KURSK: The Vital 24 Hours

Book Description

In the early summer of 1942, following the German defeat at Stalingrad and the inconclusive battle at Kharkov, Hitler sought a decisive battle that would turn the struggle on the Eastern Front in the German's favour. Large numbers of the newly-designed Panther and Tiger tanks were rolling off the production lines, and Hitler was convinced that, with appropriate numbers, German armour could turn the tide against the advancing Soviets on the Eastern Front. Despite the reservations of his leading generals, Hitler was determined this offensive take place.

On the 5th July 1943, the German army launched Operation Citadel. Attacking with a force of 3000 tanks and assault guns, the Germans faced a well-dug in force of more than 3900 Soviet tanks, with another 1500 tanks in reserve. The tanks advanced with as many as 50 packed together per kilometre of line. What followed was the largest tank battle the world has ever seen, with heavy casualties on both sides in this titanic clash of arms.

On the 11th July, three SS divisions - Totenkopf, Das Reich and Liebstandarte - attempted to break through the Soviet lines at the village of Prokhorovka and so unhinge the Soviet defensive position. Facing them were newly deployed Fifth Guards Tanks Army. The battle raged all day, with German attack followed by Soviet counterattack. By nightfall the Germans had lost more than 300 tanks and the Fifth Guards Tanks Army 50 percent of their strength. Despite the heavy losses, the Soviet defenders had achieved their aim: the German attack had been halted and the initiative lost.

With first-hand accounts from both sides, vivid photographs, and specially commissioned maps of the combat zones, Kursk: The Vital 24 Hours is a comprehensive examination of the decisive failure of the German's last large-scale offensive on the Eastern Front.

Customer Reviews:

Good for the casual historian.......2007-01-11

A good resource and strong overview of the epic battle of Kursk. Hard core military historians will find it a little disappointing. Those with lighter tastes will find this a good read that provides a good setting for the crucial battles of the Kursk campaign.

Good Information, Lousy Editting.......2006-01-17

I read the Stalingrad book and loved it for it's tidbits and good photographs. I was expecting the same with the Kursk book.

The information is there. Some nice tidbits, but most of it is the same as other books present. The photos are nice, but there is a severe lack of decently detailed maps. Even the battle of Prokhorovka map shows only the German divisions (labelled with XXX which represents a corps btw...)/Russian corps

The pictures are good. The side tidbits are nice.

The editting is terrible. This is a real pet peeve of mine... There are whole sentences (maybe even paragraphs?) that are missing. Places where they changed a word to another still has both words in the sentence. Section headings describe one thing and the text talks about something else. I could understand a couple places where this can happen, but the book runs rampant with these kinds of errors.

I would give this a 4 if the editting had been better.

Required Research Material : STRONG Recommend .......2005-09-09

Outstanding, well written, great maps and supporting vignettes.
This book is a great resource. It provides great background information on the key players and events that lead up to this great event in history; but, also places a heavy focus on the first 24 hours of the Operation and on two key players: The elite II SS Panzer Corp and the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army during the crucial first phase of Unternehmen Zitadel (Operation Citadell). The book is rich with illustrations, maps, photos and explanations and is a rich source of information for both the novice and the experienced student of the Eastern Front.
It has great appendice's, the Soviet and German Order of Battle, a great bibliography and supporting internet/web sites references.

Terry Tucker, Professor Military History/Studies (US Army, SGM,Ret)

Time: D-Day: 24 Hours That Saved the World

Average customer rating:

The climax of World War II.
Great Book
Remids Us That Freedom Isn't Free

Time: D-Day: 24 Hours That Saved the World
Editors of Time Magazine
Manufacturer: Time
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1932273220

Book Description

DESCRIPTION: On June 6, 2004, people the world over - especially Americans - will pause to remember the 60th anniversary of the Normandy invasion that forever changed history. D-Day: 24 Hours that Saved the World honors the 130,000 heroic American and Allied troops who risked their lives to liberate Europe and end the Nazi occupation. Here are fascinating portraits of the men who designed the invasion - and the men who fought it: Eisenhower and Churchill, Montgomery and Rommel. Here are the landing crafts, the medics, the radio operators, the nurses. Here are the memorable photographs, historic reunions, majestic cemeteries, the unforgettable memories of June 6, 1944. Here is D-Day: 24 Hours that Saved the World.

