Book Description
Wednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the long and distinguished history of the British Army. At noon a massive Zulu host attacked the 24th Regiment in its encampment at the foot of the mountain of Isandlwana, a distinctive feature that bore an eerie resemblance to the Sphinx badge of the outnumbered redcoats. Disaster ensued. Later that afternoon the victorious Zulus would strike the tiny British garrison at Rorke's Drift. How Can Man Die Better is a unique analysis of Isandlwana v of the weapons, tactics, ground, and the intriguing characters who made the key military decisions. Because the fatal loss was so high on the British side there is still much that is unknown about the battle v until now. Mike Snook is the first military professional to scrutinize the battle in print since 1879. He has an unparalleled grasp of the nuances of the ground at Isandlwana and of their implications in practical military terms. Most compellingly he has an instinctive feel for the characters who forged this supremely dramatic history, for this is µfamily' history v the battle was fought by soldiers of the author's own regiment. This is a work of unparalleled depth, which eschews the commonly held perception that the British collapse was sudden and that the 24th Regiment was quickly overwhelmed. Rather, there was a protracted and heroic defence against a determined and equally heroic foe. The author reconstructs the final phase of the battle in a way that has never been attempted before. It was to become the stuff of legend, which the author brings to life so vividly that one can almost sense the fear and smell the blood. How Can Man Die Better is essential reading for anyone interested in Isandlwana, the wider Anglo-Zulu War or the Victorian Army.
Customer Reviews:
The new standard for Isandlwana.......2007-08-24
Been reading about this battle since the 70s. Starting with Morris and moving through Knight, we have evolved to this highly detailed and scholarly analysis based on evidence and professional insight. I was sorry when the book ended! Savor every word. This will be hard to top.
Great Battle Anlaysis.......2006-11-12
This is the best battle analysis of Isandlwana I have ever read! I have been a long time student of the Zulu War, in particular Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana. I was lucky enough last year to visit both battlefields and spent hours walking the field. I am a West Point graduate and former armor officer, so I do understand the nuiances of terrain and the disposition of troops. Lt Col Snook gets it right. Many of the histories I have read fall apart when you're on the battlefield. Why did Pulleine push his companies so far out, because he had to in order to see over the intervisibility lines present. Otherwise, he couldn't see into or shoot into the dead space on the other sides. I've always questioned the theories that the camp was simply overrun by sheer force of numbers. Men, no matter how aggressive, simply cannot charge into the face of disciplined fire and survive. Lt Col Snook's narrative agrees well with my own and follows a basic understanding of human bahavior, terrain analysis, and 19th century British doctrine. The British failed to laager the camp; that is known. If all #3 Column was in camp during the time of the battle, I believe, as Snook does, that the battle would have turned out differently. As it was, the camp had only half the numbers it needed to defend the frontages it had and was ultimately defeated in a double envelopement.
Based on this book, I am now looking forward to read Snook's book on Rorke's Drift.
From a Soldier's Practiced Eye.......2006-10-11
Col. Snook provides an in depth view of the battle at Isandlwana largely from a British/European perspective and does it masterfully. I am adding my review to others on Amazon and will not belabor the points well made by other reviewers. If you are interested in the Zulu wars from a tactical perspective (thus from a soldier's perspective), THIS IS THE BOOK TO BUY. I know Donald Morris and respect his work, THE WASHING OF THE SPEARS. Donald is not perfect and he made mistakes in his account of the battle and his drum has been beaten by others in their accounts. Col. Snook sets things straight. I attribute this to Col. Snook's soldier's eye for terrain and logical battlefield progressions. Col. Snook was a soldier and Donald Morris was a member of the American Intelligence Community. It's telling in their writings. ---oh, just buy the book!
WOW!.......2006-07-28
This is everything a military history book should be. This fantastic book, written by a serving British officer, Lt. Col. Mike Snook, tells the story of the battle of Islandlwana. Col. Snook calls on a plethora of sources, including his own training and experience, to tell the story of the opening battle in the Zulu war where the British lost 1200 men in an utter defeat.
