DAS REICH DIVISION AT KURSK: 11 July 1943 (Visual Battle Guide) [Hardcover]

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In the early summer of 1943, following the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler sought a decisive battle that would turn the struggle on the Eastern Front in the Germans' favor. On the 5th July 1943, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel. Attacking with a force of 3000 tanks and assault guns, the Germans faced a well dug-in force of more than 3900 Soviet tanks, with another 1500 tanks in reserve. The tanks advanced with as many as 50 vehicles packed together per kilometer of line. What followed was the largest tank battle the world has ever seen, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.On the 11th July, three SS divisions - Totenkopf, Das Reich and Leibstandarte - attempted to break through the Soviet lines at the village of Prokhorovka, and so force the flank of the Soviet defensive position. Facing them were the newly deployed Fifth Guards Tanks Army. It was the Germans' last chance for a potential breakthrough on the Eastern Front. The battle raged all day, with German attack followed by Soviet counterattack. By nightfall the Germans had lost more than 300 tanks and the Fifth Guards Tanks Army 50 percent of their strength. Despite their heavy losses, the Soviet defenders had achieved their aim: the German attack had been halted and all hope of their regaining the initiative lost.Das Reich at Prokhorovka has an eight-page gatefold depicting one of the brigades from the Das Reich Division in an innovative and fresh manner. This brigade is shown in battle deployment, with reconnaissance units, advance companies, the main body, the brigade command section, plus all the supporting engineers, signalers, artillery etc to provide a visual guide to exactly how many tanks and other armored vehicles were advancing on the 11th July. The book itself is broken down by these sections, looking at each component part of the brigade in turn, their structure, equipment and what they did on 11th July. Maps will be used where appropriate to show the location of each element on the battlefield. The description of each part includes action reports, organization, equipment, unit commanders and much more. Thanks to its new and accessible approach, the book will appeal to both the enthusiast and the general reader interested in World War II. 

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Amber (June 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1907446621
• ISBN-13: 978-1907446627

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Zitadelle: The German Offensive Against the Kursk Salient 4-17 July 1943 [Paperback]

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A detailed examination of the factors that led to this titanic struggle on the Eastern Front

 

Few battles attract interest so much as the Battle of Kursk. Operation Zitadelle, the code name given by Hitler to the Wehrmacht's last offensive on the Eastern Front in July 1943, has acquired an almost mythic status as one of the greatest clashes of armor in the history of warfare. It has been long depicted as the "the swan song of the German tank arm" by virtue of the huge tank losses experienced by the Germans, however the emergence of new information proves it to be anything but. For all the resources devoted to this operation by the Germans, Zitadelle was an abysmal failure; and while they were not outfought by the Red Army at Kursk, they were out-thought by commanders of outstanding quality. Zitadelle describes the German and Soviet tactics and explores the realities of the battles on sodden ground that culminated in the defeat of the panzers and the Soviet advance on the Reich.

About the Author

Mark Healy is the author of The Ancient Assyrians, Cannae 216 BC, and Kursk 1943.

 

"I've read David Glantz's book on Kursk and thought very highly of it. Then I discovered the rave reviews for Mark Healy's book and had to read and compare the two books.
Both books are well researched and are 5 star quality but the authors have different styles and formats. One book is a little better on one category but comes in second on another.

Mr Healy has spent a little more than half the book on the preparation and introduction to the campaign. It starts with the relationship of Hitler and Manstein at the time of the Kharkov Offensive and then expands on the discussion with Zeitzler, Manstein and other generals in deciding on which form of the Kursk Offensive: the "Fronthand" or the less aggressive "Backhand Approach". Once decided, Mr Healy enumerates every situation or condition that will have an effect on the offensive. Its an extensive analysis that is impressive. It includes Stalin's spy ring, Churchill's notification of the offensive to Stalin, Hitler's delays, planning the offensive, Luftwaffe support, panzer production troubles, partisan interaction, Lend Lease assistance to Stalin and much more. I particularly liked the discussion on Hitler's views on Manstein. It was also significant how many of the generals disavowed the "Backhand" approach.
Mr Glantz also discusses such items but not in as much length or detail. This area goes to Healy.

The next area to compare would be Wonder Weapons and tanks in general. Mr Glantz discusses Hitler's new panzers in chapter one and in chapter two a little about Russian armor. The Tigers, Panthers and Elephants are furthered discussed throughout the book. Mr Healy devotes an entire section of 7 chapters - Part Three- to the subject of wonder weapons and tank tactics. The presentation is impressive. Mr Healy wins here.

