
Six Months without Sundays
The Scots Guards in Afghanistan
Max Benitz(Author)
Birlinn Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 7. June 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-78027-088-3 (ISBN)
Description
Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 2010: the British campaign is in its fifth summer and entering an arduous new phase. British soldiers must partner Afghan forces, protect and win over a sceptical population as well as battle a tenacious enemy. Their weapons will be agricultural handouts and new roads rather than bombs and artillery. It is a controversial plan, not least for the soldiers, some only eighteen years old, who patrol through fields laced with mines and endure sniper-fire in their makeshift checkpoints. Who are these young troops? Trained for war, can they switch to this new reality? What cost will the campaign have on soldiers and civilians alike? Are the Afghan forces and government viable in the eyes of the local people? Is this even the right plan? To answer these questions, Max Benitz spent months living and training with the soldiers in this world-renowned battalion and was allowed a unique look into their lives.
His books provides an intimate and insightful picture of this controversial war: the war-weary locals who hedge their bets, the frustrations of battling a skilled and seemingly invisible enemy, and, above all, the resilience, talent and humour of the soldiers.
His books provides an intimate and insightful picture of this controversial war: the war-weary locals who hedge their bets, the frustrations of battling a skilled and seemingly invisible enemy, and, above all, the resilience, talent and humour of the soldiers.
Reviews / Votes
"Not only insightful but entertaining" - RUSI Journal (Royal United Services Institution)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Birlinn General
Illustrations
b/w throughout
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-78027-088-3 (9781780270883)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Max Benitz was born in London in 1985. He read Modern History at the University of Edinburgh and South Asian History at the University of Calcutta. After graduating in 2008 he took a local media job in Kabul and then worked at the Royal United Services Institute where he focused on the British Army's role in Afghanistan. He is best known for his leading role in Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.