Books

Russia at War, 1941-45
Art and Power: Renaissance Festivals 1450-1650
Reveille in Washington: 1860-1865
The Politics of Change: a Jamaican Testament
The Krio of Sierra Leone: An Interpretive History
Pan-Africanism
Mardi Gras: A Pictorial History of Carnival in New Orleans
Magnolia Mound: A Louisiana River Plantation
Frontier Tales of Tennessee
More Tales of Tennessee
Old Creole Days: A Story of Creole Life (Pelican Pouch Series)
JFK: The Last Dissenting Witness
Flags of the Union: An Illustrated History
Victorian Culture in America 1865-1914
The New City: Urban America in the Industrial Age, 1860-1920
The United States at War, 1941-45
Missouri: The Heart of the Nation
Politics, War and Empire: Rise of Britain to a World Power, 1688-1792 (European History S.)
Freedom at Risk
The World of Asia
The Huddled Masses: The Immigrant in American Society, 1880-1921 (American History S.)
California: A History
Indians in American History: An Introduction
We Are Still Here: American Indians in the Twentieth Century (American History S.)
California: A History

Average customer rating:

An adequate overview
extremely biased
Thanks goodness we arent left with books like this
30 years later, still the best study of the Eastern Front
A must read for anyone interested in the Eastern Front

Russo-German War, 1941-45
Albert Seaton
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Battle for Moscow
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ASIN: 0891413928
Release Date: 1990-08-06

Book Description

Col. Seaton's classic study remains the best single-volume work on this crucial theater of World War II.

Customer Reviews:

An adequate overview.......2005-12-29

if you have but a passing fancy of war on the eastern front and don't have the time to pore over the vast literary material available on it , then this is an able primer on a subject matter that is epic in proportions .

the book employs rather broad brush strokes to paint its picture of what is essentially several theatres rolled into one front . not as easy a task as one would imagine since each theatre of operations unfurled itself at a frightening gallop , often simultaneously with other theatres . you will at best glean an overall chessboard view as each little piece shifted back & forth .

i doubt the author meant the book as an omnibus of the eastern front . it reads more like a well thought out , sufficiently researched and ably written academic treatise . some effort has been put into looking at the men and materiel aspect and this is where some reviewers have taken issue . i don't think the book has any pro-nazi leanings nor concludes that the russians won mainly because of its massive surfeit in manpower. it does seem to say that the wehrmacht , while grossly outnumbered & outgunned in the later stages , resisted for as long as it did due in no small part to better tactics , training and more importantly that indefinable factor variously termed as morale , chutzpah etc . the russian's overwhelming manpower resources is named as only one of many factors that ensured its victory . there was adequate mention of the russians improving tactics and materiel ( all made possible by the timely mobilization of its industrial base and lend lease program ) . certainly , tactical mistakes by the wehrmacht were not glossed over and indeed , seaton makes some clever and interesting "what if" speculations from these .

if you are looking for the human aspect of war , there are other better books . if you are looking for a tactical/strategic appraisal right down to small unit action and plenty of maps with arrows pointing this way & that , there are other better books . if , on the other hand , you are planning to appear very knowledgable and conversant about the subject at the next company dinner , then get that credit card ready .

extremely biased.......2005-10-29

This book is horribly biased against Russian side. If you believe what the author wanted to say, Russian won the war just because of the aids from United States! Russian soldiers were always stupid, druken, and German soldiers were brave, smart, skilled. Also it metioned little of the atrocity and mass murder by German army and SS in occupied Russia, while wrote a lot about the same thing Russian amy did on German soil. Not recommended.

Thanks goodness we arent left with books like this .......2005-09-03

I have owned this book for decades. Even before the great revelations came out with Glasnost and the Fall of the USSR, this book seemed old fashioned, unscientific and a bit dim. There were many descriptions of differences between Soviet troops and society and German troops and society that struck me as downright racist.

There is a general accounting of the military activities and the course of the war, but not much analysis and a totally cold war approach.

Seaton's view that the Soviet Union won simply because of large manpower resources has been rejected by the scholarship of the last 20 years based on more Russian and German sources. The Soviet Union won because of the successful economic mobilization that by 1943 and 1944 made the Soviet Army more modernized, with more motorized equipment, more powerful weapons, superior airpower, and many more and better tanks than the Germans. An apt decscription of the differences at the end of the war would be that of many Eastern Europeans who described the coming of the Russians and the retreat of the Germans:"The German commander left on his horse. The soviet Commander rode in on a jeep."

