SPEARMAN TO MINUTEMAN: The Story of the Soldier, 200 B.C.-1783 A.D.; CONSCRIPTS ON THE MARCH: The Story of the Soldier from Napoleon to the Nuclear War

The two books listed above are by an English author/illustrator whose work seems to combine the best qualities of Walter Buehr and W.T. Mars. Both books attempt to show the origins of changes in soldiers and armies from the beginning of time. The emphasis is on fighting techniques, but all the way through the two books, Mr. Ellacott has tried to satisfy reader curiosity about such matters as how the men ate, what they were paid, what their privileges were, why their uniforms changed. He brings the armies up-to-date, necessarily has much to say about the conduct of the various great wars and battles, and says it all briskly and readably. Russian and Asian forces are described, too. The line drawings are detailed and taken together the books should satisfy the information needs of this age group although their appetite for reading in this subject area is insatiable.