Product Description
The US military faces a dilemma: how to respond to changed domestic and strategic landscapes without diminishing its primary function. This volume examines this dilemma and proposes that the military profession adopt a policy of constructive political engagement. Although the military profession is not the only actor engaging in shaping and affecting these matters, it is the critical actor. This study looks at a number of elements ranging from the characteristics of the military profession, civilian and military cultures, civil-military relations, to conflict characteristics and US strategy, the operational parameters of military force and the revolution in military affairs. In each chapter, the focus is on the need of the military profession to have its voice heard not only within the National Command Authority and Congress, but also by the American people. ... Read more

Product Description
Advances in technology can bring about dramatic changes in military operations, often termed "revolutions in military affairs" or RMAs. Such technology-driven changes in military operations are not merely a recent phenomenon: they have been occurring since the dawn of history, they will continue to occur in the future, and they will continue to bestow a military advantage on the first nation to develop and use them. Accordingly, it is important to the continued vitality and robustness of the U.S. defense posture for the DoD R&D community to be aware of technology developments that could revolutionize military operations in the future, and for the U.S. military services to be on the lookout for revolutionary ways in which to employ those technologies in warfare. This report examines the history of past RMAs, to see what can be learned from them regarding the challenge confronting the DoD today, when it has set out on a concerted effort to bring about a technology-driven transformation of the U.S. military to achieve the operational goals outlined in Joint Vision 2010. Among its many findings are three of particular note: RMAs are rarely brought about by dominant players (such as the U.S. military is today). For a dominant player to bring about an RMA requires a receptive organizational climate, fostering a continually refined vision of how war may change in the future and encouraging vigorous debate regarding the future of the organization; senior officers with traditional credentials willing to sponsor new ways of doing things and able to establish new promotion pathways for junior officers practicing a new way of war; mechanisms for experimentation, to discover, learn, test and demonstrate new ideas; and ways of responding positively to the results of successful experiments, in terms of doctrinal changes, acquisition programs, and force structure modifications. The DoD has some of these elements today, but is missing others. The report makes specific suggestions regarding ways of filling in the missing elements. Doing these things will facilitate DoD's force transformation activities and help ensure that the next RMA is brought about by the United States. and not some other nation. ... Read more

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It was the Italians who pioneered the use of two-man human torpedoes or 'chariots', and their attacks on ships of the Royal Navy in Alexandria Harbour in 1941 caused Winston Churchill to write to the Chief of Staffs committee to enquire what was being done to emulate these daring attacks. The result was the development of British 'chariots' which were regarded as stop-gaps until the X-craft or midget submarines could be deployed.

The book is divided into five parts. The first covers the development, training, growing pains and the attempt on the Tirpitz, the second and third to Mediterranean and Norwegian operations, while the fourth deals with the coast of Fortress Europe and the Normandy Beaches. Part Five considers the special preparations for the Far East and the exploits achieved in the fight against the Japanese. There are several appendices and an index to complete an absorbing record of a novel and important innovation in warfare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Stirring Stuff !
My late father , together with co author James Benson , served in the Twelfth Flotilla during the Second World War . James Benson on midget submarines and my father was one of the first 'charioteers' . My father told me that one of the reasons for wrtiing the Flotilla history was to remind the Admiralty of the tremendous achievements of his comrades whom he considered had been largely neglected by the powers that be . Their second book , The Admiralty Regrets , also sold well and it is pleasing to see that even today these works are constantly reprinted , a fitting tribute to the brave men who are featured .

And what an incredible story it is too.
As a scuba diver with over 30 years experience of diving around the globe, I still remain in complete awe of those men who went to war in small steel submarines - which not only resembled coffins, but must have also been regarded as coffins at the time.

This book was first published in 1953 and although I still have a couple of old reprints from the sixties, I am delighted to see the book finally republished after such a long time because it gave me the opportunity to revisit a story which was in dire need of refreshing after so many years. This will, therefore, allow all those with an interest in the subject to read and enjoy such an excellent work - be it second time around or a completely new experience.