30 years later, still the best study of the Eastern Front.......2005-06-03

30 odd years after its initial publication, Col Albert Seaton's book remains the pre-eminent study of the Russian-German conflict on the Eastern Front. His use of primary and secondary sources across the spectrum illuminate his clear and concise writing style. Seaton made extensive use of the available Soviet histories and personal journals, but at the time of writing did not have access to the vast amount of material in the archives that today's scholars have. Seaton makes every effort to cross-reference sourcing and always notes where Soviet sources conflict with other source material or when Soviet censorship may have altered the research.

Seaton, along with Glantz, bring life to a long forgotten aspect of World War II history. If you are the kind of person that enjoys the nuts and bolts, the movements of divisions and regiments as well as Army Groups, and wants to learn as much as possible about the Front as a whole, this is the place to start. This is on a broad brush scale, ranging from the Balti to the Caspian, so much fine detail is understandably left out. For more detail about individual battles, Glantz or Antony Beever are two good authors.

One Note: The Footnotes contained in Seaton's book are almost of as much as value as the book itself. The footnotes flesh out and enrich the detail of the work as a whole. The footnotes are primarily quoted in German, with English follow-up, so a German-English dictionary would be helpful.

A must read for anyone interested in the Eastern Front.......2004-03-15

I found albert Seaton's book, The Russo-German War 1941-45 to be well researched and well written. Anyone interested in the largely unknown war between Germany and Russia, the strategies, the victories and the defeats should read this book. I found that I could not put it down.

Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)

Average customer rating:

A valuable addition to every WWII library
A very nice sequel!
Watch out for Wartime Communist Propaganda

Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)
Henry Sakaida
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)
"Knight's Cross, Oak-Leaves and Swords Recipients 1941-45" (Elite)
The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 (Men-at-Arms)
Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves Recipients 1941-45 (Elite)
Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves Recipients 1939-40 (Elite)

ASIN: 1841767697
Release Date: 2004-10-22

Book Description

The Great Patriotic War began on 22 June 1941, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. Over 10 million Soviet soldiers took part in the war and of those about 12,600 earned the Soviet Union’s highest military award - the Hero of the Soviet Union - for deeds of great daring and self sacrifice. This book covers the male recipients of the Hero of the Soviet Union award during the Great Patriotic War. Snipers, fighter pilots, partisans and spies are all included, together with the famous aces Pokryshkin and Kozhedub, who both gained the award an amazing three times.

Customer Reviews:

A valuable addition to every WWII library.......2007-02-05

The author gives a lot of information regarding the prestigious Hero of the Soviet Union (HSU) award and after a brief description of the gold star medal itself and its history, he moves on to present the cases of some recipients from the air, ground and naval forces, including some partisans and spies. The details are very interesting and the stories some times border on the unbelievable. There is at least a black and white photograph of each HSU described and the author even uses the section of the color plates to add some more heroes! In some cases he also explains the medals worn by some decorated veterans, something that I found very informative. A nice short book on a little-known subject.

A very nice sequel!.......2005-09-08

This is a more traditional volume of work, the sequel to Heroines of the Soviet Union...yet it breaks ground in that author Henry Sakaida & artist Christa Hook take on some less than well known subjects and bring them to life magnificently. The stories are inspiring and worthy of Hollywood epics yet the men who lived them saw themselves as merely ordinary folk doing what needed to be done...and there is the genius of this book.
Highly recommended!

Watch out for Wartime Communist Propaganda.......2004-12-09

Although the Soviet Union awarded over 12,000 medals for valor in the Second World War, few of these men have even been heard of in the West. One suspects that even in Russia today, these heroes from sixty years ago are slipping into obscurity. Amateur historian Henry Sakaida is to be congratulated on bringing these men to light in Osprey Elite #111, Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45. Sakaida's narrative of the 30+ individuals that he profiles covers the gamut from aviators, to pilots, to snipers, to sailors, to tankers and infantrymen. Western readers can gain a good impression of the kind of troops that made up the Red Army in 1941-45 in these pages (at least the better ones). However, readers should be aware that the author accepts the Soviet-era claims about these men's exploits with few qualms and that the Soviet Government was more than willing to "manufacture" heroes as needed. While the majority of these men were probably genuine heroes, the exploits of some suggest imaginative citation-writing.

