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The Fighters: The Men and Machines of the First Air War
Author: Thomas R Funderburk The Fighters: The Men and Machines of the First Air War Grosset & Dunlap Publishers 1965 Format: PDF Pages: 224 Language: English Size: 26 MB Here is the story of the epic days when men first spread their wings in war, with authentic eyewitness accounts from American, British, French, German, and Canadian fliers. Here you will find superb descriptions of the tactics, combats, triumphs, and tragedies of fighter aviation from its earliest days of improvisation to the final massed formations in the air.
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A Naval History of World War I
Author: Paul G. Halpern A Naval History of World War I Naval Institute Press 1995 ISBN: 1557503524 Format: EPUB Size: 6,9 МБ Language: English Pages: 616 There have been a number of studies published on the activities of British and German navies during World War I, but little on naval action in other arenas. This book offers for the first time a balanced history of the naval war as a whole, viewed from the perspective of all participants in all major theaters. The author's earlier examination The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1914-1918, centered on submarine activities and allied efforts to counteract this new menace. With this welcome sequel he again takes the reader beyond those World War I operations staged on the North Sea. Halpern's clear and authoritative voice lends a cohesiveness to this encompassing view of the Italians and Austrians in the Adriatic; the Russians, Germans, and Turks in the Baltic and Black Seas; and French and British in the Mediterranean.
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A Mad Catastrophe: The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire
Author: Geoffrey Wawro A Mad Catastrophe: The Outbreak of World War I and the Collapse of the Habsburg Empire Basic Books ISBN: 0465028357 2014 Format: EPUB Size: 4,1 МБ Language: English Pages: 472 The Austro-Hungarian army that marched east and south to confront the Russians and Serbs in the opening campaigns of World War I had a glorious past but a pitiful present. Speaking a mystifying array of languages and lugging outdated weapons, the Austrian troops were hopelessly unprepared for the industrialized warfare that would shortly consume Europe. As prizewinning historian Geoffrey Wawro explains in A Mad Catastrophe, the doomed Austrian conscripts were an unfortunate microcosm of the Austro-Hungarian Empire itself—both equally ripe for destruction. After the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914, Germany goaded the Empire into a war with Russia and Serbia. With the Germans massing their forces in the west to engage the French and the British, everything—the course of the war and the fate of empires and alliances from Constantinople to London—hinged on the Habsburgs’ ability to crush Serbia and keep the Russians at bay. However, Austria-Hungary had been rotting from within for years, hollowed out by repression, cynicism, and corruption at the highest levels. Commanded by a dying emperor, Franz Joseph I, and a querulous celebrity general, Conrad von Hötzendorf, the Austro-Hungarians managed to bungle everything: their ultimatum to the Serbs, their declarations of war, their mobilization, and the pivotal battles in Galicia and Serbia. By the end of 1914, the Habsburg army lay in ruins and the outcome of the war seemed all but decided. Drawing on deep archival research, Wawro charts the decline of the Empire before the war and reconstructs the great battles in the east and the Balkans in thrilling and tragic detail. A Mad Catastrophe is a riveting account of a neglected face of World War I, revealing how a once-mighty empire collapsed in the trenches of Serbia and the Eastern Front, changing the course of European history.
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The Russian Army and the First World War
Author: Nik Cornish The Russian Army and the First World War Spellmount 2006 Format: EPUB Pages: 196 Size: 13 Mb Language: English This book is a clear introduction to the Russian Army of 1914-18 and the events on the Eastern Front during that period. It covers not only the three dominant events of Western literature (the battle of Tannenberg and the March and November revolutions) but expands on the facts and bitter realities of the horrific warfare that challenged Russia and all the nations. It contains many previously unpublished photographs depicting the Russian Army of 1914-18. The author dispels some of the myths that have grown up around the army of the last Tsar, such as a lack of innovation and an inability to adapt to 'modern' warfare. It also shows there was more to the Eastern Front than Tannenberg and the revolutions of 1917. Covered in this book are areas glossed over by other writers such as the nationalist formations and the Revolutionary units of the Provisional Government. Two chapters describe the Romanian and Caucasian theatres in more depth than usual.
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Aisne 1914: The Dawn of Trench Warfare
Author: Paul Kendall Aisne 1914: The Dawn of Trench Warfare Spellmount 2012 Format: EPUB Pages: 416 Size: 19 Mb Language: English The Battle of the Aisne fought during September 1914 was a savage engagement and a complete shock for the soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force who were trained to fight mobile wars. When they reached the north bank of the Aisne the "Old Contemptibles" would be stopped by the Germans entrenched on high ground armed with machine guns, supported by heavy artillery. The allied commanders would naively send their troops into futile assaults up exposed slopes, devoid of cover to attack the German lines dug into positions on the ridges along the Chemin des Dames and concealed by woodland.
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The Nek: A Gallipoli Tragedy (Anzac Battles)
Author: Peter Burnes The Nek: A Gallipoli Tragedy Pen and Sword Military Anzac Battles 2013 Format: EPUB Pages: 160 Size: 9 Mb Language: English On 7 August 1915, in an ill-fated attempt to break the stalemate at Gallipoli, hundreds of Australian light horsemen repeatedly charged the massed rifles and machine-guns of the Turkish soldiers.The charge at The Nek has been immortalized in art, literature and film and has come to epitomize both the futility and courage of the Gallipoli campaign.
