Images of War (Pen & Sword Books)
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Challenger 2
The British Main Battle Tank
by Robert Griffin
Part 2 of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
For much of the Cold War, the British Army's main battle tanks (MBT) were first the Centurion and then the Chieftain. The question of the latter's replacement became urgent when in 1980 MBT80 was canceled. While the Royal Ordnance Challenger (originally the Shir 2) was acquired as a stop gap its design and capability limitations quickly became apparent.
Vickers then took over the Royal Ordnance tank building facility and against stiff foreign competition developed the Challenger 2. This superbly researched and illustrated book tells the story of the evolution and subsequent successful career of Challenger 2 which has seen distinguished service in war and peace since 1990 and has proved itself one of the worlds most formidable fighting vehicles. The authors do not shy away from technical detail and make comparisons with competitors. The result is an objective and authoritative work which will delight military equipment buffs, modelers and war gamers.
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The Long Range Desert Group in Action 1940–1943
by Brendan O'Carroll
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This first pictorial history of the LRDG "covers all aspects of [its] work and the vehicles and weapons they used in their devastating raids" (Beating Tsundoku).
The Long Range Desert Group has a strong claim to the first Special Forces unit in the British Army. This superb illustrated history follows the LRDG from its July 1940 formation as the Long Range Patrol in North Africa, tasked with intelligence gathering, mapping and reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines. Manned initially by New Zealanders, in 1940 the unit became the LRDG with members drawn from British Guards and Yeomanry regiments and Rhodesians.
So successful were the LRDG patrols, that when the Special Air Service was formed, it often relied on their navigational and tactical skills to achieve their missions.
After victory in North Africa the LRDG relocated to Lebanon before being sent on the ill-fated mission to the Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean.
Serving independently, when the Germans overwhelmed and captured the British garrisons, many LRDG personnel escaped using their well-honed skills.
Many images in this, the first pictorial history of the LRDG, were taken unofficially by serving members. The result is a superb record of the LRDG's achievements, the personalities, their weapons and vehicles which will delight laymen and specialists alike.
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Essex Class Aircraft Carriers, 1943–1991
by Leo Marriott
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A photographic history of the US Essex-class aircraft carriers of World War II-including the USS Intrepid that now serves as a New York City museum.
Essex-class aircraft carriers played an essential role in the victory of the United States over Japan in the Second World War, and Leo Marriott's photographic history is a fascinating introduction to them. Without these remarkable ships, the island-hopping campaign of American forces across the Pacific towards Japan would not have been possible. They also took part in the Korean and Vietnam wars that followed.
During the Second World War they were at the center of the powerful task groups that could put up hundreds of aircraft to support forces on the ground. They were also prime targets for Japanese air attacks, in particular the kamikaze suicide missions. A total of twenty-four were eventually commissioned including several after the end of the war.
The selection of rare photographs and the expert text cover the evolution of US aircraft carrier design prior to the Second World War and look at the factors which shaped the design and construction of the Essex class. Included are dramatic action shots of the new breed of naval aircraft that was launched from their flight decks, including Hellcat and Corsair fighters that took on the Japanese and the carrier-borne jets that flew over Korea and Vietnam.
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Hell in the Central Pacific 1944
The Palau Islands
by Jon Diamond
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This WWII pictorial history covers a little-known but hard-fought Pacific War campaign with striking combat images and expertly researched text.
In September 1944, to prevent Japanese air interdiction against General MacArthur's invasion of the Southern Philippines, the Americans attacked Peleliu and Angaur in the Palau group of the Western Caroline Islands. Admiral Halsey, commanding the US Third Fleet, feared the heavily defended Palaus would be costly for his III Amphibious Corps.
While Angaur fell in four days, the Japanese resisted tenaciously on Peleliu thanks to their underground fortifications on the Umurbrogel Ridge overlooking the airfield. It took more than two months of bitter fighting to take control of the Island-and the benefits of this costly victory were doubtful. But as Jon Diamond demonstrates in this fully illustrated volume, there is no denying the courage and determination shown by the attacking US forces.
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Hitler's Artillery 1939-1945
by Hans Seidler
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Hitler's Artillery 1939 — 1945 is a highly illustrated record of the firepower of the German war machine between 1939 — 1945. Many of the photographs, all from the author's collection, come originally from the albums of individuals who took part in the war.
The images and text cover the guns in service with the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS and provide a unique visual record of artillery pieces. These include the 7.5cm 1. IG18, the 10.5cm infantry gun, the powerful 15cm field howitzer, heavy 18cm and 21cm mortars and others including captured French, British and Russian guns.
These and other weapons are seen in action in Poland, the Low Countries, France, Balkans, North Africa, Italy and, of course, Russia. Initially a key part of the Blitzkrieg offensive concept. The emphasis became defensive as the tide turned against the Germans. Using over 250 rare and unpublished photographs together with detailed captions and accompanying text, this book provides a unique insight into German weaponry from early Blitzkrieg campaigns to the final demise of the Nazi empire.
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Waffen-SS Armour on the Eastern Front, 1941–1945
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, codename ‘Operation Barbarossa’, was arguably the pivotal moment of the Second World War. Initially the onslaught was staggeringly successful with, as the superb contemporary images in this book show, Waffen-SS armored divisions leading the charge. But the Nazis had underestimated the Russians' determination to defend their homeland and the logistical problems compounded by the extreme winter weather conditions. After early victories such as the recapture of Kharkov in early 1943 and the Kursk offensive, commanders and crews of armored vehicles such as Pz. Kpfw. I, II, III, IV, Panther, Tiger, King Tiger, assault and self-propelled guns had to adapt their tactics and equipment to what became a desperate defensive withdrawal eventually back across a scarred and devastated Eastern Front. Even during the last months of the war as the Panzers withdrew through Poland and into the Reich, these exhausted elite units, broken down into small battle groups or Kampfgruppen, fought to the bitter end. With authoritative text supported by a plethora of rare fully captioned photographs, this classic “Images of War” book informs and inspires the reader revealing the key role played by Waffen-SS Panzer units in this most bitter campaign.
