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[[File: gallipoli book.jpg|left|thumbnail|250px|<i>Gallipoli</i> by Jenny MacLeod]]
Oxford University Press has a series that covers classic battles from Ancient Greece to World War II. Each of these books discusses not only the battles themselves but how they were commemorated and their long term impact on history. The books try to understand not just how the battle took place, but why they became so important.
'''Anne Curry'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199681015/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199681015&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1318804a63681905f24f41be569e5017 Agincourt]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
Why is Agincourt one of the best known and celebrated battles in history? What made it remarkable? Like many of the battles in the series, the legend of Agincourt has overshadowed the battle itself. One of the most famous speeches in Shakespeare's plays ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM Saint Crispin's Day Speech]) is Henry V's speech inspiring his soldiers before Agincourt.
Anne Curry first sets the scene, illuminating how and why the battle was fought, as well as its significance in the wider history of the Hundred Years War. She then takes the Agincourt story through the centuries from 1415 to 2015, from the immediate, and sometimes surprising, responses to it on both sides of the Channel, through its reinvention by Shakespeare in King Henry V (1599), and the enduring influence of both the play and the film versions of it, especially the patriotic Laurence Olivier version of 1944, at the time of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
'''Simon Ball'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199682038/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199682038&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=0e6d329a23d95f71a28ef1d6c7849355 Alamein]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
The Battle of El Alamein was the most important battle of the North African conflict between German and Italy and the British Empire. The battle, which was in reality, a series of battles, has entered military legend and it is one of the best-known battles of WWII. The battle was involved some of the most famous generals of the war, including Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel. Significantly, the battle was a turning point in the European theater.
Simon Ball's book turns the interpretation of the battle on its head. Based on the intensive reading of the contemporary sources, in particular, the extensive and recently declassified British bugging of Axis prisoners of war, military historian Simon Ball turns Alamein on its head, explaining it as a cultural defeat for Britain. Ball's book is well worth a look.
'''Murray Pittock'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199664072/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199664072&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=3903b44cacfa9b765fb2f62e4d9dd7ae Culloden]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
The Battle of Culloden was the last battle fought on British soil by regular troops. The battle was short, brutal, one-sided and decisive. The British crushed the Jacobites and forced Bonnie Prince Charlie into exile in France. While the battle itself is of little note, the result of the battle was [[How Did the Battle of Culloden Change British and American History?|extremely consequential]] to Britain, Europe, and the North American colonies. Additionally, the Battle of Culloden and Jacobite uprising been romanticized. The books and television series Outlander center around the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden are just one example.
Pittock's book examines the battle and the brutal suppression of the Highland clans after the uprising ended. He seeks to correct the notion that battle was a dramatic clash, between Highlander and Lowlander, Celt and Saxon, Catholic and Protestant, the old and the new.
'''Jenny MacLeod'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019964487X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=019964487X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=32d16240b85978e34ec9de589f4b9df0 Gallipoli]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
In ''Gallipoli'', historian Jenny Macleod discusses why the Allied plan failed, and of equal importance, how the Ottoman Army withstood the assault and emerged victoriously. Although new evidence has not been unearthed, Macleod takes advantage of digitization in accessing sources and presents an insightful look into the Ottoman military. Further, this text intentionally forgoes referring to Ottoman soldiers as “Turks,” and celebrates the ethnic and religious diversity of the Ottoman military forces. Finally, going beyond the battle, the author focuses heavily on the national and cultural consequences of the battle in the aftermath of the Great War.
<i>Gallipoli</i> is a detailed account of the nations involved in that battle. The book focuses more on the aftermath in the participating nations. Macleod convincingly supports her argument that due to logistics, training, and politics the Allied plan could do nothing but fail. Additionally, she conveys the respect the enemy soldiers held for each other; respect that began as hatred.
