The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division Volume II (Stackpole Military History) [Paperback]

Hubert Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Stackpole Military History Series | Publication Date: June 1, 2005

Volume two continues with the survivors of the bloody fighting in France regrouping to make a final stand in the Ardennes and Hungary before Germany was overcome by the Allies. A detailed and gripping account of the most famous, and infamous, division to fight in World War II for any side. Part two of the defining work on Hitler's elite fanatical boy soldiers written by the division's former chief of staff.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hubert Meyer was chief of staff of the 12th SS until its surrender in 1945.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811731995
• ISBN-13: 978-0811731997
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #423,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 12th SS Vol I & II, January 30, 2007

By 

G. Garton "Redbarn23" (Edmonds, Washington United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division Volume II (Stackpole Military History) (Paperback)

This is an excellent historical reference book. It provides another viewpoint to the Allied histories of the war. There seems to be an obvious bias which is also present in many if not most of the Allied histories. Viewed in the context of contrary histories of the same battles, many points can be clarified.
The 12th SS was a fabulous division of fighting men. I see many training and doctrinal attributes that were used in the Marine Corps when I joined. When viewed in a strictly historical perspective of fighting quality and ability there are few formations that can compare with with the 12th SS. I highly recommend these volumes to historians as well as gamers modeling the battles this division was engaged in.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Comprehensive Look at the 12th SS at Normandy, October 19, 2009

By 

Dave Schranck "Dave" (Anaheim Ca) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division Volume II (Stackpole Military History) (Paperback)

This is a comprehensive and personal look at the HJ, the Hitlerjugend while stationed in the Caen sector in June and July 1944. The author, a staff officer of the 12th SS delivers an impressive inside look at the tactical events and command decisions of those days and also the personal side of the young men who were able to stop Montgomery's attempts to break through the line for those two months. Its quite a tale and anybody interested in learning what it was like from the German perspective in trying to push the 21st Army Group into the sea should read this book. It also describes some of the problems arising from the differences between Rommel, Rundstedt, Guderian and Hitler concerning placement of panzers and the strategy to use to defeat the Allies.
The book starts with the establishment of the division in 1943 and filling the ranks and choosing the volunteers for it. Training and indoctrination is then explained; this was to be a special outfit and Berlin went to great lengths to see the young men would do the Waffen SS proud. Though German intelligence was faulty or deliberately exaggerated concerning the expected invasion, the 12th SS PzD as OKW reserve was as ready as possible.
After the introduction, a daily chronology of the Normandy action is described in good detail for not only the 12th SS but also Panzer Lehr and 21st PzD and others as they try to stop the Allies from expanding their beachhead. The author was well prepared for he was specific as to which Allied units were attacking the German line as well as their objectives. The coverage starts with the 12th SS traveling to the Caen sector and lasts to include Operation Goodwood but excludes the Operation Totalize by the Canadians.
There are a number of very good maps and excellent photos to study. There is also a Notes section, a brief bio on the author and an Index.
If you want to know what it was like for the teenagers in the division in those bitter days as well as the Normandy fighting in general from the German perspective then this book is for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division ( Stackpole I &II), June 2, 2008

By 

T. Raynal (Paris France) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division Volume I (Stackpole Military History) (Paperback)

Meyer's work is reminiscent of the 19st century general staff studies filled with a truely impressive amount of informations about the control, command and actions of large combat units in the field. As such, it is a very good source as to understand how a german tank division lived and fought in the late war years.

Unlike general staff studies, design for professionnals by professionals, Meyer work aim a wider public. Thus, the austerity of a day by day Operation staff officer's journal is somewhat nuanced by 12.SS soldiers testifies and reminiescences. Nevertheless, the book still is plain "facts and stats" military history and as such maybe not advised for one looking for an easy read or not having either an interest on the action of the division on a specific timeline or the day to day activity of a german tank division.

On the downside, while the Normandy and the Bulge parts are very detailled, the hungarian and austrian ones don't follow and are only spoken off as a sidenote to the division history. Finally, this is not a study on the waffen-ss divisions whether regarding the formation or the political education, the two main differences with standards german divisions. Both are overviewed.

All in all, especially given the price, this is a must have for anyone interrested in the german Wehrmacht as a fighting organisation in the late war years.