Download or read book Peiper s Last Gamble written by Danny S Parker and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2024-12-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By the autumn of 1944, Hitler's plans for the conquest of Europe were in disarray. The Führer's much-vaunted Third Reich, facing an Allied onslaught from the east and west, was slowly collapsing. Desperate to seize the initiative on the Western Front, Hitler, seeing himself as a beleaguered modern-day Frederick the Great, looked for some bold counterattack that could change his fortunes. Hitler's wish had at least one clear result, for as even as early as 19 August 1944, he had instructed Alfred Jodl to consider a bold counter-stroke in the west in November. Hitler's generals therefore set about drawing up plans for an offensive in the area of the Ardennes Forest. It was to be an attack that would enable German forces to cross the Meuse and, decisively breaking through the Allied front-line, advance on Antwerp. Given the limitations he and his forces faced, Hitler knew he would need panzer leaders capable of a delivering a Blitzkrieg advance, perhaps one that took advantage of night-time hours. One of the German officers who was tasked with delivering this audacious victory was the battle-hardened veteran SS-Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper. A Waffen SS officer and one of the most celebrated heroes of Hitler's armies, Peiper, and the SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte as a whole, were already on his mind. A long-time adjutant of Heinrich Himmler, and completely dedicated to the Nazi cause, Peiper had fought in every major campaign of the Second World War. However, having been wounded in Normandy following the D-Day landings, Peiper, also ailing from a combination of battle fatigue and hepatitis, had been evacuated to a field hospital and then back Germany in August 1944. It was while he was recuperating at the SS Reserve Hospital 501, overlooking Lake Tegernsee in Bavaria, that Peiper learnt of his part in the forthcoming offensive. Though his skin had a sickly ochre cast from jaundice and three years of front-line combat, too many days of coffee and cigarettes, followed by nights of fighting and frustration, and the fact that his nerves were shot, he had been selected as one of the men who would lead the Führer's final great gamble. Comprising some 4,800 men and 600 vehicles, including a number of the powerful Tiger II heavy tanks, Kampfgruppe Peiper played a central part in the Ardennes Offensive, or the Battle of the Bulge as it is commonly known, which was unleashed on 16 December 1944. It is a role that is explored here by Danny S. Parker, who reveals the successes, defeats and war crimes that Kampfgruppe Peiper was involved in before the Ardennes Offensive ended in failure in January 1945.
Download or read book Peiper s War written by Danny S. Parker and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2020-04-29 with total page 775 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A biography of the ruthless Waffen-SS commander focusing on his point of view while fighting for Nazi Germany during World War II. “A bad reputation has its commitments.” So wrote home Jochen Peiper from the fighting front in the East in 1943, characterizing his battle-hardened command during the World War II. Peiper’s War is a new serious work of military history by the renowned author Danny S. Parker which presents a unique view off the Second World War as seen from a prominent participant on the dark side of history. Peiper’s War follows the wartime career of Waffen SS Colonel Jochen Peiper, an Aryan prodigy who was considered a hero in the Third Reich. Peiper had been Heinrich Himmler’s personal adjutant in the early years of the war, and, having procured a field command in Hitler’s namesake fighting force, the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, he become famous for a flamboyant and brutal style of warfare on the Eastern Front. There, in his sphere, few prisoners were taken, and motives of racial genocide were never far from unspoken orders. Transferred to the west, Peiper’s battlegroup incinerated a tiny town in Northern Italy and killed the village mayor and priest. Being well-connected to Himmler and other generals of the period, Peiper finds a place in the narrative as a storied witness to the inner workings of the Nazi elite along with other prominent SS officers such as Kurt Meyer. In this meticulously researched work, we witness the apex and then death spiral of Nazi military intentions as Peiper fights for Germany across every front in the conflict. Peiper’s War provides a telling inside look at Hitler’s war and then how the dark secrets of his security-minded command were improbably unearthed at the end of the conflict by an obscure top-secret surveillance facility in the United States. Praise for Peiper’s War “This is a well-researched work with detailed footnotes. The photograph section is invaluable in appreciating the destruction wrought by Peiper in Russia and Italy.” —ARMOR
Download or read book Race to the Rhine written by Leo Marriott and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2015-04-19 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Travel across the battlefields of WWII with this beautiful book combining historical images, full-color aerial photography, and informative text. In June 1944, Allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France, beginning a sweep of fierce battles that would eventually liberate Western Europe. With aerial photography, historic images, maps, and other illustrations, Race to the Rhine brings readers to the fateful grounds where men sacrificed their lives for freedom. The destruction of German forces in Normandy’s Falaise pocket was a decisive victory: by September, British troops were in Ghent and Liege; Canadian forces liberated Ostend, and in northeast France, Patton’s Third Army was moving rapidly to the German border. The liberation of the Low Countries would not prove as straightforward, however. Operation Market Garden—Montgomery’s brave thrust toward the Rhine at Arnhem—ended in failure with over six thousand paratroopers captured. In late October, belated operations began to clear the Scheldt Estuary and open the port of Antwerp to the Allies. Belgium was almost free of the Nazi yoke, and the Netherlands looked likely to be cleared before Christmas. Then, on December 16, came a major German counter-offensive in the Ardennes. It turned out to be Hitler’s last try: the American defenders held, and in the spring, the Rhine was finally gained. Perfect for the armchair traveler or for those who want a historic guide as they visit significant sites, Race to the Rhine supplies essential information on the places that best represent the battles today.
