Britain's Part-time Soldiers: the Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945 by Ian F Beckett

Britain's Part-time Soldiers: the Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945 by Ian F Beckett

In this classic study, first published over 20 years ago, Ian Beckett gives a comprehensive and scholarly overview of the development of the amateur military tradition in Britain from the mid-sixteenth century to the present day. He shows how standing armies in Britain have been viewed with distrust and how the preference for amateur and temporary soldiers has heightened the importance of the auxiliary forces in defense against both foreign invasion and domestic disorder. His meticulously researched account of these part-time soldiers will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in or studying British military or social history.The story of the auxiliary forces is traced from the early evolution of a national militia through to the more systematic organization of local auxiliaries. Close attention is given to the development of such forces as the militia, yeomanry, volunteers, territorials and home guard. Ian Beckett describes the continuity between these forces and the important role they played in local society, highlighting not only their military purpose, but also their function as tools of social control and law-keeping. He also argues that these auxiliary forces, rather than the regular army, have provided an essential point of contract between army and society.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781848843950
ISBN 10	184884395X
Title	Britain's Part-time Soldiers: the Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945
Author	Ian F Beckett
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2011-06-01
Number of pages	352
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.