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War in the Balkans: Conflict and Diplomacy before World War I (International Library of Twentieth Century History)
by James Pettifer Tom BuchananThe history of the Balkans incorporates all the major historical themes of the 20th Century – the rise of nationalism, communism and fascism, state-sponsored genocide and urban warfare. Focusing on the centuries opening decades, War in the Balkans seeks to shed new light on the Balkan Wars through approaching each regional and ethnic conflict as a separate actor, before placing them in a wider context. Although top-down 'Great Powers' historiography is often used to describe the beginnings of the World War I, not enough attention has been paid to the events in the region in the years preceding the Archduke Ferdinand's assassination. The Balkan Wars saw the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the end of the Bulgarian Kingdom (then one of the most powerful military countries in the region), an unprecedented hardening of Serbian nationalism, the swallowing up of Slovenes, Croats and Slovaks in a larger Balkan entity, and thus set in place the pattern of border realignments which would become familiar for much of the twentieth century
Army of the Night: The Life and Death of Jean Moulin, Legend of the French Resistance (Tauris Parke Paperbacks Ser.)
by Patrick MarnhamWho was the enigmatic Jean Moulin, a man as skilled in deception as he was in acts of heroism? The memory of this French Resistance hero, who was betrayed to the Gestapo and tortured to death by Klaus Barbie, the infamous 'Butcher of Lyon', is revered alongside that of other national icons. But Moulin's story is full of unanswered questions and the truth of his life is far more complicated than the legend. Patrick Marnham, winner of the Marsh Prize for biography, thrillingly tells the epic story of France's greatest war hero, bringing to light the shadowy and often deceitful world of the French Resistance and offers a shocking conclusion to one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Second World War
A History of the Royal Navy: Empire and Imperialism (A History of the Royal Navy)
by Daniel Owen SpenceThe Seven Years War (1756-1763) was the first global conflict and became the key factor in creating the British Empire. What started as a tussle between Britain and France over their North American territories escalated into an international maritime war which engulfed the world. This book looks at Britain's maritime strategic, operational and tactical success (and failures), through a wide-ranging history of the Royal Navy's role in the war. By the time the war ended in 1763 Britain was by no means a hegemonic power, but it was the only state capable of sustained global power projection on a global scale. Through the Treaty of Paris, Britain gained much territory, including many of France's colonies in North America (including Canada), Spanish Florida, parts of the Caribbean, Senegal in West Africa and many of France's trading posts in South Asia. Key to Britain's success was political and strategic direction from London, through the war planning of Pitt the Elder and the successful implementation of his policies by a stellar cast of naval and military leaders at an operational and tactical level. Martin Robson highlights the work of some of the key protagonists in the Royal Navy, men such as Admiral Sir Edward Hawke whose moral courage and appreciation of the wider strategic context at Quiberon Bay in 1759 decided the fate of North America and formed one of the most decisive victories in naval history. However he also explores living conditions in the lower decks, providing insights into what life was like for ordinary sailors at this time. Using a variety of sources, documents, images and artefacts, Robson ultimately shows that the creation, containment and expansion of the British Empire was made possible by the exercise of maritime power through the Royal Navy.
