Download or read book Flying to Victory written by Mike Bechthold and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 2017-04-06 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Canadian-born flying ace Raymond Collishaw (1893–1976) served in Britain’s air forces for twenty-eight years. As a pilot in World War I he was credited with sixty-one confirmed kills on the Western Front. When World War II began in 1939, Air Commodore Collishaw commanded a Royal Air Force group in Egypt. It was in Egypt and Libya in 1940–41, during the Britain’s Western Desert campaign, that he demonstrated the tenets of an effective air-ground cooperation system. Flying to Victory examines Raymond Collishaw’s contribution to the British system of tactical air support—a pattern of operations that eventually became standard in the Allied air forces and proved to be a key factor in the Allied victory. The British Army and Royal Air Force entered the war with conflicting views on the issue of air support that hindered the success of early operations. It was only after the chastening failure of Operation Battleaxe in June 1941, fought according to army doctrine, that Winston Churchill shifted strategy on the direction of future air campaigns—ultimately endorsing the RAF's view of mission and target selection. This view adopted principles of air-ground cooperation that Collishaw had demonstrated in combat. Author Mike Bechthold traces the emergence of this strategy in the RAF air campaign in Operation Compass, the first British offensive in the Western Desert, in which Air Commodore Collishaw’s small force overwhelmed its Italian counterpart and disrupted enemy logistics. Flying to Victory details the experiences that prepared Collishaw so well for this campaign and that taught him much about the application of air power, especially how to work effectively with the army and Royal Navy. As Bechthold shows, these lessons learned altered the Allied approach to tactical air support and, ultimately, changed the course of the Second World War.
Download or read book Operation Compass 1940 written by Jon Latimer and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A highly illustrated, absorbing account of the first battle of the desert war: the British against the Italians. Operation Compass was originally envisaged as a spoiling attack, combined with a reconnaissance in force to disrupt the Italian forces that had advanced into Egypt in September 1940. Lt Gen. Richard O'Connor launched what amounted to a British 'Blitzkrieg'. In less than two months the British forces swept 500 miles along the coast of North Africa. 7th Armoured Division raced across the desert to cut off the retreating Italians, and O'Connor's men destroyed 9 Italian divisions, and took 130,000 prisoners. In March 1941 General Rommel and the Afrikakorps landed at Tripoli.
Download or read book Rommel s Desert War written by Martin Kitchen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-09-03 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the height of his power in January 1941 Hitler made the fateful decision to send troops to North Africa to save the beleaguered Italian army from defeat. Martin Kitchen's masterful history of the Axis campaign provides a fundamental reassessment of the key battles of 1941-3, Rommel's generalship, and the campaign's place within the broader strategic context of the war. He shows that the British were initially helpless against the operational brilliance of Rommel's Panzer divisions. However Rommel's initial successes and refusal to follow orders committed the Axis to a campaign well beyond their means. Without the reinforcements or supplies he needed to deliver a knockout blow, Rommel was forced onto the defensive and Hitler's Mediterranean strategy began to unravel. The result was the loss of an entire army which together with defeat at Stalingrad signalled a decisive shift in the course of the war.
Download or read book The Western Desert Campaign 1940 41 written by Glenn Wahlert and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-07-01 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the North African campaign has been studied in detail over the years, much of this study has been dedicated to the battles between the British 8th Army and Rommel's Afrika Korps. There has been little serious study of Wavell's campaign against Italian forces in 1940- 41, nor of the role played by the Australian 6th Division in the eventual Italian defeat. Part of this can be attributed to wartime propaganda that labelled the Italian Army dilettantes and mocked their courage. The truth is much different. Many Italian units showed incredible bravery, and the Australian assaults on fortress towns such as Bardia were far from a walkover. Today's aspiring military commanders need look no further than the early Western Desert campaign for historical examples of brilliant leadership, detailed planning, deception, surprise, manoeuvre warfare and relentless pursuit, all against overwhelming odds.
Download or read book The Desert War written by Alan Moorehead and published by Aurum Press. This book was released on 2017-03-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alan Moorehead was a peerless war correspondent who covered the entire war in North Africa from 1940-1943. The trilogy of books he wrote on the prolonged battles between Montgomery's Eighth Army and Rommel's Afrika Corps immediately drew universal acclaim, and remains and epic account as extraordinary now as it was then. This reissue of Alan Moorehead's classic trilogy on the North Africa campaign 1940-1943 will coinide with the 75th anniversary of the Battles for El Alamein in July and October 1942.
Download or read book Fighting the People s War written by Jonathan Fennell and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-24 with total page 967 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jonathan Fennell captures for the first time the true wartime experience of the ordinary soldiers from across the empire who made up the British and Commonwealth armies. He analyses why the great battles were won and lost and how the men that fought went on to change the world.
