Index, bibliography, notes, ill (b/w), p.348.From the 1930s through WWII to Afghanistan today, from total war to counterinsurgency, this history unravels and defines the intangible qualities that differentiate the "Sky Men" from other soldiers Seventy years ago the Parachute Regiment was formed - the army's elite air assault force was tough, well-trained, and designed to fight hazardous operations behind enemy lines with little or no backup. Dropping into the middle of enemy territory, these "Sky Men"- British, American, German, and Russian soldiers - engage in gruelling combat in the most dangerous conflict zones around the world. Ex-Parachute Regiment officer Robert Kershaw reveals the history of these airborne forces and their role during the most dramatic battles of the 20th century. He finds out what drives a "Sky Man" to take these extraordinary risks, and what marks these sky warriors out from ordinary soldiers. How do military paratroopers conquer the fear of jumping from aircraft at low level, by night, and frequently under fire? Has the helicopter replaced the need for parachutists in the 21st Century? Has the increasing lethality of anti-aircraft weapons made the airborne option redundant? These issues are examined alongside the personal experiences of the Soviet "Locust Warriors," German Fallschirmjäger, British Red Devils, American "devils in baggy-pants," and Les Paras. Based on letters, diaries, and exclusive interviews with soldiers from around the world, this book is full of vivid personalities and nail-biting action.great britain - history - military, great britain - parachute regiment

index, notes, ill, maps, p.332.non-fictionWorld War I was the war which has had the greatest impact on the course of the twentieth century. The first generation of its historians had access to a limited range of sources, and they focused primarily on military events. More recent approaches have embraced cultural, diplomatic, economic, and social history. In this authoritative and readable history, Hew Strachan combines these perspectives with a military and strategic narrative. The result is an account that breaks the bounds of national preoccupations to become both global and comparative. The first of three volumes in this study, To arms examines not only the causes of the war and its opening clashes on land and sea, but also the ideas that underpinned it, and the motivations of the people who supported it. It provides pioneering accounts of the war's finances, the war in Africa, and the Central Powers' bid to widen the war outside Europe.world war 1914-1918 - history, europe - history - 20th century

index, bibliography, ill, maps, p.158.non-fictionThe principal objective of Men of Beersheba is to examine those men of the Regiment who participated in the renowned charge at Beersheba on the 31st of October 1917world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - palestine, australian army - 4th light horse regiment - history

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.543.non-fictionExamines the experiences of the soldiers of all nationalities who fought at the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, in 1915, during World War I, as well as the men who led them. Recounts the details of the Gallipoli campaign, from the grand military and political strategies to the squalid realities of the front line.world war 1914-1918 - gallipoli campaign - history, anzac

Index, bibliography, notes, ill, maps, p.337.Having already drawn both praise & controversy, this main selection for the Military Book Club continues to generate discussion among scholars & readers. Though histories of World War II are abundant, few of them examine the critical errors in Hitler's approach to the war that finally led to German defeat. Joining the ranks of "counterfactual" histories like the bestseller What If?, How Hitler Could Have Won World War II clearly shows what the consequences would have been for Hiltler, the Axis, & the world if he had chosen differently.world war 1939-1945 - germany - military strategy, adolf hitler - military leadership

Ill, p.336.non-fictionAt age seventeen, Jason Christopher Hartley joined the Army National Guard. Thirteen years later, in 2003, he was called to active duty, to serve in Iraq. Sent to a town called Ad Dujayl, made notorious by Saddam Hussein's 1982 massacre, Hartley was thrust into the center of America's war against terrorism. This is his story." "Just Another Soldier takes the reader past the images seen on CNN and the nightly news, into the day-to-day reality of life on the ground as an infantryman, attached to the First Division in the first war of the twenty-first century. From the adrenaline rush of storming a suspected insurgent's house to the sheer boredom of downtime on the base to the horror of dead civilians, Hartley examines his role as a man, as a soldier, and as an American on foreign soil.iraq war 2003 - personal recollections, iraq war - biography

Index, ill, p.224.non-fictionOffers an account of 50 decisive battles that have had a long-term impact on the course of world history. Using maps and illustrations, this work not only examines the background and consequences of each battle, but also re-creates the intense fighting, analyses the tactics and profiles key commanders and weaponry used.military history, warfare - history

