Hunters from the Sky: The German Parachute Corps, 1940-1945

Founded by Luftwaffe chief Hermann Goring and led by General Kurt Student, an officer of exceptional ability, the German airborne force was a crucial element of the new method of warfare it launched in WWII - blitzkreig.

Referred to as “Hunters from the Sky”, German paratroopers infiltrated Allied lines, fighting from the moment they hit the ground, seizing bridges, capturing airfields, and suffering losses of up to 50 percent.

Here is the first full-scale history of the German Parachute Corps, from the terror and exhilaration of its first combat drop in 1940 to its bloody demise in 1945.

Charles Whiting’s brilliantly-researched book describes the important role of the parachute division in the attack on Belgium and Holland in 1940, the capture of Crete in 1941, the rescue of Mussolini in 1943, and its activities in Russia, Italy, and France trying to stop the advancing Allied armies during 1944 and 1945.

Whiting recounts many stories of courage, including the tenacious defence of Monte Cassino and Brest in 1944, and the bold rescue of German POWs behind enemy lines in France.

“Fair, balanced, and exciting.” — Luftwaffe General Kurt Student, pioneering commander of the world’s first airborne division

“As good an account as anyone will find.” — Soldier magazine

“Whiting adds a rarely written-about dimension to the body of material available on World War II. He presents a vivid, factual account of Nazi airborne tactics that should fascinate any armchair military strategist, former paratrooper, weekend parachutist, or lover of adventure stories.” — Publishers Weekly

Charles Whiting is the author of numerous history books on the Second World War. Under the pen name of Leo Kessler he also wrote a series of bestselling military thrillers, including ‘Guns at Cassino’ and ‘Valley of the Assassins’.