World War II Winter and Mountain Warfare Tactics

Dr Stephen Bull is Curator of Military History and Archaeology for Lancashire Museums, with particular responsibility for local regimental collections, and is a consultant for the University of Oxford on World War I projects. He has previously worked at the National Army Museum and the BBC in London. A Member of the Institute of Archaeologists, he has also appeared in the TV series Battlefield Detectives, Lost Treasures, and Instruments of Death. He has written several Osprey titles on World War I and World War II.Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art college in Cornwall. He’s had a life-long passion for illustration, and since 1985 has worked as a professional artist. He has provided award-winning illustrations for the publishers Dorling Kindersley, where his interest in historical illustration began. Steve has illustrated over 70 books for Osprey.

• Introduction: strategic and tactical constraints of terrain and climate on military operationsPre-war background work: British Polar Institute – Indian Army – European Alpine troops – transport, sleds and skisRusso-Finnish Winter War of 1939–40: materials and experience – ‘motti’ tacticsNarvik 1940 – Norwegian experience – establishment of British Commando SchoolsThe Russian Front, 1941: Russian tactics, German inadequacies and improvisationGerman responses 1942–44: winter warfare and ski-troop manualsUS responses: manuals 1941–44 – tactical training – clothing and equipmentItaly, 1943–45: mountain warfare – mule transportThe West, 1944–45: British in the Netherlands – Battle of the Bulge – snow camouflageConclusionsBibliography

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