Index, notes, ill, p.640.non-fictionAfter the slaughter of the First World War, Australians embarked on a remarkable programme of war memorial construction. These memorials, large and small, stand everywhere in the Australian landscape. They embody what Australians have wanted to say about the service and death of their compatriots in overseas wars. They express pride, grief, and perceptions of God, empire and nation, becoming the holy sites of a new civil and nationalist religion -- the cult of Anzac." "In this moving and beautifully written book, award-winning historian Ken Inglis traces the development of the Anzac cult, as well as looking at those who rejected it. Sacred Places also examines a paradox: why, as Australia's wars recede in memory, have these memorials and what they stand for become more cherished than ever? In this updated third edition, that question is pursued into the first decade of a new century.war memorials - australia, soldiers memorials - australia

Index, bibliography, ill, p.192.non-fictionExamines Hitler's campaign to develop a militant new Reich in Germany.germany - social life and customs - 1933-1945, national socialism

Index, bibliography, ill, p.185.non-fictionThis volume is one of a series that chronicles the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. It examines German espionageworld war 1939-1945 - espionage, world war 1939-1945 - diplomatic history

Index, bibliography, ill, p.192.non-fictionExamines Hitler's campaign to develop a militant new Reich in Germany.germany - social life and customs - 1933-1945, national socialism

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

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

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, ill, p.256.non-fictionThis title examines the role of armoured vehicles, from the 1900's, the coming of age of self-propelled artillery and amphibious infantry assult vehicles in WWII, through to modern peacekeeping armoured personnel carriers. It features a range of wheeled and tracked vehicles, including AFVs from the two World Wars. Includes description and history of each vehicle, with a specification panel detailing information such as the official name, date, country of origin, crew, weight, dimensions, armament, armour thickness, powerplant, speed and range. It is a complete reference guide to over 100 years of military vehicle engineering and warfare.armoured vehicles - history, tanks - military science

Index, bib, ill, p.240.non-fictionThe camera at war examines the nature of war photography and its relationship to society's view of war"war photography - history, war photography

Index, bib, ill, notes, p.288.non-fictionBefore the First World War most Australians shared the emotions and traditions of the British Empire. Proud of their British heritage, anxious to raise the Imperial status of Australia, they were eager to fight and, if need be, to die in defence of their race and country. But the horror and tragedy of the conflict brought fundamental changes in outlook. Many of the pre-war enthusiasms persisted, but the days of unquestioning allegiance to Empire were beginning to come to an end, to be replaced by the bittersweet tradition of Anzac. Dr Gammage shows how and why these changes took place. Using the diaries and letters of one thousand front-line soldiers of the First Australian Imperial Force, most of them now part of a unique collection housed in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, he reconstructs the motives and expectations with which these men volunteered and the experiences they encountered. He highlights and examines the new attitudes to war and to the homeland that developed and foreshadows the important effects in Australia of the changed outlook brought home by the survivors. Those who have returned from war will recognise immediately the raw realities faced by the 'diggers', the growing disillusionment, and the hopes for the future. Those with fathers, husbands, or brothers who served, and all those concerned with what happens to men at war, cannot fail to be moved by the simple dignity of the men{u2019}s accounts, or by the understated courage with which they wrote to their families of the miseries they endured. This book, written with sensitivity and scholarly care, must be read if we are to understand war and its impact on the ethos of a nation. world war 1914-1918 - personal correspondence, world war 1914-1918 - social conditions

Index, bib, ill, , maps, p.208.non-fictionExamines the military and political events, battles, campaigns, and leaders of World War II in China, Burma, and India.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - burma, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - india

Index, bib, ill, , maps, p.208.non-fictionExamines the military leaders, campaigns, battles, tactics and strategy of the African theater of war during World War II.world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - north africa, afrika corps

Index, bib, map, p.358.non-fictionThis book examines, as a whole, the Jewish ghettos of Europe during the second world war. The study draws on testimonies of former inhabitants, and makes use of memoirs and diaries (exploring the problems inherent in such sources). Although the author also draws on German documentary sources, the focus of the study is the ghettos 'from below'. holocaust - jewish - 1939-1945, holocaust - personal narratives

