The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and His Spearhead Tank Division's Charge into the Third Reich

by Daniel P. Bolger

A general-turned-historian reveals the remarkable battlefield heroics of Major General Maurice Rose, the World War II tank commander whose 3rd Armored Division struck fear into the hearts of Hitler's panzer crews.

“ The Panzer Killers is a great book, vividly written and shrewdly observed.” —The Wall Street Journal

Two months after D-Day, the Allies found themselves in a stalemate in Normandy, having suffered enormous casualties attempting to push through hedgerow country. Troops were spent, and American tankers, lacking the tactics and leadership to deal with the terrain, were losing their spirit. General George Patton and the other top U.S. commanders needed an officer who knew how to break the impasse and roll over the Germans—they needed one man with the grit and the vision to take the war all the way to the Rhine. Patton and his peers selected Maurice Rose.

The son of a rabbi, Rose never discussed his Jewish heritage. But his ferocity on the battlefield reflected an inner flame. He led his 3rd Armored Division not from a command post but from the first vehicle in formation, charging headfirst into a fight. He devised innovative tactics, made the most of American weapons, and personally chose the cadre of young officers who drove his division forward. From Normandy to the West Wall, from the Battle of the Bulge to the final charge across Germany, Maurice Rose's deadly division of tanks blasted through enemy lines and pursued the enemy with a remarkable intensity.

In The Panzer Killers , Daniel P. Bolger, a retired lieutenant general and Iraq War veteran, offers up a lively, dramatic tale of Rose's heroism. Along the way, Bolger infuses the narrative with fascinating insights that could only come from an author who has commanded tank forces in combat. The result is a unique and masterful story of battlefield leadership, destined to become a classic.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, War, World War II, Military Fiction, Biography

432 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2021

About the author

Daniel P. Bolger of Aurora, Illinois is an author, historian, and retired Lieutenant General (promoted 21 May 2010) of the United States Army. He currently holds a special faculty appointment in the Department of History at North Carolina State University, where he teaches military history.

Lt. Gen. Bolger retired in 2013 from the Army. During his 35 years of service, he earned five Bronze Star Medals (one for valor) and the Combat Action Badge. His notable military commands included serving as Commanding General of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan and Commander of the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan (2011-2013); Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas (deployed to Baghdad, 2009-2010); the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team in Iraq (2005–06); and U.S. Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. He is also the author of books, such as Why We Lost, Americans at War, The Battle for Hunger Hill, and Death Ground.

Reviews

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A competent history of the 3rd Armored Division and its commander, General Maurice Rose. The 3rd Armored led the breakout from Normandy in August, 1944 and was in near-continuous action across France and into Germany. The author is a strong advocate for General Rose who is portrayed as extremely gung-ho and aggressive. Rose led from the front, ala Patton and Rommel, a sure way of inspiring fighting men to take risks to achieve objectives. The most powerful motivator is often shame; soldiers will advance on an unknown enemy position rather than lose the respect of their peers. Rose's risk-taking probably made the 3rd Armored more successful (success defined as taking territory and killing or capturing the enemy) than it would have been. It also got Rose killed. One wonders if a general who commands aggressive colonels, who in turn command aggressive majors and captains might reward the lieutenants under them for driving hard and taking risks and achieve the same results without the risk to higher ranks. Perhaps that's only in a perfect world. The author also spends a lot of time running down Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, and especially Hodges. This narrative is counter to the generally accepted line that the U.S. commanders in Europe were bold, smart, hardworking, and largely successful. This could be the author breaking tradition to speak truth to power, or it could be the author is so enamored of the heroic General Rose that more cautious generals become timid fools. There is no doubt that risky, aggressive action by mobile forces often wins the day, the battle, and the war and does so with fewer casualties in the long run: when the enemy has no time to regroup, rearm, or build defensive positions he can be defeated with minimal losses, even if the spearhead units (like the 3rd Armored) suffer more casualties than other units. Their sacrifice saves ten-times the losses in other units that would have had to slog through deadly defenses the enemy did not have time to create. This philosophy is the basis for the Wehrmacht's blitzkrieg. Rose was a hero; his 3rd Armored Division was a unit of heroes.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biography of Maurice Rose, a tank commander who helped end the stalemate in Europe immediately following D-Day.

