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| fallschirmjäger division: German Airborne Divisions Bruce Quarrie, 2013-01-20 Following the battle for Crete in May 1941, Hitler refused to undertake any further large-scale airborne operations due to the high casualty rate. The Fallschirmjäger subsequently took up a new role as elite 'line' infantry, and they served in the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1945, taking part in the conflict in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Their performance in such hard-fought battles as El Alamein and Monte Cassino reinforced their reputation as some of the toughest troops of World War II. This book explores their changing role in organisation, training and doctrine as the paratroopers developed into Germany's finest frontline soldiers. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Jump Into Hell Franz Kurowski, 2010 Action-adventure narrative about elite German airborne troops. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjager Jeremy Dixon, 2015-08-28 Mini-biographies of the 130 Knight’s Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger, Hitler’s elite paratroopers |
| fallschirmjäger division: The 1st Fallschirmjäger Division in World War II Ben Christensen, 2007 Based on their combat achievements, friends and foes alike have singled out the men from the German 1st Parachute Division as the best soldiers in World War II, as they at Eben Emael executed the most successful commando raid of the war; on Crete the most audacious attack; and in Monte Cassino the most dogged defense. A total of 129 Knight's Crosses were awarded to men from this division - twice as many as any other German division. For the first time a comprehensive book has been written about the fate of this division based on all available sources and with the invaluable aide of veterans from the division. It is a warts-and-all tale, which gives a candid insight not only to the battles from the German perspective, but also to the minds of the men who became the backbone of the division. The books contains more than 500 color and black and white photos, many of which have never been printed before. Furthermore, there are thirty unique maps in color, thirty detailed Orders of Battle, 500 short biographies of the key personnel in the division, and a list of all the division's Knight's Cross and the German Cross in Gold winners. _x000D__x000D_The first volume, Years of Attack, follows the recruitment and training of the Fallschirmjagers and their revolutionary vertical deployment in Scandinavia, Holland, Eben Emael, Corinth and Crete through to two tough tours as elite infantry on the Eastern Front. The second volume, Years of Retreat, follows the division from the battles of El Alamein, Tunisia, Sicily, Monte Cassino, Bologna, Normandy and Brittany to the final chaotic days before the capitulation. The battles are brought to life through nearly 1,000 eyewitness accounts and add new information to all the battles fought by elements of the German 1st Fallschirmjager Division._x000D_ AUTHOR: |
| fallschirmjäger division: Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 'Hermann Göring’ Lawrence Paterson, 2021-12-22 A history of the development and role during World War II of the private army of the Nazi Luftwaffe’s commander-in-chief. In the early years of the Third Reich, Hermann Göring, one of the most notorious leaders of the Third Reich, worked to establish his own personal army to rival Himmler’s SS and Reichswehr. The result: a private Prussian police force which grew into one of the most powerful armored units in Nazi Germany’s Wehrmacht. This unit fought throughout the Second World War, meeting Anglo-American forces in vicious battles across the European theatres of Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy before finally being defeated by the Red Army on the Eastern Front. This book incorporates technical details of these battles with the turbulent politics and Machiavellian maneuvering of Hitler’s inner circle, giving military-history enthusiasts fresh insights into the development and role of this unusual division through the war. Drawing on first-hand accounts and extensive archive material, World War II historian Lawrence Paterson presents a comprehensive and unbiased history of the establishment of the famous 1st Fallschirm-Panzer Division. Praise for Fallschirm–Panzer Division ‘Hermann Göring’ “A fine study, well written, thoroughly researched and highly readable.” —The Journal of Military History “An important contribution to an otherwise little-known but fascinating unit.” —History of War “For anybody interested in the role of this elite unit, it is a ‘must read’ and as part of an understanding of the campaigns it fought, it offers a wider perspective of its interaction with adjoining units.” —Michael McCarthy, Battlefield Guide |
| fallschirmjäger division: Victory in Italy Richard Doherty, 2015-01-30 A detailed history of the final Allied offensive in Italy during World War II. While the main focus in early 1945 was on the advance to the Fatherland, 15 Army Group’s 5th (US) and 8th (British) Armies were achieving remarkable results in Northern Italy. Superb generalship (Truscott—5th Army and McCreery—8th Army under General Mark Clark’s 15 Army Group), planning, preparation and training outweighed the diversion of major formations to Northwest Europe, the appalling terrain, harsh climate and general battle fatigue. Equipment was improvised and air/ground operations coordinated to a very high level. In April the Allied offensive surprised the Germans with its speed and brilliance. As a result, the Germans capitulated on 2 May before the surrender in Germany. Churchill wrote to Field Marshal Alexander on 29 April 1945—’I rejoice in the magnificently planned and executed operations of 15th Group of Armies’. Praise indeed. This is a masterly description and analysis of this victorious campaign. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Battle of the Bulge John R. Bruning, 2011-10-02 Originally published in hardcover in 2009. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Guides to German Records Microfilmed at Alexandria, Va United States. National Archives and Records Service, American Historical Association. Committee for the Study of War Documents, 1958 |
