By spring 1941, the Afrika Korps was advancing across eastern Libya towards Egypt and the Suez Canal. But a dusty port town lay in their path

John Foot The Red Brigades The terrorists who brought Italy to its knees 464pp. Bloomsbury. £25. The Red Brigades (Brigate Rosse) captured global attention in 1978, when they kidnapped Aldo Moro, form

Leading historians share the texts that have inspired and informed their work

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The grisly fate of more than 16,000 soldiers and civilians during the First Anglo-Afghan War serves as a timeless lesson in hubris and bad leadership