Men of Steel: I SS Panzer Corps: The Ardennes and Eastern Front 1944-45

by Michael Reynolds

In March 1943 the three senior Divisions of the Waffen-SS – Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (Bodyguard), Das Reich (Empire) and Totenkopf (Death’s Head) – were fighting against Stalin’s armies in the Ukraine under the command of SS Lieutenant General Paul Hausser. Aware of the need to create more divisions for his army and under constant pressure from Heinrich Himmler for more troops, Adolf Hitler chose this moment to order the formation of a new SS Panzer corps. This meticulously researched book documents the actions of the Corps throughout the last offensives of the war. Strongly recommended for those interested in the personality of Hitler’s most trusted armored and armoured-infantry field commanders.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Military Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

About the author

Major General Mike Reynolds was a British Army Officer who saw fierce action in Korea and in Germany became a target of the Red Army Faction.

From 1972 Reynolds was a guest speaker on many British Army and NATO battlefield tours in the Ardennes, initially as training, and later as a commercial enterprise. He followed this by writing six Second World War military histories and became a recognised expert on the Waffen-SS and the Normandy and Ardennes campaigns.

The Devil’s Adjutant (1995)
Steel Inferno (1997)
Men of Steel (1999)
Sons of the Reich (2002)
Eagles and Bulldogs in Normandy 1944 (2003)
Monty and Patton: Two Paths to Victory (2005)
Soldier at Heart: Private to General (2013) - autobiography

Reviews

[Hans Brienesse]

Highly informative with a wealth of information this book works because it focuses on what it says namely the SS division and not the battles in which it fought. Don't get me wrong it details incidents and actions where the information has been available but the focus is always on the division not the battles even to the point of correcting contradicting accounts. Recommended reading for all students of the Second World War and in particular the losing side.

[Steve Dedier]

This is an excellent history with a great deal of tactical as well as strategic level information. Reynolds gives in depth info on commanders, disposition and insight into actions. Especially interesting is the info on how the units could be reconstituted so rapidly after destruction and still be a very viable force.

[Novak]

The SS were Animals in combat. Relentless and giving no quarter. Atrocities aside the fighting force of the SS had no equal. Great book,very technical and pulls you into the hell storm that was coming for Germany.