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Books at On Military Matters


Updated as of 12/05/2024

ABBREVIATIONS: dj-dust jacket, biblio-bibliography, b/w-black and white, illust-illustrations, b/c-book club addition.
rct - recent arrival or pending publication, spc - OMM Special Price
Post WWII

1-216550 Archard, Louis HUNGARIAN UPRISING: Budapest's Cataclysmic Twelve Days, 1956 Soviet troops had occupied Hungary in 1945 as they pushed towards Germany and by 1949 the country was ruled by a communist government that towed the Soviet line. Resentment at the system eventually boiled over at the end of October 1956. Protests erupted on the streets of Budapest and, as the violence spread, the government fell and was replaced by a new, more moderate regime. However, the intention of the new government to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and declare neutrality in the Cold War proved just too much for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Soviet forces had intervened at the beginning of events to help the former regime keep order but were withdrawn at the end of October, only to return in November and quell the uprising with brute force. Thousands were arrested, many of whom were imprisoned and more than 300 executed. An estimated 200,000 fled Hungary as refugees. Despite advocating a policy of rolling back Soviet influence, the US and other western powers were helpless to stop the suppression of the uprising, which marked a realization that the Cold War in Europe had reached a stalemate. 1 vol, 128 pgs 2018 UK, PEN & SWORD
NEW-softcover, available late March 2018 ......$23.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-969005 Brookes, Andrew 005 TSR2: Britain's Lost Cold War Strike Jet The TSR2 is one of the greatest 'what-if' aircraft of the Cold War, whose cancellation still generates anger and controversy among aviation fans. It was a magnificent, cutting-edge aircraft, one of the most striking of the Cold War, but fell victim to cost overruns, overambitious requirements, and politics. Its scrapping marked the point when Britain's aerospace industry could no longer build world-class aircraft independently. After the demise of TSR2 the RAF's future jets would be modified US aircraft like the Phantom and pan-European collaborations like Tornado and Typhoon.

In this book the eminent air power analyst and ex-Vulcan bomber pilot Andrew Brookes takes a fresh, hard-headed look at the TSR2 project, telling the story of its development, short career and cancellation, and evaluating how it would have performed in Cold War strike roles as well as in the recent wars in the Middle East. 1 vol, 88 pgs 2017 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-dj, available mid October 2017 ......$20.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-969001 Daies, Peter 001 BELL X-1 (X-Planes) In 1947, no one knew if it was possible to break the sound barrier. The Bell X-1 was the tiny, rocket-powered craft that finally broke it. It was the result of innovative designers and engineers turning their attention from the pioneering jets of World War II to a new task -- an aircraft designed purely to fly faster than sound. Legendary pilots rallied to the cause, with World War II ace Chuck Yeager piloting the X-1 when it finally achieved supersonic flight in 1947, the first manned craft to reach such speeds.

With historical photographs and meticulously researched digital art, it traces the whole career of the Bell X-1, from its early development through to the influence it had on military and civilian jets in the second half of the 20th century. 1 vol, 0 pgs 2016 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-pb ......$20.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-969006 Daies, Peter 006 BELL X-2: X Planes Even before the spectacular success of its X-1 rocket-powered aircraft in breaking the 'sound barrier', the adventurous Bell Aircraft Corporation was already pushing ahead with a parallel project to build a second aircraft capable of far higher speeds. The X-2 (or Model 52) explored the equally uncertain technology of swept-back wings. Now common in modern conventional fighter aircraft, the Bell X-2 was revolutionary in using this type of airframe to probe Mach 3 and research the effects of extreme aerodynamic friction heat on airframes.

Although both X-2s were destroyed in crashes after only 20 flights, killing two test pilots, the knowledge gained from the program was invaluable in developing aircraft that could safely fly at such speeds. Using stunning artwork and historical photographs, this is the story of the plane that ultimately made the Lockheed Blackbird and Concorde possible. 1 vol, 88 pgs 2017 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-softcover, available mid November 2017 ......$20.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-969007 Daies, Peter 007 NORTH AMERICAN XB-70 VALKYRIE Of the many futuristic military aircraft concepts created in the 1950s the North American XB-70 still stands out as the most awe-inspiring. With its huge, white partially-folding delta wing, its fuselage resembling a striking cobra and its extraordinary performance, it was one of the foremost technological achievements of the 20th Century.

