The Samurai and the Sacred, Stephen Turnbull Van € 27,50 Voor € 9,90

The samurai were celebrated warriors, but they were also deeply spiritual men whose religious beliefs sustained and inspired their forays into battle. In this entirely original work, Stephen Turnbull, a leading authority on Japanese history and author of more than 50 books, reveals the soul of the samurai in a thoughtful exploration of the religions and philosophies that motivated them. Drawing inspiration from all manners of belief systems – from Japan’s mainstream religions of Shinto and Buddhism, to Confucianism, Christianity, and Folk Religion – the samurai were fascinating men who often valued their honor above their lives.The Samurai and the Sacred is strikingly illustrated with lavish Japanese prints and vibrant photographs. A provocative study, it includes chapters on martial arts, modern militarism, the cult of the sword, revenge, suicide, hara kiri and kamikaze pilots. The Samurai and the Sacred is a compelling read that provides insight into Japanese culture, philosophy, and warfare.

Samurai The World of the Warrior, Stephen Turnbull Van €17,50 Voor € 7,90

The world of the samurai - the legendary elite warrior cult of old Japan - has for too long been associated solely with military history and has remained a mystery to the general reader. In this exciting new book, Stephen Turnbull, the world's leading authority on the samurai, goes beyond the battlefield to paint a picture of the samurai as they really were. Familiar topics such as the cult of suicide, ritualised revenge and the lore of the samurai sword are seen in the context of an all-encompassing warrior culture that was expressed through art and poetry as much as through violence. Using themed chapters, the book studies the samurai through their historical development and their relationship to the world around them - relationships that are shown to persist in Japan even today.

Great Harry’s Navy, How Henry VIII gave England Seapower, Geoffrey Moorhouse, Van € 36,00 Voor € 8,90

It was Henry VIII who began the process of making England a first-rate sea-power. He inherited no more than seven warships from his father King Henry VII, yet at his own death the King's Navy had 53 seaworthy ships afloat (much the same size as the Royal Navy today) manned by almost 8,000 sailors. Here was the springboard for Queen Elizabeth's captains (such as Francis Drake) a decade later. (...)
As G R Elton has commented (in 'England Under he Tudors') Henry VIII originally needed a navy to hold the English Channel and blockade the enemy while he invaded France. Later when invasion from the continent grew serious Henry's navy fought in many actions.
Moorhouse doesn't only deal with seagoing exploits. Thanks to Henry VIII dockyards were built (Greenwich and Deptford), timber had to be felled in quantities previously unknown (from land seized during the dissolution of the monasteries), and hemp (for rope) was harvested; new skills were developed, not least the gun-founders and the master shipwrights.

"Verstoorde vrede" brengt dit alles indringend in beeld. Het is het eerste foto-overzicht van Nederland in de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Het boek bevat ruim vierhonderd foto's en afbeeldingen.

Het verloren leven van Eva Braun, Angela Lambert Van € 25,00 Voor € 7,90

Ze was gedurende dertien jaar Hitlers maîtresse, en de laatste vierentwintig uur van hun beider leven zijn vrouw: Eva Braun, de bekendste onbekende uit de geschiedenis.
Eva kwam op 17-jarige leeftijd van de kloosterschool en ontmoette Hitler een paar maanden later. Ze werd zijn maîtresse toen ze nog geen 20 was. Hoe wist de ongekunstelde, kleine Fräulein Braun, die meer dan twintig jaar jonger was dan hij, de exclusieve vriendin te blijven van de machtigste man in Europa, van 1932 tot het einde in 1945? Waren ze werkelijk geliefden, en hoe laat zich dat rijmen met haar achtergrond als katholiek meisje uit München? Hoe kon zo'n gewoon, schijnbaar fatsoenlijk meisje zo?n toegewijde liefde ontwikkelen voor een monster? Deze grote biografie, gebaseerd op gedetailleerd nieuw onderzoek, laat zien hoe het mogelijk was dat Eva, levend in het hart van het nazi-leiderschap, toch oprecht niets wist van de gruwelen van het Derde Rijk. En hoe ze voor Hitler alles opgaf wat haar gelukkig had kunnen maken: een huwelijk, het moederschap, een eigen huis.

