Hitler’s Armed SS - The Waffen SS at War 1939-1945

Hitler’s Armed SS - The Waffen SS at War 1939-1945 written by

Anthony Tucker-Jones and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25.00 -

Hardback - Pages 240

The Waffen-SS was one of the most formidable German military formations of the

Second World War – feared for its tenacity and ruthlessness in battle, notorious for

the atrocities it committed. As a distinct fighting force derived from the Nazi Party’s

SS organization, it stood apart from the other units of the German army. Its origins,

structure and operational role during the war are often misunderstood and the

controversy still surrounding its conduct makes it difficult today to get an accurate

picture of its actions and its impact on the fighting. Anthony Tucker-Jones, in this

concise and fluently written account, provides an absorbing and clear-sighted

introduction to it.

He traces its development under Himmler from modest beginnings in the early 1930s as Hitler’s personal protection squad of elite soldiers to a force which eventually amounted to thirty-eight divisions. Towards the end of the war, many Waffen-SS units were formed from foreign volunteers and proved to be of poor quality, but its premier panzer divisions thoroughly deserved their reputation as tough fighters.

Through accounts of the Waffen-SS’s major battles on the Eastern Front, in Normandy and finally in defence of Germany, a detailed picture emerges of the contribution it made to the German war effort, especially when Hitler’s armies were in retreat. The parts played by the most famous Waffen-SS formations – Das Reich, Totenkopf, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler among them – and their commanders – men like Dietrich and Hausser – can be seen in the wider context of the war and Germany’s defeat. 

This book is most definitely a fascinating and informative one, written by a renown historian and one of my favourite writers Anthony Tucker-Jones. This book looks at one of Germany’s most accomplished and fearsome fighting forces, although some might say they were often notorious in some of their exploits. The book takes the reader right from its origins when it was seen as Hitler’s Bodyguard unit to what it would become, divisions of elite fighters serving as Germany’s elite soldiers by the end of the war. The Waffen SS would go from being notorious evil in the flattening of the Warsaw Ghettos to being seen as elite standard competent soldiers. Towards the end of the war, due to Germany losing many soldiers the standard of soldiers became less and more of a poorer standard than would be hoped for on Germany’s part. 

This book has a good number of first-hand accounts from the soldiers at points and operations throughout the war such as the Eastern Front and Normandy which give an excellent insight and wider knowledge. There are a good number of SS-specific photographs throughout, which really do add weight to the quality of the book. A really good book especially if you are interested in reading about how the German army was run and operated.