As the book's complete title clearly states, this is the story of Midget Submarines and Human Torpedoes - and what an incredible story it was too. From those very early days in Scotland during World War Two to the valiant attack on the Tirpitz, operations in the Mediterranean, Far East and more, this is the complete story of how a small tight-knit group of dedicated men fought an impossible battle against the odds. Altogether, they lost 39 of their number and earned no fewer than 168 decorations which included four VCs plus one Polish equivalent of the VC.

250 pages containing the occasional schematic drawing and map plus a selection of 36 high quality black and white photographs placed together in the middle of the book.

Yet another excellent work and well worth the cover price - if only to learn the truth about the Tirpitz.

NM

... Read more

Product Description
For the armchair linguist or the military historian, thisis a comprehensive compilation of military lingo from Hannibal toHanoi. William Priest traces the evolution of each term or phrase asit moves from its point of origin to other branches of service andinto foreign countries. For instance, in the 19th century a "swab" wasa mop made from condemned rope; however, it was also the sailor'sslang for naval officer, from the shoulder epaulets (a mop-like braid)that marked an officer's rank. At that time, to call a sailor a swabwas one of the highest forms of insult; it was not until the 1880sthat sailors were called swabs or swabbies (men who swab the decks) ingeneral lingo. Examples such as these can be found throughout SWEARLIKE A TROOPER. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

MILITARY REFERENCE PAREXCELLENCE
This is a very worthwhile, superior reference book for anyone that studies history with the military involved.It seems that every period in history expands the flexible English language and uses of slang and cussing in every war has added to the language, and if you miss a war, you might be in the dark as to what the soldiers were saying.As an example, just about every news release from the foreign, violent lands carrys stories about NGO's (non-governmental organization), who are helping but getting killed and maimed on a regular basis, or being taken hostage.The book is full of terms that we see and hear every day in the media, and of course, many terms are locked away in old historical accounts, and that's where this reference book really comes in handy for clarification.How does a light colonel differ from a real colonel?Well, read the book and it will tell you.Good to have in the library for writers and historians, and especially old duffers who like to relive the glory days.

Good info book
This book has tons of terms that the military has used.If you love military history you need this book.

Highly recommended for military history students
Swear Like A Trooper: A Dictionary Of Military Terms & Phrases is an invaluable reference, a comprehensive military lexicon that William Priest developed over a lifetime of listening, reading, and research. More than 5,600 entries chart the language and acronyms of the armed forces of the United States, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Japan, and Germany. The entries include usage dates, language of origin, and cross-references. Highly recommended for military history students, historians, writers, and the non-specialist general reader of both military fiction and non-fiction, Swear Like A Trooper is enhanced with the back-stories of such basic terms as "taps", "unconditional surrender", and the "twelfth general order". ... Read more

Product Description
From the Quasi War with France and the opening of Japan, to the numerous interventions of the 1990s, these events have been situated at the heart of US foreign policy.There are four different explanations as to why the US, throughout its history, has used military force just short of war.Some scholars have suggested that nations use military force on behalf of security objectives.Others have maintained that economic self-interest has motivated many military interventions.Recently many researchers have explored the extent to which the US has used force to promote democracy and human rights, and still more scholars have argued that presidents use limited force for domestic political purposes.

Assessing the utility of each of these explanations throughout US history, Meernik employs both historical narrative and statistical techniques to provide a comprehensive account of these important foreign policy events.This engaging, highly informative volume is particularly suited to scholars and students in the fields of international relations, foreign policy, military affairs and history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Solid Information!
A very good book; I consult it periodically in my work, and it has been very useful.

Thorough Reference
Overall, the book is a great resource for many military quotations but I discovered after the fact that it is somewhat dated.There were several quotations I was expecting to see included in the text that were absent.I would still recommend it unless one is looking for recent material. ... Read more

Product Description
The book intends to explain the evolution of U.S. military perspectives, plans, and programs for the use of space from the 1950s to the present. It will show how and why the military's use of space has moved from the highest strategic levels down to the tactical level and now enables a new American way of war that substitutes precision for mass. It will also explore the role of key individuals and organizations in shaping the military's use of space and evaluate the utility of the evolution of airpower doctrine and organizations as an analogy for the development of space power. The book would also cover recent events such as the use of space for precision bombing and network-centric warfare in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as recent political and bureaucratic developments such as implementing the recommendations of the Rumsfeld Space Commission. ... Read more

Product Description
This new edition of The US Military Profession into the Twenty-First Century re-examines the challenges faced by the military profession in the aftermath of the international terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.

