Gordon Corrigan

In this major new history, Gordon Corrigan argues that what we call the Second World War was in fact two separate conflicts: one against Germany (and, for a while, Italy) in Western Europe, Soviet Russia and North Africa; the other against Japan in the Far East and Pacific. Each conflict had distinct causes and had to be fought in different ways against very different enemies, who rarely, if ever, coordinated their efforts. This is a new and cogent account of an immense, exhausting six-year conflict that continues to fascinate. Corrigan examines the agendas of the warring nations and offers fresh and vivid interpretations; Britains own part in the war comes in for particularly close scrutiny: militarily, the British suffered an agonising series of defeats before the tide turned. The country emerged economically broken, with the loss of her empire a virtual certainty. The Second World War is vast in its erudition and epic in its execution. It will change forever the way we think about the titanic conflicts that dominated the years 1939 to 1945.

In this major new history, Gordon Corrigan argues that what we call the Second World War was in fact two separate conflicts: one against Germany (and, for a while, Italy) in Western Europe, Soviet Russia and North Africa; the other against Japan in the Far East and Pacific. Each conflict had distinct causes and had to be fought in different ways against very different enemies, who rarely, if ever, coordinated their efforts. This is a new and cogent account of an immense, exhausting six-year conflict that continues to fascinate. Corrigan examines the agendas of the warring nations and offers fresh and vivid interpretations; Britain's own part in the war comes in for particularly close scrutiny: militarily, the British suffered an agonising series of defeats before the tide turned. The country emerged economically broken, with the loss of her empire a virtual certainty. The Second World War is vast in its erudition and epic in its execution. It will change forever the way we think about the titanic conflicts that dominated the years 1939 to 1945.

The popular view of the First World War remains that of 'Blackadder': incompetent generals sending brave soldiers to their deaths. Alan Clark quoted a German general's remark that the British soldiers were 'lions led by donkeys'. But he made it up. Indeed, many established 'facts' about 1914-18 turn out to be myths woven in the 1960s by young historians on the make. Gordon Corrigan's brilliant, witty new history reveals how out of touch we have become with the soldiers of 1914-18. They simply would not recognize the way their generation is depicted on TV or in Pat Barker's novels. Laced with dry humour, this will overturn everything you thought you knew about Britain and the First World War. Gordon Corrigan reveals how the British embraced technology, and developed the weapons and tactics to break through the enemy trenches.

18 de junio de 1815, domingo, cerca de doscientos mil hombres lucharon en un terreno empapado por la lluvia en lo que hoy en día es Bélgica: Waterloo. Fue la derrota decisiva para Napoleón y una victoria duramente conseguida para los ejercitos aliados del duque de Wellington y los prusianos dirigidos por el leal Blucher. Tras ella, el emperador frances partio a su exilio definitivo en la isla de Santa Elena y Gran Bretaña vio el camino abierto para convertirse en la potencia dominante del mundo.Gordon Corrigan, militar jubilado y autor de numerosos libros de historia militar, ha recorrido los campos de batalla de la epoca napoleonica en numerosas ocasiones y nos ofrece un relato fascinante de la campaña y sus escenarios. Detalla, ademas, los puntos fuertes y las debilidades de cada uno de los ejercitos implicados frances, britanico, holandes, prusiano y aleman, de sus diferentes armas infanteria, artilleria y caballeria y de sus hombres, oficiales y, sobre todo, comandantes.Antes de que empezara el combate, Napoleon le comento al mariscal Soult: Os digo que Wellington es un mal general, que los ingleses son malos soldados y que esto sera pan comido. Se equivoco, y este esplendido libro demuestra cuanto.

En junio se cumple el 200 aniversario de una de las batallas más famosas y trascendentes de la Historia: Waterloo18 de junio de 1815, domingo, cerca de doscientos mil hombres lucharon en un terreno empapado por la lluvia en lo que hoy en dia es Belgica: Waterloo. Fue la derrota decisiva para Napoleon y una victoria duramente conseguida para los ejercitos aliados del duque de Wellington y los prusianos dirigidos por el leal Blucher. Tras ella, el emperador frances partio a su exilio definitivo en la isla de Santa Elena y Gran Bretaña vio el camino abierto para convertirse en la potencia dominante del mundo.Gordon Corrigan, militar jubilado y autor de numerosos libros de historia militar, ha recorrido los campos de batalla de la epoca napoleonica en numerosas ocasiones y nos ofrece un relato fascinante de la campaña y sus escenarios. Detalla, ademas, los puntos fuertes y las debilidades de cada uno de los ejercitos implicadosfrances, britanico, holandes, prusiano y aleman, de sus diferentes armasinfanteria, artilleria y caballeriay de sus hombres, oficiales y, sobre todo, comandantes.Antes de que empezara el combate, Napoleon le comento al mariscal Soult: Os digo que Wellington es un mal general, que los ingleses son malos soldados y que esto sera pan comido. Se equivoco, y este esplendido libro demues...