Sword books ltd (Mehr als 17.000 Ergebnisse)

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. Fighting between Christians and Muslims in the medieval period is often seen in the narrow context of the battle for the Holy Land. Other points of conflict tend to be ignored. But, as David Nicolle's thought-provoking survey shows, the religions clashed across the medieval world - in the Mediterranean and the Iberian peninsula, in the Near East, in Central Asia, India, the Balkans, Anatolia, Russia, the Baltic and Africa. Over 500 years, the struggle in each theatre of conflict had its own character - methods of warfare differed and developed in different ways and were influenced by local traditions and circumstances. And these campaigns were not waged solely against Christian or Islamic enemies, but against pagan, non-Christian or non-Islamic peoples. As he tells the story of Crusade and Jihad, and describes the organization and tactics of the armies involved, David Nicolle opens up a new understanding of the phenomenon of holy war.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. This book shatters many long-held conception s of how and why the charge of the Light Brigade happened, a nd who was to blame. This is a gripping and definitive book for the general reader and military buff alike. '.

Hardback. Zustand: Fair. This book shatters many long-held conception s of how and why the charge of the Light Brigade happened, a nd who was to blame. This is a gripping and definitive book for the general reader and military buff alike. '.

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. Airway to the East 1918-1920, has been written and compiled using photographs and a diary, discovered by Clive Semple, in his father's attic after his death in 1971. Once he retired in 1996, he set to work researching the background to his father's collection. The diary and two of the albums were the basis of Clive's first book, Diary of a Night Bomber Pilot in WW1 which was published in 2008.The third album and, most importantly the scrap book, provided the starting point for research into a sorry tale of RAF mismanagement which is revealed in this book. The Balfour Declaration in 1917, promised the Jews a homeland in Palestine. This contradicted a previous promise which Britain had made to the Arabs guaranteeing them independence if they helped drive the Turks out of Palestine and Syria. The Turks were duly driven out. When the Arabs discovered that they had been swindled they revolted and the British Army was unable to contain the unrest. It was decided to reinforce the Army with a fleet of bombers and fifty-one set off from England and France to fly to Cairo in the summer of 1919. Seventeen crashed or were otherwise destroyed en route and eight airmen were killed. The story got into the newspapers and Parliament demanded a Court of Enquiry. The evidence of mismanagement looked so bad, that before the enquiry began, Hugh Trenchard, Chief of the Air Staff, decided to hold it behind closed doors at the Air Ministry. The enquiries findings were suppressed by the Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill and the newspapers never followed up the story. Fortunately the enquiry proceedings were filed away at the Air Ministry and it was a newspaper cutting which Clive found in his father's scrap book dealing with the row in Parliament, that led him to search through the Air Ministry files and uncover this account.Most histories of the RAF are written by retired senior RAF officers who have all avoided including this event in their written works.…

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. Finalist, 2022 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, USA and, like many other tank destroyer battalions, would be sent to Europe. It saw combat in France, where a platoon earned the Distinguished Unit Citation, and later continued to fight gallantly in Germany and Austria until the war was over. However, unlike many other tank destroyer battalions that fought in the Second World War, this unit was crewed only by black soldiers. The men had been subjected to racism from their countrymen during training, although the battalion did eventually win the respect of the white soldiers they fought alongside. When the third platoon deployed their guns on the slopes near Climbach, France, they weren't just fighting against the Germans, but also against any prejudices that their white countrymen might have had. Having earned the respect of the 103d Infantry Division, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion shared in their triumphs and tragedies. So when the division needed to retreat during a blizzard, or when Task Force Rhine pushed its way across the German plains, or when the division suffered heavy losses at Schillersdorf, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was there with them. Included in this book are lists of medals awarded to the men during the war, as well as a list of casualties and those that served in the unit.…

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. The Falkland Islands sprang to fame in 1982, when Argentine Forces invaded and occupied them. British rule was re-established following an intensely violent war. But, decades after the conflict, the causes of conflict in the Falklands have not been resolved. Simmering tensions means that a powerful military machine remains on the islands, and its guard is never relaxed. The UK has some of its most modern and powerful defense assets there, and on permanent standby. These include Eurofighter Typhoon interceptors; ground to air missiles; mountaintop radar sites, and destroyers and frigates. In addition, the islanders themselves have a potent infantry defense force. Graham Bound's book Fortress Falklands examines the defenses of the islands today and the ongoing need for vigilance. Relations with Argentina have deteriorated since the discovery of oil in Falklands waters and a boom in the Falklands economy. In response, Buenos Aires has established a ban on shipping links between South America and the islands, and they exploit every opportunity to press their case for sovereignty. Islanders believe they are under economic siege.…

Paperback. Zustand: Very Good. The author, in his thorough investigations, has interviewed all the leading participants involved and can now reveal the true story of the 'Brown Eminence'.

