Product Description

This book presents a warrior's life, on and off the battlefield. From the Samurai of Japan to US rifleman, explore the dramatic experiences of soldiers who've fought battles and paid the price of warfare. Experience life on the frontline through personal accounts of the training, living conditions and engagements from 2,500 years of military history. Learn about fighting techniques and tactics from each era, and see the armour, uniforms, kit and weapons used in the field. Virtual tours take you inside the fortresses, ships, tanks and aircraft in which soldiers have battled, from a Viking longship to the cockpit of a B17 bomber. This book contains foreword from Colonel Tim Collins (OBE), who made headlines with his inspirational 'Eve-of-Battle' speech during the Iraqi conflict. This is an essential visual record of the fighting man.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #238903 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 360 pages

Military Illustrated, Nov 2007
"There are plenty of illustrated histories of soldiers through the ages, but this one is something very special. It is a truly sumptuous book, a treat for the eye".

About the Author
Reg Grant has written on the American Revolution, World War I and World War II, and is the author of DK's Battle and Flight: 100 years of aviation. He lives in South London.

Customer Reviews

Fighting Man portrayed down the ages
Dorling Kindersley is well known for its colourful illustrated books. `Soldier' is a fine example of the genre with superb artwork showing the kit - uniforms and equipment - worn and carried by warriors from Greek hoplites to the SAS, Viking warriors to Viet Cong guerrillas.
Accompanying the major colour spreads are comprehensive essays on the style, customs and combat techniques of almost fifty types of soldier. These essays or articles are themselves illustrated with photographs, paintings, drawings, diagrams and highlighted quotations.
Two images resonate down the ages. First there is the aristocratic elite demonstrated by the Greek champion, the medieval knight, the samurai and the fighter pilot. These face each other in single combat, testing their courage and prowess. Just like young men in tribal societies everywhere and in every age.
Then there are the infantry whether volunteers or conscripts. In some periods, the high-born showed contempt for the fighting qualities of the peasants as simply rabble. Even Wellington described his common soldiers as `scum of the earth'. Yet history showed time and time again that with proper discipline and training, the humble could triumph.
Peasants and yeomen trained and indentured as archers, reduced the massed cavalry to thrashing fallen horses and unhorsed knights at Crecy and Agincourt. Wellington's `scum' when trained and disciplined, formed into British `squares' that held firm against repeated French cavalry charges at Waterloo.
Viet Cong conscripted villagers to become skilful and dedicated fighters, resolute enough to continue despite the fact that they almost always suffered far heavier casualties than their opponents in combat. They fought the French Foreign Legion, themselves no slouches in combat yet formed from "rootless misfits" of many nationalities.
For soldiers in peace time, training, harsh discipline and regular pay emerge as the key elements in maintaining morale and order. When these failed, serious trouble often ensued such as with the Landknecht mercenaries of the 16th century. When pay of four guilders a month finished at the end of campaign, they looked for other spoils. Hence the sack of Rome in 1527 when unpaid Landknecht troops pillaged the city for nine months, killing 6,000 citizens in the process.
Even untested troops could rise to the occasion when morale was high and belief was strong. It was largely men of this calibre that went `over the top' on 1 July 1916 without hesitation on the first day of the battle of the Somme. The British Army took 58,000 casualties on that single day.
The creation of warriors from the common clay is epitomised in the description of the US Marines or `grunts': "...grunts tended to belong to the less educated, most underprivileged strata of American society. They would make courageous soldiers, but not necessarily sensitive ambassadors for the American way of life".
`Soldier' is a fascinating book for anyone with a military interest. It is packed with information on soldiering, presented in a journalistic rather than academic style.

Very Informative and Interesting.
This book gives a fascinating insight into the life of the common soldier, throughout the ages. This book explains the training that they underwent, and the weapons and tactics that they used. This information is enhanced by beatiful, clear, colourful photographs and there are even a few pieces written about the ships and vehicles these brave men fought in. The main soldiers of every era, from the Spartans to the SAS is taken into account, with an emphasis on European soldiers, but the Americans, The Arabs, the Africans and the Asians are given a decent mention as well. People of all ages will enjoy this book. Children will enjoy it for the beautiful illustrations and photographs, and mature readers will enjoy it for the well-written, readable text.

Amazon take the p***
Recently I celebrated my birthday, where I asked my parents and sister for a couple of books, so as Amazon were advertising Warrior and Soldier together, and with both books looking like they were quite good, that's what I asked for.
Imagine my surprise on my birthday then when I started reading them and it turned out THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME BOOK APART FROM THE INTRODUCTION AND THE NAME!!!!!

My sister contacted Amazon and asked if she could send one of the books back and get a refund, and why Amazon were advertising the same books under different names and with nothing telling you otherwise. She was told that one of the books was the american version and that a refund could only be given if she returned the book, paying the not inconsiderable P&P herself!

The books themselves are very good, this review has 1 star for the amazon service which, although usually fine, has this time been diabolical and put a shadow on my birthday, and has inconvenienced my family quite considerably. You would think that Amazon would have enough money to take the hit for the P&P and honour their customer service obligations but apparently not.

I will be posting this review on the other book's page as well, so people hopefully won't get stung like I did.

Very dissappointing.