In battaglia è di fondamentale importanza la resistenza mentale piuttosto che la forza fisica o la consapevolezza tattica. Un soldato può essere sottoposto a richieste talmente estreme che, se non gestite in maniera opportuna, possono condurlo a una vita di invalidità mentali, che vanno dalla depressione agli sfibranti effetti del disturbo post-traumatico da stress (PTSD). Se, invece, il militare controlla alla perfezione le sue facoltà, il suo intelletto e le sue emozioni, è in grado ottenere una forza individuale assolutamente necessaria negli scenari bellici odierni. Questo manuale insegna, attraverso numerose illustrazioni, a: acquisire strumenti mentali efficaci; ottenere un vantaggio psicologico sul nemico; sviluppare una forma mentis vincente; aumentare la forza mentale; addestrare la mente; praticare le tecniche di visualizzazione; affrontare sfide fisiche; sconfiggere gli avversari; affrontare e gestire eventi traumatici.

The tale of one of the bloodiest engagements of World War I

The Battle of Verdun resulted in 698,000 deaths, 70,000 for each of the 10 months of battle. The French Army in the area were decimated and it is often most tragically remembered as the battle in which the French were 'bled white.' The fortress town of Verdun had stood against many attacks throughout history, but had been worn down by relentless German bombing during 1915 and 1916. However, it was a potent symbol of French resistance that the French Army was loathe to relinquish easily, and it was partly for this reason that the German Commander von Falkenhayn choose to launch a major offensive here. His attack commenced on February 21, with the Germans using shock troops and flamethrowers to clear the French trenches. Initially the fighting focused on Fort Douamont, which the Germans captured and the French tried to reclaim, however by June 1916 the Germans were pressing on the city itself and the Germans were exhausting their reserves. The French continued to fight valiantly, despite heavy losses and eventually rolled back German forces from the city. In the end it was a battle that saw much loss of life for little gain on either side.

This book explores the origins, development, combat use and lasting influence of Nazi Germany's automatic rifles, focusing on the Gew 41(W), Gew 43/Kar 43, FG 42 and MP 43/StG 44. The Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-40 convinced many observers that most infantry combat took place at closer ranges than the 750-1,000m for which most contemporary rifles were designed. In addition, current bolt-action rifles could not provide the rate of fire required for such engagements. From 1941 Germany's arms designers took note and produced a new series of infantry firearms that not only transformed squad firepower, but also laid the foundations for postwar assault rifle design.

The Gew 43/Kar 43, fitted with a telescopic-sight rail as standard, was one of history's first semi-auto sniper rifles. The FG 42, designed specifically for airborne soldiers, had a landmark straight-in-line design and other features frequently seen in subsequent small arms, notably the US M60 machine gun. Most influential was the MP 43/StG 44, arguably the world's first true assault rifle, which delivered formidable full-auto fire from a shortened 7.92mm round. This weapon also went on to influence the design of the greatest assault rifle of all time - the AK-47.

This study not only provides a detailed technical description of each weapon, but also explores how the firearms performed on the battlefields of World War II. The combat takes us from the FG 42 in the hands of Fallschirmjäger at Monte Cassino through to StG 44s being used by Waffen-SS soldiers on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Postwar service is also studied, such as the Gew 43's adoption by the Czech Army and the StG 44's use by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War. Setting each firearm in its tactical and historical context, and employing striking photographs and full-colour artwork, firearms expert Chris McNab sets out the absorbing story of this distinctive and influential series of weapons.

In early May 1940, the fortress of Eben Emael was a potent sentinel over the Belgian-Dutch borderlands. A ferro-concrete monster built in the 1930s on the Albert Canal, the fortress covered 75 hectares on the surface, had 5km of tunnels underground and was studded with bunkers, gun turrets and casemates. Add a garrison of 1,200 men and the natural protection of 60m-high canal walls, and Eben Emael gave the impression of near-impregnability.

Yet on 10 May, in the very first hours of Hitler's campaign in Western Europe, just 78 elite airborne soldiers managed to defeat this fortress in an operation of unprecedented tactical skill. Deployed by glider onto the very top of the fortifications, they utilized elite training, fast movement and specialist explosives to destroy many of the gun positions and trap much of the garrison within the fortress. Simultaneously, three other assault detachments conducted high-risk glider operations to capture critical bridges over the Albert Canal. By the end of 11 May, following the arrival of German infantry reinforcements, Eben Emael was in German hands.