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The Waffen-SS at Arnhem
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The 1944 Arnhem airborne operation, immortalized by the film “A Bridge Too Far”, will forever be remembered as a great British feat of arms. British and Polish paratroopers displayed outstanding courage and tenacity in a desperate last stand situation. And yet, as this book describes, the plan was fatally flawed as the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions were recuperating and concealed nearby. What followed was a bloody battle of attrition the result of which was arguably inevitable. Drawing on rare and unpublished photographs, this Images of War series work reveals the historical combat record of the Hohenstaufen and Frundsberg divisions. It describes the intensity of the fighting in and around Arnhem between these elite SS and supporting units against a lightly armed yet equally determined enemy. In spite of the war being only months away from its end and the defeat increasingly certain, the SS soldier remained fanatically motivated. This superbly illustrated book with its well-researched text and full captions captures the drama of that historic battle for a bridge over the Rhine.
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Brandenburger
Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther
by Anthony Rogers
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
In March 1940, Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther transferred from Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5, an armored reconnaissance unit, to Bau-Lehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 – forerunner of what would soon be known as the 'Brandenburger'. Two months later, he led a commando action in the Netherlands and became the first of his unit to be awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross). By May 1944, Walther was an Oberstleutnant and an experienced regimental commander in what had evolved as the Division 'Brandenburg'. He would eventually join Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny's SS-Jagdverbände as Chief of Staff, before seeing out the last days of the war with the short-lived Schutzkorps Alpenland. More than 200 images, together with English captions, portray the life and times of this career officer, from the German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, to operations in Russia, Greece and the Balkans during 1941–44. In comparison with other units of the Second World War, relatively little has been published about Germany's commando forces. This is hardly surprising, considering the paucity of source material available and the air of mystery and intrigue still surrounding this specialist formation. This unique collection of rare images was sourced from the photograph album of Wilhelm Walther and is sure to appeal to all with an interest in the war in the West and on the Eastern Front, as well as to militaria collectors, modelers and re-enactment groups.
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Operation Nordwind
Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives
by Darren Neely
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Operation Nordwind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. It began on 31 December 1944 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Alsace and Lorraine in southwestern Germany and northeastern France, and ended on 25 January 1945. Normally overshadowed by the Battle of the Bulge, Nordwind battles were just as intense and the troops involved faced the same bitter weather conditions and battle conditions their fellow units did to the north. The goal of the offensive was to break through the lines of the U.S. Seventh Army and French 1st Army in the Upper Vosges mountains and the Alsatian Plain, and destroy them, as well as the seizure of Strasbourg, which Himmler, who had been placed in charge, had promised would be captured by 30 January. The campaign also showcased the difficulties of inter-Allied cooperation between the Americans and the French. The U.S. VI Corps-which bore the brunt of the German attacks-was fighting on three sides by 15 January. By 15 January at least 17 German divisions (including units in the Colmar Pocket) from Army Group G and Army Group Oberrhein, including the 6th SS Mountain, 17th SS Panzergrenadier, 21st Panzer, and 25th Panzergrenadier Divisions were engaged in the fighting. Another smaller attack was made against the French positions south of Strasbourg, but it was finally stopped. Vicious battles at Hatten and Rittershoffen, Gambsheim and Herrlisheim took place and while the Germans could not employ near the same amount as armor as they did in the Ardennes, the armor engagements were nonetheless ruthless. The American 12th Armored Division lost almost an entire tank battalion in the battles in and around Herrlisheim. Action would engulf the entire front and areas like Strasbourg, Wingen, the Colmar Pocket and Haguenau would be engrained in the minds of the troops that fought in these battles.
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The Three Battles of El Alamein
Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives
by Jon Diamond
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The 80th Anniversary of the historic final Battle of El Alamein is the ideal time to study the events leading up to General Bernard Montgomery's famous victory over Field Marshal Rommel's Panzerarmee Africa in Autumn 1942. Four months earlier after the loss of Tobruk , Rommel's forces were in the ascendancy. Prime Minister Winston Churchill removed General Auchinleck from Command of Eighth Army and appointed Bernard Montgomery in his place. After the successful defense of Alam El Halfa Ridge in late August and early September ended Rommel's inexorable advance, Montgomery set in train plans for the set piece offensive campaign at El Alamein which took place between 23 October and 4 November 1942. The stakes could not have been higher. Had Rommel broken through the Allied defenses in Summer 1942 or Montgomery's forces not overwhelmed the German and Italian armies at El Alamein, Egypt and the Suez Canal would have fallen to the Nazis. Instead, the victory at El Alamein proved to be the turning point of the War against Hitler and led to the victory in North Africa
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Waffen-SS Dutch, Belgian, and Danish Volunteers
Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
"This book is a treasure trove of inspiration for models, vignettes, and dioramas." - IPMS/USA
Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, numerous Dutchmen, Belgians and Danes volunteered for the Waffen-SS. The largest division, SS Volunteer Legion Netherlands operated in Yugoslavia and then Northern Russia. It was later re-designated 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland. Fighting alongside the Nederland formation was the SS Volunteer Legion Flanders, manned mainly with Dutch speaking recruits from occupied Belgium. After being disbanded it was later reformed as the SS Assault Brigade Langemarck (SS-Sturmbrigade Langemarck). The SS Volunteer Legion Walloon, recruited from French-speaking volunteers from German occupied Belgium, was sent to Russia and later integrated with the SS Assault Brigade Wallonia (SS-Sturmbrigade Wallonien). Finally some 6,000 Danes served in Free Corps Denmark which went to the Eastern Front in May 1942. Within a year the formation was disbanded into Division Nordland, known as `Regiment 24 Danemark` Drawing on a superb collection of rare and often unpublished photographs, this fine Images of War book describes the fighting history of each formation, notably the 1944 battle of Narva, which was known as the battle of the European SS. As its forces were pushed further back across a scarred and burning wasteland it describes how these Dutch, Belgian and Danish units became cut off in the Kurland Pocket until some were evacuated by sea. The remainder were killed or captured in front of Berlin in April 1945.
