Into the Cauldron - Das Reich in France 1940
Robert Michulec & Dmitriy Zgonnik
Heinrich Himmler created the SS in the 1930s as an ideological
elite military force. SS-Verfugungstruppe (Special Disposal Troop,
or SS-VT) units took part in the invasion of Poland in September
1939, and in the following month the decision was made to quickly
expand the force into what became known as the Waffen-SS. By the
spring of 1940, the SS-VT division was organized into three
regiments - "Deutschland", "Germania" and "Der Führer". These units
were at the forefront of the attack on the West in May 1940. After
the successful conclusion of the campaign, the SS-VT division was
soon renamed the SS-Division Das Reich (Motorized). This particular
division is the subject of Concord Publication's latest book, which
is entitled "Into the Cauldron - Das Reich in France 1940". It is
written by Robert Michulec, an author well known to Concord
readers.
Following the usual format of other books in the Warrior 6500
series, this volume contains 52 pages, with a four-page color
section in the center. This central segment features four color
plates by talented illustrator Dmitriy Zgonnik. They show four "Das
Reich" soldiers dressed in various types of uniform and equipped
with a range of weaponry, while the accompanying text elaborates
points of interest. The heart of the book is the collection of
black and white photographs showing "Das Reich" troops from the
1940 period. Coverage commences with training photos in early 1940,
and the content then documents the campaign in France. Many photos
contain excellent close-up details of uniforms, personal equipment
and personal weapons. A great number are "in-action" photos, and
they show auxiliary equipment such as motorcycles, wheeled
vehicles, halftracks, armored vehicles and antitank weapons
too.
For readers interested in the invasion of France, and particularly
the involvement of the Waffen-SS, this volume offers concise yet
comprehensive coverage. The sharply reproduced photos give a very
real sense of this campaign by "Das Reich" in the early part of
WWII, and the details they portray will be of great value to figure
modelers and military enthusiasts alike.
Format 21 x 28 cm, Paperback, 52 Seiten, 134 s/w-Fotos, 4
Farbtafeln, englischer Text, Best.-Nr. Con6533