Osprey's examination of the last major Republican offensive of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The Battle of the Ebro was a vitally important episode in the Spanish conflict and, although ultimately a Republican defeat it proved a severe setback for the Nationalist forces under General Francesco Franco Bahamonde. According to many historians it extended the war for an extra year. Ultimately however it was probably the death knell of the Republic; their armies lost vast amounts of men and materials and they were left incapable of defending their remaining territory effectively. The...

The rapid development of the tank as an offensive weapon following its introduction in World War I gave artillery theorists cause for concern during the 1920s and 1930s. By the beginning of World War II anti-tank guns had been developed, initially at around 37mm and 2 pounds in weight of shot. By the end of the war, monster anti-tank weapons were being developed, able to penetrate an armour thickness of up to 200mm at a range of 1,000 yards. This book explores the British efforts to keep up in a war of development, which saw heavier and more powerful guns eventually replaced by experimental...