The Road to Barbarossa Soviet-German Relations 1917-1941

The Road to Barbarossa Soviet-German Relations 1917-1941 written by

Norman Ridley and published by Frontline Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 320

From the chaos of the First World War, during which Germany and Russia had fought each other to a standstill, there emerged two societies whose diametrically opposed ideologies of communism and fascism represented the opposite extremes of the political spectrum. Despite this, in time the governments and military establishments in both countries were able to create an environment where political expediency led to both cooperation and an eventual alliance.

Western democracies found both systems repellent but the two countries, Germany and the Soviet Union, embodied vast resources of, in the case of the Soviets, raw materials and, in the case of Germany, huge intellectual, scientific and industrial expertise. Both offered massive opportunities for trade, but neither made comfortable partners. Britain, whose sympathies lay more with the Germans, and France, whose history tied them more to Eastern Europe, tended to treat both Germany and the Soviet Union as outcast states. 

Whilst animosity was rampant on a political level, both countries, now having equal pariah status in the eyes of the Western allies, began to see huge benefits in military and economic cooperation. Collaborative ventures for covert armament production and training facilities were initiated in 1921. These schemes would continue, with varying degrees of success, for more than a decade until the rise of Nazism in Germany put an end to it.

The Spanish Civil War saw not only thee two rival political philosophies but opposing military doctrines also being tested against each other on the field of battle. It is remarkable, therefore, that these two nations emerged from this maelstrom to re-discover the ‘spirit of Rapallo’. It was a spirit which culminated in the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in August 1939. Within weeks, both sides would display their unity as they fell together with ruthless efficiency upon the hopless Poland.

This book looks at how these two ‘strange bedfellows’ dealt with western hostility and found ways to accommodate each other in a bid to recover from the economic devastation and dismantling of their historic territorial boundaries. The extent to which cooperation was achieved is unusual given the circumstances, especially as they had to contend with the machinations of the Western Powers. 

I really looked forward to reading this book, and I can say I wasn’t disappointed. I think I was just looking forward to the fact that it was about the Eastern Front, but it was giving the reader that extra dimension of concentrating more on the political/relations/pre-war part of the Eastern Front. Whilst there is nothing wrong with the battles or military side of things, it’s just nice to get the added story and depth that the political part brings to the story, a bit like getting more of the story. The book covers fascinating part of relations such as The Bolshevik Revolution, The Lorcarno Treaties, The Rise of Nazism, The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and more. The book is well written and Ridley is an excellent writer in making the information easy to understand with all the various personalities involved. The book contains excellent sources and notes, and definitely a good book if you prefer reading more about the paperwork side of war. Highly Recommended.

Junkers Ju 88

Junkers Ju 88 written by Malcolm V. Lowe and published by Key Publishing - £15.99 - Softcover - Pages 128

The Junkers Ju 88 was one of the most important tactical bombers of the World War

Two era. Its beginnings went back to the mid-1930s, and it flew in Luftwaffe operational

service from late 1939 until the latter stages of the war. Built in a number of specific

versions and sub-types, the Ju 88 proved to be a versatile multi-purpose design that

fulfilled the bombing role with distinction and was also successfully adapted for other

unrelated tasks. These included use as a long-range fighter, night fighting and

reconnaissance. Some examples were even used in the late-war period as explosives

-equipped flying bombs. With radar installed, the type became one of the most significant

nocturnal fighters of the conflict. Underlining its importance, the Ju 88 served on all fronts

where the Luftwaffe was operational during World War Two and was built in significant

numbers. The type also flew with a number of export customers. Containing over 150

photographs, this book tells the fascinating story of the Ju 88, from its creation through

to the end of its operational service.

You could call the Junkers JU 88 German plane the swiss army penknife of bomber planes in that the JU 88 plane, it was a plane that could be changed and developed to fulfil a number of roles and attacking advantages. The multi-designed plane of the mid-1930s as a so-called fast bomber that would be too fast for fighters of its era to intercept. It became one of the most versatile combat aircraft of the war. Like a number of other German bombers, it served as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, heavy fighter and at the end of the war, as a flying bomb.

I’m really enjoying these Key Publishing books because they look at individual aircraft, machines, vehicles and men in great detail from start to finish. But the photography, pictures, diagrams and maps are just brilliant, lovely and clear, concise and interesting. I could see these book being of use to a number of people such as the person who likes his information in depth to the person who enjoys model making. I would certainly recommend this book to hose who want their history with more detail.

