The Big Thicket of East Texas, which at one time covered over two million acres, served as a barrier to civilizations throughout most of historic times. By the late nineteenth century, however, an assault on this wilderness by settlers, railroads, and timber companies began in earnest. By the 1920s, much of the wilderness had been destroyed. Spurred on by the continued destruction of the region, the Big Thicket Association (BTA) organized in 1964 to fight for its preservation. Arguing that the Big Thicket was a unique botanical region, the BTA and their supporters convinced President Gerald Ford to authorize an 84,550-acre Big Thicket National Preserve in 1974.

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James J. Cozine, Jr. - Saving the Big Thicket, Fro m Exploration to Preservation, 1685-2003 (2004).pdf

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Spencer C. Tucker - Encyclopedia of the Cold War, A Political, Social, and Military History (2008).jpg

The confrontation of Western capitalism and Soviet and Chinese Communism shaped world affairs for almost the entire second half of the 20th century—a period defined by pervasive political tension, nuclear-fueled nightmares, intense diplomacy, and the transformation of regional/national disputes into test-case ideological battlefields where the superpowers squared off.

The conflict that dominated world events for nearly five decades is now captured in a multivolume work of unprecedented magnitude—from a publisher widely acclaimed for its authoritative military and historical references. Under the direction of internationally known military historian Spencer Tucker, ABC-CLIO's The Encyclopedia of the Cold War: A Political, Social, and Military History offers the most current and comprehensive treatment ever published of the ideological conflict that not so long ago enveloped the globe.

From the Second World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union, The Encyclopedia of the Cold War provides authoritative information on all military conflicts, battlefield and surveillance technologies, diplomatic initiatives, important individuals and organizations, national histories, economic developments, societal and cultural events, and more. The nearly 1,300 entries, plus topical essays and an extraordinarily rich documents volume, draw heavily on recently opened Russian, Eastern European, and Chinese archives. The work is a definitive cornerstone reference on one of the most important historical topics of our time.

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57,2 MB
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Spencer C. Tucker - Encyclopedia of the Cold War, A Political, Social, and Military History (2008).pdf

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Jon Meacham - American Lion, Andrew Jackson in the White House (2008)_cr.jpg

Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jackson’s election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. Democracy made its stand in the Jackson years, and he gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jackson’s presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham goes inside the Jackson White House. Drawing on newly discovered family letters and papers, he details the human drama–the family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers–that shaped Jackson’s private world through years of storm and victory.

One of our most significant yet dimly recalled presidents, Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular will–or face his formidable wrath. The greatest of the presidents who have followed Jackson in the White House–from Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to FDR to Truman–have found inspiration in his example, and virtue in his vision.

Jackson was the most contradictory of men. The architect of the removal of Indians from their native lands, he was warmly sentimental and risked everything to give more power to ordinary citizens. He was, in short, a lot like his country: alternately kind and vicious, brilliant and blind; and a man who fought a lifelong war to keep the republic safe–no matter what it took.

Jon Meacham in American Lion has delivered the definitive human portrait of a pivotal president who forever changed the American presidency–and America itself.

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Rodney Carlisle, J. Golson - Turning Points, Actua l and Alternate Histories, Native America from Pre history to First Contact (2006)_cr.jpg

USA Books - Rodney Carlisle, J. Golson - Turning Points, Actual an...tive America from Prehistory to First Contact 2006_cr.jpg

This work is a fascinating history of precontact North America, presenting the facts and engaging the reader by using alternative history - what if key facts were different? - to help develop critical thinking skills. What if Native Americans had used their overwhelming numbers to expel the first explorers and settlers? What if Mesoamerican Indians had developed better irrigation? This book answers these and other questions in a fascinating treatment of pre-Columbian America, both as it was and as it might have been. The first title in ABC-CLIO's groundbreaking series "Turning Points in History - Actual and Alternate Histories" delves into the history of North America before European contact. There is much classroom literature on Native Americans after first contact; there is little on the history before. This work fills that gap, detailing the thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Climate changes, major battles, technology, and settlement patterns - all played a part in shaping the pre-Columbian history of North America. This book takes eight key points in history, presents the facts as they happened, and examines what might have happened if there were different outcomes. Small changes can produce vastly different results; this book shows how, and engages students' critical thinking skills while teaching them basic history.

