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Honest Errors? Combat Decision-Making 75 Years After the Hostage Case
Par Nobuo Hayashi, Carola Lingaas. 2024
This book marks the 75th anniversary of the 1948 Hostage Case in which a US military tribunal in Nuremberg acquitted General Lothar…
Rendulic of devastating Northern Norway on account of his honest factual error. The volume critically reappraises the law and facts underlying his trial, the no second-guessing rule in customary international humanitarian law (IHL) that is named after the general himself, and the assessment of modern battlefield decisions.Using recently discovered documents, this volume casts major doubts on Rendulic’s claim that he considered the region’s total devastation and the forcible evacuation of all of its inhabitants imperatively demanded by military necessity at the time. This book’s analysis of court records reveals how the tribunal failed to examine relevant facts or explain the Rendulic Rule’s legal origin. This anthology shows that, despite the Hostage Case’s ambiguity and occasional suggestions to the contrary, objective reasonableness forms part of the reasonable commander test under IHL and the mistake of fact defence under international criminal law (ICL) to which the rule has given rise. This collection also identifies modern warfare’s characteristics—human judgment, de-empathetic battlespace, and institutional bias—that may make it problematic to deem some errors both honest and reasonable. The Rendulic Rule embodies an otherwise firmly established admonition against judging contentious battlefield decisions with hindsight. Nevertheless, it was born of a factually ill-suited case and continues to raise significant legal as well as ethical challenges today.The most comprehensive study of the Rendulic Rule ever to appear in English, this multi-disciplinary anthology will appeal to researchers and practitioners of IHL and ICL, as well as military historians and military ethicists and offers ground-breaking new research.Nobuo Hayashi is affiliated to the Centre for International and Operational Law at the Swedish Defence University in Stockholm, Sweden.Carola Lingaas is affiliated to the Faculty of Social Studies at VID Specialized University in Oslo, Norway.Operation Lusty: The Race for Hitler's Secret Technology
Par Graham M. Simons. 2016
A fascinating overview of the Allies&’ post-WWII program to gain access to advanced Nazi war machines and the technology they…
ultimately recovered. Prior to the Allied D-Day assault on Normandy, France, rumors had already been circulating that high-tech Nazi super-weapons (wunderwaffe) had reached or were near completion. At the war&’s end, a mad scramble ensued to discover the enemy&’s secrets, fueled in large part by a US desire to regain its technological edge and to keep these weapons out of Soviet hands. Operation Lusty (LUftwaffe Secret TechnologY) was in full swing. In Operation Lusty, aviation historian Graham M. Simons delivers a comprehensive and detailed history of the program while cataloging the advanced war equipment that was ultimately discovered—from U-boats, carriers, and battleships to radar equipment and operating systems, to fighters, bombers, rockets, and other V-weapons. With access to previously unreleased documentation and wide-ranging archival materials, Simons distinguishes what was fact in the Nazi arsenal from what was pure fantasy, dreamed up by Joseph Goebbels&’s powerful propaganda machine. Operation Lusty sheds new light on the furious race for postwar technological superiority, and offers an insider&’s look at the full spectrum of military spoils that were gained.Hawker VC RFC ACE: The Life of Major Lanoe Hawker VC DSO, 1890–1916
Par Tyrrel M. Hawker. 2013
By the age of 25 Lanoe Hawker of the Royal Flying Corps had won the VC and DSO. He was…
the first pilot to record five 'kills' before being shot down and killed by Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron).Lanoe's biography was written by his brother Tyrrel as a tribute. The Hawkers came from a distinguished sporting family with strong military and naval records and Lanoe from the outset set his sights on flying for the RFC. After attending the Central Flying School, he crossed to France in October 1914 with 6 Squadron equipped with BE2s and Henri Farmans.As the war in the air progressed, Hawker shone as both a combat pilot and commander. He was rapidly promoted and given command of 24 Squadron. He, like other pilots, flew numerous early fighter aircraft such as the Bristol Scout, BE2c, FE2b and the famous DH2. Casualty/death rates were appalling but this special band of brothers flew on regardless until their turn came.This book contains many combat reports by pilots of their actions in the air which make the most graphic reading. Of particular interest is von Richthofen's account of their fatal encounter. The relative merits, qualities and characteristics of the aircraft, both British, French and German, are discussed with pilots' opinions.As an insight into Great War combat air operations Hawker VC RFC Ace is unlikely to be surpassed.This expert study of the U.S. military&’s armored vehicles deployed during the Cold War features rare photographs from the wartime…
