Who was responsible for the design of the Admiral Popov, the circular Russian battleship that wouldn't steer straight? Why did Lord Ansonset set out to circumnavigate the world with a crew of Chelsea pensioners? And how did the British cruiser HMS Trinidad manage to torpedo itself in the Arctic. This book presents the answers to these questions.
From the emperors of Rome to the princes of the present-day House of Windsor, those of royal blood have not always behaved with dignity fitting of their regal standing. In Royal Blunders, Geoffrey Regan casts a jaundiced eye over the lapses, gaffes, and indiscretions of kings, queens, and kaisers. Discover which Hapsburg emperor retired to a monastery for a quiet life and ended up eating himself to death. Learn which of Edward VII's sons was suspected of being Jack the Ripper. Read about the medieval French monarch who was utterly convinced that he was made of glass and the prince who confessed his marital infidelity on television.
This entertaining and enlightening history examines landmark military screw-ups and their consequences, from those that are merely amusing in hindsight to the truly tragic. Twenty-five blunders span 600 years, but focus on episodes from major 19th and 20th century conflicts like the Boer War, World Wars I and II, the Zulu Wars, Indochina, the Tehran hostage crisis, Grenada, and Kosovo. Organized around themes like "Unfit to Lead", "Planning", "Underestimating the Enemy", "Hubris and Nemesis", and "Technology", the book is illustrated throughout with period drawings, paintings, photographs, and maps.
Through an intriguing selection of primary sources the author looks at Elizabeth as stateswoman and monarch.