The author, who commanded tanks himself gives us insight missing from many war biographies.

[Fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story. This book follows the tanks through Europe during WWII starting days after D-Day and actually ties in with Major Dick Winters and the 101st Airborne Division as they take Carentan. Everything from learning to overcome the dense hedgerows that stopped not only ground troops but even the power and the weight of the tanks.

It is amazing to see how these seemingly impenetrable beasts of machinery were so thin-skinned on the floor and how vulnerable they were when they tried to plow over the hedgerows. These brave men risked their lives and fought valiantly throughout the war.

What an amazing account of these true heroes.

5 Stars!

[Arthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 13 hour unabridged audiobook.

I'm happy to see this general get the respect that's due to them. Having died at the end of the war naturally kept him unable to write a memoir or shape his own legacy. In a sense he has been rediscovered. The book itself was a mixed bag, some parts came as being boring, but enough interest to end with a "I liked it".

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm familiar with the 3rd Armor Division. I've driven down Spearhead Division Rd on Fort Knox. Until I picked this book up, I'd never heard of MG Maurice Rose.

As a student of history, particularly military history, and possessing a deep admiration for the Soldiers that fought in both World Wars, I was particularly interested in reading this book.

LTG Bolger (RET) did an excellent job of balancing historical accuracy (this book is exceptionally well cited) and maintaining a compelling narrative that does not read like an after action report. I found myself picking this up to make progress at every opportunity, even occasionally while on teleconferences. I think this would most appeal to those interested in military history, and to a lesser extent limited biographies, but absolutely worth reading for those that are. I've already recommended it to some fellow Service Members, and likely will to others as well.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. I am a 3AD veteran, having served with tank battalions in the division during the Cold War and the Persian Gulf War, and was so looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, I only made it 75 pages before calling it quits. The author spends more time talking about Dick Winters and the 506th PIR (101st Airborne) than about MG Rose and the 3AD. There is no "story" that is being told. Rather it reads more like a collection of random facts tenuously strewn together. This is all too bad as the division has a significant part in history and a great story that needs to be told.

[Firouz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, very well-researched, and ultimately heartbreaking account of an unsung World War II hero, Major General Maurice Rose. This is certainly a very dense piece of writing, as the reference section alone could (very necessarily) compose an entire book. I particularly appreciated the repeated bigger picture pullbacks that show how Rose’s contributions to the war effort had real effect.

I would highly recommend this to anyone with interest in World War II nonfiction, as it spares no expense in explaining every single moment in painstaking detail. It may be a commitment while reading, but it was very much worth the time invested, and leaves the reader in a much better position to appreciate an all-time great American.

[Cathi Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good view of WWII tank warfare from the perspective of one Brigadier General who commanded the 3rd Armored Division Not much personal information but a lot of focus on tactics and consequences.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing read

First the good. I enjoyed learning about General Rose. I haven't read too much concerning the fighting in the bocage after D-Day nor the advance through France and into Germany. But this is not a good book.

It's apparent the author is not a professional writer. The prose is clumsy, the tenses change constantly. There is a lot of repetition ( how many times is Sam Hogan's Texas Flag mentioned?). The publisher should have employed a competent editor. I had to double check that this was a legitimate book as opposed to some random self published tome. Comparing Nazi Germany to Mordor is farcical given that the Lord Of The Rings wasn't published until the 1950s.

I wanted to quit reading this poor quality history but the only thing that compelled me to complete it was to honor the sacrifices of General Rose and the brave men who fought in the actions described.

[Checkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast moving and accessible account of the 3rd Armored Division and it's commanding general role in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Written by Daniel Bolger, a retired three-star U.S. Army General, the book has a somewhat breezy style as well as a novelistic feel. Rather than a formal military history account the book comes across like a casual lecture or, better yet, a podcast. Personally, I liked this approach. Recommended.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent WWII post D-Day examination of the contributions of the 3rd Armor Division and Major General Maurice Rose, from the difficulties of armored attack throughout Normandy's Bocage region to the breakout of Operation Cobra, the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine into Germany...Just a good story about a true, unheralded leader!