Download or read book Fatal Crossroads written by Danny S. Parker and published by Da Capo Press, Incorporated. This book was released on 2012 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From a leading expert comes the gripping tale of the largest single atrocity committed against American POWs on the Western Front in World War II.
Download or read book SS Panzer Battalion 501 written by Hugues Wenkin and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2023-11-30 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Peiper Kampfgruppe was the spearhead of the 6th Panzer Army. Most often mentioned for its actions on Ardennes soil, today the Gepanzerte Kampfgruppe "Peiper" remains an object of interest for its actions during the engagements between Stavelot and La Gleize, as well as the engagement of its Tiger II against the American armored units. Although the unit had exceptional crews, including some of the most emblematic aces of the Panzerwaffe, and benefited from the element of surprise, it suffered a bitter failure in the Ardennes. How could a vehicle considered to be among the most powerful of the conflict suffer almost 100 percent losses? In hindsight, can we speak of a tactical failure? This study, carried out by a duo of Ardennes authors experienced in this episode of the Second World War, meets the dual objective of reconstructing the facts and explaining why, in the end, the Tiger tank battalion N°501 (schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 501) was able to survive the Battle of the Bulge. It includes a summary of their confrontations, a history of the unit, as well as a tank-by-tank analysis of the causes of destruction. In total, the authors found sixteen different examples, and the machines lost one by one in the Ardennes make it possible to follow the unit's course throughout the conflict.
Download or read book Peiper s War written by Danny S Parker and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2020-04-29 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘A bad reputation has its commitments.’ So wrote home Jochen Peiper from the fighting front in the East in 1943, characterizing his battle-hardened command during the Second World War. Peiper’s War is a new serious work of military history by the renowned author Danny S. Parker which presents a unique view off the Second World War as seen from a prominent participant on the dark side of history. The story follows the wartime career of Waffen SS Colonel Jochen Peiper, a handsome Aryan prodigy who was considered a hero in the Third Reich. Peiper had been Heinrich Himmler’s personal adjutant in the early years of the war, and, having procured a field command in Hitler’s namesake fighting force, the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, he become famous for a flamboyant and brutal style of warfare on the Eastern Front. There, in his sphere, few prisoners were taken, and motives of racial genocide were never far from unspoken orders. Transferred to the west, Peiper’s battlegroup incinerated a tiny town in Northern Italy and killed the village mayor and priest. Being well-connected to Himmler and other generals of the period, Peiper finds a place in the narrative as a storied witness to the inner workings of the Nazi elite along with other prominent SS officers such as Kurt Meyer. In this meticulously researched work, we witness the apex and then death spiral of Nazi military intentions as Peiper fights for Germany across every front in the conflict. Peiper’s War provides a telling inside look at Hitler’s war and then how the dark secrets of his security-minded command were improbably unearthed at the end of the conflict by an obscure top-secret surveillance facility in the United States.
