What is everyone reading on WW2?

BlackWolfSCD · Post by **BlackWolfSCD** » 23 Aug 2003 20:03

Just finishing up The German Army 1933-1945 - It's Political and Military Failure by Matthew Cooper. This has been an eye-opening read and well explains a war within the war; the constant conflict between Hitler and the General Staff and the roles played by OKH & OKW. Also, the "myth of Blitzkrieg" and the controversy of the "armored idea" is well addressed. Very gripping reading in spots...

Am about to start on A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin. Going to finally read this one for my Dad who was involved in the Apollo program as well as every US manned space program since. But that's for another forum!!

Fade to Black...

stevezz1 · Post by **stevezz1** » 24 Aug 2003 16:00

Just finished "Jochen Peiper" by Patrick Agte......excelent book.

I can also recomend "Grenadiers" by Kurt Meyer.......

and "War Without Garlands" by Robert Kershaw......

And after a long, long search, i have obtained a copy of the Michael Wittmann book by Patrick Agte.........

stevezz1

Markbg · Post by **Markbg** » 24 Aug 2003 17:24

I'm currently reading "Popular Opinion and Political Dissent in the Third Reich" by Prof Ian Kershaw. It is a superb and impressive work, with a lucid and refreshing book which delves into responses to policies and ideology in Bavaria 1933-45. It is superb and highly recommended!

\Mark

Svennie · Post by **Svennie** » 25 Aug 2003 19:35

" The battle for Kursk" by David Glantz and Jonathan House.
I'm about to turn the page to come to the Prochorovka battle of II. Panzerkorps....so far it's been an excellent read although sometimes one can get confused by all the unit names.

Nipe "Last victory" was also very nice.

Sven

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 25 Aug 2003 19:44

The following are all being read in stages

"The Defence of the United Kingdon" by Basil Collier

"The Whitley Boys-4Group Op's 1939-1940" by GL Donnelly

"Fighting the Bombers" edited by David C Isby

Andy H

brau meister · Post by **brau meister** » 27 Aug 2003 21:03

I picked up "Panzer Grenadiers" and "European Volunteers" yesterday at the library.

"PG" is a decent read about the history of motorized units and their actions during the war. I think it was written by James Sidney Lucas but that is based on what I could find on amazon, the book isn't with me now. The first section is very good, it outlines how the different philosophies regarding tactics shaped the reforming of the german army and how the units later known as PG came into existence. It gets pretty detailed concerning the numbers and equipment of motorized and PG divisions from 1935 to the end of the war which I found to be quite informative.

The second half of the book tells briefly of 4 PG units fighting in various theatres of the war: Das Reich approaching Moscow, HJ in Normandy, GD Brandenburg division in April '45, and an SS unit at Arnhem. The stories are told generally and with poor maps. The language is choppy at times and you get the feeling that the author is too enamored of the units he's writing about to really tell it straight. At the end, he could provide more details regarding casualties and the impact the battle had on the larger strategic scenario but doesn't.

Overall, not a bad read. It took me only a few hours to finish it and has some good pic.s. If you're library has it, it's worth looking at but I wouldn't buy it.

The other book, "European Volunteers" by Peter Strassner, I think, is about the SS-Wiking division. I only read a few pages last night but the writing is choppy and tough to follow--maybe a translation?. Some decent photos but overall, there's an very amateur feel to it. The publishing company, J J Fedorowicz, seems to only print books of this type. I'll continue on and see if it improves.

Anyone else have any comments on EV or the other books by that publisher? I'd be interested to know what other people thought.

brau meister · Post by **brau meister** » 28 Aug 2003 03:30

The Wiking book is actually alot better once you get past the poorly written or translated intro. The accounts of action are taken from quotes by officers and men who were there. They are supplemented with maps, pictures and official correspondences of the division. Very good so far.

The author is peter Strassner, translated by David Johnston.

Qvist · Post by **Qvist** » 28 Aug 2003 11:15

Just made a start on "The third Reich - A new History", and find it promising so far. The man writes better than most historians I've read.

cheers

subskipper · Post by **subskipper** » 28 Aug 2003 17:09

Qvist wrote:Just made a start on "The third Reich - A new History", and find it promising so far. The man writes better than most historians I've read.

cheers

I found Burleigh's book to be very interesting and well written. He has the ability to explain complicated events in a very easily understood way.

At the moment I'm about half way through Jentz's Panzer Truppen. Superbly researched and probably a must buy for anyone interested in the German armoured forces.

~Henric Edwards

-Exo- · Post by **-Exo-** » 28 Aug 2003 22:04

I'm currently reading Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen.

A disappointment if you ask me.

Greetings

Kennyboy · Post by **Kennyboy** » 29 Aug 2003 14:55

I have just recently finished "The Third Reich - A new history" by Michael Burleigh. I thought that this was an amazing book which really brought this whole period to life for me.

I have also recently finished reading "Explaining Hitler" by Ron Rosenbaum. Although the book was well written and provided with lots of useful knowledge, I don't feel that I am any closer to understanding what was going on inside the mind of Hitler, Afterall the title of the book is "Explaining Hitler"!

I am currently reading "Defying Hitler - a Memoir" by Sebastian Haffner which so far has been a very good read. I will let you what I think when I have finished the book.

Wulpe · Post by **Wulpe** » 29 Aug 2003 16:45

Wulpe wrote:I´m currently reading Dieter Martinez´Der Gaskrieg 1914-1918. Entwicklung, Herstellung and Einsatz chemischer Kampfstoffe (Amazon)

(Gas Warfare 1914-1918. Development, Production and Application of Chemical Agents)

It´s not available in English (yet ?).

Finished this one, and I´m currently reading General Lettow-Vorbeck´s "Meine Erinnerungen aus Ostafrika" (My Reminiscences of East Africa).

stevezz1 · Post by **stevezz1** » 29 Aug 2003 19:36

-Exo- wrote:I'm currently reading Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen.

A disappointment if you ask me.

Greetings

Hi Exo,
That's a shame, I just bought this book(second-hand, thankfully)

and it is nearing the top of my "next to read" list..........

Currantly reading "In Deadly Combat" by Gottlob Bidermann, his personal combat experiences on the eastern front........very good, so far........

regards to all...........

steve.

-Exo- · Post by **-Exo-** » 29 Aug 2003 23:37

stevezz1 wrote:Hi Exo,

That's a shame, I just bought this book(second-hand, thankfully)

and it is nearing the top of my "next to read" list..........

Hi Steve, I hope you enjoy this book more than I did. Let me know when you're finished reading it. So you can give me your opinion about it

.

Greetings

Georges JEROME · Post by **Georges JEROME** » 31 Aug 2003 18:27

I started (and for long) to read the newly published "Die Generale der Waffen SS und Polizei 1933 - 1945" volume 1 by Andreas Schulz and Gunter Wegman
certainely the most complete book ever written in german language on biographies of Waffen SS and Police.
very detailled with numerous portraits, reliable infos and references.
Most of informations dealing with bio datas can be understood by english readers (french...)
Highly recommanded.

Georges

Axis History Forum

What is everyone reading on WW2?

What is Everyone Reading ??