[Jeremy Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Panzer Killers is part battle history of The Third Armor Division and part biography of their frontline commander General Rose. The time span covered in this book is from the landings at Normandy through the winter offensive in the Ardeenes Forrest to the battle of Cologne and finally across the Rhine. Bolger does a great job describing the strengths and weaknesses of both American and German armor. He also sheds a sliver of light into the personality of the reserved General Rose.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

432 pages

5 stars

Funny, I don't remember ordering this book, but it turned out to be very good.

This book is about a little known hero, Brigadier General Maurice Rose during the time he served in WWII.

Also mentioned is Dick Winters' 101st Airborne “Band of Brothers.” as well as Omar Bradley, General Bernard Law “Monty” Montgomery, General Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower, the Battle of Carentan and other battles in Normandy.

The book is a little dry, but is basically battle-driven, so there are many battles and a lot of action. The fear and horrible consequences of war is fully illustrated. Those poor men must have been terrified, but they were very brave and acted regardless of their own safety.

Mr. Bolger did a great job telling Rose's story and his part in WWII. The book is very well footnoted and is noted by chapter for ease of finding information. There is also a nice listing of the leadership of the Third Armored Division.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton/Dutton Caliber for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are seeking a story about one of the least well-known American generals of World War II, The Panzer Killers will give it to you. You will find tales of daring, tales of bravery, desperate charges, exultation, and tragedy in this tale of one general and his well-led division.

Maurice Rose took command of the 3rd Armored Division in Lighting Joe Collins' VII corp during the Normandy Campaign right after Operation Cobra got rolling. Rose had worked under Patton in North Africa and Sicily before coming to England to take part in Overlord. So he brought experience and insight into German tactics when he was transferred from 2nd Armored Combat Command A to head the 3rd Armored Division. Rose worked his officers to ensure that they would do what he wanted when he wanted it done. And he did not sit behind the lines in a command post drawing lines on the map. Instead, he and a small group would be moving from unit to unit, assessing how the attack was going, who needed more prodding, or when to halt and switch tactics. It was dangerous to be in Rose's command group as the 3rd Armored fought their way through France, into Netherlands and Belgium. The 3rd Armored took part in the Hurtgen Forest attack and helped stem the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. Then came the plunge into Germany proper. The 3rd Armored followed the 104th Infantry across the Roer River and finally had a chance to cut loose again. The Pershing tanks (the few that made it to Europe) proved their worth in the taking of Cologne. The 3rd Armored crossed the Rhine at Remagen and moved out in March 1945 into the German hinterland. In the Wild West of the last days of the war, Rose overplayed his hand. He and his small command group was ambushed by a group of Germans and he was killed. He was one of the few American generals killed in action during World War II. The 3rd Armored finished the war under General Doyle Hickey.

Daniel P. Bolger, an experienced armor commander, examines how Maurice Rose shaped the 3rd Armored Division to be a model of a well drilled fighting division. Bolger nicely uses documentation personal stories to provide a rounded look at both the 3rd Armored Division and General Maurice Rose in action. So, if you are looking to fill a gap in your knowledge of American fighting generals and their units, do pick up The Panzer Killers. You will not be disappointed!

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!

