Buy Afghanistan: A Military History From Alexander The Great To The Fall Of The Taliban  

About the Author: Stephen Tanner is a New York-based writer who specializes in military history.

Book Description: This book is an excellent introduction to the “big” history of modern-day Afghanistan, providing an overview of empire building and collapsing (either Afghans pushing outward or others pushing inwards), succeeding waves of tribes and armies moving through the region, etc.  Very well researched and written. Even if you have very little knowledge of Afghanistan, you can understand and easily read this book. It is full of interesting history, along with it’s excellent explanation of the military information.  This book covers the regional peoples and ancient tribes who have made indelible contributions to modern Afghan society to the first years of U.S. intervention in the “War on Terror.”  The early chapters of the book are an interesting brief on Afghan history condensed. Featuring an exhaustive list of regions, tribes, villains and personalities that would otherwise require too much additional background to cover in-depth. Tanner’s modern-day material draws on British, or at least mostly Occidental sources, and covers the British and Russian experience in Afghanistan noticeably more in-depth. The connections Tanner makes between Afghanistan and Switzerland are brilliant and set the stage for his conclusion.  This book is filled with remarkable information, covering nearly 2,500 years and drawing from a vast number of sources and I highly recommend it.

 

Buy The Tibet-China Conflict: History and Polemics

About the Author:  Elliot Sperling is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Book Description: The status of Tibet has been at the core of the Tibet-China conflict for all parties drawn into it over the past century. China maintains that Tibet is an integral part of China, while Tibetans maintain that Tibet has historically been an independent country. In reality the conflict over Tibet’s status has been conflict over history. When Chinese writers and political figures assert that Tibet is a part of China, they do so on the basis of history. The People’s Republic of China has pointedly accused the Dalai Lama of duplicity, stating that his unwillingness to recognize that Tibet has been an integral part of China for centuries renders his attempts to compromise on the Tibet issue unacceptable. The centrality of history in the question of Tibet’s status could not be made clearer. This paper is a guide to the historical arguments made by the primary parties to the Tibet-China conflict. It draws on the key assertions about the issue as they have been framed in ! Chinese and Tibetan to examine the extent to which positions on the Tibet issue that are thought to reflect centuries of popular consensus are actually very recent constructions, often at variance with the history on which they claim to be based.

Buy The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition

Book Description:  This Special Edition of The Art of War by Sun Tzu presents this timeless classic in two forms: Section I contains the complete thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu’s masterpiece in Chinese together with the English translation of Lionel Giles without notes or commentary. This presentation avoids the objection that commentary tends to clutter and obscure the clarity of thought of the ancient military genius. Section II contains the complete translation by Lionel Giles including his extensive introduction and the fully annotated text with explanatory notes and critical commentary. His Introduction includes an historical account of Sun Tzu’s work, evaluations by and of early Chinese commentators, an essay examining the traditional Chinese attitudes toward war and a bibliography that details Giles’ source materials. The text in this section includes critical commentary and notes by both the Chinese historians as well as by Giles himself. Having two copies of the translation in one volume makes this edition a real treasure. The explanations and details, like the story of training the concubines and several other tales, are not available in the plain translations and they add immeasurably to the richness of the book. By the same token, having a plain, unadorned version in hand so you can just follow Sun Tzu’s logical progression is a great plus. Having it all together in one volume is what makes this particular edition remarkable. Lionel Giles, as the Keeper of the Department of Oriental printed Books and Manuscripts of the British Museum, was uniquely qualified to translate and explain this great classic Chinese work to Western readers. First published in 1910, Giles’ translation is widely considered to be the definitive English version. If you are looking for the best version of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”, then look no further. This is it.

Buy The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China, including The Art of War

About the Author:
Ralph D. Sawyer, one of America’s leading scholars in Chinese warfare, has worked extensively with major intelligence and defense agencies. After studying at MIT and Harvard and a brief stint of university teaching, Sawyer has spent the past thirty years lecturing and doing international consulting work focused on China.

 Book Description:
One of the most profound studies of warfare ever written, The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China presents us with an Eastern tradition of strategic thought that emphasizes outwitting one’s opponent through speed, stealth, flexibility, and a minimum of force–an approach very different from that stressed in the West, where the advantages of brute strength have overshadowed more subtle methods. Safeguarded for centuries by the ruling elites of imperial China, even in modern times these writings have been known to only a handful of Western specialists. In this volume are seven separate essays, written between 500 B.C. and A.D. 700, that preserve the essential tenets of strategy distilled from the experience of the most brilliant warriors of ancient China. This accurate translation remedies a serious gap in Western knowledge of Asian thought. Based on the best available classical Chinese manuscripts, some only recently discovered by archaeologists, The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China is a uniquely important contribution to the world’s military literature and is essential reading for anyone interested in China’s rich cultural heritage or in the timeless principles of successful warfare strategy. 

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.

