"One cannot even imagine the panic which was caused by rumors of the appearance of parachutists." Field Marshal Kesselring The Fallschirmjäger were the German paratroopers, the elite troops frequently deployed as the vanguard of attacks and as the bulwark of a difficult defense. In 1940, they spearheaded the campaigns Belgium, Holland and France. They also saw action in the battle for Norway and in the next year took part in major actions in the Balkans and Crete. Airborne operations were curtailed following heavy losses in Crete after which the Fallschirmjäger took part in the final battles for Tunisia and were prominent on both the Eastern Front and most famously in Italy. In 1944, they appeared on the Western Front serving in Normandy, Holland, the Ardennes and Berlin. This fascinating overview compiled by Emmy Award winning author Bob Carruthers draws on rare primary sources, photographs and combat reports to produce a comprehensive overview of the Fallschirmjäger in action. This book is part of 'The Hitler's War Machine' series, a new military history range compiled and edited by Emmy Award winning author and historian Bob Carruthers. The series draws on primary sources and contemporary documents to provide a new insight into the true nature of Hitler's Wehrmacht. The series consultant is David Mcwhinnie creator of the award winning PBS series 'Battlefield'.