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Rodney Carlisle, J. Golson - Turning Points, Actua l and Alternate Histories, Native America from Pre history to First Contact (2006)_cr.pdf

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Karl R. Derouen, Uk Heo - Defense and Security, A Compendium of National Armed Forces and Security P olicies (2005).jpg

USA Books - Karl R. Derouen, Uk Heo - Defense and Security, A Comp...m of National Armed Forces and Security Policies 2005.jpg

An authoritative, up-to-date examination of the national security and defense policies of 50 influential nations and regions across the globe. When the Cold War ended, the world witnessed a collapse of the global bipolar political structure, prompting countries to adjust their national security and defense policies. Some nations pursued unilateral security, while others strengthened regional alliances. Some increased their defense spending, while others significantly reduced their military arsenal. What are the current security and defense policies of key countries around the world? Defense and Security: A Compendium of National Armed Forces and Security Policies presents 50 highly readable, authoritative essays profiling the defense and security policies of individual countries and regions, with a focus on present-day developments. Written by leading national and international scholars and edited by eminent political science experts Karl DeRouen and Uk Heo, the essays take an in-depth look at each nation's current security situation, defense spending, present and potential military confrontations, civil-military relations, alliances, relations to terrorism, and other topics of importance. Historical events and conflicts are highlighted as well, with emphasis on the post-Cold War era. The essays are identical in structure, allowing readers to pinpoint similarities and draw comparisons among nations. The two-volume set concludes with a detailed summary featuring a cross-national comparison.

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Karl R. Derouen, Uk Heo - Defense and Security, A Compendium of National Armed Forces and Security P olicies (2005).pdf

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Will Kaufman, Heidi Macpherson - Britain and the A mericas, Culture, Politics, and History (2005)r.jpg

Multidisc plinary encyclopedia of the impacts of the close ties between Britain and the whole of the Americas, examining Britain's cultural and political legacy to the nations of the New World. From the transportation of Scottish slaves taken by the Vikings to Newfoundland, to the emergence in the 19th century of a Welsh-speaking community in Patagonia, Britain's transatiantic influence has spanned the length and breadth of the Americas. The story of Britain's interplay with the Americas includes accounts both of Britain's role in the African slave trade and the impact of its human rights policy in Latin America. From Vik ngs to Redcoats, from the Beatles to the war in Iraq, Britain and the Americas examines Britain's cultural and political legacy to the nations of the Americas. This comprehensive survey also traces how the Americas have in turn influenced contemporary Britain from the Americanization of language and politics to the impact of music and migration from the West Indies. Complete with an extensive introduction and a chronology of key events, this two-volume encyclopedia contains introductory essays focusing on the four prime areas of British Atlantic engagement-Canada, the Caribbean, the United States, and Latin America. Students of a wide range of disciplines, as well as the lay reader, will appreciate this exhaustive survey, which traces the common themes of British policy and influence throughout the Americas and highlights how Britain has in benefited from the influence of American democracy, technology, culture and politics.

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6,3 MB
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Will Kaufman, Heidi Macpherson - Britain and the A mericas, Culture, Politics, and History (2005)r.pdf

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Michael A. Hiltzik - The Plot Against Social Secur ity, How the Bush Plan Is Endangering Our Financia l Future (2005).jpg

USA Books - Michael A. Hiltzik - The Plot Against Social Security,...the Bush Plan Is Endangering Our Financial Future 2005.jpg

Relentless and ominous, the drumbeat echoes across the land: Social Security is on the verge of bankruptcy. But it is flatly untrue. Award-winning journalist Michael Hiltzik explains who is really behind the efforts to "reform" this system and shows that the most frequently proposed fix - diverting a huge portion of its assets into private investment accounts - will damage it beyond repair.

