Battle For The Baltic Islands 1917

Author : Gary Staff
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 217 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2009-03-09
Category : History
ISBN : 9781783033188

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Battle for the Baltic Islands, 1917 by Gary Staff Pdf

“A very detailed operational account of the highly successful German amphibious landings in October of 1917 on the Russian islands of Osel and Dago.”—The NYMAS Review In late 1917, the Russians, despite the revolution, were still willing to continue the war against Germany. This is an account of Operation Albion, the highly successful seaborne operation launched by the Germans to change their minds. The Baltic Islands were pivotal for the defense of the Finnish Gulf and St. Petersburg, so their capture was essential for any campaign towards the Russian capital. Only after the fall of the islands did Russia begin peace negotiations (freeing nearly half a million German soldiers for the Kaiser’s last gamble on the Western Front). This then was a campaign of great significance for the war on both Eastern and Western fronts. A large part of the High Sea Fleet took part in the invasion of the Baltic islands, including the most modern dreadnought battleships. The Russians mounted a resolute defense despite being heavily outgunned and over a ten-day period there were many naval clashes around the islands as well as the campaign ashore, all of which are described in detail with the use of both Russian and German firsthand accounts. This book shatters the myth that the Imperial German Navy spent the last two years of the war cowering in port. “Should be a blueprint for other military history books . . . The maps are some of the best I have seen in military books . . . The author tells the story of the campaign from the smallest mine sweeper to the various battleships involved.”—A Wargamers Needful Things

Author : Michael B. Barrett
Publisher : Indiana University Press
Page : 314 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2008-02-19
Category : History
ISBN : 9780253003539

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Operation Albion by Michael B. Barrett Pdf

In October 1917, an invasion force of some 25,000 German soldiers, accompanied by a flotilla of 10 dreadnoughts, 350 other vessels, a half-dozen zeppelins, and 80 aircraft, attacked the Baltic islands of Dago, Osel, and Moon at the head of the Gulf of Riga. It proved to be the most successful amphibious operation of World War I. The three islands fell, the Gulf was opened to German warships and was now a threat to Russian naval bases in the Gulf of Finland, and 20,000 Russians were captured. The invasion proved to be the last major operation in the East. Although the invasion had achieved its objectives and placed the Germans in an excellent position for the resumption of warfare in the spring, within three weeks of the operation, the Bolsheviks took power in Russia (November 7, 1917) and Albion faded into obscurity as the war in the East came to a slow end.

Author : Gary Staff
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 299 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2011-06-13
Category : History
ISBN : 9781844681402

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Battle on the Seven Seas by Gary Staff Pdf

“This concise and well-written book will serve as a valuable library addition for anyone interested in the naval activities of the Great War.” —Sea Classics The cruisers of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserlische Marine) were active throughout the First World War and saw action all around the globe, tying up valuable Allied naval resources out of all proportion to their number. Drawing on firsthand accounts and original research in German archives, the author here describes in detail some of their most significant and/or audacious battles. Some are well known, such as their role at Jutland, Goeben’s attack on the Russian fleet (which brought Turkey into the war) and the sagas of Konigsberg and Emden; but others have been unduly neglected. Gary Staff deliberately focuses on the latter to bring new material to the attention of the reader and to demonstrate the global span of the cruisers’ activities. The blow-by-blow accounts of the action (drawing heavily on firsthand Allied and especially German accounts) are supported by dozens of photographs, many previously unpublished, from the author’s own impressive collection. The battles described include: Heligoland Bight, August 1914; Coronel, November 1914; Falklands December, 1914; Doggerbank, January 1915; Goeben and the Russian fleet, Black Sea, May 1915; Ostergarn July 1915; Jutland, 1916; Second Heligoland Bight, November 1917; Imbros, January 1918. “This is likely to become the definitive account of the cruiser war and will be essential reading for anyone interested in developing a comprehensive understanding of the naval warfare from 1914-1918.” —Firetrench

Author : Stephen C Ellis
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2020-04-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526777058

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The Russian Baltic Fleet in the Time of War and Revolution, 1914–1918 by Stephen C Ellis Pdf

