"The author does a terrific job of outlining the many campaigns and
areas where the German Mountain troops fought throughout the war, and
the unique challenges that some of these areas brought." -- AMPS
When World War II began, the Wehrmacht had fifteen mountain divisions
and a multitude of small units, including some Austrian units that had
been incorporated into the German army after the Anschluss. These
mountain units would operate in hostile environments on all fronts
during World War II. Due to their training, equipment and adaptability,
the Gebirgstruppen would be deployed to fight in almost every theater.
In the last years of the war they would see action in North Africa,
Italy, the Balkans, Norway and Finland, and in the West as the Allies
pushed German forces back toward Berlin.
This book, the culmination of four decades of research and the support
of many veterans and collectors, describes the uniform, equipment, and
operations of these specialist units during the later years of World War
II. The text is complemented by period photographs taken at the front,
including many color photographs, and modern photographs of uniform
details.