Julian Thompson

This is a study of the place of logistics in the military campaign. It uses a number of campaigns to illustrate how the problem of supplying forces has been tackled over the centuries.

Logistics in Armed Conflict

The Lifeblood of War

Written by one of Britain's most successful living battlefieldcommanders Masters of the Battlefield examines the livesand tactics of 30 of the world's greatest military leaders.Arranged chronologically, each general is represented by acolour-illustrated double-page spread containing a biography, a campaign map and a specially commissioned, large-format, full-colour battle map of his most famous victory, which can be pulled out and unfolded to reveal the individual genius of each commander. Bringing to life the victorious exploits of history's most famous military leaders this book will appeal to military history enthusiasts and amateur psychologists alike.

Masters of the Battlefield

Written by one of Britain's most successful living commanders, Masters of the Battlefield examines the lives and tactics of 28 great military leaders, from Julius Caesar to Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf. Each general receives a spread containing a biography, list of important dates and battles, and map of his campaigns--with a special step-by-step full-color battle map devoted to his most famous victory.

The World's Greatest Military Commanders and Their Battles, from Alexander the Great to Norman Schwarzkopf

Imperial War Museum

History comes to life in this gripping account of the storming and taking of Hitler's “Fortress Europe” by the Allies during the final 11 months of World War II. Written by a leading military historian and containing 15 facsimile items of memorabilia from the Imperial War Museum and other repositories--including maps, diary excerpts, and letters--Victory in Europe takes readers from D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and Arnhem to the Battle of the Bulge, the fall of Berlin, and Germany's unconditional surrender.

From D-Day to the Destruction of the Third Reich 1944-1945

Victory in Europe

This book, published to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day - the last to be commemorated by significant numbers of surviving veterans - is a graphic account of the storming and taking of Hitler's Festung Europa ('Fortress Europe') by the Allies during the final eleven months of the Second World War. From the long-awaited opening of the second front in the West on D-Day, 6 June 1944, to the final surrender of Germany on 8 May 1945, the Allied armies in north-west Europe under the supreme command of Eisenhower fought a gruelling series of battles against Axis forces hardened by years of war and desperate to defend their homeland from destruction. This book shows the relentless progress of the epic war in the European Theatre of Operations, and focuses on the world-famous engagements such as Operation Market Garden (immortalised in the film A Bridge too Far), the Battle of the Bulge (the largest land battle fought by American troops in the Second World War), the Bridge at Remagen, the bombing of Dresden and other German cities, the discovery of the concentration camps, the US link-up with the Red Army on the Elbe, the fall of Berlin, the German surrender and VE Day itself. Written by a leading military historian, Julian Thompson, Victory in Europecontains 30 facsimile items of the Second World War reproduced throughout the book. The reader can re-live this momentous period of history by examining maps, diaries, letters, sketches, secret memos and reports, posters and labels which up till now have remained filed or exhibited in the Imperial War Museum and other museum collections in Northern Europe and America.

From D-Day to the Destruction of the Third Reich

Written by leading military historian Julian Thompson, The Destruction of the Third Reich relives the Allies' epic campaign to storm “Fortress Europe.” Featuring 12 beautifully reproduced facsimile documents, a poster of maps showing the key battles, and an audio CD, the story takes us thrillingly from D-Day to Arnhem and the Battle of the Bulge to the taking of Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

The Destruction of the Third Reich

This book, published to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of VE Day, is a graphic account of the storming and taking of Hitler's Festung Europa ("Fortress Europe") by the Allies during the final eleven months of the Second World War. The book shows spread-by-spread the relentless progress of the epic war in the European Theater of Operations, and focuses on the world-famous engagements such as Operation Market-Garden (immortalized in the film A Bridge too Far), the Battle of the Bulge, the bombing of Dresden and other German cities, the fall of Berlin, and VE Day itself. Written by a leading military historian and including a wealth of first-hand accounts on an audio CD, the Imperial War Museum's WW2 Victory in Europe Experience contains 30 facsimile items of memorabilia integrated into the pages of the book. The reader can re-live this momentous period of history by examining maps, diaries, letters, and other items which up till now have remained filed or exhibited in the Imperial War Museum and other museum collections in Northern Europe.

From D-Day to the Destruction of TheThird Reich

WWII Victory in Europe Experienceence

No Picnic

3 Commando Brigade in the Falklands

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, here is the rarely told story of its final, pivotal year. When the Germans launched their offensive in March, 1918, World War One changed character radically--and nowhere more so than on the Western Front. This gripping and detailed account follows that final year, examining every battle from a new, refreshing perspective: it wasn't just the British forces fighting, but also American troops and Canadian reinforcements, all masterminded by the tactical command of French General Ferdinand Foch. International in approach and filled with illustrations, it tells the story of those final violent pushes to the end of the war, and is a must-read for anyone interested in military history.

How the First World War Was Won

1918

Verdun and the Somme

The campaign in Burma was the longest and biggest ground war fought by the British and Americans against the Japanese. Including 1000 mile-long retreats and the great Allied victory at Kohima-Imphal, Burma brought the Allies a wealth of incomparably bitter combat experiences. Using the Imperial War Museum's archives, Major General Julian Thompson provides a gripping and unforgettable picture of what it was like to fight in this extraordinary conflict.