Hitler's Nest of Vipers - The Rise Of The Abwehr

Hitler's Nest of Vipers - The Rise Of The Abwehr written by Nigel West and

published by Frontline Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 376

Modern historians have consistently condemned the Abwehr, Germany’s military intelligence service, and its SS equivalent, the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), as incompetent and even corrupt organizations. However, newly declassified MI5, CIA and US Counterintelligence Corps files shed a very different light on the structure, control and capabilities of the German intelligence machine in Europe, South America, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

It is usually stated that, under Admiral Canaris, the Abwehr neglected its main functions, its attention being focused more on trying to bring down Hitler. Yet Canaris greatly expanded the Abwehr from 150 personnel into a vast world-wide organisation which achieved many notable successes against the Allies. Equally, the SD’s tentacles spread across the Occupied territories as the German forces invaded country after country across Europe.

In this in-depth study of the Abwehr’s rise to power, 1935 to 1943, its activities in Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Japan, China, Manchuko and Mongolia are examined, as well as those in Thailand, French Indo-China, the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, and the Arab nations. In this period, the Abwehr built a complex network of individual agents with transmitters operating from commercial, diplomatic and consular premises. Before, and in the early stages of the war, it later became apparent, the Abwehr was controlling a number of agents in Britain. Indeed, it was only after the war that the scale of the Abwehr’s activities became known, the organisation having of around 20,000 members.

This is a book about the German Abwehr that would grow into a large organisation that had tentacles throughout many international countries. Written by the author Nigel West, probably the best person to write this book due to his huge knowledge and writings based upon the various intelligence services. Always a detailed and comprehensive writer this book is no different, and will be an important book for anyone interested in the intelligence services.

Land Craft 11: Pakwagen SDKFZ 234/3 and 234/4 Heavy Armoured Cars German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units - Western and Eastern Fronts, 1944–1945

Land Craft 11: Pakwagen SDKFZ 234/3 and 234/4 Heavy Armoured Cars

German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units - Western and Eastern Fronts,

1944–1945 written by Dennis Oliver and published by Pen & Sword Books -

£16.99 - Softcover - Pages 64

Experience in the Polish and French campaigns had convinced the German high

command of the value of fast-moving, armed reconnaissance vehicles. But it was

realised that many of the early designs were too lightly-armed and development

of a heavy eight-wheeled prototype resulted in the Sdkfz 234 series of armoured

cars, the first of which entered service in late 1943. Built by the firm of Büssing-NAG,

these sturdy and reliable vehicles were gradually up-armed and served in the

infantry support role and eventually as tank killers, largely as the result of Hitler's

desperation to arm as many vehicles as possible with anti-tank weapons.

Drawing on official documentation and unit histories Dennis investigates the

formations that operated these vehicles and uses archive photos and extensively

researched colour illustrations to examine the markings, camouflage and technical

aspects of the Sdkfz 234/2, 234/3 and 234/4 armoured cars that served on the

Western and Eastern Fronts in the last months of the war. A key section of his book

displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery

of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details

as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also

examined, providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate

representation of these historic vehicles.

This book follows the same format as all the previous books, which I must state is an excellent format. Although I might not be a huge modeller fan, I build a few a year. But I love reading these books, you get a history run-through, drawings in various stages and design, camouflage designs dependent on the theatre of war, various photos of the machine in real life, photos of the models in various scenarios and then you get detailed information/tables about the numbers and where they were allocated. These are really first-class books, and if I find them incredibly helpful the avid modeller must love them. 

This particular book looks at the rarely mentioned Pakwagen from the German army, now I can see these as being an asset in North Africa or wide open space terrains like you would find on the Eastern front because you need vehicles to be quick and agile. In my opinion, it looks like a beefed-up Land Rover/Jeep with a big gun, so I can see its benefits in certain battles and landscapes. But I can see them being taken out quite quickly. I’ve really enjoyed this book and certainly one for the avid modeller.

Save the Last Bullet - Memoir of a Boy Soldier in Hitler's Army

Save the Last Bullet - Memoir of a Boy Soldier in Hitler's Army written by

Wilhelm Langbein & Heidi Langbein-Allen and published by Pen & Sword Books

- £20 - Hardback - Pages 192

Willi Langbein was just thirteen when the Nazis took him away from his parents under

the pretence of protecting him. Their real reason was to turn him into cannon-fodder for

use against Hitler’s enemies. Deployed to the collapsing Eastern Front in the last days

of the war, Willi, now aged fourteen, and his schoolmates were ordered to stave off the

relentless Russian advance. None were expected to return alive from the final battles

of the Third Reich.