A strategic bomber built to outrun any Soviet fighter jet, it could reach Mach 3 with a full nuclear payload - as fast as the legendary SR-71 Blackbird but more than three times the size. However, its role as a nuclear bomber was limited after the introduction of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, and defense cuts eventually led to the project being scrapped in the mid-1960s.

The Valkyrie had a brief, costly decade of life but it proved the continuing value of developing manned bombers. However, almost half a century after the XB-70 its predecessor, the B-52, continues in service. Using full color artwork and rigorous analysis, this is the complete story of the ultimate US Cold War military X-plane. 1 vol, 88 pgs 2017 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-softcover, available late March 2018 ......$20.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-228530 Dillon, John BOMBERS AT SUEZ: The RAF Bombing Campaign During the Suez War, 1956 In October 1956 the British government, together with the French and Israelis, launched an attack on Egypt in response to President Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal. The agreement between these three governments, the Sevres Protocol, was a low point in British diplomacy and a factor in the ending of Prime Minister Eden's political career. The military commanders had to plan for and launch Operation Musketeer, some 2,000 miles from the UK, while their political masters gave them only limited information on the arrangement made with France and Israel. Includes 21 color artworks, 75 b/w photos, 1 color map, and 4 b/w maps.

The RAF squadrons allocated to the operation came from the UK and Germany where their jet bombers, Canberras and Valiants, were intended for nuclear war against the Warsaw Pact countries rather than conventional war with Second World War bombs in a desert environment.

This account uses Cabinet Minutes, Squadron Operation Record Books, reports written by the Commander-in-Chief and personal accounts by aircrew who flew over Egypt, to detail the involvement of the RAF.

When Anthony Eden took the decision to launch Operation Musketeer the RAF did not have the forces required in the Mediterranean. At short notice, squadrons had to train for high level, visual bombing using techniques that would have been familiar to Lancaster crews in the Second World War. Also, the navigation aids fitted in the bombers were those required for the European theatre, not the Egyptian desert.

The RAF's primary role was to neutralize the Egyptian Air Force by destroying aircraft and denying the EAF the use of its airfields. The bombing accuracy, as the book details, was not good but the RAF did what was asked of them and effectively removed the EAF from the battle space. If the weather had not been so good and if the EAF had been a more determined adversary, Operation Musketeer would not have come to the same successful conclusion, militarily. From the political point of view, the British involvement in Suez was a disaster. It took place at the same time as a presidential election in America and the Russian invasion of Hungary. The Anglo-French intervention and their duplicity at Sevres came in for international condemnation and led directly to American pressure on the pound. 1 vol, 80 pgs 2021 UK, HELION AND COMPANY
NEW-pb, available late November 2021 ......$30.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-236050 Dimitrijevic, Bojan COMINFORM CRISIS: Soviet-Yugoslav Stand-Off, 1948-1954 Describes the first armed conflict within the Communist world after WWII: Between Tito's Yugoslavia and the states led by the Soviet Union from1948 to 1954. Explains the process of 'Sovietization' of the former Yugoslav Partisan Army, its ambitious development plans, and its influence in neighboring Albania, Bulgaria, and in the Greek Civil War.

Stalin grew suspicious of Tito's further goals and this would lead to the slow break up of mutual ties in spring 1948. The Cominform Resolution on 28 June 1948 turned Communist allies of WWII into enemies and the Yugoslavian border with Albania, Bulgaria, Rumania, and Hungary became front lines. Firing at border-guards, attacks on border posts, intrusions by agents, and armed groups and surveillance and troop movements. Also examines the work of the Yugoslav Counterintelligence Service (KOS) and State Security (UDBA) in the widespread struggle with the Soviet and satellite intelligence services on the borders and in the ranks of the army and security forces. Includes 153 b/w photos, 8 color photos, 15 color profiles, one map, and three tables. 1 vol, 98 pgs 2023 UK, HELION AND COMPANY
NEW-pb, available early March 2023 ......$30.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-220660 Doyle, David M65 ATOMIC CANNON: Images of War series In 1949, the US Army wanted an artillery gun that could fire a nuclear warhead in the event that guided missiles and long-range bombers proved insufficient in delivering atomic weapons. The result was the M65, 280mm Atomic Cannon. On May 25, 1953, at 0830 hours, an M65 of A Battery, 867th Field Artillery Battalion, let loose with the only nuclear round the type would ever fire. Includes 385 color & black and white photographs.