[William Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently finished reading an ARC of Daniel P. Bolger's upcoming "The Panzer Killers," to be published by Dutton Citadel (a Penguin imprint). The book is something of an irreverent military history of General Maurice Rose and the 2nd Armored Division. I do not use the term "irreverent" in any kind of a pejorative sense but rather because I found the author's views of Allied military leadership in the ETO singularly refreshing. Too often, Bradley, Montgomery, Eisenhower and the rest (with the sole exception of Patton) are allowed to coast on their supposed accomplishments, and this author is having none of that. The result is a fascinating study of one American armored division's experience in the European theater that doesn't pull any punches. While Bolger puts things into context within the Normandy invasion and the attack into the Third Reich, this is not his strength. He is most illuminating when focusing tightly on the operational history of the the 2nd Armored. He has a fascination with General Rose and uses that to anchor his tale. I would recommend the book principally to those who already have a familiarity with some of the massive amount of literature available on this subject since that allows for the best appreciation of the author's accomplishment in looking at things from a fresh perspective. If you are looking for a biography of General Rose or a comprehensive examination of the 2nd Armored in a broader context, this may not be precisely what you are after; nonetheless, I find the author's insights useful and frequently illuminating, principally as they reflect upon Allied military leadership in Europe, warts and all, as it were.

[Peter Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Panzer Killers: the untold story of a fighting general and his Spearhead tank division’s charge into the Third Reich,” by Daniel P. Bolger (Caliber, 2021). This book had an unexpectedly strong effect on me. Until the last page of the last chapter it had been an interesting, unevenly written account of the experience of the 3d Armored Division (“Spearhead) commended by Brig. (later Major) General Maurice Rose, from the battle of Carentan at Normandy through France, Belgium, and Germany. Rose was in fact Maurice Rauss; his father, Samuel, was a rabbi; they spoke Yiddish at home; he never graduated from high school---but he listed his religion as Protestant, married his second wife in an Episcopalian service. During the war, he was hard-driving, almost a martinet. Tall, powerfully built, he was always well-turned-out, always wearing polished, knee-high cavalry boots. He led from the front. He was a familiar figure to his GIs. His Corps and Army commanders knew he would get the job done if anyone could. Once the Americans broke through the hedgerows and out into the countryside at St. Lo, the Third Armored was in the thick of the fight, and often at the head of the onslaught. During the Battle of the Bulge, the Third fought against the toughest German forces and beat them. His men got to the Rhine just in time to see the destruction of the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne; they were not first across the River, but they were right there. There is a famous film clip of an M 26 Pershing tank from the 3d Armored defeating a Panther in Cologne. Yet Rose was, despite that prowess, almost an unknown figure. He gave no interviews, wrote almost no letters, never spoke about himself or his family, did not drink, did not fraternize, avoided publicity. So this account is drawn from many official army documents, the official after-action reports, accounts by many others in which Rose himself is barely seen. Author Bolger is a retired lieutenant general with a doctorate in history; he saw combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. He knows his stuff, especially in terms of doctrine and actual on-the-ground tactics. He has no patience for many of the famous leaders of World War II, with especial contempt for First Army commander Courtney Hodges. As opposed with Rose, Hodges almost never visited the front, and took an almost passive role for an army commander. Omar Bradley? A nice guy but not really much of a general, who could read maps but couldn’t read the actual landscape. Bolger casts a kinder eye on “Lighting” Joe Collins, commander of VII Corps. As for the book itself, the writing is uneven; Bolger repeats his characterizations of personalities and their backgrounds over and over. His description of the actions focuses on the specific Combat Commands of the armored divisions, and the ways Rose used them in fighting. Though it is clear that Bolger wants to avoid confusion, too often the reader gets lost among the CCA and CCB and CCR and TF this or that. The book has some very good photos; but it really would have benefited from a few maps of some of the actions. Still, an interesting book. Here is what makes it so sad: Rose was killed while leading a night-time patrol near the town of Paderborn; they stumbled into a quartet of Tiger tanks, tried to surrender but there may have been a misunderstanding. On March 30, 1945, barely a month before the German surrender, Rose was shot up by the Nazis. He got a full military funeral, attended by Bradley, Hodges, Patton, Collins, Major Generals Ernest Harmon and Terry de la Mesa Allen. The American Jewish community mourned; his father, Rabbi Sam Rose, died in July; a Star of David was erected over his temporary grave. But when he was permanently interred, in the Netherlands, there is a cross above the grave. And the army did very little for him at the time. The only military award he was given for his last action was the Purple Heart. There was little publicity. Almost no one has heard of him today, even among those who pay attention to World War II. That’s what I find so sad: this powerful, brilliant leader never seems to have gotten his due. Bolger thinks there may be a touch of anti-Semitism involved. I suspect that if he had survived someone would have gotten a memoir written that would have given him a higher profile. But he didn’t.

