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Essential Militaria
Collected here for the first time is a fascinating and compulsively readable assortment of facts, figures, lists, and other various curiosities about warfare throughout history, from ancient times to modern-day combat. Find out in which of General Patton's past lives he was a caveman (his first life was supposedly as a prehistoric mammoth hunter), what the six worst reasons for going to war in history are (French pastries, animal fat, and losing a soccer match are all culprits), why Iraqis aren't the first to appear on playing cards (World War II leaders were on cards in Belgium-Hitler was The Joker), who has the largest military budgets (the United States and Russia), and which countries military expenditures are largest in relation to gross domestic product (the United States slips to forty-third, while North Korea tops the list). For anyone who bought a copy of the best-selling Schott's Original Miscellany, or has an interest in military facts and figures, Essential Militaria is the perfect gift for the armchair general.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 8, 2008
They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist-"
- Union General John Sedgewick 1864
The Good: War and the struggle for military supremacy has existed ever since one caveman jabbed another with a pointy stick. In this book Hobbes gathers important dates, speeches and strange but true facts spanning the length of recorded history from the Greeks to the present.
I liked the diversity of the time periods covered. It provided variety both geographical and in terms of the equipment as well as the development of war.
One usual drawback to military books is the risk of slipping into the beige of boring. This isn't the case with Hobbes as he provides readers with a host of facts bizarre and ridiculous enough to keep your attention. For example, did you know that in 1898 a war started over French pastries, sort of. Apparently Mexican leader Santa Anna took some from a restaurant in Mexico and in return, France sent warships to extract reparations for French business losses during recent rebellions. The resulting conflict was called the "War of the Cakes". There was also Operation Mongoose, where attempts on the life of Fidel Castro included booby-trapping a seashell. Supposedly it would explode if he lifted it from the seabed while diving. This brought up a whole host of questions, as you can imagine, about the illogicalness and stupidity of it all.
The Bad: The organization in this book is non-existent. When skimming back through the book for examples I couldn't find what I was looking for. It would have been nice if Hobbes had presented the information in chronological order. It would have been nice to have all the facts about WWI in one place.
The Ugly: As can be expected with most books on the military and war, there are some violent and gruesome parts. If you're on the squeamish side you may want to avoid Animals in War, Torture Techniques, Ill-Treatment of Prisoners and A History of Biological Warfare.
- Union General John Sedgewick 1864
The Good: War and the struggle for military supremacy has existed ever since one caveman jabbed another with a pointy stick. In this book Hobbes gathers important dates, speeches and strange but true facts spanning the length of recorded history from the Greeks to the present.
I liked the diversity of the time periods covered. It provided variety both geographical and in terms of the equipment as well as the development of war.
One usual drawback to military books is the risk of slipping into the beige of boring. This isn't the case with Hobbes as he provides readers with a host of facts bizarre and ridiculous enough to keep your attention. For example, did you know that in 1898 a war started over French pastries, sort of. Apparently Mexican leader Santa Anna took some from a restaurant in Mexico and in return, France sent warships to extract reparations for French business losses during recent rebellions. The resulting conflict was called the "War of the Cakes". There was also Operation Mongoose, where attempts on the life of Fidel Castro included booby-trapping a seashell. Supposedly it would explode if he lifted it from the seabed while diving. This brought up a whole host of questions, as you can imagine, about the illogicalness and stupidity of it all.
The Bad: The organization in this book is non-existent. When skimming back through the book for examples I couldn't find what I was looking for. It would have been nice if Hobbes had presented the information in chronological order. It would have been nice to have all the facts about WWI in one place.
The Ugly: As can be expected with most books on the military and war, there are some violent and gruesome parts. If you're on the squeamish side you may want to avoid Animals in War, Torture Techniques, Ill-Treatment of Prisoners and A History of Biological Warfare.
October 15, 2015
Very nice, very essential. Summons up nicely the history and has fun facts, and lots about tough Finns :D
December 18, 2017
Kaikki sodasta kuuluu siihen pikkujättiläisten genreen, jota kahlasin lapsena vähän liikaakin. En osaa olla pitämättä tällaisesta tietosilpusta, oli aihe melkein mikä hyvänsä. Tässä kokoelmassa sotadetaljit olivat toki oikein kiinnostavia. Jää nähtäväksi, pysyvätkö yksityiskohdat muistissa yhtä hyvin kuin lapsena luetuista vastaavanlaisista opuksista.
Genreen näyttää kuuluvan se, että peräkkäin pyritään panemaan mahdollisimman eriaiheisia ja -tyyppisiä tietoja. Panssarivaunumallien luettelon jälkeen voi tulla lentäviä lauseita ja sitten eri armeijojen marssitempoja. Tällainen tietueesta toiseen loikkiminen on yllättävän virkistävää ja mahdollistaa kirjan satunnaisen lueskelun.
Genreen näyttää kuuluvan se, että peräkkäin pyritään panemaan mahdollisimman eriaiheisia ja -tyyppisiä tietoja. Panssarivaunumallien luettelon jälkeen voi tulla lentäviä lauseita ja sitten eri armeijojen marssitempoja. Tällainen tietueesta toiseen loikkiminen on yllättävän virkistävää ja mahdollistaa kirjan satunnaisen lueskelun.
February 19, 2018
Very cool little book.
May 5, 2024
חמוד עצוב ובעיקר מכעיס
December 9, 2024
Great fun with a lot of nerdy facts. A bit aged now.
December 15, 2025
Needs updating/a special section just for war crimes.
April 18, 2018
Nicely irreverent.
March 10, 2011
Funny collection of Military viginettes
The best was the story relating the pissing contest
between The US task force of ships sailing
in the Gulf of St.Lawrence off Newfoundland and Canadian coast gaurd.
Get the book its worth it for that story.
Bad Predictions: Four or five frigates will do the business without
any military force. Lord North on the American revolution 1774.
We should decalare war on North Vietnam... We could pave the whole country
and put parking strips on it ,and still be home by Christmas.
Ronald Regan. 1965.
The best was the story relating the pissing contest
between The US task force of ships sailing
in the Gulf of St.Lawrence off Newfoundland and Canadian coast gaurd.
Get the book its worth it for that story.
Bad Predictions: Four or five frigates will do the business without
any military force. Lord North on the American revolution 1774.
We should decalare war on North Vietnam... We could pave the whole country
and put parking strips on it ,and still be home by Christmas.
Ronald Regan. 1965.
December 28, 2009
Great collection of lists of famous military events, facts, and figures. It covers all eras from ancient to present day. This book is a great companion to anyone who has a love for history and the human condition. It should be mandatory reading in schools. There are humourous sections to it as well, so it is by far not a dry read at all.
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May 9, 2017Everything in here is fairly basic information. Pretty interesting stuff, but the thing is, if you're the sort of person that would buy this book, you probably already know everything in here.
January 3, 2012
Essential Militaria includes a plethora of military facts which range from astounding to humorous.
August 17, 2014
A really interesting, obscure, little book.
December 9, 2018
Svenska: Krig - Fakta, myter och kuriosa
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January 26, 2017Amazing book about funny things surrounding military of the past and present
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews