Najnovšie - Encyklopédie populárno-náučné - História strana 124 z 161

Sons of the Arghandab tells the story of the 1-320th Field Artillery "Top Guns" Battalion, 101st Airborne, in the Arghandab Valley, 2010-2011.The Arghandab River Valley is known for its lush vegetation from its grape furrows and its pomegranate orchards. It’s also known as the birthplace of several Taliban leaders such as Mullah Omar and Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, and was a major crossing route for weapons coming from Pakistan into Kandahar. This hostile environment had already claimed the lives of many seasoned Infantrymen. But the Top Guns weren''t infantrymen, they were artillerymen, deployed without their usual weapons and with minimal last-minute training, redesignated as "provisional infantrymen." Painstakingly researched by one of the Top Guns and told through the perspectives of the men who survived that terrible year, this is the harrowing story of Alpha, HHB, and Bravo Batteries as they undertook the challenges of an Artillery unit charged with an Infantry mission in the most hostile killing fields in Afghanistan.

The town of St Andrews in Fife has much to celebrate. Its cathedral was the largest church built in Scotland and the bishops, and later archbishops, played an important role in ruling medieval Scotland. Scotland’s first university was established in St Andrews, which began teaching religious studies in 1410. The university has been the choice for many famous people and is also responsible for many of the town’s traditions. The town was a favourite of Mary, Queen of Scots, who owned a home in St Andrews. In 1663, astrologer and mathematician James Gregory published a design for the first reflecting telescope in St Andrews, and in 1673 Gregory laid the first Meridian line, which earned St Andrews the title ‘the place where time began’. St Andrews is best known, however, as the home of golf. The game had been played and developed in the town for centuries before the formation of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1754, which is considered the headquarters of golf. The town is also famous for its long, sandy beaches, which attracted filmmakers who shot the opening sequence of Chariots of Fire on the West Sands. The Lammas market, the oldest surviving medieval market, is still held in the centre of town, and the annual St Andrew’s Day celebrations, the patron saint of Scotland from whom the town takes its name, are a major attraction. Yet not all of the big names from St Andrews are human: Hamish McHamish, a large ginger cat, became one of the best-known residents and is remembered by a statue in the town centre.Celebrating St Andrews chronicles the proud heritage of the town, its important moments and what draws so many to this fascinating place today. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book offers a marvellous and refreshingly positive insight into St Andrews’ rich history.

Today, wrist watches are part practical, part fashion and part wearable tech. This was just as true at the beginning of the 1970s, with the invention of the digital watch. Initially they were incredibly expensive, first seen on the wrists of James Bond and Elton John. However, the technology soon became more affordable, and they were considered a cool must-have gadget.Over the coming decades, they evolved from the early red LED displays to today’s smart watches and fitness trackers. Along the way there were games watches, radios and calculators – even a TV on your wrist. In this book Andy Morten explores the history and cultural significance of this influential device.

Some of the most daring naval raids undertaken during World War II involved the use of midget submarines—craft of under 150 tons and crewed by just a handful of men—including Japanese midget submarines deployed at Pearl Harbor, the British X-craft attack on the Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord protected by layers of antisubmarine defenses, an Italian Maiale attaching limpet mines to the HMS Valiant, and German craft attacking Allied shipping off landing beaches.This Casemate Illustrated Special features all classes of midget subs and human torpedoes designed and used during World War II and explores how they were used. It also features the recovery of various wrecks of German, British, Japanese, and Italian midget submarines, including the search for the midget submarines sunk at Pearl Harbor in 1941. The final chapter features the restoration, testing and successful operation of a German Biber midget submarine.Period photographs, artwork, and exterior and interior images of the many midget submarines preserved in museums accompany the expert text.

For much of its history, Bexhill was a small rural town on a hill in East Sussex, a mile or two from the sea. Remains of its manor house can still be seen. The town grew during the Napoleonic wars as thousands of troops were stationed at barracks in Bexhill and defensive Martello towers were built, while smuggling continued using local inns. There was a further major change at the end of the nineteenth century when the De La Warr family developed a stylish resort, which continued into the 1930s when the 9th Earl De La Warr built the famous modernist De La Warr Pavilion. The town had been known for its independent schools catering for the military and colonial service in India, but these declined after the Second World War. Bexhill became a favourite for retiring Londoners: large residential estates were built, with high-spec bungalows especially sought after.Bexhill-on-Sea in 50 Buildings explores the history of this town in East Sussex through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live in Bexhill or who have an interest in the area.