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[William Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book about Major General Maurice Rose and the Third Armored Division in World War II is Lieutenant General Daniel P. Bolger who commanded the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq. The author intimately understands the pressures and stresses on an officer commanding thousands of soldiers in combat. He does an excellent job at explaining those tribulations as MG Rose led the "Spearhead" Division. Rose was rather stoic in his duties. He was not prone to expression other than relentless focus on mission. To Rose that mission was destruction of the German army fighting his division. The author does an outstanding job at detailing the division's fight from Normandy through the end of the war in Europe with the division in Germany. The 3rd AD fought under VII Corps commanded by MG "Lighting" Joe Collins and First Army under LTG Courtney Hodges. Bolger has most often good things to say about Collins. His biggest fault was micromanagement of his subordinates. With Rose, Collins generally left him alone trusting his competence. Hodges on the other hand gets poked as a map leader spending little to no time at the front. Hodges comes off as a plodding, unimaginative commander. Bolger also pokes General Bradley as one who could never conceptualize terrain from reading a map. Interestingly, Bolger gives credit to Field Marshal Montgomery for his ability to understand terrain and how to fight. What I liked about the book is the descriptions of the fighting and effectiveness of the subordinates of MG Rose. Numerous leaders of Task Forces from the three Combat Commands, A, B and R are covered. Brigadier General Doyle Hickey, Combat Command A and his regimental commanders as well as the battalion commanders are followed. The same is true for Combat Command B, BG Truman Boudinot, and Combat Command R, ColonelRobert Howze, Jr.. Lieutenant Colonel Prentice Yeomans who commanded the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is followed closely as his unit often led the way. The Division Chief of Staff, Colonel "Long John" Smith gets extensive credit for leading the forward headquarters code named Omaha Forward. Often it was so far forward that they had to fight to protect themselves. MG Rose led from the front. The G-3 Operations officer, Lieutenant Colonel Wesley Sweat usually accompanied Rose forward. The division Artillery commander, Colonel Frederic Brown and his support is highlighted. MG Rose was killed when he and his forward command group stumbled into a German tank column. He was shot when his aide, Captain Bob Bellinger reached down to remove his pistol. The German tank commander fired his sub-machine gun from his turret and moved on. Because Rose was out front and a big man, he was the only one killed. Some of the party escaped and six were captured.
Maurice Rose was the son of a Rabbi. Not many knew he was Jewish. There was controversy surrounding Rose's death with some believing it was because he was Jewish. There is little credence to that belief as not many knew Rose was Jewish. Rose is still an enigma. He was not a very social person nor did he talk much about himself and his family even to his aide and close staff. He was well liked by his soldiers because they knew he was up front with them facing the same dangers. This is an interesting book though I think the characterizations of some of the officers like Bradley and Hodges is unnecessary.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and His Spearhead Tank Division's Charge into the Third Reich by Daniel P. Bolger is the story of Major General Maurice Rose and the American 3rd Armored Division during World War II. It begins a month after D-Day with the Allies stalled in the hedgerow country of surrounding Normandy. What was needed was a fighting general who could break the stalemate and get the Army moving. The man picked by General George S. Patton and other top commanders was General Maurice Rose. I have read a lot about this part of the European Theatre, but I admit that I had never heard of General Rose. This is probably the case for most. This is unfortunate given the key role played by him and his division in winning the war. It is good to see him get his due. Like Patton, Maurice Rose chose to lead from the front. He was constantly out in front of his division, scouting, and moving from unit to unit. Also, like Patton he looked the part of the dashing general with his .45 automatic at his side, immaculate uniform, polished brown cavalry boots and green helmet with the single silver star. But there the similarly ends. Unlike Patton he was extremely private and never called attention to himself. Even those on his staff closest to him barely knew him. Rose was raised by Jewish parents. His father was a rabbi. Perhaps this accounts for the ferocity and intensity of his drive against the hated Germans. I say perhaps because Rose never discussed it or his background. His focus was on winning the war and in this he was all business. To accomplish his mission, he handpicked the officers to lead the men under him. It was not until late in the book that a letter home to his wife and young son suggested another, softer side to the man. From the hedgerows of France to the Battle of Bulge and the drive to the Rhine the book closely follows Rose and the 3rd Armored Division. Although the author uses Maurice Rose as the centerpiece of his narrative it is not a biography of Rose. And although it covers the overall European Theater operations in a general sense, it is mostly only concerned with the role of the 3rd Armored Division. I was not very familiar with this division, so I learned a lot and their record is impressive. This was somewhat a tough read for me. The author has done a most thorough job of research, but unless you are a military historian it at times seems too detailed. I enjoyed the author’s thoughts on the other Allied generals and appreciated that he did not pull any punches as to their faults. He also does a fine job of describing battlefield tactics as it comes to armored warfare and the advantages of the various Allied and German tanks and weapons. This is understandable as he himself a retired general and Iraq War veteran. Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Caliber Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "3rd Armored Division" was one of the most successful of the original Normandy landing groups. Brigadier (later Major General) Maurice Rose led the "Spearhead" Third through the bocage, sprint across France, across the Western Wall and the Rhine, and into central Germany. He is not remembered like many other generals because he was killed in the last weeks of the war.

