Pier Paolo Battistelli – författare

Albert Kesselrings namn kommer för alltid att vara förknippat med det italienska fälttåget under andra världskriget: de legen­dar­iska slagen vid Salerno, Mon­te Cassino och Anzio 1943 1944. Kesselrings karriär omfattade emellertid mycket mer. Under senare delen av kriget blev Kesselring känd som en befälhavare man kunde lita på i alla krislägen, någon med förmåga att skapa små mi­rakel för att hejda motståndarens genombrott och återta kontrollen när situationen såg som mörkast ut. Han ersatte generalfältmarskalk Gerd von Rundstedt som överbefälhavare i Västeuropa efter det svidande misslyckandet vid Remagen i mars 1945 och presenterade sig för sina nya stabsmedarbetare med den ironiska kommentaren Jag är det nya mirakelvapnet . Detta och mycket mer kan du läsa om i boken. Författaren Pier Paulo Battistelli är en mycket välkänd och uppskattad militärhistorisk författare. Översättningen har gjorts av en av Sveriges kunnigaste militärhistoriska översättare, Mikael Dahlgren. Serien Andra världskrigets generaler består av 10 titlar och beskriver tyska och allierade generaler som i hög grad påverkade andra världskrigets förlopp. Respektive titel beskriver alla de viktigaste fälttågen och slagen där generalen i fråga spelade en viktig roll, och ger dessutom insikt om personen bakom titeln och vad som hände efter kriget.

Pansargeneral är inte en titel utan snarare en egenskap som passar Heinz Guderian väl med tanke på hans roll i utvecklingen av den tidiga pansarkrigföringen. Han var de tyska pansartruppernas skapare och ledde dessa framgångsrikt på slagfälten i Polen 1939 och sedan i Frankrike 1940. Guderians karriär var unik i detta avseende. Till skillnad från de flesta andra militära innovatörer hade han ett stort inflytande över utvecklingen av nya doktriner och taktiska tillämpningar och testade dessa själv på slagfältet med mycket goda resultat. Guderian var inte bara en skicklig taktiker utan också en förstklassig förbandschef. I den här boken kan du bland annat läsa om på vilket sätt Guderian bidrog till utvecklingen av pansarkrigföringen och de fälttåg och stider hand deltog i som förbandschef i tyska krigsmakten. Författaren Pier Paulo Battistelli är en mycket välkänd och uppskattad militärhistorisk författare. Översättningen har gjorts av en av Sveriges kunnigaste militärhistoriska översättare, Mikael Dahlgren. Serien Andra världskrigets generaler består av 10 titlar och beskriver tyska och allierade generaler som i hög grad påverkade andra världskrigets förlopp. Respektive titel beskriver alla de viktigaste fälttågen och slagen där generalen i fråga spelade en viktig roll, och ger dessutom insikt om personen bakom titeln och vad som hände efter kriget.

The siege of Tobruk lasted 240 days during which the ‘gallant garrison’ of Allied soldiers, including the famous ‘Desert Rats’ held out against constant attacks from Rommel’s Afrika Korps. The battle became one of the longest sieges in British military history and a potent symbol of British resistance. To understand what happened and why – read Battle Story. Diary extracts and quotes offer a real insight into what it was like for the Allied soldiers to live under siege. Maps highlight the adversities of the terrain and the strategic importance of the Tobruk fortress. Rare photographs place you on the frontline of the unfolding action. Orders of battle reveal the composition of the opposing forces’ armies. Packed with fact boxes, this short introduction is the perfect way to explore this important battle.

Under the surveillance of General von Seeckt the Germans re-established their military, which Hitler utilised for his aggression of recovering Germany’s military greatness. This book explores some of the leading military figures. The often-ignored Field Marshal Keitel is explored, to see if there were any substance in the Allied belief that this Chief of the OKW was the driving force behind initial German success or was he merely Hitler’s lackey and bureaucrat. He was derided by his contemporaries because of his unstinting Prussian obedience to Hitler.This sense of total compliance was also reflected by General Paulus, who although obedient, was reluctant to carry out Hitler’s barbaric orders relating to Jews and prisoners, but otherwise was obedient and trusting of Hitler even though he knew it would lead to military disaster. It took time in a Russian prison camp to turn him against the once adored German dictator where he eventually became anti-Nazi.In striking contrast to the failed Paulus Field Marshal Manstein is examined. He was a skilled strategist and tactician and proved this in his victory in France. He lacked the social sophistication of many other leading military commanders, but he was one of the very few who had the courage to challenge Hitler’s military directions and decisions. He was eventually dismissed by Hitler and postwar wrote two books to regain his reputation, despite the fact he was convicted of war crimes, and whether he deserves a pedestal remains with the reader.

