Against the Panzers: United States Infantry Versus German Tanks, 1944-1945: A History of Eight Battles Told Through Diaries, Unit Histories

by Allyn R. Vannoy and Jay Karamales

Book Overview

Eight World War II battles are examined here from the perspective of the U.S. Army infantrymen who were facing German Panzers. The battles were chosen from those fought from August 1944 through January 1945, a time of rapid advances and intense combat. They include a variety of engagements: river crossings, defensive operations, assaults on towns, and others.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 078640129X
• ISBN13: 9780786401291
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Against the Panzers

Against the Panzers is a superb book. It gives wonderfully detailed accounts of American infantry units (sometimes with tank destroyer support) in the Northwest Europe theatre facing down the formidable panzer units of the Wehrmacht, usually with vastly inferior anti-tank weapons such as the 57 mm AT gun. That they often (but not always)emerged victorious from these engagements (Mortain, Twin Villages of Krinkelt/Rocharath in the Ardennes and Elsenborn Ridge,) is a testament to their courage and determination in the face of horrendous odds. A great read for military history buffs.

Pretty good, lots of good detail

This is not a book for the person looking for an easy reading, entertaining tale of US companies in action against German armor units. Rather, a number of various actions are analyzed in exhaustive detail. The maps can be very helpful at times (in one case tracing the path of a Bazooka-armed GI stalking a panzer) and not so useful in other cases. However, many maps are provided unlike other books of this type. I'd say that the target audience for this book is the serious military reader who wants more detail than the casual war story reader. Engineers, artillery, and anti-tank gun activities get covered pretty well.