Andrew Rawson Bücher

The Battle of Loos formed part of a wider offensive conducted by both French and British Forces in September 1915. The British First Army, under the leadership of General Haig, were to break through the German line at Loos thanks in part to their superior numbers, while other operations were to achieve a similar result in Champagne and at Vimy Ridge. Due to lack of artillery the Loos attack was planned to be preceded by a massive gas attack. Chlorine gas would hopefully entirely overcome the Germans inadequate gas masks and lead to a swift breakthrough. Unfortunately all did not go to plan. First some of the gas was blown back into the British trenches causing over 2,000 casualties. Then when the assault itself took place the attackers were met by fierce German resistance, none more so than at Hill 70 where the German defenses were strong. Despite many waves of attack, very few troops made it into enemy trenches. After a few days the attack had to be called off. It had cost 60,000 British casualties for virtually no gain. Rudyard Kipling's son John, serving with the Irish Guards, was also lost.

Detailed accounts of the major battles of 1914, from Mons and Le Cateau to the First Battle of Ypres. Includeds comprehensive explanations of the minor actions and over sixty maps illustrating both the campaign and individual battles.

In-depth descriptions of the early battles of Neuve Chapelle, Second Ypres, Auber Ridge and Festubert.

The Balkans witnessed several bloody conflicts during the twentieth century. New nations emerged in 1913, after 500 years of Ottoman rule, only for them to go to war just weeks later. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914 sparked the series of events that led to the Great War. Most of the belligerents would be drawn into the region, while the post-war border changes created tensions.Italian designs on the Balkans resulted in the occupation of Albania in March 1939, but it failed to take control of Greece over the winter of 1940-41. A German blitzkrieg quickly defeated both Yugoslavia and Greece in the spring of 1941, and the population of both countries then suffered terribly as the occupying forces encouraged collaboration and punished resistance.The area was rife with guerrilla activity, as monarchists, nationalists and communists fought each other as often as the occupying troops. This, in turn, led to communism sweeping across most of the region in the post-war years, while Greece was taken over by a fascist regime.Communism eventually ended, but ethnic troubles resulted in a ten-year conflict across Yugoslavia. It would be divided into Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, at the end of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

An in depth account of Third Army s attack against the Hindenburg Line in November 1917.

In spring 1945 one final hurdle faced the American and British Armies under Ike's supreme command - the Rhine. The river was the last ditch for the defence of Hitler's Germany. Crossing it would be a major military undertaking. The race was on to find intact crossings that could save many lives and precious time. schovat popis

Hitler's desperate last throw during the depths of winter 1944/45 came perilously close to being a major disaster for the Allies. Their offensive through the Ardennes fell on the Americans and caught them totally by surprise. Unaccustomed to setbacks, the situation was for a time extremely serious and in some areas panic set in and events went out of control. It was only after the most bitter fighting and massive reinforcement that the rot was stopped. In this book the drama of those worrying weeks is captured in superb photographs.

Focusing on a pivotal battle in the Pacific theatre during World War II, this book offers a thorough account from a leading historian. It combines expert narrative with detailed illustrations and supplementary facts, providing readers with an in-depth understanding of the battle's significance and dramatic elements.

Details the fascinating history of the beautiful city of Krakow during the Second World War.

An in-depth account of the Battle of Messines Ridge in June 1917.