There’s no excuse for getting lost these days—satellite maps on our computers can chart our journey in detail and electronics on our car dashboards instruct us which way to turn. But there was a time when the varied landscape of North America was largely undocumented; and expeditions like that of Lewis and Clark set out to map its expanse. As John Rennie Short argues in Cartographic Encounters; that mapping of the New World was only possible due to a unique relationship between the indigenous inhabitants and the explorers. In this vital reinterpretation of American history; Short describes how previous accounts of the mapping of the new world have largely ignored the fundamental role played by local; indigenous guides. The exchange of information that resulted from this “cartographic encounter†allowed the native Americans to draw upon their wide knowledge of the land in the hope of gaining a better position among the settlers. This account offers a radical new understanding of Western expansion and the mapping of the land and will be essential to scholars in cartography and American history.
#2218023 in Books 2008-01-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 12.25 x .63 x 9.13l; 2.13 #File Name: 1857802764144 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. good book that sheds some light on major supplement that ...By Scott BaileyStalingrad air battles; good book that sheds some light on major supplement that was conducted by the German air force during this battle. Also covered and the most interesting is the air to ground mission that the German used to stop major offensive after the battle and before. One interesting point is the use of ground support aircraft to help stop major Russian offensive when no ground troops are available. Easy read on this war1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Covers much more than just the Battle of StalingradBy WryGuy2"Stalingrad: The Air Battle: 1942-January 1943" by Christer Bergstrom.There have been many; many books written about the Battle of Stalingrad; and on the 1942 German Offensive in the Soviet Union; "Case Blue". But there are only a bare handful of books in print in English that focuses on the air portion of this critical 1942 campaign on the Eastern Front. The only other book of note published recently is author Joel Hayward's "Stopped at Stalingrad". So while this review will focus Mr Bergstrom's book; I will also compare/contrast it a bit to "Stopped at Stalingrad".In early 1942; the Soviets had attacked and encircled German forces at Kholm and Demyansk. The book opens with describing the successful airlifts that the Germans were able to organize ... a success which would set the stage for the German resupply attempt at Stalingrad later in the year. He then covers the air battles in the Crimea; the disastrous Soviet attack at Kharkov; and the following German attacks toward the Caucasus and toward Stalingrad; the battle for and encirclement of Stalingrad; and the aftermaths; from both the Soviet and German perspectives.This book itself is relatively slender; 144 pages cover to cover; but this is offset by the fact that it's in a relatively large 8 inch by 12 inch format; so you're actually getting a lot of information. It's chock full of excellent photographs; tables; maps; and illustrations.Comparing and contrasting this book with "Stopped at Stalingrad"; this book; "Stalingrad: The Air Battle: 1942-January 1943" covers both the German and Soviet efforts ("Stopped at Stalingrad focuses more on the Germans); has more technical details; analysis of the opposing forces; orders of battle; and copious anecdotes from both sides. Mr Bergstrom also provides more insight and analysis as to why the forces performed as they did; and often (though not always) cross-checks aircraft claims versus losses for both sides during the battle; something I liked. One of the interesting things that Mr Bergstrom points out was that a relative handful of German fighter aces (experten) shot down a large percentage of the Soviet aircraft that were lost. The steady attrition of these aces appeared to have a huge impact on the German's ability to maintain air superiority over the course of the campaign; in my opinion."Stopped at Stalingrad" presents an excellent analysis of the German position prior to the start of Case Blue and a more nuanced and detailed view of the German air and ground operations themselves over the course of the campaign; though at the expense of the Soviet position. A lot of the anecdotes in "Stopped in Stalingrad" are from Wolfram von Richthofen's diary; whereas those in ""Stalingrad: The Air Battle: 1942-January 1943" come from a multitude of sources. (Both books "feature" von Richthofen to a large degree; as he had a huge impact on the air war.) But neither book is deficient relative to the other ... they just have differing points of view.I highly recommend this book. It provides good information and analysis on the air forces of both sides during a critical campaign on the Eastern Front. If you're trying to decide whether to get this book or "Stopped at Stalingrad"; I'd get them both; as the two books are somewhat complementary; in my opinion; and when read together; provide a comprehensive view of the role of that the German and Soviet Air Forces played in outcome of the battles.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. A Rare View Of WWII Air HistoryBy GridleyThe story of WWII's Eastern Front conflict has been rarely told; in part because of Soviet secrecy regarding its part in the war. Since glasnost; however; information from the Russian side has been forthcoming; but little of the published scholarship involving this history relates the part aircraft played in both sides of the conflict.Bergstrom's book partially resolves this historical gap. He pays close attention to the strategic influence of the Soviet Air Force as well as to that of the German Luftwaffe. However; the author seems more fascinated with fighter statistics than with those of bombers; once again allowing a bit of a distortion in his view of air strategy and tactics as they evolved during this conflict. Still; Bergstrom's text; along with rare pictures; moves an invaluable step forward in understanding the air aspects of this conflict.