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Michael A. Hiltzik - The Plot Against Social Secur ity, How the Bush Plan Is Endangering Our Financia l Future (2005).pdf

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Paul Johnson - George Washington, The Founding Fat her (2005).jpeg

George Washington is by far the most important figure in the history of the United States. Against all military odds, he liberated the thirteen colonies from the superior forces of the British Empire and presided over the process to produce and ratify a Constitution that (suitably amended) has lasted for more than two hundred years. In two terms as president, he set that Constitution to work with such success that, by the time he finally retired, America was well on its way to becoming the richest and most powerful nation on earth.

Despite his importance, Washington remains today a distant figure to many Americans. Previous books about him are immensely long, multivolume, and complicated. Paul Johnson has now produced a brief life that presents a vivid portrait of the great man as young warrior, masterly commander-in-chief, patient Constitution maker, and exceptionally wise president. He also shows Washington as a farmer of unusual skill and an entrepreneur of foresight, patriarch of an extended family, and proprietor of one of the most beautiful homes in America, which he largely built and adorned.

Trenchant and original as ever, Johnson has given us a brilliant, sharply etched portrait of this iconic figure—both as a hero and as a man.

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Kevin Dougherty - The Peninsula Campaign of 1862, A Military Analysis (2005).jpg

The largest offensive of the Civil War, involving army, navy, and marine forces, the Peninsula Campaign has inspired many history books. No previous work, however, analyzes Union general George B. McClellan's massive assault toward Richmond in the context of current and enduring military doctrine. The Peninsula Campaign of 1862: A Military Analysis fills this void. Background history is provided for continuity, but the heart of this book is military analysis and the astonishing extent to which the personality traits of generals often overwhelm even the best efforts of their armies.

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Kevin Dougherty - The Peninsula Campaign of 1862, A Military Analysis (2005).pdf

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Jeff Kinard - Lafayette of the South, Prince Camil le De Polignac and the American Civil War (2001).jpg

In this volume, Jeff Kinard reveals the distinguished life and career of Prince Camille de Polignac, a French aristocrat and Confederate military man. Kinard follows Polignac through his early days, his dramatic years during the Civil War and Franco-Prussian War, and the rest of his long life.

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Jeff Kinard - Lafayette of the South, Prince Camil le De Polignac and the American Civil War (2001).pdf

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Kelly Boyer Sagert - The 1970s (2007).jpg

"This work surveys the landscape of American popular culture during the 1970s. The treatment is expository and sacrifices complex theory and analysis in favor of general accessibility. Opening chapters discuss everyday life and the world of youth culture, followed by chapters that individually focus on advertising, architecture, fashion, food and the environment, leisure activities, literature, music, performing arts, and travel."-Reference & Research Book News.

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Kelly Boyer Sagert - The 1970s (2007).pdf

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Pamela Chase Hain - A Confederate Chronicle, The L ife of a Civil War Survivor (2005).jpg

A "Confederate Chronicle" presents the remarkable life of Thomas L Wragg, who served in both the Confederate army and navy and endured incarceration as a prisoner of war. Pamela Chase Hain uses Wragg's letters to his family, friends, and fiancee, as well as his naval notebook and newspaper articles, to give readers insight into his life and the lives of those around him. Born into a life of wealth and privilege, Wragg left home at eighteen to join the front lines in Virginia. From there, he sent letters home describing the maneuvering of General Joseph E Johnston's army in and around Harpers Ferry and Winchester, culminating with the Battle of Bull Run. In 1862, Wragg joined the Confederate Navy and trained on the ironclad CSS Georgia before transferring to the CSS Atlanta. Hain uses the notebooks that he kept during his training to provide a rare glimpse into the naval and artillery practices at the time. These notebooks also provide evidence of a fledgling Confederate naval "school" prior to the one established on the CSS Patrick Henry. The crew of Atlanta was captured on the ship's maiden voyage, and Wragg was sent to Fort Warren Prison in Boston. Wragg's POW letters reveal the isolation and sense of abandonment the prisoners felt as they waited in hopes of an exchange. The correspondence between Wragg and his fiancee, Josie, after the war illustrates not only the mores of nineteenth-century courtship but also the difficulty of adjustment that many Confederate war veterans faced. Sadly, Wragg's life was cut short after he became a successful doctor in Quincy, Florida. Cover-up and intrigue by powerful and influential citizens prevented Wragg's wife from bringing the murderer to justice. "A Confederate Chronicle" offers an unprecedented look at how the Civil War affected the gentry class of the South.

