NCW Libraries

How decisions during World War II were made at the highest level, and how these decision affected every facet of the war To 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 history shows how the Allies planned World War II, covering everything from the troop deployments and offensives to the locating of post-war boundaries...

The five and a half month long Somme campaign in the summer and autumn of 1916 was a defining moment in the history of the British Army. From the disastrous opening day on 1 July to the final attacks in November, each large battle and minor action is given equal treatment inside these pages. The book concentrates on the British Army's repeated efforts to first break through the enemy lines, and then to wear down the German in a bloody war of attrition....

In September 1915 Kitcherner's men were in action for the first time in the largest offensive of the year. Using gas, British troops managed to open a three mile gap in the German line. However, misuse of the reserves allowed the chance of success to pass by. In the following struggle for Hohenzollern Redboubt, the British were defeated time after time by superior weapons and tactics. For the first time visitors will be able to explore this key battle,...

Describes the fierce campaign, codenamed INFATUATE, mounted in November 1944 to clear the way through to the port of Antwerp. The book describes the extraordinary courage of the Germans who fought to the bitter end.

In December 1944 the German military made their final attempt to end the Second World War by throwing in all their reserves in a desperate attempt to shatter the Allied lines. After breaking through the American-held sector in the Ardennes, two Panzer armies headed for the bridges over the River Meuse. However, a combination of poor planning, bad weather, tortuous terrain and above all, the determined defence of key towns and villages, such as Bastogne...

This is the story of the British Expeditionary Forces part in the opening days of the Advance to Victory. It starts with the contribution to the Battle of Fre-en-Tardenois in July; the counter-offensive which pushed the Germans back to the River Marne.Fourth Armys attack on 8 August was called the Black Day of the German Army, but it was only the beginning of 100 days of campaigning. The narrative follows the advance as it expands across the Somme,...

This is an account of the British Expeditionary Forces defensive battle on the Somme in March and April of 1918. It starts with the huge German offensive along a 60-mile front on 21 March. Third and Fifth Armies then had to make a series of fighting withdrawals in which some battalions had to fight their way out while others were overrun. Over the days that followed, men were called upon to fight all day against overwhelming numbers and then march...

This is the story the British Expeditionary Forces part in the final days of the Advance to Victory. It starts with the massive offensive against the Hindenburg Line at the end of September 1918. Second Army launched the first of the British attacks in Flanders on the 28th, followed by Fourth Army the next day along the St Quentin Canal. Both First and Third Armies joined in, breaking the Hindenburg Line across the Lys plain and the Artois region,...

Hitler's desperate last throw during the depths of winter 1944/45 came perilously close to being a major disaster for the Allies. Their offensive through the Ardennes fell on the Americans and caught them totally by surprise. Unaccustomed to setbacks, the situation was for a time extremely serious and in some areas panic set in and events went out of control. It was only after the most bitter fighting and massive reinforcement that the rot was stopped....

This is an account of the British Expeditionary Forces battles in the summer and autumn of 1917. It begins with the Allied plan to free up the Flanders coast, to limit German naval and submarine attacks on British shipping. The opening offensive began with the detonation of nineteen mines on 7 June and ended with the capture of the Messines Ridge. The main offensive started with success on 31 July but was soon bogged down due to the August rains....