Using newly discovered primary sources, Moretti examines Montessori’s lifelong pacifist work, including her ultimately unsuccessful push for the creation of the White Cross, a humanitarian organization for war-affected children. Moretti shows that Montessori’s educational theories and practices would come to define chilren’s rights once adopted by influential international organizations, including the United Nations. She uncovers the significance of Montessori’s evolving philosophy of peace and early childhood education within broader conversations about internationalism and humanitarianism. 　

通过运用新近发现的一手资料，莫雷蒂考察了蒙台梭利毕生的和平主义实践，包括她为建立“白十字会”（一个为受战争影响儿童提供人道主义援助的组织）所做的努力。 尽管这一倡议最终未能实现。莫雷蒂指出，蒙台梭利的教育理论与实践在被包括联合国在内的重要国际组织采纳后，逐渐成为界定儿童权利的重要基础。她揭示了蒙台梭利不断发展的和平哲学与幼儿教育理念，在更广泛的国际主义与人道主义讨论中的重要意义。

Richard Neupert first tracks the precursors to New Wave cinema, showing how they provided blueprints for those who would follow. He then demonstrates that it was a core group of critics-turned-directors from the magazine Cahiers du Cinéma—especially François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, and Jean-Luc Godard—who really revealed that filmmaking was changing forever. Later, their cohorts Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Pierre Kast continued in their own unique ways to expand the range and depth of the New Wave.

In an exciting new chapter, Neupert explores the subgroup of French film practice known as the Left Bank Group, which included directors such as Alain Resnais and Agnès Varda. With the addition of this new material and an updated conclusion, Neupert presents a comprehensive review of the stunning variety of movies to come out of this important era in filmmaking.　

Singapore surrendered to the Japanese in February 1942, and Tom became a Prisoner of War. He lost his treasured ukulele in the confusion and chaos of bitter fighting, but cleverly concealed the cherished ring his wife Irene had lovingly given to him as he left England.

Fortuitously, Tom found a broken mandolin and, using its tuning pegs, made a homespun replacement ukulele. Although Tom said it was too small and not loud enough, it surprisingly survived for two years and gave Tom great solace whilst he slaved on the infamous Thai-Burma railway. Working in the heat and humidity of the Thai jungle was arduous. He suffered from several life-threating tropical diseases and illnesses; the food was sparse and unappetising, and the Japanese discipline was brutal. But they could not take away Tom’s powerful will to survive and his unending enthusiasm to entertain. Despite continuous adversity, he mustered the energy and in the darkest hours raised spirits by singing popular songs to his fellow Prisoners and was always ready to perform at camp concert parties.

After the railway’s completion, Tom built a second, more robust ukulele. He sketched its design and technical specification in his rough notebook, paying careful attention to the precise positioning of the frets. By scouring the prison camp, Tom collected discarded items and, using his ingenuity, improvisation and endless patience, he crafted a remarkable ukulele.

Concert parties provided an important distraction from the harsh realities of incarceration. Tom, with his new ukulele, thrived in the orchestras and choirs and performed in comedy routines, plays and musicals.

After the Japanese surrendered, Tom revealed the gold ring he had successfully kept hidden since his capture three and a half years previously. He soon returned home and, together with his ukulele, reunited with Irene and his family.

The Ukulele Man is a true story of Tom’s triumph over adversity through his passion for music and entertainment and not to let the Japanese defeat him. The Imperial War Museum North permanently displays the ukulele.　

Ray Withnall is a retired IT project manager with a passion for researching British military history. Almost ten years ago, he came across a little-known former Japanese Prisoner of War camp in northeast Thailand at Ubon Ratchathani. By making connections in the town (Ray’s wife is Thai and lives in Ubon) and discovering available resources in the U.K., he thoroughly researched the camp. Five years later Ray self-published ‘UBON: The Last Camp Before Freedom’*.

Ray’s second book details the personal histories of all 143 Commonwealth War Grave Commission casualties in Stockport’s Willow Grove cemetery. He combined meticulous family history narrative with creative images of each individual resting place. It is called ‘Behind the Names: The War Graves of Willow Grove’.

