Many see China and the United States on the path to confrontation. The Chinese leadership violates human rights norms. It maintains a harsh rule in Tibet, spars aggressively with Taiwan, and is clamping down on Hong Kong. A rising power with enormous assets, China increasingly considers American interests an obstacle to its own. But, the authors argue, the United States is the least of China's problems. Despite its sheer size, economic vitality, and drive to upgrade its military forces, China remains a vulnerable power, crowded on all sides by powerful rivals and potential foes. As it has throughout its history, China faces immense security challenges, and their sources are at and within China's own borders. China's foreign policy is calibrated to defend its territorial integrity against antagonists who are numerous, near, and strong. The authors trace the implications of this central point for China's relations with the United States and the rest of the world.
The third in T.J. Mullin's war weapons series is on semiautomatic machine guns, machine pistols and shotguns, perhaps the least understood of individual weapons. He tests more than 50 battle-scarred weapons from North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and tells you which ones you can count on (an which ones you can't) and why.
'A highly original and valuable piece of military history. It ought to transform our idea of the Second World War, it has mine...a marvellous and origninal book based on the most detailed research.' (Sir John Keegan )
'I thought TANK MEN was a triumph ... it is a really fine piece of work' (Richard Holmes )
'Some of the eye witness accounts Kershaw has collected for this comprehensive review of tank warfare have the power to chill the reader to the bone. This is warfare at the sharp end.' (Nottingham Evenong Post )
'Very well written, with excellent photographs, it's an indispensable addition to the body of knowledge about modern warfare.' (South Wales Argus )
