Vintage Military History Paperback Lot: Ballantine Illustrated WWII & WWI (1968 to 1971), 4 Vols | France 1940, Sicily, Carpathian Disaster, Trench Fighting

If you love photo-driven military history with that classic mid-century paperback feel, this 4-book Ballantine Illustrated lot is pure shelf-candy and an easy binge-read. These volumes focus on pivotal turning points, from the fall of France and the Sicily landings to brutal trench warfare and an Eastern Front campaign disaster.

Expect dense, readable narrative plus strong black-and-white photo spreads throughout (see photos). The set is priced as a well-loved vintage lot.

Quick Specs

• Item Type: Vintage paperback bundle lot (4 volumes)
• Size: 9 × 6 × 0.25 in (each)
• Material: Paperbacks (card covers)
• Color: Mixed covers (cream/black; teal; light blue; blue/purple)
• Origin or Maker: Ballantine Books Inc., 101 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10003 (photo-shown in multiple volumes)
• Year or Era: 1968 to 1971
• GENRE: Military History (WWII & WWI)
• Language / Pages: English / avg. ~150 pages each
• Identifiers: No ISBN shown. Publisher stock/catalog numbers visible on spines: 345-02384-6, 345-02456-7, 345-01884-2

Edition & Features

Edition/Printing:

Sicily: whose victory? First printing May 1969 (photo-shown)

France: Summer 1940. First printing March 1970 (photo-shown)

Carpathian disaster: death of an army. First printing September 1971 (photo-shown)

trench fighting 1914 to 1918. Not provided

• Dust Jacket: Not provided (paperbacks; no dust jackets shown)
• Illustrations/Maps/Plates: Photo-heavy illustrated history format (B/W photo spreads shown; a map is shown in France)
• Extras: Some volumes show a prior owner name written on the “Contents” page (looks like “Bob Scott”)

What’s Inside

• France: Summer 1940 (John Williams): A tight, dramatic account of the lightning collapse: strategy, command decisions, and the sudden unraveling that changed the war’s trajectory.

• Sicily: whose victory? (Martin Blumenson): The Allied landing told as more than a “win”: friction, logistics, German delaying tactics, and the political/military stakes behind the headlines.

• Carpathian disaster: death of an army (Geoffrey Jukes): A grim campaign narrative centered on an army pushed to its limits: weather, terrain, and planning failures turning movement into catastrophe.

• trench fighting 1914 to 1918 (Charles Messenger): A close look at how trench war worked: weapons, tactics, and what soldiers faced in the mud-and-wire machine of WWI.

Condition Grade: Good

Notes: General vintage shelf wear across the lot (edgewear, rubbing, spine wear/creases, page toning). Trench Fighting shows water damage and cover wear (visible waviness/warping and heavier wear). A prior owner’s name appears on at least two “Contents” pages (see photos).

• See all photos for detail. Sold as pictured.

This four-volume Ballantine Illustrated lot includes first printings from 1969 to 1971, and it suits a reader building a WWII and WWI history shelf. If it's the right copy for you, it's ready to come home.