Since 2021, Ray has volunteered at the Imperial War Museum North in Salford. He became interested in the exhibit of a ukulele made by ex-Far Eastern Prisoner of War Tom Boardman. Ray met Tom in 2015 and became good friends with him and Tom’s son, Ron. Using Tom’s diaries and papers, Ray developed an ‘Insight Talk’ for IWMN visitors. It informs them how Tom constructed his ukulele and his experience on the Thai-Burma railway.

Ray’s other interests include volunteering for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Public Engagement programme. This involves presenting illustrated talks about the work of the CWGC and assisting in major events, such as the D Day Commemoration featured on the BBC’s One Show in June 2024.

Ray’s father was a D Day Veteran. His parents were members of the Stockport Normandy Veterans Association, and Ray proudly continues their tradition and memory with an active role as treasurer.

Whilst much has been written about Churchill at the Admiralty, and even more concerning his wartime premiership, the ups and downs in-between have received somewhat less attention. Hence this volume, which seeks to tell the tale of the period beginning with him being unceremoniously sacked in 1915. As Lloyd George’s mistress and confidante wrote: ‘It seems strange that Churchill should have been in politics all these years, & yet not have won the confidence of a single party in the country, or a single colleague in the Cabinet.’

She was mistaken. One politician still valued Churchill’s gifts: the Prime Minister from 1916, David Lloyd George himself. But he had to act cautiously. Only in July 1917, during a broader reshuffle, did he dare risk appointing Churchill as Minister of Munitions. This was a courageous move. As one Tory grandee put it: ‘some of us myself included only joined L[loyd] G[eorge] on the distinct understanding that W[inston] Ch[urchill] was not to be a member of the Gov[ernmen]t.’

Lloyd George got away with it however, and few would dispute that his judgement was vindicated. As the man responsible for providing the British and wider Allied cause with the munitions of war, a vast undertaking by any standards, Churchill proved both competent and effective. Indeed, he was still in post at the end of the conflict in 1918, which is where this book ends.　

Charles Stephenson is a native of, and still lives in, north Wales. As an established author of military, naval, and political history his previous works for Pen & Sword encompass: The Siege of Tsingtau: The German-Japanese War 1914 (2017); Stalin’s War on Japan: The Red Army’s Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation 1945 (2021); and The Eastern Fleet and the Indian Ocean, 1942–1944: The Fleet that Had to Hide (2021).

This book looks at the facts regarding the Dardanelles campaign and Churchill’s other contributions to victory in WW1. That the facts are very different to the commonly held views is not surprising.　

Rex Bashford has been an avid student of military history at all periods during the whole of his life. He has collected an extensive library with many source materials on a wide variety of historical subjects, especially the military history of WW1 and WW2. He was admitted the Supreme Court of NSW as a Barrister in 1985 and has practiced as a consultant to many of the largest companies in Australia and international concerning insurance programs.

“…this is a most valuable, well-written and scholarly work…Churchillians will want to read and admire it.” - Finest Hour, official publication of The International Churchill Society

“Winston Churchill Soldier, The Military Life of a Gentleman at War is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding Churchill and how his political career was underpinned, shaped and informed by his time in the army. I would recommend it as a key text, one that stands out in the field, with appeal to a wide general readership.” - Allen Packwood, OBE Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, author of How Churchill Waged War and editor of The Cambridge Companion to Winston Churchill

“To understand Winston Churchill, one has to appreciate his time serving with the army, where so many of his character traits were shaped. No book does this nearly as well as Doug Russell’s volume, which gives an exhaustive overview of every aspect of Churchill’s military career, with rare insights, copious never before revealed details and a narrative that is both totally engaging and academically profound.” - Phil Reed, OBE, Curator Emeritus- Churchill War Rooms

“When Douglas Russell’s Winston Churchill Soldier was published in 2005 it was a groundbreaking piece of scholarship, and it has stood the test of time. His expert examination of Churchill’s military career, which had so many implications and reverberations decades later in the Second World War, still stands as required reading for anyone wanting to understand the career of one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century.” - Andrew Roberts, Lord Roberts of Belgravia, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny

As a young man Winston Churchill set out to become a hero, to make a name for himself in the public eye as a soldier and so make possible a life of politics and statesmanship. There were many chances to fail and many close calls in the face of sword, spear and bullet along the way. Yet Churchill survived and succeeded- an early measure of his courage and stubborn will that the world would come to know so well in the Second World War.

