Razor's Edge: The Unofficial History of the Falklands War

Description

For five years before the Falklands War, Hugh Bicheno was one of the top British spies in Argentina. As such, he gathered hard, corroborated intelligence on Argentine intentions over the Falklands - which the British establishment then chose to ignore. The reasons behind this British decision, and its disastrous and inevitable consequences in the South Atlantic, are the main story of this book. There were three main players in the war, each of them trying to overcome their own cultural baggage. The Argentines were riddled with guilt: after years of fighting a morally repugnant campaign against its own people, the Argentine military saw a war for the Malvinas islands as a perfect opportunity to win back their self-respect. The hands of the Americans were also bloody from the likewise dirty wars they had sponsored and abetted in Central America. For Britain it was simply the last straw after decades of humiliation.

Hugh Bicheno has had careers as an academic, an intelligence officer and a freelance kidnap and ransom negotiator in South America. He now devotes himself to writing about men at war. His previous books include the bestselling Rebels and Redcoats, written in conjunction with Richard Holmes. Previous titles: Razor's Edge (HC June 06); Crescent and Cross (Bfmt Dec 04); Rebels and Redcoats: The American Revolutionary War, co author with Richard Holmes; Midway (Fields of Battle)

He knows his stuff about how soldiers fight battles and he has done us all a service by explaining them so well for a new generation--Daily Mail Highly entertaining - readers will find this book gripping and discomfiting--Daily Telegraph