The History of the Panzerwaffe

A comprehensive history of the legendary armoured vehicles of the Panzerwaffe, Germany's most famous fighting force.

The final years of World War II saw the legendary Panzerwaffe face its most difficult challenges, with Allied troops landing at Normandy and storming across the continent and the Russians gaining the upper hand on the Eastern Front. As Germany fought fiercely to hold on to the advantages gained in the early years, they relied heavily on the Panzer IV, the Panzer V Panther and the StuG III - the backbone of their infamous armoured divisions - to hold back their advancing opponents.

This second volume on the Panzerwaffe offers a comprehensive guide to the final years of Germany's most famous fighting force, covering the further use of the Panzer IV, the role played by the StuG III assault gun and the battlefield debut of the formidable Panther. Explosive combat reports and rare archive photographs help uncover the final years of the Panzers, from their defence against the D-Day landings and the role they played in the Ardennes Offensive to their valiant last stand in Berlin.

Auteur

Thomas Anderson is a specialist on German armoured fighting vehicles of World War II. He regularly contributes to popular modelling and historical magazines, including Military Modelcraft International (UK), Steel Art (Italy), Historia Militar (Spain) and Batailles & Blindes (France). He lives in Germany.

Résumé
The final years of World War II saw the legendary Panzerwaffe face its most difficult challenges, with Allied troops landing at Normandy and storming across the continent and the Russians gaining the upper hand on the Eastern Front. As Germany fought fiercely to hold on to the advantages gained in the early years, they relied heavily on the Panzer IV, the Panzer V Panther and the StuG III the backbone of their infamous armoured divisions to hold back their advancing opponents. This second volume on the Panzerwaffe offers a comprehensive guide to the final years of Germany's most famous fighting force, covering the further use of the Panzer IV, the role played by the StuG III assault gun and the battlefield debut of the formidable Panther. Explosive combat reports and rare archive photographs help uncover the final years of the Panzers, from their defence against the D-Day landings and the role they played in the Ardennes Offensive to their valiant last stand in Berlin.

Contenu

1 - Stalingrad - the 'planned' fiasco
2 - Preparing for Zitadelle - Reorganization of the Panzerwaffe
3 - Kursk - a narrow loss? (special consideration of the new weapon systems)
4 - Overstretched - Sturmgeschütze used to strengthen tank units
5 - The slow loss of Italy - The end of Panzer tactics?
6 - Russia - the weakness of a superior opponent?
7 - Invasion in the West
8 - Collapse - the demise of the Panzerwaffe