With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and His German Allies in the 1809 Campaign - John H Gill

This review has been submitted to Strategy and Tactics Magazine. 

Title: With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and His German Allies in the 1809 Campaign
Author: John H Gill
ISBN: 978-1-78438-309-1
Publisher: Pen and Sword Books
Year: 2018
Softcover
Pages: 542
Photos/Maps: 40/50

Napoleon and his Grande Armee have been written about in countless books and studies; however, attention on those Allies that contributed forces and the role that those forces played has been noticeably absent from the literature of the period. Forged out of the success of the 1805 French Campaigns, 36 small German States bound themselves through treaty to France under the Confederation of the Rhine (Rheinbund). Under the terms of the treaty, they would be obliged to provide a certain percentage of men and equipment when called upon by the French Emperor. Saxon Artillery, Hessian Fusiliers, Jagers and Dragoons from Baden and Infantry from Bavaria are representative of a portion of the myriad of forces made available to Napoleon by the Germans. In total, 123,081 soldiers representing all 36 German States participated in the 1809 Campaign against Austria. Gill’s work seeks to address the lack of recognition of the contribution that these member States made to Napoleon’s success. 

This is truly a comprehensive examination of the Germans, encompassing detailed descriptions and analysis of tactics, uniforms, weaponry, units, training and discussions of the regions from which the soldiers came. Additionally, Gill sheds light on how they were integrated into the French Armies and chain of command. Balancing the needs and sensitivities of this myriad of forces was no easy task and it is quite enlightening how it was undertaken. Appreciating that it is very easy for the historian to get caught up in the miasma of detail that always has the potential to severely degrade the reading experience, Gill adroitly balances the requirements of explanation with the realities of flow and engagement of the reader. He provides enough of the former to provide for the scope and story without getting bogged down. Additional detail is provided at the end of each chapter in the form of copious and comprehensive notes sections.   

Gill’s descriptions of the participation of the German contingents in the 1809 campaign takes the same approach as his analysis of the background: insightful, detailed enough while maintaining reader engagement and comprehensive. Not all contingents participated to the same degree but each is given its due by the author. The reader is left with a much better appreciation of the degree of complexity associated with how armies moved, deployed, fought and were supported during this period. 

The publication quality of the book is good although one of map synopsis pages is missing from the front of this edition. Additionally, the maps themselves leave something to be desired as they do not have the any indications of the movements of the units identified. Nevertheless, the information provided through various tables, unit organization charts, numerous appendices and a comprehensive bibliography is truly outstanding. 1809 is generally recognized as the beginning of the descent of Napoleon and the Grande Armee as both were beginning to exhibit the initial signs of a degradation of the quality previously ascribed to them. Thus it was that the participation and support of the Rheinbund Allies was all the more critical to its continued success. This is an excellent work for both the casual and serious historian and is a recommended addition to anyone’s library.  

The History of the Panzerwaffe Vol 1 1939-1942 - Thomas Anderson

 This review has been submitted to Iron Cross magazine.

Title: The History of the Panzerwaffe Vol 1 1939-1942
Author: Thomas Anderson
ISBN: 978-1-4728-0812-7
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Year: 2015
Hardcover
Pages: 304
Photos/Maps: 100’s/0

Military historians interested in the development, from its very earliest stages, of the German Panzer forces, will be drawn to this work. Going back to the very first tanks utilized by the Germans (captured British Mark IV’s), Anderson traces the concurrent development of both the physical and doctrinal elements of the Panzer. Included in this analysis is the effect of defeat in the World War One on the mindset of the German military leadership. As Anderson discusses, defeat, while nationally tragic for the Germans, opened them to the revolutionary changes that the Panzer brought to the doctrinal table. 

