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19TH CENTURY WAR AND CONFLICT 

In the autumn of 1809, at an important crossroads in the Peninsular War in Spain (1808-14), Napoleon began considering a complete overhaul of his occupation strategy. The change was prompted due to a shortage of funds in Paris to fuel the unexpected conflict, but played into the provincial nature of a growing guerrilla insurgency coalescing along regional lines led by local chieftains such Juan Martín Díez (El Empecinado). Spain’s official ruler was Napoleon’s older brother Joseph, installed as king in 1808 (a move sparking the war), but the true power lay with Napoleon himself, who often micromanaged affairs from Paris. (Click image for complete article.)

CLASSICAL MILITARY HISTORY, c.1000 BCE-500 CE

The Hellenistic era (336-31 BCE) was a dynamic era of military history, an era which inspired and influenced Hellenistic Greek and later Roman historians, whose chronicles of these centuries have shaped our modern understanding of Hellenistic and Roman warfare. Most of the important chroniclers of Philip II and Alexander the Great’s conquests, as well as those of the Hellenistic Successor States and the rise of Rome as a Mediterranean power, lived hundreds of years after these events during the time of the Early Roman Empire. The two most important biographers of Alexander, Diodorus Siculus (first century BCE), and Arrian of Nicomedia (c.86-160 CE) compiled histories of the early Hellenistic era using sources written closer to the events but no longer extant. Click on the image for the full article.

GENERAL FORUM

Interested in the Air War in Europe? Do you like old movies? Check this one out -

Made just a few years after the war, this movie highlights the struggles of leading a bomb group and of the bombing campaign against Germany. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, it's a pretty dang good movie. A little over 2 hours in length. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the actual combat footage as America begins the bombing campaigns to destroy Germany's industrial base in preparation for invasion.  BTW, this story is based largely on real experiences with the 306th Bomb Group. Oh, and they…

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WWII: BATTLE FOR THE SEAS 

The Battle of Midway, fought between 4 and 7 June 1942, stands as one of the pivotal battles in the Pacific Theater and turning point from which Japan would not recover. Six months on from Japan's raid on Pearl Harbor and a month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, the United States Navy won a decisive victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). Two strategic factors contributed to the battle: the Japanese intended to establish a "barrier" to extend their defensive perimeter following the Doolittle air raid on Tokyo and aimed to entice American carriers into a trap to clear for further offensives. Conversely, American cryptographers' remarkable breakthroughs enabled the U.S. Navy to set an ambush of their own, tipping the scales before a single shot was fired.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR I AND THE INTERWAR YEARS

Sergeant Alvin Cullum York stands as one of the most celebrated and studied figures of American military history, renowned for his acts of gallantry during World War I. The transformation of York from a rural Tennessee farmer to a national hero exemplifies broader themes of duty, morality, and individual agency in wartime. Analyzing his early life, military training and deployment, and especially his actions during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive offers valuable insights into the nature of heroism and the dynamics of the First World War. Click image for full article

D-DAY AND THE WAR IN EUROPE 

The images of the Normandy landings taken by photographers such as Life Magazine photographer Robert Capa and Coast Guard Chief Photographer’s Mate Robert F. Sargent are ingrained in the collective memory of World War II. These visual testimonies provide an insight into one of history's pivotal moments, laden with raw emotion, perilous endeavors, and unyielding courage. Robert F. Sargent captured "Into the Jaws of Death," an image enveloped with the same raw authenticity as Capa’s, portraying the immediate moments of troops braving the surf under fire. While Sargent remained on his landing craft, Capa dared further, stepping onto the deadly beach and documenting the soldiers' arduous progress amidst chaos and bombardment.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

NORTH AFRICA AND THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

The North African Campaign, spanned from June 1940 until May 1943, encapsulating a series of operations and battles that involved vast maneuvers across desert terrains by both Axis and Allied forces. This campaign was characterized by a series of strategic thrusts and counterthrusts over control of Libya and Egypt and is a testament to the tenacity and resourcefulness of the involved forces. Initiated on September 13, 1940, with the Italian advance on British-held Egypt, the campaign swiftly escalated. The subsequent Operation Compass—a British assault that launched in December 1940—yielded key victories at the Battle of Sidi Barrani and the Battle of Bardia. Continued Allied success led to the significant capture of Tobruk, signaling the first major surrender of Italian forces. ☞ Click image or here for full article

THE VIETNAM WAR ERA: 1955-1975 

Studying the Pentagon Papers remains relevant today, as there are ongoing concerns about transparency and honesty from the past Biden administration in the U.S. Pundits and analysts have shown Joe Biden and members of that administration of not being forthright and honest with Congress and the American public on critical policy decisions and issues adversely affecting domestic security and public safety, drawing comparisons to the lack of transparency revealed by the Pentagon Papers about the Johnson administration's handling of the Vietnam War. While the contexts differ, the underlying issues of government accountability, truthfulness, and the public's right to know are pertinent in both cases.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The Battle of Saipan, fought from 15 June to 9 July 1944, was a critical episode in the Pacific campaign of World War II. This clash unfolded on the island of Saipan, located within the Mariana Islands, marking a pivotal moment in Operation Forager. The meticulously orchestrated assault was initiated when the expansive fleet set sail from Pearl Harbor, a strategic movement that occurred concurrently with the operations of Operation Overlord in Europe.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR II - THE EASTERN FRONT 