Reckless Fellows: The Gentlemen of the Royal Flying Corps
by Edward BujakPalermo – the capital of Sicily – is a destination with a difference. The city is a treasure trove of original monuments and works of art, combined with architecture of grand proportions. Yet it also has a grittier side, shown by the continuing influence of the mafia. Jeremy Dummett here provides a concise overview of Palermo's long history, together with a survey of its most important monuments and sites. He looks at the influences of the city's various ancient rulers – the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Normans – as well as its more recent incarnation as part of the Italian state. In addition to being an essential companion for visitors to Palermo, this book can be equally enjoyed as a standalone history of the city and its place at the heart of Sicily
Opposing the Slavers: The Royal Navy's Campaign Against the Atlantic Slave Trade
by Peter GrindalMuch is known about Britain's role in the Atlantic slave trade during the eighteenth century but few are aware of the sustained campaign against slaving conducted by the Royal Navy after the passing of the Slave Trade Abolition Act of 1807. Peter Grindal provides the definitive account of this little known yet important part of the British, European and American history. Drawing on original sources to provide a comprehensive and engaging narrative of the naval operations against slavers of all nations - in particular Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Brazil, he describes how illegal traders sought to evade treaty obligations, reveals the obduracy of the USA that prolonged the slave trade, and shows how, despite inadequate resources, the Royal navy's sixty-year campaign forced slavers to expend ever greater sums top conduct their business and confront the losses inflicted by capture and condemnation. A work that will transform our understanding of the Royal Navy's campaign against the Atlantic slave trade.'Comprehensively overhauls existing understanding of the Royal Navy's campaign against the Atlantic slave trade' - Professor Andrew Lambert, King's College, London
Palmerston
by Denis JuddBritish Prime Minister Lord Palmerston has enjoyed a rakish reputation as womaniser, careless aristocrat and the apostle of gun-boat diplomacy. His lengthy life linked the American War of Independence with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the colourful Regency period with the era of Queen Victoria, the French Revolution with the birth of the future King George V, the age of Pitt with the days of Gladstone and Disraeli. His political career brought him three times to the Foreign Office and twice to the Premiership. He set out as a dutiful Tory, became the darling of Radicals throughout Europe, and ended his career as 'Old Pam', the personification of British courage and lion-heartedness. But there was more to Palmerston than bluster and patriotism, as Denis Judd so clearly shows in this sympathetic but never uncritical biography. Palmerston was a meticulous and hard-working minister, with hardly enough time for the scandalous personal life with which he is popularly credited. In this book, Judd provides a multifaceted and nuanced life of this Victorian titan
Mission Accomplished?: The Crisis of International Intervention
by Simon JenkinsWhy do politicians send troops to foreign soil, to fight battles they rarely win? Is it old-fashioned imperialism tainted with a crusader complex? Or is the West a partisan for the helpless? The fall of the Soviet Union left the West aimless. With no conflicting dogma to reinforce its sense of justice the West assumed the role of global policeman - aid graduated from charitable to economic and, finally, military. Ideological struggle was replaced by a vague and confused concept of international justice, shrouded in real-politik. Yet scepticism now pervades the interventionist debate. Simon Jenkins traces the rise of 'liberal interventionism' from Kosovo and the 'war on terror' to present day conflicts in Libya, Syria and Ukraine, asking: what can we learn from the miscalculations, mistakes, and mendacity of 'the age of intervention'? As ISIS sweeps through Middle-East, calls for a military solution are increasing. By exposing interventionist rhetoric and highlighting past mistakes, Jenkins gives us an invaluable contribution to the active and essential debate on the West's role in global conflicts.
World War I in Mesopotamia: The British and the Ottomans in Iraq (Library Of Middle East History Ser.)
by Nadia AtiaThe Punjab region of India sent more than 600,000 combatants to assist the British war effort during World War I. Their families back home, thousands of miles from the major scenes of battle, were desperate for war news, and newspapers provided daily reports to keep the local population up-to-date with developments on the Western Front. This book presents the first English-language translations of hundreds of articles published during World War I in the newsapers of the Punjab region. They offer a lens into the anxieties and aspirations of Punjabis, a population that committed resources, food, labour as well as combatants to the British war effort. Amidst a steadily growing field of studies on World War I that examine the effects of the war on colonial populations, War News in India makes a unique and timely contribution.
Foreign Policy in Iran and Saudi Arabia: Economics and Diplomacy in the Middle East (Library Of Modern Middle East Studies)
by Robert MasonSaudi Arabia, with its US alliance and abundance of oil dollars, has a very different economic story to that of Iran, which despite enormous natural gas reserves, has been hit hard by economic, trade, scientific and military sanctions since its 1979 revolution. Robert Mason looks at the effect that economic considerations (such as oil, gas, sanctions, trade and investment) have had on foreign policy decision-making processes and diplomatic activities. By examining the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran towards each other, and towards the wider Middle East and beyond, Mason seeks to highlight how oil policy, including oil production, pricing and security of supply and demand, is the paramount economic factor which drives the diplomacy and rivalry of these two pivotal regional powers. His book thus offers vital analysis for researchers of international relations in the Middle East and the processes involved in the formation of foreign policy.
