Catherine of Braganza has regularly been referred to as 'the forgotten queen' and there is much truth in this statement. Following her death in 1705, a fully detailed biography in English remained unwritten until 1915. The last major bio published about her was in Portuguese in 1941 and it has never been translated into English. Despite her sheltered and religious upbringing, she made a spectacular marriage that was plagued by the infidelities of her husbands. Readers can readily find published biographies of Charles II's many glamourous mistresses, but curiously, little on his wife. This new work presents more comprehensive information on Catherine's life in Portugal than previous biographies and integrates new scholarship regarding Catherine's practice of queenship and patronage of Catholic Baroque culture in an effort to carve out a prominent role at the Stuart court and to compete with her rivals. Readers familiar with Catherine's story may learn some delightful new details about her life. Catherine has never been forgotten in Portugal. She considered herself Portuguese at heart and during her reign as Queen of England, she persistently looked out for Portuguese interests. In her own words, she considered her marriage a personal sacrifice to what was best for her home country. She is one of the few dowager queens in history to return to her homeland where she acted as regent for her brother. This biography places Catherine within the context of the history of Portugal and their seaborne empire, and the strong political and commercial ties between England and Portugal dating to the mid-fourteenth century which played a key role in the culmination of the Marriage Treaty of 1661. Her legacy lives on in her dowry, specifically the port of Bombay which allowed England to become a global empire, introducing many everyday items into European culture.
The P51 Mustang, a single-engine warplane fighter, although a late arrival in the Second World War, proved vital in the crucial air-war conflict in Europe. It was first envisaged in a tactical role - a low to medium level reconnaissance fighter-bomber supporting army ground operations. It did well but was rejected by RAF Fighter Command as a high-level dogfighter as being out-performed above medium levels of altitude. RAF Bomber Command had abandoned day-time raiding over Germany because of the vulnerability of its bombers to fighter attack beyond the range of escort limit range of Fighter Command Spitfires. The waiting Me 10lis and FW 190s would pounce causing huge losses. Bomber Command then continued to take the fight to Germany under cover of darkness. The US Eighth Army Air Force renewed daylight bombing with tactics of attacking in large formations of Boeing B17 Flying Fortresses with heavy machine guns for defensive cover but against experienced Luftwaffe pilots losses again mounted to unsustainable levels. The author gives a stunning picture of air crew experience in which the reader can feel personally involved. Development of the P51 continued and this must be one of the success-stories of the air-war. Rolles-Royce approved the admirable air frame and substituted the RR Merlin engine for the inadequately supercharged Alison engine. Merlin engines had been fitted in the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfires, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster. The result was the Mustang as a virtually unbeatable high-altitude dogfighter with large fuel tanks giving a huge radius of action. So here was a world-class strategic fighter which could protect strategic bombers to the target and home again. The P51 Mustang was the single engine fighter with strategic capability that transformed strategic bombing as a war-winning campaign in Europe. Here is the essential difference between strategy and tactics and connection with concepts of 'offensive' and 'defensive' and the unique role of the P51.
On Afghanistan's Plains tells the story of four gruelling tours of duty during Operation Herrick, the codename under which British operations in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 until 2014 when the mission changed from direct combat with the Taliban to one of mentoring Afghan forces. Allan Mallinson, military historian and former Light Dragoons officer, explains Operation Herrick's complex historical and strategic background and describes the evolving tactical thinking in this multi-national, NATO-led campaign. Almost from the start, The Light Dragoons, a small, tight-knit, "family" regiment recruiting in Yorkshire and the north-east of England, were in action in Helmand Province, the principal British area of operations. As an armoured reconnaissance regiment they played a leading role in Operation Panther's Claw, the month-long battle in the searing summer heat of 2012, which saw much hard fighting and many casualties, and proved to be a turning point in the campaign. On Afghanistan's Plains describes what it was like to be in Helmand on foot or cooped-up in an armoured vehicle fighting the Taliban. NATO's commander-in-chief in Afghanistan in later years, US General Stanley McChrystal, paid The Light Dragoons the greatest compliment: "When I looked into their eyes, which were bloodshot with fatigue, I remember the extraordinary professionalism, competence and the sheer courage of those young men."