Customer Reviews:

The climax of World War II........2005-01-27

A nice picture book that has a lot of information contained in its 154 pages. Time examines the longest day by going into detail about what happened in the 24 hours that saved the world. This book also examines different aspects of the battle itself such as the engineering, medical, journalist parts. For many, the battle itself was the high point, but beyond that were the planning and engineering that made the victory possible. This book also points out the command system of the Allies and Nazis. The Allies had a command system where individual initiative resulted in local commanders changing orders when the need arose versus the Germans who had to seek the Fuhrer's approval for command changes. Book also had nice little biographies of those who contributed to the victory.
A nice read and picture book for those interested in World War II. There are many books on this famous day and battle, but this is one of the better ones.

Great Book.......2004-08-04

Time: D-Day: 24 hours that saved the world is a great book. It has a lot of pictures and writing. It has maps too. If you are interested in learning about D-Day you should read this book.

Remids Us That Freedom Isn't Free.......2004-05-26

The pictures and stories take you to the beaches of Normandy and progresses brilliantly through the 24 hrs of D-Day. This should be in all of our school libraries. Thanks to our Veterans of ALL wars.

Average customer rating:

OUTSTANDING
Excellent!
Great Image of The End of A Great Leader
Fascinating
A Masterpiece of Time

A. Lincoln: His Last 24 Hours
W. Emerson Reck
Manufacturer: University of South Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1570030081

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

OUTSTANDING.......2005-12-13

This little gem combines the readability of journalism (the author's teaching profession) with in-depth historical research, an unusual combination. It is a well-known subject, but here are some new perspectives:

--the photo often described as Lincoln's last portrait was
actually taken in February, 1865. This book shows you the
real last one.
--Booth didn't bore the peephole in the door to Lincoln's
box or make the bar obstructing the door leading to the
corridor of the boxes - that had been done some time before
by or for Lincoln's guards.
--Booth's illegitimacy preyed on his mind as a youth - perhaps shaping his character in a perverse way. One must
wonder about the same effect in some other, modern day
individuals with the same origin (Fidel Castro, Ted Bundy
and a recent US President).
-- Most telling are the widely varied descriptions of events by eyewitnesses. The author evaluates these and tells you the most likely version. Here is proof that circumstantial evidence
(including letters, bloodstains, etc.) is often more reliable than such eyewitnesses.
A minor issue - it is mentioned that the entry in Booth's diary for the day of the assassination states he cried "Sic
semper" - omitting "tyrannis" - and that he may have done so
because he didn't know how to spell tyrannis. It is, however, pointed out that he had asked about this spelling beforehand
(so he knew it). Also, Booth was undoubtedly familiar with the
6th verse of the Confederate song, "Maryland, My Maryland," which runs "Sic semper! 'tis the proud refrain" and he might have used the shortened phrase in his diary just as an abbreviation. Incidentally, as the book states, Lincoln's wallet contained several newspaper clippings. Not mentioned is that among these were laudatory articles. Lincoln had been the
subject of many cruel newspaper attacks and it is pathetic that even a great man apparently needed to know that someone approved of him.

Excellent!.......2001-07-17

A. Lincoln: His Last 24 Hours is one of the best books I've read about the fateful day in April 1865 when the 16th President was shot and killed at Ford's Theater. It paints a fascinating picture of a very tragic man on the last day of his too-short life. The relief and joy that Lincoln must have felt with the end of the Civil War finally at hand, his concern for how to achieve the nearly impossible task of reconstruction, and the never-ending personal challenges he faced in dealing with his wife are all captured in the words of Mr. Lincoln himself as well as through comments from observers who had contact with him on that day.

The book reads very much like a novel but is obviously very well researched with plenty of reference material documented via footnotes throughout. The author knows the subject well and is careful to note when conclusions not fully supported by documented research are drawn. The result is wonderfully readable and highly informative unlike many other accounts of that day.

Great Image of The End of A Great Leader.......2000-08-07

This book captures the readers attention and takes him on a step by step discourse of the hours before Lincoln's assassination. A very sad image is presented in the book because it's obvious Lincoln's last day of life may have been his happiest day of life. Lincoln was overcoming the anxieties of war, but was cut down when he had a handle on life. In this book the reader learns of the threats to the president's life and what could have been done to prevent Lincoln's death. Infortunately in 1865 all Booth needed to end the president's life was a passion against Lincoln. Great book!

Fascinating.......2000-02-12

I, too, purchased this book at Ford's Theatre. At first, I thought it would be one of those whodunnit books, but I was wrong. The author obviously put alot of effort, time & research into the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I finished the entire book during the plane ride back to Los Angeles. I lent it to my family members and they, too, enjoyed it!