The Eagle in Splendour: Inside the Court of Napoleon
by Philip ManselThe court of Napoleon I, in its grandeur and extravagance, surpassed even that of that the Sun King. Napoleon's palaces at Saint-Cloud and the Tuileries were the centres of his power, the dazzling reflection of the greatest empire in modern European history.Napoleon's military conquests changed the world and dominate most portraits of him, but it was through the splendour of his court - a world fashioned beyond the battlefield - that Napoleon governed his empire. Using the unpublished papers of the Emperor's leading courtiers, and his second Empress Marie Louise, Philip Mansel brings to life the intoxicated world of a court 'devoured by ambition' as Stendhal called it : its visual magnificence and rigid hierarchy; mistresses, artists and manipulators. The life of the court illuminates the life of Napoleon himself and the nature of a personality that conquered half the world yet, in the end, was abandoned by his dynasty and his courtiers, his past glories fading into lonely and ignominious exile.
US Foreign Policy and the Gulf Wars: Decision-making and International Relations (Library of International Relations)
by Ahmed Ijaz MalikThe US-led coalition which launched an invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003 led to a decade-long military presence in the country. In the run-up to that invasion, many comparisons were made with the 1991 Gulf War. Ahmed Ijaz Malik takes these two instances of military intervention by Republican US governments to highlight how the official discourse of leaders and decision-makers has an impact on foreign policy and its results. By taking these two examples, he examines how discourse affects real events, and the extent to which the legacy of the Cold War has influenced the decisions which are made at the upper echelons of the US government. US Foreign Policy and the Gulf Wars critically analyses the post-Cold War liberal cosmopolitan and realist discourses related to these two instances of US military intervention. Using an approach which Malik labels 'critical realism', this book examines the ways in which discourses often act as ideological covers for material interests, whilst still not holding a deterministic view whereby these interests alone shape policies. From this perspective, this book assesses the themes of 'Just War', humanitarianism and cosmopolitanism. It furthermore uses the approach of 'critical realism' to engage with a variety of arguments on the emerging role of the US – as they were displayed in academic discourses and other intellectual contributions around each of the 1991 and 2003 wars.Malik relates these discussions to an analysis of the official discourses, documents and policies displayed prior to the 1991 and 2003 wars, as well as to an examination of the resulting actual conduct. Since the implications of the US military presence in the Middle East are so central to the study of International Relations and Security Studies, this book will be invaluable for specialists in these disciplines, as well as for those interested in policy formation and the wider Middle East.
Aftermath: The Makers of the Postwar World
by Richard CrowderIn a single decade, between 1940 and 1950, the old world order collapsed, and a new one was created. Old Europeanempires – France, Germany and the United Kingdom – receded, replaced by two new superpowers: the Soviet Unionand the United States. This shift in power was accompanied by efforts to create a new form of diplomacy: internationalism, working through multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, the IMF and the European Coal and Steel Community. New concepts emerged, like human rights and decolonisation. But there were darker shadows too, cast by the onset of the ColdWar: the failure to establish international controls on atomic energy, or the growth of the national security state and modernintelligence apparatus. Idealism and old fashioned power politics evolved into an uneasy cohabitation.
Oil and American Identity: A Culture of Dependency and US Foreign Policy (Library of Ottoman Studies)
by Sebastian HerbstreuthAmerican dependence on foreign oil has long been described as a serious threat to U.S. national security, and continues to be a political flashpoint even as domestic fracking eases the US' reliance on imported energy. Oil and American Identity offers a fresh perspective on the subject by reframing 'energy dependency' as a cultural discourse with intimate connections to American views on independence, freedom, consumption, abundance, progress and American exceptionalism. Through a detailed reading of primary literature, Sebastian Herbstreuth also shows how the dangers of foreign oil are linked to American descriptions of foreign oil producers as culturally different und thus 'undependable'. Herbstreuth shows how even reliable imports from the Middle East are portrayed as dangerous and undesirable because this region is particularly 'foreign' from an American point of view, while oil from friendly countries like Canada is cast as a benign form of energy trade. Oil and American Identity rewrites the history of U.S. foreign oil dependence as a cultural history of the United States in the 20th century.