Mention war crimes trials to almost anyone and they will respond with one word, 'Nuremberg.' Most think there was only one trial following the Second World War, the International Military Tribunal, but this trial indicted only 24 defendants. They represented the most senior Nazis accused of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity. But few were involved directly in any of the millions of individual atrocities. The victorious allies, the Soviet Union, the USA, Britain and France, tried hundreds of other cases in many different cities. The British trials took place in several locations in Germany, but most war criminals in British custody faced prosecution in one city. The Curiohaus Trials immerses readers in the untold story of war crimes trials that took place in a miraculously intact concert hall in war-torn Hamburg. Using freshly examined archive material, cross-referenced sources and information from the scenes of the crimes, this gripping account unveils the complex legal proceedings in courtrooms where orchestras previously played. Step by step, readers become immersed in the gathering of evidence, moving testimony and the intricate pursuit of truth. Amidst the search for justice, however, moral and ethical dilemmas arose. The book explores the challenges faced by prosecutors, defence lawyers and judges who had to navigate the fine line between seeking retribution and ensuring a fair trial in a shattered post-war society. It reveals an almost exclusive reliance on eye-witness testimony (even when physical evidence was available), a shocking decline in appetite to try those responsible for grievous atrocities and an astonishing absence of justice at the end of the process. The Curiohaus Trials is an essential read for those interested in modern history, international law and the search for justice.
On 17 July 1940, Oberst Josef Kammhuber took command of the Luftwaffe's 1 Nachtjagddivision after his release from French captivity. He was tasked with combating RAF bombers, which were increasingly threatening Germany during the Battle of Britain. Kammhuber's strategy, the Fernnachtjagd (long-range night fighter missions), focused on targeting bombers while they were vulnerable during takeoff and return to bases. Kammhuber believed that converted German bombers like the Dornier Do 17Z and Junkers Ju 88, flown by experienced crews, would be ideal for these missions. The first claims from Fernnachtjagd occurred on 23 July 1940, when Luftwaffe pilots mistakenly shot down a Bristol Blenheim, thinking it was a Vickers Wellington. These night missions continued over the next few years, with varying success. By 1942, the campaign shifted to a "stopgap" phase, and the introduction of the Messerschmitt Me 210 and Me 410 marked further changes in the tactics and aircraft used. While Fernnachtjagd operations had some impact in 1941, by 1944, their effectiveness had diminished. Notably, during the Allies' Berlin raid on 19 February 1944, the Luftwaffe claimed more RAF bombers than the entire Me 410 campaign achieved in 14 months.
Millions of visitors to Rome's Capitoline Museums admire the great bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 CE), practising Stoic and the last 'Good Emperor' before Rome commenced its prolonged decline. One ancient historian compared the succession from Marcus to his son Commodus as a descent from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust. The statue's fortuitous survival occurred only because of a longstanding belief that it represented Constantine, the first Christian Emperor - an instance of the mysterious ways in which Marcus's complex legacies would endure. The recent revival of interest in Stoicism has seen renewed focus on Marcus Aurelius. While new editions of Marcus's work Meditations, and fresh biographical treatments, have appeared, there remain lesser-known sources which shed light on how Marcus was remembered, from intriguing medieval legends, right through to the twenty-first century. Each generation has interpreted Marcus Aurelius, his writings, his deeds, and his personality anew, as he remains a role-model and the closest actual instance, in Western history, of an ideal ruler. This book collects and interprets, for the first time, a range of cultural receptions, enriching our understanding of this perennially compelling figure.