As the war progressed Hitler did not need obedient bureaucrats like Keitel, failures like Paulus and was paranoid about having military leaders who were loyal. The three field marshals in this book were amongst the best.Field Marshal Kesselring gained a reputation in Italy as an expert in defence, and his Allied code name was The Emperor. Kesselring was diplomatic, charming, known as Smiling Albert, but convicted as a war criminal which may not have happened had it not been for the bitter partisan war. Field Marshal Rommel is surrounded by myths which need disentangling. He possessed exceptional qualities of command and leadership, with personal courage and determination, but had problems caused by two major reasons. The first was his relentless ambition, which prevented him from self-criticism and self-evaluation. The second was his meteoric rise in command, and like many other commanders driven by ambition.Field Marshal Model when on the battlefield led his men so well it is surprising that little is known of him. He fought defensive battles in a way hardly matched by any other German general. He had the immense capability of keeping his nerve, but his skills as a commander, were not matched by the sort of personality which may have given him a similar status as with Rommel, and not helped by challenging Hitler. Model had a reputation of being so tough even Hitler claimed he would not want to serve under him, he was known as the Frontschwein (front-line pig).

When Italy surrendered in 1943, it sparked a resistance movement of anti-German, anti-fascist partisans. This book explores the tactics, organizational structure and equipment of the brave Italian resistance fighters.Beginning with low-level sabotage and assassinations, the groups continued to grow until spring 1944 when a remarkable, unified partisan command structure was created. Working in close co-ordination with the Allies, they received British SOE and American OSS liaison teams as well as supplies of weapons. The German response was ferocious, and in autumn 1944, as the Allied advance stalled, the SS and Italian RSI looked to eradicate the partisans once and for all. But when the Allies made their final breakthrough in the last weeks of the war the partisans rose again to exact their revenge on the retreating Wehrmacht.From an expert on Italian military history in World War II, this work provides a comprehensive guide to the men and women who fought a desperate struggle against occupation, as well as the German and Italian fascist security forces unleashed against them.

The first of two volumes on the Axis campaigns in the Balkans, exploring Mussolini's fateful decision to move against Greece in October 1940, when the Greek President Metaxas rejected the Italian ultimatum with a famous ‘Oxi’ ('No').In the wake of Italy's rapid annexation of Albania in April 1940, Mussolini’s decision to attack Greece in October that year is widely acknowledged as a fatal mistake, leading to a domestic crisis and to the collapse of Italy’s reputation as a military power (re-emphasized by the Italian defeat in North Africa in December 1940). The Italian assault on Greece came to a stalemate in less than a fortnight, and was followed a week later by a Greek counter-offensive that broke through the Italian defences before advancing into Albania, forcing the Italian forces to withdraw north before grinding to a half in January 1941 due to logistical issues. Eventually, the Italians took advantage of this brief hiatus to reorganize and prepare a counteroffensive, the failure of which marked the end of the first stage of the Axis Balkan campaign. This book offers a detailed overview of the Italian and Greek armies, their fighting power, and the terrain in which they fought.Complemented by rarely seen images and full colour illustrations, it shows how expectations of an easy Italian victory quickly turned into one of Mussolini’s greatest blunders.