The translation of these memoirs brings an important and authoritative historical source to those interested in Russian or naval history who are unable to access them in the original Russian. Their author, Rear Admiral S N Timiryov, was well placed to make observations on the character of many of the significant commanding officers and also many of the operations of the Baltic Fleet from the beginning of the war in 1914 up to exit from it in 1918. He trained with many of the key figures and shared battle experience with them in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 and the siege of Port Arthur; and he spent a year in Japan as a prisoner of war with a number of them. In his subsequent career in the Navy he had roles which brought him into contact with new recruits as well as with many serving officers, and as the Executive Officer on the imperial yacht Shtandart for some years, he came into contact with senior members of the navy establishment and of the government, including the imperial household. His memoirs also exhibit an unusual degree of self-awareness. Written in Shanghai in 1922, these memoirs remained unknown to scholars for several decades. Since their publication in New York in 1961, in the absence of access to authoritative archives, many historians in the West used them as a source for the study of the role of the Navy in the Russian revolution, particularly as it unfolded in the north. They have also been used as a source in numerous studies of the naval war in the Baltic, and following the fall of the Soviet Union they were re-published in Russia and are regarded there as an authoritative source on the history both of the revolution and of the Russian Navy in the First World War. This first English-language edition, complemented by extensive notes and commentary on issues which may not be familiar to many, will fascinate scholars and naval historians alike.

Author : Evan Mawdsley
Publisher : Springer
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 1978-09-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9781349037599

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The Russian Revolution and the Baltic Fleet by Evan Mawdsley Pdf

Author : Gary Staff
Publisher : Pen and Sword Maritime
Page : 451 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2016-05-04
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473880986

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Skagerrak by Gary Staff Pdf

In January 1916 Vizeadmiral Scheer took command of the High Sea Fleet. This aggressive and pugnacious leader embarked upon a vigorous offensive program which culminated in the greatest clash between dreadnought capital ships the world had seen. Although outnumbered almost two to one, Vizeadmiral Scheer conducted a provocative operation on 31 May 1916. Who would prevail: the massive preponderance of British heavy calibre cannon, or the aggressive tactics of the street fighter Scheer? Manning the ships of both sides were the technically skilled and talented seamen who were prepared to carry out their duties loyally and courageously until the very end. Over 8,500 men perished in less than 10 hours of fighting, a horrendous loss, even by World War One standards. This book gives voice to many of the German Navy participants, from a German perspective, on this tumultuous battle fought over 100 years ago. These men gave their all and are gone now, but not forgotten.

Author : Gary Staff
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 1161 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2014-11-29
Category : History
ISBN : 9781848323070

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German Battlecruisers of World War One by Gary Staff Pdf

The most comprehensive English-language study of the German Imperial Navy’s WWI battlecruisers, fully illustrated with drawings, diagrams and photographs. In this in-depth study, naval historian and author of Battle on the Seven Seas Gary Staff presents a full analysis of Imperial Germany’s battlecruisers. Known as Panzerkreuzer, the eight ships of this class were involved in several early North Sea skirmishes before their historic victory against the Royal Navy in the Battle of Jutland. Staff details the design and construction of these ships, and traces the full-service history of each one, recounting their actions, largely from first-hand German sources and official documents. Detailed line drawings and maps augment the text throughout, as do a wealth of contemporary photos that depict the vessels at sea as well as in dock, where many aspects of their design—as well as damage sustained in action—can be viewed in close up. A superb series of full-color computer graphics show full length profiles and top-down views of each ship in precise and clear detail. German Battle Cruisers of World War One presents a major contribution to German naval history in the English language. It is a must-have volume for Great War historians and enthusiasts, as well as battlecruiser modelers.

Author : Robert Jackson
Publisher : Pen & Sword Books
Page : 232 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : History
ISBN : UOM:39015074239263

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Battle of the Baltic by Robert Jackson Pdf

"This work is primarily about the land, naval and air operations that took place in and around the Baltic Sea from 1918-1945... Because this book is about military campaigns, [the author has] not touched on matters such as the Holocaust and its effects on the populations of the Baltic Region, nor... , except in passing, the atrocities inflicted on civilians by both sides during the years 1941 to 1945, which have been well documented elsewhere"--Introd.

