Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 73 i History of War

“DID CAVOUR REALLY BELIEVE GARIBALDI’S SOUTHERN ADVENTURE WOULD SUCCEED, OR WAS HE HOPING TO SEND THE TROUBLESOME SOLDIER OF FORTUNE TO HIS DEMISE?” The Risorgimento, Italy’s decades-long journey toward unification, was marked by three wars for independence and a new beginning after centuries of foreign domination. By early 1860, the Treaty of Turin had exacted a price for continuing French support in Piedmont’s effort to unify the Italian state. On 24 March, the Duchy of Savoy and the county of Nice, where the Italian language was predominantly spoken, were ceded to France. The treaty was unpopular in many quarters, particularly among those natives of Nice who considered themselves Italian. The most prominent of these was the nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi, who seethed at the perceived French land grab and vowed to…

In 1635, eager to fight the subversive power of foreign influence, the paranoid Tokugawa regime banned anyone from travelling or sending ships abroad. While its cities underwent rapid economic growth and cultural development, by the 19th century, Japan had technologically been left far behind its Western counterparts – who had undergone an enormous maritime expansion. When the Americans sent a pair of warships to request a trade agreement with the Tokugawa in 1845, they were turned away. However, they returned in 1853, with four magnificent, black steam warships, churning out black smoke. As the Japanese looked on in awe, Commodore Matthew Perry advised that if they did not agree to a treaty, he would return with a larger fleet. True to his word, he came back with nine ships the…

“THERE WERE NO CAR HORNS, NO SIRENS – JUST A NEAR TOTAL SILENCE. THAT SILENCE WAS ABOUT TO BE RUDELY SHATTERED” Early on the evening of Monday 29 March 1982 the new Naval Party 8901 (the Royal Marine Falklands garrison) sailed through the Narrows and into Stanley Harbour. Ahead was Stanley itself, the Falklands’ capital, with its brightly coloured houses clustered around the harbour jetty. For the Marines it formed a picture-postcard scene. The tiny settlement of just over a thousand inhabitants occupied an area about half a mile long. “The streets were clean and tidy,” remembered Corporal Jim Fairfield. “And it was the sense of silence that struck me the most. There were no car horns, no sirens – just a near total silence.” That silence was about to…

HIGHLY ENGAGING ACCOUNT OF THE DRAMATIC AIR WAR OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF GERMAN FIGHTER PILOTS Writer: Patrick G. Eriksson Publisher: Amberley Price: £20 Released: 15 October 2019 Alarmstart South And Final Defeat is the final volume of Professor Patrick G. Eriksson’s excellent Alarmstart trilogy. Volumes one and two examine the experiences of German fighter pilots in Northwestern Europe from 1939 to 1944 and on the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1945 respectively, while this volume considers their war over the Mediterranean in 1941 to 1944 as well as the final year of the war over Germany. Although the third book in the series, it works well as a standalone volume and there is no requirement for the reader to have read the previous two. Since…

Author: Jim Mattis and Bing West Publisher: Random House Price: £17.99 In nine words, the dedication in Jim Mattis’s book reflects the author’s innermost beliefs, “To all those who serve in the defence of our values.” Taking the story forward nearly half a century, from Mattis’s enlistment in the Marines in 1972 to the end of his tenure as US Secretary of Defence in 2018, we encounter the same principles embodied in his letter of resignation to Donald Trump. The letter abounds with expressions like “showing respect to allies” and “the solidarity of our alliances”. It ends with the diplomatic, “Because you [Trump] have the right to have a Secretary of Defence whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects.” The book, with input from military…

“FLAWED IDEAS ABOUT FIGHTING HAVE UNDERMINED AMERICA’S ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND, WAGE AND WIN WARS” Author: Donald Stoker Publisher: Cambridge University Press Price: £22 Released: Out Now Leaving aside political bluster and ballyhoo, the unfortunate fact is that the US cannot claim meaningful victory in the armed conflicts it has waged since the end of the Second World War. Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq – none of these wars ended in America’s favour. It might be argued that of the multiple conflicts, only the 1991 Gulf War could be considered a success. Not an impressive batting average for a country that boasts the world’s most powerful military machine. American military historian Donald Stoker explains in his book that since 1945, the United States’ experience of war has been a frustrating one, full…