Mr Healy spends 170 pages on the offensive while David Glantz spends 176 pages. The volume is about the same but Glantz lists more engagements while Healy is more selective but gives greater depth to each selection. Mr Glantz covers the tank battles near Prokhorovka more fully. This is a close call but for me, I'll give it to Glantz.
I have an interest for July 9th for its a pivotal day in the campaign. The moves and counter moves made that day will lead to the tank battles near Prokhorovka just two days later. Both authors cover the day well but Mr Healy writes an auxiliary chapter, Chapter 37, that discusses the Soviet contention that it was their blocking of Oboyan that caused the Germans to shift to the east toward Prokhorovka which resulted in the massive tank battles. He presents evidence to the contrary, that it was in the German battle plan back in May to shift to the northeast. Very interesting chapter. In a related matter, Mr Healy refutes Soviet claims of destroying thousands of panzers in the first few days. This theory is confirmed on July 13th when Manstein argues with Hitler to continue the battle in the south. Both Mansttein and Kempf were confident that by continuing the assault, Soviet tank reserves could be shattered.
Near the end of Chapter 4, Mr Glantz states in his book that due to the stalled advance of Kempf and the stiff resistance facing 48th PzC driving north toward Oboyan that Hoth orders the 2nd SS PzC to shift its axis toward Prokhorovka. This would be more in tune with Soviet doctrine and a difference with Mr Healy.

Another point of related interest is the number of tanks destroyed in the campaign. Both authors have similar comments and quote similar numbers for this topic. An important point is that the Germans were able to recover many damaged tanks for use in future battle. About 325 panzers were destroyed while another 1600 damaged panzers were recovered for future use. Its estimated that the Russians lost 1614 tanks, five times the number of German losses. This topic is a draw.

In one area both authors were skimpy on and that is the battle for the skies. This is not unusual for Mr Glantz but he does mentions in Chapter 3 the condition of the Luftwaffe in the area before the start of the battle. Mr Healy does discuss a little fuller on the air war in Chapter 16. Both books may disappoint some people on this subject. If so, Christer Bergstrom's book has excellent coverage of the air war.

Each author ends his book with Conclusions. The main theme to both books is the future implications to the lessening of German offensive capabilities. Both are good but Glantz is more extensive and he takes this area.
Both books have pictures but "Zitadelle" has many move and better ones and in this area it clearly wins.
Both books have maps but "Battle of Kursk" has more and better ones, interspersed throughout the narrative and easy to study as your reading. Mr Healy only has a few maps at the beginning of the book. He does have a map of the July 12th tank battle which was helpful. Mr Glantz wins here.
Both books have Appendix. They're similar but "Battle of Kursk" is more extensive and Glantz wins here.

This is my simple, amateur ratings contest. People, of course, will weigh things differently. Owning either one will make you a winner, but the best choice is to have both books in your library; they really do complement each other."

 

- reviewed by  Dave Schranck "Dave" (Anaheim Ca)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: The History Press; Reissue edition (July 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752457160
• ISBN-13: 978-0752457161
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 1 inches 

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The Battle of Kursk [Paperback]

Editorial Reviews

Review

A good read. Looks at the traditional approach to Kursk and provides another well-founded interpretation of the battle. -- Parameters

An outstanding work on one of the most significant battles of World War II. -- Journal of Military History

The definitive analysis of Kursk. Ranks among the decade's most distinguished works of military history. -- Dennis Showalter, History Book Club Review

Product Description

Immense in scope, ferocious in nature, and epic in consequence, the Battle of Kursk witnessed (at Prokhorovka) one of the largest tank engagements in world history and led to staggering losses--including nearly 200,000 Soviet and 50,000 German casualties within the first ten days of fighting. Going well beyond all previous accounts, David Glantz and Jonathan House now offer the definitive work on arguably the greatest battle of World War II. Drawing on both German and Soviet sources, Glantz and House separate myth from fact to show what really happened at Kursk and how it affected the outcome of the war. Their access to newly released Soviet archival material adds unprecedented detail to what is known about this legendary conflict, enabling them to reconstruct events from both perspectives and describe combat down to the tactical level.
The Battle of Kursk takes readers behind Soviet lines for the first time to reveal what the Red Army knew about the plans for Hitler's offensive (Operation Citadel), relive tank warfare and hand-to-hand combat, and tell how the tide of battle turned. Its vivid portrayals of fighting in all critical sectors places the famous tank battle in its proper context. Prokhorovka here is not a well-organized set piece but a confused series of engagements and hasty attacks, with each side committing its forces piecemeal.
Glantz and House's fresh interpretations demolish many of the myths that suggest Hitler might have triumphed if Operation Citadel had been conducted differently. Theirs is the first account to provide accurate figures of combat strengths and losses, and it includes 32 maps that clarify troop and tank movements.
Shrouded in obscurity and speculation for more than half a century, the Battle of Kursk finally gets its due in this dramatic retelling of the confrontation that marked the turning point of the war on the Eastern front and brought Hitler's blitzkrieg to a crashing halt.
This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

