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Battle Group!: German Kamfgruppen Action in World War Two
The author of War on the Eastern Front offers an in-depth analysis of Nazi Germany's shock troop tactics in every theater of WWII. The German army in the Second World War sought to fight and win swift, decisive victories in a succession of short campaigns known as blitzkrieg, or "lightning war." Flexibility was as essential as the will to win. Battle groups, or shock troops, were created from miscellaneous and often disparate military units to undertake a specific local operation; it was the army's skill in combining superior numbers, aggressive tactics and the battle group commander's ability to exploit the changing situation on the ground which brought success on the battlefield.The actions described here cover all theaters of the war, and include battle groups large and small, deployed usually to smash a breach in the enemy line or seal off an enemy penetration. It covers operations in the first dynamic years when Wehrmacht forces defeated the armies of one European country after another in fast campaigns, through to the years after Stalingrad and Africa as they moved towards defeat.The battle groups' contribution to Wehrmacht fortunes offer powerful lessons in the tactics of battle management, and this book by James Lucas, a military historian known for his close studies of the German soldier, is considered to be one of the most detailed and authoritative accounts on the subject.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 1993
12 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
James Sidney Lucas
39 books21 followersAuthor and historian. Imperial War Museum, London, England, deputy head of department of photographs.
Mr. Lucas was a WWII veteran. He served with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, First Battalion, North Africa, infantryman, 1942; Queens' Own Royal West Surrey Regiment, Italy, 1943-44; Occupation Army, Austria, 1945; Foreign Office, Germany.
Most of James Lucas's professional life was associated with war. First, he served in the Queen's Own Royal Army as a British soldier in World War II, stationed in Africa, Italy, and later in Austria. In 1960 he joined the staff of the Imperial War Museum in London, eventually becoming the deputy head of the department of photographs. After retiring from this position, Lucas took up a third career, that of an author and historian. His favorite topic was World War II, a subject about which he became a respected authority—not only among scholars, but, through his work as an adviser on film and television productions about the war, among the general public as well. According to a London Times obituary, Lucas examined "almost every aspect of the Nazi war machine …combining technical information with first-hand testimony and so producing a body of work unequalled in its breadth. Having fought the Third Reich's best troops through North Africa and Italy, he knew their tenacity and resourcefulness."
Lucas's writing style was not considered typical of war histories. "Humour and enthusiasm, combined with rigorous attention to detail, were the hallmarks of his style," reported the Times obituary writer. Lucas was a prolific writer upon his topic of choice; and he covered many different aspects of the war, often concentrating on the German side of the conflicts.
As his Times obituarist declared, Lucas "saw himself as an archivist, searching for the ordinary men in the heat of battle, playing their part in the bigger picture." Lucas died on June 19, 2002, at the age of seventy-eight.
Mr. Lucas was a WWII veteran. He served with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, First Battalion, North Africa, infantryman, 1942; Queens' Own Royal West Surrey Regiment, Italy, 1943-44; Occupation Army, Austria, 1945; Foreign Office, Germany.
Most of James Lucas's professional life was associated with war. First, he served in the Queen's Own Royal Army as a British soldier in World War II, stationed in Africa, Italy, and later in Austria. In 1960 he joined the staff of the Imperial War Museum in London, eventually becoming the deputy head of the department of photographs. After retiring from this position, Lucas took up a third career, that of an author and historian. His favorite topic was World War II, a subject about which he became a respected authority—not only among scholars, but, through his work as an adviser on film and television productions about the war, among the general public as well. According to a London Times obituary, Lucas examined "almost every aspect of the Nazi war machine …combining technical information with first-hand testimony and so producing a body of work unequalled in its breadth. Having fought the Third Reich's best troops through North Africa and Italy, he knew their tenacity and resourcefulness."
Lucas's writing style was not considered typical of war histories. "Humour and enthusiasm, combined with rigorous attention to detail, were the hallmarks of his style," reported the Times obituary writer. Lucas was a prolific writer upon his topic of choice; and he covered many different aspects of the war, often concentrating on the German side of the conflicts.
As his Times obituarist declared, Lucas "saw himself as an archivist, searching for the ordinary men in the heat of battle, playing their part in the bigger picture." Lucas died on June 19, 2002, at the age of seventy-eight.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 18, 2025
A good read — an interesting account of a few significant battle groups throughout WWII, detailing their commanders/actions/impacts. Certainly does a good job of highlighting the value of flexible organization and command in action. Sometimes perhaps a little too praising of German courage for my taste, and certainly not a thorough examination of any units. Still, a good read.
March 6, 2014
Completed the book on way to work this morning.
The courage and fortitude of the german soldier comes through in every story. Their adaptability is amazing. In the face of overwhelming odds they achieve feats beyond reasonable expectation.
The courage and fortitude of the german soldier comes through in every story. Their adaptability is amazing. In the face of overwhelming odds they achieve feats beyond reasonable expectation.
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January 13, 2011Good explanation of how the Germans utilized "new" groupings of army units to make the most of their manpower.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews