German Mountain & Ski Troops 1939–45
German Mountain & Ski Troops 1939–45

Author: Gordon Williamson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-05-20

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1780967918

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Fighting in every theatre from the burning sands of North Africa to the icy wastes above the arctic circle the German Army's Gebirgstruppen troops were some of the most effective in the whole of the Wehrmacht. Their esprit de corps and morale were extremely high and their commanders, men such as Eduard Dietl, the 'Hero of Narvik', and Julius 'Papa' Ringel, were idolised by their men. Dietl himself was the first soldier of the Wehrmacht to be awarded the coveted Oakleaves to the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. In this book Gordon Williamson details the uniforms, organisation and combat histories of these elite troops.

Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–43
Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940–43

Author: Pier Paolo Battistelli

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2011-11-20

Total Pages: 131

ISBN-13: 1849088950

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Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli examines the elite and specialforces units of the Italian Army during World War II. This includes a vast array of troop types, including paratroopers, assault engineers, sea-landing and swimmer units, long-range recce and ski units, and even hand-picked Fascist 'Mussolini' units. It also delves into the specialist tank and armoured units that were created to emulate the German armoured units. While the Italian units discussed enjoyed mixed success, the volume draws attention to the incredibly hard fighting done by some in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of Russia. Illustrated with rare archival photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this is a fascinating insight into a little-studied aspect of Axis forces.

The German Army 1939–45 (1)
The German Army 1939–45 (1)

Author: Nigel Thomas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-09-20

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13: 1782004815

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On 1 September 1939, when Germany attacked Poland, the Wehrmacht numbered 3,180,000 men. It eventually expanded to 9,500,000, and on 8-9 May 1945, the date of its unconditional surrender on the Western and Eastern Fronts, it still numbered 7,800,000. The Blitzkrieg period, from 1 September 1939 to 25 June 1940, was 10 months of almost total triumph for the Wehrmacht, as it defeated every country, except Great Britain, that took the field against it. In this first of five volumes examining the German Army of World War Two, Nigel Thomas examines the uniforms and insignia of Hitler's Blitzkrieg forces, including an overview of the Blitzkrieg campaign itself. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled 'German Army in World War II'.

German Airborne Troops 1939–45
German Airborne Troops 1939–45

Author: Bruce Quarrie

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 1983-03-24

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780850454802

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Airborne operations have often been called a vertical envelopment, and therein lies one of the best descriptions of their value. The essence of an envelopment is to pin the enemy in place so that it can be destroyed. A strong enemy force to one's rear disrupts supplies and communications and makes one more vulnerable to an attack from the front. It also has a major psychological impact. To an aggressor the value of airborne troops, used properly, far outweighs their numerical strength. Bruce Quarrie's engaging text tells the story of the German airborne troops of the Second World War.

German Army Elite Units 1939–45
German Army Elite Units 1939–45

Author: Gordon Williamson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-03-20

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 1780965680

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In World War II a number of German Army units and divisions were classed as élites, and were distinguished by special insignia of various kinds. For some this status was simply a matter of lineage e.g. the Infantry Regiment 'List', which traced its identity to the Bavarian unit with which Hitler had served in World War I. Some, like the 'Grossdeutschland' and Panzer-Lehr divisions, were raised from particularly high grade personnel. Other titles honoured extraordinary battlefield exploits or heroic sacrifice, like the 'Brandenburg' and 'Hoch und Deutschmeister' divisions. This fact-packed introduction to these famous units is illustrated with rare photographs and detailed colour plates.

German Army Elite Units 1939–45
German Army Elite Units 1939–45

Author: Gordon Williamson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-03-20

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 1780965672

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In World War II a number of German Army units and divisions were classed as élites, and were distinguished by special insignia of various kinds. For some this status was simply a matter of lineage e.g. the Infantry Regiment 'List', which traced its identity to the Bavarian unit with which Hitler had served in World War I. Some, like the 'Grossdeutschland' and Panzer-Lehr divisions, were raised from particularly high grade personnel. Other titles honoured extraordinary battlefield exploits or heroic sacrifice, like the 'Brandenburg' and 'Hoch und Deutschmeister' divisions. This fact-packed introduction to these famous units is illustrated with rare photographs and detailed colour plates.

The German Army 1939–45 (2)
The German Army 1939–45 (2)

Author: Nigel Thomas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-09-20

Total Pages: 107

ISBN-13: 1782004408

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Hitler first considered an invasion of Great Britain in autumn 1940, then scheduled Operation Barbarossa, the conquest of the European part of the Soviet Union, for May 1941. Anxious to emulate Hitler's successes, the Italian dictator Mussolini embarked upon unnecessary military adventures in North Africa and the Balkans, which forced Hitler's intervention, diverting and depleting precious German resources, and a six-week postponement of Barbarossa. In this second of four volumes [Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326 & 330] on the German Army of the Second World War, Nigel Thomas examines the uniforms and insignia of the forces involved in North Africa and the Balkans. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled 'German Army in World War II'.

Gebirgsjäger
Gebirgsjäger

Author: Gordon Williamson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-06-20

Total Pages: 151

ISBN-13: 1782000089

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Few branches of the German armed forces were represented on so many fronts as the mountain infantrymen, or Gebirgstruppen. From the Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1940, through the invasions of the Balkans and Russia and the North African campaign, to the defence of the Reich 1944-45, the Gebirgsjäger earned a reputation for reliability and courage. Typically each trooper was a supremely fit individual: the need to cover difficult terrain in full kit, without the back-up of a motorised baggage train, demanded this. This new volume examines the recruitment, training, and combat experiences of the common Gebirgsjäger.

Elite Panzer Strike Force
Elite Panzer Strike Force

Author: Franz Kurowski

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2012-04-23

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 184884803X

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The Panzer Lehr Division, a German armoured division during World War II, was one of the most Elite units in the entire German Wehrmacht Heer. It was formed in 1943 from various units of elite training and demonstration troops stationed in Germany, to provide additional armoured strength for resisting the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. Its great weakness was that it concentrated the cream of Germany's tank commanders and instructors in a single unit. Due to its elite status it was lavishly equipped in comparison to the ordinary Panzer divisions, though on several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra. For the first time in English, this book follows the division from Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge to the end of the war, showing how Germans fought Americans at St. Lô and Bastogne. Written in Kurowski's trademark you-are-there style, this includes numerous firsthand accounts based on interviews with veterans.

Finland at War 1939–45
Finland at War 1939–45

Author: Philip Jowett

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-07-20

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 1782001255

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In the face of Soviet invasion in 1939–40, and once again in 1941–44, the armies raised by Finland – a tiny nation of only 4 million people astonished the world by their effective resistance. At the end of both these campaigns – the Winter War, and the Continuation War – the fiercely patriotic defiance of vastly stronger Soviet forces by Marshal Mannerheim's soldiers won their country a unique prize: although forced to accept harsh terms, Finland was never occupied by the Red Army, and retained its independence. This book explains and illustrates, for the first time in English, the organization, uniforms, equipment and tactics of Finland's defenders.