Best weapons & warfare history books according to redditors

We found 467 Reddit comments discussing the best weapons & warfare history books. We ranked the 209 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Subcategories:

Unconventional warfare books
Weapons & warfare history books
Nuclear weapons history books

Top Reddit comments about Weapons & Warfare History:

u/zsjok · 1248 pointsr/askscience

There is an argument using evolutionary theory that agriculture was only adopted to increase group fitness at the cost of indivual fitness.

Lots of civilisation diseases started with the adoption of agriculture.

So there is the argument that agriculture made civilisation possible but at the cost of pure indivual strength and physical prowess.

There is lots of evidence that early agricultural societies had less than healthy members compared to hunter gatherers.

When you think about it, the indivual skills of a warrior in a large army is less important than pure numbers, most armies in the past were farmers called to war once a year, and yet the prevailed most of the time against nomad societies whos way of life made them formidable indivual warriors like the steppe people, just by numbers alone.

Edit:

If someone is interested where these theories come from, I recommend these books:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452288193/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0452288193

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0996139516/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0996139516


https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Our-Success-Evolution-Domesticating/dp/0691178437/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=joseph+henrich&qid=1558984106&s=gateway&sprefix=joseph+henr&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Not-Genes-Alone-Transformed-Evolution/dp/0226712125/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=not+by+genes+alone&qid=1558984151&s=gateway&sprefix=Not+by+ge&sr=8-1

u/theholyraptor · 112 pointsr/AskEngineers

Other comments here are spot on.

The simplistic version that underlies all of them is humans are smart so they can identify a problem and approach the desired solution iteratively. This creates a feedback loop.

Before "modern" (the mid to late 1800's onwards) machine tools, you had people making a lot of things custom every time using files to get parts to mate together. There are some exceptions to this with specific measurement and manufacturing tools that were conceived and used but they weren't in wide spread use before the Industrial Revolution and they didn't look as similar to today's machines as everything after. We humans are really good at tweaking stuff slightly until it is far beyond the precision of the individual pieces itself.

Similarly, if I took any old lathe or mill, measured my part to be 0.100" and needed it to be 0.050", I could dial a cut in at 0.05" and take it but depending on the quality and rigidity of the machine, workholding, bearing surfaces and tooling, I would be hard pressed to hit that 0.050" dead on. However, I could take as many passes I wanted while remeasuring until I'm happy with the result. Cut 0.020" off, measure again, I should have 0.030" left but I actually have 0.027" left. Cut again this time at 0.010" and I should have 0.017" left but I have 0.015" left etc.

As others mentioned, the 3 plate method allows you to generate with time and effort, a very precisely flat surface. I could generate that surface, use it as my surface referenced plate and then hand scrape a piece to match it's flatness and squareness to the best of my willingness to work on it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_scraper if you're unfamiliar. The craftsman inks (blues) up a reference surface, imprints the work piece by rubbing it on that surface. Only the points in contact touch. Using a scraper and some training, you can remove .0002" with a scraper cut. Remove all of the high spots that are blue bringing the high spots closer to the average. Remark and do it again iteratively. Each time you bring your work surface closer to your reference.

The same thing was done with precision lead screws. Hand made screws were cut with primitive methods and put in early lathe like machines to cut more screws. These machines had error compensation methods built in that averaged the thread cutting across the original screw (or sometimes multiple screws) resulting in a screw that was more precise than what you started with.

For calibrating a reference surface for flatness, you can use levels or autocollimators for overall variations. The precision of your level can be increased by increasing the longitudinal radius of your glass bubble dial.

An excerpt from another post I made in /r/cnc:
Some source material to consider:
LINK A great site with collections of documents covering major works in the development of precision tools.

Precision Machine Design - Slocum more of a textbook on precision machine design but has tons of footnotes and talks about some of the developmental history.)

Inventing Accuracy: A Historical Sociology of Nuclear Missile Guidance talks about some of the accuracy needed in Oakridge etc to help make the atomic bomb and precision guided missiles before GPS existed even for the military. A number of military interests drove ultra precision development such as this and the large optical diamond turning maching (LODTM)

Rolling Bearings and their contribution to the progress of technology covers the history of bearings that allowed precision machinery.

Machine Tool Reconditioning is an older book and highly technical but is considered the bible for old machine tool rebuilding and goes into the processes of how one would make precision flat surfaces and check all of the geometry on their machines and fix them in a time before lasers and fancy computer controlled equipment.

Foundations of Mechanical Accuracy and the followup book Holes, Contours and Surfaces was written by Moore and his son (I believe, respectively), the first especially is considered a bible on the theory of obtaining super precision tolerances. The authors are part of Moore Tool Company which made amongst other machines Moore Jig Borers.

Mitutoyo has a pdf on the history of gauge blocks

You can further go down that rabbit hole and look at metrology books as one can achieve great tolerances by iteratively approaching a desired value and having proper metrology equipment to check your work as you go. For example, metrology standards

You can also look at old professional telescope building books and newer diy telescope making books as there's a lot of interesting information and techniques to obtain precision optics on the order of wavelengths of light.

As someone else here mentioned: How Round Is Your Circle

I can probably dig up a lot more. I've spent way to much money purchasing old out of print books related to precision machinery, machining and metrology.

From the iterative process of making basic tools, you can then use those tools to make even better tools through iteration. In many ways, it's similar to Moore's law in the electronics world; a exponential curve where we stand on the shoulder of giants and improve upon what already exists. Many have proposed technology as a whole as just that such as Ray Kurzweil in "The Singularity is Near" etc.

Edit: Thanks for the gold!

u/20gauge · 68 pointsr/WTF

Well then maybe you shouldn't read this or this. I am terrified of smallpox and ebola/hemorrhagic fevers thanks to Richard Preston.

u/Layin-Scunion · 45 pointsr/ShitWehraboosSay

> they could have worked out the 262s engine issues in time to make a difference.

Even if Nazi Germany made 3,000 262s, it would have not changed anything drastically. You realize the Allies had jets too right? Jets that performed on par, if not better, than the Me-262 right? The fact of the matter is they didn't put extensive amounts of money/research into them because prop planes were shooting down German jets without serious problems.

> Regardless, rocket technology, the discovery of heavy waters role in nuclear reactions, the massive leaps in propulsion and science, those aspects I would say were ahead of the Allies, and most of the allied knowledge of it came from espionage and spy work.


> but it was the things Germany had on the drawing board during the war that would shape warfare for the victor nations, such as the U-boat(copied by both the US and USSR for numerous sub designs post war) jet fighters, radio guidance etc

I'll just leave you to figure this out on your own because this is a bunch of nonsense. Paper aircraft mean absolutely fuck all. Along with anything else they "might have created". The only thing I can give you a hand on is rocket tech. Because the Nazis invested massive amounts of slave labor and money into their rocket projects. They made advancements by trial and error using slaves.

But then again, who created the first nuclear weapon? It wasn't Nazi Germany and the people who did it didn't use slave labor. Along with the fact that the Allies did not "steal Nazi tech" regarding the A-bomb. This is not a debate. This is a matter of fact.

> German Tanks were more potent but suffered from mechanical failures due to complexity and lack of maintenance supplies and trained maintenance crews by 1944. The T-34 was a great tank, but I wouldn’t say it was superior to any of the late war German tanks.

German tanks were not "more potent". I'm sure you're referring to big cats and the fact of the matter is, they were nothing spectacular. Yes they were good at killing other tanks. So what? How did that work out for them? If they were something spectacular, they would have been continued in design after the war.....which they were not. Simple as that.

> You can’t compare technology when they didn’t have the supplies to use it.

So why didn't German tech get used post war? Enlighten me.

> it’s fucking basic history.

It's well beyond that my friend. Well beyond that. I recommend some reading in your future other than the internet.

> I can’t enlighten you, your ass needs to read some books.

The irony is palpable.

Regarding the 262

This guy shot down German jets in a prop plane

Regarding "Uber Nazi Tech"

Regarding the Big Cats

I'd continue with sources but I doubt you'll even look at the ones I've listed anyways.

Good luck on your delusional endeavor.