Eichmann, de definitieve biografie, David Cesaran Van € 29,95 Voor € 7,90

Veel historici hebben de geschiedenis van de holocaust verteld, maar op de persoon Eichmann heeft men nooit echt vat kunnen krijgen. Zijn verhaal mag als bekend worden verondersteld, de oorlogsmisdadiger en architect van de Endlösung ontsnapte in 1946 uit Amerikaans gevangenschap en zat vijf jaar lang ondergedoken in Duitsland voor hij naar Argentinië wist te vluchten. Daar werd hij in 1960 door de Iraëlische geheime dienst opgespoord. Na het beroemde proces in Israë werd hij in 1962 veroordeeld en ter dood gebracht.
Met deze baanbrekende biografie vult historicus David Cesarani een belangrijke lancune in de geschiedschrijving van het Derde Rijk, en corrigeert hij definitief het beeld van een van de belangrijkste architecten van de holocaust

The Few, the American “Knights of the Air” who risked everything to fight in the Battle of Britain, Alex Kershaw
Van € 22,50 Voor € 6,90

By the summer of 1940 World War II had been under way for nearly a year. Hitler was triumphant and planning an invasion of England. But the United States was still a neutral country and, as Winston Churchill later observed, "the British people held the fort alone." A few Americans, however, did not remain neutral. They joined Britain's Royal Air Force to fight Hitler's air aces and help save Britain in its darkest hour. The Few is the never-before-told story of these thrill-seeking Americans who defied their country's neutrality laws to fly side-by-side with England's finest pilots. They flew the lethal and elegant Spitfire, and became "knights of the air." With minimal training and plenty of guts they dueled the skilled pilots of Germany's Luftwaffe in the blue skies over England. They shot down several of Germany's fearsome aces, and were feted as national heroes in Britain. By October 1940, they had helped England win the greatest air battle in the history of aviation. At war's end, just one of the "Few" would be alive. The others died flying, wearing the RAF's dark blue uniform-each with a shoulder patch depicting an American eagle. As Winston Churchill said, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Naar Eer en Geweten, Gewone Nederlanders in een ongewone tijd 1940 – 1945
G. de Jong, R. Kok, E. Somers Van € 17,95 Voor € 6,90

Naar eer en geweten beschrijft persoonlijke keuzes die mensen maakten tussen 1940 en 1945. Hoe leefde de gewone man of vrouw in oorlogstijd? Twaalf mensen vertellen openhartig over hún keuzes in hún oorlog. Keuzes die in oorlogstijd vaak onherroepelijk zijn en waarvan de consequenties meer dan vijftig jaar na dato nog steeds actueel zijn.
De auteurs van dit boek hebben de verhalen in hun historische context geplaatst; zij dragen bij tot een beter begrip van de omstandigheden waaronder de keuzes van toen tot stand zijn gekomen. Geen algemene geschiedschrijving, maar de belevenissen van gewone Nederlanders in een ongewone tijd. Een tijd waarin moeilijke afwegingen gemaakt moesten worden. Veel tijd was er niet. Soms hielp die ene vraag: handel ik naar eer en geweten?

War Summit The Meetings That Shaped World War II and the Postwar World,
David Stone Van € 19,95 Voor € 6,90

Most of World War II's key events have been exhaustively documented and analyzed during the past sixty years, together with virtually every aspect of the lives and actions of the political leaders, the generals, and the millions of military and civilian personnel involved. However, the vital process that provided the political and strategic framework to enable them to direct the war - the Allied war summits - has not been considered in recent times.

Comprehensive and authoritative, War Summits charts the problems and the compromises, the discussions and the negotiations, the successes and the failures of the U.S., British, and Soviet allies from 1941 to 1945. David Stone highlights the sometimes less than altruistic national agendas, the well-founded doubts and uncertainties, and the recurring suspicions of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin and their advisers. And Stone relates the strategic planning process directly to its impact upon events on the battlefield and, finally, to the way in which the whole post-1945 world - including the United Nations, the nuclear dimension, and the impending Cold War - was directly shaped by the war summits' process.

Fortress Malta, An Island under Siege 1940-43, James Holland Van € 25,00 Voor € 9,90

In this powerful, intimate book British journalist James Holland draws on letters, diaries and interviews to bring to life the air and sea campaigns, heroism and drama of Malta during WWII.

Remembering In Vain The Klaus Barbie Trial & Crimes Against Humanity, Alain Finkielkraut Nu € 6,90

In 1988 in what was probably one of the last trials of a Nazi war criminal and the first of such trials to take place in France, Klaus Barbie, the notorious "Butcher of Lyon", was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison. Yet despite the memories stirred, despite the verdict, to Alain Finkielkraut the trial was a moral failure. In "Remembering in Vain", Finkielkraut maintains that the Barbie trial attests to the failure of international society to take responsibility for criminals of state. Trying Barbie not only for actions against Jews but also for actions against the Resistance - actions heretofore considered war crimes, on which the statute of limitations had run out - blurred the definition of crimes against humanity. Finkielkraut finds most disturbing how seriously taken were the arguments of the defence. By manipulating the guilty conscience of the West, Barbie's Vietnamese - French, Congolese, and Algerian lawyers became accusers, disputing the special significance of the Holocaust and portraying nearly everyone as a Nazi - except the former Nazi himself. Finkielkraut points to the ultimate irony of this Third World defence of a Nazi.

België tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Mark van den Wijngaert Van € 24,95 Voor € 7,90

België tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog is volgens de laatste historische inzichten geschreven door eminente geschiedkundigen en specialisten van de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het brengt op een verhalende wijze de vele aangrijpende gebeurtenissen in kaart. Het verschaft een helder inzicht, zowel in de militair strategische, economische en politieke machinaties, als in het dagelijks leven van de kleine man. De rol van de bestuurlijke instituten en de kerk wordt belicht, evenals collaboratie, terreur, verzet en de grijze zones daartussen.

The Secrets of D-Day, Larry Collins Van € 19,90 Voor € 5,90

"[This] is the best book I have ever read on the Normandy invasion. Larry Collins [author of The Road to Armageddon and co-author of Is Paris Burning? and O Jerusalem!] is a masterful storyteller, and he breathes life into this amazing tale in a way that grabs you and won't let go. The descriptions of the people and events are vivid, and Collins' revelations of all the secrecy and covert planning involved are incredible. This is great stuff, and a fitting testimonial to those 'Greatest Generation' men and women whose courage and dedication made success possible."—Larry King

American Soldiers, Ground Combat in the World Wars, Korea & Vietnam,
Peter S. Kindvatter Van € 32,50 Voor € 8,90

Some warriors are drawn to the thrill of combat and find it the defining moment of their lives. Others fall victim to fear, exhaustion, impaired reasoning, and despair. This was certainly true for twentieth-century American ground troops. Whether embracing or being demoralized by war, these men risked their lives for causes larger than themselves with no promise of safe return.
This book is the first to synthesize the wartime experiences of American combat soldiers, from the doughboys of World War I to the grunts of Vietnam. Focusing on both soldiers and marines, it draws on histories and memoirs, oral histories, psychological and sociological studies, and even fiction to show that their experiences remain fundamentally the same regardless of the enemy, terrain, training, or weaponry.
(.....)
By capturing the core “band of brothers” experience across several generations of warfare, Kindsvatter celebrates the American soldier while helping us to better understand war’s lethal reality—and why soldiers persevere in the face of its horrors.

Six days , How the 19678 War Shaped the Middle East, Jeremy Bowen Van € 27,50 Voor € 7,50

Suicide attacks on Israelis, bombings, assassinations, and bloodshed in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank dominate the news from the Middle East. It is the most troubled region on earth. At its heart is the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis - and the legacy of six days of war in 1967.

After the state of Israel emerged from war in 1948, both sides knew more battles were coming. In June 1967, years of slow-burning tension exploded. In six extraordinary days, Israel destroyed the armed forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. But far from bringing peace, as many Israelis hoped, their stunning victory turned into a curse.

A rigorous and original piece of modern history is as vivid as fiction, Six Days not only sheds new light on one of the key conflicts of the twentieth century, it explains much about the Middle East and the problems the region still faces today.

The Enemy Within A history of Espionage, Terry Crowdy Van € 22,50 Voor 7,90

To gain the upper hand in conflict the ability to know what your enemy is planning is vital. Separating myth from reality, the Enemy Within traces the history of espionage from its development in ancient times through to the end of the Cold War and beyond, shedding light on the clandestine activities that have so often tipped the balance in times of war. From the Monkey hanged as a spy during the Napoleonic wars to the British Double Cross Committee in World War II, this journey through the history of espionage shows us that be they thrill seekers or madmen, fanatics or tricksters no two spies are alike and their fascinating stories are fraught with danger and intrigue.

Vreemde overheersing, Bezetten en bezetting in sociologisch perspectief, C.J. Lammers Van €25,95 Voor €6,90

Hoe organiseert een bezetter een bezetting? Vreemde overheersing behelst een sociologisch getinte uitwerking van de gedachte dat een vreemde overheerser het eigenlijk niet kan stellen zonder medewerking van 'inheemse elites', leidinggevenden van het bezette gebied.
Van hun kant proberen die topfiguren door dit soort 'collaboratie' de belangen van de onderworpen bevolking te behartigen. Onder welke omstandigheden lukt dat, en voor hoe lang? Welke machtsmiddelen kan een bezetter gebruiken, en met welke uitwerking?
Dit soort vragen wordt behandeld in analyses van vooral de Duitse bezetting van Nederland en andere Europese landen tijdens woII, van de Japanse bezetting van Indië, en van collaboratie en verzet in Duitse en Japanse interneringskampen. Verder wordt uitvoerig stilgestaan bij Nederlandse bezettingen: van de Generaliteitslanden in de zeventiende eeuw, van grote delen van België in de achttiende en negentiende eeuw, van onze koloniën, en in de huidige tijd in de vorm van participatie in 'heilzame bezettingen' á la Kosovo en Irak. Ten slotte komen internationale verschillen in 'bezettingsstijl' tussen Frankrijk, Groot-Brittannië, Nederland en de Verenigde Staten aan de orde.

