I just finished Jeff Danby's Men of Armor. If you want to know what life was like in one of the U.S. Army's Second World War tank battalions then this is a book for you!
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Steve Mercatante
on: Oct 10 2021 - 6:25pm
Review Type: 756th Tank Battalion, Jeff Danby, M4, M5 Light Tank, Men of Armor, Sherman Tank, Steve Mercatante, WWII
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Steve Mercatante
on: Sep 30 2021 - 4:00pm
Organized into nine chapters Red Army Into The Reich provides an excellent general overview of the Red Army's 1944-1945 push into not just Germany, but Scandinavia, Central Europe, and the Balkans as well.
Review Type: 1945, Eastern Front, Red Army, Steve Mercatante, World War II
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Steve Mercatante
on: Jun 17 2021 - 4:59pm
Chris Peers is a leading expert on African colonial warfare. This expertise is on full display in Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana - as is his extensive knowledge of the battlefield where these fascinating events took place. Check out my review of his latest.
Review Type: African Colonial Wars, British Army, Chris Peers, Isandlwana, January 22nd 1879, Rorke's Drift, Steve Mercatante, Zulu
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Steve Mercatante
on: May 16 2021 - 2:06pm
English language books on the use of armor during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 are few and far between. Into this void now steps the well qualified Anthony J. Candil. He is a former senior officer in the Spanish Army with extensive training and experience in armored warfare. His expertise and background is evident in his approach to this topic, and is welcome.
Tank Combat in Spain is concise, well organized, and offers important insight into the employment of tanks during the war,
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Steve Mercatante
on: Apr 13 2021 - 5:44pm
Over the past thirty plus years the U.S. Marines have been devolving into a second army. This has created exactly the kind of redundant capability that is not only far too common within the U.S. armed forces, but also greatly undermines national security by taking the U.S. Marines away from its core historical mission.
Thankfully, that era appears to be closing. The Marines are now moving back to being an elite, mobile, hard-hitting force of amphibious light infantry.
Review Type: amphibious warfare, Light amphibious warship, littoral, Marines, Steven Mercatante, U.S. Marine Corps
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Steve Mercatante
on: Mar 17 2021 - 5:40pm
Last year I reviewed and recommended Volume I of Douglas E. Nash Senior's new trilogy looking into the combat history of the IV. SS-Panzerkorps. I have now completed Volume's II and III and think you will like them both. Check out the new review of these volumes here!
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Steve Mercatante
on: Feb 13 2021 - 8:51pm
Many of my readers probably have an interest in military history and operations in general and not just the Second World War. If so then you may have been paying attention to the advanced nature of the Russian effort to secure a dominant military position in the Arctic Circle. You may have also wondered what this effort entails and why it is such a big deal.
If so, then I have just reviewed a book about the Second World War era ground based military operations of Germany's Mountain Corps
Review Type: Barbarossa, Barents Sea, Dietl, Eastern Front, Kirkenes, Mountain Corps Norway, Murmansk, Petsamo, Steven Mercatante, Wilhelm Hess, World War II
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Steve Mercatante
on: Dec 10 2020 - 12:14am
I've spent the last two months reading the most detailed study you might ever find regarding one of the Second World War's more overlooked but great city sieges. Clocking in at 1,400 pages and two volumes this may end up becoming the definitive study of the 1944-45 Battle for Budapest, and it is well-worth your time. Take a moment to check out the review and why it is I think this two-volume set lives up to the author's ambitious goals.
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Steve Mercatante
on: Aug 26 2020 - 11:27pm
Here we are again. I had previously sworn off reviewing World War II books written by former German officers. Darn it but don't I have another good one for my readers. This time we get to hear the thoughts of Panzer Group 4's former Chief of Staff - Chales De Beaulieu and his opinion as to why his panzer group failed to take Leningrad during Operation Barbarossa. Please do check out the full review. The analysis within this book's pages are well worth your time.
Review Type: Army Group North, Barbarossa, Chales De Beaulieu, Eastern Front, Panzer Group 4, Steven Mercatante, World War II
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Steve Mercatante
on: Jun 16 2020 - 8:36pm
Astute readers may have noticed that to date I have shied away from reviewing any of the books written by German officers who fought in the Second World War. So why this book? Read on for that answer, my thoughts on the author, and a word of caution for readers.
