Product Description
The Air War over Kosovo opens with an exploration of the ethnic conflict in the Balkans. From this foundation, the book examines the weapons systems that were utilized. The author scrutinize the missiles employed, review the diverse bomber systems used, and highlight the nuances of the air lift operations. Additionally, the author explores the tactics and strategies that the American military administration designed and implemented over the Balkans. The author studied specific missions and scrutinize the memories and experiences of Lt. General Michael Short, General Charles Horner and General Wesley K. Clark to proffer an overview of the scope of this air-directed campaign. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sloppy Work
Whether or not the author got the facts (mostly) right, the grammar is so bad as to make the book almost unreadable. This guy is a professor? Bad news for academia! The writing is so bad that it makes you wonder if his reporting of facts and opinions is as badly flawed. The maps and graphics are obviously poorly reproduced copies of military briefing slides. They are so poorly rendered that they are almost illegible. This is a really bad book! ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
In New Approaches to Balkan Studies, the editors have collected thirteen papers that explore issues of image and national identity in the Balkans; democracy, nationalism, and the related ethnic and political conflicts that have plagued the region; and leadership and conflict in Yugoslavia throughout the twentieth century. The contributors presented these papers at the annual Socrates Kokkalis Graduate Student Workshop, which was organized by the Kokkalis Program on Southeastern and East-Central Europe at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The contributors—international scholars in disciplines that include literature, economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, international relations, and public policy—lead the reader to a less-traveled path to the study of the Balkans. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume I discusses the history of the major Balkan nationalities.It describes the differing conditions experienced under Ottoman and Habsburg rule,but the main emphasis is on the national movements, their successes and failures to 1900, and the place of events in the Balkans in the international relations of the day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good material, but dry and dated
Jelavich clearly knows her stuff, and this (and its successor volume) serve as an excellent general study. However, the writing style is very dry and can be difficult and a little boring to read. Further, the work is a bit dated, neglecting all of the extraordinary events after the mid-80s. The bibliography is very good, though keep in mind obviously no recent works are there. Citations are a bit sparse, making it difficult to pursue a line of thought further.

This is overall a good book, but readers interested in first learning this subject absolutely should start with Stavrianos' "The Balkans since 1453." It's even more dated, but is unbeatable as a general study on the region up to about 1950.

Comprehensive introduction to Balkan history
Although published in the late 1980s with no updated editions in later years, Jelavich's masterful "History of the Balkans" is still by far the best introduction to contemporary Balkan history. This first volume traces the developments among the various Balkan peoples as they moved into modernity and formed independent nation states. Jelavich begins with a short and very informative introduction to Balkan history up to the end of the 17th century, i.e. the time when Ottoman power in the region seriously began to wane and the role of the Habsburg Monarchy and Russia (and later all of the major European powers) in the region became crucial. The author focuses mostly on the Ottoman Empire and the Balkan nationalities under Ottoman rule, the Bulgarians, Greeks, Romanians and Serbs, and the Albanians to a lesser extent, as it was among these people that the first revolts occurred and the first nation states were formed in the Balkans. Even so, Jelavich provides excellent analysis of the main currents in the Habsburg Monarchy's Balkan possessions, mainly the Croatian lands but also Vojvodina and Transylvania with their large Serbian and Romanian populations. Perhaps the main thing that comes out of this volume is that Ottoman rule in the Balkans was not as oppressive as it was often later portrayed (i.e. the notorious "Turkish yoke" of national(ist) historiography in the Balkans). It was in fact this empire's decentralized governing institutions, tolerance of non-Islamic religious communities, and general inefficiency that made possible a great deal of local autonomy among the Balkan peoples and proved conducive to the nationalist uprisings of the 19th century. Also important is Jelavich's repeated emphasis on the region's general poverty. Throughout the period this book covers, the vast majority of the Balkan people were peasants who often lived at subsistence levels. This factor was crucial in shaping the region's history. This book contains both detailed accounts of the major events in Balkan history during the period it covers as well as strong analysis of the underlying social and political processes. It therefore provides a strong basis for understanding Balkan history, and greatly helps in comprehending current events in the region. ... Read more

Product Description
Sir Ralph Norman Angell (1872 -1967) was an English lecturer, writer, and Member of Parliament for the Labour Party. He was a member of the Council of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and an executive for the World Committee against War and Fascism. Angell was a member of the executive committee of the League of Nations Union, Angell was knighted in 1931 and in 1933 won the Nobel Prize. Peace Theories and the Balkan War was published in 1913. Angell said the benefits of war are not a certainty. The warring parties are not guided by wisdom or folly. “Its (war) futility is proven by the war waged daily by the Turks as conquerors, during the last 400 years. The Balkan peoples have chosen the less evil of two kinds of war, and wll use their victory to bring a system based on force and conquest to an end.” The underlying causes of the Balkan war were economic. The relationship with the Turks based on supreme force is bound to break down. Angell makes many more points in his analysis of the Balkan war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful reprint of a 1912 book
For those interested in the Eastern Question (the breakup of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries) or in Norman Angellism, this is valuable background reading.