After a short introduction on "the Great Patriotic War," the author provides background on the Hero of the Soviet Union (HSU) award. Interestingly, the author provides data on medal's recipients by branch and ethnic group (e.g. 3 Chechens received the HSU). The author then provides capsule biographies of about 30 recipients of the HSU. The volume includes eight color plates: the Gold Star Medal and the Order of Lenin; sniper Ohlopkov; Lieutenant Gakhokidze at Sevastopol; spy Robert Klein; sailor Golubkov in Manchuria in 1945; pilot Maresyev; medic Kokorin; and partisan Kazei. The author provides no bibliography or notes on source material.

The author certainly provides some dramatic detail in these pages, such as the Soviet pilot who was captured and escaped in a commandeered Heinkel bomber or the naval commando Leonov. However, some of the Soviet-era claims appear pretty dubious. For example, the Soviets awarded the HSU to partisan leader Dmitri Medvedev, claiming that his unit had "killed more than 2,000 Germans, including 11 generals and high officials." Now, the German army in the Second World War had a ratio of perhaps 1 general officer for every 5,000 or more troops, so how likely is it that the Soviets would nail this many generals in one area? Not very likely. Furthermore, a number of citations claim that the recipient killed a German general, but not one is mentioned by name, date, or location, making crosschecking very difficult. Another "tale" that is very fishy is the account of the "Heroes of Taranovka Station," a small unit action near Kharkov in March 1943. This action was unusual because all 25 men in a Guards Rifle platoon received the HSU for this action, in which it was claimed that the platoon held off most of a German tank battalion and destroyed nearly half their vehicles. Taranovka Station is one of those fantasy worlds that Stalin used to like to make out of "dead heroes." As a former tanker, the idea that 25 infantrymen in wooden shacks, armed only with one light AT gun, a few mines and grenades could defeat a mixed force of German armor and mechanized infantry is just silly. Certainly the Guards platoon may have inflicted some damage, but the force ratio was just too unbalanced to be credible. Noticeably, the author avoids commenting on some of the more questionable claims - it appears that he might be concerned about offending some of his hosts.

This volume on the HSU goes well with other Osprey volumes on the Medal of Honor and Knights Cross winners (hopefully they will have one on the Victoria Cross as well), but the volumes from the totalitarian side of the street seem tinged with elements of wartime propaganda and hero creation. Readers from modern democracies should appreciate the sacrifices made by the Red Army in the Second World War (well, not maybe those sacrifices against the Poles or Finns in 1939) - it was the Red Army that did the most to defeat Nazi Germany - but should remain cognizant of the imperatives of Stalin's version of communism that underlay this cult of the hero.

Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)

Average customer rating:

Superb History, Fantastic Artwork!
Five Gold Stars

Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)
Henry Sakaida
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)
Night Witches: The Amazing Story Of Russia's Women Pilots in World War 11
Wings, Women, and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat (Modern War Studies)
The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 (Men-at-Arms)
A Dance With Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II

ASIN: 1841765988
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Book Description

When the Great Patriotic War began many women volunteered for the armed forces, but most of them were rejected. They were steered towards nursing or other supportive roles. Many determined women managed to enter combat by first volunteering as field medics and nurses, then simply picking up a gun during the battle, and charging boldly into the line of fire. In the area of aviation, women also contributed greatly to the war effort. In rickety biplanes, they flew bombing missions at night, without parachutes; their only protection was the darkness. This book tells the stories of the brave women that were awarded the Soviet Union's most prestigious title - Hero of the Soviet Union - for their bravery in protecting their homeland.

Customer Reviews:

Superb History, Fantastic Artwork!.......2005-09-08

A wonderfully written and illustrated book about a heroic and under appreciated chapter of history. Author Henry Sakaida takes great pains in getting the stories correct, including vists with some of these Heroines and their equally heroic families. The artwork by Christa Hook is perfect! Happy to say I own the original work of Ace pilot Lilya Litvak! It's a brilliant little book, long overdue. Give it your attention please, it deserves it.

