This was a legendary set of books put out by the Brits in the early 70s. And they were only a dollar on this side of the pond (at first anyway; we had a thing called stagflation back then). For a kid into military history, they were a godsend.
The drawback of course was that affordability came at the expense of quality of binding: they were glued together. After 50 years and counting, some of them are literally falling apart. A copy without a desiccated spine is a glory to behold (and own).
I have arranged these books according to my own chronological/topical taxonomy. Ballantine's original Series No. is included for reference. I cannot swear about the accuracy of the rarity scale, but I got it from a guy who thinks the source was sound.
Chronological Groups |
Ballantine Series |
Rarity |
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No. of | No. of | No. of | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Category | Titles | Series | Titles | Rarity Level | Titles | ||
World War I | 12 | Battle | 33 | Common | 103 | ||
Between the Wars | 3 | Campaign | 30 | Fairly Common | 32 | ||
World War II ‒ Europe | 70 | Full Colour Special | 2 | Somewhat Rare | 12 | ||
World War II ‒ Pacific | 29 | Human Conflict | 5 | Quite Rare | 6 | ||
World War II ‒ Weapons | 35 | Politics in Action | 9 | Extremely Rare | 1 | ||
After World War II | 5 | War Leader | 31 | ||||
Weapons | 44 | ||||||
Totals | 154 | Totals | 154 | Totals | 154 |
World War I: Combat |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Opening Moves August 1914 |
John Keegan | Campaign 19 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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2 | Carpathian Disaster: Death of an Army |
Geoffrey Jukes | Campaign 18 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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3 | Vimy Ridge 1914-18 | Kenneth Macksey | Battle 26 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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4 | Tanganyikan Guerrila: East African Campaign 1914-18 |
Maj. J. K. Sibley | Campaign 20 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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5 | Zeebrugge 23rd April 1918 |
James W. Stock | Battle 31 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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6 | Armored Onslaught 8th August 1918 |
Douglas Orgill | Battle 25 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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7 | Argonne 1918: The AEF in France |
Barry Gregory | Battle 28 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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World War I: Biography |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
8 | Lawrence | Douglas Orgill | War Leader 18 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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9 | Churchill 1914-1918 | David Mason | War Leader 23 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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World War I: Weapons |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
10 | The Guns 1914-18 | Ian V. Hogg | Weapons 27 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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11 | Trench Fighting 1914-18 | Charles Messenger | Weapons 28 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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12 | Gas | Ian V. Hogg | Weapons 43 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
Between the Wars |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Condor Legion | Peter Elstob | Weapons 35 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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14 | The Rape of Ethiopia 1936 | A. J. Barker | Politics in Action 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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15 | The Fight for Freedom for Women | Rose Tremain | Politics in Action 9 | Level 5: Extremely Rare ● |
Europe: Combat ‒ Western Front, Pre-Overlord |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | Rotterdam: Invasion of Holland |
Wilhelmina Steenbeek | Battle 29 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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17 | France, Summer 1940 | John Williams | Campaign 6 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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18 | Their Finest Hour: The Story of the Battle of Britain 1940 |
Edward Bishop | Battle 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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19 | London's Burning | Constantine Fitzgibbon | Battle 17 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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20 | Raid on St. Nazaire | David Mason | Battle 14 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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21 | Schweinfurt: Disaster in the Skies |
John Sweetman | Campaign 17 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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22 | Ploesti: Oil Strike |
John Sweetman | Battle 30 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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23 | Bomber Offensive: The Devastation of Europe |
Noble Frankland | Campaign 7 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Europe: Combat ‒ Eastern Front |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
24 | The Winter War: Russia against Finland |
Richard W. Condon | Campaign 24 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●●● |
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25 | Barbarossa: Invasion of Russia 1941 |
John Keegan | Campaign 11 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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26 | The Defense of Moscow | Geoffrey Jukes | Battle 13 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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27 | The Siege of Leningrad | Alan Wykes | Battle 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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28 | Stalingrad: The Turning Point |
Geoffrey Jukes | Battle 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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29 | Kursk: The Clash of Armor |
Geoffrey Jukes | Battle 7 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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30 | Warsaw Rising | Gunther Deschner | Politics in Action 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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31 | Battle for Berlin: End of the Third Reich |
Earl F. Ziemke | Battle 6 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Europe: Combat ‒ North Africa |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
32 | Afrika Korps | K. J. Macksey | Campaign 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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33 | The Raiders: Desert Strike Force |
Arthur Swinson | Campaign 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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34 | Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory |
Kenneth Macksey | Battle 22 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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35 | Tobruk: The Siege |
James W. Stock | Campaign 26 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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36 | Bir Hakim*: Desert Citadel |
Richard Holmes | Battle 23 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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37 | Operation Torch: Anglo-American Invasion of North Africa |
Vincent Jones | Campaign 22 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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38 | Kasserine: Baptism of Fire |
Ward Rutherford | Battle 18 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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* Pan/Ballantine edition is spelled Bir Hacheim. | ||||||
Europe: Combat ‒ Italy |
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39 | Sicily: Whose Victory? |
Martin Blumenson | Campaign 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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40 | Salerno: Foothold in Europe |
David Mason | Battle 24 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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41 | Anzio: The Bid for Rome |
Christopher Hibbert | Battle 15 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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42 | Cassino | Dominich Graham | Battle 16 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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Europe: Combat ‒ Western Front, Overlord and After |
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43 | D-Day: Spearhead of Invasion |
R.W. Thompson | Battle 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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44 | Normandy Bridgehead | H. Essame | Campaign 10 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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45 | Breakout: Drive to the Seine |
