Armies, Uniforms, Etc.

On this page you will find books about the Armies of WW2 and also those detailing the Uniforms worn by them. Some of the descriptions are not done yet, but will be eventually. Great stuff! By the way, a lot of them are Osprey books, which are a great primer for any subject!

Books on Other Axis Army's Uniforms and Equipment
	Japanese Army of World War II--(Men-at-Arms 20) Author: Philip Warner, Illustrator: Michael Youens 48 pages; ISBN: 0850451183 This book examines the uniforms, equipment, history and organisation of the Japanese Army during World War II. Uniforms are shown in full colour artwork.
	The Japanese Army 1931-45, Vol.1--1931-42 (Men-at-Arms 362)--Author: Philip Jowett, Illustrator: Stephen Andrew. 48 pages; ISBN: 1841763535. During Japan's devastating Pacific offensive of 1941/42, the Allies paid a high price for their failure to take seriously an army which had already been fighting in Manchuria and China for ten years. That army was a unique blend of the ancient and the modern and its up-to-date equipment and resourceful tactics served an almost medieval code of unquestioning obedience and ruthless aggression. This first of two titles covers the organisation, equipment, uniforms and character of Japanese ground forces in the Chinese and early Pacific campaigns, illustrated with insignia charts, many rare photographs, and eight meticulous uniform plates.
	The Japanese Army 1931-45, Vol. 2--1942-45 (Men-at-Arms 369)--Author: Philip Jowett, Illustrator: Stephen Andrew. 48 pages; ISBN: 1841763543. Within months of its greatest triumph in 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army began to face the difficulties which would eventually destroy it - overstretched supply lines, and inadequate industrial support. Yet as the Allies grew steadily stronger and more skilful, the Japanese Army and Naval Landing Forces dug in to defend their conquests with a determination which shocked all who fought them. In this second book the author describes the deployments, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Army - including the dreaded Kempei-tai military police - the naval infantry, paratroopers, special raiding units, and foreign auxiliaries during the long and savage war in Burma and the Pacific. His text is illustrated with many rare photographs, three insignia charts, and eight highly detailed colour plates.
	The Italian Army 1940-45, Vol.1--Europe 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms 340)--Author: Philip Jowett, Illustrator: Stephen Andrew. 48 pages; ISBN: 185532864X. At its peak the Italian Army contributed 2.5 million troops to the Axis war effort. English-speaking readers tend to think of this army in terms of the North African campaign; but far more Italian troops served in other theatres. They invaded, and later bore the major burden of occupying, the Balkan countries; and Italy sent 250,000 troops to fight on the Russian Front. In this, the first of a three-part study, Philip Jowett covers the European theatre - including Russia - from 1940 to Italy's armistice with the Allies in 1943. Many interesting uniforms, a number of them new to most readers, are meticulously illustrated by Stephen Andrew.
	The Italian Army 1940-45, Vol. 2--Africa 1940-43 (Men-at-Arms 349)--Author: Philip Jowett, Illustrator: Stephen Andrew. 48 pages; ISBN: 1855328658. At its peak the Italian Army contributed 2.5 million troops to the Axis war effort. In addition to its major role in North Africa, Italy's army invaded, and later bore the main burden of occupying, the Balkan countries. Italy also sent 250,000 men to fight on the Russian Front. In this second book of a three-part study Philip Jowett covers the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the Italian troops committed to both the North African campaign, and the often neglected East African fighting of 1940-41, including the colourful colonial units. Stephen Andrew's meticulous colour plates illustrate a wide range of uniforms, many of which will be new to readers.
	The Romanian Army of World War II (Men-at-Arms 246)--Author: Mark Axworthy, Illustrator: Horia Serbanescu. 48 pages; ISBN: 1855321696. From 1941-44 Romania was militarily the third largest European Axis power, had the fourth largest Allied army in 1944-45, and her natural resources were vital to the German war effort. Romania had fought with the Allies in the First World War and gained the predominantly Romanian populated provinces of Transilvania and Basarabia. However, both contained substantial foreign minorities which generated the hostility of Hungary and the Soviet Union. As a result Romania adopted a defensive posture and sought alliances with similarly threatened powers such as France, Czechoslovakia and Poland. In the late 1930s Romania began to rearm with largely Czech and French weapons but by mid-1940 both had fallen. Romania, with no substantial ally left, was then forced by Germany to surrender Basarabia, Northern Transilvania and Southern Dobrogea with their extensive border fortifications to the USSR, Hungary and Bulgaria. The rest of Romania now had to rely on Germany to guarantee its survival and, with little choice, formally joined the Axis on 23 November 1940. From this point on Romania's consistent objective, which she pursued with equal vigour in both the Axis and Allied camps, was to regain the territories lost in 1940. In this title, Mark Axworthy examines the history, organisation, equipment and uniforms of the Romanian army of World War II. The text is accompanied by numerous photographs and illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Horia Serbanescu.
	Axis forces in Yugoslavia 1941-45 (Men-at-Arms 282)--Author: Nigel Thomas Illustrator: Darko Pavlovic. 48 pages; ISBN: 1855324733. On 6 April, the German 2nd and 12th Armies, Italian 2nd and 9th Armies, and the Hungarian 4th, 5th and Mobile Corps invaded Yugoslavia from Italy, Germany, Rumania, Bulgaria and Albania. Few of the Royal Yugoslav Army's 30 divisions actively resisted, and after 11 days the Yugoslav High Command surrendered. In Croatia, a puppet state was installed. Axis forces quickly occupied the principal towns and patrolled the main road and rail links, but in the villages, countryside and mountains a vicious and complex guerrilla war was brewing. This title takes a close look at the German, Italian, Croatian, Serbian, Montenegrin, Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Slovenian units that fought for the Axis powers in Yugoslavia.
	Germany's Eastern Front Allies 1941-45 (Men-at-Arms 131)--Author: Peter Abbott, Illustrator: Mike Chappell. 48 pages; ISBN: 0850454751. The 1930s were a time of growing tension for the smaller states of Eastern Europe. Since the end of the First World War they had enjoyed an independence which most of them had not known for centuries, but this was now threatened by the growing power of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Germany had territorial claims against her eastern neighbours and an interest in their economic resources, especially Rumania's oil. Russia wanted to recover Finland, the Baltic States, Eastern Poland and Rumanian Bessarabia, all of which had been Tsarist provinces in 1914. Instead of combining for self defence, the East European states were bitterly divided. The Munich crisis showed how little reliance could be placed on the Western democracies, whose power to intervene militarily in Eastern Europe was negligible. In effect this left the smaller East European states with little alternative but to become clients of either Germany or Russia. Peter Abbott and Nigel Thomas examine the history, uniforms and organisation of Germany's Eastern Front allies in a volume containing first class illustrations, contemporary photographs and eight full page colour plates by Mike Chappell.
	Germany's Eastern Front Allies, Vol. 2--Baltic Forces (Men-at-Arms 363)--Author: Nigel Thomas, Illustrator: Darko Pavlovic. 48 pages; ISBN: 1841761931. The Baltic region of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - (which formed, together with adjoining Belarus, the German-controlled Reichskommissariat Ostland) - saw some of the most prolonged and savage fighting of any on Germany's Eastern Front during World War II. The coastal nations were invaded by the USSR in 1940; captured by the Wehrmacht in 1941; provided major recruitment for the German Army and Waffen-SS in 1941-44; were retaken by the Red Army in 1944-45 despite stubborn resistance; yet still sustained a guerrilla movement which was not wiped out by the Russian occupiers until 1952. This tragic period saw many combat and local security units raised by both sides, offering a most interesting range of uniforms and insignia.

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