Five Gold Stars.......2004-01-20

Quality can be expected from Osprey, which is why I was eager to receive this book from Amazon. It is about women combatants of the Great Patriotic War (WWll) who received the most prestigious title "Hero of the Soviet Union" (HSU). Note, that while over a million women fought and many were otherwise decorated, only about 100 were awarded the Gold Star of the HSU. This slim, 64-pg volume features a few examples from each of these categories: fighter-pilots, bomber aircrew, medics, machine gunners, snipers, scouts, tankists, partisans, and political officers. There are other books, such as "Women in War and Resistance", which provide greater in-depth information. But what sets this book apart, as with all Osprey publications, are the illustrations. On every glossy page are wonderful, rare photographs. And in the center are eight full-color plates of exquisitely detailed paintings by Christa Hook. Unexpectedly, the text contains numerous errors. Granted, most of these would be apparent only to readers familiar with the works of Kazimiera Cottam, Anne Noggle, and Reina Pennington. But one gaffe which is absolutely appalling, considering Osprey's reputation for historical excellency, jumps right off the first page: "[Stalin] wanted to showcase the advancement of women... His wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, headed the women's section of the Communist Party." Yikes! Krupskaya was, of course, the wife of Lenin, and outspokenly critical of her husband's successor. Stalin's hatred for her was mutual, to the point where he once suggested ominously that a more compliant widow might be "appointed for Comrade Lenin"! Moreover, Stalin contemptuously regarded women "like herring, only with ideas." Most importantly, though, the erronious text diminishes the extraordinary efforts of Marina Raskova to convince Stalin to allow the formation of her famous female aviation regiments. Normally, such inaccuracies would cost a book a review star. But the author, Henry Sakaida, earns the full five, just for being a hero in his own right! Mr. Sakaida, a collector of Soviet medals, has a superb (and highly recommended) website. Therein are the touching accounts of how he acquired and hand-returned -- to far away Uzbekistan and Buryatia Siberia! -- stolen Gold Stars to the families of two deceased HSUs. The author has taken a Russian language course because of his interest in his topic. He has journied to Ukraine expressly to visit HSU dive-bomber pilot Mariya Dolina, and to present flowers at the museum and monument to fighter-ACE Lilya Litvyak. And he has attended the annual May Day (veterans' day) celebration in Kiev. All these stories and photos are on his website, where his smile shows his pleasure at meeting the heroes of his book.

Stalin's War: Soviet Uniforms & Militaria 1941-45 in Colour Photographs

Average customer rating:

Stalin's War: Soviet Uniforms & Militaria 1941-45 in Colour Photographs
Laszlo Bekesi
Manufacturer: The Crowood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 186126822X

Book Description

This is the third volume by the acclaimed Hungarian collector-and-photographer team, identifying and explaining historic Soviet militaria from private collections. A wide range of uniforms, insignia awards, weapons, equipment, documents and ephemera from the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War are illustrated, in more than 230 close-up color studies, supported by more than 60 fascinating monochrome photographs that have survived, unpublished, in private hands. This volume includes explanations of Soviet military symbolism from the early days of the Communist state, but concentrates on the period of key interest between 1943 and 1945, when Stalin consciously revived many of the visual traditions of the Tsarist years in order to harness Russian patriotism against the Nazi invaders.

BARBAROSSA TO BERLIN - VOLUME 2: November 1942 to May 1945? (Chronology of the Campaigns on the Eastern Front 1941-45)

Average customer rating:

A good general source for the War on the Eastern Front

BARBAROSSA TO BERLIN - VOLUME 2: November 1942 to May 1945? (Chronology of the Campaigns on the Eastern Front 1941-45)
Brian Taylor
Manufacturer: Spellmount Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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BARBAROSSA TO BERLIN - VOLUME 1: The Long Drive East - 22 June 1941 to 18 November 1942 (Barbarossa to Berlin a Chronology of the Campaigns on the Eastern Front 1941-45)
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Slaughter at Halbe: The Destruction of Hitler's 9th Army,April 1945
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Battle for the Ruhr: The German Army's Final Defeat in the West (Modern War Studies)

ASIN: 186227228X

Book Description

The second of two volumes, this is a chronological account of the campaigns on the Eastern Front, following the Soviet counter-offensive around Stalingrad to the final destruction of the Ostheer.? ?Having carefully mustered their forces for a counter-offensive around Stalingrad, the commanders of the Red Army began the long process of besting the German Army and pushing it out of the Soviet Union. The last large-scale German offensive in the east, Kursk, broke the back of the revitalized Panzerwaffe and placed the Ostheer on the defensive for the remainder of the conflict. Unrelenting pressure pushed the Ostheer back to the Dniepr and beyond and paved the way for the overwhelming Soviet victories of 1944 and 1945. In the last 18 months of the war the Red Army demonstrated a complete mastery of the application of force and the crushing victories in Belorussia, the Balkans and Poland destroyed the cohesion of the Ostheer and proved beyond any doubt that Germany was destined for total defeat.