Download or read book Malmedy Massacre Investigation written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services and published by . This book was released on 1949 with total page 1252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Hitler s Warrior written by Danny S. Parker and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2014-12-09 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Handsome, intelligent, impetuous, and dedicated to the Nazi cause, SS Colonel Jochen Peiper (1915–1976) was one of the most controversial figures of World War II. After volunteering for the Waffen-SS at an early age, Peiper quickly rose to prominence as Heinrich Himmler's ever-present personal adjutant in the early years of the war. Sent later to the fighting front with the fearsome 1st SS Panzer Division, Peiper became a legend for his flamboyant and brutal style of warfare. As one of Hitler's favorites, he was chosen to spearhead the Ardennes Offensive, later known as the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Peiper became the central subject in the bitterly disputed Malmédy war crimes trial. Convicted but later released, he moved to eastern France. There, he and his past were discovered, and he died in a fiery gun battle by killers unknown even today. In Hitler's Warrior, historian Danny Parker describes Peiper both on and off the battlefield and explores his complex personality. The rich narrative is supported by years of research that has uncovered previously unpublished archival material and is enhanced with information drawn from extensive interviews with Peiper's contemporaries, including German veterans. This major new historical work is both a definitive biography of Hitler's most enigmatic warrior and a unique study of the morally inverted world of the Third Reich.
Download or read book Malmedy Massacre Investigation written by United States. Congress. Senate. Congress. Committee on Armed Services and published by . This book was released on 1949 with total page 1664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigates WWII massacre of American soldiers at Malmedy, Belgium, and investigates allegations German soldiers confessed to the crimes under duress.
Download or read book Reader s Guide to Military History written by Charles Messenger and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-31 with total page 985 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains some 600 entries on a range of topics from ancient Chinese warfare to late 20th-century intervention operations. Designed for a wide variety of users, it encompasses general reviews of aspects of military organization and science, as well as specific wars and conflicts. The book examines naval and air warfare, as well as significant individuals, including commanders, theorists, and war leaders. Each entry includes a listing of additional publications on the topic, accompanied by an article discussing these publications with reference to their particular emphases, strengths, and limitations.
Download or read book A Tour of the Bulge Battlefields written by William C. C. Cavanagh and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-08-31 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating photographic trip through the site of the last great battle of World War II. Most Americans are patriotic, their interest in World War Two having been stimulated by such movies as Saving Private Ryan. Hundreds of thousands are the descendants of men who saw service in the Battle of the Bulge. This battle still holds the record for the highest number of American troops engaged in any single pitched battle in the history of the United States Army. Americans of the postwar generations are taking an interest in what their fathers and grandfathers did during the war. Those whose relatives served in the Ardennes often visit Belgium and Luxembourg in an attempt to learn more about those now legendary days of World War Two. This guidebook serves as a memorial to those who served. It will enable those who didn’t to learn something about the hardship endured by a previous generation in the name of freedom.
Download or read book Ardennes 1944 written by Antony Beevor and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-11-03 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The prizewinning historian and bestselling author of D-Day, Stalingrad, and The Battle of Arnhem reconstructs the Battle of the Bulge in this riveting new account On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his ‘last gamble’ in the snow-covered forests and gorges of the Ardennes in Belgium, believing he could split the Allies by driving all the way to Antwerp and forcing the Canadians and the British out of the war. Although his generals were doubtful of success, younger officers and NCOs were desperate to believe that their homes and families could be saved from the vengeful Red Army approaching from the east. Many were exultant at the prospect of striking back. The allies, taken by surprise, found themselves fighting two panzer armies. Belgian civilians abandoned their homes, justifiably afraid of German revenge. Panic spread even to Paris. While some American soldiers, overwhelmed by the German onslaught, fled or surrendered, others held on heroically, creating breakwaters which slowed the German advance. The harsh winter conditions and the savagery of the battle became comparable to the Eastern Front. In fact the Ardennes became the Western Front’s counterpart to Stalingrad. There was terrible ferocity on both sides, driven by desperation and revenge, in which the normal rules of combat were breached. The Ardennes—involving more than a million men—would prove to be the battle which finally broke the back of the Wehrmacht. In this deeply researched work, with striking insights into the major players on both sides, Antony Beevor gives us the definitive account of the Ardennes offensive which was to become the greatest battle of World War II.
Download or read book Paris After the Liberation 1944 1949 written by Antony Beevor and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2004-08-31 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A rich and intriguing story whcih the authors disentangle with great skill."--Sunday Telegraph From Antony Beevor, the internationally bestselling author of D-Day and The Battle of Arnhem In this brilliant synthesis of social, political, and cultural history, Antony Beevor and Artemis Cooper present a vivid and compelling portrayal of the City of Lights after its liberation. Paris became the diplomatic battleground in the opening stages of the Cold War. Against this volatile political backdrop, every aspect of life is portrayed: scores were settled in a rough and uneven justice, black marketers grew rich on the misery of the population, and a growing number of intellectual luminaries and artists including Hemingway, Beckett, Camus, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Cocteau, and Picassocontributed new ideas and a renewed vitality to this extraordinary moment in time.