Humour is a vital ingredient for the morale of a nation at war. From the John Bull cartoons mocking a hook-nosed Napoleon carving up the world, the caricatures of an obese Kaiser in the First World War, to an often angry Hitler, cartoons have not only portrayed the enemy in a satirical light but have raised a smile in the darkest of times. Self-depreciating humour is also a facet of cartoons during wartime - making fun of incumbent politicians and incompetent generals - while at the same time challenging the decisions of those in powerful positions in a manner meant to embarrass. Indeed, cartoons often carry a serious message which exemplifies the subject far more impactfully than the written word. It is also the case that cartoons can broach subjects too sensitive to be touched upon in editorials or by columnists. Such is the case with this absorbing, if light-hearted view of the Second World War portraying the seismic events of the conflict in a fashion which everyone at the time could understand and nod their appreciation to with a smile on their lips. The Second World War in Cartoons begins in the 1930s with events in Germany and the Rhineland and the slow march to war. This is followed by the inevitable references to the Phoney War and to Hitler's 'Sink-on-Sight Navy' after the Graf Speen had been scuttled by her captain. A more serious tone is undertaken during Britain's darkest hour, the cartoons reflecting Churchill's stubborn determination to resist and encouraging the fighter boys to stop Hitler. Gradually, the mood changes as the UK's strategic position improves. When the war ended in Europe, a cartoon of Germany depicts a notice 'Under New Management'. Churchill's defeat in the 1945 election resulted in one cartoonist declaring that Britain had 'dropped its pilot' and, ever a cartoonist favourite character, among the final images is that of Churchill declaring an Iron Curtain had descended across the Continent, as the Cold War took its grip. Each of these wonderful cartoons is provided with a full explanation of the background to each one, and its relevant to the events of the day.
The COSSAC planners in 1943 outlined a strategy to capture the city of Caen, some 10 miles in-land from the coastline with an airborne division. On assumption of command of 21st Army Group, General Montgomery up-scaled the invasion and inserting SWORD Beach, gave the task of capturing the city to the 3rd Division on D Day or shortly afterwards. The Germans, however, seeing the number of Allied divisions, many fictional, multiplying on their situation maps, believed that a secondary landing would be made in Normandy. In April 1944, they therefore made significant reinforcements including moving the 21st Panzer Division to the important transport node of Caen that, if held, barred the way onto the more open country south to Falaise. Though aware of the German reinforcement thanks to ULTRA, the Allied aspiration remained to capture Caen and fix the Germans against the British Second Army on the eastern flank of the lodgement. In doing so, it became obvious that the city would not be captured as quickly or cleanly as originally envisaged. On D Day, the 3rd Division faced not just the coastal crust of defences, but German formations deployed in depth, including the 21st Panzer Division barring the way to Caen. Beset with difficulties resulting from Eisenhower's decision to 'go' in less-than-ideal conditions, the landing was slow and the division could not develop the necessary momentum to carry them to the city.
In 1983, Grenada, a small Commonwealth Island in the Caribbean, had strong ties with Communist Cuba. Bernard Coard and a group of hard-line Marxist-Leninists overthrew the unelected Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and then executed Bishop and his entourage. President Ronald Reagan displayed a paranoic concern as he believed that, in Grenada, Cuba was building a powerful military base. To eliminate what he saw as a threat, he resolved to initiate regime change in Grenada. To justify an armed intervention, he made the safety of US citizens on the Island his casus belli. The poorly trained, lightly-armed and unmotivated military forces of Grenada were only hundreds strong. Nevertheless, Reagan assembled a major fleet and 7,500 troops to invade the island and rescue his citizens. This was an overly massive hammer to crack a miniscule nut. Reagan misled the British Government as to his intentions, ignored the trenchant views of Prime Minister Thatcher and, having assembled a cosmetic coalition of other Caribbean states, US forces invaded the island. This well-researched and perceptive book by an experienced historian examines what he describes as, 'a masterclass in political and military ineptitude'. The invasion was judged by the United Nations to be illegal and, during the USA's three-day Operation URGENT FURY, anything that could go wrong - did. However, the courage of American servicemen is not in question although the quality of their senior leadership is. In this far-reaching book, the author covers the trial of the murderers, and the impact of Reagan's belligerent rhetoric that, following URGENT FURY, very nearly triggered World War III. This is a crisp, incisive summation and very readable account of an incident in modern history that restored democracy to Grenada, and led to major changes in the manner that the armed forces of the USA conduct their business.