Six battalions of the M65 would eventually be deployed, most in Europe with one battalion sent to the Korean Peninsula. Though never used in combat, they served as a significant tactical nuclear deterrent in the early stages of the Cold War. 1 vol, 240 pgs 2019 UK, PEN & SWORD
NEW-softcover, available mid June 2019 ......$23.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-231240 Fordsike, Mark THE MALAYAN EMERGENCY: The Crucial Years: 1949-53 - Images of War series From 1948 through the 1950s British and Commonwealth forces fought a ruthless communist insurgency on the Malay peninsula. Thanks to sound generalship and the dedication and resilience of the officers and men, the security forces eventually broke the terrorists' resolve.

1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment was just one of many British units involved in this successful campaign, known as the Malayan Emergency. Their tour between 1949 and 1953 coincided with the most crucial years when the future of the country and, arguably, the South East Asia region lay in the balance.

This book describes in words and superb contemporary images how the Battalion, the majority of whom were National Servicemen, operated under the most demanding jungle and climatic conditions, earning itself an enviable reputation. The Battalion's experiences are well recorded here and typify those of tens of thousand servicemen whose efforts secured a unique victory. 1 vol, 256 pgs 2022 UK, PEN & SWORD
NEW-pb, available early July 2022 ......$35.00 with a discount of 15% inc

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1-969010 Forsyth, Robert 010 NORTHROP FLYING WING Half a century before the 'flying wing' B-2 stealth bomber entered service, John K. 'Jack' Northrop was already developing prototypes of a large 'flying wing' strategic bomber, which would have been the most radical bombers of their age.

World War II brought a need for very long-range bombers and Northrop received a contract for a 172-ft span bomber, the B-35. Several of these were built, gradually evolving into the definitive XB-35 configuration. Testing revealed that the aircraft was invisible to radar, but engineers struggled to overcome the design challenges and several pilots were lost in crashes.

While the program was canceled in the 1950s, the concept extended into other highly innovative areas, such as the XP-56 and MX-324 Rocket Wing prototype fighters. But the greatest legacy was the first operational flying wing - the Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bomber, which used much of the hard-won experience from the pioneering programs of half a century before. 1 vol, 80 pgs 2017 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-softcover, available mid February 2019 ......$22.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-216820 Jowett, Phillip CHIANG KAI-SHEK VERSUS MAO TSE-TUNG: The Battle for China 1946-1949 - Images of War Series This volume in the Images of War series is the first photographic history of the Chinese Civil War, fought between Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists and the Communists of Mao Tse-tung, which decided the future of modern China. Includes a selection of over 200 archive photographs, many of which have not been published before, depict the battle for power that took place across the breadth of the country. The armies, air forces and navies of the opposing sides are shown in a sequence of graphic images, as is the ordeal of the long-suffering Chinese civilians who were caught up in a conflict that cost millions of lives. 1 vol, 192 pgs 2018 UK, PEN & SWORD
NEW-softcover, available late April 2018 ......$23.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-221500 Kinnear, James & Stephen Sewell SOVIET T-55: Main Battle Tank Containing 150 stunning contemporary and modern photographs, and written by two experts on Soviet armor, this authoritative book tells the story of the T-55, one of the most widely produced tanks of all time.

