Peter McCarthy: Panzerkrieg [2002]

Blitzkrieg. For many the word conjures a vision of massed columns of tanks sweeping through Europe, smashing all resistance, relentless caterpillar treads leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. But the dramatic story of Hitler's tank divisions is more than one of mere mechanical efficiency. It hangs too on those who commanded and fought in them, and believed in their near-invincibility. These are the men who are the focus of this narrative - great generals like Guderian, Rommel, tank masters like Wittmann and Bake, and inspired commanders like Balck and Bayerlein dominate the story of Panzerkrieg. Dispensing with jargon, but including maps, illustrations and detail on uniforms, crew members and mechanical features of the machines, the authors of this volume give an historical overview of all aspects of the subject, both human and technical. They have also benefited from new information available since the opening of the Cold War archives. Emerging from the narrative is the whole vast canvas of the war, as it follows the titanic struggles which ranged between the bocage country of France, the desert wastes of North Africa, and the limitless Steppes of Russia.
The development of German fighting vehicles and tactics is charted, and the many myths and misconceptions are exploded. Research and reference to the memoirs of the leading participants contributes to this assessment of the evolution, exploits and eventual destruction of this fighting force.