by RNS | Apr 24, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
The Latecomers
Nathan N. Prefer, The Conquering 9th (Casemate, 2020)
In The Conquering 9th, Nathan Prefer presents an analytical narrative history of an American field army in World War II. In this case, the Ninth, it is an army strangely neglected by historians, argues Prefer. Perhaps this was because they were late arrivals to the war, but as Prefer makes clear, the Ninth certainly played its part in conquering Germany.
Unit histories, large and small, are shaped like biographies and this is no exception. Prefer describes the accelerated US mobilization for WWII with the Ninth officially born in May 1944. They moved to England then Normandy to reinforce operations after D-Day. In September, they took part in the Battle for Brittany. They also had to tidy up afterwards, an activity you don’t usually read about in books like this. The Ninth was soon saddled up again to continue the fight, despite logistical problems, this time much further north into the area of Maastricht. Once in position, they took part in Operation Queen, where minefields posed a significant threat and German resistance proved very strong. Operation Clipper followed to eliminate the Geilenkirchen salient in conjunction with the British. Besides the Germans, weather and roads proved most problematic. The Ninth also took many casualties, which were becoming harder to replace.
By December 1944, the Ninth was almost ready to cross the Roer, then the Germans attacked in the Ardennes, putting the Ninth on the defensive. With that resolved, the Ninth pushed ahead across the Roer in January with Operation Grenade. Then the race to the Rhine was on as German resistance began to crumble. In March 1945, the Ninth eliminated the Wesel Pocket. As they advanced, the Ninth also had to secure the new rear areas, which they also did effectively. Operation Flashpoint took the Ninth across the Rhine against little serious opposition. Prefer includes a chapter on Operation Varsity, the last great airborne assault of the war. That opened the Ruhr to attack, and the Ninth duly obliged, finishing with the capture of Dortmund. On the Ninth pushed against mostly ad-hoc enemy units with a sprinkling of harder troops. Their last major attack was to capture Magdeburg. The Ninth was deactivated in October 1945 after a short but distinguished career.
Prefer’s The Conquering 9th provides an illuminating insight into all aspects of the Ninth US Army from its introduction to deactivation. He ranges across the operational spectrum from army level planning to the soldier facing the enemy, integrating logistical considerations, commander biographies, and battle narratives. Prefer’s detailed narrative of events sometimes bogs down, and I had the sense he was trying to stuff the cushion a bit too full. Nevertheless, his combat descriptions are tightly written and provide the necessary flavour to keep his book moving. The result is an absorbing story that will appeal to any WWII reader, particularly those with an interest in the US army in Europe from D-Day onwards.
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by RNS | Apr 16, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Simon Elliott, Pertinax (Greenhill, 2020)
In Pertinax, Simon Elliott brings us the life and times of arguably the most unique Emperor of Rome. The son of a manumitted slave, Pertinax rose through the ranks into the Roman aristocratic elite, and from there to the pinnacle of power. It is an almost perfect story, but there was a tragic catch at the end.
Elliott wastes no time in outlining Pertinax’s career and establishing his own credentials as Pertinax’s biographer along with the sources he used. After some housekeeping, laying the groundwork for us to understand what is to follow, Elliott sets out on Pertinax’s biography, which is interspersed with informative background details on Roman life, including slavery and patronage. Elliott works two lengthy background chapters in next, the first for the Principate Empire, the second on the Principate military complete with tables of legions and fleets and a section on the Praetorian Guard that would play such a major role in Pertinax’s rise and fall. He then returns to Pertinax’s military career. The rising star saw action in Syria and Britain where Elliott lingers for a while to describe Rome’s difficulties in the region. Moving along, Elliott narrates Pertinax’s meteoric rise through a series of postings, including fighting on the Danube, commanding a legion, then appointed as suffect consul, though not everyone supported his rise. Most of this was achieved under Marcus Aurelius, but when he died, Pertinax’s ascent continued under Commodus. In 185, Pertinax returned to an unruly Britain where he dealt with mutinous legions. A brief sojourn in Rome was followed by a proconsulship in prestigious Africa Proconsularis, then back to Rome where he spent the rest of his life. Elliott establishes the final stage of Pertinax’s career with descriptions of Rome and Commodus’s final descent into madness. When Commodus was assassinated, the Emperorship was offered to the level-headed Pertinax. The catch was that the new reform minded Emperor threatened the privileges of the Praetorian Guard, and a few months later, they killed him. Elliott concludes with the story of the year of the five emperors, 193 CE, Septimius Severus’s emergence as Emperor, and Pertinax’s legacy as an incredible man whose story should be more widely known.
