German Field Fortifications 1939–45


Book Description

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 concept of field fortification, and its mobile warfare ethos was intended to prevent the previous war's stalemate. This book 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, as well as field camouflage methods and construction methods. The integration of these positions into permanent systems and theatre-specific defences are also discussed.




Text-book on Field Fortification


Book Description







Soviet Field Fortifications 1941–45


Book Description

From June 1941, the Soviets were forced to undertake large-scale defensive operations in the face of the overwhelming German blitzkrieg assault, operations which ran counter to their preference for highly mobile, offensive warfare. Lessons were quickly learned across a wide variety of terrain and climates, including the open steppes, dense forests, wooded swamps, cities, and in snow and ice, where the availability of construction materials differed greatly. The first to cover this topic in the English language and containing detailed information about the trenches, bunkers, observation posts and weapon positions, this book examines field fortifications built from local materials by infantrymen, as well as their use of mines, field camouflage techniques, and construction tools. It provides a first fascinating insight into Russian defensive attempts against the overwhelming might of the German Army.




US World War II and Korean War Field Fortifications 1941–53


Book Description

The US Army and Marine Corps in World War II considered themselves highly mobile, offensive forces. Their mobile-warfare doctrine envisioned field fortifications and obstacles as temporary in nature. As a result, their design was simple and made use of local materials, and they could be constructed comparatively quickly, whilst still providing adequate protection. By the time of the Korean War, only minor changes had been made to field fortification construction and layout, and to small-unit organization, weapons, and tactics. This title addresses field fortifications built by US infantrymen during World War II and in Korea, and covers rifle-platoon positions, trenches, crew-served weapon positions, bunkers, dugouts, shelters, observation posts and anti-tank obstacles.










Field Armies & Fortifications in the Civil War


Book Description

"Hess studies the use of fortifications by tracing the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia from April 1861 to April 1864. He considers the role of field fortifications in the defense of cities, river crossings, and railroads and in numerous battles. Blending technical aspects of construction with operational history, Hess demonstrates the crucial role these earthworks played in the success or failure of field armies." "Based on fieldwork at 300 battle sites and extensive research in official reports, letters, diaries, and archaeological studies, this book stands to become an indispensable reference for Civil War historians."--BOOK JACKET.




Trench Warfare under Grant and Lee


Book Description

Earl J.Hess's study of armies and fortifications turns to the 1864 Overland Campaign to cover battles from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor. Drawing on meticulous research in primary sources and careful examination of battlefields at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Bermuda Hundred, and Cold Harbor, , Hess analyzes Union and Confederate movements and tactics and the new way Grant and Lee employed entrenchments in an evolving style of battle. Hess argues that Grant's relentless and pressing attacks kept the armies always within striking distance, compelling soldiers to dig in for protection.




US Army Field Manual 5-15 Field Fortifications


Book Description

This volume is the second in a series of books that Battles & Book Reviews Publishing is releasing that encompass reprints of public domain US Military manuals that are useful to the prepping community This book contains the full text and images contained within the August 1968 version of Field manual 5-15: Field Fortifications. This is an older manual that was superseded in the early 1980's by two manuals FM 5-102 Countermobility and FM 5-103 Survivability. These two successor manuals are much more concentrated on planning factors for engineers and less so on the nuts and bolts of actually building and emplacing field fortifications. I will release these two manuals as hardcopies also at some future time but I wanted to get this manual out there sooner since it is full of more immediately practical information than either 5-102 or 5-103, which are written much more as planning manuals than something you pull out in the field to find practical information on what you need to build a specific obstacle and/or fortification. The contents of this volume are a faithful, cleaned up edition of this manual that has been formatted to fit the paper size. Further volumes in this series are forthcoming