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The First World War: A Complete History
: The First World War: A Complete History Author : Martin Gilbert RosettaBooks LLC : 2014 Pages: 633 Format : PDF Size : 7,5 MB Language : English They called it the War to End All Wars, but it was only the beginning of the global conflicts that rocked the 20th Century. The First World War redrew national boundaries, eliminated monarchies, and left millions of soldiers and civilians dead, and its impact has continued to shape the Western political and social landscape since. In this sweeping narrative, best-selling historian Martin Gilbert provides a view of the conflict that's both global and personal, drawing on eyewitness accounts, contemporary reporting, and first-hand documentation. It offers an immediate, compelling voice to familiar historical events, bringing new facets of the conflict to life and personalizing the tale with gripping survivor testimonies.
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Battleground: Somme - Boom Ravine
Author: Trevor Pidgeon Battleground: Somme - Boom Ravine Pen & Sword 1998 Format: ePub (e-book) Pages: 123 Language: English Size: 30.5 MB
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The Great War at Sea: 1914-1918
Author: Richard Hough The Great War at Sea: 1914-1918 Birlinn Limited 2000 Format: PDF Pages: 412 Language: English Size: 66.7 MB Mr Hough's account of the Sea War of World War I is masterful retelling of a subject that is not without controversy. His premise that the naval war between Great Britain and the German Empire was THE deciding factor of the Great War is supportable even if the reader might be hesitant to accept it. He opens a different view that addresses just about everything the naval historian can conjur up from dreadnaught design to internal politics in London and Berlin at a time when the USA could hardly be considered a significant military power, particularly at sea. Of particular interest if his examination of how the Royal Navy, torn by outdated traditions and political infighting, plagued by somewhat unimaginative officers, continued to rule the waves and provide the greatest Fleet victory since Trafalgar over the German High Seas Fleet. Anyone with an interest in World War I, seapower, or general naval history can't go wrong with this book.
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Fort Douaumont (Battleground Europe)
Author: Christina Holstein Fort Douaumont Pen and Sword Military Battleground Europe 2010 Format: EPUB Pages: 192 Size: 45 Mb Language: English This fully revised second edition of Christina Holstein's acclaimed Battleground guide to Fort Douaumont will be essential reading for students of the Battle of Verdun, for visitors to the battlefield, and for anyone who is interested in the history of twentieth-century fortifications.The battle, which lasted from 21 February to 15 December 1916, was a turning point in the First World War, and Fort Douaumont was at the heart of it. In 1914 the fort was the strongest and most modern of the fortifications around Verdun and it formed the keystone of the French defense in the area.
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Zeppelin Nights London in the First World War
Author: Jerry White Zeppelin Nights London in the First World War Bodley Head ISBN: 1847921655 2014 Format: PDF Size: 74,3 МБ Language: English Pages: 368 11pm, Tuesday 4 August 1914: with the declaration of war London becomes one of the greatest killing machines in human history. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers pass through the capital on their way to the front; wounded men are brought back to be treated in London’s hospitals; and millions of shells are produced in its factories. The war changes London life for ever. Women escape the drudgery of domestic service to work as munitionettes. Full employment puts money into the pockets of the London poor for the first time. Self-appointed moral guardians seize the chance to clamp down on drink, frivolous entertainment and licentious behaviour. As the war drags on, gloom often descends on the capital. And at night London is plunged into darkness for fear of German bombers and Zeppelins that continue to raid the city. Yet despite daily casualty lists, food shortages and enemy bombing, Londoners are determined to get on with their lives and flock to cinemas and theatres, dance halls and shebeens, firmly resolved not to let Germans or puritans spoil their enjoyment. Peopled with patriots and pacifists, clergymen and thieves, bluestockings and prostitutes, Jerry White’s magnificent panorama reveals a struggling yet flourishing city.
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Top Secret Files: World War I: Spies, Secret Missions, and Hidden Facts from World War I
Author: Stephanie Bearce Top Secret Files: World War I: Spies, Secret Missions, and Hidden Facts from World War I Prufrock Press ISBN: 1618212419 2014 Format: EPUB Size: 8,9 МБ Language: English Pages: 128 Flame throwers, spy trees, bird bombs, and Hell Fighters were all a part of World War I, but you won't learn that in your history books! Uncover long-lost secrets of spies like Howard Burnham, "The One Legged Wonder," and nurse-turned-spy, Edith Cavell. Peek into secret files to learn the truth about the Red Baron and the mysterious Mata Hari. Then build your own Zeppelin balloon and mix up some invisible ink. It's all part of the true stories from the Top Secret Files of History. Take a look if you dare, but be careful! Some secrets are meant to stay hidden...