The county of Berkshire is home to a through route from east to west following the River Thames, the ancient Ridgeway, the A4 trunk road, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Great Western Railway. Within this long, slipper-shaped county there is something for everyone - gems from medieval to modern times. It can be divided into five geographical sections: the Vale of the White Horse, the Chalk Downs, the Kennet Valley, the district east of the River Loddon and the Thames Valley itself. Glorious buildings stand at Bisham and Ufton Court, there is the splendid gatehouse of Donnington Castle and the crowning glory of all, Windsor Castle and St George’s Chapel. There are fine market towns, the White Horse at Uffington, Roman Silchester, the medieval barn at Great Coxwell, grand stately homes and fascinating medieval churches. Other attractions include the Savill Gardens at Windsor, the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, the Stanley Spencer Gallery at Cookham and the Sandham Memorial Chapel, the Thames Valley Police Museum, the Beale Wildlife Park and the Windsor and Eton Brewery.50 Gems of Berkshire explores the many places and their history that make this part of the country so special, including natural features, towns and villages, buildings and places of historical interest. Alongside justly famous attractions, others will be relatively unknown, but all have an interesting story to tell.

Glasgow Harbour, the port and shipbuilding centre along the River Clyde from Glasgow Green to the River Kelvin and beyond to Clydebank, became the greatest seaport in Scotland and one of the largest in Britain. Through a mixture of striking illustrations, this book recounts the early history, development, pioneering inventions and importance nationally and internationally of Glasgow Harbour, as well as its regeneration today. From the seventeenth century Glasgow became one of the major hubs of trade across the Atlantic and to the rest of the world. In the eighteenth century Glasgow adopted new methods to deepen and engineer the River Clyde to make it more useful and the largest and most advanced docks were to be built, with some 12 miles of busy quayside lining the river. By the nineteenth century Glasgow was also the world-leading shipbuilding centre, including such famous names as Fairfield, John Brown, Beardmore, Barclay Curle, Stephen and Connell. Later Yarrow and Harland & Wolff joined the ranks of shipbuilders, and at its peak over seventy shipping lines operated from the city. Although heavy industry in Glasgow Harbour has shrunk, today much of the waterfront is being regenerated.Graeme Smith and Mike McCreery tell the fascinating story of Glasgow Harbour from its early days to the present – how ‘Glasgow made the Clyde, and the Clyde made Glasgow’.

The market town of Romsey lies on the River Test in Hampshire, on the border of the New Forest. The medieval settlement grew around its wealthy abbey, and the abbey church is still one of the glories of the town today. Woollen and tanning industries also brought prosperity to the area, and the town later became a brewing centre. The large country house of Broadlands was built on the abbey’s land after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and became home to Prime Minister Palmerston in the nineteenth century and later Lord Mountbatten. Today IBM is based nearby. In A–Z of Romsey, author Martin Brisland reveals the history behind the town, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the place. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of science and innovation, lifeboats and brewing, honeymooning royalty, presidents and politicians among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Romsey’s history. Fully illustrated, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Hampshire town.

In the 200 years since it was founded, the RNLI has saved more than 144,000 lives.It all began with a meeting in London in 1824 to act on a proposal by Sir William Hillary: the formation of a National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. It is his vision that still drives the RNLI today. The vast majority of its crews are volunteers, backed up by large numbers of fundraisers from all walks of life. And the charity today saves lives in more ways, in more places – through lifeguards, water safety and international work. But, since the RNLI’s foundation, it has not always been plain sailing. In April 1852, the Lifeboat Journal observed that ‘lifeboats have been too few in number, of imperfect form and construction, and often unsuited to the nature of the locality where stationed’. This book takes a fresh look at the creation of the Institution and its early founders, and examines how it has responded over 200 years to the inevitable stresses and external pressures. It provides information on many hitherto unsung heroes and heroines and lesser-known rescues, along with the well-known events.The RNLI has overcome many obstacles and is now one of the UK and Ireland’s most respected organisations. How it became so is a story of determination, acumen, skill and bravery. More than 700 names are inscribed on the RNLI Memorial at the RNLI Support Centre in Poole, Dorset. The author and publishers hope that this book is a fitting tribute to such self-sacrifice.