As the Yarra became unsuitable as a source of water, several attempts were made to find alternative sources for the growing population of Melbourne. It was not until 1891 that the efforts to sewer Melbourne came to fruition with the setting up of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), now known as Melbourne Water. From 1891 until 1992, it was the responsibility of the MMBW to safeguard public health by providing a sewerage system and a safe water supply system. In 1992, The MMBW merged with a number of smaller urban water authorities to form Melbourne Water. The Australian Cerebral Palsy Association ran the Miss Australia Quest and had various titles such as Miss Queensland and Miss Victoria. One branch of the Victorian state competition was the Miss Victorian Government Service Quest. Terri Cott was one of the MMBW’s most popular representatives in the running for the title of Miss Victorian Government Service Quest in 1977. At the time, 18 year old Terri was an Administrative Officer in the Accounts Payable Department and had been with the Board for a year. Terri was crowned as the winner for Miss Victorian Government Service as she was the second highest money raiser with $17,337.72. This also won her a holiday on Brampton Island. Terri was up against 12 other women from other state Government Departments.This staff newsletter highlights the historically significant achievement of Miss Terri Cott being one of the most popular representatives in the running for the title of Miss Victorian Government Service Quest in 1977. This captured achievement not only focuses on Terri's external beauty, but demonstrates her charitable efforts. This newsletter article has historic and social associations with the many women's rights movements in the 1970s. In particular, it relates to the number of challenges the Miss Australia Quest experienced with feminist and activist groups threatening the future of the competition, which forced organisers to examine the appropriateness of the Quest. mmbw, melbourne water, miss mmbw, 1970s, staff

Index, bib, maps, p.235.non-fictionAt the outset of 1918 Germany faced certain defeat as a result of Allied technical innovation in tanks and aircraft, and the American entry into the war. Victory could only be gained by the immediate application of overwhelming force in new tactical form; the 'fire-waltz' artillery barrage and the storm-trooper infantry attack. 1918 examines both the Germans' tactics and the Allies' preferred solution to fighting this war, the combination of artillery, tanks, infantry and aircraft, and argues that this reached a level of sophistication in command and control never before achieved. The war of attrition was far from over, but as more Americans arrived in France the ghastly cost became affordable. For the Germans, it became a question of whether they could negotiate an armistice before their armies were utterly destroyed.world war 1914-1918 - history, world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france

Index, bib, ill, p.283.non-fictionAt the outset of 1918 Germany faced certain defeat as a result of Allied technical innovation in tanks and aircraft, and the American entry into the war. Victory could only be gained by the immediate application of overwhelming force in new tactical form; the 'fire-waltz' artillery barrage and the storm-trooper infantry attack. 1918 examines both the Germans' tactics and the Allies' preferred solution to fighting this war, the combination of artillery, tanks, infantry and aircraft, and argues that this reached a level of sophistication in command and control never before achieved. The war of attrition was far from over, but as more Americans arrived in France the ghastly cost became affordable. For the Germans, it became a question of whether they could negotiate an armistice before their armies were utterly destroyed.world war 1914-1918 - history, world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france

Index, bib, ill, p.558.Packed with insight and terrific spy stories, this masterly book looks at the secret war on a global basis, bringing together the British, American, German, Russian and Japanese histories. In 'The Secret War', Max Hastings examines the espionage and intelligence machines of all sides in World War II, and the impact of spies, code-breakers and partisan operations on events. Written on a global scale, the book brings together accounts from British, American, German, Russian and Japanese sources to tell the story of a secret war waged unceasingly by men and women often far from the battlefields but whose actions profoundly influenced the outcome. world war 1939-1945 - espionage, world war 1914-1918 - secret service

Index, bib, ill, maps, p.400.non-fictionAn overview of the development and influence of the British Empire examines British colonialism in various regions of the world and discusses the impact of imperialism on social and cultural history.great britain - colonies - history, great britain - commonwealth - history

Index, bib, ill, p.602.non-fictionFor the first time ever, the compelling story of the infamous Kokoda Track campaign has been told from both sides of the conflict. In a unique and balanced portrayal, renowned journalist Paul Ham recounts both the Australian and Japanese perspectives of the events on the hellish Papuan jungle trail where thousands fought and died during World War II. Based on extensive research in Australia and Japan, and including previously unpublished documents, Kokoda intimately relates the stories of ordinary soldiers in 'the world's worst killing field', and examines the role of commanders in sending ill-equipped, unqualified Australian troops into battles that resulted in near 100 per cent casualty rates. It was a war without mercy, fought back and forth along 90 miles (145 km) of river crossings, steep inclines and precipitous descents, with both sides wracked by hunger and disease, and terrified of falling into enemy hands. Defeat was unthinkable: the Australian soldier was fighting for his homeland against an unyielding aggressor; the Japanese ordered to fight to the death in a bid to conquer 'Greater East Asiaworld war 1939 – 1945 – campaigns – kokoda, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - south west pacific