TOM GARNER Tom spoke with US veteran Pete Shaw. He shares his experiences fighting across Europe, from the beaches of Normandy, to the heart of the Reich (p.44). He also spoke with historian Antony Beevor about his new book (p.94). HARETH AL BUSTANI New to the pages of History of War, Hareth is a journalist and historian with a passion for Japanese history. Over on page 36 he explores how the arrival of firearms to Japan radically changed the battlefields of the samurai. MARIANNA BUKOWSKI Back with another gripping story of Polish WWII heroism, Marianna tackles the Great Battles with a blow-by-blow account of General Maczek’s Armoured Division at Hill 262, during the Battle of the Falaise Pocket (p.62).…

THE REDSHIRTS A HERO OF THE ITALIAN WARS OF INDEPENDENCE, GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI LED THE REDSHIRTS IN SEVERAL MILITARY CAMPAIGNS Politically Garibaldi was Republican, but on more than one occasion he supported the Piedmontese monarchy, placing the goal of independence before his own partisan beliefs. The origin of the red shirt, distinctive for its colour and blousy look, arose possibly when Garibaldi called for volunteers to fight while in exile in Uruguay, appropriating red shirts originally destined for slaughterhouse workers in Argentina to distinguish his followers from other troops. Another story asserts that Garibaldi, who fled to New York after his failed defence of Rome during the First Italian War of Independence, admired the red flannel shirts of the city’s firefighters and brought them back to Italy in the 1850s. Garibaldi…

By the 16th century, Japan's Buddhist warrior monks had amassed great wealth, influence and power. Chief among them were the Ikko-ikki, or ‘single minded’ sect. Self-governing, the Ikko rejected any outside interference, even driving a constable out of the province of Kaga, taking it for themselves. When the shogun called for an alliance to destroy Nobunaga in 1570, the Ikko-ikki rose up against him – dealing the warlord some shocking defeats. Presented with the gravest of threats, in October 1571, Nobunaga attacked the monastic towns and temples of Mount Hiei, burning everything to the ground and butchering and gunning down every soul in sight – monks, laymen, women and children alike. At the troublesome Ikko temple of Nagashima, he first starved the 20,000 defenders into submission, and then barricaded and…

“ALFONSO CUT HIS TEETH IN THE RELIGIOUS WARS BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS BATTLING THE MOORS OF GRANADA” The mounted vanguard of the Castilian army streamed down from its hilltop position shortly after dawn on 30 October 1340, and fought its way across the narrow bridge over the Rio Salado. The lightly armoured Moors reeled under the blows of the heavily armoured Christian knights’ lances, swords, and maces. Twenty-nine-year-old Castilian King Alfonso XI watched with satisfaction as the cream of the Castilian royal army drove the Moors towards a string of hills south of the river. As part of the Reconquista, Alfonso hoped to crush the Moroccan-Granadan army that had assembled for battle that day. Alfonso became king when he was just a year old, in 1112 upon his father’s death.…

SUTTON HOO REGENERATED England’s most famous Anglo-Saxon archaeological site has been given substantial funding for an ambitious reinterpretation project Sutton Hoo is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in British history. In 1938, a local landowner called Edith Pretty called in archaeologist Basil Brown to investigate a series of mysterious mounds on her estate near Woodbridge, Suffolk. The subsequent excavation uncovered a 1,300 year-old ship burial of a man believed to the 7th century Anglo-Saxon King Raedwald of East Anglia. Priceless treasures were uncovered that included his gold belt buckle, sword, shield, and – most famously – an iconic helmet. These discoveries revolutionised historians’ understanding of the 7th century and revealed a cultured and sophisticated period that was far removed from the Dark Ages. The extraordinary story is now being…

