Download or read book Soldiers to the Last Day written by Denis Havel and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2019-12-08 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soldiers to the Last Day: Rhineland- Westphalian 6th Infantry Division, 1935-1945 recounts the history of the German 6th Infantry Division from its formation in 1935 to its destruction at Babruysk in July 1944; then its resurrection and continued fighting until the end of the war. Among the first divisions established by the Wehrmacht, the 6th Infantry Division had one of the longest and bloodiest records of continuous combat of any division-Allied or Axis. Engaging in combat within weeks of the outbreak of WWII, the division fought to the last hour of the war. Based primarily on German sources, in particular the rare divisional and regimental histories and war diaries, and on personal accounts and letters of its soldiers, Soldiers to the Last Day presents the German view of the war from inside divisional headquarters and down to the individual Landser as the division marches across France in 1940, advances to the Volga during Operation Barbarossa, fights the brutal battles of Rzhev, Kursk, Babruysk; and makes last desperate attempts to defend the homeland in 1945. It is a tale of courage, determination, suffering, and in the end-betrayal.
Download or read book German Order of Battle 1st 290th Infantry divisions in World War II written by Samuel W. Mitcham and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Narrative histories highlighting organization, combat experiences, and casualties of each division Lists of constituent units and division commanders Sources for further reading on each division This is the first of 3 definitive volumes that cover the German ground forces that swept across Europe with such ruthless efficiency in 1939 and 1940 and battled the Allies around the globe until the bitter end in 1945. Taken together, these volumes are the most comprehensive and accessible reference available on the Germany Army in World War II, unmatched in the information compiled on each division from inception to destruction. Volume One covers the 1st through 290th Infantry Divisions.
Download or read book German Ground Forces of World War II written by William T. McCroden and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2019-05-09 with total page 1257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking and comprehensive order of battle for German ground troops in WWII, from the invasion of Poland to the final defeat in Berlin. An indispensable reference work for Second World War scholars and enthusiasts, German Ground Forces of World War II captures the continuously changing character of Nazi ground forces throughout the conflict. For the first time, readers can follow the career of every German division, corps, army, and army group as the German armed forces shifted units to and from theaters of war. Organized by sections including Theater Commands, Army Groups, Armies, and Corps Commands, it presents a detailed analysis of each corresponding order of battle for every German field formation above division. This innovative resource also describes the orders of battle of the myriad German and Axis satellite formations assigned to security commands throughout occupied Europe and the combat zones, as well as those attached to fortress commands and to the commanders of German occupation forces across Europe. An accompanying narrative describes the career of each field formation and includes the background and experience of many of their most famous commanding officers.
Download or read book The German Infantry Division written by and published by . This book was released on 1939 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The organic strength of the Infantry Division of the German Army is 15,261 officers and enlisted men"--Page 2.
Download or read book The Panzer Legions written by Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr. and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hitler's tank divisions were his most lethal weapons during World War II. From success to failure, in victory and defeat, each division played a role in Hitler's campaign against the Allies. Examines vehicles, armor quality, manpower, and leadership and includes a comprehensive index of individuals, units, battles, and campaigns First guide to chronicle the history of each division from its inception to its destruction Includes a career sketch of every panzer divisional commander
Download or read book The German Infantry Handbook 1939 1945 written by Alex Buchner and published by Schiffer Military. This book was released on 1991 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Portrays the mass of the German Field Army, as it fought and saw service in World War II.
