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Buy Out of Nowhere: A history of the Military Sniper (General Military)

Author: Martin Pegler 

Book Description:  From the American Revolution to World War Two, the history of the military combat marksman is one of indifference, unpreparedness and cost cutting. Despite the proven effectiveness of the rifleman in battle, the sniper in the 20th century has been regarded as little more than a paid assassin, whose life if captured was forfeit. However, since the Vietnam War the undeniably effective use of such men in combat means that the value of the sniper has gradually become more appreciated by the military, and their prominence on the modern battlefield has increased significantly. In the 21st century they are now regarded as one of the most vital battlefield specialists. Illustrated throughout with color and black and white photographs, this is a chronological study of snipers, detailing their evolution, training, weaponry and actions. There are also unique contributions from the men and women whose skill and extraordinary courage have made them the most greatly feared specialist in warfare. This comprehensive history of the military sniper traces the development of the sniper from 1500, the American Civil War and European wars, WWI and WWII (in both the European and Pacific Wars), limited wars from 1945-85, the Vietnam Conflict, and the present. It is filled with anecdotes of snipers, B & W and color photos, and a brief description of the weapons used. What fascinated me the most were chapter 6 (Russian snipers from 1936 - 1945), chapter 7 (German Snipers in the Eastern front from 1941-45), chapter 8 (the American sniper in the War against Japan in WWII), and chapter 9 (the American sniper in the European front in WWII). In each of these chapters, the author describes the training, the rifles / ammunition used, and the combat performance of the snipers. What fascinated me was the development of the American sniper in WWII, since these American forces had to start completely from scratch in developing the skill of sniping. The author Martin Pegler does a great job of blending technical information with anecdotes and descriptions of the combat performance / training of the snipers. This is an excellent introduction of the history of the military sniper for any military historian or enthusiast.

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