Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent historical reference book.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.

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.

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.

It's amazing to say the least what the 12th SS accomplished and got away with during ww2. They were called fanatics, even criminals and in some cases they were both but of all things said, one thing remains constant and true. They fought hard and gave everything they had for what they believed in. This book contains many amazing accounts written from several perspectives including the dutch, the allies and german views. I consider it to be a must own purchase if you're into reading about the battles and the forces of the 3rd reich.

As others have correctly said, this is a "must have" for anyone interested in WW2 combat, especially the sequel to the Normandy landings. I had read several British/Canadian accounts of the battle for Caen before coming to this, all of which referenced the 12. PzDiv SS "Hitlerjugend."
There was an expectation that the Brits would be in Caen a day or so after landing. This was before they met HJ, who were disparagingly referred to as the "children's division", and other German units. To find out why battle-hardened Brits took two months to reach Caen, even with offshore naval artillery and total air supremacy, read this account.
I hovered between four and five stars - four because the translation is a little wooden imho, and five for the wealth of detail (practically every phone call is noted). In the end, I favoured the detail. Please note - this is not a Superman comic, nor a Hollywood script but real-life nitty-gritty battle. Buyers should be prepared for a serious read.
Finally, there is a Vol 2, which I also bought and am just beginning to read.

This is the battle history of the 12th. SS Hilter-youth division. The division was refered to as the " Childrens " division until the U.S Army faced them in battle ! A very well researched and presented history .

Enjoyed reading this, but at times was not sure as to whom was being described in some battle descriptions. an informatve book that gives a
look into a group of young men that gave their lives defending a flawed
beleif system forced upon them..

Good description of battle but goes into details in a somewhat disjointed manner. Hard to tell at times whether point of view of battle is from the German or Allied side. Worth the price and the read if a student of Western Front of European war,