Author: Charles Stephenson Publisher: Tattered Flag ISBN: 0957689225 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 305
Book Description
This is the first book in the English language to offer an analysis of a conflict that, in so many ways, raised the curtain on the Great War. In September 1911, Italy declared war on the once mighty, transcontinental Ottoman Empire _ but it was an Empire in decline. The ambitious Italy decided to add to her growing African empire by attacking Ottoman-ruled Tripolitania (Libya). The Italian action began the rapid fall of the Ottoman Empire, which would end with its disintegration at the end of the First World War. The day after Ottoman Turkey made peace with Italy in October 1912, the Balkan League attacked in the First Balkan War. The Italo-Ottoman War, as a prelude to the unprecedented hostilities that would follow, has so many firsts and pointers to the awful future: the first three-dimensional war with aerial reconnaissance and bombing, and the first use of armored vehicles, operating in concert with conventional ground and naval forces; war fever whipped up by the Italian press; military incompetence and stalemate; lessons in how not to fight a guerrilla war; mass death from disease and 10,000 more from reprisals and executions. Thirty thousand men would die in a struggle for what may described as little more than a scatolone di sabbia _ a box of sand. As acclaimed historian Charles Stephenson portrays in this ground-breaking study, if there is an exemplar of the futility of war, this is it. Apart from the loss of life and the huge cost to Italy (much higher than was originally envisaged), the main outcome was to halve the Libyan population through emigration, famine and casualties. The Italo-Ottoman War was a conflict overshadowed by the Great War _ but one which in many ways presaged the horrors to come. A Box of Sand will be of great interest to students of military history and those with an interest in the history of North Africa and the development of technology in war.
Author: DK Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 075668479X Category : Travel Languages : en Pages : 354
Book Description
The lavishly illustrated and fully updated DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Tunisia is the perfect companion to this stunning island with its charming blend of Islamic, Berber, and European culture. Tunisia is covered in exhaustive detail with cutaways, 3D aerial views, and floor plans of all the major sights from the Roman ruins in Sbeitla and the baths at Carthage to the pit homes of Matmata (featured in Star Wars) and the magical atmosphere of desert oases in the south. Full-color maps and plans enable you to explore the island in depth, while walks, scenic routes, and thematic tours will ensure you won't miss a thing. Illustrated food features highlight regional gastronomic delights and the guide comes complete with an impressive selection of restaurants and hotels. With its abundance of sumptuous photographs and expert information on everything from where to go diving to the low-down on the best beaches in Hammamet and sights, markets, beaches, and festivals listed town by town, this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide provides everything you need to ensure the perfect Tunisian break. Don't miss a thing on your vacation with DK Eyewitness Travel: Tunisia.
Author: Carole French Publisher: National Geographic Books ISBN: 1426207069 Category : Travel Languages : en Pages : 324
Book Description
A travel guide to Morocco that provides maps, itineraries, walking and driving tours, recommended sites and activities, and other resources.
Author: Peter L. Bernstein Publisher: John Wiley & Sons ISBN: 111827010X Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 455
Book Description
"The need for realism in reform of its monetary system is what makes Bernstein’s story of the Power of Gold so timely. It is a compelling reminder that maintaining a fixed price for gold and fixed exchange rates were difficult even in a simpler financial environment….Peter Bernstein was reluctant to project the story of gold into the future. But to me his message was clear. Yes, gold will be with us, valued not only for its intrinsic qualities but as a last refuge and store of value in turbulent times. But its days as money, as a means of payment and a fixed unit of account are gone." —From the New Foreword by Paul Volcker This bestselling book reveals a record of human nature in the ubiquity of gold with a new foreword by Paul Volcker In this exciting book, the late Peter L. Bernstein tells the story of history's most coveted, celebrated, and inglorious asset: gold. From the ancient fascinations of Moses and Midas through the modern convulsions caused by the gold standard and its aftermath, gold has led many of its most eager and proud possessors to a bad end. And while the same cycle of obsession and desperation may reverberate in today's fast-moving, electronically-driven markets, the role of gold in shaping human history is the striking feature of this tumultuous tale. Such is the power of gold. Whether it is Egyptian pharaohs with depraved tastes, the luxury-mad survivors of the Black Death, the Chinese inventor of paper money, the pirates on the Spanish Main, or the hardnosed believers in the international gold standard, gold has been the supreme possession. It has been an icon for greed and an emblem of rectitude, as well as a vehicle for vanity and a badge of power that has shaped the destiny of humanity through the ages. Discusses the beginnings of gold as something with magical, religious, and artistic qualities and follows its trail as we progress to the invention of coinage, the transformation of gold into money, and the gold standard Other bestselling books by the late Peter Bernstein: Against the Gods, Capital Ideas, and Capital Ideas Evolving Contemplates gold from the diverse perspectives of monarchs and moneyers, potentates and politicians, men of legendary wealth and others of more plebeian beginnings Far more than a tale of romantic myths, daring explorations, and the history of money and power struggles, The Power of Gold suggests that the true significance of this infamous element may lie in the timeless passions it continues to evoke, and what this reveals about ourselves.
Author: Charles Stephenson
Author: Walter Hines Page
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Author: Boston Public Library![Bulletin [1908-23] PDF](https://books.google.com/books/content/images/frontcover/HEMmAQAAIAAJ?fife=w80-h100)
Author: Boston Public Library
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Author: Carole French
Author: Peter L. Bernstein