In 1944 the American Army was closinginon the Nazi war machi ne. They had chased the Germans half way across Europe and Army Intelligence had gotten a very wellrounded picture of them along the way. We now had very thorough information on how Jerry was trained, equipped and organized. We had a pretty good idea how tough he was and how capable were his weapons. We knew how the military machine was organized, and how it would be deployed. 

We also knew that although the German war machine '\vas having shortages and had run out of easy targets, they were bringing their best weapons and battle-hardened troops to meet the Allied onslaught on the western front. The balance of power could well hang On the efficiency and training of company-sized units. The American company officer, the commander on the front line, would have to thoroughly know his enemy if American fighting teams were to meet the Germans on equal ground. 

Recognizing that knowledge is power, the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department compiled this comprehensive study of the German Army, specially edited for the combat leader, the Company Officer. For its size, this volume is perhaps the most concentrated but complete cram-course ever published on the weapons, training, organization, deployment and combat effectiveness of the German Army.

Whether it be the general organizational data of Armored divisions or the bursting radius of the Model 24 stick grenade, the number of light machine guns in a Panzer Grenadier regiment or the number of rounds carried in a Tiger tank, the individual tactics of a machine gun squad or the deployment of an assault tank force, this handbook was designed and compiled to give the Company Officer immediate data. 

This work is reproduced here for its wealth of information on organization, tactics and weapons which are of continuing interest to students of military strategy and history, and serious ordnance students.