Gregory Fremont-Barnes

Seaborne Assault offers a comprehensive study of amphibious operations, showcasing their challenges and strategic importance through case studies of twentieth-century conflicts. Amphibious warfare is among the most demanding forms of military operations, requiring precise coordination across land, sea, and air forces. Seaborne Assault examines twelve case studies spanning four major conflicts: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Falklands War. These operations ranged from large-scale assaults, as in the battles of Normandy and Leyte Gulf, to smaller, strategically significant missions such as Operation Albion and the Falklands landings. Each chapter, crafted by seasoned historians, provides a detailed account of planning, execution, and outcomes, offering readers a clear understanding of the challenges involved. While amphibious operations fall into several categories—assault, raid, withdrawal, demonstration, and support—the book concentrates on the first of these. It addresses logistical hurdles, strategic decisions, and leadership dynamics that shaped their outcomes. For example, the Normandy landings demonstrate the importance of air and naval supremacy, while the Falklands campaign highlights the difficulties of operating far from home. The study of Tarawa underscores the critical role of junior leaders in overcoming obstacles, and Inchon reveals the impact of bold strategic decisions. Seaborne Assault illustrates the geographic and tactical intricacies of each operation. It also emphasizes lessons learned, such as the necessity of interservice cooperation, effective communication, and adaptability in unpredictable conditions. Whether analyzing the logistical demands of landing forces on hostile shores or the strategic implications of securing beachheads, this book provides valuable insights into the enduring relevance of amphibious warfare. Military professionals, historians, and enthusiasts alike will find this work an essential resource for understanding the complexities of projecting power ashore.

A fully illustrated overview of the USSR’s bloody conflict in Afghanistan and its long legacy. The Soviet invasion of its neighbour Afghanistan in December 1979 sparked a nine-year conflict until Soviet forces withdrew in 1988–89, dooming the communist Afghanistan government to defeat at the hands of the mujahideen, the Afghan popular resistance backed by the USA and other powers. Gregory Fremont-Barnes reveals how the Soviet invasion had enormous implications on the global stage; it prompted the US Senate to refuse to ratify the hard-won SALT II arms-limitation treaty, and the USA and 64 other countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. For Afghanistan, the invasion served to prolong the interminable civil war that pitted central government against the regions and faction against faction. Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and new images throughout, this succinct account explains the origins, events and consequences of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, shedding new light on the more recent history – and prospects – of that troubled country.

One of the most decisive battles in military history, Waterloo saw the culmination of a generation of war to bring a definitive end to French hegemony and imperial ambitions in Europe. Both sides fought bitterly and Wellington later remarked that ‘it was the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life’. In this bloody engagement, more than 20,000 men were lost on the battlefield that day by each side, but it was the Anglo-Allies who emerged victorious. Their forces entered France and restored Louis XVIII to the throne, while Napoleon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where he later died. Waterloo was a resounding victory for the British Army and Allied forces, and it changed the course of European history. In this concise yet detailed account, historian Gregory Fremont-Barnes tells you everything you need to know about this critical battle.

Fully illustrated with colour maps and images, this is an accessible introduction to one of history’s most heavily romanticized and mythologized campaigns. Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes presents a detailed overview of the Forty-five Rebellion, dispelling the myths that have grown up around battles like Culloden and the figures of the Highlanders. Led by the charismatic Bonnie Prince Charlie and fought in the main by clansmen loyal to the Stuarts, the revolt initially saw government forces outmanoeuvred and outfought before the Prince’s march on London halted at Derby. But the following spring, pursued back into the Highlands by the Duke of Cumberland, the Prince’s army made its doomed last stand on the moor of Culloden. Fremont-Barnes examines this key turning point in British history, analysing the dynastic struggle of two royal houses, the Rebellion’s manoeuvres and battles and the tragic aftermath for the Highlands. Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and 30 new images, this is an accessible introduction to the famous campaign which saw the Stuart dynasty’s final attempt to regain the British throne, and the end of the Highland clans’ way of life.