Rose was a "fighting" general who was always at the front lines where his men fought. He was able to direct his combat groups because he was always there with them and knew where his 'lines' needed help. He spent most of the war, driving around the front lines with his headquarters staff in a specially prepared "peep". This eventually put him in a situation where he was captured and shot.

Bolger who spent thirty-five years in the military, does a good job of explaining why you don't know this man. Unlike Montgomery and Patton who spent more time telling newsmen about how great they were, Rose seldomly spoke to the media or even his subordinates (except to give them orders). Rose felt it was his job to kill Germans and not to advertise how great a general he was.

Bolger spends a lot of time savaging Montgomery for his incompetence when it came to reacting to what happened after one of his set-piece attacks failed (such as Market Garden and the failure to secure the land north of the Antwerp estuary (the Schelde) which later led to huge Canadian casualties when they had to clear the area of enemy troops. Bolger also contends that those above Rose (Bradley and Hodge) were to tentative and many times held him back, unable to make a decision.

Though Rose had crossed the Rhine, he had to wait while Mongomery got to play out his set piece further down the Rhine, and helping out when the Germans attacked through the Ardennes/Battle of the Bulge. He turned north along with Patton and the 3rd Army to block part of the assault. He was killed in late March 1945 and this is why he is little known.

At the end of the war when all the 'winning' Generals were lauded for their 'bravery', he wasn't around to accumulate the accolades. Though Rose was the son of a Rabbi (he never spoke of his religion) he listed himself as Protestant to protect himself from the anti-semitism that was rampant among the West Pointers. So to add insult to injury, he was buried in an allied cemetery in the Netherlands (where he never fought) under a cross.

The almost day-by-day style of telling the story of the 3rd Armored Division is a eye opener as we learn about the average soldiers dissatisfaction of the troops with equipment (the Sherman M$s were never equal to the German Panthers) and their opinion of "chateau" generals (think Douglas Haig of WWI) who spent the was putting pins in huge wall maps comfortably behind the lines.

[Robert LoCicero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and action-packed volume in which the author presents the horror of war in the context of this mamouth battle against the Nazi enemy. His vehicle is the full telling of the newly arrived commanding General Maurice Rose as he takes command of the magnificient fighting machine known as the American 3rd Armored Division. General Rose is a veteran leader having served in World War I and now given the task of working with the American forces pushing away from the Normandy beaches and heading for the Nazi German heartland. General Rose is different than many other of the colorful Division and Corps commanders in the European Theater of Operations. He is the son of a Jewish rabbi yet never speaks of his religion but his deadly work in having the 3rd Armored Division engage and destroy their German opponents is surely a sign that he realizes that the Germans want him dead, as he is a Jew. General Rose commands from the front meaning he is in constant command personally of the movements of his various armored and artillery task forces. He is not back in some secluded headquarters. He is within the range of enemy fire and it is that closeness to danger that is ultimately his undoing. He was a brilliant, courageous and patriotic warfighter. The fact that he is not that well remembered by the general public is unfortunate. Author Bolger has done his best to bring Rose' exploits in leading the 3rd Amored Division into victory in the German heartland. This volume is worth reading even for a casual reader of military history. The appendices and notes alone are a gold mine of information. Enjoy.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy of this new military history.

