
About this book:
The German Army of World War II considered itself an offensive, mobile force. The experiences in the trenches in World War I had done much to shape its blitzkrieg doctrine as well as its concept of field fortification, and its mobile warfare ethos was intended to prevent the previous wars stalemate and win the fight quickly. This title addresses frontline defensive field fortifications built by infantrymen using local materials and includes rifle platoon positions, trenches, crew-served weapon positions, bunkers, dugouts, shelters, and more. It also covers anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles incorporated into these defenses, as well as field camouflage methods and the construction tools available to infantrymen. The integration of these positions into permanent systems, such as the Westwall, and theatre-specific defenses are also discussed.