Books (1 Viewer)

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:lol: Hey ...we all have to start somewhere.
 
seriously I remember my first book purchase back in 1963. Still has the original almost neon yellow paper cover on it. A small little hardback piece of crap covering the WW 2 a/c of the world in the fighter form. A single representation of an a/c with a very brief bio with words I cannot even read anymore due to the text being so small ............

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Funny, I found a book in a car-boot sale, couldn't be sure whether it's for kiddies or adults :lol: but it has some serious WW2 info in it, dunno why I bought it but I'm glad I did! :D

It has amazing cut-aways of Udets Me109 and the Panther. 8)
 
More;

Panzer Battles - Maj. Gen. von Mellenthin.

A remarkable book about the Germans usage and combat of armour. Written in the 1950s for the Western world as a teacher for their commanders to combat the Soviets. It includes detailed accounts of the major battles of the Wehrmacht from France to North Africa to Russia and back to France, in all of which von Mellenthin served. Gives the German take on Soviet tactics and Allied tactics, the Germans counter to all of them. And the general overview of the war from the armour point of view. Excellent.

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Sun Tzu's Art of War

Need I say anything? It has been the basis of combat for centuries. Be it combat, life, business or love this book has ideas for them all. You want to win a war? Know the rules of it.

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Panzer Leader - Heinz Guderian.

Again, no collection of armour theories and armour employment writing is complete without Panzer Leader. Written post-war Guderian reflects on his positions during the war, his relationship with Hitler and the Nazi high-command, the usage of armour in the Wehrmacht and it's changing tactics and also the ups and downs of career ...and to some extent his personal life during World War II. Again, another must for anyone who believes they're in the know for the tactical employment of armour.

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I try to order a about 2 to 3 books a month for my collection. Me and my wife want to build a library into our house when we build it and I want it to be filled with history and military books. I have quite a collection now but much of them are in my mothers basement in storage since I joined the Army.
 
I'll refrain from listing everyone of books on my shleves, they are starting to bow. Plan, man those titles are ancient news ! :lol:

should I list my US AF titles........... ?
 
There's nothing better than the memoirs of the commanders themselves, Erich. You should know that!
 
Erich, I'm looking into books I will probably buy next and I saw Das Reich and remembered you are critical of it. Mind if I ask why? I really enjoyed reading Armageddon by Sir Max Hastings, am I under the wrong impression that all his books match up to the prowess of Armageddon?

Here's a few more books I have;

The Spanish Civil War by Antony Beevor

I am currently reading this book. It's old, printed originally in the 1980s but it's remarkable. Antony Beevor is a well known and respected historical writer. Reading this book I understand why.

The Spanish Civil War is probably the most politically complicated wars in history. Beevor makes no attempt to simplify it using that the fact that a mere simplification will give the wrong indication of the wars politics. It talks of the politics of both the Nationalists and the Republicans, as well as the foreign powers in relation to the Civil War and each other.

The narrative on the combats of the war are enough to give an idea of how they were fought. And there's maps and pictures inside to help understanding.

Be warned the Spanish Civil War was extremely complicated. It'll take a lot of concentration and patience to be able to read this book. But once you dive in, you'll find it hard to get out again. It's excellent.

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Monte Cassino - Matthew Parker

A resourceful in-depth look at one of the bloodiest battles fought by the Western Allies in Europe. This book has it all from movements to personal stories, it's written and put together well. I'm certainly glad I bought this book as it really put me straight on a lot of things concering Cassino.

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Armageddon - Sir Max Hastings

Another great book, in my opinion and many people agree so. About the fall of Germany from the end of the Normandy campaign to the last shot this book covers it all. Well written and working the stories of many people involved from Russian civilian to U.S tank commander, it covers all major operations including Operation MARKET GARDEN, Operation WACHT AM RHEINE and Operation BAGRATION. It also deals with the air war in some depth, useful information on the bombing campaign in the final months. It doesn't skip on the depth but as always it's a overview of the end other books would be best sort for precise details. But this book should accompany them.

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Burma - The Forgotten War - Jon Latimer

As we all know the CBI is much forgotten but not to me solely because my grandfather fought there. This book does the men that fought in the CBI great justice. From many accounts of their treks through the jungle to the grand divisional movements and political tensions this book is great but not perfect. There are some bits of information that a bit sketchy. I have even asked the author himself who agrees that he's not quite sure on some of the minor points. However it is a broad and indepth overview. And well worth the money as it's long and it's a vastly different 'taste' from the European war. From medieval style clashes of steel to the first helicopter operation the Burma was a mythical stage to face combat.

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Plan I read through the Hstings DAs Reich book at least 5 times. The book is cheaply done and the captions quite critical of Das Reich personell. It seems the author has not done his research quite thouroughly enough but when he did it he may not have had oppourtunity to interview the surviving German vets still with us then and now. The book is not a unit history but one that covers the sad tale of DR coming northward to Normandie causing the French civilians much havoc with shootings, burnings and hangings. this unfortunately put a black shadow on opnce a fine military unit. True enough these terrible episodes did happen but commanded at what level and also in entirety actually which unit is repsonsible for the atrocities from village to village ? arms were found stored in the barns and the Maquis had taken Germans captive and brutally murdered them. Warning s were given by the Wehrmacht and the W-SS as the German units moved to the north but of course were not heeded................after all it was war and the /French wanted to win at all costs. to me the boook is biased but it is not the only one in my collection. And Plan yes I really do enjoy first hand accts. My remark was to the fact that you were showing in scan form some old titles which brought back some memories.

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So, I suppose to have Das Reich it'd be a good idea to accompany it with a proper military history of the division? Actually, I think my next book shall be one about Khalkin-Gol. I like setting the scene for World War II. I was going to get one about the Spanish Civil War but my dad solved the problem when he found that book in the Lost and Found at work.
 
Isee Osprey publioshing is suppose to relaese two new aviation titles today.

Sturmgruppen......... :D should be crap compared to what has already been written

second title looks like it might be a keeper though.

Mosquito fighters. Primarily the Mossie night fighter versions......... I'll have to grab a copy since there is about 0 on the nf version

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Hello: I'll play, Fortress in the Sky. Peter M. Bowers (Excellant)
the Quest for Mach 1 (oral histories interviews)
Silent Siege, Bert Weber
Billy the kid AGF
 
Erich:

When I go to Europe in a few days I will get the book.

What an absolutely cool photo of the cover!!

That pilot had quite a classy style, like most Germans of the era.

Erich, is the name of the pilot in the photo known?
 
Udet, it is Manfred Dieterle on the cover, 2./JG 300 Staffelkapitän

will tell you that most of the pics in volume 1 are 109G's. the second volume really covers the Sturmfw's and there will be many pics. volume 1 did not cover the night fighters as deeply as I thought it would, radar and the explanation of wilde sau is not indepth except to say they flew these type of missions. A quadrant map covering the areas of day/night kills also would of been nice but in any case it is a JG 300 Geschwader history and it protrays the unit in excellent manner........yes get the book. It's spendy
 
Erich:

Thanks for the response. What was Dieterle´s total score? Is he still alive?

Finally, do you have any idea of the approximate date such photo was taken?

Summer of 1944 perhaps?

Dieterle´s dazzling pose in his 109 G-6 photo comes to confirm what I´ve believed for a long time: German uniforms and boots were simply the most beautiful and ellegant of all.


DarAdler:

I will first be in London, where I´ll spend about a week visiting my parents and my grandparents.

Then I am heading to Frankfurt where I will stay for 5 days before taking my final flight to Mother Russia (Moscow).
 

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