Anderson’s book may be broken down into roughly three sections: the introduction of the tank and the recognition of its impact on the battlefield of World War One, the interwar period where the doctrine of panzer operations advanced (even without actual tanks in the early postwar period) concurrent with technical innovation, and the transition from concept to reality in the first three years of World War Two. The author draws from and refers to a myriad of relevant primary source material (lessons learned, after-action reports and combat reports etc) in order to facilitate the readers understanding of how the Germans arrived at the revolutionary concept of the Panzer Division and its role in Blitzkrieg. It is noteworthy that the development of this doctrine and the tool to execute it was not a direct line but entailed a significant amount of testing and development. What is critical to appreciate however, is that the Germans were much more open to the potential of the Panzer than were their adversaries. 

Anderson also ensures that the reader is made aware of the variety of technical innovations that the Germans undertook in order to recognize the widest possible use of the panzer and its ancillary support elements. Thus it was that developers and engineers were given full support by the armed forces in improving the effectiveness of the tank. Additionally, captured Allied equipment was quickly analyzed and innovations incorporating or countering their design advantages were efficiently integrated into German designs and doctrine. 

The author looks at the effectiveness and role of the Panzerwaffe in the Polish, Norwegian, Western Desert and Eastern Campaigns. His analysis is concise, insightful and relevant as the Panzer Division takes it final form prior to Operation Barbarossa. The nature of the authors discussion is not steeped in technical verbiage but in a manner that the layman may appreciate. In addition to the formal documentation reviewed by the author, inclusion of first person recollections of combat as well as life in the tanks, adds depth and a ‘personal’ edge to the book. 

Overall, this is an excellent visual as well as narrative work. Replete with photographs and technical charts on the tanks themselves, it contains a trove of useful information. Osprey has published a book of the highest quality. Unfortunately, no bibliography has been provided; however, this does not negate the utility of this work as an excellent study of the early development and use of the armoured forces of Germany.

Eighth Army vs Rommel: Tactics, Training and Operations in North Africa 1940-1942 - James Colvin

 This review has been submitted to the Canadian Army Journal 

Title: Eighth Army vs Rommel: Tactics, Training and Operations in North Africa 1940-1942
Author: James Colvin
ISBN: 978-1-913336-64-6
Publisher: Helion and Company
Year: 2020
Softcover
Pages: 261
Photos/Maps: 30/11

The characteristics that define individuals as military warriors and leaders (integrity, bravery, self-sacrifice etc) are not the same as those that characterize members of the Profession of Arms. Like doctors, lawyers, architects or any other field that identifies itself by a professional standard, the Profession of Arms requires serious study, development, mentorship and expertise (in addition to the characteristics of the warrior). Colvin, in his work, approaches his analysis of the adversaries in the North African Campaign through their respective attitudes towards the development of their military leadership and how that attitude influenced the execution of operations. It is a unique and interesting study as it encompasses not only the pure military elements of the African conflict itself but also how the cultural/societal influences within which the respective antagonists developed; and how this affected their conduct and approach to military operations. Unique in its approach is the authors focus, not on the most senior levels of command, but the Corps and Divisional leaders. 

Colvin opens his book with an overarching review of the cultural environments that most heavily  influenced the development of the German and British leadership. The British approach, based predominantly within the Public School system emphasized fair play, team efforts and loyalty to ones peers. This style manifested itself into the primacy of and loyalty to the Regiment and their associated traditions. A directive and structured style of leadership and execution was often undermined by subordinate’s loyalty being primarily to a peer or commander from the same school (Eton etc) or Regiment as opposed to the appointed one. Conversely, a British Commander would often support a weak subordinate from a common background all the while refraining from being seen as too ‘directive’. 

The Germans, on the other hand, took a much more serious approach to the “art and science’ of military command. The German command schoolhouse had much higher standards and expectations than its British counterpart. Officers and senior NCOs were actively challenged to adapt to differing situations and to assume higher levels of command without hesitation. The Germans developed a common doctrine and ensured that it was clearly understood and adhered to across its forces. Colvin’s analysis of this critical area is both insightful and thought provoking. 

