Panzer-Division 1935-1945: (1) The Early Years 1935-1941

This is the first volume of a 3-volume series on the German Panzer-Divisions, that follows their creation in 1935 up until end of 1941, after the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa.

The first Panzer-Divisions were formed in 1935, men were drawn from the Kavallerie-Divisions. At the outbreak of WWII, each Panzer-Division averaged 350 tanks and no less than 12000 men. The Germans fielded 2511 tanks during the invasion of Poland, and the blitzkrieg tactics owed much to the speed of the Panzer-Divisions. Thereafter, the Panzer-Divisions bore the blunt of the heavy fighting at all fronts.

This book starts with the training of the armored forces and journeys into Poland, Norway, France, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, and finally Soviet Union with the Panzer-Divisions. The author has collected many unpublished photos from Eastern Europe and private collection, and there are lots of interesting and rare vehicles from the German armor arsenal featured in this book.

Robert Michulec
Softcover 72 pages, 176 b/w photos, 16 color plates Concord Publications