World War II Snipers

The Casemate Illustrated Series is rapidly proving to be one of the better book series currently available. Gary Yee's look at World War II sniping is no exception to that observation, and is well worth your time. I particularly enjoyed how much this book delved into into the details of sniper weaponry, tactics, techniques and procedures, and training. 

This is not only a well-researched book (referencing a combination of memoirs, primary sources that include military training publications from the era, and interviews), but is informative but engaging. The first-person accounts (of which there are dozens) are eye-opening in terms of detailing what it was like to be a sniper. They are also well chosen, and do much to highlight concepts discussed in the book.

World War II Snipers is well organized. The sniper component of each of the major belligerents is examined in turn and in full. The depth of coverage is quite remarkable and includes the selection and training of prospective snipers as well as pre-war programs that contributed to the development of marksmenship amongst conscripts and recruits in each country covered. In addition, there is considerable discussion and analysis of sniper rifles, optics, ammunition, and ballistics. Of particular interest is the extensive coverage of tactics, techniques, and procedures as employed by armies and/or developed individually by each respective nation's snipers. 

Of course and given the series in which World War II Snipers is published, it is richly illustrated. If I were to pick one quibble, it would be with the subtitle referencing "The Men" and their guns and stories. I say that because the section devoted to Soviet snipers provides a well-researched look at the lethal role women had as snipers in the Red Army. To his credit, the author does not shy away from controversy either - taking time to deconstruct numerous myths that have sprung up around sniping during the Second World War.

Gary Yee has done a suberb job with World War II Snipers, and I think anyone with an interest in the Second World War will find much of interest in these pages.