This Eben Emael RAID title tells the complete, fascinating story of this unique action. It sets the raid fully in context, explaining the development, training, skills and weaponry of Hitler's new Fallschirmjäger arm. It also describes in detail the physical structure and tactical challenges of the Eben Emael fortress, and gives a blow-by-blow account of how the operation unfolded from the first moment the German gliders lifted into the air until the last Belgian defender surrendered.

The text, including first-hand accounts of the battle, is brought to life by colour artworks, which provide clear graphic illustration of the battle site and dramatic depictions of key moments in the battle. Some 50 photographs include both powerful archive images and photographs from around the site today. All elements combined, this title forms an authoritative guide to this landmark airborne raid.

Questo libro traccia la storia turbolenta della Luftwaffe dalle sue origini clandestine, in aperta violazione del Trattato di Versailles, attraverso i trionfi dei primi giorni della Seconda guerra mondiale, fino alla distruzione finale in una Berlino devastata. Il libro esamina lo sviluppo del potere aereo tedesco negli anni Venti e nei primi anni Trenta, e la nascita di una nuova generazione di piloti nel corso della guerra civile spagnola. Con l'ascesa al potere di Hitler, la Luftwaffe uscì dall'ombra ed ebbe modo di espandersi grazie ad un massiccio programma di riarmo della Germania, per potersi quindi impegnare nel conflitto che ne avrebbe segnato l'esistenza. Oltre a fornire un'estesa analisi della storia della Luftwaffe e delle sue esperienze di combattimento in tutti i teatri di guerra, Chris McNab ci permette anche di gettare uno sguardo all'interno sugli aspetti umani e materiali di questa complessa organizzazione. Illustrato con le famose tavole della Osprey a soggetto aeronautico e oltre 150 fotografie, il volume riassume le vicende più drammatiche di cui fu protagonista la Luftwaffe, dai bombardamenti su Londra ai duelli dei primi velivoli a getto nel cielo di Berlino, conferendo nuova linfa alla storia dell'aviazione del Terzo Reich.

'Storia del mondo in 100 armi' illustra le vicende che hanno portato all'adozione delle armi più rivoluzionarie, quelle che sono state in grado di cambiare il modo di condurre una guerra e di portare a stravolgimenti d'importanza mondiali, sino all'epoca odierna. Dal gladio dell'antica Roma al fucile d'assalto russo AK47, tutte queste armi vengono descritte con testi essenziali e illustrate tramite numerose fotografie in bianco e nero e a colori, completate da schede tecniche. Realizzato con la collaborazione di numerosi storici ed esperti, questo volume traccia la storia e le caratteristiche dell'arma, ma anche chi l'ha ideata, utilizzata, modificata, dove e in quale contesto, spiegando in modo preciso con linguaggio divulgativo quale sia stato lo sviluppo della tecnologia militare nel corso dei secoli.

At the beginning of World War II, the Luftwaffe was the world's most advanced air force. With superior tactics, aircraft and training, it cut through the air forces of Poland and Western Europe in 1939 and 1940, and those of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Despite this auspicious beginning, by 1945 the Luftwaffe was a dying force. The Allies were destroying German aircraft at unequal rates, and Luftwaffe aviators were dying in their thousands in an unbalanced battle to save Germany from destruction. The Luftwaffe's lack of a convincing long-range bomber force also meant that it could not return strategic devastation upon its enemies. In the words of one historian, the Luftwaffe had a 'strategy for defeat'.

Hitler's Eagles - The Luftwaffe 1933-45 charts the turbulent history of the Luftwaffe from its earliest days to its downfall. It explores the secretive development of German air power during the 1920s and early 1930s, and the training of a new generation of aviators, including combat experience in the Spanish Civil War. Once Hitler was in power, the Luftwaffe came out of the shadows and expanded under a massive rearmament programme, then embarked upon the war that would define its existence. Hitler's Eagles explains the Luftwaffe's operations in every theatre of the war - Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Eastern Front. As well as providing a detailed history of the Luftwaffe's history and combat experience, the book also expands on its human and material aspects. Aces and commanders are profiled, uniforms and equipment are explained, and aircraft ranging from the Fiesler Storch to the Fw 200 Condor are described both technologically and tactically. The book conveys all the drama of the Luftwaffe's existence, from bombing raids over London to jet-fighter dogfights over Berlin, with Osprey's famous aviation artwork and more than 150 photos bringing the story incomparably to life.