Paperback. Zustand: Good. The author, in his thorough investigations, has interviewed all the leading participants involved and can now reveal the true story of the 'Brown Eminence'.

Paperback. Zustand: Fair. The author, in his thorough investigations, has interviewed all the leading participants involved and can now reveal the true story of the 'Brown Eminence'.

Hardback. Zustand: Good. All fans of Jane Austen everywhere believe themselves to be best friends with the beloved author and this book shines a light on what it meant to be exactly that. Jane Austen's Best Friend; The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd offers a unique insight into Jane's private inner circle. Through this heart-warming examination of an important and often overlooked person in Jane's world, we uncover the life changing force of their friendship. Each chapter details the fascinating facts and friendship forming qualities that tied Jane and Martha together. Within these pages we will relive their shared interests, the hits and misses of their romantic love lives, their passion for shopping and fashion, their family histories, their lucky breaks and their girly chats. This book offers a behind the scenes tour of the shared lives of a fascinating pair and the chance to deepen our own bonds in 'love and friendship' with them both.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. A naval history of the ships and personalities of the Nelson period. The sources used include accounts of the Napoleonic Wars, ships' logs, Admiralty documents, private and official reports, letters and contemporary descriptions.

Hardback. Zustand: Good. In his short life, Liverpool-born Alexander Foote went from being a volunteer in the International Brigade in Spain to becoming an agent of Soviet military intelligence in Switzerland. Pretending to his friends that he was a dim-witted Englishman with private means, Foote became the key telegraphist of the so-called 'Red Three' network of radio stations, communicating top secret German intelligence to the USSR from under the noses of the Swiss authorities. The information from Foote's Morse key originated from sources in Germany and came to Foote via the enigmatic figure of Rudolph Rossler, known as Agent Lucy. Where he obtained the information from is a mystery that has never been solved. During the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, Soviet generals came to depend on the information from Foote's transmitter and those of his comrades.On his release from a ten-month remand in a Swiss gaol on an espionage charge, Foote absconded to Paris in 1944 before being invited for debriefing in Moscow. When he arrived, he became aware that he was under suspicion of being a British spy and it took all his wit to talk his comrades in Soviet intelligence out of sending him to the gulag: a fate that waited for many of the others in his Swiss network.Disillusioned with life in the USSR, Foote approached British intelligence while he was on a Soviet mission in Berlin. He made them an offer: if they got him back to Britain he would tell them all he knew about Soviet intelligence, from the inside.This is his story.…

