The Crucible of War: Western Desert, 1941 by Barrie Pitt - 1980

Jonathan Cape, 1980. Hardback. Collectible: Very Good. 1st Edition / 1st Printing (Jonathan Cape - 1980) VERY GOOD in a very good mylar protected dust jacket. No marks. Binding is tight and square. xix, 506 pages, 24 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 24 cm. . . . . . . . . TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1.) The First Adversaries -- 2.) Skirmish and Circumspect Advance -- 3.) The Pace Quickens -- 4.) The *Five-day Raid* -- 5.) The First Battle for Tobruk -- 6.) Beda Fomm: The Narrow Victory -- 7.) *In all directions...* -- 8.) Enter Rommel -- 9.) Battleaxe -- 10.) Auchinleck Takes Command -- 11.) Crusader: The Clash of Armour -- 12.) Crusader: The Infantry Takes Over -- 13.) Lightning Riposte ------ * APPEDICES: a.) Forces Engaged in Operation Compass -- b.) Forces Engaged in Operation Battleaxe -- c.) Forces Engaged in Operation Crusader. . . . . . . . . . The Crucible Of War: Western Desert 1941, is the first of two volumes of author Barrie Pitt's comprehensive and extremely detailed account of the WWII North African campaign. Pitt, a former British soldier who served in both the European and Middle East theaters, reconstructs the campaign in detail, clearly explaining the oftentimes confusing movements of the units involved down to the platoon level. More importantly Pitt is able to convey a sense of how a particular situation appeared *in the heat of battle* by the participants themselves. This narrative is very well written and obviously well researched, with extensive notes. This and the second volume of the set, The Crucible of War: Year Of Alamein 1942, published by Paragon House, are a must have for serious students of the North African campaign. -- Dwain Cunningham