“From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord deliver us.” – Anonymous monk, Noirmoutier, France, 9th century AD Beginning in 789AD, the Vikings raided monasteries, sacked cities and invaded western Europe. They looted and enslaved their enemies. But that is only part of their story. In long boats they discovered Iceland and America (both by accident) and also sailed up the Seine to Paris (which they sacked). They settled from Newfoundland to Russia, founded Dublin and fought battles as far afield as the Caspian Sea. A thousand years after their demise, traces of the Vikings remain all the way from North America to Istanbul. They traded walruses with Inuits, brought Russian furs to Western Europe and took European slaves to Constantinople. Their graves contain Arab silver, Byzantine silks and Frankish weapons. In this accessible book, the whole narrative of the Viking story is examined from the eighth to the eleventh centuries. Arranged thematically, Vikings: A History of the Norse People examines the Norsemen from exploration to religion to trade to settlement to weaponry to kingdoms to their demise and legacy. But today questions remain: what prompted the first Viking raids? What stopped their expansion? And how much of the tales of murder, rape and pillage is myth? Illustrated with more than 200 photographs, maps and artworks, Vikings: A History of the Norse People is an expertly written account of a people who have long captured the popular imagination.

From the late 1940s until 1991, the Soviet Air Force was the largest military air arm in the world, providing the core of Warsaw Pact air power that matched NATO during the five decades of the Cold War. A highly sophisticated air force capable of supporting ground troops, gathering intelligence and launching long-range air strikes, the Soviet Air Force could deploy 10,000 aircraft at its peak in 1980. Illustrated throughout with detailed artworks with authentic markings and exhaustive specifications, Technical Guide: Russian Aircraft of the Cold War is a compact guide to the military aircraft deployed by the Russian Air Force from the end of World War II to the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. Organised by type, this book includes every significant aircraft used by the Soviet Air Force, from the MiG-15 jet that enjoyed such huge success against Western aircraft during the Korean War, to the Tu-95 long-range bomber, which was capable of carrying nuclear devices, and the ever-adaptable Mil Mi-8 ?Hip? helicopter, which has been used as a troop transport, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, assault platform, artillery spotter and airborne command post. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views and dynamic view artworks of the more famous aircraft of the period, such as the Ilyushin Il-28 ?Beagle?, a jet bomber that fought in Middle Eastern wars in the 1950s and 1960s, to the MiG-21 ?Fishbed? interceptor, the most widely produced aircraft of all time. Illustrated with 100 detailed artworks, Technical Guide: Russian Aircraft of the Cold War is an essential reference for modellers and aviation enthusiasts. Highly-illustrated guide to Soviet military aircraft from 1946 to 1991 Contains detailed artworks of every major type Includes specifications of every separate type

At the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, many of the aircraft in service with Britain and Commonwealth countries were outdated, and the RAF had to urgently expand production of the new types, such as the superb Supermarine Spitfire fighter and twin-engined de Havilland Mosquito. British & Commonwealth Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the fighter types deployed by the RAF, RAAF, RCAF and RNZAF from 1939 to 1945. Organised chronologically by type, this book includes all-time classics, such as the Hawker Hurricane fighter that was so crucially effective during the Battle of Britain; the highly-adaptable Bristol Beaufighter, which was deployed as a torpedo bomber, night-fighter and maritime patrol aircraft; the Supermarine Spitfire, Britain?s most accomplished World War II fighter and one of the greats of all time; and the Curtiss Kittyhawk fighter-bomber, a stalwart of the North African campaign. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks and three-views, as well as two-page dynamic artworks of some of the key aircraft in service, such as the rocket-armed Hawker Typhoon that menaced German communications during the Normandy campaign. Illustrated with more than 100 authentic artworks with accurate markings and camouflage, British & Commonwealth Fighter Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and military aviation enthusiasts. Highly-illustrated guide to British and Commonwealth-flown fighters of World War II Contains detailed artworks of every major type Includes specifications and key variants

