Download or read book The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment written by Pierre Tiquet and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2020-07-30 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fascinating look into the experiences of the men of an elite armored unit that fought on the Eastern Front, written essentially in their own words.” —AMPS The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment was part of the Totenkopf Division—one of the thirty-eight Waffen-SS divisions active during World War II. Notorious for its brutality, most notably a mass execution of British prisoners in the Battle of France, Totenkopf had a fearsome reputation. The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment was formed in France in late 1942, and transferred to the Eastern Front in early 1943, where it fought for the rest of the war. The regiment participated in a number of battles, and would be reduced and rebuilt a number of times. The panzers of 3rd SS Panzer Regiment fought at Kharkov, took part in Operation Citadel, fought in the battle of Krivoi Rog, and the relief of the Korsun Pocket. The regiment then retreated over the Dniester. They fought in Poland against the Russian advance, before being moved to Hungary where they participated in the attempt to relieve Budapest. They eventually surrendered in Czechoslovakia to the 11th US Armored Division. This book tells the story of the 3rd SS Panzer Regiment through the words of the veterans themselves. Among the veterans whose accounts are included are Walter Weber, a member of a tank crew in 5. Kompanie who recounts their optimism and high spirits at the start of Operation Citadel as the Germans made initial advances, followed by retreat as winter set in and the Russians began to push them back. Unterscharführer Stettner recalls the fierce tank battles and the difficulties advancing across minefields and evading an often well-concealed foe. Corporal Fritz Edelmann records the attempts to relieve Budapest in 1945 that Totenkopf took part in, which ended in encirclement, defeat and surrender to the Americans on May 9, 1945. In addition, it is illustrated with a wealth of contemporary photographs, original documents, and artifacts.

Download or read book The Panzer Legions written by Samuel W. Mitcham and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2006-12-20 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 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.

Download or read book The Combat History of the 23rd Panzer Division in World War II written by Ernst Rebentisch and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2012-03-21 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Complete history of a German tank division that fought exclusively on the Eastern Front.

Download or read book The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich written by Yves Buffetaut and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2017-08-19 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Certainly my first recourse from now on when looking at the SS panzer divisions. Give yourself a treat and buy a copy ASAP if tanks are your thing” (Army Rumour Service). The Das Reich Division was the most infamous unit of the Waffen-SS. Originally a paramilitary formation raised to protect the members of the Nazi Party, it was founded in 1934 as the SS-Verfügungstruppe. During the invasion of Poland, the unit fought as a mobile infantry regiment. After the Battle of France, the SS-VT was officially renamed the Waffen-SS, and in 1941, the Verfügungs-Division was renamed Reich, later Das Reich. By the time Das Reich took part in the battle of Moscow, it had lost sixty percent of its combat strength. It was pulled off the front in mid-1942 and sent to refit as a panzer-grenadier division. Returning to the Eastern Front, Das Reich took part in the fighting around Kharkov and Kursk. Late in the year, it was designated a panzer division. In 1944, the unit was stationed in southern France when the Allies landed in Normandy. The following days saw the division commit atrocities, hanging one hundred local men in the town of Tulles in reprisal for German losses, and massacring 642 French civilians in Oradour-sur-Glane, allegedly in retaliation for partisan activity in the area. Later in the Normandy fighting, Das Reich was encircled in the Roncey pocket by US 2nd Armored Division, losing most of their armored equipment. Das Reich surrendered in May 1945. “Another fascinating piece of military history from the opposite point of view . . . this doesn’t purport to be an illustrated history of the Reich, but it damn well is!” —Books Monthly

Download or read book The Panzer Divisions written by Martin Windrow and published by . This book was released on 1973 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Essential Tank Identification Guide written by Jorge Rosado and published by . This book was released on 2005-07-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Illustrated with detailed artworks of German tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, The Essential Tank Identification Guide: Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Wehrmacht's 28 fullstrength armored divisions. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book offers a complete guide to the Panzerwaffe, from the establishment of the 1st Panzer Division in 1935, to the hasty formation of the 130th Panzer (Lehr) Division in early 1944. The book describes in depth the various models of tank in German service during the war with each individual armored division, with listings of the unit commanders and any famous tank aces. Each divisional section is further broken down by campaign, accompanied by orders of battle, a brief divisional history of the campaign, and any specific unit markings. With information boxes accompanying the full-color artworks, all drawn to the same scale for easy comparison, The Essential Tank Identification Guide: Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-45 is an essential reference guide for modelers and enthusiasts with an interest in the armored divisions of the Wehrmacht.

Download or read book Panzer Divisions at War 1939 1945 written by Ian Baxter and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2006-11-06 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the beginning in 1935 this attractive book describes the different elements that went into the Panzer-Divisions. It describes how the Germans carefully built up their assault forces utilizing all available reserves and resources into making an effective fighting machine. It depicts how these awesome formations grew to be used four years later in war, and provides much historical information and facts about the vehicles and its components that fought in all the campaigns of the war from the early victorious Blitzkrieg in Poland and France to the last ditch defense in Germany in 1945. Each chapter features unseen photographs of light tanks, main battle tanks, assault guns, anti-tank destroyers, artillery, reconnaissance units, support vehicles, pioneers with their bridge building platforms and the motorized infantry or Panzergrenadiers.This book is a visual treat for the military enthusiast and collector and a worthy addition to the Images of War series.

