Reddit reviews Panzer Leader

It depends on the time period in question:

First, the original assault guns were not anti-tank weapons. They were anti-infantry/stronghold, hence the word "assault". The original stug 3 was a short barreled weapon.

The reason not to have a traversing turret is that the traversing turret was expensive and also has a higher profile (i.e. easier to target with anti-tank weapons).

As experience with the eastern front went on it was decided to put anti-tank weapons on these because the Germans needed cheap and effective anti-tank weapons. The lack of a traversing turret turned out not to be such a bad thing.

For example: A tank is always a trade-off between speed/mpg and armor. So, tanks have very heavy front armor with less side armor and even less rear armor.

The experience of the 75mm stug III's turned out well, and when their commanders transferred to tanks with traversable turrets the result was amazing. For example, the legendary Michael Wittman started out as a Stug 3 driver. He did so well as a tank commander later because he never traversed the turret, therefore his Tiger was always displaying it's front to the enemy.

The German's picked up on this and decided to make the Stug 4 as the war winning tank but were never quite able to build enough of them.

Edited to add: It is all well described in Guderian's book: http://www.amazon.com/Panzer-Leader-Heinz-Guderian/dp/0306811014/ref=la_B001ITYGCU_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410828585&sr=1-1

EDITED TO ADD AGAIN: So, when the German's "kicked in the door" in the east they were surprised to find the KV1 and T-34 tanks, and their tanks and anti-tank guns couldn't do much about it. They finally developed the 75mm gun. However the standard tank at the time (the Mark 3) could not fit it into its turret. The last of the mark 3's had a 60mm gun. Anyway, they could, however, fit the 75mm gun into the Stug 3, so that is where it all started.

Most of my knowledge regarding the matter is European, so I'm going to give a list of my favorites regarding the European / African front.

To get the German perspective of the war, I'd recommend:

• Panzer Commander - Hans von Luck - One of my favorites
  
  
• Panzer Leader - Heinz Guderian - He developed Blitzkrieg tactics
  
  
• The Rommel Papers - Erwin Rommel - Written by my favorite German Field Marshal up until his forced suicide by Hitler. Good read of the Western and African theaters of war. Also a good book to read if you're interested in what German command was doing on the lead up to D-Day.
  
  I have a few battle-specific books I enjoy too:
  
  
• Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege 1942-1943 - You really don't know the brutality of Stalingrad till you've read this book. You'll see it in a whole new light I think.
  
  
• Berlin: Downfall 1945 - Battle of Berlin at the end of the war, another good book.
  
  Now if you want to play games, Hearts of Iron series is great (someone recommended the Darkest Hour release of the game. Allows you to play historical missions based on historical troop layouts, or play the entire war as a nation. Historical events are incorporated into the game. While you'll rarely get a 100% accurate game as it is abstracted, it is an excellent way to see what challenges faced the nations of the time. You could play as Russia from 1936 and prepare yourself for the eventual German invasion. Or maybe you decide to play as Germany, and not invade Russia. But will Russia invade you when they are stronger? Will warn you: It does not have a learning curve. As with almost all Paradox Interactive games, it is a learning cliff.

General Guderian's Panzer Core reached the outskirts, then received orders to withdraw to a more defensive position because most materials were going to the offensive at Stalingrad.

Edit: Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_Leader_(book) autobiography by General-Colonel Heinz Guderian.
http://www.amazon.com/Panzer-Leader-Heinz-Guderian/dp/0306811014

If that's true, then why does this exist?

or this?

Win or lose, history is written by the survivors.

One of the most revealing books about the Eastern Front that I have read was published by a German General who served there at the time. It is called Panzer Leader by Heinz Guderian and it lays out the strategic successes and failures of the German army throughout its different fronts pretty well.

It is also interesting to read because Guderian was one of the first to pioneer the Blitzkrieg tactics and Panzer formations early in the formation of the Wehrmacht. Additionally, Guderian was one of the few generals that Hitler fired but brought back again because he realized how damn good Guderian was.

Heinz Guderian wrote a book called "Panzer Leader". Amazon link here:
http://www.amazon.com/Panzer-Leader-Heinz-Guderian/dp/0306811014

I haven't read it myself, but my second-hand understanding is that Guderian tends to give himself credit for every successful operation that he was involved with, and none of the blame for the unsuccessful operations.

This is literally the opposite of what happened. The majority of the troops, were in the eastern front. The west has green troops and new divisions. The east was where the best of the germans fought and died.

Here's some reading that will help clear any doubt about the matter.