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The Waffen-SS in Normandy, 1944
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
In June 1944, Operation OVERLORD, the greatest ever amphibious invasion, initially overwhelmed German Normandy defenses. To attempt to stabilize the situation, Hitler deployed his elite Waffen-SS divisions to avert the crisis.
This classic Images of War book describes how the formidable Leibstandarte, Das Reich, Hitlerjugend, Hohenstaufen, and the Frundsberg SS divisions with supporting Wehrmacht divisions fought fanatically despite facing overwhelming enemy airpower and determined well-led Allied armies. Mounting losses and supply and fuel problems culminated in the Falaise Pocket defeat, when twenty-five out of the thirty-eight German division were completely destroyed. As a result, the remaining Waffen-SS units had to be reluctantly withdrawn and transferred back to Holland and, Belgium to recoup, or sent to the Eastern Front to attempt to stem the relentless Soviet advance.
With many rare and unpublished photographs with detailed captions, Waffen-SS in Normandy is a graphic account of the Waffen-SS operations in Normandy and their subsequent retreat through France.
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Himmler
Hitler's Henchman
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Heinrich Himmler has a strong claim to be Adolf Hitler's most powerful subordinate. He was certainly the main architect of the Holocaust. Appointed Reichsfuhrer-SS in 1929 he built the SS into a million strong paramilitary force and took control of the Nazi concentration camps system. From 1943 he became Chief of German Police and Minister of the Interior with command of the Gestapo as well as the Einsatzgruppen, who committed appalling atrocities and murder in occupied Eastern Europe and Russia. Despite his lack of military experience in the closing stages of the War he was appointed by Hitler as Commander of Army Group Vistula. Realising the war was lost, Himmler attempted to open peace talks with the Allies. Learning of this, Hitler dismissed him of all his posts in April 1945. Detained and arrested by British forces, he committed suicide on 22 May 1945. The wartime career of this cruel and capable man is captured brilliantly with contemporary fully captioned images in this Images of War series work.
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Operation Höss
The Deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz, May–July 1944
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Operation Höss or Aktion Höss was the codename for the mass deportation of Hungarian Jews and their murder in the gas chambers of Birkenau extermination camp. Between 14 May and 9 July 1944, 420,000 Jews were sent to Auschwitz from Hungary, or about 12,000 per day. On arrival some twenty-five percent were selected for forced labor while the remainder were immediately gassed. The name of this atrocity came from Rudolf Höss, who returned as the commandant of Auschwitz to increase the killing capacity and ensure the smooth running of the operation. The specially built railway line into Birkenau from Auschwitz made transports to the camp more efficient enabling the SS to increase the daily killing capacity. After the war, SS Adolf Eichmann, who had organized the deportations from Hungary, boasted that Operation Höss was `an achievement never matched before or since`. This shocking book tells the story of this inhuman venture from its conception and planning, and though to the bitter, tragic end.
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Heydrich
Butcher of Prague
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Reinhard Heydrich along with Heinrich Himmler, whose deputy he was, will always be regarded as one of the most ruthless of the Nazi elite. Even Hitler described him as 'a man with an iron heart'. He established his fearsome reputation in the 1930s, as head of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), the intelligence organization which neutralized opposition to the Nazi Party by murder and deportation. He organized Kristalnacht and played a leading role in the Holocaust, chairing the 1942 Wannsee Conference which formalized plans for the 'Final Solution'. In addition, as head of the Einsatzgruppen murder squads in Eastern Europe he was responsible for countless murders. Appointed Deputy Reich-Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, he died of wounds inflicted by British trained SOE operatives in Prague in May 1942. The reprisals that followed his assassination were extreme by even the terrible standards of Nazi ruthlessness. Heydrich's shocking and leading role in the Nazi regime is graphically portrayed in this Images of War book.
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Operation Barbarossa
Hitler's Invasion Of Russia
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Hitler's decision to renege on his alliance with Stalin and invade Russia in June 1941 was to have the most far reaching consequences for the world. Indeed, if there was one critical turning point in the Second World War, it would have to be this.
The latest book in the Images of War series uses over 300 rare contemporary photographs to capture the scale, intensity and brutality of the fighting that was unleashed on 22 June 1941. No less than 4.5 million men of the Axis Power advanced on a 2,900 kilometer front.
We see how the apparently unstoppable German led assaults crushed the Soviet resistance. But not for the first time Russian determination aided by the terrible winter conditions and over extended lines of communication checked the Nazi onslaught.
In the annals of warfare there has never arguably been such a bitter and costly campaign.
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Burma Victory, 1944–1945
by Jon Diamond
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
General Stilwell's ad hoc force of Merrill's Marauders, American-trained Chinese divisions, Kachin guerrillas and General Wingate's Chindits conducted a northern Burmese offensive that led to the coup de main seizure of Myitkyina's airfield in May 1944. In August 1944, after a protracted siege, Myitkyina town on the Irrawaddy River fell to the Allies. At the same time elements of General Slim's 14th Army were mounting a defence of northeastern India at Imphal and Kohima against Imperial Japan's 15th Army; Operation U-Go, led by General Mutaguchi, from March to July 1944. Thereafter, the Allies began two major campaigns. First, the northern Burmese Sino-American offensive re-opened the land supply route to China via a newly-built Burma Road, which replaced the American Air Transport Command's 'Hump' airlift that had kept Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese forces supplied. The second offensive was by General Bill Slim's multi-national British 14th Army under, which advanced south-east through the Arakan. The 'Forgotten Army' eventually re-occupied Mandalay and Rangoon. These legendary campaigns are superbly described in words and images in this fine addition to the Images of War series.
