Andrew Wheatcroft - Böcker

The Habsburgs have been described at one extreme as demons – responsible for a ‘long history of atrocities’; and, at the other, as dodos – living fossils unable to adapt to the modern world. In reality, the flamboyant royal family appear, in many ways, to have behaved much like most other monarchies. Their story, however, is none the less enthralling for that. It is populated by such unforgettable figures as mad Queen Juana, progressing through Spain with her husband’s decaying body; the ‘heroically fertile’ Maria Theresa, and the quixotic Maximilian, ‘Emperor’ of Mexico.

Originally published in 1976, this book explores the relationship between European society and the military institutions it fostered from 1815–1918. In the period from the fall of Napoleonic imperialism to the outbreak of the First World War armies and navies grew in complexity, cost and size. The first half of this book investigates these institutions from within, and looks at some of the factors which held them together in an increasingly difficult and hostile world, at their self-image, and at the pressures upon them from society at large.As the role of military institutions within society increased in importance, analysts began to look for the effects which this interpenetration had on society. Part 2 is concerned with the effects of this growing dominance of society by its defenders. By the end of period covered by this book, the age of total mobilisation for the war effort was upon us. In a sense this second part of the book reinforces the conclusions of the first, that military institutions are separate from the societies which surround them, and between the two a growing gap of misunderstanding and incomprehension yawned.

Originally published in 1976, this book explores the relationship between European society and the military institutions it fostered from 1815–1918. In the period from the fall of Napoleonic imperialism to the outbreak of the First World War armies and navies grew in complexity, cost and size. The first half of this book investigates these institutions from within, and looks at some of the factors which held them together in an increasingly difficult and hostile world, at their self-image, and at the pressures upon them from society at large.As the role of military institutions within society increased in importance, analysts began to look for the effects which this interpenetration had on society. Part 2 is concerned with the effects of this growing dominance of society by its defenders. By the end of period covered by this book, the age of total mobilisation for the war effort was upon us. In a sense this second part of the book reinforces the conclusions of the first, that military institutions are separate from the societies which surround them, and between the two a growing gap of misunderstanding and incomprehension yawned.

Who's Who in Military History looks at those people who have shaped the course of war. Broad in geographical and chronological scope, it concentrates on all the major periods and conflicts in history, from 1453 up to and including the Persian Gulf War. It provides:* detailed biographies of the most interesting and important figures in military history* a series of maps showing the main theatres of war* a glossary of common words and phrases* a unique and valuable source of information for both the student and the general reader.

The Routledge Who's Who in Military History looks at those men and women who have shaped the course of war. It concentrates on all those periods about which the reader is likely to want information - the eighteenth-century wars in Europe, the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the major conflicts of the nineteenth-century. There is full coverage of the First and Second World Wars, and the many post-war struggles up to and including the Gulf War. It provides:* detailed biographies of the most interesting and important figures in military history from about 1450 to the present day* a series of maps showing the main theatres of war* a glossary of common words and phrases* an accessible and user-friendly A-Z layoutThe Routledge Who's Who in Military History will be a unique and invaluable source of information for the student and general reader alike.

First published in 1982. The art of photography is now an immensely popular hobby throughout the world. However, when it first started it was available only to a very few people who had the money and determination to indulge in this activity. Then as now, each photograph is a reflection of the interests and tastes of the photographer, be he amateur or professional. The present book is not just a collection o f photographs but rather an illustrated historical record. In other words it is a chronicle which is brought dramatically to life by the photographs. As its title indicates the book deals with a region about which very little was known in the West during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. It covers the region not only geographically but also sociologically and over a fairly long period of time. It spans the region from the heart of Arabia, through Western Arabia (Jeddah, Mecca and Medina), Yemen, Oman and the Gulf. It depicts the life of the Arab, not only rulers but also the ordinary people in their daily activities. These photographs also show the changes which have taken place over the period from 1880 to 1950, giving the reader an opportunity to link the past with the present.

First Published in 1988. This book holds a collection of photographs to illustrates the Arab country of history of Bahrain from 1880 to 1961. All the images in this book are drawn from material in the National Photographic Archive of the State of Bahrain, or in the author's own collection

To the outsider, the lands of Arabia have over many centuries represented a great mystery, a vast space on the map crossed by largely imaginary pathways, a terrain mastered only by skilful trackers, the "bedu" who could survive and thrive within that seemingly barren landscape. But in those travellers like Charles Doughty, T.E. Lawrence, Alois Musil, Harold Philby, Wilfred Thesiger and Bertram Thomas, who came to know the reality and true richness of the Arabian landscape, it engendered a passion and inspiration that perhaps no other land could have inspired. Arabia was for them a union formed of both land and people; it was not at all the void that so many of the early visitors had believed. Their respect and understanding for the peoples of Arabia is at the heart of this photographic record that they and other visitors have bequeathed to us. The images in this volume are unique in two senses. Firstly, the difficulties of producing any photograhic images at all in the arid and difficult conditions at the heart of the peninsula, or in the soaking humidity of the Red Sea or the Gulf coasts, makes them both scarce and precious; and these are also images of the highest visual quality.Secondly, the styles of life, the buildings and the landscape depicted here have, for the most part, disappeared for ever. These images are the last relics of a lost way of life. The selection reflects the approach of the author, who looks first for photographs which are fresh in their visual appeal and, where possible, unpublished. He then looks for images with a context - which relate to a specific event, or historical development. Finally, he looks for the rationale behind a photograph, the reason why it was taken or the purposes to which it has been put. The book records, at one remove, the heroic story of the creation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, illustrating the stages of the foundation of the Kingdom, leading to the peace and prosperity of the present day. The book also contains a number of images concerning King Abdul Aziz, one of the truly great figures of the 20th century.

First published in 1995. In this book the author presents an analysis of Shaikh Salman's role in the process of development. It is not a full, narrative, history of Bahrain during his period of rule, but an investigation of the forces that propelled Bahrain forward into the modern age.

The Routledge Who's Who in Military History looks at those men and women who have shaped the course of war. It concentrates on all those periods about which the reader is likely to want information - the eighteenth-century wars in Europe, the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the major conflicts of the nineteenth-century. There is full coverage of the First and Second World Wars, and the many post-war struggles up to and including the Gulf War. It provides:* detailed biographies of the most interesting and important figures in military history from about 1450 to the present day* a series of maps showing the main theatres of war* a glossary of common words and phrases* an accessible and user-friendly A-Z layoutThe Routledge Who's Who in Military History will be a unique and invaluable source of information for the student and general reader alike.

First published in 1995. In this book the author presents an analysis of Shaikh Salman's role in the process of development. It is not a full, narrative, history of Bahrain during his period of rule, but an investigation of the forces that propelled Bahrain forward into the modern age.