The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and His Spearhead Tank Division's Charge into the Third Reich by Daniel Bolger is a new history that tells two tales. One is a history of the 2nd Armored Division from the Normandy landings to the ending days of the Second World War in Germany. The second is a biography of a little known Brigadier General Maurice Rose and his importance to the division and to the war in general. The research is in-depth with new information on Rose and how it made the man that he became, a leader of men.

Mr. Bolger is an author who suffers not fools, and is quick to point out, on both sides many of the mistakes both honest and ego driven that lead to men dying for no reason. Mr. Bolger is very in the ground the smell of diesel, fire, gun smoke and other war odors to numerous to mention fill the pages. This is a bloody book, not afraid to say what a tank battle will look like on the casualties, nor the survivors. Numerous familiar faces show up Patton, Dick Winters, Monty, but it's Mr. Bolger's attention to both General Rose and the tank crews that really make this book. A perfect Father's Day gift for the historian or for those just interested in World War II.

[Charles A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid WW2 history - Maurice Rose was a hard-fighting, extremely effective commander of American armored forces in Europe after D-Day. The book is very detailed about losses suffered and casualties caused as Rose and his soldiers fight across Europe. It also gives a pretty good round up of the equipment and tactics used during this stage of the war.

Time and time again, US forces overcome the Germans, all the while compensating for the ineptitude of British Field Marshal Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery. Repeatedly, the American forces start rolling through Axis forces, only to be distracted by some hare-brained idea of British Field Marshal Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery that derails the Ally war effort. During the Ardennes campaign, the British army was largely irrelevant, but for some reason British Field Marshal Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery gets appointed as a commander of American tank forces. In spite of this handicap, the Americans prevail and force the Germans back. Fortunately, the war ends in April, 1945 largely due to guys like Rose plus American ingenuity and fighting skill and before British Field Marshal Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery can screw things up again. Thank heavens for guys like Rose - we needed a lot of them to overcome guys like British Field Marshal Bernard 'Monty' Montgomery.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a number of historical accounts of the European campaign in WW II, including the Ambrose books and Rick Atkinson's excellent trilogy. This excellent account has a narrower focus than most of the other books I've read, so I learned a lot more detail about the breakout from Normandy and the final drive into the German heartland. As expected, there is a lot of information about the relative merits of American vs German tanks, but also much about the tactical and strategic problems facing SHAEF during the campaign. As reflected in the subtitle, the book is really a homage to a front-line general that I don't recall ever hearing about in the other books I've read, Maurice Rose. Double-checking my copy of Atkinson's The Guns at Last Light, I did find several references to him, including an account of his death in combat.
Bolger gives credit to every unit possible in this book, so be prepared to constantly wade through a bewildering series of participating corps, armies, brigades, and battalions and their COs. But amidst all that detail, there are many truly engrossing stories of the campaign that keep you reading. Great read!