Simon Elliott is correct that Pertinax needs a biographer because he was an extraordinary Roman. And Elliott fulfils that role well, narrating Pertinax’s rise and dramatic fall set against the dramatic backdrop of the 3rd Century Roman Empire. The text suffers from a lack of flow, disrupted by needless chapter introductions, bullet-point lists, and material that should be in footnotes incorporated into the main text. Nevertheless, Elliott includes a lot of pertinent information and his biography fills a hole in the historiography of one of the most turbulent periods in Roman history.
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by RNS | Apr 14, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Stephen Manning, Bayonet to Barrage (Pen & Sword, 2020)
In Bayonet to Barrage, Stephen Manning analyses seven Victorian battles to demonstrate how changing technologies enabled the British to build the biggest empire in history. He selects crucial technological and tactical turning points to illustrate his argument and produce a fascinating survey of Victorian warfare.
The Battle of Sobroan in the Anglo-Sikh War of 1846 acts as the datum for his exploration. Here, the bayonet triumphed for the British, but at a fearful cost. Up close and personal was not the way forward against disciplined armies. The percussion rifled musket, specifically the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket and Minie Rifle, featured in the Crimean War, decimating the Russian ranks and furnishing the Allies with the ability to involve snipers. The Enfield also proved its worth in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the American Civil War from 1862 to 1865. The Breech Loading Rifle, the Snider Rifle, followed and was used to great effect by the British against the Ashanti at Amoaful in 1874 and again in the Second Afghan War from 1878-1880. The Martini-Henry Rifle’s development overlapped the Snider and was used in various frontier wars, most notably against the Zulus in 1879. Manning makes it clear that rate of fire and accuracy were too much for technologically backward armies, but it was the psychological impact of these weapons as much as their killing power that did for the enemy.
Manning moves onto the Sudan campaigns of 1884-85 where Gardner machine-guns and the Martini-Henry inflicted more fearful damage. Indeed, Manning is keen to point out that despite the romanticised image of this war, the Mahdists did not come close to winning any battles. The British tactical deployment into squares helped achieve that victory. Then at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, British technological superiority led to slaughter with the Maxim machine-gun and Lee-Metford rifle to the fore. The British would not find it so easy against the South African Boers in 1900. The technological improvement required here was in the British artillery. Smokeless rifle ammunition helped the Boers defeat British assaults, requiring a radical British rethink and rapid development of artillery tactics in support of the infantry. This came to fruition at the attack on Pieter’s Hill in the relief of Ladysmith. Manning concludes with a chapter on ‘Lessons Forgotten’ in which he argues that the offensive spirit re-entered a battlefield where defence through firepower reigned.
In the space of just over 200 pages, Stephen Manning effortlessly traverses the military landscape of Queen Victoria’s reign. A book that begins with bayonets ends in artillery shells fired from miles away and the reader barely notices the transitions until they are complete. Manning achieves that by skilfully weaving technical details of weapons with engrossing battle narratives full of observations from the men that fought in them. Bayonet to Barrage is thus an excellent survey of the Victorian battlefield and should be enjoyed by anyone interested in Britain’s pursuit and maintenance of Empire through military success.
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by RNS | Apr 11, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Nicky Nielsen, Egyptomaniacs (Pen & Sword, 2020)
Ancient History is dead, right? What difference does it make? Let it go. Or maybe don’t. In Egyptomaniacs, Nicky Nielson demonstrates the continuing relevance of Ancient Egypt in our world through examining how we came to know what we think we know about a culture that is at once alien and familiar. In doing so, he exposes many continuing myths about Ancient Egypt and presents arguments that will have you thinking about history long after you have closed his book.
Nielsen argues that our perception of Egypt stems from Classical authors, the Bible, and European explorers in more modern times. He begins with how the Greeks and Romans perceived Egypt in their different ways but both with respect for Egypt’s age and mystery. Nielsen notes also that important mediaeval Arab scholarship has been ignored for too long by many Egyptologists. Then we are into the Renaissance and a renewed interest in Egypt in Europe, though they depicted the civilization in European terms. Then we come inevitably to Napoleon’s 1798 expedition and the finding of the Rosetta Stone, indeed, much of the early part of the book focuses on hieroglyphics.
The 19th Century saw a surge in artefact collection for European museums and private investors, and great competition amongst the specialists sent out to get them, though they look like a bunch of vandals to modern eyes. Despite laws to stop it, looting continues to this day, which leads to a discussion of artefact repatriation. More controversial commentary follows when Nielsen delves into past and present tourism. He then uses obelisks as a case study for how ideologues have used Ancient Egypt for their own ends, including the strange pull Nefertiti exercised on Adolf Hitler.
