Böcker av Merlin Robinson

The little-known career of Germany's Panther, perhaps the greatest tank of World War II, in foreign hands both during and after the war.The Panther was arguably the most successful medium tank design of World War II, demonstrated by the number of Germany's enemies that used them after, and even during the war.While some were used by the Western Allies, the Russians used the greatest number of captured Panthers against Nazi Germany, though they did not find much favor thanks to their mechanical unreliability and difficulty in acquiring spare parts. After the war, they were mostly passed on to satellite states such as Bulgaria and Romania. The French army also used them in significant numbers after the war with approximately 50 in service from 1946 to 1950, and they were a significant influence on future French tank design. Using detailed artwork and contemporary photographs, this fascinating book tells the little-known story of the Panther tank in foreign hands in World War II and beyond.

"General Leclerc" was the nom de guerre adopted by the Gaullist officer Philippe de Hautcloque, to protect his family in occupied France. He became France''s foremost fighting commander, and his armored division (the ''2e DB'') its most famous formation. Starting as a small scratch force of mostly African troops organized and led by Leclerc in French Equatorial Africa, it achieved early success raiding Italian and German positions in cooperation with BritainΓÇÖs Long Range Desert Group. Following the Allied victory in North Africa it was expanded and reorganized as a US Army-style armored division, with American tanks and other armored vehicles. Shipped to the UK, in spring 1944, it was assigned to Patton''s US Third Army, landing in time for the Normandy breakout and being given the honor of liberating Paris in August 1944. Combining a thorough analysis of their combat and organization with detailed color plates of their uniforms and equipment, this is the fascinating story of Free FranceΓÇÖs most effective fighting force.