Recent Publications - Tag Parameters Bookshelf

Book Review: The Russian-Ukrainian War, 2023: A Second Year of Hell and the Dawn of Drone Warfare
February 17, 2026 — In the brutal second year of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine faced relentless assaults while pioneering the battlefield use of drones in a desperate bid for survival. Retired General John S. Harrel delivers a gripping account of mechanized warfare’s evolution, where unmanned aerial vehicles reshaped tactics from the trenches to the Black Sea. This vivid chronicle captures the chaos, innovation, and global reverberations of a war that redefined modern combat... MORE

Cover of The Russian-Ukrainian War, 2023: A Second Year of Hell and the Dawn of Drone Warfare

Book Review: Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs: GI Ingenuity in World War II
February 17, 2026 — Improvised weapons and battlefield creativity take center stage in Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs, Robert P. Wettemann Jr.’s tribute to the ingenuity of American GIs during World War II. From modifying tanks to crafting makeshift explosives, soldiers turned innovation into survival and success. This compelling account reveals how necessity and resourcefulness shaped the outcome of history’s most devastating conflict... MORE

Cover of Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs: GI Ingenuity in World War II

Book Review: Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views of the United States
February 17, 2026 — What if the Axis powers had seen America clearly before launching into war? Betting Against America dives into the flawed intelligence, cultural biases, and strategic miscalculations that led Germany, Japan, and Italy to underestimate the United States. Through intercepted communications and insider reports, Harry Yeide reveals how these fatal errors shaped the course of World War II... MORE

Cover of Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views of the United States

Book Review: Cassino ’44: The Brutal Battle for Rome
February 17, 2026 — In this masterful retelling of the Italian Campaign’s final months, James Holland captures the harrowing struggle to break through the German Gustav Line and liberate Rome. Drawing from 20 years of research and firsthand accounts, he brings to life the chaos of Monte Cassino and Anzio through the eyes of soldiers, nurses, and civilians caught in the maelstrom. Cassino ’44 redefines our understanding of World War II’s most grueling campaign, revealing its strategic importance and human cost just days before the D-Day landings... MORE

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Book Review: Lessons from the Admiral: Naval Wisdom and Sea Stories for Leaders
February 17, 2026 — Mentorship, reliability, and adaptability—explore the Admiral’s wisdom for navigating high-stakes environments. From attention to detail to building resilient teams, discover insights that transcend the military and shape modern leadership... MORE

Cover of Lessons from the Admiral: Naval Wisdom and Sea Stories for Leaders

Book Review: The Politics of War and Peace: A Survey of Thought
January 21, 2026 — Spanning centuries of political and philosophical reflection, Brayton’s work explores how thinkers from ancient times to the modern era have grappled with the moral and strategic dilemmas of war and peace. Through a rich tapestry of ideas, the book reveals the enduring tensions between justice, power, and diplomacy. It’s an essential guide for understanding how past wisdom continues to shape contemporary debates on conflict and resolution... MORE

Cover of The Politics of War and Peace: A Survey of Thought by Abbott A. Brayton and Stephana J. Landwehr

Book Review: Alliances & Armor: Communist Diplomacy and Armored Warfare During the War in Vietnam
January 16, 2026 — In Alliances & Armor, Jim Pomeroy reveals how Cold War diplomacy shaped North Vietnam’s battlefield tactics, transforming guerrilla warfare into Soviet-style armored offensives. Drawing from multi-archival sources, the book traces Hanoi’s strategic pivot from China to the USSR amid shifting global alliances and escalating US involvement. With gripping detail, Pomeroy chronicles the rise of the People’s Army of Vietnam’s tank-led campaigns, culminating in the dramatic fall of Saigon... MORE

Cover of Alliances & Armor: Communist Diplomacy and Armored Warfare During the War in Vietnam by Jim Pomeroy

Book Review: World War II Battles Reconsidered: Game Theory and Decision Science Perspectives on Gazala, El Alamein, Falaise, and Arnhem
January 16, 2026 — Former Harvard professor Mark Thompson applies cutting-edge decision science and game theory to four pivotal World War II battles, revealing how strategic missteps and psychological biases shaped their outcomes. From Gazala’s disastrous command decisions to Arnhem’s flawed reliance on surprise, each case is dissected with analytical precision and historical depth. This groundbreaking study challenges conventional military narratives and offers a fresh lens on leadership, risk, and battlefield logic... MORE

Cover for World War II Battles Reconsidered: Game Theory and Decision Science Perspectives on Gazala, El Alamein, Falaise, and Arnhem by Mark Thompson

Book Review: Crisis and Crossfire: The United States and the Middle East Since 1945 – Second Edition
January 16, 2026 — From the Arab-Israeli peace process to the fight against terrorism, Hahn’s updated history reveals the forces shaping US policy in one of the world’s most volatile regions... MORE

Cover of Crisis and Crossfire: The United States and the Middle East Since 1945 – Second Edition by Peter L. Hahn

Book Review: A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind
January 16, 2026 — A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind analyzes the battle’s “Revolution in Military Affairs” and how it radically changed the United States and the world. It focuses on technologies, personalities, military doctrine, nongovernmental organizations, medical advances, international intrigue, and politics... MORE

Cover of A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind by Stephen Budiansky

Book Review: Generals and Admirals, Criminals and Crooks: Dishonorable Leadership in the U.S. Military
January 12, 2026 — In this provocative and meticulously researched book, Jeffrey J. Matthews exposes the dark underbelly of US military leadership through a century of scandals—from war crimes and insubordination to corruption and abuse. Through gripping case studies, Matthews reveals how personal failings, and institutional blind spots have repeatedly undermined the integrity of America’s flag officers. A sobering exploration of power and accountability, the book challenges readers to rethink what ethical leadership truly demands in times of crisis... MORE

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Book Review: Defining the Mission: The Development of US Strategic Military Intelligence up to the Cold War
January 12, 2026 — From a modest four-man office in 1882 to a sprawling intelligence network by the 1940s, Scott A. Moseman traces the evolution of US strategic military intelligence through war, politics, and institutional transformation. Focusing on the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Military Intelligence Division, he reveals how competing visions from military leaders, government officials, and the public shaped the mission and identity of American intelligence agencies. This richly detailed history uncovers the roots of modern intelligence and its deep entanglement with the rise of American power... MORE

Cover for Defining the Mission, the Development of US Strategic Military Intelligence up to the Cold War