While many of the issues facing the military profession examined in the first edition remain, the "new war" and international terrorism have compounded the challenges. The US military must respond to the changed domestic and strategic landscapes without diminishing its primary functional function that now many see that goes beyond success on the battlefield. Not only has this complicated the problem of reconciling the military professional ethos and raison detre with civilian control in a democracy, it challenges traditional military professionalism. This book also studies the notion of a US military stretched thin and relying more heavily on the US Federal Reserves and National Guard. These developments make the US military profession increasingly linked to public attitudes and political perspectives.

In sum, the challenge faced by the US military profession can be termed a dual dilemma. It must respond effectively to the twenty-first century strategic landscape while undergoing the revolution in military affairs and transformation. At the same time, the military profession must insure that it remains compatible with civilian cultures and the US political-social system without eroding its primary function.

This is an invaluable book for all students with an interest in the US Military, and of strategic studies and military history in general. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Militant Mediocrity
While the sections written by Connor are clear, concise, and wellreferenced using works not his own, the sections written by Sarkesian are lamentable. The text is perfectly clear, but his diatribes on the foundations of the American social matrix are laughable. He also uses a extensive refrences to his own works. Some of those works are now more than 30 years old and maybe out of date, out of print, or otherwise unavailable.

I do like the books ability to encapsulate the ideas it presents, and it has a non partisan presentation. I quible with any defenition of "militay professional" that includes civilians. But, they do at least define the terms they are working with. ... Read more

Product Description

This book explains how the US military reacted to the 'Revolution in Military Affairs' (RMA), and failed to innovate its organization or doctrine to match the technological breakthroughs it brought about.

Many called for the transformation of the US military in the years after the end of the Cold War, seeking the changes in organization and doctrine that would complete the RMA innovation and a commitment to counter-insurgency, peace keeping and nation building missions. This volume describes the origins, uses, and limits of the RMA technologies, examines how each of the five US armed services (categorising the Special Operations as a separate service) made their adjustments both to the technologies and the use of force, and how the role of the civilian officials and the defense industry altered in this process of change and avoidance of change.

The book examines the internal politics of the services as well as civil/military relations to identify the external pressures on the services for significant change in their doctrine and weapons. Many have noted the failure of the services to innovate in what can be called the 'Second Inter-war Period' (the years after the Cold War). This book offers explanations for this failure and arguments about the possible range and desirability of military innovation in the post-Cold war era.

This book will be of great interest to students of strategic studies, US defence politics, military studies, and US politics.

Harvey M. Sapolsky is Professor of Public Policy and Organization in the Department of Political Science at MIT and former Director of the Security Studies Program. Benjamin H. Friedman is a Research Fellow in Defense and Homeland Security Studies at the Cato Institute and a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at MIT. Brendan Green is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at MIT and an affiliate of the Security Studies Program.

Product Description

This new textbook seeks to explain how US defense and national security policy is formulated and conducted. The focus is on the role of the President, Congress, political partisans, defense industries, lobbies, science, the media, and interest groups, including the military itself, in shaping policies. It examines the following key themes:

• US grand strategy;
• who joins America's military;
• how and why weapons are bought;
• the management of defense;
• public attitudes toward the military and casualties;
• the roles of the President and the Congress in controlling the military;
• the effects of 9/11 on security policy, homeland security, government reorganizations, and intra- and inter-service relations.

The book shows how political and organizational interests determine US defense policy, and warns against the introduction of centralising reforms. In emphasizing the process of defense policy-making, rather than just the outcomes of that process, this book signals a departure from the style of many existing textbooks.