In 1837, Queen Victoria inherited an army that had not changed greatly from that which defeated Napoleon in 1815, although reform was already under way. The process of reorganization and modernization, however, continued throughout her reign. As the British army protected and extended the Empire, it strove to adapt to rapidly advancing technology and an incredible array of enemies and environments. This was the period in which many of the of its most famous battle honours were won, such as Balaklava, Rorke's Drift and Omdurman. Gabriele Esposito gives a comprehensive overview of the history, organization, weapons and uniforms of the various components of the British army. All branches of the service are included: Foot Guards, line infantry, Highland infantry, light infantry, rifle corps (the King's Royal Rifle Corps and the Rifle Brigade), Life Guards and Horse Guards, Dragoon Guards, Dragoons, Light Dragoons, Hussars, Lancers, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and Royal Army Service Corps. The Royal Marines and Royal Marine Artillery, while technically part of the Royal Navy, are also covered as they often fought with the land forces. The 'legions' of British volunteers who fought abroad and the foreign military units in British service are also considered. He traces the great changes that happened across the period in both military dress (the famous red coats giving way to khaki) and equipment (notably, muskets being replaced by breech-loading rifles and machine guns). Dozens of beautiful colour artworks illustrate this glorious period of British military history.
"Remarkably ambitious in scope, Harte manages to knit together a social and cultural history of these years, including how Churchill both influenced the world and was defined by the issues of the day. Harte wants to show when and where the 'scrawny little twenty-year-old second lieutenant became a global leader.' The question is not a new one, but it never fails to fascinate." - **International Churchill Society**Churchill's Enemies describes Winston Churchill's main challenges when he was out of office from 1929-1939. They were the rise to dictatorship of Benito Mussolini in Italy and the adaptation of his fascist system by the Nazi Party in Germany. It also explains the relevance of Hitler's collaboration with the Mufti of Jerusalem in the Middle East, who spread Nazi ideology in Jerusalem, Gaza, and Lebanon - and how, step by step, the two European dictators destroyed democracy. This account of the first half of Winston Churchill's life should help readers to understand how today's world crisis began. The Cairo Conference was the West's first attempt to bring the Arab world into the twentieth century by solving the Middle East crisis in 1921. It also shows how Churchill changed from an ambitious young politician to an elder statesman, as a consequence of his experiences in the changing world with all its complexities, paradoxes and ambiguities - and how his decisions still impact world politics today. The major menaces with which he was confronted throughout his political career were the chaos caused by Islamist terrorists in the Middle East from 1918 and the spread of communism and fascism when he was Minister for War and then Colonial Secretary. The author described the first two threats in his previous book, Churchill's Challenges.
Self-propelled anti-tank and anti-aircraft vehicles were a key element of the Nazi Army during the Second World War. Anti-tank weapons assumed great importance from the outbreak of war as combatants developed ever more effective armoured vehicles and tactics. Some were little more than stopgap solutions, such as mounting the weapons on a tracked vehicle to give enhanced mobility, while others were more sophisticated designs. Examples of the development of tank destroyer technology throughout the war are the Marders, Jagdpanzer 38, and Nashorn. In order to provide much needed fire power, vehicles like the 5-ton Sd.Kfz.6 halftrack mounted Soviet 76.2mm field guns. The Marder series played a key role supporting armoured operations with their anti-tank guns. Anti-aircraft firepower was vital to give protection to troops from increasingly potent Allied ground-attack. The Germans also mounted anti-aircraft guns onboard halftracks such as the Sd.Kfz.10/5 and 10/4 armed with 2cm Flak guns, the medium Sd.Kfz.7/1 halftrack mounting 2cm flak guns, including quadruple flak guns on certain modified vehicles. Later in the war there was the Flakpanzer 38 (t) with a 2cm flak gun, an Sd.Kfz.6/2 Flak halftrack, and the Flakpanzer IV `Wirbelwind` with a rotating flak gun turret armed with quadruple 2cm flak guns. In true Images of War style the authoritative text is superbly supported by well captioned contemporary images.
