Download or read book The History of the Panzerj ger written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-08-23 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The German Panzerjäger, or Panzerjägertruppe, was one of the most innovative fighting arms of World War II and its story has never properly been told. Many books have focused on an element of the story – the Hetzer, Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanther – but this is the first time that the whole story of the development and organization of Nazi Germany's anti-tank force will have been covered, from its earliest origins in World War I, through its development in the interwar period, and its baptism of fire in the early days of World War II. This is the first of two volumes that will trace the story through the glory years of Blitzkrieg and the improvements that were made when Soviet tanks were first encountered, leading to new weapons, tactics and organization. It is packed with previously unpublished wartime photographs, combat reports, and detailed charts and statistics to give an unparalleled account of this unique arm of the Wehrmacht.

Download or read book The History of the Panzerwaffe written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-12-20 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This technical and operational history is the definitive guide to the legendary Panzerwaffe, from its very infancy to the days when it made Europe its garden path at the height of Nazi German power. The Germans transformed armoured warfare from a lumbering and ponderous experiment in World War I into something that could decide the outcome of conflicts. With rare and revealing combat reports, along with photographs sourced from previously unseen private and archival collections, it uncovers the technical and operational stories of the formidable armoured beasts that formed the backbone of the German war machine – tanks such as the Panzer I, II and 38(t).

Download or read book The History of the Panzerwaffe written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-23 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first two volumes of the History of the Panzerwaffe have described how the Germans transformed armoured warfare from a lumbering and ponderous experiment in World War I into something that could decide the outcome of conflicts, and how the legendary Panzerwaffe overran Western Europe and reached the gates of Moscow to the east, before taking its place in the forefront of German defence from the D-Day landings to the valiant last stand in Berlin. This third volume focuses on the most important units in the Panzerwaffe, and some of the most famous units in the history of warfare: the Panzer Divisions. It details their pre-war origins and how they developed over the course of the war, covering all the specialized units and how they operated on the battlefield. The title is illustrated throughout with many rare and previously unpublished images and the text draws heavily on original German documents.

Download or read book Panzer IV written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-01-21 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Panzer IV programme was started in 1934, forming, alongside the Panzer IIs and IIIs, the schnellen Truppen, the force that was to become the Panzerwaffe. At first, German planners envisioned the tank in a secondary role, but during the invasions of The Low Countries and France, it took on a more central role. When the Panzerwaffe turned east to attack the Soviet Union, the Panzer IV initially fared poorly against the better-armed T-34. However, upgrades to its gun and armour protection saw it perform far better, not only against Soviet armour but also against British and American tanks in North Africa and Italy. In 1944, it was slowly replaced by the Panzer V Panther, but the dire strategic situation meant that it bore the brunt of the Allied D-Day invasion and its aftermath, and it remained in service until the end of the war. Fully illustrated throughout with contemporary photographs, this fascinating study from German armour expert Thomas Anderson tells the complete story of Germany's most widely produced tank of World War II, from its design and development to its many upgrades and variants.

Download or read book Waffen SS Armour in Normandy written by Norbert Számvéber and published by Helion and Company. This book was released on 2012-03-14 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy presents the combat history of SS-Panzer Regiment 12 and SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12 in the Battle for France from June to the end of August 1944 based on transcriptions of their original unit war diaries from the Military History Archives in Prague. Both armored units belonged to the 12.SS-Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. SS-Panzer Regiment 12 was fully equipped with Panzer IV and Panther tanks. The main AFV of SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12 was the Jagdpanzer IV L/48 tank destroyer. The structure of the volume is partly source publication (documents of SS-Panzer Regiment 12) and partly study (the deployment of SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12). The text was written and footnoted by the author based upon original wartime files in Prague that have remained almost unknown. The book starts with the story of the units' establishment and training in 1943/1944, including, for example, the shipments of equipment, orders of battle and tactical numbers of the tanks. After this introduction, a highly detailed daily chronology of the combat actions is provided, from 12.SS-Panzer Division traveling to the Caen sector to Operation Totalize and the withdrawal to the Seine River. Documents from SS-Panzer Regiment 12 presented in the book include the following: combat reports, list of knocked-out enemy tanks, German personnel and tank losses, combat orders, summary of acquired combat experiences and others. This is an impressive look at tactical-level events and command decisions, highlighting the armored combat tactics that were able to stop Montgomery's Army Group from breaking through the German lines near Caen for two months. The study includes a number of detailed maps and excellent photos. In addition, the book has benefited from the contribution of rare information, photographs and documents from the archive of noted Waffen-SS historian Mark C. Yerger.