Operation Barbarossa stands as one of the most monumental military endeavors and a seminal turning point in the history of World War II. Launched on June 22, 1941, this invasion by Nazi Germany into the heartland of the Soviet Union, was not only the largest land offensive in human history, involving around 10 million combatants, but also a catastrophic error in strategic judgment by Adolf Hitler. Searheaded by German forces and supported by Axis allies, the operation, named after the medieval Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, sought to decimate communism and forcibly seize territory for German repopulation. In its wake, Operation Barbarossa hoped to commandeer economic resources, including the oil reserves of the Caucasus, and the fertile grounds of Ukraine and Byelorussia.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION 

The significance of the Battle of Little Bighorn extends well beyond the immediate outcome of the conflict. This consequential showdown between Native American tribes and United States forces encapsulates the height of struggle for control over the Great Plains. Painted against a backdrop of tension, the resounding Native American victory underscored their fortitude in repelling encroachment upon their lands, while simultaneously foreshadowing a devastating aftermath for the indigenous tribes – an ultimate defeat and relegation to reservations. It stands as a pivotal yet paradoxical chapter in their resistance; a poignant triumph followed by the erosion of freedom and age-old traditions.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

THE KOREAN WAR 

On 25 June 1950, seven divisions of highly trained and well-equipped North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel, the boundary between North and South Korea, initiating a full-scale invasion of South Korea. The North Korean People's Army (NKPA), numbering over 90,000 soldiers and bolstered by Soviet-supplied artillery and tanks, aimed to swiftly overrun the South Korean defenses and unite the Korean Peninsula under communist rule. Click image or here for full article

MODERN WAR AND ARMED CONFLICT

Operation Red Wings, also referred to as the Battle of Abbas Ghar, stands as a pivotal and tragic episode within the broader context of the U.S.-led Global War on Terror. Conducted in June 2005, this operation has received significant scholarly and public attention, notably through its depiction in Lone Survivor, both a bestselling book by Marcus Luttrell and a subsequent film adaptation. The engagement is marked by extraordinary heroism, profound sacrifice, and the severe realities encountered by special operations forces in Afghanistan’s formidable terrain.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The New Georgia Campaign (June–October 1943) in the Solomon Islands represents a pivotal series of engagements within the broader context of the Pacific Theater of World War II. Undertaken by Allied forces, predominantly United States Army and Marine units, with substantial contributions from New Zealand and Australia, this campaign sought to neutralize Japanese positions in the Central Solomons and hasten the encirclement of the major Japanese bastion at Rabaul. Characterized by convoluted terrain, logistics challenges, and protracted combat against tenacious Japanese resistance, the campaign proved both a strategic and operational learning experience for the Allies.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION 

The Battle of Gettysburg represented a pivotal moment in the Civil War. Over the course of three days, the conflict resulted in more than 50,000 estimated casualties, making it the bloodiest single battle of the war. Following a series of defensive successes in Virginia, General Lee aimed to secure a victory north of the Mason-Dixon line, intending to compel a negotiated end to the hostilities. However, his defeat at Gettysburg thwarted this objective. Subsequently, the beleaguered general retreated southward, accompanied by a wagon train of wounded soldiers heading towards the Potomac. Union General Meade did not capitalize on this moment to pursue the retreating Confederates, missing a critical chance to encircle Lee's forces and force a Confederate surrender. Consequently, the deeply divisive war continued for an additional two years.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS

The Battle of the Somme, fought between July and November of 1916, was one of the costliest and most traumatic conflicts of World War I. Its significance in shaping the course of the war and the fate of Europe cannot be overstated. The primary objective of the battle was to alleviate the pressure on the French army at Verdun, which had been under relentless attack by the Germans since February of that year. But the battle became much more than that, and the fighting would last for months with no clear victor. Click image for full article

THE EASTERN FRONT 

The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in World War II, pitting the armies of Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union. It has become one of the most studied and remembered battles in history due to its significance in deciding the war in Europe. It began on 17 July 1942 and lasted until 2 February 1943 and caused an estimated 1.8 million casualties on both sides. 80% of all German casualties during World War II occurred on the Eastern Front, marking Soviet victory on the Eastern Front pivotal in defeating Nazi Germany in Europe.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS

The use of animals in warfare is an ancient practice, yet few individual animals have achieved the renown or impact of Sergeant Stubby, a stray Boston terrier who accompanied the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. Sergeant Stubby exemplifies the pivotal and diverse roles that animals, particularly dogs, played in the conflict, serving not only as mascots and companions but as contributors to military operations. This article details Sergeant Stubby’s biography, his involvement with the 102nd Infantry of the 26th Division, and highlights the broader significance of animals in the First World War, with reference to Ann Bausum’s comprehensive study, Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I and Stole the Heart of a Nation. (Click image for full article.)