Yet, against all odds, Willi does survive but his ordeal is far from over. He returns home to find everything he knows destroyed. Numb and confused, he is mandated to serve one year of forced farm labour. After his release, he gradually realizes that all he was taught to believe in was a lie and he sinks into depression. Eventually, thanks to his friendship with a kind British soldier, he begins to heal. It begins to dawn on him that he can play a part to ensure that the evil he witnessed is never repeated. Ultimately, he succeeds by earning the Medal of European Merit in 1979 for his contribution to the advancement of European democracy.

Willi’s graphic and moving story, told from a Nazi child soldier’s perspective, is an inspiring memoir of lost innocence and despair, but also of determination and hope restored.

I imagine that what is starting to be done in Russia at the moment, is what happened to Wilhelm Langbein, in that he was taken away from his parents by the state and indoctrinated and taught to believe in the military way. A process by which groups of children are taken forcibly by the state and ‘educated’ to believe what the state wants them to believe, for you then to become a soldier declaring undying obedience to that country. Wilhelm would end up being taken and thrown into the war aged 14, where lucky for him, he survived. He would then be forced into working hard labour where he would strike up a friendship with a British soldier who would in a way give him a chance to see the realities of live and people. Wilhelm would go on to campaign for peace and be rewarded. This is a book about courage, strength and perceverance, an excellent book written by Heidi Langbein-Allen who has done her father proud.

Operation Hoss - The Deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz, May–July 1944

Operation Hoss - The Deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz,

May–July 1944 written by Ian Baxter and published by Pen & Sword

Books - £14.99 - Softcover - Pages 144

Operation Höss or Aktion Höss was the codename for the mass deportation of Hungarian Jews and their murder in the gas chambers of Birkenau extermination camp. Between 14 May and 9 July 1944, 420,000 Jews were sent to Auschwitz from Hungary, or about 12,000 per day. On arrival some twenty-five percent were selected for forced labour while the remainder were immediately gassed. The name of this atrocity came from Rudolf Höss, who returned as the commandant of Auschwitz to increase the killing capacity and ensure the smooth running of the operation. The specially built railway line into Birkenau from Auschwitz made transports to the camp more efficient enabling the SS to increase the daily killing capacity. After the war, SS Adolf Eichmann, who had organised the deportations from Hungary, boasted that Operation Höss was an achievement never matched before or since.

This shocking book tells the story of this inhuman venture from its conception and planning, and though to the bitter, tragic end.

This book is insane as it shows the utter depravity of Nazi Germany attempting to destroy a huge number of Hungarian Jews at the german concentration camps of Auschwitz & Birkenau in a two-month period (420.000). What makes it even worse is the Germans wanted to concentrate on how to make the whole process quicker and more efficient. The pictures throughout the book not only show the people being lined up to be gassed but being separated into groups where those ‘lucky’ enough could be sectioned off to perform slave labour whilst the rest were killed. Whilst the book is well written, in quite a few cases there is no need for words, a picture tells the story, which I guess is the point of the book. Another great book for the series.

Hitler’s Father - Hidden Letters: Why the Son Became a Dictator

Hitler’s Father - Hidden Letters: Why the Son Became a Dictator written by

Roman Sandgruber and published by Frontline Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 272

The bundle of 31 letters, the pages of which had long yellowed with age, had lain

hidden in the attic where they were found for over a century. Only when the razor-

sharp script was examined further did historians discover just who had written them

– and that person, Alois, was Adolf Hitler’s father.

Born Alois Schicklgruber on 7 June 1837, the identity of his biological father still undisclosed, Alois eventually became a civil servant in the Austrian customs service. At around the age of 40, Alois changed his family name from Schicklgruber to Hitler – his infamous son being born some eleven years later.

The contents of the re-discovered letters have allowed the renowned historian and author Roman Sandgruber to reassess the image that we have of Alois, offering the world a completely new and authentic impression of the man. In Hitler’s Father, Sandgruber re-examines Alois’ personality and how he significantly shaped the young Adolf.

The letters also shed further light onto the everyday life of the Hitler family as whole, a story which is often characterized by myths, inventions and assumptions. They have given the author the opportunity to recount the childhood and youth of the future dictator, painting a dramatic picture of the ‘Führer’ growing up.