This day-by-day account allows the reader to obtain an understanding of the scale of the conflict and assess the impact of distance and time upon operations or alternatively, to concentrate upon a specific battle as it unfolded. By detailing each combat sector, be it the hard fighting around Leningrad, the destruction of Army Group Centre in Belorussia or the battles of attrition at Kursk, the reader is able to study a chosen area of operations in isolation while also assessing its impact upon the wider campaign

Customer Reviews:

A good general source for the War on the Eastern Front.......2004-09-12

Many books have been written and are yet to be written on the Eastern Front battles between Germany and the Soviet Union. This book and its companian are a good starting point for a novice study of these battles.

The books are a quick read but with only a half page or less per day it leaves a lot left out and only covers the major actions of the combatants.

A recommended addition to a Eastern Front libary as a good starting point for future research.

Average customer rating:

Soviet Rifleman 1941-45 (Warrior)
Gordon Rottman
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1846031273
Release Date: 2007-10-23

Book Description

In the first four months of the war the The Red Army did not refer to its ground combat troops as "infantry" but as "rifle troops" (streltsi), dating back to the Czarist era when rifle units were considered more elite than rank-and-file infantry (pyekhoty).

The Soviet rifleman initially suffered defeats and retreat during the early desperate days of the Great Patriotic War, then rallied to conduct a stubborn defense in the brutal winter of 1941/42, and eventually turned the tables at the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk. This title provides a view of the Soviet rifleman in defeat and victory, on the defensive and in attack, and in the heat of the summer and the frozen brutality of the Russian Winter. Their political beliefs, motivation, training, everyday life, weaponry and equipment are examined, accompanied by rare photographs and full color artwork.

Russia's Heroes, 1941-45: An Epic Account of Struggle and Survival on the Eastern Front

Average customer rating:

Tough People
History Falsification
Courage and Sacrifice

Russia's Heroes, 1941-45: An Epic Account of Struggle and Survival on the Eastern Front
Albert Axell
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45 (Elite)

ASIN: 0786708565

Book Description

For four years in World War II, out of an unquestioned love for their mother country, the Russian people heroically defended their soil with their blood -- most famously, as Harrison Evans Salisbury has demonstrated in The 900 Days, in the siege of Leningrad, and as Antony Beevor has shown in his monumental Stalingrad. This new volume by historian Albert Axell captures in full the valor of the sons and daughters, soldiers and villagers, Cossacks and snipers who battled in Moscow and Stalingrad, in the Caucasus and the Arctic, at the Brest fortress and Kursk Bulge. Their defense of Mother Russia, the battlefront that in World War II dwarfed all others, turned the tide of the war against Hitler and enabled the western democratic forces to reduce dramatically the number of their casualties. From the account of the aging Russian general who suffered drenchings in ice-cold water rather than collaborate with his Nazi captors to that of the nineteen-year-old private who flung himself on the gun port of a German pillbox so that his comrades could advance, these pages not only chronicle extraordinary selfless acts of heroism but also rectify an astonishing oversight in innumerable histories of World War II. The stories throughout are altogether remarkable -- like that of Alexei Maresyev, the pilot who crash-landed his plane, crawled in the snow for two weeks with the two broken legs he eventually lost, and with a pair of artificial limbs returned to the air to continue the fight for the country of his blood -- and dramatically illustrate how deeply patriotism and bravery lie in the Russian soul.

Customer Reviews:

Tough People.......2003-12-24

This book is full of stories of brave men and women who fought a monstrous evil, did not whine about it, did not expect or ask for help.
They suffered dearly and were some of the bravest fighters ever.
Think of the Alamo defenders on a huge scale.