Edited to fix a bad link.

u/JoeIsHereBSU · 33 pointsr/preppers

Just some basic things can making them getting to you too difficult to continue. Basically make them go a different way.

u/MICHAELCLARK · 30 pointsr/AskHistorians

First I'm not an expert and have only read three books on the subjects of swords/dueling/fencing so I was hesitant to comment on it (since we are talking about an evolution of swordplay over a long span of time) but the most recent book I've read, "By the Sword" (http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Gladiators-Musketeers-Swashbucklers-anniversary/dp/0812969669), mentions it and since I just finished the book it was fresh in my mind.

u/FF0000it · 21 pointsr/ebola

I think it's too lake to stop it without a vaccine. For a good read on how we stopped hemorrhagic Smallpox (which has quite a few similar symptoms and death rate), I highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Freezer-True-Story-ebook/dp/B000QCSANQ

It covers the story of using the ring vaccination technique to isolate the virus, which eventually killed it in the wild by the late 70s. It was a huge effort, but it worked, and I suspect it would work for Ebola too.

u/Maleficent_Cap · 15 pointsr/gunpolitics

Hey you wanted an answer now you dont like it cuz "muh gun companies EVUL!"

Guess I'll go back to making improvised explosives and my own guns now. That help you feel safer since gun companies arent making profits?

https://www.armchairpatriot.com/Home%20Defense/Homemade%20Guns/Home%20Expedient%20Firearms%20-%209mm%20SMG.pdf

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1684112737/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

>U.S. Army Improvised Munitions Handbook by Army

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1724856685/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

>Build Your Own Semi-Auto Handgun: A Step-by-Step Guide to Assembling an "Off-the-Books" GLOCK-Style P80 Pistol

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/162914438X/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_10?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

>Advanced Gunsmithing: A Manual of Instruction in the Manufacture, Alteration, and Repair of Firearms (75th Anniversary Edition)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0913022004/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

>The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives

u/XrayOneZulu · 13 pointsr/gundeals

No, I'm not. I just read "the book". :D

​

If you want to learn more about long range shooting, there's a great book by Ryan Cleckner called "Long Range Shooting Handbook." I highly recommend it.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Range-Shooting-Handbook-Cleckner/dp/151865472X

​

He also did several great videos for the National Shooting Sports Foundation that are on YouTube. And he's got a podcast that's really good too.

u/guitarkow · 13 pointsr/liberalgunowners

When the DoD Improvised Munitions Handbook is available on amazon for $12 (or on the internet as a free PDF), they're living a double standard.

u/Whereigohereiam · 11 pointsr/collapse

It appears to have been a chlorine gas and white phosphorus chemical weapon. More details here.


I worked in a bookstore back in 2002 during the lead up to the Iraq war, and was shelving Scott Ritter's 2002 book and decided to take a look. When he talks about WMDs I now listen. He was exactly right about Iraq's lack of WMDs. He is a former UN weapons inspector.

u/Cainophobe · 9 pointsr/ak47
u/Amaerijuana · 9 pointsr/unitedkingdom

at least mark thatcher got a new house and bandar got his dallas cowboys inspired plane

this deal is discussed in the brilliant

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-World-Inside-Global-Trade/dp/014104005X

u/pgabrielfreak · 8 pointsr/worldnews

If you're interested in topics like contagions and the CDC, I highly recommend "The Demon in the Freezer" if you've never read it...it's about smallpox. It's a fascinating book and the story of stopping smallpox is a nail-biter. Highly recommend, link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632

u/SaibaManbomb · 8 pointsr/OutOfTheLoop

That's...completely wrong. The novochik line of chemical weapons was only developed in an isolated military installation in the Russian Federation territory of the Soviet Union. We know this thanks to defectors from the actual program involved.

u/SapphireSalamander · 8 pointsr/gaming

this band

this book

this movie

this game

in general generic words are usualy bad things to call a franchise since they are hard to pin down culturaly, try to google "echo" and guess what work im talking about. "Alien" was more the exception than the rule.

u/ironshoe · 8 pointsr/longrange

Longrange shooting handbook - Chapter 5.2.6

  • Magnification can make it harder to initially find your target
  • With too much magnification, shooters are often tempted to jerk the trigger when they think that the reticle, shaky from excess magnification, is perfectly centered on the target
  • Target re-acquisition, after being bumped by recoil, is often more difficult at higher magnification due to smaller field of view.

    I'm sure there might be a few more examples/reasons, but I'm only on chapter 6.4.1
u/tacticaljosh · 7 pointsr/longrange

I highly recommend Long Range Shooting Handbook by Ryan Cleckner. Also look him up on YouTube. https://www.amazon.com/dp/151865472X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o3fPBbQPWJ6H3

u/bushgoliath · 7 pointsr/medicalschool

I loved biomedical pop-sci with a passion when I was in high school. "Stiff" was on my bookshelf for sure. Didn't read Atul Gawande's stuff until later, but enjoyed them very much. My favorites from when I was a teen were:

u/[deleted] · 7 pointsr/worldnews

b/c they did not follow OPCW guidelines(which required delivering a sample of the, which both the UK and Russia are signatories of). Second, Novichok does not imply Russian origin, since the formula is actually in public domain. You can literally buy the book here. Anybody could've made it. Lastly, what reason would Russia have to kill their former spies. They came to the UK through a spy exchange program, if they wanted them dead, they would've done it years ago.

u/wolfkeeper · 7 pointsr/TrueReddit

Yeah, you can buy his book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

Contains the formula.

u/albertoeindouche · 7 pointsr/gunpolitics
u/g2petter · 6 pointsr/wma

>I think you just stumbled onto a really great way to define this alternative concept of a "feint" that people occasionally use. The modern usage of the word feint implies a "second intention" attack, which is dangerous and foolish with a real weapon. What is desirable is an "alternate intention" attack -- as in, an attack where your first intention can change if the situation calls for it.

You should read Understanding Fencing by Zbigniew Czajkowski. It does a good job at distingushing between second-intention attacks and "open eyes" attacks. These are different both when it comes to neurology, intention and how fast the action is executed. There's a time and place for both, though, and I disagree that a second-intention attack is categorically "dangerous and foolish".

u/pointmanreturns · 6 pointsr/environment

> do you believe that harmful traits can't intentionally be added to organism via modern genetic engineering techniques?

I recommend you read Demon In the Freezer.

https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632

The concept of weaponizing biology is old.

"GMO" is an industry term for a certain type of crop, correct?

u/DavidSlain · 6 pointsr/longrange

Bipod, go for a Harris, at least. There's a scope stickied at the top of the sub that's 700, and you're going to want decent rings. Expect at least another grand to get going, all things considered, because you really should have things like a single piece cleaning rod, and a bore guide, and so on.

You've got some reading to do, my friend.
It's available as an ebook and physically.

u/free__upvotes · 6 pointsr/Fencing

A Basic Fencing Companion by Paul Sise is really good, specially for beginners/intermediate fencers. It reads easily and has a great glossary that I used to get ready for my moniteur exam.

Another good one is Understanding Fencing by Czajkowski (who sadly passed away just last week). This one is more advanced, but it doesn’t read as easily. I took my time reading this one.

u/LynchMob_Lerry · 6 pointsr/ak47

Nice review you have. Have you read The Grim Reaper. That book has lots of great information in it.

u/Loki_The_Trickster · 6 pointsr/longrange

I would suggest Ryan Cleckner's Long Range Shooting Handbook

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Range-Shooting-Handbook-Cleckner/dp/151865472X/

u/SomeGuy58439 · 5 pointsr/slatestarcodex

Recommended reading: Peter Turchin's War and Peace and War where he spends quite a bit of time discussing this idea originally from Ibn Khaldun.

I'd translate loosely as "socially cohesiveness" / "tribal loyalty".

u/venuswasaflytrap · 5 pointsr/Fencing

Hopefully it goes without saying that you can't learn something physical from the books.

But if you're the kind of person who likes to read a lot, and want to supplement your learning by reading about fencing theory, then here's what I would recommend.

First, read pretty much any general book about fencing. I've read quite a few books about fencing, but generally they're mostly all the same. Here's one that I've read that is indicative of most books, but there's loads

The only thing you're really trying to take away from it getting basic descriptions of the equipment, some basic nomenclature - "lunge", "fleche", "quarte", "disengage", "ballestra", etc. Maybe some basic history. You could also get all this stuff from wikipedia if you wanted, but maybe a book form might be presented in a nicer way.

A lot of these books will talk about mental game, perfect technique, and the great masters of whenever. This is mostly absolute garbage. Most of the history will be incorrect, and only semi-true 'factoids'. It often comes off as a bit of "mysticism". If you have any experience in the culture of martial arts you probably know what I mean.

So once you have a rough idea of what all the parries are, and what we call all the footwork movements, more or less, I would recommend reading Epee 2.0 (2.5 or whatever it's on now).

This book talks about a pragmatic based approach to fencing. No one makes a perfect lunge, and in fact, there is not even such a thing as a perfect lunge. Lots of moves that you learn aren't actually all that useful. etc. If you can internalize the themes of this book, that is very useful for approaching fencing in a way conducive to competitive success.