The Imperial War Museum Book of the War in Burma 1942-1945

These extraordinary views and analyses of historic battles use modern satellite images alongside specially commissioned maps. World War II from Above pairs modern satellite photographs with expertly illustrated historical battle maps. These captivating images bring the war vividly and dramatically to life by showing the actual landscapes where battles took place alongside annotations depicting troop movements, heroic last stands, and other notable events. Here you will find all the key milestones of World War II: the invasion of France, Germany’s first blitzkrieg offensives, the Battle of El Alamein, the invasion of Sicily, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, the D-Day landings, and the final push to Berlin, along with a host of other strategic and battle maps from every geographical location.

A History in Maps and Satellite Photographs

World War II From Above

A gripping account, this tale reveals the British Expeditionary Force's (BEF) brave stand against the German army and dramatic rescue of 338,000 British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in World War II. In May 1940, the small BEF was sent to help the Belgians and French against the advancing German army. Ill-equipped and under-trained, they conducted a fighting withdrawal in the face of the formidable German army. Churchill feared that nearly all of the BEF would be killed or captured, but most were rescued and a defeat was turned into a victory. Drawing on previously unpublished and rare material, General Julian Thompson recreates the action—from the misunderstandings between the British and French generals which continue to resonate to this day, to the experiences of the ordinary soldier. Unlike other books on the subject, this account gives full weight to the fighting inland as the BEF found itself in mortal danger thanks to the collapse of the Belgian army on one flank and the failure of the French on the other, and corrects popular myths about the evacuation.

Retreat to Victory

Dunkirk

The rescue of 338,000 British troops from the beaches at Dunkirk is one of the most emotive subjects of the Second World War – a defeat that was turned into a victory in a uniquely British way. In May 1940, the small British Expeditionary Force was sent to help the Belgians and French against the advancing German army. Ill-equipped and under-trained, they conducted a fighting withdrawal in the face of the formidable German army. Churchill feared that nearly all of the BEF would be killed or captured, but most were rescued. Five VCs were awarded to the BEF for the campaign. Drawing on previously unpublished and rare material, General Julian Thompson recreates the action from the misunderstandings between the British and French generals, which resonate to this day, to the experiences of the ordinary soldier. Unlike other books on the subject he gives full weight to the fighting inland as the BEF found itself in mortal danger thanks to the collapse of the Belgian army on one flank and the failure of the French on the other, and corrects popular myths about the evacuation. Dunkirk is both a masterly work of military history and a gripping story of British heroism.

Imperial War Museum (Great Britain)

âe~Between Friday and Monday we never slept at all. Everyoneâe(tm)s face was one mass of sand âe¦ The guns were so hot, all the paint had goneâe(tm) Bombardier Ray Ellis Had the Allies lost in North Africa, Rommelâe(tm)s Afrika Korps would have swept through the Middle East, cutting the vital supply line through the Suez Canal to Australia and India, and taking the oilfields of the Persian Gulf. Britain would have been isolated, without oil, and unable to fight. These historic battles of 1940âe"1943 were fought over vast distances on rugged terrain, with supply lines often stretched to breaking point. It was here that David Stirling formed the SAS to perform audacious sabotage missions, and the Long Range Desert Group collected intelligence from behind enemy lines. This is the story of the Alliesâe(tm) first victory against Hitlerâe(tm)s army, told in the voices of the men who were there, which proved that the seemingly unstoppable Germans could be beaten.

Desert Victory

Forgotten Voices

Allan R. Millett

See the history of World War II in a new light: through 100 carefully chosen items. Selected by two specialists in military history, they range from the public to the deeply, poignantly personal--including the iconic British Spitfire and Hitler's mountain retreat; individual treasures; and official documents, medals, and badges. Organized chronologically, each one is accompanied by a brief description highlighting the article's significance.

The Story of the World's Greatest Conflict Told Through the Objects That Shaped It

The Second World War in 100 Objects

A masterly work of military history, Dunkirk: Retreat to Victory is also a tribute to the soldiers whose courage and self belief sustained them through their darkest hours. The evacuation of British forces from Dunkirk is one of the pivotal moments in the Second World War – an astonishing endeavour that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Sent to help the Belgians and French hold back the German army, the small British Expeditionary Force was ill-equipped and under-trained. When Hitler attacked on 10 May 1940 and the French and Belgian armies collapsed in the face of Germany's swift and brutal advance, the British soldiers found themselves in mortal danger. In Dunkirk: Retreat to Victory, Major General Julian Thompson recreates the action as the British fought hard for three desperate weeks, conducting a successful fighting withdrawal in the face of a formidable foe. He describes the individual acts of bravery and sacrifice and analyses the decisions of the commanders who made the choice to evacuate. He also takes us to Dunkirk harbour and onto the beaches, where the British army was trapped and under attack, while the Royal Navy and the 'little ships' raced against time to rescue them.

From the end of 1941 to 1945 a pivotal but often overlooked conflict was being fought in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War 2 - the Burma Campaign. In 1941 the Allies fought in a disastrous retreat across Burma against the Japanese - an enemy more prepared, better organised and more powerful than anyone had imagined. Yet in 1944, following key battles at Kohima and Imphal, and daring operations behind enemy lines by the Chindits, the Commonwealth army were back, retaking lost ground one bloody battle at a time. Fighting in dense jungle and open paddy field, this brutal campaign was the longest fought by the British Commonwealth in the Second World War. But the troops taking part were a forgotten army, and the story of their remarkable feats and their courage remains largely untold to this day. The Fourteenth Army in Burma became one of the largest and most diverse armies of the Second World War. British, West African, Ghurkha and Indian regiments fought alongside one another and became comrades. In Forgotten Voices of Burma - a remarkable new oral history taken from Imperial War Museum's Sound Archive - soldiers from both sides tell their stories of this epic conflict.

Julian Thompson

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