Review (PDF) Armies In East Africa 1914-18 (Men-at-Arms)
One of the least-published campaigns of World War I (1914-1918) was that fought in East Africa by forces of colonial troops – British Empire, Belgian, Portuguese and German. Short of resources, many European, African and Indian soldiers recorded epics of endurance as they hunted the outnumbered but brilliantly led German colonial forces across a disease-ridden wilderness. The achievements of Paul von Lettow Vorbeck – the last German commander in the field to lay down his arms – brought him fame and respect comparable to that won by Rommel in World War II. The events and the forces are described here in concise detail, and illustrated with rare photographs and striking colour artworks.
Series: Men-at-Arms (Book 379)
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Osprey Publishing; 1st edition (October 18, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1841764892
ISBN-13: 978-1841764894
Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.1 x 9.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #668,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #70 in Books > History > Military > Uniforms #209 in Books > History > Military > Life & Institutions #939 in Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional
Since the amazing resistance of the German colony in Tanganyika in the First World War is rarely covered in any kind of detail, Osprey's Men-at-Arms volume Armies in East Africa 1914-1918 is a welcome addition to the slim literature on that subject. While certainly not comprehensive, the author manages to pack a fair amount of data into less than fifty pages and is not distracted from his subject with trivia about collar piping or various types of footwear (a common flaw in the Men-at-Arms series). Instead, the author delivers a succinct summary of the campaign, with notes on equipment, organization, and uniforms. The best aspect of the volume is the considerable order of battle data provided on all combatants, included the usually neglected Belgian and Portuguese forces. Armies in East Africa 1914-1918 is divided into short sections on the pre-war colonial forces in place (Germany, Britain, Belgium and Portugal), a campaign chronology, the campaign of 1914-1915, the 1916 Allied offensive, and then stalemate and pursuit in 1917. There are eight pages of color plates, covering the uniforms of all the combatant powers. The author also provides a surprisingly detailed bibliography, which readers may find quite useful. The detail on Belgian and Portuguese forces provided is particularly welcome, since most sources virtually ignore non-Commonwealth participation in the war in East Africa. Portugal was unique in sending several large expeditionary forces from Europe to fight in East Africa, instead of relying on colonial troops as everyone else did. The author also details the rather self-inflated reputation of the South African troops, who initially disparaged the black German Askaris and even their Indian allies.
IS THIS WHY AFRICA IS? (Why Africa is poor, Why Africa is not developing, What Africa needs, What Africa needs to develop): Africa, Africa, Africa, Africa Africa, Africa, Ebola, Ebola, Ebola, Ebola Armies in East Africa 1914-18 (Men-at-Arms) Ancient Armies of the Middle East (Men-at-Arms) Armies of the War of the Pacific 1879-83: Chile, Peru & Bolivia (Men-at-Arms) Armies of the War of the Triple Alliance 1864-70: Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina (Men-at-Arms) Dutch Armies of the 80 Years' War 1568-1648 (1): Infantry (Men-at-Arms) French Armies of the Hundred Years War : 1328-1429 (Men-At-Arms Series, 337) Armies of the Ottoman Empire 1775-1820 (Men-At-Arms, No 314) Paraguayan War: Armies of the Nineteenth Century:The Americas (Armies of the 19th Century: The Americas) Armies of the Aztec and Inca Empires, Other Native Peoples of The Americas, and the Conquistadores: 2 (Armies of the Sixteenth Century) The Charitable Impulse: NGOs and Development in East and North East Africa The British Army 1939-45 (2): Middle East & Mediterranean (Men-at-Arms) Vocational & Technical Schools - East: More Than 2,600 Vocational Schools East of the Mississippi River (Peterson's Vocational & Technical Schools & Programs: East) French Imperialism in the Middle East: The Failure of Policy in Syria and Lebanon, 1900-1914 The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East, 1914-1920 Political Ascent: Contemporary Islamic Movements In North Africa (State, Culture, and Society in Arab North Africa) Burying SM: The Politics of Knowledge and the Sociology of Power in Africa (Social History of Africa (Paperback)) Verdes colinas de Africa / Green Hills of Africa (Palabra En El Tiempo / Word at the Time) (Spanish Edition) Cuadernos de Africa/ Notebooks of Africa (Spanish Edition) Eritrean Cooking: Rich Relationships & Recipes from East Africa