Product Description
Us Counter Intelligence Handbook ... Read more

Product Description
Due to popular demand, strictly limited quantities of Osprey’s most wanted out of print Men-at-Arms, Vanguard and Elite titles are back in stock.Many of these books have been out of print for 5 years or more, so don’t miss this one-off opportunity to buy them hot-off-the-press at regular series prices while stocks last. Orders will be processed on a strictly first come, first served basis so hurry! Order your books today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Screwed-Up U.S. Light Tank History By Zaloga
This is an error-ridden, early 1984 work by the great writer and military vehicle artist Steven Zaloga who later on has done excellent work. Zaloga contradicts himself on 37mm guns--in his excellent, towed anti-tank (AT) Gun book, U.S. Anti-Tank Artillery, 1941-45 he notes they were useful against Japanese infantry in the Pacific; yet in THIS BOOK he says they had NO value. Wrong. In addition to towed mounts, 37mm gun equipped M3/M5 Stuart light tanks were successful and useful in the Pacific where their superior mobility over heavier medium Sherman tanks were vital. 37mm gun Tetrarch and Locust light tanks were Hamilcar glider delivered by the British 6th Airborne on D-Day and the Rhine river crossing with decisive effect. When the Germans saw these light tanks guarding the Orne river canal bridges they gave up trying to counter-attack. When the 1st British Airborne refused the offer of these light tanks for Operation MARKET-GARDEN, they failed to break through light German resistance and consolidate on Arnhem bridge to hold it long enough for the tardy XXX Corps tankers to arrive. If the 37mm was weak armament--put a bigger gun on--which is exactly what we finally figured out to do--it's not the fault of the chassis. Yet, Zaloga fails in this book to acknowledge the excellent M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage--in his diatribe against the Stuart tank chassis which had a 75mm pack howitzer to fix the 37mm weakness that was very successful in WW2--both the Pacific and with mechanized cavalry units in Europe. It's ironic because LATER IN THE BOOK he mentions the French using HMCs well in Vietnam combat! Moreover, the British also used M3/M5s for recon roles--so his statement that they used only wheeled armored cars is false. Zaloga desperately needs to read retired LTC Lou Dimarco's History of the Mechanized Cavalry ASAP.

The problem is Zaloga appears to have never served in any military and lacks first-hand experience to have a starting point for forming his military opinions that instead get violently swayed by the quality of information he gets--often second-hand from others with corrupt agendas like the heavy tanktards within the U.S. Army. Zaloga for example, wrongly states the Sheridan could not be low velocity parachute airdropped (LVAD) from 600-900 feet--only LAPESed from 5-10 feet. Get off your rear and FIND OUT Zaloga! don't just print rumors from dishonest heavy tankers who hate light tanks. Zaloga is also wrong about the 11th ACR's Armored Cavalry (ACAV) M113 Gavins: their role and utility as 360 degree suppressive fire MACHINE GUN female light tanks was not replaced by the few big 152mm gun Sheridans male light tanks they received. Some M113 Gavin ACAVs also had 75mm and 106mm recoilless rifles for big gun effects. Zaloga needs to refrain from creating false, simplistic cliches' over complex realities. Take the time to be accurate and if it takes more books to explain, write more books!

Zaloga also has a nasty habit of being over dramatic declaring something will "never" happen or is the "last" in typical historian hyperbole. Whether the U.S. Army wants to be dishonest and stupid and call their light tanks something else--doesn't mean they are anything but--light tanks. There is no law forbidding in the future a flash of understanding and honesty to occur and for us to start calling light tanks what they are: light tanks. A few years after this book was written, U.S. Army 3rd Battalion/73rd Armor M551 Sheridans were being LVAD parachute airdropped (which Zaloga said was impossible) into combat in Panama supported by 5th Infantry Division M113 Gavin light tank mechanized infantry previously airlanded by C-5s and C-141Bs. Zaloga laments the black beret as being "short lived" when today EVERY U.S. Army Soldier has earned and wears one--if not wearing the other color berets of the Airborne, Rangers or Special Forces. So much for Zaloga's "Never". Things can and do change for the better--that's why it's so important to get military history RIGHT--so we don't forget what RIGHT LOOKS LIKE.

