Men-at-Arms – serie

This absorbing study describes and illustrates the US, British, Japanese, French, Italian and Czechoslovak troops deployed to North Russia and Siberia at the height of the Russian Civil War.Between March 1918 and late 1920, a multinational force was deployed in the former Russian Empire’s Arctic Circle and in Eastern Siberia, becoming drawn into the Russian Civil War. American, British, Canadian, Czechoslovak, French and Japanese troops all took the field as the victorious Allied Powers sought to intervene in the unfolding struggle between the Bolsheviks and their opponents. In this book, Phoebus Athanassiou surveys the main operations conducted by the expeditionary forces before covering the organization, weapons and equipment of each of the contingents involved. Eight plates of specially commissioned artwork reveal the appearance of these troops, many of them World War I veterans, as they lived and fought in the challenging environment of North Russia and Siberia.

An in-depth and fully illustrated examination of Charlemagne's military and empire - and his opponents - from the 8th century to the 10th century AD.Most historians agree that the Carolingian Age, from the 8th to 10th centuries AD, represented one of the most important turning points in European history. It can be said with some certainty that early Carolingian military success was built on good leadership, adequate administration, and troops whose morale was almost consistently superb. It is also clear that the Carolingian army managed to adapt itself to face many and differing foes. This absorbing text by David Nicolle explores the organisation and history of the Carolingian Empire during the age of one of history's most romanticised and heroic figures - Charlemagne.

The 'Lion of the North', King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, was one of the major players in the Thirty Years War of 1618-48.In 1630 Gustavus - the last champion of the Protestants - crushed the Catholics at Breitenfeld in a victory widely viewed as the fulfilment of a prophecy foretelling the defeat of the eagle (the German Emperor's emblem) by a golden lion. Killed in battle at Lützen only two years later, Gustavus nevertheless won fame for his technical and tactical innovations.The first of two volumes, this book examines the equipment, uniforms and organization of the infantry that comprised Gustavus's army.

Much of the fame of Gustavus Adolphus has founded upon his cavalry.He is said to have reversed the stagnation of European cavalry warfare, giving it back fluidity and vigour. Like much 'Gustavus mythology', however, the truth may well be quite different. Richard Brzezinski explores the truth behind the myth, in an attempt to find the real story of Gustavus's cavalry.Their organization, arms, armour, tactics and uniforms are examined in a text accompanied by many illustrations, including eight fine full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

While Scandinavia's 'Viking Age' is one of the most studied aspects of early medieval history, much less has been published about the centuries which followed.Yet the armies of Sweden, Norway and Denmark offer fascinating differences from the rest of medieval Western Europe, both in their organisation and their war gear. This second of two books covers the period which saw both expansion in the Baltic, and long wars born of the attempt to bring Scandinavia under a single monarchy - the Union of Kalmar.In the North, as elsewhere, the perfection of plate armour could not prevent the steady decline in the importance of the 15th century mounted knight in favour of the well armed infantryman.

The Italian Renaissance marked a period of political and military turmoil, which saw trained infantry and firearms challenging the domination of heavy armoured cavalry.Many regional wars were fought between the states ruled by Milan, Venice, Genoa, Florence, the Papacy, Siena and Naples. Major foreign powers also exploited these divisions to invade Italy: both France and Spain made temporary alliances with city states to further their ambitions, and early in the 16th century the Emperor Charles V sent armies from his German realms to support the Spanish.These wars coincided with the growth of disciplined infantry – carrying not only polearms and crossbows but also hand­guns – which proved capable of challenging the previously dominant armoured knights. The widespread use of mercenaries ushered in the early development of the 'pike and shot' era that succeeded the 'High Middle Ages'. During this period costumes, armour and weapons varied greatly due to their national origins and to the evolution of tactics and technology.This masterfully illustrated study offers a fascinating insight into the many armies which fought in Italy during this turbulent period, explaining not only their arms and equipment, but also their structure and successes and failures on the battlefield.

This history of the Catholic armies of the Habsburg Empire that fought in the Thirty Years' War explores the role of cavalry during the last major religious war in mainland Europe, which saw the end of the large mercenary forces and the beginnings of the well-disciplined national army.This book charts this progression, illustrating and explaining the forces of the key Catholic armies, while exploring the organization, tactics, and colourful uniforms of the cavalry forces as they were expertly wielded by the great captains of the period including Tilly, Condé and Gustavus.