Download or read book Publications Combined The Battle Of The Bulge Key Writings Of The Ardennes Rhine And Bastogne written by and published by Jeffrey Frank Jones. This book was released on 2019-12-18 with total page 2063 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Well over 2,000 total pages ... INTRODUCTION The Germans called it the “Operation Watch on the Rhine.” The French named it the “Battle of the Ardennes.” And the Western Allies termed it the “Ardennes Counteroffensive.” But because of the way the map of Western Europe looked at the height of the battle, it became known to history as the “Battle of the Bulge.” It was the winter of 1944–1945, months before the war in Europe would end. Despite the protestations of his generals, Adolf Hitler decided on one final attempt to turn World War II in favor of his German Third Reich. For this, he ordered resources diverted from other battle fronts—including his losing campaign against the Russians in the east. The Allies were caught of guard, as Hitler had hoped. Thousands of U.S. troops were surrounded at one point. In the end, the Allies committed enough troops that the tired, ill-equipped German army was overwhelmed. Indeed, the Battle of the Bulge was an important turning point in the war in the Allies’ favor, but it was not without its cost. The Battle of the Bulge is considered one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. CONTENTS 1. Introduction: The Battle of the Bulge Loomed Large 70 Winters Ago 2. BATTLE OF THE BULGE: THE ARDENNES CAMPAIGN - A Working Bibliography of MHI Sources 3. The U.S. Army in World War II: The European Theater of Operations The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge 4. U.S. Army in Action Bastogne - The First Eight Days 5. The Campaigns of World War II Ardennes-Alsace (75th Anniversary) 6. The Last Offensive 7. THE ROLE OF AIR POWER IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE 8. Missed Opportunity: Reducing the Bulge 9. THE FAILURE OF GERMAN LOGISTICS DURING THE ARDENNES OFFENSIVE OF 1944 10. BEGINNING OF THE END: THE LEADERSHIP OF SS OBERSTURMBANNFÜHRER JOCHEN PEIPER
Download or read book The Ardennes 1944 1945 written by Christer Bergstrom and published by Casemate / Vaktel Forlag. This book was released on 2014-12-19 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In December 1944, just as World War II appeared to be winding down, Hitler shocked the world with a powerful German counteroffensive that cracked the center of the American front. The attack came through the Ardennes, the hilly and forested area in eastern Belgium and Luxembourg that the Allies had considered a quiet sector. Instead, for the second time in the war, the Germans used it as a stealthy avenue of approach for their panzers. Much of U.S. First Army was overrun, and thousands of prisoners were taken as the Germans forged a 50-mile bulge into the Allied front. But in one small town, Bastogne, American paratroopers, together with remnants of tank units, offered dogged resistance. Meanwhile the rest of Eisenhowers broad front strategy came to a halt as Patton, from the south, and Hodges, from the north, converged on the enemy incursion. Yet it would take an epic, six-week-long winter battle, the bloodiest in the history of the U.S. Army, before the Germans were finally pushed back. Christer Bergström has interviewed veterans, gone through huge amounts of archive material, and performed on-the-spot research in the area. The result is a large amount of previously unpublished material and new findings, including reevaluations of tank and personnel casualties and the most accurate picture yet of what really transpired. The Ardennes Offensive has often been described from the American point of view; however, this balanced book devotes equal attention to the perspectives of both sides. With nearly 400 photos, numerous maps, and 32 superb color profiles of combat vehicles and aircraft, it provides perhaps the most comprehensive look at the battle yet published.
Download or read book Beginning Of The End The Leadership Of SS Obersturmbannf hrer Jochen Peiper written by Major Han Bouwmeester and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: SS Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper was one of Germany ‘s most colorful military leaders of World War II with an audacious reputation. The name Peiper will always be linked to the Malmédy Massacre, the death of Belgian civilians and more than seventy American soldiers, but there is still a myth around Peiper. Why was a twenty-nine year old Waffen-SS officer chosen to lead the German spearhead unit during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944? Peiper was a special leader within the one of the most elite Waffen-SS divisions, the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler. Peiper was charismatic and extreme loyal to his unit. His men trusted him as a leader, even under the most extreme conditions. In Germany he was a well-known war hero. It was a logical decision that Peiper became the commander of the spearhead unit, but there were other factors leading to this decision: tactical considerations, a we-know-what-to-expect-principle, and Peiper was lucky that he was still alive and serving in the Waffen-SS.
Download or read book Professional Journal of the United States Army written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 868 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
