The Blind Strategist - John Boyd and the American Art of War by Stephen Robinson

$44.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

From the author of Panzer Commander Hermann Balck and False Flags comes The Blind Strategist: John Boyd and the American Art of War. Colonel John Boyd (1927-1997), a maverick fighter pilot, revolutionized the American art of war through his ideas on conflict and the human mind. Boyd claimed that victory is won by the side that most quickly transitions through 'decision cycles'. From this revelation came maneuver warfare theory, a new warfighting creed that gained influential converts in the Pentagon who were seeking a new way of waging war. In this in-depth account, acclaimed historian Stephen Robinson critically evaluates the maneuver warfare revolution that transformed the American military. He discusses the impact of Colonel Boyd's ideas and the indoctrination of maneuver warfare concepts. Maneuver warfare has since been credited with many military victories, but such claims have little basis in reality and Boyd's legacy has accidently undermined American security. Robinson exposes the fraudulent accounts behind Boyd's research and the controversy surrounding them. The Blind Strategist separates fact from fantasy and exposes the myths of maneuver warfare through a detailed evidence-based investigation. Discover how maneuver warfare has corrupted the art of war and resulted in catastrophic decisions in this must-read for anybody interested in American military history. ...Show more

Survivor - Life in the SAS by Mark Wales

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

'A powerful, honest story of courage, redemption and finding purpose' - Bear GryllsHow do you rebuild your life when you've hit rock bottom?Mark Wales thought his life would end in a cornfield in Afghanistan. Mark and his SAS troops emerged from that scorched battlefield twelve hours later, his mentor g unned down, his dream career now a nightmare. Over four deployments of intense warfighting, Mark watched the line between right and wrong become blurred. When he left the SAS he was adrift, crippled by guilt.On a mission to rebuild himself, Mark turned his life around. He fought his way into the gates of a US Ivy League business school and into the boardrooms of top-tier international corporations. He spent years navigating failure in a quest to find new meaning in life. With every setback, Mark counterattacked, discovering the tactics and tools needed to become more resilient, and to find happiness, belonging and purpose.Told with gripping suspense, humour and touching warmth, Survivor is Mark's extraordinary life in and out of the SAS, a story of resilience and a testament to the power of transformation. ...Show more

Three Days in June - The Incredible Minute-By-Minute Oral History of 3 para's Deadly Falklands Battle by James O'Connell; Hew Pike (Foreword by)

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis

$22.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

'Riveting. Extraordinary. A real-life thriller.' Dan Snow 'Truly revelatory. The SAS at their very finest in WWII, and after, hunting down the Nazi war criminals.' Mark 'Billy' Billingham 'In June 1944 my father, Captain Patrick Garstin MC, led a band of warriors into war to help liberate Europe. He p aid the ultimate price, as did others in his patrol. But with gritty determination, the SAS brought their killers to justice. I was one year old when my father was executed, so sadly never knew him. This amazing book has filled in so many gaps, and it commemorates all those consigned by Hitler to the Nacht und Nebel; the night and fog.' Sean Garstin 'This spellbinding account brings to life the exploits of a brave band of warriors, one of whom was my uncle, Colonel Blair 'Paddy' Mayne DSO, who commanded the SAS for much of WWII. He led his men on numerous behind-the-lines missions, and this compelling read does their memories full justice.' Fiona Ferguson, nee Mayne 'So much more than just a war story... While it involves death and suffering and terrible acts of cruelty, it also highlights the enduring qualities of courage and loyalty, of kindness and humanity, resourcefulness and resilience - qualities of which today's world is much in need.' Amy Crossland, daughter of Major Eric 'Bill' Barkworth, Chief of the SAS War Crimes Investigation Team June 1944: the SAS parachute deep into occupied France, to wreak havoc and bloody mayhem. In a country crawling with the enemy, their mission is to prevent Hitler from rushing his Panzer divisions to the D-Day beaches and driving the Allies back into the sea. Led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, a man supposedly invalided out of the military due to his war injuries, rarely had a wilder bunch of raiders been assembled. Dispatched on the personal orders of Colonel Blair Mayne DSO, this elite band included gritty former miner Thomas 'Ginger' Jones, John 'Rex' Wiehe, 'banned' from frontline combat due to his war wounds, plus Serge 'Frenchy' Vaculik, who's journey to escape the enemy and join the SAS beggared belief. Having blown to pieces scores of prize targets, Garstin's patrol executed one of the most daring escapes of the war ... only to fall victim to shocking betrayal. Captured, imprisoned and tortured terribly by the Gestapo, they faced execution in a dark French woodland on the orders of Hitler himself. But miraculously, two would escape, triggering one of the most-extraordinary Nazi-hunting operations ever ... Summer 1945: with WWII officially over one team embarked upon a shadow war all of their own. Armed with knowledge earned first-hand in the torture chambers of the Gestapo, the race was on to bring to justice the Nazi war criminals who had murdered their brothers in arms. In a deniable, deep-cover operation backed by Winston Churchill himself, the 'the Secret Hunters' would expose Nazi Germany's darkest crimes, doggedly tracking down those they most sought. Breathtaking and exhaustively researched, SAS Band of Brothers is based upon a raft of new and unseen material provided by the families of those who were there. It reveals an epic of courage, maverick-spirted daring and bloody betrayal, plus the gripping quest for vengeance and justice that lasted through to 1948 and beyond. ...Show more

