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 make 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.
General
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