| fallschirmjäger division: Normandy 1944 Niklas Zetterling, 2019-12-19 A revised and updated single-source reference book accurately detailing the German field forces employed in Normandy in 1944 and their losses. In this book, military historian Dr. Niklas Zetterling provides a sobering analysis of the subject matter and debunks a number of popular myths concerning the Normandy campaign—the effectiveness of Allied air power; the preferential treatment of Waffen-SS formations in comparison to their army counterparts; etc. He supports his text with exhaustive footnoting and provides an organizational chart for most of the formations covered in the book. Also included are numerous organizational diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs. “A valuable reference for anyone seriously interested in the battle for Normandy.” —The NYMAS Review |
| fallschirmjäger division: Market Garden Then and Now Boxed Set Karel Margry, 2002-08-30 Both volumes of Operation 'Market Garden' Then and Now in a presentation slip case. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The History of the Galician Division of the Waffen SS Michael James Melnyk, 2017-05-26 The second volume of the definitive history of the 14th Waffen-Grenadier Division der SS (Ukrainische Nr 1). The lavishly illustrated concluding volume of the division's history features chapters on its reformation, deployment against Communist-backed partisans in Slovakia, the forced march to Slovenia, anti-partisan action against Tito's partisans in Slovenia and its committal for the final time on the Eastern Front against the Red Army in Austria. It concludes with an investigation into the Division's escape from repatriation a subject which has long been the subject of contention amongst historians. This volume also deals with internment and ends with its unique post war fate including new information about the secret role of MI6 in training former members of the Division for secret espionage activities behind the Iron Curtain. Drawing on an unsurpassed collection of material accumulated over decades of research, the author offers unique photographic sections on all aspects of the Divisions history including uniform details together with much hitherto unseen material featuring recent document discoveries, new veteran testimonies and detailed information on every aspect of the Division. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Assault on the Gothic Line 1944 Pier Paolo Battistelli, 2023-03-16 Enjoy a detailed examination of Operation Olive as US, British, Commonwealth and Allied forces seek to smash through the last German defensive line in Italy. The Italian theatre of operations post-summer 1944 was often (and incorrectly) surmised at the time as a quiet sector of World War II, populated with troops who were relieved not to find themselves fighting in North-West Europe. Yet the true nature of the hard fighting that took place here was soon revealed when the Allies began their assault on the Axis Gothic Line defences, known as Operation Olive. In this book, Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli documents the dual Allied offensive spearheaded by American and British units to smash through what was supposed to be the final Axis defensive line in Italy before the Alps. The overall strategic aims of both the Axis and Allied leaders are explored, together with the organization of the forces committed. The expertly researched maps and 3D diagrams guide the reader through the progress of the phased battles in challenging terrain. Photographs and specially commissioned artworks show the soldiers that fought on both sides, including American, Canadian, Indian, Brazilian, Polish, New Zealander, British, German and Italian troops, as well as the materiel they employed. The result is an essential illustrated guide to a fascinating and complex late-war campaign. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Peiper's War Danny S Parker, 2020-04-29 ‘A bad reputation has its commitments.’ So wrote home Jochen Peiper from the fighting front in the East in 1943, characterizing his battle-hardened command during the Second World War. Peiper’s War is a new serious work of military history by the renowned author Danny S. Parker which presents a unique view off the Second World War as seen from a prominent participant on the dark side of history. The story follows the wartime career of Waffen SS Colonel Jochen Peiper, a handsome Aryan prodigy who was considered a hero in the Third Reich. Peiper had been Heinrich Himmler’s personal adjutant in the early years of the war, and, having procured a field command in Hitler’s namesake fighting force, the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, he become famous for a flamboyant and brutal style of warfare on the Eastern Front. There, in his sphere, few prisoners were taken, and motives of racial genocide were never far from unspoken orders. Transferred to the west, Peiper’s battlegroup incinerated a tiny town in Northern Italy and killed the village mayor and priest. Being well-connected to Himmler and other generals of the period, Peiper finds a place in the narrative as a storied witness to the inner workings of the Nazi elite along with other prominent SS officers such as Kurt Meyer. In this meticulously researched work, we witness the apex and then death spiral of Nazi military intentions as Peiper fights for Germany across every front in the conflict. Peiper’s War provides a telling inside look at Hitler’s war and then how the dark secrets of his security-minded command were improbably unearthed at the end of the conflict by an obscure top-secret surveillance facility in the United States. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Germans in Normandy Richard Hargreaves, 2006-11-06 This account of the D-Day invasion—from the German point of view—includes maps and photos. The Allied invasion of Northern France was the greatest combined operation in the history of warfare. Up until now, it has been recorded from the attackers’ point of view—whereas the defenders’ angle has been largely ignored. While the Germans knew an invasion was inevitable, no one knew where or when it would fall. Those manning Hitler’s mighty Atlantic Wall may have felt secure in their bunkers, but they had no conception of the fury and fire that was about to break. After the initial assaults of June established an Allied bridgehead, a state of stalemate prevailed. The Germans fought with great courage—hindered by lack of supplies and overwhelming Allied control of the air. This book describes the catastrophe that followed, in a unique look at the war from the losing side. |
| fallschirmjäger division: World War II, 1939-1945 László M. Alfőldi, 1978 |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Savage Storm James Holland, 2023-12-12 Acclaimed WWII historian James Holland both narrates and reframes the controversial first months of the Italian Campaign and sets a new standard in the chronicling of war Following victory in Sicily, while the central command planned the spring 1944 invasion of France, Allied troops crossed into southern Italy in September 1943, expecting to drive Axis forces north and liberate Rome by Christmas. Italy quickly surrendered but German divisions fiercely resisted, and the hoped-for quick victory descended into one of the most challenging and protracted battles of the entire war. James Holland’s The Savage Storm, chronicling the dramatic opening months of the Italian Campaign in unflinching and insightful detail, is unlike any campaign history yet written. Holland has always narrated war at ground level, but here goes further by chronicling events almost entirely through the contemporary eyes of those who were there on all sides and at all levels—Allied, Axis, civilians alike. Weaving together a wealth of letters, diaries, and other documents—from the likes of American General Mark Clark, German battalion commander Georg Zellner, New Zealand lance-corporal Roger Smith, legendary war reporter Ernie Pyle, and Italian politician Filippo Caracciolo—Holland traces the battles as they were experienced across plains, over mountains, through shattered villages and cities, in intense heat and, towards the end of December 1943, frigid cold and relentless rain. Such close-up views persuade Holland to recast important aspects of the campaign, reappraising the reputation of Mark Clark himself and other senior commanders of the U.S. Fifth and British Eighth armies. Given the shortage of Allied shipping and materiel allocated to Italy because of the build-up for D-Day, more was expected of Allied troops in Italy than anywhere else, and, as accounts at the time attest, a huge price was paid by everyone for each bloodily contested mile. Putting readers vividly in the moment as events unfolded, with characters made unforgettable by their own words, The Savage Storm is a defining account of the pivotal months leading to Monte Cassino, and a landmark in the writing about war. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Final Days of the Reich Ian Baxter, 2012-02-02 A pictorial history of the end of World War II from the perspective of Nazi Germany. Drawing on rare and previously unpublished photographs accompanied by in-depth captions and text, this book is a compelling account of the final weeks of the Nazis’ struggle for survival against overwhelming odds. Each photograph fully captures the tension, turmoil, and tragedy of those last, terrible days of war as Wehmacht, Waffen SS, Luftwaffe, Hitlerjungend, Volkssturm, and other units, some of which were comprised of barely trained conscripts, fought out their last battles. Exhausted and demoralized skeletal units must have been aware of the impending defeat. Yet the German General Staff was still resolved to fight at all costs. By late March 1945, less than 100 miles east of Berlin, some 250,000 German troops had slowly withdrawn to the Oder, and what followed was a series of fierce and determined defensive actions that would finally see the Germans encircled and fighting the last desperate battle within Berlin itself against overwhelming odds. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Advance and Destroy John Rickard, 2011-10-01 In the winter of 1944–1945, Hitler sought to divide Allied forces in the heavily forested Ardennes region of Luxembourg and Belgium. He deployed more than 400,000 troops in one of the last major German offensives of the war, which became known as the Battle of the Bulge, in a desperate attempt to regain the strategic initiative in the West. Hitler’s effort failed for a variety of reasons, but many historians assert that Lieutenant General George S. Patton Jr.’s Third Army was ultimately responsible for securing Allied victory. Although Patton has assumed a larger-than-life reputation for his leadership in the years since World War II, scholars have paid little attention to his generalship in the Ardennes following the relief of Bastogne. In Advance and Destroy, Captain John Nelson Rickard explores the commander’s operational performance during the entire Ardennes campaign, through his “estimate of the situation,” the U.S. Army’s doctrinal approach to problem-solving. Patton’s day-by-day situational understanding of the Battle of the Bulge, as revealed through ULTRA intelligence and the influence of the other Allied generals on his decision-making, gives readers an in-depth, critical analysis of Patton’s overall effectiveness, measured in terms of mission accomplishment, his ability to gain and hold ground, and a cost-benefit analysis of his operations relative to the lives of his soldiers. The work not only debunks myths about one of America’s most controversial generals but provides new insights into his renowned military skill and colorful personality. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Hitler's Paratroopers in Normandy Gilberto Villahermosa, 2019-08-30 A retired U.S. Army Master Parachutist, strategist, and military historian analyzes the actions of one German special forces group during World War II. In June 1944, Allied forces fighting desperately to establish a foothold in Normandy and then breakout of the confining bocage found themselves opposed by a bewildering array of formations of the German Wehrmacht. Among them were the newly formed German II Parachute Corps. This gripping new account examines the exploits of Germany’s II Parachute Corps and its commander, Eugen Meindl, from the Allied invasion on June 6 to the end of August 1944. Meindl was the epitome of the senior German airborne commander in the Second World War. Tough, experienced, and aggressive, he cared deeply for his troops. His Parachute Corps fought stubbornly for three weeks, before being forced to fall back. Trapped along with the bulk of the German Seventh Army in the Falaise pocket, Meindl and his paratroopers maintained their discipline and were selected by the Commander in Chief of OB West to lead the German breakout to the east. That they managed to do so, despite suffering grievous losses, while so many around them died or surrendered, is a testament to their dedication and fighting ability. Theirs is a story that deserves to be told. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Special Bibliographic Series US Army Military History Research Collection, 1978 |
| fallschirmjäger division: Atlas of the European Campaign Steven J. Zaloga, 2018-05-31 In June 1944 the Allies opened the long-awaited second front against Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, and this was to be the start of a long struggle throughout Western Europe for the Allied forces in the face of stiff German resistance. The European Theatre was where the bulk of the Allied forces were committed in the struggle against Nazi Germany. It saw some of the most famous battles and operations of the war – Normandy, Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge – as the Allies sought to liberate Western Europe in the face of bitter and hard-fought German resistance. From the beaches of D-Day through to the final battles in war-ravaged Germany, the war across the breadth and depth of Western Europe is brought to life through scores of carefully researched and intricately detailed maps. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Battles for Monte Cassino Jeffrey Plowman, Perry Rowe, 2022-09-21 This WWII illustrated history examines the 1944 Allied attack on Italy with archival combat images paired with photos of the terrain today. The Battles for Monte Cassino—a vital stronghold on the road to Rome—encompassed one of the few truly international conflicts of the Second World War. The fighting lasted four months and cost the lives of more than 14,000 men from eight nations. Between January and May 1944, forces from Britain, Canada, France, India, New Zealand, Poland and the United States, fought a resolute German army in a series of battles in which the advantage swung from one side to the other. From firefights in the mountains to tank attacks in the valley; from river crossings to street fighting, the four battles of Cassino encompass a series of individual operations unique in the history of the Second World War. This richly illustrated volume narrates the campaign through a fascinating series of then-and-now comparisons, juxtaposing combat photos with modern images of the same beaches, mountains, and streets where the fighting took place. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Patton at the Battle of the Bulge Leo Barron, 2015-11-03 December, 1944. For the besieged American defenders of Bastogne, time was running out. Hitler's forces had pressed in as their ammunition dwindled, and the weary paratroopers of the 101st Airborne could only hope for a miracle-a miracle in the form of General George S. Patton and his Third Army. Here, Army veteran and historian Leo Barron explores one of the most famous, yet little understood, clashes of the war, a vitally important chapter in one of history's biggest battles. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Lions of Carentan Volker Griesser, 2011-10-06 “Fascinating . . . a must read for those who are interested in the Normandy, Market Garden, and Ardennes Operations” (Henrik Lunde, author of Hitler’s Preemptive War). This is the complete wartime history of one of the largest German paratrooper regiments, the 6th, from its initial formation in the spring of 1943 to its last day at the end of the war. With numerous firsthand accounts from key members reporting on their experiences, they describe the events of 1943–45 vividly and without compromise. These accounts reveal previously unknown details about important operations in Italy, Russia, Belgium, and Holland, and on the Normandy Front, the last German Parachute drop in the Ardennes, and the final battle to the end in Germany. With over 220 original photographs, many from private collections and never before published, this book fully illustrates the men, their uniforms, equipment, and weapons. Also included is an appendix with maps, battle calendar, staffing plans, a list of field numbers, and the Knight’s Cross recipients of the regiment. Having earned the respect of the Allied forces who fought against it during World War II, this work will inform current readers of the full record of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, and why the Allied advance into German-held Europe was so painstaking to achieve. “The great value of Griesser’s superb, richly detailed, and fabulously illustrated work is that it fills in a very wide gap in our knowledge about one of Nazi Germany’s elite branches of service . . . The Lions of Carentan represents a treasure trove for anyone interested in German airborne forces.” —Flint Whitlock, author of If Chaos Reigns |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Battle of the Bulge Hans Wijers, 2010-01-20 Against-all-odds actions by the 1st Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge. Firsthand accounts from American and German soldiers. Details on Jochen Peiper and the notorious Malmedy Massacre. |