The battle is laid out in great detail based on original sources, with some interpretation & re-interpretation from Col. Snook, until the point at which all the possible witnesses, except Zulu warriors, are gone. From that point on, Col. Snook goes into a forensic military mode, determining movements & positions of units from their origin points to the place where their corpses were found. This leads to a more thorough and complete story, founded on evidence if not eye witness testimony, that tells a lost portion of the battle. He also pops hoary old myths like the quartermaster who won't distribute ammunition or the ammo boxes no one can open as well as others.
It makes for a fantastic read. I can't wait to get on to "Like Wolves On The Fold", the second book by Col. Snook, which tells the story of Rorke's Drift. I hope we'll see lots more books from Col. Snook. His first is destined to become a classic.
Solid analysis from a military professional.......2006-01-30
Lt. Col. Mike Snook's account of Isandlwana stands as a solidly researched, solidly written reconstruction of one of the most famous battles of the Victorian British Army. "The Secrets of Isaldlwana Revealed" subtitle is perhaps a publisher's effort to generate cover interest, as Snook's book really does not say much startlingly new about the battle. It might be called a Post-Revisionist history, rejecting those works of recent years that questioned the courage and competence of the British soldiers who fought and died at Isandlwana (Snook is particularly disdainful of those writers who challenge the appropriateness of the award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill for their effort to save the battalion colors.) Although Snook certainly gives the Zulus credit for their bravery and skill, he assigns chief blame for the disaster to Lord Chelmsford (for setting up the whole situation) and to Lt. Col. Durnford (for tactical errors and poor leadership). It might be argued that Snook's service in the successor regiment to the 24th has led him to give a "free pass" to Col. Pulleine, as the author seems to find nothing remiss in that officer's handling of the battle, and in fact Snook vigorously defends Pulleine's actions. And Snook has nothing but praise for the men and officers of the 24th and the way they fought.
Although "How Can Man Die Better" may be too much a professional military man's book to fully engage the general reader, I certainly think highly enough of it to look forward to the publication of Snook's companion volume about Rorke's Drift.
Book Description
The battle of Isandlwana - a great Zulu victory - was one of the worst defeats ever to befall a British Army. At noon on January 22nd, 1879, a British camp, garrisoned by over 1700 troops, was attacked and overwhelmed by 20,000 Zulu warriors. The defeat of the British, armed with the most modern weaponry of the day, caused disbelief and outrage throughout Queen Victoria's England. The obvious culprit for the blunder was Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford, the defeated commander. Appearing to respond to the outcry, he ordered a court of inquiry. But there followed a carefully conducted cover-up in which Chelmsford found a scapegoat in the dead - most notably, in Colonel Anthony Durnford. The popular conception of the Anglo-Zulu War is that of a conflict between British redcoats and Zulu Warriors. It is seldom realized that over 60% of Chelmsford's army was composed of black auxiliaries, and that the cavalry mostly comprised colonial settlers. Zulu Victory: The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-Up traces the history of the Zulu kingdom and its British neighbors, the Colony of Natal. It also details the composition of both armies from individual Zulu regiments to the tribesmen of the Natal Native Horse who fought on the side of the British. Using source material ranging from the Royal Windsor Archives to the oral history passed down to the present Zulu inhabitants of Isandlwana, the authors shed new light upon this famous Zulu victory in all its bravery and horror, and the scandal that followed.
Customer Reviews:
Usual old Brit bashing.......2004-04-18
As usual, books like this are only interested in a spot of Brit bashing. They ignore the fact that the whole Zulu war was initiated against the expressed wishes of the British government as shown in cabinet minutes and from cables sent to Bartle Frere by Hicks Beach. It was Bartle Frere's war acting on his own. At Isandlwhana British troops were a minority in the force also composed of colonials and Natal Bantus who volunteered to help bring down the Zulus. Yes, fellow Africans wanted the Zulus defeated. As for being outgeneralled and out thought, the same Zulu impies under the same commanders weren't able to repeat the trick at Kambula or the Ineyazane river, where Chelmsfords approach was vindicated. As for a Zulu victory, Cetshwayo didn't seem to think it was, on hearing the Zulu casualty figures ("An assegai has been thrust into the belly of the nation. There are not enough tears to mourn for the dead"). But we can't ruin a good story with too many facts, can we. File it under fiction. It'd be right at home there.