Writing to his mother the day after the fighting, Captain Thomas Wildman of the 7th Hussars described ‘a victory so splendid & important that you may search the annals of history in vain for its parallel’. Little wonder, for Waterloo was widely recognised – even in its immediate wake – as one of the most decisive battles in history: after more than twenty years of uninterrupted conflict, this single day’s encounter finally put paid to French aspirations for European hegemony. The culminating point of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo also witnessed levels of determination and bravery by both sides which far exceeded anything experienced by the veterans of Wellington’s recent campaigns in Spain and Portugal. Indeed, it was that unconquerable spirit which left over 50,000 men dead on the field of battle and tens of thousands of others wounded. This thoroughly researched and highly detailed account of one of history’s greatest human dramas looks first at the wider strategic picture before focusing on the tactical roles played by individual British units – all meticulously examined with the benefit of an extensive array of hitherto unexploited primary sources which reveal the battlefield experience of officers and soldiers as never before. Refusing simply to repeat the same unchallenged accounts and to commit the same errors of previous historians, this work relies exclusively on hundreds of first-hand accounts, by men of all ranks and from practically every British regiment and corps present on that fateful day, to provide a fresh and revised perspective on one of the most pivotal events of modern times.

Falklandskrigen 1982 er en av vår tids siste kriger som er utkjempet mellom to vestlige land. Argentina har gjennom årtier hevdet rettet til Falklandsøyene og Sør-Georgia. Våren 1982 gikk de til det drastiske skritt og okkupere øyene med militære styrker. Den britiske statsministeren, Margaret Thatcher, reagerte spontant og sendte en stor britisk landgangsstyrke ned til Sør-Atlanteren. På forsommeren 1982 kom det til harde og brutale kamper mellom de overlegne britiske og de dårlig utrustede argentinske soldatene på denne forblåste øya. Les historien om et av de siste virkelig store felttogene i moderne tid der to siviliserte, vestlige land utkjemper en konvensjonell krig mot hverandre. Fotografier - illustrasjoner - malerier - kart

In August 1805, Napoleon abandoned his plans for the invasion of Britain and diverted his army to the Danube Valley to confront Austrian and Russian forces in a bid for control of central Europe. The campaign culminated with the Battle of Austerlitz, regarded by many as Napoleon’s greatest triumph, whose far-reaching effects paved the way for French hegemony on the Continent for the next decade. In this concise volume, acclaimed military historian Gregory Fremont-Barnes uses detailed profiles to explore the leaders, tactics and weaponry of the clashing French, Austrian and Russian forces. Packed with fact boxes, maps and more, Napoleon’s Greatest Triumph is the perfect way to explore this important battle and the rise of Napoleon’s reputation as a supreme military leader.

Falklandskrigen 1982 er en av vår tids siste kriger som er utkjempet mellom to vestlige land. Argentina har gjennom årtier hevdet rettet til Falklandsøyene og Sør-Georgia. Våren 1982 gikk de til det drastiske skritt og okkupere øyene med militære styrker. Den britiske statsministeren, Margareth Thatcher, reagerte spontant og sendte en stor britisk landgangsstyrke ned til Sør-Atlanteren. På forsommeren 1982 kom det til harde og brutale kamper mellom de overlegne britiske og de dårlig utrustede argentinske soldatene på denne forblåste øya. Les historien om et av de siste virkelig store felttogene i moderne tid der to siviliserte, vestlige land utkjemper en konvensjonell krig mot hverandre.

The Falklands War is a story of occupation, fierce air battles, heavy naval losses and bitter encounters between ground forces amidst an inhospitable terrain and unforgiving climate. With complex political machinations and nationalist sentiment at the centre of the conflict, even today the sovereignty of the islands is hotly contested in political circles. For the first time, renowned military historian Gregory Fremont-Barnes has compiled a definitive A–Z guide to the British involvement in the Falklands conflict, including personalities, weapons, battles, ships, places, and much more. This accessible yet comprehensive companion to the Falklands War will be a welcome addition to any enthusiast’s shelves.