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The Battle of Tinian, fought between 24 July and 1 August 1944, was central to the Marianas campaign, and critical in undermining Japanese defenses and enabling American forces to gain a strategic foothold. A prelude to victory, the capture of Saipan set the stage for the assault on Tinian, a mere three miles away. The proximity of Tinian to Saipan rendered it a pivotal target for U.S. forces. The island's terrain, relatively flat compared to its neighbors, was perfectly suited for airfield construction, particularly for the deployment of the cutting-edge B-29 bombers. Japan's existing runways on Tinian were of great tactical interest to the American military, signaling the potential to position U.S. bombers within range of Japan's home islands.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR ONE AND THE INTERWAR YEARS 

World War One was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. The war, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, resulted in an estimated nine million soldiers killed and 23 million wounded. Additionally, five million civilians died as a result of the fighting, hunger, and disease. Millions more died from genocide, and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic was also exacerbated by the movement of combatants during the war.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

BATTLE FOR THE SEAS 

The USS Indianapolis, a Portland-class heavy cruiser, was commissioned into the United States Navy in 1932. It bore witness to pivotal moments of World War II, playing a crucial role as a flagship across various operations within the Pacific Theater. Notable among its engagements were the Aleutian Islands campaign and the formidable Battle of Okinawa. Yet, despite its decorated service, the USS Indianapolis met a harrowing fate, culminating in one of the most heartbreaking naval tragedies in American military annals—the devastating sinking in July of 1945   ☞ Click image or here for full article

D-DAY AND THE WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE 

The Warsaw Uprising stands as one of the more tragic events of World War II, exemplifying the extraordinary courage and resilience of the Polish Home Army and civilians under brutal German occupation. Not to be confused with the Jewish-only Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the Warsaw Uprising was launched on 1 August 1944, this valiant attempt to liberate Warsaw was both a testament to human spirit and a tragic tale of betrayal and loss.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The Battle of Guadalcanal was the earliest major ground battle of the Pacific War, fought between 7 August 1942, and 9 February 1943. It was a pivotal battle that saw the Allies, primarily the United States, take a crucial step towards victory in the Pacific Theater. The battle was the first offensive launched by the U.S. in the Pacific, and it was also the first time that the Japanese Imperial Army had been defeated on land. Additionally, the battle was a turning point in the war, and it marked the first stage of failure for the Japanese Empire. The Japanese had been using Guadalcanal as an airbase to launch attacks on Allied forces, and they had also been using the island to transport supplies and troops to other areas in the Pacific. The U.S. knew that if they could capture the island, they could disrupt the Japanese supply lines and gain a strategic foothold in the Pacific. The Marines landed on the island and quickly secured the airfield, which they renamed Henderson Field in honor of a Marine pilot who had been killed earlier in the campaign. The Japanese responded with a massive counter-offensive, and for the next six months, both sides engaged in a brutal and bloody battle for control of the island.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

THE VIETNAM WAR: 1955-1975 

The Tet Offensive, launched by communist North Vietnamese forces on 31 January 1968, was a series of attacks meant to weaken the morale of South Vietnam and its allies, ultimately leading to a communist victory. The attacks were meant to take place simultaneously throughout the country, targeting major cities and military installations. Among the most notable of these attacks were the three battles that took place in Khe Sanh, Hue, and Saigon. These battles are remembered as some of the fiercest encounters of the entire war, with U.S. and South Vietnamese troops fighting hand-to-hand against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces.  Click Image or here for full article

WAR IN FILM AND PROPAGANDA

HBO’s Band of Brothers, which debuted in 2001, stands as one of the seminal achievements in historical television. As the series approaches its 25th anniversary in 2026, its continued influence on audiences, scholars, and broader cultural discourse surrounding the Second World War remains remarkable. Next year, 2026, marks 25 years since the debut of HBO’s wildly successful 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers (2001). Following on the creative successes of their monumental hit Saving Private Ryan (1998), Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’ Band of Brothers helped accelerate the rejuvenated interest in history of the Second World War, and more specifically, 1944’s Allied landings at Normandy. Click Image for Full Article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC

The Battle of Peleliu was a pivotal moment in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Codenamed Operation Stalemate II, the battle was fought between the United States and Japan from 15 September to 27 November 1944. The objective was to capture the airfield on the small coral island, which was a part of a larger offensive campaign known as Operation Forager. However, the fierce resistance from the Japanese Army, which had developed new island-defense tactics and well-crafted fortifications, led to an extended battle. Click on the image for the full article.

