Under the slogan ‘Merdeka!’, the Republic of Indonesia rushed into a battle for independence – a struggle whose outcome no one could predict. Harry Poeze and Henk Schulte Nordholt provide a new narrative about the revolution, focusing not only on the fight against the Dutch but also on the precarious rise of the Republic."

After the horrors of the Japanese occupation, the Republican leaders needed to somehow build a new state. From the Dutch side, they had to deal with short-sighted pol...

With protection of the individual soldier in mind, the German army introduced a camouflage tent material in the early 1930s. It was the second army in the world to incorporate this idea into production. The material presented a brown, green and tan printed fabric which , in principle, would blend with the landscape. Originally, the Italian army created the first brightly colored camouflage tent in 1929. It should be noted that the design, model, and shape of this material was not modified unt...

The history of Sparta is legendary. The author starts his journey in 1888 BC in a small settlement on the Peloponnese to continue via the route Sparta Rotterdam 1888 to the present-day hamlet of Sparta. The gods put you on the horse only to ruthlessly knock you off again. This book traces the early history of Sparta up to the foundation of the city-state of Sparta in roughly 1100 BC and then continues this historical journey through the many highs and lows of the city-state that inspired awe...

Empire of Corruption is Vladimir Soloviev's attempt to share his opinions on Russia's ways of dealing with corruption. With a certain irony, Soloviev calls the issue 'the Russian national pastime', explaining why in the country where everyone is supposedly fighting corruption, corruption still rules.The author's detailed research into the corruption structure in Russia, with concrete examples and historical references, is now available to the reader in the English language. Soloviev goes furt...

Russia's rich history is full of secrets: there's not another country in the world with so many skeletons in its closet. Vladimir Medinskiy's new book offers the reader the opportunity to get better acquainted with some myths about Russia in an quick, easy and entertaining way.The book covers some of the most interesting, colourful and controversial debates in Russian history and the most popular myths about Russia: vodka and its role in some incredible adventures, Russia's problems (apart fr...

Terrorism has been one of the most important threats to peace, security and stability in many parts of the world. But what does this mean? What is the nature of this threat? What can be done about it and how can we at least limit the impact of terrorism?

These are just a handful of questions that will be addressed in this book that consists of four parts. First it focuses on the essence of terrorism as an instrument to achieve certain goals and the difficulties in defining the term. The second...

In Jenevercity, Mayor Pearl-chain is in dire straits, accused of cronyism, abuse of power and creating a culture of fear. The democratically elected heavyweights of the city council fly in the integrity agency You Call and We Deliver to deal with her "independently and thoroughly". The heads of this bureau, Long Jake, Ant and Colt, will piggyback her. Ex-journalist Tick is working overtime in his anonymous and vicious internet forum, constantly spewing thousands of smears, slanders and Indian...

Terrorism has arguably been one of the defining factors of our age. In many parts of the world, it has been one of the most important threats to peace, security and stability. But what does this exactly mean? What is the nature of this threat? What can be done about it or how can we at least limit the impact of terrorism?

These are just a handful of questions that will be addressed in this book that consists of three parts. First it focuses on the essence of terrorism as an instrument to achi...

Between 1966 and 1980, the War History Office of the National Defense College of Japan (now the Center for Military History of the National Institute for Defense Studies) published the 102-volume "Senshi Sosho" (War History Series). These volumes give a detailed account of the operations of the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War. Volume 3 of the series, "The Invasion of the Dutch East Indies", describes in depth the campaign to gain control over ...