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Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Air power achieved strategic importance in World War II. Compare American and British bombing strategies against Germany. Also follow the Allied land offensive from North Africa to Sicily to the Italian peninsula. Then cover America's island-hopping campaign in the Pacific and the momentous Battle of the Philippine Sea, which defeated Japan's attempted naval comeback, crippling its carrier force.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
More than 40,000 Russians were slain at the hands of the Mongols at the Kalka River, including six princes and 70 noblemen. Examine the factors that led to the allied army’s defeat, from underestimating the Mongols to repeatedly allowing their leader, Subotai, to maneuver his opponents onto ground of his own choosing..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Gen. Clark introduces the war that was his own baptism of fire, Vietnam, where he served as a young officer after graduating from West Point. In this lecture, he covers the background of the war, charting how America was drawn deeper and deeper into the conflict, and discusses Gen. William Westmoreland's initial American strategy, which proved ineffective for dealing with an insurgency.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
America joined the fight against Germany at the height of the enemy's last make-or-break offensive. U.S. commanders faced a steep learning curve, initially using tactics that were unsuited to the new style of mechanized warfare. Discover the hard-won lessons that allowed the Yanks to break the stalemate, driving Germany to accept an armistice on November 11, 1918.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
With World War I bogged down in trench warfare, Britain attempted to break the stalemate—which had tragic results in the Gallipoli campaign, an infamous episode of military incompetence. See where the Brits went wrong, from poorly allocating resources to giving the Turks ample time to prepare..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
The most spectacular battle of the War of Jenkins’ Ear was a massive amphibious assault launched against the Spanish port city of Cartagena, Colombia. Trace how this expedition began with great enthusiasm among the British but ended in failure and embarrassment, due primarily to the enmity that arose between Britain’s top-ranking naval and army officers..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 sparked a U.S. military response like no other, combining overwhelming air power against the terrorist regime in Afghanistan, along with special forces and allied units on the ground. Also chart the 2003 invasion of Iraq, another success in regime change. Unfortunately, initial victory in both cases evolved into a no-win struggle with insurgents.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Explore the American military's struggle to overcome the loss of confidence known as "Vietnam syndrome," which was especially worrisome due to the Soviet military buildup at the time. Highlight two operations that demonstrated renewed vitality: the U.S. invasion of the Caribbean island of Grenada in 1983 and Panama in 1989-1990. Both restored democratic rule amid worsening political turmoil.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Even outstanding commanders can have a bad day, as evidenced by one of the most celebrated conflicts in Chinese history: the battle of Red Cliffs. How did general Cao Cao get fooled by an obvious ploy that set his armada ablaze—particularly when he had previously used such tactics himself?.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
At the Battle of Courtrai in 1302, a French army of the finest knights equipped with the best available arms and armor was beaten by what many viewed as an undisciplined rabble of Flemish shopkeepers bearing improvised weapons. Delve into the battle and learn the mistakes leading to the knights’ defeat..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Continue your study of America's rebuild of its war-fighting capability in the 1980s. Then see how this expertise was put to use in 1991 to eject Iraq from Kuwait, which it had invaded the previous year. With Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf in command, U.S. and coalition forces executed a classic envelopment of the Iraqi army, in the process fighting the largest armored engagement in military history.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
The continental U.S. reached its present span due to the Mexican-American War, which also served as a proving ground for future commanders on both sides of the Civil War. Explore the superb strategy and tactics of generals Zachary Taylor (later elected president) and Winfield Scott. Both showed what disciplined and bold maneuvers conducted by a professional army could accomplish.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
The French and Indian War helped unite Britain's North American colonies. When the colonies began their struggle for independence, they chose their greatest war hero, George Washington, to lead the army. Analyze Washington's brilliant defense of Boston and his disastrous defeat trying to hold New York City. Contrast British and American objectives in the Revolutionary War.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Although a minor incident, the Charge of the Light Brigade has gained a reputation as both a glorious moment in the history of warfare and one of the greatest military blunders of all time. Follow the disastrous chain of events that lead the British to attack the wrong target..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path. Full of dramatic reversals of fortune and colorful characters, this course examines some of the world's most notable examples of military misfortune, from the...
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Although waged 400 years apart, the battles of Adrianople and Pliska share a number of curious similarities. Explore how both defeats were triggered by the Romans’ mistreatment of immigrant “barbarian” groups from the north—who might otherwise have been converted into allies—and overconfidence on the part of the Roman emperors..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Pick up the story of the American Revolution with Washington's army in dire straits and his command in question. He revived his reputation with the famous crossing of the Delaware River to defeat the British at the Battle of Trenton. Follow the next four years of the revolution, which saw Britain's strategic advantage deteriorate, ending with their surrender at Yorktown in 1781.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Go ashore on D-Day with the largest amphibious operation in history, tracking the Allied invasion through its breakout from the beachhead and reversals such as the Battle of the Bulge. After Germany's surrender in May 1945, follow Pacific troops to the brink of a planned invasion of Japan. Then examine the B-29 bombing campaign, which culminated in the dropping of two atomic bombs, ending the war.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Probe why U.S. troops faced endless low-level warfare in Afghanistan and Iraq. For perspective, review the lessons of American military history, from the young nation's own guerilla movement during the Revolution to today's era of push-button war. Then look ahead at America's challenge for staying preeminent in military technology. Gen. Clark closes with lessons from his lifetime of service.
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