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Narvik and the Norwegian Campaign 1940
by Philip Jowett
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The Norwegian campaign, fought in 1940, early in the Second World War in Europe, is overshadowed by the campaign in Poland that preceded it and the German blitzkrieg in the Low Countries and France that followed, yet it was a close contest from the military point of view and it had a far-reaching impact on the rest of the war. Philip Jowett's photographic history is a vivid introduction to it. In a concise text and a selection of over 150 photographs he traces the entire course of the fighting in Norway on land, at sea and in the air. He describes how important it was for the Allies – the Norwegians, British and French – to defend northern Norway against the Germans, in particular to retain control of the strategic port of Narvik. The book documents in fascinating detail the troops involved, the aircraft and the large naval forces, and gives an insight into the main episodes in the conflict including the struggle for Narvik and the major clashes at sea which culminated in the loss of the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier Glorious. The photographs are especially valuable in that they show the harsh conditions in which the fighting took place and offer us a direct impression of the experience of the men who were there.
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The Malayan Emergency
The Crucial Years: 1949–53
by Mark Forsdike
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
From 1948 through the 1950s British and Commonwealth forces fought a ruthless communist insurgency on the Malay peninsula. Thanks to sound generalship and the dedication and resilience of the officers and men, the security forces eventually broke the terrorists' resolve. 1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment was just one of many British units involved in this successful campaign, known as the Malayan Emergency. Their tour between 1949 and 1953 coincided with the most crucial years when the future of the country and, arguably, the South East Asia region lay in the balance. As this book describes in words and superb contemporary images how the Battalion, the majority of whom were National Servicemen, operated under the most demanding jungle and climatic conditions, earning itself an enviable reputation. The Battalion's experiences are well recorded here and typify those of tens of thousand servicemen whose efforts secured a unique victory.
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Early Jet Bombers, 1944–1954
by Leo Marriott
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The author of Early Jet Fighters: 1944-1954 turns his attention to jet bombers in another stunning pictorial history: "Don't miss out on this one." -IPMS/USA
Using over 200 archive photographs, Leo Marriott gives us a powerful portrait of the first decade in the development of the jet bomber. This was a time of intense technical innovation that transformed the design and capabilities of the bomber and gave birth to a range of classic military aircraft in the USA, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. The photographs take the story from the earliest jet bombers constructed in Germany toward the end of the Second World War to the successful designs both sides depended on through the first phase of the Cold War.
The pace of development was rapid and remarkable, from initial prototypes built in Germany-the Arado 234 and the Junkers Ju. 287-to the fleets of advanced jet bombers like the British Canberra and V-bombers, the American B-47 and B-52, and the Soviet Il-28 Beagle and Tu-16 Badger. The images of the prototypes give a fascinating insight into the extraordinary technical challenges and the ambition and inventiveness of the designers and manufacturers who overcame them.
"Excellent coverage of a lesser-known aspect of airpower development . . . the wealth of photos makes it enjoyable and interesting." -Air Power History
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Hungarian Armoured Fighting Vehicles in the Second World War
by Eduardo Manuel Gil Martínez
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This WWII history vividly captures the Hungarian tanks and military vehicles that fought in Central and Eastern Europe through rare wartime photographs.
The Kingdom of Hungary emerged from the Great Depression as a staunch ally of Germany and Italy. In the Second World War, the Central European country not only organized its armed forces in support of the Axis Powers, but also developed its own military industry to supply weapons and equipment to its troops. The Hungarian military produced all kinds of weapons, vehicles and armored vehicles, although they were generally under-gunned and under-armored.
This book explores Hungary's participation in the Second World War through superb photographs showcasing its varieties of armored fighting vehicles. Wartime images take the reader from the beginning of the USSR campaign all the way to the bloody Siege of Budapest and the last clashes in Austrian and Slovenian territory before the army's unconditional surrender.
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The Americans from the Ardennes to VE Day
by Brooke S. Blades
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A World War II pictorial history with over 250 rare photos showing the contribution of U.S. forces in northwest Europe from December 1944 to May 1945.
Launched in December 1944, the Nazis' Ardennes offensive, known as the Battle of the Bulge, was one of the most dangerous periods of the war. During six weeks of desperate fighting, more U.S. soldiers were killed, wounded, or reported missing than in any battle in American history.
The Rhine was crossed in March 1945, first by the seizure of the railway bridge at Remagen and then by the combined American, British, and Canadian ground and airborne operation codenamed Varsity. In the closing stages of the war, the western allies pushed remorselessly in the heart of Germany. Shocking evidence of Nazi atrocities was uncovered.
Berlin fell to the Russians in early May, and the Allies met up on the River Elbe. In the chaos that followed, Germany was divided into four zones of occupation. The immediate tasks were ensuring the survival of the civilian population, establishing law and order, and the capture of war criminals.
In true Images of War style, this book graphically describes the magnificent role played by U.S. forces under General Eisenhower's overall command.
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Hitler's Heavy Tiger Tank Battalions, 1942–1945
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The heavy tanks and other armored vehicles of WWII Germany come vividly to life in this informative volume of detailed wartime photos.
With rare, often unpublished photographs and enlightening captions, Hitler's Heavy Tiger Tank Battalions provides a superb record of the Wehrmacht's Schwere Panzerableilung. In addition to the Tiger I and II heavy tanks, these battalions were equipped with Panzer III medium tanks; Flakpanzer IV self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, halftrack special purpose vehicles, Kettenkrad gun tractors, and Berge Panther armored recovery vehicles.
Between 1942 and 1945, heavy tank battalions saw action on the Eastern Front, Italy and North West Europe before being pushed back to Berlin for the final defensive battles. This volume features graphic photographs and descriptions of vehicles on operations in all these theatres. Modelers and equipment buffs in particular will find this Images of War book extremely useful and fascinating.
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Tank Wrecks of the Western Front, 1940–1945
by Anthony Tucker-Jones
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This unique pictorial history captures the many types of armored vehicles used across the Western Front of WWII-through soldiers' photos of enemy wreckage.
