Gordon L. Rottman

Out of work cowpoke Bud Eugen comes across Marta, a mute sixteen-year-old Mexican girl whose family has been killed by Indians. Bud reluctantly takes her along, even though he's never had to accommodate another person in his simple life. He's unable to find anyone willing to take her. In spite of his prejudices, Bud grows to like the spunky girl (and her excellent cooking).Eventually, they both find work on a border ranch. Here, the relationship between the girl and the young cowboy hesitantly grows. But banditos raid the ranch, kidnapping the rancher's daughters and Marta. Bud, with twelve other men, pursue the banditos into the most desolate reaches of Mexico. Ambushes and battles with banditos, Rurales, and traitors are constant, and the brutal weather is as much a threat as the man-made perils. Life and death choices are made at every turn as one side gains the advantage, then the other.The rancher's daughters are rescued, and the exhausted party turns back. But Bud presses on alone, against insurmountable odds, determined to fulfill an unspoken promise to Marta.

The Hardest Ride

Vietnam infantry tactics

Rugged, adaptable, and highly portable, the Browning .30-caliber machine gun saw service in every conceivable sustained-fire role with US and other forces from World War I to Vietnam and beyond and set new standards in reliability and durability.

Browning .30-caliber Machine Guns

Osprey's study of Inch'on, which was probably the most significant campaign in the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as the last major amphibious assault of division-size conducted in the history of warfare. The odds were stacked against the US troops, with virtually no time for training and many of the divisions unprepared for the conflict. The success of the Inch'on campaign is a testament to the sheer initiative of the officers and NCOs conducted it. This book details the strategy and tactics that led to the operation's success, as well as narrating the experience of the battle in fascinating detail.

The last great amphibious assault

Inch'on 1950

The US Army and Marine Corps in World War II considered themselves highly mobile, offensive forces. Their mobile-warfare doctrine envisioned field fortifications and obstacles as temporary in nature. As a result, their design was simple and made use of local materials, and they could be constructed comparatively quickly, whilst still providing adequate protection. By the time of the Korean War, only minor changes had been made to field fortification construction and layout, and to small-unit organization, weapons, and tactics. This title addresses field fortifications built by US infantrymen during World War II and in Korea, and covers rifle-platoon positions, trenches, crew-served weapon positions, bunkers, dugouts, shelters, observation posts and anti-tank obstacles.

US World War II and Korean War Field Fortifications 1941–53

Using historical files kept by each of the armed services and nations involved in the Korean War, Rottman provides information on unit backgrounds, organization, manning, periods of service, insignia, weapons, casualties, and major commands including the Western, North Korean, Communist Chinese, and USSR forces. The United Nation's first military action and America's first major Cold War action, the Korean War, frequently called the forgotten war, is well documented in studies and reports of specific actions and phases of the war. These sources, however, provide little order of battle information on most of the belligerents, particularly the non-U.S./UN and South Korean forces. Using the historical files kept by each armed service and each nation, Gordon Rottman provides information on combat units and major commands, including both Western forces and North Korean, Communist Chinese, and USSR forces. He has done an invaluable service for scholars and military buffs. Filling a void that would not likely have been filled otherwise, the book provides information on unit backgrounds, organization, manning, periods of service, insignia, weapons, and casualties. The book will be a primary source for anyone, scholar or layman, interested in researching the Korean War.

United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950-1953

Korean War Order of Battle

United States, United Nations and Communist Ground Forces 1950-1953

Osprey's elite title dealing with various sabotage devices and booby traps that were used by the British and the Americans during World War II (1939-1945). Following Churchill's directive to set occupied Europe ablaze, the SOE and later its American sister organization, the OSS, were deployed across the continent. Outnumbered, surrounded and in great peril, these brave agents were armed with a wide variety of devices to help them achieve their objectives, including numerous pieces of sabotage equipment and cunning booby traps. This book examines these different pieces of equipment and the technicalities involved in deploying them effectively. It also discusses the specialist equipment developed by Special Forces units, including the SAS Lewes Bomb. Touching on some of the stranger developments, such as explosives disguised as lumps of coal, the author goes on to describe the German clearance techniques that were developed to avoid these dangers. Complete with specially commissioned artwork and period diagrams, together with detailed descriptions of the dangerous missions of Allied agents, this book is a fascinating insight into the secret war behind enemy lines.

World War II Allied Sabotage Devices and Booby Traps

Following Churchill's directive to 'set occupied Europe ablaze,' the SOE and later its American sister organization, the OSS, were deployed across the continent. Outnumbered, surrounded and in great peril, these brave agents were armed with a wide variety of devices to help them achieve their objectives, including numerous pieces of sabotage equipment and cunning booby traps. This book examines these different pieces of equipment and the technicalities involved in deploying them effectively, as well as discussing the specialist equipment developed by Special Forces units, including the SAS Lewes Bomb. Touching on some of the stranger developments, such as explosives disguised as lumps of coal, the author goes on to describe the German clearance techniques that were developed to avoid these dangers. Complete with specially commissioned artwork and period diagrams together with detailed descriptions of the dangerous missions of Allied agents, this book is a fascinating insight into the secret war behind enemy lines.

Osprey's study of the Viet Cong fighters of the Vietnam War (1955-1975). An enemy in the shadows, the Viet Cong was the military arm of the National Liberation Front, the Communist Party of the Republic of Vietnam. Often generally thought of as local guerrillas, they were also an important part of the North Vietnamese Army regular cadres. Packed with emotive and rare photographs, this book not only analyzes the skills and tactics of these fascinating fighters, but also takes a look at their social origins to interpret how this affected their behavior as warriors. Gordon L Rottman discusses the Viet Cong's recruitment and initial training, their unique motivation, their extensive political and psychological indoctrination, and their distinct equipment and weaponry, to provide a compelling and balanced account of these legendary guerrilla fighters.