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" "The Battle of Kursk" is a must-read for anyone seriously interested in "operational" (i.e. batallion units and above) level warfare in the context of the pivotal 1943 World War II Eastern Front Battle of Kursk. If Stalingrad was the end of the beginning, Kursk was the beginning of the end for the Wehrmacht in Russia. What makes this book unique is the expert authors' access to and translations of crucial Soviet recently de-classified battle accounts. These provide an essential correlary (and, in some cases, corrective) to previously published German accounts of the battle. The mythical July 12 tank battle at Prokhorovka is critically examined and placed in a proper context. This book also does an excellent job of placing the entire Kursk battle in its larger context, from Manstein's early 1943 "Miracle" counteroffensive on the Don, to the subsequent Soviet summer offensive that resulted in the capture of Kharkov. The maps and index are excellent, and the many appendices contain a treasure trove of statistical information. The few minor errors re German forces (e.g. calling Rudolf von Ribbentrop a Tiger Company commander, when his 6th Company of the Leibstandarte division's Panzer Regiment actually consisted of less powerful Mark IVs) are trivial. No other book on the battle of Kursk presents so thorough and convincing an explanation of how and why Operation Zitadelle failed, especially pages 138-147 on the "fateful decisions" made on July 9. The technical information and tank photos provided by Steven Zaloga are the icing on the cake. At last, the battle of Kursk laid bare, with supreme diligence."

 

- reviewed by  Charles A. Meconis (Seattle, United States)

 

 "It is perhaps a considerable understatement to argue that history has not been kind in interpreting the German conduct of the war against the Russians along the Eastern front. Nowhere was their conduct more self-defeating or more disastrous than at Kursk, in one of the most epochal battles in the war. In this book, authors David M. Glantz and Jonathan M. House, noted authors of other such singular tomes about Operation Barbarossa and the later Russian campaigns into Germany as "When Titans Clashed", concentrate provocatively on the particulars of the epic exchanges at Kursk that changed the calculus of the Second World War, not only for the Russian front of the war, but for the entire Allied war effort in Europe. In this regard, if Stalingrad was the point at which the fortunes of the Wehrmacht were first so fatefully reversed, then Kursk was the point of no return, where the unavoidable destiny of the eventual defeat and horrific destruction of the Nazi regime was all that lay ahead. The Battle of Kursk was one of the most pivotal and epochal struggles in the Allied war against the Germans. It was one of the largest tank engagements in military history, and through its devastating destruction in terms of the number of functional and operating armored vehicles left for the Wehrmacht to continue their prosecution of the war, it was the turning point in the war, the catastrophic defeat the Nazis could no longer afford to absorb. In this regard, considerable controversy has revolved around the extent to which Hitler himself was to blame, given his fabled micromanagement of the Eastern campaign in general and the battle at Kursk in particular. In this book the authors meet this controversy head on, and while many readers may not agree with the interpretations and conclusions of the authors, they will certainly appreciate the verve, scope, and details contained in their overview of the events at Kursk, and their import for subsequent events all along the Eastern front as well.
Too many Americans familiar only with the Cold War aspects of Russian history tend to be ignorant of the critical contribution the Soviets made in winning a war so essential to the survival of democracy. It is an uneasy truth that without the Russian contribution in battling up to 200 divisions of German Wehrmacht troops for over four years, our entry onto the continent in France would not have been possible in 1944. Indeed, risking such a large sea borne assault would have been problematic against a force of the numbers of troops who would have been available had they not been otherwise preoccupied and engaged in an epic effort attempting to stem the terrible onslaught they were receiving at the hands of a resurgent Soviet Army. This isn't to claim the Russians could (or would) have won the war themselves, although there are serious and scholarly arguments forwarding such propositions.
Rather, my point is that the Russians single-handedly repeatedly smashed (and cumulatively diminished) the vast and critically important war-fighting capabilities the Wehrmacht continued to thrust against them, and that in doing so they changed the course of the war both along the Eastern front and for the war against the Allies in general. The evidence of just how formidable, ferocious, and inexhaustible opponents they had become in the two short years since the inauguration of Operation Barbarossa is detailed and documented in this terrific book, which shows how the series of hasty, chaotic, and disastrous German attacks at Kursk led into the largest armored confrontation in the war and precipitated the devolution of the Wehrmacht into a fragmented, fractious, and mortally wounded fighting force that soon was compelled to retreat, step by tortuous step, all the painful way back to Berlin, losing millions of soldiers along the way. This is an authoritative, scrupulously documented, and quite entertaining account of one of the most important battles of WWII, and I highly recommend it. Enjoy."