It is important to note that it was originally published in 1912.

Sir Norman Angell (1874-1967) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Balkans, the story behind it.
This is an extreme study of the crisis in the Balkans in 1875.It builds up to the year of the outbreaks and exposes the how and why of the crisis.In Harris' book he reveals to the reader that the happenings in the Balkansis directly and indirectly related to the onset of 1914.The author digsdeep into numerous sources and uses primary sources.Overall it gives thereader a better understanding of why problems exist in the Balkans.It isa slow read and is highly informative.It should be read by all who arestudying foreign relations. ... Read more

Product Description
The Ottoman Empire and its conflicts provide one of the longest continuous narratives in military history. Its rulers were never overthrown by a foreign power and no usurper succeeded in taking the throne. At its height under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Empire became the most powerful state in the world - a multi-national, multilingual empire that stretched from Vienna to the upper Arab peninsula. With Suleiman's death began the gradual decline to the peace treaty of 1699 in which the Ottoman Empire lost much of its European territory. This volume covers the main campaigns and the part played by such elite troops as the Janissaries and the Sipahis, as well as exploring the social and economic impact of the conquests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Clear Look At Over 300 Years Of History
This is another great book in the Essential History series.One point that sticks out is that Stephen Turnbull clearly and concisely pulled together over 300 years of Ottoman history.The obvious shortcoming is the fact that many battles are given only a brief description.The reader is left wanting more.Given the size limitation of Osprey books, however, there is really no way to overcome this minor shortcoming.If more attention were given to one battle, then something else would have to be taken out.

The book contains some notable bits of information that the average reader will find fascinating.The activities of Vlad Dracul, the Impaler, are particularly interesting.The author does a splendid job of describing the real life activities of the man who became the literary inspiration for Count Dracula, the vampire.

The history of the Empire is told in chronological order.Thus, it is easy to follow.The author also expands on certain topics by devoting two chapters to a Serbian janissary and a civilian Grand Vizier.This adds a unique perspective and prevents the book from becoming nothing more than a list of battles.Bottom line: the author achieved his goal of writing a brief account of the Ottoman Empire, its battles, and the associated political motivations.This is no small feat given the expansive period covered.The book is a great reference on a part of history that is rarely taught in school.

A good starting point in learning about the Ottoman Empire
"The Ottoman Empire 1326-1699" by Stephen Turnbull is a good introductory book on the Ottoman Turks.I would recommend reading this volume on the Ottomans before the other Osprey books on them.The book chronologically covers the history of the Ottomans and the reader gains a sense of who they were and who they fought.As you may expect, the volume is richly illustrated with photographs, woodcuts, paintings, and maps.

Taking into account that the Osprey military books really are concise volumes and are limited to a specific number of pages, the fact that much of Ottoman history is quickly reviewed or even omitted is understandable.However, the fact that several pages have white space without illustration is less excusable.The 1683 Siege of Vienna is quickly glossed over leaving a half blank page at its conclusion.Without a doubt, there was room to expand on this battle.

My interest in the Ottoman Empire was learning who this foe was that attacked and troubled Europe, particularly Poland.Interestingly enough, details of wars between the Ottomans and Poles are throughout the book.On the cover of the book lies the dead king Wladislaw III at the battle of Varna 1444 and toward the end it briefly mentions King Jan Sobieski's assistance in the Siege of Vienna.If you are hoping to find many of the details of the Polish and Ottomans, you are going to be disappointed as they are few and far between.The lack of details is almost excessive as the book even fails to mention Sobieski was Polish.

A Vivid Military Narrative
Stephen Turnbull's The Ottoman Empire 1326 - 1699, Osprey's Essential History volume #62, is a lively and well-written narrative of a critical and brutal phase of Medieval warfare.Indeed, this volume is one of Turnbull's best efforts since his samurai efforts.Turnbull succeeds in bringing three centuries of Ottoman conquests into sharp focus and he adds great drama to this historical survey.However, Turnbull's otherwise fine effort is marred by two critical deficiencies: lack of sufficient maps to support the narrative and a neglect of Ottoman operations in North Africa and the Mideast.

