous landscapes of war-torn IraqWith Saddam Hussein captured, she’s assigned to ensure the safety of civilian flights at Baghdad’s International Airport, the author witnesses the harsh realities of a nation torn apart by conflict. With vivid descriptions and a remarkable attention to detail, the author describes the daily struggles, triumphs, and tragedies that she and her fellow operatives face. From heart stopping moments of imminent danger to small acts of kindness and camaraderie every page brims with authenticity and a genuine love for humanity.Working side by side with ordinary Iraqis, she witnesses the strains and the profound impact of a shattered infrastructure and the devastating consequences of a failed invasion. In the backdrop of mortar rounds, car bombs, and the constant threat of danger, she confronts her mission head on, driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to make a difference.The author's motivation for embarking on this perilous journey is deeply rooted in her relationship with her brothers tragic death, a source of inspiration and guidance throughout her life. The opportunity to work in Iraq becomes her chance to honor his memory and embody the principles he taught, -strength, independence, and a resilient sense of humour, even in the darkest of times.Female Security Operative offers an unfiltered narrative that delves into the emotional and physical toll of life on the front lines. It explores the toll her work takes on personal relationships, the inner conflict she wrestles with and the sacrifices she makes in the name of duty. This is an honest portrayal of the authors eight-year journey through the Middle East. It highlights the contradictions of war, and the consequences of political decision.With integrity, flair, and a touch of humour, prepared to be moved, inspired, and forever changed by a female security operatives journey. It's a story that will linger in your thoughts, reminding you of the untold stories of unsung heroes, shedding light on those who strive to bring stability in a world plagued by chaos.

Explore the vibrant tapestry of the Middle Ages through the lives of medieval saints, revealing intimate perspectives on faith, fear, and societal change, while delving into topics resonant with today's world.Step into the captivating world of the Middle Ages with Saints and Sinners, a groundbreaking exploration of history like no other. In this remarkable narrative, each chapter takes you on an immersive journey through time, unveiling the vibrant tapestry of events that shaped the medieval era told through the stories of Medieval Saints who experienced them.Gone are the distant voices of emperors and kings; instead, we hear from ordinary people who witnessed the world around them, sharing their intimate thoughts, fears, and attitudes towards world-changing events. Experience the gripping anxiety, fear, and paranoia that accompanied threats to the kingdom of heaven, as these saints fought to defend and restore their faith. But, as the Church solidifies its position, discover how saints were then utilised as instruments of control to shape public order.Saints and Sinners goes beyond a mere historical account, delving into topics that resonate with today's world. Uncover the incredible history of Ethiopia, once a magnificent empire that fell into despair at the hands of Christianity, shedding light on Black History; delve into the history of gender and sexuality through the misogynistic St Cuthbert and worship of ‘trans-saint’ Wilgefortis; and witness the fight for equality in indigenous populations in the Americas through St Louis Bertrand. Through these stories, saints become a lens to examine the attitudes and complexities of their time.Prepare to be enthralled as Saints and Sinners weaves together engaging narratives, captivating miracles, and enthralling stories of saints to produce a masterful retelling of the Middle Ages which not only satisfies the curiosity of general readers but also offers a deep understanding of the Middle Ages and Christianity's evolution.

Written by two leading experts on the Crusades in an enjoyable and compelling style, this is an accessible narrative of a complex political and military history.The history of the Teutonic Knights is one of crusading in an era of wars, intrigues, assassinations and betrayals. Originally established as a hospital order during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land in the late 12th century, the order evolved into a formidable military force dedicated to defending and expanding Christianity in the Baltic region.This book explores the crusade aimed at Lithuanian pagans in the Middle Ages, when crusaders from the Holy Roman Empire, France, England and Scotland came to Prussia to fight alongside the Teutonic Knights. What ensued was a long-drawn out, many-sided struggle, with Lithuania and Poland first becoming powerful states, then expanding into Belarus and Ukraine, where the Mongols and Tatars had long held sway. The book culminates with Lithuania converting to the Roman Catholic Church and the dramatic sieges of Vilnius.Written by two leading experts on the Crusades in an enjoyable and compelling style, this is an accessible narrative of a complex political and military history.

A global account of histories of war, from Antiquity to the present day, this thoughtful book shows how the varied modes of representation record political, cultural and social developments as well as military events. Covers all forms of discussion and commemoration from statuary to scholarship, films to novels. Important not only to those interested in the history of war but also to those concerned with culture and history in general.This erudite volume on the theory and practice of military history will interest a wide readership including both professional historians of war and those concerned with its broader philosophical dimension. The author — a well established authority in European history — has provided an informed, rigorous analysis of a difficult topic. It will delight those who seek enlightenment of the historian's craft, military or otherwise.

Spying on the Kremlin details the background and unintentional turning points in what has been an eventful life. Mike Murtagh has had a gun stuck in his face, been seconds from a mid-air collision, been struck by lightning in an aircraft, made two emergency landings, had a sniper-sight trained on him, been the target of at least one honeytrap, nearly bled to death in India, been threatened by people working for the Azeri Mafia, worked on a movie with three Oscar-winners and may have inadvertently eaten someone.It’s a memoir of a working-class boy in an unlikely life journey from austere 1950s South Wales to the political theater of The Kremlin and beyond via service as an RAF Officer and as a Diplomat. His experiences of living and working in Russia has given him valuable insights into the Russian psyche, as well as the workings and capabilities of the Russian military which still have currency and relevance.Given his humble origins, none of this was ever supposed to have happened to him and could not have been predicted. Such opportunities were almost unavailable to working-class boys at the time. However, sometimes in an almost accidental fashion, he grasped the opportunities that came his way.

Under the surveillance of General von Seeckt the Germans re-established their military, which Hitler utilised for his aggression of recovering Germany’s military greatness. This book explores some of the leading military figures. The often-ignored Field Marshal Keitel is explored, to see if there were any substance in the Allied belief that this Chief of the OKW was the driving force behind initial German success or was he merely Hitler’s lackey and bureaucrat. He was derided by his contemporaries because of his unstinting Prussian obedience to Hitler.This sense of total compliance was also reflected by General Paulus, who although obedient, was reluctant to carry out Hitler’s barbaric orders relating to Jews and prisoners, but otherwise was obedient and trusting of Hitler even though he knew it would lead to military disaster. It took time in a Russian prison camp to turn him against the once adored German dictator where he eventually became anti-Nazi.In striking contrast to the failed Paulus Field Marshal Manstein is examined. He was a skilled strategist and tactician and proved this in his victory in France. He lacked the social sophistication of many other leading military commanders, but he was one of the very few who had the courage to challenge Hitler’s military directions and decisions. He was eventually dismissed by Hitler and postwar wrote two books to regain his reputation, despite the fact he was convicted of war crimes, and whether he deserves a pedestal remains with the reader.

At 11.20 hours on the morning of Friday, 1 November 1940, nine Spitfires from 74 Squadron, the famous ‘Tiger Squadron’, were scrambled from Biggin to carry out an interception patrol I the Dover area. One of the pilots, at the Spitfire Mk.IIa P7312, was the Canadian Flying Officer William Henry Nelson DFC.At around midday, the Tigers encountered a formation of enemy aircraft — Messerschmitt Bf 109s. In the ensuing dogfights, two of the Spitfire pilots were wounded. But for ‘Willie’ Nelson, it was his last combat. Spitfire P7312 failed to return to Biggin Hill, and Nelson, believed to have crashed into the Channel, is listed as ‘Missing’ to this day.From Montreal, Canada, Willie Nelson had been fascinated by aviation from childhood and went to work in Montreal’s aircraft industry after high school. In 1936, at the age of nineteen, he traveled to the UK to join the Royal Air Force. He was among the few Canadians to be commissioned as a pilot long before the Second World War, joining Bomber Command’s 10 Squadron at Dishforth on 27 November 1937.Within days of the outbreak of the war, the squadron was in action, with eight of its Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys undertaking a reconnaissance of north-west Germany along with a leaflet drop on the night of 8/9 September 1939. Nelson was awarded a DFC for his actions in the Norwegian campaign.It was during the desperate situation of June 1940 that Nelson volunteered to retrain as a fighter pilot. He duly joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 20 July 1940, ten days after the official start of the Battle of Britain. An experienced pilot, Nelson was thrust straight into Britain’s struggle for survival. Within weeks he destroyed five enemy aircraft and damaged two more. His first claim was of damaging a Bf 109 and a Bf 110, as well as destroying a Bf 110 on 11 August. Two days later, Nelson was able to claim damaging a Dornier Do 17, and he claimed three more Bf109s destroyed during the last two weeks of October, earning him the accolade of being a Spitfire Ace — the only Canadian to do so in the Battle of Britain.Drawing heavily on his own diary, logbook and many letters home, Battle of Britain Spitfire Ace describes Nelson’s flying career from bomber pilot to fighter pilot, his captaincy of his bomber squadron’s team in Britain’s Modern Pentathlon competitions in 1938 and 1939, and even his squadron’s activities during the Phoney War. All his combat sorties are detailed as, of course, is his final flight that fateful autumn day over the South Coast.Willie Nelson had married and had a young son when he died. The final chapter describes the voyage of discovery that his son, Bill Mcalister, took in an effort to learn about the life of the father he never knew.

This practitioner's guide to solo wargaming offers comprehensive coverage of the subject, showing how it can be a fascinating complement to social gaming or an entire hobby in its own right. This book integrates ideas from across the hobby to discuss various aspects of gaming alone across all manner of conflicts, whether land, sea or air and in any historical period or imagined setting.Starting with the fundamental question of why people play solo wargames, David Heading lays out the various advantages and disadvantages. He also considers such questions as whether to ‘play both sides’ or to command one army against an ‘automatic’ opponent, giving various ideas on how to control or program the responses of the opposing force with dice, cards or by other means. There is advice on how to construct challenging and interesting scenarios for one-off engagements, whether these are skirmishes or major battles, historical events or more generic ones, and how to combine these tactical actions into wider campaigns, involving grand strategy, logistics and other factors. Tips on sustaining interest through such activities as recording results, writing campaign diaries and online blogs will help you enrich your hobby. The author has been playing solo wargames for forty years and shares the secrets of happy solo gaming. Packed full of common-sense advice and inspiration, it offers plenty of value to the beginner and the seasoned veteran alike.

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.

The Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle of the Second World War. An estimated 2 million individuals, military as well as civilian, became casualties in a savage struggle which lasted for more than five months.Stalingrad’s strategic position on the River Volga in southern Russia meant that whoever controlled the city controlled access to the oil fields of the Caucasus. Without that oil, the Germans were ultimately destined to fail on all fronts. The Battle of Stalingrad was, therefore, arguably, the most important conflict of the entire war. Yet, the author argues that both Hitler and Stalin lost sight of the real objectives of the campaign, with the capture of Stalingrad becoming seen as the end in itself. Stalingrad was not specified as a particular objective of the Germans in the original plan of Operation Blau. But when the defenders of Stalingrad unexpectedly stood in the way of the Germans, it became the focal point of the German effort.Hitler and his generals were naively sure that after the capture of Stalingrad, victory in the war was a certainty. Stalin and his generals thought that since the Wehrmacht stubbornly fought over the city’s ruins, regardless of the losses it suffered, it meant that the Germans knew more about its importance than they did, and so were determined to hold it at all costs. In fact, the strategic importance of Stalingrad was greatly exaggerated.The scale of the German operation to seize the Caucasus was immense, with an operation stretching for 1,500,00 kilometres (approximately equal to the distance between Berlin and Moscow). This involved laying routes for tank and infantry divisions through areas of virtual desert where there was an almost complete absence of railways and highways. No consideration was given to the needs of troops in fuel, ammunition, food or even water. At the same time, the unrealistic plan to capture the Caucasus did not provide any alternative options in case the main operation failed, which it was doomed to do.As for the Soviets, frightened and broken by the military disasters near Kerch and Kharkov, when entire armies were captured, Stalin authorized the retreat of the Red Army to the Volga, which turned into a stampede. But then the Soviet leader abruptly changed his mind and issued the famous order ‘Not a step back!’ While historians state that this order inspired the Soviet troops to resist and strengthened discipline, it in fact led to an increase in the number of defectors and collaborators.This ground-breaking study of the Battle of Stalingrad is a highly graphic chronicle of the fighting, shown from two sides, written by a Russian historian using much material previously unpublished in the West. It details the efforts of all branches of the armed forces; tanks, artillery, infantry, aviation and, for the first time, the important contribution of the Russian river flotilla.