Download or read book Wehrmacht Infantry Divisions 1st 2nd and 4th 1935 1945 written by Gustavo Uruena A and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2013-05-06 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the invasion of Poland in September 1939 (which started the Second World War), a period of inaction called the Phony War ("Sitzkrieg" or "Dr�le de guerre") set in between the major powers. Adolf Hitler had hoped that France and Britain would acquiesce in his conquest and quickly make peace. On 6 October, he made a peace offer to both Western Powers. Even before they had time to respond, on 9 October, he also formulated a new military policy in case their reply was negative: F�hrer-Anweisung N�6, or "F�hrer-Directive Number 6".Hitler had always fostered dreams about major military campaigns to defeat the Western European nations as a preliminary step to the conquest of territory in Eastern Europe, thus avoiding a two-front war. However, these intentions were absent from F�hrer-Directive N�6. This plan was firmly based on the seemingly more realistic assumption that Germany's military strength would still have to be built up for several more years and that for the moment only limited objectives could be envisaged. They were aimed at improving Germany's ability to survive a long, protracted war in the West. Hitler ordered a conquest of the Low Countries to be executed at the shortest possible notice. This would stop France from occupying them first, and prevent Allied air power from threatening the vital German Ruhr Area. It would also provide the basis for a successful long-term air and sea campaign against Britain. There was no mention in the F�hrer-Directive of any immediate consecutive attack to conquer the whole of France, although as much as possible of the border areas in northern France should be occupied.While writing the directive, Hitler had also assumed that such an attack could be initiated within a period of at most a few weeks, but the very day he issued it he was disabused of this illusion. It transpired that he had been misinformed about the true state of Germany's forces. The motorized units had to recover, repairing the damage to their vehicles incurred in the Polish campaign, and ammunition stocks were largely depletedOn 10 October 1939, the British refused Hitler's offer of peace; on 12 October, the French did the same. Franz Halder, the chief of staff of the German Army (Generalstabschef des Heeres), presented the first plan for Fall Gelb ("Case Yellow") on 19 October, the pre-war codename of plans for campaigns in the Low Countries: the Aufmarschanweisung N�1, Fall Gelb ("Deployment Instruction No. 1, Case Yellow"). Halder's plan has often been compared to the Schlieffen Plan, which the Germans attempted to execute in 1914 during the opening phase of the First World War. It was similar in that both plans entailed an advance through the middle of Belgium, but while the intention of the Schlieffen Plan was to gain a decisive victory by executing a surprise encirclement of the French Army, Aufmarschanweisung N�1 was based on an unimaginative frontal attack, sacrificing a projected half a million German soldiers to attain the limited goal of throwing the Allies back to the River Somme. Germany's strength for 1940 would then be spent; only in 1942 could the main attack against France begin.
Download or read book The Tank Killers written by Harry Yeide and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2005-01-19 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fantastic read . . . Whether your interest is armour or history I would highly recommend this book” (Military Modelling). The tank destroyer was a bold—though some would say flawed—answer to the challenge posed by the seemingly unstoppable German Blitzkrieg. The TD was conceived to be light and fast enough to outmaneuver panzer forces and go where tanks could not. At the same time, the TD would wield the firepower needed to kill any German tank on the battlefield. Indeed, American doctrine stipulated that TDs would fight tanks, while American tanks would concentrate on achieving and exploiting breakthroughs of enemy lines. The Tank Killers follows the men who fought in the TDs, from the formation of the force in 1941 through the victory over the Third Reich in 1945. It is a story of American flexibility and pragmatism in military affairs. Tank destroyers were among the very first units to land in North Africa in 1942. Their first vehicles were ad hoc affairs: halftracks and weapons carriers with guns no better than those on tanks, thin armor affording the crews considerably less protection. Almost immediately, the crews began adapting to circumstances, along with their partners in the infantry and armored divisions. By the time North Africa was in Allied hands, the TD had become a valued tank fighter, assault gun, and artillery piece. The reconnaissance teams in TD battalions, meanwhile, had established a record for daring operations that would continue for the rest of the war. The story continues with the invasion of Italy and, finally, that of Fortress Europe on June 6, 1944. By now, the brass had decreed that half the force would convert to towed guns, a decision that dogged the affected crews through the end of the war. The TD men encountered increasingly lethal enemies, ever more dangerous panzers that were often vulnerable only to their guns, while American tank crews watched in frustration as their rounds bounced harmlessly off the thick German armor. They fought under incredibly diverse conditions that demanded constant modification of tactics, and their equipment became ever more deadly. By VE-Day, the tank destroyer battalions had achieved impressive records, generally with kill-loss rates heavily in their favor. Yet the army after the war concluded that the concept of a separate TD arm was so fundamentally flawed that not a single battalion existed after November 1946. The Tank Killers draws heavily on the records of the tank destroyer battalions and the units with which they fought, as well as personal stories from veterans of the force.
Download or read book German Order of Battle 291st 999th Infantry divisions named infantry divisions and special divisions in World War II written by Samuel W. Mitcham and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive reference on the German Army in World War II, covering the organization, combat history, and commanders of each division.