Early in the Second World War, victorious German soldiers regularly photographed and posed with destroyed or abandoned Allied tanks. When the tide of the war turned against them in 1944, their wrecked Panzers were photographed by victorious Allies. The practice created an extraordinary record of the thousands of tank wrecks that littered the battlefields across the Western Front.
In this volume, Anthony Tucker-Jones has selected a fascinating collection of these historic images, forming a rare visual guide to the fate of World War II armor. All the principal tanks of the conflict are represented: Renaults, Matildas, Churchills, Shermans, Panzer IVs, Panthers and Tigers along with many others.
Tanks Wrecks of the Western Front provides insight into the rapid development of tank design during the war, and shows how vulnerable these armored vehicles were to antitank guns and air attacks.
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Siege of Malta, 1940–42
by Anthony Rogers
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The story of a Mediterranean island under constant bombardment: "Packed with over 200 photographs, this book is a must for any World War II enthusiast." -The Sunday Times of Malta
For nearly two and a half years, from June 1940 until late 1942, Malta was subjected to one Axis air raid after another. The Mediterranean island was effectively beleaguered, reliant for defense on anti-aircraft guns and often-outnumbered fighter aircraft and dependent for survival on naval supply convoys.
The Axis attempted to bomb and starve Malta into submission, attacking ports and military and industrial areas, leading to Malta becoming one of the most heavily bombed areas of the Second World War, with well over three thousand alerts before the end of hostilities. But against the odds, and at heavy cost, Malta was held. Malta was vital to Allied success in North Africa, dominating Axis supply routes to the region. It was a remarkable, intense campaign, a crucial turning point in the Second World War, and one of the Allies' greatest tactical and strategic victories.
This is an account of that desperate time, as witnessed by those who were there and illustrated with their wartime photographs, together with color images of Malta today.
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Hitler's Defeat on the Western Front, 1944–1945
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
by Hans Seidler
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Hitler's Defeat on the Western Front 1944-1945 is a compelling account of the Nazis' ten month struggle against the overwhelming Allied military might on the Western Front. Thanks to the successful Images of War format of authoritative text supported by copious, well captioned contemporary images, the reader witnesses the intensity of the fighting from the Normandy beaches, through France and the Low Countries and finally into Germany itself. Despite demoralizing withdrawals and reversals the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, Hitlerjugend, Volkssturm with many barely trained conscripts, continued to fight tenaciously inflicting significant losses on their superior enemy. The graphic images are testimony to their exhaustion and resilience but defeat became increasingly certain. Even when the Allies crossed the Rhine in early 1945 with the Russians closing on Berlin from the East, the shattered remnants of Hitler's once all-conquering forces had nowhere to go. That did not stop fanatical elements fighting to the death but the bulk of the survivors accepted surrender as inevitable. This superbly illustrated book captures the drama of that historic period.
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The French Army in the Great War
by David Bilton
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
There have been few books written in English about the French Army during the Great War. Those that have are scarcely illustrated. This book aims to provide a highly readable and succinct account of the work of the French Army on the Western Front, as well as provide the reader with a wealth of photographs that show the daily life of the French soldier both in and out of the trenches. All of the images are contemporary, many coming from wartime and postwar magazines, interspersed with many previously unpublished images. The book aims to give a concise overview of the war seen through French eyes and includes the casualties incurred. Although the May 1917 mutinies were an important but brief part of the story, they are not dealt with at any length because they can distract from the main story of the valor shown by the French troops in battles were the casualties were extremely high. Also included is a lengthy introduction which explains the structure of the army at the onset of the war and some of the problems it faced, and a section that looks at the uniforms worn and how they changed during the war.
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The Eighth Army in North Africa
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
by Simon Forty
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The British Eighth Army, which played a decisive role in defeating the Axis in North Africa, was one of the most celebrated Allied armies of the Second World War, and this photographic history is the ideal introduction to it. The carefully chosen photographs show the men, weapons and equipment of the army during campaigns in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. The battles the army fought in the Western Desert in 1941 and 1942 are the stuff of legend, as is the second Battle of El Alamein when, under Montgomery, it defeated the German and Italian forces commanded by Rommel. The book gives a vivid insight into the fighting and the desert conditions, and it shows what a varied, multinational force the army was, for it brought together men from Britain, the British Empire and Commonwealth as well as Free French, Greeks and Poles.
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FV430 Series
by Robert Griffin
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
During the Second World War the British infantry found itself lacking suitable transport to cope with the fast moving German Blitzkrieg tactics. Various stopgap measures were introduced with mixed success but, with the postwar nuclear biological and chemical threat, it was imperative that a robust solution was found. The FV300 and FV400 Cambridge carriers paved the way for the introduction of the AFV430 series in the 1960s at the height of the Cold War. Initially a basic armored personnel carrier, the series grew to cover a multitude of roles: command, recovery, mortar, Swingfire, and remote mine clearing to name but a selection. Over 50 years later variants are still in service. This classic Images of War book not only describes in words and images the AFV430 series but traces the development of infantry carriers for the British Army.
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The Battle for Arnhem 1944–1945
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
by Anthony Tucker-Jones
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Operation Market Garden, September 1944, the Netherlands. Three parachute drops and one armored charge. The prize was the last bridge at Arnhem over the Neder Rijn. Taken intact it would provide the Allies with a backdoor into Germany — the famous 'Bridge Too Far.' This was one of the most audacious and imaginative operations of the war, and it failed, and Anthony Tucker-Jones's photographic history is a vivid introduction to it. In a sequence of almost 200 archive photographs accompanied by a detailed narrative he describes the landing of British and American parachutists and glider troops. At the same time British tanks spearheaded a sixty-mile dash along 'Hell's Highway' to link up with the lightly armed and heavily outnumbered airborne forces. Most books about the resulting battle concentrate on the struggle at Arnhem and the heroism of the British 1st Airborne Division. This book puts that episode in its wider context. In particular it focuses on the efforts of the US 101st and 82nd airborne divisions to hold off counterattacks by German battlegroups during the tanks' advance. The photographs give a dramatic insight into all sides of a remarkable but ill-fated operation which has fascinated historians and been the subject of controversy ever since. They also portray, as only photographs can, the men who were involved and the places and conditions in which the fighting took place.