Slightly Flawed.......2004-01-06
When the British marched to disaster against the Zulu at Isandlwana this volume claims they were `outgunned and outfought and outmanuevered' but the reality is slightly different. This book intends to expose the `cover-up' of the British disasters in the Zulu war and the author tries to prove that their was indeed some massive cover up. Of course the cover up couldn't have been very thorough since everyone with any knowledge of British colonial history knows the the defeat by the Zulus. This book claims the british were crushed despite their superior weaponry but this is a misnomer. The British were defeated due to their lesser then brilliant officers who strong the better trained and better armed british contingent out in a long line, allowing the british regulars to be butchered by the vastly more numerous Zulus. The author claims that it was a failure of British arms. But Isandlwana is no more a failure of British arms then the defeat the British suffered in Afghanistan or at Yorktown. Rather, the reality is that the gigantic Zulu army went on to lay siege to Rorkes Drift where a handful of similar British soldiers held off thousands of Zulu for more then a day. Isandlwana was a freak accident and this book labors too hard to show that the British covered up a defeat.
Battle of Isandlwana.......2003-04-28
I have been very interested in African history ever since I took a course on West African colonial history in college, and in the Zulu wars specifically when I read "Washing of the Spears" many years ago. These intrepid warriors faced the British imperialists in defense of their homeland, and occasionally prevailed in battle. This book details the Zulu victory over the British at Isandlwana, a very black day for the Empire of Queen Victoria. The reader receives all of the reasons why the Zulus prevailed, among other reasons the astute planning of their leaders, and the almost casual dismissal of the ability of the natives on the part of the English leaders. Once the tragedy took place, there was a concerted effort by the authorities to transfer blame from the actual commander, Lord Chelmsford, to one of the "colonial" officers. The authors categorically refute the baseless allegations, and show us exactly how Chelmsford was derelict in his duty to his troops, while not taking anything away from the brilliance of the Zulu planning. This is an interesting book, and well worth reading for those whose interest, as mine, centers on the cololnal conquest of the indigenous peoples of Africa.
Out Thought & Out Fought - History as Sharp as an Asegai.......2003-03-07
Zulu Victory is a valuable synthesis of research on the battle of Isandlwana, where a British Army under Lord Chelmsford was outmaneuvered and defeated in detail by King Cetshwayo's Zulu Army. The strength of this book lies in its clarity. Every important personality and event in the campaign is thoroughly weighed and explained, without ever losing sight of the overall context. The result is a fluid, balanced account of a very confused set of circumstances.
This book is equally valuable as an all-in-one historiography of the battle. Serious history readers will appreciate this facet from the Forward, written by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, right through the appendices. The quality of the writing keeps the history from becoming dry. The narrative remains vivid, even after multiple readings. As with Morris' "The Washing of the Spears," the storytelling is flat out exciting.
Try not to be put off by the subtitle: "The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-Up." The twin themes of the book are clear. 1) The Zulus did not simply stumble on and overwhelm a British encampment. They made use of their advantages, which included better mobility and communications as well as a superior understanding of the local terrain, to outmaneuver and defeat an overconfident enemy. 2) Chelmsford and his supporters attempted to shift responsibility for the defeat to a colonial cavalry leader, Colonel Anthony Durnford, (Royal Engineers) who was killed in the fray. (You may know him as Burt Lancaster in the movie "Zulu Dawn.")
Perhaps the 2nd point is more marketable, to scholars, but what most amateur historians will find instructive is the campaign narrative. While much has been made in the past of how courageous individual Zulu warriors were, and of their famed "head and horns" battlefield tactics, this is a depiction of how the Zulu lured Chelmsford into splitting his force. It explains the thinking from 'both sides of the hill' without attributing an artificial superiority to European tactics, or shortchanging the sophistication of the native leadership.