'''John France'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199646953/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199646953&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=dc0e6f5289546048465a920c66557310 Hattin]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)'
In 1187 at the Battle of Hattin, the Muslim leader Saladin annihilated the Crusaders army of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and forced the Europeans out of the Holy Land. The Battle of Hattin was a slaughter that fundamentally changed the Holy Land because Saladin, a Sunni Muslim, had retaken Jerusalem. Additionally, the war between Islam and Christendom intensified even as Crusaders' presence in the Holy Land waned.
Hattin ultimately led to several efforts by Crusaders to retake Jerusalem. For Muslims, Hattim was become of hope that they could foreigners and has transformed into a rallying cry for radical Sunni fundamentalists. France's book places the battle into its historical context.
'''Peter H. Wilson'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TS22C1/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B077TS22C1&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=38c3c584ae6154a49853e660d629e969 Lutzen]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
The Battle of Lutzen (November 1632) between the German Imperial and Swedish armies is considered one of the most important battles in history, but, curiously, it was not decisive. It neither resolved the 30 Years War nor resulted in any significant gains for the Swedish victors. Why has it become so significant?
Peter Wilson explains that Lutzen's fame is based more on Gustav II Adolf of Sweden's sacrifice at the battle than the battle itself. Gustav became a martyr for the Protestant faith and was celebrated in both Sweden and the Protestant community of Lutzen that is near the battle site. Wilson's book does an outstanding job of explaining how the Battle of Lutzen obtained mythic proportions over time.
'''Ian F. W. Beckett'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L5RBDP4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07L5RBDP4&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=66044b6238b74012f8a74f7527e84ebe Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
The Anglo-Zulu war started with one of the worst defeats of British forces at Isandlwana in the 19th Century which was followed by the successful defense of a small outpost at Rourke's Drift against an overwhelming Zulu force. Ian Beckett explores the perspectives of both Britain and Zulus to better understand both the consequences of the battle and how both groups understand these battles from a cultural perspective. Britain was forced to confront the reality that its colonial policies could no longer ensure success. Instead of expanding its imperial power in the 20th century, Britain's influence dramatically declined throughout the 20th Century.
Additionally, both of these battles continue to influence both Britain and the Zulus. Two separate British movies ''Zulu Dawn'' (Isandlwana) and ''Zulu'' (Rourke's Drift) brought these battles back into the consciousness of in the 1960s-70s. Beckett explores the myths that have arisen not only from the movies but how the interpretations of these battles have changed.
'''Chris Carey'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198754108/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198754108&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=c2540a1fe3b004d2e930e06b2ca2e616 Thermopylae]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
In 480 AD, a small outnumbered Greek military fiercely fought a battle against the most powerful army to invade Greece at that time. While the Greeks ultimately ended up retreating from the battle, the Persians had only won a pyrrhic victory. They may have won the battle but Thermopylae put an end to their ambitions in Greece. Chris Carey not only examines the battle, but he is forced to separate fact from myth. Studying Thermopylae is a challenge because there are very few sources describing the battle. It is extremely difficult to determine if the sources are reliable or spreading propaganda.
Despite the sketchy historical record, Thermopylae has taken on significance in Western culture since it was fought. It has played a significant role in poetry, literature and even modern movies. Carey explains the ways that Thermopylae has taken on a significance beyond the conseuquences on the Greeks and Persians.
'''Alan Forrest'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199663254/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199663254&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=62ba70bf374992b31bc6e0e9309d306a Waterloo]''(Oxford University Press, )
The Battle of Waterloo has cast a long shadow over Europe. It ended the French Empire and Napoleon's aspirations and it significantly altered the direction of Europe. Unsurprisingly, the meaning and significance of Waterloo are different for all of the countries that participated in the battle. Alan Forrest walks through the reader through the battle but explores the consequences and the interpretations of Waterloo. Forrest answers how we remember Waterloo. Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands all view Waterloo through different a lens.
'''Mark Connelly and Stefan Goebel'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HCBFHRM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07HCBFHRM&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b07788ff847e58b65bdba43ff75c228b Ypres]'' (Oxford Univesity Press)
