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The Secret History of al Qaeda
by Abdel Bari AtwanOver the last ten years, journalist and al-Qa'ida expert Abdel Bari Atwan has cultivated uniquely well-placed sources and amassed a wealth of information about al-Qa'ida's origins, masterminds and plans for the future. Atwan reveals how al-Qa'ida's radical departure from the classic terrorist/guerrilla blueprint has enabled it to outpace less adaptable efforts to neutralize it. The fanaticism of its fighters, and their willingness to kill and be killed, are matched by the leadership's opportunistic recruitment strategies and sophisticated understanding of psychology, media, and new technology - including the use of the internet for training, support, and communications. Atwan shows that far from committing acts of violence randomly and indiscriminately, al-Qa'ida attacks targets according to a decisive design underwritten by unwavering patience. He also argues that events in Iraq and Saudi Arabia are watershed moments in the group's evolution that are making it more dangerous by the day, as it refines and appropriates the concept of jihad and makes the suicide bomber a permanent feature of a global holy war. While Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri remain al-Qa'ida's figureheads, Atwan identifies a new kind of leader made possible by its horizontal chain of command, epitomized by the brutal Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi in Iraq and the bombers of London, Madrid, Amman, Bali, and elsewhere. Scholarly, analytical, objective, it is also intensely readable, being by far the best book on the subject.' -- Tony Benn 'This is a must-read book for anyone interested in understanding our increasingly scary world.' -- Gavin Esler 'What shines out ... is a profound desire to investigate and reveal the truth. Intelligent and informative.' -- Jason Burke, Guardian 'Deeply researched, well reported and full of interesting and surprising analyses. It demands to be read.' -- Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc
Enemy on the Euphrates: The Battle for Iraq, 1914 - 1921
by Ian RutledgeIn 1920 an Arab revolt came perilously close to inflicting a shattering defeat upon the British Empire's forces occupying Iraq after the Great War. A huge peasant army besieged British garrisons and bombarded them with captured artillery. British columns and armoured trains were ambushed and destroyed, and gunboats were captured or sunk. Britain's quest for oil was one of the principal reasons for its continuing occupation of Iraq. However, with around 131,000 Arabs in arms at the height of the conflict, the British were very nearly driven out. Only a massive infusion of Indian troops prevented a humiliating rout.Enemy on the Euphrates is the definitive account of the most serious armed uprising against British rule in the twentieth century. Bringing central players such as Winston Churchill, T. E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell vividly to life, Ian Rutledge's masterful account is a powerful reminder of how Britain's imperial objectives sowed the seeds of Iraq's tragic history.
Syria: A Recent History
by John McHugoSyria's descent into civil war has already claimed an estimated 200,000 lives while more than nine million people have fled their homes. This is now the greatest humanitarian and political crisis of the twenty-first century.In this timely account, John McHugo charts the history of Syria from the First World War to the present and considers why Syria's foundations as a nation have proved so fragile. He examines the country's thwarted attempts at independence under French rule before turning to more recent events: sectarian tensions, the pressures of international conflicts, two generations of rule by the Assads and the rise of ISIS.As the conflict in Syria rages on, McHugo provides a rare and authoritative guide to a complex nation that demands our attention.