The book makes it clear that although Chelmsford was both arrogant and defeated, he was not necessarily the fool played by Peter O'Toole. He operated with tremendous logistical challenges that severely constrained his freedom of action. Moreover, while Chelmsford was overconfident, the British still might have withstood the Zulu Impis had they recognized the danger sooner and employed different tactics...as later battles were to prove.
All the usual debates are covered, including a detailed appendix (C) devoted to the infamous British Ammunition boxes and their (potential) impact on the battle. The book has 11 very clear maps and 75 illustrations, many of which are in color and really capture the battlefield from the perspective of contemporary eyes.
If you have an interest in 19th century imperialism, military history, or even what happens when indigenous peoples and colonials collide, read this book. It's excellent history and a ripping good yarn to boot.
Superb book!.......2003-01-24
Battle of Isandlwana was one of the greatest victories that native Africans ever achieved against an European power. This book proves to be one of the best books on this battle. The book covers all your usual stuff like political conditons, military conditions leading up to the war and so forth. But key element of the book was how its dealt with the battle itself. As far as I know, it got one of the clearest blow by blow account of the battle if that could be possible. Many myths about what happened at Isandlwana seem to be more clearer now and respect for Zulu military organization grows as you read on. Its amazing how long it took the British to finally realized that they were coming uder a full scale attack. The book also discussed the covered up by Lord Chemsford after the battle. The covered up was basically to protect Chemsford's military carelessness and the fact that he have been out-generaled by the Zulus. In this, he chose Colonel Durnford since the good colonel was already dead. Interesting how blaming a dead people for mistakes have always been a popular habits of all defeated commanders. The book appears to be well research and the authors' distaste for Chemsford become pretty clear as you read the book. It also got very details maps which help understand the battle. The nice photographs helped - including the infamous British ammo box which showed what a pain it can be to opened one up. Well, with or without ammo, British were doomed in this battle anyway. Probably the best book written on Isandlwana right now.
Book Description
The battle of Isandlwana fought on 22 January 1879 was the greatest defeat suffered by the British Army during the Victorian era. A Zulu army of 24,000 warriors had moved undetected to within striking distance of the British camp in the shadow of Isandlwana Mountain. From the start the 1,700 defenders underestimated the danger descending upon them. They were swept aside with horrifying speed and the final stage of the battle consisted of desperate hand-to-hand fighting amid the British camp. Over 1,300 men were killed; scarcely 60 Europeans survived. Ian Knight employs new archaeological and historical research to provide a completely new interpretation of the course of the battle.
Customer Reviews:
Balanced Battle Summary.......2007-02-19
This is a clearly written account of the start of the 1879 Zulu War leading up to the battle of Isandlwana. Events described include the initial invasion of Zulu empire, subsequent British reconnaissance efforts, and the battle of Isandlwana itself. The greatest strength of the book is the authors ability to provide a balanced, unbiased account of the campaign. This is particularly welcome as other accounts have tended to portray the Zulus as a faceless mass instead of a well-organized army. In this case the strategies, tactics, and intention of both sides are well explained and provide readers with a clear understanding of this interesting campaign. As always with Osprey books, numerous illustrations, 2D, and 3D maps are included. The illustrations in this book are especially engaging due to colorful British uniforms and the Zulu exotic battle gear. The most interesting one (and the cover of the hardback Praeger edition) depicts a last stand by a small knot of British infantry and members of the Natal Native Contingent.
One minor drawback to the book is the lack of detail about the aftermath of the battle; this is not necessarily the authors fault as Osprey has very tight page limitations which forces authors to make tough choices about what to emphasize. However, the battlefield lay virtually untouched for months after the fight with only occasional visits by foraging and burial parties. More in-depth accounts of these forays would have flesh out the text.
This book along with Rorke's Drift 1879, also by Ian Knight and also part of the Osprey Campaign Series, would make an excellent gift for someone interested in African or Imperial British history.