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Fallschirmjäger: German Paratroopers, 1937–1941
by François Cochet
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
As elite troops, the German Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) were regularly engaged in front line combat during the Second World War. Their famed actions such as the fighting in Scandinavia, the taking of the Belgian fortress Eden-Emal in May 1940, and the Battle for Crete just a year later, have given them the reputation of being determined, courageous and loyal soldiers. This book covers the early years of the Fallschirmstruppen (paratroop units) before the beginning of the war, until the height of their successes in 1941, after which the Fallschirmjäger were more often deployed in a more 'traditional' way, even though high-risk actions (such as at Monte Cassino, the Gran Sasso Raid) allowed them to reconnect once more with their glorious past.
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Wingate's Men
The Chindit Operations: Special Forces in Burma
by Colin Higgs
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This volume of rare WWII photographs offers a vivid chronicle of the exploits and operations of the famous British special forces unit stationed in Burma.
The Long Range Penetration Groups, more commonly known as the Chindits, were possibly the most famous fighting formations of the Second World War's Burma campaign. Colonel Orde Wingate began the operations deep within enemy territory with the aim of disrupting Japanese plans for the invasion of India.
In their first operation, the Chindits took the Japanese by surprise, but the Japanese responded quickly. With three brigades chasing them, they fled back to India to avoid capture. Despite heavy losses, the Chindits had proven themselves a formidable force-and their next operation would be far more ambitious. Wingate arranged for 10,000 men to be flown into the heart of Burma, causing significant mayhem amongst the Japanese forces. Wingate, however, died in a plane crash in the Burmese jungle.
This wonderful collection of photographs, drawn in large part from one man's private albums, shows the harsh conditions in which the Chindits had to operate, and the terrible physical state of many of the men who survived the jungles, the dry plains, and the ferocious Japanese enemy.
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Allied Armies in Sicily and Italy 1943–1945
by Simon Forty
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A pictorial history of Allied forces making their way through Italy in the final years of World War II, featuring rare photos from wartime archives.
The Italian campaign was one of the most debated of World War II, splitting the American and British allies, and causing great disharmony. After the fall of Rome and the surrender of Italy, the invasion of Normandy led to the Italian campaign becoming a sideshow as the "D-Day Dodgers" fought their way through Italy to the Alps against a grinding defense and extreme weather.
In a sequence of 200 wartime photographs Simon Forty sums up the major events of the conflict-from the landings on Sicily to the crossing of the Po. Commanded first by Sir Harold Alexander and then Mark Clark, the Allied armies (U.S. Fifth and British Eighth) drew men not only from Britain, the United States, France, and Poland, but also from all over the Commonwealth-from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa-as well as such other countries as Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Palestine.
The devastation caused by the war in the cities, towns, and countryside is part of the story, but perhaps the most powerful impression is made by the faces of the soldiers themselves as they look out from the Italian front of so long ago.
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United States Marine Corps in Vietnam
by Michael Green
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A pictorial history "jam packed full of excellent visual and textual history of US Marine Corps operations in the Vietnam War" (AMPS).
With the American-supported South Vietnamese government verging on collapse in early 1965, President Lyndon Johnson decided to commit conventional ground forces in the form of a United States Marine Corps brigade of approximately 3,000 men on March 8, 1965. So began a massive and costly ten-year commitment.
At its height in 1968, the USMC had 86,000 men in South Vietnam. Almost a half million Marines would eventually rotate in out of South Vietnam during their typical one-year tours of duty. In the end, the fighting during well-known battles at Con Tien, Chu Lai, Hue, Khe Sanh, and Dong Ha-and thousands of now forgotten smaller-scale engagements-would cost the USMC 13,070 killed in action and 88,630 wounded, more casualties than they suffered during the Second World War.
In this book, well-known military historian Michael Green, using hundreds of dramatic images, tells the gallant story of the Marines' contribution to an unwinnable war; the battles; their equipment, from rifles to helicopters and jets; and the strategy adopted by the Corps.
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The Fall of Berlin
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
By March 1945, the Red Army had closed in on Berlin. Marshal Zhukov, with almost a million soldiers and 20,000 tanks and guns at his disposal, launched his assault of the Seelow Heights. While costly, with 30,000 Russians killed, it brought the Russian Army to the gates of the capital.
On April 20, Hitler's fifty-sixth birthday, Soviet artillery began a massive bombardment of the doomed city. The Fuhrer ordered every soldier, Hitlerjugend, and Volksstrum to fight to the death. The house-to-house fighting that followed was brutal and savage, with heavy casualties for both military and civilians. Using superb Russian and German imagery, this pictorial history describes the Russian assault and Nazi last-ditch defense of Hitler's capital during the final days of the Third Reich.
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The Americans from Normandy to the German Border
August to mid-December 1944
by Brooke S. Blades
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This classic Images of War book takes up the story of the massive American contribution to the campaign in north West Europe during the autumn and early winter of 1944. Following the dramatic breakout from the Normandy bridgehead, events moved fast with the liberation of Paris quickly following and the Allies closed in on the German border. But the apparent collapse of the Nazis was illusory. As lines of communication lengthened and German resistance stiffened, the Allied High Command was divided on the right strategy. The ill-fated Operation Market Garden brought home the reality that the war would continue into 1945. The Siegfried Line was penetrated and Aachen fell but the American First Army suffered heavy casualties in the Hurtgen Forest. As winter set in, the third Army crossed the Moselle River and into the Saar. The stage was set for the costliest battle in American history, the Bulge, to be covered in the Third and final volume of this trilogy. With his superb collection of images and grasp of the historic significance of the actions so graphically described, Brooke Blades' latest book will be appreciated by all with an interest in the final stages of the Second World War.