This concise yet detailed overview gives a balanced account of this key Blitzkrieg campaign in the Balkans during the opening years of World War II.The Wehrmacht’s last Blitzkrieg campaign was indeed a lightning war, since German forces were required to seize both Yugoslavia and Greece before redeploying immediately to the East ready to attack the Soviet Union in a matter of weeks. Although the plans for the conquest of Yugoslavia were developed in haste, the campaign was extremely successful: in a short space of time, both Yugoslavia and Greece had fallen, accompanied by the capture of large numbers of British, Australian and New Zealand troops. The 1941 Balkan campaign was an apparently brilliant military accomplishment that demonstrated once again the superiority of the Wehrmacht, and its cutting-edge campaigning skills. This superbly detailed work details the opposing forces that took part in this campaign, documents their weapons and analyzes the effectiveness of their tactics. It explores the initial Axis campaign against Yugoslavia, the breakthrough of the Metaxas Line and advance into Macedonia and the withdrawal of Allied troops south. Detailed battlescenes depict key moments in the land, sea and air battles that took place in the Balkans, vividly bringing to life events of almost 80 years ago.

Enjoy a detailed examination of Operation Olive as US, British, Commonwealth and Allied forces seek to smash through the last German defensive line in Italy.The Italian theatre of operations post-summer 1944 was often (and incorrectly) surmised at the time as a quiet sector of World War II, populated with troops who were relieved not to find themselves fighting in North-West Europe. Yet the true nature of the hard fighting that took place here was soon revealed when the Allies began their assault on the Axis Gothic Line defences, known as Operation Olive. In this book, Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli documents the dual Allied offensive spearheaded by American and British units to smash through what was supposed to be the final Axis defensive line in Italy before the Alps. The overall strategic aims of both the Axis and Allied leaders are explored, together with the organization of the forces committed.The expertly researched maps and 3D diagrams guide the reader through the progress of the phased battles in challenging terrain. Photographs and specially commissioned artworks show the soldiers that fought on both sides, including American, Canadian, Indian, Brazilian, Polish, New Zealander, British, German and Italian troops, as well as the materiel they employed. The result is an essential illustrated guide to a fascinating and complex late-war campaign.

A gripping tale of three crucial battles fought at the end of 1943 as Allied forces approached the Gustav Line in Italy.After repulsing the German counter-attack at Salerno in September 1943, the US Fifth Army and British Eighth Army advanced up the Italian Peninsula. By October, the Allied armies had reached the Volturno Line, forcing a critical decision in German strategy: a prolonged defence would be conducted in southern Italy, contesting the Allied advance using the complex terrain features. By mid-November, the two Allied armies were approaching the German defensive lines along the Garigliano and the Sangro rivers. Here, US 5th Army would attack through the Mignano gap towards San Pietro Infine, while British Eighth Army would seize Ortona on the Adriatic coast and Orsogna. A brutal struggle ensued, with the German defenders attempting to hold their positions. The fighting at Ortona in particular (labelled a 'mini Stalingrad') would be particularly grueling for the Canadian forces involved. This fascinating work focuses on several little-known battles fought in Italy following the German withdrawal from the Salerno bridgehead and from Taranto. Maps and diagrams present an easy to follow overview of the multiple operations of this complex campaign. The forces of the opposing sides (including American, German, Canadian, New Zealand and British troops), and the three decisive battles fought in late 1943, are brought vividly to life in period photos and superb battlescene artworks.

A new illustrated history of the German and Italian air campaigns in the invasions of Greece and Yugoslavia, the last full-scale Axis air offensives before Operation Barbarossa.The Greece campaign was launched by Italy in October 1940, the first large-scale campaign of the Italian Air Force outside North Africa, and its last major solo effort. With the German involvement in April 1941, and with the invasion of Yugoslavia, the Balkans saw the last large-scale Axis air campaign in Europe before the invasion of the USSR. It was also the campaign that saw expeditionary units of the RAF fighting alongside the Greeks – most famously, the handful of Hurricanes that fought to the end from makeshift olive-grove airfields, among them the Hurricane ace and future novelist Roald Dahl.In this book, renowned historian Pier Paolo Battistelli and air power expert Basilio di Martino explain how this unique campaign was fought. They highlight elements such as the Italians’ development of air-to-ground support while carrying out, for the first and only time, an airborne operation, and how the Germans refined their tactics from the 1940 campaign in the West, while now also playing a major anti-shipping role.Illustrated throughout with rare photos, superb original paintings, maps and 3D diagrams, this is an expert account of the air war over the eastern Mediterranean.