Then I would look at understanding fencing, which has a lot of very technical thoughts about fencing. E.g. Beyond just what is a step, or a lunge, he talks about different kinds of actions tactically speaking (e.g. pre-planned vs open eyes etc.).

If you read those three, you'll be in good shape

u/ElliottGarber · 5 pointsr/IAmA

And here's another book that discusses the potentially weaponized Russian smallpox strains in a lot more detail: http://www.amazon.com/Biohazard-Chilling-Largest-Biological-World-Told/dp/0385334966

u/19Kilo · 5 pointsr/gundeals


My 47 bro, let me introduce you to The Grim Reaper. You need this motherhuncher, I assure you.

u/PravdaEst · 5 pointsr/conspiracy
u/SevenCubed · 5 pointsr/science

Herman Kahn's "On Thermonuclear War" is a Wonderful (if dry) read. He was a badass, because when everyone else was talking OMG NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE, he was proposing timelines for nations restoring their prewar GNP. Can you imagine that shit? Sitting down and running the numbers for GNP? Anyway, the book's a fascinating read, and it's great to think of nuclear war as a "Now what?" kinda scenario, as oppposed to "everyone died".

u/hpty603 · 5 pointsr/Stellaris

This concept was actually a really big interest of mine in my graduate career (though specifically as it related to the Roman Empire). Peter Turchin has written some good and approachable books on how political instability rises as populations approach their maximum possible density.

​

His first book on the subject that reads very nicely: https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Rise-Fall-Empires/dp/0452288193

​

A short (though fairly jargon-y) article on these effects on Roman instability: http://peterturchin.com/PDF/Turchin_SDEAS_2005a.pdf

u/HumbleEducator · 5 pointsr/news

A few hours on the internet can teach you that. THere is also the feely availalbe improvised munitions handbook

u/thesalesmandenvermax · 5 pointsr/TheAmericans

www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632

I read this in high school. Shit was bananas

u/vanquish421 · 5 pointsr/gunpolitics

>They'll just trot out the "the Rights defined in the Bill of Rights are not unlimited," BS and claim that

And I doubt it will work here. The printing plans have already been published in a book. No fucking way is SCOTUS upholding a book ban. Also, this is legal and widely available everywhere in the US.

>much like shouting fire in a crowded theater

Oof.

I don't blame your for your cynicism, but I do believe it's misplaced here.

u/AspiringArchmage · 5 pointsr/politics

>None of our freedoms are unrestricted, nor should they be, less there would be anarchy.

Yes and 3D printed guns have to follow NFA regulations, have to contain certain percentages of metal (besides the fact all bullets are metal but some politicians saw die hard and thought a glock 7 was real), can't be sold to other people without being serialized and the seller is an FFL, and felons/prohibited persons can't own or use them.

​

​

>We already have laws preventing the printing and distribution of certain things, such as how to make bombs and shit.

No actually we don't, you can order books on how to make explosives easy.

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Army-Improvised-Munitions-Handbook/dp/1684112737

This is a book on amazon how to make explosives. From the military, There is nothing illegal about knowledge and criminalizing knowledge is a violation of the first amendment.

u/TheHIV123 · 4 pointsr/TankPorn

Yeah sure.

One of the best books on the Sherman that is actually affordable is Steven Zaloga's Armored Thunderbolt which is a history of the development of the Sherman as well as an examination of its combat performance.

If you have a bunch of money to burn I would also recommend R.P. Hunnicutt's Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank. This book spends less time on the actual combat performance of the tank and is more about the technical aspects and development of the M4, and spends a lot of time on the various other medium tanks that led up to the development of the M4. You want to know some obscure detail about the Sherman and its development? That book will have your answer. Unfortunately Sherman is like $200-$300 on Amazon. I was lucky enough to find my copy for $150. Hunnicutt also did a number of other books on the development of basically every American AFV, and they are an excellent resource, but once again, very expensive.

For a good book on how the Americans used tanks to support infantry look no further than Harry Yeides' The Infantry's Armor: The U.S. Army's Separate Tank Battalions in World War II. The book really gives an excellent account of the US Army's separate tank battalions.

Yeide also wrote a very good book on American TDs called The Tank Killers: A History of America's World War II Tank Destroyer Force

Steven Zaloga has also done book comparing the Sherman to the Panther, and one analyzing US tank performance from the Battle of the Bulge to the end of the war.

The Osprey books are also really good resources for different tanks and a number of very good historians contribute to that series of books.

u/freakscene · 4 pointsr/worldnews

For more info, read Richard Preston's Demon in the Freezer. It's a fascinating (and scary as fuck) book that also covers smallpox.

u/varymicus · 4 pointsr/answers

There is an excellent book called By the Sword which illustrates the evolution of swords throughout history. I highly recommend it, but lochlainn has already done a brilliant job of tldring the info.

Edit: Formatting

u/goodoverlord · 4 pointsr/europe

He did. And the book is available on Amazon or Google Books. Link 1, link 2.

u/AlexanderZachary · 4 pointsr/Fencing
u/Lmaoboobs · 4 pointsr/WarCollege

Currently: The Twilight War: The Secret History of America's Thirty-Year Conflict with Iran

After this I will probably read

The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan

On War

Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS

The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11

Illusions of Victory: The Anbar Awakening and the Rise of the Islamic State

On Grand Strategy

A fellow on the combined defense discord layed out his recommendations for books on nukes, so I'll list them here.

On Thermonuclear War By Herman Kahn

On Limited Nuclear War in the 21st Century by Jeffrey Larsen and Kerry Kartchner

The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, Third Edition by Lawrence Freedman

Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces by Pavel Podvig

Nuclear Statecraft: History and Strategy in America's Atomic Age by Francis J. Gavin

Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb by Feroz Khan

Prevention, Pre-emption and the Nuclear Option: From Bush to Obama by Aiden Warren

Nuclear Deterrence in the 21st Century: Lessons from the Cold War for a New Era of Strategic Piracy by Thérèse Delpech

Analyzing Strategic Nuclear Policy by Charles L. Glaser

Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes

Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb by Richard Rhodes

Nuclear Strategy in the Modern Era: Regional Powers and International Conflict by Vipin Narang

Building the H Bomb: A Personal History By Kenneth W Ford

The Logic of American Nuclear Strategy by Matthew Kroenig

Paper Tigers: china's Nuclear Posture by Jeffery Lewis

Arms and Influence by Thomas Schelling

u/WishIWereHere · 4 pointsr/medicine

I made the mistake of reading it right before I read The Demon in the Freezer, which, even though I know that Preston has a tendency to exaggerate (as was mentioned in Spillover, actually), made for a profoundly depressing few days. "If the bats animals don't kill us, we're going to kill us. ohgodwhy."

u/fuktigaste · 4 pointsr/sweden

But noone stops to ask: If Russia wanted to get away with a highly political murder, why the fuck would they use a nerve-agent solely used by Russia? They might aswell drop a calling-card on the corpse.

Either it wasn't Russians, or they wanted to get caught.

So why the hell would they want to get caught?

Further still, the nerve-agent isn't even solely available to Russians: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/what-novichok-nerve-agent-center-russian-ex-spy-poisoning-n856001

>"The Novichok agents are thought to be far more difficult to detect during manufacturing and far easier to manufacture covertly, because they can be made with common chemicals in relatively simple pesticide factories,"

The creator of the agent: https://www.yahoo.com/news/russians-says-chemist-uncovered-existence-novichok-075342077.html

>The only other possibility, he said, would be that someone used the formulas in his book to make such a weapon.

So where can i get his book? On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

So anyone with an amazon-account and access to a laboratory can create the agent.

Yeah, i aint buying it. Someone is banging on the drums of war, and i dont like it.

u/staythirstymybenz · 4 pointsr/longrange

Nice one. Thanks for your honest post. If you’re just starting out, I might suggest: https://www.amazon.com/dp/151865472X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_0uATDb2WJJQG5

u/Rhesusmonkeydave · 3 pointsr/worldnews

I’m probably going to take a lot of shit for suggesting a nonfiction novel rather than a scholarly source but I think Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone
and The Demon In The Freezer do a good job of laying out the current situation and making for exciting reading. (That said, IANAVirologist.)

Wiki pages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon_in_the_Freezer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hot_Zone

u/PNW_Tree_Octopus · 3 pointsr/guns

Read both. Thinking/talking points don't really change with time.

Then read "Principles of Personal Defense"[PDF Warning] and "To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth", both by the great Colonel Jeff Cooper.

Then look up Sentinel by Pat Mcnamara.

All fantastic reads.

u/Sebatinsky · 3 pointsr/Fencing

This is a hodgepodge of mostly false origin stories. See The Secret History of the Sword for a thorough debunking of the sabre as a cavalry weapon claim, for instance.