Zaloga acknowledged that the Sheridan might have a come-back which it did for Airborne Rapid Deployment Force missions, and understands light tanks can go where heavier ones cannot by his description of the French success with M24 Chaffee light tanks fire supporting mobile infantry and paratroops in Indo-China combat. He is at his usually excellent self describing how combining infantry in wheeled trucks with light tracked tanks damns the whole formation to lesser mobility--a warning the U.S. Army of today needs to heed with its equally absurd mixed and all-wheeled formations that constantly drive into enemy land mines. Zaloga reveals rare info that the French air-meched in M24 Chaffee, M5 Stuart and HMC light tanks on 3 occasions: the famous Dien Bien Phu battle, Luang Prabang, Laos, and into the Plain of Jars. He recounts South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) use of M41 light tanks being highly successful: destroying 10 x T54 medium and 28 x PT-76 light North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tanks during Operation Lam Son 719 at no loss to themselves. The real ground combat success story of the Vietnam war was our M24 Chaffee, M41 Walker BullDog and M113 Gavin light tanks.

Zaloga wisely ends his book with a futuristic presentation of the AAI Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) light tank derived from a M113 chassis using a rapid-firing, high elevating 75mm gun that could be used to shoot down enemy aircraft or explode enemy heavy tanks. It's still a good idea we need today more than ever. The light tank with heavy firepower we lacked at the beginning of WW2, we had by its end--and we certainly can have and need now.

Read this book with caution and compare/contrast to what Zaloga says in other books--and of course what the salient facts are in reality.
... Read more

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US Department of the Navy Handbook: (US Government Agencies Investment and Business Library) ... Read more

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Russia and the United States are the most important countries for many vital security issues. They possess the world’s largest nuclear weapons arsenals, are involved in the principal regional conflicts, and have lead roles in opposing international terrorism and weapons proliferation. Despite persistent differences on many questions, mutual interests consistently drive Russians and Americans to work together to overcome these impediments.

This Adelphi paper argues that opportunities for improving further security cooperation between Russia and the United States exist but are limited. Near-term results in the areas of formal arms control or ballistic missile defences are unlikely. The two governments should focus on improving and expanding their joint threat reduction and nonproliferation programmes, enhancing their military-to-military dialogue regarding Central Asia and defence industrial cooperation, and deepening their antiterrorist cooperation, both bilaterally and through NATO. Using more market incentives, expanding reciprocity and equal treatment, and limiting the adverse repercussions from disputes over Iran would facilitate progress.

Russia and the United States will not soon become close allies, but they should be able to achieve better security ties given that, on most issues, their shared interests outweigh those that divide them.

Product Description
One of the weaknesses of airmobile forces has always been their vulnerability to enemy armor. Since the 1940s, there have been numerous schemes to field light tanks that could be deployed by parachute or other methods to reinforce paratroopers and other airmobile forces. This book tells the story of the US experience with airmobile tanks, starting with efforts in World War II, notably the M22 Locust airmobile tank. Although not used in combat by the US Army, it was used during Operation Varsity in 1945 by British airborne forces and ended up supporting US paratroopers during this mission on the Rhine river. The book then turns to post-war efforts such as the unique T-92 airborne tank, designed for paratroop drop.

The only airborne tank actually manufactured in significant numbers was the M551 Sheridan. The history of this tank provides the focal point of this book, highlighting the difficulties of combining heavy firepower in a chassis light enough for airborne delivery. The book examines its controversial combat debut in Vietnam, and its subsequent combat history in Panama and Operation Desert Storm. It also rounds out the story by examining attempts to replace the Sheridan with other armored vehicles, such as the short-lived M8 MGS and Army LAV programs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Airmobile tanks 1941-2001
Airborne paratroops can get places quickly - but they are vulnerable from armor attacks. This book traces the efforts of the US Army to create armor support for paratroop landings, the focus being on the M551 Sheridan.

How do you create a tank light enough to carry by air, but pack enough punch to knock out enemy tanks and have enough armor protection? The answers have eluded the Army since 1941. The Sheridan, which came out in the 1960's may have been the closest answer to the problem. At 17 tons, it could be carried/dropped by air. It had a huge cannon/missle launcher which could take out enemy tanks.

However, there were early teething problems, the Army sent it to Vietnam too early (it was not designed with hot, humid climates in mind) and the Sheridan developed a bad rap. The Shillelagh missle was tempermental at best. Anyone who fired the 152mm shell remembers very clearly how the tank would rock off the first three road wheels from the recoil! That recoil would also knock out the alignment of the sights, no small problem there.