Falklandskrigen 1982 er en av vår tids siste kriger som er utkjempet mellom to vestlige land. Argentina har gjennom årtier hevdet rettet til Falklandsøyene og Sør-Georgia. Våren 1982 gikk de til det drastiske skritt og okkupere øyene med militære styrker. Den britiske statsministeren, Margareth Thatcher, reagerte spontant og sendte en stor britisk landgangsstyrke ned til Sør-Atlanteren. På forsommeren 1982 kom det til harde og brutale kamper mellom de overlegne britiske og de dårlig utrustede argentinske soldatene på denne forblåste øya. Les historien om et av de siste virkelig store felttogene i moderne tid der to siviliserte, vestlige land utkjemper en konvensjonell krig mot hverandre. Boken er rikt illustrert med bilder, malerier og kart.

The Battle of Goose Green was the first and longest land conflict of the Falklands War, which was fought between British and Argentine forces in 1982. The British forces, attacking over featureless, wind-swept and boggy ground, were heavily outnumbered and lacked fire support, but brilliantly defeated the Argentine garrison in a fourteen-hour struggle. If you want to understand what happened and why – read Battle Story. Detailed profiles examine the personalities of the British and Argentine commanders, including that of Victoria Cross winner Lt Col ‘H’ Jones. First-hand accounts offer an insight into this remarkable fourteen-hour struggle against the odds. Detailed maps explore the area of Darwin Hill and Goose Green, and the advance of the British forces. Photographs place you at the centre of this pivotal battle. Orders of battle show the composition of the opposing forces’ armies. Packed with fact boxes, this short introduction is the perfect way to explore this crucial battle.

The story of the British Forces who reclaimed the Falklands territory from the Argentines. On 3 April 1982 British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced that Argentine armed forces had landed on British sovereign territory; had captured the men of Royal Marine detachment NP8901; had run up the Argentine flag; and had declared the islands and their population to be Argentine. An immediate response was required and a task force was rapidly assembled to retake the islands. From this point until the Argentine surrender on 14 June, the British forces fought what was in many ways a 19th-century style colonial campaign at the end of extended supply lines some 8,000 miles from home. This book details the major stages of the land campaign to retake the islands, focusing on the San Carlos landings, the battle for Darwin and Goose Green, and the final battles for Mt Longdon, Tumbledown and Wireless Ridge, the mountains that surrounded the island's capital, Stanley.

A detailed military study of Nelson's great victory at the Nile. On the night of 1 August 1798 a British fleet under the command of Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson met a French fleet under the command of Admiral François-Paul Brueys D'Aigalliers. By morning the British had won a near-complete victory: only two of the 13 French ships-of-the-line escaped and the rest were either captured or destroyed. It was the first major independent victory of Nelson's career but more importantly it crippled the French effort in Africa by denying them access to the supplies and support from the sea. This book uses the latest research, maps and specially commissioned artwork to tell the story of one of the great sea battles of the Napoleonic era.

Napoleon Bonaparte is renowned as one of the greatest military commanders in history, and the central figure in so many of the events of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Throughout the first decade of the 19th century he won battle after battle by wielding the Grande Armee decisively against the other powers of Europe - Prussia, Austria and Russia. Yet his fortunes changed in 1812 when the invasion of Russia wrecked his forces, and Napoleon suffered his final defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

During the 19th century Britain entered into three brutal wars with Afghanistan, each one saw the British trying and failing to gain control of a warlike and impenetrable territory. The first two wars (1839-42 and 1878-81) were wars of the Great Game; the British Empire's attempts to combat growing Russian influence near India's borders. The third, fought in 1919, was an Afghan-declared holy war against British India - in which over 100,000 Afghans answered the call, and raised a force that would prove too great for the British Imperial army. Each of the three wars were plagued by military disasters, lengthy sieges and costly engagements for the British, and history has proved the Afghans a formidable foe and their country unconquerable. This book reveals the history of these three Anglo-Afghan wars, the imperial power struggles that led to conflict and the torturous experiences of the men on the ground. The book concludes with a brief overview of the background to today's conflict in Afghanistan, and sketches the historical parallels.