Forgotten Armour is a new appraisal of the role of tanks in India and Burma in the Second World War. Often regarded primarily as an infantryman's war in dense jungle and through monsoon conditions, The book shows that this is far from the whole story. Using original research from places such as the National Archives, eyewitness testimony, and official histories, as well as more recent academic studies. Beginning with the failure to fully mechanise the interwar Indian Army, and tracing the development of armoured training, logistics and tactics, Forgotten Armour tells the story of the Second World War in India and Burma from the cramped interior of tanks. It will show that much of the effort of the war was built around getting armour to the front and keeping it there. Once tanks arrived, and bunker busting methods were devised, armour proved decisive in their encounters against the Japanese, and saved countless Allied lives. It is time to remember the forgotten army's forgotten armour.

The life and works of Augustine of Hippo (354-430) have shaped the development of the Christian Church, sparking controversy and influencing the ideas of theologians through subsequent centuries. His words are still frequently quoted in devotions throughout the global Church today. His key themes retain a striking contemporary relevance - what is the place of the Church in the world? What is the relation between nature and grac? ugustine''s intellectual development is recounted with clarity and warmth in this newly rediscovered biography of Augustine, as interpreted by the acclaimed church historian, the late Professor Henry Chadwick. Augustine''s intellectual journey from schoolboy and student to Bishop and champion of Western Christendom in a period of intense political upheaval, is narrated in Chadwick''s characteristically rigorous yet sympathetic style.With a foreword by Peter Brown reflecting on Chadwick''s distinctive approach to Augustine.

The epic history of world order, revealing how the decline of the West may be a good thing for its future. Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, the West has been in crisis. Social unrest, political polarization, and the rise of other great powers - especially China - threaten to unravel today''s Western-led world order. Many fear this would lead to global chaos. But this is a Western illusion. Surveying five thousand years of global history, political scientist Amitav Acharya reveals that world order existed long before the rise of the West. Moving from ancient Sumer, India, Greece, and Mesoamerica, through medieval caliphates and Eurasian empires into the present, Acharya shows that humanitarian values, economic interdependence, and rules of inter-state conduct emerged across the globe over millennia. History suggests order will endure even as the West retreats. Instead of fearing the future, the West should learn from history and cooperate with the Rest to forge a more equitable order.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ''The Accidental Soldier is brilliant. It''s hilarious. It''s laugh-out-loud funny. A confident 11/10.''-The Wavell Room podcast''An instant classic'' RICHARD CURTIS''A non-fiction Catch-22'' MATT HAIG Readers are LOVING The Accidental Soldier:''One of the funniest books you will ever read'' ?????''I absolutely loved it - it''s so very funny but also very poignant in parts. I can''t recommend it enough'' ?????''Very funny, thought-provoking and a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed it'' ????? ''I''ve spent 15 years waiting for a book which entertainingly brings to life the humour, mundanity & absurdity of serving in Iraq . . . Thankfully this is that book and it is excellent'' ????? ''Absolutely brilliant from start to finish . . . Just when you feel the situation is about to drop off a cliff (again!), Mulligan turns it around with a jab of wit as amusing yet as honest as the chance of surviving in a Snatch Land Rover in Basra. Read it in three evenings'' ????? -------Owain Mulligan was never what you''d call a career soldier. Nor even a particularly good one. At weekends he trained with the Territorial Army and dreamt of swapping the mayhem of teaching in a tough school for the adventure of service in Iraq. At least they''d let him wear a helmet in Iraq.But when the job in headquarters he''s been expecting doesn''t materialise, he finds himself on the streets of Basra during one of the most violent periods of the conflict. Between homicidal militias, a chain of command who seem determined to get him killed, and equipment which might well do it for them, he and his men have their work cut out. It certainly puts double geography with 9E into perspective.The Accidental Soldier is a searingly honest and darkly funny account of what it was really like being in the British Army in Iraq (including all the bits they probably hoped you''d never find out). We share all the hardships, fears, and occasional lunacy of military life as Owain and his men try to navigate a war gone badly wrong. One thing''s for sure; you''ll never look at the phrase ''military precision'' in quite the same way again...------ ''This book is absolutely incredible. It made me laugh more than any book in so many years. I found the writing just so unbelievably brilliant and hilarious and affecting . . . I am crazy about it!'' - Marina Hyde''I loved it . . . relentlessly funny and really well written'' - John Oliver''Authentic and compulsive'' - Richard E. Grant''A fascinating insight into the often farcical chaos and catastrophe of war. Reads like a non-fiction Catch-22. Compelling, enlightening and bleakly funny. A jaw-dropping read.'' - Matt Haig''An instant classic - a deeply funny and mordant book about war.'' - Richard Curtis ------100% of the author''s royalty earnings (expected to be at least L20,000) from sales of the book in the UK & Commonwealth will be given to War Child (a registered charity, charity number 1071659) and its wholly owned subsidiary War Child Trading Limited (a registered company, company number 05100189).

