The former chief of the German air force, Luftwaffe Command 4, evaluates its performance during World War II, with emphasis on the Eastern Front. Deichmann outlines the history of the Luftwaffe from its beginnings through the Spanish Civil War and the early years of World War II on the Western Front. of photos.

This addition to the Luftwaffe at War Series is a fully illustrated guide to the formative years of the Ju 87 dive-bomber which dominated the opening campaigns of W orld War II.

A fascinating study of the devastating new form of warfare that redrew the map of Europe in the opening year of World War II, bringing about the military collapse and capitulation of seven modern industrialized nations. On 1 September 1939, Nazi Germany launched the invasion of Poland, employing a new type of offensive warfare: Blitzkrieg. So named by Allied observers because of the shock and rapidity of its effects, this new approach was based on speed, manoeuvrability and concentration of firepower. The strategy saw startling success as the panzer divisions, supported by Stuka dive-bombers, spread terror and mayhem, reaching Warsaw in just one week. Aided by the intervention of the Soviet Union in the east, the campaign was over in a mere 36 days. This astonishing feat was followed by Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Denmark and then Norway in 1940, the first joint air-sea-land campaign in the history of warfare. Even more striking an achievement was the swift and conclusive defeat of France during May–June 1940. Refusing to let its forces dash themselves against the fortifications of the Maginot Line, Germany instead sent its divisions through neutral Belgium and northern France in Fall Gelb ('Case Yellow'), destroying Allied resistance and pursuing the remnant of the British and French forces to Dunkirk in an audacious and devastatingly effective assault. During the course of Fall Rot ('Case Red') over the following 20 days, German forces pressed the attack and by 25 June had forced France's leaders into a humiliating capitulation. Illustrated throughout with detailed maps, artwork and contemporary photographs, Blitzkrieg: The Invasion of Poland to the Fall of France tells the story of these first breakneck attacks, examining the armed forces, leaders, technology, planning and execution in each campaign as well as the challenges faced by the Germans in the pursuit of this new and deadly form of warfare.

A book by the specialist for the specialist, this is a must-have history of the Sturmartillerie The Sturmartillerie was a key part of Germany's armoured arsenal throughout World War II. Its armoured assault guns were designed to support the artillery on the battlefield, largely using the purpose-built Sturmgeschütz infantry support gun. This exhaustive study details the development and operational history of this innovative force, as well as describing how its role and the tactics it employed changed from the glory years of Blitzkrieg through to the desperate defence of the last years of the war. It also describes the technical development and evolution of the vehicles employed, and includes combat action reports and excerpts from interviews with veterans.

When Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, nothing like it had ever been seen before. Heralded by the insidious whine of Stuka divebombers, seven divisions of Panzers rolled across the border supported by motorized infantry. While tanks were punching gaping holes through Polish lines and racing on at speed towards Warsaw, fleeing refugees were machine-gunned mercilessly by the Luftwaffe and lines of communication were torn to ribbons as mayhem spread. This was Blitzkrieg (or 'lightning war'), the art of mechanized warfare. This book looks at the development of the Panzer concept, and the building and deployment of the Corps through the eyes of those who fought in it, and of those who fought against it. It tells the story of the singular breed of men who formed the spearhead of the world's most ruthless and efficient military machine, and how they ultimately came to be defeated.

In September 1939, Nazi Germany launched its infamous Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland, bringing about the outbreak of World War II. Faced with highly tactical and accelerated attacks aimed at disrupting the line of defence and encircling vulnerable troops, Allied forces broke under pressure. Within the space of a year, France had been invaded and occupied, while the forces of Great Britain had retreated headlong back across the Channel. Further campaigns in the air and at sea sought to subdue the British Isles, while more lightning-fast attacks in 1941 overran Yugoslavia and Greece, leaving the bulk of Continental Europe under Nazi control. Though the dominance of the Blitzkrieg method was to be challenged in the latter part of the war, as Allied forces found methods of disrupting the attacks and dominating the battlefields, its unparalleled success in the early years of the conflict brought Europe to its knees. Featuring 98 detailed maps, this impressive atlas shows, in intricate detail, the fighting and physical challenges faced by the German attackers and Allied defenders. This will be a treasure for World War II enthusiasts and collectors alike.