Краткое описание: Еще совсем недавно многие историки искренне верили, что вся Вторая мировая война уже давно расписана исследователями буквально по часам подобно главам в многотомной зеленой хронике Второй мировой, много лет считавшейся верхом советской военной исторической мысли. И в летописи войны не осталось никаких белых пятен. Вернее, наши военные историки-то знали, что существует другая, неофициальная, история, которую нельзя выносить к широкой общественности, но считали нецелесообразным доводить до граждан советской страны всю правду о войне.

Краткое описание: Книга известного военного историка А.Б.Широкорада посвящена вооруженным конфликтам Финляндии и России - СССР в ХХ в. До 1990 г. в советской исторической науке, художественной литературе и публицистике отношения нашей страны с Финляндией представлялись крайне неполно, зачастую в отлакированном, отретушированном виде. В годы перестройки и постперестройки на российских читателей обрушился шквал разоблачений событий Зимней войны 1939 - 1940 гг. По мнению автора книги, все разоблачения писались не слишком продуманно и аргументировано. России пришлось вести не одну, а три войны (1918 - 1922, 1939 - 1940 и 1941 - 1944 гг.).

Краткое описание: ХХ век начался с усиления борьбы ведущих капиталистических держав за свое влияние в мире, за передел сфер господства и эксплуатации народов других стран. Нередко эти противоречия приводили к кровопролитным вооруженным столкновениям. К ним относится и Русско-японская война, ставшая одним из наиболее значительных событий начала ХХ столетия. Русско-японская война (1904 - 1905 гг.) относится к войнам третьего поколения, которые проводились в оперативно тактических масштабах.

Краткое описание: Период всемирной истории после Первой Мировой войны принято считать безвременьем. Великие потрясения начала века унесшая 10 миллионов человеческих жизней «империалистическая бойня» 1914 - 1918 годов и Октябрьская революция в России, увеличившая эту цифру вдвое, остались позади, а до нового мирового конфликта было еще далеко. Обескровленная Европа восстанавливала силы…

Краткое описание: While Europe was sliding into the Dark Ages, the people of the Yucatan had already reached what is arguably the pinnacle of New World civilization. The lowland Maya developed a complex system of writing and two separate calendar cycles based on their observations of astronomical phenomena. Also, they built temples from limestone and demonstrated a highly sophisticated level of artistic expression in their murals and pottery. The Yucatan developed independently from the rest of Mexico, though it could not help but be influenced by its powerful neighbor. It was only last century that the peninsula became part of the country, a union that it fiercely resisted.

Краткое описание: One of the most rewarding things about travelling through Western Europe is the rich variety of cuisine, customs, architecture and history. The flipside of course is that you’ll encounter a number of very different languages. Most languages spoken in Western Europe, including English, belong to what’s known as the Indo-European language family, believed to have originally developed from one language spoken thousands of years ago. Luckily for English speakers, all but one use Roman script.

Краткое описание: One of the great joys of travel in Western Europe is that you can plan as much or as little as you want. Some people will have a must-see list of sights they will feel cheated if they miss. Others will go with the flow and let their moods and experiences shape their journey. Neither is the better way to go and many people will combine aspects of both. They’ll have a realistic idea of what they can accomplish while still having the freedom to take a detour on a whim.

Краткое описание: According to experts like us, travelling in the Western Balkans is dead easy. And that statement is almost entirely true! Visiting Slovenia and Croatia is no more difficult than going to Germany or Italy. Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Macedonia are less expensive; they feature lots of signs in Cyrillic alphabets, but are still easy to visit. Albania is more challenging: the capital Tirana is in the middle of a building boom, and many roads are either in dreadful shape or being rebuilt, though some of the main arteries have been finished.

Краткое описание: West Africa is a great destination to plan, with a wealth of resources to track down - books that capture the region’s unmistakable whiff of the exotic (opposite), excellent movies that get little airtime elsewhere and a host of unique festivals that can act as your route planner to the region. The region’s world-renowned music is also worth tracking down to provide a soundtrack for your visit. On the practical side, West Africa can be a challenging destination so think carefully about what sort of trip best suits you.

Краткое описание: If Scotland is unknown territory, the question you must ask sooner or later is, “What kind of walks can I do in Scotland?”. The best answer is, “Whatever you wish”. You can walk independently, handling all the plan- fling and arranging accommodation and transport yourself, or you can join a guided walk, sitting back while all the arranging is done for you. A good compromise is to have the best of both worlds - enjoy having the accommodation and maps provided, then do the walks by yourself or with friends.

Day walks are the most popular style of walking in Scotland, from a base at a camping ground, hostel or B&B. They can range from easy strolls along clear pathsto challenging circuits of several mountain peaks. Some walks are waymarked, though many aren’t - these are easy enough to follow with the help of this guide and the recommended maps.