Oman's Insurgencies: The Sultanate's Struggle for Supremacy
by J. E. PetersonOman today is a rapidly modernizing and peaceful country on the fringes of a region in turmoil. It does, however, have a long history of internal strife. In the twentieth century, this strife took the form of two internal conflicts. The Northern Oman or al-Jabal al-Akhdar War of the 1950s was a struggle between the forces of the old tribally based Imamate and the newer Sultanate in the northern part of the country. In the Dhufar War of the 1960s-70s an anti-Sultanate - and later Marxist - front sought secession in the south. J. E. Peterson takes a detailed look at these two wars in the context of insurgency and counter-insurgency warfare. He surveys Oman's transition from a strictly traditional regime controlling only parts of the country to a modern, inclusive state, particularly in terms of security concerns. Peterson analyses the development of the Sultanate's successful responses to security challenges, especially in the creation and evolution of modern armed forces. 'John Peterson provides the nearest we will perhaps ever see of an official history.' David Benest, The British Army Review 'Peterson does an excellent job of developing the thesis that victory in these counter-insurgencies resulted from the two factors of establishing political legitimacy by meeting the local demands of the population and military efforts, which succeeded largely through British support.' Calvin H. Allen Jr., Middle East Journal
We Fought for Ardnish: A Novel - The sequel to the bestselling Ardnish Was Home (Ardnish Ser. #2)
by Angus MacDonaldAfter joining the the Lovat Scouts at the outbreak of the Second World War Donald Angus Gillies is sent on a mission to the Alps, where he meets Francoise, a young French Canadian SOE agent. The pair immediately form a close bond, but when Francoise is injured and captured, DA realizes his feelings for her are much, much stronger. After desperate attempts to find her, he has given up all hope. But a posting to Canada leads to some remarkable news, not just about Francoise but also about his own family.Reunited once more, Donald Angus and Francoise plan to live together in his beloved Ardnish, but have one further mission to complete first – a mission more dangerous than anything they have ever faced before . . .
The Italian Chapel Orkney: The Italian Chapel Orkney
by Donald S. MurrayShetland Times 'Above all, this book is about bringing colour, light and art to a dark northern island' – The ScotsmanThousands of visitors go to the Italian Chapel in Orkney every year, witnesses to a series of remarkable acts of transformation. Among these are the Churchill Barriers nearby, straddling the ocean to link a number of Orkney's southernmost islands to its mainland. Constructed to protect Britain's naval fleet in Scapa Flow during World War Two, its builders included a group of Italian soldiers imprisoned in this bleak and windswept part of Scotland. In the course of this, they not only played a part in changing Orkney's way-of-life forever but also transformed a simple Nissen Hut, constructing through their labours a place-of-worship that still stands till this day a remarkable symbol of their identity and faith. And On This Rock tells the story of the strength and tenacity, laughter and tears of the men who built the Italian Chapel, showing how spirits defeated and despondent during years of exile were lifted by its creation. It does this with its own artistry and grace, using folk-tale and myth to provide a fitting counterpart to the wonder and beauty of the building that inspired it.
From Jutland to Junkyard: The raising of the scuttled German High Seas Fleet from Scapa Flow - the greatest salvage operation of all time
by S.C. GeorgeThe scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, Orkney on 21 June 1919 on the orders of Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter was one of the most extraordinary events in naval history. To the astonishment of those who witnessed it, one of the most powerful navies in history began to sink, and by late morning, ten battleships, six battlecruisers, eight light cruisers and a host of smaller ships lay on the seabed. But what happened after was equally bizarre. Although at the time the Admiralty stated that raising ships was impossible, within a few years Scapa Flow became a scene of one of the largest salvage operations ever undertaken. In this books, S.C. George tells the story of the German High Seas Fleet, from its origins to its role during the Battle of Jutland and subsequent surrender and scuttling, and also celebrates the ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness of those who raised the Kaiser's great navy from its watery grave.
The Course of History: Ten Meals that Changed the World
by Struan StevensonMany decisions which have had enormous historical consequences have been made over the dinner table, and have been accompanied (and perhaps influenced) by copious amounts of food and wine. In The Course of History Struan Stevenson brings to life ten such moments, exploring the personalities, the issues and of course the food which helped shape the course of history.From the claret consumed on the eve of the Battle of Culloden, through the dinners which decided the fates of George Washington, Archduke Ferdinand and Adolf Hitler, to the diplomatic feasts that decided future relations with Russia, China and the Middle East, each chapter covers every detail, character, decision and morsel which decided the course of history.
Five Days from Defeat: How Britain Nearly Lost the First World War
by Walter ReidOn 21 March 1918 Germany initiated one of the most ferocious and offensives of the First World War. During the so-called Kaiserschlacht, German troops advanced on allied positions in a series of ferocious attacks which caused massive casualties, separated British and French forces and drove the British back towards the Channel ports. Five days later, as the German advance continued, one of the most dramatic summits of the war took place in Doullens. The outcome was to have extraordinary consequences. For the first time an allied supreme commander – the French General Foch – was appointed to command all the allied armies, while the statesmen realized that unity of purpose rather than national interest was ultimately the key to success. Within a few months a policy of defence became one of offence, and paved the way for British success at Amiens and the series of unbroken British victories that led Germany to plea for armistice.
