Osprey releases new titles in September
Beutepanzers of World War II & Romania 1944: The Turning of Arms Against Nazi Germany is scheduled for September.
Steven J. Zaloga is one of world’s foremost armor experts and he reveals the story of one of Germany’s lesser-known World War II Panzers, the use of captured armored vehicle, or “Beutepanzer”. The Somua S 35, Panhard 178, and other captured vehicles were popular with the Germans. Other vehicles, like the Renault FT from 1932, were used to perform secondary missions such as airfield defense and anti-partisan operations. The “Becker Conversions” were a German officer who had a family business, and he mechanized the towed artillery of his unit. He then went on to modernize and upgun many French Beutepanzers. These would play a particularly important role in Normandy in 1944.
Although the Wehrmacht captured large numbers of Soviet tanks, these saw very limited service, and most were sent to the smelters. The Italian AFV Industry continued to produce tanks and AFVs, even after Italy switched sides, in September 1943. Tanks and AFVs from the other Allied Armies, including Britain and US, were used on a smaller, improvised basis. Romanian defection to the Axis not only denied Nazi Germany resources, but it also made the Romanian Army its greatest supporter on the Eastern Front. The fighting witnessed the German Sixth Army being destroyed for a second time (after Stalingrad).
This in-depth work explores the strategic struggle within German-Romanian relations and the tactical development of the Battle of Romania. These detailed maps in 2D and 3D will guide you through each step of the Axis’ defence of Romania during the Iasi-Chisinau offensive in March and May, as well as the Allied Campaign in April and August to aid the Soviets. You will also learn about the Axis’ collapse during the second Iasi and Chisinau offensive in August, Romanian victory over the German counter-coup attempt, and finally the Soviet occupation. The stunning artworks and period photographs, some of which are never seen before, from Romanian archives, private collections and the Romanian Archives bring the troops and equipment of this seldom explored Eastern Front Campaign to life.
