A two volume narrative of the Napoleonic Wars by a highly regarded general Personal narratives of the careers of Napoleon's soldiers of the First Empire are not common in English translation nor are they so devoid of interest to the modern student of the Napoleonic Wars as to be unwelcome or ignored. Thiébault's military recollections fill two substantial volumes and it is worth noting that the English language translator; Butler; was the same person who brought the exploits of the real Brigadier Gerard; Marbot; to English readers. Thiébault joined the army of the Revolution in 1792; serving in both the armies of the Rhine and the North. By 1795 he had risen to the rank of adjutant to Solignac in Italy. In 1801 he was promoted to General and at Austerlitz commanded a brigade and was wounded in the Pratzen plateau assault. He then served extensively throughout the Peninsular War and subsequently as an infantry division commander in Germany in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 which led to the fall of Napoleon. In 1815 he rallied to his master's banner and commanded at the defence of Paris at the close of 'the One Hundred Days'. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
#417993 in Books 2015-10-01 2015-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.50 x 6.25l; .84 #File Name: 1781314950512 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding history of this significant battleBy GreenThis history is readable; revelatory and provides a counter-narrative to much of what people believe they know about the Battle of Britain. The chapter which reflects in the myths produced by the battle is worth the price of the book alone. And its focus on Park's role is a needed corrective to the folk history surrounding this battle; which tends to focus on "muddling through" and ignores the level of work and preparation which went into creating the conditions for Fighter Command to have success.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. This has to be one of the best. Things it doesBy Joseph E LyonsThere are a lot of books about BoB out there; This has to be one of the best. Things it does:1. A day by day account of the battle in some detail.2. Organization of the combatants' air forces; and description of the main airplanes on both sides3. The major players at the command level on both sides3. What the LW did and did not know about the British air defense system. The basic concept of the system was based on work done whenBritain was bombed in WW I.4. Recounts the activities of the other major war fighting commands in the RAF (Bomber Command and Coastal Command; primarily)5. Presents the international flavor of the fighter pilots (most particularly the Poles)Highly recommendedI saw a review of the book in the Wall Street Journal; it was on my doorstep in a couple of days; started reading it and could not put it down.A Brit ex-pat friend down the road has it now. His wife lived a mile from RAF Hornchurch during the Battle and remembers the sound of the bombs.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A very interesting account of a very important event in historyBy Jerry BrookmanAn excellent book; if you're interested in the subject (and if you're interested in 20th century history; you should be!). The author describes the history of the RAF and Luftwaffe; their leaders at the time of the events described; and the events themselves. Both sides overestimated their own "kills"; and thus had a false impression of the enemy's capabilities as opposed to their own. The RAF's tactics were flawed; and the Luftwaffe's strategy in target selection were poor. The author points out how a different result could have resulted in a different outcome to World War II; something that would have drastically changed the lives of people around then world; including all Americans. Read it!