The short version is that there is no evidence that cavalry sabreurs were ever instructed to avoid hitting below the waist, and never in the limited cavalry saber competitions were touches below the waist not counted.

Furthermore, the modern sabre is actually descended from the duelling saber, a weapon with its own long history as a weapon not used on horseback.

u/XenonOfArcticus · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

I'll try to speak to that from a genetics standpoint, since I got zero experience with your situation.

Here's some slapdash data from different sources. I don't claim to be correct, just offering some ideas:

Biology and gender are not a binary state. There are numerous triggers in the genome that each control (directly and indirectly) physical and emotional aspects we call gender. These triggers can often have a range of value, and could be at odds with each other.

As a tangential example, there are theories about the genetic basis for male homosexualism. Statistically, it appears to correlate somewhat with being born as the n'th male child of one mother. Why would this matter? Well, perhaps it's advantageous, once you already have a number of masculine children who can defend the family and procreate, to start genetically hedging your bets towards aspects that masculine males don't perform as well at. You still have a being that is able to procreate as a male if needed, but maybe better fills roles that the manly male children perform poorly at.

Remember, that children of one parent all carry mostly the same genes. Even if the homosexual male child himself never produces children, if his presence in the family enhances the survival of the family and the other children and grandchildren, the genes survive and are passed along.

Go read Matt Ridley, Sex and the Red Queen:
http://xenon.arcticus.com/red-queen-sex-and-evolution-human-nature-matt-ridley

Then go read Sex and War by Potts and Hayden:
http://www.amazon.com/Sex-War-Biology-Explains-Terrorism/dp/1933771577

You'll have a much better idea of what makes us keep ticking as a species, and of the fact that you are what you are and you should find yourself happiness in being who you are, regardless of what that is.

We have a lot of cultural baggage over gender and sexuality as a result of our (usually religious) traditions that seek to out-breed competing cultures. "Gotta marry the other sex, and crank out as many kids as possible without any inhibition." This mandate is good for the success of the culture, but not necessarily good for the happiness of every individual in the culture. So, be selfish and look out for who is important to you. I hope you find peace and happiness with whatever gender you identify with.

u/KretschmarSchuldorff · 3 pointsr/WarCollege

Hermann Kahn's On Thermonuclear War & Thinking about the Unthinkable in the 1980s are still go-to texts for nuclear strategy.

The Parallel History Project is a good resource for Early to Mid Cold War era Warsaw Pact warplanning.

The CIA's Historical Collections contain declassified documents regarding US assessments of the WP and Soviet stances, The CAESAR, POLO, and ESAU Papers in particular.

For some interesting context, the GWU's National Security archive has some documents showing US intelligence failures.

Unfortunately, you will run into the secrecy wall really quick in this area, since nuclear strategy is more a political strategy, than a strictly military one, and grand strategy like this hangs around a good, long while (for example, I am not aware of any declassified Single Integrated Operational Plans).

u/yellowsnow2 · 3 pointsr/conspiracy

This book authored by the man that was on the team that created the nerve agent. https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

u/graysanborn · 3 pointsr/guns

This one?

Do you paint the stock sight, or aftermarket one?

u/gosabres · 3 pointsr/politics

Great insight here and in your earlier post!

I just finished reading Inventing Accuracy: A Historical Sociology of Nuclear Missile Guidance. Great read on this very topic!

u/olorin1984 · 3 pointsr/wma

I may have misread the OP, but I don't think that the claim was that sabre is comparable to longsword, but that the differences between longsword and epee is about as much as the difference between epee and sabre. The weapons and their use are very different, but both can be taught within the same general framework.

As for a coach teaching you to move correctly - see my earlier post. A modern coach with no interest in HEMA will obviously not be able to teach you to move correctly for longsword fencing, but a modern coach who also knows longsword will be able to adapt their teaching style to train you to move correctly.

One thing that is tricky about fencing is that the way it is presented to students is usually different from the way it is presented to coaches, so if you've mostly learned within a club, you probably have less exposure to the theory and the pedagogy of teaching as someone who's been training to be an instructor. There are a couple of books that are written from this perspective that you might be interested in:

Understanding Fencing by Zbigniew Czajkowski

Fencing and the Master by Lazlo Szabo

Foil Fencing by Istvan Lukovich



u/AJPowers17123 · 3 pointsr/longrange

I have the book. I’m pretty set on what rifle I want. But he says in the intro “read the whole book before you buy if you’re serious”

on Amazon

What scope rings did you buy? I see Vortex. What height?

u/pliskin42 · 3 pointsr/preppers

I might also suggest the following manuals. You can probably find digital downloads of them as well, but they are pretty cheap and I like paper:


U.S. Army First Aid Manual


U.S. Army Improvised Munitions Handbook


U.S. Army Special Forces Guide to Unconventional Warfare

u/TheAlchemyBetweenUs · 3 pointsr/worldnews

US petroleum companies cashed in big time on Iraq. Also, immediately following the 2003 invasion, Iraqi oil was summarily switched from being sold in Euros to being sold only in USD. Who do you thing that benefits?

It was known by reputable sources, including two professional weapons inspectors (one a US citizen even) that Iraq had no threatening WMD capability in 2003. Read this 2002 (pre invasion) book if you want an example of accurate predictions.

Syria doesn't have oil, but it is a choke point in natural gas distribution.

u/4nsicdude · 3 pointsr/creepy

There's a terrifying and fascinating book called Demon in the Freezer that's a true accounting of a small pox outbreak. Its been years since I read it but one snippet that comes to mind is that a patient's window was left open on the first floor of a hospital while they were waiting for him to die and it infected a patient on the 3rd floor who also had their window open and pretty much killed everyone in the hospital. Nature can be quite scary sometimes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QCSANQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

u/4amPhilosophy · 3 pointsr/AskReddit

Demon in the Freezer

You will spend the next few weeks trying to figure out how to move to an isolated place, where no human being will ever find you again. And it's all freakin, true...

u/Jabra · 3 pointsr/Fencing

Get formal training. It has improved my coaching tremendously and I would not be able the think of any other way to achieve my current level.

Good books for a starting fencing coach are Szabo L. Fencing and the Master, Czajkowski Z. Understanding Fencing and Kogler A. One Touch at a Time.

u/Spodson · 3 pointsr/Fantasy

OK, I know this isn't a novel or fantasy, but if you like swordplay, you might want to check out The Secret History of the Sword. It has a lot of exciting old first hand accounts of duels and techniques. Just a thought.

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Sword-Adventures-Ancient/dp/1892515040/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+secret+history+of+swords&qid=1554237181&s=gateway&sr=8-2

u/ManWithASquareHead · 3 pointsr/IAmA

It's infectivity is very low compared to other diseases and especially viruses. One big concern could be smallpox though. I've heard The Demon in the Freezer is a good read for this.

u/MissingNebula · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

mp3 the only one

used copy of physical book Demon in the freezer. I believe there are a few "very good" condition for a penny!

Thanks for the contest. And good luck with the bike! (fingers crossed)

u/nordasaur · 2 pointsr/geopolitics

How could there not be a mention of the true classic?

http://www.amazon.com/Thermonuclear-War-Herman-Kahn/dp/141280664X

u/solipsistnation · 2 pointsr/TankPorn

MVTF tour guide HERE! Can also confirm!

That up there is one of the pictures from this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Great-Tanks-Hans-Halberstadt/dp/1861262701

It's from back in the days when the place was really active, but before it was open to the public, so people wouldn't see the vehicles at all aside from these pictures. It's worth picking up for the used price there.

u/Made_of_Awesome · 2 pointsr/polandball
u/AustinTreeLover · 2 pointsr/worldnews

Instead, read The Hot Zone and/or Demon in the Freezer. They're scarier.

u/Hussard · 2 pointsr/wma

You are correct in that all of these things will help you enter and strike.

The manuals are a compendium of techniques, not a guide to "this is exactly what you must do". From the sounds of things, you are wanting more information into how to approach a fight rather than the actual techniques themselves. In that regards, there have been numerous books regarding fencing theory written for modern olympic fencing that would be of great use to you. The weapons are not the same but all preparatory actions translate very well into each other. The only part of the manual that talks about these (to my knowledge) are the naichraissens, the vor/nach plays and vaguely glossed over in the first part on the line, "All Art has Length and Measure".

Recommended reading:

  • "The Onion - Vor & Nach flow exercises" by Roger Norling

  • Understanding longsword - K. Ruokonen's blog

  • Understanding Fencing - By Z Czajkowski. This is actually about modern epee fencing and fencing in general but works well as a modern take on fencing theory

  • Epee 2.0 - by Johan Harmenber. Another modern book focusing on how to win. Essentially boils down to "do several things really really well instead of lots of things really well". And some other stuff.

