Books #6 in Tom Kratman's Carrera military science fictionseries.
Tarawa. Iwo. Normandy. Names that shine in the military history of twoworlds, places where brave men stormed ashore and fought their way to victory nomatter the odds. But then there are other names: Marathon. Malta. Gallipoli.Balboa’s Patricio Carrera has driven the Tauran Union from his adoptedcountry, driven them out with appalling loss and worse humiliation. That’snot enough though. To finally finish his enemies, Carrera needs to draw themback for a more telling defeat. He cannot take the battle to them because,beyond some long range bombardment capability, he cannot reach them. But whenthey return, they don’t plan to come alone; they insist on having someoneelse do most of the bleeding for them. Carrera understands this. Andthat’s why he’s provoked the Zhong Guo mercilessly, infuriatingtheir ruling Empress. He needs the Zhong in the war, to buck up the Taurans tocontinue the war to its bitterest end. Now, Carrera’s enemies are about tolearn why the expression "blood-stained water" is not just a literaryallusion.

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