Hitler's Defeat on the Eastern Front

HITLER'S DEFEAT ON THE EASTERN FRONT
November 13, 2009

In "Hitler's Defeat On The Eastern Front", we find a fantastic pictorial/historical book on the German ground forces, starting at Kursk, and through the remainder of the war on that front. It has an fine variety of photos , with not one picture I've ever seen before. Here we have a fine reference, a treasury of photos, especially for military modelers. What struck me most was not only the variety of weapons shown, but we are shown how they were carried, emplaced, utilized, and in such horrid conditions as a Russian winter. Weapons shown, such as small arms, from the Kar 98K to the Sturmgewehr 42; the MG34 and MG42 on bipods, sustained fire tripods, or being carried to be fired "from the hip"; mortars from the 8cm GW34 to the 12cm Granatwerfer 378r; from PaK guns to heavy artillery; the Schwimmwagen to the Sturmgeschutz; Flak guns used in ground warfare, some on sleds in the snow; armor, and so much more What this book shows most of all were the extremely harsh conditions the German forces, who were, of course, the invaders, had to endure until either injury, death, or capture took them from the battle. There was no other way out. The text follows the climactic events of 1943 - 45, and gives us a backdrop for all these pictures to stand out in. Appendices on German weapons lists, and on German uniforms for both the Wehrmacht and the SS units round out the book. Pictures of individual weapons and uniforms in the appropriate appendix might have been helpful to some, but most can be found within the pictures of the book itself, in use, under combat conditions. I recommend this book to all who are interested in the combat on the Eastern Front, and I look forward to seeing the companion book on Stalingrad.

Reviewer: Roland S