The notorious plateau of the Chemin des Dames saw some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War. Situated just 100 km north-east of Paris, it was the scene in 1917 of the bitterly-controversial Nivelle offensive, which is remembered today as one of the worst disasters in military history.For battlefield tourists, the Chemin des Dames is among the most fascinating sites on the entire Western Front, yet until now there has never been a detailed English guide to the actions that raged there in 1917. This new book by Andrew Uffindell fills that gap: as well as demolishing the many myths about the Nivelle offensive, it enables readers to explore the remarkable battlefield for themselves. Five tours supplemented by forty-six stops at individual places of interest provide an exceptional insight into the struggle for the Chemin des Dames. Illustrated with a wealth of maps and photographs, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the First World War.

The Battle of Waterloo marked the climax of four extraordinary months. Napoleon returned from exile, ousted the unpopular King Louis XVIII, and then turned to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Allied armies assembling in the United Netherlands. Here Napoleon met Wellington who had cobbled together an army with contingents from the British, the United Netherlands and the Prussians, firstly at Quatre Bras and then finally at Waterloo.

This is the second book in the series to cover the battle following on from Hougoumont.

The noted military historian presents an illuminating study of trench warfare during WWI—and how it influenced the French Army''s evolution.Michel Goya''s Flesh and Steel during the Great War is a major contribution to our understanding of the French Army''s experience on the Western Front, and how that experience impacted the future of its military theory and practice. Goya explores the way in which the senior commanders and ordinary soldiers responded to the extraordinary challenges posed by the mass industrial warfare of the early twentieth century.In 1914 the French army went to war with a flawed doctrine, brightly-colored uniforms and a dire shortage of modern, heavy artillery. How then, over four years of relentless, attritional warfare, did it become the great, industrialized army that emerged victorious in 1918?To show how this change occurred, the author examines the pre-war ethos and organization of the army. He describes in telling detail how, through a process of analysis and innovation, the French army underwent the deepest and fastest transformation in its history.

The noted military historian presents an illuminating study of trench warfare during WWI—and how it influenced the French Army''s evolution.Michel Goya''s Flesh and Steel during the Great War is a major contribution to our understanding of the French Army''s experience on the Western Front, and how that experience impacted the future of its military theory and practice. Goya explores the way in which the senior commanders and ordinary soldiers responded to the extraordinary challenges posed by the mass industrial warfare of the early twentieth century.In 1914 the French army went to war with a flawed doctrine, brightly-colored uniforms and a dire shortage of modern, heavy artillery. How then, over four years of relentless, attritional warfare, did it become the great, industrialized army that emerged victorious in 1918?To show how this change occurred, the author examines the pre-war ethos and organization of the army. He describes in telling detail how, through a process of analysis and innovation, the French army underwent the deepest and fastest transformation in its history.

The three commanders-in-chief during the Waterloo campaign rank among the most famous soldiers in history. Rarely have three such remarkable men as Napoleon, Wellington and Blücher confronted each other on a field of battle or had such an impact on the history of their time. Andrew Uffindell, in this readable and meticulously researched three-part biography, gives vivid accounts of their parallel lives and extraordinary careers. The dramatic contrasts that emerge between their backgrounds, personalities and methods of command offer a fascinating insight into the secrets of leadership and into the warfare of the Napoleonic era.

The First Battle of the Marne was one of the most pivotal battles in history. Fought outside Paris in September 1914, it turned the tide of the German invasion of France, and robbed Kaiser Wilhelm II of his best chance of winning the First World War.The battle began when the French and British armies launched a massive counter-offensive, and it ended – after five, tense days of fluctuating fortunes – in a German retreat. The so-called ‘miracle of the Marne’ was among the most crucial episodes of the war, and yet no complete, in-depth guide to the battlefield has been available until now in English.Andrew Uffindell begins his guidebook with a gripping account of the battle, followed by a series of easy-to-follow tours of the battlefield. Each tour covers a particular sector in detail, using vivid eyewitness accounts to reveal what the fighting was like for the men in the front line.This unique and highly illustrated book enables readers to explore the battlefield and retrace the course of those dramatic events for themselves. It gives directions to dozens of museums, cemeteries, and monuments, including the memorials to the famous 'taxis of the Marne'. It will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Great War, and an essential companion for visitors keen to see the actual terrain over which the battle was fought.