“ANTONIO GIUSTOZZI’S BOOK PROVIDES AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF HOW THE TALIBAN WAGES WAR AND HOW FIGHTING A 16-YEARLONG CONFLICT HAS AFFECTED THE MOVEMENT” Author: Antonio Giustozzi Publisher: Hurst & Co. Price: £50 Released: September 2019 The Taliban swept across Afghanistan like a force of nature after it was established in 1996. Seven years later it was vanquished and dispersed with relatively little effort by a coalition of US and other NATO forces (ISAF). Few would have expected the Taliban to make a comeback in 2003 and mount a resilient challenge to a large-scale military commitment by the Western allies. Antonio Giustozzi’s book provides an in-depth analysis of how the Taliban wages war and how fighting a 16-year-long conflict has affected the movement. The author’s point of departure is the collapse…

Writer: Jason Webster Publisher: Little, Brown Price: £20 The Oxford History Of Modern India describes the Afghans as “the Spaniards of Asia”. A harsh judgement, perhaps, but not entirely off the mark in the context of a country that has suffered so much civil strife, which is the case of Spain. Jason Webster has produced what is destined to be a hotly-debated narrative of the land he knows so well. “This isn’t just about the dark side of Spain,” the author says, “but there is no denying the fact that violence plays a huge role in Spanish history. You have only to consider the name of the country’s patron saint, Santiago Matamoros, which translates as St James the Moor Slayer.” Conflict has characterised the history of Spain, more so than…

2019 marks the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden. This daring Allied airborne plan aimed to secure crossings across the River Rhine, advance into northern Germany and swiftly end the Second World War. In reality Market Garden was a costly failure that resulted in high casualties and delayed the Allied push into Germany for months. The operation was also a remarkable feat of arms due to the extreme courage of Allied troops, which was epitomised by the actions of British paratroopers at Arnhem. One of the most recent histories about the events of September 1944 has been the Sunday Times number one bestseller Arnhem: The Battle For The Bridges, 1944. Written by renowned historian Sir Antony Beevor, Arnhem debunks the myths surrounding Market Garden by using overlooked sources from Dutch,…

DAMIEN LEWIS A former war and conflict reporter for over 20 years, Damien is now a bestselling author and a world renowned expert on the history of elite military operations. Back again after his popular talk in 2018, this year he will be discussing his latest book, SAS Italian Job, which recounts the epic Special Forces mission behind the Gothic Line in the winter of 1944. ROGER MOORHOUSE Roger is among the world’s leading authorities on Nazi Germany, Central Europe and World War II in Europe, with published works including The Devils’ Alliance (Bodley Head, 2014) and The Third Reich In 100 Objects (Greenhill, 2017). On 27 October he will be discussing his latest book First To Fight (Bodley Head, 2019). ANNABEL VENNING Annabel is a journalist, writer and regular…

Swiss businessman and humanitarian Jean-Henri Dunant witnessed firsthand the carnage at the Battle of Solferino and was moved to action. After the fighting had ceased, approximately 23,000 wounded lay scattered across the broad battlefield, and Dunant attempted to organise efforts to render aid. The experience affected him profoundly, and after returning to his home in Geneva, Dunant wrote the book A Memory Of Solferino, advocating the concept of a neutral entity that might care for wounded soldiers who might otherwise die for lack of medical attention. Dunant printed the book at his own expense, and its distribution proved a catalyst for founding the International Committee of the Red Cross and later the Geneva Convention. For his effort, Dunant received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. He was also the founder…

GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI THE ICON OF ITALIAN UNIFICATION 1807-82 Responsible for most of the military victories of the Risorgimento, Garibaldi was born in Nice to a Ligurian family and began his career as a merchant sailor. In the early 1830s, he joined the Piedmont-Sardinian Navy but had to escape to South America following a failed mutiny. Garibaldi spent 12 years in South America where he commanded the Uruguayan Navy and formed an Italian Legion known as the ‘Redshirts’. He defended Montevideo and won several victories where he impressed observers with his guerrilla tactics. After returning to Italy in 1848 with remnants of his Redshirts, Garibaldi fought for Milan during the First Italian War of Independence. After travelling to North America, the Pacific and England, Garibaldi served as a major general during…