archives. To counter the Soviet threat and that of their client States during the Cold War years 1949-1991, the American military deployed an impressive range of main battle tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Expert author Michael Green presents a detailed study of these vehicles and their variants in this informative volume of stunning wartime photographs. The Patton series of medium main battle tanks—including the M46, M47 and M48—supplemented by the M103s Heavy Tank initially formed the core of the US tank fleet. In 1960 the M60 MBT entered service and, in turn, was replaced by the M1 Abrams in 1980. In support were armored reconnaissance vehicles, progressively the M41 bull dog (1951); the M114 (1961), the M551 Sheridan (1967) and M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (1981). The armored personnel carrier range included the ubiquitous M113 and its replacement the M2 Bradley, cousin of the M3. All of these vehicles are covered in this highly detailed volume in the Images of War series.The Voyages of the Discovery: The Illustrated History of Scott's Ship
Par Ann Savours. 2013
Discovery was built for Captain Scott's first Antarctic expedition of 1901-04 and was launched more than 100 years ago in…
1901, at Dundee. She had a long and intriguing career before her final voyage back there in 1986; this book tells the story of that chequered history.Despite a number of expeditions to the Southern Ocean during the nineteenth century, the continent of Antarctica remained mostly a mystery by the turn of the twentieth. To remedy this the Royal Geographical Society proposed a National Antarctic Expedition, and a purpose-built vessel, the Discovery, was designed. Based on a whale ship, she was massively built to withstand ice, and was equipped with a hoisting propeller and rudder. Sh set sail from Cowes of 6 August and six months later was in the Ross Sea. The southern sledging expedition, of Scott, Shackleton and Wilson, reached within 500 miles of the South Pole.In 1905, a year after her return to Britain, she was purchased by the Hudson's Bay Company and worked as a simple cargo carrier between London and their trading posts in the Canadian Arctic. Later she was sent to rescue Shackleton's men on Elephant Island. In 1925 she became a research ship, and in 1929-31 she was used to survey what became Australian Antarctic territory. Moored on the Thames Embankment, she survived the London blitz before returning to Dundee where she is now on permanent display.Command Decisions: Langsdorff And The Battle Of The River Plate
Par David Miller. 2013
This compelling new study of the Battle of the River Plate concentrates on Kapitn zur See Hans Langsdorff, the commander…
of the German pocket battleship Graf Spee it is written from his point of view. The story of his mission at the start of the Second World War to prey on merchant shipping is graphically retold, and Langsdorffs command decisions are the primary focus of David Millers gripping narrative. He considers in vivid detail the factors Langsdorff had to consider as he assessed the situation of his ship and choose his course of action. He describes the intelligence Langsdorff received and his knowledge of the position and strength of the forces of the Royal Navy that were arrayed against him. Langsdorffs interpretation of his mission and the tense calculations he had to make in order to carry it out are the essential elements of this dramatic story.Langsdorff, operating alone and thousands of miles away from home and with no prospect of support, had to grapple with the enormous burden of a lone command. He made grave mistakes, and these are ruthlessly exposed. But this fascinating re-examination of his actions and his leadership does nothing to diminish his reputation as a brave and honourable officer.The Battle of Okinawa 1945: The Pacific War's Last Invasion (Images of War)
Par Jon Diamond Dr.. 2019
A pictorial history of one of World War II&’s most bitterly fought campaigns. The American campaign to capture Okinawa,…
codename Operation Iceberg, was fought from April 1 to June 22, 1945. Three hundred and fifty miles from Japan, Okinawa was intended to be the staging area for the Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland. The Japanese Thirty-second Army defenders were on land and the Imperial Navy at sea fought tenaciously. They faced the US Tenth Army, comprising the US Army XXIV Corps and the US Marines&’ III Amphibious Corps. As this superb book reveals in words and pictures, this was one of the most bitterly fought and costly campaigns of the Second World War. Ground troops faced an enemy whose vocabulary did not include &“surrender,&” and at sea the US Fifth Fleet, supported by elements of the Royal Navy, had to contend with kamikaze attacks by air and over seven hundred explosive-laden suicide boats. The Okinawa campaign is synonymous with American courage and determination to defeat a formidably ruthless enemy.A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England: Victorian England (A Visitor's Guide #1)
Par Michelle Higgs. 2014
An &“utterly brilliant&” and deeply researched guide to the sights, smells, endless wonders, and profound changes of nineteenth century British…
history (Books Monthly, UK). Step into the past and experience the world of Victorian England, from clothing to cuisine, toilet arrangements to transport—and everything in between. A Visitor&’s Guide to Victorian England is &“a brilliant guided tour of Charles Dickens&’s and other eminent Victorian Englishmen&’s England, with insights into where and where not to go, what type of people you&’re likely to meet, and what sights and sounds to watch out for . . . Utterly brilliant!&” (Books Monthly, UK). Like going back in time, Higgs&’s book shows armchair travelers how to find the best seat on an omnibus, fasten a corset, deal with unwanted insects and vermin, get in and out of a vehicle while wearing a crinoline, and avoid catching an infectious disease. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book blends accurate historical details with compelling stories to bring alive the fascinating details of Victorian daily life. It is a must-read for seasoned social history fans, costume drama lovers, history students, and anyone with an interest in the nineteenth century.The Queen: A Life in Brief
