T-34: An Illustrated History of Stalin’s Greatest Tank

The T-34 was one of the most remarkable tanks of the Second World War. Although the Red Army suffered continual heavy tank losses, the rugged and reliable T-34 was an immense success story and was ultimately instrumental in turning the tide of the war. This photographic history follows the story of this exceptional armoured vehicle from its disastrous first action during Operation Barbarossa to its miraculous defence of Moscow, its envelopment of the Axis forces at Stalingrad and victory at Kursk, and finally, the advance to the gates of Warsaw then on to Berlin. Packed with a wealth of images, including rare archive photographs and photographs of surviving examples, this is an extraordinary record of both the tank and its personnel. The accompanying text features an in-depth technical evaluation outlining the differences in the myriad of models, including detailed plans of each type, alongside a gripping breakdown of the tank’s entire operational history. AUTHORS: Wolfgang Fleischer is a historian and works at the Bundeswehr Military History Museum, Dresden. Anthony Tucker-Jones is a writer, military historian and a widely published expert on regional conflicts, counter-terrorism and armoured and aerial warfare. He has had over forty books published by Pen & Sword. His recent titles include The Battle for Budapest 1944-1945, The Battle for the Caucasus 1942-1943 and Hitler’s Panzers: The Complete History 1933-1945.