- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Robinson Publishing; New Ed edition (12 Sep 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841198005
- ISBN-13: 978-1841198002
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
202,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #46 in Books > History > World History > World War II 1939-1945 > Weapons > Panzers
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Product Description
Contemporary Review, August 1, 2002
'(a) well organised and well written study.'
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Product Description
For many people, the very image of Blitzkrieg is of massed columns of tanks sweeping through Europe, smashing all resistance and leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Indeed, it was the Panzers' achievements in battle that were largely responsible for Germany's early run of success in the Second World War and, once the tide of war began to turn against the Reich, the Panzers subsequently became the backbone of its defence. The dramatic story of Hitler's tank divisions is brought to life in this authoritative narrative. Panzerkrieg vividly describes the evolution, exploits and eventual destruction of this superlative fighting force in immensely readable fashion. Particularly accessible to the general reader who wants to know more about Germany's Second World War tank forces, the authors dispense with technical jargon and pedantic detail to give a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the subject, both human and technical. The book gives particular emphasis to the men who fought in and led the Panzer divisions: great generals like Guderian, Rommel and Manstein, tank masters like Wittmann and Bake, and inspired commanders like Balck and Bayerlein. The whole vast canvas of the war emerges from this narrative, as it follows the titanic struggles which ranged between the bocage country of France, the desert wastes of North Africa, and the limitless steppes of Russia. The evolution of German fighting vehicles and tactics is fully charted, and the many myths, fallacies and misconceptions that have grown up around the Panzerwaffe are exploded. Extensive research, reference to the memoirs of the leading participants, and original new conclusions all contribute to a comprehensive account that critically examines the achievements, failures, and ultimate legacy of the Panzer divisions. The key features of the book include: the secret pre-war birth and development of the Panzerwaffe; the lightning campaigns in Poland and France; the four bloody years of the Russian campaign, the greatest clash of arms the world has ever seen; the exploits of Rommel and his Africa Corps Hitler's increasingly disastrous influence on the Panzerwaffe; disputes between the Panzer officers and their High Command Portraits of the Panzerwaffe's leaders; detailed analysis of the great tank battles such as Kursk and the Battle of the Bulge, with clear maps; comparative rank and organizational charts; information on the technical evolution of Germany's armoured fighting vehicles, including the development of the mighty Tigers and Panthers; unique sections on uniforms, crew functions and how German tanks were built Rare coverage of how the Panzer leaders fared after the war; and the legacy of the Panzers.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is THE book for anyone who wants to learn all about Nazi Germany's mighty panzers. Panzerkrieg is the only book I know of that covers the whole story from the tank's debut in WWI to Germany's final collapse in May 1945 and it manages to do so in an extremely readable way. Along with a fast paced narrative which keeps you turning the pages, the book features a good selection of pictures and uncluttered maps of the major battles.
Even though I'm a WWII fan, I hadn't realised how significant the panzers really were until I read this book. It puts their achievements into true perspective. They were at the forefront of every German battle and campaign of the war from the invasion of France to the Battle of the Bulge and in the final analysis were only defeated by airpower and the sheer weight of material the Allies brought to bear. And of course Hitler's bungling played a major part in the Panzerwaffe's destruction. The reader is left wondering what they could have achieved without his interference.
McCarthy and Syron have really brought this epic to life along with the amazing men and machines who made up the Panzerwaffe. The real star of the book is Heinz Guderian, the charismatic general acknowledged as the father of the Panzerwaffe, but generals Rommel and Manstein also play prominent parts in the story. As far as the tanks go, I'm still having nightmares about the mighty King Tiger, an armoured behemoth which could hold its own even on today's battlefields.
Whether shivering on the Steppes or sweltering in the North African desert, the German tankmen always gave it their best shot. This book is a worthy record of their victories and defeats and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about their story, regardless of whether you're a student of military history or a general reader.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For a comprehensive, balanced, and extremely readable introduction to the German armoured forces in WW2, this book is unbeatable. In less than 300 pages it manages to combine a brief history of the development of tanks in WW1 and the interwar period, the emergence of German Panzer forces and philosophy, all the major campaigns undertaken by the German army and Waffen-SS in WW2, pen portraits of such luminaries as Heinz Guderian, Erwin Rommel, Gerd von Rundstedt, Hans Hube, Hermann Balck, and Hyazinth von Strachwitz, descriptions of all the important armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), and analysis of the lessons learned. There are 11 campaign maps, 50 black and white photographs of men and machines, bibliography, glossary, index, and three appendices giving details of equivalent ranks, Panzer division establishments, and brief histories of the leading Panzer divisions.
