Genres come and go in popularity, but interest in military history remains high. World War II continues to inspire the greatest number of titles and is well represented in this first of two roundups of what's on the horizon for this genre. World War II's name, of course, proved that World War I was not, as it had been called, "the war to end all wars," and new books on that war are also covered. Some of these titles will illuminate and revise readers' views; others are more standard military history fare—for which there is always a demand among both general and specialized readers.

The 369th Infantry was the first black regiment mustered to fight in World War I. While most black troops were relegated to service and supply units, the 369th fought—alongside French troops because American practice prohibited them from fighting with white soldiers. The duration and courage of their combat duty led to their nickname. Nelson concludes his study by tracing the personal stories of these veterans and their difficulties after returning to America. For all World War I readers.—EB

Prior (coauthor, The Somme) here dissects the great miscalculation of 1915–16. Designed to knock Turkey out of the war at low cost, the Gallipoli campaign instead became a killing ground that cost the Allies 390,000 casualties. Prior uses original documents and neglected diaries to re-examine assertions that the naval campaign was almost won, that misfortunes dogged the invaders, and even that success would have cracked the Turks from the Central Powers. Lengthy, detailed, and desirable for subject collections.—EB

The distinguished Stone (history, Bilken Univ., Ankara, Turkey; The Eastern Front: 1914–1917) has compressed five years of war into admirably terse and effective prose. While full of bons mots, this volume is so compressed that it will probably not be accessible as a primer but could serve as a capstone for advanced study. It should be a part of everyone's World War I collection.—EB

We barely remember that Italy fought against the Central Powers in World War I, in the Alps and the Dolomites. A million soldiers died, and the political echoes of the disastrous, if victorious, campaign led more or less directly to Mussolini. Thompson's coverage here of World War I away from the Western Front is deep and detailed, showing the horrors of the Italian campaign against Austria, as well as its influence on not only Mussolini (and thus Italian fascism) but writers such as Hemingway and Musil. Valuable for all students of the Great War, both general and advanced.—EB

In 1915, the Royal Navy and Allied troops sought to open the Dardanelles strait, which the Ottoman Empire had closed to the Allies in 1914. The operation was overseen by First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, and it was a massive failure that devolved into the horrific Battle of Gallipoli. Van der Vat provides a dogged narrative, hewing very much to maneuver details, both in battle and in Whitehall offices, and then indicating how the World War I Turco-German alliance impacted not only that war's duration but the course of history to come. With no footnotes, van der Vat aims at general readers, but this is best for the strict military history enthusiasts among them.—Margaret Heilbrun, Library Journal

The little-known Alamo Scouts were formed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur as an elite unit shortly after defeat in the Philippines in 1942 and charged with gathering intelligence, reporting on conditions in the occupied areas, and rescuing prisoners and hostages from the Japanese. They completed 108 missions behind enemy lines. Alexander (Biggest Brother) has a story-telling style that makes this account, based largely on memoirs and interviews with the now elderly surviving Scouts, an easy read. For those reading comprehensively on the war in the Pacific.—EB

This work examines the experiences of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, focusing on the 2nd Battalion, Easy Company, the unit Stephen Ambrose profiled in Band of Brothers. The narrative offers interviews with 20 surviving members of the company, often discussing their opinions of the HBO series as well as their experiences in training and combat. Probably not a necessary acquisition for any but the most complete collections.—EB

It's probably misleading to say that World War II was decided in the 22 days between November 17 and December 8, 1941, but a lot went on in that time. The British turned back Rommel, the Russians turned back the Wehrmacht within sight of Moscow, and, finally, Yamamoto initiated his desperate gamble to knock out the U.S. forces at Pearl Harbor and take control of the Pacific. Entwining the various stories gives a sense of the vastness of the theater but loses narrative coherence. For dedicated World War II afficionados.—EB

Osprey has applied its highly effective formula to D-Day. There's nothing new here—this work is essentially a hardcover amalgamation of four shorter Osprey efforts that were in Osprey's more usual paperback format—but readers will conveniently find good research by two practiced authors who are thoroughly familiar with their subject from both Allied and German perspectives. There are thoughtfully selected pictures and Osprey's usual excellent diagrams of battles. This comprehensive work will do good service in library circulation as a sturdy rendering of the earlier separate volumes. Highly recommended.—EB

Another examination of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, focusing on the 3rd Battalion from its training in Georgia to its famous drop with the 101st Airborne landing in Normany in advance of the invasion force. Under enormous strain, isolated, and scattered across half the battlefield, the battalion performed with great valor. While the authors concentrate on the individual soldiers' experiences, which hang together nicely as a unit history, it's hard to get a sense of the overall Overlord story.—EB

This is a biography of one of only three World War II generals who commanded troops in both the Pacific and the European theaters. Gen. Lawton J. Collins graduated from the Military Academy in 1918, just missing combat service, and eventually rose to be a highly effective corps commander, an army chief of staff, and an ambassador. Nearly all of the text here relates to World War II, with not much on either Collins's prewar experiences or his personal life. For subject collections.—EB

The battle of Bataan in the Philippines in 1942 resulted in the Japanese taking about 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war, America's worst military defeat ever. The prisoners were transferred across the Philippines, and treated horrifically in the process, in what became known as the Bataan Death March. The authors conducted 400 interviews with survivors and have put together an exhaustive narrative. They focus chiefly on Ben Steele, who survived the Philippine battles, the march, and 41 months in the slave labor camps. As much as a military history, this is the biography of a Montana cowboy transformed by great events.—EB

Rees (Auschwitz: The Nazis and the "Final Solution"), who wrote and produced the BBC/PBS television series of the same name, reexamines the key choices made by the Big Three during the war, particularly at Yalta and Tehran, interspersing grand strategy with vignettes from the ground. Was this a "moral" war of good people against bad people, or did the West make a deal with the Devil (i.e., Stalin) to defeat a vicious and unrelenting opponent? For World War II afficionados.—EB

DK has applied its customary graphics-intense method to World War II, creating a striking coffee-table book full of brief paragraphs summarizing all the major events. The first-rate illustrations, maps, and time lines make for a good introduction for all general readers embarking on study of this war.—EB

Aces Dick Bong and Tommie McGuire flew fighters in the Pacific war, racking up a combined total of 78 confirmed victories, a still unsurpassed record. These two very different young men were both awarded the Medal of Honor. McGuire was killed in action in January 1945; Bong died in August 1945 while testing jet aircraft for Lockheed. Enthusiastic World War II readers will be drawn to this.—EB