| fallschirmjäger division: St Lô 1944 Steven J. Zaloga, 2017-06-29 Following the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, the First US Army engaged in a six-week struggle to break out of the Normandy beach-head. The hedgerow country of lower Normandy, called the Bocage, presented unanticipated tactical problems since it proved to be ideal for German infantry defense. This book examines the brutal attritional struggle in June-July 1944 to overcome the determined German defense and secure St Lô. The city was the site of a crucial cross-roads and was thus a vital target for the invading Allied forces; the initial bombing attacks were so severe that the journalist and poet Samuel Beckett would later report that it had been 'bombed out of existence in one night'. The attack by ground forces turned into a brutal attritional struggle to overcome the determined German defense. Using full-colour artwork, photographs and maps, this is the engaging story of one of the key engagements in the Battle of Normandy. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Sabers through the Reich William Stuart Nance, 2017-05-08 In Sabers through the Reich, William Stuart Nance provides the first comprehensive operational history of American corps cavalry in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during World War II. The corps cavalry had a substantive and direct impact on Allied success in almost every campaign, and served as offensive guards for armies across Europe, conducting reconnaissance, economy of force, and security missions, as well as prisoner of war rescues. From D-Day and Operation Cobra to the Battle of the Bulge and the drive to the Rhine, these groups had the mobility, flexibility, and firepower to move quickly across the battlefield, enabling them to aid communications and intelligence gathering, reducing the Clausewitzian friction of war. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Bolt Action: Campaign: Italy: Tough Gut Warlord Games, 2023-08-17 A new supplement for Bolt Action focusing on the later Italian Campaign, following on from Soft Underbelly, adding new units, scenarios, and special rules. In Italy, the fight continues! As the Allies push north up the Italian Peninsula, they have encountered heavy resistance from the Axis and their multitude of fortified and defensive lines, slowing the allied advance to a crawl. The 'soft underbelly' of Europe proved to be false, instead it was a 'tough gut'. This supplement for Bolt Action, and the counterpart to Soft Underbelly, focuses on the battles ranging from the Gustav Line in 1944 all the way to those of the Gothic Line in 1945, with the breakouts at Anzio and Monte Cassino of particular focus. Containing a host of scenarios to refight these famous battles, along with new units, special rules, and Theatre Selectors, this book contains everything players need to bring an end to the war and liberate Italy. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Snow and Steel Peter Caddick-Adams, 2014-11-06 Peter Caddick-Adams - one of the leading military historians of his generation - reviews one of the great final engagements of WW2: The Battle of the Bulge. Including specially commissioned maps, black and white photography, archive material and personal interviews, this is a riveting landmark study of a pivotal historical moment and perfect for readers of James Holland, John Keegan, Anthony Beevor and Max Hastings. 'A thought-provoking and compelling account of one of the most iconic battles of the Second World War. Brilliant' -- James Holland 'Caddick-Adams knows more about the Bulge than any other historian I have read...I admire his originality...Snow and Steel offers an authoritative narrative of the drama...' -- Max Hasting, The Sunday Times 'An encyclopaedic and eminently readable book' -- Times Literary Supplement 'A compelling read' -- ***** Reader review 'The definitive Bulge history' -- ***** Reader review 'Absolutely brilliant book' -- ***** Reader review 'Brilliant read. Captivating and informative' -- ***** Reader review 'Excellent, authoritative and very well written' -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************************************** Snow and Steel is a huge reassessment of Hitler's last great throw of the dice: 'The Battle of the Bulge', the battle for the Ardennes from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945. This is an utterly fascinating five weeks when for a time it looked like Hitler had outflanked the allied armies pushing toward the Rhine and might just throw them back to the Normandy beaches. It is also the context for the catastrophic events at Bastogne depicted so graphically in Band of Brothers. For military history fans this is one of those touchstone battles of World War Two, written by an author with a world-wide reputation. With specially commissioned maps, photographs, primary archival material and personal interviews, this is a truly controversial, commercial and landmark book. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Hitler's Army David Stone, 2014-04-15 'I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich, supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be prepared, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath.' (German armed forces oath of loyalty, instituted 2 August 1934) This extensively illustrated new title from renowned historian, David Stone, describes and analyses every significant aspect of the rise and fall of 'Hitler's Army' within the Wehrmacht from 1933 to 1945, including its creation, organisation, weapons, equipment, training and tactics. The book also considers its conduct in battle and its strengths and weaknesses, together with the motivation, lifestyle, performance and nature of its officers and soldiers, both prior to and during the conflict. Hitler's Army is an essential reference for anyone seeking a definitive explanation and analysis of one of Europe's most formidable fighting forces. It is also a balanced and indispensable aid for those wishing to understand how the much vaunted and apparently unbeatable German army that went to war in 1939 and so speedily achieved military pre-eminence in Europe, was consigned just over five years later to total military defeat and the ignominy of unconditional surrender in a devastated, demoralised and shattered Germany. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Salerno 1943 Angus Konstam, 2013-06-20 In mid-September 1943, as the opening move of the Allied campaign to liberate the mainland of Italy, an Anglo-American invasion force landed on the beaches of the Gulf of Salerno, only a few dozen miles to the south of Naples. Italy had just surrendered, and the soldiers in the landing craft prayed that the invasion would be unopposed. It was not to be. The Germans had seized control of the Italian-built beach defences, and were ready and waiting. The ferocious ten-day battle at Salerno was eventually decided by a combination of Allied reinforcements, and secondary landings in support of the beleaguered Salerno bridgehead. Using documentary records, memoirs and eyewitness accounts from all sides, Angus Konstam recreates the battle day by day, hour by hour. His methodically researched account offers a fresh perspective on a decisive battle that has largely been neglected by British and American historians in recent years. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Sicily Campaign William F. Buckingham, Dudley Giles, 2025-05-15 The joint Allied invasion of Sicily, the first successful attempt to occupy enemy territory, and the precursor for both the invasion of Italy and the later Normandy campaign. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Sturmgeschütze Bob Carruthers, 2013-06-05 An overview of the Wehrmacht’s little-known mobile assault guns designed to provide close infantry support against enemy field defenses in World War II. The Stürmgeschutze rumbling forward into action is one of the iconic images of World War II. As mobile assault guns, the StuGs were essentially designed as infantry support weapons, but they also proved themselves as highly effective tank destroyers. Written by Emmy Award-winning author Bob Carruthers this fascinating study encompasses the design, development and combat history of the StuG II and IV. Drawing on a variety of rare primary sources and photographs this outstanding study explains the role of the StuG in context and examines the combat records of the StuG aces such as Franz von Malachowski, and Knight’s Cross holder Oberwachtmeister Hugo Primozic of Stug.Abt.667. Indispensable reading for anyone with an interest in armored warfare, this book is part of the Hitler’s War Machine series, a new military history range compiled and edited by Emmy Award winning-author and historian Bob Carruthers. The series draws on primary sources and contemporary documents to provide a new insight into the true nature of Hitler’s Wehrmacht. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Crete 1941 Peter Antill, 2012-11-20 Operation Mercury, the German airborne assault on the island of Crete in May 1941, was the first strategic use of airborne forces in history. The assault began on 20 May, with landings near the island's key airports, and reinforcements the next day allowed the German forces to capture one end of the runway at Maleme. By 24 May, the Germans were being reinforced by air on a huge scale and on 1 June Crete surrendered. This book describes how desperately close the battle had been and explains how German losses so shocked the Führer that he never again authorised a major airborne operation. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Scenario Designer's Handbook (2nd Ed.) Michael Dorosh, 2015 Scenario Designer's Handbook (ISBN 978-0-9782646-8-0) is intended as a reference for those interested in designing historical scenarios for the Advanced Squad Leader game system. The book features 240 full-colour pages with a variety of information to assist in force and terrain selection, including company, battalion and divisional break-downs of the major armies that participated in the Second World War. Additional chapters deal with scenario lay-out, publishing, researching, walk-throughs of the design process and discussion regarding the various components of ASL scenarios. The 2nd Edition includes an improved layout, additional information on various forces (Chinese, Finns, etc.) and revised appendices with updated map and overlay listing. Note the discount price on Lulu is the actual list price - this will not change. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Battle of the Reichswald Tim Saunders, 2023-02-22 During winter 1944/45 few German officers believed that the Allies would attack the wooded Reichswald Plug on the narrow neck of land between the rivers Rhine and Maas. Consequently, relying on the natural defenses of the forest, the vaunted Siegfried Line had been allowed to peter out. The 84th Infantry Division held field defenses that had been worked on all autumn, but the defenders were thinly spread, and most German soldiers now faced the certainty of defeat. Originally hoping to use the frozen winter ground for a speedy assault, days before Operation VERITABLE began a thaw set in and the Allies faced attacking in the worst possible ground conditions. On the morning of 8 February, after protracted bombardment, delays multiplied as vehicles became bogged in saturated fields and shell holes, and roads broke up under heavy armor. However, just enough assault engineer equipment reached the outer German defenses, where they found the enemy infantry largely stunned by the bombardment. It took all of the first day to break through the mud and defenses into the Reichswald, while to the north, Canadians and Scots struggled across equally sodden open country with the Rhine floods rising fast. Despite the conditions, overnight the Canadians took to the flood waters to seize what were now island villages and the Scots dashed to capture the vital Materborn, which overlooked Kleve. With heavy rain compounding difficulties, mud and flood waters made movement of men and supplies increasingly difficult. Despite this and the arrival of German reinforcements, the Allies fought their way forward, forcing the Reichswald Plug and opening the way into the Rhineland and the final phases of the war. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Axis Occupation of Europe Winston Ramsey, Gail Ramsey, 2018-06-30 Dr Raphael Lemkin was a Polish émigré and the person who coined the term ‘genocide’ during his study of international law concerning crimes against humanity which he began in 1933 — the year that the Nazis assumed power in Germany. His much-acclaimed work Axis Rule in Occupied Europe was published in 1944 and extracts from it now form the framework on which we have built this ‘then and now’ coverage of the occupation of Czechoslovakia, Memel, Albania, Danzig, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Monaco, the Channel Islands, Greece, Yugoslavia, the Baltic states, the Soviet Union, Romania, Italy and Hungary. Individual chapters also cover the most serious crimes committed by the occupier: the destruction of whole villages in Czechoslovakia, France, the Netherlands and Greece, and the genocidal acts carried out in Italy, Greece, Belgium, although nothing can equal the wholesale slaughter enacted in the Balkans and the USSR. It has been estimated that the Axis occupation of Europe cost between 20 and 25 million civilian lives, apart from the deaths of at least 16 million servicemen and women who paid the ultimate price in trying to put Europe back together again. It is a debt that can never be repaid. |
| fallschirmjäger division: The Ardennes, 1944-1945 Christer Bergström, 2014-12-19 A comprehensive, photo-filled account of the six-week-long Battle of the Bulge, when panzers slipped through the forest and took the Allies by surprise. In December 1944, just as World War II appeared to be winding down, Hitler shocked the world with a powerful German counteroffensive that cracked the center of the American front. The attack came through the Ardennes, the hilly and forested area in eastern Belgium and Luxembourg that the Allies had considered a “quiet” sector. Instead, for the second time in the war, the Germans used it as a stealthy avenue of approach for their panzers. Much of US First Army was overrun, and thousands of prisoners were taken as the Germans forged a fifty-mile “bulge” into the Allied front. But in one small town, Bastogne, American paratroopers, together with remnants of tank units, offered dogged resistance. Meanwhile, the rest of Eisenhower’s “broad front” strategy came to a halt as Patton, from the south, and Hodges, from the north, converged on the enemy incursion. Yet it would take an epic, six-week-long winter battle, the bloodiest in the history of the US Army, before the Germans were finally pushed back. Christer Bergström has interviewed veterans, gone through huge amounts of archive material, and performed on-the-spot research in the area. The result is a large amount of previously unpublished material and new findings, including reevaluations of tank and personnel casualties and the most accurate picture yet of what really transpired from the perspectives of both sides. With nearly four hundred photos, numerous maps, and thirty-two superb color profiles of combat vehicles and aircraft, it provides perhaps the most comprehensive look at the battle yet published. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Brittany 1944 Steven J. Zaloga, 2018-04-19 One of the prime objectives for the Allies following the D-Day landings was the capture of sufficient ports to supply their armies. The original Overlord plans assumed that ports along the Breton coast would be essential to expansion of the Normandy beach-head. This included the major ports at Brest and on Quiberon Bay. The newly arrived Third US Army (TUSA) under Lt. Gen. George S. Patton was delegated to take on the Brittany mission. In one of the most rapid mechanized advances of the war, TUSA had the ports of Avranches and Quiberon encircled by the second week of August 1944. But changing priorities meant that most of TUSA was redeployed, meaning only a single corps was left to take the Breton port cities. The fight would drag into 1945, long after German field armies had been driven from France. Using full colour maps and artwork as well as contemporary accounts and photographs, Brittany 1944 is the fascinating story of the siege of Germany's last bastions on the French Atlantic coast. |
| fallschirmjäger division: Special Bibliography , 1978 |
The Fallschirmjager Helmet | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Sep 20, 2007 · The Fallschirmjager wears the second pattern jump smock in olive green, with the parade version of the parachute harness straps. He is a recipient of both the DRL Sports …
Fallschirmjager ever used on Russian front? | WWII Forums
Aug 28, 2006 · To get on with my question though, were any Fallschirmjager units used on the Russian front throughout the war at anytime? I know after the disaster at Crete (even though …
Thoughts on deployment of Fallschirmjager.... | WWII Forums
Jul 22, 2001 · The Fallschirmjager were deployed as they should have been in all actions either in relation to the Luftwaffe 'drops of oil' strategy or the Schwerpunkt strategy favoured by the …
Fallschirmjäger units in Brest in 1944 | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Jun 6, 2006 · Fallschirm-Artillerie-Regiment 2 Oberst Winkler. I Artillerie Abteilung Hptman Sima 1 Batterie Oberlt Gudzent then Lt Stiefel.
