africa, north

In this engrossing volume, readers learn the stories and strategies behind many of the seminal moments of World War II from the invasion of Poland to the storming of Normandy beaches on D-Day. A helpful timeline pinpoints the most important dates in the European and North African theaters, as well as on the Pacific front.

In 1850 Heinrich Barth joined a small British expedition into unexplored regions of Islamic North and Central Africa. One by one his companions died and Barth alone eventually reached Timbuktu. His five and a half year 10,000 mile journey ranks among the greatest journeys in exploration and his discoveries are considered indispensible by modern scholars of Africa.

In 1815, the merchant ship, Commerce in Connecticut, with a crew of twelve men, set sail for the Cape Verde Islands after a brief stopover in Gibraltar. Weather and unfamiliar surroundings caused the ship to wreck on the inhospitable coast of Mauretania. Taken as slaves by regional nomads and separated (some never to be seen again), the twelve sailors endured great hardships. The book is based on an account of Captain Riley's ordeal: nine weeks of captivity, traveling inland nearly 800 miles, and finally to Morocco where he was ransomed by an American consul.

"Horizon caravel book." An account of the three years of warfare between the Allied and Axis countries in the North African desert during World War II.

Traces the World War II career of the "Desert Fox," commander of the German Afrika Corps, finally defeated by the British at el-Alamein.

Describes German leader Adolf Hitler's blitzkrieg, or "lightning war" tactic, a strategy used with much success in the Spanish Civil War, and in conquering Poland, Norway, Denmark, the Low Countries, and France, and looks at how the Allied troops were finally able to stop the German advance in North Africa and the Soviet Union. Includes essays on specific campaigns.

Describes the life and career of Erwin Rommel, field marshal under Hitler during World War II, who is particularly remembered for his role in the campaign in northern Africa.

Describes the strategies, battles, and ultimate effects of the desert campaign against the Germans and Italians in North Africa during World War II.

Describes events of World War II from January 1942 to May 1943, including the invasion of Sicily, warfare in Africa, meetings with Roosevelt, and efforts at collaboration with Stalin.