Tanks in the Battle of Germany 1945: Western Front (New Vanguard, 302)

This Osprey New Vanguard book is the first of a two-part series on tank combat in Germany in 1945, as the Second World War ground down to its conclusion in Europe. This volume covers tanks on the Western Front, both Allied and German. A projected second volume will cover Soviet and German tanks on the Eastern Front.Author Steven Zaloga does an excellent job summarizing the surprising variety of tanks in operation in 1945. The dying German Army strove to field small numbers of bigger and more lethal tanks, while the Allies fielded mostly new and improved variants of their existing tank types. The narrative captures that variety in tables and in a nice presentation of period photographs and modern illustrations. Of particular interest may be the stunning number of tank casualties from all sources in 1945. Well recommended to students of the conflict as a brief but interesting read.

Zaloga never disappoints....and within this small (48-page) Vanguard title, much is presented.The book summarizes the overall Allied and German armies situation in the 1945 months, with keymajor offensives mention - largely in relationship to the existing tank inventories of the opposing armies.The tables provide extensive details about how many tanks were in various major units. For example, in the German army stationed in the W. European zone, on 15January1945, there were 3,307 tanks and assault gun vehicles (Stug III) - versus 4,906 on the Eastern Front, that included three times as many operational Stug assault gun vehicles on the Eastern Front as on the Western Front.Similar treatment is presented for both U.S. and British/Canadian armored forces, at various dates between January and May 1945.The great - and growing disparity between the number of western allies armored numbers and that of Germany, shows how seriously deficient the latter were when it came to table of organization (TOE) and field deployment options. For example, on April 10, 1945 there were but 1,189 tank (including 24 GergePz and Flak panzers) operation in the German armies; the same month, for the US Army alone -there were 11,198 tanks and tank destroyers (M10, M18, M36). Add to this British & Canadian armies with 8,971 (5,231 unit assigned) - it is easy to see why western allies were able to move Armor Battalions around other organizations, depending on the circumstances and need for armor support, during the last year of the war - something the German army did not have the potential to do.Zaloga's conclusion is that the German army was little more than an infantry force in the final year of the war (1945).Good book on very few pages. Recommended!

Cocers types of tanks used by the western allies and Germans during the battle for Germany. Operations and production numbers are also covered with lots of pictures and drawings

This book is so small, I won't but anything else from this series/author./I expected more.

I liked Mr. Zaloga's look at tanks in 1945 on the Western Front. Like all his work it is full of vital statistics, set apart in convenient tables. His statical analysis is often comparative in time and enemy tanks. He also includes Allied losses by the infamous hand held weapons - Panzerfaust/Panzerschreck. I do some writing and am always interested in his work because it is full of important details. His book is concise, well written, and factual. What more can you ask for - Thanks Mr. Zaloga

thank you

Even for an Osprey publication this is flimsy. It would be even more so if it wasn't repeated in places. Poor.

Excellent book a bit thin on content but otherwise excellent

Very succinct details and fantastic illustrations!!!

Book badly damaged by water, although not necessarily in transit as book and bag were dry upon arrival.