- reviewed by  Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 485 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kansas (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780700613359
• ISBN-13: 978-0700613359
• ASIN: 0700613358
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.5 inches 

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Hungary in World War II: Caught in the Cauldron (World War II: The Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension) [Paperback]

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is the first comprehensive account of the antecedents and events of World War II in Hungary to appear in English since the end of communist rule in that country in 1989. Professor Cornelius brings extensive scholarly experience and detachment to her subject, as well as sympathy for those who had suffered as a result of the war because of the often terrible events that had overtaken them. Her aim is not to allocate blame for what happened but to understand why people involved in the war's turmoil acted as they did under the pressure of unprecedented developments. In this desire for the understanding of the past this book differs from previous works that were often tendentious or even acrimonious.-Nandor F. Dreisziger

Product Description

The story of Hungary's participation in World War II is part of a much larger narrative--one that has never before been fully recounted for a non-Hungarian readership. As told by Deborah Cornelius, it is a fascinating tale of rise and fall, of hopes dashed and dreams in tatters. Using previously untapped sources and interviews she conducted for this book, Cornelius provides a clear account of Hungary's attempt to regain the glory of the Hungarian Kingdom by joining forces with Nazi Germany--a decision that today seems doomed to fail from the start. For scholars and history buff s alike, Hungary in World War II is a riveting read.Cornelius begins her study with the Treaty of Trianon, which in 1920 spelled out the terms of defeat for the former kingdom. The new country of Hungary lost more than 70 percent of the kingdom's territory, saw its population reduced by nearly the same percentage, and was stripped of fi ve of its ten most populous cities. As Cornelius makes vividly clear, nearly all of the actions of Hungarian leaders during the succeedingdecades can be traced back to this incalculable defeat.In the early years of World War II, Hungary enjoyed boom times--and the dream of restoring the Hungarian Kingdom began to rise again. Caught in the middle as the war engulfed Europe, Hungary was drawn into an alliance with Nazi Germany. When the Germans appeared to give Hungary much of its pre-World War I territory, Hungarians began to delude themselves into believing they had won their long-sought objective. Instead, the final year of the world war brought widespread destruction and a genocidal war against Hungarian Jews. Caught between two warring behemoths, the country became a battleground for German and Soviet forces. In the wake of the war, Hungary suffered further devastation under Soviet occupation and forty-five years of communist rule.The author first became interested in Hungary in 1957 and has visited the country numerous times, beginning in the 1970s. Over the years she has talked with many Hungarians, both scholars and everyday people. Hungary in World War II draws skillfully on these personal tales to narrate events before, during, and after World War II. It provides a comprehensive and highly readable history of Hungarian participation in the war, along with an explanation of Hungarian motivation: the attempt of a defeated nation to relive its former triumphs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Fordham University Press; 3 edition (January 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823233448
• ISBN-13: 978-0823233441
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.1 inches 

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Sevastopol 1942: Von Manstein's triumph (Campaign)

Robert Forczyk's Sevastopol 1942 followed the typical Osprey Campaign series format. However, I am pretty amazed how much information are packed in this short book. The author managed to write quite a lot and write it with clarity within the limited space afforded to him by Osprey.

The book clearly described the Sevastopol Campaign from late 1941 to summer of 1942 and the author made sure that both sides of the warring parties were well represented in his account. The photographs and maps that come with this book proves to be useful and helpful. I didn't see any major historical inaccuracy and if there was any minor ones, I really couldn't tell anyway. The book covered the entire Crimean campaign within the time frame and clearly highlights General Eric von Manstein's superior generalship as well as desperate Soviet efforts to forestall their defeat.

