There is sometimes a tendency – perhaps most prevalent in parts of Western Europe – to think of the First World War as a conflict that was fought out exclusively amid the mud and the trenches of Belgium and northern France, with Imperial Germany as the Allies’ sole enemy.

The reality, of course, is that the titanic events of 1914 1918 stretched far and wide – from the Baltic to the shores of the Black Sea, and from the Middle East to parts of Africa – while Germany certainly did not stand alone.

In our cover story for this issue, Graham Goodlad introduces a new series in which MHM examines the wartime record of the unlikely alliance of so-called ‘Central Powers’ – including the forces of the Austro Hungarian and Ottoman Empires and the Kingdom of Bulgaria – who fought alongside Germany during World War I, and whose eventual defeat would have repercussions that in some cases are still being felt today.

Elsewhere, to mark the publication of his new book, the bestselling writer Jonathan Glancey tells the inside story of Operation Bowler, the Allies’ audacious World War II plan to destroy German strategic outposts around Venice’s port, but leave the legendary city itself unscathed.

Also in this issue: Stephen Roberts begins a new two part study of early English civil wars by looking at one of the darkest periods of the country’s history, The Anarchy of 1135-1153; and Edmund West traces the military history of Menorca, the tiny Mediterranean island whose huge natural harbour ensured it played an outsized role in the long running struggle for maritime supremacy during the 18th century.

And finally, in the second part of his compelling series on military turncoats, Nigel Jones profiles more commanders who shifted their allegiance, from Benedict Arnold during the American Revolutionary War to Friedrich Paulus after the Battle of Stalingrad.

We hope you enjoy the issue!

LAURENCE EARLE