Download or read book Desert Warfare written by Alfred Toppe and published by Militarybookshop.CompanyUK. This book was released on 2011 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Firs published in 1991. "Desert Warfare: German Experiences in World War II" is an abridgment of a two-volume work that first appeared in 1952. Organized by Major General Alfred Toppe and written with the assistance of nine German commanders who served in North Africa, the manuscript represents a collaborative attempt to determine as many factors as possible which exerted a determining influence on desert warfare. Issues addressed include planning, intelligence, logistics, and operations. Described and analyzed are the German order of battle, the major military engagements in North Africa, and the particular problems of terrain and climate in desert operations. Not unlike many of the U.S. units engaged in the war with Iraq, the Germans in North Africa learned about combat operations in the desert only after they arrived on the scene and confronted the desert on its own terms. For this reason alone, as well as for the insights it offers, Desert Warfare requires the serious consideration of those responsible for preparing the U.S. military for any future conflict in desert terrain.
Download or read book Fallen Eagles The Italian 10th Army In The Opening Campaign In The Western Desert June 1940 written by Major Howard R. Christie and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Italian Army developed a sound and unique combined arms doctrine for mechanized warfare in 1938. This new doctrine was called the “War of Rapid Decision.” It involved the use of mechanized warfare in the Italian version of the blitzkrieg. This doctrine evolved from the lessons learned in the Italian-Ethiopian War of 1935 to 1936 and the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. With Italy’s entry into World War II, military operations ensued along the Libyan-Egyptian border between the Italian 10th Army and a much smaller British Western Desert Force. The Italian Army in Libya outnumbered the British Army in Egypt by a ratio of four to one. The setting seemed to be ideal for the employment of the War of Rapid Decisions. Moreover, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, who was the commander of the Italian 10th Army in North Africa during its first campaign in the western desert, had pioneered this new form of mechanized warfare during the Ethiopian War. Surprisingly, the Italian forces in Libya did not employ their new doctrine, reverting instead to more conventional techniques of “mass.” It was Graziani’s failure to utilize the doctrine which he had helped to develop that led to Italy’s embarrassing defeat in 1941.
Download or read book The Life and Death of the Afrika Korps written by Robin Lewin and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2008-02-20 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Afrika Korps is an illustrated record of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel and his desert troops that fought in North Africa against British and Commonwealth forces between 1941 and 1943. Using previously rare and unpublished photographs, many of which have come from the albums of individuals who took part in the desert campaign, it presents a unique visual account of the famous Afrika-Korps' operations and equipment. Thanks to an informative caption with every photograph Afrika Korps vividly portrays how the German Army fought across the uncharted and forbidding desert wilderness of North Africa. Throughout the book it examines how Rommel and his Afrika Korps were so successful and includes an analysis of desert war tactics which Rommel himself had indoctrinated. These tactics quickly won the Afrika-Korps a string of victories between 1941 and 1942. The photographs that accompany the book are a fascinating collection that depicts life in the Afrika-Korps, as seen through the lens of the ordinary soldier.
Download or read book Desert Rat 1940 43 written by Tim Moreman and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2011-11-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Osprey's examination of the 'Desert Rats', a popular nickname used to describe first 7th Armoured Division and then all the mixed body of British Commonwealth troops - British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian - that fought against Axis forces in North Africa between 1940 and 1943. For a long period during the early years of World War II (1939-1945), this was the only theatre of war where the United Kingdom could strike back against the Axis powers, and the seesaw desert war fought out along the coast of the Mediterranean in Egypt, Libya and then Tunisia proved a harsh testing ground for British arms - in terms of organization, equipment and methods of waging war. The distinctive dress, equipment and weapons developed and carried by the Desert Rats into battle will be examined as will the expansion, organization and training of the desert army. To illustrate the distinctive combat experience gained by the Desert Rats between 1940 and 1943, three representative operations will be examined in detail - Operation Compass in 1940, the battle of Gazala in May 1942 and finally the last phase of the decisive fighting at El Alamein in October-November 1942. Accompanied by full-color illustrations, this title will shed new light on these fascinating troops.
Download or read book Desert Rats written by Tim Moreman and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2007-07-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tim Moreman examines the creation and deployment of British 8th Army, probably the most famous military formation raised by the British during World War II. Formed in September 1941 from the Western Desert Force, it went on to wage a lengthy, hard-fought campaign against German and Italian troops across the deserts of North Africa. It was composed of British and Commonwealth troops - as well as smaller numbers of French and Polish troops. Additionally, a variety of specialized elite forces came under its umbrella including the Special Air Service, Popski's Private Army and the Long Range Desert Group. This book will provide a fascinating insight into these unconventional troops who became the inspiration for today's Special Forces. It was also the first Allied army to rely on close air support; a revolutionary, war-winning tactic that would shaped combined forces strategy throughout the rest of the war. The Desert War was unlike any other fought by the British Army. The hot, dusty, and unforgiving climate and environment in which its troops lived, moved, and fought was almost as troublesome as the enemy. During its two-year period of service in North Africa, 8th Army underwent major changes in organization, equipment, and training to adapt it to the terrain. Discover the difficulties of desert warfare and how these were overcome by the 8th Army to defeat Rommel and become masters of the desert.
