by Philip Jowett
Softcover (6.8×9.2 inches). 248 pages. 2026.
Subtitle: Poland, Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Italy, France
The subtitle lists the countries where the photos were taken and cover the partisan bands and some of the anti-partisan units.
The photos show a mix of well-dressed and well-equipped partisans on propaganda display to the hodge podge lodge of civilian and military clothing and assorted weaponry from then modern to museum pieces. Old, young, men, women, and children are present. For painters and modelers, you really can’t have “wrong” partisans — they used whatever they could get, including a lot of captured German weaponry.
Interesting photos: Soviet partisans operating a 76mm artillery gun (p45) and old I-15 biplane (p47). The rest showcase the mix.
About 250,000 Soviet partisans, somewhat indifferently supported by the Red Army, were sabotaging railroads and ambushing troops by mid-1943 and were opposed by 500,000 anti-partisan troops (p78). Anti-partisan operations usually involved encircle and exterminate, including villages within the circle, although there’s an errant comment that successful anti-partisan operations needed a 4:1 advantage (p78). No footnote on that. No bibliography, either. Maybe that came from Munoz — he’s written a number of books about partisans in WWII. Dunno.
Country by country, you see the partisans in various poses and in various states of readiness. I was a bit surprised to read that Italy had 85,000 partisans by late 1944 (p173) — quite a number. Then again, if you draft people for forced labor and oppress those left, taking up arms is a logical choice.
The book contains 343 black and white photos and two black and white illustrations (posters).
If you’re modeling partisans, you should probably look more at the photos of ragtag groups instead of the shiny new propaganda photos. Both are certainly valid, but only the lucky bands would be so well-dressed and equipped. Some great photos in there for your desperate bands.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