This remarkable work tells the story of Chicken Marengo, and cuts through the tangle of myths that has sprung up around it. Supposedly created on the evening of Napoleon’s victory at Marengo, the dish rapidly conquered Paris, and became a renowned symbol of French haute cuisine.The author sets the dish in its context explaining the nail-biting drama of Napoleon’s Marengo campaign and the remarkable frenzy of rejoicing unleashed in Paris by the news of his victory. The author argues that the dish is part of a wider myth that Napoleon spun around the battle itself. Uncomfortably aware of just how close he had come to disaster, he rewrote the official account of Marengo. Determined to exploit the political impact of the victory to the full, he portrayed it as a masterly maneuver, rather than a near-defeat salvaged largely by luck.Napoleon’s Chicken Marengo demonstrates the persistency of popular myth in shaping perceptions of pivotal events. Uffindel sheds startling light on Napoleon’s extraordinary and yet elusive character, and reveals just how effectively he spun a myth around the amount of food he ate in order to project a positive image of himself. A whole cast of other, unforgettable characters enlivens the story of Chicken Marengo, from Napoleon’s bickering generals, to celebrity chefs, colorful adventurers, acclaimed artists, fabulously wealthy eccentrics, and famous writers such as William Makepeace Thackeray.

Mercer's journal is one of the most outstanding eyewitness accounts of the Waterloo campaign ever published. It is a classic of military history. This new, fully illustrated edition, featuring an extensive introduction and notes by Andrew Uffindell, one of the leading authorities on the Napoleonic Wars, contains a mass of additional material not included in the original.As the bicentenary of Waterloo approaches, this beautifully prepared, scholarly edition of Mercer's work will be essential reading for anyone who wishes to know what it was really like to fight in the final, great battle against Napoleon. Captain Mercer was in acting command of G Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. His journal vividly describes the campaign, from his landing at Ostend as Wellington's army began to assemble, through the excitement and confusion of the battle itself, and on to the occupation of Paris and the conclusion of the war.His graphic account - which is just as readable and relevant today as it was when it was written - is full of telling, authentic detail, for Mercer was a gifted, sensitive writer and an acute observer, and he was equally adept at capturing the scenery, people's characters, and his remarkable experiences while under fire.

This in-depth survey of the greatest generals of the Napoleonic wars offers biographical information of twelve oustanding military commanders including Napoleon, Wellington, Blucher, Kutusov and Archduke Charles; with analysis of each general and and their battles.

The notorious plateau of the Chemin des Dames saw some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War. Situated just 100 km north-east of Paris, it was the scene in 1917 of the bitterly-controversial Nivelle offensive, which is remembered today as one of the worst disasters in military history.For battlefield tourists, the Chemin des Dames is among the most fascinating sites on the entire Western Front, yet until now there has never been a detailed English guide to the actions that raged there in 1917. This new book by Andrew Uffindell fills that gap: as well as demolishing the many myths about the Nivelle offensive, it enables readers to explore the remarkable battlefield for themselves. Five tours supplemented by forty-six stops at individual places of interest provide an exceptional insight into the struggle for the Chemin des Dames. Illustrated with a wealth of maps and photographs, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the First World War.

The Battle of Waterloo marked the climax of four extraordinary months. Napoleon returned from exile, ousted the unpopular King Louis XVIII, and then turned to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Allied armies assembling in the United Netherlands. Here Napoleon met Wellington who had cobbled together an army with contingents from the British, the United Netherlands and the Prussians, firstly at Quatre Bras and then finally at Waterloo.

This is the second book in the series to cover the battle following on from Hougoumont.

The noted military historian presents an illuminating study of trench warfare during WWI—and how it influenced the French Army''s evolution.Michel Goya''s Flesh and Steel during the Great War is a major contribution to our understanding of the French Army''s experience on the Western Front, and how that experience impacted the future of its military theory and practice. Goya explores the way in which the senior commanders and ordinary soldiers responded to the extraordinary challenges posed by the mass industrial warfare of the early twentieth century.In 1914 the French army went to war with a flawed doctrine, brightly-colored uniforms and a dire shortage of modern, heavy artillery. How then, over four years of relentless, attritional warfare, did it become the great, industrialized army that emerged victorious in 1918?To show how this change occurred, the author examines the pre-war ethos and organization of the army. He describes in telling detail how, through a process of analysis and innovation, the French army underwent the deepest and fastest transformation in its history.