  • MS 3227a - "Hanko Dobringer" - a little more esoteric than the modern ones but at least its period. You may find it useful.

  • The Art of Combat - By Joachim Meyer (trans by J Forgeng). This is out of print until next year but it is the best translation of Joachim Meyer's text available. It covers a wide range of plays intended, I think, for the instruction of fencers. It really is a wonderful resource and well worth getting your hands on.
u/desk_fan · 2 pointsr/unitedkingdom

>A very rare chemical only produced in quantity by Russia.

For which the formula can be found in this book on Amazon.

u/meueup · 2 pointsr/longrange

Nice! If you haven't I'd recommend picking up a copy of the long range shooting handbook: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Range-Shooting-Handbook-Cleckner/dp/151865472X

It's not exhaustive, but it was pretty useful in coming up to speed (and cutting through the chaff).

u/900fool · 2 pointsr/worldnews

If you really want to know why, I would suggest reading (or even listening to the audiobook) The Shadow World Inside the Global Arms Trade by Andrew Feinstein. It gives an amazingly detailed explanation of how and why the arms trade is conducted.

tldr; Profit

u/Gusfoo · 2 pointsr/askscience

> Also usually less damaging for the aggressor, the earth isn’t a big place, and nukes are big polluters

Less than one might expect. There is the short half-life energetic radiation hazard shit and the long half-life poisonous shit. They'll be distributed according to burst height and prevailing wind layers. But the world is a big place and even if we played all-out global thermonuclear war the radiation, while certainly detectable, isn't going to sicken everyone, or even close to it.

One large factor that acts to reduce the spread of radiounucletides is that almost all nuclear weapons are designed to explode several hundred metres above ground level. So instead of irradiating and aerosolising several tons of earth to drift down-wind it's just the bomb materials and small amounts of gas that define the fallout. The reason is that you get about 1.5 times more energy transfer to the target by bouncing the shock-wave of the initial detonation back to the target. See here for a diagram

If you're interested, there is a very good book link here about how to fight, and win, a nuclear confrontation. It's heavy on game theory and has some maths too but it is very readable.

u/NouberNou · 2 pointsr/todayilearned

You'd be surprised. The CEP of the Peacekeeper is estimated to be 120 meters or less than 400 feet. I did screw up my units, PKs range is about 10,000KM, not miles. :P The AIRS (Advanced Inertial Reference Sphere) is considered the pinnacle of inertial technology. To really boggle your mind you have to consider that PK is not dropping 1 warhead within 400 feet, but up to 10 warheads, on individual targets, within 400 feet!

The 500 foot number I quoted is for Trident II (Trident D5) SLBM. It is not solely black box though. It takes a single star sighting during flight, which corrects for INS offset due to the launch platform having initial errors in INS calibration. It's CEP is between 300-500 feet (depending on the source you cite). Trident D5 is also suspected of having an upgrade to GPS sometime in the near future (if not already on some lots), which will improve accuracy even further.

I highly suggest reading Inventing Accuracy by Donald Mackenzie. The book is about the most detailed publicly available information on ICBM INS development in the US. It is a really good read.

u/flaz · 2 pointsr/progun

> True story, look it up.

I hear you. You're preaching to the choir here ;) One of the books in my firearms reading collection is Silencer History and Performance, which talks about requiring silencers in some European countries, as you point out.

u/bermudi86 · 2 pointsr/worldnews

edit: I see a lot of downvotes but not a lot of convincing arguments hahaha

and this, kids, is how wars get started on nothing but empty soundbites and herd mentality...

 

> No motive for anyone else to do it

As a matter of fact, Russia is the one country that stands to gain the least from all of this. But seeing that you are so fucking sure about yourself why don't you enlighten us with Russia's motive?

I know, they did it to "send a message". What message, exactly? That they went into a lot of trouble to hide an illegal program from OPCW watch dogs only to reveal it months later?

https://www.opcw.org/news/article/opcw-director-general-commends-major-milestone-as-russia-completes-destruction-of-chemical-weapons-stockpile-under-opcw-verification/

If they really wanted to send a message to the spy community and possible defectors, they wouldn't have use a fucking megaphone, a simple whisper would suffice.

 

>Governmental level of knowledge to produce this poison

Propaganda bullshit.

>>Scientists who worked on the Novichok project disclosed details from 1992 onwards. They stated that the project goals included developing weapons that:

>> could not be detected by the then standard NATO chemical weapons detection sensors

>>
have potential to circumvent the Chemical Weapons Convention

>> would be easier to produce using methods and materials prevalent in pesticides industries

>>
were designed from the outset to be “binary” chemical weapons (where two relatively non-toxic materials are mixed together just before dispersal to minimise the danger to the personnel delivering the weapons).

Also to keep in mind, what is the point of developing a program designed to be "secret" just to advertise it to the whole world by using it to poison a literal nobody?

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-we-know-about-novichok-the-newby-nerve-agent-linked-to-russia/

The details are also published on a book that anyone can get from amazon or other stores.

https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520920301&sr=8-1&keywords=vil+mirzayanov


We know, for a fact, that it has been developed outside Russia.

http://www.ieee.es/en/Galerias/fichero/docs_opinion/2012/DIEEEO33-2012_AnalisisAmenazaQuimicaBiologicaSiria_RenePita_ENGLISH.pdf

 

>It fits with a pattern of Russia killing its traitors

No it does not. Russia has been engaged in spy swapping for decades and if they really tried to kill a double agent it would seriously hinder their ability to attract defectors from other countries and their ability to swap agents in the future.

https://nypost.com/2018/03/08/putins-latest-murder-breaks-the-biggest-rule-of-the-spy-game/

 

>Britain and its partners don't have licences to kill any more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Chc1U04bRM

u/Hund-kex · 2 pointsr/Sino

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novichok_agent

> To circumvent the Chemical Weapons Convention list of controlled precursors, classes of chemical and physical form

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=1693

https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

> The big area of interest here seems to be about Phosphorylated Alkanoyl Chloride Oximes, from Zhurnal Obshchei Khimii. The Trialkyl Phosphate should be relatively easy to prepare, as it is seen in the syntheses of many nerve agents:

> PCl3 + ROH --(CCl4)--> P(OR3) + RCl + HCl

> As for the second reactant, X-C(R1)2-NO2, What if the two R1 groups were substituted with Cl and F, respectively? Alternately, if they were ALL substituted with Cl, then it becomes a very familiar compound--Chloropicrin. The question then is whether or not this would react in the same way.

> If so, then the reaction to produce a very dangerous Nerve Agent looks to be unbelievably simple:

> PCl3 + ROH --(CCl4)--> P(OR)3

> P(OR)3 + CCl3NO2 --(CCl4)--> PO4R2(N=CCl2)

One of the reason Soviets wanted it was precisely because it would be easy and legal to make, thus available anywhere

u/smb_z · 2 pointsr/worldnews

Thanks for your apprehension and let me add some thoughts to your list:

-First of all, Skripal.

He was arrested in 2004. In 2006 he was sentenced to 13 years in prison and was pardoned and freed as part of spy swap between UK and Russia in 2010.

So, if Russia wanted him dead, why not to kill him silently in prison? Why pardon him?

He did not pose a danger for Russia as they freed him. Consequently, it seems irrational for Russian gov/specs to hunt him instead of many pain-in-the-ass defectors who really cooperate with UK, US.

-The gas.
Inventor of Novichok lives in US for a long time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vil_Mirzayanov

He even wrote a book https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661 where he tries to publish Novichok's formula (not exact though).

Novichok was produced mainly at Nukus site in Uzbekistan (it was part of USSR at the time).

After USSR collapsed and Uzbekistan become independent state, Nukus site was dismantled and decontaminated with help of US Department of Defence (ref: wikipedia page on Novichok).

According to this, it's hard to say that only Russia had access to Novichok.

-Motivation

Personally, I don't see any benefits from this event for Putin, only drawbacks.

Why kill him just before elections? He will easily win without world scandal.

Why kill him just before World Cup? Russia spend a lot of money to prepare for WC.

Today's Russia reputation is well-known. Russia is under sanctions. Why risking much heavier sanctions or even WW3 just to 'send message'?

Instead. Someone in this thread noted that West has united against Russia. Paraphrasing Voltaire, "if Russia did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it".

u/ahwhatever11 · 2 pointsr/serbia

Da nakon sto su izvrsili svoju "istragu", nakon sto su izneli svoje zakljucke i osude i nakon sto su sazvali savet bezbednosti.