This is the first full-length, fully-researched biography of Churchill’s colourful military career. Using an unrivalled range of sources, and with previously unpublished photographs, and detailed maps by Sir Marin Gilbert, it brings vividly to life Churchill’s motives, abilities, experiences, successes and failures, and his unswerving sense of destiny as an officer in the British Army. The result is a story to echo the man himself- rich in action, courage, charismatic self-belief, patriotism and humour.　

Douglas S. Russell was educated at Grinnell College, The Defense Language Institute, and The University of Iowa College of Law. He served in the United States Army, Military Intelligence. He is a retired Judge of the Iowa District Court and lives in Iowa City, Iowa, USA. He is the author of the acclaimed The Orders, Decorations and Medals of Sir Winston Churchill. He is married to Susan M. Feeney and the proud step-father of Cybil, Liz, Mindy and Kyle.

This book illuminates the critical role of intelligence officers in the Second World War, providing new insight into their often-unseen contributions to military strategy and espionage. Through Wilfred’s experiences, readers will discover the complex world of codebreaking, tactical intelligence, and the quiet heroism of those working behind the frontlines. His story offers a rare and invaluable perspective on the art of war, showing how intelligence shaped battles and altered the course of history.

Beyond military service, this memoir is a rich family legacy, offering a profound and inspiring account of sacrifice, resilience, and bravery. Filled with powerful images and historical documents, it stands as both a tribute to Wilfred’s courage and a testament to the enduring impact of one family’s contributions to the war effort. His story, filled with tragedy, triumph, and a legacy of quiet leadership, will inspire and astound readers for generations to come.　

Jack Needler is a passionate military history enthusiast, based in Windsor and has dedicated much of his life to researching the Second World War and writing about the untold history. Specialising in the stories of those who served, with a particular focus on uncovering untold narratives, Jack’s work reflects his commitment to preserving the legacy of the past and sharing the remarkable histories of those who shaped the course of history, particularly that of his grandfather, Wilfred Needler.

Harry Walker was a young doctor in a mobile surgical unit which worked close behind the fighting front. He was a witness to these great events and his letters to Annie and Flo illuminate the bald facts of the campaign. Unlike many other published wartime letters or diaries Kate Venables’ book has a strong, researched contextualising social and military history which is not only authoritative but also written in fluent everyday English which simplifies an often complex war situation. At the same time, it is a personal document by Harry’s daughter and is generously illustrated with images from the family collection as well as from public archives.

Harry’s letters are written in tents, bunkers, and abandoned buildings. As well as Allied soldiers, he treats Japanese prisoners, escaped Allied prisoners-of-war, and Javanese civilians. In the quiet times between surges of casualties, he writes letters about the government’s conduct of the war and what the world might be like afterwards, about books, the vagaries of the mail, and the quality of cigarettes. Annie and Flo, his correspondents and old family friends, respond to his descriptions and his grouses. The letters create a grounded and familiar world away from the mud and blood, a world of Middlesbrough and the moors, family and friends, books and talk, where he is a boy again.　

KATE VENABLES is Harry Walker’s daughter and followed him into medicine. She is an Emeritus Reader and Fellow at the University of Oxford where she specialises in epidemiology and on the occupational causes of disease. She has used the life histories, letters and memoirs of individual doctors and nurses to explore the experience of ordinary people during the Second World War in a series of articles in the history and life-writing press and is currently working on a memoir that draws on her father’s early death and their shared profession of medicine. Her website is at katevenableswriting.wordpress.com.

Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on Second World War armoured vehicles including Panther Medium Tank: German Army and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 and Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer: German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945.

This book in the Images of War series is a highly illustrated record of German tanks and armour that fought in the Ukraine between 1941 and 1944. It describes how these deadly machines fought and supported the infantry on the battlefield. It depicts how these formidable weapons were adapted and up-gunned to face the ever-increasing enemy threat. With rare and often unpublished photographs this book provides a unique insight into German armour in the Ukraine from its early triumphant days in 1941 and 1942 to its slow and painful retreat in 1944.　

