The Polish Army 1939-1945 (Men at Arms Series, 117) [Paperback]

Steven Zaloga (Author), Richard Hook (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: January 21, 1982

Poland was the first of the Allied nations to succumb to German aggression in the Second World War, but by the most tortuous of routes her army managed to remain in the field through all five years of bloody fighting. Polish soldiers fought in nearly every major campaign in the European theatre, and their tale is a complicated and tragic one. This richly detailed text by Steven Zaloga relates the story of the Polish Army during the Second World War, from the first wave of Stukas in 1939 to its eventual conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

Steven J. Zaloga was born in 1952, received his BA in history from Union College, and his MA from Columbia University. He has published numerous books and articles dealing with modern military technology, especially armoured vehicle development. His main area of interest is military affairs in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the Second World War, and he has also written extensively on American armoured forces.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 21, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850454174
• ISBN-13: 978-0850454178
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #846,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven Zaloga is a senior analyst for Teal Group Corp., an aerospace consulting firm. His professional specialization is the commercial and technological aspects of the international trade in missiles, precision guided munitions, and unmanned aerial vehicles. He also serves as an adjunct staff member with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think-tank.

Mr. Zaloga has published numerous books and articles on military technology and military history. His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He has been a special correspondent for "Jane's Intelligence Review" and is on the executive board of the "Journal of Slavic Military Studies". From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/director for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series "Firepower" that aired on The Discovery Channel in the US.

Mr. Zaloga was born in 1952 and received his BA in history from Union College, Schenectady, NY. He received an MA in history from Columbia University specializing in modern East European history, and did graduate research and language study at Uniwersitet Jagiellonski in Krakow, Poland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview of the Polish Army throughout WW II, May 7, 2006

By 

MLB - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Polish Army 1939-1945 (Men at Arms Series, 117) (Paperback)

This a great introduction into the Polish Armed Forces that, not only fought in 1939, but fought through out the war. The author gives a good balance between breadth and depth. The war photos add good flavor to the text. The artwork is nice too. I would recommend this book to any one wanting to gain a basic understanding on how involved the Polish armed forces were during WW II.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Starting Point, July 25, 2004

By 

Michael A Dorosh (Calgary, AB, CANADA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Polish Army 1939-1945 (Men at Arms Series, 117) (Paperback)

I bought this book hoping to find a quick guide to uniform ranks and insignia and was not disappointed.

As with all MAA series titles, this has a comprehensive amount of information in an easy to read format; covers the Polish Army of 1939, and the various exile forces that came later as well as forces in Poland under German occupation.

Sidebars include Polish rank insignia in a nicely done monochrome chart, plus diagrams of Polish divisional insignia as worn by expatriate forces under Canadian and British command later in the war. Also a nice diagram of Polish and German divisions in the fighting of 1939.

The photos from the early war period are dark and murky, no doubt a problem with the originals themselves and no reflection on the quality of the publisher - the late war photos are nicely reproduced.

Colour plates by Richard Hook are extremely well done, on a par with Chappell; perhaps a little grainier than Volstad, the poses and general layout are on a par with the latter. Great variety in the facial expressions, too, nice touch.

Text deals with the history of Polish forces in general, and provides a list of sources. Unlike coverage of other forces, little is said of uniforms, insignia, weapons, or organization outside of the colour plate captions. Those interested in the more detailed historical treatment will enjoy this; those hoping for more detail on small unit organization, weaponry, etc. will be disappointed and need to look elsewhere.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overview of various Polish armies of 1939-45, August 3, 2003

By 

Richard J. Brzostek (New England, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Polish Army 1939-1945 (Men at Arms Series, 117) (Paperback)

"The Polish Army 1939-45" by Steven J. Zaloga is a concise overview of the uniforms, equipment, and history of Polish armies during WWII. The book has eight full-page color illustrations by Richard Hook, which the author also discusses and explains. This volume is filled with black and white photos, includes a map, and has illustrations of rank and divisional insignia. The book is worth reading to get an insight into the Polish armies and their activities during WWII.