Books

Out of Nowhere: A history of the Military Sniper (General Military)

Average customer rating:

Very interesting book
Knowing more about sniper
A "Must Have" Book!
A comprehensive introductory history of the sniper

Out of Nowhere: A history of the Military Sniper (General Military)
Martin Pegler
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1846031400
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

From the American Revolution to World War Two, the history of the military combat marksman is one of indifference, unpreparedness and cost cutting. Despite the proven effectiveness of the rifleman in battle, the sniper in the 20th century has been regarded as little more than a paid assassin, whose life if captured was forfeit. However, since the Vietnam War the undeniably effective use of such men in combat means that the value of the sniper has gradually become more appreciated by the military, and their prominence on the modern battlefield has increased significantly. In the 21st century they are now regarded as one of the most vital battlefield specialists.

Illustrated throughout with colour and black and white photographs, this is a chronological study of snipers, detailing their evolution, training, weaponry and actions. There are also unique contributions from the men and women whose skill and extraordinary courage have made them the most greatly feared specialist in warfare.

From the Foreword by Harry Furness, decorated Sniper-Sergeant, British Army Wold War II
We will always need to deploy our new age warrior, that highly trained specialist, the military sniper....
Factual books on snipers are few and far between, so I find it refreshing and timely that this new book has been published which will provide the reader with the true facts about these unique soldiers; and readers of this excellent, deeply researched book will now be more knowledgeable about a rarely discussed subject. You have to dig deep to bypass the many half truths in order to reach any conclusion as to why manking continues to wage wars that kill off the cream of our young society, but it might be said that if it is the fate of a soldier to die in battle, then a sniper's swift killing bullet must be preferable to dying from devastating wounds.

Chapter Heads The sniper in perspective. The rifleman emerges 1500-1854. The American Civil War and European wars 1854-1914. The First World War, the watershed 1914-16. The First World War, the fight back 1916-18. Russian sniping 1936-45. The German sniper and the war with Russia 1941-45. The war against Japan 1941-45. The war in Western Europe 1940-45. Limited wars 1945-85. Vietnam, America's nemesis. Into the 21st century.

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting book.......2005-04-12

I'm about 3/4 done reading this book and can recommend it to anyone interested in military history. It is not at all a "how to" book, but more a history of how snipers have been used in war since the development of the rifled barrel.

There is a ton of detail about the rifles used and the scopes that were mounted on them. In a few places it gets a little tedious, but the author has obviously done his homework.

Not an exciting book by any stretch, but you do feel like you've learned something at the end.

Knowing more about sniper.......2005-02-01

Being involved in shooting, I have always been fascinated by these persons we call Sniper. Out of Nowhere is a very large book, full of photos of famous and other not so famous snipers and their personal histories. This is a great book if you want to know all about Sniper and Riflemen history.

This is not a "how to", but a great book about what is Sniping and it evolution through time.

I strongly recommend it.

A "Must Have" Book!.......2005-01-04

This book is amazing! I have other books by Pegler and have never been disappointed by his product. The topic of Military Snipers is a touchy one that has been maligned in the mainstream press for many years. Even the term "Sniper" is thought of with negative thoughts be it terrorist or criminal. Pegler discusses this a bit along with a complete history of the Sniper, their craft, and equipment. It makes for extremely interesting reading. Many historical facts are brought to light by the author and after reading this book one can better understand the need for this dark warrior, even more so in the 21st century.
Han

A comprehensive introductory history of the sniper.......2005-01-02

This comprehensive history of the military sniper traces the development of the sniper from 1500, the American Civil War and European wars, WWI and WWII (in both the European and Pacific Wars), limited wars from 1945-85, the Vietnam Conflict, and the present. It is filled with anecdotes of snipers, B & W and color photos, and a brief description of the weapons used. What fascinated me the most were chapter 6 (Russian snipers from 1936 - 1945), chapter 7 (German Snipers in the Eastern front from 1941-45), chapter 8 (the American sniper in the War against Japan in WWII), and chapter 9 (the American sniper in the European front in WWII). In each of these chapters, the author describes the training, the rifles / ammunition used, and the combat performance of the snipers. What fascinated me was the development of the American sniper in WWII, since these American forces had to start completely from scratch in developing the skill of sniping. The author Martin Pegler does a great job of blending technical information with anecdotes and descriptions of the combat performance / training of the snipers. This is an excellent introduction of the history of the military sniper for any military historian or enthusiast.

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