On the minor downside, I thought the author was bit too harsh on von Manstein's moral behavior and I find it somewhat surprising that he put von Manstein on the same level as Rommel in terms of ability. In my book, von Manstein is ten times the commander that Rommel ever was even if he wasn't a "soldier's general" type. It could be that the author was a victim of Osprey's hype when the backside of the book describe Sevastopol as "last major German victory of World War II". I believe that author knows the gross exaggeration of that note by the publisher.

But overall, this is fantastic book on the subject matter. The author's skill as a writer and as a historian shows when he didn't waste a single sentence writing this book. One of the Osprey's better Campaign series books.
- reviewed by  lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Robert Forczyk's Sevastopol 1942: Von Manstein's Triumph is a masterpiece of command strategies and battle tactics and should be center of any World War II library. Joining others in the 'Campaign' series, it surveys the mission of the Army Group South to seize the Crimea to prevent Soviet air attacks on the Polesti oilfields in Romania. Vintage black and white photos help document a moving history." -California Bookwatch (April 2008)

"The content of the book is well-presented, and more importantly, written from in-depth research... [Sevastopol] was one of the greatest sieges of the Eastern Front of the European War, and Sevastopol 1942: Von Manstein's Triumph provides the details a reader will need to learn of this battle." -C. Peter Chen, World War II Database (January 28, 2008)

"Forcyzk skillfully weaves together the story of the German campaign to seize the city, interspersing logistics, operational planning and military movements, leaders, and the terrain and weather into an excellent overview of the Stevastopol campaign...this is perhaps the finest general overview of the Sevastopol campaign on the market." -Scott Mingus, Charge! (January 12, 2008)

"Robert Forczyk covers the preparations, and all the various battles in and around Sevastopol in a manner that is both interesting and easy to read. This is all superbly illustrated by Howard Gerrard and with an excellent choice of maps, diagrams, and period photographs to lead us through what could have been a confusing set of operations. It is an excellent book on a part of WWII that rarely gets any sort of press. One that I know you will enjoy reading as much as I did." -Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (January 2008)

Product Description

In late July 1941, Hitler ordered Army Group South to seize the Crimea as part of its operations to secure the Ukraine and the Donets Basin, in order to protect the vital Romanian oil refineries at Ploesti from Soviet air attack. After weeks of heavy fighting, the Germans breached the Soviet defenses and overran most of the Crimea. By November 1941 the only remaining Soviet foothold in the area was the heavily fortified naval base at Sevastopol.

Operation Sturgeon Haul, the final assault on Sevastopol, was one of the very few joint service German operations of World War II, with two German corps and a Romanian corps supported by a huge artillery siege train, the Luftwaffe's crack VIII Flieger Korps and a flotilla of S-Boats provided by the Kriegsmarine. This volume closely examines the impact of logistics, weather and joint operational planning upon the last major German victory in World War II.

About the Author

Dr Robert A. Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in European and Asian military history. He is currently a lieutenant colonel in the US Army Reserves and has served 18 years as an armour officer in the US 2nd and 4th Infantry Divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division (Light). The author lives in Laurel, MD.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846032210
• ISBN-13: 978-1846032219
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.2 x 0.3 inches

To the Gates of Stalingrad: Soviet-German Combat Operations, April-August 1942

Product Description

The confrontation between German and Soviet forces at Stalingrad was a titanic clash of armies on an unprecedented scale--a campaign that was both a turning point in World War II and a lasting symbol of that war's power and devastation. Yet despite the attention lavished on this epic battle by historians, much about it has been greatly misunderstood or hidden from view--as David Glantz, the world's foremost authority on the Red Army in World War II, now shows.
This first volume in Glantz's masterly trilogy draws on previously unseen or neglected sources to provide the definitive account of the opening phase of this iconic Eastern Front campaign. Glantz has combed daily official records from both sides--including the Red Army General Staff, the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, the German Sixth Army, and the Soviet 62nd Army--to produce a work of unparalleled detail and fresh interpretations. Jonathan House, an authority on twentieth-century warfare, adds further insight and context.

