Author Pier Paolo Battistelli
About this book
At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Germany's armoured forces - the Panzerwaffe - were still in their infancy. The restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles meant that German tank production lagged behind its enemies. Initial armour campaigns in Poland were not overly successful and changes were needed before the invasion of France. This book examines the organizational changes, developments in doctrine and tactics and improved command and control that provided the basis for the spectacular success of the Panzer divisions in 1940. Achieving tactical and operational surprise, the Panzer divisions broke through enemy defences, enveloping a large number of hostile forces at Dunkirk. The legend of the Blitzkrieg was born.

Contents

Introduction

Combat mission

Doctrine and training

Unit organization

Weapons and equipment

Command, control, communications and intelligence

Combat operations

Bibliography

Abbreviations

Index
Paperback; November 2007; 96 pages; ISBN 9781846031465

£16.99