World War II Axis Booby Traps and Sabotage Tactics

World War II Axis Booby Traps and Sabotage Tactics
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2011-10-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 178096143X

Booby traps laid by troops in war zones in World War II are largely neglected in histories and memoirs, and rarely examined in detail. Yet for a soldier, the threat of booby traps had to be at the forefront of his mind, and an ability to find and disarm them was essential. This is the first comprehensive study of World War II's battlefield booby traps, using information from rare wartime intelligence publications to identify, illustrate and describe the tactics of both Allied and Axis saboteurs. Examining all aspects of this secretive subject, from the equipment used to the techniques of placing and finding them, this book uncovers the daily risks faced by soldiers on the ground through the course of the war.

World War II Allied Sabotage Devices and Booby Traps

World War II Allied Sabotage Devices and Booby Traps
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 138
Release: 2013-02-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472801628

Following Churchill's directive to 'set occupied Europe ablaze,' the SOE and later its American sister organization, the OSS, were deployed across the continent. Outnumbered, surrounded and in great peril, these brave agents were armed with a wide variety of devices to help them achieve their objectives, including numerous pieces of sabotage equipment and cunning booby traps. This book examines these different pieces of equipment and the technicalities involved in deploying them effectively, as well as discussing the specialist equipment developed by Special Forces units, including the SAS Lewes Bomb. Touching on some of the stranger developments, such as explosives disguised as lumps of coal, the author goes on to describe the German clearance techniques that were developed to avoid these dangers. Complete with specially commissioned artwork and period diagrams together with detailed descriptions of the dangerous missions of Allied agents, this book is a fascinating insight into the secret war behind enemy lines.

World War II Allied Sabotage Devices and Booby Traps

World War II Allied Sabotage Devices and Booby Traps
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2013-02-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 184908176X

Following Churchill's directive to 'set occupied Europe ablaze,' the SOE and later its American sister organization, the OSS, were deployed across the continent. Outnumbered, surrounded and in great peril, these brave agents were armed with a wide variety of devices to help them achieve their objectives, including numerous pieces of sabotage equipment and cunning booby traps. This book examines these different pieces of equipment and the technicalities involved in deploying them effectively, as well as discussing the specialist equipment developed by Special Forces units, including the SAS Lewes Bomb. Touching on some of the stranger developments, such as explosives disguised as lumps of coal, the author goes on to describe the German clearance techniques that were developed to avoid these dangers. Complete with specially commissioned artwork and period diagrams together with detailed descriptions of the dangerous missions of Allied agents, this book is a fascinating insight into the secret war behind enemy lines.

French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815

French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815
Author: Paddy Griffith
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2012-08-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1782002499

Bonaparte's Grande Armée, one of the most renowned battle-winning machines in history, evolved from a merging of the professional army of the Ancien Régime and the volunteers and conscripts of the Revolutionary levée en masse – although the contribution of the former is often underestimated. A leading authority on the history of tactics draws here on original drill manuals and later writings to explain how the French infantry of 1792–1815 were organized for fire and movement on the battlefield. Illustrated with clear diagrams and relevant paintings and prints, and specially prepared colour plates, this text brings the tactical aspects of eight battles vividly to life.

The British Fleet Air Arm in World War II

The British Fleet Air Arm in World War II
Author: Mark Barber
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 123
Release: 2012-03-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780965419

This is a concise history of the Royal Navy's air arm during World War II, from their Arctic convoys, to the battle of Malta, and the last raids on Japan. Amazingly, the Admiralty only had 406 operational pilots and eight carriers when war broke out, but a mere six years later there were over 3,000 operational pilots and 53 aircraft carriers patrolling the seas in every theatre of the war. This book charts the rapid evolution of the Fleet Air Arm during the war as air power took over at the cutting edge of naval warfare. Mark Barber's account is highly illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned full-colour artwork and offers an overview of the British Fleet Air Arm, from recruitment and training through to combat accounts. Discover some of the most dramatic actions of the war as Royal Navy aces battled against the Axis forces scoring both the first and last kills of the war.