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

The Battle of Antietam, fought on 17 September 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, remains one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. It was the first major engagement in the Eastern Theater of the war to take place on Union soil and resulted in the bloodiest single day in American history, with a combined total of 22,726 casualties. Click image for full article

UPCOMING EVENTS

LEYDEKKERS PHOTOGRAPHY

American Cemetery Normandy · Auschwitz Birkenau · The Bedford Boys · Belgium · Berchtesgaden and The Eagle's Nest · Buchenwald · Dieppe, France · Equipment · Finland · Germany · The Great War · Holland · The Holocaust · Hong Kong · Italy · Juno Beach · La Cambe German War Cemetery · Landsberg Prison · Militracks 2023 · Monte Cassino · Museums · Netherlands · Normandy 2023 · Normandy 2024 · Normandy, France · Omaha Beach · Operation Market Garden · Pointe du Hoc · Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam) · The Somme · Spottinger Cemetery · Treblinka · Vimy Ridge · War Museum Medemblik · Waterloo · World War II Veterans

FEATURED ARTICLES, SEMINARS & LECTURES

THE EDGE OF HISTORY
Ancient, Classical and Medieval Military History: Popular History

PROF. BRIAN TODD CAREY'S OPEN SEMINARS & ARTICLES
Ancient Military History: c.3100-c.1000 BCE
Classical Military History: c.1000-BCE-500 CE
Medieval Military History: c.500-c.1500

EARLY MODERN ERA
Early Modern and Napoleonic Wars: 1500-1815

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY PERIODS
Mexican-American War: 1846-1848
Revolutionary War: 1775-1783
War of 1812
All 18th and 19th Century Conflict

U.S. CIVIL WAR &  RECONSTRUCTION
U.S. Civil War: 1861-1865

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS
World War I: 1914-1918
The Gathering Storm: 1919-1939

WORLD WAR II
North Africa and Italy
Battle of the Seas
China-Burma-India Theatre
D-Day and the European Theatre
Eastern Front
Holocaust, Shoah
Pacific Theatre

KOREA
Korean War: 1950-1953

VIETNAM, LAOS & CAMBODIA 
Vietnam War Era: 1955-1975

MODERN WAR & CONFLICT
Modern War and Conflict: 1976-Present

SEE ALSO
Aerial and Naval Warfare Throughout History
Book Forum and Reviews
The Home Front
War in Film and Propaganda

UPDATES

Randy Gann replied to Randall S. Wells Jr.'s discussion When the U.S. Marines “Invaded” Spain – Operation Steel Pike I by Randall S. Wells Jr. in The Vietnam War: 1955-1975
"Great article! I climbed one of those rope cargo nets once in a building and thought it was dangerous. I can only imagine  being at sea and doing it with a full combat load. "
Monday
Randy Gann liked Randall S. Wells Jr.'s discussion When the U.S. Marines “Invaded” Spain – Operation Steel Pike I by Randall S. Wells Jr. in The Vietnam War: 1955-1975
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George Preble is now a member of War History Network
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Benjamin J. Swenson’s discussion was featured in American Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and All 19th Century Conflict
‘Commoner-Knights’ and Napoleonic Spain: The Guerrilla Chieftain El Empecinado
‘Commoner-Knights’ and Napoleonic Spain: The Guerrilla Chieftain El EmpecinadoIn the autumn of 1809, at an important crossroads in the Peninsular War in Spain (1808-14), Napoleon began considering a complete overhaul of his occupation strategy. The…
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Sunday
Scott Lyons liked Benjamin J. Swenson's discussion ‘Commoner-Knights’ and Napoleonic Spain: The Guerrilla Chieftain El Empecinado in American Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and All 19th Century Conflict
Sunday
Benjamin J. Swenson posted a discussion in American Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and All 19th Century Conflict
‘Commoner-Knights’ and Napoleonic Spain: The Guerrilla Chieftain El Empecinado
‘Commoner-Knights’ and Napoleonic Spain: The Guerrilla Chieftain El EmpecinadoIn the autumn of 1809, at an important crossroads in the Peninsular War in Spain (1808-14), Napoleon began considering a complete overhaul of his occupation strategy. The…
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Sunday
Jim Gallen’s discussion was featured in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Russia's Fighting Men 1880-1914 by Wendell Schollander
War History Network members are aware that wars are fought by the warriors who fill the ranks before and during conflicts.  “Russia’s Fighting Men: 1880-1914” is a study of the men who prepared to defend their nation in the years leading up to World…
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Friday
Scott Lyons liked Jim Gallen's discussion Russia's Fighting Men 1880-1914 by Wendell Schollander in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Friday
Jim Gallen posted a discussion in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Russia's Fighting Men 1880-1914 by Wendell Schollander
War History Network members are aware that wars are fought by the warriors who fill the ranks before and during conflicts.  “Russia’s Fighting Men: 1880-1914” is a study of the men who prepared to defend their nation in the years leading up to World…
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May 29
Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's event Military History Club: "Casting Light: Photographs of the Vietnam War"
May 27
Randy Gann liked Benjamin J. Swenson's discussion From 'Compliance' and 'Conciliation' to 'Hearts and Minds': The 19th–Century Origins of U.S. Counterinsurgency Doctrine in American Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and All 19th Century Conflict
May 27
Scott Lyons posted an event
Military History Club: "Casting Light: Photographs of the Vietnam War"