After a short introduction and chronology, Turnbull's The Ottoman Empire 1326 - 1699 briefly examines the rise of the Ottomans and the nature of the Ottoman army.It is interesting to contrast modern armies in the Mideast with Turnbull's description of an Ottoman military system built on discipline, military efficiency and a willingness to adopt new technology and tactics.The bulk of the 55-page campaign narrative focuses on Turkish advances into the Balkans, with only slight asides for other areas.Turnbull also provides interesting sections on portrait of a soldier (a Serbian janissary), portrait of a civilian (a grand vizier), and a discussion of terror and toleration in the empire.Turnbull's bibliography is a bit skimpy.Certainly the weakest aspect of the volume is the limited number of maps; normally Osprey essential histories have ten maps but Turnbull provides only five and they are not particularly useful maps.Readers will note that very few of the battles or sieges listed in the narrative are depicted in the maps.The five maps include: the early Ottoman conquests (1291-1389); the major crusades to halt Ottoman expansion (1396/1444/1448); the expansion of the Ottoman Empire under Mehmet the Conqueror (1451-1481); the expansion of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1683; and the Ottoman Eastern European Front in the 17th Century.

Turnbull's descriptions of the Turkish advance into the Balkans is exciting and vivid, with excellent descriptions of the victory at Nicopolis (1396), the defeat at Ankara (1402), and more victories at Varna (1444) and Constantinople (1453).One of the more interesting personalities that Turnbull highlights is Prince Vlad Dracula from Wallachia, who used terror and guerrilla warfare to contest the Ottoman advance into modern-day Romania.Dracula's terror tactics actually succeeded in intimidated even the Turks - a rare occurrence - and deterring invasion in 1462, although Dracula was later killed by the Turks.Turnbull also discusses the great Ottoman victory of Mohacs (1526) at length, and how this reinforced a tendency for land expansion.Throughout the narrative, Turnbull downplays economic, social and political dynamics in the Ottoman Empire and he attributes Ottoman decline in the 17th Century to poor leadership, internal divisions, and the growing professionalism of European armies.
Readers should note that Turnbull virtually ignores the Ottoman wars with Persia, and their conquests in the Arabian peninsula and North Africa, which renders this account overly Euro-centric.

What Turnbull presents in this volume is a dramatic and well-illustrated summarized account of the centuries-long struggle between the Ottomans and various European states for control of the Balkans and lower Eastern Europe.However, this account is far from comprehensive in either geographic scope or thematic depth, and should not be used as introduction to Ottoman history for those readers requiring a broader canvas. ... Read more

Product Description
This extensive bibliography of North American and West European social sciences research on Romania is also the only annotated bibliography to date on life under the iron rule of Ceausescu. A one-stop source of information about Romania's recent communist history, this guide pulls together over 1,000 citations from books, periodicals, reports, occasional papers, doctoral dissertations, and government documents in English as well as representative source materials in French and German. Students, teachers, librarians, and researchers in East European studies and international relations will find this research guide, with 21 topical chapters and author and subject indexes, invaluable in helping close a major information gap about this dark chapter in Romania's history. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

History, Legend Gathered in One Volume
I was disappointed by this weighty and overpriced tome. Yes, it was done by an Englishman and the pound-dollar exchange rate may influence the price. But the ordinary lay reader, or even more so, researcher, may be easily misled by materiels Pearson presents. A singular major flaw is Pearson's treatment (or lack thereof) of stories of showtrials and protests of persecution by neighboring countries as presented by the Albanian Communists in the early days of the Enver Hoxha regime. American intelligence officials at the time tried to slough off such Albanian documentation as largely propaganda. In fact major strains of accuracy rang through the Albanian coverage, and it is difficult for readers years later to differentiate that accuracy from the whining of skillfully acting Albanian 'victims'. Pearson offers little or no expertise to guide the reader to the numerous subtle accuracies of history intermixed with political lies. The author's cut-and-paste style also leaves the reader free to view as truthful legends about western intelligence - such as the Kim Philby fable - that are perpetuated by repetition in book after book on intelligence history.

Pearson's 666-page text includes a significant amount of data related to Americans involved in the events portrayed. Unfortunately, included materiel often ends abruptly with little follow-on explanation. Pearson's presentation techniquecauses the same effect on British and Albanian issues related to the main topics. Pearson's style of endnotes is an extremely unsatisfying technique that leaves the reader wishing to have every referenced news clip, article and book to be at hand. On the other hand, a very strong compilation technique is Pearson's index, which is divided into subject, name and place. The names section is subdivided by the nationality of the person.

it would be unfair to end this review without a kudo to Pearson's accomplishment. While the criticisms above are, in this writer's view, quite troublesome and weaken the book's worth, its value lies in giving the reader a way to view major trends in post-World War II Albanian history, both domestic and international. Whether Communist persecution of rival Catholics at the city of Shkoder in 1946-47, successful efforts by Albanian security forces to ward off the agents of five different nations to overturn the Hoxha regime in 1947-55, or relations with China, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia between 1945 and 1985, Pearson offers threads to follow. This is the book's strength, even as the threads are weakened by issues raised above and some sloppy data presentation as might be expected in a book of this size. ... Read more

