|
|
|
1.
|
|
One of the most prestigious and versatile units of the British armed forces, the Royal Marine Commandos were a specialized fighting force, serving in many theaters, including the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, East Africa, Cyprus, Suez, Northern Ireland and the Faulklands, and performing a number of roles from counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency to conventional combined arms fighting. During the period covered in this account, conscription to the Royal Marines came to an end and the unit became a professional and dedicated force. The author provides a detailed look at the service life of a Royal Marine Commando in a time of great change, exploring the developments that took place in recruitment, training, equipment, weaponry, dress and tactical deployment in the post-World War II period. The elite nature of the Royal Marines is maintained by the toughness of the Commando entry course at Lympstone in Devon - where successful entrants are awarded the distinctive green Commando beret. One major aspect of the course is that squads should work together, supporting the weakest members - a key ethos that is explored in this fascinating story....
|
|
3.
|
|
Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794–1876) is one of the most famous, and infamous, figures in Mexican history. Six times the country’s president, he is consistently depicted as a traitor, a turncoat, and a tyrant—the exclusive cause of all of Mexico’s misfortunes following the country’s independence from Spain. He is also, as this biography makes clear, grossly misrepresented. Drawing on seventeen years of research into the politics of independent Mexico, Will Fowler provides a revised picture of Santa Anna’s life, with new insights into his activities in his bailiwick of Veracruz and in his numerous military engagements. The Santa Anna who emerges from this book is an intelligent, dynamic, yet reluctant leader, ingeniously deceptive at times, courageous and patriotic at others. His extraordinary story is that of a middle-class provincial criollo, a high-ranking officer, an arbitrator, a dedicated landowner, and a political leader who tried to prosper personally and help his country develop at a time of severe and repeated crises, as the colony that was New Spain gave way to a young, troubled, besieged, and beleaguered Mexican nation. Deconstructing the myths surrounding Santa Anna’s life, the book offers a fresh view of a critical chapter in Mexico’s history. (20071115)...
|
|
4.
|
|
Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794–1876) is one of the most famous, and infamous, figures in Mexican history. Six times the country’s president, he is consistently depicted as a traitor, a turncoat, and a tyrant—the exclusive cause of all of Mexico’s misfortunes following the country’s independence from Spain. He is also, as this biography makes clear, grossly misrepresented. Will Fowler provides a revised picture of Santa Anna’s life, offering new insights into his activities in his bailiwick of Veracruz and in his numerous military engagements. The Santa Anna who emerges from this book is an intelligent, dynamic, yet reluctant leader, ingeniously deceptive at times, courageous and patriotic at others. His extraordinary story is that of a middle-class provincial criollo, a high-ranking officer, an arbitrator, a dedicated landowner, and a political leader who tried to prosper personally and help his country develop at a time of severe and repeated crises, as the colony that was New Spain gave way to a young, troubled, besieged, and beleaguered Mexican nation. (20071115)...
|
|