Osprey at it's best.......2005-12-10
Zulu-expert Ian Knight has written an up-to-date volume on the famous battle of Isandlwana, where a british battalion was whiped out by a zulu impi in 1879. Based on new archeological findings, Knight's description of the battle and the fighting forces are detailed and well-written - the reader have much help from timelines and excellent maps showing the campaign, and the 3D bird's-eye battle maps which step by step explain the different stages of the battle. There are numerous illustrations and both 19th century and contemporary photographs. There are also three realistic plates by Adam Hook - although perhaps not as detailed and sharp as the art of Graham Turner - the illustrations are excellent and show what the battle actually may have looked like. The plates are showing Durnford's mounted auxiliaries stubmling on the zulu army, The British collapse (with the dramatic withdrawal of the artillery in the fouground and the retreating infantry hotly pursued by charging zulus in the background) and the final stages of the battle (the zulus fighting in melee with the last remnants of the 24:th and the Natal Native contignent)
The battle has been seen as an embaressing british mistake rather than a great zulu victory, but here Knight wants us to think the other way around (thus the subtitle). But here I think he exaggerates the zulu victory - although no one can deny the bravery and skills of the zulu, the victory isn't that spectacular if one consider the facts - more than 20 000 men concentrating their owerwhelming forces upon a thin, spread-out line of a mere 900 british infantry and mounted men, supported only by 800 badly equiped and badly trained native auxiliaries
This book is reliable and provides the reader with a good overwiew of the Isandlwana-battle as well as a fascinating introduction to the zulu army and the anglo-zulu war. My only reservation is Knight's ususal, way too low estimation of zulu casualties, his estimated 1,000 zulu killed are unrealisticly low considering the fire-power of the british and their desperate defense in the fierce fight for their life. I've read elsewhere of some 3000-4000 dead or mortally wounded zulu warriors, which seem much more plausible to me
Once More, Over the Same Ground.......2002-10-04
In 1992, Osprey's Campaign Series #14 entitled Zulu War 1879 by Ian Knight and Ian Castle, covered the dramatic Battle of Isandlwana. Ten years later, Ian Knight thought it would be a good idea to cover virtually the same ground in the new Osprey Campaign Series #111, entitled Isandlwana 1879. Granted, the focus is narrower than in the earlier volume and the graphic quality of the maps is superior, but this book essentially covers much of the same ground that the first book did. While the original title only spent 30% of its length on the Battle of Isandlwana, this new volume spends 55%. Overall, Isandlwana 1879 is a decent if not very original summary of that British military disaster, but it certainly lacks any real value-added quality over the original.
Isandlwana 1879 begins in standard Osprey format with the usual short sections on origins of the conflict, a campaign chronology, opposing commanders, opposing armies, and opening moves. Readers will certainly be impressed with the author's in-depth knowledge of Zulu leaders and units, but might have benefited from a short pronunciation guide on how to handle names like "iNgobamakhosi" or "uKhandempemvu" or just what the heck these names mean. At times, Knight seems to have the zealot's assumption that everyone in conversant in African tribal terms and hence, further clarification is unnecessary. Overall, these sections get the job done but in somewhat boilerplate fashion, as if Knight merely dusted off material from his other books. Readers familiar with the classic, "Washing of the Spears," will doubt that Knight is making a real effort to be incisive. The volume includes six 2-D maps (the war in Zululand, the attack on Sihayo's Homestead, Isandlwana Camp, initial dispositions, the British collapse, Chelmsford's movements and the British withdrawals), three 3-D "Bird's Eye View" maps (British movements around Isandlwana, climax of the battle and the British collapse) and three battle scenes (Durnford's auxiliaries stumble on the Zulu army, the British collapse and the final stages of the battle).
Knight notes that none of the Zulu commanders had any experience fighting British regulars and that, "a practical ignorance of the destructive potential of the modern weapons they [the British] possessed, had led to a dangerous over-confidence at the middle and lower levels of command." On the other hand, the British commander Lord Chelmsford was influenced by preconceptions gained in previous frontier warfare in Africa. Knight notes that in Chelmsford's earlier campaign against the Xhosa tribe that he, "faced only an elusive foe who showed a marked reluctance to engage in decisive combat." This sounds remarkably like the preconceived tactical mindset that influenced Custer three years earlier at the Little Bighorn. Yet if both sides were over-confident and didn't appreciate their enemy's strengths - as Knight claims - why was Isandlwana such a lop-sided battle?