Product Description
No critical analysis has ever examined the specific reasons for the Ottoman defeat. Erickson's study fills this gap by studying the operations of the Ottoman Army from October 1912 through July 1913, and by providing a comprehensive explanation of its doctrines and planning procedures. This book is written at an operational level that details every campaign at the level of the army corps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Written in Detail
This book tells the story of the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars using mainly the Turkish resources. Well researched in great detail and covering many aspects of these wars, it is an important contribution to that period of the European history. Although there are many typographical errors (mostly Turkish) and missing a general area map showing all the critical geographical names mentioned in the book, it completes Richard C. Hall's recent book on the same subject. ... Read more

Product Description
This latest volume in the acclaimed Oxford History of Modern Europe series looks at the collapse of Communist power which has once again focused attention on the processes of nation-building in central and eastern Europe. In this comprehensive study, Keith Hitchins focuses on how Rumania's political and intellectual elites attempted to establish an independent state before the advent of Communist rule in 1947. It traces the efforts of the country's leaders to create the institutions of a modern state, to "Europeanize" without losing national identity, and to find ways of preserving independence in the international political and economic order dominated by the great powers. In his study, Hitchins emphasizes how Rumania's past history is essential to a clear understanding of its complex present and future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An explicit, well written book about the history of Rumania.
I have found the book excellent for a hystorical review of the years1866-1947, well documented and pleasant to read. It describes the struggleof a nation to came into existance and to modernise. The book is not only alist of hystorical events, but more a monography of the everyday life. Theauthor has an original way of describing the events of that time. Iconsider the book one of the best in this subject, recommended for anyonewho wants to know more (than the fictitious Dracula)about Rumania'shistory.

one of the best books that was written on Romanian history
A very elegant book , written in an elegant , clear style . Trutful to the historical context , with no biast interpretation of the subject matter , yet compassionate and open . Excelent ! ... Read more

Product Description
This book was written in 1915.This was a time that saw many significant events that affected the Balkans.Written by four different authors from different locations, here is their preface to "The Balkans".PREFACEThe authors of this volume have not worked in conjunction. Widely separated, engaged on other duties, and pressed for time, we have had no opportunity for interchange of views. Each must be held responsible, therefore, for his own section alone. If there be any discrepancies in our writings (it is not unlikely in so disputed a field of history) we can only regret an unfortunate result of the circumstances. Owing to rapid change in the relations of our country to the several Balkan peoples, the tone of a section written earlier may differ from that of another written later. It may be well to state that the sections on Serbia and Bulgaria were finished before the decisive Balkan developments of the past two months. Those on Greece and Rumania represent only a little later stage of the evolution. That on Turkey, compiled between one mission abroad and another, was the latest to be finished.If our sympathies are not all the same, or given equally to friends and foes, none of us would find it possible to indite a Hymn of Hate about any Balkan people. Every one of these peoples, on whatever side he be fighting to-day, has a past worthy of more than our respect and interwoven in some intimate way with our history. That any one of them is arrayed against us to-day is not to be laid entirely or chiefly at its own door. They are all fine peoples who have not obtained their proper places in the sun. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Yugoslavia: A Concise History surveys the whole turbulent course of the country's history, in the context of the struggles between great powers for control of the Balkans. Torn apart by nationalist rivalries, the first Yugoslavia lapsed into paralysis and dictatorship. Axis occupation in 1941 unleashed a murderous civil war, in which the Communist Party emerged victorious. Tito's Yugoslavia appeared to the world as a peaceful, multi-national federation, but in the end disintegrated amid barbarism unknown in Europe for half a century. This revised and fully updated edition explains why, and takes the events up to the arrest of Milosevic in 2001and beyond.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Difficult book to read and understand
I want it to read this book for my upcoming trip to Croatia,Slovenia and Montenegro, unfortunately this book was very hard to read and i was dissapointed.Seems to me the author is not interested in simplyfying an already delicate subject.The way he explains the problems in former Yugoslavia is very arcane and rough.The author doesnt explain the terms and political mindset of many of the participants involved.He just tells the story as it is without pausing to think if the reader is aware of the facts he is relating.In other words he's approach is: i am telling the story so shut up and listen.Very poor work

Seeking to the reveal roots of bitter clashes and struggles
Leslie Benson is the Senior Lecturer of Politics and Sociology at University College Northampton, United Kingdom. In Yugoslavia: A Concise History, Professor Benson provides his readers with a straightforward, meticulously researched, and informatively narrated historical study of the fierce ethnic rivalries that have hallmarked the Balkans and frequently erupted into horrific episodes of militant barbarism and the kinds of "ethnic cleansing" atrocities that shocked late twentieth century Europe and America. A thorough examination seeking to the reveal roots of bitter clashes and struggles, Yugoslavia: A Concise History is especially recommended introductory reading for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Yugoslavian history and acquiring a basic understanding of the historical background to the contemporary antagonisms that have so scarred the peoples and territories that once comprised the multi-ethnic nation of Yugoslavia.