Fatal Victories, William Weir Van € 13,50 Voor € 5,90

William Weir’s FATAL VICTORIES, about the most tragic military triumphs in history, from Attila the Hun’s invasion of Gaul, to Bunker Hill, to the Fourth Crusade, to Pearl Harbor, to Claiborne Hancock

State of denial, Bush at war, part III, Bob Woodward Van € 15,00 Voor € 6,90

In this detailed inside story of a war-torn White House, Bob Woodward reveals how White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, with the indirect support of other high officials, tried for 18 months to get Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld replaced. The president and Vice President Cheney refused. At the beginning of Bush's second term, Stephen Hadley, who replaced Condoleezza Rice as national security adviser, gave the administration a "D minus" on implementing its policies. A SECRET report to the new Secretary of State Rice from her counselor stated that, nearly two years after the invasion, Iraq was a "failed state."
State of Denial reveals that at the urging of Vice President Cheney and Rumsfeld, the most frequent outside visitor and Iraq adviser to President Bush is former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who, haunted still by the loss in Vietnam, emerges as a hidden and potent voice.

Wellington The Iron Duke, Philip Haythornthwaite, Van € 12,50 – € 4,00, geb. Van € 17,50 Voor € 6,90

One of the Duke of Wellington's officers once remarked, "We would rather see his long nose in the sight than a reinforcement of ten thousand men." Arthur Wellesley, first duke of Wellington (1769–1852), was one of the greatest military commanders in history and is best known as the successful opponent at Waterloo of arguably the leading general of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Upon his death, [Wellington] was widely regarded as the greatest Briton of his generation and undisputedly one of the greatest British soldiers.

Eisenhower Soldier-Statesman of the American Century, Douglas Kinnard Van € 12,50 Voor € 5,00

Dwight David Eisenhower proudly claimed that he “came from the very heart of America.” Yet it could be argued that, despite those provincial beginnings, no other American exerted more influence on world history during the twentieth century. From his humble birth in Abilene, Kansas, Eisenhower rose to the supreme command of the Allied armies that helped destroy Adolf Hitler’s Nazi war machine and to the presidency of the United States. Douglas Kinnard’s profile of this great soldier-statesman describes his rise through the ranks of the peacetime army of the 1920s and 1930s the recognition of his abilities by such leaders as Douglas MacArthur and George C. Marshall, his “great crusade” in Europe during World War II, and his two terms in the Oval Office. Kinnard’s penetrating look at this great military leader and commander in chief serves as an introduction to Eisenhower’s life and provides a concise account of the momentous military and political events of the first half of the twentieth century.

Haig, The Evolution of a Commander, Andrew A. Wiest Van € 11,50 Voor € 4,00

Having achieved a measure of fame in Britain’s colonial wars, Haig began the First World War as a corps commander and succeeded to command the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1915. Under his leadership, the BEF fought its two signature battles of the Great War—at the Somme and Passchendaele. Haig’s role in the direction of these battles earned him a reputation as a “butcher and bungler,” the slaughter of the Somme and the muddy hell of Passchendaele forever tarnishing his reputation. However, as Andrew Wiest points out, in 1918 Haig was instrumental in winning one of the greatest victories in British military history. While the 100 Days Battles often go unnoticed or unappreciated in the history of World War I, obscured by the failures of earlier campaigns, it was here that modern war came of age. Haig’s role in that transformation makes him the central figure of the war on the Western Front.

Montgomery, D-Day Commander, Nigel Hamilton, Van € 12,95 Voor € 5,00

This fascinating study of military leadership follows British general Bernard Law Montgomery’s military career from his cadet days and service in World War I to his great victories of World War II, including his defeat of the great German panzer commander, Erwin Rommel, at Alamein.

Foch, Supreme Allied Commander in the Great War, Michael S. Neiberg Van € 12,50 Voor € 5,-

Ferdinand Foch is the prototype of the twentieth-century general. Better than any other general of the First World War, Foch came to understand how technology and modern alliance systems had changed the nature of warfare. He is most famous for his role as Allied commander in chief in 1918. In this position, unparalleled in the history of warfare, Foch welded together the disparate war efforts of France, Great Britain, the United States, Italy, and Belgium. Now fighting as a more coherent whole, the Allies repulsed the German spring offensives of 1918 and returned to the attack themselves in the summer. In this role, Foch foreshadowed the similar roles played by other commanders of large coalitions, such as Dwight Eisenhower in World War II and Norman Schwarzkopf in Desert Storm.