SAS Great Escapes by Damien Lewis

$32.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

SAS Great Escapes tells the story of seven of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed during WWII by what is arguably the world's most famous military fighting force - the SAS. With each story comes a nail-biting, rollercoaster ride in classic Damien Lewis style - readers join individual escapees and experience events through their own words, taken from contemporaneous diaries, mission reports, debriefings and letters - recapturing the most terrifying and exhilarating moments of their lives. These tales of almost unbelievable derring-do reveal the most desperate of times, when men were cornered by the enemy and were forced to fight their way out of certain death or capture. Around every corner, upon every decision and every movement lurked the possibility of discovery. ...Show more

Platoon Commander by John O. Halloran

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

John O'Halloran was a country boy from Tamworth, NSW, who was called up for national service not long after the start of the Vietnam War. As a tough and determined 21-year-old, he guided 6 RAR's B Company 5 Platoon through some of the biggest conflicts of the war, including Operation Hobart and the Batt le of Long Tan. But he faced his hardest military challenge at Operation Bribie, leading a fixed bayonet charge against a deadly Viet Cong jungle stronghold. The Platoon Commander is an unmissable and devastating first-hand account of the realities and brutalities of war, and especially this war fought in jungles, not trenches, which would go on to bitterly divide Australians. O'Halloran's sense of duty and strong character carried him and his men through fierce battles and uncertainty. His sense of humour kept him going through the years afterwards. His indomitable spirit inspired the men of 5 Platoon to fight against the odds to achieve the mission - no matter how treacherous - and even away from the action and in the many years since O'Halloran kept the respect of his men. Now regarded by many of his peers as a national treasure, John Patrick Joseph O'Halloran has been quoted in almost every important book written about Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, yet has never told his own remarkable story. Until now. ...Show more

Evan's Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood

$15.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

The gripping story of an incredible journey behind enemy lines - told in diary form. Fourteen-year-old Evan Warrender travels with his father to the Dardenelles, where they intend to provide succour to the Allied soldiers. When they are captured by the Turks, they are launched into an epic journey, livi ng on their wits and the kindness of strangers as they escape and travel through Turkey, back to Greece and finally home to Australia. Along the way they meet unlikely friends and companions, some of whom have deep secrets. And when Evan's own secret is revealed, we realise just how incredible the journey has truly been. Evan's fascinating survival story takes readers beyond the frontline and creates an all-encompassing account of this significant time in Australian military history. Impeccably researched, this is an eye-opening adventure story that cleverly explores both sides of the war. ...Show more

Derrick VC: in His Own Words - Australia's Most Famous Fighting Soldier of World War II by Mark Johnston

$39.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

Tom 'Diver' Derrick VC DCM was Australia's most famous fighting soldier of World War II. Derrick fought in five campaigns, won the highest medals for bravery, and died of wounds sustained while leading his men in the war's last stages. His career reached its climax on the jungle-clad heights of Sattelbe rg in New Guinea, where he won the Victoria Cross by spearheading the capture of seemingly impregnable Japanese defences. The diaries Derrick kept throughout his campaigns, from Tobruk to Tarakan, are among the most important writings by any Australian soldier. Those diaries and all his other known wartime correspondence and interviews are published here for the first time in their entirety. 'Diver' had only a rudimentary education, but his intelligence, humour, ambition and fighting outlook shine through his words. Edited and annotated by Mark Johnston, one of Australia's leading authorities on World War II, this book provides unprecedented insights into the mind and the remarkable career of one of Australia's most decorated and renowned servicemen. ...Show more

