Panzer. The Illustrated History Of The Germany's Armored Forces In WWII

A fascinating pictorial record of Germany's armored forces before and during WWII, from the early days of the Panzer arm beginning in 1935, to the spectacular Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-41. Included are images of secret tank training in the 1930s, photos taken by tank crew members on active service including tank battles, plus an authoritative text. The dramatic rise and fall of the Panzers is told through 250 photographs, many of which have never-before been published. This pictorial record follows the rise of Germany's armored forces from the origins of the 1st Panzer Division in 1935, to their deployment in the Spanish Civil War and the spectacular Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-1941, and through the final years of the World War II, when panzers fought savage battles against technically and numerically superior foes.This dramatic rise and fall of the panzers is told, in part, with 250 intriguing photographs, the majority of them never before published. Included among them are images of top-secret tank training maneuvers in the 1930s, held in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles; images taken by crewmembers while in active service; and dramatic photos of rank battles. These strong visual elements are accompanied by a narrative from one of the world's top World War II German military experts, who describes panzer technological development, tactics, and the battles themselves. The German panzer (armour) arm that transformed the European balance of power during the early years of World War II emerged neither easily nor quickly.