The Secret Archives: Western Front

by Ian Baxter

The dreaded and powerful Nazi SS (or Schutzstaffel ) began as the elite corps of bodyguards to Hitler, under the command of the infamous Heinrich Himmler. The SS soon expanded to include an intelligence arm and, from 1940 to 1945, an elite military corps, the Waffen-SS. This book is part of the two-volume The Secret Archives set that chronicles the exploits of the Waffen-SS, using information collected from old albums, as well as from newspaper and divisional archives. It includes a wealth of photographs, many of them previously unpublished, with extensive and informative captions. The authorÂ's account gives a vivid picture of what life was like for HimmlerÂ's so-called storm troopers. Each of the two volumes stands alone as an account of the Waffen-SSÂ's notorious activities, one title concentrating on the Eastern Front; the other on the Western Front. This volume, which focuses on the Western Front, reports on the Waffen-SS attacks into Holland and Belgium in 1940; the recruitment of Waffen-SS soldiers from Nazi-occupied countries; its actions at Normandy; its destruction of the British “Market Garden” operation outside Arnhem, Holland; and its actions against American forces at the Battle of the Bulge. Approximately 250 black-and-white photos plus appendices.

Genres: History, World War II

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Ian Baxter is a military historian who specializes in German twentieth-century military history. He has written more than forty books and over 100 articles about the World War II era.

He has reviewed numerous military studies for publication and supplied thousands of photographs and important documents to various publishers and film production companies worldwide.

Reviews

[Jukka Häkkinen]

SS-joukkojen kuva-arkistoista koostettu teos joukkojen toiminnasta sodan aikana.