Customer Reviews

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

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

 

 

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.

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.

"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.

Overly brief for the serious researcher but an interesting overview with some areas of excellent detail.