History Falsification.......2002-12-24

This book is the real example how Communists and Soviet Union did the falsifications of the real history. I started reading that book and it looks like the author used the sources the KGB provided specially for him. You cannot compare that book with Enemy at the Gates by William Craig, where the different sources were used in order to help readers to understand the real history of the WWII. I would recommend reading that book to anybody who wants to get the real picture about WWII and how Soviet Union won the battles. But Albert Axell copied the books I used to read when I was a kid in Soviet Union and our grandfathers told us that the real history of that war is different.

Courage and Sacrifice.......2001-10-17

This book contains a series of anecdotally-presented portraits of Soviet sacrifice and courage during the four years of War. When the immensely powerful German forces invaded on 22-June 1941, neither the Allies nor the Nazis believed that Russia could long endure. Hitler had stated at a conference of his generals that Russia was to be "annihilated", her cities and everyone within to be destroyed. No one expected the resolve of the people to resist and defend their land. Noted historian Albert Axell compiled many of these portraits of ordinary Soviet soldiers and their often extraordinary heroism from his personal interviews with veterans and/or their surviving families. Others derive from Western eye-witness sources and German military records. The end result is an apolitical collection, free from Soviet wartime hagiographics -- for the most part, that is. Included, notwithstanding, are the romanticized legends from frontline propaganda: teenaged partisan Zoya Kosmodem'yanskaya's patriotic exhortations following her unspeakable torture, and sniper Vasiliy Zaitsev's duel with the German master-shooter. But the majority of the narratives are straight-forward, unembellished recollections. Also featured are biographies of less famous but no less proficient snipers Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Fyodor Okhlopkov, and Nina Lobkovskaya. Here, too, are accounts of the defense of the Fortress of Brest, and anecdotes of civilian valor during the battle of Stalingrad and the blockade of Leningrad. Here are interviews with Nadya Popova, a pilot from an all-female bomber regiment; Alexei Mares'yev, a pilot who lost his legs but returned to fly with artificial limbs; and a few desperate aviators who survived "taran" (ramming) Luftwaffe planes. And here is the fate of Yakov Dzhugashvili, a POW disowned by his father, Josef Stalin. Among "Russia's Heroes" are representatives of a wide spectrum of Soviet citizens: Ukrainians, Georgians, Siberians, Eastern Asians, Cossack cavalrymen, and Jewish generals. As a daughter of a seaCaptain of the North Atlantic Convoys, I'm especially proud that Allied merchant mariners had been honored as Soviet heroes and are included in this book! In recent years many of the specific topics of Axell's research have been presented in greater depth, but "Russia's Heroes" provides a fast-paced and fascinating overall view of the human dimension on the Eastern Front.

Average customer rating:

Russia at War 1941-45
Alexander Werth
Manufacturer: E.P. Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0214157385

Ostfront : Hitler's War on Russia 1941-45

Average customer rating:

The definitive study of the German-Russo War
Concise Overview
Complete and Interesting
Well arranged view over Ostfront.
Solid Book on the War in the East

Ostfront : Hitler's War on Russia 1941-45
Charles Winchester
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front
Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knight's Cross

ASIN: 1841760668
Release Date: 2000-01-15

Book Description

The Eastern Front was the decisive theatre of World War 2 and the largest land campaign in history. Ostfront is a detailed account of Hilter's flawed invasion of Russia, where the German army and Luftwaffe fought the Red Army across a 1,200 mile frontier, in conditions ranging from baking heat to -40ºC.

Customer Reviews:

The definitive study of the German-Russo War.......2003-10-06

To this Ostfront fanatic Winchester's book represents the definitive study of the 1437 day German-Russo conflict. I particularly liked how he steered away from the tendency of prolonged military division detail of other works whilst through great statistics, never seen before photographs, good graphics and vivid maps his wonderful book brings home to the reader the incredible scope of this campaign and the full horror of its "total war" base. Considering the deep supply lines that the Germans had to maintain their successes in Russia were phenomenal as to was the patriotism of the Russian soldier and civilian whose tenacity turned the tide of the entire war. Indeed a most unlikely accomplishment if it had not been for the "Ostfront" For all students of WW2 this is an absolute must.