David Mason | Campaign 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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46 | Battle of the Ruhr Pocket | Charles Whiting | Battle 21 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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47 | Airborne Carpet: Operation Market Garden |
Anthony Farrar-Hockley | Battle 9 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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48 | Battle of the Reichswald | Peter Elstob | Battle 19 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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49 | Bastogne: The Road Block |
Peter Elstob | Battle 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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50 | Rhine Crossing | James W. Stock | Battle 27 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
Europe: Biography ‒ Allies |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
51 | Bradley | Charles Whiting | War Leader 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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52 | Churchill | David Mason | War Leader 16 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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53 | De Gaulle | Phillipe Masson | War Leader 7 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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54 | Eisenhower | Martin Blumenson | War Leader 9 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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55 | Montgomery | R. Thompson | War Leader 29 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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56 | Patton | Charles Whiting | War Leader 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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57 | Stalin | Geoffrey Jukes | War Leader 31 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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58 | Tito | Phyllis Auty | War Leader 10 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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59 | Zhukov: Marshal of the Soviet Union |
O. Chaney | War Leader 28 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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Europe: Biography ‒ Axis |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
60 | Guderian | John Keegan | War Leader 20 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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61 | Mussolini | Christopher Hibert | War Leader 13 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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62 | Rommel | J.R. Sibley/M. Fry | War Leader 27 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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63 | Runstedt | John Keegan | War Leader 25 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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64 | Skorzeny | Charles Whiting | War Leader 11 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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65 | Stauffenberg | G.S. Graber | War Leader 21 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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66 | Student | Anthony Farrar-Hockley | War Leader 15 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
Europe: The Nazis ‒ Events |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
67 | The Nuremberg Rallies | Alan Wykes | Campaign 8 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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68 | Reichstag Fire: Ashes of Democracy |
R. John Prichard | Politics in Action 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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69 | Night of the Long Knives | Nikolai Tolstoy | Politics in Action 7 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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70 | Olympiad 1936: Blaze of Glory for Hitler's Reich |
Judith Holmes | Human Conflict 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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71 | Genocide: The Jews in Europe 1939-45 |
Ward Rutherford | Human Conflict 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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72 | Lidice: Sacrifical Village |
John Bradley | Human Conflict 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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73 | The Conspirators 20th July 1944 |
Roger Manvell | Politics in Action 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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74 | Nuremberg Trials | Leo Kahn | Politics in Action 8 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Europe: The Nazis ‒ Institutions |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
75 | Blackshirts: Fascism in Britain |
David Shermer | Politics in Action 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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76 | Hitler Youth: The Duped Generation |
H.W. Koch | Politics in Action 6 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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77 | Nazi Regalia | Jack Pia | Full Color Special 1 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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78 | SS Regalia | Jack Pia | Full Color Special 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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79 | SS and Gestapo: Rule by Terror |
Roger Manvell | Weapons 8 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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80 | Hitler's Bodyguards: SS Leibstandarte |
Alan Wykes | Weapons 39 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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Europe: The Nazis ‒ Biography |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
81 | Goebbels | Alan Wykes | War Leader 17 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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82 | Göring | Roger Manvell | War Leader 8 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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83 | Heydrich | Alan Wykes | War Leader 22 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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84 | Himmler | Alan Wykes | War Leader 14 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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85 | Hitler | Alan Wykes | War Leader 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
Pacific: Combat ‒ Campaign Studies |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
86 | Pacific Onslaught: 7th Dec.1941 / 7th Feb.1943 |
Paul Kennedy | Campaign 21 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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87 | Pacific Victory | Paul Kennedy | Campaign 25 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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88 | Japan: The Final Agony |
Alvin Cox | Campaign 9 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Pacific: Combat ‒ Island Battles |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
89 | Pearl Harbor | A.J. Barker | Battle 10 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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90 | Fall of the Philippines | Ward Rutherford | Campaign 16 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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91 | Midway: The Turning Point |
A.J. Barker | Battle 20 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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92 | Guadalcanal: Island Ordeal |
Graeme Kent | Campaign 14 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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93 | New Georgia: Pattern for Victory |
D.C. Horton | Campaign 15 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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94 | New Guinea: The Tide Is Stemmed |
John Vader | Campaign 13 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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95 | Tarawa: A Legend Is Born |
Henry I. Shaw, Jr. | Battle 8 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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96 | Bloodiest Victory: Palaus |
Stanley Falk | Campaign 28 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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97 | Leyte Gulf: Armada in the Pacific |
Donald Macintrye | Battle 11 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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98 | Liberation of the Philippines | Stanley Falk | Campaign 12 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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99 | Iwo Jima | Michael Russell | Battle 32 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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100 | Okinawa: Touchstone to Victory |
