Table of Contents

Introduction 6 Chapter One The Fuhrer's Bodyguard 8 Chapter Two Himmler's Troops 20 Chapter Three Forging an Elite 38 Chapter Four Baptism of Fire 56 Chapter Five On Parade 68 Chapter Six Blitzkrieg in the West 82 Chapter Seven Balkan Interlude 94 Chapter Eight 'Barbarossa' 102 Chapter Nine Winter War 118 Chapter Ten Metamorphosis 130 Chapter Eleven High Tide in the East 146 Chapter Twelve Italian Adventure 160 Chapter Thirteen Red Deluge 168 Chapter Fourteen Steel Rain 184 Chapter Fifteen Circle of Fire 196 Chapter Sixteen Consequences of an Ideology 210 Index 222

Promotional Information

Photographic history of the fanatical soldiers of Germany's Waffen-SS in WWII

About the Author

Christopher Ailsby is a military historian whose main area of interest are military awards, medals and decorations, antiques and the history of the Third Reich. He has written a number of superbly researched books, including Combat Medals of the Third Reich, Allied Combat Medals of WWII and A Collector's Guide to German WWII Medals and Political Awards. He currently lives in Peterborough.