While Scandinavia's 'Viking Age' is one of the most studied aspects of early medieval history, much less has been published about the centuries that followed.Yet the armies of Sweden, Norway and Denmark offer fascinating differences from the rest of medieval Western Europe, both in their organisation and their war gear - due partly to their remoteness, climate and terrain, but partly to their long freedom from the feudal system of other kingdoms.This book explains the special nature of Scandinavian armies, shaped by the relative weakness of kings and aristocrats, and the contrasts between the separate nations of the North.

This colourful study describes and illustrates the troops of the Seleucid Empire in West Asia throughout its turbulent 250-year existence.Founded by the Macedonian general Seleucus I Nicator in 312 BC in the wake of the death of Alexander the Great 11 years previously, the Seleucid Empire came to control much of the territory conquered by Alexander in western Asia, and at its height reached from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan. The colourful armies fielded by Seleucus I and his successors are described and illustrated in this absorbing study of a major power at war in the ancient world.As the fortunes of their realm ebbed and flowed, Seleucid kings deployed vast armies recruited from diverse peoples that drew upon an array of military traditions, including the mighty phalanx, war elephants, scythed chariots and camel-mounted archers. Illustrated throughout with photographs and drawings as well as eight pages of specially commissioned artwork, this fascinating study draws upon a range of literary, archaeological and artistic sources to explore the organization, tactics, weapons and equipment of the varied units of Seleucid armies over two-and-a-half turbulent centuries in the ancient world.

During Japan's devastating Pacific offensive of 1941/42, the Allies paid a high price for their failure to take seriously an army which had already been fighting in Manchuria and China for ten years. That army was a unique blend of the ancient and the modern and its up-to-date equipment and resourceful tactics served an almost medieval code of unquestioning obedience and ruthless aggression.This first of two titles covers the organisation, equipment, uniforms and character of Japanese ground forces in the Chinese and early Pacific campaigns, illustrated with insignia charts, many rare photographs, and eight meticulous uniform plates.

By the spring of 1936 an armed clash was imminent between the forces of Spain's extreme Left and extreme Right.Viewed largely as a confrontation between democracy and fascism, the resulting civil war proved to be of enormous international significance. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy intervened to assist General Franco, while the Soviet Union came to the aid of the Republican forces.This book explains the background to the war and charts the course of the nearly three-year long conflict through to General Franco's victory. Photographs and colour plates illustrate the uniforms and equipment of the Republican and Nationalist armies.

The Woodland cultural areas of the eastern half of America has been the most important in shaping its history.This volume details the history, culture and conflicts of the 'Woodland' Indians, a name assigned to all the tribes living east of the Mississippi River between the Gulf of Mexico and James Bay, including the Siouans, Iroquians, and Algonkians. In at least three major battles between Indian and Euro-American military forces more soldiers were killed than at the battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, when George Custer lost his command.With the aid of numerous illustrations and photographs, including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook, this title explores the history and culture of the American Woodland Native Americans.

In 1919 Adolf Hitler joined the tiny German Workers' Party (DAP) in Munich, becoming its leader the following year and adding 'National Socialist' to its title.Thus the NSDAP, popularly known as the Nazi Party, was born. All political parties had strong-arm squads to protect their meetings from disruption by rivals, and the NSDAP was no exception. In August 1921 ex-naval Lieutenant Hans Ulrich Klintzsch took command of the NSDAP's 'Defence and Propaganda Troop' which, the following month, was renamed the SA (Sturmabteilung = Storm Detachment).David Littlejohn's fine text examines the history, uniforms and insignia of Hitler's stormtroopers.

The Second World War was Britain's last conflict as a world power. For a year it saw Britain standing alone against the fascist dictatorships; winning it demanded the sacrifice of the entire national wealth.This first book of three describes the uniforms developed for European service. It traces the appearance of the 'Tommy' from pre-war mobilization, through the years of defeat and endurance, to D-Day and the long fighting advance to Northern Germany.The book also includes a campaign summary, infantry organization tables, lists of arms and services and basic specifications of a number of heavy weapons.

