The History Press: 2510 books

How decisions during World War II were made at the highest level, and how these decision affected every facet of the warTo understand the end result of World War II is to understand the leaders organizing the action from behind the scenes; from the main figureheads to the silent chiefs of staff, this...

Though not so famous as the battles of Tannenberg or the Marne, the fight between the French and German armies at Alsace and Lorraine marks the first battle of World War IOn August 7, 1914, a week before the Battle of Tannenburg and two weeks before the Battle of the Marne, the French army attacked...

Everything there is to know about this battle, legendary for its experimental use of artillery, infantry, and tanksThe Battle of Cambrai has become synonymous with one of the Allies' first large-scale use of tanks on the Western Front. Cambrai certainly saw over 450 Mark IV tanks lumber across No...

The Remembrance Poppy is a haunting reminder of the ultimate cost of war. Worn by millions around the world every year, the Poppy compels us to remember war’s dead, wounded and bereaved, regardless of nationality or conflict. As we reflect on the centenary of the First World War, this book charts...

"Gentleman, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography," so said General Plumer the day before 600 tons of explosives were detonated under the German position on Messines Ridge. The explosion was heard by Lloyd George in Downing Street and as far away as...

On 8 August 1918, the Allied forces launched the surprise attack that heralded the end of the First World War. With skill and daring, 21 divisions of men breached the German lines, supported by 500 tanks and 1,000 aircraft. This book considers the successes and failures of both sides in this conflict.

Stalin’s Red Army entered World War II as a relatively untried fighting force. In 1941, with the launch of Operation Barbarossa, it joined battle with Hitler’s army, the most powerful in history. After a desperate war of attrition over four years, the Red Army beat the Nazis into defeat on the...

In December 1941 a Japanese battalion of 143rd Regiment of 55th Division crossed the Burma-Siam border and seized Victoria Point, heralding the invasion of Burma. The first air raids on Rangoon were opposed by only two fighter squadrons—16 P40s of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) and 16 Buffaloes...

The British Beach Groups were a combined force of men stationed on the Normandy Beaches from the initial landing until the last unit was disbanded a few weeks later. They performed many vital roles during the assault, including: arranging and controlling the movement of all personnel and vehicles...

At the outset of World War II the British government enacted Operation Pied Piper, during which many British children were torn from their families, taken miles from home and placed with strangers. In this poignant account, the men and women who were children at the time recall being labelled, lined...

Formed on 1 April 1918 from the merger of the Royal Naval Air Service with the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Air Force was the first fully autonomous military air arm in the world. This book is a comprehensive, single source reference on the RAF and the vital part it played in the Second World War....

One of the most ambitious amphibious operations to ever take place, the story of Operation Neptune is the story of D-Day at seaLong-awaited, the Normandy landings were the largest amphibious operation in history. Success was achieved by the advent of specialized landing craft, first seen in the landings...

The story of the bomber is told with a blend of narrative and personal accounts, recording the history of the principle bombing raids and the skill and courage of those who flew them. David Wragg begins with a brief overview of the origins of the concept of aerial bombardment, which astonishingly...

Why did London have to wait so long for a main line railway beneath its streets? For a few years in the mid-nineteenth century, Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s broad gauge Great Western trains ran from Reading to Faringdon. Now, after many false starts, his vision is being realised as the Elizabeth Line...