Ian Baxter is an avid collector of WW2 photographs. His previous books in this Series include Hitler’s Boy Soldiers, Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants and German Army on the Eastern Front – The Advance, German Army on the Eastern Front – The Retreat and Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants, The Crushing of Army Group (North) and the SS Waffen Division series including SS Leibstandarte Division and SS Totenkopf Division At War. He lives near Chelmsford, Essex.

Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on Second World War armoured vehicles including Panther Medium Tank: German Army and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 and Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer: German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945.

Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on Second World War armoured vehicles including Panther Medium Tank: German Army and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 and Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer: German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945.

Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on Second World War armoured vehicles including Panther Medium Tank: German Army and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 and Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer: German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945.

Holocaust in the Ukraine tells the plight of the Jewish community in the Ukraine and the mass killings that took place there. It shows how German forces occupied a large part of German-occupied Ukraine, and incorporated it into what was known as the Reichskommissariat Ukraine.

Within a week of the German invasion of the Ukraine police units and their auxiliaries, under the guidance of members of the Einsatzgruppen began murdering Jewish communities. There were various massacres including Babyn Yar where some 33,000 Jews were executed during a two-day period in August 1941.

One of the first massacres in the Ukraine was ordered only days after the start of the German invasion known as the Lviv pogroms where 6,000 Jews were murdered by Einsatzgruppen and Ukrainian nationalist. This was followed by other wholesale murders which included the Kamianets-Podilsky massacre where some 23,000 residents were killed. Other killings too included the Pavoloch, Berdychiv, Odessa Artemivsk Sarny massacrews and numerous other killings across the country.

With detailed captions and text together with a host of rare photographs, this Images of War book is an important study of how Ukraine was subjected to a Nazi policy of terror with an ideological goal of eradicating communism and destroying the Jews and the Ukrainians, who were all classed as sub-human.　

Ian Baxter is an avid collector of WW2 photographs. His previous books in this Series include Hitler’s Boy Soldiers, Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants and German Army on the Eastern Front – The Advance, German Army on the Eastern Front – The Retreat and Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants, The Crushing of Army Group (North) and the SS Waffen Division series including SS Leibstandarte Division and SS Totenkopf Division At War. He lives near Chelmsford, Essex.

******

After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese quickly captured Hong Kong, Guam, Wake Island, the Gilbert Islands and Rabaul. Japanese conquests of Malaya and Singapore, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies and Burma followed into the spring of 1942. The Japanese juggernaut continued southwards with bases established at Salamaua and Lae in Northwest New Guinea followed by landings at Buna, Gona, and Sanananda along Papua’s northern coast as a prelude to capture Port Moresby over the Owen Stanley Range to threaten Australia.

Despite a strategic American naval victory at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the sinking of four Japanese aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway, the Allied situation remained desperate. Japanese naval troops invaded Tulagi Island and nearby islets off the coast of Florida Island on 3–4 May 1942 to construct a seaplane and naval base. Japan’s goal of advancing through the southern Solomon Islands and beyond to New Caledonia, Fiji, and Samoa was to create a defensive buffer against an attack by a slowly-recovering American Navy and further isolate the Antipodes. In July 1942, Allied coast watchers and reconnaissance aircraft observed the construction of an airfield on Guadalcanal 20 miles to the south of Tulagi and Florida Islands. On 23 July 1942, American military leaders prioritized securing the South Pacific’s lines of communication and halting the Japanese advance. The American invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi became operational entailing hellacious land, air and sea battles from 7 August 1942 to 3 February 1943. Guadalcanal became the essential struggle between Allied and Japanese forces, with the victor to eventually control the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The events of the campaign are expertly described here with contemporary images and detailed text.　

Jon Diamond MD is a kidney specialist in the USA with a deep interest in the Second World War. He is a keen collector of photographs. His Stilwell and the Chindits, War in the South Pacific, Invasion of Sicily, Invasion of the Italian Mainland: Salerno to Gustav Line, 1943-1944, Onto Rome 1944; Anzio and Victory at Cassino, Beyond Rome to the Alps; Across the Arno and Gothic Line, 1944-1945, Op Plunder - The Rhine River Crossing, MacArthur’s Papua New Guinea Campaign, Hell in the Central Pacific, Liberation of the Philippines, Burma Victory, The Fall of Malaya and Singapore and The Battle of Okinawa 1945 are all published by Pen and Sword in the Images of War series.

