This listing was compiled from a number of individuals personal collections, to include Cris Brown, Mark Hannam, and me. I hope you find something in here that you haven't read and that may shed some insight on you next adventure
Altes & In't Veld, THE FORGOTTEN BATTLE (1995) -- An interesting look at the Mass River battles, between MARKET-GARDEN and the Ardennes, from 11/44 - 2/45. Written by Dutch historians.
Hansom Baldwin, BATTLES LOST AND WON (1966) -- A good survey of the different kinds of fighting which typified WW2, described on a campaign-by-campaign basis. Excellent chapter on Sicily.
Joseph Balkoski, BEYOND THE BEACHEAD. Excellent account of the 29th Division, its organization and tactics down to squad level and comparative information on the Germans during the drive from OMAHA to St.Lo.
Corelli Barnett, The Desert Generals
A study of the men and decisions which shaped the battles and campaigns in the Western Desert. interwoven with the events as they unfold at operational level.
Bidwell & Graham, Fire-Power
A study of the development of fire-power (guns, air support in main) and it`s theories in the British ASrmy this century, with some emphasis on the Desert War. A brilliant treatise on the institutionalism of the British Army and how the "Old Boys" brought about disaster again and again as if a repeat of the Crimean War. One chapter explains German and British tactics and shows how British formations destroyed themselves.
Norman Craig, The Broken Plume.
Infantry subaltern in the Desert
Robert Crisp, Brazen Chariots
A tankers view of the early battles in North Africa.
Len Deighton,
BLITZKRIEG (1979) -- By far and away the best account I've read of the fall of France, 1940. Also an excellent explanation of how Hitler rose to power.
BLOOD, TEARS, AND FOLLY (1993) -- I don't think this lives up to its subtitle ("An Objective ook at WWII"), but it's still a good book, and it's packed with lots of "who wouldda thunkit" nuggets. The United States does not appear in this book, except as regards the fall of Japan.
Michael Doubler, CLOSING WITH THE ENEMY (1994) -- In my opinion, this is the *definitive* book on the tactics of the U.S. Army in Europe. Excellent diagrams illustrate clear, insightful descriptions of how U.S. troops modified and applied their doctrine to unexpected challenges. Here's the Table of Contents.
1. Lessons Learned in the North African and Mediterranean Campaigns
2. Busting the Bocage
3. The Air-Ground Battle Team
4. Battles of Buildings and Cobblestones
5. Struggles against Steel and Concrete
6. In Spite of Hell and High Water
7. Confusion and Slaughter among the Firs
8. Defense in the Ardennes
9. The American Soldier
10. The Schoolhouse of War
Appendix A U.S. Army Organization and Weaponry
Appendix B U.S. Army Doctrine and Tactics
James Dunnigan, HOW TO MAKE WAR (1982).
Trevor Dupuy, HITLER'S LAST GAMBLE (1994) -- Dupuy assesses the Ardennes Offensive, based on data compiled for a U.S. Army campaign database. The narrative is terribly dry; buy this book for its endnotes and appendices, which are chock full of excellent, detailed OOB information.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, CRUSADE IN EUROPE (1948) -- Yes, he's politically self-serving. But it's still a good look at operations in the European Theatre, through the eyes of the supreme commander.
John S.D. Eisenhower, THE BITTER WOODS (1969) -- In my opinion, the mostaccessible and engaging book on the Ardennes Offensive. There are some technical errors, and a wee bit of "Yippee, my daddy won," but on the whole it's a good campaign history.
John Ellis, THE SHARP END OF WAR : THE FIGHTING MAN IN WW2 (1980);
George Forty, Tanks Across the Desert Edited by Forty
A Grant tank crews exploits in the Western Desert
Paddy Griffith, FORWARD INTO BATTLE (1990) -- There's only a brief chapter on WW2, but that chapter is a good survey of tank vs. infantry tactics which will complement the tankophilic perspectives of Hart and others. The rest of the book is a good, if agenda-laden, survey of infantry tactics from Waterloo to the Falklands.
B.H. Liddell Hart,
STRATEGY (1967) -- The second half of the book is an excellent overview of WW2, admittedly presented in such a way as to prove out Hart's theory of the "indirect approach." The first half is a nice,
compact survey of warfare through the ages.
THE GERMAN GENERALS TALK (1975) -- A compilation of Hart's post-war interviews with high-ranking German commanders, originally published as THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL (1948). t's a decent look at the war from the German perspective. Be forewarned that a lot of what they have to say is very self-serving, blaming Hitler for everything, etc.
HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR (1970) -- For all its flaws, this remains my favorite one-volume survey of the war. Hart was a tankophile of the first order and he often gets so caught up in tank strengths that you'd think the infantry was little more than tread grease. And you'll want to read this with a good, detailed atlas at hand, because there's a lot of "In the next three weeks, the advance passed through Aziac, Bryxtic, Corytoq, and Doztypv."
