Book Description
Submarines had a vital, if often unheralded, role in the superpower navies during the Cold War. Their crews carried out intelligence-collection operations, sought out and stood ready to destroy opposing submarines, and, from the early 1960s, threatened missile attacks on their adversary’s homeland, providing in many respects the most survivable nuclear deterrent of the Cold War. For both East and West, the modern submarine originated in German U-boat designs obtained at the end of World War II. Although enjoying a similar technology base, by the 1990s the superpowers had created submarine fleets of radically different designs and capabilities. Written in collaboration with the former Soviet submarine design bureaus, Norman Polmar and K. J. Moore authoritatively demonstrate in this landmark study how differing submarine missions, antisubmarine priorities, levels of technical competence, and approaches to submarine design organizations and management caused the divergence.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book.......2007-08-14
I sought a book with a serious overview of the topic of Cold War submarines, and not a book about one or another aspect of the topic. I ended up with a book that contains both an excellent overview as well as serious discussion of specific submarines, strategies, technologies and the men behind the scenes.
The story is well placed within the historical context of the political, military and economical events and processes of the Cold War. The text is well written and well structured.
Especially fascinating is the look behind the scenes of Soviet submarine design, construction and operations - those were among the best-kept secrets of the Soviet Union.
Besides dealing with "main stream" submarines, there are several interesting chapters about different experimental projects; rescue submarines and several fantasy projects, like freight vessels and aircraft carrying submarines.
Although the story is focused on the Cold War period, there is a detailed discussion of WWII technology that highly influenced Cold War designs, as well as descriptions of post Cold War vessels and fleets.
The book is well illustrated with photographs and line drawings.
Great book.......2007-03-16
Not as many actual pix of subs as most books but it is very well written and also dabbles into the politics and design that went on with each new design of submarine. Nice charts and missile specs and things like that. Goes into greater detail of the US boats more than Soviet.
Absolutely The Best.......2007-02-13
I was somewhat skeptical of this book when I saw nothing but 5 star reviews from purchasers of the title. However, having read it, this is THE Cold War submarine reference. It contains insights not only into the technologies deployed, but the rational (or in some cases the Irrational) that led to the development of the mysterious technological marvels we could only speculate on during the cold war. The authors clearly show both American and Soviet perspectives on the cold war submarine development. I found the information regarding the CONFORM design on 1967 to be of particular interest. Rickover's insistence on developing the 688 class killed CONFORM. Yet CONFORM was 40 years ahead of anything available at that time. It is interesting that the 688's were far more fragile than one might imagine. Yet Rickover insisted on having his way. Where would we be had the CONFORM design gone through?? This book is absolutely the best material that I have read to date on cold war submarines.
A very balanced overview.......2006-12-03
I knew about a Polmar from reading references in some papers, so I finally decided to give a try. I wasn't disappointed. There were lots of technical details giving an overview. Better yet, it is a balanced account - by no means are Americans portrayed as all powerful.
If there were two things it can be improved on - well, one would be the placement of the endnotes. It is a matter of taste, but considering how many there were and how interesting they were, it might have been more convenient to have put them at the bottom of the main text as footnotes for each page.
The second is that I would have killed for a chapter or two on "other than the equipment". Subs are not just their designers, their admirals and the technicals - it is also the men, their organization and their training. Polmar briefly goes over the differences, but it could have been given a full chapter or at least an Appendix if extra efficiency measures were applied to the pre-Cold War history stuff.
Now, I'm going to buy another Polmar book that would hopefully fill up the gap. Wish me luck.
Covers Much More than the Title indicates.......2006-03-10
I thoroughly agree with Mr. Dougherty's enthusiastic reader review. The authors have put together a virtual encyclopedia on modern sub design and construction with real insight into what the subs were intended to do, and how some politicians and bureaucrats sabotaged the projects. I found particularly illuminating how each side of the Soviet-US conflict used the records and existing prototypes of Nazi Germany's U-Boat experiments. Baker's line drawings and diagrams are quite helpful in visualizing the boats, as are the ample photos of the real subs and scale models. This is a book to which I will return again and again whenever there is some news item about
undersea naval competition.
Book Description
The Tiger and King Tiger tanks gained legendary status during World War II. Numerous tank commanders attained phenomenal tallies of kills and accomplished extraordinary feats during combat in these tanks, building the legend to near mythic proportions after the war.
During WWII, the Germans created eleven Army and three Waffen-SS heavy tank battalions. These heavy tank battalions were employed in nearly every part of Europe against almost every enemy of Germany. As vast in breadth and scope as the employment of Tiger battalions themselves, Sledgehammers provides historical examples and analysis of heavy tank battalions' actions in North Africa, Normandy, Italy, the Ardennes Offensive, and numerous battles on the Eastern Front including Operation ZITADELLE/the Battle of Kursk, Operation BAGRATION, the battle of the Cherkassy Pocket, late war attacks to relieve Budapest, and many other more minor engagements.