Download or read book Germany s Lightning War written by Tom McGowen and published by Lerner Publications. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the development and actions of German tank units in World War II, covering specific battles and the changes that tanks brought to warfare in general.

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 Panzers East and West written by Dieter Stenger and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2017-09-01 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organized and trained during 1943, the 10th SS Panzer Division saw its first action in the spring of 1944 during the relief of an encircled German army on the Eastern Front. Several months later, in response to the Allied invasion at Normandy, the division returned to the West in mid-June 1944. Here the division engaged in a series of armored attacks and counterattacks against British and American forces. The 10th SS briefly held off a few enemy thrusts but gradually had to fall back to Falaise, where the division escaped the Allied encirclement with no tanks and only a fraction of its men. The 10th SS Panzer Division next defended against the Allied parachute assault during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. Depleted and now a division in name only, the 10th SS fought in Alsace before Hitler sent it to the Eastern Front again. There, east of Berlin, the division participated in the final battles to enable the escape of German soldiers and civilians from Soviet captivity.

Download or read book Panzers on the Eastern Front written by Erhard Raus and published by . This book was released on 2005-12-21 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Consists chiefly of The Pomeranian battle and the command in the East; and, Tactics in unusual situations; both translated from German manuscripts and originally separately published in English by the U.S. Dept. of the Army, 1947-1954.

Download or read book Panzer Divisions written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-03-15 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On 22 June 1941 Germany attacked the Soviet Union and her Panzer divisions were to play a major role in this titanic struggle. Although overwhelmed by Soviet numbers, the superior skill and capability of the German Panzer divisions meant that in three months the Germans had advanced deep into Soviet territory. However, after these initial successes the German offensive began to falter, culminating in the disastrous defeat at Kursk. This book describes the organisational history of the Panzer divisions, from the early successes of 1941 through to the introduction of revised Blitzkrieg tactics as the war progressed.

Download or read book The 1st SS Armored Division written by Herbert Walther and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1989 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Photographs and text chronicle the experiences of the men serving in the Waffen-SS in World War II.

Download or read book Panzerkrieg written by Mike Syron and published by Constable. This book was released on 2013-02-07 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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. Features 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 The legacy of the Panzers

Download or read book Das Reich written by Max Hastings and published by Quarto Publishing Group USA. This book was released on 2013-06-15 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A world-renowned British historian recounts the actions of one of Hitler’s most elite armor units in one of World War II’s most horrific months. June 1944, the month of the D-Day landings carried out by Allied forces in Normandy, France. Germany’s 2nd SS Panzer Division, one of Adolf Hitler’s most elite armor units, had recently been pulled from the Eastern Front and relocated to France in order to regroup, recruit more troops, and restock equipment. With Allied forces suddenly on European ground, the division—Das Reich—was called up to counter the invasion. Its march northward to the shores of Normandy, 15,000 men strong, would become infamous as a tale of unparalleled brutality in World War II. Das Reich is Sir Max Hastings’s narrative of the atrocities committed by the 2nd SS Panzer Division during June of 1944: first, the execution of 99 French civilians in the village of Tulle on June 9; and second, the massacre of 642 more in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane on June 10. Throughout the book, Hastings expertly shifts perspective between French resistance fighters, the British Secret Service (who helped coordinate the French resistance from afar and on the ground), and the German soldiers themselves. With its rare, unbiased approach to the ruthlessness of World War II, Das Reich explores the fragile moral fabric of wartime mentality. Praise for Das Reich “A gripping blend of narrative and investigation.” —Evening Standard “This classic account of WWII is a microcosm of the global conflict. Hastings brings to life the horror that the 2nd SS Panzer division, Das Reich, inflicted upon the citizens living in a bucolic corner of France.” —Dennis Showalter, author of Patton and Rommel and Hitler’s Panzers

Download or read book Panzer Divisions written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN E-BOOK. On 22 June 1941 Germany attacked the Soviet Union and her Panzer divisions were to play a major role in this titanic struggle. Although overwhelmed by Soviet numbers, the superior skill and capability of the German Panzer divisions meant that in three months the Germans had advanced deep into Soviet territory. However, after these initial successes the German offensive began to falter, culminating in the disastrous defeat at Kursk. This book describes the organisational history of the Panzer divisions, from the early successes of 1941 through to the introduction of revised Blitzkrieg tactics as the war progressed.

Download or read book Panzer Divisions written by Pier Paolo Battistelli and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Germany's armoured forces the Panzerwaffe were still in their infancy. The restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles meant that German tank production lagged behind its enemies. Initial armour campaigns in Poland were not overly successful and changes were needed before the invasion of France. This book examines the organizational changes, developments in doctrine and tactics and improved command and control that provided the basis for the spectacular success of the Panzer divisions in 1940. Achieving tactical and operational surprise, the Panzer divisions broke through enemy defences, enveloping a large number of hostile forces at Dunkirk. The legend of the Blitzkrieg was born.