The battle narrative comprises the bulk of the book and it also gets the job done, but with much effort to address the reasons for the British defeat. While Knight makes it clear that British pre-battle reconnaissance was a bit sloppy and based on too many false assumptions, he fails to address issues like faulty British tactical dispositions or ammunition resupply problems. Based on what happened elsewhere in the war, it is clear that the Zulus could not defeat British regulars who were defending in square or behind obstacles. The only enlightenment that Knight adds about the battle concerns the final moments of the British infantry, which he deduced from participation in an archaeological dig on the battlefield in the 1990s. Knight demonstrates that clumps of British infantry survived the overrunning of the camp and slowly tried to fight their way back to the border, but were overwhelmed enroute.
Modern military professionals could use this volume as an excellent starting point for a study of regular forces fighting less well-developed opponents, and might see parallels with contemporary operations in Afghanistan or Somalia. It is interesting to discern how over 1,300 British troops - including the battle-experienced 1st Battalion/24th Infantry - could be annihilated in the space of four hours by an opponent that was regarded as hopelessly inferior. The root cause of the defeat at Isandlwana was the same as at the Little Bighorn in 1876 or Mogadishu in 1993 (or Bunker Hill in 1775): professional soldier arrogance. While the Zulus were ultimately defeated - at much greater cost in resources and time than the British had bargained for - they did demonstrate that not all indigenous military forces merely sit around waiting to be picked off like clay pigeons by superior military technology.
Average customer rating:
- excellent background to the battle
- a battle with boredom
- A solid account with new thinking
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Isandlwana
Adrian Greaves
Manufacturer: Cassell
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Zulu Dawn
ASIN: 0304357006 |
Book Description
On 22nd January 1879, shortly after the British invasion of Zululand, Viscount Chelmsford established a camp at Islandlwana for his centre column, consisting of 1800 Europeans and 1000 natives. But while Chelmsford and about half of the Europeans were away trying to intercept a Zulu force, the camp was hit early in the morning by a surprise Zulu attack. All but 55 Europeans and 300 natives were killed. Returning the next day, Chelmsford discovered the ruined camp, strewn with bodies, and immediately fell back through Rorke's Drift to defensive positions. This book is a brand new look at the opening battle of the war, and one of the biggest disasters for the British in South Africa.
Customer Reviews:
excellent background to the battle.......2003-02-20
Overall, this proves to be a very readable book on the Campaign of Isandlwana. The background information involving the troops, Zulus and politics proves to be very informative and well written. Even the aftermath of the battle proves to be quite good as the authors' researched revealed many aspects of interest. However, I wasn't too impressed with the way the author wrote the battle. The maps - while very colorful, wasn't every effective. Description of the battle failed to convey the situation very clearly. I would recommend Zulu Victory by Ron Lock for the best written account of the battle and this book for the best written background material to the battle. If you read both books, you should have an excellent understanding of the entire Isandlwana campaign.
a battle with boredom.......2003-02-14
I just finished reading Isandlwana by Adrian Greaves and regrettably foumd it most disappointing. I had anxiously awiated its arrival.The story of the 24th at Isandlwana is one of the most exciting and heroic in all of military history.How an author can make the whole thing land with a thud is amazing. Very little space in the book is devoted to the actual battle. At least to some extent I want to be transported to the battlefield and feel the action myself. This never happened. The only place I was transported to was dreamland.
A solid account with new thinking.......2002-05-09
Isandlwana was one of the most famous battles in the British colonial wars, sort of a Zulu War equivalent of the American Battle of the Little Big Horn, with the supposedly inferior "natives" overwhelming the "civilized" military force. Arian Greaves' book is a solid, albeit not overly detailed, account of the battle and its background, well illustrated and containing several very informative maps. I especially appreciated Greaves' explorations of recent discoveries about the actual orders issued to the doomed column of British soldiers, lifting much of the cloud which lay over the reputations of the senior field commanders who had been killed. For persons not yet familiar with the Zulu War of 1879, this book will make a good introduction, yet still offers something new to those who have read the standard works in the past.