Although a great deal has already been published about Tiger tanks' technical details and some of the units which used them, until now, very little has been written concerning the organization and tactical employment of these tanks throughout the German armed forces and across the theaters in which they were employed. Sledgehammers provides an in-depth look at heavy tank battalions' organizations and tactics, including the tactical doctrine by which these elite units were supposed to fight and how they were actually employed on the battlefield by their commanders and crews.
Even given the Tiger's reputation, many readers will be amazed by the fearsome casualties inflicted by the crews of many of these behemoth armored vehicles. It is safe to say that no other armored vehicle of the war wreaked as much havoc among enemy formations as Tigers. Many will, however, also find it equally stunning to learn of the Tigers' many technical and tactical vulnerabilities. Through the systematic use of extremely detailed primary source and other impeccably reliable research, Sledgehammers demolishes several major myths about Tigers in World War II.
Meticulously researched and written with the perspective and respect for Tigers' crews that only a professional tanker can bring to the subject, Sledgehammers synthesizes information to provide new and definitive insights into the strengths and flaws of World War II's most feared and legendary tanks.
Prologue by famed Tiger ace Otto Carius. Epilogue by Tiger killers Viktor Iskrov and Ray Holt.
35 original maps. 42 photos.
Customer Reviews:
Operational Analysis of Tigers........2007-01-09
This book features operational analysis of Tiger battalions. I was surprised to find concise maps of each operation in this book. While I am still reading it, I felt a brief positive review was in order.
sledgehammers: strengths & flaws of tiger battalions.......2006-08-03
great book, this is second one i got. first one i lost after barely reading it. love it. good stories about how individual units lived & fought
Fasinating reading.......2006-07-22
This book is a study of the German Tiger tanks. The writer starts with a brief summary of the early history of the tigers. Then goes on and discusses many battles that had the tigers. He then presents his conclusions that they were are great tank but the Germans never developed a proper military doctrinal guidance that could have used them. As such they were used mainly as tank killers. In this I think he makes a strong case.
However I am not sure that he has proven his case that the tigers were that much better tank killers compared to other German tanks. For example, I have read of some Panthers devastating Allied tanks too in figures equal to what he quotes of Tigers. Overall in both fronts for different reasons the Germans tanks tended to do better.
In the west the Allied tanks were deficient compared to German tanks in armour, mobility and armament. This can be seen as in August in Normandy the Germans had about 1,400 various tanks while the Allies had about 6,000. The Allies losses in tanks were about 3:1. Then put in all the allied air and artillery and you get a feel of the problem.
The Russian figures are disputed with wide range but its clear that overall the Germans lost far fewer tanks then the Russians. The Russian loss ratio is probably higher then the West.
Its an interesting question considering the high cost of the Tiger weapon system. Which the writer does discuss.
Overall the tiger, I wish had more description. The battles are well discussed. The maps are extremely good. I hope that other historians that use this book copy him in producing such maps. The book is certainly worth reading if you are interested in this subject.
Steve thinks that ..........2006-03-06
Very careful in the historical documentation. Very sharp in the critical assesment of the tactical doctrine underlying the battlefield deployement of the Tigers.
As advertised.......2006-01-12
This book is exactly what the title says it is. Very concise. Doesn't get bogged down in minutia. After reading it, I was amazed at just what was accomplished with these tanks. From other sources, I knew that Tigers and Tiger II's had maintenance problems. In no way did I realize just how extensive these problems were until reading this. Start the day with 45 operational tanks. Drive them 10 miles down a road, and have 6 tanks able to fight. But then attain a 10+ plus kill ration.
The author presents all this information very objectively, which is something I also appreciate.
Book Description
This brief history of the car bomb traces the political development of this most influential weapon of terror and resistance.
On a September day in 1920, an angry Italian anarchist named Mario Buda exploded a horse-drawn wagon filled with dynamite and iron scrap near New York's Wall Street, killing 40 people. Since Buda's prototype the car bomb has evolved into a "poor man's air force," a generic weapon of mass destruction that now craters cities from Bombay to Oklahoma City. In this gripping and disturbing history, Mike Davis traces its worldwide use and development, in the process exposing the role of state intelligence agencies—particularly those of the United States, Israel, India, and Pakistan—in globalizing urban terrorist techniques. Davis argues that it is the incessant impact of car bombs, rather than the more apocalyptic threats of nuclear or bio-terrorism, that is changing cities and urban lifestyles, as privileged centers of power increasingly surround themselves with "rings of steel" against a weapon that nevertheless seems impossible to defeat.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, too bad its so biased.......2007-06-23
Car bombs are an interesting topic, especially recently. But they have made headlines for almost the last hundred years. From New York to Oklahoma City to Lebanon, Afghanistan, Israel and Iraq. It should have been a fascinating history and it would have been had the author not decided that he had to inject his personal political and petty hatreds into the topic. After recounting many car bombings, the book then descends into a diatribe against the American and British governments, claiming that the CIA personally is responsible not only for car-bombings in Lebanon and Afghanistan, but that the CIA trained all the people who then went on to influence all those who now do car bombings elsewhere. This is pretty far fetched. Where was the CIA in 1920?
