Armoured Warfare in the North African Campaign

Author: Anthony Tucker-Jones
Publisher: Images of War
ISBN: 9781848845671
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The North African campaign, the struggle of the Italians and Germans against the Allies in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia between 1940 and 1943, was a war of movement and maneuver, of dramatic changes of fortune, and it was a war in which mechanized forces - tanks in particular - excelled. Compared with the heavily populated landscapes of northwest Europe, the empty open spaces of North Africa appeared to be ideal operating terrain for tanks, yet the harsh desert conditions tested men and machinery to the limit, as Anthony Tucker-Jones demonstrates in this remarkable selection of wartime photographs. The use of armor during the entire course of the campaign is covered, from the initial Italian offensive, the arrival of Rommel's Panzergruppe Afrika, the battles fought along the North African shore which culminated in El Alamein, then the Allied advance into Tunisia which led to the final defeat of the German and Italian armies. The images give a fascinating inside view of combat, but they also reveal the daily routines of tank warfare 65 years ago, and give a vivid impression of what it was like to fight in and live with the tanks of the day - the German Mk IIIs and Mk IVs and the Tiger, the British Matildas and Valentines and the American Grants and Shermans that contributed so much to the Allied victory. Training, maintenance, transportation and supply are shown, as are the daily lives of the tank crews and extreme conditions in which they worked and fought.

The Armour of Rommel's Afrika Korps

Author: Ian Baxter
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1526713802
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 203

Book Description
A pictorial history of the armoured vehicles used by the Nazis during their occupation of North Africa in World War II. The Deutsche Afrika Korps (best known as simply Afrika Korps) earned a well-deserved reputation as a superb fighting machine. While this was founded on the leadership and tactical genius of its legendary commander Erwin Rommel and the fighting skills of its officers and men, another vital element was its equipment and armour. This superbly illustrated Images of War book reveals the full range of German armored vehicles that saw service in North Africa from 1941 to mid-1943. As well as the formidable panzers, such as the Tiger and Panther tanks, there were Sturmartillerie equipments, reconnaissance vehicles, half-tracks, armored cars, Panzerkampwagens, and motorcycles. All had their roles to play. While the Allies ultimately triumphed in North Africa, the combination of German design and engineering with superb generalship and fighting spirit, very nearly changed the course of the Second World War in 1942. Military historians and equipment enthusiasts will find this a fascinating and authoritative book. “Another great addition to [the Images of War] series . . . . A must have for anyone with an interest in the Afrika Korps during World War Two.” —Armorama.com

Armoured Warfare in the Vietnam War

Author: Michael Green
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1781593817
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 206

Book Description
Historian and collector Michael Green shows in this fascinating and graphically illustrated book that the two wars that engulfed Indochina and North and South Vietnam over 30 years were far more armoured in nature than typically thought of. By skilful use of imagery and descriptive text he describes the many variants deployed and their contribution.??The ill-fated French Expeditionary Force was largely US equipped with WW2 M3 and M5 Stuart, M4 Sherman and M24 light tanks as well as armoured cars and half-tracks. Most of these eventually went to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam but were outdated and ineffective due to lack of logistics and training.??The US Army and Marine Corps build-up in the 1960s saw vast quantities of M48 Pattons, M113 APCs and many specialist variants and improvised armoured vehicles arrive in theatre. The Australians brought their British Centurion tanks. ??But it was the Russians, Chinese and North Vietnamese who won the day and their T-38-85 tanks, ZSU anti-aircraft platforms and BTR-40 and -50 swept the Communists to victory.??This fine book brings details and images of all these diverse weaponry to the reader in one volume.

Rommel in North Africa

Author: David Mitchelhill-Green
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
ISBN: 1473892228
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 487

Book Description
Erwin Rommel is the arguably the most well-known German general of the Second World War. Revered by his troops and applauded by his enemies, the so-called Desert Fox achieved legendary status for his daring exploits and bold maneuvers during the North African campaign. In this book, richly illustrated with over 400 images, the author examines the privations and challenges Rommel faced in leading his coalition force. Endeavoring to reach the Nile Delta, we find Rommel's Axis soldiers poorly prepared to undertake such an audacious operation. Much-admired by his men in the front lines, we discover a demanding and intolerant leader, censured by subordinate officers and mistrusted by his superiors in Berlin. Certainly no diplomat, we observe posed interactions with Italian and junior German officers through an official lens. We note Rommel's readiness to take advantage of his enemy's weakness and study his extraordinary instinct for waging mobile warfare. We consider his disregard for the decisive factor of supply and view his army's reliance on captured equipment. We learn how this brave and ambitious commander was celebrated by German propaganda when the Wehrmacht's fortunes in the East were waning. Conversely, analyze why Winston Churchill honored him as a daring and skillful opponent. Finally, we picture this energetic, ambitious, at times reckless, commander as he roamed the vast Western Desert battlefield. This is the story of Rommel in North Africa.