The Thirty-One Kings: Richard Hannay Returns - A thrilling adventure (The Richard Hannay Adventures)
by Robert J. HarrisIn his final novel Sick Heart River, John Buchan predicted that with the outbreak of a second world war Richard Hannay and all his companions of old would be going back into action. In The Thirty-One Kings the tale of their adventures is finally told.June 1940As German troops pour across France, the veteran soldier and adventurer Richard Hannay is called back into service. In Paris an agent, codenamed 'Roland', has disappeared and is assumed to be in the hands of the Nazis. Only he knows the secret of the thirty-one kings, one upon which the future of Europe depends. Hannay is dispatched to Paris to find Roland before the Germans overrun the city. On a hazardous journey across the battlefields of France Hannay is joined by old friends and new allies as he confronts a ruthless foe who will stop at nothing to destroy him.
Border Bloodshed: Scotland and England at War, 1369-1403
by Alastair J. MacdonaldScottish military offensives against England from 1369 were largely the product of government policy, were launched with careful timing and, in the reign of Robert II, involved close co-operation with France. They succeeded militarily, encouraging the Scots to the point where they were willing to engage in attacks on England beyond the ambition of their French allies. However, diplomatic gains fell well short of forcing English recognition of Scottish independence. Hopes of achieving this by military means were ended in the reign of Robert III when the Scots were heavily defeated in 1402. War was not solely fought with political objectives in mind or other 'rational' factors such as the quest for financial gain. The Scots went to war for emotive reasons too, such as hatred of the English, the search for renown and the sheer enjoyment of fighting. All these factors inspired the Scots to launch a series of bloody, brutal and ultimately futile offensives against England.
Gods and Generals: A Novel Of The Civil War (Civil War Trilogy Ser. #1)
by Jeff ShaaraThe New York Times bestselling prequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic The Killer Angels In this brilliantly written epic novel, Jeff Shaara traces the lives, passions, and careers of the great military leaders from the first gathering clouds of the Civil War. Here is Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, a hopelessly by-the-book military instructor and devout Christian who becomes the greatest commander of the Civil War; Winfield Scott Hancock, a captain of quartermasters who quickly establishes himself as one of the finest leaders of the Union army; Joshua Chamberlain, who gives up his promising academic career and goes on to become one of the most heroic soldiers in American history; and Robert E. Lee, never believing until too late that a civil war would ever truly come to pass. Profound in its insights into the minds and hearts of those who fought in the war, Gods and Generals creates a vivid portrait of the soldiers, the battlefields, and the tumultuous times that forever shaped the nation.
The Last Full Measure: God And Generals - The Killer Angels - The Last Full Measure (Ballantine Reader's Circle Ser. #3)
by Jeff ShaaraThe moving story of the tragic trail from the carnage of Gettysburg to the emotional drama of Lee's surrender at Appomattox, The Last Full Measure concludes the masterwork begun more than two decades ago by Michael Shaara, Jeff's father, in his classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels (1974). The basis for the movie Gettysburg, The Killer Angels, a #1 New York Times bestseller, went on to sell more than two million copies in paperback and spend thirteen weeks on the Times list. In 1996, Michael Shaara's vision was enhanced by Jeff Shaara's own New York Times bestselling novel tracing the road to that fateful battle, Gods and Generals. The story of the war concludes in The Last Full Measure. Battle by staggering battle, Jeff Shaara dramatizes the escalating confrontation between Lee and Grant - complicated, heroic, and deeply troubled men. In the final two years of the war, the stunned Army of Northern Virginia, forced into retreat after its loss at Gettysburg, once again defends its own soil as Grant leads the Union armies ever farther into the South. THE LAST FULL MEASURE resonates with the bloody Battle of the Wilderness, after which rivers ran red for days with the blood of the wounded and dead; the destruction of the Stonewall Brigade at Spotsylvania; the Union Army disaster at Cold Harbor; and the agonizing siege of Petersburg which led to the unmitigated slaughter known as the Battle of the Crater. The drama ends in April 1865 when Robert E. Lee accepts Ulysses S. Grant's terms of surrender at Appomattox, where college professor-turned-soldier General Joshua Chamberlain, receiving the stacked arms of the ragged Confederate army, gallantly orders his men to salute their returning countrymen.
