Military History Bargain Book Box (15 Books)

Military History Bargain Book Box

This collection of fifteen new military history books examines conflicts ranging from the trenches of World War I to modern special operations in Afghanistan. The selection includes authoritative accounts of the Pacific War, the strategic air campaigns of World War II, and the covert origins of the SAS. Featuring memoirs from combat controllers and commandos alongside historical analyses of key battles like Midway and the Meuse-Argonne offensive, this box offers a comprehensive perspective on military strategy, leadership, and individual endurance.

1. Operation Kingfisher: The Cancelled Rescue Mission That Sacrificed Sandakan POWs to the Death Marches by Gary Followill A detailed investigation into the planned but ultimately aborted mission to rescue Allied prisoners of war from the Sandakan camp in Borneo. Followill analyzes the strategic decisions and intelligence failures that led to the cancellation, resulting in the tragic death marches.

2. Voices of Snipers: Eyewitness Accounts from the World Wars by John Walter Drawing on letters, diaries, and interviews, this volume compiles first-hand accounts from snipers on both sides of the two World Wars. It explores the evolution of sniping tactics, the technology used, and the psychological impact of this specialized form of warfare.

3. Dunkirk to D-Day: A Commando's War by Jeff Steel The memoir of a soldier who served with the elite Commandos during World War II. Steel recounts his experiences from the evacuation at Dunkirk through the grueling training of the Commandos and the eventual invasion of Normandy.

4. Spies, Saboteurs and Secret Missions of World War II by Tony Matthews A collection of stories detailing the covert operations that took place behind enemy lines. Matthews covers the work of intelligence agents, resistance fighters, and special forces who disrupted Axis operations through sabotage and espionage.

5. HAVOC-06: A Combat Controller on Operations by Troy Knight Troy Knight provides an inside look at the role of a Combat Controller in the Royal Australian Air Force. The book details his deployments to the Middle East, where he was responsible for coordinating airstrikes and integrating with special operations teams on the ground.

6. The Easy Day Was Yesterday: Life, The SAS and 24 Days in Jail by Paul Jordan Paul Jordan reflects on his career in the SAS and his subsequent work in private security. The narrative includes his harrowing experience of being arrested and imprisoned in an Indian jail while working as a security contractor.

7. Pathfinder, 'Kriegie' and Gumboot Governor: The Adventurous Life of Sir James Rowland by Sir James Rowland The autobiography of Air Chief Marshal Sir James Rowland. It covers his wartime service as a Pathfinder pilot, his time as a prisoner of war (Kriegie), his post-war military career, and his eventual appointment as the Governor of New South Wales.

8. The Rescue: The True Story of the SAS Mission to Save Hostages from the Taliban by Andy McNab McNab recounts a high-stakes SAS operation in Afghanistan. The narrative focuses on the planning and execution of a mission to rescue hostages held by Taliban forces, highlighting the tactical precision required in modern asymmetric warfare.

9. The Hunt: The True Story of the Secret Mission to Catch a Taliban Warlord by Andy McNab A detailed account of a covert mission to track down a high-value Taliban target. McNab describes the intelligence gathering, surveillance, and eventual direct action taken by special forces to neutralize the warlord.

10. The Silver Waterfall: How America Won the War in the Pacific at Midway by Brendan Simms A strategic analysis of the Battle of Midway. Simms argues that this naval engagement was the turning point of the Pacific War, examining the command decisions and naval tactics that allowed the US Navy to defeat the Imperial Japanese Navy.

11. SAS Great Escapes Three: Gripping True Escape Stories Executed by World War Two Heroes by Damien Lewis The third volume in Lewis’s series on SAS evasion and escape. It documents the stories of SAS operatives who were captured behind enemy lines and their ingenious, often dangerous, attempts to regain their freedom.

12. SAS Forged in Hell: From Desert Rats to Dogs of War by Damien Lewis The second book in the Paddy Mayne trilogy, focusing on the early days of the SAS in North Africa. It details the unit's formation, their raids on Axis airfields, and the leadership of figures like Blair 'Paddy' Mayne.

13. Betrayal at Little Gibraltar: A German Fortress, a Treacherous American General, and the Battle to End World War I by William Walker An examination of the American offensive in the Meuse-Argonne region during WWI. Walker investigates the failure to capture the Montfaucon fortress ("Little Gibraltar") and attributes the high casualty rate to the incompetence and ambition of General Robert Bullard.

14. Inferno: The True Story of a B-17 Gunner's Heroism and the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History by Joe Pappalardo The story of the US Army Air Forces' bombing campaign over Europe, centered on the experience of a Medal of Honor recipient. It depicts the extreme conditions faced by B-17 crews and the high cost of the air war.

15. Fire and Fortitude: The US Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943 by John C. McManus A comprehensive history of the US Army's role in the early years of the Pacific War. McManus covers the initial defeats in the Philippines, the defense of Wake Island, and the brutal island-hopping campaigns that followed.