Uniforms Of World War Ii

This is an expert guide to the uniforms of Britain, America, Germany, USSR and Japan, together with other Axis and Allied forces. It is an incredible directory of the military personnel of the period, with 600 images, including photographs and illustrations of uniforms, kit, weaponry and equipment. It analyses the context of the conflict, and the ideology and politics that motivated the various national forces, as well as the experience of the soldiers who fought on the front lines. World War II was a huge conflict, fought on different fronts, covering diverse terrain and involving the fighting men of dozens of nations. At the outbreak of war in 1945 military uniforms had changed little from those worn by the soldiers of World War I, but as the conflict progressed changes were made to adapt to fighting and living conditions. This book covers in detail what the soldiers who fought in the war wore, from British infantrymen in Normandy to Japanese troops in Burma, and from Finnish ski divisions to female Chinese partisans. Lavishly illustrated, with intricate insignia detail, this book offers a definitive visual study of a pivotal period of history.

In the years after World War I, the defeated and much-reduced German Army developed new clothing and personal equipment that drew upon the lessons learned in the trenches. In place of the wide variety of uniforms and insignia that had been worn by the Imperial German Army, a standardized approach was followed, culminating in the uniform items introduced in the 1930s as the Nazi Party came to shape every aspect of German national life. The outbreak of war in 1939 prompted further adaptations and simplifications of uniforms and insignia, while the increasing use of camouflaged items and the accelerated pace of weapons development led to the appearance of new clothing and personal equipment. Medals and awards increased in number as the war went on, with grades being added for existing awards and new decorations introduced to reflect battlefield feats. Specialists such as mountain troops, tank crews and combat engineers were issued distinctive uniform items and kit, while the ever-expanding variety of fronts on which the German Army fought – from the North African desert to the Russian steppe – prompted the rapid development of clothing and equipment for different climates and conditions. In addition, severe shortages of raw materials and the demands of clothing and equipping an army that numbered in the millions forced the simplification of many items and the increasing use of substitute materials in their manufacture. In this fully illustrated book noted authority Dr Stephen Bull examines the German Army's wide range of uniforms, personal equipment, weapons, medals and awards, and offers a comprehensive guide to the transformation that the German Army soldier underwent in the period from September 1939 to May 1945.

Illustrates and documents the clothing and individual equipment used by American soldiers during the First World War.

Features over 250 full-color illustrations of uniforms from 30 countries in World War II, accompanied by detailed histories and descriptions.

Describes the uniforms of the major armed forces of the world and shows how military dress has become less decorative and more attuned to the practical needs of the twentieth century soldier

Describes weapons, equipment, and uniforms of World War II Allied Forces.

Covers primarily 1939-1945, the period in which the most outward changes in appearance of the German soldier came about. Army ordinance and general orders laid down what was to be worn officially; however, they were frequently changed and alterations were often done on personal initiative, especially at the front, depending on what was necessary and practical.

World War II British Women's Uniforms records the uniforms and insignia worn by the women's services in all theatres of war, in more than 220 photographs from private collections.