Glover S. Johns Jr, THE CLAY PIGEONS OF ST.LO (Les pigeons d`argile de Saint-Lo - French version). is a day by day, hedgerow by hedgerow account of the battle in the "Bocage". Johns was an officer in the 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th US Infantry Division.
Anthony Heckstall-Smith, Tobruk The Story of a Siege
The tradgedy unfolds in it`s full glory.
John Keegan, THE SECOND WORLD WAR (1989) -- Keegan takes a different tack on a survey history, concentrating on the key decisionmakers at different points in the war, and using each section to highlight a particular weapons system or type of warfare. I disagreed with his analysis in some places, but on the whole it's a good read.
A. Kellet, COMBAT MOTIVATION : THE BEHAVIOUR OF SOLDIERS IN BATTLE. Robert J Kershaw,
D-DAY: PIERCING THE ATLANTIC WALL. Wargamers will find this an excellent study, recommended for its overview of the type fighting which faced the Allies once they were ashore.
It Never Snows in September. A very detailed look at Operation Market Garden from the German perspective. Another great book on a fascinating series of battles.
Robert Leonhard, THE ART OF MANEUVER (1990) -- On its face, this book has little or nothing to do with WW2; it is a (very!) critical assessment of U.S. Air-Land Battle doctrine up to the Gulf War. But beneath that is an excellent treatment of maneuver warfare, some excellent tactical and operational analysis, and more than a wee bit of "been there, done that" wisdom.
Dimitriy Loza, Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks.
Loza was lucky (!) enough to be supplied with Shermans...... actually they greatly admired the vehicles mechanical robustness. Interesting details at the low level (company and platoon).
Hans von Luck, PANZER COMMANDER (1989) -- Written *after* the Cold War, this gives a fresh and very different German perspective on WWII. Luck served in every theatre of the war, and he writes with a very human, often profoundly *moving* perspective.
James Lucas, War in the Desert.
An investigative look at battle in the desert, conditions, patrols, flys, the men, the weapons. His spotlight falls on El Alamein and looks at it in great depth - planning, tactics and execution. Plenty of scenarios at all levels in there.
S.L.A. Marshall,
NIGHT DROP. Whilst primarily concerned with the fate of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions on the 5/6th June, it is a superb study of U.S. soldiers engaged in small unit combat.
MEN AGAINST FIRE (1947);
F.W. von Mellenthin, PANZER BATTLES (1956) -- Next to Rommel's own diaries (below), this is by far the best German-written account of the campaign in North Africa. Also has some interesting material on Russia, and a wee bit on the late Western Front battles.
Audie Murphy, TO HELL AND BACK is a personal account of fighting in Southern France and later Germany by the most highly decorated US soldier of WW2.
George S. Patton, WAR AS I KNEW IT (1947) -- A solid if self-serving account of Patton's campaigns, published posthumously from his wartime diaries. Buy it for the appendices, particularly his "Letters of
Instruction to the Third Army," which provide an excellent tactical primer.
Bryan Perret, Through Mud And Blood
The tale of the Army Tank Brigades (Churchils / Valentines / Matidas) during World War Two with particular emphasis on the Desert Campaign - low level tactical and technical details combined with good battle reporting and personal accounts. My first "war" book as it happens and still one of my most treasured.
Barrie Pitt, The Crucible of War: The Western Desert 1941
This book is a must. Originally published as a single volume you now have to purchase three separate ones. This looks at the desert war during the "massed cavalry charge" phase in 1941. Good insights on tactics, command decisions, politics, weapons and the operations themselves up to First Alamein. Dripping with scenarios which are begging to be played - particulalry at Operational Level.If you`re not inspired by this book, you`ve got no blood in your veins.
Michael Reynolds,
Devil's Adjutant Jochen Peiper, Panzer Leader. Detailed study of Peiper in the Ardennes
Steel Inferno 1st SS Pz Corps in Normandy. Detailed study of all the 1st SS Pz combat units in the Normandy campaign (typically vs. Great Britain). Lots of detailed accounts all the way down to company, platoon, and the individual level.
Erwin Rommel (ed. B.H.L. Hart) THE ROMMEL PAPERS (1953) -- These are Rommel's diaries and letters to his wife, primarily focusing on the campaign in North Africa, but also including the preparations for and first responses to the D-Day invasion.
Cornelius Ryan,
THE LONGEST DAY (1959) -- Still, in my view, the most engrossing book on the D-Day invasion.
A BRIDGE TOO FAR (1974) -- Excellent, up-close-and-personal account of Operation MARKET-GARDEN, in all its glory and folly.
S.A.Stouffer THE AMERICAN SOLDIER : COMBAT & IT`S AFTERMATH VOL.2 (1949); GL Verney, The Desert Rats.
Decent overview of the 7th Armoured Divisions campaigns - obvious emphasis on the desert.
George Wilson, IF YOU SURVIVE by a superior first hand account of infantry fighting from the "Bocage" to the heart of the Third Reich, following Wilson`s career as a junior officer with the 4th US Infantry Division.
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