Par Robert Lacey. 2012
A short biography of one of the most recognized yet still mysterious women in the world, Queen Elizabeth II, from…
the New York Times bestselling author of The KingdomElizabeth of York was not born to be Queen. She came into the world on April 21st, 1926, the equivalent of the modern Princess Beatrice, first-born daughter of the Duke of York, destined to flutter on the royal fringe. So while Lilibet was brought up with almost religious respect for the crown, there seemed no chance of her inheriting it. Her head was never turned by the personal prospect of grandeur—which is why she would prove so very good at her job. Elizabeth II’s lack of ego was to prove the paradoxical secret of her greatness.For more than thirty years acclaimed author and royal biographer Robert Lacey has been gathering material from members of the Queen’s inner circle—her friends, relatives, private secretaries, and prime ministers. Now, in The Queen, Lacey offers a life of the celebrated monarch, told in four parts that capture the distinctive flavor of passing eras, and reveal how Elizabeth II adapted—or, on occasions, regally declined to adapt—to changing times.Cataclysm 90 BC: The Forgotten War that Almost Destroyed Rome
Par Philip Matyszak. 2014
A dramatic account of a rebellion against the Roman republic—by a confederation of its Italian allies. We know of…
Rome&’s reputation for military success against foreign enemies. Yet at the start of the first century BC, Rome faced a hostile army less than a week&’s march from the capital. It is probable that only a swift surrender prevented the city from being attacked and sacked. Before that point, three Roman consuls had died in battle, and two Roman armies had been soundly defeated—not in some faraway field, but in the heartland of Italy. So who was this enemy that so comprehensively knocked Rome to its knees? What army could successfully challenge the legions which had been undefeated from Spain to the Euphrates? And why is that success almost unknown today? These questions are answered in this book, a military and political history of the Social War. It tells the story of the revolt of Rome&’s Italian allies (socii in Latin), who wanted citizenship—and whose warriors had all the advantages of the Roman army that they usually fought alongside. It came down to a clash of generals—with the Roman rivals Gaius Marius and Cornelius Sulla spending almost as much time in political intrigue as in combat with the enemy. With its interplay of such personalities as the young Cicero, Cato, and Pompey—and filled with high-stakes politics, full-scale warfare, assassination, personal sacrifice, and desperate measures such as raising an army of freed slaves—Cataclysm 90 BC provides not just a rich historical account but a taut, fast-paced tale.In this New York Times bestseller, the author of A Night to Remember and The Miracle of Dunkirk revisits the…
Titanic disaster. Walter Lord&’s A Night to Remember was a landmark work that recounted the harrowing events of April 14, 1912, when the British ocean liner RMS Titanic went down in the North Atlantic Ocean, a book that inspired a classic movie of the same name. In The Night Lives On, Lord takes the exploration further, revealing information about the ship&’s last hours that emerged in the decades that followed, and separating myths from facts. Was the ship really christened before setting sail on its maiden voyage? What song did the band play as water spilled over the bow? How did the ship&’s wireless operators fail so badly, and why did the nearby Californian, just ten miles away when the Titanic struck the iceberg, not come to the rescue? Lord answers these questions and more, in a gripping investigation of the night when approximately 1,500 victims were lost to the sea.Agricultural Heritage Systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America (Environmental History #16)
Par Mauro Agnoletti, Antonio Santoro, Beatrice Fiore, Francesco Piras, Federica Romano, Alessandra Bazzurro. 2023
Agriculture is often considered as one of the main threats to ecosystems. Unsustainable farming practices often result in habitat loss,…
inefficient use of water, soil degradation, pollution, genetic erosion, among other negative impacts on human life, including hunger, low food quality, reduced access to food resources, as well as the abandonment of rural areas. Nevertheless, when agriculture is practiced in a sustainable way, it can contribute to the preservation of many habitats, to the protection of watersheds, to the preservation and improvement of soil health.The use of sustainable and ecological practices is the key feature distinguishing traditional agriculture from intensive one. It may not provide very high yields, but ensures sustainable harvests over time, thanks to time-tested technologies and traditional know-hows and also represent examples of adaptation to harsh environmental conditions. Based on this approach, in 2002, FAO launched the concept of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, to identify and safeguard agricultural systems that are ensuring food and livelihood security, while maintaining magnificent landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, traditional knowledge, cultural and social values.This book presents 18 examples of these traditional agriculture systems around the world, with a special focus on Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, as a result of the “GIAHS Building Capacity” project co-funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence (Italy).A scholarly exploration of the British armoured regiment and its part in the Allied campaign to liberate Europe during World…