German Commanders of World War II (1)

German Commanders of World War II (1)
Author: Gordon Williamson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2012-06-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780969724

This first of two studies examines the careers and illustrates the appearance and uniforms of 19 of the German Army's leading field commanders in World War II. Their service covers the whole arc of that army's wartime experience, from stunning success in 1939–41, through the hugely costly middle years on the Russian Front to the stubborn defensive fighting in both East and West in 1943–45. Also included are five more junior unit commanders chosen because their service typifies the achievements of combat leaders in regimental and battalion commands. The colour portraits are in the uniquely meticulous style of the respected World War II illustrator Malcolm McGregor.

World War II Winter and Mountain Warfare Tactics

World War II Winter and Mountain Warfare Tactics
Author: Stephen Bull
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2013-04-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 184908713X

The twentieth century saw an unprecedented emphasis on fighting in all terrains, seasons and weather conditions. Such conditions made even basic survival difficult as subzero temperatures caused weapons to jam, engines to seize up and soldiers to suffer frostbite, snow blindness and hypothermia. The conditions often favoured small groups of mobile, lightly armed soldiers, rather than the armoured forces or air power that dominated other combat environments. Some European armies developed small numbers of specialist alpine troops before and during World War I, but these proved to be insufficient as nearly all the major combatants of World War II found themselves fighting for extended periods in extremely hostile cold-weather and/or alpine environments. Drawing upon manuals, memoirs and unit histories and illustrated with period tactical diagrams and specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this study sheds new light on the winter-warfare tactics and techniques of the US, British, German, Soviet and Finnish armies of World War II.

Apache Tactics 1830–86

Apache Tactics 1830–86
Author: Robert N. Watt
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2012-01-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1849086311

The Apache culture of the latter half of the 19th century blended together the lifestyles of the Great Plains, Great Basin and the South-West, but it was their warfare that captured the imagination. This book reveals the skilful tactics of the Apache people as they raided and eluded the much larger and better-equipped US government forces. Drawing on primary research conducted in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona, this book reveals the small-unit warfare of the Apache tribes as they attempted to preserve their freedom, and in particular the actions of the most famous member of the Apache tribes – Geronimo.

British Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815

British Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815
Author: Philip Haythornthwaite
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2012-05-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780967543

The British Army that faced Napoleon in the Peninsula was small by continental standards, but it consistently out-fought larger French armies, never losing a major open-field action. Its cavalry and artillery were standard; but its infantry achieved unique results, as their tactics were brought to a peak of professional perfection by Wellington. Using contemporary instruction manuals, first-hand accounts and in-depth analysis of individual actions, this book examines exactly how Wellington was able to convert a rabble of volunteers and criminals into a well-oiled, highly disciplined and professional war-winning machine. With a detailed look at the effective use of terrain, line rather than column manoeuvres and fortification assaults, Philip Haythornthwaite reveals the crucial tactics of Wellington's army, illustrated with comprehensive maps, images and full-colour artwork.

Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics

Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics
Author: Philip Haythornthwaite
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 137
Release: 2013-07-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 178200940X

During the Napoleonic Wars the supreme battlefield shock weapon was the heavy cavalry – the French cuirassiers, and their British, Austrian, Prussian and Russian counterparts. Big men mounted on big horses, the heavy cavalry were armed with swords nearly a metre long, used for slashing or thrusting at their opponents; many wore steel armour, a practice revived by Napoleon. They were tasked with smashing a hole in the enemy's line of battle, with exploiting a weakness, or with turning a flank. Their classic manoeuvre was the charge; arrayed in close-order lines or columns, the heavy cavalry would begin their attack at the walk, building up to a gallop for the final 50 metres before impact. Illustrated with diagrams, relevant paintings and prints and specially prepared colour plates, this is the first volume of a two-part study of the cavalry tactics of the armies of Napoleon and those of his allies and opponents. Written by a leading authority on the period, it draws upon drill manuals and later writings to offer a vivid assessment of how heavy cavalry actually fought on the Napoleonic battlefield.