Ono, obicno kazna i osuda dolaze nakon nezavisne istrage, ali jebiga nema potrebe sada :)

I to doslovno za sada sve sto imamo jeste rec UK da je koriscen uopste taj nervni gas. Niko drugo nije to potvrdio. Britanija je sada spremna na saradnju kazu sa OPWC, ali OPWC jos ili nije dobio uzorke ili nisu jos testirali, jer od njih zvanicne reci nema.

Eksperti iz velike britanije i bivsi OPWC naucnici doslovno kazu da uopste koriscenje ovog nervnog gasa bi bilo nemoguce i detektovati.

Takodje Rusija nije jedina koja moze da stvori ovaj gas

>"The Novichok agents are thought to be far more difficult to detect during manufacturing and far easier to manufacture covertly, because they can be made with common chemicals in relatively simple pesticide factories," the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says in its Weapons of Mass Casualties and Terrorism Response Handbook.

Lik koji tvrdi da je dizajnirao gas je objavio knjigu na amazonu

https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

Prema njemu ako neko razume knjigu dovoljno mogao bi sam da napravi...

u/davyboi666 · 2 pointsr/Games

> I think humans have a natural aversion to violence, that just makes sense from a self-preservation aspect, I think the glorification of violence is something that is taught to us.


You have that backwards, violence is a base urge, it comes from instincts, a desire for peace has been in bedded through education and human conscientiousness.


Humans will also never change.


If you want a better understanding you could buy this book, I highly recommend it.

u/RR50 · 2 pointsr/longrange

Just got this for Christmas yesterday.

Long Range Shooting Handbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/151865472X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hntyybWQ3F683

u/HotelCoralEssex · 2 pointsr/guns

Also, you should pick up this book and do some research before you buy.

Its better to spend a little more and get a state of the art can than it is to buy a cheaper/outmoded can.

u/ElecNinja · 2 pointsr/science

Just to say, there's a book by Richard Preston called Demon in the Freezer that goes into detail on how smallpox was eradicated from nature. And how it was lost into the unknown. Quite a nice read and the author really does his job well. It's somewhat of a mix of fiction and non-fiction but both parts are scary believable.

u/thenameissnowball · 2 pointsr/worldnews

Andrew Feinstein's book on the industry is a first class piece of work on the subject, every page will make your jaw hit the floor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Shadow-World-Inside-Global/dp/014104005X

u/Dave_Likes_Guns · 2 pointsr/ak47

"AK-47: The Grim Reaper" by Frank Iannamico


Amazon Link

u/Amator · 2 pointsr/askscience

I'll add to that list The Devil in the Freezer, a nonfiction account of the struggle to eradicate smallpox and how it's likely that multiple strands of the stored copy in the Maximum Containment Laboratory in Siberia may have wound up elsewhere.

u/seege12 · 2 pointsr/longrange

book

honestly this book will give you just about everything you need to get started on long range.

u/vvelox · 2 pointsr/guns

As some one already suggest The Art of the Rifle, I will suggest another Jeff Cooper book, To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth.

Also Shooting To Live by W. E. Fairbairn and E. A. Sykes is also a interesting read.

EDIT: Also if you are interested in reloading, start with The ABCs of Reloading.

u/Slick1ru2 · 2 pointsr/HighStrangeness

Actually I have Demon in the Freezer to read next. https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632. It’s about anthrax.

u/CaptMorgan74 · 2 pointsr/preppers

You should read The Demon in The Freezer. As someone studying genetics from a Russian Cold War defector, this book scared the crap outta me. My prof. said he could engineer a deadly super bug with homemade equipment in his basement. It is scary how simple and deadly genetic engineering can be.

u/Richthe1 · 2 pointsr/longrange

Glad you liked it! That’s Ryan Cleckner, and I agree with you. I’ve really gotten into his stuff. He has more videos on YouTube (try searching “NSSF Ryan Cleckner”) and I’m loving going through his book (I’m a beginner). Best of luck!

u/Osmium_tetraoxide · 1 pointr/ukpolitics

>> It's classified because it has potentially dangerous information about Chemical Weapons
>
> 12 : The name and structure of the identified toxic chemical are contained in the full
classified report of the Secretariat, available to States Parties.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

You can go to Amazon to find out the formulae of these agents. £5.89 for a kindle edition.
How can telling us what chemicals be a leak of "potentially dangerous" information?

It's all circumstancial "evidence" strung together very carefully to try to ignore all the inconvenient evidence as a massive propaganda exercise to try to kick Russia of the UNSC.

I'm not the one misleading, you are.

u/bobqjones · 1 pointr/books

you should also read BIOHAZARD by Ken Abilek. he ran Biopreparat in the old Soviet Union. he defected after the breakup. it gives first hand accounts of the Soviet bioweapons program, and is scary as hell.

u/trimbo · 1 pointr/WTF

> The Soviets also spent a considerable amount of effort to weaponize smallpox in a variety of different ways

Biohazard by Ken Alibek is a terrifying read about their work on this. Very much worth reading if you would like to know what the Soviets were up to in the 70s-80s with bioweapons.

u/Kromulent · 1 pointr/WTF

If you want a good, nonfiction book about this disease that will scare the living crap out of you, you can't do better than this one:

The Demon In The Freezer

u/xingfenzhen · 1 pointr/Sino

North Korea is absolutely safe in this case, because like you said America values lives. And this has being the rationale behind China's minimal deterrence policy during the cold war. Because, during the game between the Soviet Union and the US, have nuclear weapon means it will be used as a easy game board for whatever political gains as the risks always outweigh the benefits. This is the game North Korea is playing now, basically North Korea is China during the cold war.

However, if the said country does pose a real threat, there is little qualms about taking the nuclear option, if there is little risk of return fire. See US plans to wipe the Soviet Union off the map in 1945, while the US has the nuclear advantage and the knowlege that the Soviets will soon have them too. US plans for first strike during the cuban missile crisis, while the US still the advantage of European and Turkish sites, while the Soviet haven't fully brought up the Cubans ones yet. And last the Herman Kahn's excellent book On Thermal War, where millions of lives lost is just statistic and can be calculated and sacrifice to pressed for an advantage.

Now the question is, what is China's position now. Does America see China on the same level as Soviet Union. Even worse, during the cold war, it quiet clears in the west (and in some circles inside the soviet union), long run the west will win. As long as the west contain soviet aggression and check soviet advances, then victory will be assured. This idea is vocalize most succinctly in the long telegram. In fact, the most dangerous time for nuclear exchange was in the 1980s, when the Soviet Union is clearly losing and the fear was the Soviets would go for it and hope a surprise a counterforce attack will prevail.

China, it seems that China is on the trajectory to to eclipse the US in the next two decade in terms of economical, comprehensive national power and even military power. And China is seeming to chart its own institution, national policy and governmental ideology that's different from the West and would not to controlled or guided by the west (this make it very different from Japan fear in the 1980s). So essentially, China no longer a north korea, but more like the United States, and the United State is a bit like the Soviet Union, with its leadership position erroting, the doubts emerge both about her exceptionalism as well as superiority of its ideology.

The United State currently have counterforce capabilities against China, while China only have limited countervalue capabilities. Additionally, the US is confident about it capability of tracking Chinese submarines. This means while a surprise first strike by the US will not only completely destroy China, it will also have a resonable chance of destroying most of China's nuclear arsenal as well. The US missile defense system could have catch the few missile missed by that first strike, leave the US mostly unscached (and in the views of a confident commander, completely unscached) in such an exchange and permanently stop a force that could not be stopped in the future. With other rational and moral leaders in power, this is very unlikely, even though RAND just recently published war plans with China. But with Trump in power, he might just wonna make it a reality.

With China archiving MAD, this places the possibility of a winnable nuclear war with China completely out of the windows, and would ensure the relative peace we all had since the end of WWII. And it is a policy that will not ending up saving Chinese lives, but American ones as well.

u/IsDatAFamas · 1 pointr/funny

Article is shit. The merest suggestion that the T-72 is superior to the M1 is completely and utterly laughable. The book cited as a source is a coffee table photo book, hardly a rigorous analytical look at the situation. He cries throughout the article about how "If they were equally trained they would perform just as well" (with no citations on that last bit), except when it comes to the Russians (whom he holds up earlier in the article as well-trained) bullying Pakistani military (hardly an elite fighting force). When discussing the Cope India exercises the author conveniently fails to mention that the F-15s were at a numerical disadvantage (3 to 1 against), with no AWACS, and within visual range. The F-15s were not equipped with their standard long-range radars. The F-15s were not equipped with radar-guided missiles. Furthermore, the US had performed other wargames in which conditions were similarly stacked against them and won every time, Cope India was only noteable because they didn't, despite the artificial disadvantages.

