[Includes 28 illustrations & 15 maps]Engagements with the elusive Vietcong and NVA were unlike the frontlines and complex battles that the United States military had been fighting for over a hundred years; they were often short, brutal affairs. The U.S. soldiers and marines were often thrust into battle outnumbered and in hostile territory, or ambushed in convoy or on patrol; but given a fair fight the Americans would most often come out on top. Three authors, all of whom had seen a...

There are several historical instances of the problems caused when equipment is rushed in production and fielded too soon. A great example of this was the German rush to field the new Panther tank before the Battle of Kursk during the Second World War. Unlike the U. S. Army today, the Germans were trying to develop, test and field a major weapon system while fighting a war. It can be argued that the Panther tank was the finest tank built during the Second World War, but it certainly did no...

This monograph offers a new perspective on an old subject. That is why did Napoleon's marshals, so successful in corps command, fail when given an independent army command? It examines in detail the defeats of Marshal Nicolas Charles Oudinot at Gross Beeren, Marshal Etienne MacDonald at Katzbach, and Marshal Michel Ney at Dennewitz.Many authors have speculated why these marshals failed in independent tactical command. They have offered such reasons as lack of talent, lack of guidanc...

Contains 88 photos illustrations and maps."We struck at Guadalcanal to halt the advance of the Japanese. We did not know how strong he was, nor did we know his plans. We knew only that he was moving down the island chain and that he had to be stopped.We were as well trained and as well armed as time and our peacetime experience allowed us to be. We needed combat to tell us how effective our training, our doctrines, and our weapons had been.We tested them against the en...

This paper involves an in-depth study of the art of command at all three levels of warfare. It examines this art through the eyes of one of Napoleon's ablest Marshals, Louis N. Davout. The paper addresses and accomplishes three primary goals. First, it defines the art of command and shows its relevance to modern day warfare. Second, the paper shows that Marshal Davout was the best of Napoleon's generals and had an art of command that rivaled the Emperor himself. Finally, the paper demonstr...

Even during the horrors of the brutalizing industrialised slaughter of the First World War the Gallipoli campaign stands as a benchmark for the awful conditions and savage fighting that occurred. The narrow strips of land that the British, Australian, New Zealand and other Dominion troops tried to wrest from the dogged Turkish defenders was under constant shellfire and every item had to be dragged to the frontline under this hellish barrage. Captain (as at the time) Gillam was part of the ...

"A Sketch of Assam: With Some Account of the Hill Tribes" by Major John Butler is a detailed exploration of the northeastern region of India, particularly Assam. The book provides a vivid account of the geography, culture, and lifestyle of the local tribes, offering readers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of life in this unique area. Butler's observations are not only informative but also reflect his deep appreciation for the natural beauty and diversity of Assam, making it a valuable res...

In this volume the story is told of the first entente cordiale and of the circumstances which led to its disruption. The questions which occupied the attention of the French and the British governments at that period have now passed into the domain of history. The resentment evoked by the Egyptian crisis of 1840 and the controversies raised by the Spanish marriages has died away. The attitude towards the Liberal and national movements in Europe, adopted, on the one side, by Louis Philippe ...

This work is a detailed historical study of the Second World War's little known Aleutian Campaign in the North Pacific, commonly referred to as the "Forgotten War." After describing the events that transpired in the North Pacific throughout the war, this work focuses on the strategic reasons why the United States and Japan decided to dedicate critical and limited resources to a secondary effort in the North Pacific. The strategies are compared to determine which country dedicated a higher ...

Major John Bigelow, formerly of Captain of the 9th Mass. Battery, gives an extensive and detailed account of the brutal struggle around the Peach Orchard at the pivotal battle of Gettysburg.Many volumes have been written about the Civil War and particularly the battle of Gettysburg; accounts of the second day of the battle often focus on the Union's successful defense of Little Round Top. However, the brutal fighting at the Peach Orchard deserve greater attention and specifically th...

European airpower theorists of the 1920's and 30's envisioned the deliberate bombing of civilians in order to affect an enemy nation's wartime production capabilities and national morale. However, American proponents of airpower were more exacting in their approach to the use of the airplane. The US Army Air Corps developed the idea of precision bombing as a means to destroy an enemy's ability to prosecute war through the targeting of only an enemy's means of production and state infrastru...

The Abbey of Monte Cassino, founded by Saint Benedict in A.D. 529, at the beginning of the Italian campaign was one of only two sites requiring special consideration in the interest of historical preservation. The monastery overlooked the only north-south road from Naples to Rome. The promontory, studied by the Italian War College as an example of a position made impregnable by nature, was the focal point of the German Gustav Line. The German defensive scheme did not include the monastery ...