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AbyssThe 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis was the most perilous event in history, when mankind faced a looming nuclear collision between the United States and Soviet Union. During those weeks, the world gazed into the abyss of potential annihilation.Max Hastings’s graphic new history tells the story from the viewpoints of national leaders, Russian officers, Cuban peasants, American pilots, and British disarmers. Max Hastings deploys his accustomed blend of eye-witness interviews, archive documents, and diaries, White House tape recordings, top-down analysis, first to paint word-portraits of the Cold War experiences of Fidel Castro’s Cuba, Nikita Khrushchev’s Russia, and Kennedy’s America; then to describe the nail-biting Thirteen Days in which Armageddon beckoned.Hastings began researching this book believing that he was exploring a past event from twentieth-century history. He is as shocked as are millions of us around the world, to discover that the rape of Ukraine gives this narrative a hitherto unimaginable twenty-first-century immediacy. We may be witnessing the onset of a new Cold War between nuclear-armed superpowers.To contend with today’s threat, which Hastings fears will prove enduring, it is critical to understand how, sixty years ago, the world survived its last glimpse into the abyss. Only by fearing the worst, he argues, can our leaders hope to secure the survival of the planet.

All Hell Let Loose A magisterial history of the greatest and most terrible event in history, from one of the finest historians of the Second World War. A book which shows the impact of war upon hundreds of millions of people around the world- soldiers, sailors and airmen; housewives, farm workers and children..Reflecting Max Hastings’s thirty-five years of research on World War II, All Hell Let Loose describes the course of events, but focuses chiefly upon human experience, which varied immensely from campaign to campaign, continent to continent.The author emphasises the Russian front, where more than 90% of all German soldiers who perished met their fate. He argues that, while Hitler’s army often fought its battles brilliantly well, the Nazis conducted their war effort with ‘stunning incompetence’. He suggests that the Royal Navy and US Navy were their countries’ outstanding fighting services, while the industrial contribution of the United States was much more important to allied victory than that of the US Army.The book ranges across a vast canvas, from the agony of Poland amid the September 1939 Nazi invasion, to the 1943 Bengal famine, in which at least a million people died under British rule- and British neglect. Among many vignettes, there are the RAF’s legendary raid on the Ruhr dams, the horrors of Arctic convoys, desert tank combat, jungle clashes. Some of Hastings’s insights and judgements will surprise students of the conflict, while there are vivid descriptions of the tragedies and triumphs of a host of ordinary people, in uniform and out of it.‘The cliché is profoundly true’, he says. ‘The world between 1939 and 1945 saw some human beings plumb the depths of baseness, while others scaled the heights of courage and nobility’. This is ‘everyman’s story’, an attempt to answer the question: ‘What was the Second World War like ?’, and also an overview of the big picture. Max Hastings employs the technique which has made many of his previous books best-sellers, combining top-down analysis and bottom-up testimony to explore the meaning of this vast conflict both for its participants and for posterity.

Published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain, Merlin is the extraordinary story of the development of the Rolls-Royce engine that would stop Hitler from invading Britain and carry the war to the very heart of Germany.The story of the Merlin engine encompasses the history of powered flight, from the ingenuity of the Wright Brothers to the horrors of World War I, and from the first crossing of the Atlantic to the heady days of flying in the 1920s. There is also the extraordinary story of the Schneider Trophy – an international contest wherein nations poised on the precipice of war competed for engineering excellence in the name of progress.And at the heart of this story are the glamorous lives of the pilots, many of whom died in their pursuit of speed; the engineers, like Henry Royce of Rolls-Royce, who sketched the engine that would win WWII in the sand of his local beach; and perhaps most importantly the Lady Lucy Houston who after the Wall Street Crash singlehandedly funded the development of the engine and the iconic Spitfire.Never was so much owed by so many to so few – and without the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, the few would have been powerless.

In the shadows of war, their voices resonate: Australian veterans' tales In "Never Forgotten," Vietnam Veteran Dave Morgan explores the often-overlooked sacrifices of Australian military personnel. Inspired by his own experiences, Dave embarks on a journey to capture the diverse narrative spanning generations and conflicts, from Vietnam to Somalia and Afghanistan. Through meticulous research, he uncovers untold stories, from talented athletes like Ian Anderson, Kevin Sheedy, to pioneering female veterans like Stephanie Shipman. The book weaves together tales of camaraderie and resilience, from heartwarming reunions to the loss of friends . "Never Forgotten" serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who serve, ensuring their voices resonate for future generations. These accounts offer a mosaic of bravery and resilience and through these stories, readers gain a deeper understanding of the profound impact of military service on individuals and communities, highlighting the importance of preserving these invaluable narratives.

Same River, Twice: Putin's War On WomenBlending the journalistic rigor of Masha Gessen with the call to action of We Should All Be Feminists, a startling denunciation of Vladimir Putin's war on women that reveals how modern Russia's history of weaponizing sexual violence against women is part of the Russian leader's strategy to retain political influence and domination.On March 22, 2023, the Swedish Academy organized a conference on threats to freedom of expression and democracy, featuring a roster of stellar speakers, including Arundhati Roy, Timothy Snyder, and Sofi Oksanen. Oksanen's address-“Putin's War on Women”-generated such interest that the acclaimed Finnish writer used it as the basis for a larger, in-depth look at Putin's threat to women. The result is Same River, Twice, a devastating expose that builds on the themes and arguments introduced in Oksanen's urgent and incisive speech.During the Soviet occupation of Estonia, Oksanen's great aunt was arrested and brutally interrogated-a terrifying experience that permanently traumatized her, leaving her silent for the rest of her life. Same River, Twice uses this family story to illustrate the systematic crimes perpetrated by Russian soldiers and the Russian government for nearly a century. From the Russian military's entry into Berlin in 1945 to its modern invasion of Ukraine, Russia has continually employed violence against women when fighting its enemies-including using rape as an instrument of war. But as Oksanen reveals, such violence has never before been used on such a widespread scale. Life for women in Putin's Russia is little better; gender equality is in decline, women are silenced by the legal system, and rape is used to humiliate victims, especially women in media.Oksanen's sober analysis exposes how, under Putin, genocide and misogyny are inextricably linked: misogyny undergirds Russia's international alliances, threatening the rights of women and minorities worldwide. As Oksanen ominously reminds us, “In Ukraine, sexual violence is an integral part of genocide. In domestic politics, misogyny is a tool used by the Kremlin to prevent women from rising to power. In international politics, it is a tool of Russian imperialism.”As the threats to democracy grow stronger around the globe, this powerful and timely book is a warning that must not be ignored.Translated from the Finnish by Owen F. Witesman

‘Adrian candidly presents the ‘equation of service’: the challenges overcome that create feelings of personal achievement, the mateships that hold people together, and the lows that can shake your belief in self.’ - General David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd) "Your past doesn’t define you—it teaches you. Every experience is a lesson, not a life sentence." In Stay Loose, Adrian Hodges delivers a candid reflection on three decades of service in the Australian Army, from navigating the dangers of war to the challenges beyond the battlefield. Adrian chronicles both the highs and lows. From his battalion's deployment to Somalia's famine-stricken chaos—Australia's first major overseas operation since the Vietnam War—to participating in the nation’s first lethal firefight in decades, he offers harrowing frontline insights. His memoir covers a military exchange in Malaysia, as well as service in Afghanistan and Iraq, providing an intimate view of the physical and psychological tolls faced by soldiers. But this memoir isn’t just about combat. Adrian reflects on his struggles after leaving the Army, battling uncertainty and searching for direction. His post-military career led him to work as a court recorder on several high-profile legal cases, including the investigation into the Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed 18 military lives. He also recounts backpacking through North Africa and the Middle East, contrasting his military service with personal discovery. Eventually re-enlisting, Adrian’s return to operations and military exchanges weaves themes of brotherhood, resilience, and the strength found in family. Now a private military contractor in the UAE, he explores how his past shaped his future. Stay Loose is a deeply personal journey of finding humour and catharsis in extraordinary circumstances, proving that past experiences offer lessons, not life sentences. ‘The motto of The Royal Australian Regiment is “Duty First” Adrian’s story puts life and understanding into that motto.’- General David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd)

