Soldat (2) The German Soldier at the Eastern Front 1943-44
Gordon Rottman & Stephen Andrew
The years 1943-1945 marked a reversal in the military fortunes of
Germany, beginning with the huge defeat suffered by the 6th Army at
Stalingrad on 2 February 1943. This volume, the second in the
"Soldat" series, traces the lives and fate of the German soldier
during this time period. The scope of the book is confined to the
Eastern Front, which produced more casualties than all the other
fronts combined.
Since the topic of the book is the "Landser", it is naturally
filled with period photos of Wehrmacht soldiers. These photos are
inspiring too - soldiers appear in spring, in summer, in autumn,
and in grueling winter settings. Their typical weapons and personal
equipment are on full display, as are their uniforms. Pertinent
points are highlighted in the photo captions, apprising the reader
of a wide variety of topics. The writer is a well-published
authority on WWII Germany, so the details are authoritative and
informative. All photos are black and white, but are of a good
quality so that they yield interesting details, including the many
close-ups of soldiers. The photos are accompanied by four color
plates produced by Stephen Andrew, which indicate accurate colors
and uniform details. Each plate has its own detailed explanation,
which will be of great use to the figure modeler and military
enthusiast alike.
The book's introduction is particularly useful, offering a
description of how units were organized from 1943-1945, from the
divisional level right down to the rifle company level. There is
also a helpful section on which weapons, and in what quantities,
were allocated to units. This is a welcome companion volume to the
earlier "Soldat" book, completing an in-depth look at the soldiers
of the Wehrmacht as they fought against all the odds on the Eastern
Front in the second half of the war.
Format 21 x 28 cm, Paperback, 52 Seiten, 135 s/w-Fotos, 4
Farbtafeln, englischer Text, Best.-Nr. Con6513