The T-55 is one of the most iconic weapons created by the Soviets during the Cold War and also one of the most widely deployed weapons in history. Like its younger brother, the T-54, the T-55 enjoyed a long career in the Red Army and even into the early days of the reformed Russian Army. Under their control it saw very little combat use or deployments, but it was widely sold to other nations and participated in many of the wars and combat operations from the mid-1960s to the present. The T-55 has been employed in almost every conflict in the Middle East and Africa from its introduction into service. Even today the tank is still employed by both sides in the Syrian Civil War, and they are also in service with Kurdish forces in the struggle against ISIS in the northern part of Iraq. 1 vol, 192 pgs 2019 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-dj, available mid September 2019 ......$40.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-242290 Lord, Matthew J. OPERATION SHEEPSKIN: British Military Intervention in Anguilla, 1969 Military and political reappraisal of the Anguilla Crisis, exploring the countdown to military intervention, its tactical implementation, and its legacy. Evaluates the reasons for the British government's apparent overreaction to the crisis with March 19, 1969 deployment of Britain's 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) and Royal Marines. Their objective, under 'Operation Sheepskin,' was to invade the small Caribbean island of Anguilla through both an amphibious and airborne assault. The operation aimed to crush a two-year island rebellion against the postcolonial government of Robert Bradshaw on St Kitts.

Strangely enough, as the troops splashed ashore, they were met by the thunderous silence of an empty beach apart from the clicks of journalists' cameras. To the surprise of all involved, the occupation of the island was subsequently achieved without bloodshed. Whilst British policymakers soon questioned whether they had misread the situation in Anguilla and overreacted militarily, Fleet Street and the international media responded with ridicule. Contains 53 b/w photos, 6 color profiles, 3 color illustrations, and 1 color map. 1 vol, 86 pgs 2024 UK, HELION AND COMPANY
NEW-pb, available mid February 2024 ......$30.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-ST174 Miranda, Joseph S&T # 174: Indo-Pakistani Wars Covers the 1965, 1971 and a hypothetical 1990's conflict between India and Pakistan. 1 vol, 54 pgs 1995 US, SPI
V.GOOD-softcover unpunched, (1) copy available ......$15.00

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1-223080 Mladenov, Alexander HOT SKIES OF THE COLD WAR: The Bulgarian Air Force in the 1950s After the end of the Second World War, Bulgaria fell in total dependency upon the Soviet Union as a direct result of the 1944 Yalta agreement on the 'spheres of influence' division of Europe. The Bulgarian Air Force was radically reformed in the Soviet style and rapidly re-equipped with huge numbers of front-line aircraft. Includes 180 b/w ills, 3 color maps, and 21 color profiles.

The strengthening of the Bulgarian air arm became a high priority as the Cold War in the Balkans gathered speed, and small incidents near the southern and western borders of the country began to occur with increasing frequency. The extensive 'Sovietization' of the Bulgarian air arm led to the eventual change of its official title in late 1949, becoming identical to its Soviet counterpart, the Voennovazdushni Sily (VVS), featuring a structure identical to that of a Soviet front-line air army. 1 vol, 96 pgs 2020 UK, HELION AND COMPANY
NEW-pb, available mid March 2020 ......$25.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-224180 Napier, Michael In Cold War Skies - NATO and Soviet Air Power, 1949-89 Throughout the second half of the 20th century, international relations across the globe were dominated by the Cold War. From 1949 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, US and Soviet strategic forces were deployed across the Arctic Ocean in North America and Northern Russia, while the best-equipped armed forces that the world had ever seen faced each other directly across the 'Iron Curtain' in Europe.

Examines the decade-by-decade air power of the the USA, USSR, NATO, Warsaw Pact countries and the European non-aligned nations at a strategic and at a tactical level. Describes the aircraft types in the context of the units that operated them and the roles in which they were used.
1 vol, 0 pgs 2020 UK, OSPREY PUBLISHING
NEW-dj, available mid August 2020 ......$40.00 with a discount of 15% rct

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1-213180 Robinson, M P and Robert Griffin THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS IN THE COLD WAR 1946 - 1990: Images of War This focuses on the deployment of the British Army's armored regiments from the end of the World War II, through the creation of the British Army of the Rhine, NATO commitments, and other peripheral missions. The characteristics and variants of the Centurion, the powerful but short lived Conqueror, the Chieftain, and Challenger are covered in expert text and by numerous images. 1 vol, 208 pgs 2017 UK, PEN & SWORD
NEW-pb, available late January 2017 ......$30.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-205650 Tanner, Harold M. THE BATTLE FOR MANCHURIA AND THE FATE OF CHINA: Siping, 1946 In the spring of 1946, Communists and Nationalist Chinese were battled for control of Manchuria and supremacy in the civil war. The Nationalist attack on Siping ended with a Communist withdrawal, but further pursuit was halted by a cease-fire brokered by the American general, George Marshall. Within three years, Mao Zedong's troops had captured Manchuria and would soon drive Chiang Kai-shek's forces off the mainland.