Tartan Airforce: Scotland and a Century of Military Aviation 1907-2007
by Deborah LakeBritain's first flying machine was trailed in Perthshire in 1907 and ever since - whether at war or in peacetime - Scotland has been in the frontline of British military aviation. In "Tartan Air Force", Deborah Lake investigates Scotland's contribution to military flying over the last hundred years. With a wealth of previously unpublished or little-known accounts from air and ground crew, fliers and non-fliers, this is a comprehensive and entertaining tribute which emphasises the human aspect of Scotland's part in the history. From the Second World War, when many famous missions, including those against the great German battleship Tirpitz, were undertaken from Scottish airfields, to the importance of its RAF air bases and radar stations in asserting the Soviet threat during the Cold War and beyond, Scotland has played its part in protecting the skies.
Who Pays the Ferryman?: The Great Scottish Ferries Swindle
by Roy PedersenWho Pays the Ferryman? is an informative and critical analysis of Scotland's ferry services. It describes the 'glory days' of how, from modest beginnings, Scotland once led the world in maritime development. It contrasts the achievements of the past with the failures, waste and inadequacy of much of today's state-owned ferry provision. In addition to showing how a more equitable fares regime can be devised, Roy Pedersen also addresses sensitive issues such as CO2 and other emissions, state versus private ownership, the place of trade unions and, most importantly of all how, the lot of our island and peninsular communities can be bettered through provision of efficient cost effective ferry services. Drawing on best practice at home and overseas, it sets out how Scottish ferry services can be revolutionised to be, once again, among the best in the world.
Scapa
by Jim Miller'a fascinating book, in which every reader will find something she/he never knew' - Scots Magazine 'an interesting insight into life in a naval base during two world wars' - Broadly Boats Scapa Flow, one of the greatest naval bases in history, resonates through the annals of the Royal Navy during the two great wars of the twentieth century. It was from there that the Grand Fleet sailed to Jutland in 1916; from there that Russian convoys set off; and it was in that beautiful, bleak anchorage that the German High Seas fleet committed the greatest act of suicide ever seen at sea - 'The Grand Scuttle' - before being raised and scrapped in one of the most astonishing examples of maritime salvage. It was also in Scapa that we have our last photographs of Kitchener before he boarded the Hampshire, sunk by mine off Marwick Head. But it was also in this great anchorage that many more human stories took place. Here lie the wrecks - now war graves - of the Vanguard, blown apart by an explosion in 1917 and the Royal Oak, sunk by Gunther Prien of U-47 in a spectacular raid at the beginning of World War Two. Here too Italian prisoners of war built both the spectacular Churchill causeways and the exquisite Italian chapel at Lamb Holm crafted from Nissan huts. The text weaves eyewitness accounts and personal experience into the larger narrative, and the photographs capture the spirit and activity of Scapa Flow when it was the home of thousands of service personnel.
Blood on the Wave: Scottish Sea Battles
by John SadlerScotland's long coastline runs from the waters of Galloway and the Solway, through the Irish Sea to the long sea lochs and myriad islands of the Celtic west, around grim Cape Wrath, the coast of Caithness, Pentland Firth and the Orkneys, eastward down to the Moray Firth, the eastern seaboard, to the Forth and the sentinel of the Bass Rock. It is an ancient strand redolent with history. Sea battles have been fought in its lee from the time of Agricola to the Atlantic convoys. In Blood on the Wave, John Sadler embarks on a pilgrimage around Scotland's rugged and stunning coastline, to explore the fascinating history that has occurred in its waters. Beautifully illustrated throughout with photographs and line drawings, the narrative also describes developments in ship building technique and design, developments in naval gunnery with a look at coastal defences. From the long oared Norse galleys that swept down through the isles and the sea lochs to Somerled's birlinns and nyvaigs contesting with those of Godred of Man in a moonlit clash of spears, many of the fiercest battles in Scottish history have been fought at sea. Examining an array of skirmishes from the Wars of Independence to the Napoleonic Wars, the scuttling of the Imperial German Navy at Scapa Flow to the lurking threat of Second World War U-boats and nuclear submarines hunting for Soviet spy ships, John Sadler has created a brilliant, insightful and unique portrait of the Scottish war at sea.