Hardback. Zustand: Fair. In his short life, Liverpool-born Alexander Foote went from being a volunteer in the International Brigade in Spain to becoming an agent of Soviet military intelligence in Switzerland. Pretending to his friends that he was a dim-witted Englishman with private means, Foote became the key telegraphist of the so-called 'Red Three' network of radio stations, communicating top secret German intelligence to the USSR from under the noses of the Swiss authorities. The information from Foote's Morse key originated from sources in Germany and came to Foote via the enigmatic figure of Rudolph Rossler, known as Agent Lucy. Where he obtained the information from is a mystery that has never been solved. During the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, Soviet generals came to depend on the information from Foote's transmitter and those of his comrades.On his release from a ten-month remand in a Swiss gaol on an espionage charge, Foote absconded to Paris in 1944 before being invited for debriefing in Moscow. When he arrived, he became aware that he was under suspicion of being a British spy and it took all his wit to talk his comrades in Soviet intelligence out of sending him to the gulag: a fate that waited for many of the others in his Swiss network.Disillusioned with life in the USSR, Foote approached British intelligence while he was on a Soviet mission in Berlin. He made them an offer: if they got him back to Britain he would tell them all he knew about Soviet intelligence, from the inside.This is his story.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. The twentieth century was a time of near total transformation of artillery. The U.S. Army was at the forefront of these developments. American troops fighting the Spanish in Cuba during the Spanish-American War were equipped with the 1885-model field gun; nearly a century later American troops fielded an array of accurate, advanced and precise weapons systems during the Gulf War. This unique pictorial history examines the weapons - from field guns to MLRS and TACMs - and the equipment utilized by American troops along with the uniforms and insignia of U.S. artillerymen. It looks at field artillery, coastal artillery, anti-aircraft and a diverse array of modern missile types and systems. This is a useful guide to a crucial part of America's twentieth-century armed forces and offers valuable insights into the evolving world of modern artillery.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. The tank is such a characteristic feature of modern warfare that its difficult to imagine a time when its presence wasn't felt on the battlefield in some form or another. This volume, from eminent historian and author Philip Kaplan, traces the history of the vehicle from its developmental early days on the battlefields of the Great War, to modern-day uses and innovations in response to the growing demands of twenty-first century warfare. During and after the First World War, in the wake of such momentous loss of life on the battlefields, the need to move away from large army deployment and maneuvers was considered to be particularly pressing. The need to mechanize forces and to develop aircraft and other militarized vehicles became a major preoccupation of the engineers of the day, enabling a smaller number of well-trained and well-equipped personnel to be deployed in place of hordes of lesser-armed men. The necessity to rescue pilots shot down in the Dunkirk area precipitated the first large-scale usage of the early tank. From here, they were to be employed extensively, playing such an integral part in the proceedings during the battles of Barbarossa, El Alamein, Kursk and Ardennes. Right on through the twentieth and into the twenty-first century, the tank has survived as one of the most necessary weapons of war and one of its most recognizable emblems. Chapters dedicated specifically to a number of the battles listed above feature in the work, setting the various developmental milestones of the tanks employed in context. Featured in this volume are images of some of the most highly regarded and imposing types, such as the Chrysler-built Grant, the Skoda-built Hungarian Turan and the M-26 Pershing tank, employed so extensively during the Korean War. British, American and German built tanks all feature, both within the library of black and white photographic plates on display and in the narrative history itself. A character afforded a particularly prominent spotlight within this history is Heinz Guderian, considered by many to be 'the father of modern tank warfare and Germany's Panzer Force'. From the battlefields of the Great War to modern-day theaters such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the history of this impressive war machine is tracked in detail. Certain to appeal to military enthusiasts with a particular interest in this most iconic armored vehicle, it is set to make a welcome addition to many personal libraries.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. Born in the year of the Constitutional Convention, James Alexander Hamilton was uniquely positioned to observe the early republic era and the formation of the experimental United States government. His father, Alexander Hamilton, had been the first US Treasury Secretary, an outspoken and controversial character who was killed in a duel when James was a teenager. With a lifelong devotion to his father's memory, James advised men from Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren to Abraham Lincoln and Salmon P Chase on banking and constitutional matters. Through his own talents and with the advantage of his father's name, James served as temporary Secretary of State and District Attorney of New York. James enjoyed a close-knit family life with his wife, Mary Morris, at his Hudson River home named Nevis for his father's birthplace. He was part of the crew of the yacht America, for which the America's Cup is named, and on the committee for New York's Crystal Palace in 1853. More importantly, he served his country through the War of 1812, Western Expansion, and the bloody Civil War. His first-hand account of these transformative events gives readers a priceless look at America's past. James supported the abolition of slavery and wrote a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation before settling down to write his own Reminiscences that cover the first seventy-five years of US history. This biography makes James A Hamilton's life and observations accessible to the modern reader and will leave you with a new appreciation for the Founders' heirs who inherited the difficult work of building a nation. Cover portrait images ©Helen Hamilton Spaulding.…

Paperback. Zustand: Fair. Covering the important WW1 Battles of Ypres, including the notorious Passchendaele, this guidebook takes readers on a historic trip through some of the well-known and most important sites of the area. This book, part of a new series of guides, is designed conveniently in a small size, for those who have only limited time to visit, or who are simply interested in as an introduction to the historic battlefields, whether on the ground or from an armchair. They contain selections from the Holts' more detailed guides of the most popular and accessible sites plus hand tourist information, capturing the essential features of the Battles. The book contains many full colour maps and photographs and detailed instructions on what to see and where to visit.…