Jun 24, 2025 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Military History Club - Missouri Athletic Club, 12 Noon (Central) in- person or by Zoom

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May 24
Scott Lyons liked Brian Todd Carey's discussion Focus on the Literature of War: Julius Caesar’s Gallic War in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
May 22
Brian Todd Carey’s discussion was featured in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Focus on the Literature of War: Julius Caesar’s Gallic War
Focus on the Literature of War: Julius Caesar’s Gallic WarThe Hellenistic era (323-31 BCE) was a dynamic era of military history, an era which inspired and influenced Hellenistic Greek and later Roman historians, whose chronicles of these centuries…
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May 22
Brian Todd Carey updated their profile photo
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Kyle Iorio liked Scott Lyons's discussion September 2001: Landmark Series "Band of Brothers" Debuts: Across the Atlantic to "The Pacific" by Scott Lyons in WAR IN FILM AND PROPAGANDA
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Kyle Iorio liked Scott Lyons's discussion 5 June 1917: Future Medal of Honor Winner Alvin York Registers for the Draft in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
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Kyle Iorio liked Randy Gann's discussion Left for dead at Nijmegen - 82nd Airborne trooper interviewed about being captured.
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Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's discussion 5 June 1917: Future Medal of Honor Winner Alvin York Registers for the Draft in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
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Brian Todd Carey posted a discussion in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Focus on the Literature of War: Julius Caesar’s Gallic War
Focus on the Literature of War: Julius Caesar’s Gallic WarThe Hellenistic era (323-31 BCE) was a dynamic era of military history, an era which inspired and influenced Hellenistic Greek and later Roman historians, whose chronicles of these centuries…
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May 12
Scott Lyons replied to Scott Lyons's discussion 5 June 1917: Future Medal of Honor Winner Alvin York Registers for the Draft in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
"Thanks Randy. I had to look at Google maps to find the county in Tennessee of Alvin York's former homestead. It is in a less-traveled part of Tennessee for sure. Close to the Kentucky border. "
May 11
Scott Lyons posted a discussion in WAR IN FILM AND PROPAGANDA
September 2001: Landmark Series "Band of Brothers" Debuts: Across the Atlantic to "The Pacific" by Scott Lyons
HBO’s Band of Brothers, which debuted in 2001, stands as one of the seminal achievements in historical television. As the series approaches its 25th anniversary in 2026, its continued influence on audiences, scholars, and broader cultural discourse…
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May 11
Randy Gann replied to Scott Lyons's discussion 5 June 1917: Future Medal of Honor Winner Alvin York Registers for the Draft in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
"Good Article! I visited his home and museum/park several years ago and was able to talk to one of his sons. It's a bit off the beaten path, but worth visiting if you can. That's some pretty rugged country he grew up in. His dedication to improving…"
May 9
Scott Lyons posted a discussion in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
5 June 1917: Future Medal of Honor Winner Alvin York Registers for the Draft
Sergeant Alvin Cullum York stands as one of the most celebrated and studied figures of American military history, renowned for his acts of gallantry during World War I. The transformation of York from a rural Tennessee farmer to a national hero…
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May 8
Randy Gann’s discussion was featured
Left for dead at Nijmegen - 82nd Airborne trooper interviewed about being captured.
82nd Airborne Trooper Gene Metcalf was part of Operation Market Garden. Hear his story about being left for dead while on patrol, captured, interrogated by Heinrich Himmler and his experience in multiple POW camps along with other experiences in…
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Scott Lyons liked Randy Gann's discussion Left for dead at Nijmegen - 82nd Airborne trooper interviewed about being captured.
May 7
Randy Gann posted a discussion
Left for dead at Nijmegen - 82nd Airborne trooper interviewed about being captured.
82nd Airborne Trooper Gene Metcalf was part of Operation Market Garden. Hear his story about being left for dead while on patrol, captured, interrogated by Heinrich Himmler and his experience in multiple POW camps along with other experiences in…
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May 7
Kyle Iorio’s discussion was featured in AERIAL AND NAVAL WARFARE THROUGHOUT HISTORY
Namesake Essay Series | Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers - USS Barry (DDG-52)
USS Barry (DDG-52)Who Was John Barry?Commodore John Barry (1745–1803) was an Irish-born merchant-captain who threw in with the Continentals in 1776. Sailing first in Lexington and later the 32-gun frigate Alliance, he captured or destroyed more than…
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Scott Lyons liked Kyle Iorio's discussion Namesake Essay Series | Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers - USS Barry (DDG-52) in AERIAL AND NAVAL WARFARE THROUGHOUT HISTORY
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Kyle Iorio posted a discussion in AERIAL AND NAVAL WARFARE THROUGHOUT HISTORY
Namesake Essay Series | Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers - USS Barry (DDG-52)
USS Barry (DDG-52)Who Was John Barry?Commodore John Barry (1745–1803) was an Irish-born merchant-captain who threw in with the Continentals in 1776. Sailing first in Lexington and later the 32-gun frigate Alliance, he captured or destroyed more than…
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May 2
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BOOK REVIEWS

