Panzerjager vs KV-1: Eastern Front 1941-43

Description

On the Soviet side, based upon lessons from the Spanish Civil War, the Red Army decided to develop a heavy "breakthrough" tank to smash enemy infantry defenses. This resulted in the KV-1 and KV-2 tanks, introduced in 1939. At the start of Operation Barbarossa, both these tanks were virtually invulnerable to the weapons of the Panzerjager and demonstrated their ability to overrun German infantry on several occasions. This advantage gave the Red Army a window of opportunity between the fall of 1941 and the spring of 1942 to use their heavy tanks to repel the German invasion in a series of desperate counteroffensives. Yet the window of Soviet advantage was a narrow one and the duel between the Soviet KV heavy tanks and German Panzerjager had a major impact upon the struggle for the strategic initiative in 1941-42.

Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in European and Asian military history. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves having served 18 years as an armor officer in the US 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division (Light). Dr Forczyk is currently a consultant in the Washington, DC area.

"In this latest edition of the Duel series, author Robert Forczyk takes a close look at the usual machinations of the Soviet military-industrial complex and what it took to get the KV tanks into production. He then goes through the development of the KV tank on the Soviet side and anti-tank units on the German side. We then look at the political situation on both sides as well as the technical specs on the two weapon types. This is followed by the organization and training of the combatants before many pages of combat tales and information. This ends with an analysis of what was learned and how this affected future events. This is accompanied by some excellent period photos and modern illustrations and maps to let the reader get an idea of how the situation changed with time. It makes for a superb read and one I can most highly recommend." --Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness (November 2012) ..".provides a solid survey of Eastern Front clashes between Soviety heavy tanks and German antitank weapons, providing a fully illustrated analysis of duels between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front. This discussion includes artillery technical specs as well as reviews of strategy and pairs military insights with vintage black and white photos throughout." --James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review (January 2013) In this latest edition of the Duel series, author Robert Forczyk takes a close look at the usual machinations of the Soviet military-industrial complex and what it took to get the KV tanks into production. He then goes through the development of the KV tank on the Soviet side and anti-tank units on the German side. We then look at the political situation on both sides as well as the technical specs on the two weapon types. This is followed by the organization and training of the combatants before many pages of combat tales and information. This ends with an analysis of what was learned and how this affected future events. This is accompanied by some excellent period photos and modern illustrations and maps to let the reader get an idea of how the situation changed with time. It makes for a superb read and one I can most highly recommend. "Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness (November 2012)" ...provides a solid survey of Eastern Front clashes between Soviety heavy tanks and German antitank weapons, providing a fully illustrated analysis of duels between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front. This discussion includes artillery technical specs as well as reviews of strategy and pairs military insights with vintage black and white photos throughout. "James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review (January 2013)"" "In this latest edition of the Duel series, author Robert Forczyk takes a close look at the usual machinations of the Soviet military-industrial complex and what it took to get the KV tanks into production. He then goes through the development of the KV tank on the Soviet side and anti-tank units on the German side. We then look at the political situation on both sides as well as the technical specs on the two weapon types. This is followed by the organization and training of the combatants before many pages of combat tales and information. This ends with an analysis of what was learned and how this affected future events. This is accompanied by some excellent period photos and modern illustrations and maps to let the reader get an idea of how the situation changed with time. It makes for a superb read and one I can most highly recommend." - Scott Van Aken, "Modeling Madness "(November 2012) ..".provides a solid survey of Eastern Front clashes between Soviety heavy tanks and German antitank weapons, providing a fully illustrated analysis of duels between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front. This discussion includes artillery technical specs as well as reviews of strategy and pairs military insights with vintage black and white photos throughout." - James A. Cox, "The Midwest Book Review "(January 2013)"