Jump to content

Book recommendation: Panzerkrieg volume 1 by Jason D. Mark


Recommended Posts

4 hours ago, Kaunitz said:

Thanks! I guess the titles scared me off until now, but I will definitively take a look! :)

What I found most interesting in the accounts I've read so far is how slow and steady WWII still was. For some reason, I expected more manoevre, when in reality, the front moved only so much (until a general retreat, in which case total chaos broke loose). Every day, officers did their recon in the morning, throughout the day battalion areas were shelled (positions are judged based on the average number of shells they receive per day), patrols were sent out into no-man's land, the enemy was constantly observing your trenches and you were observing his. If you made good some ground because of the enemy's retreat or because of your own (rare) attack, you dug in instantly in order to secure your gains. I just find it interesting that from my impression of the WWII accounts, it was still so much dominated by trenches + artillery. 

I absolutely agree. Most books are therefor almost boring, especially when you expect lots of action. The titles. Well, Catchy titles sell better, but you won't find any disturbing extreme stuff in these books. These guys have seen where that led to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I’ve posted elsewhere, I am a huge fan of Jason Mark and his Leaping Horseman books.

I received an email that there is a sale with 25% off, on six titles. EOFY18US is the code. The books are;, panzerkrieg I, iron cross brig, Croat legion, into oblivion, an arty in Stalingrad, an inf in Stalingrad.

fingertyping on the move. Forgive the typos and contracted titles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, c3k said:

As I’ve posted elsewhere, I am a huge fan of Jason Mark and his Leaping Horseman books.

I received an email that there is a sale with 25% off, on six titles. EOFY18US is the code. The books are;, panzerkrieg I, iron cross brig, Croat legion, into oblivion, an arty in Stalingrad, an inf in Stalingrad.

fingertyping on the move. Forgive the typos and contracted titles.

I have most, but not all, of them, so I will take a look. Thanks!

Last week I've finally found a reasonable priced copy of Kampfraum Arnheim. It cost me € 100,- ($ 115,-) and years looking for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, c3k said:

As I’ve posted elsewhere, I am a huge fan of Jason Mark and his Leaping Horseman books.

I received an email that there is a sale with 25% off, on six titles. EOFY18US is the code. The books are;, panzerkrieg I, iron cross brig, Croat legion, into oblivion, an arty in Stalingrad, an inf in Stalingrad.

fingertyping on the move. Forgive the typos and contracted titles.

I don't own the Arty and Inf memiors, not the Croat Legion and the book of Stalingrad photos or the recent Kursk book. Really want Croatian book. Plus the book about paras in Stalingrad due to be published looks great aswell.

 

haven't been let down by his books yet!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

if you want to read what I consider to be the best eastern front work I would recommend operation Barbarossa by brian fugate. his work was the first of its kind in dealing with the realities of the failure of Barbarossa. at least its publication in 1983 is certainly far dated compared to what I have seen out there. it was published when the truth of Russian operations began to surface. be warned its not very kind to some of our heros such as guderian. much of the work is about the disunity in the german staffs and was written with the current conditions of the cold war in mind and what could happen to nato. its narrative is very professional and mostly depicts the success of agc and its failures...its also talks about Russian failure such as allowing the encirlclemnt of the sw front and the possibilities of exploitation into the don region instead of say typhoon. great read and rather brief overall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/16/2018 at 1:47 PM, grungar said:

if you want to read what I consider to be the best eastern front work I would recommend operation Barbarossa by brian fugate. his work was the first of its kind in dealing with the realities of the failure of Barbarossa.

Have you read Barbarossa Unleashed, by Luther?  I haven't read Fugate, but Luther's book is my favorite on Barbarossa so far.  But of course you haven't read "unkind" towards the German military until you've read Stahel's books, all based on German sources...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

May I ask if anyone can point me to detailed studies/narrations of WWII engagements (doesn't need to be Eastern Front)? Eyewitness accounts are surely interesting, but they fail to give you a detailed, "tactical-technical" picture of the actions. I'd really be interested in a micro-history, so to speak, of an engagement. Like my attempt to figure out what happened during the battle of Gerbini (see Fortress Italy forum), but in a professional way. :) I'm looking for something like John A. Cash, Seven Firefights in Vietnam, but for World War II. Or something like this: https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/smallunit/smallunit-fm.htm

I suppose regimetnal histories would be a good start. As these are neither cheaply nor easily available, can you recommend any in particular?

Edited by Kaunitz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark's book "Island of Fire" provides a great level of detail on some of the Stalingrad battles, I expect that most if not all of his battles are like this.  His book "Objective Ponyri" is similar, although there is not as much content and more pictures (maps).  Glantz's books are also very detailed, although it sounds like at a higher level than you are interested in (ie, operational, divisional scale rather than tactical).  

Also, not to toot my own horn, but many years ago now I wrote a companion book for CMAK which included descriptions of many tactical level actions in the Med theater, including North Africa, Sicily, and Italy.  I think you'd find it interesting.  I don't see the book on Battlefront's website anymore, but I might have copy or two lying around, would have to check.  Also, from when I wrote that book, I seem to recall that some excellent New Zealand regimental histories were available for free online, but it has been many years, so you would have to look around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the answer, 76mm!

Indeed Jason Marks books seem to be just what I've been looking for. Island of Fire is available at a reasonable price. :)

Martin Nevshemal's Objective Ponyri sounds interesting too, but is rather rare ($$$).