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M65 Atomic Cannon
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
by David Doyle
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Through historic photos, this volume traces the development, production and deployment of this iconic piece of military equipment from the drawing boards to the Cold War battlefields of Europe. In 1949, the US Army wanted an artillery gun that could fire a nuclear warhead in the event that guided missiles and long-range bombers proved insufficient in delivering atomic weapons. The result was the M65, 280mm Atomic Cannon. On May 25, 1953, at 0830 hours, an M65 of A Battery, 867th Field Artillery Battalion, let loose with the only nuclear round the type would ever fire. Six battalions of the M65 would eventually be deployed, most in Europe with one battalion sent to the Korean Peninsula. Though never used in combat, they served as a significant tactical nuclear deterrent in the early stages of the Cold War.
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Hitler's Light Tanks
by Paul Thomas
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
This fully illustrated WWII history examines the varieties of German light tanks and their usage throughout the conflict with rare wartime photographs.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Hitler's Wehrmacht led the way in armored warfare as blitzkriegs overwhelmed Poland and North West Europe. The contribution of light tanks such as Panzers I, II and 35(t) was critical.
As the war spread to the Balkans, north Africa and the invasion of Russia, German engineers modified existing light tanks and developed new models. These included tank destroyers such as the Marder III Panzerjäger, SdKfz 138/1 and 139. There were anti-aircraft variants, including the Flakpanzer 38(t), and reconnaissance tanks such as the SdKfz 140/1 and the Aufklarungerspanzer 38(t).
This superbly illustrated book gives a comprehensive overview of the multitude of German light tanks that came into service. With the text and captions providing technical data, the images show this formidable array of fighting vehicles in action across the theatres of war.
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7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen At War, 1941–1945
A History of the Division
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Drawing on a superb collection of rare and unpublished photographs the The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen 1941 - 1945 is the 7th book in the Waffen-SS Images of War Series written by Ian Baxter. The book tells the story of the 7th SS Mountain Division was formed in 1941 from the Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) volunteers and conscripts from the Banat, Independent State of Croatia, Hungary and Romania. It fought a brutal counter insurgency campaign against communist-led Yugoslav Partisan resistance forces in the occupied Serbia and Montenegro. It was given the title Prinz Eugen after Prince Eugene of Savoy, an outstanding military leader of the Habsburg Empire who liberated the Banat and Belgrade from the Ottoman Empire in the Austro Turkish War. It was initially named the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen (SS-Volunteer Division Prinz Eugen).
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Fallschirmjäger: German Paratroopers, 1942–1945
by François Cochet
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
As elite troops, the German Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) were regularly engaged in front line combat during the Second World War. Their famed actions such as the fighting in Scandinavia, the taking of the Belgian fortress Eden-Emal in May 1940, and the Battle for Crete just a year later, have given them the reputation of being determined, courageous and loyal soldiers. This book continues the pictorial history of the Fallschirmjäger, focusing on the period following the bloody Battle for Crete. Used as elite infantry, first in the USSR and then in Africa, the Fallschirmjäger were able to reconnect with their glorious past, whether in Italy or on the Greek Islands, as they jumped from their Ju 52s to engage the enemy. Their hard fighting in Italy helped to cement the legend of 'the Green Devils', with the British General Harold Alexander describing them as 'tenacious, highly trained men, hardened by their many actions and combats'. However, during the fighting in Normandy, the Ardennes and on the Eastern Front, the number of veterans decreased, meaning it was the young German paratroopers who finally surrendered the III Reich on 8 May 1945.
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Stalag Luft III
The German Pow Camp That Inspired The Great Escape
by Charles Messenger
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
In early 1942 the Third Reich opened a maximum security prisoner-of-war camp in Lower Silesia for captured Allied airmen. Called Stalag Luft III, the camp soon came to contain some of the most inventive escapers ever known.
The escapers were led by Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, codenamed 'Big X'. In March 1944, Bushell masterminded an attempt to smuggle hundreds of POWs down a tunnel built right under the noses of their guards. In fact, 76 Allied airmen clambered into the tunnel and only three made successful escapes.
This remarkable breakout would be immortalized in the famous Hollywood film The Great Escape, in which the bravery of the men was rightly celebrated. Behind the scenes photographs from the film are included in this definitive pictorial work on the most famous POW camp of World War II.
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M1 Abrams
Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives
by David Doyle
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The M1 Abrams has been the principal main battle tank of the US military since 1980. Conceived to counter the threat of a massive Soviet armored incursion in Europe, the tank gained considerable fame during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and its combat record has continued to climb. With such a long service life, the Abrams has undergone continual improvements and upgrades, which are illustrated in great detail in this volume. The unique features of the various models are detailed in stunning color photos, and the combat use of these fearsome vehicles is richly illustrated through previously unpublished photos. The story of the Abrams begins in the late 1960s when the threat of Soviet Armor developments forced the U.S. to look for a suitable replacement for the M60 series. A joint venture between the U.S. and West Germany to build a suitable common Main Battle Tank brought about the unorthodox and terribly expensive MBT70. It never saw series production. When this program was cancelled in 1970 a quest for a more cost-effective tank was begun. The constant development, upgrade, and conversion of the series have kept the Abrams at the forefront of main battle tank technology, and it has proven itself on the battlefield time and time again. The Abrams is entering its fourth decade of service with U.S. forces and the plan is to keep the vehicle in the United States' inventory through as late as 2040. The original design of the M1 was conceived to allow the installation of the smooth bore M256 main gun with only minimal modification. The gun was a German Rheinmetall design for the Leopard II. With additional improvements to the armor, transmission, engine, and the addition of an integrated nuclear, biological, and chemical system, the new production M1A1 Abrams was standardized in 1984. Production at the Detroit Arsenal was now under the control of General Dynamics Land Systems. The production of the M1A1 ended in 1993 with over 4500 produced. The new main gun greatly increased the tanks firepower. In 1988 a layer of depleted uranium (DU) was added to the special armor array in the front of the tank. This gave the tank unprecedented protection for the crew. The tanks were also equipped internally by powered blast doors which separated the turret crew from the ammunition storage in the turret's rear. This also increased crew survivability in case the tank was penetrated in this area. The story of the M1A1 will be forever linked with images of the 1st Gulf War of 1991. Never in the 100-year history of armored warfare has such a dominant weapon appeared on the battlefield with almost complete impunity form its adversaries. In that brief conflict the tank achieved an almost perfect balance of firepower, mobility, and protection.
