General & Miscellaneous Military History, Military - Weapons - General & Miscellaneous
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Overview
William Weir, author of New Page Book's 50 Battles That Changed the World, takes another look at the history of warfare, focusing on the hardware that served those famous battles, as well as others not as glorious. Included are:* Individual weapons-from spears to the submachine gun. * Crew-served weapons-from battering rams to "Big Bertha". * Unmanned weapons-from punji stakes to "Bouncing Betty" landmines and trap guns. 50 Weapons That Changed Warfare even includes devices that, strictly speaking, are weapons carriers, such as tanks and bombers, but which have had enormous effects on the conduct of war. This book describes the effects of these weapons and how and why they changed warfare-from the bloody carnage produced by hand weapons throughout history to the never used but universally feared fusion bomb, whose sole purpose is to destroy millions of people while leaving buildings intact. Each weapon is not only described, but also illustrated to give a clearer picture of its usage and effects.Synopsis
From the spear to the nuclear bomb, a reckoning of the most significant weapons throughout history. Each chapter focuses on one weapon, in roughly chronological order, explaining how it worked, how it was used in battle, and how it changed the practice of war. Weir, a former Army combat correspondent and photographer in the Korean War, includes a list of "honorable mentions" that didn't make the top 50, with explanations of why they weren't chosen. Weir is also the author of 50 Battles That Changed the World. The b&w illustrations and photos that open each chapter are unfortunately dark and muddy. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Book Details
Published
February 1, 2005
Publisher
Career Press, Incorporated
Pages
1
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781564147561