Download or read book The Italian Army In North Africa written by Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2018-08-17 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Previously unpublished analysis of why and how the Italians foughtA look at the role the Italian Army played in North Africa as part of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (German Afrika Korps)In spite of poor leadership, the Italian soldier performed well against all odds in North AfricaProfusely illustrated with many rare and unpublished images ‘The German soldier has impressed the world, however, the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier.’ Erin Rommel aka ‘The Desert Fox’ When most people think of the Italian Army in North Africa during the Second World War, they tend to believe that the average Italian soldier offered little resistance to the Allies before surrendering. Many suggest that the Italian Army performed in a cowardly manner during the war: the reality is not so simple. The question remains as to whether the Italians were cowards or victims of circumstance. While the Italian soldier’s commitment to the war was not as great as that of his German counterpart, many Italians fought bravely. The Italian Littorio and Ariete Divisions earned Allied admiration at Tobruk, Gazala and EI Alamein. The Italian Army played a significant role as part of the German Afrika Korps and made up a large portion of the Axis combat power in North Africa during 1941 and 1942. In the interest of determining how the Italian Army earned the reputation that it did, it is necessary to analyse why and how the Italians fought.
Download or read book The Longest Siege written by Robert Lyman and published by Pan Macmillan. This book was released on 2010 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The siege of Tobruk was a pivotal battle which influenced the outcome of the Second World War. In this book Robert Lyman describes the 'David versus Goliath' confrontation that ensued when Allied forces took on Rommel's Panzer divisions in the Libyan port.
Download or read book Dilemmas of the Desert War written by Michael Carver and published by Spellmount, Limited Publishers. This book was released on 2002 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this text, Field Marshal Lord Carver has used newly available first-hand historical resources to reassess the story of the British campaign in the North African desert. History shows that several key figures in these battles were wrongly criticised.
Download or read book Operation Crusader 1941 written by Ken Ford and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2010-06-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following a lull in the desert war which saw the Germans and British reinforce their armies, Rommel suddenly attacked British fortifications with an assault on the northern sector of the British line near Gazala. Pinning down the British in the north and outflanking the 1st Free French Brigade, Rommel succeeded in encircling the main British positions, trapping them in what became known as 'The Cauldron'. With thousands of British soldiers killed or taken prisoner, this was a devastating defeat for the Allies. Accompanied by contemporary photographs and maps depicting the movement of both armies, Ken Ford provides a masterful study of Rommel, the 'Desert Fox', at the height of his powers during World War II (1939-1945), as he swept the British army back to the site of their final stand at El Alamein.
Download or read book The Battle for North Africa written by Glyn Harper and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A well-researched and highly readable account of one of World War II’s most important ‘turning point’ battles.” —Jerry D. Morelock, Senior Editor at HistoryNet.com In the early years of World War II, Germany shocked the world with a devastating blitzkrieg, rapidly conquered most of Europe, and pushed into North Africa. As the Allies scrambled to counter the Axis armies, the British Eighth Army confronted the experienced Afrika Corps, led by German field marshal Erwin Rommel, in three battles at El Alamein. In the first battle, the Eighth Army narrowly halted the advance of the Germans during the summer of 1942. However, the stalemate left Nazi troops within striking distance of the Suez Canal, which would provide a critical tactical advantage to the controlling force. War historian Glyn Harper dives into the story, vividly narrating the events, strategies, and personalities surrounding the battles and paying particular attention to the Second Battle of El Alamein, a crucial turning point in the war that would be described by Winston Churchill as “the end of the beginning.” Moving beyond a simple narrative of the conflict, The Battle for North Africa tackles critical themes, such as the problems of coalition warfare, the use of military intelligence, the role of celebrity generals, and the importance of an all-arms approach to modern warfare.
Download or read book Desert War written by Alan Moorehead and published by Penguin Paperbacks. This book was released on 2001 with total page 660 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "North Africa was the site of some of the most volatile battles of World War II. For journalist Alan Moorehead, it was war in its purest form, "a knight's tournament in empty space."" "In Desert War, which includes the complete texts of The Mediterranean Front, A Year of Battle, and The End of Africa, Moorehead writes about what he saw. He recounts with dazzling prose and intimate detail the heroes and legends, the soldiers and prisoners, the military strategies, the strengths and weaknesses of those involved, and portraits of generals Rommel, Montgomery, and Patton. Woven throughout are observations on the landscape, the Mediterranean shores and the vast desert, which inevitably played a role in shaping the battles. For Moorehead, "desert warfare resembled war at sea. Men moved by compass. No position was static. Each truck or tank was as individual as a destroyer."" "Written by a man who lived and breathed the conflict in North Africa during World War II, Desert War is a eyewitness account and an inspired piece of writing by a master of his craft."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