A very good book on a complicated subject
The history of the area known as Yugoslavia is so complicated that the average person will throw up his hands in trying to understand the reasons for Milosevic's ethnic cleansing, NATO's 1999 air strikes against Kosovo and Serbia and the uneasy peace today. As the Ottoman Empire began to crumble, various elements saw their opportunity to hasten the Ottoman withdrawal and grab land and power. The turning point came in October 1912 when Montenegro declared war on Turkey, with the Serbs crushing an Ottoman army in a massed battle at Kumanovo in Northern Macedonia and taking Kosovo. A policy of terror designed to alter the ethnic composition of Kosovo and strengthen Serbia's claims to the province followed, leading to the massacre of about 20,000 Kosovar Albanians followed by torture, maiming, and forced conversions. In May 1913 Serbia and Greece, supported by Montenegro and Romania defeated Bulgaria; Serbian nationalist fervor boiled over as Old Serbia had been recovered, the battle of Kosovo was avenged and the Turk routed. On 28 June 1914 the Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Bosnian Serb; Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia triggering World War I in which 40% of the Serb armed forces and 25% of the total Serb population perished. Serbia was too weak to claim a seat at the diplomatic table when the secret 1915 Treaty of London gave Serbia Bosnia-Herzegovina and a portion of southern Dalmatia where there was a concentration of Orthodox Christians. The abdication of the Russian Tzar in February 1917 robbed Serbia of its most powerful support. Following the war, seven treaties settled various territorial claims, Albania became an Italian protectorate, the Kosova Albanians revolted against Serbian rule, the Yugoslav Communist Party was formed, Tito returned from Russia where he had been a prisoner of war exposed to ideas and methods of the October Revolution, intrigue abounded everywhere jousting for power or justice, anarchy and murder ruled, people profiteered while others went hungry.Drained of blood and treasure, Serbia struggled to make good its claims against hostile Italian diplomacy while trying to integrate minorities none of which welcomed rule from Belgrade. The communists gained power in local elections and 16 parties were represented in the 1920 elections to choose a constituent assembly. The electoral success of the Communist party with an appeal well beyond the numerically tiny working class, exceeded the worst fears in government circles. "The kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes could hardly have got off to a worse start. Of the three founder-peoples, two were recalcitrant joiners. Now a rump 'Serbia' Assembly had passed a law giving apparently limitless power to the executive. The scene was set for two decades of political paralysis, which ended (when it was too late to make any difference) with the partitioning of the state and the outbreak of Hitler's war in the Balkans."

Hitler's plans entailed picking off one by one the states created by the Versailles Treaty and Yugoslavia drifted into the Axis sphere of influence. It was the Kosovar Albanians who caught the full force of racial bigotry that surfaced during the 1930s, resulting in murder, dispossession of lands and cultural oppression with the intention of removing them altogether. In 1935 Turkey offered to accept 200,000 Muslims from Kosovo. The communists, many of whom were revolutionaries in the Lenin mould, veterans of the civil war in Spain and with experience of prison and police brutality had their chance to form a formidable clandestine organization. The government was overthrown by a coup in April 1941and in retaliation, the Luftwaffe reduce Belgrade to rubble. In the turmoil of World War II, guerilla war and civil war, the communists gained power, but Tito's regional ambitions had no place in Moscow's plans, leading to the 1948 expulsion of the Yugoslavian Communist Party. Tito's death in May 1980 unleashed inflation, the party's hold on a discontented population weakened and old enmities reemerged. In 1987 Milosevic became effectively ruler of the republic, setting in motion an ugly tide of anti-Muslim sentiments on the 600th anniversary of Kosovo Field in June 1989.

The final chapter 'Back to Kumanovo' tells how the second Yugoslavia slowly expired following the fall of communism, the Milosevic years of ethnic cleansing, the 78 days of NATO bombing and Milosevic's arrest in April 2001 and warns that: "It does not seem even remotely possible that the Kosovars will accept for ever their present found constitutional status as an integral part of Serbia" and "Finally, but by no means least, the settlement in Bosnia-Herzegovina is coming apart at the seams, as most people always thought it would" and " However, the domestic politics of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia may be entering another phase of turmoil" and "In Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo the Balkan crisis continues."

