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Title: SS Steel Storm : Waffen-SS Panzer Battles on the Eastern Front 1943-1945 by Tim Ripley ISBN: 0-7603-0937-X Publisher: Motorbooks International Pub. Date: November, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.22 (9 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: a rather dull treatment
Comment: I've tried to get on with this book since it deals with a favourite topic of mine. Author Ripley is a well respected writer & all-rounder in the defense field. However, for me Tim Ripley is above all known as an aviation correspondent..for example I recall a well-done recent article on the Israeli air force in Air International magazine. Thus I have the rather strong impression that Ripley is not entirely on home territory with this work, either in regard to the Waffen SS or tank battles in particular. I think this becomes evident in a reading of the book, which although presenting a comprehensive and detailed overview, is ultimately a pretty bland synopsis. In addition there is a total lack of reference to German language sources in his bibliography, which points up another weakness in this work; the complete absence of first person accounts, which makes for an extremely dry writing style. I'm very much of the opinion that someone writing about German forces in WWII should at least have some elementary knowledge of the German language if he wants to be taken seriously. Given that there now exists decent translations of works by Tiger Kommandanten such as Otto Carius, Willi Fey, not to mention Agte's hugh biographies of Wittman & Peiper, I find this omission inexplicable. Finally, I'm not overly impressed with the photo content, rather too many well known shots of commanders are featured. Robert Michulec's cheap picture books on the Panzers in the East contain far more interesting images..and for a general overview of the Panzerkrieg McCarthy & Syron's work is ultimately more satisfactory..
Rating: 4
Summary: Excellent Book, But...
Comment: while highly recommended, I don't think I'd pay money]. I only paid [money] a couple of years ago. Guess I made a good investment. ... Anyway, since I'm such a die-hard Waffen SS collector, I most likely won't reap the return as I have no plans on selling it.
Rating: 3
Summary: No-nonsense clinical account of the Waffen-SS in Russia.
Comment: Written by the world-renowned correspondent and journalist, Tim Ripley, "SS Steel Storm" is a strictly no-nonsense, chronological account of the major battles of Himmler's dreaded Waffen-SS Panzer Divisions on the Eastern Front from 1943 - 1945, beginning with von Manstein's counter-offensive at Kharkov.
Albeit an interesting and factual documentary that dispells many of the myths surrounding the major Eastern Front battles (for example, the misconception that the titanic clash of armour at Phrokorovka during the Battle of Kursk involved a one-off, set-piece, slugfest between thousands of German and Soviet tanks is set straight in the chapter on the battle),I found Mr. Ripley's treatment of his subject a tad on the dry side. For the avid military enthusiast who relishes a rivetting fast read, this IS NOT your cup of tea! True, the text is laden with facts, figures and useful appendices, as well as being awash with scores of maps and b/w photographs, but it unfortunately reads more like a high-school history textbook than a dramatic treatment of one of history's most gifted fighting formations. The total absence of eye-witness testimonials is exactly what lets down an otherwise informative book. That "you are there" aspect so important for the student of this theatre of WW2 has been gnored for reasons unknown.
If you are a newcomer to the Eastern Front, you may want to buy this book for the wonderful facts and figures it provides so generously - and if you can afford its not-so-generous cost. The expert may want to give it a miss.
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