Fuelled by confidence in his elite Panzerwaffe and Waffen-SS divisions, Hitler launched Operation Citadel, unaware that the Red Army was not only prepared, but vastly superior in numbers, firepower, and defensive depth – they outnumbered their opponents by approximately 2.5 to 1. What followed was a brutal clash of steel and strategy, where German ambition collided with Soviet resilience.

Tanks and Armour at Kursk 1943 presents a vivid and richly illustrated account of the German armoured forces that spearheaded this historic assault. With in-depth analysis, detailed captions and a wealth of rare and unpublished photographs, this book brings to life the machines, units, and men behind the last great German offensive on the Eastern Front.　

Ian Baxter is an avid collector of WW2 photographs. His previous books in this Series include Hitler’s Boy Soldiers, Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants and German Army on the Eastern Front – The Advance, German Army on the Eastern Front – The Retreat and Nazi Concentration Camp Commandants, The Crushing of Army Group (North) and the SS Waffen Division series including SS Leibstandarte Division and SS Totenkopf Division At War. He lives near Chelmsford, Essex.

Jacek Zabielski, a banking expert from Poland with a passion for modern history, holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Warsaw University in Poland, European Studies from Central European University in Prague, an MBA from National-Louis University, and has completed a post-graduate program in Political Science and Media Policy at the University of Amsterdam. His historical research has primarily centred around contemporary military technology, with a particular emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe.

Both sides relied on aircraft and naval units, as well as conventional and unconventional ground forces. German paratroopers were drawn from the Luftwaffe and the special operations Division ‘Brandenburg’, which also fielded coastal raiders and assault troops. The Allies had on call 234 Infantry Brigade together with supporting units; a battalion of The Parachute Regiment, and Raiding Forces, which included the Long Range Desert Group, Special Boat Squadron, Commandos and Ieros Lohos (Greek Sacred Squadron).

Two months of conflict would culminate in a five-day battle for possession of Leros, which ended with the surrender of the British-led garrison on 16 November 1943. The island of Samos was taken without a struggle a few days later.

Unlike Operation Market Garden and the disaster of Arnhem one year later, the Aegean was first and foremost a British venture. As such, it may be considered the last irredeemable British defeat. For the Germans, the Aegean was a welcome reversal of recent setbacks and a final, but ultimately pointless, decisive victory: With the exception of Kastellorizo, key islands would remain under German occupation until May 1945.　

Anthony Rogers is a military historian and author, known for his books detailing events in and around the Mediterranean during the Second World War.

‘A wholly original and fresh approach to historical biography. Churchill would have been delighted to be a comic book hero!’ - Phil Reed, Emeritus Director, Churchill War Rooms

‘A novel and riveting re-telling of the Churchill legend’ - Professor Gary Sheffield

‘A highly original approach, using the comic strip style to tell his story. With magnificent artwork and a lively text, and a foreword by the historian and biography Andrew Roberts, it captures all the drama and excitement of his long life up to the victory over Nazi Germany’ - Leo McKinstry, author of Attlee and Churchill

’This biography presents Churchill’s part in this conflict in a detailed yet inventive manner, making this accessible for people of all ages and knowledge’- Comic-Watch.com This innovative graphic biography of Churchill tells his extraordinary story, from his upbringing, through his military exploits and experience of the First World War, to his pivotal role in the Second World War. It explores the details of Churchill’s life within its historical and political context and brings the story to vivid life with precision, clarity and stunning visuals.

With a foreword by leading Andrew Roberts, the biography is followed by a series of background information.

Beautifully drawn, bursting with facts and highly accessible, this graphic biography will introduce a whole new generation of readers to Churchill’s incredible career and important legacy.　

Andrew Roberts is a British historian and journalist. His modern works have focused on World War II figures, and his work was the basis for the BBC series Hitler and Churchill (2013). He won the 2010 British Army Military Book of the Year for The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War (2009) and the Prix du Jury des Grand Prix de la Fondation Napoléon in 2014 for won the award for Napoleon the Great. Roberts is currently a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and a Lehrman Institute Distinguished Lecturer at the New York Historical Society. He regularly writes for publications such as The Spectator and The Daily Telegraph.