Fists of Steel

The Third Reich #2

by Time-Life Books, John R. Elting (Consultant), George H. Stein (Consultant)

Industrial mobilization 20th century Germany 20th century. Spain--History--Civil War, 1936-1939.

Genres: History, Military History, World War II, Nonfiction, Reference

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Joshua Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting entry in Time-Life's Third Reich series, this book details the rise of German arms in the years following Versailles all the way to the Spanish Civil War.

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent source book on illegal German rearmament, begun immediately after their defeat in WWI and clearly aimed at rebuilding an offensive war-making capability.

Consider this chilling description of a protocol for panzer attacks, developed in 1932 before Germany had the tanks to carry it out.

"Guderian envisioned a panzer thrust … led by reconnaissance troops on motorcycles probing for weak spots in the enemy line … reporting by radio to a command post … tanks would roll up for the breakthrough … once they penetrated they would keep going, plunging deep into enemy territory to strike at command, communication and supply centers ... infantry would follow in trucks to secure the flanks as the tanks forged ahead ... a sharp surgical strike at the foe's central nervous system, designed to paralyze."

Guderian led the panzer assault on Poland in 1939.

[Steve Toms · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating history of how Germany was able to rearm following World War I despite the limitations placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume in the Time-Life "Third Reich" series looks at German rearmament in violation of the terms of the Versailles treaty. The rearmament started secretly as German officers and industrialists devised ways to evade the treaty and build up Germany's military strength. German pilots and crews even trained at secret bases in Soviet Russia! "Fists of Steel" shows how rearmament picked up speed after Hitler came to power, and the book ends by discussing German involvement in the Spanish Civil War.