Kommando: German Special Forces of World War Two [Hardcover]

James Lucas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2003

Without these secret agents paving the way, Germany would have found it far more difficult to invade Czechoslovakia and Poland. Kommando details the stunning achievement of Nazi operatives in naval warfare, including suicide pilots, human torpedoes, and the young people of the Werewolf, trained in partisan warfare.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Lucas provides an in-depth analysis of Germany's elite troops during the war. His research shows that while the kommandos played a significant role during the early part of the war infiltrating and setting up bases for the mass of troops that followed, they were mostly relegated to suicide missions once the tide began to turn against Germany. This remains "useful for lay and more specialized readers." (LJ 9/1/65)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

James Lucas fought with the British infantry in the Second World War. He has long since established a reputation as a popular historian with a particular interest in good soldiering. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Booksales (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078581681X
• ISBN-13: 978-0785816812
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too little, Too late., May 1, 2000

By 

Simon Andrews - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kommando: German Special Forces of World War II (Paperback)

This book is one of the most deep and intriguing looks at the tantalising 'James Bond' exploits of the German army during WWII. From undercover infantry detatchments, to human torpedoes and midget submarines, to piloted missiles and kamikaze jet fighters, and finally to the German version of the French resistance, Lucas delivers concise, detailed but thrilling accounts of the Germans amazing efforts to stem the tide of the Allied forces. Every branch of the armed forces are looked at, in some form, and the tales of men and machines responsible recounted, often with comic, and tragic results. The ideas presented by the Germans were just as, if not more inventive than the Allied efforts, but against the mighty Allied war machine, could only hope to prolong the war, never win it, despite the maniacal belief and faith put into the programmes by the ailing Fuhrer. This is a great book, even if you're not a fan of military history, and it's interesting just to see the ideas that laid the basis for action movies for years to come. A must read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars German Special Operations of WWII, December 8, 2007

By 

ThorBjorn "Norseman" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kommando: German Special Forces of World War Two (Hardcover)

Its not difficult to find numerous books recounting the exploits of allied raiding forces of the second World War. Such units as the British Commandos, Long Range Desert Group, Special Air Service, C.O.P.P., U.S. Army Rangers, and U.S. Marine Corps Raiders are all well represented, many of those histories being first-hand accounts of those who participated.

Many people who are generally well-read on the topic, however, are unaware that Germany and some of the Axis nations, also formed specialized units. In this gem of a volume, Mr. Lucas recounts the most notable missions of Germany's elite formations.

The book is divided into four parts: ground, naval(Kriegsmarine), air(Luftwaffe), and political special forces.

Ground Forces:
You will read about the Brandenburg Division, a Wehrmacht army unit composed of troops having linguistic and cultural expertise from various regions of the world, mainly Europe and Africa. Their primary task was to infiltrate a targeted nation prior to invasion, disguised as foriegn civiilians or military personnel. They conducted sabotage, raids, and reconaissance for the invasion force.

Otto Skorzeny's S.S. group is featured, with emphasis on the famed mission to rescue Mussolini, as well as their Brandenburg-like actions against allied forces in the Ardenne.

Naval forces:
Inspired by Prince Borghese's Italian naval commandos, the Kriegsmarine developed its own capability, featuring frogmen, mini-submarines, and explosive motor-boats.

Luftwaffe:
Most readers are probably familiar with the Fallschirmjaegers (paratroops). They possessed elite aviation units as well. Here we read about Sonderkommando Elbe and KG200. The Germans, in their last desperate defense, made their own attempts at the Kamikaze concept of their Japanese allies.

Political forces:
Lastly, The Werewolf and the Freikorps groups are featured. The Werewolf were primarily fanatical resistance-fighters and terrorists, who exerted a presence in occupied Germany for a few years even after 1945. Membership was composed of unrepentant Nazis, most often former S.S. men.

The Freikorps were generally composed of Nazi party loyalists of varied background and capability. Rarely were their members of the traditional special-operations type, but mostly civilians, carrying out local guerrilla operations against the invading allies.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And Finally, Werewolves, Too., June 29, 2005

By 

Kay's Husband (Virginia, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Kommando: German Special Forces of World War II (Paperback)

This is another of the dozen plus books on my WWII shelf written by the incomparable, James Lucas. When I see his name in a bookstore or catalog, I quickly look to see if I have the book. He and Charles Whiting have become two of my favorite authors where WWII is concerned, each author having themselves served in WWII.

I've had this hardcover volume for several years, purchasing it from The Military Book Club when it was their selection back in 1985. May possibly have been the very first book I found by James Lucas.

In this study James Lucas concentrates his efforts on the elite German troops who played an important part in the early part of the war, especially prior to the invasion of both Poland and Czechoslovakia. These German Special Force's men not only infiltrated these countries but set up pre-invasion bases. Nothing would have gone as smoothly as it did without their service and efforts. As the war continued they were to see use in many other tasks, some late in the war falling into what can only be termed suicide missions.

Two of the more interesting sections of this book for me have to do with Sturmbannfuhrer or SS-Major Otto Skorzeny who led many missions of the special forces of Germany, some that seem beyond belief, even today. He was active, for example, in the rescue of Il Duce, the Ardennes campaign, and most interestingly, the highly secret KG200 activities.

The second item of interest here concerns the Werewolf organizations in the very last months of the war, these were designed as youthful guerrilla/terroist movements to disrupt the allied entry into the heartland of Germany.

Hopefully all of these items mentioned will be of equal interest to you acting as a prompt to take a look at this fine book on German Special Forces of World War Two. The book also contains many charts, tables, and diagrams, fully illustrated with over 50 photographs.

Recommended.