Raising Churchill S Army

Author : David French
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 332 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2001-07-05
Category : History
ISBN : 9780191608261

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Raising Churchill's Army by David French Pdf

This is the first serious analysis of the combat capability of the British army in the Second World War. It sweeps away the myth that the army suffered from poor morale, and that it only won its battles thorugh the use of 'brute force' and by reverting to the techniques of the First World War. David French analyses the place of the army in British strategy in the interwar period and during the Second World War. He shows that after 1918 the General Staff tried hard to learn the lessons of the First World War, enthusiastically embracing technology as the best way of minimizing future casualties. In the first half of the Second World War the army did suffer from manifold weaknesses, not just in the form of shortages of equipment, but also in the way in which it applied its doctrine. Few soldiers were actively eager to close with the enemy, but the morale of the army never collapsed and its combat capability steadily improved from 1942 onwards. Professor French assesses Montgomery's contributions to the war effort and concludes that most important were his willingness to impose a uniform understanding of doctrine on his subordinates, and to use mechanized firepower in ways quite different from Haig in the First World War.

Author : Winston S. Churchill
Publisher : RosettaBooks
Page : 93 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2013-12-20
Category : Literary Collections
ISBN : 9780795329944

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Mr Brodrick's Army by Winston S. Churchill Pdf

This eBook reproduces one of Churchill’s early political pamphlets—a collection of speeches opposing peacetime military expansion in 1903. In 1903, Winston Churchill was a newly elected Member of Parliament, already making a name for himself with his brash yet brilliant oration and passionate political convictions. During this time, John Brodrick, the Secretary of State for War, proposed an expansion of Britain's peacetime military—a plan which Churchill strongly opposed. Churchill attacked Brodrick's plan in six fiery speeches that galvanized the opposition and left Brodrick politically isolated. When it was first printed, Mr. Brodrick's Army made all six speeches available to the public. Now, with fewer than twenty first editions currently in existence, it is the rarest of Churchill's published works. This eBook edition makes this historically significant document available to readers everywhere.

Author : Allen Packwood
Publisher : Grub Street Publishers
Page : 374 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2018-10-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473893917

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How Churchill Waged War by Allen Packwood Pdf

An analytical investigation into Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s decision-making process during every stage of World War II. When Winston Churchill accepted the position of Prime Minister in May 1940, he insisted in also becoming Minister of Defence. This, though, meant that he alone would be responsible for the success or failure of Britain’s war effort. It also meant that he would be faced with many monumental challenges and utterly crucial decisions upon which the fate of Britain and the free world rested. With the limited resources available to the UK, Churchill had to pinpoint where his country’s priorities lay. He had to respond to the collapse of France, decide if Britain should adopt a defensive or offensive strategy, choose if Egypt and the war in North Africa should take precedence over Singapore and the UK’s empire in the East, determine how much support to give the Soviet Union, and how much power to give the United States in controlling the direction of the war. In this insightful investigation into Churchill’s conduct during the Second World War, Allen Packwood, BA, MPhil (Cantab), FRHistS, the Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, enables the reader to share the agonies and uncertainties faced by Churchill at each crucial stage of the war. How Churchill responded to each challenge is analyzed in great detail and the conclusions Packwood draws are as uncompromising as those made by Britain’s wartime leader as he negotiated his country through its darkest days.

Author : Douglas Sharman Russell
Publisher : Brassey's (UK) Limited
Page : 502 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : UOM:39015060866889

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Winston Churchill - Soldier by Douglas Sharman Russell Pdf

"Making extensive use of the contemporary accounts of Churchill and his fellow soldiers and archival documents from three continents, illustrated with many maps and previously unpublished photographs, Douglas S. Russell vividly brings to life the military career of the vigorous young officer of hussars who later became the greatest Briton of the twentieth century. From Sandhurst to the mountainous North-West Frontier of India, to the charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman, from the South African veldt to the deadly trench warfare of the Great War, the author -- whom Sir Martin Gilbert calls 'a keen portraitist' -- tells the gripping story of Churchill's army life with careful attention to historical detail and all the drama that the real life adventures of his subject deserve"--Dust jacket.