The lightning Japanese offensives in East Asia in 1941/42 inflicted a series of costly defeats on the ill-prepared and badly supported British Commonwealth forces in Malaya and Burma.The 'forgotten' 14th Army on the India-Burma border slowly built up its strength and its tactical expertise; and Wingate's 'Chindits' proved that units supplied from the air could operate deep behind enemy lines. In 1944 General Slim's troops decisively smashed Japan's last offensive at Imphal and Kohima; and over the next year they drove the enemy relentlessly back through Burma, reducing them to starving fugitives by the final victory in August 1945.This concise summary of Britain's East Asia campaigns is illustrated with many rare photographs, and eight detailed colour plates.

This fully illustrated volume describes and illustrates the soldiers who garrisoned the Roman Empire’s eastern provinces in the 4th and 5th centuries.After the 50-year chaos of the mid-3rd century AD, Emperor Diocletian (r. AD 284–305) and his successor, Constantine I (r. AD 306–37), the first Christian emperor, undertook major administrative reforms to reflect new realities and improve defensive strategy. These changes saw the Roman Army completely reorganized, with its old structure of legions and auxiliary units giving way to central mobile field armies and various classes of garrison troops. In addition, the Army also began recruiting ‘allied barbarians’ in ever-increasing numbers, some of whom rose to positions of supreme command.In this book, Doctor Raffaele D’Amato draws on the latest archaeological and extensive material from the unique Notitia Dignitatum to explore the armies associated with the Roman Empire’s eastern provinces in the two centuries before the demise of Emperor Romulus Augustus in 476. Illustrated with photographs and drawings of surviving artefacts and imagery, this latest entry in a series charting the Roman Army’s evolution also features eight newly commissioned colour plates.

This fully illustrated study assesses the armies of Poland at war in the first half of the 16th century, during the transition from feudal to standing forces.Against a background of almost continual warfare, the 80 years after 1492 witnessed the slow transformation of Polish forces from feudal levies to standing armies. The bloody struggle between Poles, Lithuanians, Hungarians, Muscovites, Cossacks, Turks and Tatars culminated in the Union of Lublin in 1569, uniting the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.This crucial period in Polish military history saw the introduction and development of famous troop categories such as the Polish hussars, and a tactical transformation with the introduction of foot and mounted hand-gunners to replace crossbowmen. Drawing upon a wealth of sources, the author explains Polish armies' methods of recruitment; their organizational structure, and that of units of different troop categories; their weapons, armour and equipment; and their strategies and tactics.In this engaging book, specially commissioned artwork and rare illustrations combine with authoritative text to bring this under-researched subject to life for an English-language audience.

After disastrous defeats at the hands of the Mongols in the 13th century, the Russian principalities became vassals of the Khans of the Golden Horde for more then 200 years.At the same time the western princes faced the German crusaders of the Teutonic Order. Remarkably, Russia responded with a new surge of military vigour. Eventually, freedom from the 'Mongol yoke' coincided with a degree of unity around a powerful new state - Muscovy. This exciting chapter of history is illustrated with rare early paintings, photos, diagrams, and eight plates reconstructing the mixed influences of East and West in the appearance of Russian warriors.

The southeastern people were the descendants of ancient prehistoric Native American cultures, and were probably on the decline when first known to Europeans.Despite being poorly reported in popular histories, they have been well described by several early European traders and by a number of well-known American ethnologists who collected details of surviving native culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The white man's expanding plantation society and the tragic removal of the Native American population to Indian Territory saw the end of this farming, hunting and trading culture.This title examines the absorbing history and culture of the native peoples of the southeastern United States.

Airborne operations have often been called a vertical envelopment, and therein lies one of the best descriptions of their value.The essence of an envelopment is to pin the enemy in place so that it can be destroyed. A strong enemy force to one's rear disrupts supplies and communications and makes one more vulnerable to an attack from the front. It also has a major psychological impact. To an aggressor the value of airborne troops, used properly, far outweighs their numerical strength.Bruce Quarrie's engaging text tells the story of the German airborne troops of the Second World War.

Although overshadowed by its French counterpart, the Tercio de Extrangeros, 'Regiment of Foreigners' has a rich and eventful history beginning with its formation in 1920.Under the command of LtCol Millán Astray and Comandante Francisco Franco, the Spanish Foreign Legion developed into a formidable force, led by Astray's belief that 'to die in combat is the greatest honour.' This book examines the main campaigns in which the Legion participated, from Melilla in 1921-23 until its withdrawal from the Sahara in 1976.A wealth of contemporary photographs and colour plates detail the uniforms and insignia of the Spanish Foreign Legion.