Huntington tells us in 'The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order' that clashes between civilizations are the greatest threat to world peace; that since the end of the Cold War people define themselves by blood, belief, faith and family - ancestry, language, religion, history, values, institutions, tribes, ethnic groups and customs - rather than by nation, ideologies and economics; that the hotspots are on the fault lines between civilizations; that Bosnia was a war of civilizations with Russia providing diplomatic support to the Serbs while Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and Libya provided funds and arms to the Bosnians; that the philosophical assumptions, underlying values, social relations, customs and overall outlooks on life differ significantly among civilizations, reinforced by the revitalization of religion. The problems in this area of the world are extremely complicated but they will not just go away. Understanding the history of Yugoslavia is the first step and Benson has done an outstanding job in presenting the facts in an unbiased manner for which we should be very appreciative. ... Read more

Product Description
Journalist Timothy Judah witnessed firsthand many of the most horrifying episodes of the war in former Yugoslavia while on assignment from 1990-1995.Judah offers here a history of the Serbs from medieval times to the present, combining a gripping personal description of the war with a skillful analysis of the historical and cultural context out of which it emerged.For this paperback edition Judah adds observations on the emergence of a more moderate Bosnian Serb leadership, and on the worrying signs of a possible new war, this time in Kosovo.Amazon.com Review
The recent war in Bosnia re-ignited ancient hatreds and led to acts of brutality that echoed World War II atrocities: large-scale massacres and "ethnic cleansing". Bosnian Serbs, aided by Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, systematically murdered, raped, and terrorized Bosnian Muslims as they strove to create a Greater Serbia. Now, journalist Tim Judah provides some perspective on the horrors of the Bosnian conflict with The Serbs. Make no mistake, Judah is not an apologist for Serbian excesses; rather, he aims to explicate the Balkans' long and violent history leading to this latest tragic conflict.

The Serbs begins with the establishment of a Serbian state in the Middle Ages,then follows Serb fortunes through ensuing centuries of conquest, conflict, and oppression. Ethnic cleansing in the Balkans is hardly unique to the Bosnian war; it has been a horrific element of all Balkan conflicts, and Judah convincingly argues that Serbian nationalism is an outgrowth of the Serbs' own sufferings as victims of ethnic cleansing in past conflicts.Anyone interested in current affairs--particularly in the Balkans--will find Tim Judah's The Serbs an engrossing and important exploration of the Bosnian conflict. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Important book, but somewhat biased against the Serbs
The books starts with the standard history of the Serbs, from ancient times to the Yugoslavia wars. As the time goes by, Judah takes an increasingly hostile opinion of the Serbs and their leaders.

So while the first parts are important and interesting stuff that is not much written about outside Europe, the later parts look like the Usual Serb Bashing writings.

From the book, you could think that Serbia during the 90's was only murderers, thieves and criminals.

The author laments that unlike the Bosnians and the Croats, the Serbs didn't greatly publicize their suffering, and that had a cost at the PR war. Well, unfortunately his research does nothing to compensate for this,as he didn't try to hard to present the Serbian suffering.

Serbs love to rewrite history
This is actually a pretty good book. Basic facts:
Since Serbs (aka as Servs) came from Russia in the 7th century they have only caused trouble. Their main problem is arrogance and underestimating others, namely the natives, the Albanians. Serbs will probably not like the book as it tells the truth about their xenophobic Orthodox Church and how it has supported genocide and Serbian concentration camps, but the truth is the truth.

Serbs have started: The First Balkan War (to get Albanian lands and Macedonia), The Second Balkan War (Turkey was their ally and they fought against Bulgaria), WWI, WWII (indirectly by starting WWI,) War against Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Other than the battles when Russia backed them, they have them all.

Their pride is the 1389 surrender to the Turks. To make peace they gave their Saint's daughter to the Sultan's harem, and they fought against Christians in Nicolisa, the Second Kosovo War and sent 1500 knights to help the Turks take Constantinople.

A good book
This is a book which presents a history of Serbs in objective manner. Some says it is anti-Serb, but this is not true. It only mentions good as well as dark spots in Serbian history. All periods in Serbian history are covered sufficiently enough, although the emphasis (about half of the book) is on violent dissolution of Yugoslavia. This imbalanced coverage would be a shortcoming if this was a general history of Serbs, yet as its name tells this is not only a book on Serbs but also on destruction of Yugoslavia. When he deals with this period, some events (for example, economy in Serbia, details on atrocities) are given perhaps too great coverage and it would be better if this space were devoted to earlier periods in Serbian history.
Nevertheless, it is a book well worth money for buying and time for reading it.

Miserable propaganda
Throwing usnuported by the facts claims about Serbs and intentionally distorting the truth - are the only marks of this book. Good for garbage bin, as somebody already mentioned here.

Devoid of historical seriousness or journalistic integrity
It is necessary to correct the current trend of public commentary, which tends, systematically, not to understand events in the former Yugoslavia but to construct a propagandistic version of Balkan rivalries, designed to validate the existing post-modern myths and prejudices. This book faithfully reflects the post-modern blinkers that its author has helped first create and then perpetuate in his "coverage" of the Wars of Yugoslav Succession. This book reflects his (and their) belief that the Orthodox nations of Southeast Europe - embodied in "the Serbs" - are The Other vis-a-vis "The West" in the Huntingtonian sense. The author's assumptions are prejudiced in a coarse, primordial manner.

