This first of two studies examines the careers and illustrates the appearance and uniforms of 19 of the German Army's leading field commanders in World War II (1939-1945). Their service covers the whole arc of that army's wartime experience, from stunning success in 1939-41, through the hugely costly middle years on the Russian Front to the stubborn defensive fighting in both East and West in 1943-45. Also included are five more junior unit commanders chosen because their service typifies the achievements of combat leaders in regimental and battalion commands. The colour portraits are in the...

This is the second book in a two-part series about the German Commanders of World War II (1939-1945) and covers distinguished commanders from the Waffen-SS, the Luftwaffe and the Navy. The commanders covered include such famous names as Josef Dietrich, Theodor Eicke, Kurt Meyer, Joachim Peiper and Karl Donitz and the book details their fascinating wartime experiences. The colour plates are in the uniquely meticulous style of the respected World War II illustrator Malcolm McGregor.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award that can be bestowed on personnel in the United States' Armed Forces. This book is the first of two titles looking at the recipients of the Medal of Honor during World War II (1939-1945). It covers Navy and Marine Corps awardees in all theaters of war, from the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the brutal fighting on Iwo Jima in 1945. Among the inspiring stories told are those of Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro, the only Coast Guardsman to ever receive the Medal of Honor, and Commander Antrim, who faced almost certain death to save fellow...

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be awarded to personnel in the United States' Armed Forces. From the early fighting in the Philippines through the D-Day landings in Northwest Europe to the final assaults in the Pacific, this book looks at the brave US soldiers and airmen who were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in the face of danger. It tells the exciting combat stories of such famous figures as the film star Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated US soldier of World War II (1939-1945), alongside less well-known...

Constant Spanish guerrilla activity so drained the resources and diverted the attention of the French military that Wellington was able to advance against and overcome a numerically superior enemy. So many French soldiers were being used to counter the guerrillas and the threat that they posed that less than a third of the French army could be tasked with confronting Wellington. This book brings to life, for the first time, the formation, tactics and experiences of the Spanish guerrilla forces that fought Napoleon's army during the Peninsular War (1808-1814). Using much previously unpublished...

Osprey's survey of the recipients of the Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves awards during World War II (1939-1945). The remarkable early successes of the armed forces of the Third Reich prompted the decision that the supreme decoration for personal valour or outstanding leadership - the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - was insufficient. To mark further acts of gallantry a new distinction was created in June 1940: the Oak-Leaves clasp. Further decorations in the form of the Swords and, finally, the Diamonds were added. This second title in our series describes and illustrates a selection of...

Osprey's survey of the recipients of the Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves and Swords awards during World War II (1939-1945). On 21 June 1941, as the Wehrmachtstormed forward across the frontiers of the Soviet Union, Hitler instituted a new higher grade of the Knight's Cross decoration for gallantry and leadership: the silver clasp of the Oak-Leaves with Swords. It would be awarded to only 159 men of the approximately 15 million who served in the German armed forces during World War II. This third in a sequence of four titles describes and illustrates a selection of the recipients: from...

Osprey's study of the British home front during World War II (1939-1945). The population of Britain was mobilized to support the war effort on a scale unseen in any other Western democracy or in Nazi Germany. They endured long working shifts, shortages of food and all other goods, and complete government control of their daily lives. Most men and women were conscripted or volunteered for additional tasks outside their formal working hours. Under the air raids that destroyed the centres of many towns and made about 2 million homeless, more than 60,000 civilians were killed and 86,000 seriously...

Osprey's study of infantry tactics of the squads and platoons of World War II (1939-1945). Despite all technological advances, final mastery of any battlefield depends upon the tight-knit group of footsoldiers trained to manoeuvre, shoot and dig in. This first of a two-part study examines the methods by which the Western infantry of World War II- the German, British and US armies - actually brought their firepower to bear. Drawing upon period training manuals for the evolving theory, and on personal memoirs for the individual practice, this first book covers the organization and tactics of...

Osprey's study of German, British and American company and battalion tactics during World War II (1939-1945). The second World War is often seen as a confrontation of technology tanks and aircraft, artillery and engineering. But at the heart of the battlefield was the struggle between infantrymen, and the technology was there to enable them to capture ground or hold it. This second of two books on the organization and tactics of the German, US and British infantry in Europe focuses on national differences in the development of company and battalion tactics including those of motorized units...