Download or read book Panzerj ger Improvisations Combinations on Captured Chassis Marder I and II Prototypes Etc written by Horst Scheibert and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1997-12 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coverage of a variety of improvised German self-propelled anti-tank guns on a variety of war fronts.

Download or read book The Combat History of German Heavy Anti Tank Unit 653 in World War II written by Karlheinz Munch and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hundreds of photos, many never published before, of Germany's rarely seen tank destroyers, including the Ferdinand, Elephant, and JagdtigerColor illustrations focus on unit markings, numbering, and camouflageAccompanying text chronicles the unit's combat operations plus there are personal accounts from the men who rode in these mechanical monstersGerman Heavy Anti-Tank Unit 653 was equipped with the heaviest tank destroying vehicles of the German armed forces. Initially activated as an assault gun battalion and redesignated in April 1943, the 653 received its first Ferdinand heavy tank destroyers (later modified and renamed Elephants) in May 1943 and went into action on the Eastern Front a month later. In 1944, the unit converted to the even more massive Jagdtiger. The seventy-five-ton, heavily armored Jagdtiger was the behemoth of the battlefield and boasted a 128mm gun-as opposed to the Ferdinand's 88-with a range of more than thirteen miles, making it deadly despite its limited mobility. Outfitted with these lethal giants, the 653 saw service in Russia, Italy, Austria, and Germany.

Download or read book Eastern Inferno written by Christine Alexander and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2010-11-30 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Remarkable personal journals . . revealing the combat experience of the German-Russian War as seldom seen before . . . a harrowing yet poignant story” (Military Times). Hans Roth was a member of the anti-tank panzerjager battalion, 299th Infantry Division, attached to the Sixth Army, as the invasion of Russia began. As events transpired, he recorded the tension as the Germans deployed on the Soviet frontier in June 1941. Then, a firestorm broke loose as the Wehrmacht tore across the front, forging into the primitive vastness of the East. During the Kiev encirclement, Roth’s unit was under constant attack as the Soviets desperately tried to break through the German ring. At one point, after the enemy had finally been beaten, a friend serving with the SS led him to a site—possibly Babi Yar—where he witnessed civilians being massacred. After suffering through a brutal winter against apparently endless Russian reserves, his division went on the offensive again when the Germans drove toward Stalingrad. In these journals, attacks and counterattacks are described in you-are-there detail. Roth wrote privately, as if to keep himself sane, knowing his honest accounts of the horrors in the East could never pass Wehrmacht censors. When the Soviet counteroffensive of winter 1942 begins, his unit is stationed alongside the Italian 8th Army, and his observations of its collapse, as opposed to the reaction of the German troops sent to stiffen its front, are of special fascination. Roth’s three journals were discovered many years after his disappearance, tucked away in the home of his brother. After his brother’s death, his family discovered them and sent them to Rosel, Roth’s wife. In time, Rosel handed down the journals to Erika, Roth’s only daughter, who had emigrated to America. Roth was likely working on a fourth journal before he was reported missing in action in July 1944. Although his ultimate fate remains unknown, what he did leave behind, now finally revealed, is an incredible firsthand account of the horrific war the Germans waged in Russia.

Download or read book Combat History of the Panzer Abteilung 103 written by Norbert Szamveber and published by Peko Publishing. This book was released on 2016-05-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book presents the detailed combat history of German Panzer-Abteilung 103 as part of the 3. Panzergrenadier-Division in Italy from September 1943 to August 1944 based on the almost unknown war diary of this unit. The Panzer-Abteilung 103 was fully equipped with Sturmgeschütz III assault guns. This is an impressive look at tactical-level events and command decisions, highlighting the German armored combat tactics in Italy. The book includes a number of original maps and excellent photos.

