Magnum MGG Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Well since a friend introduced me to CMBO upon release, not only was it a great game, but I began reading books on WW2 and watching alot of History Channel programs... and thus became a WW2 history junky... then the same with CMBB, (man those poor Russians.. they really got screwed alot!) now with Afrika Korps coming soon, was wondering if there were any good book recommendations about those battles in the deserts of Afrika and Italy. The only one I've read that covers Afrika at all was a book about Patton... but I'd like to read about the actual in your face desert battles... recommendations? thx in advance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakner Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Try: http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=30;t=000150 Cheers Ads 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Or try - CMAK Bibliography page Martin PS. We'll be adding a bunch of great titles that some of you guys recommended to that page shortly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson 1812 Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 Battle for Crete.George Forty Interesting and worth reading ............no its not in desert....but some good accounts on those pesky german para! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 A lot of those reading lists neglect the tech journals. Being an armor junkie of long standing I prefer profiles of the vehicles involved in these games. Thick reference books on the Sherman or U.S. halftracks, Brit armored cars or Grman PzIIIs. That's my preferred reading. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Furious Posted November 5, 2003 Share Posted November 5, 2003 Being an Australian i like to, naturally, read Australian perspectives of war, for that i recommend that you read Tobruk 1941 by Chester Wilmot. It's predominatly about Australia's 242 day defense of Tobruk, it does though seem to detail a good amount of Africa Korp tactics particularly in attack, and it also details what tactics the Africa Korp were open to. It also offers a balanced view from both sides of the siege, well i guess as balanced as could be realistically expected. It also includes probably my favourite quote from world war 2 "The rats of Tobruk, those self-supporting prisoners of war" - Lord Haw Haw 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackP Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Here is what I have on the subject: Bir Hakim Desert Citadel by Richard Holmes (the French side of things),The Imperial War Museum Book of the Desert War 1940 - 1942 by Adrian Gilbert, Desert Rats at War by George Forty, The Campaign for North Africa by Jack Coggins, The Long Range Desert Group 1940-1945 by Robin Jenner and David List. Also the Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia is a good reference for the entire period. I found most of these books at used book stores. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Rudd Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 May want to try With Rommel In The Desert by Heinz W. Schmidt, Bantam Books, can find it at Amazon. Very good book. Doug 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed B. Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Good books...There's been quite afew. Chariots in the Desert, is good. Rommel, another. AkrikaCorp [There's three or four, with this title] Rommel's Army if Africa [excellent] My Fight with Rommel (?) Individual unit histories are far and in between. The US Army Historical Planning Center actually published one or two books, on the desert campaign and these are true 'gems', since they were written in the forties, and things were still very fresh in their minds. Ebay [previously mentioned] is one good source, as are out of the way books stores specializing in military history or just plane old books. Public libraries are 'okay', but many of the books are no longer carried, owing to current "polictical correctness", as I recently found out taking one of my daughter's to the library after a hiatus of nearly five years - Funny, how today's 'historians' are so bent on re-telling the greatest conflict of mankind... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Ed B. Authors as well as titles is usually seen as being a helpful guide. "Individual unit histories are far and in between." I take this to mean that you can't find many? Try looking a bit harder. In most places it's hard to turn around without tripping over a dozen or so. "Funny, how today's 'historians' are so bent on re-telling the greatest conflict of mankind" Not sure how to respond to that - what are they supposed to do? Say "oh, well, you know those Americans wrote one or two gems back in the 1940s, so there really isn't anything left to tell." Never mind all the new research that has become available, recently opened archives, etc etc. It's all been told, so they should really look at getting another job. Or sumfink. Other books: Mellinthin Panzer battles. Very good when he's talking about the Germans. Very bad when he's talking about the other side. Take a look at the "Book Surveys" doen the right hand side of this page. There are links to several collections which are very relevant to North Africa and the Med. Also, this selection, from the same site. Regards JonS 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Tittles Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 http://www.xenophongi.org/milhist/modern/deswar2.htm a good read 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Roger Bender and Richard Law did one of the AFRIKA KORPS titled books. It's an older title, but has a good list of units, organization, and Knight's Cross winners, as well as illustrations of insignia, equipment, vehicles, etc. and brief histories. Nice all round reference if you can find it. ISBN 0-912138-09-2 1973 UNIFORMS, ORGANIZATION AND HISTORY OF THE AFRIKAKORPS by Roger James Bender and Richard D. Law [ November 08, 2003, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: Michael Dorosh ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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