Provides an overview of the entire war from a global perspective, looking at diplomatic actions, military strategy, economic developments, and pressures from the home front
In a new edition featuring a new preface, A World of Arms remains a classic of global history. Widely hailed as a masterpiece, this volume remains the first history of World War II to provide a truly global account of the war that encompassed six continents. Starting with the changes that restructured Europe and its colonies following the First World War, Gerhard Weinberg sheds new light on every aspect of World War II. Actions of the Axis, the Allies, and the Neutrals are covered in every theater of the war. More importantly, the global nature of the war is examined, with new insights into how events in one corner of the world helped affect events in often distant areas.
The colossal scale of World War II required a mobilization effort greater than anything attempted in all of the world's history. The United States had to fight a war across two oceans and three continents--and to do so, it had to build and equip a military that was all but nonexistent before the war began. Never in the nation's history did it have to create, outfit, transport, and supply huge armies, navies, and air forces on so many distant and disparate fronts. The Axis powers might have fielded better-trained soldiers, better weapons, and better tanks and aircraft, but they could not match American productivity. The United States buried its enemies in aircraft, ships, tanks, and guns; in this sense, American industry and American workers, won World War II. The scale of the effort was titanic, and the result historic. Not only did it determine the outcome of the war, but it transformed the American economy and society. Maury Klein's A Call to Arms is the definitive narrative history of this epic struggle--told by one of America's greatest historians of business and economics--and renders the transformation of America with a depth and vividness never available before.
The Shadow World presents the behind-the-scenes tale of the global arms trade, exposing in forensic detail the deadly collusion that too often exists among senior politicians, weapons manufacturers, felonious arms dealers, and the military--a situation that compromises our security and undermines our democracy. Now a major PBS documentary "An authoritative guide to the business of war. Chilling, heartbreaking, and enraging."--Arundhati Roy Andrew Feinstein reveals the cover-ups behind a range of weapons deals, from the largest in history--between the British and Saudi governments---to the guns-for-diamonds deals in Africa and the current $60 billion U.S. weapons contract with Saudi Arabia. Based on pathbreaking reporting and unprecedented access to top-secret information, The Shadow World takes us into a clandestine realm that is as vitally important as it is shocking.
When Andas Kastor awakens in an alien land, he must figure out if he’s the true emperor of his home world or an evil double In a stark, arid wasteland, a man awakens from a frozen state. As he stares out his narrow slit of a window, he has no memory of how he got there—or why. All he knows is his name: Andas Kastor, Imperial Prince of Inyanga. But instead of the luxurious trappings of his royal palace, he’s in a hellish, storm-lashed place punctuated by howling winds and shattering streaks of lightning. And he’s not alone. In this uninhabited world, he meets five other survivors, also of noble birth. They include the scaled, emerald-haired Elys of Posedonia and clawed, fanged Lord Yolyos of Sargol. They all speak the same Basic language, as befits those from neighboring spheres. Were they abducted, spirited to this alien planet, and held in mind-lock while evil doppelgangers ruled in their places? After a daring escape, Andas returns to Inyanga—only to discover that decades have passed and another sits on his throne. Now, hunted across barriers of time, Andas must fight external and internal enemies to save his civilization and uncover the truth about his identity.
The remarkable war effort of the German armed forces on three fronts between 1939 and 1945 was recognised by a wider range of insignia than seen in the Allied armies. While the Wehrmacht displayed fewer unit insignia than the Allies, a glance at a German soldier's tunic could reveal much more about his actual combat experience. In this book an experienced researcher explains and illustrates the Battle and Assault Badges of the Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe ground troops; the sleeve shields and cuffbands issued to mark service in particular campaigns; wound badges, commemorative medals, and other types of insignia.
The story of World War II, with more than 800 photographs, illustrations and text, is presented here. Allied and Axis archives, and memoirs of prominent persons are used to explain why the war started, which elements shaped it, and how it ended.
The skill and care of the women of the Allied military nursing services was remembered gratefully by hundreds of thousands of wounded servicemen. The small peacetime services increased rapidly by enrolling reservists and volunteers; the great majority of the nurses who cared for Allied casualties were 'civilians in uniform', who worked tirelessly under difficult conditions and in tented hospitals close to the front lines in real danger; many nurses paid for their devotion with their lives. This first-ever fully illustrated study of the US, British, Commonwealth, and other nursing organisations includes many unpublished photographs and 24 meticulously illustrated colour figures.
The 10th was the only US mountain division to be raised in World War II, and still has a high profile, being involved in operations from Iraq to Somalia and from Haiti to Afghanistan. It did not arrive in Europe until winter 1944/45, but then fought hard in the harsh mountainous terrain of Northern Italy. The division was special in a number of ways. Its personnel were selected for physical fitness and experience in winter sports, mountaineering, and hunting, unlike the rest of the infantry. It was highly trained in mountain and winter warfare, including the use of skis and snowshoes, while its organization, field clothing, and some personal equipment also differed from that of the usual infantry division. The division made extensive use of pack-mules, and its reconnaissance unit was horse-mounted, conducting the last horse-mounted charge in US history in April 1945. Featuring full-color artwork and rare photographs, this is the gripping story of the US Army's only mountain division in action during the closing months of World War II.