The entire section about stealth is just dripping with butthurt. "Oh, Stealth? Yeah, we could have totally made that. We could make that any time!" "Why don't you?" "Because we don't want to!". They also act as though one single case of an aircraft being shot down invalidates the entire concept, despite the fact that Russia is developing stealth aircraft of it's own.

The bit in the Korean war is utterly laughable too. The Chinese had absurd numerical superiority and the US forces were small in number under-equipped, it was not decided based on technology at all. The author also "conveniently" forgets that the Chinese advance was halted and the whole situation stalemated. Russian tanks and aircraft being instrumental to that? Don't make me fucking laugh. Stanky-ass hand-me-down T-34/85s which were barely a match for the Shermans still in service let alone the Pershings, Pattons, and M103s? No. Chinese successes in Korea were not in any way, shape, or form a result of "superior soviet stronk weapon technology".

>a 10-to-1 kill ratio against the MiG-15, a myth that lasted over 30 years. As new data were released, that came down to 7-to-1, and now it’s 2-to-1.

Oh no, 2-to-1, how incredibly well-matched they are! I should point out that while the 2-to-1 figure is not accurate (the real number is around 4-to-1) the two aircraft are in terms of performance fairly comparable.

The grounding of the Blackbird is no mystery at all. It was expensive to run, and satellites do the same job but better.

Even having a header titled "Pentagon Propaganda" is pretty hilarious in the slavaboo nationalistic fantasy article, I laughed.

Russia makes a lot of really great weapons systems. In particular, their jet engines and surface-to-air missiles are on par with anything the west puts out. They had some really excellent submarines when they could afford to buy them.

However, the article you linked is an atrocious piece of shit. It is not in any way shape or form an objective look at these systems. It is the insane ramblings of an analfractured slavaboo pining for the days of the Soviet Union. The arguments he makes are bad arguments and he should feel bad for making them.

u/Captinfucker · 1 pointr/gaming

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalashnikov_rifle

Not a source, but a rundown of what is officially called what.

https://www.amazon.com/AK-47-Grim-Reaper-Frank-Iannamico/dp/0982391854/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467931122&sr=8-1&keywords=AK-47%3A+The+Grim+Reaper

This is the book that has most of the information, if you don't want to buy it or find a online copy to download here's a quick slideshow made by an AK expert with pictures from the book that explains some of the history behind the name.

http://imgur.com/a/aK7fX#0iO9QKJ

Other than that you're going to need to learn Russian or use google translate to find information from Russian sources (as I have from time to time). There's not much info on this in English because the US government was the first to learn about and name the gun they found out through spying and they named it the "AK-47", and the name stuck in the English language.

u/drynoa · 1 pointr/waifuism

Could you list your source for the numbers?

Also the FT-17 WAS AGILE for the situation and time it was in, which was trench warfare, nearly non-moving fronts and no man's land areas,just because it's obsolete now doesn't mean it wasn't revolutionary (you can read up on it or watch some documentaries it's not some "fringe saying") the Vickers didn't come out until 1928 which is late in the inter-war period, many tanks before then were based off either the FT-17 or mark IV

Strategic sense includes actually realizing how much industrial power a country has.

Read up on the kursk offensive, within 5 days only 10 Panthers out of 240 non-destroyed ones were deemed operable because of missing spare parts, broken transmission or other problems.
(not including how damn complicated german tanks were to actually operate)




Obviously the T-34 broke down more, have you actually watched or read anything about Russian Tank usage/production?

It was by design choice, if your tank is going to last for a few hours in combat and be obsolete in a year, you use the cheapest and fastest way to get it out, this is what the Russians did and it was brilliant!

I mean hell, you could probably tear a T-34 apart with some basic tools, but that was a great thing for the situation the Soviets were in.


Now an expensive Tiger 1 for example costs the same as TWO IS-2s (which can easily destroy a Tiger 1) while also taking more time to produce, a higher part count (needs more spare parts which Germany had a real big issue with) AND is fighting far away from home.



Now I don't have much to say on the western front, a Sherman costs about 40k~RM while a Panther costs 100K~RM.

Now even if the "5 Shermans 1 panther" myth was true they'd still be even at costs to the nations and the Shermans were faster and easier to make then Panthers.

(I am using a Sherman Firefly for this comparison)

If a single Panther faced a single M4 in a clear field with no cover.I’ll be in the Panther.However, if I was a general in a war I’d want M4s.

Here is a good book about western front tank performances.

https://www.amazon.com/Panther-Sherman-Battle-Bulge-1944/dp/184603292X/ref=cm_rdp_product


u/Ellistann · 1 pointr/politics

Nope, there's a layer of deniability still available to Russia:

The Weapon was originally made by Russia, sure. I mean we did keep it secret for years, but someone defected and wrote a book on how we were skirting the OPCW... But once this secret was out, plenty of people could have made it. Hell you can buy the instructions on Amazon.

This attack was obviously just a rogue chemical engineer that decided to create and use this obscure chemical weapon to settle a score or something...

u/Kenny_94 · 1 pointr/inthenews

>there are issues with exporting files overseas. That's been determined to be a legitimate state security issue, and you'll see the same thing with Software distribution.

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Army-Improvised-Munitions-Handbook/dp/1684112737

You can order a book online to other countries and pdfs written BY THE GOVERNMENT on how to make explosives and ordinance from conventional, household materials and it is freely available and legal for anyone to buy and download. Hell it is even free to download off of government websites.

It seems to me if it has always been legal to buy books, as you have said, how to make machine guns, explosives, suppressors, and things which are outlawed or legal to make with only with a licence and sell it online to anyone.Interesting how now the government wants to take a stand.

>And, TBH, I don't know why people get so fixated on DD

I am fixated on it because it is a blatant violation of the first amendment and it pisses me off they think they have the authority to ignore the constitution to virtue signal about guns that don't, and never have, threatened public safety. People have been milling out "ghost guns" for years and there was no increase in crime or use of those guns to commit more crimes.

>Two words: Muslim ban. It's against the Establishment clause to discriminate against religions, and yet, Trump did it.

the supreme court ruling said:

>https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-travel-ban.html
>
>the president’s power to secure the country’s borders, delegated by Congress over decades of immigration lawmaking, was not undermined by Mr. Trump’s history of incendiary statements about the dangers he said Muslims pose to the United States.

Trump is using his authority under the Immigration Act of 1990 to control immigration and:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182

8 U.S. Code § 1182 - Inadmissible aliens


Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

​

If we want to change that, I am fine if we go through congress. I am not saying it is morally right just it is technically within his powers to legally do. He has a right to ban entire classes of immigrants so long as he can justify they are "detrimental to the interests of the United States".

u/MadKnifeIV · 1 pointr/news

https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520920301&sr=8-1&keywords=vil+mirzayanov

Published in this book by a russian defector who used to work on it. You can also google when and where the recipe got released and it all comes back down on this book.

u/CagedChimp · 1 pointr/biology

Rabid, The Demon in the Freezer, and The Ghost Map are all books I've found fascinating about various diseases.

I would second /u/Amprvector's suggestion of both The Emperor of all Maladies, and The Selfish Gene as well.

u/SandwichRising · 1 pointr/longrange

The $20 spring kit for the Compass from Mcarbo helped me a lot, brings the trigger way down and does it safely from what I can tell. Before I installed that kit, I was actually moving the reticle just trying to squeeze the trigger on the lowest setting. With it installed it feels somewhere around 2-3lbs, breaks a lot cleaner, and there's no more jump when I squeeze the trigger. Also, if you're dialing distance with your turrets, you want a bubble level attached to the scope. A $10 one off amazon is doing fine for me. Without one, a couple degrees of cant between shots is inches (or feet) off at distance.

Also, even as an experienced shooter, when I started getting involved with long range this book from Ryan Cleckner taught me quite a few tips that made me even better.

I also bought a T/C Compass this year in 6.5CM, got a discounted shooting mat on Midway, a $20 bipod off amazon and a $100 UTG scope. I plan on upgrading to a Vortex, but the so-so UTG scope does okay for now. With that setup, I'm handloading Hornady ELD-X bullets and am doing a good job whapping golf balls at 300 yards currently.

u/Phildesbois · 1 pointr/TirLongueDistance

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Range-Shooting-Handbook-Cleckner/dp/151865472X

Long Range Shooting Handbook Paperback – January 31, 2016
by Ryan M Cleckner (Author)

u/Siilveriius · 1 pointr/politics

What do you mean I necro'ed this comment? I don't even know what that means. Why would I be afraid of your response? I'm not pushing for any narrative here, I'm actively seeking answers and giving you the opportunity to share the evidence.
Here is the "TV show" and as it turns out, its an interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5nHrCMExaQ&ab_channel=RT Why don't you check your own sources?
First of all, Novichok originated in Russia yes. But it might surprise you that this Russian chemist Vil Mirzayanov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vil_Mirzayanov exposed the formula to the public which anyone can use to create their own Novichok, you can even buy a book on amazon that details its production https://www.amazon.com/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661 This chemist now lives in the US. Also the OPCW concluded that they could not find evidence against Russia, so you are wrong that "all" intelligence agencies confirmed it was Russia that did it. Which agencies are you talking about anyway?
No I am not, this has got to be the worst attempt at straw manning I have ever encountered.... I actually feel ashamed for you..
Really, all I am asking is for evidence and I am still patiently waiting.

u/GreenLightLost · 1 pointr/worldnews

Shot placement is important, for sure, but the first thing to go in a gunfight is fine motor control.