Benis M. Frank | Battle 12 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Pacific: Combat ‒ Mainland Asia |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
101 | Flying Tigers: Chennault in China |
Ron Heifferman | Weapons 29 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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102 | Defeat in Malaya: The Fall of Singapore |
Arthur Swinson | Campaign 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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103 | Death Railway | Clifford Kinvig | Human Conflict 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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104 | Over the Hump: Airlift to China |
William Koenig | Campaign 23 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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105 | Chindits: Long Range Penetration |
Michael Calvert | Weapons 34 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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106 | Merrill's Marauders | Alan Baker | Weapons 31 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
Pacific: Biography ‒ Allies |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
107 | Halsey | Benis M. Frank | War Leader 26 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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108 | MacArthur | Sydney L. Mayer | War Leader 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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109 | MacArthur in Japan | Sydney L. Mayer | War Leader 19 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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110 | Mountbatten | Arthur Swinson | War Leader 6 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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111 | Slim | Michael Calvert | War Leader 12 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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112 | Stilwell | D.D. Rooney | War Leader 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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Pacific: Biography ‒ Japan |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
113 | Tojo | Alvin D. Cook | War Leader 30 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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114 | Yamashita | A.J. Barker | War Leader 24 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
WWII Weapons: All Nations |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
115 | Aircraft Carrier: The Majestic Weapon |
Donald Macintyre | Weapons 3 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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116 | The Guns 1939-45 | Ian V. Hogg | Weapons 11 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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117 | Airborne | Charles MacDonald | Weapons 12 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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118 | PT Boats | Bryan Cooper | Weapons 13 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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119 | Barrage: The Guns in Action |
Ian Hogg | Weapons 18 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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120 | Infantry Weapons | John Weeks | Weapons 25 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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121 | Grenades and Mortars | Ian Hogg | Weapons 37 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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122 | Midget Submarine | James Gleason and Tom Walder |
Weapons 42 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
WWII Weapons: Allies ‒ All Allies |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
123 | Tank Force: Allied Armor in World War II |
Kenneth Macksey | Weapons 15 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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124 | Allied Secret Weapons: The War of Science |
Brian J. Ford | Weapons 19 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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WWII Weapons: Allies ‒ United States |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
125 | Pacific Hawk | John Ward | Weapons 14 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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126 | B-29: The Superfortress |
Carl Berger | Weapons 17 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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127 | P-51: Bomber Escort |
W.N. Hess | Weapons 26 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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128 | Indestructible Jeep | D. Denfeld/M. Fry | Weapons 36 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
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129 | B-17: Flying Fortress |
W.N. Hess | Weapons 40 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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130 | DC-3 | A. Pearcy | Weapons 44 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
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WWII Weapons: Allies ‒ UK |
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131 | Spitfire | John Vader | Weapons 6 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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132 | Commando | Peter Young | Weapons 7 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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133 | Mosquito: Wooden Wonder |
Edward Bishop | Weapons 24 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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134 | Lancaster Bomber | D.B. Tubbs | Weapons 30 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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135 | Wellington Bomber | Edward Bishop | Weapons 38 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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WWII Weapons: Allies ‒ USSR |
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136 | T34: Russian Armor |
Douglas Orgill | Weapons 21 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
WWII Weapons: Axis ‒ Germany |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
137 | U-Boat: The Secret Menace |
David Mason | Weapons 1 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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138 | Panzer Division: The Mailed Fist |
K.J. Macksey | Weapons 2 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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139 | Me 109 | Martin Caidin | Weapons 4 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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140 | German Secret Weapons: Blueprint for Mars |
Brian J. Ford | Weapons 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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141 | Luftwaffe | Alfred Price | Weapons 10 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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142 | Waffen SS: The Asphalt Soldiers |
John Keegan | Weapons 16 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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143 | Rocket Fighter | William Greene | Weapons 20 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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144 | Hitler's High Seas Fleet | Richard Humble | Weapons 23 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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145 | German General Staff | Barry Leach | Weapons 32 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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146 | German Armor | Douglas Orgill | Weapons 41 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
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WWII Weapons: Axis ‒ Japan |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
147 | Zero Fighter | Martin Caidin | Weapons 9 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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148 | Suicide Weapon | A. J. Barker | Weapons 22 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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149 | Japanese High Seas Fleet | Richard Humble | Weapons 33 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
After World War II |
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No. | Owned by Me | Title | Author | Ballantine No. | Rarity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
150 | Berlin Blockade | John Man | Politics in Action 10 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |
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151 | Dien Bien Phu | John Keegan | Battle 33 | Level 4: Quite Rare ●● |
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152 | Six Day War | A. J. Barker | Campaign 27 | Level 2: Fairly Common ●●●● |
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153 | The Yom Kippur War | A. J. Barker | Campaign 29 | Level 3: Somewhat Rare ●●● |
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154 | Bloody Ulster | A. J. Barker | Human Conflict 5 | Level 1: Common ●●●●● |