Airborne operations have often been called a vertical envelopment, and therein lies one of the best descriptions of their value. The essence of an envelopment is to pin the enemy in place so that it can be destroyed. A strong enemy force to one's rear disrupts supplies and communications and makes o[...]

Bruce Quarrie (1947-2004) was a prolific author and military historian. He wrote over forty titles, mostly on the Second World War, and edited many more. Len Deighton described him as "one of our most meticulous and well-informed historians". The Russian Front was a critical battlefield in World War[...]

Probably the most highly motivated and ruthless combatant to take the field in World War II (1939-1945), the Waffen-SS soldier was the cutting edge of Germany's military might. Aggressive in attack, dogged in defence, his units generally suffered higher casualties than the regular army formations. T[...]