Viet Cong Fighter

Osprey's study of the ground forces of the Cold War (1946-1991). While much has been published on the armed forces of the USSR during the 1980s, surprisingly little is available on the forces supplied by the other member nations of the Warsaw Pact. Rivalling the size of the United States Army, the combined ground forces of the six non-Soviet Warsaw Pact countries totalled over 775,000 active troops, with almost two million ground forces reserves. This book examines the history, organization and uniforms of the often overlooked DDR, Czechoslovak, Polish, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Romanian forces at the end of the Cold War.

Warsaw Pact Ground Forces

The island of Guam was the first Allied territory lost to the Japanese onslaught in 1941. On 10 December 5,000 Japanese troops landed on Guam, defended by less than 500 US and Guamanian troops, the outcome was beyond doubt. On 21 July 1944 America returned. In a risky operation, the two US landing forces came ashore seven miles apart and it was a week before the beachheads linked up. Only the battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa would cost the Americans more men than the landings on Guam and Saipan, which immediately preceded the Guam operation. In this book Gordon Rottman details the bitter 26-day struggle for this key Pacific island.

Loss and Reconquest

Guam 1941 & 1944

The Kalashnikov AK-47 is the most ubiquitous assault rifle in the world, with more AK-47s and its variants in use than any other individual small arm. Created by Senior Sergeant Mikhail Kalashnikov, and first adopted by the USSR soon after World War II (1939-1945), its production continues to this day, with an estimated 75 million produced worldwide. It is the longest serving post-World War II military weapon and its ease of use, durability and low production costs ensure that its use will continue for generations to come. This book takes a look at the complete history of the weapon, discussing its design, development, and usage, taking its story from the great armies of the Soviet Union to the insurgents and criminal gangs that often employ the weapon today.

Kalashnikov-series assault rifles

The AK-47

The Berlin Wall and the Inner-German Border (IGB) were built to halt the flow of refugees from East Germany to the West. From August 13, 1961, over 96 miles of crude fences and more sophisticated walls were erected around West Berlin. Border defenses ran 858 miles from the Baltic to the Czechoslovakian border, cutting villages in two, running through buildings, and intersecting roads and railways. Gordon L Rottman, who became familiar with both sides of the border while posted to Germany, examines the international situations that led to the creation of the Berlin Wall, discussing how the barrier systems functioned and their significance in the Cold War. Covering the erection of the barriers, how they evolved, defensive devices and the role of the checkpoints, this book also describes how ordinary people attempted to overcome these physical and political obstacles in their quest for freedom. Gordon Rottman writes,"In 1980 I found myself in a long-range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) company. After 2 years of training we were assigned as the V Corps LRRP company: our mission in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany was to insert our 21 five-man reconnaissance teams inside East Germany, establish "hides" overlooking autobahns and other highways, and report the movements of the second operational echelon, the follow-on forces behind the initial assault forces. This required us to know a great deal about what it was like inside East Germany. We began an intense study of the IGB, and in the process I was able to visit the border, learn its ways, and find out how to penetrate it."

The Berlin Wall and the Intra-German Border 1961-89

A complete guide to weapons history, facts, myths and trivia, covering everything you wanted to know, didn't want to know and you don't know you need to know... Gordon Rottman offers a step by step guide through interesting weapon facts and statistics, including a section on ammunition, while breaking apart popular myths and misconceptions. Covering subjects from weapons designations to the longest serving military rifles, where rifles get their names from and everything in between, Osprey is proud to present The Big Book of Gun Trivia.

Everything you want to know, don’t want to know, and don’t know you need to know

The Big Book of Gun Trivia

Military life has always been ruled by its own language, specific sets of terms and phrases that separate the serving man or woman from their civilian counterpart. There is the official version of ranks and acronyms, and the more unofficial, colloquial language of the barrack room and battlefield. This new title explores the language and slang of the major combatant powers, delving into their origins and explaining their uses. All of this will be illustrated with contemporary cartoons and other images showing the phrases in use. This title is designed specifically as a follow-up to 2007's FUBAR: Soldier Slang of World War II, and will differ from the original book in that it will cover the slang of sailors and airman, as well as soldiers. Detailed sections will be included for each of the major combatants of World War II, and additional appendices will detail the nicknames given to the major surface vessels and aircraft types of the war.

Sailor, Airman, and Soldier Slang of World War II

SNAFU Situation Normal All F***ed Up

The Landing Ship Tank (LST) is one of the most famous of the many World War II amphibious warfare ships. Capable of discharging its cargo directly on to shore and extracting itself, the LST provided the backbone of all Allied landings between 1943 and 1945, notably during the D-Day invasion. Through its history, the LST saw service from late 1942 until late 2002, when the US Navy decommissioned the USS Frederick (LST-1184), the last ship of its type. This book reveals the development and use of the LST, including its excellence beyond its initial design expectations.

Landing Ship, Tank (LST) 1942–2002

Focusing on Infantry Fire Support tactics during World War II, this title features artwork and detailed analysis of the battlefield use of machine guns, mortars, and light guns.

World War II Infantry Fire Support Tactics

The Marine Corps began World War II with less than 66,000 officers and men. Yet despite suffering 10 per cent of the overall American casualties, the Marines were able to build on their proud traditions and history to transform a small branch of service into a premier combined arms amphibious assault force. Regardless of its expansion by 750 percent, the Corps was able to maintain its sense of tradition, instill that into thousands of new Marines, and create an elite arm of service. In this book, Gordon Rottman, follows a Marine Corps rifleman through his draft, training and participation in assaults such as: Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands, Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands, and Iwo Jima.

Gordon L. Rottman

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