Dr Adrian Greaves' is widely acknowledged as a leading expert on the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and his previous account of Rorke's Drift has become a standard work on that battle. However, by his own admission, it is hopelessly out of date as are other existing accounts. Rorke's Drift Revisited is not merely a revised edition of that earlier work but a completely new account with much new research that challenges many misconceptions and myths. Explaining how previous accounts have been distorted by false reporting, false memory syndrome, ignorance of the site and archaeological evidence, the author presents fascinating fresh evidence and analysis. Among the more sensational revelations is that Lieutenant John Chard did not write the famous Chard Report, which has been the main primary source for the battle. He also shows that neither Lieutenant Ardendorff nor the missionary Reverend Otto Witt was there. Nor were the famous mealie-bag-and-biscuit-box barricades hastily erected, as per the film; they were carefully planned and built over several preceding days. Drawing on previously neglected eyewitness accounts as well as the latest archaeological evidence, there is a wealth of other new information and fresh perspectives. The shift in perceptions of the battle and its hold on the national psyche is also discussed. Uniquely, over a quarter of a century of physically revisiting Rorke's Drift and associated sites as a tour leader allows him to give an accurate appraisal of the battlefield today.
The intelligence war between Germany and the Soviet Union, ignited by Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, was fiercely contested over four years. Neither side was prepared for the scale of the conflict, and both quickly developed methods to assess and counter each other's military intentions. This book explores the intelligence strategies of Stalin's SMERSH and Hitler's Abwehr. SMERSH coordinated three independent counter-intelligence agencies within the Red Army, while the Abwehr was Germany's military-intelligence service. Focusing on key battles like Stalingrad and Kursk, the book examines how both sides competed for intelligence advantage. The Soviets excelled in strategic deception, manipulating German decision-making. Early in the war, they used counterintelligence to deceive the Germans, notably during their surprise counteroffensive at Moscow in December 1941 and their hidden tank formations in 1942. German intelligence chief Gehlen underestimated Soviet deception and overestimated German superiority, which hindered effective analysis. Meanwhile, the Soviets deployed agents behind German lines and employed terror tactics to destroy German operations. The pivotal battle of Stalingrad revealed the Germans' intelligence failures, and their subsequent losses marked a turning point. By the war's end, Soviet counterintelligence had become a critical weapon, reshaping the intelligence landscape and significantly impacting the outcome of the war.
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is heralded as the ultimate fifth-generation fighter, merging advanced engineering with multinational collaboration. Developed during a time of military reorganization and technological mergers, it integrates the best features of previous generations into a versatile platform for varied operational roles across military branches. The F-35 is the first fifth-generation multi-service aircraft designed for continuous technological evolution. Despite funding delays and complexities, it remains the largest defense contract in history. Its three variants serve diverse roles: the F-35A for conventional take-off and landing (CTOL), the F-35B for short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL), and the F-35C for carrier operations with Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR). Since its inaugural flight on December 15, 2006, the F-35 has demonstrated exceptional capabilities, becoming a cornerstone of air forces worldwide. Designed to maintain air superiority into the 2070s, it represents the pinnacle of stealth and multi-role combat.
The Ordnungspolizei or Order Police was one of the main apparatus for the security of Nazi Germany. During the 1930s, Heinrich Himmler, Head of the SS, along with the Commander-in-Chief of the Order Police, Kurt Daluege, totally reconstructed the police force of the Weimar Republic into a number of strong militarized formations. Those that served in this new police force were more than ready to carry out any order that the Nazi's required of them including persecution of Jews and anyone deemed inferior to the regime. In fact, in 1938, police units participated in the annexation of Austria and the occupation of Czechoslovakia. A year later when Germany invaded Poland, the role of the police changed forever. Police units were deployed alongside the German military including the special murder squads of the Einsatzgruppen. In Poland, Order Police were transformed into militarized police battalions and participated in combat operations which included carrying out security duties behind enemy lines. These duties were often sinister and alongside some Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS and Einsatzgruppen, the police battalions engaged in the systematic murder and annihilation of Poles and Jews. Following the conquest of Poland the Nazi leadership created a massive recruitment drive conscripting more than 95,000 men in their thirties. Another 26,000 younger men were also recruited and indoctrinated into Nazi ideology and trained for combat. These new recruits would now take part not only in military operations but would be an integral part of the Holocaust, responsible for mass murders and guarding some of the Jewish ghettos. They would also assist in the destruction of the ghettos and helping in the transport of Jews to concentration camps. During the summer of 1941 these Police units were involved in mass killings of Babi Yar, Rumbula and Stanislaviv. Yet after the war, many of the Order Policemen claimed never to have been involved in Nazi crimes.