Shield of Empire: The Royal Navy And Scotland
by Brian LaveryThe Royal Navy has always been seen as an English institution, despite a large Scottish contribution, from Admiral Duncan at Camperdown in 1797 to Andrew Cunningham in the Second World War. The Royal Navy's most dramatic effect on Scotland, aside from its role in the British Empire and European wars, was in suppressing the Jacobite campaigns from 1708 to 1746. This book breaks new ground in telling the stories of almost forgotten campaigns, such as the submarine war in the Firth of Forth in 1914-18. In two world wars, and since the 1960s, a large proportion of the Navy's power has been based in Scotland, from the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow to Trident submarines at Faslane. Most British sailors of the Second World War had part of their training in Scotland, and the famous base at Tobermory was only one of many. Yet, the Navy never felt at home in Scotland. As one Scottish admiral put it, 'In both wars the Royal Navy flooded into Scotland to make use of our deep water ports and sea lochs for large-scale and safer anchorages. After each war the Navy unimaginatively retreated en masse to the Channel.' The book ends with a unique account of the setting up of the controversial missile bases in the Holy Loch and Gareloch. Brian Lavery then looks at the future in order to determine the effect devolution and possible independence might have on Scotland and the Royal Navy.
St Valery: The Impossible Odds
by Bill InnesExamines the fateful chain of events in 1940, and reassesses some of the myths that arose in the intervening years. This book includes accounts that present the chaos and horror of war and the grim deprivation of the camps and forced marches which so many endured. It contains stories that resound with the spirit, humour and sense of comradeship.
Nightmare at Scapa Flow: The Truth About the Sinking of HMS "Royal Oak"
by H.G. Weaver H.J. WeaverSinking the battleship HMS Royal Oak in the Royal Navy's home anchorage, with the loss of more than 800 of her crew, was Germany's first shattering blow against Britain in the 1939-45 war. Within six weeks the long-standing German dream of breaching the defences of Scapa Flow had been achieved. Germany claimed the sinking for the submarine U-47, commanded by Lt. Gunther Prien. Prien and his crew became instant folk heroes, lauded, interviewed and exploited to extract the maximum glory from their deed. A few months later, Prien's autobiography, "Mein Weg Nach Scapa Flow", was published and sold an astonishing 750,000 copies. However, there are also Royal Oak survivors who, while accepting that their ship was torpedoed, say: 'Prien and his crew can't ever have seen the inside of Scapa Flow because Prien's story is almost totally at variance with the truth.'Four books and dozens of articles have been written on what is now generally accepted as one of the greatest submarine exploits of all time. Yet nobody has managed to sift fact from falsehood and reconcile the apparently irreconcilable German and British stories. The author has interviewed Royal Oak survivors, members of U-47's 1939 crew, Lt. Prien's widow and members of the firm which published his autobiography. His quest for the truth led through England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Orkney, Norway, West Berlin, Cologne, Freiburg and even distant Amman. He has patiently investigated every point of controversy until he was able to set down a documented, definitive account of the Royal Oak naval disaster. It was previously published by Cressrelles Ltd.
The Grand Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919 (A\format Ser.)
by Dan Van Der VatAt Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919, there occurred an event unique in naval history. The German High Seas Fleet, one of the most formidable ever built, was deliberately sent to the bottom of the British Grand Fleet's principal anchorage at Orkney by its own officers and men. This book presents the story of the scuttling of this fleet in Scapa Flow.
