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Title: Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II by Christopher Wilbeck, Otto Carius ISBN: 0-9717650-2-2 Publisher: The Aberjona Press Pub. Date: March, 2004 Format: Paperback List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (3 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: TARGET! TARGET! TARGET!
Comment: Major Wilbeck has done a great service in writing a top-notch book that is applicable to today's armor or mechanized infantry officer as it is to any military historian or Tiger tank enthusiast. At a minimum I must say it is very thought provoking. I found myself reading a few paragraphs and then pausing to analyze the author's synthesis and comparing it with my own experience with mechanized forces.
This compact and focused study effectively integrates and illustrates the development, tactics, and deployment of the Tiger tank. With historical specificity the author reveals the strengths and weaknesses of what has become a tank of legend.
Professional Soldiers will find that many of the points brought out by Major Wilbeck continue to plague us today as we move from a Heavy force developed to defeat the armored threat of the Soviets during the Cold War to a more mobile, lightly armored force tailored for swift deployment to regional hot-spots.
Adding to this book are the wonderful maps that I have come to expect from Aberjona Press.
Rating: 5
Summary: Tiger Tanks: Potent Killers with Fatal Flaws
Comment: "Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II" by Christopher W. Wilbeck is a great read for those simply curious about tank warfare as well as those more serious about their studies. Wonderfully written and seriously researched, "Sledgehammers" fulfilled all my expectations as a historical piece. My knowledge of German Tiger tanks was probably not that different than many other amateur historians - deep enough to know that most reports of battles with Tigers in "popular" historical accounts are exaggerated, mistaken and/or poorly researched, but not much beyond that. Wilbeck, in one single treatise, conveys a concise, useful and exciting history of one of the most feared tanks in the WWII. Several factors make this a great book:
One of the most positive attributes of "Sledgehammers" is its simple yet very effective organization. In the first two sections, Wilbeck gives a coherent introduction of the German Heavy Tank Battalions. By placing the development and implementation of Tiger tank battalions with the context of German thinking (doctrine), technological advances, war planning and execution, Wilbeck makes it easy of the reader to understand the real "strengths" and "flaws" of the Tiger's role in the German advances and retreats. The discussion of German heavy tank Doctrine, or Tiger Battalion Organizations, is worth its weight in gold if one is to truly make sense of the effectiveness of these battalions. As Wilbeck points out the German military leaders were very doctrinal and only in rare cases were there breaks with doctrine at high levels. Yet on the battlefield where front-line commanders had control, doctrine, while a driving force, was not necessarily law. Nor was it particularly well applied. This had both negative and positive influences on the overall effectiveness of the Tigers.
The next four sections of the books describe many of the combat missions in which Tigers were employed, from early years in the Desert when the Panzers were king, to the last battles of the war when the huge and expensive King Tigers were sacrificed in the final spasms of the Nazi regimes attempts to yoke the world. Wilbeck makes every apparent effort to confirm battle data from records of both combatants. Only in cases where the Soviets are the second combatant are Wilbeck's data weakened by lack of confirmation. Yet this is due not to a fault of the author, but rather from a simple lack of clear information on the Soviet side. In such cases Wilbeck is the first to point out the potential pitfalls. It is refreshing to read a book where the author acknowledges the historical weaknesses of ones own text. Despite this caveat (which again I point out the author makes clear exists!) these four sections represent the heart of the book and are fascinating. Wilbeck has a clear writing style that allows the reader to go through the battles with clarity and ease. The 35 maps, numerous photographs, and multiple tables of data each contribute to the enjoyable and factually rewarding nature of this book. "Sledgehammer's" publishing house, Aberjona Press, is quite possibly the finest serving the WWII historical genre with regard to this type of supplemental material.
The last two sections of the book (save the Epilogues by Viktor Iskrov and Ray Holt) try to make sense of the data. Where Tiger tanks effective tools of war or not, and why or why not? Wilbeck makes a good case for both pros and cons of the Tiger Battalions. The author demonstrates that the Tiger tank was a VERY effective killing machine, achieving an impressive average kill ratio across the entire time of its employment of just over 12 enemy lost to every 1 Tiger in battle!!! Even when the horrible mechanical troubles of the Tigers (both I and II), logistical woes, and defensive nature of many battles fought are considered the Tigers still "killed" over 5 enemy tanks for their own lost (including self destruction). Thus, the Tiger tank has to bee seen as a serious weapon of war. Yet these numbers are averages and reflect a snap-shot of the entire picture. Wilbeck makes it clear to the reader that for all of their positive attributes as killing machines the Tigers were also a burden on the German war machine. Tigers were mechanically unreliable (as compared to the Soviet T-34 or US M4-Sherman), had a small radius of action (again in contrast to the aforementioned Allied tanks), and were so large that most terrain rendered them practically useless as breakthrough weapons for which they were manufactured, if less employed, according to Doctrine. Moreover, while the Tiger was a lethal machine essentially impervious to enemy when initially added to the cannon of German war material, the Allies were remarkably quick to respond to counter both the Tiger's lethality and thick "skin".
The Prologue and Epilogue of the book also merit mentioned here. These sections were contributed not by Wilbeck but by soldiers fighting with (Prologue) or against (Epilogue) the Heavy Tank Battalions. These sections thus provide a unique perspective on this weapon and its impact.
All in all I give "Sledgehammers" five solid stars for content, presentation and overall impact. If you want solid facts and reasoned analysis about Tiger tanks and their roles in WWII this is THE book to read.
Rating: 5
Summary: Analyzing the Tigers
Comment: As the book's description says, the author is trying to fill in a gap on the topic of German heavy tank battalions in WWII. I found the book interesting in the fact that it was the first that I have come accross that actually analyzes the effectiveness of the Tiger and King Tigers tanks in combat. Most other authors simply retell the histories of the engagements these tanks fought in, leaving the reader to judge for himself. The author Christopher Wilbeck is a US Army armor officer in the 1st Cavalry Division, and at this time May, 2004 is serving in Iraq. His credentials definately lay credence to his analysis. The writing style, anyone familiar with the military style of writing will also notice this, is concise and to the point.
Upon reading the book, it is inevitable that one would revise their idea about the invincibility of the Tiger tanks. Their most notable flaws were the mechanical unreliability and fuel hungry engines. These two factors alone definately limited the effectiveness of the units fielding Tiger tanks during the war. Those factors severly hampered their doctrinal role of a breakthrough and exploitation. A unit was lucky if 66%, and that's high, of its Tiger tanks were combat ready and not at the maintenance depot. The statistic that 41% of Tiger tanks were destroyed by their own crew, verses 45% destroyed by enemy action, is telling enough. It makes you think how much more effective they would have been if the mechanical reliability was higher. The Germans lost 713 Tiger tanks in action, and the Tigers destroyed 8600 tanks. An excellent in combat kill ratio of 12.16 to 1. However, 868 were destroyed by either their own crews or other ways, bringing the overall ratio down to 5.44 to 1.
Any design of a tank has to balance the three aspects of mobility, firepower, and armor. No doubt the Tigers had great firepower and armor, their tank killing record speaks for itself. However, mobility was sacrificed to achieve that. It was precisely that lack of mobility, mechanical reliability, and high fuel consumption that severely hampered their effectiveness.
Thank you to Christopher Wilbeck for a great book and God be with you while serving our country.
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