There are nearly 80 million visits to the Royal Parks every year, making them the most popular destinations in the capital. In 1956, author, poet and critic, Richard Thomas Church (1893-1972) wrote The Royal Parks of London, which was published by The Ministry of Public Building and Works as a guidebook at a cost of 3s 6d net. Many years has passed, and these parks continue to thrive, with new additions, events and celebrations. However, any visitor today will be overwhelmed by the beauty of these historic spaces that boast royal palaces, boathouses, bandstands, lodges, gatehouses, ornamental gardens, sculpture, public art, memorials, places for repose and refreshments. Today the Royal Parks as a charitable organisation is responsible for the care and maintenance of a large collection of historical built assets, comprising primarily of monuments, structures and buildings within the parks, and associated boundaries. This book will take you on a journey from Greenwich Park, the oldest of the Royal Parks, via Hyde Park, St James's Park, Green Park, Regent's Park, Bushy Park, Kensington Gardens to the largest of the royal parks - Richmond Park. It is hoped that the reader will gain a greater understanding of how these parks came about, but also to widen the visitor's knowledge of some of the more unusual aspects of London's Royal Parks, and to simply encourage the visitor to meander at will among them - the best way to discover the many pleasures within London's Royal Parks.
T. E. Lawrence, soldier and writer, the co-leader with King Faisal of Saudi Arabia of the Arab Campaign during the First World War, became a legend in his own lifetime. And yet to this day there is much about him which remains a mystery: two aspects of his character being of particular interest. This first is why, having become a famous figure with the world at his feet, did he choose, subsequently, to live a life of obscurity in the lower ranks of the armed services?The second concerns Lawrence's sexuality. Some of his biographers have been accused of bringing 'sex' into their volumes, for reasons of sensationalism and publicity. To be fair, however, it was Lawrence himself who first raised the subject, by including in his book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (an account of the Desert Campaign), details of how he was captured and raped by the Turks. Lawrence, who never married, is known to have engaged in masochistic rituals. So, what was the true nature of, and explanation for his sexuality?This is the challenge of The Real T. E. Lawrence.
With the era of British Railways' transition from steam to diesel and electric influencing the country-wide fleets of trains beyond the 1970's, the Southern proved no exception to such, integrated within its flotillas of commuter electric trains. Southern Region motive power was territorial, thanks to the requirement for electric trains to remain within the live third rail network. Remaining pockets of non-electrified routes provided the last bastions of diesel-electric units and locomotive hauled trains, not only in Dorset, Sussex and Hampshire but also especially along the South West mainline to Exeter. Although with a limited range of Class 33, 47, 50 and 73 locomotives serving the passenger sector in the 1980's, there remained interesting passenger workings to note such as that along Weymouth Quay or through the rural tranquillity of Devon's countryside to Barnstaple. Railfreight ensured a wider variety of locomotives within in the Region. Standard colours of B.R. blue and grey livery may have been monotonous but the bright and clean Network SouthEast colours were welcomed, along with the much needed emphasis on running clean and punctual services as part of the Network SouthEast ethos. Brand new fleets of trains in the Southern area continue to offer the railway enthusiast and photographer the chance to study the impact of privatisation in the modern railway. Fortunately we have several preserved lines in the Southern area which perfectly capture the character of the traditional Southern branch line in the days of heritage diesels.
A History of Women's Work explores the often overlooked contributions of women throughout history, particularly in a patriarchal society where men have dominated the historical record. While men were more likely to leave traces - through wills, leases, and civic duties - women laboured behind the scenes, performing crucial yet unpaid tasks for their families and communities. In many households, women supported their husbands' work, ran home-based industries, or sought paid employment despite societal restrictions. This book delves into three main areas of women's work: household tasks, home industries, and paid employment outside the home. Through case studies and practical research tips, it sheds light on the lives of these women, encouraging readers to uncover their own female ancestors' stories and contribute to a richer understanding of women's history.