Did Marshall, as Chiang later claimed, save the Communists and determine China's fate? Putting the battle into the context of the military and political struggles fought, Harold M. Tanner casts light on all sides of this historic confrontation and shows how the outcome has been, and continues to be, interpreted to suit the needs of competing visions of China's past and future. Includes 10 b&w illustrations and five maps. 1 vol, 288 pgs 2014 US, INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS
NEW-dj, available early July 2014 ......$35.00

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1-201140 Van Der Bijl, Nicholas THE BRUNEI REVOLT 1962-1963 In December 1962, nationalists in Brunei, the hugely wealthy small kingdom on the North Coast of Borneo, formed the Army of North Kalimantan (TNKU) and, demanding greater democracy, engineered a rebellion against the Sultan and seized a large number of hostages. Perceived to be an attempt by communists to destabilize the Sultanate and seize power, within twelve hours of its outbreak, British forces were dispatched by ship and aircraft from Singapore to restore order, the first unit to arrive being 1/2nd Gurkhas, who entered the capital.

Within the week, the 1 Queens Own Highlanders had recaptured the strategically important oil fields and occupied Seria, 42 Commando, Royal Marines attacked Limbang and 1 Green Jackets landed in west Brunei. The next six months were spent rounding up TNKU and, since there were major concerns that Indonesia could be behind the Revolt, the charismatic Major General Walter Walker, then commanding 17th Gurkha Division, was sent to Brunei to command operations. By mid-May 1963, the surviving TNKU had been captured. While rapidly suppressed, the Revolt was the catalyst for the three year confrontation with Indonesia 1963-66. 1 vol, 224 pgs 2012 UK, PEN AND SWORD
NEW-dj, available mid March 2013 ......$40.00 with a discount of 15%

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1-914163 various VAE VICTIS # 163: Hoa-Binh 1951-1952 (Wargame) BOARDGAMES: Absolute War; Hollow Legion; Red Flag over Paris; Interceptor Ace; Dogs of War

FIGURINES: Mali fin de campagne; Age of Penda; Trois regles pour la 3e GM, 2e partie; Francais en Egypte (Empire); Strength & Honour; Combined Arms

HOBBY: Edu Team Wargames, retour d'experience

NEWS RULES: Beyond the Empire; Team Yankee; Waking the Bear; in Deo Veritas

SCENARIOS: M44; ASL; Guiscard/Byzance; Basileus II

ART of WAR: Hoa Binh 1951-1952; Wattignies 1793

WARGAME with die cut counters - Solo Game

On 22 September 1951, the Viet Minh 312th Division crossed the Red River and attacked a Franco-Vietnamese garrison along the crest line of Nghia Lo, 140 km from Hanoi, on the Thai highlands between the Red River and the Black River. This action made it clear that Giap's objective was to control the Tonkin delta in order to threaten Hanoi from the south. De Lattre decided to block him by launching a vast operation against his supply lines by occupying the Muong country in the Hoa Binh and Cho Ben sectors between the Da River and the Black River. After seizing Cho Ben (Operation Tulip), the French launched Operation Lotus to seize Hoa Binh.

Hoa Binh, the Battle of the Black River is a solo-player game simulating the combats around the Black River and Colonial Route #6 that occurred from 13 November 1951 to 25 February 1952. The counters mainly represent the French battalions or Viet Minh actions and one game turn represents ten days of operation. The map represents the region of the confluence of the Red River and the Black River in Tonkin, specifically from Viet Tri in the north to Hoa Binh in the south and the immediate surroundings of the Muong territories.

Duration : Approximately 3 hours
Complexity : 5/10 1 vol, 84 pgs 2022 FRANCE, CERIGO EDITIONS
NEW-softcover, [Magazine in French, Rules in English] ......$28.00 inc

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