Customer Reviews

Handbook on German Military Forces

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Stephen Ambrose in his excellent Introduction says "Without question, this is the authoritative work on the German Army from 1939 to 1945". Exactly. This reprint of a restricted 1945 War Department Publication is packed with so much information in its 635 pages that it is hard to briefly describe: organization, tactics, fortifications, weapons, equipment, all superbly organized and illustrated, and with an added index. There is a color section of uniforms and insignia - all the land mines and how to deactivate them - full descriptions of airplanes, tanks, and vehicles - ananysis of the SS organization - the recruitment, training, and pay of the soldier - his psychology. A glossary of military terms and abbreviations. There is even a color chart of medal ribbons! If there is one book which is essential for WWII buffs, military history writers and readers, collectors, and modellers, this is it. Most highly recommended.

This an outstanding book of facts and data whose main scope is the German Army. Although the name of the book refers to the whole German armed forces in reality the coverage is wide for the Army, light for the Air Force and almost non-existent for the Navy. The information it contains is extremely detailed (in particular in tables of organization and equipment of many divisions) and on the whole very accurate (although not without the ocassional flaw: a schwärme is referred as a tactical unit of 5 airplanes but in reality was a 4 airplane unit).
Although it provides information from 1939 to 1945 the information relating to the tables of organization, tactics, equipment and uniforms refers mainly to the period 1944-45.
For example, you can find the TO&E of an army and SS panzerdivision in 1944 but not in 1939 or 1940.
Also, it is important to note that due to the nature of the book it is mainly a WHAT and HOW book (provides data and factual information )but is not a WHY book. That is, you will notice that a motorized infantry battalion differs organizationaly from a regular infantry battalion but it is not explained WHY. Other books give the explanation. This is not a problem with the book, it is just its scope. Overall it is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in the details that are not covered in most WW2 books.

Totally comprehensive review of everything about the Wehrmacht from their biggest guns down to their canteens. Massive review of the organizational structure of all elements from the leadership down to breakdowns of divisions, tactics, etc...The claim on the back that Marshall might have known more about the Wehrmacht than Hitler seems plausible. This is a real gem.

I admired this book ever since I chanced upon a borrowed copy of the original War Department issued publication. Some years later I bought the currently available volume and added it to my collection. This is a great historical reference. In going through the book cover to cover my immediate concern was that this volume is a reprint of a March 1945 publication. At that point the Third Reich had at most two months left. I doubt that the original manual made it into the hands of trainers, intelligence officers, or combat leaders in time to have any effect. The introduction to this reprint explains that the handbook may have been a formal version of a pre-existing in-house War Department binder.

I was pleasantly surprised at the detail afforded to the different German military organizations. Despite the fact that Army officers in the field confused Volksgrenadier with Volksturm, this reference actually got it right. The black and white photos in the book are what you would expect of an Army field manual. Believe me, US Army field manual graphics were little improved in 1980s and 1990s publications. However you have to realize that this manual was not designed to be a conversation piece on a coffee table. The photos and graphics were utilitarian in order to get the reference into the field. I will say that the color plate graphics are first rate.

The book presents a broad spectrum of information about the German armed forces, primarily the Heer and Waffen SS, with regard to training, organization, uniforms, and equipment. The true value of this book is not so much as a guide to the organization and equipment of the Wehrmacht as it is a snapshot of the US Army's assessment of its European adversary.

If anything, the positive reviews above understate the value and detail this book offers. When I was building a database on the German Army in WWII, this book was always at my side, pages falling out from overuse. The equipment details alone are worth the purchase, but the chapters on situational tactics and supply details make this a must have on any wargamers shelf.

High quality reprint of a WWII booklet covering the German forces. Time has proven some of the items not as correct, but overall excellent resource for study. Covers almost every aspect of ground and air forces.

A must-read for anyone interested in WWII and the German Army in particular. Excellent value and a classic.

If you're looking for the nuts and bolts of what made the WW2 German army, this is the book. A very nice overview of the entire military machine. As a historian and WW2 German reenactor I liked the coverage of military tactics from army to platoon, as well as the coverage from tanks and airplanes to individual field gear. Weapons, boots, bread bags, radios and all the field gear are covered along with lesser known machines like field kitchens and bread makers! Highly recommended.

This is the ultimate guide to German forces in the Second World War. Although produced late in the war, it covers the old type of infantry division. I thought that was a nice touch. This book teaches us not only about Germans, but what their contemporary counterparts were thinking. Want to crawl around indide the heads of American Intelligence Officers from another era? This is the book.

An absolute must have for anyone interested in the German military of World War II. A very technical guide that does not waste time with flowery documentation.