These letters also help answer the question that is so often asked: How could a child from an Upper Austrian province, seemingly a failure and self-taught, rise to a position of such power? Indeed, Adolf Hitler’s father and ‘the province’ seemingly lay heavily on him until his suicide in the Führerbunker in 1945. The author examines how the young Hitler’s lowly upbringing may have affected him in the years that followed – years which shaped the history of the whole world. 

I reviewed another book recently called Lucky Hitler’s Big Mistakes, a really good book that looks at the rise and fall of Hitler and how much of it was his own fault. This book has similar aims in that it wants to look at the background of Hitler and how he became the person he was by looking at how he grew up mainly through the guidance of his father, Alois Hitler. This is often a question asked in the circles of history buffs, trying to find out why Hitler became who he was, and in many ways, by looking at this father this can be seen and answers a few questions and dispels a few myths too. It was a fascinating and interesting read, or I certainly thought so, and I have my own opinions about this subject but then maybe I should write a book about it. This is certainly a really good book and if you are interested in finding out about what’s behind the mask, this book will help. The notes and bibliography at the back of this book are excellent, I didn’t realise so many books had been written on this subject previously.

In Furious Skies - Flying with Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Second World War

In Furious Skies - Flying with Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Second World War written

by Tim Heath and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 280

When a proud Adolf Hitler revealed his new Luftwaffe to the world in March 1935, it was

the largest, most modern military air arm the world had seen. Equipped with the latest

monoplane fighter and bomber aircraft manned by well-trained and motivated crews, it

soon became evident that the Luftwaffe also possessed a high degree of technical

superiority over Germany’s future enemies.

Yet within just nine years the once-mightiest air force in the world had reached total collapse, destroyed in part by the very people responsible for creating it. By 1944, the Luftwaffe, wearied by aerial battles on multiple fronts combined with tactical mismanagement from the highest levels of command, were unable to match their enemies in both production and manpower. By this time the Luftwaffe was fighting for its survival, and for the survival of Germany itself, above the burning cities of the Third Reich, facing odds sometimes as high as ten-to-one in the air.

Told through the eyes of the fighter and bomber crews themselves, this book explores previously unpublished first-hand accounts of the rise and fall of one of the most formidable air forces in twentieth-century military history. It paints a haunting picture of the excitement, fear, romance intertwined with the brutality, futility and wastefulness that is war.

My hopes were high with this book having read 4-5 of Tim Heath’s books, in my opinion, if you need information on German WWII history or the Third Reich, there is nobody much better than Tim Heath. This particular book looks at the world of being a German pilot or part of the bombing crews in the Luftwaffe, hailed as an air force that was becoming the best in the world. The biggest problem though wasn’t really with the planes and pilots, it was with the German high command, mainly Hermann Goering. It has since been seen by historians and writers that the weak link was Goering, and this was evidenced in this book by the pilot community, where Goering may have been a celebrated pilot in WWI his tactical planning, his need to save face and addictions caused him to fail himself and the Luftwaffe.

This book gives excellent attention to the thoughts and opinions of German flyers, and I think

this is what echoes in all of Heath’s books, the ability to get first-hand accounts of real people

who are doing the work on the ground or experiencing the realities of what is going on in the

thick of events. I should also say that the fans who love to read about the technical details of

planes, equipment and weaponry will not be disappointed with this book. This has been

another thoroughly good book to read, very well researched and written in excellent detail.

This book is a must for anyone wanting to read about the Luftwaffe. A quality book.

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.

Heydrich Butcher of Prague

Heydrich Butcher of Prague written by Ian Baxter and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £14.99 - Softcover - Pages 144

Reinhard Heydrich along with Heinrich Himmler, whose deputy he was, will always

be regarded as one of the most ruthless of the Nazi elite. Even Hitler described him

as ‘a man with an iron heart’.

He established his fearsome reputation in the 1930s, as head of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), the intelligence organisation which neutralised opposition to the Nazi Party by murder and deportation. He organised Kristalnacht and played a leading role in the Holocaust, chairing the 1942 Wannsee Conference which formalised plans for the ‘Final Solution’. In addition, as head of the Einsatzgruppen murder squads in Eastern Europe he was responsible for countless murders.

Appointed Deputy Reich-Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, he died of wounds inflicted by British-trained SOE operatives in Prague in May 1942. The reprisals that followed his assassination were extreme by even the terrible standards of Nazi ruthlessness.

Heydrich’s shocking and leading role in the Nazi regime is graphically portrayed in this Images of War book.

