British Military History For Dummies

A plain-English guide to Britons in battle, from the Roman
invasion to the ongoing Iraqi war

Charging through the Britain's military past, this accessible
guide brings to life the battles and wars that shaped the history
of Britain-and the world. The book profiles commanders, explains
strategies and tactics, and covers key developments in weaponry and
technology.

Auteur
Bryan Perrett served with the Royal Armoured Corps, the 17th/21st Lancers, the Westminster Dragoons, and the Royal Tank Regiment and has written more than 50 books on military history.

Texte du rabat
The birth of a kingdom and the blooming of empire,world-wide wars, and twenty-first century conflicts: British Military History For Dummies tells the complete story of a nation at battle. Introducing the key developments in weaponry and technology from longbow to long-range missile this guide also explains the evolution of battlefield strategy and looks at the army commanders who became the heroes and villains of Britain's history.

Résumé
A plain-English guide to Britons in battle, from the Roman invasion to the ongoing Iraqi war Charging through the Britain's military past, this accessible guide brings to life the battles and wars that shaped the history of Britain-and the world. The book profiles commanders, explains strategies and tactics, and covers key developments in weaponry and technology.

Contenu

Introduction 1

Part I: Ancient and Medieval Warfare 7

Chapter 1: Small Islands with Lots of Clout 9

Chapter 2: Swords, Sandals, and Geometry: The Romans 15

Chapter 3: Arthur, Alfred, and Aethelstan: The Dark Ages 29

Chapter 4: The Hard Knight's Day: The Norman Conquest and Medieval Period 39

Part II: The Arrival of Gunpowder 57

Chapter 5: With Pike and Shot: Renaissance Warfare 59

Chapter 6: Hearties versus Gloomies: The Civil Wars 69

Chapter 7: Founding a Regular Army: The Late Seventeenth Century 81

Part III: Wars of Succession, Independence, and Revolution 91

Chapter 8: O'er the Hills and Far Away: Marlborough Country and Beyond 93

Chapter 9: Risings and Rebellions: Jacobites and Americans 117

Chapter 10: Revolting Frenchmen, The Grand Old Duke, and Boney: The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 133

Chapter 11: Wellington Boots the French Out: The Peninsula to Waterloo 143

Part IV: Nineteenth-Century Wars 171

Chapter 12: Britain's Little Wars: Imperial Expansion 173

Chapter 13: Helping Turkey Fight the Bear: The Crimean War 187

Chapter 14: Rebels, Rajahs, and a Rani: The Indian Mutiny 203

Chapter 15: Home and Away: Reorganisation, Re-Equipment, and More Trouble in India 223

Chapter 16: Boots, Boots, Boots, Boots: Marchin' Over Africa 239

Part V: The First World War 267

Chapter 17: 'Hangin' On the Old Barbed Wire': The Western Front, 1914-1917 269

Chapter 18: Storm Troopers and Tank Attacks: The Western Front, 1918 287

Chapter 19: Turkey With All the Trimmings: The Middle East and Beyond, 1914-1918 297

Part VI: The Second World War (and Beyond) 319

Chapter 20: Phoney War, Panzers, and Miracles: The Outbreak of the Second World War 321

Chapter 21: Sun, Sand, Sea, and Tanks: The Middle East and North Africa, 1940-1943 331

Chapter 22: One Bloomin' Ridge After Another: The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 353

Chapter 23: Beachheads and Bridges: Normandy and Northwest Europe, 1944-1945 361

Chapter 24: Welcome to the Jungle: The Far East, 1941-1945 377

Chapter 25: Around the World in 60 Years: Operations 1945-2006 393

Part VII: The Part of Tens 411

Chapter 26: Ten Great British Generals 413

Chapter 27: Ten Decisive Battles in British Military History 419

Chapter 28: Ten British Military Museums Worth Visiting 423

Index 427