A fascinating study of one of the often overlooked World War II campaigns as British/Commonwealth, Indigenous and Italian forces battled for control of the Horn of Africa. In mid-1940, Italy’s East African colonies posed a significant threat to the British Empire, and in particular to the flow of supplies through the Red Sea to Egypt. British High Command feared moves from Italian East Africa and so sent reinforcements to its positions in Kenya and Sudan. Thus began a series of clashes across East Africa, with the British attempting to keep the Italians isolated and unable to threaten British supply lines. In March 1941, British theatre commander General Archibald Wavell opted for a lightning campaign to eliminate the Italian threat for good. Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli provides a fresh account of this campaign, from the initial Italian attacks to the Allied counter-offensive into Eritrea, Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland. Among the actions covered are Addis Ababa, Amba Alagi, Gondar, Tug Argan, and Keren. This work presents an assessment of the forces involved of both sides, including Orde Wingate’s Gideon force, pro-Selassié Ethiopian irregulars and Eritrean and Somalian troops, as well as Indian, South African, British and Italian regular forces. With colourful artwork, detailed maps and diagrams, this book highlights an overlooked World War II campaign and the bloody fight for the Horn of Africa.

A unique visual exploration of partisan and anti-partisan warfare in Yugoslavia between 1941 and 1944. Following the Axis invasion and occupation of Yugoslavia in April 1941, a brutal insurgency (based both on ethnic and political affiliations) broke out in the German- and Italian-occupied areas. The result was a protracted multi-partite struggle. The key forces opposing the Axis occupation were Tito’s communist Partisans and, initially, Draža Mihailovic’s royalist Chetniks, with Allied allegiances shifting over time. Widespread ethnic cleansing and ideological warfare were waged by the occupiers and their internal allies under the ‘anti-Partisan’ moniker. In 1942, the first of seven major counter-insurgency operations was carried out by Axis forces. These took place in every part of the country, aiming to annihilate the main core of resistance. With stunning artwork, detailed maps and period images, this book reveals the military cultures of the wide range of opposing forces involved. It also covers the planning and execution of each operation, from the autumn 1941 offensive against the Republic of Užice through to the final attack in western Bosnia in spring 1944. The result is a unique visual exploration of one of the most complex and least studied offensives of World War II.

A highly illustrated look at the Allied push to stop the Germans across central Italy, culminating in a battle in the middle of Florence. Following the fighting at Anzio and Cassino in 1944, the Allies were in pursuit of the Germans, who had managed to get away when the Americans took Rome. With experienced troops recalled from Italy to participate in the invasions of Normandy and southern France, the Allied numbers dwindled, only partially replaced by three divisions. The Allies pushed on, following the Germans into central Italy in a bid to stop them getting to the Gothic Line. Fighting across Rome, Pisa, Leghorn, Lake Trasimene, Ancona and Florence, the Allies pushed their advance across the country. Troops from the US, UK, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Poland, and India fought in these campaigns, chasing the Germans as they withdrew to safety. With detailed maps, diagrams and period images, Italian historian Pier Paolo Battistelli sets the scene for this last push from Rome, showcasing the highly motorised fighting in multiple cities across central Italy, and explains why this was an Allied tactical failure.

Despite the attention paid to the Afrikakorps over the years, it was the numerically far superior forces of the Italian Army that held the line and formed the bulk of the fighting power available to the Axis powers during the War in the Desert from 1941 through to 1943.Their performance has been unfairly criticised over the years – the best units of the Italian Army were equal to those of the British and Germans – but they suffered from a lack of mobility and poor equipment that made it impossible for them to meet mobile British forces on anywhere near equal terms. Despite this, the Italian Army went through many changes through the period, with the introduction of a variety of elite units – armoured, mechanised and parachute divisions that did much to restore the fighting reputation of the Italian soldier in the desert war. Their German allies belatedly acknowledged this with the redesignation of Panzerarmee Afrika as 1st Italian Army in February 1943.This title details recruitment, organisation and experience of the Italian forces in this theatre, casting fresh light on a force whose fighting power and capabilities have been unfairly ignored and maligned for too long.

