Waffen SS - An Illustrated History - Bison Group 0861245547

Published by the Bison Group. Author Adrian Gilbert. Hardcover, 192 pages. Pre-owned in good condition.

Waffen SS reveals the full story behind the creation and wartime activities of the Third Reich's most feared combat force, from its debut in the campaign against Poland in 1939 to the final battles in the ruins of Berlin. Each chapter opens with a concise yet thorough narrative covering the essential aspects under consideration, and is then followed by a series of integrated photographic spreads complemented by detailed and authoritative captions. Over 250 photographs have been selected for this large-format volume. The Waffen SS became the most effective armored spearheads at the disposal of the Wehrmacht, gaining a series of spectacular victories against the Allies in the West in 1940, in the Balkans in 1941 and above all during the invasion of the Soviet Union. However, their combat reputation was tarnished by the knowledge that the Waffen SS committed some of the war's worst atrocities against civilians and prisoners.