Author : James V. Goldrick
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2018-10-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781682473283

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After Jutland by James V. Goldrick Pdf

After Jutland analyses the naval war in Northern European waters following the critical, but inconclusive Battle of Jutland. A popular misconception is that Jutland marked the end of the operational career of the German High Sea Fleet and the beginning of a period of stagnation for both it and its opponent, the Grand Fleet. The reality is much more complex. The German battle fleet was quiescent for much of the time in the North Sea, but it supported an ambitious amphibious campaign in the Baltic while a bitter commerce war was waged by U-Boats and the light craft fought a grueling campaign in the waters of the English Channel and the Belgian Coast. After Jutland focuses primarily on the Royal Navy as the dominant maritime force, but it also analyses the struggles of the beleaguered German Navy as it sought to find ways to break the tightening stranglehold of the blockade and undermine Allied control of the world's oceans - and of British home waters in particular. The continuing conflict in the Baltic will also be explored as the Germans increased the pressure on the Russian territory and the Russian fleet while the latter, despite its descent into revolution, still struggled to provide an effective counter to the Imperial German Navy. The Royal Navy learned much from Jutland and applied those lessons to good effect. It greatly improved the way that ships were organized for battle, as well as developing new tactics. There were also great leaps in communications and in command and control, while both aviation and undersea operations, including mine warfare, developed at breakneck pace. The Imperial German Navy made its own changes as a result of Jutland. Indeed, both Germany and Russia undertook much more naval innovation in the final years of the conflict than is often realized. By 1918, all the protagonists were fighting what was, in every way, a multi-dimensional maritime war that was the forerunner of naval conflict for the remainder of the twentieth century. The period also saw the entry to the conflict of the United States and the increasing commitment of the United States Navy. USN units saw hard service before the Armistice of November 1918. Many of the foundations of success in the next war were laid by the USN at this time. The learning curve was steep as officers and sailors alike sought to catch up on the experience of nearly three years of conflict, but they brought new methods and new applications of technology to the operational problems with which their coalition partners had been struggling. This included the Sixth Battle Squadron, which was rapidly assimilated into the Grand Fleet, absorbing the hard-won knowledge of their British colleagues, but applying some of their own ideas.

Author : Gary Staff
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 50 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2012-01-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781849082860

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German Battleships 1914–18 (2) by Gary Staff Pdf

Supported by official documents, personal accounts, official drawings and specially commissioned artwork, this volume is an informative history of the key classes Kaiser, König and Bayern that formed the backbone of the German Imperial Navy throughout World War I, detailing the technological revolution that had taken place to enable the building of these large dreadnought classes.

Author : Jon Sutherland,Diane Canwell
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 274 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2007-10-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9781781596333

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The Battle of Jutland by Jon Sutherland,Diane Canwell Pdf

The Battle of Jutland was the greatest naval engagement of the First World War, if not any war. Admiral Scheer had adopted a policy of launching attacks against the British coast. What he did not know was that the British had broken his naval codes and that they knew of his plans. Consequently, when Scheer threw his entire fleet in a mission to attack the British mainland in May 1916, he could not know that the Royal Navy at Scapa Flow were underway.This is a fresh account of this greatest naval engagement, it offers fascinating insight into the events preceding the action, the tactics during the battle and the political and military fall-out. The book draws on released official records and personal accounts.Jellicoe failed to ensnare Scheer and the bulk of the German fleet which escaped battered, but intact. The Germans knew however that despite their great fleet, it was the Royal Navy that controlled the North Sea.

Author : Steve Dunn,Al Ross
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2020-01-31
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526742766

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Battle in the Baltic by Steve Dunn,Al Ross Pdf