Mussolini's Greek Island: Fascism and the Italian Occupation of Syros in World War II (International Library of War Studies)
by Sheila LecoeurA powerful and unique study of the realities and long-term impact of occupation, Mussolini's Greek Island reveals the Italian dictator's imperial vision, the mechanisms of Italian occupation and its tragic consequences. The small island of Syros is a vital entry-point illuminating Italian imperialism - its ethos, fascist connection, pretension and administrative achievements, marred by famine. Here Lecoeur examines the devastating effects of war and occupation on the local community - starvation, corruption and survival - and, drawing on local archives and interviews with survivors, offers new insight into this crucial but little known episode. Enriching our understanding of Mussolini's hegemonic visions and the mechanisms of occupation, a key issue of our times, this path-breaking book will appeal to scholars of fascism, World War II and military occupation in general.
Colonial Kenya Observed: British Rule, Mau Mau and the Wind of Change
by S. H. FazanThe coast of East Africa was considered a strategically invaluable region for the establishment of trading ports, both for Arab and Persian merchants, long prior to invasion and conquest by Europeans. In the initial stages of the scramble for Africa in the 18th century, control of the area was an aspiration for every colonial nation in Europe – but it was not until 1895 that it was finally dominated by a sole power and proclaimed The Protectorate of British East Africa. In the early 20th century, the coast was brimming with vitality as immigrants, colonisers and missionaries from Arabia, India and Europe poured in to take advantage of growing commercial opportunities – including the prospect of enslaving millions of native Africans. The development of Kenya is an exceptional tale within the history of British rule – in perhaps no other colony did nationalistic feeling evolve in conditions of such extensive social and political change. In 1911, S.H. Fazan sailed to what later became the Republic of Kenya to work for the colonial government. Immersing himself in knowledge of traditional language and law, he recorded the vast changes to local culture that he encountered after decades of working with both the British administration and the Kenyan people. This work charts the sweeping tide of social change that occurred through his career with the clarity and insight that comes with a total intimacy of a country. His memoirs examine the fascinating complexity of interaction between the colonial and native courts, commercial land reform and the revolutionised dynamic of labour relations. By further unearthing the political tensions that climaxed with the Mau Mau Revolt of 1952-1960, this invaluable work on the European colonial period paints a comprehensive and revealing firsthand account for anyone with an interest in British and African history. Fazan's story provides a quite unparalleled view of colonial Africa and the conduct of Empire across half a century.
An Imperial Crisis in British India: The Manipur Uprising of 1891 (International Library of Colonial History #20150703)
by Caroline KeenIn 1891 a major anti-British revolt erupted in the northeast Indian princely state of Manipur after a dangerously miscalculated attempt by the Government of India to assert its authority in the wake of a palace coup. Following the murder of a number of senior officers, a substantial British force descended upon the state to restore order and to bring the prime culprits to a questionable justice, generating widespread condemnation in England. The Manipur Uprising and its aftermath showed the fragility of indirect rule in India and British underestimation of native loyalty to princely rule. With fresh archival research and contemporary reports, Caroline Keen here provides a compelling account of erratic imperial policy-making at the highest level.
Advertising and Propaganda in World War II: Cultural Identity and the Blitz Spirit (International Library of Twentieth Century History)
by David ClampinThe 'blitz' – the period of Nazi bombing campaigns on civilian Britain during World War II - was a formative period for British national identity. In this groundbreaking book, David Clampin looks at the images, slogans and campaigns which helped to form the fabled 'blitz spirit' – powerfully echoed in Winston Churchill's speeches. Because advertisers attempted to capitalise on war-time patriotism, Clampin's unique focus on advertising provides a visually-rich seam of new information on the everyday war, and makes an enormous contribution to the debate on people's experiences of war and nationalism. Using a remarkable and hitherto unseen range of primary source material - advertisements in the press, slogans and posters - this work will reshape the contested meanings of the 'Home Front', opening up cultural history discourses on gender and nationalism and becoming essential reading for historians of World War II and students and scholars of Media Studies and Communication Studies.