For some reason, I have a little fascination in Reinhard Heydrich, not in a fanboy way but because he looks and acted like an arrogant and pompous oaf. I learnt about him in university before I saw him, so having heard what a cruel man he was, eventually finding out what he looked like just confirmed what I had been told. What this man carried out in Czechoslovakia was sick and cruel and this is explained in this great little book which explains his rise to his position, and what he did to endear himself to Hitler and Himmler. But finally, the book talks about his death at the hands of SOE operatives, and I suppose this adds to the story in that there was such drama around his death and how it happened or very nearly didn’t. This book is an Images of War book and although the pictures are limited, this is down to the fact that there are little ‘action’ type photos but the ones there are, are good but a bit formal in nature. But I would still say this is an excellent read and a good addition to the Images of War series.

Hitler’s Spy Against Churchill

Hitler’s Spy Against Churchill written by Jan-Willem van den Braak

and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 312

From the summer of 1940 until May 1941, nearly twenty German Abwehr agents were

dropped by boat or parachute into England during what was known as Operation Lena,

all in preparation for Hitler's planned invasion of England. The invasion itself would never

happen and in fact, after the war, one of the Abwehr commanders declared that the

operation was doomed to failure.

There is no doubt that the operation did indeed become a fiasco, with almost all of the officers being arrested within a very brief period of time. Some of the men were executed, while others became double agents and spied for Britain against Germany. Only one man managed to stay at large for five months before eventually committing suicide: Jan Willem Ter Braak. Amazingly, his background and objectives had always remained unclear, and none of the other Lena spies had ever even heard of him. Even after the opening of the secret service files in England and the Netherlands over 50 years later, Jan Willem Ter Braak remained a 'mystery man', as the military historian Ladislas Farago famously described him.

In this book, the author – his near-namesake – examines the short and tragic life of Jan Willem Ter Braak for the first time. Using in-depth research, he investigates the possibility that Ter Braak was sent to kill the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and discovers why his fate has remained largely unknown for so long.

This is quite an intriguing little book that has all the elements of an espionage thriller,

with a bit of light fiasco thrown into the mix. This book follows the story mainly of one

man, Jan Willem Ter Braak, although he was part of a group of people trained to act

as agents or spies in order to start an invasion of Britain during the war. Ter Braak

was a rather evasive or reclusive character who nobody really got to know well. So

here lies the mystery around a man who nobody really knew or what he got up to.

This book I found was quite gripping and was a really quick but enjoyable read, and

I had never heard of this story before either. A book I really enjoyed and would most

certainly recommend it.

On the Eastern Front at Seventeen

On the Eastern Front at Seventeen written by Sergey Drobyazko and published

by Greenhill Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 240

This is the true story of a young Red Army soldier during the Second World War,

told in his own words. Recruited into the army aged just seventeen, Sergei

Drobyazko’s introduction to battle is a violent one: forced to retreat from his home

city of Krasnodar after it is set ablaze by German forces. Later, Drobyazko is

captured by the Germans and placed in a concentration camp, where prisoners

are reduced to eating scavenged rubbish and bathing battle wounds in urine.

After a daring escape from the camp, he enters service once more, rising to the rank of sergeant in an infantry regiment. During this time, he witnesses the execution of deserters and the routine ill-treatment of German prisoners of war by vengeful Soviet troops. After surviving an attack that decimates his detachment, Drobyazko is almost court-martialled. Seriously wounded in 1944, he retrains as a radio operator, but he never returns to the war front.

In this gripping memoir, Drobyazko sets down his experience of the war as it unfolded around him. He claims to have consulted no historical sources and to have simply relied on his own memory, making this a deeply personal account. Translated into English for the first time, this unique account will be enjoyed by readers with an interest in military history.

These diaries/personal accounts from former Russian soldiers come up every so often and some are translated very well and still capture the imagination, and this is one of them. There does seem to be common threads that run through all of these books and that is how harsh the treatment and daily life is being a Russian soldier at most levels of command. It’s no wonder that so many of them try to desert or end up being captured because the training is almost negligent or non-existent. The equipment and conditions are usually very basic and there is certainly no respect or pride in the everyday soldiers, they’re almost treated like cannon fodder right from the start. Sergey was actually captured by the Germans, I’m not sure which situation would have been better really. I really enjoyed this book, one of the better personal accounts of Russian soldiers, well worth a read, and quite interesting.

Himmler - Hitler's Henchman

Himmler - Hitler’s Henchman written by Ian Baxter and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £14.99 - Softcover - Pages 119

Heinrich Himmler has a strong claim to be Adolf Hitler’s most powerful subordinate.

