Colossal Cracks

Colossal Cracks Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of Colossal Cracks book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.

Colossal Cracks

Author : Stephen Ashley Hart
Publisher : Stackpole Books
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 0811733831

Get Book

Colossal Cracks by Stephen Ashley Hart Pdf

The Allied campaign for Northwest Europe as seen from a British and Canadian perspective A reinterpretation of the British Army's conduct in the crucial 1944-45 Northwest Europe campaign, this work examines the "Colossal Cracks" operational technique employed by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group. Rooted in concerns about morale and casualties, "Colossal Cracks" was a cautious, firepower-laden approach that involved the concentration of massive force at points of German weakness. Hart argues that Montgomery and his two senior subordinates handled this formation more effectively than some scholars have suggested and that "Colossal Cracks" represented the most appropriate weapon the British Army could develop under the circumstances.

Montgomery and Colossal Cracks

Author : Stephen Hart
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 239 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2000-05-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9780313028014

Get Book

Montgomery and Colossal Cracks by Stephen Hart Pdf

A reinterpretation of the British Army's conduct in the crucial 1944-45 Northwest Europe campaign, this work examines systematically the Colossal Cracks operational technique employed by Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group and demonstrates the key significance that morale and casualty concerns exerted on this technique. To ensure a full understanding of the campaign, one needs to look not only at Montgomery's methods but at those of his army commanders, Dempsey and Crerar; thus, this study addresses the scant attention to date paid to these two figures. Hart suggests that Montgomery and his two senior subordinates handled this formation more effectively than some scholars have suggested. In fact, Colossal Cracks, the concentration of massive force at a point of German weakness, represented the most appropriate weapon the 1944 British Army could develop under the circumstances. Previous studies have been characterized by an overemphasis on Montgomery's role in the campaign, rather than a systematic examination of overall British methods. They have ignored the difficulties that the 1944 British Army faced given its manpower shortage, and they have underestimated the appropriateness of Monty's methods to the campaign war aims that Britain pursued: namely, the desire that Britain's modest military forces secure a high profile within a larger Allied effort. The cautious, firepower-laden approach used by the 21st Army Group was both crude and a double-edged sword; however, despite these weaknesses, Colossal Cracks represented an appropriate technique given the nature of British war aims and the relative capabilities of the forces involved. It proved to be just enough to defeat the Germans and keep alive British hopes that her war aims might be achieved.

Philosophers of War

Author : Daniel Coetzee,Lee W. Eysturlid
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 1049 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2013-10-21
Category : History
ISBN : 9780313070334

Get Book

Philosophers of War by Daniel Coetzee,Lee W. Eysturlid Pdf

This user-friendly reference systematically covers the entire intellectual history of strategy and war, in all cultures and all times. Each culture has had its Machiavelli, its Sun Tzu; its own Mohammed-like or Napoleonic figure. This encyclopedia ranges across the world to provide entries on every significant military and strategic thinker in human history as well as a number of military cultures, covering Chinese, Western, Indian, Islamic, and other cultures. Each entry supplies a brief biography, a synopsis of the writer's theories, their success or failure, and their impact on other thinkers and military practitioners. The unique coverage allows readers to cross cultural barriers and gain access to sources in languages as diverse as Arabic and German, and to note key similarities and contrasts. The relative importance and contribution of each individual to intellectual progress is noted, as is the greater significance of specific schools of thought and debates.

The Last German Victory

Author : Aaron Bates
Publisher : Pen and Sword Military
Page : 254 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2021-12-22
Category : History
ISBN : 9781399000772

Get Book

The Last German Victory by Aaron Bates Pdf

Operation Market Garden – the Allied airborne invasion of German-occupied Holland in September 1944 – is one of the most famous and controversial Allied failures of the Second World War. Many books have been written on the subject seeking to explain the defeat. Historians have generally focused on the mistakes made by senior commanders as they organized the operation. The choice of landing zones has been criticized, as has the structure of the airlift plan. But little attention has been paid to the influence that combat doctrine and training had upon the relative performance of the forces involved. And it is this aspect that Aaron Bates emphasizes in this perceptive, closely argued and absorbing re-evaluation of the battle. As he describes each phase of the fighting he shows how German training, which gave their units a high degree of independence of action, better equipped them to cope with the confusion created by the surprise Allied attack. In contrast, the British forces were hampered by their rigid and centralized approach which made it more difficult for them to adapt to the chaotic situation. Aaron Bates’s thought-provoking study sheds fresh light on the course of the fighting around Arnhem and should lead to a deeper understanding of one of the most remarkable episodes in the final stage of the Second World War in western Europe.

