"So this is how liberty dies—with thunderous applause." —Senator Padmé Amidala
When Sheev Palpatine declared the birth of his new Empire, he expected it would stand for thousands of years. Instead, it lasted only 24. This is the story of how a tyrannical regime rose from the ashes of democracy, ruled the galaxy with an iron fist, and then collapsed into dust.
It is a story of war and heroes. It is a story of propaganda and the power of fascism. But most of all, it is a story of normal people trying to live their lives in the face of brutal dictatorship.
From the barbarity of Darth Vader's campaigns to the horrors of the Tarkin Initiative, this book offers new insights into the dark entity at the core of the Star Wars saga, with chapters covering economic strategy and political organisation, propaganda, crime and punishment, military tactics, and warfare, giving even the most expert Star Wars fans a fresh perspective on the Galactic Empire.
Dr. Chris Kempshall is a public historian and author who specialises in modern media representations of history. He has taught and lectured on war and European history at a wide assortment of universities and is currently the President for the International Society for First World War Studies and a Senior Research Fellow for the Centre for Army Leadership, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
He is the author of numerous academic works including; The First World War in Computer Games and British, French and American Relations on the Western Front, 1914–1918.
Along with Jason Fry, Cole Horton, and Amy Ratcliffe, he is the co-author of Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy (2021) published by DK. His latest book Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, an in-universe political history of the Galactic Empire, was published by DK Books in July 2024.
View titles by Chris Kempshall
"So this is how liberty dies—with thunderous applause." —Senator Padmé Amidala
When Sheev Palpatine declared the birth of his new Empire, he expected it would stand for thousands of years. Instead, it lasted only 24. This is the story of how a tyrannical regime rose from the ashes of democracy, ruled the galaxy with an iron fist, and then collapsed into dust.
It is a story of war and heroes. It is a story of propaganda and the power of fascism. But most of all, it is a story of normal people trying to live their lives in the face of brutal dictatorship.
From the barbarity of Darth Vader's campaigns to the horrors of the Tarkin Initiative, this book offers new insights into the dark entity at the core of the Star Wars saga, with chapters covering economic strategy and political organisation, propaganda, crime and punishment, military tactics, and warfare, giving even the most expert Star Wars fans a fresh perspective on the Galactic Empire.
Dr. Chris Kempshall is a public historian and author who specialises in modern media representations of history. He has taught and lectured on war and European history at a wide assortment of universities and is currently the President for the International Society for First World War Studies and a Senior Research Fellow for the Centre for Army Leadership, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
He is the author of numerous academic works including; The First World War in Computer Games and British, French and American Relations on the Western Front, 1914–1918.
Along with Jason Fry, Cole Horton, and Amy Ratcliffe, he is the co-author of Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy (2021) published by DK. His latest book Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, an in-universe political history of the Galactic Empire, was published by DK Books in July 2024.
View titles by Chris Kempshall
