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This compelling book explores Germany’s campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare in World War I, which marked the onset of total war at sea. Noted historian Lawrence Sondhaus shows how the undersea campaign, intended as an antidote to Britain’s more conventional blockade of German ports, ultimately brought the United States into the war. Although the German people readily embraced the argument that an “undersea blockade” of Britain enforced by their navy’s Unterseeboote (U-boats) was the moral equivalent of the British navy’s blockade of German ports, international opinion never accepted its legitimacy. Sondhaus explains that in their initial, somewhat confused rollout of unrestricted submarine warfare in 1915, German leaders underestimated the extent to which the policy would alienate the most important neutral power, the United States. In rationalizing the risk of resuming the unrestricted campaign in 1917, they took for granted that, should the United States join the Allies, German U-boats would be able to stop the transport of an American army to France. But by bringing the United States into the war, while also failing to stop the deployment of its troops to Europe, unrestricted submarine warfare ultimately led to Germany’s defeat. Because US manpower proved decisive in breaking the stalemate on the Western Front and securing victory for the Allies, Sondhaus argues that Germany’s decision to stake its fate on the U-boat campaign ranks among the greatest blunders of modern history.
This book describes the organization, lists the units and illustrates the uniforms and equipment of the four Canadian divisions which earned an elite reputation on the Western Front in 1915-18. Canada's 600,000 troops of whom more than 66,000 died and nearly 150,000 were wounded represented an extraordinary contribution to the British Empire's struggle. On grim battlefields from the Ypres Salient to the Somme, and from their stunning victory at Vimy Ridge to the final triumphant 'Hundred Days' advance of autumn 1918, Canada's soldiers proved themselves to be a remarkable army in their own right, founding a national tradition.
In this revisionist history of the United States government relocation of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, Roger W. Lotchin challenges the prevailing notion that racism was the cause of the creation of these centers. After unpacking the origins and meanings of American attitudes toward the Japanese-Americans, Lotchin then shows that Japanese relocation was a consequence of nationalism rather than racism. Lotchin also explores the conditions in the relocation centers and the experiences of those who lived there, with discussions on health, religion, recreation, economics, consumerism, and theater. He honors those affected by uncovering the complexity of how and why their relocation happened, and makes it clear that most Japanese-Americans never went to a relocation center. Written by a specialist in US home front studies, this book will be required reading for scholars and students of the American home front during World War II, Japanese relocation, and the history of Japanese immigrants in America.
This invaluable resource offers students a comprehensive overview of the German war machine that overran much of Europe during World War II, with close to 300 entries on a variety of topics and a number of key primary source documents. This book provides everything the reader needs to know about the German war machine that developed into the potent armed force under Adolf Hitler. This expansive encyclopedia covers the period of the German Third Reich, from January 1933 to the end of World War II in Europe, in May 1945. Dozens of entries on key battles and military campaigns, military and political leaders, military and intelligence organizations, and social and political topics that shaped German military conduct during World War II are followed by an illuminating epilogue that outlines why Germany lost World War II. A documents section includes more than a dozen fascinating primary sources on such significant events as the Tripartite Pact among Germany, Italy, and Japan; the Battle of Stalingrad; the Normandy Invasion; the Ardennes Offensive; and Germany's surrender. In addition, six appendices provide detailed information on a variety of topics such as German aces, military commanders, and military medals and decorations. The book ends with a chronology and a bibliography of print resources.
This book is written about a Light Cruiser that was heavily involved in the Solomon's in the far Pacific. It seemed that she was indestructable and possessed of a charmed life. Time after time when trouble struck and it seemed that disaster lurked in the wings the angel of death passed over her. But those who repeatedly tempt fate are destined to reap a bitter harvest. It happened after the Enemy had been driven off the Island of Guadalcanal and had retired to the Island of New Georgia to make a desperate stand. But the United States Military Forces were not to be denied the Fruits of Final Victory. Fierce nocturnal Fights erupted at Night in the Sea around the Island of New Georgia. And it was on one of these terrible nights in a God Forsaken stretch of Water the Natives called Kula Gulf that the Helena's charmed life came to an end. The first Torpedo tore off her bow; two more torpedoes broke her hull in two pieces and put her on the bottom. About 176 men perished in the sinking. Another 760 were cast into the sea. Two destroyer picked up about 500 of them and fled the scene to be out of reach of the Japanese dive bombers before dawn began to light up the eastern sky. This book is about the rescue of the remaining crew members who remained in the dark murky waters of Kula Gulf. These unfortunate men had no assurance that they would ever be rescued. Many of them spent what seemed to be endless hours tortured by thirst; plagued by the pain of burns and other injuries that exposed raw flesh to the Salt Water. It was a hellish situation if there ever was one. From time to time another and another gave up the fight to survive and sank below the sea to rise no more. Here they were cast into the dark waters right at the enemies doorstep. But their salvation was waiting in the wings as the valor and devotion to their fellow comrades decided the issue. Like the Cavalry of Old charging across the prairie with the Bugles Shrill notes blowing the Charge the remaining destoyers at Guadalcanal came to their rescue. This in the final analysis is the incredible Story of that Valiant Rescue.