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Pamela Chase Hain - A Confederate Chronicle, The L ife of a Civil War Survivor (2005).pdf

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William B. Breuer - The Spy Who Spent the War in B ed, And Other Bizarre Tales from World War II (200 3).jpg

A rare treat for World War II history buffs and fans of the strange, absurd, and unexplained
Acclaimed military historian William Breuer takes readers on a trip through the looking glass to acquaint them with the weirder side of World War II. Featuring a cast of characters including double– and triple–agents, femme fatales, fearless leaders, and men at arms, The Spy who Spent the War In Bed is a collection of seventy concise, vividly rendered tales of war, ranging from laugh–out–loud funny, to inspiring, to just–plain–bizarre. For instance, there′s the one about how reputed Irish Republican Army members in New York conned Nazi intelligence out of a small fortune. There′s also a thrilling account of how four American newsmen bagged an entire German platoon. And there′s the haunting tale of the "Mystery Plane," an experimental aircraft that took off on a short test flight over England one sunny afternoon in 1938 and simply vanished into a cloudless summer sky. This book draws on personal interviews, official archives, and declassified documents, as well as the vast literature on World War II.

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William B. Breuer - The Spy Who Spent the War in B ed, And Other Bizarre Tales from World War II (200 3).pdf

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Jake Blood - The Tet Effect, Intelligence and the Public Perception of War (2005).jpg

This book examines intelligence's role in shaping America's perception of the Vietnam war and looks closely at the intelligence leadership and decision process in Vietnam.

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Jake Blood - The Tet Effect, Intelligence and the Public Perception of War (2005).pdf

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Jonathan Marshall - To Have and Have Not, Southeas t Asian Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacif ic War (1995).jpg

USA Books - Jonathan Marshall - To Have and Have Not, Southeast As... Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacific War 1995.jpg

This text argues that it was not ideological or national security considerations that led the United States into war with Japan in 1941. Instead, it argues, it was a struggle for access to Southeast Asia's vast storehouse of commodities - rubber, oil and tin - that drew the US into the conflict. Departing from conventional wisdom, Marshall re-examines the political landscape of the time and recreates the mounting tension and fear that gripped US officials in the months before the war. Unusual in its extensive use of previously ignored documents and studies, this work records the dilemmas of the Roosevelt administration: it initially hoped to avoid conflict with Japan but, after many diplomatic overtures, it came to see war as inevitable. Marshall also explores the ways that international conflicts often stem from rivalries over land, food, energy and industry. His insights into "resource war," the competition for essential commodities, should shed new light on US involvement in other conflicts - notably in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.

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Jonathan Marshall - To Have and Have Not, Southeas t Asian Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacif ic War (1995).rar

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RichardF.Hamilton, HolgerH.Herwig - Decisions for War, 1914-1917 (2004).jpg

Focusing on the choices made by coteries, this study examines the perplexing question of why World War I happened. In each case, the decision to enter the war was made by a handful of individuals--monarchs, ministers, military people, party leaders, ambassadors, and a few others. In each case also, separate and distinct agendas are seen, with considerations differing from one nation to the next. The leadership of Japan, the Ottoman Empire, Italy, the Balkans, and the United States are explored, as well as that of the major powers involved--Austria-Hungary, Germany, France, and Great Britain

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