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Anzac: Sari Bair
Author: Stephen Chambers Anzac: Sari Bair Pen and Sword Military Battleground Europe 2014 Format: EPUB Pages: 240 Size: 44 Mb Language: English The August Offensive was born out of the failures of the Gallipoli landings and the subsequent battles of late spring and early summer 1915. General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, chose to play all his remaining cards in this daring and ingenious gamble that he hoped would finally turn the tide in the allies favor and bring his army up onto the heights overlooking the elusive Dardanelles.
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Battleground Somme - Flers & Gueudecourt
Author: Trevor Pidgeon Battleground Somme - Flers & Gueudecourt Pen & Sword 2000 Format: ePub (e-book) Pages: 116 Language: English Size: 7 MB Flers is of course best remembered for the first use of tanks in modern war. But the battles at Flers and Gueudecourt were also memorable as forming part of the last great advance of the British Army in this slogging match that was the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
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The United States Air Force: A Turbulent History
Author: Herbert Molloy Mason, Jr. The United States Air Force: A Turbulent History Mason/Charter 1976 Format: PDF Pages: 328 Language: English Size: 34.6 MB Less than seventy years after Orville Wright's plant fell apart during an army demonstration, the United States Air Force, with its nuclear capability, has developed into the nation's most powerful political and military weapon. Here is the complete story of this amazing technological metamorphosis. The slip-shod, hair-raising first few years were a curious mixture of comedy and drama. Under the stress of flights at 46 mph, propellers fell off, wings ripped in half, and telephone poles were a lethal threat to every pilot. In 1916, Pancho Villa was never as safe as when the first provisional aero division crashed its way through Mexico, looking for him after he had raided a Colorado town. The two world wars, of course, and the years between them, firmly established the value of an efficient air force. This powerful emergence began with Woodrow Wilson's commitment to supply the allied cause with 22,600 planes, fewer than 1,000 of which ever reached the front. During the interim years, the flamboyant prominence of Billy Mitchell, Benny Foulois, and others, helped to promote the fledgling air corps despite furious military, public, and congressional opposition. Finally, the awesome German Luftwaffe forced franklin d. Roosevelt to call for a crash development program. With only a dozen b-17 bombers at the time of Hitler's invasion of Poland, the U.S. would end World War II with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This advent of nuclear capability destines the air force to controversy for the rest of its days.
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Bomber Parade: Headliners in Bomber Plane History
Author: C. B. Colby Bomber Parade: Headliners in Bomber Plane History Coward-McCann,Inc. 1960 Format: PDF Pages: 54 Language: English Size: 22.7 MB A review of bombers from World War I models to the planes of tomorrow, with pictures and easy-to-read text.
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British Naval Supremacy and Anglo-American Antagonisms, 1914-1930
Author: Donald J. Lisio British Naval Supremacy and Anglo-American Antagonisms, 1914-1930 Cambridge University Press ISBN: 1107056950 2014 Format: PDF Size: 3,4 МБ Language: English Pages: 344 During World War I, Britain's naval supremacy enabled it to impose economic blockades and interdiction of American neutral shipping. The United States responded by building 'a navy second to none', one so powerful that Great Britain could not again successfully challenge America's vital economic interests. This book reveals that when the United States offered to substitute naval equality for its emerging naval supremacy, the British, nonetheless, used the resulting two major international arms-control conferences of the 1920s to ensure its continued naval dominance.
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A Doctor in the Great War: Unseen Photographs of Life in the Trenches
Author: Andrew Davidson A Doctor in the Great War: Unseen Photographs of Life in the Trenches Atria Books/Marble Arch Press ISBN: 1476777551 2014 Format: EPUB Size: 36,7 МБ Language: English Pages: 320 Featuring 250 previously unknown photographs, this is the extraordinary true story of a young doctor whose photos left behind an astonishing firsthand account of life at the front of World War I. As a twenty-five-year-old medical officer and one of the first doctors to win the Military Cross, Fred Davidson took countless photographs while he served in the trenches from 1914-1915. Though he took them illegally, more than 250 of the photographs shot by Davidson and his fellow officers survived and are now shared for the first time in this harrowing, eye-catching, and poignant narrative of the Great War. In A Doctor in the Great War, author Andrew Davidson—the grandson of Fred—depicts the everyday lives of soldiers, both on and off duty: from the parade ground at Glasgow’s Maryhill to the brothels of Armentieres, from the band of brothers who dubbed themselves “Old Contemptibles” to the original folding Kodak and Ansco cameras they used. It is the story of the 1st Cameronians, who achieved notoriety for selling the Great War’s earliest front line photographs. And it is a deeply personal account of the pictures that have been passed down for three generations, describing the men who fought with Fred Davidson, the conditions they served in, the battles they saw, and the horrors they endured. A must-have for history and photography enthusiasts alike, this glimpse of the War to End All Wars is an unusually intimate portrait that will engulf you in the lives of soldiers and leave you humbled and amazed.
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The Origins of the First World War
Author: James Joll The Origins of the First World War Longman Group 1984 Format: PDF Pages: 244 Language: English Size: 41 MB The outbreak of the First World War has always presented a challenge to historians: they have sought to understand its causes in many different ways, from many different angles, and with very different results. The subject has a double fascination for the modern reader, therefore, since the debate throws light not only on the crisis of July-August 1914 itself, but also on the very nature of historical explanation and causality.
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