Though, for most participants, the First World War ended on 11 November 1918, the Royal Navy found itself, despite four years of slaughter and war weariness, fighting a fierce and brutal battle in the Baltic Sea against Bolshevik Russia in an attempt to protect the fragile independence of the newly liberated states of Estonia and Latvia. This new book by Steve R Dunn describes the events of those two years when RN ships and men, under the command of Rear Admiral Walter Cowan, found themselves in a maelstrom of chaos and conflicting loyalties, and facing multiple opponents – the communist forces of the Red Army and Navy, led by Leon Trotsky; the gangs of freebooting German soldiers, the Freikorps, intent on keeping the Baltic states under German domination; and the White Russian forces, bent on retaking Petrograd and rebuilding the Russian Empire. During this hard-fought campaign there were successes on both sides. For example, the Royal Navy captured two destroyers that were given to the Estonians; but the submarine L-55 was sunk by Russian warships, lost with all hands. Seeking revenge in a daring sequence of attacks and using small coastal motor boats, the RN sank the cruiser Oleg and badly damaged two Russian battleships. Today few people are aware of this exhausting campaign and the sacrifices made by Royal Navy sailors (three VCs were won), but the pages of this book retell their exciting but forgotten stories and, using much first-hand testimony, bring back to life the critical naval operations that prevented the retaking of the new Baltic countries that Churchill saw as an essential shield against the encroachment of the Bolsheviks into Europe. An uneasy peace prevailed until 1939.

Author : David T. Zabecki
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 1938 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2014-10-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9781598849813

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Germany at War [4 volumes] by David T. Zabecki Pdf

Written by experts for use by nonexperts, this monumental work probes Germany's "Genius for War" and the unmistakable pattern of tactical and operational innovation and excellence evident throughout the nation's military history. Despite having the best military forces in the world, some of the most advanced weapons available, and unparalleled tactical proficiency, Germany still lost both World Wars. This landmark, four-volume encyclopedia explores how and why that happened, at the same time examining Germany as a military power from the start of the Thirty Years' War in 1618 to the present day. Coverage includes the Federal Republic of Germany, its predecessor states, and the kingdoms and principalities that combined to form Imperial Germany in 1871. The Seven Years' War is discussed, as are the Napoleonic Wars, the Wars of German Unification (including the Franco-Prussian War), World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. In all, more than 1,000 entries illuminate battles, organizations, leaders, armies, weapons, and other aspects of war and military life. The most comprehensive overview of German military history ever to appear in English, this work will enable students and others interested in military history to better understand the sociopolitical history of Germany, the complex role conflict has played in the nation throughout its history, and why Germany continues to be an important player on the European continent.

Author : David Bilton
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 326 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2014-02-11
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473834538

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The Central Powers on the Russian Front 1914–1918 by David Bilton Pdf

Arranged in five sections, one for each year of the War, this superbly illustrated book covers the fluid fighting that took place on the Russian Front from August 1914. The author describes how each year saw dramatic developments, notably actions in Poland, Tannenberg, the Carpathian passes in 1914, the 1915 operations in Galicia and the Baltic and the 1916 Brinsilov offensive. 1917 saw the collapse of the German army leading to the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and continued fighting along the Baltic and in the Ukraine. The informative text is complemented by over 200 mainly previously unpublished photographs. The Central Powers on the Russian Front 1914 1918 with its emphasis on the German Army's actions against Russia but covering operations on many fronts makes it especially valuable to those who seek greater insight into the wider conduct of The Great War away from the Western Front.

Author : Paul G Halpern
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
Page : 410 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2012-04-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781612511726

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Naval History of World War I by Paul G Halpern Pdf

There have been a number of studies published on the activities of British and German navies during World War I, but little on naval action in other arenas. This book offers for the first time a balanced history of the naval war as a whole, viewed from the perspective of all participants in all major theaters. The author's earlier examination The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1914-1918, centered on submarine activities and allied efforts to counteract this new menace. With this welcome sequel he again takes the reader beyond those World War I operations staged on the North Sea. Halpern's clear and authoritative voice lends a cohesiveness to this encompassing view of the Italians and Austrians in the Adriatic; the Russians, Germans, and Turks in the Baltic and Black Seas; and French and British in the Mediterranean. Important riverine engagements--notably on the Danube--also are included, along with major colonial campaigns such as Mesopotamia and the Dardanelles. The role of neutral sea powers, such as the Swedes in the Baltic and the Dutch in the East Indies, is examined from the perspective of how their neutrality affected naval activity. Also discussed is the part played by the U.S. Navy and the often overlooked, but far from negligible, role of the Japanese navy. The latter is viewed in the context of the opening months of the war and in the Mediterranean during the height of the submarine crisis of 1917.