Also, rifle combat is much different than pistol combat. Another read I highly recommend that covers numerous topics:

http://www.amazon.com/Ride-Shoot-Straight-Speak-Truth/dp/0873649737

u/skateitup420 · 1 pointr/atheism
u/irishjihad · 1 pointr/Military

The Ken Alibek book was also a great read.

u/Ben_Martin · 1 pointr/history
u/bonked_or_maybe_not · 1 pointr/TrueReddit

Craig Murray was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004.

Further - since you apparently didn't bother reading.

He simply saved me the typing of the evidence from Dr. Robin Black, Head of the Detection Laboratory at the UK’s only chemical weapons facility - you know the guy in charge of the only facility in the UK's government that could make the claim that is being made by May.

Oh, and then he also provided evidence from The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - THE UN body in charge of classifying and enforcing international Chemical Weapons bans - you know the people that we used to justify wars in Syria, Iraq, etc.

OH - and... the evidence claims this "Newcomer" agent came from Soviets working in Uzbekistan... you know, the country that this "no name blogger" was the British Ambassador to when:

>And finally – Mirzayanov is an Uzbek name and the novichok programme, assuming it existed, was in the Soviet Union but far away from modern Russia, at Nukus in modern Uzbekistan. I have visited the Nukus chemical weapons site myself. It was dismantled and made safe and all the stocks destroyed and the equipment removed by the American government, as I recall finishing while I was Ambassador there. There has in fact never been any evidence that any “novichok” ever existed in Russia itself.

In case you missed it:

>#while I was Ambassador there

But yeah, scraping the bottom of the barrel with a complete nutter on the Internet here.

OH, and lest I forget:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Secrets-Insiders-Chronicle-Chemical/dp/1432725661

The fucking formula is in that book, you can go buy it right now.

u/SniffingSarin · 1 pointr/news

You're completely incorrect about this. An IED is not difficult to make - you can construct one from scratch from common materials without anyone raising an eyebrow. There are instructions online the average person can follow - there's even a manual released by the U.S. military:

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Army-Improvised-Munitions-Handbook/dp/1684112737

Making an effective and untraceable gun is much more complicated. I can't think of an instance of a shooter who has done this.

u/shallowpersonality · 1 pointr/IAmA

I recommend Biohazard. On the edge of my seat most of the time. Author defected to US and wrote the book. I had hoped you had read it. I wanted to hear your take on it.

Ever listen to Art Bell, the radio host?

GMU Huh. Chain Bridge road. 123. Favorite DC monument. Mine is the einstein bronze sculpture and the Awakening.

Biohazard - non fiction book link
http://www.amazon.com/Biohazard-Chilling-Largest-Biological-World-Told/dp/0385334966

u/well_uh_yeah · 1 pointr/AskReddit

You should totally read this book. Or maybe The Hot Zone or Demon in the Freezer. All are very entertaining and terrifying reads.

These sorts of weapons are scary because in some cases their use is probably strategically preferable because they can destroy populations without destroying infrastructure, which is useful if you want to invade somewhere. Also, they can get out of hand and spread on their own once deployed, unlike a bullet.

I'm in no way an expert; just speculating.

u/FourNominalCents · 1 pointr/history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Louis_Michel

Wikipedia has one version of the story, but IIRC, By the Sword tells it a little differently. Guy's friend challenges him to a duel to the death. He can't turn down the duel and doesn't want to kill his friend, so he uses a training foil. Knocks the guy out, breaks his jaw.

u/TheDevilsFair · 1 pointr/CasualConversation

I had the same New Year's resolution a few years ago and ended up reading 65 books that year. I ran out of books I wanted to read and scrambled to find more. So you'll have weeks you'll read anything you can get your hands on which can be hit or miss, but I liked being taken out of my normal, nonfiction, reading patterns.

Here are a few If my favorites:

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

Demon In The Freezer by Richard Preston

The Snakehead by Patrick Keefe

John Dies At The End by David Wong

Into Thin Air by John Krakauer

Death's Acre by Dr. Bill Bass

Biohazard by Ken Alibek

u/salumi · 1 pointr/explainlikeimfive

If you are interested in learning more about its guidance system I suggest reading the book Inventing Accuracy: A Historical Sociology of Nuclear Missile Guidance

u/thanatobunny · 1 pointr/dndnext

Also when duelling started getting real big in europe it became a craze among the catholic monks at the time and the Church started getting worried partly due to the fame/ego and also the dead monks, and instituted the no dulling with bladed weapons thing in hopes of dissuading the young monks. - source By the Sword

u/zsajak · 1 pointr/soccer

You want studies or a book?

One of the most profound books i have ever read is this on how states rise and fall. It's the most enlighting thing I have ever read, it changed how I view the world fundamentaly

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452288193/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0452288193

Its a popular book without the mathematical models behind it

Here is the mathematical version

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0691116695/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0691116695

But its quite expensive and only available as hardcover but there should be a different version coming out soon


For the study on cooperation this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0996139516/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1517513099&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Peter+turchin&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ux9xQvfIL&ref=plSrch


On cultural evolution this books makes an incredible strong argument

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0691178437/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0691178437


On how religion influences pro social behaviour this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0691169748/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517513482&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Ara+Norenzayan&dpPl=1&dpID=61TgLU80vIL&ref=plSrch

u/JC_Dentyne · 1 pointr/conspiratard
u/JoshSN · 0 pointsr/politics

Why did we invade Iraq? I'm not sure how that became the topic, but here are the answers.

As for the WMD, you are simply mistaken. I knew full well that every single claim the Bush administration was making about the WMD were tendentious, at best, if not false. I knew that our best nuclear scientists, at Oak Ridge, had declared the aluminum tubes absolutely fucking worthless for enriching uranium. I knew the "unaccounted for stockpiles" were, at best, sludge for the previous 5 years, and probably never existed. If one read Vanity Fair one knew that the Niger uranium connection was bullshit.

Don't tell me it was all classified, so CNN had to run those stories.

It was all public, and CNN decided to carry water.

I was making god damnit $200/K year when we invaded Iraq and I quit my job the morning we actually invaded. I knew it was bullshit.

This book was published a half year before the invasion.

As for the al-Qaeda connection, my fondest memory of that was the time Doug Feith decided to leak his own research on the Iraq-al-Qaeda connection. The fucking Department of Defense shut that snow job down! Go DoD! What a bunch of lies.

CNN coverage of the Iraq War was cheerleading from the get-go.

u/trigger_pull · 0 pointsr/1022

Long Range Shooting Handbook

​

Ryan Cleckner, former Ranger sniper, covers long range shooting (obviously), but the vast majority of the material is applicable to any kind of rifle shooting. He goes into a little history, terminology, choosing and setting up your rifle and gear, rifle maintenance, ballistics, calculations and scope adjustments, shooting technique, and a bunch more.

​

Despite the 'long range' label, he doesn't go overboard on the minutia of reading wind or correcting for Coriolis force. He has a follow up book ("Advanced Long Range Shooting") for the more esoteric stuff. It's all written for a layman, and anyone with two brain cells to rub together could understand it. Essentially, you can read the book with no previous knowledge and come out with a great baseline for getting started with rifles.

u/liveforever67 · -6 pointsr/ak47

Ain't that the truth! I not too long ago got this [https://www.amazon.com/AK-47-Grim-Reaper-Frank-Iannamico/dp/0982391854/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527280971&sr=8-1&keywords=the+grim+reaper+ak+47](1,100 page book) and now I want every variation ever made pretty much. The addiction is REAL! LOL
PS-I Clearly suck at formatting

u/trinitae · -9 pointsr/europe

Anyone could've bought Mirzayanov's book from 2008. To think that government agencies that spend trillions on defence do not have the capability to buy a book and recreate it is naive. Honestly, I think they'd have the knowledge even without it - for a state to recreate a nerve agent is nothing sophisticated really.