Download or read book D Day Omaha and Utah written by Will Fowler and published by Amber Books Ltd. This book was released on 2014-06-02 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Omaha and Utah describes the American landings on Omaha and Utah beaches. The fighting on Omaha was some of the most desperate fighting took place. The book also includes the famous operation by the US Rangers to capture the gun position at Pointe du Hoc, successfully scaling a sheer cliff face in the teeth of the defenders' fire.
Download or read book Fighting the Invasion written by David C. Isby and published by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2016-03-08 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In one of history’s most violent battles, Allied troops gathered along the shores of southern England, preparing for the invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europe. Facing them—from the Pas de Calais to Brittany—were German troops, dug in, waiting and preparing for the inevitable confrontation. History is often told from the perspective of the victors and oftentimes we do not hear the other side of the story. In this unique compilation, David Isby selects a series of in-depth accounts written by German commanders present at D-Day. All of these accounts were written after the war under the commission of the US Army in an attempt to intricately chart the development of German strategy in the event of future wars and invasions. These once private accounts detail everything from the planning stage of the invasion, to the uncertain waiting, and finally to the ordeal of D-Day itself—the reactions to the first reports of troop landings and a blow-by-blow account of the battle. Fighting the Invasion paints a vivid picture of D-Day from the German perspective, bringing home the entire experience from the initial waiting to the bitter fighting on the beaches and in running battles in Normandy villages. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Download or read book Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty one Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War 1914 1918 written by United States. General Staff. Military Intelligence Division and published by . This book was released on 1920 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Handbook on German Military Forces written by United States. War Department. Military Intelligence Division and published by . This book was released on 1943 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The German Order of Battle Infantry in World War II written by George F. Nafziger and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monumental reference work identifying each German infantry unit operating between 1939 and 1945, with details of organization and precise composition from divisional to company level.
Download or read book The German Army Handbook 1939 1945 written by James Lucas and published by Sutton Publishing. This book was released on 2000 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the opening shots of World War II in Poland in September 1939, through the blitzkrieg to the fall of France and the Low Countries, the German Army was at the forefront of battle. It remained in the thick of the action - the Eastern Front, North Africa, the Balkans, Scandinavia, North West Europe - right up until the last desperate shots were fired over the ruins of a crumbling Third Reich in May 1945. As the instrument with which Hitler was to achieve his plan for world domination, the German Army was at the cutting edge of 20th-century military technology. Before the emergence of the US Army as a force to be reckoned with later in World War II, the German Army was the most powerful, efficient and well-equipped fighting force in the world.
Download or read book Indescribable Ordeal written by Michael Dorosh and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Germany's fast-hitting Panzer divisions made history with their astonishing victories in the opening years of World War II, but the bulk of the Army marched into battle on foot, with their artillery and supplies following behind on horse-drawn limbers and carts. The 65th Division was typical of the front-line infantry divisions of the German Army. Raised for coastal duty in 1942, the Division went to Italy after the collapse of the Axis partnership. The 65th saw action throughout the Italian Campaign, from the soggy banks of the flooded Sangro River, to the trenches of the Anzio beachhead, to the final battles of the war in front of the Po River. Constantly short of troops, manned by war-weary conscripts, and always under attack by Allied artillery, fighter-bombers and tanks, the experience of the 65th Infantry Division was summed up by one of its soldiers in two words: INDESCRIBABLE ORDEAL. For the first time in English, this is the full war record of the 65th Infantry Division: a story of bravery, sacrifice and the limits of human endurance.
Download or read book Combat and Genocide on the Eastern Front written by Jeff Rutherford and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-10 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By 1944, the overwhelming majority of the German Army had participated in the German war of annihilation in the Soviet Union and historians continue to debate the motivations behind the violence unleashed in the east. Jeff Rutherford offers an important new contribution to this debate through a study of combat and the occupation policies of three frontline infantry divisions. He shows that while Nazi racial ideology provided a legitimizing context in which violence was not only accepted but encouraged, it was the Wehrmacht's adherence to a doctrine of military necessity which is critical in explaining why German soldiers fought as they did. This meant that the German Army would do whatever was necessary to emerge victorious on the battlefield. Periods of brutality were intermixed with conciliation as the army's view and treatment of the civilian population evolved based on its appreciation of the larger context of war in the east.