The second volume of a series on a glossary of codebreaking, WW2 Codebreaking Events and Organisations, brings to the reader an easily understandable account and listing, of those organisations involved in collecting and analysing military intelligence principally during the second world war. A listing of key events or occurrences is provided which moulded the direction of codebreaking and gathering of enemy intelligence. Whilst Bletchley Park was the HQ of codebreaking activities in wartime, numerous organisations became involved in a support role, and this became critical when more advanced enemy encoding machines were introduced by the Nazis. The evolution of certain organisations over time, can be tracked to a degree, by reading the glossary in depth. The entries are cross-referenced to enable the reader to research as much or as little as they want, to dip-in to the glossary, to use it as a basis for further study, or just to learn a little more about the people and organisations that helped us win the war with our allied friends.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine was an intrinsic part of the civil wars that devastated the three kingdoms of Stuart Britain. A nephew of King Charles I, Rupert was both the archetypical royalist hero and parliamentarian villain. In his lifetime, he accumulated at least nine derogatory pseudonyms - from 'Duke of Plunderland' to 'The Diabolical Cavalier' - with one even coined in 2023. Such polarising viewpoints and propaganda, along with numerous historical myths, often make it challenging to understand the real Rupert. When approaching this biography, Mark Turnbull delved into numerous and varied archives to reconstruct a tapestry of the Civil War and Rupert's part in it. This highlighted historical errors, gave fresh perspectives, and revealed brand-new information. Key myths are examined, and the prince's flaws and fame are assessed to produce a balanced and definitive biography. The women in Rupert's life have never had the prominence they deserve, partly down to the sad fact that there is a lack of surviving records relating to them. That said, Mark's research has managed to unearth exciting new details about his lover, Lady Katherine Scott, together with mistresses Frances Bard and Margaret Hughes. Valuable studies of the Battles of Vlotho (1638) and Powick Bridge (1642) challenge previous historical narratives and help reshape Rupert's story. Deciphering 380-year-old coded letters provides extra insight into the prince's mindset prior to his surrender of Bristol in 1645. Additionally, the formal start of the English Civil War is re-examined in view of two much-overlooked Parliamentary declarations. It has been 17 years since the last biography of Prince Rupert. This ground-breaking book gets to the heart of the man and provides not only a new understanding of him but also of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
The Military History of Late Rome 425-457 analyses in great detail how the Romans coped with the challenge posed by masses of Huns in a situation in which the Germanic tribes had gained a permanent foothold in the territories of West Rome. This analysis reassesses the strategy and tactics of the period . The book shows how cooperation between the West Roman Master of Soldiers, Aetius, and East Roman Emperor Marcian saved Western civilization from the barbarian nightmare posed by the Huns of Attila. A fresh appraisal of the great clash at the Catalaunian Fields in 451 offers new insights into the mechanics of the fighting and shows that it was a true battle of nations which decided nothing less than the fate of human civilization. Had Aetius and his allies lost the battle and had Marcian not cooperated with Aetius in 451 and 452, we would not have seen the rise of the West and the rise of the scientific thinking.
Stalag Luft lll was where Germany sent all its habitual Allied escapers, and the first British and Commonwealth POWs arrived there on 11 April 1942. The following year, on 29 October, what became known as The Wooden Horse Escape took place - the name deriving from the use of a gymnastic vaulting horse to cover the fact that a tunnel was being dug underneath. The escape was devised by Flight Lieutenant Eric Williams and Lieutenant Richard Michael Codner. Joined by Pilot Officer Oliver Philpot, all three men escaped and made it safely back to England. The escape inspired others and, five months later, on the evening of 24/25 March 1944, what became known as the Great Escape took place. The intention was to break out more than 200 British and Allied POWs, but a combination of tunnel collapses, a nearby Allied air raid and the discovery of the tunnel exit meant only 76 escapees made it out. Only 3 made it back to the UK, with 73 being recaptured and 50 of those being murdered by the Gestapo on Hitler's orders. Both escapes were made famous first by books and then even more famous by their respective films, and although not entirely accurate, each ensured that the stories told would reach a worldwide audience.