May I ask you for the title of your MAK companion book? :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Kaunitz said:

May I ask if anyone can point me to detailed studies/narrations of WWII engagements (doesn't need to be Eastern Front)? Eyewitness accounts are surely interesting, but they fail to give you a detailed, "tactical-technical" picture of the actions. I'd really be interested in a micro-history, so to speak, of an engagement. Like my attempt to figure out what happened during the battle of Gerbini (see Fortress Italy forum), but in a professional way. :) I'm looking for something like John A. Cash, Seven Firefights in Vietnam, but for World War II. Or something like this: https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/smallunit/smallunit-fm.htm

I suppose regimetnal histories would be a good start. As these are neither cheaply nor easily available, can you recommend any in particular?

Kaunitz. Try to get your hands on Der Gegenschlag by Von Senger und Etterlin. Expensive little book, but very detailed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, 76mm said:

+2  Very impressive.  It amazes me the talented, accomplished people we have here on the BFC forum.  Definitely not a typical "gaming" forum.  Sounds like you have had an interesting life.  Thank you for your service.  

The book sounds very interesting for the tactical level and has good reviews.  I just wish it was available with a Kindle edition.     

Edited by MOS:96B2P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MOS:96B2P said:

I just wish it was available with a Kindle edition.     

Yeah, the book basically consists of a bunch of excerpts from other books, and I didn't get the digital rights for these excepts.  At that time, it wasn't especially relevant, since I don't think that Kindles existed yet!  But I have to say, there are some pretty good excerpts in there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:

The book sounds very interesting for the tactical level and has good reviews.  I just wish it was available with a Kindle edition.     

20 hours ago, 76mm said:

Yeah, the book basically consists of a bunch of excerpts from other books, and I didn't get the digital rights for these excepts.  At that time, it wasn't especially relevant, since I don't think that Kindles existed yet!  But I have to say, there are some pretty good excerpts in there!

:( It's a pity. I'd be interested in it as well. I have to admit my electronic library is constantly growing. A hard disk is just more space-efficient than a shelf. I will keep my eyes open for a copy . It's frustrating that buying stuff from sellers indirectly via amazon often refuses international shipping. grrrrr

On 10/11/2018 at 10:09 AM, Aragorn2002 said:

Kaunitz. Try to get your hands on Der Gegenschlag by Von Senger und Etterlin. Expensive little book, but very detailed.

Sounds very interesting! Thanks for the tip! It's also rather rare/pricey, it seems. I've found one store online which offers it at a reasonable price, but I'm sceptical about that site (I'm not going to support any site that flogs nazi nostalgia).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Kaunitz said:

:( It's a pity. I'd be interested in it as well. I have to admit my electronic library is constantly growing. A hard disk is just more space-efficient than a shelf. I will keep my eyes open for a copy . It's frustrating that buying stuff from sellers indirectly via amazon often refuses international shipping. grrrrr

Sounds very interesting! Thanks for the tip! It's also rather rare/pricey, it seems. I've found one store online which offers it at a reasonable price, but I'm sceptical about that site (I'm not going to support any site that flogs nazi nostalgia).

You can also buy a good divisional or regimental account. Also pretty pricey and a lot of variety in detail and quality, but they give a lot of insight. I can for example recommend the divisional account of the 1. Panzerdivision. Worth every penny. Not too expensive either.

Edited by Aragorn2002
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎10‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:57 AM, Kaunitz said:

May I ask if anyone can point me to detailed studies/narrations of WWII engagements (doesn't need to be Eastern Front)? Eyewitness accounts are surely interesting, but they fail to give you a detailed, "tactical-technical" picture of the actions. I'd really be interested in a micro-history, so to speak, of an engagement. Like my attempt to figure out what happened during the battle of Gerbini (see Fortress Italy forum), but in a professional way. :) I'm looking for something like John A. Cash, Seven Firefights in Vietnam, but for World War II. Or something like this: https://history.army.mil/books/wwii/smallunit/smallunit-fm.htm

I suppose regimetnal histories would be a good start. As these are neither cheaply nor easily available, can you recommend any in particular?

Ian Daglish wrote 3 incredible volumes. Here's one link: https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Goodwood-Over-Battlefield-Daglish-ebook/dp/B00DN5TWK8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539565698&sr=8-1&keywords=over+the+battlefield&dpID=51uTRJtegYL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

They focus on Goodwood, Espom and Bluecoat. Those were Commonwealth battles out of Normandy. He used copious aerial recce footage. They are great resources. Ian was very active in the ASL scene (and, I'm sure, elsewhere). His life was cut far too short due to an aircraft accident.

I would think the kindle/ebook versions would be poor. The printed copies were outstanding, especially his use of the photos. Try one: you'll end up buying all three.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/12/2018 at 7:56 PM, Kaunitz said:

It's frustrating that buying stuff from sellers indirectly via amazon often refuses international shipping. grrrrr

Try a U.S. PO Box. I have used Shipito in the past. 

You can often get free postage to the U.S. PO Box and then pay Shipito for the freight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/20/2018 at 9:21 AM, Kaunitz said:

May I ask you what other memoirs (especially for the Axis or Soviet side) are interesting reads if you can find the time for it?

You didn't ask me but I reply anyway. I've just started to read the book Panzer Gunner by Bruno Friesen. Bruno was a German-Canadian gunner in a Panzer IV tank and later on in a Jagdpanzer IV tank hunter during the last years of the Eastern Front. When he tells about his training he explains quite detailed how the gunner had to count to be sure to hit the target while looking through the scope. It seems that the book might continue to be detailed in its explanation of how to be a gunner in a tank. The book is quite ok so far.

Edited by BornGinger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...