The Royal Hungarian Army in World War II (Men-at-Arms, 449)

Osprey always has superior color plates so modelers and gamers can replicate spot-on authentic depictions of the uniforms and accouterments of the soldiers. In this volume, we also receive an exceptional, if necessarily brief, description of the Royal Hungarian Army from the end of WWI to the final collapse in WWII. The tale is one of wasted heroism and in some cases of the barbaric, wanton butchery of civilians.Hungry fielded three complete armies in WWII. But the soldiers were short of artillery. For some periods they re-designated brigades as divisions--and no that did not work out very well. Their armored forces were small in number and out of date even as the tanks left the factory floor.I buy Osprey books frequently. I use them as a quick brief on the subject at hand. I find them useful for me in that way. This volume I thought especially good.A typical high-quality Osprey book. Recommended as an introduction to the subject or for modelers or for those who do not need greater detail than can be discovered in a short volume.

The Axis eastern satellites have received very little, mostly negative coverage in the classic accounts of World War 2. Generally their war efforts are footnotes or used as the excuse for German failure and Soviet success. These armies fought long and hard with very inferior equipment, armor and anti-tank guns in particular, against formidable odds. This short treatment of the Hungarians is very good. Hungary is a country whose difficult language and long history of Soviet domination has kept western historical researchers at bay. This work is not the final answer, nor could it be within the limitations of the Osprey format. But, it goes a long way to open the door and inform the reader of the Hungarian contribution to the Axis war effort. The Hungarians fought with the Germans to the last and paid a horrific price in military and civilian lives and post-war distrust by the Soviets. The color plates were excellent. I would have preferred a bit more on the tanks, planes and other equipment, trading off the space used for order of battle information. But this is minor quip. This is a good start for those wanting a better understanding of the war on the Eastern Front.

This is a fairly good overview of the Hungarian army in World War II. The illustrations are fairly good and depict the different uniforms and weapons of the Hungarian army, as an Axis ally in World War II. Unfortunately, not much was devoted to the modest Hungarian Air Force however although I wonder if it was the aim of this publication do begin with, as perhaps it was intended to discuss the ground forces only. Not enough about the uniforms of the Arrow Cross either, who, although not regular forces, did participate in the battle of Budapest. And the part about the final days of the war was also overlooked when Hungarian troops continued to fight alongside Germans and Croats against both eastern and western allies, and there wasn't much information about the many Hungarian units who enlisted in the Waffen SS. Pretty informative overall, and a good general introduction as a whole.

EASILY DIGESTIBLE IN ONE OR TWO SITTINGS,"THE ROYAL HUNGARIAN ARMY IN WORLD WAR 2," IS A FLUID AND LITERATE SURVEY OF AN AXIS ALLY. THE AUTHOR CERTAINLY KNOWS HIS SUBJECT AND THERE IS THE USUAL EXCELLENT ART WORK AND INSIGNIA DATA TECHNOCRATS CRAVE.

Once again Osprey has done a fantastic job at looking at one of the Axis Players in World war II. The Plate are great as is the information on a country which is offen overshadowed by Germany. Worth adding to one's collection.

The book provides a superficial focus on the TO&E of the Royal Hungarian Army during the war, but doesn't offer much information on its conduct in battle, or its history. Also does not mention much about their equipment (small arms or otherwise).

This book is full of facts, figures and illustrations. Not much has been published in English about the Royal Hungarian Army. So this publication fills a gap. And it does so with style and tact.

thank you

While set-up in the usual OSPREY way - with a quick history lesson followed by some illustrations of the uniforms worn - this is an interesting example of a publication which could lead you on into deeper and more detailed waters by giving you pertinent/interesting facts without oversimplifying. From Hungarian units that refused to participate in the razing of the Warsaw Ghetto to Hungarian officials who were awarded high SS rank for their anti-semitic actions. The reminder that it was not only Germany that suffered territorial reduction at the end of WW1 - leading to resentment and an appetite to follow the NAZI lead in the hope of restoring 'lost' lands. Also the fact that Hungary's first alliance was with Italy against Germany!

Like any Osprey title, this is a good "primer" on the subject, but could perhaps be a bit better. This particular volume is mainly a campaign history of the Hungarian Army in the WW2 period. However, this coverage takes up most of the book which means the normal "staple" of the Men-At-Arms series, uniforms and equipment, being squeezed into the back of the book in the captions for the colour plates which are of the excellent quality expected of Darko Pavlovic. Perhaps the campaign history could have been abbreviated, thus allowing much greater description of how the army "looked" during the period.Recommended, but with some reservations.

Great artwork again by Osprey's group. The subject is rare and they are to be applauded for venturing into an area that normally requires a knowledge of the Hungarian language. I have the WW1 companions and its been a very rewarding purchase. Buy this if you want to know more about the Axis minor partners of WW2. The bibliography is worth the money!

Good history book on WW2

Used this book to research the Hungarian army in ww2 for a wargame I play. Found it really helpful