''With his wealth of knowledge and exacting eye for detail, [Fisher''s] book on D-Day is sure to impress a vast audience'' Dan Snow''Stephen Fisher... is a very rare beast - a man who can bring stunning research and scholarship hand-in-glove with the gifts of a fine storyteller'' James Holland''Written with verve and panache... It’s a brilliant evocation of one of the greatest days in history, and Fisher has done it proud. Bravo!'' Robert Lyman, author of Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-1940_________6th June 1944 saw the largest seaborne assault in human history: D-Day. The landings on the five Normandy beaches, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, will go down in legend as the first footsteps on the journey to end the war in northern Europe.While much has been written about the operation as a whole, little detailed attention has been paid to the battle for Sword Beach itself, the easternmost of the amphibious attack areas. For the first time, historian and archaeologist Stephen Fisher puts the British landing under the spotlight and using previously unseen research, documents and personal testimonies pieces together the buildup, the day itself and its aftermath in such a way as to uniquely bring the operation to vivid life.Following a massive air and naval bombardment that began before the sun had even risen, the stage was set for the first of tens of thousands of troops to come ashore on Sword that day. It was to be a day of triumph and tragedy as the Allies pushed forward to the key objective of Caen against German defenders who were, uniquely on D-Day, backed up by an armoured division.Never before has this campaign been afforded such insightful and detailed scrutiny. Stephen Fisher brings his considerable knowledge and expertise to paint a thrilling picture of how the deep beachhead was established and pays tribute to the heroism and sacrifices that were made on that fateful day.

Many people as they get older have to face leaving a village or town they have loved, a place redolent with memories and connections, to relocate somewhere more – as they say – ‘manageable.’ It is different for everyone, and not always easy, for our ghosts go with us. But everything connects with everything else. There is no such thing as a new beginning. Such a move need not be a matter for repining and regret, but a new adventure. This book records just that journey, of having to learn that new place to which Time is bringing you – and populate it with its own stock of private memories. Charles Moseley writes about his move from a fenland village to the nearby historic little city of Ely and breathes life into the history, natural world and people who have made his new home what it is today.

The definitive oral history of the raid featuring contributions from Mission Commander Guy Gibson and Bouncing Bomb creator Barnes Wallis.The Dambusters raid was one of the most iconic missions of the Second World War.Three dams along Germany’s Ruhr Valley, which powered the nation’s industrial war effort, were the target. To overcome the torpedo nets and other defences, Barnes Wallis invented the ‘bouncing’ bomb to skim along the surface of the reservoirs before breaching the dam walls.617 Squadron was chosen to deliver them. On the night of 16–17 May 1943, nineteen specially modified Lancaster bombers left Britain. Weeks of training under absolute secrecy were put to the test.Here, acclaimed oral historian Max Arthur has gathered together the voices of the Lancaster crews as well as the German civilians who endured the attack, compiling a unique picture of how the mission unfolded, and the devastation it caused.‘A masterpiece of concise storytelling’ Sunday Express