Osprey's study of one of the most important battles of the long-elasting Germanic Wars (113 BC - 439 AD). Arminius; a young member of the Cheruscan tribe under the Roman Empire felt that Rome could be beaten in battle and that such a victory would guarantee the freedom of the Germans as a confederation of independent tribes; led by the Cheruscans; who would - in turn - be led by him. Throughout AD 8 and the early part of AD 9; Arminius used his position under the governor of Germania Inferior well; ostensibly promoting Rome whilst in reality welding the tribes together in an anti-Roman alliance; agreeing with his confederates that they would wait until the Roman garrison had moved to their summer quarters and then rise up against the invaders. With the arrival of September; the time soon came for the Roman troops to return to their stations along the Rhine and as they marched westwards through the almost impenetrable Teutoburg Forest; Arminius sprang his trap. In a series of running battles in the forest; Varus' army; consisting of three Roman Legions (XVII; XVIII and XIX) and several thousand auxiliaries - a total of roughly 20;000 men - was destroyed.The consequences for Rome were enormous - the province of Germania was now virtually undefended and Gaul was open to a German invasion which although it never materialized; led a traumatized Augustus to decree that; henceforth; the Rhine would remain the demarcation line between the Roman world and the German tribes; in addition to which the destroyed legions were never re-formed or their numbers reused in the Roman Army: after AD 9; the sequence of numbers would run from I to XVI and then from XX onwards; it was as if the three legions had never existed.
#2482972 in Books Aurum Press 2012-10-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.30 x 5.00 x 7.70l; .75 #File Name: 1845137752416 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An interesting view of the British and Commonwealth involvement in the Korean War on the ground.By Charles B.Having read a number of book about the US involvement in Korea; I had known that the UK and Commonwealth nations had shown up to help fight in the conflict; but that was supposedly after the retreat from North Korea in the winter of 1950. This book tells it differently; than I knew what the history was taught to me. From the moment North Koreans had crossed the border the British were looking at honoring their UN treaty commitments. So they pulled some units from Hong Kong; which was an slightly under strength (at least in American eyes) infantry brigade. That was the 27th Infantry Brigade; they fought from the defense of the Pusan Perimeter to the break out and up through Pyongyang and towards the Yalu before they helped to cover the 2nd Infantry Division retreat when the Chinese entered the war in November of 1950. This was primarily a UK regiment that was joined later in the opening of the war by a battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. The author meets some of the men who make up the leadership and the various ranks in the 27th Infantry and relate their stories of shipping out of Hong Kong; going to Pusan and seeing massive amounts of supplies and food the US had all over the place. These men were still being subjected to rationing at home a full 5 years after the 2nd World War had ended. The other interesting stories are of the 41st Royal Marine Commandos and their operations in support of the breakout and then of their support of the 1st Marine Division attack out of the Chosin and home. There are some very amazing stories of the battles and the survival of a British and Commonwealth infantry division. The respect that the Royal Marines earned during the breakout is legendary now. The book ends at Christmas with the survivors of both the 27th and 41st asking whats next; all while seeing new units and replacements show up. This book provides to a US history student some real insight into the rest of the military units that made up the UN commitment to the Korean War. As well it can provide some really good insight into the state of the UK in the post war with just how a number of the men from the UK who were called up for national service (think the draft in the US) and some of them had experience war in TransJordan and Palestine as well as the Malay Insurgency or Indian Insurgency; what they saw and experienced around the "gods of plenty" as one of the 27th Soldiers is quoted to describe the Americans. Highly recommend to add this to your Korean War readings lists.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Few Americans even know that Australia helped us fight the Korean WarBy James KenneyFew Americans even know that Australia helped us fight the Korean War. This book tells of that bloody conflict from the Australian perspective. Stories by individual soldiers abound. Together they paint a hair-raising portrait of this futile and largely forgotten war. This book is a chimera: the first half is exciting and almost exultant; as MacArthur's daring Inchon maneuver leads to a breakthrough that the Australians follow up with a lightning strike northward toward Pyongyang. Once MacArthur makes the unfortunate and (in hind-sight; foolish) decision to continue past the 40th parallel; the waist of Korea and the agreed stopping point for the advance; the whole tenor of the book changes; and the bleeding; suffering; chaotic reversal of all their gains cut the Australians to pieces; reading it becomes painful. For the first time; I realized why MacArthur was cashiered by Truman: not for his arrogance; but for his utter failure in Korea.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Found a real gem in this novel.By jasonI purchased this book after my boss found an untouched Korean war era battlefield on the opposite side of the mountain from our office. I thereafter became interested in the local history in relation to the war and yet was disappointing to find there were no other recent books on the battle of the Pusan Perimeter.This book covers the British and Australian regiments in the war through the Pusan Perimeter to the Chosin Reservoir. It does an excellent job of combining the regiment's history with the history of the war in general and introduces you to some quite heroic individuals in the process. Although I never figured out how exactly that battlefield fit into the narrative of the battle of the Pusan Perimeter; I gained a better appreciation of the sacrifices made by the countries involved and I am currently starting the sequel that covers the 1951 Chinese Spring Offensive.