The story of Venice is, to some extent, separate from that of the rest of Europe. The same could be said of the city's military history and organisation.Early in the 9th century the Venetians defeated Pepin the Frank's attempts to overawe them, and they remained, at least in theory, subject to Byzantium. Gradually, however, Venice drifted into independence; and subsequently carved out its own empire at the expense of its former Byzantine masters. The Venetians were soon famous for their roving and warlike spirit, keen business acumen and pride.This book explores the remarkable history of the city and its army from 1200 up until 1670.

Mercenaries were a common feature throughout most of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, and had been known far earlier.But nowhere did such a sophisticated system of hiring, payment and organisation of mercenaries develop as it did in Italy. The condottiere – whose name came from the condotta or contract between himself and his employer – was the result. Whether commander or humble trooper, the condottiere was a complete professional. His skill has never been doubted, but his loyalty and dedication to a particular cause often has.David Nicolle provides a fascinating exploration of the condottiere; his roles, arms and equipment.

Few people will realise that at one time the Polish state was one of Europe's great powers.One of the chief instruments of her success was undoubtedly her army, which though small can claim many accomplishments and major successes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Richard Brzezinski redresses this imbalance by providing a portrait of Polish armies from 1569-1696, detailing their history, organisation, arms, armour, insignia and dress, accompanied by numerous illustrations and eight superb full page colour plates by Angus McBride.

The 17th century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was almost as varied as modern America.Alongside Slavs lived Lithuanians and other Balts, Germans, Tatars, Armenian merchants, Jewish traders, and even a remarkably large populations of Scots. This variety of cultures had a strong influence on the Polish army. Along with the predominantly Polish and Lithuanian 'winged' hussars served numerous foreigners from both within and outside the Commonwealth: Tatars and Cossacks, Wallachians, Transylvanians, Moldavians, Hungarians, Serbians and Albanians; and from the West, French, Italians, Dutch, Walloons, Swedes and Scots.Richard Brzezinski's companion volume to Men-at-Arms 184 completes his fascinating examination of Polish armies from 1569-1696.

The Taiping movement began as the Pai Shang-ti Hui (the Society of God-Worshippers), founded in Kwangsi province in 1846 by Hung Hsiu-ch'uan.A sickly individual of questionable sanity, Hung had become subject to visions which interpreted as demonstrating that he was Jesus Christ's 'Divine Younger Brother', with God's mandate to govern China. This fascinating work by Ian Heath examines the organisation, dress and weapons of forces on both sides of the Taiping Rebellion – a conflict which saw the involvement of around 10 million troops during 15 years of conflict; as many as 600 cities change hands time and time again; and 20-30 million deaths.

A comprehensive overview of the troops involved in the First World War campaigns in Southeastern Europe.It was events in the Balkans which sparked off the Great War, with the assassination of the Austrian heir Prince Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, and the consequent invasion of Serbia by Austro-Hungarian armies on 2 August 1914. Nevertheless, the subsequent four-year war in that theatre is always overshadowed by the simultaneous campaigns on the Western Front.For the first time this book offers a concise account of these complex campaigns, the organisation, orders of battle, and the uniforms and insignia of the armies involved: Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, Serbian, Montenegrin, Albanian, British, French, Italian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek and Rumanian.

The common image of the Confederate Army during the Civil War is dominated by a limited number of early photogaphs of troops wearing the gray and butternut of the CS regulations and quartermaster issues.The third in this sequence of books examines the uniforms of the Louisiana and Texas militia and volunteer companies originally brought together in the Confederate field armies; and the continuing efforts to clothe them as wear-and-tear gradually reduced this wide range of uniforms.A mass of information from contemporary documents is illustrated with rare photographs and meticulous color reconstructions.

King John the Good of France was captured by the English at the battle of Poitiers in 1356.His 14-year-old son Philip fought valiantly by his side until the bitter end, and as soon as he was in a position to do so, King John rewarded his son's courage and devotion by designating him Duke of Burgundy, a title that by chance had just become extinct.Philip was the first of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy and this fascinating text by Nicholas Michael examines the functioning and organisation of the Burgundian armies from the beginning of his reign until the time of the last of the Valois Dukes; Charles the Bold.