Paperback. Zustand: Good. How can you trace forebears who were patients in lunatic asylums and find out about their lives? What sources can you consult to discover their personal histories and gain an insight into their experiences? In this concise, accessible handbook, Michelle Higgs answers these questions. She provides a fascinating introduction to the subject and gives readers the means to explore the records for themselves.She concentrates on the period from the eighteenth century through to 1948 when the National Health Service was founded and looks in particular at the Victorian era which is the most popular period for research. Using original records, contemporary accounts, photographs, illustrations and case studies of real individuals, she brings the story of the asylums and their patients to life.Different types of institution are described such as private madhouses, county lunatic asylums, facilities for idiots and imbeciles, and military mental hospitals. Chapters look at the admission procedures and daily routine of patients, plus different kinds of mental illness and how they were treated - for instance, those with depression or mania, criminal lunatics, mothers with puerperal insanity, epileptics and soldiers suffering from shell shock. There are sections on the systems in Scotland and Ireland, as well as England and Wales. Information is provided on all the relevant sources, from wills and the census to casebooks and admission and discharge registers.…

Paperback. Zustand: Very Good. Cold War nadir: January 1968 and in Czechoslovakia the new Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek has made it clear that this is the opportunity to loosen the Soviet stranglehold on the country. As the Prague winter slowly eases into a Prague spring, it really does seem as if Dubcek has judged it right.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. Vietnam Fire Mission reflects on Larry Hiton?s time in the U.S. Marine Corps, initially enlisting at 18 with the belief that all Marines were infantrymen. However, upon completing boot camp, he was assigned to artillery as a cannoneer (MOS 0811), which was a significant surprise. In this first hand account Hilton explains that artillery units, while typically thought of as being behind the lines, were often directly targeted during the Vietnam War, where there were no front lines. Artillery positions were frequently attacked by mortars, snipers, and enemy forces, requiring Marines to defend themselves. The author describes the initial confusion among Marines in 1965, as many had no knowledge of Vietnam before being abruptly deployed there. Marines who had been stationed in the Pacific were quickly shipped to Vietnam, with some arriving without their proper gear. The deployment to Vietnam, especially in the early stages, caused frustration for those whose service was extended. Reflecting on his own experiences, the author recounts how the stress of war sometimes led to memory lapses. For instance, they struggled to recall the details of November 10, 1966, despite it being the U.S. Marine Corps? birthday, only to later discover that they had participated in a ceremony in Vietnam that day. Hilton concludes that by acknowledging the challenges of recalling events accurately under the intense conditions of war he is able to share his story to the best of his ability to give the reader a glimpse in to one of the most contentious conflicts.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. A highly engaging homage to the iconic style of Elvis Presley, who shook up the world of music and fashion, triggering a cultural revolution that stopped 1950s America in its tracks.Born into poverty, his voice of liquid gold and show-stopping appearance propelled him into a life of extreme wealth.Elvis's extraordinary story - told through a fashion lens - celebrates the shy, lonely boy who awakened an entire generation to forbidden fruit.The defiant hair, the sultry good looks, the gender-ambivalent outfits - even the famous sideburns of the man who would be King - are all considered in loving detail.From impoverished scamp and teenage antihero in pink, through Hollywood heartthrob and sensual leather-clad rock star, to caped superhero in Vegas jumpsuits, the author describes his clothes with as much joy as she does his journey through the decades.A contemporary take on the evolution of Elvis the Showman, featuring interviews with people who knew, met and dressed him, and analysis of the 2022 hit movie, Elvis.A rags-to-riches tale, forged in the hardship and music of the poor South, it personifies the American Dream, retold with style by an author raised on Elvis's songs and movies and who walked in his shoes through Memphis to discover they really were two-toned.Set in a fascinating period in time, it looks at his powerful legacy, preserved by his devoted fans, and the films and tributes still being produced in his honour today.…

Paperback. Zustand: Good. Tracing Your Northern Irish Ancestors is an expert introduction for the family historian to the wealth of material available to researchers in archives throughout Northern Ireland. Many records, like the early twentieth-century census returns and school registers, will be familiar to researchers, but others are often overlooked by all but the most experienced of genealogists. An easy-to-use, informative guide to the comprehensive collections available at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is a key feature of Ian Maxwell's handbook. He also takes the reader through the records held in many libraries, museums and heritage centers across the province, and he provides detailed coverage of records that are available online. Unlike the rest of the British Isles, which has very extensive civil and census records, Irish ancestral research is hampered by the destruction of many of the major collections. Yet Ian Maxwell shows how family historians can make good use of church records, school registers and land and valuation records to trace their roots to the beginning of the nineteenth century and beyond.…