Hitler's original objective was not Stalingrad but the Caucasus oilfields to the south of the city. So he divided his Army Group South into two parts--one to secure the city on his flank, one to capture the oilfields. Glantz reveals for the first time how Stalin, in response, demanded that the Red Army stand and fight rather than withdraw, leading to the numerous little-known combat engagements that seriously eroded the Wehrmacht's strength before it even reached Stalingrad. He shows that, although advancing German forces essentially destroyed the armies of the Soviet Southwestern and Southern Fronts, the Soviets resisted the German advance much more vigorously than has been thought through constant counterattacks, ultimately halting the German offensive at the gates of Stalingrad.

This fresh, eye-opening account and the subsequent companion volumes--on the actual battle for the city itself and the successful Soviet counteroffensive that followed--will dramatically revise and expand our understanding of what remains a military campaign for the ages.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

From the Back Cover

"A magisterial new survey that draws on a wealth of previously inaccessible Red Army records and will be indispensable reading for all serious students of the battle."--Michael K. Jones, author of Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed
"In a way never before attempted, Glantz reveals how the battle proceeded through the step-by-step, day-by-day efforts of leaders to plan, supervise, and conduct combat operations amidst the fog of war."--Roger R. Reese, author of Red Commanders

"Glantz is the world's top scholar of the Soviet-German War."--Journal of Military History

About the Author

David M. Glantz is the author of numerous books, including The Battle for Leningrad, 1941-1944; Colossus Reborn: The Red Army at War; and Red Storm over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania. Jonathan M. House is the author of Combined Arms Warfare in the Twentieth Century. Glantz and House are also coauthors of When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler and The Battle of Kursk.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 678 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kansas (May 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780700616305
• ISBN-13: 978-0700616305
• ASIN: 0700616306
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 2.1 inches

Armageddon in Stalingrad: September-November 1942 (The Stalingrad Trilogy, Volume 2) (Modern War Studies)

Product Description

The German offensive on Stalingrad was originally intended to secure the Wehrmacht's flanks, but it stalled dramatically in the face of Stalin's order: "Not a Step Back!" The Soviets' resulting tenacious defense of the city led to urban warfare for which the Germans were totally unprepared, depriving them of their accustomed maneuverability, overwhelming artillery fire, and air support--and setting the stage for debacle. Armageddon in Stalingrad continues David Glantz and Jonathan House's bold new look at this most iconic military campaign of the Eastern Front and Hitler's first great strategic defeat. While the first volume in their trilogy described battles that took the German army to the gates of Stalingrad, this next one focuses on the inferno of combat that decimated the city itself.
Previous accounts of the battle are far less accurate, having relied on Soviet military memoirs plagued by error and cloaked in secrecy. Glantz and House have plumbed previously unexploited sources--including the archives of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) and the records of the Soviet 62nd and German Sixth Armies--to provide unprecedented detail and fresh interpretations of this apocalyptic campaign. They allow the authors to reconstruct the fighting hour by hour, street by street, and even building by building and reveal how Soviet defenders established killing zones throughout the city and repeatedly ambushed German spearheads.
The authors set these accounts of action within the contexts of decisions made by Hitler and Stalin, their high commands, and generals on the ground and of the larger war on the Eastern Front. They show the Germans weaker than has been supposed, losing what had become a war of attrition that forced them to employ fewer and greener troops to make up for earlier losses and to conduct war on an ever-lengthening logistics line.
Written with the narrative force of a great war novel, this new volume supersedes all previous accounts and forms the centerpiece of the Stalingrad Trilogy, with the upcoming final volume focusing on the Red Army's counteroffensive.
This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

From the Back Cover

"Glantz and House are writing the definitive history of the Stalingrad campaign. Their trilogy, backed by meticulous scholarship and refreshingly fair minded, significantly alters long-accepted views of several important aspects of the campaign. . . . A monumental work that is unlikely to be surpassed as an account of the most important single campaign of the Second World War."--Evan Mawdsley, author of Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War, 1941-1945 "A magisterial study that draws on a wealth of previously inaccessible Red Army records and will be indispensable reading for all serious students of the battle."--Michael K. Jones, author of Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed

About the Author

David M. Glantz and Jonathan M. House have collaborated previously on three books, including To the Gates of Stalingrad: Soviet-German Combat Operations, April-August 1942 (Stalingrad Trilogy, Volume 1), When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler, and The Battle of Kursk.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 896 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kansas; 1St Edition edition (October 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780700616640
• ISBN-13: 978-0700616640
• ASIN: 0700616640
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 2.6 inches