Doug Stanton Knihy

Dramatický příběh o malé skupině vojáků amerických speciálních jednotek, která po událostech 11. září 2001 tajně vstoupila do Afghánistánu a na koních se vydala do boje proti Tálibánu. Nepřítele, který měl čtyřicetinásobnou početní převahu, pronásledovala horským terénem a po řadě urputných bojů obsadila město Mazáre-e Šaríf, které bylo pro porážku Tálibánu strategicky důležité. Jeho obyvatelé vítali vyčerpané Američany jako osvoboditele. Ovšem potom došlo k nečekanému zvratu. Během kapitulace asi pěti set Tálibánců byli američtí vojáci přepadeni ze zálohy. V ohromné pevnosti Qala-e Džangi bojovali proti mnohonásobné přesile o život. V sázce byl vojenský úspěch celé kampaně. Kdyby vojáci padli nebo byli zajati, mohlo by veškeré úsilí o porážku Tálibánu přijít vniveč. Ve snaze udržet pevnost podstoupili Američané jedny z nejtěžších bojů v městském prostředí v moderní době. Tento příběh ukazuje, že kombinace prastarých strategií válčení na koních s moderními technologiemi leteckého bombardování může vést ke zdánlivě neuvěřitelným vojenským úspěchům. Důsledná snaha těchto vojáků na koních získat si přízeň obyvatel města a zabránit civilním obětem navíc poskytla cenné ponaučení pro pokračující americké nasazení v Afghánistánu.

On 30 July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was steaming through the South Pacific, on her way home having delivered the bomb that was to decimate Hiroshima seven days later, when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine.

The inspiration for the major motion picture 12 Strong from Jerry Bruckheimer, starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon. From the New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way comes a true-life story of American soldiers overcoming great odds to achieve a stunning military victory. Horse Soldiers is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered forty to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which was strategically essential to defeat their opponent throughout the country. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city, and the streets thronged with Afghans overjoyed that the Taliban regime had been overthrown. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of six hundred Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed by the would-be POWs. Dangerously overpowered, they fought for their lives in the city’s immense fortress, Qala-i-Janghi, or the House of War. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: if the soldiers perished or were captured, the entire effort to outmaneuver the Taliban was likely doomed. Deeply researched and beautifully written, Stanton’s account of the Americans’ quest to liberate an oppressed people touches the mythic. The soldiers on horses combined ancient strategies of cavalry warfare with twenty-first-century aerial bombardment technology to perform a seemingly impossible feat. Moreover, their careful effort to win the hearts of local townspeople proved a valuable lesson for America’s ongoing efforts in Afghanistan.

THE TIE-IN TO THE MAJOR FILM 12 STRONG, STARRING CHRIS HEMSWORTH

Recognized as a standout in nonfiction, this book has received accolades from both Military Times and the Society of Midland Authors. It offers a compelling exploration of its subject, combining thorough research with engaging storytelling. Readers can expect insightful perspectives and a deep dive into the themes that resonate with military and broader societal issues, making it a significant contribution to contemporary literature.

A work of literary military history from the ... author of In Harm's Way and Horse Soldiers, [an] ... account of an American army reconnaissance platoon's fight for survival during the Vietnam War--whose searing experiences reverberate today among the millions of American families touched by this war --Amazon.com.

A harrowing, adrenaline-charged account of America's worst naval disaster — and of the heroism of the men who, against all odds, survived. Interweaving the stories of survivors, Doug Stanton has brought this astonishing human drama to life in a narrative that is at once immediate and timeless. The definitive account of a little-known chapter in World War II history, In Harm's Way is destined to become a classic tale of war, survival, and extraordinary courage.On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four days and nights. Battered by a savage sea, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia, and dementia. The captain's subsequent court-martial left many questions unanswered: How did the navy fail to realize the Indianapolis was missing? And perhaps most amazing of all, how did these 317 men manage to survive?

Esta es la historia de los soldados de las Fuerzas especiales norteamericanas y agentes de la CIA, a quienes, tras los atentados del 11-S de 2001, se les encomendó la formidable tarea de derrotar a los talibanes de Afganistán, lo que consiguieron en una campaña de dos meses combatiendo junto a 15.000 afganos de la Alianza del Norte. Obligados a luchar en un terreno montañoso, debieron acostumbrarse a hacerlo a caballo, consiguieron victorias decisivas y vivieron experiencias terribles