Author : Gordon Corrigan
Publisher : Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Page : 622 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2012-11-29
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780225555

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Blood, Sweat and Arrogance by Gordon Corrigan Pdf

Why the British forces fought so badly in World War II and who was to blame Gordon Corrigan's Mud, Blood and Poppycock overturned the myths that surround the First World War. Now he challenges our assumptions about the Second World War in this brilliant, caustic narrative that exposes just how close Britain came to losing. He reveals how Winston Churchill bears a heavy responsibility for the state of our forces in 1939, and how his interference in military operations caused a string of disasters. The reputations of some of our most famous generals are also overturned: above all, Montgomery, whose post-war stature owes more to his skill with a pen than talent for command. But this is not just a story of personalities. Gordon Corrigan investigates how the British, who had the biggest and best army in the world in 1918, managed to forget everything they had learned in just twenty years. The British invented the tank, but in 1940 it was the Germans who showed the world how to use them. After we avoided defeat, but the slimmest of margins, it was a very long haul to defeat Hitler's army, and one in which the Russians would ultimately bear the heaviest burden.

Author : Winston Churchill
Publisher : Courier Dover Publications
Page : 560 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2020-01-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9780486845715

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The World Crisis, Volume I by Winston Churchill Pdf

Written with Churchill's customary flair and his firsthand knowledge, The World Crisis series remains the greatest history of World War I. Volume I offers vivid accounts of early triumphs and disasters.

Author : Damien Lewis
Publisher : Citadel Press
Page : 400 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2020-08-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9780806540764

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Churchill's Hellraisers by Damien Lewis Pdf

From award-winning war reporter Damien Lewis, the untold story of the heroic hellraisers who stormed a Nazi fortress—in one of the most daring raids of World War II . . . Winter, 1944. Allied forces have liberated most of Axis-occupied Italy—with one crucial exception: the Nazi headquarters north of the Gothic Line. Heavily guarded and surrounded by rugged terrain, the mountain fortress is nearly impenetrable. But British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is determined to drive a dagger into the “soft underbelly of Europe.” The Allied’s plan: drop two paratroopers into the mountains—and take the fortress by storm . . . The two brave men knew the risks involved, so they recruited an equally fearless team: Italian resistance fighters, escaped POWs, downed US airmen, even a bagpipe-playing Scotsman known as “The Mad Piper.” Some had little military training, but all were willing to fight to the death to defeat the Nazi enemy. Ultimately, the mission that began in broad daylight, in the enemy’s line of fire, would end one of the darkest chapters in history—through the courage and conviction of the unsung heroes who dared the impossible . . . “One of the most dangerous and effective attacks ever undertaken by this Regiment against the enemy.” —Lt Col Robert Walker‐Brown, MBE DSO, senior SAS commander “Action-packed . . . Battleground history buffs will be entertained.” —Publishers Weekly

Author : Stephen Bull
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2016-09-22
Category : History
ISBN : 9781844863983

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Churchill's Army by Stephen Bull Pdf

Winston Churchill, Britain's iconic war time Prime Minister, is inextricably linked with the victorious British Army of 1939 to 1945. Yet hindsight, propaganda, and the imperative of the defeat of Hitler and Imperial Japan, have led to a tendency to oversimplify the image of Churchill the war leader, and 'his' Army. For whilst Churchill was undeniably a towering statesman, his relations with both the Army and War Office were ambiguous and altered considerably not only with the progress of the Second World War, but over decades. In this comprehensive book, Stephen Bull examines every aspect of the British Army during the Second World War, and considers in detail the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation that was tested to its limits on many fronts but made an immense contribution to the successful Allied outcome. The book explores the structure of military power from the men who ran it, the Generals to the detail of the regiments they commanded. It looks at the uniforms the soldiers wore and the badges and insignia they bore on their uniforms. The weaponry Churchill's army used is discussed in detail, from small arms including rifles, bayonets, grenades, carbines and machine guns to the massed firepower of the artillery along with the increasing sophistication of tanks and other military vehicles during the period. Finally the role of auxiliary and special forces and their contribution to the campaign is considered. The comprehensive text is enhanced by more than 200 contemporary photographs.

Author : Winston Churchill
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 55,8 Mb
Release : 1983
Category : Britain, Battle of, Great Britain, 1940
ISBN : OCLC:1003296342

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Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill Pdf

Author : Keith Neilson
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 391 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2016-03-16
Category : History
ISBN : 9781317039754

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The British Way in Warfare: Power and the International System, 1856–1956 by Keith Neilson Pdf