A Masterpiece of Time.......1999-09-27

History books must reach into the past to pull forward a tangible, feeling portrait of those who have lived before us. A. Lincoln: His Last 24 Hours is a brilliant account of a ever researched, fascinating topic. America may know the general idea of the Lincoln assasination, but this book reaches into the depths of a life that seems to come together in the course of one day. The life of America's greatest president was turbulent from its foundation, and a peace settled into the man who had an ironic foreshadowing of his own death. After reading this account, one can argue that Linocln was so relaxed, joyful and relieved. This may be due to the fact that he knew his life and accomplishments had run their course and he, along with the Unified country he fought so hard to solidfy was on the right track. Lincoln walking alongside the women in the garden admiring his beloved lemon tree, cavorting cheerfully with the energy-draining Mary Todd, and defiance in wanting to attend "Our American Cousin" are just some of the vignettes presented in luxurious vividity. All in all, one of the most entertaining reads I have had the pleasure to experience. A masterful look into a world past.

Average customer rating:

The rest of the Day That Lives in Infamy
nd informative

First 24 Hours of War in the Pacific
Donald J. Young
Manufacturer: White Mane Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1572490799

Book Description

The first the world knew of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was at 8:00a.m., Hawaiian time, when the stunning message "AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NO DRILL" was hurriedly flashed from Admiral Kimmel's headquarters at Pearl Harbor. Twenty-four hours and two minutes later, at 1:32p.m., Washington time, the Congress of the United States officially declared war on the Empire of Japan.

Customer Reviews:

The rest of the Day That Lives in Infamy.......2000-08-18

Most of us associate the beginning of World War II with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Actually, Pearl Harbor was only one of numerous attacks carried out by the Japanese that day. Their true objectives were the mines of Malaya and the oil fields of Borneo--Pearl Harbor was a side-show which was necessary to keep the United States from interfering.

In this book Donald J. Young vividly describes the other events of December 7, 1941, giving minute by minute details seldom found elsewhere. He describes the inept responses of our (U.S. and British) military forces to attacks which should not have come as any surprise, but did. In the last chapter, he fills us in on the reaction in Washington, where the Japanese attacks may actually have solved a problem for President Roosevelt.

For the serious WW II historian this is a valuable book. For the casual reader this is an interesting and entertaining book, particularly if you are already aware of some of the controversy surrounding the events of the day.

nd informative.......1999-04-02

Military historian Donald J. Young takes the reader to eleven Pacific sites where war is about to change everything. He puts us on doomed Wake Island where Major Devereaux is ordering his Marine bugler to sound "Call to Arms" as an invasion force looms offshore and bombs devestate. We are with more marines in North China, embassy guards, who must surrender or die on the spot. The bugler sounds "Retreat" for one last time and then breaks his bugle across his knee and hurls it away. We are aboard the PanAm flying boat "China Clipper" as it desperately tries to flee Wake Island already under attack. We are on indefensible Guam when an ill-equipped handful of American Marines, mindful that no U.S. Marine unit has ever gone down without a fight, march off to make a stand agasinst an invasion force of 5000. The Marines are armed with 1903 Springfield rifles, two .30 caliber machine guns, and a few.45 sidearms. They are assisted by Insular Guards, native Chamorros who also carry ought three Springfields but theirs are stamped ""Do not shoot. For training purposes only." We are at Clark Field in the Phillipines where B-17s are caught on the ground by aerial raiders. We are abandoning the ill-fated 2100 ton lumber schooner "Cynthia Olsen" torpedoed and sinking off Hawaii, the first U.S. merchantman to be sunk in World War Two but not the last. Reading this book will remind you how lucky we are there can never be another be another Pearl Harbor. Oh, sure! (review taken from my review in"Vapor Trails", news letter of the Mass. Chapter of the 8th Air Force Historical Society of which I am editor and publisher.)

The 24 Hour War (Endless Quest Gamma World Setting)

Average customer rating:

A darn good Sci-Fi book

The 24 Hour War (Endless Quest Gamma World Setting)
Nick Pollotta
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786901985

Customer Reviews:

A darn good Sci-Fi book.......2001-10-22

This book rules! The choose-a-path story styling is a little obnoxious, but the setting, characters, movement, humor, it's all great! Makes me wish Pollotta did more Gamma World novels.