For 5 days in May 1980, the world watched as the SAS performed a daring raid on the Iranian Embassy in London. Hailed by Margaret Thatcher as a brilliant operation the raid was a huge success for the SAS, rescuing 19 hostages with near-perfect military execution, although 2 hostages were killed by terrorists. Despite the media attention, details of the siege are still largely unknown and those involved and the identities of the SAS troopers themselves, remain a closely guarded secret. This book takes an in-depth look at the siege, revealing the political background behind it and analyzing the controversial decision by the Prime Minister to sign over control of the streets of London to the military. Artwork illustrates the moment the walls were breached and show how the strict planning of the operation was critical to its success. With input from those involved in the mission, the author strips away some of the mystery behind the best counter-terrorism unit in the world and their most famous raid.

Filled with the promise of adventure and glory, the Royal Navy of the Napoleonic era enticed hundreds of young men to enlist as officers in its bitter struggle against the French fleet. With some as young as nine, these boys were confronted with the harsh realities of warfare at sea: cramped conditions, ruthless storms and fierce combat. In spite of their youth, these sailors showed enormous courage and valour in the face of battle, their bravery immortalised in the literary works of Patrick O'Brian, C. S. Forester and Alexander Kent. Drawing from letters, poems and personal accounts, this book uncovers the remarkable story of those boys who fought aboard His Majesty's mighty ships-of-the-line to defend their kingdom against the French.

Late in the morning on 21 October 1805, warships from the British and combined French and Spanish fleets clashed off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast. After a six month game of cat and mouse across the Atlantic, 27 British ships of the line engaged the Allied force of 33 ships of the line. This was a duel of skill, tenacity and bravery as captains and crews battled for mastery of the seas. This book is an opportunity to relive the action at Trafalgar - read the accounts of sailors who were there, and who experienced the sound of scraping cutlasses and bombarding cannons at one of the most important naval engagements of history. Understand how the guns were operated, learn about the training of crews and study the design and development of the incredible ships which dominated naval warfare of the period, as Gregory Fremont-Barnes reveals the revolutionary tactics used by Nelson to secure a victory that saved Britain from the threat of invasion and ensured British naval dominance for over a century.

Gregory Fremont-Barnes examines the lives of the American Bomber Crewmen of the Eighth Air Force, 'The Mighty Eighth', who manned, maintained and repaired the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and the B-24 Liberators that flew from the airfields of England. He highlights the physical and psychological strain placed on these men, who required brute strength to control the aircraft on long bombing missions and extraordinary endurance to fly for hours at 20,000 feet at temperatures below freezing in unpressurised cabins. In addition to this, with Luftwaffe fighters and anti-aircraft fire to contend with, it required incredible skill and some luck to return from a mission unscathed. This book is a fitting tribute to these often uncelebrated heroes who took the war deep into the Third Reich, as well as a fascinating historical account of their experiences.

By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Britain was the undisputed master of the seas, owing to the power and strength of the Royal Navy. Its fleets, comprising ships of the line, frigates, and gunboats, had doubled in size since the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793, totalling almost a thousand capital vessels. This book examines the commanders, men, and ships of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and discusses the Navy's command structure (from the Admiralty down to ship level) and its organisation at sea. The tactics employed in action by a fleet, squadron, and individual ship, respectively are also discussed, as are the medical services providing a fascinating insight into the navy that ruled the waves.