Good evening ladies and gentleman. Over the last two or so years I've done quite a bit of reading on what some have termed the "Minor Axis." That is the nation states and political movements other than Germany, Italy, and Japan that were allied with or co-belligerent with the Axis powers. For those so interested in the topic, I present a bibliography below with some comments and a 1—5 star rating from yours-truly. The latter is subjective, I grant, but perhaps helpful for those wishing to decide on a book to read. Germany and the Axis Powers: From Coalition to Collapse, by Richard L. DiNardo (University Press of Kansas, 2005). This is an excellent overview on how Germany conducted coalition warfare with her Axis allies. The text excludes the Empire of Japan as they largely waged a separate war. It does, however, cover in great detail the Axis Powers in Europe and North Africa. I found it a fascinating read and it provides a good primer on the topic. Rating: ★★★★★ SS Hitler's Foreign Divisions: Foreign Volunteers in the Waffen SS 1940-1945, by Christopher Bishop (Amber Book, 2005). This book provides a good overview of the foreign Waffen SS units deployed during the war. Its quite exhaustive and covers, essentially, all Waffen SS units staffed by non-Germans. Some sections are a bit spotty but, in fairness, the historical record for some are simply not widely available. If you have an interest in the Waffen SS or some of the more obscure units of the German war machine, this one is not to be missed. Rating: ★★★ Desperate Measures: The Last-Ditch Weapons of the Nazi Volkssturm, by W. Darrin Weaver (Collector Grade Publications, 2005). This may seem a trifle out of place in this list as the Volkssturm was very much part of the German military apparatus. It is included, however, due to the fact that the Volkssturm was equipped with a dizzying array of small arms from throughout Europe (both friend and foe of Nazi Germany) and, as such, provides great detail on the arms of the Axis Powers. I have never found a more exhaustive and thoroughly researched text on the armament of the Volkssturm as contained in this text. It is highly recommended. Rating: ★★★★★ Finland at War 1939—1945, by. Philip Jowett & Brent Snodgrass (Osprey Publishing, 2006). This is a short text in the "Elite" series of books by Osprey. It covers Finland during the Winter and Continuation War. I found it to be a good overview of the Finnish fighting man during the time period. The illustrations, both photographs and color plates, were well done. Rating: ★★★ The Royal Hungarian Army in World War II, by Dr. Nigel Thomas (Osprey Publishing, 2012). Coverage of the Hungarian contribution to the war is, regrettably, pretty thin; at least in the English language. This short book is in Osprey's "Men-at-Arms" series. While a short text, it does provide a good background and overview of the Hungarian forces deployed in Operation Barbarossa and in the resulting aftermath. Rating: ★★★ Axis Forces in Yugoslavia 1941—45, by Nigel Thomas (Osprey Publishing, 1995). This is another short book in the "Men-at-Arms" series. It covers the Axis forces that occupied Yugoslavia and the bitter partisan warfare fought on said soil. The nations covered are Germany, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Macedonia. The breadth of coverage is fantastic though, alas, I wish the depth was more so. Rating: ★★★★ The Blue Division Soldier 1941—1945, by C. Caballero Jurado (Osprey Publishing, 2009). While División Azul was actually part of the Wehrmacht, I believe the inclusion some texts covering the unique contribution of the Spanish volunteers is order. This is another short read, but it does cover the basics, and the illustrations are quite good. Another text I can recommend is Germany's Spanish Volunteers 1941—45 by John Scurr (Osprey Publishing, 1980). One or both can provide a jumping off point to further reading on the Blaue Division. Rating: ★★★★ I hope this information proves useful to anyone interested in the topic. I excluded Italy from the list per the introductory paragraph, but should there be any interest, I could prepare a similar guide.