The author then segues this into a discussion of the doctrine and equipment development of the respective adversaries. Central to this was the use of ‘combined arms’ units by the Germans and the resistance to this by the British. The stove-piping of British combat elements enabled smaller German forces to overcome larger Allied forces by being able to call upon a variety of means to counter UK forces. Combined this with a well established doctrine that enabled the fluid and transparent transitions of command (requiring little to no formal ‘orders’) meant that the Germans were far more flexible in their approach and response. By contrast, British command was characterized by micro-management, misplaced loyalty, inconsistent doctrine and a more collegial and inclusive (as opposed to directive) leadership style. The author, to be clear, casts no aspersions on the bravery, loyalty and effort of British Commanders as individuals, but does draw attention to the cumulative impact of treating warfare as a ‘Great Game’ as opposed to a deadly serious profession.   

Additionally, Colvin includes within his discussions a detailed comparison of the weapons that each side utilized and how they adjusted their equipment and tactics to account for changes in their opposition. Thus it was that, while the Allies tended to have higher numbers of tanks, German tanks were of higher overall quality and were more survivable. When faced for example, with the British 2 pdr anti-tank gun, the Germans were able to counter with hardened frontal ‘spaced’ armour that enabled them to neutralize the penetrating power of the 2 pdr round. Additionally, the Germans adjusted their doctrine to utilize the famous 88 mm in an anti-tank role. Colvin’s discussion highlights the difference between the more ad hoc approach of the Allies compared with the more structured and deliberate approach of the Germans in their respective responses to the challenges of warfare in the desert. 

The author then follows with a series of chapters discussing and analyzing the performance of the adversaries in a series of key offensives and battles leading up to the Second Battle of El Alamein. Each highlights the respective competencies and shortcomings of the commanders and the methods by which they utilized their forces. While not all goes the Germans way, the Allies are seen to continue to struggle with effective command and control over their assets. Colvin sets the tone by looking at the effects of the ‘Crusader’ battles and the lessons that the respective combatants gleaned from them. He then goes on to look at how those lessons were correspondingly applied to the training and doctrine of the forces involved. Ultimately, it is the Allies which continue to struggle in the subsequent battles of Tobruk and Gazala; their commanders not having been able to discern their doctrinal shortcomings (shortcomings that were able to continue to be exploited by the Afrika Korps). 

Colvin closes his book with the arrival of Montgomery and the changes that he brings in terms of command, presence and leadership to the Allied side. His approach is much more in line with the Germans  and he breaks the mold of the traditional ‘fair play, public school chum’ view of his predecessors.  Commanders are not forgiven their shortfalls and a far tighter grip and focus is instilled. 

Colvin has written an excellent analysis of a level of command and control not often addressed but that is critical to the effective execution of the vision of the Theatre Commander: that of the Divisional and Corps commanders. His incorporation of the societal influences on the personality and professional development of the respective officer corps of the German and Allied forces is extremely instructive in comprehending the ‘foundation’ upon which these leaders developed. A comprehensive bibliography and footnote compendium as well as a superior quality publication from Helion round out this stellar work. This is a book that should be read more than once.

The Canal Line: France and Flanders Campaign 1940 - Jerry Murland

This review has been submitted to Soldier Magazine.

Title: The Canal Line: France and Flanders Campaign 1940
Author: Jerry Murland
ISBN: 978-1-473-85219-8
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Year: 2018
Softcover
Pages: 205
Photos/Maps: 100’s/12

This combination battlefield history and guided tour book provides an excellent synopsis of the events surrounding the fighting in the low countries leading up to Dunkirk. The included driving and walking tours are very well laid out with photographs and detailed directions. The maps provided, as support to the narrative, are average. The publication is of high quality and an appropriate size for ‘pocket travel’. Overall, a recommended purchase for those wishing to follow the course of the battles with additional, in-depth, information that adds colour and personality to the experience.