Russia's Fighting Men 1880-1914

by Wendell Schollander, author

Posted by Jim Gallen on 29 May 2025 at 10:11pm

War History Network members are aware that wars are fought by the warriors who fill the ranks before and during conflicts.  “Russia’s Fighting Men: 1880-1914” is a study of the men who prepared to defend their nation in the years leading up to World War I.  ☞ The Full Review · All Book Reviews

NEW TITLES FOR 2025

America and the Mexican War of Independence: Insurgents, Patriots, and Brethren in Arms, 1810-1821

by Benjamin J. Swenson (Author)

Publisher: McFarland. Publication date: October 1, 2025. Softcover, 190 pages. ISBN 1476696802

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From the publisher, "In 1810, the Atlantic World was in turmoil. Revolution, pirates, proxy wars and clandestine operations ran rampant. Napoleon had invaded Spain, Louisiana Territory was in crisis, and Americans were preparing to declare war against the British."

The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War

by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: 3 February 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 0199948852

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From the publisher: "In 1945 the United States and Japan fought the largest and most devastating land battle of their war in the Pacific, a month-long struggle for the city of Manila. The only urban fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of Manila was the third-bloodiest battle of World War II, behind Leningrad and Berlin."

From Trenton to Yorktown: Turning Points of the Revolutionary War

by John R. Maass (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: 11 February 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1472863755

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From the publisher: "For eight grueling years, American and British military forces struggled in a bloody war over colonial independence. This conflict also ensnared Native American warriors and the armies and navies of France, Spain, the Dutch Republic, and several German principalities."

Manfred von Richthofen: His Life and Times in Pictures

by Tim Hillier-Graves (Author)

Publisher: Air World. Publication date: 30 January 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1036100316

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From the publisher: "It is more than a hundred years since the First World War fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen was killed in combat on the Western Front. By then, due to a strange twist of fate, his name was becoming as well known in Britain, France and the USA as it was in Germany." 

Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation

by Bennett Parten (Author)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Publication date: 21 January 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1668034689

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From the publisher: "In the fall of 1864, Gen. William T. Sherman led his army through Atlanta, Georgia, burning buildings of military significance—and ultimately most of the city—along the way. From Atlanta, they marched across the state to the most important city at the time: Savannah." 

First Blood in Normandy: The Combat History of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen

by Hans Stober (Author)

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military. Publication date: 30 May 2025. Hardcover, 520 pages. ISBN-10 1399024043

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From the publisher: "This is the first book in a series that describes in detail the establishment and combat history of the 17th SS Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Gotz von Berlichingen”. By order of Adolf Hitler, this division was established in October 1943 in France and trained there until its first actions at the beginning of June 1944."

The Skeptic Isle

by Steven Casey (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: May 1, 2025. Hardcover, 384 pages. ISBN 9780197781876

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From the publisher: "Provides a significant new interpretation of how the British government sold every aspect of the Second World War, from morale to mobilization, rationing to civil defense, the football field to the battlefield. Shows the limits to the wartime consensus, not only inside Westminster and along Fleet Street, but also across the country, as many people questioned the official information they received."

Gettysburg

by Adam I. P. Smith (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: August 7, 2025. Hardcover, 332 pages. ISBN 9780199671274

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From the publisher: "The Great Battles Series. The story of the world's most important battles -- how they were fought, how they have been commemorated, and the long historical shadows that they have cast." 

Life in the Viking Great Army: Raiders, Traders, and Settlers

by Dawn Hadley (Author), Julian Richards (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: April 9, 2025. Hardcover, 432 pages. ISBN-10 147286946X

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From the publisher: "The Viking Great Army that landed in East Anglia in late 865 had a lasting impact on English society, culture, politics, and economy. The Viking Great Army landed in East Anglia in late 865 and over the following fifteen years it fought numerous battles in all four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, made and broke peace treaties, and deposed or killed at least three Anglo-Saxon kings, replacing them with its own appointees."

Opening the Gates of Hell: Germany's Invasion of Russia, June-July 1941

by Richard Hargreaves (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: June 3, 2025. Hardcover, 488 pages. ISBN-10 147286946X

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From the publisher: "A unique account of the opening weeks of history's largest, most brutal conflict, told through the eyes of those who were there and based on original source material from across Europe. Opening the Gates of Hell is based on over a decade's research in archives and sites across Europe."

Gettysburg: The Tide Turns: An Oral History

by Bruce Chadwick (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: May 20, 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1639368256

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From the publisher: "The definitive oral history of the battle that turned the tide of the Civil War that combines vivid first-hand accounts with rich historical narrative. In late June of 1863, one month after his victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, head of the Army of Northern Virginia, invaded the North."

