Tip of the Spear

In this follow up to Scouts Out, the definitive account of World War II-era German armored reconnaissance forces, Robert J. Edwards continues his exploration of the tactics and doctrine of the small units that served as the tip of the spear for the German Army, venturing out ahead of the main lines to scout territory and gather crucial intelligence. Numerous firsthand accounts and after-action reports from soldiers and combar commanders offer frontline perspective on the battles and personalities of the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, Luftwaffe, and other formations, as well as the groundwork these units laid for the stunning tank and infantry operations that would make the German military famous. Chapters cover armored reconnaissance in Poland, France in 1940, the Balkans, North Africa, the Eastern Front, Italy, and the Western Front. Drawing from his own experiences as a scout platoon leader in the modern U.S. Army, Edwards provides analysis of recon operations, from tactics and doctrine to vehicles and commanders. As in Scouts Out, the text is accompanied by more than 650 images, most of which have never been seen before or only by a limited audience, portraying the men and tanks in action, at rest, and on the road across the fronts of World War II.