Being there . . . . few subjects in World War II, Europe, during the past eight decades have hadthe power to attract more interest, or generate greater fascination, than Hitler’s inability totake Stalingrad, and consequently the Eastern Front, and/or failure to effectively subdue all ofFrance while attempting to transform her into a French-Nazi ally. In fact, it can be argued therehas hardly been any serious, scholarly attempts to clear-cut their references in the militaryliterature since 1946. This does not mean that interest was not present or unknown. Theproblem has been that other than university presses major American and British publishershave, and still do, believe the myth and preconception the ordinary war buff (you and me) arenot all that interested in such obtuse study-treatments. Fortunately, we who yearn to digaround for old unexplored gems in the vast fields of “aging deep-buried topics”, we have theOsprey, Pen and Sword, Casemate, Naval Institute, Schiffer, and McFarland publishing housespacked with solid-thinking, envisioning editors of kaleidoscopic personalities, reflecting not onlyendless varieties of publishing decisions, but also possessing the empathetic intuitions of whatus World War II nuts cry-out to read. Case in point: Osprey Publishing’s Men-at Arms, Duel:Engage the Enemy, and Elite Series. Three arrived on this reviewer’s doorsteps two weeks ago,plenty of time to formally introduce them to you. . .“THE ‘GROSSDEUTSCHLAND’ DIVISION IN WORLD WAR II – – The German Army’s PremierCombat Unit” by James F. Slaughter, Illustrated by Ramiro Bujeiro. OSPREY PUBLISHING/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc: 2024, 64 pages, softcover, 7 ¼”x 9 ¾”, numerous color illustrations,b & w Russian and German photos published for the first time; $21. Visit,www.ospreypublishing.com.The history of military forces, artifacts, personalities and techniques, full color artwork,unrivalled detail, rare archive photographs.“PANZER III vs T-34 – – Eastern Front 1941” by Peter Samsonov, Illustrated by RichardChasemore. OSPREY PUBLISHING/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc: 2024, 80 pages, softcover, 7 ¼”x 9¾”, numerous color illustrations, b & w German and Russian photos published for the first time;$23. Visit, www.ospreypublishing.com.This is the account of machines of war pitted against each other and the combatants whooperated them. Step onto the battlefield and immerse yourself in the experience of real historiccombat.“GERMANY’S FRENCH ALLIES 1941 – 45” by Massimiliano Afiero, Illustrated by Ramiro Bujeiro.OSPREY PUBLISHING/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc: 2024, 48 pages, softcover, 7 ¼” x 9 ¾”, theuniforms, equipment, history and organization of the world’s military forces, past and present;$20. Visit, www. Ospreypublishing.com.Reviewed and highly Recommended by Don DeNeviThe photos in each are mesmerizing, NAY, riveting because the Osprey editors and page
designers are savvy in photo selections because they clearly understand readers trully do want
to be in the thick of battles, elbow to elbow with the Allies and the enemy – not to fightalongside the certain-to-be-defeated German-Italian troopers and their cohorts about to die,but to know and understand them and their missions. Writes author James Slaughter,“Destined to become known as the German Army’s elite ‘fire brigade’ during 1939-45, the‘Grossdeutschland’ Division began its life as a prestigious guard detachment based in Berlin.After conversion into a combat infantry regiment in 1939, it saw action in France, Yugoslavia,and the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union. Reinforced to divisional strength, ‘Grossdeutschland’fought on the Eastern Front, notably at Rzhev in late 1942 and Kharkov in early 1943.” Refittedand redesignated a Panzergrenadier Division, Grossdeutschland played a key role in the Battleof Kursk, before acting as the Wehrmacht’s ‘fire brigade’ in 1943-44. In late 1944,Grossdeutschland was expanded to the vaulted Panzerkorps status. Further units joined theorder of battle, i.e., the Fuhrerbegleit-Brigade fighting in the Ardennes in 1944-45 before alsobeing redesignated a division. Depicting uniforms, insignia and personal equipment, thissterling study charts the evolving appearance of this elite formation over nearly six years ofvicious warfare.Meanwhile, in “Panzer III vs T-34 – – Eastern Front 1941”, author Peter Samsonov, anexperienced Russian Canadian military historian, welcomes you to enjoy his treatise, writing,“When Axis forces invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, both Germany’s PzKpfw III andthe Soviet T-34 were intended to be the primary medium tanks of their respective armies, butneither was available in quite the numbers envisaged. While the T-34 rapidly established afearsome reputation only sometimes borne out by its actual performance, the PzKpfw III wassmaller, lighter and not as well armed as its Soviet opponent but benefited from the support ofa more seasoned and better structured army. In Peter’s book, full-color artwork, archivephotographs and authoritative text drawing upon Russian and German-language sourcescombine to reveal how the Germans harnessed the advantages of combat experience andsuperior organization to counter the T-34’s tactical strengths. Tank buffs will appreciate howthe PzKpfw III lost relevance when it could not carry a canon powerful enough to destroy the T-34 at range. An excellent formal, systematic, methodical account and comparison of each.“Germany’s French Allies 1941-45” is the true eye-opener of the trio. This reviewer et-buffnever knew French volunteers joined the Wehrmacht and SS in their “crusade” againstBolshevism! Author Massimiliano Afiero gives us, especially me, a real stunner: the first English-language account of the structure, campaigns and uniforms of Germany’s allied French force viarare photos and new color plates. Afiero not only examines the German Army’s Legion ofFrench Volunteers, but also introduces us to the lesser-known French groups, i.e., the TricolorLegion; the African Phalanx of Tunisia; and the French regiment, brigade and division of the
Waffen-SS, whose murderous talents ended in the final battles for Berlin.