Korea: War Without End

by Richard Dannatt (Author), Robert Lyman (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: May 20, 2025. Hardcover, 352 pages. ISBN-10 1472869753

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From the publisher: "Korea: War Without End examines the stand-off between East and West in Korea that ultimately defined the second half of the 20th century. It provides a critical analysis of the lack of preparation by the West for war; the results of the North Korean invasion in June 1950; the counter-stroke by MacArthur in September ..."

Nightmare in the Pacific: The World War II Saga of Artie Shaw and His Navy Band

by Michael Doyle (Author)

Publisher: University of North Texas Press. Publication date: January 15, 2025. Hardcover, 288 pages. ISBN-10 1574419463

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From the publisher: "World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. "

Every Weapon I Had: A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor

by Paris Davis (Author)

Publisher: St. Martin's Press. Publication date: June 17, 2025. Hardcover, 256 pages. ISBN-10 1250387655

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From the publisher: "The story of a Green Beret commander's heroism during the Vietnam War, and the long fight to recognize his bravery. Every Weapon I Had is an inspiring tale of valor and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of major escalations in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement."

The Raider: A New England Runaway, the Chinese Communists, and the Birth of U.S. Marine Special Forces in World War II

by Stephen R. Platt (Author)

Publisher: Knopf. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 544 pages. ISBN-10 0525658017

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From the publisher: "The extraordinary life of forgotten World War II hero Evans Carlson, commander of America’s first special forces, secret confidant of FDR, and one of the most controversial officers in the history of the Marine Corps, who dedicated his life to bridging the cultural divide between the United States and China"

The Traitor of Arnhem: The Untold Story of WWII's Greatest Betrayal and the Moment that Changed History Forever

by Robert Verkaik (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: February 4, 2025. Hardcover, 400 pages. ISBN-10 1639368272

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From the publisher: "Revealing the hidden role of the Cambridge Spies during this Allied defeat, The Traitor of Arnhem relates for the first time the startling betrayal that changed the course of World War II. The end of World War II is in sight."

The Killing Season: The Autumn of 1914, Ypres, and the Afternoon That Cost Germany a War

by Robert Cowley (Author)

Publisher: Random House. Publication date: February 18, 2025. Hardcover, 704 pages. ISBN-10 1400068525

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From the publisher: "The final months of 1914 were the bloodiest interval in a famously bloody war, a killing season. They ended with the First Battle of Ypres, a struggle in West Flanders, Belgium, whose importance has been too long overlooked—until now."

Scorched Earth: A Global History of World War II

by Paul Thomas Chamberlin (Author)

Publisher: Basic Books. Publication date: May 6, 2025. Hardcover, 672 pages. ISBN-10 1541619269

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From the publisher: "In Scorched Earth, historian Paul Thomas Chamberlin dispatches the myth of World War II as a good war. Instead, he depicts the conflict as it truly was: a massive battle beset by vicious racial atrocities, fought between rival empires across huge stretches of Asia and Europe."

Shots Heard Round the World: America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War

by John Ferling (Author)

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing. Publication date: April 1, 2025. Hardcover, 560 pages. ISBN-10 163973015X

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From the publisher: "In April 1775, British troops marched to Lexington, where an armed group of Yankees awaited them. Despite an order to disperse, shots rang out. Militiamen were killed. The British continued marching, only to find even greater trouble in Concord and all the way down the road back to Boston."

Paris Undercover: A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal

by Matthew Goodman (Author)

Publisher: Ballantine Books. Publication date: February 4, 2025. Hardcover, 448 pages. ISBN-10 0593358929

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From the publisher: "Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history."

The Price of Victory: A Naval History of Britain: 1815–1945

by N. A. M. Rodger (Author)

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 976 pages. ISBN 0393292223

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From the publisher: "Across two acclaimed volumes, preeminent naval historian N. A. M. Rodger has traced the progress of naval warfare in Britain from the seventh century through to Trafalgar, combining decades of scholarship with original insights and analysis."

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America

by Kostya Kennedy (Author)

Publisher: St. Martin's press. Publication date: March 25, 2025. Hardcover, 304 pages. ISBN-10 125034137X

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From the publisher: "On April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops, which would seek to crush their nascent revolt."

Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants' War

by Lyndal Roper (Author)

Publisher: Basic Books. Publication date: February 11, 2025. Hardcover, 544 pages. ISBN-10 154164705X

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From the publisher: "The German Peasants’ War was the greatest popular uprising in Western Europe before the French Revolution. In 1524 and 1525, it swept across Germany with astonishing speed as well over a hundred thousand people massed in armed bands to demand a new and more egalitarian order. "

Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and A Forever Promise Forged in World War II

by Robert M. Edsel (Author), Bret Witter

Publisher: Harper Horizon. Publication date: April 29, 2025. Hardcover, 496 pages. ISBN-10 140033781X

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From the publisher: "Set during the horrors of World War II, Remember Us by Robert Edsel—#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men—opens in Limburg, a small, rural province at the southern tip of the Netherlands. In the pre-dawn hours of May 10, 1940, Hitler’s forces rolled through the city, shattering more than 100 years of peace in the Netherlands."

