Fortress
2 primary works
Book 24
Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient. World War I rapidly transformed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This title details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the forts around Verdun and how they were defended.
Book 42
Dunkirk, Toulon, Perpignan, Verdun and Brest stand out among the many historically significant sites created by Sebastien LePrestre de Vauban (1633-1707). Vauban was the foremost military engineer of France during the period of its centralisation and wars of expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries. His influence persisted long after Waterloo, and his name has become synonymous with the science of the construction, defence and attack of bastioned fortresses. This book examines the many achievements of this pivotal figure in fortification history, exploring the sites and their subsequent significance.