Judah's mindset helps us understand why the problem of the Balkans under UN/EU/NATO/UNMIK/KFOR/SFOR. . . is inseparable from the quandary of America under the bipartisan regime inside the Beltway, or that of Europe "united" under the Leviathan of Brussels. This book unintentionally poses many questions, and answers none. Can any meaningful unity of nations sharing European heritage be restored? To what extent, how, and why has the modern, secular, "post-Christian" West inherited the antipathy of West to the carriers of the Byzantine tradition? How do those two traditions converge, and how do they diverge, amidst the continuing onslaught of globalized secularism? Such issues are not merely political. They are as much "cultural" as theological, and they have been political all along. It is on the way we deal with them today that the future of our civilization will depend, and it that endeavor Judah has decided to side with the bad guys.

A book is badly needed to counter Judah's prejudice and ignorance about an area of the Old Continent which need never be the "powder keg of Europe." Though the Balkans, however delineated, contain many states and even more nations, they have one thing in common: for most of history they have not been masters of their own fate, but objects of policy by dominant outside powers. Though depicted by Judah as aggressing against their neighbors and generating wider conflicts, the Serbs in most cases had these conflicts foisted upon them by powerful outsiders and their local minions.

In particular Judah's attempt to relativize the Ustasha genocide of some 500-700,000 Serbs is scandalous. Had the same apparatus of quasi-historical whitewash been applied to the victims of Treblinka, such book surely would not have seen the light of day - and rightly so.

Even if all history-as a philosopher argued-is in some measure contemporary history, it need not be dominated by the obsessions of the day. The cause of tolerance in a troubled region can never be advanced by misrepresentation or by the sentimental lapse of seriousness which judges one patriotism as admirable and condemns another as inadmissible. This book is found wanting on all fronts. ... Read more

Product Description
Recent history should remind us that it was events in the Balkans which sparked off the Great War, with the assassination of the Austrian heir Prince Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, and the consequent invasion of Serbia by Austro-Hungarian armies on 2 August 1914. Nevertheless, the subsequent four-year war in that theatre is always overshadowed by the simultaneous campaigns on the Western Front. For the first time this book offers a concise account of these complex campaigns, the organisation, orders of battle, and the uniforms and insignia of the armies involved: Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, Serbian, Montenegrin, Albanian, British, French, Italian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek and Rumanian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Recycled images
This book can only serve as a basic primer to the subject, as it attempts to cover too many countries and units within such a small volume. It would have been far better if MAA had decided to do this as a multi-volume sub-series.

The illustrations are not that great. But don't be fooled by that pseudo-photorealistic technique to assume that these were taken from photos of the period.

I can compare this book to an earlier Blandford book covering WWI (Army Uniforms of World War One by Andrew Mollo and Pierre Turner) which had far superior drawings based on the same or similar photos of the period. If one examines the drawings between the two books, it is clear that in this Osprey book, at least half of the drawings were made by cannibalising substantial parts of figures from that Blandford book.

Sometimes, whole body poses have been reproduced with detail changes, either as it is or mirror-reversed. There are also composite poses made up from several body poses. I do not know if the Blandford artist (Turner) had done this as well, but this method of secondary cut-and-paste reproduction leaves rather oddly posed figures. I cite one example. The Austrian skier on the front cover of this Osprey book is partly taken from a German soldier holding his child in that Blandford book, which in itself was taken from an original WWI photograph.

Great Addition for colection
Great book which covers neglected theater not at all bias. For more info you could use Strachans books and see why Belgium and Serbia were so cherished in those days.

Small Armies that may go Unnoticed
This publication is of a high quality, and fills a gap in military history in the West. The armies of the Balkan countries are often overlooked whem World War One is discussed. This small book provides the reader with a basic insight into the organisation and capabilities of the Balkan armies. It is recommended for those who wish to gain greater understanding of the role the Balkan armies played in World War One.

Excellent Osprey Title
First of all, to the previous reviewer, the Central Powers were no more the aggressors than Russia, and any attempt to claim otherwise is itself revisionist. Austria-Hungary was simply trying to deal with an affront by a weaker nation, which it had every right to do.That said, this title is one of the best of the Men-at-Arms series.The illustrations are very well done, and it manages to include good basic information about a large number of countries in the small space of the format.The plates all seem to be fairly representative, with the possible exception of Austro-Hungarian forces.The bias of the author toward Serbia is apparent, however it is no more biased than some of the other titles in the Osprey series, such as the Campaign study of Mons.Overall, the plates are what define any Men-at-Arms book, and the plates in Armies in the Balkans are excellent.

