6515: Waffen-SS At War: (2) The Late Years, 1943-1944 - Robert Michulec

The Waffen-SS grew from a fledgling and untried fighting force in 1939, through to a powerful combat-tested force. The twin "SS" runic lightning bolts were emblazoned on the collar lapels of nearly 247,000 soldiers at the end of 1943, but by 1945 this number had grown to 800,000 men. In all, thirty-eight SS divisions were established, though there was a huge diversity in terms of their equipment, training and combat effectiveness. This volume follows on from the earlier Part 1, which examined the Waffen-SS from 1939 to 1942. Here, the following two years are examined.The introduction gives a helpful background to this notorious military organization. It also highlights the fact that one reason for its huge expansion was the inclusion of"foreigners" from the large pool of European countries beyond Germany's borders. "Volksdeutsche" (ethnic Germans) from places like Poland and Hungary were conscripted into the SS, while Germanic and non-Germanic volunteers opted to join the ranks of the Waffen-SS. Whole SS units were formed from volunteers from the Baltic states, Russia, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, even India! In fact the only occupied countries not to provide ethnic troops for the SS were Poland and Greece. As WWII progressed, and as the tide turned in 1943, Waffen-SS troops usually found themselves in the thick of the action. This is reflected in this book's tremendous assortment of black and white photos that show soldiers operating on both the Western and Eastern Fronts. A wide variety of uniforms and units are presented, all ably backed up by incisive and informative captions. The book also offers four color plates that allow readers to see the typical coloring and equipment usage of Waffen-SS soldiers serving in such theaters as Italy, France and the defense of the Fatherland. This artwork has been beautifully produced by Stephen Andrew. This second volume is a rich source of ideas and information for anyone interested in this important combat formation. Since the remit of the book covers 1943 and 1944, important battles such as those against the Allies in France and the slow withdrawal across Russia are all vividly portrayed. For a general introduction to the numerous divisions of the Waffen-SS that fought in WWII, then this book is an ideal choice!