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The Sino-Soviet Border War of 1969 Vol. 1 (9781914059230) First Clash at Damansky Island Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Sino-Soviet Border war of 1969 is seen as the conflict that had the potential to spark a Nuclear War between the two countries. There had been disputes as to where the Northern border of China ended and the Southern Border of the Russian states began. Traditionally many centauries ago the Great Wall was the Northern Boundary. Different treaties over the centauries moved areas from one sides to control and visa versa. The treaty of Petersburg in 1881 transferred the Iliysk Krai region to China and determined procedures for resolving any further border issues. In what might seem a petty dispute in the question of exactly where the border was would be drawn in to question along the Amur and Ussuri Rivers. Tradition was that the border be the middle of the river, as such the dividing line would pass through some islands. The Russians claimed the border should run through the main channel thus granting the islands to them. This ran in the face of the treaties signed. Even though both communist countries there was deep distrust between the two countries and this came to a head on Damansky Island in 1969. The Russians claimed the Island as it was named after a Russian Engineer who dies in 1888 when he drowned on the river, but Chinese sources say it was only formed in 1915. The Island was 500m from the Russian bank and only 300m from the Chinese bank. This small island might have been thought insignificant but it brought to the fore a number of border disputes between the two powers in the 1960s; Even though originally kept from the public both sides used the conflict for their own propaganda purposes and it grew out of this. It pulled in more troops, helicopters, and even armoured vehicles. Fighting would take place between both sides in what was a pretty desolate landscape often hand to hand despite the technologies available. A further escalation being the deployment of Scud and Frog Missiles to the region. Despite all the noises at the time both sides now it would seem dont want this period discussed and no official histories or documents are made available to historians. The writers of this book have had to rely on getting first hand accounts, and any documents they can from the period. The book is 72 pages long with 4 pages of colour profiles, photos, and maps in the centre. it gives a brief history of the region prior to 1969, then looks comprehensively at the period of this first conflict at Damansky Island. It looks at the personnel involved, the weapons and tactics of both sides. Conclusion This is an excellent detailed book on this period of unstable relations between the two great communist ideologies who were at loggerheads and which is largely unknown. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

For God and the CIA (9781913336240) Cuban Exile Forces in the Congo and Beyond Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Congo was at the tome one of those former colonies which once they gained their independence the country has lunched from one corrupt regime to another. as far back as 1877 the country was explored and administered by Belgium. King Leopold II formally acquired rights to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and made the land his private property. The territory was run quite brutally and it is estimated millions died under his rule. In 1908 The Belgian Government bowed to international pressure and reluctantly took over the state. During WWII territory provided a much needed income for the Belgian Government in exile. Post WWII despite it being illegal the local population began to form political alliances. The ultimate aim was to gain independence for the country. Pressure was put on the Belgians to allow the colony to have its own elections and leaders were invited to Brussels in 1956. Elections were held in 1957 with independence being granted in 1960 with the forming of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like many former colonies in Africa the granting of independence however was only the start of the crisis for the country. Political infighting and civil war would then dog the country for many years. Despite the intervention of United Nations Troops from countries as diverse as India, Sweden and Ethiopia the situation only degenerated. Through insurgency in Stanlyville, Katanga and Kwilu and the Kivu rebellion the 1960s were very hard on the country. with the UN struggling near the end of 1962 the US military decided to provide the Congolese military with a small Air Force. At first unarmed it would grow in size to provide air cover for the ground forces and provide striking power. While regular US forces could not be deployed the CIA would enlist the help of Cuban Exiles to fight in Congo. The use of these Cubans who had fought in the less than successful Bay of Pigs invasion led to the CIA getting the first of a number of B-26K invaders destined for the US Air Force as they were familiar with the type and suited to COIN warfare. These exiled Cubans would in some cases be facing other Cubans in the region. As well as the air war Cubans were recruited for Naval operations. In order to stem the flow of weapons and supplies being brought across Lake Tanganyika the CIA put in place a force to patrol Congolese water. The book is 88 pages long with 8 pages of colour profiles, photos, and maps. while a lot of the book concentrates on operations in the Congo it also looks at the development by the US of its covert war apparatus through the CIA, operations in Guatemala, Cuba, and operations before the Congo. Interestingly there are instructions for the pilots operating in the region, and extracts from their contracts with the CIA front company "Caribbean Marine Aero Corporation" (Caramar). Conclusion This is an excellent detailed book looking at the CIA's involvement in the disaster in the Congo in the 1960s, and the wider use of the CIA in other conflicts which lead upto the Congo. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Ripe For Rebellion (9781913336233) Political & Military Insurgency in the Congo 1946-1964 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Congo was at the tome one of those former colonies which once they gained their independence the country has lunched from one corrupt regime to another. as far back as 1877 the country was explored and administered by Belgium. King Leopold II formally acquired rights to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and made the land his private property. The territory was run quite brutally and it is estimated millions died under his rule. In 1908 The Belgian Government bowed to international pressure and reluctantly took over the state. During WWII territory provided a much needed income for the Belgian Government in exile. Post WWII despite it being illegal the local population began to form political alliances. The ultimate aim was to gain independence for the country. Pressure was put on the Belgians to allow the colony to have its own elections and leaders were invited to Brussels in 1956. Elections were held in 1957 with independence being granted in 1960 with the forming of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like many former colonies in Africa the granting of independence however was only the start of the crisis for the country. Political infighting and civil war would then dog the country for many years. Despite the intervention of United Nations Troops from countries as diverse as India, Sweden and Ethiopia the situation only degenerated. Through insurgency in Stanlyville, Katanga and Kwilu and the Kivu rebellion the 1960s were very hard on the country. This was further complicated by the involvement in the region of the CIA and ex Cuban mercenaries. Though this is covered in a separate book). The book is 80 pages long with 7 pages of colour profiles and 1 of colour maps in the centre. it gives a brief history of the Congo prior to 1946, then looks comprehensively at post war attempts to form an independent country, then the independence itself. The ain thrust of the book is the period from independence until 1964 with the counter insurgency and efforts to prop the country up following what the western powers thought to be a "communist". This effort would be led by the US CIA supported by mercenaries and Belgian Troops who relied on the US for logistics support. Conclusion This is an excellent detailed book on the post war disaster which was the Congo during this period. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Air Wars Between Ecuador & Peru Vol 3 Aerial Operations over the Cenepa River Valley 1996 Latin America @ War No.22 ISBN : 9781914057-10-0 Helion & Company via Casemate UK There have been wars / border conflicts between Ecuador and Peru for a long time around whether Ecuador's territory extended beyond the Andes mountain range to the Amazon river, including the Amazonian basin. As early as 1829 Peru was fighting over this. There had been numerous conflicts in the late 1800s not helped by a civil war in Ecuador. Despite treaties tensions simmered between the two countries into the 20th Century with another treaty in 1936. This did not last long with tensions and skirmishes in 1938 followed by a Coup in Ecuador the same year. In January 1941, alleging that the Ecuadorians had been staging incursions and even occupations of the Peruvian territory, the Peruvian president, ordered the formation of the North Grouping, a military unit in charge of the Northern Operational Theatre. This would then lead to war in July of 1941 with both sides claiming the other had started it. This would be the first of three wars between the protagonists. The 1941 was was covered in Volume 1 or this series. Volume 2 covered the war of 1981 which was left largely unresolved; and now volume 3 covers 1995. This conflict was fought over control of an area in Peruvian territory near the border between the two countries. The two nations had signed a border treaty following the War of 1941, but Ecuador later disagreed with the treaty as it applied to the Cenepa and Paquisha areas, and in 1960 they declared the treaty null and void. With both countries having sizable (for the region) Air Forces there was a fair deal of Aerial operations. A peace was finally put together by Chile, Brazil, and Argentina with US help in 1999 ending one of the longest disputes in the region. The book is A4 Soft cover and 88 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 5 pages of colour aircraft profiles, two pages of colour photos, and one colour map at the centre. The author has done extensive research into both countries archives and has produced a detailed work without any normal bias. As well as the combat it looks into the equipment & training of the forces and the back ground to the conflict. also considered in the volume is the MOMEP which was the military observers from deployed to monitor the end of the conflict, and the continued re-arming of the countries forces after the conflict. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of this conflict between two seemingly similar neighbours. Again the @ War series brings us an an incisive look at a conflict often ignored by the west. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Chaco War 1932-1935 Fighting in the Green Hell Latin America @ War No.20 ISBN : 9781913118730 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Chaco War is considered one, if not the first modern conflict in South America. The Chaco War was fought between Paraguay and Bolivia between 1932 and 1935 for control over the Northern part of The Gran Chaco region which was thought to be rich in oil. It is attributed that the conflict was as a result of Royal Dutch Shell backing Paraguay, and Standard Oil backing Bolivia for the said oil rights. It was not helped by Argentina looking to import oil from here as well. The war was one the first in the region to use mechanised transport and tanks, however the regions arid terrain and lack of water caused issues with water cooled engines, and the dust caused its own mechanical issues including the jamming of machine guns on both sides. The lack of water also had problems with cavalry regiments forcing them to forgo their horses and fight as infantry. The book is 72 pages long with many black & white photographs used throughout from archives in Paraguay and Bolivia. There are nine colour profiles and 11 colour maps. The book considers the historical back ground to the conflict, This book considers the ground war only, Latin America @ War No.8 gives a lot more detail on the Air War and one of the first Aerial conflict in South America. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of this little known conflict. Despite many books and articles over the years from Foreign historians this is the first book from a local author who has researched the conflict with extensive access to local personal and private archives and this shows. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Vol 1 Indian Military Intervention in East Pakistan Asia @ War No.18 ISBN : 9781913118631 Helion & Company via Casemate UK India and Pakistan have had a fractured relationship and many conflicts since the countries were partitioned post WWII. Partition was rushed by all sides with the former colonial no longer having the will or finances to guide a successful and conflict free partition. Both India & Pakistan were also impatient in wanting the British to leave. The whole affair was done in haste without real consideration to some of the finer points, including the large elephant left in the room of Kashmir. There have been no less that 5 major wars, a continuing insurgency and simmering rivalries to this day with both states possessing some from of Nuclear capacity. In partition Pakistan was divided into East & West Pakistan. Despite being "Pakistan" these two areas had little in common with each other apart from being predominately Muslim. West Pakistan was six time larger than the East, The West was the centre of political power , where as the East had the rich agricultural lands of the large delta and accounted for 75% of all foreign earnings. The West in Effect treated the East as a Colony to exploit much like the former colonial rulers had done. This lead the East to Declare independence. India saw helping East Pakistan as a means to both cement its status in the region and to shift the balance of power, plus im sure they liked to use it as a club to hit the old enemy with. Islamabad also miscalculated that it might receive either Chinese or American support against India, neither of which they received and in general the UN was pretty ambivalent to the whole affair. Originally the Indians supported the initial East Pakistan insurgency, however this lead to a full on invasion prompting Pakistani attacks on India. The Indians quickly over ran East Pakistan and only then did the USSR & USA force a ceasefire. Thus the State of Bangladesh was formed out of East Pakistan. The book is 74 pages long with many black & white photographs used throughout. There are five pages of colour profiles and one of colour maps. The book considers the historical back ground to the conflict, forces garrisoned in East Pakistan, The role of foreign powers, Air & Naval forces, India's initial support; and then the Indian Invasion. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of conflict and how the State of Bangladesh came into being. It is by no means a comprehensive tome on this as its only 74 pages but it will give the reader a broad understanding of the region, the conflict, those fighting it; and the weapons they used. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

MiGs in the Middle East (9781913336363) Volume 1 Soviet Designed Combat Aircraft in Egypt, Iraq, and Syria 1955-57 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The 1950s as well as seeing an expansion of Jet Powered Aircraft saw the heightening of the cold war. All over the world countries were shifting into the spheres of influence of either the Western Powers of the Soviet Bloc. The Middle east was no exception. Even though post war counties such as Syria and Egypt relied on combat Aircraft from The RAF the soviets seized the anti Israeli sentiments to provide more modern combat aircraft to these states. The MiGs they were able to provide were unfortunately for the RAF superior to their then aircraft. The RAF having to rely on the US F--86 as a stop gap measure before more modern types came on stream. The book is 62 pages long and looks at the early years of the air forces from these countries. While the title of MiGs might grab the reader there is a great deal of history in the book looking at the different and varied types operated post war, before shifting to look at how MiG-15, 17's and later 19's were supplied to these countries. This first volume as well as the general history then switches to look at the MiGs, the units which operated them, the tactics used and the leaders in those air forces. We also look at how the aircraft were used in Conflicts with neighbours such as Israel and in conflicts with Britain, France, and other countries. As well as many exclusive black and white photos used throughout the book there are 8 pages of colour aircraft profiles and maps. Conclusion This is an excellent detailed book on the post war start of these Air Forces and the introduction of more modern Soviet Aircraft. The history is well worth a read and this book no doubt sets the reader up wanting the rest of the series which will follow. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Tsar Bomba (9781913336318) Live Testing of Soviet Nuclear Bombs, 1949-62 Helion & Co via Casemate UK After WWII, Soviet Russia was desperate to catch-up to their former Allies in the field of nuclear weapons, as Stalin’s paranoia and projection led him to believe that the US, UK or the newly formed NATO alliance were planning on using their newest and most devastating weapon upon their communist enemies, as that’s what he would have done given half a chance, after all. Using espionage to obtain any information that they could, they did their best to get on a par with the Allies, by any means necessary. They started small, mimicking the first Fatman sized bombs for proof of concept, and as they progressed their yields grew larger and the bombs became more compact and transportable. During the period between 1949 and 62, they detonated 214 warheads of increasing size, with the Tsar Bomba just one of the many tests, all of which were carried out in the open air, and many were part of a larger exercise that involved the ingress of unprotected soldiers and vehicles into contaminated areas soon after detonation, with horrendous consequences for some of them. This book is number 10 in the series Europe @ War from Helion, and details the period briefly described above, although it doesn’t concentrate solely on the Tsar Bomba as you might have otherwise thought. It goes through the whole process, beginning with the look-alike bombs and their reverse engineered Tu-4 carriage, which was little more than a carbon copy of three Boeing B-29 Superfortresses that landed intact in Soviet territory during WWII. Without the relatively advanced design of their copy, carrying their