Though not defeated in WWI, Austria-Hungary did sign the armistice along with Germany at the end of that conflict. Expecting to be treated better than the Germans, the Hungarians and Austrians were humiliated and forced to give up a great deal of territory, just as had the Germans. There also followed the usual attempt of the communists to take over the country, a struggle that saw them soundly defeated. Naturally, the treaty that was signed in 1920 with the Allies is still seen as unjust and excessively punitive so you can imagine how the nation felt at the time. This was one of the reasons that the Hungarians joined as part of the Axis in an effort to regain lost territories and population.

The 'Men-at Arms' series is as much about the units and uniforms/equipment of these soldiers as it is about the conflict itself. That being the case, this particular edition covers just those aspects of the Royal Hungarian Army. Not surprisingly, some of the equipment both in terms of uniform items and weaponry, were German in origin. However, much of it was not and was of local manufacture. In addition to the usual regular army uniforms, those of the navy and police are also covered.

What you will find in these pages are superb descriptions of these units/dress along with some unique photographs taken of some of the soldiers in their uniforms. This is further enhanced by the outstanding illustrations of Darko Pavlovic which add some real color to these old greyscale images from the distant past.

A book that rightly belongs on the shelf of any WWII enthusiast and one that provides a bit more insight into one of the more important Axis allies. Highly recommended.

October 2008

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