Paperback. Zustand: Very Good. Tracing Your Northern Irish Ancestors is an expert introduction for the family historian to the wealth of material available to researchers in archives throughout Northern Ireland. Many records, like the early twentieth-century census returns and school registers, will be familiar to researchers, but others are often overlooked by all but the most experienced of genealogists. An easy-to-use, informative guide to the comprehensive collections available at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland is a key feature of Ian Maxwell's handbook. He also takes the reader through the records held in many libraries, museums and heritage centers across the province, and he provides detailed coverage of records that are available online. Unlike the rest of the British Isles, which has very extensive civil and census records, Irish ancestral research is hampered by the destruction of many of the major collections. Yet Ian Maxwell shows how family historians can make good use of church records, school registers and land and valuation records to trace their roots to the beginning of the nineteenth century and beyond.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. These are the intense combat experiences of the first Marine to command a special operations task force recounted against a backdrop of his journey from raw Second Lieutenant to Task Force Commander.

Hardback. Zustand: Good. Features recently declassified documents on information known by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Pearl Harbor and that he did not act upon. An abundance of information, through the use of primary sources, on the failure of FDR to stop the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Paperback. Zustand: Good. 3300 years ago Agamemnon, king of Mycenae in Greece, attacked the city of Troy in western Anatolia. The bloody siege that followed gave rise to one of the most famous legends of the ancient world, and the search for the truth behind the legend has intrigued scholars ever since. In this fascinating new investigation Rodney Castleden reconsiders all the evidence in order to establish the facts and give a historical basis to the most potent myth of ancient warfare.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. Raised by the Mayor of Kensington, the 22nd Royal Fusiliers (the Kensington Battalion) were a strange mixture of social classes (bankers and stevedores, writers and labourers) with a strong sprinkling of irreverent colonials thrown in.Such a disparate group needed a strong leader and, luckily, in Randle Barratt Barker, they found one, first as their trainer and then as the Commanding Officer.As this superb book reveals The Kensington Battalion had a unique spirit and given their ordeals they needed this. They suffered severely in the battles of 1917 and, starved of reinforcements, were disbanded in 1918. Yet thanks to a strong Old Comrades Association, a special magazine Mufti, welfare work and reunions the Battalion s close spirit lived on.The author has successfully drawn on a wealth of first hand material (diaries, letters and official documents) as well as interviews from the 1980s to produce a fitting and atmospheric record of service and sacrifice.…

Paperback. Zustand: Good. This book guides the reader through the battle for the V Corps beachhead, the fiercest and bloodiest of the Landings. Events from the early stages of planning Operation Neptune-Overlord through to the battles between 6 to 8 June 1944 are examined.'.

Hardback. Zustand: Good. Much of this information is from previously unpublished sources, making this the first biography of John Kipling. It is also the first book that assesses the factor s in Kipling''s early life that shaped his attitude as a fath er. '.

Hardback. Zustand: Good. One hundred and fifty years ago the Royal Navy fought a daring campaign against ruthless pirates and won, killing The King of the Pirates, Bartholomew Roberts off the coast of Africa and capturing his fleet. Scores of his men were executed by the Admiralty Court. On the Barbary Coast of North Africa pirates preyed on shipping in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic as they had done for centuries and they terrorized the populations of the coastal towns. To them, piracy was a way of life, and the great sea-powers of the day couldn t stop them. Then, in one of the most remarkable and neglected anti-piracy operations in maritime history, the Royal Navy confronted them, defeated them and made the seas safe for trade. This is the subject of Graham A. Thomas compelling new study of one of the most pernicious episodes in the history of African piracy. As he tells this compelling story, he uncovers the long tradition of piracy and privateering along the African shore. Vividly he describes attacks not only in the Mediterranean but also on the other side of the continent, along the shores of West Africa and around Madagascar. But perhaps the most telling sections of his narrative concern critical engagements that stand out from the story the daring rescue of the British merchant ship The Three Sisters by HMS Polyphemus in 1848 and the actions of the battleship HMS Prometheus against the Rif pirates a few years later.His account is based on documents held at the National Archives and other original sources. It gives a fascinating inside view into the way in which the Royal Navy responded to the menace of piracy in the nineteenth century.…