bombs aloft would have been a much more difficult affair, although these were eventually replaced by more advanced indigenous designs using jet or turboprop engines, such as the Tu-95 Bear. The book follows the timeline and mingles the bombs in with the bombers, in order to discuss their interoperation and success or failure in their assigned task. It is broken down as follows: Abbreviations Introduction Dropping the Big One Playing Nuclear War The Messenger of Death The Monster Bomb Storm Before the Calm Moscow’s Mace Afterword – We Are Still Here Appendices Bibliography Notes Acknowledgements About the Author The chapter about the “big one” is the most intriguing of course, detailing the process of choosing and adapting the Tu-95V for the task, and the trimming of both the size and weight of the bomb itself in order to make it a viable weapon. It was designed to yield a terrifying 100 megatons, but was fitted with lead tampers that reduced the yield to a little less scary 50 megatons that still blew a huge hole in the sky with a shockwave that almost shook the Bear and its chase plane out of the sky, devastating the surrounding area in the process. It is said that the detonation of that bomb “adjusted” the tilt of the earth’s axis 0.2o, which is a mind-boggling thought in itself and must have had consequences for us all, ignoring the amount of radiation and other pollutants that were tossed into the upper atmosphere. This is apparently the first English language book on the subject, which is written by Krzysztof Dabrowski and is perfect bound in a card cover, extending to 56 pages with plenty of photos and text to keep you busy. Some of the photos are unlikely to have been seen by many, as they have been lifted from documentaries and official films, but due to the nature of Soviet secrecy at the time, occasionally the photo quality isn’t up there with the best. That’s to be expected though, as is the amount of black & white photography thanks to the era in question. There are some good quality profiles of the various aircraft discussed in the book, plus profiles of the bombs themselves, and the typical dress of the bomber crews and the poor unfortunates that spent time in the radiation zones as part of the exercises. Conclusion A very interesting read that shows just how unconcerned with the welfare of their people and planet the super powers were/are. Highly recommended. Currently showing as out of stock due to popularity at Casemate UK, but it's bound to be back soon. Review sample courtesy of

South African Armoured Vehicles (9781913336257) A History of Innovation and Excellence Africa @ War No.49 Helion & Company via Casemate UK Three major points affected the design of South African Armoured vehicles. The long distances in country and low force density need a highly mobile fleet of vehicles, this coupled with the types of border conflicts with the heavy use of mines were major factors to consider. The third major factor in the design of these vehicles was that following 1977 due to the apartheid regime South Africa was cut off from most major sources of external arms. This necessitated they research and develop their own armoured vehicles. The results of this turned out to be some of the most robust vehicles produced anywhere for their time. Some of these principles in relation to mine & IED resistant vehicles would then be needed by the west for conflicts in Iraq & Afghanistan. The book is 96 pages long and covers the Eland, Buffel, Ratel, Casspir, Rhino, Bateleur, Offifant, Rooikat, Mamba; and Badger vehicles. There are over 100 black and white photos throughout the book, with 12 pages of colour profiles with specifications, plus 4 pages of colour profiles in the centre of the book. Overall this offers a general history of the development and use of these vehicles without going into things in minute detail. Conclusion This is a good book looking at these unique armoured vehicles. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Operation Danube (9781913336295) Europe @ War No.7 Helion & Company via Casemate UK On the 20th of October 1968 hundreds of thousands of Warsaw Pact troops supported by armoured vehicles and aircraft invaded Czechoslovakia in what was the largest military operation in Europe since the end of WWII. In Early 1968 following the election of Alexander Dubček there was an attempt to grant individual rights to the people of Czechoslovakia along with an attempt to partially decentralise parts of the Economy and government. This became known as the Prague Spring. Needless to say these reforms did not go down very well with the Soviets. Over 200,000 troops from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary would invade the country supported by the very latest tanks and aircraft. In order to identify these aircraft had two red stripes on the fuselage and the tanks a large white stripe up the middle from the front and sides. East German troops were not used due to implications following the German invasion in WWII, with Romania, Yugoslavia, and Albania refusing to take part. Despite calls from Alexander Dubček for the people not to resist there was sporadic resistance throughout. The book is 72 pages long and considers the background to the invasion, and the invasion itself. It looks at both the ground invasion and its airborne counterpart. Detailed orders of battle for the forces taking part are given along with many black & white photos. There are eight colour pages in the centre with vehicle & aircraft profiles. Overall this offers a detailed in-depth account of this operation which marked a turning point in the cold war, and changed things in central Europe for a long time. Things only changing with the velvet revolution in 1989 to which Dubček lent his support, he was against the dissolution of Czechoslovakia which eventually came about. Conclusion This is a good book on an important event in European History. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Biafran Army 1967 - 70 Build up and downfall of the secessionist military Africa @ War No.47 ISBN : 9781911628637 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Biafran War, or more rightly the Nigerian Civil war was a civil war between the secessionist state of Biafra and the Nigerian Government. It is most remembered as the cause of the famine which became the first such disaster of its type to be televised. This was another conflict Bourne out of the decolonisation of Africa by the Western Powers, in Nigeria it was the British who were the former rulers. The southern state of Biafra felt they could not be ruled by the Northern Dominated Government, throw into this mix a coup, counter coup, and persecution of minorities and a civil war was bound to come. The fighting lasted until 1970 with the UK, and strangely USSR supporting Nigeria, and France & Israel mainly supporting Biafra. In the end the direct fighting led to over 100,000 causalities, but the blockade by Nigerian Forces lead to the starvation of over 2 million civilians. Much has been said about Air Operations in the region but the Army has been overlooked. This book as well as looking at the air power looks at the Army & Naval forces. The book is A4 Soft cover and 80 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many rare black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 5 pages of colour profiles, and 2 pages of colour photos in the centre of the book. This book is the first to really consider the build up, training, composition, equipment and combat operations of the Biafran armed forces during this time. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of this bloody civil war and all it entailed. Review sample courtesy of

At The Forward Edge of Battle A history of the Pakistan Armoured Corps 1938-2016 Vol 2 ISBN : 9781912866335 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Pakistan Armoured Corps grew out of the Indian Army after the partition of the country following WWII. The book looks at their history from the mechanisation of the Corps in 1938 from the Indian Cavalry, through their often overlooked service in WWII, through partition to the service of today. Volume one which we reviewed here looked at the early years of the Corps. This volume concentrates on the War of 1965, and the re-equipment afterwards. This leads onto the war of 1971 and the Corps expansion after that. Also in this volume are overseas deployments, how the Corps is administered, trained; and a look at their people and culture. The books author Major General Syed Ali Hamid brings his 50 years of Service with the Pakistani Army to the table along with links to the past through his father Maj Gen Syed Shahid Hamid, who was commissioned from Sandhurst into the cavalry of British India in 1933. He was one of the pioneers of the Pakistan Army. The Pakistan Armoured Corps uses a unique mix of Eastern and Western bloc equipment, and there are some excellent picture of this in the book. The book is A4 Soft cover and 136 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 15 pages of colour equipment profiles and unit markings as well Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of Pakistani Armoured Corps and there role in the conflicts they have fought in. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Bulgarian Air Force in the Second World War ISBN : 9781912390649 Helion & Company via Casemate UK While there has been much written about the Luftwaffe in WWII, not much is out there concerning their other Allies apart from the Italians. The Bulgarians fit into the category of probably the least well known; this book will hopefully redress the balance some what. The book looks at initially at operations at home, and then in the Balkans. The later part of the book looks at the period when war came to Bulgaria both from the Allied bombing campaign and the advancing Russians. The book then looks at what happened when Bulgaria changed sides , withdrew from Yugoslavia, and began operations against the Luftwaffe. Following this Bulgaria would fall under the Soviet sphere and would reform and reequip along Soviet lines. Conclusion This book will give the reader an understanding of the Bulgarian Air Force in WWII and the period at the end. It is illustrated throughout with many previously unseen black & white photographs. There are eight pages of specially commissioned colour aircraft profiles at the centre of the book. In all is it 135 pages long and A4 softcover in format. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Air Wars Between Ecuador & Peru Vol 1 The July 1941 War Latin America @ War No.12 ISBN : 9781911628675 Helion & Company via Casemate UK There have been wars / border conflicts between Ecuador and Peru for a long time around whether Ecuador's territory extended beyond the Andes mountain range to the Amazon river, including the Amazonian basin. As early as 1829 Peru was fighting over this. There had been numerous conflicts in the late 1800s not helped by a civil war in Ecuador. Despite treaties tensions simmered between the two countries into the 20th Century with another treaty in 1936. This did not last long with tensions and skirmishes in 1938 followed by a Coup in Ecuador the same year. In January 1941, alleging that the Ecuadorians had been staging incursions and even occupations of the Peruvian territory, the Peruvian president, ordered the formation of the North Grouping, a military unit in charge of the Northern Operational Theatre. This would then lead to war in July of 1941 with both sides claiming the other had started it. This would be the first of three wars between the protagonists. The book is A4 Soft cover and 88 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 8 pages of colour equipment profiles and maps at the centre. Due to the nature of the ground in the region a lot of the often bitter combat took place in the air, or with air support. The author has done extensive research into both countries archives and has produced a detailed work without any normal bias. As well as the combat it looks into the equipment & training of the forces and the back ground to the conflict. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of this conflict between two seemingly similar neighbours. Again the @ War series brings us an an incisive look at a conflict often ignored by the west after all we were a bit busy with WWII at the time. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