In 1940 a British offensive in the Western Desert provoked a major Italian military disaster.By early February 1941 the whole of Cyrenaica had been lost, and German help became necessary to avoid the loss of all of Libya. On 14 February 1941 the first echelons of German troops hurriedly arrived at the port of Tripoli, starting the 27-month German engagement in Northern Africa.This book covers the complex and oft-changing organisation and structure of German forces in North Africa from their first deployment through to the conclusion of the battle of El Alamein, an engagement that irrevocably changed the strategic situation in the Western Desert.

At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Germany's armoured forces - the Panzerwaffe - were still in their infancy.The restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles meant that German tank production lagged behind its enemies. Initial armour campaigns in Poland were not overly successful and changes were needed before the invasion of France. This book examines the organizational changes, developments in doctrine and tactics and improved command and control that provided the basis for the spectacular success of the Panzer divisions in 1940. Achieving tactical and operational surprise, the Panzer divisions broke through enemy defences, enveloping a large number of hostile forces at Dunkirk.The legend of the Blitzkrieg was born.

On 22 June 1941 Germany attacked the Soviet Union and her Panzer divisions were to play a major role in this titanic struggle.Although overwhelmed by Soviet numbers, the superior skill and capability of the German Panzer divisions meant that in three months the Germans had advanced deep into Soviet territory. However, after these initial successes the German offensive began to falter, culminating in the disastrous defeat at Kursk.This book describes the organisational history of the Panzer divisions, from the early successes of 1941 through to the introduction of revised Blitzkrieg tactics as the war progressed.

Completing Osprey's mini-series on the German Panzer division, a detailed look at their organizational structure from the collapse of the Eastern front until the fall of Berlin.This volume provides a comprehensive examination on the late-war changes to the German Army Panzer forces and the formation of new units, from the collapse on the Eastern Front, through operations on the Western Front in Normandy and the Ardennes, to the final battle for Berlin in 1945. The major organizational changes that took place in this intensive period are examined, together with the adaptation of German armoured doctrine, tactics, and the command.Details of unit histories and operations, illustrated in colour maps, are also included in this packed treatment.

This book documents the experiences of the Italian armed Fascist militia, the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), from the Italian–Ethiopian war of 1935–36, through the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II.The Blackshirt legions were raised under army control from 1928, and were employed in 1933 in Libya in counterinsurgency operations against the Senussi tribes; from 1935 in Italy's war against Ethiopia; and during the Spanish Civil War. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Blackshirts fought in North Africa, Greece, Croatia, on the Eastern Front and finally in Italy itself following the Allied invasion.It explores their origins, development, recruitment, training, conditions of service, uniforms and equipment, battle experience, political and ideological motivation.

Nicknamed 'The Desert Fox' for his cunning command of the Afrika Korps, Erwin Rommel remains one of the most popular and studied of Germany's World War II commanders.He got his first taste of combat in World War I, where his daring command earned him the Blue Max, Germany's highest decoration for bravery. He followed this up with numerous successes early in World War II in both Europe and Africa, before facing his biggest challenge – organizing the defence of France. Implicated in the plot to kill Hitler, Rommel chose suicide over a public trial.This book looks at the life of this daring soldier, focusing on his style of command and the tactical decisions that earned him his fearsome reputation.

The soldiers of the Afrikakorps considered themselves as part of an elite, a highly select group that had no equal, not only in the German Army, but in the rest of the world.Under the leadership of one of the war's most famous commanders, Erwin Rommel, the Afrikakorps grew to include a broad range of armour, infantry, artillery, anti-tank, engineer, communications, supply, medical and service elements.This book explores the experiences of the German Afrikakorps soldier during the North Africa campaign, from the Korps' arrival in–theatre in February 1941 to its eventual surrender in Tunisia in May 1943, with a particular focus on the intense period of warfare in the Western Desert between 1941 and 1942.