He was certainly the main architect of the Holocaust. Appointed Reichsfuhrer-SS in

1929 he built the SS into a million strong paramilitary force and took control of the

Nazi concentration camps system. From 1943 he became Chief of German Police

and Minister of the Interior with command of the Gestapo as well as the

Einsatzgruppen, who committed appalling atrocities and murder in occupied Eastern

Europe and Russia.

Despite his lack of military experience in the closing stages of the War he was appointed by Hitler as Commander of Army Group Vistula. Realising the war was lost, Himmler attempted to open peace talks with the Allies. Learning of this, Hitler dismissed him of all his posts in April 1945. Detained and arrested by British forces, he committed suicide on 22 May 1945.

The wartime career of this cruel and capable man is captured brilliantly with contemporary fully captioned images in this Images of War series work.

A book about one of the most evil men in history, Heinrich Himmler was one of Adolf Hitler’s henchmen, one of the chosen few for the Third Reich. Himmler was the one who became the main architect for the campaign to rid the world of the Jewish population as he took control of the Nazi concentration camp system. Along with this he was also responsible for the SS, German police system and Minister of the Interior and also headed up the detested Gestapo & Einsatzgruppen. As you can see he certainly wasn’t the nicest of men to know in life. 

The book does look at his early life for a moment but the three chapters in the book, concentrate on the early invasion of the East, being the architect of Genocide and his role as War Lord. The information in the book is very comprehensive and detailed and is supported throughout with a great number of photographs which is primarily what the aim of the book is. But my only downside of the book is many of the photographs are very similar, it reminds me of a Tory minister being shown around workplaces during an election campaign so that the workers can wonder at the visiting gentry. But to be honest, most of these photos seem to be official-type publicity photos, so one shouldn’t really be surprised. I love the Images of War Series, and even this book I should think fits nicely into the range.

Britain's Plot to Kill Hitler

Britain’s Plot to Kill Hitler - The True Story of Operation Foxley & SOE

written by Eric Lee and published by Greenhill Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 216.

Operation Foxley was the name of the secret plan supported by Winston Churchill to

assassinate Hitler in 1944-45. More than 75 years after its conception, the assassination

plan remains shrouded in mystery. Eric Lee’s new book is the product of painstaking

research and sheds more light on this plan. Lee also asks what would have happened if

Foxley had been executed successfully.

Concocted in 1944 by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), Foxley’s objective was to kill Hitler and any high-ranking Nazis or members of the Fuhrer’s entourage who might have been present at the time.

Different methods of assassination had been considered by the SOE, but were ultimately deemed too complicated. These methods included derailment and destruction of the Hitler’s personal train, the Fuhrerzug, by explosives, and also clandestine means such as slipping a tasteless poison into Hitler’s drinking and cooking water. Some of the ideas were considered quite bizarre, including one scheme to hypnotise Rudolf Hess and return him to Germany to kill Nazi leaders. The Americans and Soviets had their own plans to kill Hitler too, with some equally strange ideas (including injecting female hormones into the Fuhrer's vegetables).

Eventually, after intel gathered revealed that Hitler took a routine, solitary walk every morning to the Teehaus on the Mooslahnerkopf Hill from the Berghof residence, a plan was created to assassinate Hitler using a sniper rifle fitted with a silencer.

A perfect investigation for readers who enjoy reading about modern history, and the Second World War in particular. It is also tailored to those with an interest in the “secret war”, covering topics like the SOE, and military intelligence.

This is quite an intense feeling book from the start as the reader learns about various plots and plans not just from the British side and SOE, we also learnt that there were schemes to assassinate Hitler by the Americans & Soviets too. I understand there had to be lots of secrecy and deviance, but I did think as it seemed many were looking to assassinate Hitler, could there not have been some plotting between interested sides. I enjoyed the way this book was presented as the first half is written by the author but the second half contains photocopies of the various sources of information and files/documentation which kind of made it feel even more realistic as you were reading through the info that was being passed around at the time. Although I must admit there were only a couple I found weren’t that easy to read.

I really enjoyed this book as it felt as if it was half story and half fact. I quite enjoy the author’s

writing and really enjoyed his previous book Night of the Bayonets, his writing feels very well

explained but to the point. I’ve taken notes of some of the excellent books from the bibliography,

and I’ll be reading these in the near future hopefully. Overall, I would happily recommend this

book for anyone into their World War II history.