Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 90 i History of War

Searching for Gurney is Estes’ third book, which follows his memoir A Field of Innocence and first novel A Soldier’s Son. His second novel explores the journeys of three US Marines and one North Vietnamese soldier during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Each character’s story begins at a different time and place, with the Marines facing battles with PTSD and a hostile American public. For all of them, making sense of life after the war requires the utmost courage. Estes reveals why he wrote the book, the lengths to which he researched his characters and why writing has been a form of therapy. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE SEARCHING FOR GURNEY? My third book is a fiction novel but a lot of it is based on the experiences of…

At the turn of the 13th century the once-mighty Seljuk Empire fractured, leaving the Muslim world in a power vacuum. While the caliph’s Abbasid dynasty, centred in Baghdad, enjoyed a brief resurgence, so too did another, further east in Central Asia. With a realm spanning Persia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Russia, the Khwarezmian Empire had grown into a Central Asian superpower. The ruler, or shah, Ala Al Din Muhammad, was an ambitious man who not only refused to capitulate to the caliph’s authority but dreamed of subjecting the caliph to his. First, however, he would have to break free from the yoke of the neighbouring Qara Khitai Empire of eastern Turkestan. In 1210, after defeating the rival power of Samarkand, he moved his capital there and then turned his attention…

Director: Vadim Perelman Cast: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Lars Eidinger, Jonas Nay Released: 29 January 2021 Imagine that you’re a prisoner being transported to a Nazi concentration camp in 1942. A difficult and frightening situation to put it mildly, but then consider that in order to survive your only available option is to masquerade… as an Iranian. These are the circumstances pitched as being based on true events that drive story of this new Holocaust film. A Belarussian production directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Vadim Perelman, Persian Lessons follows the struggles of Belgian Jew, Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) as he narrowly avoids death. Over the course of the film he is forced to teach Farsi to the camp commandant Koch (Lars Eidinger) – a frustrated chef who dreams of opening a restaurant…

Author: Neil R Storey Publisher: Pen & Sword Price: £25 It’s true to say that fascination with the proposed invasion of Britain in 1940, Operation Sealion, is both widespread and endless. Indeed, the subject has spawned many ‘What if?’ studies, novels and films as well as in-depth examinations of Britain’s preparedness and Germany’s ability to mount a successful cross-Channel invasion. However, until now nobody has seriously examined Nazi Germany’s covert preparations for the occupation of the British Isles (nor, in fact, Britain’s secret and extensive countermeasures) in a single volume such as this useful publication. Accessing archives and a variety of other primary sources, Neil Storey provides the reader with an extensive insight into ‘sleeping’ Nazi sympathisers in Britain, German agents, the proposed London Gestapo HQ and measures taken by…

TOM GARNER For this issue’s Great Battles, Tom recounts the Battle of Worcester, the critical 1651 clash between Cromwell and Charles II (p42). Also, he spoke with Ret. Marine Jack Estes about the challenges faced by Vietnam veterans (p32). Dr MICHAEL JONES Author and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Mike has written on everything from Agincourt to Stalingrad. On page 24 he recounts the arrival and impact of Rommel and the Afrika Korps, which took place 80 years ago this month. HARETH AL BUSTANI The conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire was among the earliest yet most brutal campaigns of the Mongols. Over on page 56, Hareth explains how this once mighty Central Asian realm fell to Genghis Khan’s unstoppable ride west.…

FRANCESCO MOROSINI A FUTURE DOGE OF VENICE WHO CONQUERED MOREA 1619-94 VENICE Born of a noble Venetian family, Francesco Morosini made his name as a commander during the Cretan War of 1645-69. Although initially successful during this campaign, he was forced to withdrew and return to Venice in defeat. He was accused of treason and put on trial, but later cleared his name. Following the outbreak of the Great Turkish War in 1683, he was put in command of a new Venetian force sent to reclaim former Venetian territories that had come under Ottoman rule. His campaign in Morea initially proved successful, capturing Morea and territories in Western Greece. Morosini even captured Athens, however he was unable to hold it for long. This success led to him receiving the viceroy…

By 1697, the Ottoman Empire had suffered years of setbacks against the Holy League. The Great Turkish War had started badly with their famous reverse at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, and in the following years the League had inflicted defeat after defeat. These were disasters for a proud empire. At the height of their power, the Ottomans directly administered territory from Hungary and the Balkans in the north to Egypt, Mecca and Mesopotamia in the south. Their deep incursion into Central Europe had alarmed European Christendom for many years but until the 1684 formation of the Holy League, Christian powers had been unable to regain lost territory. The alliance of the Holy Roman Empire, Russia, Poland-Lithuania and Venice dramatically turned the tide with the Ottomans losing territory in…

For many people, the Vietnam War was a loss of innocence for an entire generation. Young American men volunteered or were drafted to fight in a conflict that polarised opinion in the United States and across the world. Over 58,000 American personnel were killed, but when the surviving servicemen returned home they were often neglected and even abused by those who opposed the war. Readjustment and addiction problems soared as many veterans suffered with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a society that took decades to respect their service. “I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT VIETNAM, I COULDN’T LOCATE IT ON A MAP AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE FIGHTING FOR” Jack Estes was one veteran who experienced the full brunt of the war and a difficult return to…

THE FEBRUARY STRIKE After the invasion and occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany in 1940, the Third Reich’s anti-Semitic policies were soon enforced on the Dutch. At the time of the invasion, there were over 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands, including many refugees from the Third Reich. After the invasion, Jews were barred from taking public office, while their businesses were targeted by both indigenous facist supporters and the occupying Germans. Soon, hundreds of Jews were being arrested on the streets and deported to the Buchenwald and Mauthausen camps in Germany – many were tortured and executed. On 25 February, thousands of Amsterdam workers joined a general strike in protest against the deportations of Jews. Known as the Februaristaking, or February Strike, scores of protesters were killed as…