Photo Album for Fallschirmjager Oberjager Fritzt Kuschich
Dec 10, 2018 · His girlfriend also cut out clippings connected to the Fallschirmjager and are part of the scrapbook. Promotions Gefreiter - 1 November 1940 Obergefreiter - 1 November 1941 …
the fallschirmjager vs the SS ? | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Nov 4, 2002 · the fallschirmjager vs the SS ? Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Alister, Dec 10, 2002 ...
Fallschirmjager Memoir | WWII Forums
Jul 18, 2002 · It's well-illustrated with many of Poppel's private photos, and interesting because he volunteered for Fallschirmjager in '38, so describes his activities in Poland, Narvik, Holland, …
Afrika Korps Fallschirmjager helmet? | WWII Forums
May 24, 2016 · Decals etc are looking very good in great condition leather seems to be stamped but since i know that Fallschirmjager helmets are very rare and expensive i doubt the …
SS Fallschirmjager | WWII Forums
Jul 17, 2002 · I am trying to trace the combat record for SS Para Btn 500/600. I have conflicting sources for their actions in July 1944.
ORIGINAL FALLSCHIRMJAGER PHOTO ALBUM CRETE AND …
Jan 22, 2010 · Wilhelm Plieschen ...he served in The Fallschirmjager Machine gun battalion 7 . On 20th.May 1941 he was dropped close to Rethymnon as part of the invasion of Crete …
The Fallschirmjager Helmet | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Sep 20, 2007 · The Fallschirmjager wears the second pattern jump smock in olive green, with the parade version of the parachute harness straps. He is a recipient of both the DRL Sports …
Fallschirmjager ever used on Russian front? | WWII Forums
Aug 28, 2006 · To get on with my question though, were any Fallschirmjager units used on the Russian front throughout the war at anytime? I know after the disaster at Crete (even though …
Thoughts on deployment of Fallschirmjager.... | WWII Forums
Jul 22, 2001 · The Fallschirmjager were deployed as they should have been in all actions either in relation to the Luftwaffe 'drops of oil' strategy or the Schwerpunkt strategy favoured by the …
Fallschirmjäger units in Brest in 1944 | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Jun 6, 2006 · Fallschirm-Artillerie-Regiment 2 Oberst Winkler. I Artillerie Abteilung Hptman Sima 1 Batterie Oberlt Gudzent then Lt Stiefel.
Photo Album for Fallschirmjager Oberjager Fritzt Kuschich
Dec 10, 2018 · His girlfriend also cut out clippings connected to the Fallschirmjager and are part of the scrapbook. Promotions Gefreiter - 1 November 1940 Obergefreiter - 1 November 1941 …
the fallschirmjager vs the SS ? | WWII Forums - ww2f.com
Nov 4, 2002 · the fallschirmjager vs the SS ? Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Alister, Dec 10, 2002 ...
Fallschirmjager Memoir | WWII Forums
Jul 18, 2002 · It's well-illustrated with many of Poppel's private photos, and interesting because he volunteered for Fallschirmjager in '38, so describes his activities in Poland, Narvik, Holland, …
Afrika Korps Fallschirmjager helmet? | WWII Forums
May 24, 2016 · Decals etc are looking very good in great condition leather seems to be stamped but since i know that Fallschirmjager helmets are very rare and expensive i doubt the …
SS Fallschirmjager | WWII Forums
Jul 17, 2002 · I am trying to trace the combat record for SS Para Btn 500/600. I have conflicting sources for their actions in July 1944.
ORIGINAL FALLSCHIRMJAGER PHOTO ALBUM CRETE AND …
Jan 22, 2010 · Wilhelm Plieschen ...he served in The Fallschirmjager Machine gun battalion 7 . On 20th.May 1941 he was dropped close to Rethymnon as part of the invasion of Crete …
