Military Model Scene

Title: Hitler's Defeat on the Eastern Front

Author: Ian Baxter

Publisher: Pen and Sword

ISBN: 978-1-84415-977-2

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Another addition to the Images of War series, this one looking at the last 2 years or so of the war on the Eastern Front.  It splits is across 5 chapters, starting with the Battle of 'Kursk', when both sides suffered large casualties and vehicle losses. The AFV losses for the Russians could be replaced, but it wasn't the same for the German military. The next stage is put under the heading of the 'Fighting Withdrawal' before moving on to 'Winter Warfare', then 'Bagration & Aftermath' and 'The Last Battles'. Each chapter has a section of text which give the wider picture along with key details, while each is also well illustrated with photos which help tell the story. The photos show plenty of the troops involved, the faces of people sometimes tired and other times still able to smile despite the problems they faced. There are also plenty which illustrate the equipment they used, vehicles, artillery and plenty of mortars and machine guns. The book is then rounded off with more useful information in 4 appendices - Waffen-SS Weapons & Equipment: Infantry Division 1944: Combat Uniforms of the Waffen-SS 1943-45: and finally Combat Uniforms of the Wehrmacht 1943-45.

Plenty of original photos to see, just a few which have been seen before. One or two captions which mis-identify some vehicles and equipment, and while that doesn't take away from the interest in the pictures themselves, it does leave you with a challenge to check your skills at equipment identification. Over all another good addition to the series, which remains ever popular.

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Thanks to Pen and Sword for this review copy.

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Robin