The noted military historian presents an illuminating study of trench warfare during WWI—and how it influenced the French Army''s evolution.Michel Goya''s Flesh and Steel during the Great War is a major contribution to our understanding of the French Army''s experience on the Western Front, and how that experience impacted the future of its military theory and practice. Goya explores the way in which the senior commanders and ordinary soldiers responded to the extraordinary challenges posed by the mass industrial warfare of the early twentieth century.In 1914 the French army went to war with a flawed doctrine, brightly-colored uniforms and a dire shortage of modern, heavy artillery. How then, over four years of relentless, attritional warfare, did it become the great, industrialized army that emerged victorious in 1918?To show how this change occurred, the author examines the pre-war ethos and organization of the army. He describes in telling detail how, through a process of analysis and innovation, the French army underwent the deepest and fastest transformation in its history.

The three commanders-in-chief during the Waterloo campaign rank among the most famous soldiers in history. Rarely have three such remarkable men as Napoleon, Wellington and Blücher confronted each other on a field of battle or had such an impact on the history of their time. Andrew Uffindell, in this readable and meticulously researched three-part biography, gives vivid accounts of their parallel lives and extraordinary careers. The dramatic contrasts that emerge between their backgrounds, personalities and methods of command offer a fascinating insight into the secrets of leadership and into the warfare of the Napoleonic era.

The First Battle of the Marne was one of the most pivotal battles in history. Fought outside Paris in September 1914, it turned the tide of the German invasion of France, and robbed Kaiser Wilhelm II of his best chance of winning the First World War.The battle began when the French and British armies launched a massive counter-offensive, and it ended – after five, tense days of fluctuating fortunes – in a German retreat. The so-called ‘miracle of the Marne’ was among the most crucial episodes of the war, and yet no complete, in-depth guide to the battlefield has been available until now in English.Andrew Uffindell begins his guidebook with a gripping account of the battle, followed by a series of easy-to-follow tours of the battlefield. Each tour covers a particular sector in detail, using vivid eyewitness accounts to reveal what the fighting was like for the men in the front line.This unique and highly illustrated book enables readers to explore the battlefield and retrace the course of those dramatic events for themselves. It gives directions to dozens of museums, cemeteries, and monuments, including the memorials to the famous 'taxis of the Marne'. It will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Great War, and an essential companion for visitors keen to see the actual terrain over which the battle was fought.

This remarkable work tells the story of Chicken Marengo, and cuts through the tangle of myths that has sprung up around it. Supposedly created on the evening of Napoleon’s victory at Marengo, the dish rapidly conquered Paris, and became a renowned symbol of French haute cuisine.The author sets the dish in its context explaining the nail-biting drama of Napoleon’s Marengo campaign and the remarkable frenzy of rejoicing unleashed in Paris by the news of his victory. The author argues that the dish is part of a wider myth that Napoleon spun around the battle itself. Uncomfortably aware of just how close he had come to disaster, he rewrote the official account of Marengo. Determined to exploit the political impact of the victory to the full, he portrayed it as a masterly maneuver, rather than a near-defeat salvaged largely by luck.Napoleon’s Chicken Marengo demonstrates the persistency of popular myth in shaping perceptions of pivotal events. Uffindel sheds startling light on Napoleon’s extraordinary and yet elusive character, and reveals just how effectively he spun a myth around the amount of food he ate in order to project a positive image of himself. A whole cast of other, unforgettable characters enlivens the story of Chicken Marengo, from Napoleon’s bickering generals, to celebrity chefs, colorful adventurers, acclaimed artists, fabulously wealthy eccentrics, and famous writers such as William Makepeace Thackeray.

Mercer's journal is one of the most outstanding eyewitness accounts of the Waterloo campaign ever published. It is a classic of military history. This new, fully illustrated edition, featuring an extensive introduction and notes by Andrew Uffindell, one of the leading authorities on the Napoleonic Wars, contains a mass of additional material not included in the original.As the bicentenary of Waterloo approaches, this beautifully prepared, scholarly edition of Mercer's work will be essential reading for anyone who wishes to know what it was really like to fight in the final, great battle against Napoleon. Captain Mercer was in acting command of G Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. His journal vividly describes the campaign, from his landing at Ostend as Wellington's army began to assemble, through the excitement and confusion of the battle itself, and on to the occupation of Paris and the conclusion of the war.His graphic account - which is just as readable and relevant today as it was when it was written - is full of telling, authentic detail, for Mercer was a gifted, sensitive writer and an acute observer, and he was equally adept at capturing the scenery, people's characters, and his remarkable experiences while under fire.

This in-depth survey of the greatest generals of the Napoleonic wars offers biographical information of twelve oustanding military commanders including Napoleon, Wellington, Blucher, Kutusov and Archduke Charles; with analysis of each general and and their battles.