The Sharp End: The Fighting Man in World War II - Softcover

John Ellis

3.99

93 ratings by Goodreads

9781845134594: The Sharp End: The Fighting Man in World War II

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845134591 ISBN 13: 9781845134594

Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd, 2009

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Originally published in 1980, "The Sharp End" has been through several editions on both sides of the Atlantic and has established itself a classic work of military history, Aurum is delighted to be publishing this new edition with the addition of a specially commissioned Foreword by one of today's most distinguished historians, Sir Max Hastings.In any army, it is only a minority of men who end up as combat soldiers, at the 'sharp end' where they have to shoot and be shot at, but it is, of course, their experiences which are the most intense and which tell us most directly what war is actually like. In this book John Ellis has drawn together the testimony of men who fought with the British, Commonwealth and American armies in all theatres of the Second World War, from Western Europe to Burma and from North Africa to the Pacific. He uses these eyewitness accounts to explain how they were trained, the different landscapes and climates in which they fought, their attitudes and aspirations, how they relaxed when they were out of the line and, above all, how they reacted to the experience of battle.This is a reissue of an established classic of military history with a new Foreword by Max Hastings. It is an account of the experience of the combat soldier based upon first-hand testimony from men who fought in the British, Commonwealth and American armies in all arms and on all fronts in World War II. It conveys as no other book has ever done exactly what it was like to be at the 'sharp end' of the most violent war in history.

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Review:

"'It is the most comprehensive, best balanced, most sensitive and best informed study of the condition of the fighting man in our time.' . --General Sir John Hackett

'John Ellis has written an essential account of the experience of the unknown soldier.... No one who opens this book will again lightly pronounce the words "World War Three" --' John Keegan '

I believe John Ellis to be an exceptionally gifted writer and historian. I have returned to The Sharp End many times.' --Len Deighton

'John Ellis has written an essential account of the experience of the unknown soldier.... No one who opens this book will again lightly pronounce the words "World War Three" --' John Keegan '

I believe John Ellis to be an exceptionally gifted writer and historian. I have returned to The Sharp End many times.' --Len Deighton

About the Author:

John Ellis' other books include Cassino: The Hollow Victory, The World War I Databook (with Mike Cox), The World War II Databook (all published by Aurum), The Social History of the Machine Gun and Brute Force: Allied Tactics and Strategy in the Second World War.

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