War II. On June 14, 1944, the tanks of the 144th Regiment Royal armored Corps disembarked on Gold Beach during the Normandy landings. A long and bitter campaign began, taking them across Northwest Europe into the heart of Germany. During that advance the regiment took part in several important actions. These included Operation Pomegranate (July 1944), Operation Totalize, an innovative night attack which was one of the final steps to breaking out of the Caen bridgehead (7/8 August 1944), the siege and capture of Le Havre, the fighting in Holland during late 1944, the crossing of the Rhine, and the capture of Bremen just before the end of the war in Europe. The author investigates the regiment&’s service through interviews with his late father-in-law, Captain R.W. Thorne, who had been an officer in it during the war. This book also draws on a variety of contemporary sources—not least of which are the archives of fellow officer Marcus Cunliffe, a distinguished British scholar and author, who specialized in American Studies after the war (particularly military and cultural history). From Arromanches to the Elbe is a serious contribution to World War II history. It explores all aspects of army life, such as training and the social history of an active service unit, and will appeal to those interested in the European campaign, the use of tanks and armored warfare, and, of course, the final battles to defeat Hitler&’s Third Reich.Africa: Crossing The Rubicon
Par Guy Arnold. 1992
The end of World War II signaled the end of the European African empires. In 1945, four African countries were…
independent; by 1963, 30 African states created the Organization of African Unity. The 1960s were a time of optimism as Africans enjoyed their new independence, witnessed increases in prosperity and prepared to tackle their political and economic problems in their own way. By the 1990s, however, these high hopes had been dashed. Dictatorship by strongmen, corruption, civil wars and genocide, widespread poverty and the interventions and manipulations of the major powers had all relegated Africa to the position of an aid "basket case," the world's poorest and least-developed continent. By exploring developments over the last 15 years, including the impact of China, new IT technology and the Arab Spring, the rise of Nigeria as Africa's leading country and the recent refugee crisis, Guy Arnold brings his landmark history of modern Africa up to date and provides a fresh perspective on this misunderstood continent.From Sapper to Spitfire Spy: The WWII Biography of David Greville-Heygate DFC
Par Sally-Anne Greville Heygate. 2015
David Greville-Heygate was one of the few men who served in both the army and the Royal Air Force during…
the Second World War, but it was in the sky that he really earned his stripes. Stalking the skies flying photo-reconnaissance missions with No. 16 Squadron over Northern France, he was to win the illustrious and highly coveted Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Another highlight saw him in action in the skies above the French coastline in preparation for the D-Day landings, taking photographs that would provide the allies with essential intelligence upon which to base their plans. Based in Holland in December 1944, David flew armed recces with No.168 Squadron then transferred to No.2 Squadron where he reported on troop movements behind German lines. During the course of a dynamic and eventful career, he flew a wide variety of iconic wartime aircraft including Lysanders, Mustangs, Typhoons and Spitfires in England, the Netherlands and Germany.Although there have been many stories about the Battle of Britain there has been less published about the life of a photo reconnaissance pilot during this time. David's thrilling exploits in the sky and the part he played within the context of the wider war are enlivened here to great effect by his daughter, Sally-Anne Greville Heygate, herself a professional photographer. Using snippets from diary entries, letters, logbooks, squadron records and other documents, she has managed to construct an engaging history of a talented photo-reconnaissance pilot and the war in which he fought.Covers the six principal extermination camps in Nazi occupied Poland; a sobering reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust.Nearly 80…
years on, the concept and scale of the Nazis’ genocide program remains an indelible, nay almost unbelievable, stain on the human race. Yet it was a dreadful reality of which, as this graphic book demonstrates, all too much proof exists. Between 1941 and 1945 an estimated three and a half million Jews and an unknown number of others, including Soviet POWs and gypsies, perished in six camps built in Poland; Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Chelmno, Majdenak, Sobibor and Treblinka. Unpleasant as it may be, it does no harm for present generations to be reminded of man’s inhumanity to man, if only to ensure such atrocities will never be repeated. This book aims to do just this by tracing the history of the so called Final Solution and the building and operation of the Operation Reinhard camps built for the sole purpose of mass murder and genocide.Armageddon's Walls: British Pill Boxes, 1914–1918
