No 20th century military organization has been as widely studied as the German army of World War II. Nevertheless, there are almost no truly integrated studies of the panzer or armor branch, dealing with the organizational, economic, personnel, doctrinal, and tactical factors that affected the panzer arm's performance. DiNardo fills that gap in this detailed examination of the panzer arm from Weimar through the end of World War II.



Drawing upon German military documents as well as memoirs, battle reports, and other materials, DiNardo provides a new look at the rise and decline of one of the most important parts of Germany's military machine. Important insights can be gained by examining the nuts and bolts of the army's expansion and its absorption of two foreign armies. This complete analysis of the German panzer arm also provides a microcosmic view of Nazi Germany at war. As such the book is invaluable for all researchers involved with the study of World War II and Nazi Germany.