The Rise of Women's Transnational Activism: Identity and Sisterhood Between the World Wars (International Library of Twentieth Century History #Vol. 36)
by Marie SandellWhat characterised women's international co-operation in the interwar period? How did female activists from different countries and continents relate to one another? Marie Sandell here explores the changing experiences of women involved in the major international women's organisations - including the International Council of Women, International Alliance of Women, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and the International Federation of University Women - as well as the changing compositions and aims of the organisations themselves. Moving beyond an Anglo-American focus, Sandell analyses what the term 'international sisterhood' meant in this broader context, which for the first time included women from the beyond the Western world. Focusing on shifting identities, this book investigates how notions of 'sisterhood' were played out, and contested, during the interwar period and will be invaluable reading for scholars of women's history and twentieth-century world history.
Between Tel Aviv and Moscow: A Life of Dissent and Exile in Mandate Palestine and the Soviet Union
by Leah Trachtman-PalchanLeah Trachtman-Palchan was an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life. This was a life of migration, dissent, exile and survival. Born in the final years of Tsarist Russia, her family was forced to leave their small town following the repeated pogroms of the Civil War era. A two year voyage followed, bringing them all to British Mandate Palestine in 1921. Here what seems like a typical Jewish story of migration from Eastern Europe in the early twentieth century took an unexpected turn. As a teenager, Leah joined the Communist movement in Palestine – illegal under the British Mandate. She was arrested, imprisoned and eventually deported by the British to the Soviet Union. This memoir is filled with colourful, and sometimes harrowing, sketches of the people who passed through her life during the era of Stalin's Great Purges and the evacuation of factories to Siberia during World War II. Shedding new light on both Mandate Palestine and the Jewish experience in Soviet Moscow, this book reveals the remarkable story of a woman living through some of the most pivotal events of twentieth-century history.
Churchill and the Islamic World: Orientalism, Empire and Diplomacy in the Middle East
by Warren DockterWinston Churchill was the greatest statesman of the twentieth century, yet he began his career as a colonial policeman in the North-West borderlands of India, and this experience was the beginning of his long relationship with the Islamic world. Overturning the widely-accepted consensus that Churchill was indifferent to, and even contemptuous of, matters concerning the Middle East, this book unravels Churchill's nuanced understanding of the edges of the British Empire. Warren Dockter analyses the future Prime Minister's experiences of the East, including his work as Colonial Under-Secretary in the early 1900s, his relations with the Ottomans and conduct during the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915-16, his arguments with David Lloyd-George over Turkey, and his pragmatic support of Syria and Saudi Arabia during World War II. Challenging the popular depiction of Churchill as an ignorant imperialist when it came to the Middle East, Dockter suggests that his policy making was often progressive when compared to the orientalist prejudices of many of his contemporaries. Above all, the book shows how Churchill left a lasting legacy in the region, which continues to be felt in Middle Eastern politics and British policy today.
London Was Ours: Diaries and Memoirs of the London Blitz (International Library Of Twentieth Century History Ser.)
