WW2 related history books for Panzer Generals (for Xmas)

Longasc · Post by **Longasc** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 5:43 pm

Well, you read the subject. Any suggestions?

I just ordered a book from this guy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Delbr%C3%BCck
http://www.amazon.de/Geschichte-Kriegsk ... 868200088/ - very cheap, and huge!

and would like something focusing on WW2. It doesn't need to be a "all about WW2 in a 3000 pages nutshell" kind of book, just something you find interesting. I am intentionally vague in order to not limit your imagination.

I prefer English or German editions.

Fire away!

VPaulus · Post by **VPaulus** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:00 pm

Well I just bought Robert Kershaw's "It Never Snows in September: The German View of Market-Garden and the Battle of Arnhem September 1944".
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Snows-Sep ... -1-catcorr

While not a book, it's however WW2 related, I've also ordered "The World At War: The Ultimate Restored Edition". I have the 30th Anniversary Edition, but this version was remastered and the quality of the image is much better.
IMO, a must have, for any WW2 buff.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-At-War-Ul ... 064&sr=1-1

DrkCon · Post by **DrkCon** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:01 pm

Neat favorite of mine, Dirty Little Secrets of World War II

http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Little-Secr ... 440&sr=8-1

Historical, Educational, and Entertaining! Also little .. and dirty.

impar · Post by **impar** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:06 pm

My favourite:
Ostfront
Hitler's War on Russia 1941-45
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/O ... 1855327115
http://www.amazon.com/Ostfront-Hitlers- ... 1841760668

If anyone knows of similar books, please tell, TY.

rezaf · Post by **rezaf** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:28 pm

I was pretty fond of Anthony Beevor's books - here's a list on Amazon.co.uk.
The ones I've read are Stalingrad, Berlin: Downfall 1945, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy and (semi relevant) The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. Iirc, all are also available in German, but mostly out of print.

I was surprised I couldn't find an english edition of Janusz Piekalkiewicz's book "Der Zweite Weltkrieg". It's reasonably cheap and a huge, thick book. Not exactly an easy or particularly entertaining read, it covers everything and the kitchen sink WW2 and you can find a solid amount of basic information about most engagements that happened on any front or theatre in it. Worth the modest price tag, imo. Amazon.de link.
_____
rezaf

soldier · Post by **soldier** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:41 pm

I was pretty fond of Anthony Beevor's books - here's a list on Amazon.co.uk.
The ones I've read are Stalingrad, Berlin: Downfall 1945, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy and (semi relevant) The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. Iirc, all are also available in German, but mostly out of print.

Stalingrad is an excellent book. I Can't think of any better WW2 book that I've read.
Currently reading a book called Hitlers Traitor (Loius Kilzer). I'm not sure who it is yet but its amazing how much excellent intelligence the soviets had on the wehrmachts order of battle throughout the conflict, especially at Kursk.

impar · Post by **impar** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:59 pm

rezaf wrote:The ones I've read are Stalingrad, Berlin: Downfall 1945, D-Day: The Battle for Normandy and (semi relevant) The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. Iirc, all are also available in German, but mostly out of print.

Have Stalingrad, am reading Berlin, will check the others.

soldier · Post by **soldier** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:23 pm

I thought about getting Berlin, is it good ?

Schneides42 · Post by **Schneides42** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:04 pm

Max Hasting's book Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy 1944 http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Overlor ... 0330513623 is very good. He provides a critical assessment on the equipment, personnel and tactics used.

Cheers

Craig

impar · Post by **impar** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:20 pm

soldier wrote:I thought about getting Berlin, is it good ?

Havent finished it, its similar to, but so far still prefer, Stalingrad.

Lamont · Post by **Lamont** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:39 pm

Depends on what you want really. Is it more the big picture of the war or more details about certain battles or events, persons etc ?
Must admit I am a little bit of a nerd when it comes to this and have a decent ww2 libary. Without knowing what you want I give you (and others a few tips)

By Niklas Zetterling:

http://www.amazon.com/Kursk-1943-Statis ... 169&sr=8-7
This is a statistical overwiev of the battle at Kursk with the preludle to the battle itself and a day by day reference to what happend.

http://www.amazon.com/Normandy-1944-Org ... 361&sr=8-1
About the Normandy campaign and a few new ideas on that campaign

http://www.amazon.com/BISMARCK-Final-Ge ... 361&sr=8-5
About the destiny and story about the Bismark battleship. Quite exciting with a view from both sides even if you know how it went its still to a hold on me at least. Exciting book.

http://www.amazon.com/KORSUN-POCKET-Enc ... 361&sr=8-3

About the Korsun battle also known as the Tjerkassy pocket 44.

WW2 participants:

http://www.amazon.com/Grenadiers-Genera ... 645&sr=8-2

The story of Kurt "Panzer" Meyer the famous and dynamic German comander. A personal favorite of mine (the book)

http://www.amazon.com/Tigers-Mud-Comman ... 852&sr=1-1

One of the Tiger aces of the war and comander of a Tiger company at the Leningrad front (mostly) (Wermact not SS) and his story.
Frrom 44 to the fall of Berlin

http://www.amazon.com/Infantry-Aces-Sol ... 078&sr=1-1

Combat stories of eight German infantry soldiers: one paratrooper, two members of the Waffen-SS, and five members of the Wehrmacht
A concluding chapter examines infantry tactics . Shortter storys from soldiers about 50 pages per soldier. Fun book if you like first hand accounts of infantery men who were nothing short of aces.

