Achtung - Panzer! (Cassell Military Classics) [Paperback]

Heinz Guderian (Author)

Book Description

Series: Cassell Military Paperbacks | Publication Date: January 1, 1999

A rare, enlightening account by an outstanding soldier reveals his thoughts and theories on armored warfare and motorized land battle--which he then put in action to devastating effect during World War Two. Guderian's treatise on the importance of tank development, and on modern mechanized technology, shows exactly why the Germans dominated land warfare in the early stage of the fighting.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in 1888, Heinz Guderian served in World War One, came to Hitler's attention in 1935, was made corps commander of Panzer troops and promoted to General in 1938. His tanks were greatly successful in the invasions of Poland and France and, perceived as pro-Nazi, Guderian was much in favour. However, when the Russian invasion failed in the winter of 1941, Guderian was forced to resign, not to regain his position until 1944, when the war was all but lost. He died in Bavaria in 1954.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Cassell (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304352853
• ISBN-13: 978-0304352852
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.2 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Technology > History of Technology
  • #27 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military Science

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read, August 3, 2001

By 

B. E. Hansen "Bard Espen Hansen" (OSLO Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Achtung - Panzer! (Cassell Military Classics) (Paperback)

If you're into the history of WWI and WWII, this is a must read book. It's written by the German general Heinz Guderian in 1937, two years before the outbreak of WWII. In this book Guderian outlines his visions on how armored warfare should be conducted. He's doing this by drawing parallels to how World War One was fought - and lost - by the Germans. Guderian goes into to detail about several of the most important battles on the western front during WWI.

In reality it was Guderian who invented the blitzkrieg - and not Rommel - like most people seem to believe. It's really spooky to see how Guderian outlines his visions of warfare in 1937 - when we now know how he himself used just those tactics to run over Poland and France only two years later.

Guderian was a professional soldier, and not a politician. Not once in the book does he speak nazi-propaganda. On the contrary he was one of the few who dared to oppose Hitler, something who got him relieved from command in 1943. He was re-instated one year later when Hitler desperately needed him in an attempt to solve the crisis on the Eastern front.

Guderian was tried before the Nürnberg-court after the war, but was acquitted of all charges.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Tank Master, October 5, 2001

By 

Jeffrey White (Benson, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Achtung - Panzer! (Cassell Military Classics) (Paperback)

Once I started to read this book I could not put it down. Historians throw the word "blitzkrieg" around, but after you read this inerpetation; a lot of the tactics and use of armour in conjunction with artillery, infantry, and close air support, makes perfect sense. A must for anyone interested in tactics and the WWII German military.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The First Chapter of the Bible of Mechanized Warfare, July 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Achtung - Panzer! (Cassell Military Classics) (Paperback)

Guderian, J.F.C. Fuller and Basil Liddell Hart make up the holy trinity of blitzkrieg warfare. Consolidating and clarifying the concepts of this holy trinity, this book is the story of Guderian's efforts to put them into practice. How successful was he? That's easy to understand if you comprehend the meanings of: Barbarossa, Poland, and the Drive to the Sea. This is the book Patton studied. This book is the root of modern combined arms warfare. A must for the professional military officer.