The History of the Panzerjäger: Origins and Evolution 1939–42, volume 01

The German Panzerjäger, or Panzerjägertruppe, was one of the most innovative fighting arms of World War II and its story has never properly been told. A few other books have focused on an element of the story--the Hetzer, Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanther--but this is the first time that the whole story of the development and organization of Nazi Germany's anti-tank force will have been covered, from its earliest origins in World War I, through its development in the interwar period, and its baptism of fire in the early days of World War II. This is the first of two volumes that will trace the story through the glory years of Blitzkrieg and the improvements that were made when Soviet tanks were first encountered, leading to new weapons, tactics, and organization. It is packed with previously unpublished wartime photographs, combat reports, and detailed charts and statistics to give an unparalleled account of this unique arm of the Wehrmacht. The German Panzerjäger, or Panzerjägertruppe, was one of the most innovative fighting arms of World War II and its story has never properly been told. Many books have focused on an element of the story – the Hetzer, Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanther – but this is the first time that the whole story of the development and organization of Nazi Germany's anti-tank force will have been covered, from its earliest origins in World War I, through its development in the interwar period, and its baptism of fire in the early days of World War II. This is the first of two volumes that will trace the story through the glory years of Blitzkrieg and the improvements that were made when Soviet tanks were first encountered, leading to new weapons, tactics and organization. It is packed with previously unpublished wartime photographs, combat reports, and detailed charts and statistics to give an unparalleled account of this unique arm of the Wehrmacht. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Introduction Chapter 1: The Interwar Years Chapter 2: Spanish Civil War Chapter 3: Early Heavy AT Weapons Chapter 4: Poland Chapter 5: France Chapter 6: Preparing for Seelöwe Chapter 7: Close-combat Weapons Chapter 8: Technical Changes Chapter 9: Preparations for Russia Chapter 10: North Africa Chapter 11: The Invasion of Crete Chapter 12: The Invasion of Russia Index Acknowledgements