Panzer Commander Hermann Balck: Germany's Master Tactician

Robinson, Stephen

ISBN 10: 1925820009 / ISBN 13: 9781925820003

Published by Exisle Publishing, 2019

About this Item

Seller Inventory # E-9781925820003-6-2

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Panzer Commander Hermann Balck: Germany's Master Tactician
• Publisher: Exisle Publishing
• Publication Date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1925820009
• ISBN 13: 9781925820003
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very good

About this title

Synopsis

A history of one of the world's greatest armoured warfare commanders, Hermann Balck (1897-1982).

During World War II, Balck commanded panzer troops from the front line and led by example, putting himself in extreme danger when rallying his soldiers to surge forward. He fought battles that were masterpieces of tactical operations, utilizing speed, surprise and a remarkable ability to motivate his men to achieve what they considered to be impossible. We follow his perilous journey through the fields of France, mountains of Greece and steppes of Russia. In Greece, through flair and innovative leadership, his soldiers overcame every obstacle to defeat determined Australian and New Zealand soldiers defending the narrow mountain passes. Balck personally led his men to victory in battles at Platamon Ridge on the Aegean coast and in the Vale of Tempe, before entering Athens.

This is also the story of a cultured and complex man with a great love of antiquity and classical literature, who nevertheless willingly fought for Hitler's Third Reich while remaining strangely detached from the horrors around him. The book is the result of extensive research of primary and secondary sources, including Balck's battle reports and first-hand accounts written by Allied soldiers who opposed him, panzer division war diaries and campaign assessments, and declassified Pentagon documents.

About the Author

Stephen Robinson is the author of False Flags:Disguised German Raiders of World War II, Panzer Commander Hermann Balck: Germany's Master Tactician and The Blind Strategist: John Boyd and the American Art of War. He studied Asian history and politics at the University of Western Sydney, graduating with First Class Honours. He has worked at the Department of Veterans' Affairs researching British atomic weapons tests and as a policy officer in the Department of Defence. Stephen Robinson is an officer in the Australian Army Reserve and has served as an instructor at the Royal Military College. He also graduated from Australian Command and Staff College.