Concise Overview.......2001-01-09

This is the clearest book I've read on WW2 ever. Period. Absolutely absent is the author ego and non-historical hype so prevalent in the field today. Absent also is the strange Cold War hangover which takes the credit for defeating Germany away from the Soviets and makes it seem WW2 was won on the shores of northern France. The facts which become clear to an impartial student of WW2 are presented perfectly in this work: the Soviets bore the brunt of the land war in WW2 and the main contribution of the Western Allies was their destruction of the Luftwaffe and their strategic bombing campaign. The overwhelming scale of the war on the Eastern Front and its horrible consequences are sketched out clearly with both words and pictures. This book was a pleasant surprise.

Complete and Interesting.......2000-04-21

This text is an excellent overview of the war in the east. It really drives home the vastness and overwhelming scope of the eastern front...the front where WWII was won and lost. This book provides you with a platform for which to read further into the many areas of interest on the eastern front. I found myself intrigued with several relatively unknown areas of conflict such as Sevastapol and the bagration. Very interesting and highly recommended.

Well arranged view over Ostfront........2000-02-03

This book is a well arranged view over war in the east 1941-45, a recommended reading for those who are interested in the subject, but I could find some mistakes , for example, Gen. Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach was not the commander in the Demyansk pocket,who led the breakout, he was the commander of the relief force.

Solid Book on the War in the East.......2000-01-10

Ostfront is a very good introduction for those interested in the war on the Eastern Front. It contains detailed information on troop strength and equipment for the Germans and Russians. It also contains a wealth of photos in addition to color plates of uniforms and tanks/aircraft.

Highly recommended.

The Eastern Front Day by Day, 1941-45: A Photographic Chronology

Average customer rating:

Engaging and recommended

The Eastern Front Day by Day, 1941-45: A Photographic Chronology
Steve Crawford
Manufacturer: Potomac Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Eastern | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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Russia | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1597970107

Book Description

On June 22, 1941, preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment along the entire 2,000-mile border, three million Axis troops and 3,330 tanks smashed into the Soviet Union. Adolf Hitler believed the campaign would be over in four months. Four years later, thirty-five million Soviets and five million Germans had been killed in a campaign that had ripped the heart out of the western USSR and Eastern Europe. It left the land gutted, the infrastructure destroyed, and millions of civilians homeless.

The Eastern Front Day by Day, 1941-45 is a chronological approach to the fighting that decided the war's outcome in Europe. It allows the reader to see at a glance key battles on land, at sea, and in the air, such as the great encirclement engagements of 1941—Minsk, Smolensk, and Kiev—the siege of Leningrad, Stalingrad, Kursk, and Operation Bagration. As well as describing the titanic battles, the book also includes sidebars on all the main commanders who led the German and Soviet armies on the Eastern Front, such as Guderian, Zhukov, von Manstein, Vatutin, Rokossovsky, Model, and von Rundstedt. In parallel to the military maneuvers in the war, the political events that occurred on both sides and influenced the war are included, for example, the activities of the SS and Einsatzgruppen murder squads.

The Eastern Front Day by Day also covers the technology that had an impact on the conflict, such as the Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber; the T-34, Tiger, and Panther tanks; and the "Stalin's organ" rocket launcher. The major events of each month dominate the narrative, but lesser episodes are also included to present a comprehensive summary. These include anti-partisan activities behind German lines, the administration of conquered territories, and the propaganda war waged by both sides. It is a book that no student of the war on the Eastern Front can do without.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging and recommended.......2007-01-04

On June 22, 1941, preceded by a massive artillery and aerial bombardment along the entire 2,000-mile border, three million German troops and their allies, along with 3,330 tanks, smashed into the Soviet Union in a military campaign that Adolph Hitler thought would be over in just four months. Four years later, thirty-five million Soviets and five million Germans had been killed in a campaign left the western USSR, Eastern Europe, and German itself, with a gutted landscape, and millions of civilians homeless. "The Eastern Front Day By Day, 1941-45" is a photographic chronology that includes key battles on land, at sea, and in the air, including the great encirclement engagements of 1941 at Minsk, Smolensk, Kieve, Leningrad, Stalingrad, Kursk, and Operation Bagration. Featuring sidebars on all the principle commanders who led the German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front, as well as the events that occurred on both sides and influenced the war (including the SS and Einsatzgruppen murder squads), the technological advances in planes, tanks, rocket launchers, and more, "The Eastern Front" is a succinct, profusely illustrated, month-by-month historical overview that is as informed and informative, as it is engaging and recommended for personal, academic, and community library Military History reference collections in general, and World War II Eastern Front supplemental reading lists in particular.

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