Japanese anti-aircraft soldiers man acoustic locators close to Tokyo. Developed before the wider emergence of radar, these devices, also known as acoustic horns, were designed to detect the presence and location of enemy aircraft. Despite a range of

When the Second Boer War was declared on 11 October 1899, governments of colonies from around the British Empire offered to send troops to contribute to the British war effort. This included the governments of the six colonies of Australia (the count

Influenced by Napoleon’s rule as ‘King of Italy’, revolutionary groups such as the ‘Carboneria’ dream of unifying the Italian peninsula under a constitutional government. Insurrections separately occur in the kingdoms of the Two Sicilies and Sardinia

The large, bulging cockpit gives excellent views to the front and below, although rearward views are highly restricted. The undercarriage is built to take hard landings on rough ground, complete with pneumatic brakes and shock absorbers. It can also

For one of the final times in history, ruling monarchs faced one another on the battlefield, with Emperor Napoleon III of France and King Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont-Sardinia opposing Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria at Solferino on 24 June 1859.

A HERO OF THE ITALIAN WARS OF INDEPENDENCE, GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI LED THE REDSHIRTS IN SEVERAL MILITARY CAMPAIGNS Politically Garibaldi was Republican, but on more than one occasion he supported the Piedmontese monarchy, placing the goal of independence

England’s most famous Anglo-Saxon archaeological site has been given substantial funding for an ambitious reinterpretation project Sutton Hoo is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in British history. In 1938, a local landowner called Edi

The Risorgimento, Italy’s decades-long journey toward unification, was marked by three wars for independence and a new beginning after centuries of foreign domination. By early 1860, the Treaty of Turin had exacted a price for continuing French suppo

HIGHLY ENGAGING ACCOUNT OF THE DRAMATIC AIR WAR OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF GERMAN FIGHTER PILOTS Writer: Patrick G. Eriksson Publisher: Amberley Price: £20 Released: 15 October 2019 Alarmstart South And Final Defeat is the f

During the summer of 1939 Russian General Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov crushed the Japanese Army on the steppes of Mongolia so decisively that Japan never meddled in Soviet affairs again. It ensured that Joseph Stalin was free to fight on just one f

Author: Antonio Giustozzi Publisher: Hurst & Co. Price: £50 Released: September 2019 The Taliban swept across Afghanistan like a force of nature after it was established in 1996. Seven years later it was vanquished and dispersed with relatively litt

In 1543 a powerful typhoon blew a Chinese junk off course, washing it onto the subtropical coast of Tanegashima – an island just off the southernmost tip of Japan, ruled by the Shimazu clan. The three Portuguese merchants aboard stepped out, onto a c

Author: Jim Mattis and Bing West Publisher: Random House Price: £17.99 In nine words, the dedication in Jim Mattis’s book reflects the author’s innermost beliefs, “To all those who serve in the defence of our values.” Taking the story forward nearl

After defeating Imagawa in 1560, Nobunaga went on to subjugate a third of the country. Following his death in 1581, his loyal general, Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed his campaign, conquering the Shimazu of Kyushu, and the mighty Hojo of Kanto, promptin

Writer: Jason Webster Publisher: Little, Brown Price: £20 The Oxford History Of Modern India describes the Afghans as “the Spaniards of Asia”. A harsh judgement, perhaps, but not entirely off the mark in the context of a country that has suffered so

By the 16th century, Japan's Buddhist warrior monks had amassed great wealth, influence and power. Chief among them were the Ikko-ikki, or ‘single minded’ sect. Self-governing, the Ikko rejected any outside interference, even driving a constable out

Writer: James Travers Publisher: Amberley Price: £20 The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the failed assassination attempt of James I by a group of English Catholics led by Robert Catesby, is perhaps one of the most well-known events in modern British histor

During World War II, millions of Americans fought on the Western Front in Europe. With the Allies under the overall command of Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Americans contributed by the far the most resources, including manpower. From t

Author: Donald Stoker Publisher: Cambridge University Press Price: £22 Released: Out Now Leaving aside political bluster and ballyhoo, the unfortunate fact is that the US cannot claim meaningful victory in the armed conflicts it has waged since the

In 1635, eager to fight the subversive power of foreign influence, the paranoid Tokugawa regime banned anyone from travelling or sending ships abroad. While its cities underwent rapid economic growth and cultural development, by the 19th century, Jap

2019 marks the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden. This daring Allied airborne plan aimed to secure crossings across the River Rhine, advance into northern Germany and swiftly end the Second World War. In reality Market Garden was a costly f

During WWI, poisonous gases were released silently from cylinders or quietly discharged from exploding gas artillery shells. To counter this new and sinister threat, various devices were used to warn soldiers such of a chemical attack. Low maintenanc

Before D-Day, the Allies were acutely aware that victory in Western Europe would depend on a permanent supply of fuel, ammunition, food and other materials for the front lines. The bombing of the French railway network handicapped the Germans but it

The mounted vanguard of the Castilian army streamed down from its hilltop position shortly after dawn on 30 October 1340, and fought its way across the narrow bridge over the Rio Salado. The lightly armoured Moors reeled under the blows of the heavil

Identifying the value of high ground to provide a strong defensive position, Maczek directs the 1st Armoured Regiment towards Hill 262 on the Mount Ormel ridge north-east of Chambois. The Poles' arrival on 19 August cuts through the Germans’ one rema