Second Front: Anglo-American Rivalry and the Hidden Story of the Normandy Campaign

by Marc Milner (Author)

Publisher: Yale University Press. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 688 pages. ISBN-10 030027887X

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From the publisher: "In June 1944, an Allied army of British, American, and Canadian troops sought to open up a Second Front in Normandy. But they were not only fighting to bring the Second World War to an end. After decades of Anglo-American struggle for dominance, they were also contending with one another—to determine who would ascend to global hegemony once Hitler’s armies fell."

Bagration 1944: The Great Soviet Offensive

by Prit Buttar (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: March 11, 2025. Hardcover, 480 pages. ISBN-10 1472863518

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From the publisher: "Throughout the war on the Eastern Front, there were two consistent trends. The Red Army battled to learn how to fight and win, while involved in a struggle for its very survival. But by 1944 it had a leadership that was able to wield it with lethal effect and with far more effective equipment than before."

Ring of Fire: A New History of the World at War: 1914

by Alexandra Churchill (Author), Nicolai Eberholst (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: August 12, 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 1639369279

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From the publisher: "The dramatic story of 1914—the start of World War I—presenting an expansive, dynamic history of the start of this truly global conflict. Most countries did not know what they were getting into during the precarious days of 1914."

Crescent Dawn: The Rise of the Ottoman Empire and the Making of the Modern Age

by Si Sheppard (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: February 25, 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 1472851463

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From the publisher: "A groundbreaking new history of the wars of the Ottoman Expansion, a truly global conflagration that crisscrossed three continents and ultimately defined the borders and future of a modern Europe. The determined attempt to thwart Ottoman dominance was fought across five theaters from the Balkans to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, from Persia to Russia."

Lincoln's Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War

by Michael Vorenberg (Author)

Publisher: Knopf. Publication date: March 18, 2025. Hardcover, 480 pages. ISBN-10 1524733172

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From the publisher: "We set out on the James River, March 25, 1865, aboard the paddle steamboat River Queen. President Lincoln is on his way to General Grant’s headquarters at City Point, Virginia, and he’s decided he won’t return to Washington until he’s witnessed, or perhaps even orchestrated, the end of the Civil War."

Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross: The Conclusion of the Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign, October 1943-February 1944

by Jeffrey Cox (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: June 3, 2025. Hardcover, 488 pages. ISBN-10 1472864484

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From the publisher: "This page-turning history examines the closing months of the vital campaign which ultimately determined the successful conclusion of the Pacific War for the Allies. But it had not been a smooth process. The campaign continued in fits and starts with both the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy making crucial errors."

Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America

by Scott Ellsworth (Author)

Publisher: Dutton. Publication date: July 15, 2025. Hardcover, 336 pages. ISBN-10 0593475615

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From the publisher: "Told with a page-turning pace, New York Times bestselling author and historian Scott Ellsworth has written the most compelling new book about the Civil War in years. Focusing on the last, desperate months of the war, when the outcome was far from certain, Midnight on the Potomac is a story of titanic battles, political upheaval, and the long-forgotten Confederate terror war against the loyal citizens of the North."

No More Napoleons: How Britain Managed Europe from Waterloo to World War One

by Andrew Lambert (Author)

Publisher: Yale University Press. Publication date: June 24, 2025. Hardcover, 512 pages. ISBN-10 0300275552

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From the publisher: "At the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, a fragile peace emerged in Europe. The continent’s borders were redrawn, and the French Empire, once a significant threat to British security, was for now cut down to size. But after decades of ceaseless conflict, Britain’s economy was beset by a crippling debt."

The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780

by Rick Atkinson (Author)

Publisher: Crown. Publication date: April 29, 2025. Hardcover, 880 pages. ISBN-10 0593799186

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From the publisher: "The first twenty-one months of the American Revolution—which began at Lexington and ended at Princeton—was the story of a ragged group of militiamen and soldiers fighting to forge a new nation. By the winter of 1777, the exhausted Continental Army could claim only that it had escaped annihilation by the world’s most formidable fighting force."

The Knights Templar: History & Mystery

by Tony McMahon

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military. Publication date: January 30, 2025. Hardcover, 232 pages. ISBN-10 1036113485

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From the publisher: "The Knights Templar have fascinated us for centuries. They were holy warriors who fought with incredible bravery in the Crusades but were then destroyed by their own side. In battle they were the bravest knights – first on the battlefield and the last to quit.'

Martin Bormann: Hitler’s Executioner

by Volker Koop (Author)

Publisher: Frontline Books. Publication date: January 31, 2025. Softcover, 248 pages. ISBN-10 1526797518

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From the publisher: "Born on 17 June 1900, Martin Ludwig Bormann became one of the most powerful and most feared men in the Third Reich. An obsessive bureaucrat, it was Bormann who helped steer Hitler’s apparatus of terror so effectively that he became the clandestine ruler of Nazi Germany."