History : France

This crucial new study on one of the seminal events in military history dispells many of the myths surrounding Cambrai 1917. Common perception classifies it as the 'world's first tank battle' but Alexander Turner shows us that the true importance of Cambrai was that it saw the first use of armour as an operational shock tactic. With this, the conduct of war was irrevocably changed. The battle also heralded the combined use of aircraft, armour and artillery, marking the birth of modern combined-arms techniques. Written by a military historian and serving soldier, this is a fascinating analysis of a battle which ended a stalemate, yet spawned a host of war-winning tactics. more...

Price: $18.95

Following the demise of the Carolingian dynasty in 987 the French lords chose Hugh Capet as their king. He was the founder of a dynasty that lasted until 1328. Although for much of this time, the French kings were weak, and the kingdom of France was much smaller than it later became, the Capetians nevertheless had considerable achievements and also produced outstanding rulers, including Philip Augustus and St Louis. This wide-ranging book throws fascinating light on the history of Medieval France and the development of European monarchy. more...

Price: $170.00

In May and June 1918 the newly arrived American Expeditionary Force fought two actions that helped defeat the last German offensive of World War I. At Château Thierry a combined French and American force stopped the Germans from crossing the Marne River. Building on this success the US 2nd Division stopped the German advance on Paris and were given the task of recapturing Belleau Wood. First-hand accounts, photographs, and detailed maps dramatically bring to life these key battles, America's baptism of fire in World War I. more...

Price: $19.95

How do European states adjust to international markets? Why do French governments of both left and right face a public confidence crisis? In this book, leading experts on France chart the dramatic changes that have taken place in its polity, economy and society since the 1980s and develop an analysis of social change relevant to all democracies. more...

Price: $89.95

Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy from 1467 to 1477, maintained much closer relations than had any of his three predecessors with the various states that made up what we know today as Italy. This was partly a result of his abiding suspicion of his feudal overlord, King Louis XI of France, and his search for allies against the growing power of his French neighbour. However, the duke’s relations with Italy were not confined to politics. The size of the Italian contingent in his entourage impressed contemporaries, and they were looked on with special favour by the duke himself. Charles could speak their language and his outlook was influenced by them to an extent which has led some historians to consider him a proto-Renaissance prince. Charles the Bold and Italy is the first study to give an overview that not only places Charles the Bold’s relations with Italy in both an Italian and a European context, but also explains and illuminates the presence of Italians at his court. Richard Walsh considers why Charles the Bold was so interested in Italy; what he expected to obtain, and did obtain, from his relations with Italian rulers; why there were so many Italians in his entourage; and to what extent and in what ways the duke himself was influenced by them. Drawing on extensive research in the archive collections of Milan, Venice, Mantua, Modena and Florence, as well as Burgundian sources in Lille and Brussels, Charles the Bold and Italy offers a comprehensive account of a fascinating aspect of Burgundian history. more...

Price: $95.00