The world’s strongest armies discover that Nature can be a secret ally or an unbeatable foe. Not even the strongest troops can match the power of nature. In each of the ten stories in this volume, well-armed forces set off to battle human enemies but find themselves fighting the environment instead. Sometimes a leader carefully plans the perfect attack, only to find geography in the way. Other times the climate interferes unexpectedly. In 119 BCE, General Wei Qing used a sand storm as cover and was able to attack the Xiongnu nomads by surprise. Napoleon’s plan to quickly subdue the Russians was foiled by the savage “General Winter.” A massive network of underground tunnels gave the Viet Cong guerillas an unbeatable advantage over the much stronger American forces. The battle between India and Pakistan over borders has pitted both countries against the inhospitable Siachen Glacier. Nature’s obstacles have lead to crushing defeats, inspired accidental victories, and encouraged surprising innovation.
Author
Tanya writes both fiction and non-fiction, often choosing topics related to science, pop culture, or social history—or a combination of the three. She enjoys combining factual research with intriguing narratives, or the life stories of interesting folks. In her spare time, Tanya likes to run, bake, and read. Her favourite meal is breakfast, her favourite color is blue, and her favourite children’s book is A Wrinkle in Time. Tanya grew up in Creston, B.C., and now lives in Vancouver with her husband, who claims to be the world's only Burmese occupational therapist. She balances writing time with parenthood, caring for her daughter Julia and her son Matthew.