Everything there is to know about this battle, legendary for its experimental use of artillery, infantry, and tanks

The Battle of Cambrai has become synonymous with one of the Allies' first large-scale use of tanks on the Western Front. Cambrai certainly saw over 450 Mark IV tanks lumber across No Man's Land and penetrate the Hindenburg Line. For the Germans on the other side of these defenses the sheer scale of these 'iron monsters' was terrifying, however they quickly rallied and the battle was about much more than the tanks deployed. Chris McNab explores how new techniques of sound-ranging and artillery strategy played a greater part on the battlefield than the tanks which have dominated the history of the battle. At dawn on November 20, 1917 more than 1,000 guns fired on German positions and 400 tanks and thousands of men stepped out into the barren land between the trenches. At first, it seemed that success was inevitable, with more than 5 miles of ground gained—a significant amount for such an operation, however on the first day of battle 180 tanks were out of action and the attack began to flounder. After days of attack and counterattack, both sides had gained ground, but no definitive success and with more than 70,000 casualties. Yet, Cambrai was an important training ground for both sides, proving the effectiveness of new tactics that would lead to greater victories later in the war.

With the MG 34, the German Wehrmacht introduced an entirely new concept in automatic firepower - the general-purpose machine gun (GPMG). In itself the MG 34 was an excellent weapon: an air-cooled, recoil-operated machine gun that could run through belts of 7.92mm ammunition at a rate of 850rpm, delivering killing firepower at ranges of more than 1,000m. Yet simply by changing its mount and feed mechanism, the operator could radically transform its function. On its standard bipod it was a light machine gun, ideal for infantry assaults; on a tripod it could serve as a sustained-fire medium machine gun; aircraft or vehicular mounts turned it into an air defence weapon; and it also served as the coaxial machine gun on numerous tanks.

During World War II, the MG 34 was superseded (although it remained in combat use) by a new GPMG - the MG 42. The MG 42 was more efficient to manufacture and more robust, and had a blistering 1,200rpm rate of fire. Nicknamed 'Hitler's buzzsaw' by Allied troops, it was arguably the finest all-round GPMG ever produced, and alongside the MG 34 it inflicted heavy casualties on Allied soldiers on all European and North African fronts. Such were its qualities of firepower and usability that it became the foundation of an entire series of postwar machine guns, including the MG 1 and MG 3 - the latter is still in production and service to this day.

Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and drawing upon numerous technical manuals and first-hand accounts, this study explores the technological development, varied roles and lasting influence of the revolutionary MG 34 and MG 42 machine guns and their postwar successors.

The image of the Roman legionary is as familiar today as it was to the citizens - and enemies - of the vast Roman Empire two thousand years ago. This book goes beyond the stereotypes found in popular culture to examine the Roman Army from the first armed citizens of the early Republic through the glorious heights of the Imperial legions to the shameful defeats inflicted upon the late Roman Army by the Goths and Huns. Tracing the development of tactics, equipment and training, this work provides a detailed insight into the military force that enable Rome to become the greatest empire the world has ever seen.

As well as describing the changes in the army over the centuries, The Roman Army also sheds light on the talented men who led these soldiers in battle and the momentous battles fought, including Cannae, Pharsalus, and Adrianople. Illustrated with detailed maps, artwork and photographs, this volume provides a complete reference to the Roman Army from the 8th century BC to the period after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD.

Hardback edition ISBN: 9781849081627

Dal periodo immediatamente successivo alla Grande Guerra, sotto le restrizioni imposte dal Trattato di Versailles, attraverso la riforma militare di Hans von Seeckt che portò alla costituzione della Reichswehr, fino agli anni del consolidamento al potere di Hitler e del perfezionamento del Blitzkrieg, la Germania creò gradualmente un'organizzazione militare che non aveva pari agli inizi del Secondo conflitto mondiale. Questa formidabile macchina da guerra ebbe la sua punta di lancia nelle forze di terra agli ordini del Führer, in particolare la Wehrmacht e le unità ad essa collegate. Il volume ne ripercorre l'evoluzione, dai vittoriosi esordi degli anni 1939-40, esaminando le tappe chiave della sua esistenza: la folgorante campagna occidentale, la guerra in Africa settentrionale e l'imponente quanto devastante sforzo bellico profuso nell'invasione dell'Unione Sovietica, fino all'annientamento finale nel 1945. Il libro, con il supporto di un vasto e puntuale apparato iconografico, si propone di dimostrare in che modo esso si guadagnò la propria reputazione.

The Uzi submachine gun is one of the most recognizable weapons in history. Its familiarity stems in part from the sheer diversity of its users. Uzis have been seen gripped and fired by US secret service agents and SWAT teams, Israeli soldiers, European special forces, as well as criminals and terrorists the world over. The reasons they use the Uzi are simple - it provides devastating close-range firepower in a reliable, highly compact weapon.