This is like all those books that have as their central thesis a claim that every problem in the world must be the fault of America. But it was Afghan insurgents who detonated the car bombs when fighting the Soviets. It was "Casey's hirelings". Imagine if this book had just been written about car bombs, about their use, their influence, their affect, their death tolls and most interesting, their technological development. That would have been interesting. Oddly enough the terrorists who have masterminded car-bombing campaigns in Iraq and caused thousands of casualties don't come in for the criticism of the CIA, and that is because of bias, rather than honesty. If the author abhored death in general then blame would be equally spread and castigation and high minded language and abuse hurled at all those who blow up civilians, rather than pretending that all car bombing in the world was developed by the CIA and Bill Casey.
A simplistic and biased book, a true tragedy for ruining an interesting subject. Its almost as if it was written first with the idea of 'how can we blame America' and only secondly with the attempt to find a subject that might fit and a bunch of accusations that are unsubstantiated and grossly fabricated.
Seth J. Frantzman
It's Hard to Ignore A Bomb.......2007-06-23
The feature of Mike Davis' books that I have always liked the most is the way in which he digests and synthesizes scholarly works into his commentary to make his points without bogging the reader down in endless detail. This book however lacks this feature, unfortunately. What Davis has done here instead is survey the principle literature of the many asymmetrical warfare scenarios that have played out during the past hundred years and explain how each generation of freedom-fighters/revolutionaries/terrorists have used explosives to wear down their opponents and promote a condition of uncertainty, discontent and terror thereby.
Davis begins with the story of Mario Buda an Italian anarchist who set off a horse wagon filled with dynamite on Wall Street in NYC in 1920, killing 40 and wounding many more, in retaliation for the arrest of Sacco and Vanzetti for a robbery and murder in Boston.
And here is where his scholarly manner fails him. Davis says that some time later in the 1930's after Buda has escaped America undetected and returned to his native Italy, that "Buda basked unmolested in the sunshine of his native Romagna (where he supposedly switched camps and became a spy for Mussolini).." [Page 11] Davis amazingly gives no citation for this claim, leaving the reader to wonder if Buda was merely a bloodyminded hothead or a sociopathic terrorist for hire. As the saying goes, extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and in this case Davis neglects his usual scholarly habit.
So what exactly is it about car bombs that make them such an attractive weapon for terrorists? "Car bombs are loud," says Davis, "in every sense. In addition to their specific operational functions (killing enemies, disrupting daily life, generating unsustainable economic costs, and so on), such explosions are usually advertisements for a cause, leader, or abstract principle...In contrast to other forms of political propaganda, from graffiti on walls to individual assassinations, their occurrence is almost impossible to deny or censor. This certainty of being heard by the world, even in a highly authoritarian or isolated setting is a major attraction to potencial bombers." [Page 9]
Davis makes this book a geo-political historical survey of the effects of car bombs in various wars of independence, terror campaigns, uprisings, revolutions, as well as in criminal acts and senseless murders since Buda's wagon bomb in 1920. [Pages 189-195] Davis almost makes me conclude that whatever the horror and carnage that they create, terror bombings will only increase in number, deadliness and frequency in the coming years, as the media-fication of the global village and dramatic acts of terror are simply made for each other. [Page 153]
I would however limit my recommendation to readers that can stomach endless descriptions of death and injury to innocent people that Davis serves up here though.
A major disappointment.......2007-05-04
I picked up this book when I saw the title. I thought to myself "This is a good idea for a book. Why didn't I think of that?" I read no further; I simply bought it under the assumption that if someone had managed to come up with a good idea for a book they must have done a good job on it as well.
I was mistaken about the good job part.
This book repeats unfounded and self-serving statements while making assertions it cannot back up. Why? Well, because that's the only way you can write a book blaming the use of car bombs on the U.S.