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ISANDLWANA (Battleground South Africa)
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Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0850526566 |
Book Description
The British Army suffered its worst defeat of the colonial wars in January, 1879, when the encampment at Isandhlwana was destroyed by the Zulu army. All of the dramatic incidents of this famous last stand and the area as it is today are covered with the detail associated with the Battleground series.
Customer Reviews:
Small and very focused.......2002-04-22
The book is small, and covers only the lead up to this epic battle and the battle itself. No real mention of the subsequent Rorke's Drift battle or who escaped from the one only to fight in the other. I suspect this was saved for another book. Lots of low-qual pictures but they do convey the story fairly well. Not a bad book but a bit pricey for what you get.
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ISANDLWANA: 1879 (Battles in Focus)
Ian Beckett
Manufacturer: Brassey's UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1857533283 |
Book Description
This new series of paperback military history originals is set to revolutionize how selected conflicts and characters of history are studied. In comparison with other mid-format paperback series they contain extensive textual coverage - 50-55000 words - and are written by noted scholars and experts in the subjects, rather than non-specialist writers offering brief and inadequate coverage of a theme. Necessary illustrations and maps are included but are not provided to simply add pages to the book or fill vacant space
To the victors, the spoils.' This is not entirely accurate when applied to the Isandlwana battle for it saw the Zulu fighters give the British an unprecedented shock by their hard-earned victory but, in the process, lose so many of their number that it became clear they could not pursue their action against the Colonial force.
This masterly description of one of the most notorious military actions of the late 19th century is an ideal explanation of a complex battle for both seasoned historians and younger students and, as such, is a perfect title for this collector's series of military accounts.
Average customer rating:
- Essential knowledge base for Anglo-Zulu War enthusiasts
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Blood on the Painted Mountain: Zulu Victory and Defeat, Hlobane and Kambula, 1879
Ron Lock
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Customer Reviews:
Essential knowledge base for Anglo-Zulu War enthusiasts.......1998-06-22
After twice reading the chapter about the Battle of Hlobane Mountain in "Washing of the Spears" and even visiting the battlesite in South Africa, my understanding of this elusive battle was still weak. But thanks to Ron Lock, author of "Blood on the Painted Mountain", my grasp on this confusing conflict has been greatly strengthened. Not only is the information he gives much clearer and vivid, but his style of writing keeps the reader on the edge of his seat. The maps provided are also most helpful and necessary, for even having been on the mountain myself, one can easily lose sense of direction. For those who are Anglo-Zulu War enthusiasts such as myself, I would highly recommend adding this book to your collection.
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Isandlwana (KwaZulu Monuments Council series)
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Manufacturer: Kwazulu Monuments Council
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ASIN: 2262012016 |
Books:
- How Can Man Die Better: The Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed
- How Much Is Enough?: Everything You Need to Know to Steer Clear of Overindulgence and Raise Likeable, Responsible and Respectful Children -- from Toddlers to Teens
- How to Interview Like a Top MBA: Job-Winning Strategies From Headhunters, Fortune 100 Recruiters, and Career Counselors
- I Am My Brother's Keeper, Journal of a Gunny in Iraq
- Imagined Enemies: China Prepares for Uncertain War
- In Love and War: The Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam Years
- In the Time of the Butterflies
- INSIDE WELLINGTON'S PENINSULAR ARMY: 1808 - 1814 (Pen & Sword Military)
- Invading Mexico: America's Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848
- Jack Nastyface: Memoirs of an English Seaman
Books Index
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Recommended Books
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- More Narrow-Lot Home Plans: 245 Versatile Designs Up to 50 Feet Wide
- Mastering Autodesk VIZ 4
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Like Wolves on the Fold: The Defence of Rorke's Drift
Zulu: With Some Guts Behind It
Where Custer Fell: Photographs of the Little Bighorn Battlefield Then and Now
David Rattray's Guide Book to the Anglo-Zulu War Battlefields