At The Forward Edge of Battle A history of the Pakistan Armoured Corps 1938-2016 Vol 1 Asia @ War No.9 ISBN : 9781911628071 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Pakistan Armoured Corps grew out of the Indian Army after the partition of the country following WWII. The book looks at their history from the mechanisation of the Corps in 1938 from the Indian Cavalry, through their often overlooked service in WWII, through partition to the service of today. This volume looks at the Early history and WWII, the pre-independence officer Corps, Partition, equipment upto 1965, and the expansion which took place until 1971. The books author Major General Syed Ali Hamid brings his 50 years of Service with the Pakistani Army to the table along with links to the past through his father Maj Gen Syed Shahid Hamid, who was commissioned from Sandhurst into the cavalry of British India in 1933. He was one of the pioneers of the Pakistan Army. The book is A4 Soft cover and 88 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 8 pages of colour equipment profiles and unit markings as well tables and maps. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of Pakistani Armoured Corps and there role in the conflicts they have fought in. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

War of Intervention in Angola Volume 2: Angolan & Cuban Forces at War 1976-83 ISBN : 9781911628651 Helion & Company via Casemate UK It would seem depressing that throughout the 1970s and beyond that there was some kind of war in Angola. In 1975 the decades long war seemed was still short of any conclusion This was not helped by the fact there were three rebel movements fighting for supremacy with South Africa, America, Zaire, Cuba, and the Soviet Union being involved as well. The South African intervention in Angola, and the Cuban involvement are perhaps the most well known, however the CIA were actively trying to destabilise the country, in part to recoup some prestige following the events in Vietnam. Volume 1 which we reviewed here concentrated on the lesser known period of the final stages of withdrawal by the Portuguese Colonial forces, the build up of the three insurgent forces; and the initial intervention by Cuban forces in the region. Now in volume 2 we look at how the civil war looked decided. The MPLA had established itself in power supported by a large number of Cuban forces, with its opposition split and in disarray; however the war continued to drag on. The MPLA did not defeat UNITA in Southern Angola and then they faced an internal Coup which resulted in a blood letting. Many members were tortured or killed, while others defected to the opposition. The Soviets took advantage of this to increase their presence, and led the South African Forces to resume supporting UNITA and launch further attacks. The book looks at the forces on both sides of the conflict, some history of the region and how the main battles were fought. This volume is A4 soft back in format and 80 pages. There are over 100 rare black and white photographs throughout with 6 main colour maps, and 18 colour profiles. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more complete understanding of the of the later conflict in Angola. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Iraqi Mirages The Dassault Mirage Family in service with Iraq 1981-1988 Middle East @ War No.17 ISBN : 9781912866342 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Dassault Mirage F.1 has been a successful point defence fighter and attack aircraft for over thirty years. It was developed initially as a private venture by Dassault as a replacement to their ageing Mirage III fighters. It is a single-engined, single-seat fighter aircraft with a high-mounted delta wing and capability of reaching mach 2.2 in short order. Power was provided by a single SNECMA Atar turbojet providing about 7 tonnes-force (69 kN; 15,000 lbf) of thrust. Dassault soon found an eager customer in the shape of the French Armée de l'air, who bought various versions over the years starting on 1974. The French retired the Mirage F.1 in 2014. The EQ was the version for Iraq, these were modified for longer range. Some aircraft for Iraq were reconfigured from general aircraft to dedicated attack aircraft with increased payloads and additional ECM gear. The Iraqi aircraft were capable of carrying the potent Exocet missile. This book looks at all aspects of the use of the F.1 by Iraq. The aircraft itself, training, weapons and tactics used by the Iraqi military. The war with Iran and the use of the aircraft is looked at in detail as this was the major conflict the aircraft took part in. Also considered in the book are the 5 Super-Etendards leased to Iraq due to delays in F.1 deliveries. Also mentioned is the use of a modified Dassault Falcon 50 Business jet for reconnaissance and later anti shipping duties. The radar and ire control system from an F.1 was fitted to the Falcon, a complete F.1 cockpit was fitted in the left hand side of the air-frame and hard points added for Exocet missiles. This aircraft was then responsible for the mistaken attack on the USS Snark in 1987. The book is A4 softback and 88 pages long. It is illustrated throughout with black and white photos, and maps. There are 6 pages of colour aircraft profiles, and a further 2 colour pages of pictures and maps. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the use of the F.1 buy the Iraqi Air Force during this time. Highly Recommended for fans of the F.1, or Middle eastern conflicts, Review sample courtesy of

The Trieste Crisis 1953 The first cold war confrontation in Europe ISBN : 9781912866342 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The City of Trieste and the area surrounding it stands on the border between what was Yugoslavia and Italy. Like other areas in the region lines drawn on maps were felt not to recognise the ethnic divisions of the area. Tito's forces raced to occupy the area at the end of WWII, as did the allies with the two forces meeting in the city on May 2nd 1945. Tito tired or order the Allies to withdraw, however under political pressure they did not. An agreement was signed in Belgrade to divide the territory around Trieste up. This was followed by the setting up of the Free Territory Of Trieste in 1947 following talks in Paris. The Yugoslavs accepted this but did not want to give up their "rights" to the area. The area was seen as the dividing line between the democratic West and the Communist East. Things were though to go downhill. The West was seen to take a less pro Italian stance for a more neutral one, at a time of less than stable Italian Politics. This lead in 1953 to the Crisis where by increasing deployments of troop and equipment from both sides were deployed to the area. The provides a detailed account of the forces from the allied, and Yugoslav armies deployed at this time which looked like an actual war would happen. Much of this has been under reported with the source material only becoming available recently. Conclusion This book will give the reader an understanding of this first real flashpoint of the cold war in Europe. It is A4 softcover and 72 pages long with black & white photographs throughout. There are also 8 colour pages with equipment profiles, and maps. The Europe @ War series looks to be an exciting new series from Helion and Company if this first title is anything to go by. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

