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Book recommendation. Poland 1393


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It being the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI, which I'm sure you all know, I started reading The Sleepwalkers. You're welcome to comment on my choice, but this September will be the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII in Europe. Any recomendations for a book(s) on the 1939 Polish campaign?

Thanks

Edit: Wow what a typo in the thread title

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It being the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI, which I'm sure you all know, I started reading The Sleepwalkers. You're welcome to comment on my choice, but this September will be the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII in Europe. Any recomendations for a book(s) on the 1939 Polish campaign?

Thanks

Edit: Wow what a typo in the thread title

ha that's okay. Medieval history would be welcome too. :D There is actually some exciting stuff going on in Poland in 1390s.

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Any recomendations for a book(s) on the 1939 Polish campaign?

You've just made me realize that I don't believe I've ever read a book devoted to that campaign. Lots of magazine articles. Chapters in books about the war in general, including some German memoirs. Searching on Amazon may well turn something up. If I get some extra time I may take a look myself.

Michael

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Okay, I just did a search of Amazon US under the keywords "Poland 1939" and got a host of responses starting on this page:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_5_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=poland+1939&sprefix=Poland+%2Cstripbooks%2C461

Some of these look good and most of them are reasonably priced. So, yes there is plenty to read on the subject.

Michael

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Sequoia (sempivirens),

Suggest you start here. Since it was published in 1956, it obviously doesn't incorporate scholarly discoveries and views since, but I believe it to be an excellent primer, on the German side of things, anyway. Besides, it's free!

The German Campaign in Poland (1939)

http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/104/104-20/CMH_Pub_104-20.pdf

Regards,

John Kettler

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As a librarian, I always cringe when people use Amazon to find books on a given subject :mad:.

To my mind, a library catalogue is the way to go. I'll try to explain why.

First, go to Worldcat : http://www.worldcat.org/ then search "Poland 1939". You'll get 55.707 results. Not precise enough since I want books on the military campaign of 1939.

Just browse the results and find one that is spot on :

The German campaign in Poland (1939).

Click on this title, then have a look at the "Subjects" section. There you'll find the keyword used to describe all documents centred on the polish military campaigns of WWII : World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Poland.

Just click on this subject.

Result : 1.370 documents.

All of them are potentially pertinent.

For those who are in a hurry, here is the url for this search :

http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=su%3AWorld+War%2C+1939-1945+Campaigns+Poland.&qt=hot_subject

Now you can use the items in the left hand column to refine your search even more.

In each document record you'll find a list of the libraries owning the document, as well as a links to booksellers (including Amazon...).

In a nutshell : make a simple search, then browse the results until you find one which meets your need. Look at the keywords used to describe its content, then click on the most pertinent one and you should get a very decent list of documents that could interest you :cool:.

Please let me know if I convinced you :D

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Sequoia,

While it's obviously not a book, this is a pic rich thread on Polish armor under unwanted new management!

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=157670

Haven't read this scholarly work, but I find the precis chilling.

Hitler Strikes Poland

http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/ro****.html

Based on the sample I read at Google Books, this one looks first rate. The snippet covers many issues I'd not seen discussed previously, both geo-strategic and in terms of how the Polish military performed in combat and the severe lumps the Germans took as a result. The propaganda said one thing, but the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe got beaten up badly and knew theirs was no easy victory.

Poland Betrayed: The Nazi-Soviet Invasions of 1939

By David G. Williamson

Regards,

John Kettler

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