Units:

So many books but here is a few I like peronally.

http://www.amazon.com/SS-PANZER-AUFKLAR ... 64&sr=1-10

Class book on the Nordlands (SS The Grenadier division sister div to Wiking if you want), its mostly about the Rec abteilung but covers the units birth and first station in Yougoslavia to the end in Berlin and a few events like a murder on a SS officer in Berlin with a few maps and some good black and white pictures in every chapter.

http://www.amazon.com/German-Elite-Forc ... 059&sr=1-1

The story of 5th Gebergisjäger Div and some good allround info on the Brandenburgers. Shows isignats (spelling) and a few words of the most important people in the Divisions/units.

http://www.amazon.com/Waffen-SS-Elite-F ... 345&sr=1-4
General story of the first 2 SS Div Leibstandarte and Das Reich. More general but a good start and it covers their history but not every battle in detail. Also shows isignas and a few words on the leaders.

http://www.amazon.com/LIONS-CARENTAN-Fa ... =1-1-spell
Fallschirmjager Regiment 6, 1943-1945 . Quite remarkeble book with some never before known info about the regiments participants in Italy 43.
Full appendix on the units organization throughout its excistence and black and white pics and a few maps.

Hopefully something was of use to you or anybody on the forum.

Pardon my english. I am not a native english speaker but hope you all understand what I mean.

jaggy · Post by **jaggy** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:21 am

John Erickson's books on the Eastern Front:

The Road to Stalingrad

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Stalingrad-C ... 182&sr=1-1

The Road to Berlin

http://www.amazon.com/Stalins-Germany-C ... 378&sr=1-3

Teleblaster18 · Post by **Teleblaster18** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:54 am

soldier wrote:I thought about getting Berlin, is it good ?

Yes, very much so.

Teleblaster18 · Post by **Teleblaster18** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:57 am

I'd also recommend Andrew Nagorski's "The Greatest Battle", which chronicles The Battle of Moscow.

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Battle-D ... 0743281101

flakfernrohr · Post by **flakfernrohr** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:05 am

For a first person experience book in the German view (not Nazi), you all need to read "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. He was a member of Gross Deutschland Grenadiers. I first read this book when it became available in English in the US in the 1970's and I have re-read it many many times since. I have a first edition and a leather bound edition. If you read it, you will not forget it. Also any book by David Glanz on the Eastern Front, particularly Kursk, is really the final word in research and balanced narrative. And there is a novel that the movie "Cross of Iron" was taken from. Otto Carius' book, "Tigers in the Mud" is excellent also. It is readily available in soft cover, but the hard cover first editions are scarce. Now there was a guy that knew how to handle IS-2 tanks!

Longasc · Post by **Longasc** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:23 pm

Thanks for the suggestions! I did some research on some books you mentioned, but have not yet decided on a favorite.

TheGrayMouser · Post by **TheGrayMouser** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:39 pm

flakfernrohr wrote:For a first person experience book in the German view (not Nazi), you all need to read "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. He was a member of Gross Deutschland Grenadiers. I first read this book when it became available in English in the US in the 1970's and I have re-read it many many times since. I have a first edition and a leather bound edition. If you read it, you will not forget it. Also any book by David Glanz on the Eastern Front, particularly Kursk, is really the final word in research and balanced narrative. And there is a novel that the movie "Cross of Iron" was taken from. Otto Carius' book, "Tigers in the Mud" is excellent also. It is readily available in soft cover, but the hard cover first editions are scarce. Now there was a guy that knew how to handle IS-2 tanks!

Forgotten Soldier is an amazing book.
Also, Don Burgett's memoirs as a Screaming Eagle are excellant reads.

I have heard too that Hans Rudels accounts as a Stuka pilot is a must read too ( thousands of hard vehicle kills plus a battleship!) , I can never find a copy at a reasonable price though.

impar · Post by **impar** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:09 pm

TheGrayMouser wrote:I have heard too that Hans Rudels accounts as a Stuka pilot is a must read too ( thousands of hard vehicle kills plus a battleship!) , I can never find a copy at a reasonable price though.

This?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3265473/Stuka ... rich-Rudel

MichaelH · Post by **MichaelH** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:13 pm

Verlorene Siege by Erich von Manstein, or Erinnerungen eines Soldatean by Guderian, if you are more interrested in tanks get a copy of ENZYCOPEDIA OF GERMAN TANKS OF WW2 by Chamberlain and Doyle

billmv44 · Post by **billmv44** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:31 pm

The Kursk book (The Battle of Kursk) by David M. Glantz and Jonathan M. House (mentioned above) is excellent.

Another great book, although not about the Eastern Front is Shattered Sword - The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway, by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. This is told from the Japanese perspective. Lots of new scholarship. Well written and eye opening for anyone who thinks they know the story of that battle.