Accurate Great War HISTORY, not 1990s REVISIONISM
First, a reminder for the previous reviewers- Central Powers were the AGGRESSORS, the Allies the Defenders.
Germany, Austro-Hungary and the Ottoman Turks (and in 1915 Bulgaria, seeking to expand its territory) were the bad guys. It was the Turks who perpetrated the ethnic-cleansing and murder of hundreds of thousands of Christian Armenians and Assyrians from 1915 to 1918 (and beyond). The Kingdom of Serbia,and later in 1917 the United States, were Allies against those Central Powers expansionists. The Allies won the Great War, which freed the nationalities of Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Romanians of Transylvania, and yes also those Serbs who lived in Bosnia. See "Tito and the Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia" by Richard West for the WW2 events in the Balkans.
"Armies in the Balkans 1914-18" accurately recounts, free of 1990s revisionism, the History of the Great War in the Balkans. To read of the 1990s Balkans, readers should of course look elsewhere. But to those Westerners who couldn't find Foca or Bihac on a map before 1992, this is a fine and comprehensive primer, one of the best of the Osprey Men-At-Arms offerings. It is a bonanza of military and historical information on the Balkan Armies of the Great War, in one concise book. The abbreviated sections on certain Armies are necessary to focus on the indigenous armed forces. The Ottoman Turks are already covered in their own Osprey book.
The 1915 Albanian Retreat was a Serbian "Dunkirk", not a debacle. It saved their armies to victoriously fight their way north out of Greece in 1917-1918, after being re-equipped by the Serbian ally, France. They also fought alongside those Russian Expeditionary Forces that were in that theater before 1917.
By the way, there were morale problems with conscripts of the Imperial Russian Expeditionary units in France. But, nevertheless, a sizeable and combat-proven cadre, the Russian Legion ("La Legion Russe") fought successfully on the Western Front, from December 1917 to 11 November 1918 (read "With Snow On Their Boots"). ... Read more

Product Description
Until the publication of this remarkably comprehensive history of the Sephardi diaspora, only limited attention had been given to the distinctive Judeo-Spanish cultural entity that flourished in the Balkans and Asia Minor for more than four centuries. Yet the great majority of Sephardi Jews, after their expulsion from Spain in 1492 and subsequently from Portugal, found their way to this region, drawn by the political stability and relatively tolerant rule of the Ottoman Empire, as well as by promising socioeconomic conditions. Esther Benbassa and Aron Rodrigue show how Sephardi society and culture developed in the Levant, sharing language, religion, customs, and communal life as they did nowhere else, both during prosperous times and during the declining fortunes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The impact of westernization, the end of Ottoman power, and the rise of fragmenting nation-states transformed this vital community in the modern era. And, like many other Jewish communities, the unique Judeo-Spanish culture was dispersed and destroyed by the Holocaust and the migrations of the twentieth century. Sephardi Jewry presents its vivid history in a readable, well-documented narrative. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sephardi Jewry: A History of the Judeo-Spanish Community, 14th-20th Centuries
The book was virtually brand new, and was delivered promptly.It was very enlightening.

Sephardim Refugee Community in the Balkans
This book is truly informative if you're interested in what happened to the 15th century Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal. The author begins by talking about the position and status of the Jews in Spain on the eve of their expulsion and the circumstances leading to their forced conversion and expulsion at the end of the 1400s. Many Jews were prosperous and held high positions in Spain (some continued to do so after converting to Christianity). The author states that many Jewish families were torn apart and separated as some chose conversion whilst other family members left so that they can remain Jewish.

These Sephardic Jews were dispersed all over : some to Southern France, Italy, Morrocco, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, the Balkans and Turkey...others to Holland and England, sometimes using them merely as transit points to the New World. This book discusses the Sephardim refugee community in the Balkans only and the rest of the Sephardic Jews who settled elsewhere are actually outside the scope of this book [which is quite disappointing]. I guess the number of Sephardim refugees must have been enormous as even those who settled in the Balkans (and those who chose to stay on in Spain and become Christians) were quite substantial in numbers.

The author does describe in fairly great detail the condition of the Sephardim in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, the organisation of their religious communities and their relationship with other communities; both Gentile (i.e. Armenians, Greeks, Turks) and other Jews (i.e. Greek-speaking Romaniots, Arab-speaking Mizrachim, the Yiddish-speaking Ashkenzaim) in the Ottoman Balkans. Sabbatai Zevi, the "Jewish Messiah" and the conversion of himself and his followers to Islam (hence the founding of the Donmeh community) is also briefly mentioned.

Although, quite a detailed book, I'm only giving it 4 stars because it can be quite a dry read at times, not unlike thesis done by professors which I think that's what the author is.

An excellent read would be "Jewish Communities in Exotic Place" by Ken Blady.

Concise, researched thoughtful
an incredible journey into the history of a long forgotten and often neglected "sect" of Judaism

It is insightful and allows you to understand why it went into decline and project into the future. ... Read more