A fascinating look at the turning points of famous conflicts - the moment when a minor incident decides the outcome of a battle (called the hinge of battle).
There is no shortage of stories when it comes to battles. Some were decided by genius, but many more by a quirk of fate, when that thin balance which separates success from disaster lay in a minor decision or a trivial incident that tipped the scales. The thrust of a spear, the blink of an eye, a single phrase or a misinterpreted command is all it takes. A moment of courage or cowardice, energy or weariness, resolution or indecision.
Battles have shaped the course of history and decided the fate of mankind. From a brutal Attila the Hun who went down to defeat on the Catalaunian Fields, to an overbearing French artillery colonel at Dien Bien Phu; from the stout walls of Constantinople to a skimpy mealie-bag wall at Rorke's Drift; from the sun of Austerlitz to the snows of Stalingrad, it was always an incident that decided the outcome of battle.
"The Hinges of Battle is more or less a sequel to Durschmied's previous book and is just as readable. The Hinges of Battle should have a wide readership" - Nicholas Fearn, Independent on Sunday
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PRAISE FOR THE HINGE FACTOR:
'His tales of mayhem and confusion can be gripping, informative and genuinely idea-provoking. He reveals again and again, the casual impact of happenstance.'
" - Independent
"This entertaining book considers the errors and incidents that have shaped the world as we know it rather than as we planned it might be." - The Times
"Gripping, riveting. Fascinating. Even when you're sure you know what happened and whodunit, Erik Durschmeid provides another twist." - Scotsman
"Erik Durschmeid's revelations are wholly captivating." - Manchester Evening News