Author: Frank McDonough Publisher: Head of Zeus Price: £35 In November 1940, the Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov sat in a Berlin bunker with his German counterpart, Joachim von Ribbentrop. As British bombs boomed outside, Molotov quipped that Nazi confidence in victory over Britain did not concur with his surroundings. It was not the last time that the British or the Soviets would prove the folly of Nazi arrogance in a Berlin bunker. Professor Frank McDonough demonstrates an excellent ability to select such illuminating examples from the Second World War in the second volume of his mammoth new history, The Hitler Years. Like the impressive Volume 1, each heavily illustrated chapter is dedicated to exploring a year of Hitler’s rule, from the lightning victory over France in 1940 to his…

Author: Mark Atherton Publisher: Bloomsbury Price: £21.99 The Battle of Maldon was one of the defining conflicts of 10th century England. In his account of this encounter along the banks of the tidal River Blackwater in the year 991, Mark Atherton describes a bloody conflict between a determined nation faced with the advance of a ruthless enemy from the north. Among those who fell that August day was Byrhtnoth, the leader of the East Saxon forces. But more than a heroic tale designed to inspire courage and unity in a time of crisis, the narrative celebrates ideals of loyalty and comradeship to commemorate an event that changed the face of English culture. The battle was immortalised in one of the last heroic Anglo-Saxon poems, written by an unknown contemporary. “MALDON…

ROMMEL IN HIS OWN WORDS Dr John Pimlott Including letters, diary entries, orders and memoirs, this extensive reference tome is the essential groundwork for any deep study of Rommel. While orders and day-to-day reports and accounts of the frontline provide an immense insight into his decisions on the frontline, his own personal correspondence reveals more about the Desert Fox’s private convictions, doubts and philosophies. Dr John Pimlott’s commentary maintains a useful context for these sources, and are accompanied by brilliant photography, including many images captured by Rommel himself. Knight’s Cross: A Life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel General Sir David Fraser Himself a respected veteran of the war and later an historian and author, Fraser’s biography of Rommel provides a thorough account of Rommel’s experience during the First World War,…

During the 15th century, Franconia was a large region of southern central Germany that was characterised by its Frankish dialect and culture. Most of its land was in Bavaria with Nuremberg acting as its unofficial capital although it also comprised of territory in Baden-Württemberg, Thuringia and Hesse. Early medieval Franconia had been ruled by dukes but from the 13th century it mostly came under the jurisdiction of the Prince-Bishopric of Würtzburg. A powerful centre for the Holy Roman Empire and Teutonic Order, Franconia was steeped in a martial, chivalric culture. The richness of this knightly society can be glimpsed in this extraordinarily well-preserved targe (shield). Dating from c.1450, it’s primarily made from wood, leather and linen. It’s painted with a coat of arms that belonged to either the Gottsmann or…

An elite infantry corps, the Janissaries were the Ottoman sultan’s household troops. Most likely founded in the mid-14th century by Murad I, the Janissaries had dark origins. The Ottomans conducted a policy of conscription known as the ‘devsirme’ system, which was effectively child slavery. Non-Muslim boys aged eight to 20 were regularly taken from their homes and forced to convert to Islam as part of their Janissary training. Recruits mostly came from Greece, although other Europeans from the Balkans and Hungary were gradually introduced as the empire expanded. Living an austere military lifestyle, the Janissaries have been compared to Ancient Rome’s Praetorian Guards and were the most feared soldiers in both Europe and Asia. Each Janissary had to serve a minimum of 20 years, live in special barracks and remain…

“HIS UTTER DISREGARD FOR PERSONAL SAFETY DIRECTLY RESULTED IN THESE IMPORTANT CAPTURES AND UNDOUBTEDLY SAVED MANY LIVES”Thomas Ricketts’ VC citation Another bullet punctures the mud just inches away from Private Thomas Ricketts’ head as the German guns ahead continue to fire at the Allied soldiers closing in on their position. Tasked with defending four field guns, they’re desperate to prevent the silhouettes darting around their flank from getting any closer. Ricketts’ breathing comes in snatches, his heart hammering in his chest as he prepares to make another short dash across open ground. Beside him lies his accomplice on this suicidal mission, Lance Corporal Matthew Brazil. Together they will either succeed in capturing the German artillery or die in the attempt. After all, they volunteered for this. By 1918, the village…

Author: Ed Perkins Publisher: Amberley Price: £20 Released: 15 February 2021 “He is evidently a shrewd customer and lacks neither guile nor cunning,” was how Lieutenant Burke, a security man at Poole Quay, chose to describe Oswald John Job, the titular traitor in Ed Perkins’ new biography. During his introduction, Perkins loosely blames his initial interest in Job on meeting renowned espionage author John Le Carré. We say loosely, because he attributes to Le Carré only his fascination with the psychology and motivation of a spy. It’s an intriguing subject, one which clearly interested Le Carré himself, whose books obsess over the twin themes of identity and betrayal. However, we finished Perkins’ work wondering if he had taken rather more than that from the master of espionage fiction as Britain’s…

Can you tell us about your father’s experiences in the Third Reich and how they inspired your new book? My dad grew up in Vienna. In 1934, when he was four years old, his father took him on a trip on a Danube steamer. My dad was kneeling on a seat and my grandfather warned him to be careful not to scuff the dress of a woman sitting beside him. The woman and her husband – a Mr and Mrs Jones from a small village outside Chester – got into conversation with my grandfather. As a result of this, they missed the stop where they were supposed to leave the steamer and join the rest of the group they were with. My grandfather offered to take them back to their…