Part 2 is titled ‘Inventing Ancient Egypt’, which begins unsurprisingly with Tutankhamun, or rather his spectacular burial and its discovery. And then, of course, the curse of the Pharoah’s tomb, invented by the Press and lapped up by the public. Neilsen’s discussion of mummies starts with the tons of cat mummies that arrived at Liverpool in 1890, which leads to the story of mummification and the mummy trade. Mummies also mean movies, and Nielsen shows how Hollywood has also shaped our understanding of Egypt. He arrives at the pyramids next; who built them and why? He traces the lineage of some bizarre theories, including pyramidology and links to Atlantis, and, of course, aliens. Nielsen examines belief in such conspiracy theories, which leads to a chapter on who ‘owns’ Ancient Egypt: Nielsen thinks this is a foolish question. He concludes that amongst all the distortions brought to bear on Ancient Egypt their remains a great story, perhaps the greatest ever told.
Egyptomaniacs is an informative and sometimes amusing survey of our fascination with Ancient Egypt. Neilsen confronts numerous tropes that litter modern western thought, dismantling widely-held beliefs while deflating myths and the egos of those who have perpetrated them. The book feels a bit disjoined at times, and more of a sketch than a finished work, but I also think this history of History should be required reading for those inclined to dismiss serious academics in favour of trendy theories based on prejudice and outmoded practices, not just for Ancient Egypt but all fields of history.
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by RNS | Apr 9, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Michael Glaeser, By Defeating My Enemies: Charles XII of Sweden and the Great Northern War (Helion, 2020)
This latest foray into the Great Northern War by Helion is a military biography of one of the main players, Charles XII of Sweden. Glaeser begins by setting the scene in Sweden before Charles’s birth, which leads seamlessly to his formative years and ascension to the throne. This provides a sense of the King as a man and is expanded on in the Appendix where other elements of his personality and life are discussed albeit briefly. Glaeser also takes the time to show the different schools of historiography throughout the book and tries to steer a reasoned path between them.
The main thrust of the book is, however, the military campaigns of the Soldier King and this is where the book shines. It covers the main theatres of operation with the primary focus on the actions of Charles XII and his military campaigns against Denmark, Saxony, and Russia along with his enforced exile in the lands of the Ottoman Sultan. Glaeser provides sufficient detail for the general reader and sets a framework for those who would like a more in-depth treatment of particular aspects of the great Northern War. The book also contains 18 maps, each of which is produced on a full page, making them easy to read and they link to the text nicely. While some make take issue with the level of detail included, I for one applaud their inclusion and hopefully we will see more of this in future publications.
Helion appear to be on a bit of a roll at the minute and this is another one to add to the growing pile of quality literature coming out of their Century of the Soldier series. Overall, By Defeating My Enemies gave me a flavour of the man and his campaigns and allowed access to a war that has always been a little shrouded in mystery. Recommended for those who would like a better sense of who Charles XII was and what he achieved in his short lifetime, and if you are new to the Great Northern War this will only whet your appetite for more.
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by RNS | Apr 7, 2021 | Beating Tsundoku
Richard Israel, Cannon Played from the Great Fort (Helion, 2021)
When we think of historical wars, images of big battles fought in the open fields usually spring to mind. But while battles were important, they were also quite rare events. Wars have been won far more often with the spade over the sword or musket because sieges play such a crucial role in control of territory and resources. That was arguably the case in the English Civil War where regional control proved so important to victory. In Cannon Played from the Great Fort, archaeologist Richard Israel takes us on a trip along the Severn Valley to examine some of the critical Civil War sieges in the region.
Israel begins with a survey of siege warfare leading into the 17th Century and the Thirty Years War. He describes how siege tactics developed rapidly during that war, particularly with regard to fortifications and artillery. And with that Israel embarks on the major sieges in the Severn Valley in chronological order. First up is Worcester, besieged by Parliament forces in May 1643. Bristol followed in July, this time by Royalists, then Gloucester in September, which Israel breaks down into the main sites of the siege. Israel skips over 1644 to look at the sieges in 1645 at Shrewsbury and Bristol that brought the Severn Valley under Parliamentary control. They attacked Bridgnorth in March 1646 where Israel illustrates how much damage was caused preparing and executing sieges, not all of it intentional. The final siege came at Worcester from May to July 1646 with more testimony on how destructive sieges could be especially for the civilian populations. Having described the sieges, Israel compares Royalist and Parliamentary siege techniques, which he again runs through chronologically. He adds an interesting piece on his methodology before bringing his work to a conclusion by summarising events and siege tactics.
Cannon Played from the Great Fort is an important addition to the study of the English Civil War. In his descriptions of sieges, Israel uses his landscape archaeology knowledge to pick his way through the historical accounts and the physical evidence to establish how the sieges worked. His weaving of the archaeological record into the narrative is the highlight of the book for me, and it is perhaps surprising how much of the physical evidence is still available. The latter is supported by many photographs of relevant sites. I would have liked more on what it was like to experience a siege, but that does not distract from the book’s quality. Anyone with more than a passing interest in the English Civil War and archaeology will enjoy this book.
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