Booby Traps!: The History of Deadly Devices, from World War I to Vietnam

War often provides a stimulus to technological development. Throughout the twentieth century, new technology was harnessed to produce increasingly deadly and malicious types of explosives in the forms of booby traps, mines, delayed-action devices, and mobile charges … often activated in the most inconspicuous places. Intended to kill or injure, these lethal mechanisms detonate when a person disturbs or approaches a seemingly harmless object. Other times they are set off by remote control. Compellingly written and illustrated throughout with photos and schematic drawings, Booby Traps! traces the design, deployment, and effectiveness of these deadly devices, as well as the lengths armies have gone to gain an edge.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history–books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.