A book anyone with an interest in WW2 has been waiting to read, and a book that fails to disappoint. I have just bought this book, and have only briefly looked through it so that a accurate review is not possible. However, from the little I have read I know that I will enjoy the whole work.

In English speaking countries we have almost no knowledge of what happened in Eastern Germany and Central Europe in the years 1945-50, and this book is one amongst a number published in English over the last few years that might at last make us aware of the horror that befell the peoples of those counties during that time. I have heard a radio interview with Antony Beevor in which he said that in his book he had censored reports of many of the atrocities, not wanting to propagate the pornography of violence. As I have said, I have read little of this book so far, and his point is a good one. However, by censoring violence this can result in the modern reader not knowing what really happened, and receiving a sanitised version of what the author wants us to read. I will reserve my judgement until I have finished the book.

It does also contain the fullest account of the fighting around Halbe I have yet read in English.

My only other criticism is the choice of photographs. Once again there appear many photos we have seen numerous times before. I feel sure that in the Russian archives there exist a huge number of photographs that are highly relevant to the fighting in Germany during 1945 and have never been published. Probably because the researchers have no real knowledge of what they are looking at. Also, some photos have very poor or inaccurate captions. The maps, though, are clear and quite sufficient for the text.

One you must read

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"In A Ragin Inferno: Combat Units of the Hitler Youth 1944-45"
Hans Holzträger
Helion & Company Limited
Hardcover - 147 pages (January, 2001)
ISBN: 1874622604

A book by a publisher I have not encountered before. As its title indicates it deals with those HJ units sent into action during 1944-5, and is a good example of what good picture research can achieve. There appear in it some of the same photos that appear in Antony Beevor's "Berlin", but this time with correct or expanded captions. Also, there are previously unpublished photos from rolls of film that contain other photos that have constantly been reproduced in the past, and the publication of these fresh photos is more than welcome. Almost all the text deals with subjects never previously covered in any English language book. Highly researched and fascinating accounts of combat by HJ units on both Eastern and Western Fronts, it is an essential book in the library of anyone interested in this period.

Don't be put off by the rather lurid cover.

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Anyone familiar with Anthony Carter's previous books will know the quality of the research to expect, and in this, his latest book he once again excels himself. As with his books on German bayonets, I am amazed that an English author can produce work of such excellence on this complicated subject, that not even native German speakers have attempted.

If you have any interest in German edged weapons produced during this period then this is a "Must Have" book. The book is of particular use not only in having histories of the makers themselves, but also numerous illustrations from many of their trade catalogues, the most interesting being those of the smaller manufacturers. For ease of use, the trade marks of every maker are shown on the outside margin of each page, with a detailed history of the firm in the main text.

It truly opens one's eyes to the enormous number of manufacturers there were in Germany during this period.

Buy it now! This is a book you will use for years to come, and once out of print, will become a rare collector's item in its own right.

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Any book by Tony Le Tissier is a great read. This one is very good on the small unit actions fought by the Germans around Berlin in 1945. A pity he has not included a chapter on the Halbe breakout from the German point of view.
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"War Without Garlands : Operation Barbarossa 1941-42"
Robert Kershaw
Sarpedon Publishers
Hardcover - 256 pages (1 November, 2000)
ISBN: 1885119712

When I first opened this book I did not think I'd get anything from it. I was wrong. The research is excellent detailed accounts from both the German and Russian sides of the early battles on the Russian Front, 1941/2. Only let down is that many photos are incorrectly captioned and have appeared in numerous other publicities.
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Best book in English on the Russian Front, 1944-5. Dr Duffy is particularly strong on just how good the Russian Army had become by late 1944.
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