The 82d Airborne Division used these tanks in Panama and the first Gulf war. By then, most of the problems had been worked out. But it was never a perfect solution and was to be replaced by the M-8 Armored Gun System, which was cancelled by Congress. So, the Airborne troops still do not have the answer to getting tank support in their landing zones.

This Vanguard book is a very good, consise review of the Sheridan tank. Lots of clear B&W photos covering the development and deployment of the tank, more color plates than they usually include. There are great photos of experimental models, and the use of Sheridan hulls as 'mock ups' of Soviet armor for use at the National Training Center. This book still gets four stars because the cutaway of the inside is hard to see.

Overall, I recommend this book for any modeler, anyone interested in airborne operations, light armor. The book by R.P. Hunnicutt is more extensive, but way more expensive.

Excellent summary of a controversial armored fighting vehicle
I served in Sheridans in Germany and the US for 7 years.It was a tempermental beast that did not stand GI abuse, as its stable mates the M113 and M60 tank would.In the end, like many initiatives of the McNamara era, its designers tried to combine too many mission capabilities into a single vehicle.The technological compromises required for its conflicting missions resulted in a vehicle that was not really good at any. It was too heavy to airdrop with consistent success, too large to conduct reconnaissance, to poorly armored to take on main battle tanks and to fragile to keep its complicated missle system functioning.Soldiers were wounded and died unnecessarily in Vietnam because the M-551 was force-issued to units replacing the better protected M-48.

Mr Zaloga has captured the complexity and some of the oral legends of the M551. He takes the story, briefly but thoroughly, from the early days on light, airborne "tanks" in World War 2 up to the retirement of the M-551.He accurately reports on the exceptional mobility and speed of the hull and suspension (it NEVER through a track).But the turret, as Mr. Zaloga recounts was a never-ending nightmare.An excellent synopsis of a flawed vehicle that nonetheless served the US Army for over three decades.

Another great work by Zaloga
This is a 'quick and dirty' publication regarding the Sheridan and the experiments to get to it from WWII to now. Zaloga does his usual great job of providing the reader with a good overview of the subject. There was a good balance between history/development and use.

a look at moving armor by air
Ever since the development of paratroops and other air-transported forces there has been a desire for them to be able to have tank support soon after landing.This was especially important in Europe where the Germans or Russians would be meeting airborne troops with armored counterattack.In this volume Mr. Zaloga looks at the development of American airborne armor since WW2.The focus of the book is on the M551 "Sheridan" which according to the Army was not a tank, but was an "Armored Reconnaisance/Airborne Assault Vehicle".The Sheridan was supposed to be a support vehicle for Armored Cavalry units and was to provide air-droppable punch for airborne attacks.The book covers a lot of ground, but the author is very familiar with the subject.As with all Osprey titles in this series the book is well illustrated with photos, drawings and artwork.A very helpful little volume covering one of the less apprecated aspects of modern warfare and one of the less appreciated armored vehicles that American has produced.The "Sheridan" was a vehicle with flaws, mostly from trying to be many things to many people, but it served long and generally well.I recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Since its emergence in 1998, the concept of Network Centric Warfare (NCW) has become a central driver behind America’s military ‘transformation’ and seems to offer the possibility of true integration between multinational military formations. Even though NCW, or variations on its themes, has been adopted by most armed services, it is a concept in operational and doctrinal development. It is shaping not only how militaries operate, but, just as importantly, what they are operating with, and potentially altering the strategic landscape.

This paper examines how the current military dominance of the US over every other state means that only it has the capacity to sustain military activity on a global scale and that other states participating in US-led coalitions must be prepared to work in an ‘interoperable’ fashion. It explores the application of computer networks to military operations in conjunction with the need to secure a network’s information and to assure that it accurately represents situational reality. Drawing on an examination of how networks affected naval operations in the Persian Gulf during 2002 and 2003 as conducted by America’s Australian and Canadian coalition partners, the paper warns that in seeking allies with the requisite technological capabilities, but also those that it can trust with its information resources, the US may be heading towards a very secure digital trap.