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Biological warfare is a menacing twenty-first-century issue, but its origins extend to antiquity. While the recorded use of toxins in warfare in some ancient populations is rarely disputed (the use of arsenical smoke in China, which dates to at least 1000 BC, for example) the use of "poison arrows" and other deadly substances by Native American groups has been fraught with contradiction. At last revealing clear documentation to support these theories, anthropologist David Jones transforms the re...

This superb and comprehensive book details the foreign units which formed such an important part of Napoleon's forces. It examines each non-French unit in turn, giving an overview of the unit's origins, its organizational and combat history, its uniforms and standards, and details of the unit's eventual fate. Colourful accounts, taken from contemporary reports and memoirs, emphasize the qualities of the unit and throw light on what life was like for many of the foreign soldiers recruited into th...

Face au peloton d'execution qui allait le fusiller le 17 aout 1946 a 7 h 05 a Alencon, Bernard Jardin, tres pale, prononcait d'une voix assez faible ses derniers mots : " Vive le national socialisme ", puis avant que les balles ne fusent, il ajoutait " Et vive la France quand meme ". A notre connaissance, Bernard Jardin demeure le seul auxiliaire de la Sipo-SD en Normandie a proclamer jusqu'au bout son adhesion au national-socialisme. Pourquoi ce jeune homme commis boucher choisit-il deliberemen...

For the latest in his combat weapons series, Tim Mullin researched the combat performance of more than 50 SMGs, machine pistols and shotguns from around the world from World War I to the present - and then tested each under conditions as close to real combat as possible. Here he reveals which weapons you can count on and why, as well as which to avoid at all costs. He also discusses whether the SMG is still a viable war weapon, what features really matter on a combat weapon, why some firearms...

This account explores the involvement of the Lea Valley in two World Wars-from advances in weapons manufacture to the development of wireless technology. At the cutting edge of technology and engineering, the Lea Valley played an important role in England's wartime role.

This authorized history of Bo Randall and his blades was compiled through meticulous research that included correspondence, original sketches, personal interviews and rare photos - including his never-before-seen first knife. Destined to become the definitive history for collectors, bladesmiths and historians. "Bo" Randall founded the company in 1938 after making knives for several years as a hobby. Although "Bo" Randall originally designed his knives for sporting use and sold them at sporting...

Surveillance and target acquisition are fundamental to the successful prosecution of war. The advent of improved mobility by land and air, together with the increased lethality and range of modern weapons, can be exploited and countered only by the successful utilization of technology applied in particular to the electromagnetic spectrum. This revised volume covers the principles and applications of the technologies used to achieve the "transparent battlefield".

A compendium of the most important infantry weapons of the last 100 years, including German and British guns of the World Wars and subsequent infantry weapons. Featured weapons include the most important small arms used by both sides in World War I and II, such as the German Kar 98 and British rifle No 4, MkI, both of which were developed in the 19th century but were still in widespread service in 1945. Contains post war weapons such as the famous Kalashnikov range of assault rifles and machine...

Drawing on primary sources, the author describes the campaigns in the Peninsula and later into France and thence on to Waterloo through the records of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment. The diary of Lieutenant Charles Crowe of the 2nd Battalion proves the most helpful and graphic but the records of others help fill in the gaps. The result is a rich portrait of the period which brings to life the routine of everyday campaigning.

Here in this critical guide is all the important medical techniques that you'll need to know in order to survive in just about any situation. From wrapping life-threatening head wounds to treating a poisonous spider bite, The Complete U.S. Army Survival Guide to Medical Skills, Tactics, and Techniques has got you covered. Within these pages, you'll find: First-aid techniques for hundreds of different kinds of wounds. Medical procedures necessary for properly treating animal bites and stings....

This new study by Igor Nebolsin covers, in remarkable detail, a number of forgotten and overlooked armoured engagements on the Eastern Front during the final year of the war, based firmly on Soviet and German archival records. After defeating German Group Army Centre in Belorussia (Operation Bagration) in the first days of August 1944 the Red Army rapidly approached East Prussia. Here, near the borders of the Third Reich in the area of Vilkavishkis heavy tank combats broke out. German Panzer-G...

The Wellington Bomber was omnipresent during the Second World War, employed in a variety of contexts in the fight against the Axis powers. The pilots who flew this aircraft did so with an immense amount of pride, and there is perhaps no-one better placed to tell the story of this incredible aircraft than these men. Martin Bowman has drawn together a selection of first-hand pilot testimonies in an effort to record authentically the experience of flying the much-mythologised Wellington during one...

Stewart Blacker was a remarkable figure. His inventions were used with significant effect both in WW1 and WW2. Most notable of these was the synchronised machine gun, attached to fighter planes that could fire through the propeller. He also designed the PIAT anti tank weapon which was used with dramatic effect during WW2, from Normandy until the end of the war. The book argues that with less obstruction from officialdom, the PIAT could have been ready at the start of the war to stop Blitzkrei...

Part of the new Ladybird Expert series, The Bomber War is an accessible, insightful and authoritative introduction to the airborne Allied fight against Nazi Germany.- How did aeroplane technology change the theatre of war?- How did the Blitz affect Britain's ability to fight?- How did the Allies finally triumph?DISCOVER how the complex impact of bomber technology shaped the outcome of World War II. From the Blitz to the Battle of the Ruhr, the Bomber War transformed the state of warfare in the t...