Military Power

Author : Brian Holden Reid
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 310 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2014-02-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9781135219734

Get Book

Military Power by Brian Holden Reid Pdf

The contributors here consider the multifarious aspects of the Anglo-American approach to war. All the contributors are concerned to base their work on the overall historical context. They explore the relationship between theory and practice in military operations.

British Armour in the Normandy Campaign

Author : John Buckley
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2004-07-22
Category : Education
ISBN : 9781135774011

Get Book

British Armour in the Normandy Campaign by John Buckley Pdf

This book is an innovative study of the Normandy campaign and the perceived failure of British forces there. It is essential reading for all students of military history and general readers with an interest in the subject.

50 Div In Normandy:

Author : L-Cmdr Ethan R. Williams
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 101 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2014-08-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782894278

Get Book

50 Div In Normandy: by L-Cmdr Ethan R. Williams Pdf

In late 1943, the British army ordered the veteran 7th Armored, 51st (Highland), and 50th (Northumbrian) Divisions to return to the Great Britain to provide combat experienced troops for the invasion of northwest Europe. On D-Day, the 50th Division achieved nearly all of its objectives. By mid-June, however, the 50th held positions only a few miles beyond its final D-Day positions. The apparent failures of the veteran divisions in later operations led many senior leaders to believe that these divisions had become a liability. This thesis will evaluate the performance of the 50th Division in Normandy by first examining the period before the invasion to determine the 50th’s readiness for war, British army doctrine, and weapons. The 50th’s prior combat experiences and pre-invasion training will be analyzed to determine the effect that prior combat had on the division. Finally, this thesis will evaluate the performance of the 50th Division in specific combat engagements in Normandy.

The British Way of War in Northwest Europe, 1944-5

Author : L. P. Devine
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2015-12-17
Category : History
ISBN : 9781474225656

Get Book

The British Way of War in Northwest Europe, 1944-5 by L. P. Devine Pdf

This book examines the experience of two British Infantry Divisions, the 43rd (Wessex) and 53rd (Welsh), during the Overlord campaign in Northwest Europe. To understand the way the British fought during Operation Overlord, the book considers the political and military factors between 1918 and 1943 before addressing the major battles and many of the minor engagements and day-to-day experiences of the campaign. Through detailed exploration of unit war diaries and first-hand accounts, Louis Devine demonstrates how Montgomery's way of war translated to the divisions and their sub units. While previous literature has suggested that the British Army fought a cautious war in order to avoid the heavy casualties of the First World War, Devine challenges this concept by showing that the Overlord Campaign fought at sub-divisional levels was characterised by command pressure to achieve results quickly, hasty planning and a reliance on massive artillery and mortar contributions to compensate for deficiencies in anti-tank and armoured support. By following two British infantry divisions over a continuous period and focusing on soldiers' experience to offer a perspective 'from below', as well as challenging the consensus of a 'cautious' British campaign, this book provides a much-needed re-examination of the Overlord campaign which will be of great interest to students and scholars of the Second World War and modern military history in general.

Surrender Invites Death

Author : John A. English
Publisher : Stackpole Books
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2011-02-09
Category : History
ISBN : 081174437X

Get Book

Surrender Invites Death by John A. English Pdf

What it was like to fight Hitler's ideological troops in Normandy starting on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Monty's Men

Author : John Buckley
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 385 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2013-11-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9780300134490

Get Book

Monty's Men by John Buckley Pdf

Historian John Buckley offers a radical reappraisal of Great Britain’s fighting forces during World War Two, challenging the common belief that the British Army was no match for the forces of Hitler’s Germany. Following Britain’s military commanders and troops across the battlefields of Europe, from D-Day to VE-Day, from the Normandy beaches to Arnhem and the Rhine, and, ultimately, to the Baltic, Buckley’s provocative history demonstrates that the British Army was more than a match for the vaunted Nazi war machine. This fascinating revisionist study of the campaign to liberate Northern Europe in the war’s final years features a large cast of colorful unknowns and grand historical personages alike, including Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery and the prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill. By integrating detailed military history with personal accounts, it evokes the vivid reality of men at war while putting long-held misconceptions finally to rest.

Fighting the People's War

Author : Jonathan Fennell
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 967 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2019-01-24
Category : History
ISBN : 9781107030954

Get Book

Fighting the People's War by Jonathan Fennell Pdf

Jonathan Fennell captures for the first time the true wartime experience of the ordinary soldiers from across the empire who made up the British and Commonwealth armies. He analyses why the great battles were won and lost and how the men that fought went on to change the world.