Buy Footprints Of Heroes

Author: Robert Skimin

Book Description
Since 9/11, America has gained a new appreciation of its heroes, something that had been lost for many years due to the conflicted emotions produced by the Viet Nam War. What is a hero? In a media-saturated culture, which seems to venerate shallow celebrity idols and false heroics, it is worthwhile to revisit the true heroes of our history. Robert Skimin, a former paratrooper, army aviator, and artillery officer during his twenty years of military service, offers a compelling look at American history by tracing the life paths of its heroes and heroines. While many of the well-known heroes of history are included here, Skimin’s unique account provides memorable vignettes and anecdotes, which bring the careers and contributions of these remarkable people to life. He also includes stories about more obscure heroes, whose courage was often as great as that of the most famous icons of history: for example, a Mexican-American kid who escaped a barrio gang to become one of the most impressive heroes of military history; and the Japanese American young men who created the most decorated unit ever while their parents were incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps. Skimin also discusses such questionable heroes as George Armstrong Custer, whose little-known brother, Tom, was a two-time Medal of Honor winner.

A Pulitzer Prize nominee for his novel Apache Autumn, Skimin has a knack for telling a page-turning story. Footprints of Heroes is a fascinating tour through America’s wars, highlighting the service of those who went beyond the call of duty and left an example that is a lasting inspiration for us all.

Buy Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45

Author:  Max Hastings  

Book Description:  By the summer of 1944 it was clear that Japan’s defeat was inevitable, but how the drive to victory would be achieved remained to be seen. The ensuing drama—that ended in Japan’s utter devastation—was acted out across the vast stage of Asia, with massive clashes of naval and air forces, fighting through jungles, and barbarities by an apparently incomprehensible foe. In recounting the saga of this time and place, Max Hastings gives us incisive portraits of the theater’s key figures—MacArthur, Nimitz, Mountbatten, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. But he is equally adept in his portrayals of the ordinary soldiers and sailors—American, British, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese—caught in some of the war’s bloodiest campaigns.With unprecedented insight, Hastings discusses Japan’s war against China, now all but forgotten in the West, MacArthur’s follies in the Philippines, the Marines at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and the Soviet blitzkrieg in Manchuria. He analyzes the decision-making process that led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—which, he convincingly argues, ultimately saved lives. Finally, he delves into the Japanese wartime mind-set, which caused an otherwise civilized society to carry out atrocities that haunt the nation to this day.

Retribution is a brilliant telling of an epic conflict from a master military historian at the height of his powers.

Buy Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills

About the Author:  Charles Henderson is a veteran of more than 23 years in the United States Marine Corps, with a distinguished career spanning from Vietnam to the Gulf War, after which he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer. In addition to writing his own books and for various publications, he also runs his family’s cattle enterprise in Peyton, CO. He is also the author of Silent Warrior, the continuing story of Carlos Hathcock, and Marshalling the Faithful.

Book Description:  There are few books that capture the essence of a Marine the way that this tale does. Gunny Hatchcock was more than a Marine, he was also a heroe and a pioneer. His mastering of the sniper craft and his eventual legend were responsible for the ultimate success of the Marine Corps sniper program. Charles Henderson does an admirable job with this book but realistically it is a story that sells itself. This narration details some of the many missions Hatchock underwent during two tours of Vietnam. It chronicles the more often than not painful self discipline that made Hatchcock the deadliest sniper in Vietnam. The author also peppers the account with enough of Hatchcock’s personal life to show what a great man and Marine he really was. The tale is amazing enough in relaying how great of a shot that Hatchcock was but the true mark is hit in that is shows that Hatchcock was a devoted Marine. To say he was dedicated would be a dramatic understatement. The tale of his stalking the Vietnam general and the patience it took to get that one shot is worth reading the book alone. It is a testament to not only his training but his own self discipline. The book reads in a flash. I have read it several times and it hasn’t lost any interest. A must read for Marines, military and history buffs, and just anyone curious about a tale of a hero.  

Buy To Be a Military Sniper

Author: Gregory Mast 

Book Description:  This book lays out the details of training and traits of character that make for success in one of the most challenging and mysterious jobs the military has to offer. Author Gregory Mast offers a clear and closely illustrated account of what its like to be a sniper, required to stay in one position for days at a time, calling upon extensive training in camouflage and concealment, stalking and observation, precision marksmanship in a variety of operational conditions, and all those skills that, along with aptitude, turn a trainee into the deadliest of marksman. 

Military snipers are made, not born, and To Be a Military Sniper takes you through all the required drills with informative text and highly compelling photos. Initial training in the complex art of sniping takes five hundred hours over five weeks. This physically and mentally demanding schedule tests soldiers’ judgment and maturity in adverse conditions. As military snipers, they will have to make life or death choices while operating under the stress of exhaustion, hunger, isolation, and physical discomfort. All the field-craft skills they must master are covered: stalking, target detection, range estimation, recon and surveillance, survival, and many others vital for success and survival. Also covered are the marksmanship skills, such as evaluating distances, moving targets, elevation, and windage. But it takes more than accuracy; it takes teamwork. They will learn how to work in teams of shooters and spotters, the spotter being the most senior and experienced member of any sniper team. If students make it through the training, then they are ready for the real education, that which takes place in combat. They won’t know if they are really snipers until the first target presents itself under the rules of engagement and they are required to send a bullet downrange. After all, the essence of the military sniper’s mission is to precisely kill the enemy, one target at a time. To Be a Military Sniper covers how the military screens for and then trains those soldiers capable of shouldering the physical and psychological burdens of this truly unique form of warfare.