"Good books on East front 45?" Topic

Hello,

I am looking for good books on operations on the eastern front in 1945 (after the Bulge on the West front).

It ideally contains details about equipment used, units engaged and description at tactical level… and possibly well written?

Anything like that out there?

Goal would be to model units at company/platoon level and build some reasonable scenarios as well as understanding more in detail the different battles from Jan. 1945 on the Eastern front.

thank you

Ivans War was excellent although depressing as anything

link

thanks Tod, I am looking specifically for the period Jan-May 45, covering operations rather that personal accounts (although they could illustrate)

look up tony le tissier on amazon.

If you want depressing. . .

thanks Kelly, just bought a couple from Le tissier.

Hafen, thanks, but I am looking for the operations before Seelow heights, even before the Oder breakthrough, much before.

Zhukov at the Oder not only goes into detail about the battle for the Seelow Heights, but all of the operations on the flank as well as the build up.

Red Storm On the Reich by Christopher Duffy:

link

The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Anthony Beevor:

link

From memory Rolf Hinze (?) May be the author you need. Try amazon .

This is very good. link

thanks aegis, bought.

Thanks Big red, bought Red Storm. Will wait for Berlin.

Thanks Ritter, Fred mentions. Will have a look.

I am probably set now to start with.

Gotterdammerung 1945 Germanys Last Stand in The East by Schneider.

just bought it catavar, the author sounds interesting

Trying to remember the book where I read about an account of a Soviet night river crossing operation on the Oder but cannot recall. It involved using T-34's that had their turrets removed and a platform built over the top of the hull. They were then driven one after another, over the previous vehicles, into the river to create a bridge. Once done, fully functional T-34's were pushed across the river and gave a nasty surprise to the German defenders. All this activity was done while the Soviets conducted a diversion where much noise was made of men working with wood and hammers and trucks driving around. This activity attracted the German artillery which would cause much wailing and fires and stopped construction of what was thought to be a bridge. The noise was run up again and again the German artillery paid a visit. Finally, all went quiet and the Germans felt the threat was over for the night, which is why the finding of the tanks by an early morning patrol was a shock.

I am currently reading "Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front 1943-1945" by Robert Forczyk.

I read the prior volume about the early war period. It was excellent, start-to-finish. This second in the two book set also greatly impresses me.

The research is top-notch. There is a general flow of background information on forces and weapons, followed by examination of campaign-by-campaign action. While it does not dig down to the tactical level very often (don't buy it looking for "Sgt. Tankovitch ordered another BP-472 round loaded into the gun, and the T-34 barked it's anger once again…"), it does recount divisional, regimental, and even battalion level actions, and frequently gives the number and types of tanks involved.

I am quite impressed by both the research and the writing. Though I haven't gotten to the 1945 parts yet, already I am confident to recommend the book.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Currently reading Forczyk's book on the Crimea, "Where the Iron Crosses Grow" – well researched, clear expository writing style, and providing a treasure trove of interesting and nuanced scenario themes.

Some other good titles covering the closing stages of the war on the Eastern Front:

"Tragedy of the Faithful – A History of the III. (germanisches) SS-Panzer-Korps", Wilhelm Tieke.

"The Combat History of Sturmgeschutz-Brigade 276 – Assault Gun Fighting on the Eastern Front 1943-1945", (Ed) Heinz Fleischer.

"Chronicle of the 7. Panzer Kompanie, I. SS-Panzer Division "Leibstandarte", Ralf Tiemann.

"Panzer Gunner – From my Native Canada to the German Ostfront and Back; In Action with 25th Panzer Regiment, 7th Panzer Division 1944-45", Bruno Friesen.

"The Devil's General – The Life of Hyazinth von Strachwitz, "The Panzer Graf", Raymond Bagdonas.

B