The authors have a deep knowledge of their subject, and don't pull any punches in exploding myths and misconceptions. For instance, they pour scorn on William L Shirer's awed description of the fully mechanised German army that invaded Poland, with self-propelled guns travelling at 40 mph - pointing out that only a tiny fraction of the German troops got to ride in vehicles, while the great majority were left to march "with no better mobility than Napoleon's armies". (And no tank during WW2 could do much better than 20 mph, even on good roads - which were the exception). They explain how the Panzerwaffe contributed to the Polish, French, and Russian campaigns, and make clear just how narrow was the margin between success and failure on many occasions - such as the British/French counterattack at Arras which routed the Totenkopf division and was only defeated when Rommel personally brought up 88mm anti-aircraft guns, the only German weapons that could destroy the robust British Matilda tanks.
All the important campaigns are explained, with special reference to the role played by armoured forces. The authors bring out clearly the frustration and harm caused to the German armoured units by Hitler's stubbornness and his failure to understand the dynamic nature of tank warfare - leading to debacles such as Stalingrad and Kursk. They explain how German superiority cannot be attributed solely to superior weapons, as they were often outclassed qualitatively (for instance by the Russian T34 and KV1 tanks) or quantitatively (the British often had ten times as many tanks as Rommel in North Africa), but arose mainly from better organisation and planning. By 1943-4, however, the Panzerwaffe's best days were behind it (paradoxically, just as its best AFVs such as the Tiger, Panther, and Jagdpanzer IV were reaching the front lines). The Allies could produce far more tanks, and besides their overwhelming air superiority meant that any concentration of armoured forces was simply obliterated by bombing. In the end, the Germans were put to the sword by their own Blitzkrieg tactics turned against them by the Allies.
The authors have a deep knowledge of their subject, and don't pull any punches in exploding myths and misconceptions. For instance, they pour scorn on William L Shirer's awed description of the fully mechanised German army that invaded Poland, with self-propelled guns travelling at 40 mph - pointing out that only a tiny fraction of the German troops got to ride in vehicles, while the great majority were left to march "with no better mobility than Napoleon's armies". (And no tank during WW2 could do much better than 20 mph, even on good roads - which were the exception). They explain how the Panzerwaffe contributed to the Polish, French, and Russian campaigns, and make clear just how narrow was the margin between success and failure on many occasions - such as the British/French counterattack at Arras which routed the Totenkopf division and was only defeated when Rommel personally brought up 88mm anti-aircraft guns, the only German weapons that could destroy the robust British Matilda tanks.
All the important campaigns are explained, with special reference to the role played by armoured forces. The authors bring out clearly the frustration and harm caused to the German armoured units by Hitler's stubbornness and his failure to understand the dynamic nature of tank warfare - leading to debacles such as Stalingrad and Kursk. They explain how German superiority cannot be attributed solely to superior weapons, as they were often outclassed qualitatively (for instance by the Russian T34 and KV1 tanks) or quantitatively (the British often had ten times as many tanks as Rommel in North Africa), but arose mainly from better organisation and planning. By 1943-4, however, the Panzerwaffe's best days were behind it (paradoxically, just as its best AFVs such as the Tiger, Panther, and Jagdpanzer IV were reaching the front lines). The Allies could produce far more tanks, and besides their overwhelming air superiority meant that any concentration of armoured forces was simply obliterated by bombing. In the end, the Germans were put to the sword by their own Blitzkrieg tactics turned against them by the Allies.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
i'm a newbie to the world of tank history but this was gripping the whole way through. Well written, and the narrative moves along from pre war, through the invasion of france, on to russia and then back agian to france. The author clearly has his favourites within the german army and he aint afraid to chastise those he considers blundering, particularly Hitler himself. All of this probably not news to most, but news to me. Recommended. History that is riveting.
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