Download or read book Panzer Aces written by Franz Kurowski and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2004 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With speed, violence, and deadly power, heavily armored tanks spearheaded the German blitzkrieg that stormed across Europe in 1939. In this reprint of the classic book, prolific author Kurowski tells the action-packed stories of six of the most daring and successful officers ever to command these Panzers.

Download or read book Ferdinand and Elefant Tank Destroyer written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-20 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of the largest and statistically most successful tank destroyer of World War II. The Ferdinand was a true behemoth, and although only 91 examples were built, they took a savage toll of Soviet armour in the Battle of Kursk and subsequent operations on the Eastern Front. This study explores the technical development and combat deployment of this remarkable vehicle, from its' origins in the Porsche Tiger Tank through its deployment under the designation 'Ferdinand' in the Citadel offensive, to its modification and redesignation as the 'Elefant' and final use in the desperate Battle of Berlin. Drawing on original archival material from within Germany, private collections and heretofore unpublished photographs this title is an essential illustrated history to one of the most famous armoured vehicles ever built.

Download or read book Sturmartillerie Panzerj ger 1939 45 written by Bryan Perrett and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 1999-11-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally the German assault gun was designed as an infantry support weapon, but the changing conditions of the battlefields of the Second World War forced it to adapt to perform a number of different roles, most importantly as a tank destroyer, although the infantry support role was never wholly discarded. If the much-glamorised Panzer divisions were the sword of the German army then the assault gun and tank destroyer units were its shield. As the Panzers' grip on the battlefield began to fail, though, it was left to the assault gun and tank destroyer crews to take up the burden.

Download or read book German Tanks in Normandy 1944 written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-08-17 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new study of the German Panzer forces that stood between the Allies' D-Day beachhead and victory in World War II – how they compared, how they were organized, and how they fought. The German tank forces in Normandy in June–August 1944 had the advantage of fighting on the defensive side, as well as comprising of some of the most powerful and advanced tanks used by any side in the war. Yet success in tank warfare depends on many things beyond technological superiority. This book describes the types of tanks, tank destroyers and assault guns used by the Panzer units in Normandy, how they fought on the Normandy battlefield, and why they were overwhelmed by the advancing Allies. It discusses the organization and equipment of the units, providing thumbnail sketches of basic organization and doctrine as well as statistical data on the types and categories of AFVs in German service.

Download or read book Panzer Gunner written by Bruno Friesen and published by . This book was released on 2019-06-15 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are few memoirs available of German Panzer crews that focus on the climactic last 12 months of the war on the Eastern Front, 1944-45. What makes Bruno Friesen's account virtually unique is his family background: his parents came from a German-speaking Mennonite community in Ukraine, and were to all intents and purposes culturally German. To make matters even more complex, in 1924 his parents left the Ukraine for Canada, where Bruno was born. In March 1939 he and his brother Oscar found themselves on a ship bound for Bremerhaven in Germany. He barely spoke German, and had never been to Germany, nevertheless his father envisaged that a better life awaited them in the Third Reich. Needless to say, Bruno became caught up in the Second World War, and in 1942 was drafted into the Wehrmacht. The author provides a full account of his family background, and how, through these unusual circumstances, he found himself a Canadian-born German soldier. The bulk of the book is a detailed account of the author's training, and his subsequent service with 25th Panzer Regiment, part of 7th Panzer Division. As the title suggests, Bruno Friesen served as a gunner aboard, initially, Panzer IVs, before crewing the lesser-known Jagdpanzer IV tank hunter. The author provides a fantastic amount of information about these two vehicles, and how the crews actually fought in battle with them. This kind of 'hands-on' detail has almost never been available before, particularly such extensive information concerning the characteristics and combat performance of the Jagdpanzer IV. Apart from providing a large fund of information about specific German tanks and their combat performance, the author writes in great detail about the combat the experienced on the Eastern Front, including tank battles in Rumania, spring 1944, Lithuania in the summer of 1944, and West Prussia during early 1945. If one wants to know how German tank crews fought the Soviets in the last year of the war, then this book provides an outstanding account, containing material simply not found elsewhere. The author closes his account by reflecting on his postwar efforts to return to Canada, which eventually succeeded in 1950, and his subsequent life there. This book is not just a critique of armored fighting vehicles and tank warfare, it is above all a very human story, told in a lively, conversational and fluid manner, and is a remarkable contribution to the literature of the Second World War.