Armoured Warfare in the North African Campaign

Author: Anthony Tucker-Jones
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1783038195
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 324

Book Description
The North African campaign, the struggle of the Italians and Germans against the Allies in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia between 1940 and 1943, was a war of movement and maneuver, of dramatic changes of fortune, and it was a war in which mechanized forces—tanks in particular—excelled. Compared with the heavily populated landscapes of northwest Europe, the empty open spaces of North Africa appeared to be ideal operating terrain for tanks, yet the harsh desert conditions tested men and machinery to the limit, as Anthony Tucker-Jones demonstrates in this remarkable selection of wartime photographs.The use of armor during the entire course of the campaign is covered, from the initial Italian offensive, the arrival of Rommels Panzergruppe Afrika, the battles fought along the North African shore which culminated in El Alamein, then the Allied advance into Tunisia which led to the final defeat of the German and Italian armies.The images give a fascinating inside view of combat, but they also reveal the daily routines of tank warfare 65 years ago, and give a vivid impression of what it was like to fight in and live with the tanks of the day the German Mk IIIs and Mk IVs and the Tiger, the British Matildas and Valentines and the American Grants and Shermans that contributed so much to the Allied victory. Training, maintenance, transportation and supply are shown, as are the daily lives of the tank crews and extreme conditions in which they worked and fought.

Afrika Korps

Author: Ian Baxter
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1844156834
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Book Description
Afrika Korps is an illustrated record of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel and his desert troops that fought in North Africa against British and Commonwealth forces between 1941 and 1943. Using previously rare and unpublished photographs, many of which have come from the albums of individuals who took part in the desert campaign, it presents a unique visual account of the famous Afrika-KorpsÍ operations and equipment. Thanks to an informative caption with every photograph Afrika Korps vividly portrays how the German Army fought across the uncharted and forbidding desert wilderness of North Africa. Throughout the book it examines how Rommel and his Afrika Korps were so successful and includes an analysis of desert war tactics which Rommel himself had indoctrinated. These tactics quickly won the Afrika-Korps a string of victories between 1941 and 1942. The photographs that accompany the book are a fascinating collection that depicts life in the Afrika-Korps, as seen through the lens of the ordinary soldier.

The Italian Army In North Africa

Author: Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.
Publisher: Fonthill Media
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 362

Book Description
Previously unpublished analysis of why and how the Italians foughtA look at the role the Italian Army played in North Africa as part of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (German Afrika Korps)In spite of poor leadership, the Italian soldier performed well against all odds in North AfricaProfusely illustrated with many rare and unpublished images ‘The German soldier has impressed the world, however, the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier.’ Erin Rommel aka ‘The Desert Fox’ When most people think of the Italian Army in North Africa during the Second World War, they tend to believe that the average Italian soldier offered little resistance to the Allies before surrendering. Many suggest that the Italian Army performed in a cowardly manner during the war: the reality is not so simple. The question remains as to whether the Italians were cowards or victims of circumstance. While the Italian soldier’s commitment to the war was not as great as that of his German counterpart, many Italians fought bravely. The Italian Littorio and Ariete Divisions earned Allied admiration at Tobruk, Gazala and EI Alamein. The Italian Army played a significant role as part of the German Afrika Korps and made up a large portion of the Axis combat power in North Africa during 1941 and 1942. In the interest of determining how the Italian Army earned the reputation that it did, it is necessary to analyse why and how the Italians fought.

Desert Warfare

Author: Alfred Toppe
Publisher: Militarybookshop.CompanyUK
ISBN: 9781780392523
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 114

Book Description
Firs published in 1991. "Desert Warfare: German Experiences in World War II" is an abridgment of a two-volume work that first appeared in 1952. Organized by Major General Alfred Toppe and written with the assistance of nine German commanders who served in North Africa, the manuscript represents a collaborative attempt to determine as many factors as possible which exerted a determining influence on desert warfare. Issues addressed include planning, intelligence, logistics, and operations. Described and analyzed are the German order of battle, the major military engagements in North Africa, and the particular problems of terrain and climate in desert operations. Not unlike many of the U.S. units engaged in the war with Iraq, the Germans in North Africa learned about combat operations in the desert only after they arrived on the scene and confronted the desert on its own terms. For this reason alone, as well as for the insights it offers, Desert Warfare requires the serious consideration of those responsible for preparing the U.S. military for any future conflict in desert terrain.

The Battle for North Africa

Author: John Strawson
Publisher: Canelo
ISBN: 180436407X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Book Description
The moment Britain fought back. It was in North Africa that the tide turned; that Britain began its long fightback against Nazi dominance. The distinguished military historian Major General John Strawson's vivid, unputdownable book describes how the balance of power in North Africa see-sawed between the Italians, the British and the Germans through the years 1940 to 1943, and how ultimate victory was won by the Allies. In following the nail-biting course of battles during this three-year desert campaign, Strawson brings together the strategic considerations, the changing tactics and the searing impressions of those who did the actual fighting. His exciting narrative is brought to life with numerous eye-witness accounts, from German officers to Gurkhas and British tank crews and Americans. Essential and unforgettable reading for anyone interested in either the Second World War or its epic battle in the desert, this is perfect for fans of Ben Macintyre's SAS: Rogue Heroes.

US Armored Units in the North African and Italian Campaigns 1942–45

Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472801547
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 185

Book Description
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) saw the first operational deployment of US armoured divisions in World War II, and the experience proved chastening for the 1st Armored Division when it suffered defeat at the hands of Rommel's Afrika Korps at the battle of Kasserine Pass. This title covers the organization of these early US armored divisions, as well as the independent tank and tank destroyer battalions that accompanied them. It details the evolution of US armoured warfare tactics and doctrine, learned from the difficult experiences of North Africa, and illustrates how they were used elsewhere in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Italian Peninsula.