reveals a long-lost Martian tripod.
Newly published by Casemate:
The Armies of Bismarck's Wars
Written & Illustrated by Bruce Bassett-Powell
On July 3rd, 1866, a Prussian army overwhelmed and defeated an Austrian army near the fortress city of Koniggratz, in a bloody battle that lasted all day. At a stroke, the foremost power in Germany and central Europe had been reduced to a second-rate player. The event caused anxiety and alarm in the capitals of the Western world. How was an upstart country like Prussia able to upset the balance of power in Europe? Only 16 years before, it had been put in its place by Austria with the treaty of Olmutz. Its performance as an Austrian ally had been less than stellar in the 2nd Schleswig War of 1864, despite its defeat of the Danes at Duppel. Yet within five years, a Prussian-led army would humble France, and a Prussian King would be crowned Emperor of a united Germany. The history of the world would be changed forever.
This new book by Bruce Bassett-Powell chronicles the rise of the Prussian Army from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the reforms of the 1860s, followed by a full account of the wars against Denmark in 1864 and Austria in 1866. He shows how the confluence of three men's lives – King William I, Helmuth von Molkte, and Otto von Bismarck – provided the essential ingredients that created this victorious army. The growth and influence of the general staff is examined, along with the recruitment and training of officers and men. He fully describes the organization of the army and the fledgling navy, as well as the weapons with which they fought. In particular, he gives a detailed account of their dress and accoutrements, accompanied by 24 full-page color illustrations depicting over 70 uniforms.
The book contains 100 black-and-white illustrations, 79 line drawings of uniform items, 24 color plates of uniforms, and eight maps.
It is available from Casemate, On Military Matters, Articles of War, Caliver Books (UK), and you can get signed copies from Uniformology.
For full details of the book and sample pages, go to uniformology.com.