Index, bibliography, notes, ill, p.688.non-fictionThe untold story of the Sandakan death marches of World War II. After the fall of Singapore, in February 1942, the Japanese conquerors rounded up tens of thousands of British and Australian soldiers and shipped them to prison camps scattered throughout Hirohito's newly won Empire. The fall of Britain's 'impregnable fortress' was the greatest humiliation in British military history, for which Churchill never forgave the Japanese. But nothing would surpass the wretched fate of some 2,700 British and Australian prisoners who were shipped to British North Borneo later that year. They landed in Sandakan, on the east coast of the island, after a 10-day voyage on a Japanese 'hell' ship, and were herded into a jungle camp some eight miles inland. Thus began the three-year ordeal of the Sandakan prisoners of war - a barely known story of unimaginable horror.world war 1939-1945 - prisoners of war - sandakan, japan - prisons and prisoners of war

Index, bibliography, ill, p.360.When Singapore fell dramatically to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, hundreds of people scrambled to leave. Amongst the evacuees were 65 Australian nurses. They boarded a coastal freighter named the Vyner Brooke, which was sunk by the Japanese. From a group of 60 shipwreck survivors including 22 nurses, Vivian Bullwinkel was the only survivor. royal australian army nursing corps, vivian bullwinkel

Index, ill, map, p.140.non-fictionPersonal account of the experiences of a soldier during the North African campaigns in World War twoworld war 1939-1945 - personal narratives, world war two 1939-1945 - australian involvement - tobruk

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.335.non-fictionn 1900, Germany was one of modernity's great success stories: The most progressive and dynamic nation in Europe, it was the only country whose rapid economic growth and innovation rivaled that of the United States. Its political culture was far less authoritarian than Russia's and less anti-Semitic than France's. Representative institutions thrived, and competing political parties and elections were a central part of life. How, then, could it be that in little more than a generation this stable modern country would fall into the hands of Adolf Hitler and the violent, racist, extremist political movement he led, a movement that would lead Germany and then all of Europe into utter moral, physical, and cultural ruin?" "There is no story in twentieth-century history more important to understand, and Richard Evans has written the definitive account for our time. A masterful synthesis of a vast body of scholarly work integrated with important new research and interpretations, Evans's history restores drama and contingency to the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis, even as he shows how ready Germany was by the early 1930s for such a takeover to occur. Its citizens were angry and embittered by military defeat and economic ruin, and its young democracy undermined by a civil service, an army, and a law enforcement system deeply alienated from the new order. The electorate was beset by growing extremism and panic about communism; and the small but successful Jewish community was subject to wide-spread suspicion and resentment. In the end, though nothing about what happened was preordained, Germany proved to be fertile ground for Nazism's ideology of hatred.germany - politics and government 1933-1939, germany - nazi party

Index, notes, p.357.non-fictionDiscusses about the true cost of the Iraq war - quite apart from its tragic human toll - which the Bush administration estimated at $50 billion. This book argues that this underestimates the real figure by approximately six times. It attempts to expose the gigantic expenses which have not been officially accounted for. Stiglitz and Bilmes write in simple language, which makes the details they present, and the sums they add up, all the more disturbing.iraq war 2003-2011 - economic aspects, iraq war 2003-2011 - finance

p.295.non-fictionAs Iraq descends ever closer to civil war, no one doubts that George W. Bush's Iraq strategy has been an abysmal failure -- just as Gwynne Dyer argued it would be in both Ignorant Armies and Future: Tense. The question now is what will happen not just in Iraq but in the whole Middle East region once American troops are withdrawn. In The Mess They Made, Dyer predicts that the Middle East will go through the biggest shake up since the region was conquered and folded into the Ottoman Empire five centuries ago. In his trademark vivid prose, and in arguments as clear as his research is thorough, Dyer brings his considerable knowledge and understanding of the region to bear on the issue of how widespread the meltdown in the Middle East will likely be. In five chapters, Dyer points the way from present policies and events to likely future developments in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and in the various other countries of the region, not least of which is nuclear-armed Israel. Argues that the Middle East is about to change fundamentally and everything is now up for grabs: regimes, ethinic pecking orders within states, even national borders themselves are liable to change without notice. Five years from now there could be an Islamic Republic of Arabia, an independent Kurdistan, a Muslim cold war, and more. iraq war 2003-2011 - history, middle east - international relations