Scottish Battles: Scottish Sea Battles
by John SadlerScottish history has been shaped and defined by a series of great battles. John Sadler gives the first full military history of Scotland for many years. From Mons Graupius to Culloden, he shows how terrain and politics shaped the campaigns and decisive engagements we still remember today. Each chapter also features sections on the development of warfare - its tactics, equipment and styles of fighting. For the military historian, Scotland is a fascinating example of how a small country can fight off domination by a far larger neighbour. From Celtic warfare to the feudal host to the professional armies of the eighteenth century, from guerrilla warfare to the pitched battle, from siege to Border Reiver, Scotland is unique in having had almost every major type of warfare taking place within its frontiers. Battles such as Bannockburn, Flodden, and Culloden, have a resonance and impact far beyond Scotland. John Sadler weaves chronicle, narrative, and analysis together in a masterly way, recreating the drama and passion of centuries past.
When I Heard the Bell: The Loss of the Iolaire
by John MacLeodevocative and wholly magnificent'- Roger Hutchison, The Scotsman On 31 December 1918, hours from the first New Year of peace, hundreds of Royal Naval Reservists from the Isle of Lewis poured off successive trains onto the quayside at Kyle of Lochalsh. A chaotic Admiralty had made no adequate arrangements for their safe journey home. Corners were cut, an elderly and recently requisitioned steam-yacht was sent from Stornoway, and that evening HMY Iolaire sailed from Kyle of Lochalsh, grossly overloaded and with life-belts for less than a third of all on board. The Iolaire never made it. At two in the morning, in pitch-black and stormy conditions, she piled onto rocks only yards from the harbour entrance and just half a mile from Stornoway pier, where thronged friends and relatives eagerly awaited the return of their heroes. 205 men drowned, 188 of them natives of Lewis and Harris - men who had come through all the alarms and dangers of the First World War only to die on their own doorstep, at the mouth of a harbour many could themselves have navigated with ease, on a day precious to Highlanders for family, celebration and togetherness. The loss of the Iolaire remains the worst peacetime British disaster at sea since the sinking of the Titanic. Yet, beyond the Western Isles, few have ever heard of what is not only one of the cruellest events in our history but an extraordinary maritime mystery - a tale not only of bureaucrats in a hurry, unfathomable Naval incompetence and abiding, official contempt for the lives of Highlanders, but of individual heroism, astonishing escapes, heart-rending anecdote and the resilience and faith of a remarkable people. In the first English account and on the ninetieth anniversary of the 'dark ship', John MacLeod tells the story of the Iolaire, the astonishing commitment of the people of Lewis to the war against the Kaiser, its sickening end, and the way of life the disaster effectively destroyed - a tipping-point, he argues, in the overthrow of an old human economy and which deprived the Isle of Lewis of an entire generation.
The Pirate Queen: The Life of Grace O'Malley
by Judith CookIn a life stranger than any fiction, Grace O’Malley, daughter of a clan chief in the far west of Ireland, went from marriage at fifteen to piracy on the high seas. She soon had a fleet of galleys under her commander, but her three decades of plundering, kidnapping, murder and mayhem came to a close in 1586, when she was captured and sentenced to hang.Saved from the scaffold by none other than Queen Elizabeth herself – another powerful woman in a man’s world – Grace’s life took another extraordinary turn, when it was rumoured she had become intelligencer for the queen’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. Was this the price of her freedom?Judith Cook explores this and other questions about the life and times of this remarkable woman in a fascinating, thrilling and impeccably researched book.
The Long Way Home: The Other Great Escape
by John McCallumI couldn't stop turning the pages... a great tale with a deep message' George Robertson 'a thrilling escapade' Bournemouth Echo At the age of nineteen, Glasgow-born John McCallum signed up as a Supplementary Reservist in the Signal Corps. A little over a year later, he was in France, working frantically to set up communication lines as Europe once more hurtled towards war. Wounded and captured at Boulogne, he was sent to the notorious Stalag VIIIB prison camp, together with his brother, Jimmy, and friend Joe Harkin. Ingenious and resourceful, the three men set about planning their escape. With the help of Traudl, a local girl, they put their plan into action. In an astonishing coincidence, they passed through the town of Sagan, around which the seventy-six airmen of the Great Escape were being pursued and caught. However, unlike most of these other escapees, John, Jimmy and Joe eventually made it to freedom. Now, due to the declassification of documents under the Official Secrets Act, John McCallum is finally able to tell the thrilling story of his adventure, in which he recaptures all the danger, audacity and romance of one of the most daring escapes of the Second World War.