[Doug Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quiet hero got the job done

This book tells the story of the US 3rd armored division in France, Belgium, and Germany in WW2, and of its commander for most of that time, Maurice Rose. Thanks in large measure to his hands-on leadership and that of his energetic immediate superior Lawton Collins, and no thanks at all to the detached and unperceptive Army commander Courtney Hodges, the division racked up a long string of victories, punctuated by a couple of operations against the German fortifications best known in America as the Siegfried Line. Leading from near the action has its dangers and these eventually caught up with Rose near Paderborn, Germany, but pushing the pace generally is the right idea for mobile forces. Hundreds of thousands of Germans were forced to surrender as a result of the pocket forged in part by Rose’s rapid push to Paderborn, late March to very early April, 1945. Rose was KIA on March 31 in a night panzer ambush that delayed one of the 3 columns Rose had pushing on Paderborn.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent overview of the European land war that closed out WWII. The author focuses on the actions taken by General Maurice Rose and the third armored division. Rose did not leave behind many diaries, letters, or personal writing about his life. The author generates a biography from the generals actions in combat and the words of the people he led. The lack of source material causes this biography to be very thin. For long stretches it is merely a list of dates and troop movements. The author does a fine job placing events and decisions in context. But these efforts at context distance the reader from Rose, the subject of the book.

This novel starts a discussion it doesn’t finish on many topics. It doesn’t really function as a biography because we miss huge chunks of Rose’s life; it’s not a history of third armored battalion; it’s not a complete commentary on the way Jewish soldiers were viewed at the time; its not a focused story about armor in WWII; it’s not many things but then what IS this book?

[Bryn Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spearhead. Third Herd. As a former 3AD guy myself and a WW2 buff, I was excited to read this book (a gift from my wife!) about MG Maurice Rose, the commanding general of the 3rd Armored Division and the 3AD charge into the Third Reich.

This history tracks the ups and downs of battling across France to get into the heart of Nazi Germany all while exploring a general who shunned publicity and drove only to end the evil regime.

The history is amazing and reads well like it was a fictional novel and not a fact upon fact upon fact history.

MG Rose's death during an ambush in the Battle of Paderborn happened just before Rose's troops liberated Nordhausen. While professing CHristianity, Rose was of Jewish decent and his father a Rabbi. He was a rare breed of general who led from the front.

The war was on the verge of completion in Europe when he was killed. But he and his troops helped make that ultimate victory happen.

[Margaret Denbow · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author wrote a rather detailed account of what happened during WWII, including an inordinate amount of statistics about people killed, hardware shot up, etc., but failed to develop the character of General Rose, the lead character. There was little to identify the man, and even less, to identify what his strategy for warfare was and why it worked while others failed. Throughout the book, the author seemed to be making Rose look good by making derogatory comments about Eisenhower, Bradley, and other senior leaders, but giving the reader little knowledge of how Rose was better, or how he was better.

I was very disappointed in the read, but it did whet my appetite to find out more about General Rose to try to identify the man, and the tactics he used.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this narrative nonfiction piece. My father’s ETO story intersects with 3rd Armored when the 47th of the 9th was attached in the late November Hürtgen Forest fighting. It was good to get additional perspective even if it may have been shaded to the armored side of the story. We can never get too much historical review of the Hürtgen story that has for so long been overlooked between the Breakout and the Bulge. A couple of complaints or suggestions: the Audible edition should include a PDF of maps and pictures that were surely a part of the print editions, and the capacity of the Sherman vs the Panthers could have been explored earlier and more thoughtfully to give context to the brave tactics in those skirmishes from the beginning.

[David Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Major General Maurice Rose hasn’t received the credit due in contemporary literature. From Normandy to the battle of the Bulge, the West Wall and the drive into Germany - he was always at the front utilizing artillery to great effect. This book dwells less of his backstory as he wasn’t much of a talker and more on his effectiveness as a combat leader - which he was very good at. He surrounded himself with capable NCOs and leadership that shared his vision of success. A worthwhile read to add to US tank literature as the author was a tank commander himself and adds an air of authenticity.

[Mark Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating account of Major General Maurice Rose and the Third Armored Division (Spearhead). I read this in conjunction with Adam Makos' Spearhead, a more personalized account of a gunner in this outfit. The two texts complement each other nicely, merging the bigger picture with life inside the tanks. Rose was a lead-from-the-front-line general, all business, and not a shred of the glory-hounding that marred the personalities of so many other generals in that theater. Bolger, an experienced general himself, gives revealing ruthless portraits of Omar Bradley, Courtney Hodges, and Bernard Montgomery that will make your blood boil.