In reading Davis' book you get the distinct impression that Buda invented the car bomb but it was the CIA who perfected it and put it into "mass production," so to speak. Also the author asserts with no documentary proof (propaganda film notwithstanding) that the British government was responsible for a spate of car bomb attacks in Ireland and NOT Protestant terrorists as is commonly believed. His evidence? The attacks were "sophisticated." The author does not explain what sophistication he is talking about. If you are going to enter in a conspiracy theory such as this you ought to be able to explain your only piece of evidence.
While discussing Iraq (and let's face it, what other reason would there be for doing a book on this topic at this time?) the author displays considerable lack of interest in the methods employed by terrorists in using car bombs. The are car bombs that are remotely detonated, ones that are detonated with timers, others that employ suicide bombers and are "self-initiated," car bombs that employ drivers who have been forced to drive (lest their family be murdered), and car bombs that have unsuspecting drivers who are pro-insurgent but have not been told they are on a one-way trip. While these distinctions may not make a difference to Davis they are relevent to the story as different tactics reflect weaknesses and problems from the bombers point of view. Nor is there any discussion of the methods such as curfews that have limited the effectiveness of car bombs.
I spent 2005 in Iraq and I am somewhat familiar with this topic. I get the distinct impression that Mr. Davis did not attempt to get in contact with the U.S. Army, which in turn would have gotten him in contact with the VBIED task force combatting this scourge. Then again, if he "cooperated" with the U.S. military he might be "compromised" as working with the "Occupation."
I do not wish to give the impression that this book is totally useless. I find some of the statistical information to be interesting and should someone else decide to do a REAL book on car bombs they might find this a helpful outline. However, my advice to you, if you are desperate for entertainment and have only this book to fulfill that role, is to read it until you come across the phrase "Dirty War" used to describe the government forces' efforts to combat terrorism and to yell "bingo" at each instance. If you don't get put away for making a public spectacle of yourself you just might manage to pass the time away.
A HISTORY AND A WARNING.......2007-04-23
Mike Davis writes books that are difficult to read: he takes on subjects nobody else will touch and analyzes them with an unrelenting, scientific eye (see his recent Planet of Slums). The history of car bombing--like the startling rise of urban slums--is not a pleasant thesis. One reviewer on this site stated that car bombing is a "good topic for a `microhistory' (like the ones that are about wood, coal, salt, etc.)". But I can hardly recommend BUDA'S WAGON to a reader merely because they enjoyed Kurlansky's SALT or McPhee's ORANGES. Rather this is the sort of work you give to a dear friend with the caveat "It will make you sick to your stomach, furious, and terrified for your children's future." Professor Davis' political affiliations have nothing to do with this work. He is more misanthrope than "lefty." There are no heroes in the despicable annals of car bombing. Davis points out over and over again how bombers (from the Stern Gang in pre-Israel Palestine to Casey's operatives in Lebanon to Iraqi "insurgents") almost ALWAYS go after civilian targets--usually women and children. The purpose of the car bomb is to rip out the souls of one's enemy. They are absurdly cheap to make (the blast power of a $5,000 car bomb is often superior to a million dollar ballistic missile). They are incredibly effective (Ronald Reagan pulling us out of Beirut after the Marine barrack bombing; UN forces leaving Iraq). And a few well-placed bombs can create economic catastrophe (e.g. the IRA bombings of London's financial center in the early nineties causing billions of dollars in damage). I pray this book is not a prescient glimpse into a grim future for America. I hope specialists in the FBI and CIA as well as Homeland Security have well-read copies of Davis' work sitting on their desks. And every time you read about a new car bombing in Iraq (nearly every day now) you, dear reader, will think of this joyless yet important book.
Great topic...flawed perspective.......2007-04-06
The car bomb is a good topic for a "microhistory" (like the ones that are about wood, coal, salt, the warhorse, etc). The problem with this book is that it is written from a decidedly left wing sentiment. One clue is that the single endorsement on the back is written by John Pilger, an Australian journalist who is vehemently (which is an understatement) anti-US, anti-British, anti-Australian (you get the idea). It would be a bit like seeing an endorsement by Ann Coulter on a history of the Clinton Presidency (a good warning sign about what the tone is going to be)>
The book is well-documented, but in the sections that discuss possible links to the CIA and this particular weapon, I for one got very tired of expressions like "Casey's hirelings" (referring to the late CIA director) and the obvious sense of disgust that the author had for anyone who might work in the intelligence field.
Book Description
Today aircraft combat survivability is now an established design discipline for U.S. military aircraft. More importantly survivability is now an essential part of the U.S. Department of Defense acquisition process. Furthermore, improving public health, safety, and survivability is now woven throughout the civil and commercial sector. From infant car seats to the design of aircraft cargo bay structures that can withstand internal bomb blasts, the government is taking the lead in establishing survivability standards.
Approximately 10,000 copies of the first edition were sold in five printings. It remains the only book of its kind and is required reading for anyone involved in design of air combat vehicles.
The extensively illustrated second edition of the textbook presents the fundamentals of the aircraft combat survivability design discipline as defined by the DoD military standards and acquisition processes. It provides the history of, the concepts for, the assessment methodology, and the design technology for combat survivability analysis and design of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, UAVs, and missiles. Each chapter specifies learning objectives; stresses important points; and includes notes, references, bibliography, and questions.
The Fundamentals of Aircraft Combat Survivability: Analysis and Design on CD-ROM is included with your purchase of the hardcover. The CD-ROM gives you the portability and searchability that you need in your busy environment. It is considerably smaller and lighter than the textbook so it is available when you are away from the office or traveling. It can also be searched to quickly locate a particular word or phrase.
Professors! To receive your solutions manual, e-mail your request and full address to custserv@aiaa.org.
Book Description
Hard cover, large format (9"x12"), 650 pages, approximately 200 pages of text, 50 diagrams, 40 pages of color artwork and more than 700 photos, most of which are previously unpublished and a great many of which deal with the Ferdinand and the Jagdpanther. If you enjoyed Münch's previous work on sPJA 653, you'll love this one. The complete battle diaries of the battalion are provided and complement the text which covers the unit from its formation through its receipt of the Ferdinand and its fighting at Kursk and, later, the Jagdpanther and its employment in the West. More great Ferdinand photos and, if you're tired of seeing the same old photos of the Jagdpanther, this book will be especially enjoyable for you. There are at least 100 photos of the rare beast, of which about 90% are previously unpublished.
Customer Reviews:
Very interesting book for modelers and historians.......2007-06-27
I have not yet finished reading this book,but I have allready spend a lot of hours studying the huge amound of pictures concerning this unit and her vehicles and reading about her history.
Early war pictures with "doorknocker" 37mm AT gun, Ferdinand and Jagdpanther. This book is a musthave for everyone interested in WW2, modelers, and armoured vehicle enthousiasts.
And the stories and pictures of the men who served in it make it extra worth buying.
Combat History of the 654th Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung.......2007-01-11
Another Fedorowicz gem, nicelly put together! Karlheinz Munch does not disappoint. The photos in this massive 650 page book are great, some 700 of them, plus color plates.
You can follow the unit in different operations on day by day acounts, as well as unit history . A good book for historic and armor enthusiats This book is a welcome addition to my Library.
654 Schwere Panzerjager .......2006-11-06
this book is about as detailed as anyone could expect and covers the unit in great depth - well worth getting though the price of it seems to vary a lot from one supplier to the next
WORTH EVERY DIME, OUTSTANDING REFERENCE!.......2006-10-11
Five stars isn't enough for this mammoth book. If you're an enthusiast of German armor, this is a must-have volume. It's huge, filled with fantastic photos, veterans' first-hand reports, combat reports, you name it, it's in here. Worth every nickel!
Combat History of the 654th Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung.......2005-08-31
Great book,the follow up book to 653th Schwere Panzer battalion by the same author,packed with rare and never seen before photos,over 500 pages,700 photos,30 odd pages of brillant colour art work,20 pages of organisation charts,one fanastic book at a bargin price right now.
Book Description
The submarine, first introduced to America's fleet in 1900, is today a 300-foot-long, 30-foot-wide vessel filled with some of the world's most sophisticated technology and courageous, skilled, all-volunteer personnel. In each submarine, over 100 crew members work together for months at a time to protect U.S. interests around the world. Written by an outstanding team, United States Submarines contains essays on submarine history and today's submariners, focusing not only on the subs, torpedoes, and related technologies but especially on the people who make it all work. Full-color and vintage photography, portraits, recruiting posters, and historically inspired paintings complement the riveting text.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding book!.......2003-12-13
Without question, probably the FINEST history of submarines. Well written and many, many photos all bound into a beautifull book. A worthwhile addition to any library.
A Masterpiece!!.......2003-08-09
The best book on submarines you will ever find!! Enough said!
A great reference. The one sub book to buy........2003-06-22
I spent 6 years on a ballistic missile submarine and I have a great interest in the history and current developments of the Silent Service. If you are a veteran submariner, you will like the way the book is put together. It has great photos and it is truly a beautifully made book that you can pass along to a son or grandson to share the pride us "bubbleheads" all share.
If you aren't a submariner but you aspire to be one or if you simply want to learn about the world of subs, then this is also the book for you. It is a huge volume that will occupy hours of your time. I would recommend this book over any of the lesser, albeit cheaper, more poorly made books on the subject.
