The Wehrmacht's paratroopers earned recognition for their bravery and endurance not only among their German comrades, but also among their former enemies. Based on careful and comprehensive research, including extensive use of unpublished documentary and personal materials, the author covers the history of the paratroopers from their formation and early training to their deployment in Scandinavia, on the Albert Canal in Belgium, in Holland, on the Greek mainland and, of course, on Crete. The reasons for the remarkable successes of the German paratroopers during this period are analysed, as are the conceptual weaknesses of their formation and the shortcomings in leadership and control during their combat missions. The author, himself a former paratrooper in the German Armed Forces and a general staff officer, has also used reports from people who fought against the paratroopers, enabling him to correct many errors that appeared in earlier books on the subject and provide a more complete account. The text is supplemented by around 100 black-and-white photos and more than 25 detailed colour maps. This is a remarkably detailed study based firmly on documentary sources.
Author
Golla, Karl-Heinz
Title
The German Fallschirmtruppe 1936-41
Details
English text, 122 bw- and 14 colour photos, 28 maps. 585 pages.
State
new
Subtitle
Its Genesis and Employment in the First Campaigns of the Wehrmacht
