The Confederate States of America boasted five capital cities in four years. The center of the Confederate government moved from one Southern city to another; including Montgomery; Richmond; Danville; Greensboro and Charlotte. From the heady early days of the new country to the dismal last hours of a transient government; each city played a role in the Confederate story. While some of these sites are commemorated with impressive monuments and museums; others offer scant evidence of their importance in Civil War history. Join award-winning historian Michael C. Hardy as he recounts the harrowing history of the capitals of the Confederacy.
#1794000 in Books 2011-10-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x 1.40 x 6.40l; 1.65 #File Name: 161251054X384 pages
Review
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful. A fine book about an American mercenary flyer in the Spanish Civil WarBy WWIIhistorybuffI highly recommend this very well written book that tells the fascinating story of a young man from Arkansas; a graduate of the Naval Academy; who fought as a mercenary pilot for the Spanish government during the tragic Spanish Civil War 0f 1936 - 1939. The book contains many photos of the men and their planes and a number of charts; maps and illustrations.Frank Tinker's great ambition was to attend the Naval Academy and become a Navy officer and pilot and he accomplished all with great difficulty in the small peace time depression era U. S. Navy. And then; because of his love of flying he pulled some not so funny pranks in flight and on shore that gave him the option of a court martial or a resignation of his commission. He opted for the latter; took a job as a third officer on a civilian tanker ship and then learned of the Spanish Civil War and Spain's need for contract pilots. He jumped at the chance; signed a lucrative contract at the Spanish Embassy in Mexico City and reported for duty defending the war-torn Republic of Spain in January of 1937. He joined several American; Spanish; and a larger humber of Soviet pilots in a unit that flew combat in planes built and supplied by the Soviets. He was under the command of a Soviet pilot and squad leader much of the time. He flew against planes and crews supplied by Germany and Italy who were both openly supporting Franco and his Nationalists.The authors describe in detail the air battles. Tinker became an acclaimed ace during those battles. Reviewer's note: A half-million Spaniards perished in the war. Franco became the leader or de-facto leader of Spain until his death in 1975.Between the frequent and demanding missions; however; life was often grand for Tinker in Spain. Billeted in conscripted and staffed Spanish mansions the pilots enjoyed their off-duty hours playing table game and listening to Verdi's Rigolleto on Frank's victrola. They enjoyed their frequent leaves in Madrid's nightclubs and hotels. Ernest Hemingway hosted and befriended Tinker and the other pilots in his well-stocked-with-Scotch-whisky apartment in the Florida Hotel. When Madrid was under attack the basement of the nearby Prado served as a bomb shelter.Experiencing the wear and tear of many missions and several very close calls Tinker terminated his contract on good terms after seven months; eight kills and one probable; returned to Arkansas; wrote a book; purchased and rebuilt an old plane; joined a fraternity; took a two month canoe trip down the Mississippi; made a number of public appearances and then died under suspicious circumstances in a Little Rock hotel on June 13; 1939; at the age of 29.The author's epilogue on what happened to the pilots and the Madrid landmarks after the war complete the book. The Soviet pilots; for example; did not all fare well upon their return to Stalin's paranoia.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Most Enjoyable BookBy MICHAEL J HOWARDAs an amateur historian of the Spanish Civil War and having lived in Franco's Spain during the early 60's I found this book most enjoyable. The first thing that struck me was the Introduction which gave a very balanced view of the war. Probably the best summary of The Spanish Civil War that I've ever read. From that point on the book is as easy to read as it is enjoyable. The reference material only adds to the the book's completeness.As I read through the book the following minutiae came to mind:-In Tinker's day the border village was known as Port Bou. During the 60's it was Port-Bou whereas today it's Portbou.-I was facinated to find out that the site of Hotel Florida was later transformed into Galerias Preciados which was Madrid's big department store of the 1960's. Today it has again changed to El Corte Ingles which is still a department store.If you have any interest in The Spanish Civil War or aviation history then this book is worth reading.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Insight into the air war of the war between the warsBy Review from NCThis book provides a good insight into at the aerial combat of the Spanish Civil War. You get a glimpse into how an air war was fought in the juncture at the end of the era of the open cockpit biplane fighter represented by the Polikarpov I-15 that Tinker flies and the closed cockpit monoplanes such as the early Messerschmidt Bf109 that Tinker would face.The book also provides some vignettes into such areas as: the U.S. air services between the wars; the interventions by other powers into the Spanish Civil War; especially Germany; Italy and the USSR; the mercenaries and volunteers who fought in the war; the life of the fighter pilot; who might carouse in Madrid at night and fly missions by day; living in relative luxury compared to the soldiers in the trenches.The book mostly follows Tinker in his few months in the war; but also provides historical background. Especially interesting is the "what happened to them later" section at the end of the book.
