This was a period in which the British Army did much to astonish the world indulging in spectacular triumphs as well as distrastrous defeats. The story encompasses the final despatch of history's greatest soldier - Napoleon - and the subjugation of Asian and African potentates. It was the century which saw the British tighten their hold on India, extend their Imperial possessions largely by the sword, and at length - despite blunders in the Crimea and mutiny in the Indian Army - establish a peace-keeping cordon around the globe. John Strawson presents a compelling account of Kipling's "Beggars in Red", at first, struggling in vain against French revolutionary armies and its own government's neglect then, with the Duke of York's reforms plus the fine leadership of Sir John Moore and Wellington, gaining skill and confidence, winning battle after battle in the Peninsular and at Waterloo. At a time when reductions in the army seem imminent, Strawson reminds us that the British regimental system is priceless and indispensable.

Beggars in Red: The British Army 1789-1889

Strawson, John.

History

Hutchinson

Asked who was the greatest general of his day, Wellington replied: 'In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon'. But admiration was not mutual. On the eve of Waterloo, Napoleon said of his rival: 'C'est un mauvais general'. Napoleon's underestimation of Wellington is one of the undercurrents to General Strawson's brilliant narrative as he presents us with a dual portrait of two great military geniuses. Considerable attention however is also paid to their amorous exploits as an illustration of character. For twenty years or so, the destinies of Europe were dominated by the military and political ambitions of Napoleon Bonaparte. Exploiting the violent upheavals and patriotic ardour of Revolutionary France, Napoleon defeated the armies of Austria, Prussia and Russia time after time. Only England and the Royal Navy stood between him and absolute world power. England's defiance was personified by Pitt and Nelson and later by a rejuvenated British Army under Wellington. Wellington and Napoleon were exact contemporaries, born in the same year. While Napoleon played for colossal stakes and soared like an eagle - his own symbol - to unimaginable heights, only to plunge to nothingness when he was forty-six, Wellington, the archetypal English gentleman, soldier, statesman, diplomatist, went on and on from Commander-in-Chief to Prime Minister, to Pillar of State and major domo of England. The two men met but once on the field of battle and then between them they determined the fate of Europe. In an original and extremely perceptive analysis of their respective careers, General Strawson tells us which of them played the greater part in history.

The Duke and the Emperor: Wellington and Napoleon

Military

Constable & Robinson Ltd.

Originally published in 1994 and now reissued in paperback to coincide with publicity surrounding the 186th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, a dual portrait of Wellington and Napoleon, which focuses on their talents, and how, though the two men met only once in battle, between them they determined the fate of Europe.

The Duke & the Emperor: Wellington & Napoleon

Biographies & Memoirs

Could Napoleon have won the Battle of Waterloo? Or suppose Nelson had not destroyed the French fleet at Aboukir, would Napoleon have conquered India and become Emperor of the East?If Lord Cardigan had shown some initiative at Balaklava and exploited the Heavy Brigade's startling success by instantly charging with his Light Brigade there and then, the battle would have been a triumph for both the cavalry and the British army.What if Hitler had not halted his panzer forces before Dunkirk and had entrapped the entire British Expeditionary Force? How would Churchill have then defied the Wehrmacht? Or had Hitler been assassinated in 1944 and the German General Staff taken control, withdrawing their armies to the east and allowing the Anglo-American forces to occupy Germany, would there have been a totally different kind of surrender?In examining these and other contingencies, Major General Strawson brings his experience of command in war and his skill as a military historian to present us with a catalogue of chance and speculation, while emphasizing how profoundly the character of commanders influenced events and how events affected their character.

If by Chance: Military Turning Points That Changed History

MACMILLAN PUB. LTD.

A history of the S.A.S. Regiment

Europe

Secker

The Italian Campaign

Secker and Warburg

Book club edition. Very Good condition book, Good jacket. See scans and description. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1969. BCE of 'The Battle for North Africa', by John Strawson. 12 maps, 28 black and white photographs in two photographic sections. Octavo, illustrated jacket, black cloth boards with gilt spine imprinting, 255 pp. + photographic plates. Very Good condition book, with no salient flaws but definitely short of Near Fine. Good jacket shows edge tatter, most notably at top. Nice, sturdy, readable example of the book club edition, which appears to differ little from the standard edition. L4

The Battle for North Africa

Scribner

HB/no dustcover-1972---good reading copy only-text unmarked--cover/has wear at spine//repaired---xlibr/stamps removed--old book--skub1866

The battle for the Ardennes

'It may almost be said that 'Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat' wrote Winston Churchill in The Second World War. The distinguished military historian General Strawson's authoritative book describes how the balance of power in North Africa see-sawed between the Italians, the British and the Germans through the years 1940 to 1943, and how ultimate victory was won by the Allies. In showing how the nature and conduct of battles developed during this three-year desert campaign, John Strawson brings together the strategic considerations, the changing tactics and the impressions of those who did the actual fighting. His exciting narrative is illustrated by numerous contemporary photographs and specially drawn maps, and by eye-witness accounts. The soldiers of many nations - Germans, Italians, Gurkhas, Australians, New Zealanders, British tank crews and Americans - all give their impressions of what the Battle for North Africa was like

The Battle for North Africa ([British battles series])

Batsford

Worn dust jacket, price clipped, has a faded spine and is in a protective sleeve, owner's inscritpion. Shipped from the U.K. All orders received before 3pm sent that weekday.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Strawson, John.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Strawson, John.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Strawson, John.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Beggars in Red: The British Army 1789-1889

The Duke and the Emperor: Wellington and Napoleon

The Duke & the Emperor: Wellington & Napoleon

If by Chance: Military Turning Points That Changed History

A history of the S.A.S. Regiment

The Italian Campaign

The Battle for North Africa

The battle for the Ardennes

The Battle for North Africa ([British battles series])

The battle for the Ardennes