Arracourt 1944

Triumph of American Armor

by Mike Guardia

Series: Casemate Illustrated

Imprint: Casemate

128 Pages, 7 x 10 in, 150 photographs and illustrations

Paperback
9781636240329
February 2022
In Stock

$24.95

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9781636240336
January 2022

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Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

A heavily illustrated account of how the tanks of 4th Armored Division defeated two panzer brigades over 11 days of battle at Arracourt.

September 1944: With the Allies closing in on the Rhine, Adolf Hitler orders a counterattack on General Patton's Third Army in France. Near the small town of Arracourt, France, elements of the US 4th Armored Division met the grizzled veterans of the 5th Panzer Army in combat. Atop their M4 Shermans, American tank crews squared off against the technologically superior Mark V Panther tanks of the Wehrmacht. Yet through a combination of superior tactics, leadership, teamwork, and small-unit initiative, the outnumbered American forces won a decisive victory against the 5th Panzer Army.

Indeed, of the 262 tanks and mobile assault guns fielded by German forces, 200 were damaged or destroyed by enemy fire. The Americans, by contrast, lost only 48 tanks. Following the collapse of the German counterattack at Arracourt, General Patton’s Third Army found itself within striking distance of the Third Reich’s borderlands.

The battle of Arracourt was the US Army's largest tank battle until the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944. It helped pave the way for the final Allied assault into Germany, and showed how tactical ingenuity and adaptive leadership can overcome an enemy’s superior size or technological strength.

Timeline of Events
Introduction
Opposing Forces
The Campaign
Afterword
Further Reading
Index

Mike Guardia is an internationally recognized author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty as an Armor Officer. He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member in the Military Writers Society of America. He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Minnesota.

"...an interesting study of small-unit leadership that emphasizes the importance of tank-crew training, the value of a reliable logistics system and effects of weather on battlefield activities." ~ARMOR Magazine

"This well-written book explains how U.S. forces won this critical battle." ~WWII History Magazine

"An enjoyable read of a campaign that has been obscured by more well-known engagements in the ETO." ~AMPS

"...it is the wealth of photos that really makes this book so interesting and enjoyable. This includes some nicely done full color profiles of some of the tanks involved. In all, it is a great addition to the series and a book that you will very much enjoy." ~ModelingMadness.Com