Par Peter Oldham. 2014
The British Army and her commonwealth Allies went to war in 1914 with little knowledge and experience of constructing permanent,…
shell proof protective structures. Some masonry fortifications, such as defensive blockhouses in South Africa, had been built but the Royal Engineers of the Army were more versed in simple temporary defences suitable for mobile warfare. Home defences were a limited number of forts around naval ports, and Martello Towers on the east coast. It was considered that the Navy was quite able to defend Britain's coasts.The Germans, on the other hand, as with the other continental countries such as France, Belgium, Italy, Holland, Poland, Austria, etc. had been constantly renewing and updating border forts for several centuries. They had also maintained fortification and siege elements of their armies, who were experienced in designing and constructing strong shelters. Both German and French armies began the war with a degree of expertise in what was to become a static war with little movement. However, by 1918 the British were to surpass both enemy and her allies in the design and construction, with supply and logistics, of such shell proof cover for troops and defensive positions.This book gives the history of development and innovation of concrete bunkers, pill boxes, blockhouses and general concrete constructions during the First World War. Many of these structures some showing obvious signs of war damage - still exist in France and Belgium today.All the existing structures, with photograph (except for some which are impractical, because of dense vegetation,) are shown within. Many entries have contemporary maps showing how they fitted into a defensive system, whilst for others the location can be identified from the text. GPS coordinates are given for each entry, except for a few which are on private land and where privacy has been requested.SAS Action in Africa: Terrorists, Poachers & Civil War C Squadron Operations: 1968–1980
Par Michael Graham. 2019
A historical overview of the operations undertaken by the Rhodesian Special Air Service in the second half of the twentieth…
century. This gripping action-packed book is the eagerly awaited sequel to the best-selling Secret SAS Missions in Africa. C Squadron SAS, comprising dedicated battle-hardened veterans, operated against ruthless terrorist groups, trained and equipped by the Chinese and Russians between 1968 and 1980. The author, who rose to be the Squadron Second-in-Command, is superbly qualified to tell the inside story of their daring and deadly operations undertaken regardless of international borders in former Southern Rhodesia, Zambia, Angola and Mozambique. These include actively supporting Renamo, who were bitterly opposed to the Marxist/Leninist Frelimo regime in Mozambique. Operation DINGO, the Squadron&’s largest mission, destroyed a large ZANU training base and almost tipped the balance of power against Mugabe. We learn the story behind the shooting down of two civilian aircraft in what is now Zimbabwe and the special force follow-up to exact revenge. Also described are anti-poaching operations against breakaway groups intent on trading ivory and rhino horns. With its fast pace, colorful characters and behind-the-lines operations, SAS Action in Africa is a superb and thrilling read.First published in 1965, The English Militia in the Eighteenth Century directs light on English politics and government, through studying…
the militia, from the Restoration to the days of the younger Pritt. The militia occupied a significant place both in the quarrels between king and parliament in the later seventeenth century and in the struggle for power between the elder Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle. Raised and officered by the county and parish authorities, its maintenance constantly posed the problem of how to harness the machinery of local government to national purposes. The gentry had to be induced to help and the militia, like other institutions national and local, was shaped by the fashion and extent to which they responded. The book will be of interest to students of history, political science, and literature.This book is an interconnected history of the evolution of global health in the decades before 2019, told through the…
prism of six decisive moments in which individuals from the World Health Organization (WHO), philanthropic foundations, academia and bilateral agencies came together to shape the world. These critical junctures are accessed via the life and work of Norwegian immunologist Tore Godal, one of the most influential health physicians of all time. Godal’s career over the past 50 years offers a window into the profound events that have shaped the health and well-being of millions across the globe, including the first free donation of a drug for the treatment of river blindness; the entry of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation into the global health arena with a $750 million start-up grant for GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization; the 50% reduction in under-five mortality rates this century; the emergence of insecticide bed nets as the cornerstone of WHO malaria control; the rise of maternal and child health on the global political agenda; and the connection between Ebola and the creation of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in 2017. Exploring the ways in which the trajectory of global health has interwoven with the rich life and legacy of Godal, this book is a crucial resource for any reader interested in global health.