The Uzi Submachine Gun tells the story of this unique weapon. It not only explores the gun's technical development and specifications, and its history, but also describes the Uzi's combat use in a wide range of contexts, from Israeli soldiers battling on the Golan Heights in 1967, through to modern pirates operating off the coast of Somalia. The Uzi also thrives in various commercial markets, being a high-selling semi-auto design in the United States, for example. With a name given popular currency by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Simpsons, the term 'Uzi' is instantly recognizable. The full extent of its capabilities, however, are not thoroughly understood, and this book presents the facts and challenges the myths of this remarkable weapon.

The definitive work on Hitler's war machine, charting its evolution from the formidable force which won stunning victories during the Blitzkrieg in 1940, to the hard campaigns it fought in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of the Soviet Union to the eventual retreat to the Fatherland itself. Drawing upon Osprey Publishing's unique archive, this volume expertly weaves together the story of the development and deployment of Hitler's armies displayed alongside a stunning collection of original artwork and photographs to show the uniform and equipment of the various land forces.

A highly illustrated volume featuring more than 1000 of the world's soldiers from the first professional armies to the present day. All the most famous types of uniform are featured, such as the British redcoat, the American GI, the German stormtrooper and the Soviet infantryman, along with some more unusual examples that are much less well known.

In 1977, Lufthansa Flight 181 was hijacked by terrorists and flown to Mogadishu, Somalia. Once landed, members of the German special missions group, GSG-9, stormed the plane, killing three of the terrorists and wounding the fourth, while successfully avoiding any major harm to the hostages. This book details the backgrounds of both GSG-9 and the hijackers and offers a detailed analysis of the planning and execution of the mission, codenamed Operation Feuerzauber (Fire Magic), one of the most audacious special forces operations of modern times.

Describes monsters and mythical animals from cultures around the world, including such creatures as the Bunyip, Reptoid Alien, Ogopogo, Kongamoto, Bigfoot, and Spring Heeled Jack.

Predisporre trappole per animali, fabbricare attrezzi da caccia, accendere un fuoco di segnalazione, costruire un igloo, curare punture d'insetti o morsi ai serpenti, scalare montagne, spostarsi senza l'ausilio delle stelle, prevedere il tempo, fare segnali terra-aria... Le tecniche di sopravvivenza non solo rappresentano una risorsa indispensabile per gli escursionisti amanti della natura selvaggia, ma, anche al di fuori di contesti 'estremi', possono diventare la chiave di volta per trarsi fuori da molte situazioni d'emergenza. Questo volume, in un agile formato pocket, con oltre 300 disegni, spiega nel dettaglio tutte le tecniche seguite dai più importanti corpi d'elite del mondo. Gli stessi che quotidianamente si confrontano con ambienti ostili e imprevisti dì ogni genere, e devono quindi poter sempre contare su procedure sicure, sperimentate e davvero efficaci.

Nel corso del XX secolo le uniformi indossate dai soldati in ogni angolo della Terra sono cambiate radicalmente con il perfezionamento della tecnologia tessile e la crescente esigenza di proteggersi da armi sempre più letali. Dalle due guerre mondiali ai conflitti meno conosciuti come quelli in Africa negli anni Sessanta, 'Uniformi moderne' copre un'ampia varietà di scenari militari e di aree geografiche. Il volume si propone come un completo e pratico manuale di riferimento delle più importanti e significative uniformi utilizzate in tutto il mondo nell'era della guerra totale. 'Uniformi moderne' contiene esempi di famose unità quali la 101a Divisione aviotrasportata, le ss, il reggimento paracadutisti inglese, le forze speciali sovietiche e la Legione straniera francese. Ognuna delle trecento uniformi è illustrata a colori e corredata da un testo, con l'aggiunta di una tabella che indica l'anno, l'affiliazione, il grado, l'area geografica e il conflitto o il teatro delle operazioni di guerra.

The Napoleonic Wars saw almost two decades of brutal fighting, from the frozen wastelands of Russia to the wildness of the Peninsula; from Egypt's Lower Nile to the bloody battlefield of Waterloo. Fighting took place on an unprecedented scale across Europe, and over the entire period of the wars Napoleon led his Grand Arm�e and his allies against almost every European nation, and against varying coalitions. This book provides a comprehensive guide to all the major armies of the Napoleonic Wars, of France, Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain and Portugal. Covering the changes experienced by the armies over the period, the author details the organization, infantry, cavalry, and artillery of each. With stunning original artwork of the often glorious uniforms worn into battle, period illustrations or the equipment used, and photographs, this is a beautiful and in-depth study of the armies that fought in the Napoleonic campaigns.