If you find the price a little steep, you may also want to consider "Silent Chase: Submarines of the U.S. Navy". It is smaller but still a well made book. (ISBN 0-934738-38-6)
Contrasts submarine history with today's modern vessels.......2002-08-08
This is an outstanding, lavish history of the U.S. submarine: if only one submarine history were to be chosen as a comprehensive library reference, it should be this. A team of historians, authors and Naval experts contribute to this title, which holds over 300 pages of text and photos. Black and white and color photos embellish essays that contrast submarine history with today's modern vessels, providing a unique and lavish display. Suitable for special gifts, United States Submarines is a recommended pick for any interested in military history in general or submarine development in particular.
Submariners book.......2002-05-20
This book is written by the experts. One look at it will tell you that these gentlemen know there stuff. The articles are well written, the pictures are great. You won't be sorry you ordered this book. It will be on the front of your desk for sure.
Book Description
Aviation historian William Althoff tells the story of the U.S. Navy’s airship, USS Los Angeles, the most successful aircraft of its type ever flown. In dramatic detail, Althoff recounts how the U.S. Navy arranged for the famed German Zeppelin Company to build the ship, thwarted schemes by the U.S. Army’s Air Service to take control of it, and helped plan its record-breaking, historic four-day flight from Germany to the United States. After years of experiments meant to determine its military and commercial application, the airship ultimately failed to command a consensus in the Navy. “Relegated to a lower tier,†Althoff writes, “the rigid type receded to marginal relevance until, on the eve of World War Two, it vanished altogether.†In this book, the early achievements and unceremonious demise of the Los Angeles after a long career symbolize the airship’s unfulfilled promise. Nonetheless, the operational record of this one machine altered American naval aeronautics and greatly influenced transoceanic commercial air transport during a critical period of its development.
Customer Reviews:
From a Little Known Time of Navy Air History.......2006-04-16
Everyone knows about the Hindenburg and it's famous fire. People interested in airships know about the other failures such as the Macon and Shenandoah. Above them all, however, was the Los Angeles.
Built at the Zeppelin factory after World War I, this ship sailed the Atlantic and became an official Navy ship. In the early days of air craft technology it flew more than 300 flights, over 4,000 hours in the air, almost without incident. It taught us a lot about the design and operation of lighter than air aircraft.
This book is a complete history of the Los Angeles, but perhaps even more important, it fits the Los Angeles into the overall development of aviation during the years between the world wars. Here is a discussion on other lighter than air machines, and also on the developments in heavier than air conventional planes. This was the time when the Langley was built.
This was also the time of the battleship admirals who saw nothing of any value in operating in the air. This attitude would last until a little incident at Pearl Harbor.
The saddest part of the book is the section on the dismantling of the airship. On 24 October 1939 the Los Angeles was stricken from the active Navy ship list. Disassembly began immediately. Cdr. Jesse L. Kenworthy, Jr. was anxious to complete the project, and with on fanfare. He said that he was concerned with "the approaching need for additional hangar space." Selling it as scrap gave the Navy less than $4,000. So was destroyed an important piece of history.
Average customer rating:
- Tedious & often boring read
- Ein Geschichtsbuch. Nicht mehr, aber auch nicht weniger!
- Surprisingly Interesting
- Flawed, but riveting
- A seminal work
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Achtung - Panzer! (Cassell Military Classics)
Heinz Guderian
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ASIN: 0304352853 |
Book Description
A rare, enlightening account by an outstanding soldier reveals his thoughts and theories on armored warfare and motorized land battle--which he then put in action to devastating effect during World War Two. Guderian's treatise on the importance of tank development, and on modern mechanized technology, shows exactly why the Germans dominated land warfare in the early stage of the fighting.
Customer Reviews:
Tedious & often boring read.......2006-05-18
This was intended for the eyes of German army's general staff and not for mass market paperback. It shows.
Guderian makes his point in the first 2-3 chapters of this book and from then on, it is rambling at its best. I will not recommend this book to anyone but for those who have difficulty sleeping!
Ein Geschichtsbuch. Nicht mehr, aber auch nicht weniger!.......2006-03-04
Guderian entwickelt aus seinen Studien über die Panzereinsätze der Allierten im ersten Weltkrieg, seine Erfahrungen bei der Funktruppe sowie seiner Studien zum mechanisierten Transport der Infanterie in der Weimaer Republik die moderne Panzertaktik.
Die umfassende Richtigkeit seiner Thesen hat der "Blitzkrieg" dann 2 Jahren später in Polen, Frankreich, auf dem Balkan, in Grichenland und Russland bestätigt.
Das Buch ist flüssig, prägnant und fesselnd geschrieben, didaktisch sehr sauber aufbereitet und mit einem großen Quellenteil versehen, der die Daten aller bis ca. 1930 gebauten Panzertypen beinhaltet.
