Pen & Sword

Images of War - The Crushing of Poland

by  Ian Baxter

Reviewed By  Tom Moon, IPMS# 43192

MSRP: $25.95 ISBN: 978-1-84415-846-1 Review copy courtesy of Casemate Publishing: www.casematepublishing.com Format: Paperback 7-1/2 x 9-3/4 Pages 160 / 265 b/w photos. The book is divided into 5 chapters with and introduction and 3 appendixes: Chapters: Invasion. Pushing East. Battle of Bzura. Disintegration. Capitulation. Appendixes: German Order of Battle September 1939. Personal Equipment & Weapons. Typical German Infantry Battalion. This book is best described by its subtitle "Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives". The text in the chapters are general brief synopses of the events of the battles. If you are looking for a detailed history with first person accounts, this book is not for you. However, if you are looking for photos that run the gamut from personal snapshots, to propaganda photos, to in-action photos, this book is a virtual gold mine. The quality of the photographs ranges from fuzzy to extremely sharp. The subjects covered are all German or from the German perspective. They include armor, soft skins, artillery, motorcycles, halftracks, Anti-Tank guns, Anti-Aircraft guns, artillery (did I mention artillery?) general scenes, and horses, both draft and cavalry. It is interesting that most people think of the German Blitzkrieg as all motorized. Some of the photos in this book show draft horses pulling artillery, supply wagons and other vehicles. In 1939 most armies still relied on the horse to move men and material when not on the railroads. What is missing from the book are any photographs of any aircraft and photographs of Polish or Russian vehicles and equipment. Conclusion: From the modeler's perspective this is a great resource for early war German armor, artillery, and diorama possibilities. For anything else you need to keep looking. Thanks to Casemate Publishing for the review copy and to IPMS/USA for the review space.