Failures of Command: The death of Private Robert Poate by Hugh Poate

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

On 29 August 2012 Private Robert Poate, Lance Corporal Rick Milosevic and Sapper James Martin were killed during an insider, or green on blue, attack in Afghanistan. Their killer was supposed to be their ally but was a Taliban sleeper in the ranks of the Afghan National Army. Information provided to the families by rank-and-file soldiers after the event shocked them. When the heavily redacted internal investigation report was received the grieving families knew that it excluded a plethora of incriminating facts.This powerful book is the result of a father's quest to find out all the facts associated with the death of his son. His search reveals a labyrinth of excuses, denials, half-truths, cover-ups, contrived secrecy, incompetence, negligence, orders not followed, and lessons not learnt from the previous twelve years of war in Afghanistan. The determination of Hugh Poate and the other two families to uncover the truth would lead to a civilian Coronial Inquest into combat deaths, the first in the 120-year history of the Australian Army. Compelling and enraging, this story of the true facts surrounding the devastating loss of three soldiers continues to reverberate beyond their families to the highest levels of Defence and government.'A heartrending account of the experiences of three families devastated first by avoidable tragedy, then by inexplicable interference in their search of answers, accountability and closure. Hugh Poate has ensured that the deaths of three Australian war heroes will not have been in vain. A must read for any young Australian contemplating military service.' — Joel Fitzgibbon ...Show more

A Week in September: A story of enduring love from the Burma Railway by Peter Rees

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

Through a precious cache of WWII letters, a story of war is revealed. But also, most movingly, a story of love, resilience and survival, from award-winning and bestselling writer, Peter Rees. Doug Heywood was a grown man when he discovered, in a shoe box hidden in a wardrobe, a time capsule of sorts - h undreds of letters, all written by his father, Scott Heywood, to his mother, Margery. Scott, a POW on the infamous Burma Railway, wrote letters almost daily to his young wife, on scraps of paper that had to be hidden from guards. These letters tell us of an enduring love - and also, intriguingly, they tell us how Scott managed to make it through the most brutally testing circumstances. Scott's story bears an uncanny resemblance to another story, coincidentally happening 7000 kilometres away. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist, was rounded up with his family and sent to Auschwitz in September 1942."Everything can be taken from a man but one thing," Frankl wrote, "the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." Scott Heywood and Viktor Frankl, on opposite sides of the world, had seen the accepted structures and certainties of their worlds turned upside down. Each faced his own psychological challenge; each responded to the life force of survival. Frankl's story has been told, not so that of Scott Heywood and his journey on the Burma Railway. This is the singular story of one man, one relatively ordinary man, and his war. But much, much more than that, it's a book about how Scott Heywood is a shining example of how love, optimism and determination can get you through even the very worst, most physically and mentally challenging times.   ...Show more

The Vietnam War - The Definitive Illustrated History by DK

$49.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

Tells the story of one of the longest and most controversial conflicts in US history. More than 50 years after the outbreak of the world's first televised war, the conduct and strategies employed against the inferior technology of the Viet Cong remain as controversial and fascinating as ever. Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this history of the Vietnam War examines both the conflict and its lasting impact in riveting detail. Combining compelling text with maps and archive photography, The Vietnam War showcases every aspect of the fighting and the wider political landscape. Eyewitness accounts and iconic photographs bring events to life, from Operation Passage to Freedom to the evacuation of the US embassy in Saigon. Collections of weapons, aircraft, and armored vehicles are presented on detailed gallery pages, while diagrams and maps show exactly how decisive moments unfolded, and biographical entries give insight into key figures involved on both sides of the conflict. The perfect read for the military history enthusiast, The Vietnam War is a stirring visual record of the suffering and heroism that occurred in America's bloodiest ever conflict. ...Show more

Semut: The Untold Story of a Secret Australian Operation in WWII Borneo by Christine Helliwell

$34.99 AUD

Category: War/Military

This is the story of Operation Semut, an Australian secret military operation launched by the organisation popularly known as Z Special Unit in the final months of WWII.March 1945. A handful of very young Allied operatives are parachuted into the remote jungled heart of the Japanese-occupied island of B orneo, east of Singapore, there to recruit the island's indigenous Dayak peoples to fight the Japanese. Yet most speak next to no Borneo languages and know little about Dayaks, other than that they were once headhunters who might kill them on arrival. For their part, some Dayaks have never before seen a white face.This is the story of Operation Semut, an Australian secret military operation launched by the organisation popularly known as Z Special Unit in the final months of WWII. Anthropologist Christine Helliwell has called on her years of first-hand knowledge of Borneo, interviewed more than one hundred Dayak people and all the remaining Semut operatives, and consulted thousands of military and other documents to piece together this astonishing story. Focusing on two of Borneo's great rivers - the Baram and Rejang - the book provides a detailed military history of Semut II's and Semut III's brutal guerrilla campaign against the Japanese, and reveals the decisive but long-overlooked Dayak role in the operation.But this is no ordinary history. Helliwell captures vividly the terrors of the jungle environment into which the operatives are plunged. And she takes us into the lives and cavernous longhouses of the Dayaks on whom their survival depends. The result is a truly unique account of the meeting of two very different cultures amidst the savagery of the Pacific War. ...Show more