Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of copyrighted works is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

World War II News Blog
News about World War II, including links to articles and web sites, brief articles on different aspects of World War II history, plus notices of new releases of books and other publications on World War II from the Merriam Press. The World War II News Blog is managed by Ray Merriam, the owner of Merriam Press.

Watch Videos
Videos on military and book topics of particular interest for Merriam Press web site visitors.

These links are to special pages on the Merriam Press web site.

These links are to external web sites that have been checked and are recommended by Merriam Press.

German Defense Tactics Against Russian Breakthroughs, Historical Study (German Report Series) [Dept. of the Army Pamphlet No. 20-233]

<< Previous in · PDFs: World War II

Next in · PDFs: World War II >>

Price: $5.00

Item Number: L0193

German Defense Tactics Against Russian Breakthroughs, Historical Study (German Report Series) [Dept. of the Army Pamphlet No. 20-233]

This pamphlet was prepared for the Historical Division, EUCOM, by a committee of former German generals and general staff officers (the names of the contributors were not indicated in the pamphlet).

The principal author, who by the end of the war had attained the rank of general, served on the Eastern Front throughout the Russian campaign and the subsequent retreat into the plains of northern Germany. He was successively commander of an infantry brigade, a panzer division (Nov. 1941 to Feb. 1943), and two different corps in the battles for Kharkov and Belgorod. Appointed commander of a panzer army on 1 Dec. 1943, he participated in the withdrawal across southern Russia until the Germans reached the Carpathians. In Aug. 1944 he was transferred to Army Group Center, and his last assignment was with Army Group Weichsel. During this final phase of his military career, he played an important part in the retreat from Lithuania, East Prussia, and Pomerania.

Throughout this study the point of departure for tactical innovations was official German combat doctrine and authorized German tables of organization and equipment. Moreover, a fundamental condition of German operations in Russia was the almost consistent German inferiority in both manpower and materiel. Various other factors colored the authors' thinking in ways unfamiliar to Americans. Every effort was made to retain the point of view, the expressions, and even the prejudices of the authors.

Originally published 4 October 1951 by the Dept. of the Army, Washington, D.C., as a soft cover booklet measuring 6 × 9 inches.

Military Reference Library #L193

Available as a PDF file (56 MB) from Merriam Press
High quality scan of every page of the original work
Not available for downloading
Will be shipped by mail on a CDR disc
- Shipment by first class mail to U.S. customers and airmail to foreign customers
- PDF files on CDR discs are sent separately from printed books
- No extra charge for shipping CDRs but the regular small order/shipping charges apply

Contents

Preface
Introduction
Active Defense
- Frontal Counterattack
- Flank Attack
- Spoiling Attack
- Defensive Pincers
Passive Defense
- Defense in Place with Mobile Reserves
- Position Defense in Strong Points and Improvised Fortresses
- Improvised Zone Defense
- Isthmus Defense—The Sea as Flank Protection
Retrograde Movements
- Delaying and Blocking Actions
- Delay on Successive Positions
Defense Against Breakthroughs—A Combination of Defense Tactics
Conclusions

Specifications

105 pages
13 maps
- General Reference Map
- Frontal Counterattack (Mar. 1943)
- Flank Attack (Eastern Galicia, Apr. 1944)
- Spoiling Attack (Nov. 1943)
- Defensive Pincers (Battle of the Volkhov, 10 Jan.-28 Jun. 1942)
- Defense in Place with Mobile Reserves (Winter 1943-44)
- Improvised Zone Defense in East Prussia (Jan. 1945)
- Isthmus Defense (The Sea as Flank Protection, Crimea, 1943-44)
- Delaying and Blocking Actions (Dec. 1943)
- Delay on Successive Positions (Aug. 1943)
- Russian Breakthrough Attempt at Kirovograd
  - 5-7 Jan. 1944
  - 8-10 Jan. 1944
  - 10-16 Jan. 1944