Ferner vermittlet das Buch ein Stimmungsbild der Reichswehr im Weltkrieg sowie zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen, wenn man etwas zwischen den Zeilen lesen kann.
Ein herausragendes Zeitdokument, wenn es weder von links noch von rechts Indoktriniert gelesen wird.
Mir wurde beim lesen dieses Buchs erst die volle Perversion und Menschenverachtung des ersten Weltkriegs bewusst.
Surprisingly Interesting.......2004-03-25
Heavy armored columns accompanied by motorized infantry and artillery punch through static defenses and take advantage of the limited mobility of their opponents to make deep penetrations into the enemy's rear areas. Indispensable for the attack is close air support providing considerable firepower and crucial intelligence. All is bound together by cutting edge communications technology.
The American Army in Iraq? Correct. But originally the German Panzer divisions in Poland, France, and the Soviet Union. While the Pentagon trumpets the innovative nature of their strategy and tactics in Iraq, it is actually just the logical extension of the combined forces approach that is the bedrock doctrine of land warfare since the opening of days of WWII. If the combined forces approach is gospel, then Heinz Guderian was its greatest prophet.
This book, written primarily to promote Guderian's views among his fellow German officers, was an important element in establishing the Panzer Division as the cutting edge of the German Army. It is important to realize that this book was not written for general audiences but is rather a case book type analysis aimed at convincing other officers of the absolute necessity of Guderian's approach. It contains, consequently, a close analysis of several WWI engagements aimed at demonstrating the futility of traditional infantry/artillery based attacking tactics complemented by careful analysis of early attempts to use armor. These occupy most of the book. It concludes with relatively brief sections on Guderian's own views of how offensive warfare should be conducted. Guderian spent a good part of the inter-war period teaching military history and this book provides evidence that he was an experienced pedagogue. The analyses are well organized and presently clearly. The cumulative effect is a powerful indictment of traditional tactics and a powerful argument in favor of armor using the combined forces approach. Guderian was clearly very intelligent and a competent writer. Guderian has become something of an iconic figure because of his effective and apparently prophetic advocacy of the combined forces approach. A component of his reputation rests on the fact that he was perhaps the only prominent military theorist who was also a very successful field commander. It is important to realize, however, that Guderian's insights were not unique. Intelligent veterans of WWI in all the major combatant nations were pursuing alternatives to the static tactics of WWI and a number of these individuals produced influential writings in the interwar period. Guderian drew extensively on this literature in writing Achtung Panzer.
This book is also inadvertantly revealing in several other important respects. The opening section of the book rehearses general arguments for why the German Army needed a new approach to offensive tactics. These 'geopolitical' arguments are the cliches of political and strategic thinking from the pre-WWI period, when Guderian was a young officer. They assume that war between European states is inevitable and that for Germany, the only option was rapid victory, hence the need for punishingly effective offensive tactics. In these important aspects, Guderian never seems to have escaped the conventional ideas of his youth. This is hardly surprising, Guderian was a General Staff officer during WWI and chosen as one of the select few to continue in the regular officer Corps in the interwar period. These are marks of demonstrated competence and promise but no one with really unconventional ideas about politics or strategy would have been selected for the General Staff or interwar Army by the notably reactionary leaders of the German Army, a group who wished to restore the essentials of the Wilhelmine state.
To be fair to Guderian, this book does contain an implicit admission that the German Army was defeated on the Western Front. This conclusion is in contrast to the pernicious 'stab in the back' myth of domestic betrayal (by the Social Democrats and other left wing political parties) propagated by the Army leadership during the 20s and early 30s. Such honesty was probably possible only after Hitler's accession to power and when German rearmarment was safely underway.
Flawed, but riveting.......2002-09-11
(A) The author's insistance on listing every unit in every action, armoured or not, started to drone on like "the begats" in the Old Testament, but this cannot detract from the compelling story. I found the descriptions of events told from the point of view of both sides particularly valuable.
(B) The maps provided might be reprints of the orginal edition's, for all I know -- but they are worthless. One cannot read much of the detail and they do not help illustrate what happen in the battles depicted. If this is what the German army used, it's a wonder they didn't attack Sweden by mistake! Keep a good atlas or detailed map of France at chairside instead.
(C) I am only halfway through, three days into reading, and the binding is ALREADY falling apart. This is truly disappointing in a book I intended to keep as a reference book.