In his groundbreaking book The British Way in Warfare (Routledge, 1990), David French outlined the skillful combination of maritime, economic and diplomatic power employed by Britain to achieve its international goals. Almost two decades later, this collection offers a reassessment of French's thesis, using it as a lens through which to explore Britain's relationship with various kinds of power (military and civil) and how this was employed across the globe. In particular, each essay addresses the ways in which the use of power manifested itself in the maintenance of Britain's place within the international system between 1856 and 1956. Adopting twin methodologies, the collection firstly addresses the broad question of Britain's relationship with other Great Powers and how these influenced the strategies used, before then testing these with specific case studies. By taking this approach, it is possible to discern which policies were successful and which failed, and whether these remained constant across time and space. Measuring Britain's strategy against her commercial, imperial, and military competitors (including France, the USA, Italy, Germany, and Russia) allows intriguing conclusions to be drawn about just how an essentially maritime power could compete with much larger - and potentially more powerful - continental rivals. With contributions from an outstanding selection of military scholars, this collection addresses fundamental questions about the intersection of military, economic and diplomatic history, that are as relevant today as they were during the height of Britain's imperial power. It will prove essential reading, not only for those with an interest in British military history, but for anyone wishing to understand how power - in all its multifaceted guises - can be employed for national advantage on the international stage.

Author : Robert Vogel
Publisher : McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : History
ISBN : 0773527311

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Leadership and Responsibility in the Second World War by Robert Vogel Pdf

Leadership is crucial in every conflict and the willingness to accept responsibility is a vital dimension of leadership. Leadership and Responsibility in the Second World War examines of how well political, diplomatic, and military leaders, particularly in Great Britain, handled the daunting challenge of a worldwide conflagration. It seeks to determine if a connection can be delineated between leadership, responsibility, success, and failure -specifically if any connection can be found between reluctance to shoulder responsibility and failure to produce results. In so doing, the authors challenge widely accepted views on major wartime controversies, such as the role of Neville Chamberlain and his Conservative Party at the outbreak of the war, the reasons why the British failed to reach an alliance with the Soviet Union in 1939, and the motives that drove Claus von Stauffenberg to attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Leadership and Responsibility in the Second World War provokes reflection about questions of character, context, and circumstances in wartime leadership.

Author : David Walsh,Anthony Seldon
Publisher : Pen and Sword Military
Page : 422 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2020-09-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526750402

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Public Schools and the Second World War by David Walsh,Anthony Seldon Pdf

A historical analysis of the contribution of Great Britain’s public schools to the conduct of World War II. Following their ground-breaking book on Public Schools and the Great War, David Walsh and Anthony Seldon now examine how those same schools fared in the Second World War. They use eye-witness testimony to recount stories of resilience and improvisation in 1940 as the likelihood of invasion and the terrors of the Blitz threatened the very survival of public schools. They also assess the giant impact that public school alumni contributed to every aspect of the war effort. The authors examine how the “People’s War” brought social cohesion, with the opportunity to end public school exclusiveness to the fore, encouraged by Winston Churchill among others. That opportunity was ironically squandered by the otherwise radical Clement Attlee’s post-war Labour government, prolonging the “public school problem” right through to the present day. The public schools shaped twentieth century history profoundly, never more so than in the conduct of both its world wars. The impact of the schools on both wars was very different, as were the legacies. Drawing widely on primary source material and personal accounts of inspiring courage and endurance, this book is full of profound historical reflection and is essential reading for all who want to understand the history of modern Britain.

Author : Winston Churchill
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 1974
Category : Electronic
ISBN : OCLC:176913332

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The Collected Works of Sir Winston Churchill by Winston Churchill Pdf

Author : Alan Allport
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 441 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2015-03-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9780300213126

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Browned Off and Bloody-Minded by Alan Allport Pdf

More than three-and-a-half million men served in the British Army during the Second World War, the vast majority of them civilians who had never expected to become soldiers and had little idea what military life, with all its strange rituals, discomforts, and dangers, was going to be like. Alan Allport’s rich and luminous social history examines the experience of the greatest and most terrible war in history from the perspective of these ordinary, extraordinary men, who were plucked from their peacetime families and workplaces and sent to fight for King and Country. Allport chronicles the huge diversity of their wartime trajectories, tracing how soldiers responded to and were shaped by their years with the British Army, and how that army, however reluctantly, had to accommodate itself to them. Touching on issues of class, sex, crime, trauma, and national identity, through a colorful multitude of fresh individual perspectives, the book provides an enlightening, deeply moving perspective on how a generation of very modern-minded young men responded to the challenges of a brutal and disorienting conflict.

Author : E. Smalley
Publisher : Springer
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 55,8 Mb
Release : 2015-05-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9781137494207

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The British Expeditionary Force, 1939-40 by E. Smalley Pdf

Between September 1939 and June 1940, the British Expeditionary Force confronted the German threat to France and Flanders with a confused mind-set, an uncertain skills-set and an uncompetitive capability. This book explores the formation's origins, the scale of defeat in France and the campaign's considerable legacy.