Hitler's Samurai: The Waffen-SS in Action

by Bruce Quarrie

Book Overview

Secret Spy Service for German Nazi forces. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0850598060
• ISBN13: 9780850598063
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: P. Stephens
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding Introduction to the Waffen-SS

Bruce Quarrie's "Hitler's Samurai" (rev. 3d ed.) is an outstanding description of the formation, uniforms, equipment, and battles of the Waffen-SS. The writing is clear, precise, and objective. One wishes that he had been commissioned to write a full-fledged general history of these units instead of writing about them piecemeal in a series of separate works (e.g., Hitler's Teutonic Knights, Lightning Death). Three things, however, almost prevented a five-star rating: First, the text repeatedly refers to a bibliography but the book does not include a bibliography (at least not in the third edition). Second, the author repeatedly (and somewhat annoyingly) refers the reader to other works of his on related topics, which disrupts the flow of the text. Third, the pictures often lack clarity, even for photographic reproductive abilities at the time this edition was first published, over 20 years ago. (The pictures are well chosen and representative but if the point of a work is to provide a pictorial history of a topic then the pictures need to be well-reproduced not just well selected. This edition would have been better served by being printed originally in hardcover with separate picture sections on glossy paper rather than the cheap stock paper used. A hardcover reprint was later done but as reprints are often of lesser quality than the original I purchased the original paperback edition, which, in retrospect, may have been a mistake.) Despite its flaws, the book is an excellent reference work. There is a reason this book on the Waffen-SS, unlike so many others, sold out when first printed and revised and expanded second and third editions published: It is one of the best general introductions to the Waffen-SS ever written.

Insightful view of Hitler's most fanatical troops

This book provides the reader insight into the men, organization and equipment of Hitler's fanatical SS who were undoubtedly not as fanatical as advertized. Plenty of pictures. Informative reading.

A terrific source of information. A must for history fans.

Bruce Quarrie has done a fine piece of work, with this book. An objective look at the history of the Waffen SS. It shows the armed SS in all its shades. Good selection of photographs help showcase the short, but eventful, history of this group of fighting men, as it should be told. I would, also, reccommend his companion to this title. "Hitler's Teutonic Knights" focuses more on the armored divisions and is another wonderful description of the Waffen SS. Both are a must for WWII fans.