In July 1943, Hitler launched Operation Zitadelle, the last German offensive on the Eastern Front. It was an attempt to shorten the German lines by eliminating the Kursk salient and was designed to result in the encirclement of the Red Army. In reality, the German tanks came up against impenetrable Russian defences: minefields, artillery and anti-tank emplacements, spread through lines 250km deep and manned by Russian troops whose actions often verged on the suicidal. The ...

A detailed account of Operation Zitadelle, the last major German offensive on the Eastern Front, and its impact on the war's outcome.Zitadelle explores the Battle of Kursk, a pivotal clash between the German and Soviet forces in 1943. Mark Healy analyzes the strategic decisions made by both sides, the tank warfare tactics employed, and the reasons for the German failure. Drawing on new information, this book challenges traditional Soviet accounts and provi...

Thomas Hardy's popular and enduring novel, adapted for the stage by Mark Healy.Having inherited her father's farm, the spirited and feisty young Bathsheba Everdene finds herself playing mistress in a man's world. She is pursued by three would-be lovers: the constant shepherd, Gabriel Oak; the obsessive landowner, William Boldwood; and the reckless Sergeant Troy. But are any of them a match for the headstrong and independent Bathsheba?Mark Healy's adaptation of Thomas Hardy'...

Drawing on 30 years of scholarship, this is a unique, richly illustrated history of the Ancient Assyrian Army and Empire.For the greater part of the period from the end of the 10th century to the 7th century BC, the Ancient Near East was dominated by the dynamic military power of Assyria. This book examines the empire that is now acknowledged as the first 'world' empire, and thus progenitor of all others. Fully illustrated in colour throughout, with photographs of ...

Builders of the Pyramids and most ancient of all the powers of the biblical world, the Egyptians remain one of history's most fascinating and enigmatic peoples.During the New Kingdom era, Egypt reached the peak of its power, wealth, and territory. Through the intensive military campaigns of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1490-1436BC), Palestine, Syria, and the northern Euphrates area in Mesopotamia were all brought within the New Kingdom.Mark Healy outlines the hist...

Builders of the Pyramids and most ancient of all the powers of the biblical world, the Egyptians remain one of history's most fascinating and enigmatic peoples.During the New Kingdom era, Egypt reached the peak of its power, wealth, and territory. Through the intensive military campaigns of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1490-1436BC), Palestine, Syria, and the northern Euphrates area in Mesopotamia were all brought within the New Kingdom.Mark Healy outlines the hist...

"The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World" by Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy is a historical analysis that examines pivotal battles throughout history, highlighting their significance in shaping the course of civilization. Creasy meticulously selects battles from Marathon to Waterloo, arguing that these confrontations were not merely military engagements but turning points that influenced political and social landscapes. His narrative combines detailed accounts of the battles with insights in...

"A fantastic read . . . Whether your interest is armour or history I would highly recommend this book" ( Military Modelling).The tank destroyer was a bold—though some would say flawed—answer to the challenge posed by the seemingly unstoppable German Blitzkrieg. The TD was conceived to be light and fast enough to outmaneuver panzer forces and go where tanks could not. At the same time, the TD would wield the firepower needed to kill any German tank on the b...

The Sturmgeschütz rumbling forward into action is one of the iconic images of World War II. As mobile assault guns, the StuGs were essentially designed as infantry support weapons, but they also proved themselves as highly effective tank destroyers. Written by Emmy Award winning author Bob Carruthers this fascinating study encompasses the design, development and combat history of the StuG III and IV.Drawing on a variety of rare primary sources and photographs this outstanding study explain...

Dont fight a battle if you dont gain anything by winning.General Erwin RommelA fascinating account of a deadly combination: the supreme German weapon of war in the hands of the finest military tacticians of last century.Illustrated throughout with full coverage of all the German tanks, tank battles and campaigns in the period 1943-1945, from Kursk to the last battles in the east, along with commanders, strategy, tactics and technical details.This book is part of The Hitlers War Machine ser...

If the tanks succeed, then victory follows.General Heinz GuderianThis is the powerful record of the lightning campaign against Polandas documented by the Kriegsberichter.This book incorporates the whole of the results of extensive post war interviews carried out by the US department of the Army. The result is a vivid military history of the Polish campaign of September 1939 from the front lines. This view of the campaign from the sharp end draws upon previously unpublished images.The event...

From an expert on the Eastern Front of World War II, this book chronicles the cataclysmic experience of the region that includes modern-day Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.The Baltic States suffered more than almost any other territory during World War II, caught on the front-line of some of the war's most vicious battles and squeezed between the vast military might of the German Wehrmacht and the Soviet Red Army.Combining new archival research and numerous f...