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Hitler versus Stalin
The Eastern Front 1944–1945 - Warsaw to Berlin
by Nik Cornish
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
In the fourth and final volume of Nik Cornish's photographic history of the Second World War on the Eastern Front the defeat of the German army, the destruction and occupation of the cities in eastern Germany and the humiliation of the German people are shown in over 150 mostly unpublished wartime photographs. The extent of the fighting, from the Baltic in the north to the Balkans in the south, is recorded in a selection of graphic images, as is the tenacity and desperation of the German resistance and the unstoppable force of the Red Army as offensive after offensive crushed the Third Reich. While most of the photographs show the Red Army, its troops, equipment and the conditions in which it fought, the shattered cities of Germany and eastern Europe and the suffering and destitution of the civilians are recorded in graphic detail.
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Allied POWs in German Hands 1914–1918
Rare Photographs fro Wartime Archives
by David Bilton
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A fully illustrated account of the dangers, the deaths, and the hardships of the thousands of Allied men who became prisoners of war during World War I. After being forced or making the decision to surrender, the soldier, sailor, or airman was at the mercy of his captors. Here, readers will learn what it felt like to surrender, the hazards involved, and then the often-arduous journey to a prisoner camp in Germany. Not all camps were the same; some were better than others, a situation that could easily change with the replacement of the commandant. But most were poor. Disease was rife and there was little medical care. With the arrival of parcels from home, most prisoners could implement their diet, but this was not the case for Russians who received little help and relied on handouts from other prisoners. Barracks were usually cold and there were few blankets and little clothing. Men were abused, starved, denied their basic rights, sent to work in appalling conditions, and some were simply murdered. Escape was a priority for many men, but few made it home. This is the stark, unflinching true story of men who volunteered to fight for their country, only to end up in a war for survival at the mercy of the enemy.
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Hitler's Defeat on the Eastern Front
Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives
by Ian Baxter
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Drawing on rare and previously unpublished photographs accompanied by in-depth captions, the book provides an absorbing analysis of this traumatic period of the Second World War. It reveals in detail how the battle of Kursk was the beginning of the end and how this massive operation led to the Red Army recapturing huge areas of the Soviet Union and bleeding white the German armies it struck. Despite the adverse situation in which both the German Army and its Waffen-SS counterparts were placed, soldiers continued to fight to the bitter end and attempted to build new defense-lines. But as the Red Army launched its long awaited summer offensive on June 1944, German forces were forced to withdraw under the constant hammer blows of ground and aerial bombardments. Those German forces that survived the artillery barrages, the onslaught of the tank armadas, and mass infantry assaults, streamed back from the battlefield and fought vicious battles through the Baltic States, Byelorussia, and built up new defense along the Vistula in Poland. As the final months of the War were played out on the Eastern Front, the Army and Waffen-SS, with diminishing resources, withdrew across a devastated Reich and fought out their last battle with party militia forces around a devastated Berlin.
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M12 Gun Motor Carriage
by David Doyle
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
Although only 100 examples were produced, the 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 served with distinction as an infantry-support weapon and in particular as a bunker-buster during the U.S. assault on the Siegfried Line in the winter of 1944-45.The ability to rapidly ready heavy artillery for firing lead to the development of the M12 155mm gun in 1941, based on the M3 Medium Tank chassis. The trial vehicle, built by Rock Island Arsenal, was designated T6\. To accommodate the large, rear mounted weapon – a French-made M1917 155mm gun, the engine was relocated forward to a position just behind the driving compartment. A hydraulically operated spade mounted at the rear of the vehicle, which was lowered during firing to anchor the vehicle against the recoil. When retracted into the travelling position it provided a seat for two of the six crewmen. The production run was between September 1942 and March 1943, with a total of one hundred units being built. Though a few were used by training units, most were placed in storage until February 1944, when the first of 74 of them were shipped to Baldwin Locomotive Works to be improved based on further tests and usage in training. This work continued until May 1944.Three slightly different WWI surplus weapons were mounted depending upon availability, the M1917, the M1917A1 and the M1918M1. The M1917 was French built, the M1918 was US built, and the M1917A1 had the French gun tube, and the US breech. The M12 would earn the nickname "Door Knocker" for its pounding of the German Siegfried Line.
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M7 Priest
by David Doyle
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
The M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage, dubbed the Priest, was the most successful and widely used example of American self-propelled artillery during WWII. Examples continued to be used by the U.S. Army during the Korean war, and beyond, even serving Allied countries into the 1970s. Coined the Priest due to its pulpit-like structure for the gun commander, this armored fighting vehicle would see action in North Africa, Italy, and the D-Day landings in Normandy and all the way to Germany.
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Adolf Hitler
Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives
by Nigel Blundell
Part of the Images of War (Pen & Sword Books) series
A rare, revealing, and chilling photographic history of Adolf Hitler-from mollycoddled child to vile propagandist to despotic madman. One of the most intriguing mysteries about the rise of history's most despised dictator is just how utterly ordinary he once seemed. A chubby child, a mama's boy, an idle student, a failed artist, self-pitying outcast, and just another face in the crowd. The early images of Adolf Hitler give no hint of the demonic spirit bent on global domination. Only later in his tortured life came the metamorphosis, and the mask fell away to reveal a monster. Adolf Hitler: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives traces this dramatic process in photographs-some iconic, some rare and intimate. And they are all revealing in their gradually subtle and disturbing transformation, demonstrating the mesmerizing power that Hitler wielded not only over the German public but also statesmen, industrialists, and the global media. Many culled from the author's private collection, the photographs collected here provide unique insight into the mind of a megalomaniac and architect of the twentieth century's most unfathomable atrocity.