The German Army 1939-45 (3): Eastern Front 1941-43 (Men-at-Arms) (v. 3) (Paperback)

~ Nigel Thomas (Author), Stephen Andrew (Illustrator) "As head of state, Adolf Hitler had (since 4 February 1938) held the nominal post of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (Oberster Befehlshaber der..." (more)
Key Phrases: bluish dark green collar, hardshell holster, field greatcoat, Iron Cross, Red Army, Brian Davis (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Operation Barbarossa, the attack on the Soviet Union, commenced on 22 June 1941. It became the biggest conflict in military history, with some three million German troops and about 900,000 allies facing almost 4.7 million Soviet troops. The effects would colour postwar European history for the next 50 years. This title examines the history of the conflict, and the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the German Army on the Eastern Front from 1941-43. The book contains numerous illustrations and photographs throughout, incuding eight fine full-page colour plates by Stephen Andrew. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled ‘German Army in World War II’.

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; illustrated edition edition (March 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855327953
• ISBN-13: 978-1855327955
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #420,894 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Study of an Important Force Overstretched, December 27, 2001

By	El Cutachero (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This work is a splendid example of the new emphasis of the publisher on producing comprehensive works in a handy format compared with the earlier broad brush treatments which covered too much in too little detail.
The new emphasis is on sets covering various national armed forces in as much detail as is available, consistent with the current purpose of the works in the series, which have evolved from an original emphasis on serving the military miniature maker market into works intended to enlighten the general reader in enough detail to satisfy the merely curious and to point the way to further reading.
Most of us, including myself, have little need for, or the patience to read, voluminous studies, often in foreign languages, covering many eras and nations. My main interest is in the US forces, their allies and their enemies in the twentieth century.
That said, these works should be purchased as presented, in sets within the series. Since they are produced as a set, the volumes cover only relevent parts of the general history and the clothing and individual equipment is covered as it appears in each period. The French Army, US Army, British Army, and Italian Army series all have three volumes, covering the major theatres and time periods of the war. The German set has five.
The German Army set should be read in conjunction with many other individual volumes covering their allies and opponents and the other German fighting forces such as the Waffen SS, and the Parachute units, which were part of the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe.
If you want an introduction to the fascinating variety of clothing and equipment of the forces covered, this set is for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend, January 7, 2002

By	Jason J. Wehrman (Fort Campbell, KY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The German Army 1939-45 (5) : Western Front 1943-45 (Men-At-Arms Series, 336) (Paperback)

Osprey books are a great place for anyone who is interested in a specific military history subject. The book is a concise history of the organization and use of German infantry on the Western Front. The full color drawings are an excellent resource for modellers, collectors and general enthusiastists. There are plenty of black and white photos to complement the text. The book focuses on the finer details of the average German soldiers life. Even though I've read the book, I refer to it frequently and still love looking at the drawings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, December 26, 2001

By	Michael Dorosh (Calgary, AB Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The German Army 1939-45 (4): Eastern Front 1943-45 (Men-at-Arms) (v. 4) (Paperback)

Makes use of much of Brian Davis' research, but does it better. Expanded data and explanations of rank systems, specialist officers, etc. make this series the leading reference in English - and affordable to boot! A much needed update to Brian L. Davis' adequate book on uniforms and traditions, with many corrections and clarifications. Especially interesting is the research done on trades badges and similar ephemera.

Not a perfect book - and one hopes one day all this info will be compiled into a single volume with expanded information on certain small details - but well worth the money.

The artist is no Ron Volstad - he needs to work especially on the noses of his figures, they all look the same - but the uniforms are clearly done and represent a wide range of interesting material.