A focused, military biography of Heinz Guderian, perhaps the most highly respected tank commander of World War II.Guderian was a typical product of the Prussian military elite; the son of a general in the army, there was little doubt that he would follow in his father's footsteps. Some consider Guderian to be the founding father of blitzkrieg warfare, and he certainly brought the whole concept to public attention and prominence, chiefly through the publication of his book Achtung Panzer in 1937.He commanded the XIX (Motorized) Army Corps in the 1939 Polish campaign, and Panzergruppe Guderian during Operation Barbarossa. In March 1943 he became chief inspector of the Panzer forces, but even the great tank commander could achieve little more than to delay the inevitable defeat of Germany.

Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli examines the elite and special-forces units of the Italian Army during World War II.This includes a vast array of troop types, including paratroopers, assault engineers, sea-landing and swimmer units, long-range recce and ski units, and even hand-picked Fascist 'Mussolini' units. It also delves into the specialist tank and armoured units that were created to emulate the German armoured units. While the Italian units discussed enjoyed mixed success, the volume draws attention to the incredibly hard fighting done by some in the deserts of North Africa and the frozen wastelands of Russia. Illustrated with rare archival photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this is a fascinating insight into a little-studied aspect of Axis forces.

Albert Kesselring was the principal Axis commander in the Italian theatre, confronting the Allies at Salerno, Anzio and Cassino.Although he is mostly remembered for his part in the campaign in Italy from 1943 to 1945, Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring was also chief of staff of the Luftwaffe in 1936–37, playing a crucial role in the shaping of the service for the coming war. As commander of Luftflotte 1 in Poland and Luftflotte 2 in France and the Low Countries, he was responsible for supporting the armoured spearheads of the German Army as they undertook their Blitzkrieg campaigns.With the Fall of France, the Battle of Britain began and Luftlotte 2 was the main force in the air attack against the British air defences, with Kesselring planning many raids. Following the war Kesselring was tried and convicted of war crimes following a number of massacres of civilians in Italy. He was sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment before being released on the grounds of ill health in October 1952.Here Pier Paolo Battistelli provides a detailed study of one of the most famous German commanders of World War II.

Several factors delayed and greatly hampered the development of an Italian medium tank during World War II.Light tanks were preferred as these were deemed much more suitable for the narrow roads and bridges of the Alps, along the borders of neighbours France and Yugoslavia. Development was also hampered by limited industries, with fragmented production. Thus, the first prototype of an Italian medium tank – the M 11 – did not enter production until 1939.This book examines the Italian M tanks which, although technically inferior to their German and Allied counterparts in 1941–43, proved to be effective when used by experienced crews with adequate combat tactics. Alongside illustrations throughout, Filippo Cappellano and Pier Paolo Battistelli discuss the types, as well as the experiments that produced interesting prototypes such as the anti-aircraft semovente.

By November 1918, only one Italian training unit equipped with French Schneider and Renault tanks had been formed.Consequently, during the 1920s the Italian army had just one single tank type in its armoured inventory – the Fiat 3000. Only in 1927 was the first tank unit formed as a branch of the infantry and not as an independent organization.Pier Paolo Battistelli and Filippo Cappellano explore the development of these tanks. Between 1933 and March 1939, a further 2,724 CV 33 / L 3 tanks were built, 1,216 of which were exported all over the world. By the time Italy entered the war in June 1940, the army had 1,284 light tanks, 855 of which were in combat units, including three armoured divisions.Featuring detailed illustrations, this compact guide covers all of these types, including variants of the CV 33 / L 3 tanks that included flame-throwers, bridge-layers, recovery vehicles, and a radio command tank.

This volume assesses the formidable Special Forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II.Italian Navy Special Forces were particularly active and respected in the Mediterranean, where 10th Motor-Torpedo Boat Flotilla used frogmen, 'two-man torpedoes' and explosive ram-boats. The Italian Air Force formed a special commando unit, ADRA, before the 1943 surrender; it was tasked with attacking Allied airfields and communications in North Africa.Men from ADRA and Army paratroopers formed the new 'Folgore' Regiment, which also continued to fight alongside German forces until 1945. In both cases, the pro-Allied Italian forces also formed 'mirror' units to fight alongside US and British forces, including the Recce Squadron 'F'.Featuring rare photographs and specially commissioned artwork, this book tells the story of the little-known elite forces fielded by Italy's navy and air force in World War II, some of whose successors remain in service with today's Italian armed forces.