COMBAT - South Africa At War along the Angolan Frontier ISBN : 9781911628736 Helion & Company via Casemate UK It would seem depressing that throughout the 1970s and beyond that there was some kind of war in Angola. In 1975 the decades long war seemed was still short of any conclusion This was not helped by the fact there were three rebel movements fighting for supremacy with South Africa, America, Zaire, Cuba, and the Soviet Union being involved as well. The South African intervention in Angola, and the Cuban involvement are perhaps the most well known, however the CIA were actively trying to destabilise the country, in part to recoup some prestige following the event in Vietnam. This book from renowned author AJ Venter looks at South Africa's 23 year border war on the Angolan Frontier. With regard to combat operations it considers how well the South Africans with relatively light armoured vehicles were able to engage and defeat Soviet tanks; and South Africa's development of the Centurion MBT into the Olifant. The book also looks at the extensive air war with the use of such diverse aircraft as the Dakotas in the gunship role to the Blackburn ir Buccaneer for attacks. The extensive helicopter operations in support of ground troops also features heavily. A new look is taken at all the enemies ranged against the South Africans at this point in their history. As well as these areas with the help of other authors and specialists the book considers the then secret South African Nuclear programme, and the co-operation with Israel to acquire Medium range ICBMs. Other areas also looked at by the others contributors include the cover communications war which stretched across the continent into the Indian Ocean. Other chapters range from looking at specific operations, to a look at the main weapons used at the time from the RPG-7 to the Hind Helicopter. The book is A5 in size with 344 pages. Contained inside are 232 black & white photos, 4 pages of maps, and 39 colour photos. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more complete understanding of the South African units in the war with Angola, and their campaign there. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

1973: The First Nuclear War Crucial Air Battles of the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War ISBN : 9781911628712 Helion & Company via Casemate UK There have been many books about the 1973 war between the Arab forces and Israel. The general wisdom in these is that air power did not play a major role with a strong air defence deployment by the Arab forces causing heavy losses to the Israeli Air Force. The IAF though did fly heavy air strikes on the Port Said area which were not in direct support of their ground forces. The actual reason for theses remains unclear, however It is now suggested that these were as a direct result of US intelligence suggest that the only Egyptian unit equipped with the SS-1 Scud Missile was based in this area, and the possibility of deployments of Soviet nuclear warheads at this time. The book looks at the Israeli attempts to prevent the deployment of these missiles, whether or not armed with nuclear warheads in the area. This volume is A4 soft back in format and 88 pages. There are over 100 photographs throughout with 12 maps, and 18 colour profiles. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more upto date look at the early stages of the Gulf War Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Desert Storm Volume 1: The Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait & Operation Desert Shield 1990-91 ISBN : 9781911628224 Helion & Company via Casemate UK On the 2nd of August 1990 the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait began when their Air Force bombed Kuwait City, this was closely followed by the Republican Guard following on the ground. Although the Kuwaiti military did their best they were quickly overwhelmed and Iraqi occupied Kuwait in a matter of days. All of this was played out to some part in the worlds media as this would be the first full on conflict to be "live on CNN". The Iraqi president could not know at the time what reaction he would provoke from the western world. Perhaps if he had not gone as far as to threaten Saudi Arabia who knows what the outcome would have been? As it was a coalition was formed primarily between the USA, the UK and France; with the inclusion of the Gulf allies to protect Kuwait; this would be known as "Desert Shield". The book looks at the forces on both sides of the conflict, some history of the region including the UK's intervention in 1961. and how the build of forces for Desert Shield took place. This volume is A4 soft back in format and 112 pages. There are over 125 photographs throughout with 5 pages of maps, and 20 colour profiles. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more upto date look at the early stages of the Gulf War Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Forgotten Heroes Aces Of The Royal Hungarian Air Force in WWII ISBN : 9781911512684 Helion & Company via Casemate UK Hungary was caught at the end of WWI on the wrong side and was treated harshly by the Allies. Under the 1920 treaty of Trianon they lost nearly half their population and more than 60% of their territory to hostile boarding nations. Which is the reason the joined the Axis forces in WWII, however it would seem they chose the wrong side again! During WWII The Hungarian Air Force would fight both the Soviets and the Western Allies, mainly the Americans. The book looks at the 38 Hungarian Air Aces of WWII. These men fought gallantly against heavy odds, then after WWII the new Communist regime would then turn against them. The book is 448 pages long with over 300 black and white photos many of which are rare and previously unpublished. There are 14 pages of period colour photos, and 50 tables of information as well. The Author has worked from mostly unpublished primary source material from archives in Hungary, Russia, and the USA. The author also had access to private documents from the families of the Aces. The book also covers important related aspects of the air war including how victories were confirmed, tactics, and awards obtained by these men. In his 23 year of research and writing the author has produced what can only be seen as the most complete work on this subject we are ever likely to see. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more complete understanding of the largely forgotten Aces of the Royal Hungarian Air Force, and in part this countries air war in WWII. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The 1989 Coup d'Étát in Paraguay Latin America at War #11 ISBN : 9781911628699 Helion & Company via Casemate UK Like many countries in Central America the Republic of Paraguay has seen its fair share of conflict. However 1989 was a critical year for Paraguay, it was in this year that the 35 years of Dictatorship from General Alfredo Stroessner was finally overthrown in what was a violent coup d'état. Prior to 1954 the country had a procession of unstable governments following the Civil War of 1947. After this General Stroessner began a series of events which would lead to his coup d'état in 1954. Now while there were some economic benefits to the country the people also suffered environmental and human rights abuses under this regime. They were an active participant in "Operation Condor" the US backed campaign of Political repression and state terror which took place over Central & South America. In the mid to late 1980's efforts to block the opposition were having lesser effects, and combined with Stroessner's failing health lead and political infighting in his own Colorado party led to a coup from General Andrés Rodríguez. The Army tried to arrest Stroessner however his 700 strong guard fought back. Following the deployment of Tanks on the street, and shelling of his HQ by Army Artillery and Naval vessels they eventually surrendered. The official death toll of 31 was deemed far below the over 200 which it actually was. Stroessner would leave for political exile to Brazil where he died in 2006. General Andrés Rodríguez became President and brought sweeping reforms to the country, as well as elections. He would serve as an elected President till 1993 and became the first leader in a long time to leave the office at the end of his term. The book looks at the forces on both sides of the conflict, some history of the region and how the main battles were fought. This volume is A4 soft back in format and 80 pages. There are black and white photographs throughout with 2 main colour maps, and 6 pages of colour profiles. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a more complete understanding of this important part of Paraguay's history. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Red Assault Soviet Airborne Forces 1930-1941 ISBN : 9781912390793 Helion & Company via Casemate UK When you think of Airborne forces thoughts might go to The Parachute Regiment, The US Screaming Eagles or even the Fallschirmjager; but not generally to Soviet forces. This may seem strange as the Soviet Army was using Airborne forces before any of the western powers, and even the German Army. In fact Herman Goring proposed the use of Paratroops after seeing Soviet exercises. The Soviets started as far back as 1930 with experiments which grew into an attack doctrine where following bombers airborne forces would drop onto the enemy on their own ground and subdue them. The book looks at early Soviet operations, types of equipment and weapons, as well as many weird and wonderful ideas that the 1930s could come up with regarding airborne operations. Of use to the modeller is a great deal of information about the aircraft used for these operations. In the end despite have the advantage in time over other countries the Soviets used these troops mainly as normal foot soldiers during WWII. A few drops were carried out in the desperate defence during operation Barbarossa, and later in the war (not covered by this book) operations did take place in 1942 and 1943, however for the most the Soviets lost their early advantage in this are by using these troops as little more than ground infantry. The book is slightly smaller than A4 (248 x 180mm) and 343 pages long. There are over 400 B&W photos. The author has gone to great lengths to obtain original memoirs from museum and private archives, many of which have never been published before. Conclusion This book gives a great insight into early Airborne operations in the Soviet Union, the equipment and thinking of the time (even if some of it was a bit bizarre). Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Red Wind Over The Balkans The Soviet Offensive South of the Danube Sept-Oct 1944 ISBN : 9781910777800 Helion & Company via Casemate UK There is a feeling that the whole Balkan Campaign is slightly overshadowed in the west as it began fairly badly for us and was left out of the limelight of the Italian and Normandy campaigns, and even the battle for Germany. The book looks at two major Soviet offensives conducted during September and October of 1944. The first of these was the occupation of Bulgaria following the Soviet declaration of war with Bulgaria on 4th September 1944. The Invasion began on the 8th. Due to the Bulgarian Army overthrowing the government and joining the Allies this operation was a fairly simple and bloodless one. The second operation which was linked to the first one was the Belgrade offensive. This operation was to liberate Belgrade and try and encircle the German Forces in the Southern Balkans. The book describes the heavy battles in this operation which caused the German forces to withdraw from not only this area but Greece and Albania as well. The book is slightly smaller than A4 (245 x 170mm) and an impressive 694 pages long. There are over 400 B&W photos, 197 tables, 16 pages of colour vehicle profiles; and 24 colour maps. The author has gone to great lengths to obtain original documents from The Russian and Bulgarian archives. As well as the details of the battles attention is paid to units involved, their markings, unit insignia and even camouflage used. Conclusion As well as complete details for the operations and their battles attention is paid to units involved, equipment, their markings, unit insignia and even camouflage used. This is a truly detailed study of these operations for which the author should be commended. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of