World War II Infantry Assault Tactics (Elite) | 
| Author: Gordon Rottman
Creator: Peter Dennis
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 351867
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 64
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.2 x 0.3
ISBN: 1846031915
Dewey Decimal Number: 940
EAN: 9781846031915
ASIN: 1846031915
Publication Date: March 18, 2008
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Product Description
WWII Infantur Assault Tactics
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| Customer Reviews:
 World War II Infantry Assault Tactics June 16, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book could have been a good complement to some other titles in that series ("World War II Infantry Tactics - Squad and Platoon", "World War II Combat Reconnaissance Tactics", ...). It could have referred to those other volumes and concentrate on what its title promises: Infantry assault tactics, in particular to what the front page photo implies: How they managed to overcome concrete bunkers or minefields or barbed wire obstacles.
True, those topics are also covered in the book - but only marginally. To the most part, the author indulges in commonplace explanations. From all I can tell, those might as well be copied literally from some US Army Field Manual (which BTW can be downloaded free of charge from many web sites). The style would match perfectly. As does the interestingness.
Examples?
"Platoon movement formations... 'Line formation or skirmish line' had all squads aligned abreast and advancing, to provide maximum fire to the front. In 'column formation' squads moved in a file behind the other, allowing rapid movement and easy control." And so it goes on and on. Relevance for the topic? No clue.
"Tanks and SP assault guns were perfect for grinding through barbed wire... they offered protection from small arms, fragments, small-calibre guns..." - duh, Sherlock, who would have guessed?
"The platoon was assigned its mission and objective by the company commander..."
To be fair, there is also a large section on demolitions used by the US forces, the British, the Germans, and the Japanese. What is largely missing, though, is how they were employed, and such details as how combat engineers of the time managed to carry 50 kg charges (or similarly heavy stuff) through the frontlines.
The author is an ex US special forces man. That sure accounts for a lot of credibility; but it also explains why the style of this book is so close to dry and boring field manuals and so little entertaining. To his credit I must say he tried to explain everything rather than relying on the reader to have some background knowledge. But given the constraints of such a book (the number of available pages), this is not necessarily a good thing.
On the positive side, like all books from this series this one also has a lot of original photos and, more importantly, stunning color graphics.
The color plates part (and the accompanying explanations) are where this book does its title most honour; for example, there is one showing and explaining how in urban combat British troops blasted their way through walls to get frome one house to the next. I wish the book had more of that and less of the stuff that is explained much, much better in that other volume of this series "World War II Infantry Tactics - Squad and Platoon".
 A worthy addition! April 18, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book is another in the Osprey series on infantry tactics.
Like the previous books this takes a close up look and the 'how' and 'with what' of an infantry assault in WWII in general terms and then delves into national variances. The book is well illustrated and the photos are well integrated with the work. Anyone with limited experience of reading military history can easily become more enlightened on how what they are reading about was done after reading this book.
This book fills in the details of what many of us (thankfully) only read about. Taken with the other Osprey works on similar topics will give the reader a much clearer view on how the history was accomplished.
An excellent resource for wargamers or history buffs! March 21, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
The good blokes at Osprey Publishing in merry ole' England have been quite prolific in recent days with new volumes within their already impressive line-up of books of interest to military history buffs and wargamers. Among the recent new releases is Volume #160 of their Elite series. Entitled World War II Infantry Assault Tactics, this 64-page softback book is a very worthy addition. While so many books focus on the equipment, organization, uniforms, and battles, this one is a departure, focusing on ground assault tactics on a micro-level. The author, Gordon L. Rottman, is a former infantryman well versed in the art of small arms combat, and his experience and research, coupled with his strong prose, enable the reader to get a good grasp of small unit tactics during the Second World War.
In particular, Rottman studies and explains the techniques used to eliminate the enemy's fortified positions. He discusses the detailed planned and preparation that the infantry and / or engineering teams go through before the actual attack, as well as the typical defensive preparations such as minefields, obstacles, and fortifications. Rottman examines the differences in assault tactics between the major combatants - U.S., Germany, Great Britain, and Japan -- comparing and contrasting the styles (and results).
Profusely illustrated by Peter Dennis, in Osprey's common style of excellence, this new book is a very interesting read, and, for those of us who have never been involved in a military attack on a fortified position, it gives a reasonable overview of what goes into the attack -- far more that what Saving Private Ryan or the old John Wayne WWII films might imply. Pick up a copy today if you are interested in the details behind the scenes.
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