Download or read book Panzertruppen written by Thomas L. Jentz and published by Schiffer Pub Limited. This book was released on 1996 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In September of 1939, the world was astounded by Germany's ability to defeat Poland in less than a month. With the world still puzzled by the suddenness of this event, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France fell in rapid succession to the German onslaught, leaving Britain in shock. Greece and Yugoslavia were rapidly over-run during April of 1941, while German-Italian forces advanced rapidly in North Africa. Russia's turn was next, when German forces began pulverizing their forces in June of 1941. How had Germany achieved victory after victory, often against numerically superior enemy forces? The answer came in two words-Panzer and Blitzkrieg. When and how had Germany built its Panzer forces and trained them for the Blitzkrieg? When was each Panzer unit formed? What was their organization? Why were Panzer units disbursed among the Panzer-Divisions. leichte Divisions, and Armee-Korps? When were the various types of Panzers developed? What were their armament, armor protection, capability? How many of each type were produced? What tactics did they use? How successful were they in combat? This is the only book that provides detailed answers to these and other questions related to how German tankers fought in World War II. Tom Jentz found the answers to these questions bu digging through original records for the past tweny-five years. The content os this book is derived solely from these original records consisting of war diaries, reports, and technical and tactical manuals written during the war. The story is told as recorded by those responsible for decisions in developing the Panzertruppen and by those who fought in the Panzers. As work on this book progressed it became apparent that the story of the Panzertruppen was divided into two distinctly separate phases; offensive and defensive. This first volume presents the offensive phase up to October 1942. A second volume is planned that will cover the defensive phase to the end of the war. Tom Jentz is also the author of Germany's Panther Tank: The Quest of Combat Supremacy(available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Download or read book Panzergrenadier written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, infantry has been the main attacking force deployed by armies around the world, but positioning substantial infantry forces has always required precious time to assemble the troops to launch an attack or form defensive positions. Transportation of men and their equipment has been a major issue through the ages, and one that was only partly alleviated by the establishment of railway systems in the 19th century and motor vehicles in the early 20th century. With the development of the German Panzerwaffe, military planners realized both the enormous potential of the tank as a breakthrough weapon, but also the issues faced by support units following the attacking force a including the infantry. A tank assault moved rapidly forwards and this required a motorized infantry which could keep pace with the attack and provide all necessary support.

Download or read book Panzer Tracts No 7 1 written by Thomas L. Jentz and published by . This book was released on 2003-01-01 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Panzer Tracts No. 7-1 - Panzerjaeger (3.7 cm Tak to Pz.Sfl.Ic) development and employment from 1927 to 1941Now for the first time we present an accurate detailed history of the creation, production, and combat action of these famous tank destroyers. This first volume covers the initial attempts to create chassis specifically designed for self-propelled anti-tank guns (which didnt get into mass production) and the resulting makeshift conversions on available armored chassis that had to be used in combat. Altogether 12 different projects are covered starting with the real Zwischenloesung, Krupp L.S.K., L.Tr.Sfl., 3.7 cm and 7.5 cm Sfl., Pz.Sfl.II, 8.8 cm Flak 18 Sfl., Pz.Sfl.IVa, Pz.Jaeg.I, 4.7 cm Pak(t) auf Pz.Kpfw.35R, and ending with the rare trial Pz.Sfl.Ia and Pz.Sfl.Ic. New as-built drawings - accurate to the same tight tolerances demanded of the original assembly firms - were created for both production series of the 4.7 cm Pak(t) (Sfl) auf Pz.Kpfw.I. This 72 page book is heavily illustrated with 17 scale drawings and 67 clear/rare large-format photos.