A fully illustrated survey of the Soviet infantryman on the Eastern Front in World War II. The Soviet Army was ill-prepared for its ally's treacherous onslaught in 1941. Its officer corps decimated by Stalin's purges and its men less well-trained than the Germans, the Red Army was poorly led, hampered by the power of the political officers and only partly mobilized. But, in spite of the huge German victories and the speed of the Nazi attack, the Soviets proved fantastically capable of roll...

A fully illustrated survey of the German infantryman on the Eastern Front in World War II. The German Army was all-conquering until late 1941 when, only a few miles short of Moscow, it ran out of steam. Maniacal defense, the Russian winter and exhaustion all played their part and, although they didn't realize it, the German forces wouldn't advance further on this front. While they continued their offensives into 1942, Soviet defenses had stiffened. Its equipment – notably the T-34 – had im...

"An interesting introductory read . . . [on] this infamous 'bridge too far' division" in the series that brings World War II battles to life ( Classic Military Vehicle).After being held in reserve during the battle of Normandy and spending three months waiting for action, 1st Airborne played a leading role in Operation Market—the air component of Operation Market Garden, an audacious attempt by the Allies to bypass the Siegfried Line and advance into the Ru...

A pictorial history of the British Eighth Army's campaigns in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia during World War II.The British Eighth Army, which played a decisive role in defeating the Axis in North Africa, was one of the most celebrated Allied armies of the Second World War, and this photographic history is the ideal introduction to it. The carefully chosen photographs show the men, weapons, and equipment of the army during campaigns in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. The ba...

Packed with archival photos, a fascinating account of armored warfare in WWII—and how tank design and tactics were transformed during the period.On the battlefields of Europe and North Africa during the Second World War, tanks played a key role, and the intense pressure of combat drove forward tank design and tactics at an extraordinary rate. In a few years, on all sides, tank warfare was transformed. This is the dramatic process that Simon and Jonathan Forty chroni...

“…great detailed shots and drawings for those looking for references in their models. Highly recommended for beginners to advanced builders.” -AMPSThe German Panzerwaffe ripped up the rulebooks of war that had been laid down by the grinding slaughter of the trenches of World War I. Armored vehicles, close-air support, and bold leadership based on mission command, Auftragstaktik, cut a deadly swathe through the armies of east and west Europe. The Panzers ma...

Caen, a D-Day objective on 6 June 1944, did not fall to the British and Canadian troops of Second Army until 6 August, by which time much of the city had been reduced to rubble. The two-month struggle was a crucial stage in the Normandy campaign and, as Simon Forty demonstrates in this photographic history, one of the most controversial.His detailed, graphic account gives the reader a fascinating insight into the opposing forces, the conditions, the terrain, the equipment and weaponry depl...

With rare wartime photography, this WWII history presents an in-depth look at one of the most grueling and vital battles of the Normandy campaign.After storming the beaches on D-Day, the US First Army labored to advance through the Norman bocage country in the west. The lethal struggle that developed there was a defining episode in the Normandy campaign, and this photographic history is a vivid introduction to it.The Germans mounted a tenacious defense from t...

"The book is accessible to those who have no insightful knowledge and familiarity with the history of the Roman frontiers . . . an enjoyable read." — Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewThe borders of the Roman Empire were frontiers that were often wild and dangerous. By AD 117 and the accession of Hadrian, the empire had reached its peak, and its wealth was coveted by those outside its borders. Just as today those from poorer countries try to make ...

The infantry can always be found at the sharp end of the battlefield. You may be able to crush an opponent with armour or artillery, but there's only one way to take and hold ground and that's with riflemen – the 'poor bloody infantry'. And it is the infantrymen of the Second World War – from all sides, Allied and Axis – who are the subject of this highly illustrated history. It uses over 400 wartime photographs plus contemporary documents and other illustrations to show the developments i...

A pictorial account of the development and implementation of airborne forces during World War II.On ten May 1940 German Fallschirmjäger stormed the Dutch fort of Eben-Emael, south of Maastricht. The brilliantly executed operation was the first signal success by airborne troops in the Second World War and it made the military world sit up and take notice. Improved parachutes and the creation of gliders that could carry troops meant that assault forces could be dropp...

"...contains a plethora of after-action reports, diagrams and text which makes the work a thorough and engaging study of amphibious landings during the war." —WWII History MagazineAmphibious operations have always been an important element of warfare, but they reached their climax during the Second World War when they were carried out on a large scale in every theater of the conflict. That is why this wide-ranging, highly illustrated history of amphibious warfare 1939–1945 by Simon ...