Average customer rating:

Excellent summary of the first day

D-Day: The First 24 Hours
Will Fowler
Manufacturer: Lewis International Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

D-Day 1944

ASIN: 1930983220

Book Description

In any military operation throughout history, few 24-hour periods have been as crucial as that of June 6 of 1994. Nearly 7000 ships landed over 132,000 US, British and Canadian troops on the beaches of Normandy in the biggest amphibious landing ever attempted. During that first day the allied forces were at their most vulnerable to German counterattack. Had the landings failed, the course of the war would have been altered. With the aid of specially commissioned maps, D-Day The First 24 Hours narrates the dramatic history of the first 24 hours of the Normandy landings, and explains in detail the events that occurred in each landing zone. With first-hand accounts from both sides, vivid color photographs, and specially commissioned maps of the landing areas and combat zones, D-Day The First 24 Hours is a comprehensive examination of the first 24 hours of the liberation of Europe.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent summary of the first day.......2003-11-25

I have read tons of WWII books over the years, but most on this subject tend to either bog down in too much detail, or cover only the highlights and leave out the rich detail that makes a book great. This one happens to be just right. Lots of excellent color maps combine with interesting narrative and personal accounts to make a highly satisfying book, even for a military history buff. The topic is covered from the perspective of both sides. How the germans prepared for the invasion is covered in some depth, as well as preparations and planning for the invasion. Finally, chapters on airborne, special operations, and each of the invasion beaches themselves are included. I liked how the specific beach defenses were shown on maps and described in detail. This is information I found lacking in most accounts of D day. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

A Lincoln: His Last 24 Hours
W. Emerson Reck
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Reference | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0786428538

Product Description

Mystery and speculation have been associated with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln for more than a century. Here is a thorough documentation, based on 30 years of research, of the activities and struggles of the President during his last day, along with events leading up to the assassination. Eyewitness accounts, never-before-published facts, Booths activities on April 14, the reaction of the city, physicians effortsand many other factors large and small are covered. A four-part appendix explains still unresolved mysteries surrounding this fascinating historical event. Photos are generally the rare and the little-seen, including a few never before published.

TIME D-DAY 24 Hours That Saved The World (60th Anniversary Tribute)

Average customer rating:

TIME D-DAY 24 Hours That Saved The World (60th Anniversary Tribute)

Manufacturer: Time, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

El dia-D / D-Day: Las primeras 24 horas/ The First 24 hours

Average customer rating:

El dia-D / D-Day: Las primeras 24 horas/ The First 24 hours
Will Fowler
Manufacturer: Editorial Libsa Sa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Magic Tree House Pack, Books 13-24 (Vacation Under the Volcano, Day of the Dragon-King, Viking Ships at Sunrise, Hour of the Olympics, Tonight on the Titanic, Buffalo Before Breakfast, Tigers at Twilight, Dingoes at Dinnertime, Civil War on . . .)

Average customer rating:

Magic Tree House Pack, Books 13-24 (Vacation Under the Volcano, Day of the Dragon-King, Viking Ships at Sunrise, Hour of the Olympics, Tonight on the Titanic, Buffalo Before Breakfast, Tigers at Twilight, Dingoes at Dinnertime, Civil War on . . .)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

Includes Vacation Under the Volcano, Day of the Dragon-King, Viking Ships at Sunrise, Hour of the Olympics, Tonight on the Titanic, Buffalo Before Breakfast, Tigers at Twilight, Dingoes at Dinnertime, Civil War on Sunday, Revolutionary War on Wednesday, Twister on Tuesday, and Earthquake in the Early Morning

Book Description

Six comprehensive CCIE routing and switching labs to hone configuration and troubleshooting skills

Prepare for the CCIE lab exams and hone your configuration and troubleshooting skills with six complete practice scenarios that cover:

Frame Relay configuration
3550 switch configuration
ATM PVC and SVC configuration
IP routing protocol configuration, including RIPv2, EIGRP, OSPF, and IS-IS
Route redistribution
IBGP and EBGP configuration
IP multicast
Security
IP and IOS features
DLSw over Ethernet
Voice over IP

The CCIE program is designed to help individuals, companies, industries, and countries succeed in the networked world by distinguishing the top echelon of internetworking experts. CCIE candidates must not only demonstrate knowledge of a broad range of subject matter at an advanced level but also prove their ability to analyze complex problems and pose solutions in time critical settings. CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs provides a series of complete practice labs that mirror the difficult CCIE hands-on lab exam. Written by a CCIE program manager and a CCIE engineer, this book lays out six unique end-to-end scenarios that are both complex and realistic, providing you with the practice needed to prepare for your lab examination and develop critical-thinking skills that are essential for resolving complex, real-world routing and switching problems.

CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs does not waste time covering conceptual knowledge found in other manuals but focuses exclusively on six complex scenarios. The structure of each chapter is the same, covering a broad range of topics. Each chapter starts with a set of pre-lab tasks and general guidelines that outline instructions for each exercise. This is followed by the timed practice exam questions. Each chapter then wraps up with an Ask the Proctor section that provides hints and clues to the solutions and a Lab Debrief, which analyzes the answer to each question. The companion CD-ROM contains solutions for all of the labs, including configurations and common show command output from all the devices in the topology.

"This book possesses solid and practical guidance for anyone pounding away at the keyboard whether it is for the pursuit of the CCIE or the pursuit of the source of a real problem."
-Kathe Saccenti, CCIE Product Manager, Cisco Systems, Inc.

CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs is part of a customized learning path from Cisco Systems that includes simulation and hands-on training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners and self-study products from Cisco Press.

Companion CD-ROM
CD contains the solutions to the six complete lab scenarios in the book including configurations and show command output.

This volume is part of the Cisco Press Practical Studies Series, which offers readers a means to apply their theoretical knowledge through hands-on lab scenarios for key networking technologies. This unique approach enables readers to practice and hone their internetworking skills while preparing for Cisco certification exams.

Customer Reviews:

Some chapters obsolete.......2006-08-07

The CCIE is a moving target.

I may be stating the obvious, but before you plunk down this kind of money and spend that kind of time, you might want to check the Cisco web site and see how many chapters are still relevant. At this point the chapters on ATM and DLSw are not.

Times have changed ...........2006-05-25

Since the CCIE R & S lab changed in January, lots of things in this book are no longer on the current exam. That includes Voice over IP, ATM, DLSW and ISDN. Given that most people don't have ATM switches or ISDN simulators in their home labs anyway, that makes a good bit of this book no longer relevent to exam prep. Pretty expensive renting an on-line rack to practice technologies not on the exam any more. It would be alot of work to re-write the labs yourself to take out the stuff no longer tested. For example, you could replace ATM pvcs with frame relay pvcs, but then you would need to redefine the solutions yourself,also.

Great resource to test one's readiness for the CCIE lab.......2006-02-02

Cisco's CCIE Routing & Switching Lab has always been one of the most coveted certifications in the Networking industry. While CiscoPress publishes a wealth of material concerning the CCIE and the different areas of testing IGPs, BGP, QoS, security, etc..., the same cannot be written of labs to test one's knowledge of the various subjects. I feel "CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs" by Duggan and Gorito is an excellent reference and valiant effort by CiscoPress to resolve this gap.

I have studied most of the major 3rd party vendors study aids for the CCIE lab (InternetworkExpert, NMC, IPExpert and ccBootcamp). Even considering the 100s of labs I have studied, I believe this book does something none of the other study materials do - and that is mimic the questions that are asked on the CCIE lab. Each chapter is broken down in two areas - the test and the answers. The difficulty of the exams is not as complex as you will see on the exam - but it is close. If the CCIE had a difficulty rating of 10, I would place the difficulty of this book at about a 6 - 7 (I would place most 3rd party vendors advanced study material at an 11 - yes, harder than the real lab).

The book does have some noticeable typos, and you may have to verify your configs on GroupStudy if you are confident that your configurations are correct. For example:
-on page 50, the 2nd route-map in example of 1-40 should be set to 20, not 10.
-on page 59, example 1-60's last ACL should use 0.0.0.7, not 0.0.0.255
-on page 197, example 3-93 should include to deny tcp and udp 445 as mentioned in the first paragraph.

There are many books a CCIE candidate will need on his shelf to help attain their digits. This is the rare CiscoPress book that the candidate should use only when they are near the culmination of their studies.

I give this book 5 pings out of 5:
!!!!!

Item didn't arrive - Don't order this.......2006-01-03

After waiting 2 months of the delivery I still have nothing. There seems to be no way to contact Amazon about this. Very poor service. I recommend NOT ordering from them. I'll have to arrange a charge back on the CC

CCIE Lab Study Book.......2005-10-06

This is a good book for general practice studying and feel the format of the real test. However, difficulty and complexity level of this book are way way far under in comparision to the real test. Hope my suggestion is good for whom wants to consider this book as part of studying for CCIE lab.

CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs

Average customer rating:

CCIE Routing and Switching Practice Labs
Maurilio P Gorito
Manufacturer: CISCO (PEARSON EDUCA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7LRGE

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