German Field Fortifications 1939-45 : No. 23

The German Army of World War II was a highly mobile force. The experience of trench warfare in World War I had done much to shape Germany’s blitzkrieg doctrine and concepts of field fortification, and the mobile warfare ethos of World War 2 was designed to avoid the previous war’s stalemate. This title addresses field fortifications built from local materials by infantrymen, and includes rifle platoon positions, trenches, crew-served weapon positions, bunkers, dugouts, shelters, observation posts and more. It also covers anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles incorporated into these field defences; field camouflage methods, and the construction tools available to infantrymen. The integration of field defences into permanent complexes and systems is also discussed.