In 1944 Saint-Lô was a strategically important Norman city where a number of major roads intersected. If the Allies could take it then it would allow them to access the entire region and provide a route to advance towards Paris. The Germans also knew its importance and in July 1944 they fought a bloody battle against US forces. Saint-Lô had already been bombed several times by Allied bombers before the battle began. Fierce fighting also took place in the bocage and hills around the city for almost a fortnight. It took the combined efforts of four US divisions to break through the German defences and the Americans suffered bloody casualties of over 11,000 men. Because of devastating aerial bombings and artillery bombardments, 95 per cent of Saint-Lô was destroyed. This…

Alfonso XI ‘The Avenger’ wears a gold crown on his head and holds in his right hand a royal sceptre, both of which signify his rule over the kingdoms of Leon and Castile that were united in 1230. The king’s left hand rests on a knightly sword. He wears a flowing white cape that bears the yellow castle with three towers representing Castile and the lion representing Leon. Underneath his cape he wears a red and yellow surcoat. His legs are protected by gold greaves. By turning back the Maranid Dynasty of Morocco’s attempt to expand north across the Strait of Gibraltar at the Battle of Rio Salado in 1340, Alfonso ensured the forward momentum of the Reconquista.…

HITLER MAKES HIS ‘FINAL OFFER FOR PEACE’ 6 October returned from On , recently a conquered Warsaw, Adolf Hitler made an appeal of peace to Britain and France. In his speech at the Reichstag the Fuhrer continued to justify the invasion of Poland as an act of defence, and declared his wish to seek peace in Europe. However he simultaneously declared his readiness and willing to fight on against the UK and France, stating, “Neither force of arms nor lapse of time will conquer Germany … May those peoples and their leaders who are of the same mind now make their reply. And let those who consider war to be the better solution reject my outstretched hand.” Secretly, plans were already being laid out for the campaign against France and…

Author: Robert Kirchubel Publisher: Osprey Price: £45 (hardback) Released: Out now From the opening shots of September 1939, to the Balkan campaign up until June 1941, each stage of Nazi Germany’s lightning offensives is beautifully detailed in this new title from historian Robert Kirchubel. With 98 highly detailed graphical maps, readers can follow the physical and strategic challenges faced by commanders on both sides. In the front of the tome, there is also a handy legend of unit symbols, for those less literate in military maps and abbreviations. Other titles in this series include Atlas Of The Eastern Front 1941-45 and Atlas Of The European Campaign 1944-45.…

Writer: James Travers Publisher: Amberley Price: £20 The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the failed assassination attempt of James I by a group of English Catholics led by Robert Catesby, is perhaps one of the most well-known events in modern British history. The plan had been to blow up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November, after which the plotters hoped to install James’s young daughter, Elizabeth Stuart, the so-called ‘Winter Queen’, as a Catholic head of state. The plot, of course, was thwarted and led to the rather grisly executions of some of those implicated, not to mention the long-standing tradition of Bonfire Night that is still enjoyed by many today. However, what is interesting about the Gunpowder Plot is that it was particularly…

“AN ESSENTIAL EVENT FOR PASSIONATE HISTORY BUFFS EVERYWHERE!” ast year History of War’s very own Tom Garner was privileged to speak with the late Paddy Ashdown, who discussed his book Nein! Standing up to Hitler before a gripped audience at the inaugural Malvern Festival of Military History. The History of War team is delighted to once again be partnering with the festival, which this year is once more proving to be an essential event for passionate history buffs everywhere! Among the incredible itinerary of speakers you can see this October are: Peter Snow and Ann MacMillan, Professor Gary Sheffield, recent History of War contributors Roger Moorhouse and Damien Lewis, Dr Peter Caddick-Adams, Maj Gen Mungo Melvin and many more. As well as speaker events, there will also be panel discussions,…