Index, notes, p.339.non-fictionIn December 2005 Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, assured the world that the flights of CIA private jets that have criss-crossed Europe since 9/11 had no role in sending prisoners to be tortured. 'The United States has not transported anyone, and will not transport anyone, to a country when we believe he will be tortured,' she said. Tony Blair assured Parliament: 'I have absolutely no evidence to suggest that anything illlegal has been happening here at all.' But as Stephen Grey reveals in this book, Rice's claims were false - and the British governemnt has also turned a blind eye to a CIA operation that systematically out-sources the hasrh interrogation of its captives. Grey reveals how the Agency's programme, known by the euphemism 'extraordinary rendition', has transported hundreds of prisoners to foreign jails and its own secret facilities in the full knowledge they will face harsh torture.prisoners of war - abuse of - united states, central intelligence agency

Index, ill, p.192.non-fictionDescriptions of the main fighters involved in World war Twoairplanes - military, fighter planes

Ill, p,253.non-fiction'Packed with fascinating facts, this volume contains incredibly detailed cutaway drawings of arguably the greatest fighter aircraft ever flown. Each drawing examines what's 'under the skin', clearly showing 'the inside story' - airframe structure, cockpit components, engines, fuel tanks, avionics, machine guns and cannon, missiles and bombs - revealing how the fighters were built, and the weapons they have carried into combat. Each significant component is given a number and is identified in an accompanying key. Moreover, together with stunning photographs, as well as detailed specifications, the absorbing in-depth development histories provide avid aviation enthusiasts all the information they could wish for about the most exciting warplanes spanning almost a hundred years. The aircraft themselves vary tremendously, from simple, wooden-framed, fabric-covered machines with open cockpits, often firing machine guns through whirring, propellers, to super-fast, highly maneuverable, sophisticated and stealthy fighters armed to the teeth with multi-barrel cannons and missiles that can destroy enemy aircraft from beyond visual range. In between are featured a host of combat-proven fighters, many of which have recorded a plethora of 'firsts' - first jet warplane, first supersonic fighter to enter service, first Mach 2 and even Mach 3 interceptors, first tail-less delta machine, first sweeping-wing machine, first missile-armed fighter, and many more. It is certainly an extraordinarily wide-ranging subject presented in such a fantastically individual manner that it is difficult to imagine a more striking volume in aviation publishing.fighter planes - history, fighter planes

Ill, p.68.non-fictionTank busting aircraft of World War Twoworld war 1939-1945 - aerial operations, world war 1939-1945 - aerial artillery

Ill, p.64.non-fictionFacts on the B-1B aircraftbombers - united states, rockwell corporation

Ill, p.64.non-fictionDescription of the A-10 aircraftfighter planes - united states - description, thunderbolt (airplane)

Ill, p.64.non-fictionDescription of carrier based aircraft in World war Twoworld war 1939-1945 - carrier operations, aircraft carriers

Ill, p.64.non-fictionSubmarine hunting aircraft in World warTwopatrol aircraft, submarine warfare

Index, ill,p.240.non-fictionDescription of military aircraft from the earliest daysmilitary aircraft - history, military aircraft - pictorial works

Ill. p.632.non-fictionComprehensive descriptions of World war Two airplanesmilitary airplanes - descriptions, world war 1939-1945 - aerial warfare

Ill, p.64.non-fictionInterceptor versus heavy bomber descriptionsworld war 1939-1945 - aerial operations, fighter planes - history

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.190.non-fictionThe Boer War was an epic both of heroism and of barbarism. Fought by the British against the Dutch inhabitants of South Aftrica, the Boer War had an extraordinary cast of characters including Commanders-in chief buller, Roberts and Kitchener, Winston Churchill, Arthur Conan Doyle, Emily Hobhouse, Rudyard Kipling, and Gandhi. The war revealed the ineptitude of the British military, and exposed the corrupt underside of British imperialism . For the first time, Judd and Surridge debunk several myths. There was not, for instance, a straightforward divide between the Boers and British. In fact, the overriding aim of both sides was to maintain European supremacy and to keep Africans and Indians "in their place." Giving us a sense of how the Apartheid era was born.south african war 1899-1901, second boer war

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.224.non-fictionAn account of why wars have been fought in the post world war two period.world politics - 1945-, national liberation movements

Index, bibliography, notes,maps, ill, p.334.non-fictionIn 1939 Marsden Hordern's mother refused to sign the paper allowing her seventeen-year-old son to fight overseas with the Royal Australian Air Force. 'I did not rear you to be killed in an airplane,' she said. 'Join the navy.' He took her advice and in doing so determined his future. In small patrol boats, Fairmiles and a Harbour Defence Motor Launch, he patrolled the shores of Japanese-held territory, assisted beleaguered commandos in Timor, and was finally caught up in the drama of rounding up Japanese prisoners of war and guarding them in New Guinea.world war 1939-1945 - naval operations - australia, royal australian navy