by Amy Helen BellFor the nine months of the Blitz, London was subjected to a brutal and indiscriminate bombing campaign, aimed for the first time in history at shattering the resolve of a nation. The Nazi raids on night-time London provide some of the defining narratives of World War II: the 'blitz spirit', air raid shelters in Underground stations and all the horrifying reality of one of the world's most powerful and historic cities under violent attack. This book tells the epic story of a London under siege through the voices of those that lived it. Amy Helen Bell here uncovers the personal stories of hundreds of Londoners from all walks of life, who scribbled in diaries and notebooks from inside air raid shelters and bombed-out houses to record their experiences of the Blitz. Expertly weaving these together, drawing out themes of loss, courage and love, what emerges is a thoughtfully argued and beautifully composed commentary on Britain's collective memory of one of the great conflicts of modern times. By letting the warmth, despair and hope of these personal recollections speak, London Was Ours becomes a collective testament to the resilience of a people and a meditation on the nature of a nation's history. 'Original, insightful and engagingly written…this enlightening and frequently moving book is a truly popular history of "The People's War".'Andrew Davies, Journal of Urban History
Innovation and Empire in Turkey: Sultan Selim III and the Modernisation of the Ottoman Navy (Library Of Ottoman Studies)
by Tuncay ZorluOttoman naval technology underwent a transformation under the rule of Sultan Selim III. New types of sailing warships such as two- and three-decked galleons, frigates and corvettes began to dominate the Ottoman fleet, rendering the galley-type oared ships obsolete. This period saw technological innovations such as the adoption of the systematic copper sheathing of the hulls and bottoms of Ottoman warships from 1792-93 onwards and the construction of the first dry dock in the Golden Horn. The changing face of the Ottoman Navy was facilitated by the influence of the British, Swedish and French in modernising both the shipbuilding sector and the conduct of naval warfare. Through such measures as training Ottoman shipbuilders, heavy reliance on help from foreign powers gave way to a new trajectory of modernization. Using this evidence Zorlu argues that although the Ottoman Empire was a major and modern independent power in this period, some technological dependence on Europe remained.'A valuable and well researched study… Zorlu ably surveys and analyses the developments which took place in Ottoman shipbuilding technology in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.' - Colin Heywood, University of Hull
Dreadnought: The Ship that Changed the World
by Roger ParkinsonThe years before World War I were the 'Age of the Dreadnought'. The monumental battleship design, first introduced by Admiral Fisher to the Royal Navy in 1906, was quickly adopted around the world and led to a new era of maritime warfare. In this book, Roger Parkinson provides a re-writing of the naval history of Britain and the other leading naval powers - Germany, America and Japan - from the 1880s to the early years of World War I. He shows how the dreadnought enabled the Royal Navy to develop from being primarily the navy of the 'Pax Britannica' in the Victorian era to being a war-ready fighting force in the early years of the twentieth century. The ensuing era of intensifying naval competition rapidly became a full-blooded naval arms race, leading to the development of super-dreadnoughts and escalating tensions between the European powers. Providing a truly international perspective on the dreadnought phenomenon, this book will be essential reading for all naval history enthusiasts and anyone interested in World War I.
The Secret World: Behind the Curtain of British Intelligence in World War II and the Cold War
by Hugh Trevor-RoperDuring World War II, Britain enjoyed spectacular success in the secret war between hostile intelligence services, enabling a substantial and successful expansion of British counter-espionage which continued to grow in the Cold War era. Hugh Trevor-Roper's experiences working in the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) during the war left a profound impression on him and he later observed the world of intelligence with particular discernment. To Trevor-Roper, who was always interested in the historical dimension of the present and was fully alive to the historical significance of the era in which he lived, the subjects of wartime intelligence and the complex espionage networks that developed in the Cold War period were as worthy of profound investigation and reflection as events from the more-distant past. Expressing his observations through some of his most ironic and entertaining correspondence, articles and reviews, Trevor-Roper wrote vividly about some of the greatest intelligence characters of the age – from Kim Philby and Michael Straight to the Germans Admiral Canaris and Otto John. The coherence, depth and historical vision which unites these writings can only be glimpsed when they are brought together from the scattered publications in which they appeared, and when read beside his unpublished, private reflections. The Secret World unites Trevor-Roper's writings on the subject of intelligence – including the full text of The Philby Affair and some of his personal letters to leading figures. Based on original material and extensive supplementary research by E.D.R Harrison, this book is a sharp, revealing and personal first-hand account of the intelligence world in World War II and the Cold War.
Beatson's Mutiny: The Turbulent Career of a Victorian Soldier
by Richard StevensonOver a long and varied career, Major-General William Beatson earned a fine reputation as a leader of irregular cavalry in the nineteenth century. He trained many future commanders of the Victorian army, saw action in Spain and British India, and rode with the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava. But tasked with disciplining the Turkish Bashi-Bazouks during the Crimean War, his character flaws led him into conflict with politicians and diplomats running the war, who accused him of inciting mutiny. Parliament, newspapers and the law courts then became his chosen battlefields as he fought to clear his name and return to duty. By bringing Beatson's life and career into sharper focus, Richard Stevenson connects wide-ranging themes in Victorian military and imperial history in a fresh and accessible way.