Used by the Mah Meri people, Kuala Langat, Selangor (Malaysia), 1936. While Malaysian, this blow-gun is analogous to that used by Indigenous groups from South America with curare. The gun is of bamboo, with a highly polished inner tube of the same. The darts are reeds, made directional by knobs of a tudor wood, with poison made from the ipoh tree and the Strychnos vine The blowpipe examined in this report consists of a long bamboo tube with engraved floral motifs on the outside and a second bamboo tube inside. The mouthpiece is attached to the inner tube and the whole piece can be removed from the outer casing. There is a quiver, filled with darts, a small poisons receptacle, and a single dart and hollow bamboo tube, stored outside the quiver. The objects were donated as a whole to the museum in 1948 by Dr Thomas Edward Marshall. The engravings on the outer case originate from the Mah Meri community in Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. The floral ‘motif is of a vine with small incisions to reflect the properties/identity of the plant (poisonous/harmful)’. These motifs are generally handed down through the generations and can be used for kinship identification. They are also believed to enhance the performance of the blowpipe. The outer casing is made up of several pieces of bamboo fused together. Broken or damaged blowpipes were not discarded. Broken sections of a pipe could be removed and replaced as required, and the observably different bamboo sections suggest this has taken place at some point. Sap from the perah tree is used to seal or glue the pieces together and the glue is reversible by heating. The Mah Meri created a poison from the ipoh tree for use in hunting. The poison acted swiftly to kill the animal and did not result in secondary poisoning. The way in which the Mah Meri hunted is analogous with other blowpipe hunting practices elsewhere in the world. Blowpipe hunting practices represent a starting point for the introduction of standardised muscle relaxants into surgery during the 20th Century. In parts of South America, plant poisons were used to tip the darts and kill prey. These poisons are known as curare. The crucial ingredient in curare was Chondrodendron tomentosum root. Raw curare formed the basis for Intocostrin, the first standardised, mass produced muscle relaxant. The introduction of muscle relaxants dramatically changed surgery, allowing for more precise surgery and better patient outcomes. Bamboo blowpipes can be found in many museum and heritage collections, particularly those with strong colonial origins or influence. Blowpipes from Borneo seem to be well represented, along with those from Guyana. Blowpipes from Malaysia appear to be less common. More research is required to establish the rarity or representativeness of the blowpipe. Ownership of the blowpipe can be traced back from the museum to Dr Thomas Marshall. It has also been established the blowpipe’s point of origin is among the Mah Meri people of Kuala Langat, near Kuala Lumpur. There is no information regarding the way in which Marshall came into possession of the blowpipe. Provenance cannot be fully established. Despite these difficulties, the blowpipe represents a full set of hunting implements. It is accompanied by a quiver, also decorated with a floral motif, a set of bamboo darts, and a poison receptacle. The quiver also has a waist strap which enabled the owner to strap it to themselves, preventing its loss while hunting. Each object within the set is in good condition, although the inner tubing is beginning to split lengthwise and should not be removed from its outer casing. While the blowpipe and accompanying objects are not of South American origin, the techniques and poisons used are analogous and this object has high interpretative capacity. Hollow bamboo blowpipe with mouthpiece at one end. Two different types of organic fibre have been used at difference points along the shaft to secure different segments of the blowpipe. The item consists of two tubes a thin and unpolished inner tube that has degraded and can no longer be removed, and a polished and decorated outer casing. The outer casing is made up of different sections of polished bamboo, some pieces have developed a deep red hue which is likely the result of prolonged polishing and regular heating over many years, other sections are a lighter yellow indicating that they are newer pieces of bamboo. The entire outer tube is covered in a varied sequence of genomic patterns. The exact meaning of these patterns is unknown however they are passed down through family lineage, the exact family of origin is unknown. Connected to the mouthpiece if it is removed from the inner casing is a piece of cloth with the numbers 2241 written in black ink, their purpose is unknown.curare, malaysia, bamboo

In Ambush, Marshall examines the Battle of Dau Tieng (November 1966), a firefight typical of American vs. V.C. troop in actions in the early part of the war. vietnamese conflict, 1961-1975 - campaigns

While most historians of the Vietnam War focus on the origins of U.S. involvement and the Americanization of the conflict, Lien-Hang T. Nguyen examines the international context in which North Vietnamese leaders pursued the war and American intervention ended. 1961-1975, vietnam (democratic republic), vietnam war, 1961-1975 - peace, mekong delta, red river delta, president nixon

Examining the topic from local, national, and international perspectives, this important volume provides a superb introduction to the most recent scholarship on the Vietnam War.indochinese war, 1946-1954, vietnam war - 1961-1975, vietnam history - 1945 - 1975