Panzer battles : a study of the employment of armor in the Second World War

Translation of "Panzerschlachten" An account of the tactics, planning, and operations details of the German Panzer divisions from North Africa to Russia, written by a German officer who took part in the tank warfare of World War II. Translated by H. Betzler, edited by L.C.F. Turner. When Sam Donaldson interviewed General Norman Schwarzkopf in his quarters in the Gulf, PANZER BATTLES was one of the books on his desk. A model military history, this is one of the few close looks we will ever have of the tactics, the planning, and the operations of tank warfare from a participant.
It was the decisive victories of the German Panzer divisions in North Africa in World War II that taught the Allies the importance of an integrated combat team consisting of tanks, infantry, and artillery. PANZER BATTLES is a vivid account of the major campaigns of that war, especially the legendary desert battles fought by Rommel, who found the desert to be the perfect terrain in which to wage almost purely theoretical armored warfare with large-scale tank formations.
Here is an unparalleled look at what the American military learned from the experience of fighting in WWII — experience that was put to use in the Gulf War.
Preface Introduction Part one : Poland, France, and the Balkans. The Polish Campaign The conquest of France The Balkan Campaign Part two : The Western Desert. At Rommel's headquarters Sidi Rezegh Rommel's defeat and recovery The Gazala battles Tobruk to Alamein Farewell to Africa Part three : Russia. Introduction to Russia "And quiet flows the Don" Disaster at Stalingrad Manstein's great achievement The Battle of Kursk Back to the Dnieper The Kiev salient The withdrawal from the Ukraine The defense of Poland The Red Army Part four : Campaign in the West. Crisis in the West The struggle in Alsace-Lorraine The final battles In retrospect Conclusion Appendix : Appointments held by the author Index of Army formations Panzer Battles provides an unparalleled look at the conception and use of German armor in World War II. Maj. Gen. Von Mellenthin was a member of the German General Staff and was present at most of the major armed clashes -- in the desert, in Russia, and in the final defense of Germany. Combining dynamic military maps, detailed first-hand narrative and astute strategic and tactical analysis, this campaign-by-campaign and battle-by-battle account is a classic study of one of the most important aspects of 20th-century warfare. - Publisher. THE GERMAN ARMY entered Poland at 0445 hours on 1 September 1939; the advance of the ground forces was preceded by devastating attacks by the Luftwaffe on Polish airfields, railway junctions, and mobilization centers.