"This is an excellent account of a series of very hard fought battles that helped prepare the way for the British re-conquest of Burma." —History of WarRobert Lyman's deep knowledge and understanding of the war in Burma, and the great battles at Kohima and Imphal in 1944, are well known. In this book he uses original documents, published works and personal accounts to weave together an enthralling narrative of some of the bitterest fighting of WWII. Not only does he...

'Elegantly written and beautifully produced' TLSHow 'Uncle Bill' won the war in BurmaDefeated and demoralised, British units in the Far East had virtually been ejected from Burma when, in 1943, General W. J. Slim organised, trained and then deployed his famous 'forgotten' 14th Army to devastating effect, defeating the Japanese twice and liberating Burma in the process. One of the most innovative soldiers of his generation, Slim's '...

The dramatic true story of twenty Americans fighting to survive after their plane crashes in a treacherous Burmese jungle during World War II."This is an extraordinary story of the sudden confrontation of two civilizations on the edge of the British Empire which ended in harmony and affection. It is excellently told, exciting, vivid, and moving." —Alan MacFarlane, author of Riddle of the Modern World ,

'A compelling history.' – The Sunday Times'Thought-provoking.' – The Spectator'Interesting and well-researched.' – The Sunday TelegraphA compelling history of the decline of an army from the triumph of victory in 1918 to defeat in 1940 and why this happened. A salutary warning for modern Britain.The British Army won a convincing series of victories between 1916 and 1...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE RUSI DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2022'This is a superb book.' - James HollandIn 1941 and 1942 the British and Indian Armies were brutally defeated and Japan reigned supreme in its newly conquered territories throughout Asia. But change was coming. New commanders were appointed, significant training together with restructuring took place, and new tactics were developed. A War of Empires...

At nightfall on December 7 1942, twelve British canoeists arrived by submarine off the coast of France, tasked with infiltrating the dockyards of Bordeaux, and wreaking havoc with the German shipping they found there.Manning fragile 'cockles' through the turbulent waters of the Bay of Biscay, and making an assault on a port bristling with German soldiers ordered to execute any Allied Commando they captured, their prospects looked bleak. It was fully expected that all would die in t...

A ground-breaking history of this global conflict including the errors and miscalculations made on both sides.Korea: War Without End examines the stand-off between East and West in Korea that defined the second half of the 20th century. It provides a critical analysis of the lack of preparation by the West for war; the results of the North Korean invasion in June 1950; the counter-stroke by MacArthur in September and then the strategic overreach which led ...

A fascinating look at the campaign that launched the Chindit myth and saw Orde Wingate's long range patrol group wreak havoc across the Japanese lines.Arriving in Burma in 1942 to survey the environment and finalise his development of long range penetration units, Major General Orde Wingate set up the training and deployment of the Chindits. Under Operation Longcloth, the Chindits crossed the Chindwin into Burma in February 1943. The 3,000-man patrol under...

Its funny how life has a way of changing people.It definitely changed me.I was tooling along day after day, set in my ways, looking at life like a racehorse wearing blinders, oblivious to seeing the world any other way than I knew how, because I ultimately had fashioned my vision of it. I fit myself with the glasses I wore, and I wrote the prescription for the lenses with my attitude, faith, and beliefs.But I got lucky. Parkinsons came along, slapped me upside the h...

On the night of 28 March 1942 the Royal Navy and British commandos assaulted the German-held French Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire in one of the most audacious raids of the Second World War. Their plan was simple: to drive an old destroyer packed with three tons of explosive at full speed into the outer gate of the Normandie dock.Destroying this would deny the formidable Tirpitz battleship, currently lurking menacingly in the Norwegian fjords, a base from which it could inflict dev...

The terminal diagnosis is given, the knock on the door comes, and someone you love is dying or has just died. Death happens every day, yet as one hospital chaplain said, Most of the time we just live life as if it isnt an issue until its in our face.Its not as if death is a secret. Its on the news and in the newspaper daily, but we dont talk about it very much, almost pretending as if it wont happen to us or our loved ones. But by not talking and not preparing, we make dying and de...

Bill Slim was one of the greatest British generals of World War II. In a career that stretched from 1914 until 1958, his greatest triumphs came in India and Burma in the long war against the Japanese.Thrust into a desperate situation, he orchestrated the longest retreat in British Army history in the withdrawal from Burma. He then turned on the Japanese in India, shattered their army, and pursued them to destruction. Apart from his great military victories, Slim al...