Children of the Universe

Author : Max Peck
Publisher : AuthorHouse
Page : 321 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2011-11-28
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781467885973

Get Book

Children of the Universe by Max Peck Pdf

Children of the Universe is a book unlike any other. The book covers everything from Jesus to what they may have discovered on the moon in 1969 and why we can never go back. From JFK to 2012 this book is without doubt destined to become a classic. The information contained within is bound to get people thinking and asking the sort of questions all of the secret Government agencies would rather not answer.

Allied Fighting Effectiveness in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1945

Author : Anonim
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 271 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2014-05-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9789004255708

Get Book

Allied Fighting Effectiveness in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1945 by Anonim Pdf

Allied Fighting Effectiveness in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1945 offers a collection of scholarly papers focusing on heretofore understudied aspects of the Second World War. Encompassing the major campaigns of North Africa, Sicily and Italy from operation TORCH to the end of the war in Europe, this volume explores the intriguing dichotomy of the nature of battle in the Mediterranean theatre, whilst helping to emphasise its significance to the study of Second Word War military history. The chapters, written by a number of international scholars, offer a discussion of a range of subjects, including: logistics, the air-land battle, coalition operations, doctrine and training, command, control and communications, and airborne and special forces. Contributors are Matthew C. Ford, Simon Godfrey, John Greenacre, Andrew L. Hargreaves, James Hudson, Alan Jeffreys, Kevin Jones, Paul Lemaire, Ross Mahoney, Christopher Mann, Cesar Campiani Maximiano, Patrick J. Rose, and Grant T. Weller.

Patton's Peers

Author : John A. English
Publisher : Stackpole Books
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2009-02-05
Category : History
ISBN : 9780811741231

Get Book

Patton's Peers by John A. English Pdf

• Covers Canadian Harry Crerar, Briton Miles Dempsey, Frenchman Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, and the Americans Courtney Hodges, William Simpson, and Alexander Patch • History of the campaign for northwest Europe, including the race across France, the liberation of the channel ports, the battles of the Huertgen Forest and the Bulge, crossing the Rhine, the climactic battle for Germany, and more • Corrects the historical misperception that Patton contributed more to victory than other generals • Assesses commanders' individual performances • Impressively researched in primary and secondary sources • New interpretations and an entertaining narrative will appeal to both general readers and scholars Through the force of his personality and the headline-grabbing advance of his U.S. Third Army, Gen. George S. Patton has eclipsed the other six men who, like him, led field armies in the great Allied campaign to liberate northwest Europe in 1944-45. Certain to rank among the lassics of World War II history like Eisenhower's Lieutenants by Russell Weigley, Patton's Peers presents a masterful reassessment of the eleven-month struggle from D-Day to Germany's surrender, shedding long-overdue light on the contributions of these forgotten Allied field army commanders. Seasoned military historian John A. English unearths the vital roles played by these six generals. As the leader of an army of several hundred thousand troops, each had to plan operations days and eeks in advance, coordinate air support, assess intelligence, give orders to corps commanders, manage a staff of sometimes difficult subordinates, and deal with superiors like Eisenhower, Bradley, and Montgomery. Some performed less ably than the rest while others rivaled Patton in their achievements. All deserve to be lifted from Patton's shadow.

The Second World War, 1939-45

Author : Maj.-Gen J. F. C. Fuller
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 412 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2018-04-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9781789121834

Get Book

The Second World War, 1939-45 by Maj.-Gen J. F. C. Fuller Pdf

British General J. F. C. Fuller is one of the greatest military thinkers of this century, and has been called the Clausewitz of our time. This book is Fuller’s direct and clear-eyed account of the most terrible war of the modern era. When first published in 1948, it received notices such as these: “The strategic and tactical phases of the war are brilliantly expounded...on that score, the book stands as probably the best comprehensive work on the war to appear so far.”—The New Yorker “The narrative, valuable as it is, is not the most important part of General Fuller’s book. What really matters is the author’s comments on the events he describes, and these provide us with a clear statement of what he thinks not only about particular operations but about the conduct of the war as a whole. The result is a hard-hitting politico-military pamphlet, in which none of the punches are pulled.”—The Spectator “[Fuller] knows how to handle a narrative full of incident; he is thoroughly at home in a subject in which he has kept himself up to date; and...he is one of the very rare original students of warfare whom this country has produced.”—Times Literary Supplement Fuller’s biographer, Bryan Holden Reid, has described The Second World War as “an analysis of the breakdown, as Fuller saw it, of the vital relationship between grand strategy and grand tactics—the end and the means....Too often books on the Second World War detail the movements of formations about the battlefield and give space to strategical commentary without assessing the manner in which the war was actually fought. On the tactical level, The Second World War can still be read with profit.” Expertly combining detailed military history and analysis with Clausewitzian insights based on his own theories of warfare, Fuller produced a modern military masterpiece in The Second World War.