This volume presents a cross-section of the most common transport vehicles produced and used by the German army. Tanks plus auxiliary vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, vans, ambulances, trucks and tractors made it possible for the troops to keep moving. These lightly armored or unarmored vehicles—aka “soft skins”—operated behind the front lines, maintaining supply lines, connecting armies with their home bases, and ultimately determining the outcome of battle.
Beginning with the development of military vehicles in the early 1930s, this volume discusses the ways in which this new technology influenced and, to some extent, facilitated Hitler’s program of rearmament. Nomenclature, standard equipment, camouflage and the combat roles of the various vehicles are thoroughly examined. Individual vehicle types are arranged and discussed by the following classifications: cars and motorcycles; trucks and tractors; half-tracks and wheeled combat vehicles. Accompanied by well-researched, detailed line drawings, each section deals with a number of individual vehicles, describing their design, manufacture and specific use.

Historian, writer and illustrator Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage is the author of numerous books. His interests include World War II and medieval and French history. He lives in Groningen, Netherlands.

Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 220
Bibliographic Info: 264 illustrations, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2898-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-6252-0
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction      1
Glossary      3
A Note on Weights and Measures      5

1. World War II German Vehicles: General      7
2. Cars and Motorcycles      51
3. Trucks and Tractors      81
4. Half-tracks      127
5. Wheeled Combat Vehicles      169

Conclusion      207
Bibliography      211
Index      213