Czechoslovakia, a vital European economy, was dismantled by Nazi Germany. The Sudetenland was annexed, and the rest of the nation became the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Hitler replaced Reichsprotektor Konstantin von Neurath with Reinhard Heydrich in September 1941 due to unmet production quotas. Known as the "Butcher of Prague," Heydrich imposed martial law, leading to widespread arrests and executions. In response, the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, led by Edvard Bene, devised Operation Anthropoid to assassinate Heydrich. Josef Gabcík and Jan Kubi, members of the exiled Czech Army trained by the British Special Operations Executive, parachuted into Czechoslovakia on 29 December 1941. Despite Heydrich's suppression of the Czech resistance, local supporters assisted them. On 27 May 1942, Gabcík and Kubi attacked Heydrich as his car slowed at a bend. Gabcík's Sten gun jammed, but Kubi's grenade wounded Heydrich. Though they escaped, Heydrich died eight days later.
In the weeks after the end of the War in May 1945, 156 U-boats surrendered to the Allies. Some of these either surrendered at sea or directly in a variety of ports, whilst the majority were taken over whilst moored in German bases in Norway, Denmark and France. Nine gave themselves up in the USA, Canada and Argentina. This book provides a comprehensive record of the surrender of all these vessels, and it also includes the story of the 200 or so U-boats which were scuttled, rather than surrendered, in the final days of the War. And it includes details of others which have been raised since and then either been used or scrapped. The author begins by describing the development of Allied policy in 1943, 1944 and early 1945 for the surrender and disposal of the German Navy and its surviving U-boats. It then explains the surrender arrangements, as well as the discussions concerning U-boats at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945 and by the Tripartite Naval Commission (TNC) in Berlin between August and December 1945. The uses and fates of all the surrendered U-boats are then described, particularly those which were formally allocated to the UK, the USA and the USSR. It includes the story of the capture of U-505, before concluding with a schedule showing the final disposal details of each of the U-boats which surrendered. The level of detail, and the exhaustive research incorporated in this work, makes it both an important new reference book and a fascinating analysis of one of the most significant events of the War's end; it also leads the reader into the world of postwar submarine development and the tussle between the US and Soviet navies to best exploit the technical advances that originated with the wartime U-boat. 'It is, with no doubt, the most complete account on this topic ... The time is more than ripe for this.' Dr Axel Niestle, German Naval Historian'Thank you so much for your precious work bringing light into the end of the German U-Boats at the end of WW II. My congratulations for a wonderful piece of research'. Horst Bredow - Director of the Cuxhaven U-Boat Archive and Museum'A remarkably well researched work.' Glenn Helm, US Naval History and Heritage Command
Dennis Oliver uses contemporary photographs and meticulously researched, superbly presented colour and monochrome illustrations to tell the story of these self-propelled anti-tank weapons and the units which operated them in the German defence of the Eastern Front
The rise of Oasis in the 1990s was stratospheric, yet they remained the people's band. This is the story about how lives were changed forever, told by those who lived through it. All around the world, millions felt a connection to these working-class lads from Manchester. With anthemic songs crafted and sung by the greatest songwriter and singer of their generation, from their first interview they proclaimed themselves the best band in the world, and for a shining moment in the mid-1990s they were. 'Live Forever'. Definitely Maybe. (What's The Story) Morning Glory?. 'Wonderwall'. Knebworth. A level of success not seen by a British band for 30 years, ushering in a new cultural zeitgeist: Britpop, Cool Britannia, New Labour, and at the centre of it all, the soap opera antics of the warring Gallagher brothers and their bandmates. Departed members were replaced by fresh faces as the 2000s ushered in their next career phase with Oasis inspiring younger generations. Yet the music and drama continued up to one night in Paris when everything fell apart... until the world stood still in August 2024. Expanded and revised to include over 25 exclusive new interviews from The Oasis Podcast, including contributions from those involved (Alan McGee, Tony McCarroll, Andy Bell, Steve White, Owen Morris), writers with first-hand coverage (Paolo Hewitt, John Robb), celebrity fans (Ricky Hatton) and many more, this book spans their entire career from 1991 to the present day, making it the ultimate story of Oasis.
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