John Barratt – författare

This book was originally published in 1990, as part of the Cambridge Studies in International Relations series, a joint initiative of Cambridge University Press and the British International Studies Association (BISA). In a far-reaching and fascinating study of foreign policy in South Africa, Barber and Barratt begin by looking at the post-war challenges faced by the government of South Africa, and the effect that the establishment of apartheid also had on foreign policy. Their study then goes on to explore the effects that Sharpeville, and the repercussions of various periods of success and upheaval, had on South African international relations up until the late 1980s. This exceptionally thorough study of South African foreign policy and the factors influencing its formation will be of interest to scholars of South Africa in particular, and international relations and policy making in general.

The appalling effects of civil war are often suffered most horrifically by the ordinary men, women and children involuntarily caught up in it, as it tears asunder the very fabric of their lives. Such was the fate of the citizens of Chester, who for almost four years found themselves at the centre of the battle between King and Parliament. Chester's inhabitants withstood the terrors of bombardment and the rigours of starvation, in one of the most fiercely contested sieges of the Civil War. Using myriad contemporary sources it is possible for the first time to present a detailed picture of the part played in the siege by the 'common sort', the 'forgotten voices' of Chester: ordinary citizens forced by their employers to enlist in the City Regiment, their brutal introduction to the realities of war and their gallant defence of Chester.

Previous studies of the Royalist high command have concentrated largely upon a handful of notable individuals such as King Charles himself and Prince Rupert. In this ground-breaking study, John Barratt re-examines these key figures, but he also explores the careers and characters of some of the lesser-known, but equally able Royalist officers. These men played decisive roles in the war, but hitherto they have received little attention.

The 200 years that separate the navy of Drake's day from that of Nelson were critical for the development of Britain's sea power, and the decade of the Commonwealth, of Cromwell's rule, is one of the turning points in the story. In the aftermath of a disastrous civil war and the execution of Charles I, the navy fought to defend the frail republic against the rivalry and hostility of other European nations and to extend British influence across the globe. In this fascinating reassessment of a decisive phase in the growth of British seapower, John Barratt shows how Cromwell's navy confronted the threats that came against it during a decade of almost continuous naval warfare, against the Royalists, the Dutch and the Spanish. At the same time he describes in detail the naval organization of the day and the rapid expansion of the service in the early 1650s, as well as the ships and the seamen who manned them.

The opening years of the fifteenth century saw one of the most bitterly contested political and military convulsions in the history of the British Isles, a conflict that is too-often overlooked by military historians. Henry IV, who had overthrown and probably murdered his predecessor Richard II, fought a protracted and bloody campaign against the most powerful nobles in the land. This war is the subject of John Barratts gripping study.The Percy family, the Kings of the North, and their most famous leader Sir Henry Percy Hotspur,whose fiery nature and military prowess were immortalized by Shakespeare stood out against Henrys rule. And the beleagured king also had to contend with a range of other unrelenting opponents, among them Owain Glyn Dwr, who led the Welsh revolt against English supremacy.In this graphic account of the first, deeply troubled years of Henry IVs reign, John Barratt concentrates on the warfare, in particular on the setpiece pitched battles fought at Homildon Hill, Pilleth and Shrewsbury.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada is one of the turning points in English history, and it was perhaps the defining episode in the long reigns of Elizabeth I of England and Philip II of Spain. The running battle along the Channel between the nimble English ships and the lumbering Spanish galleons has achieved almost legendary status. In this compelling new account John Barratt reconstructs the battle against the Armada in the concise, clear Campaign Chronicles format, which records the action in vivid detail, day by day, hour by hour. He questions common assumptions about the battle and looks again at aspects of the action that have been debated or misunderstood. Included are full orders of battle showing the chains of command and the effective strengths and fighting capabilities of the opposing fleets. There is also an in-depth analysis of the far-reaching consequences of the wreck of Philip II's great enterprise.

Sieges determined the course of the English Civil Wars, yet they receive scant attention. In contrast, the major set-piece battles are repeatedly analyzed and reassessed. As a result our understanding of the conflict, and of its outcome, is incomplete. John Barratt, in this lucid and perceptive account, makes the siege the focal point of his study. As well as looking at the theory and practice of siege warfare and fortification, he considers the often-devastating human impact. Using a selection of graphic examples, he shows how siege warfare could ruin the lives of the soldiers - and the civilians - caught up in it. He examines in detail a dozen sieges, using a combination of eyewitness accounts, other contemporary sources, archaeological surveys, and other modern research. His study provides a detailed and vivid reconstruction of these often neglected episodes of civil war history.

The political machinations, the strategies, and the hour-by-hour accounts of the war that locked Elizabeth I and Philip II in a battle for naval supremacy. The defeat of the Spanish Armada is one of the turning points in English history, and it was perhaps the defining episode in the long reigns of Elizabeth I of England and Philip II of Spain. The running battle along the Channel between the nimble English ships and the lumbering Spanish galleons has achieved almost legendary status. In this compelling new account John Barratt reconstructs the battle against the Armada in the concise, clear Campaign Chronicles format, which records the action in vivid detail, day by day, hour by hour. He questions common assumptions about the battle and looks again at aspects of the action that have been debated or misunderstood. Included are full orders of battle showing the chains of command and the effective strengths and fighting capabilities of the opposing fleets.There is also an in-depth analysis of the far-reaching consequences of the wreck of Philip II's great enterprise.

Between 1642 and 1646 two armies fought for control of Southwest England in one of the decisive confrontations of the English Civil Wars. In this short, turbulent period Royalists loyal to King Charles I clashed with the forces of Parliament in a series of hard-fought campaigns that crisscrossed the West Country landscape. Rearguard actions, sieges, skirmishes, retreats and pitched battles punctuated the course of the conflict, yet no previous book has retold the story of the Southwestern campaigns in detail. John Barratt's account of this bloody and disruptive phase in the West Country's history offers a graphic description of the engagements themselves and takes the reader on a tour of the battlefields.

The opening years of the fifteenth century saw one of the most bitterly contested political and military convulsions in the history of the British Isles, a conflict that is too-often overlooked by military historians. Henry IV, who had overthrown and probably murdered his predecessor Richard II, fought a protracted and bloody campaign against the most powerful nobles in the land. This war is the subject of John Barratts gripping study.The Percy family, the Kings of the North, and their most famous leader Sir Henry Percy Hotspur,whose fiery nature and military prowess were immortalized by Shakespeare stood out against Henrys rule. And the beleaguered king also had to contend with a range of other unrelenting opponents, among them Owain Glyn Dwr, who led the Welsh revolt against English supremacy.In this graphic account of the first, deeply troubled years of Henry IVs reign, John Barratt concentrates on the warfare, in particular on the setpiece pitched battles fought at Homildon Hill, Pilleth and Shrewsbury.