A seminal work.......2002-07-02
For enthusiasts of armoured warfare this is essential reading. Although to be frank, I found the first part of the book heavy going since many WW1 battles are discussed in general terms rather than from a tankman's perspective. Nevertheless one can glean from Guderian's analysis how the development of Armoured forces - IN CONJUNCTION WITH AIR FORCES - was one of only two solutions to repeats of WW1 conditions in future conflicts assuming there were to be such. The other being the development of infantry "sturm" tactics, later exemplified by the
Waffen SS. To my mind, Guderian's later victories can be attributed to the analyses provided here. The nub being that he understood why those battles described went the way they did and, how the negative criteria therein could be overcome. The second part of the book describes the means and methods. One is left with the feeling that had Germany's potential opponents really read this book and observed how Guderian's ideas were being turned into reality by himself and his contemporaries - although not with some not inconsiderable internal opposition, it must be said - the shock and surprise elements that so characterise the early WW2 years battles could well have been avoided.
For make no mistake: Guderian is the true progenator of modern warfare. Although from reading this book it is not quite as apparent as it might be. It pains me to see how a much lesser man such as Rommel recieves recognition far out of proportion to his actual contribution to the general weal while Guderian merely occupies a place in obscurity inhabited by afficiondos. Granted that is because Rommel is associated with resistance to Hitler - quite unwarranted as it happens. Without his personal association with the Nazi dictator, Rommel would never have gained the commands which made his reputation. Both men however were essentially decent men caught up in something inextricably evil and made the best for themelves in the circumstances. In that sense they both cull blame; but who amongst can say we would do any different under the same circumstances? In the case of Guderian Hitler turned out to provide just the support he needed - in marked contrast to his contemporary pioneers in the British Army: Fuller went to enforced retirement, Hobart was demoted from Major General to Corporal in the Home Guard! Had they recieved the same measure of support as Guderian......
Book Description
A highly illustrated history of German experimental secret project fighters and ground-attack aircraft in alphabetical order starting with those manufactured by Arado and ending with Junkers. This first volume in a new series reveals a remarkable range of secret projects and experimental aircraft that did not appear in the very popular Luftwaffe Secret Projects series. Aircraft, projects and designs are detailed, with approximately 175 color illustrations. Historians, aviation enthusiasts, and modelers will find this book a valuable resource.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating View of How Far Advanced They Were.......2007-01-28
The German aircraft designers were ahead of the rest of the world during World War II. Advances in power plants including turbojets (ME-262), ramjets, rockets (ME-163) and pulse jets (V-1), allowed the airframe manufacturers to expand their thinking from the traditional single seat, single engine fighters that were really used throught the war.
In this book the author has collected the proposals from German aircraft manufacturers and shows just how far that thinking had expanded. Here are the forefathers of the MIG-15, the British Scorpion, deltas like the F-102 and many more. This book, the first volume in the series contans fighter aircraft from the companies Arado through Junkers. The next volume will finish the manufacturers from Lippisch to Zeppelin. After that I shouldn't be surprized to see a book on bombers.
The aircraft are shown with a summary of information agout them, a three view line draw line drawing, and a painting of what it would have looked like in action. I don't know just how many planes are described, perhaps a hundred and fifty.
It's fascinating to see what they might have done given a few more years,
Average customer rating:
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Battling for Bombers: The U.S. Air Force Fights for its Modern Strategic Aircraft Programs (Contributions in Military Studies)
Frank P. Donnini
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0313312214 |
Book Description
Although the United States Air Force was founded upon strategic bombardment theory and advocacy, the service has traditionally had tremendous difficulty in obtaining the adequate funding for bombers that it requires to fulfill its mandate. For more than 45 years, senior Air Force leaders, both military and civilian, have struggled to convince decision-makers in the White House and in Congress that modern manned bomber forces were needed, acceptable, and affordable. In this study, Donnini produces one of the most exhaustive analyses ever undertaken of Congressional subcommittee decision-making in the funding of defense procurement initiatives. He concludes that no program achieved measurable success of deployment with the original force structure requested; and only two, the B-1B and B-2A, received approval to acquire lesser numbers of aircraft for operational use. Donnini found that an important part of each new bomber program appeared to be funding support through federal appropriations. If the right amounts were appropriated, the programs survived; if lesser amounts were given, chances for program failure were good; however, was funding support the deciding factor? This book used multiple case studies and the unorthodox methodology of applied content analysis of Congressional budget hearings to examine Air Force efforts to fund the most recent main bombers it sought (the B-70, B-1A, B-1B, and B-2A) and to determine measurements of success. The author's findings have implications concerning the way the United States handles procurement initiatives for major new weapon systems considered fundamental necessities for national defense.
Books:
- Corps Commanders of the Bulge: Six American Generals and Victory in the Ardennes (Modern War Studies)
- Davis and Lee at War (Modern War Studies)
- Decimation: X-Men - The Day After (House of M)
- Double Eagle (Gaunt's Ghosts)
- Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time (The Every Man Series)
- Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil
- Film Directing: Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)
- Film Directing: Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)
- Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America's Famous WW1 Epic
- Fireground Strategies
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