Nothing can prepare a man for the horrors of war, nor the haunting memories that linger long after the battle is over. In The Impossible Survivor, Jeff Steel invites readers into the life of Neil Lindsay, a retired RAF Bomber Command veteran, as he confronts the shadows of his past. On a seemingly ordinary day in 1995, Neil and his daughter Margaret visit a memorial honouring the fallen soldiers of the Goulburn Valley. What begins as a simple outing soon unravels the buried truths of Neil’s harrowing experiences during World War II. An ambitious young man, Neil's fate intertwined with the legendary figures of the RAF, including the celebrated Wing Commander Guy Gibson. He bravely flew perilous missions over Nazi Germany, becoming the sole survivor of a downed bomber and enduring two years of torment in a German prisoner-of-war camp. As he stands before the memorial stone he provides a glimpse into his past, sharing the first fragments of the extraordinary story that had been hidden for so long. The Impossible Survivor is a powerful tribute to those who fought bravely, capturing the essence of ordinary men faced with extraordinary circumstances. These men did not seek out the risk of death or the challenges of war; they volunteered out of a sense of duty and courage. They faced life-or-death situations with a blend of character, training, determination, and a touch of luck, fully aware of the slim chances of returning home. Neil Lindsay’s story stands as a powerful testament to their extraordinary resolve.

The tactics, technologies, and turning points<p>Discover the key themes and big ideas behind the major events and milestones in the history of warfare - from the dawn of civilization to the 21st century.Tracing the epic 5,000-year story of warfare from the earliest battles to the War on Terror, The Military History Book explores and explains the causes and consequences of each, offering a new angle on military history. Individual entries analyse the key social and political driving forces, the arms and armaments, and the technologies and tactics of war over the last 7,000 years - from the tactics of early infantry and siegecraft to the rise of naval combat steel, steam, and shellfire, and from trench warfare and aerial dogfights to chemical weapons and cyber warfare.Combining authoritative text and memorable quotes with photographs, maps, illustrations, and infographics, each episode is made accessible and easy to understand, brining military history to life like never before.</p>

Fascinating stories from Australia's colonial navies and the early Royal Australian Navy, whose untried ships and the eager crew manning them performed feats of great courage in World War I.

Vietnam became the Western world’s most divisive modern conflict, precipitating a battlefield humiliation for France in 1954, then a vastly greater one for the United States in 1975. Max Hastings has spent the past three years interviewing scores of participants on both sides, as well as researching a multitude of American and Vietnamese documents and memoirs, to create an epic narrative of an epic struggle. He portrays the set pieces of Dienbienphu, the Tet offensive, the air blitz of North Vietnam, and less familiar battles such as the bloodbath at Daido, where a US Marine battalion was almost wiped out, together with extraordinary recollections of Ho Chi Minh’s warriors. Here are the vivid realities of strife amid jungle and paddies that killed 2 million people.Many writers treat the war as a US tragedy, yet Hastings sees it as overwhelmingly that of the Vietnamese people, of whom forty died for every American. US blunders and atrocities were matched by those committed by their enemies. While all the world has seen the image of a screaming, naked girl seared by napalm, it forgets countless eviscerations, beheadings and murders carried out by the communists. The people of both former Vietnams paid a bitter price for the Northerners’ victory in privation and oppression. Here is testimony from Vietcong guerrillas, Southern paratroopers, Saigon bargirls and Hanoi students alongside that of infantrymen from South Dakota, Marines from North Carolina, Huey pilots from Arkansas.No past volume has blended a political and military narrative of the entire conflict with heart-stopping personal experiences, in the fashion that Max Hastings’ readers know so well. The author suggests that neither side deserved to win this struggle with so many lessons for the 21st century about the misuse of military might to confront intractable political and cultural challenges. He marshals testimony from warlords and peasants, statesmen and soldiers, to create an extraordinary record.