The Siegfried Line: Then and Now

Published on
Review Author(s)
Book Author(s)
Daniel Taylor
ISBN
1399048538
Other Publication Information
312 pages, 290 black and white, color photos, maps, and then vs now comparisons
MSRP
$52.95
Provided by: Casemate Publishers - Website: Visit Site

The book comes in three distinct sections - the first is an in-depth analysis of the German "Westwall" defense system built between 1936 and 1944. This includes the build phases, the organization of the workforce and the political background.

The second section looks at the Allied campaign to overcome the defenses of the Siegfried Line through the winter of 1944/45, focusing on three major operations by the US, British and Canadian armies.

The third section deals with the perception of the Westwall in the eighty years since the war and then outlines a battlefield tour guide of those elements that still survive.

Germany completed 2,000 bunkers by 1938 (p19) in a series of building programs that shifted emphasis to different places along the border. By May 1940, the zone included 11,820 infantry bunkers, 1,192 anti-tank positions, 2,673 artillery positions, 1,544 AA positions, and 32 larger, self-sufficient fortress bunkers (p45). Of the 17,261 fortifications built, about 850 survive (p235).

This book is outstanding when it comes to “where was this in the scheme of things with the war?". As you can see, a lot of the region was involved in direct battles between the Allies and Germany. It's really something to be able to read a book about locations, see those locations in pictures and then how those locations were impacted. The above turret with the patching is cool but horrifying if you think about the destruction that took place.

The book is well written, documented and is very easy to read. It’s a great volume of what was there during the invasion and how it fared in the end. If you want a comprehensive book on what happened during the latter stages of the war, the book is very classy to possess and a good one to have in your reference library.

Scanning Books can be a PITA, but this being over $50 and genuinely a good read, I could not have ever seen myself ripping it apart for the sake of images, so please forgive me if the images don’t seem outstanding. Not only does this make a nice addition to my ever-growing bookshelf, but this book is also a great reference for those looking to accurately portray a recreation on a diorama.

I want to thank Pen & Sword and Casemate for this magnificent gem, John and Bill and everyone at IPMS.

Book Cover

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