Index, ill, p.360.non-fictionollow Bud's journey from his early days as a young radio announcer in Sydney to his training and voyages across the oceans to Canada, Europe Europe and the Middle East, to his experiences flying aircraft and ground fire while doing his part in providing a valuable service to allied war effort. This book includes many the biographies of soliders.world war 1939-1945 - australian involvement, charles (bud) tingwell

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.275.non-fictionOn 7 March 1944 Tokyo announced that the Japanese invasion of British India had begun. By mid-month, the Japanese 31st Division had crossed the Chindwin River in northern Burma, advancing on a wide front towards Imphal and Kohima. In bitter jungle fighting from early April, the British Fourteenth Army under Field Marshal Slim held the Japanese assault on Kohima Ridge. By late June the Japanese were in headlong retreat. Kohima ranks for strategic importance with Alamein, Midway and Stalingrad. The increasing dominance of Allied airpower in the region in the aftermath of the battle was a major factor. kohima - siege - 1944, world war 1939-1945 - land operations - india

Index, bibliography, notes, p.263.non-fictionExamines British government policy during World War II, arguing that widely held beliefs about Britain's role in the events of 1940 are largely myth. great britain - politics and government - 1933-1945, great britain - foreign relations

Index, ill, maps, p.206.non-fictionthe story of Billy Bishop, the famous air ace, who came out of World War One with 72 kills.world war 1914-1918 - aerial operations - britain, great britain - royal flying corps

Index, ill, maps, p.139.non-fictionAn account of the Gallipoli campaign from the Turkish sideworld war 1914-1918 - personal narratives - turkish, world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - gallipoli

Index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.168.non-fictionThe activities of the Australian Light Horse in the Boer war and in World War Onerorld war 1914-1918 - campaigns - palestine, australian light horse - history

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, p.179.non-fictionHistory, artifact and art combine to evoke a time in colonial Australia when the Motherland, and the British Army in particular, loomed large. Challenges our understanding of Australia's military history and the primacy of the Anzac legend.australia - history - military, australia - relations - great britain

Bibliography, ill, maps, p.692.non-fictionThis landmark book explores the richness and diversity of Australian military history, which has had a profound impact on the development of Australia. The two world wars - destructive yet often ennobling commitments for the young nation - have been the most important experiences for several generations of Australians, but military considerations and obligations have had a pervasive influence throughout Australian history. Just as it would be impossible to form a proper understanding of that history without due consideration of Gallipoli, the Kokoda Track, and conscription, it would be difficult to exaggerate the abiding influence of the 'digger' and the Anzac legend. From the beginnings of European settlement and the violence that accompanied it, to the more recent engagement of Australian forces in the Gulf War and peace-keeping operations in Africa, military questions have been a constant theme in the story of Australia. Anzac and Gallipoli are well-known names in the consciousness, but they can only be fully appreciated if examined in a wider context. This book does just that, providing a detailed analysis of Australian military achievements and an assessment of the importance of war in Australian history. The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History covers all aspects of this complex and fascinating subject. It contains more than 800 individual entries, written by leading military historians. All the major campaigns and battles are examined, along with significant military and civilian figures, such as Thomas Blamey, John Monash, John Curtin, Albert Jacka and Charles Bean. There are articles on weapons and weapons systems and on the development of the individual services and their component parts. The roles of industry, science and technology are analysed, and a series of essay-length articles discusses key aspects of our military legacy, including military humour and the impact of war on Australian film, television and literature. Here, then, is the most comprehensive guide to Australian military history, ranging from the colonial period to the 1990s. The Companion is supplemented by 100 photographs and by more than 30 maps. It is an indispensable source for students, specialists and general readers alike. Collapse summary australia - armed forces - history, australia - armed forces - encyclopaedias

Index, notes, ill, maps, p.544.non-fictionA Force More Powerful depicts how nonviolent sanctions - such as noncooperation, strikes, boycotts, and civil disobedience - can separate brutal regimes from their means of control. It reveals the inside stories of how ordinary people took extraordinary action to end oppression - including the Danes' valiant resistance to the Nazis, Solidarity's defeat of Polish communism, and civic action in Chile to remove a military dictator - and how nonviolent power continues to change the world today, from Burma to the Balkans.non violence, social conflict

Ill, p.95.non-fictionDescribes the markings and camouflage of the German Panzer Force 1939 - 1945vehicles - military - germany, tanks - germany