Freetime Books | New Books - Free Delivery

Russia 1942-1943

$17.95

Blitzkrieg - Book 5

By Will Fowler
Published in 2003 by Ian Allen Publishing, UK
Softcover, 96 Pages
Size - 24cm * 17.5cm

After the harsh Russian winter of 1941-42 had effectively ended offensive military action on the Eastern Front, the spring thaw and the buildup of forces allowed the Germans once again to launch a major onslaught on their Soviet opponents.

On 8 May 1942, Operation Blue commenced and, over the next few months, the German forces, again adopting the tactics so successful the previous year, swept the Russian forces further eastwards as cities such as Sevastapol and Rostov and German troops entered the iconic city of Stalingrad. Now considered to be one of the pivotal points of World War 2, the campaign to capture the city and then relieve the surrounded forces under von Paulus was one of the epic struggles of the war.

Despite the ultimate German defeat at Stalingrad, the Axis forces were still highly potent and continued to mount stern resistance in the face of the Russian advance. Moreover, the Germans retained enough military capacity to launch a further assault the following year - the ill-fated attempt to destroy the Russian salient at Kursk

A City on the Volga
The drive across the Ukraine and into the Caucasus took the German Army in the Soviet Union to what would be the limits of the Third Reich. On maps of Europe it looked like a spectacular triumph, but it held the seeds of the ultimate destruction of Hitler's Germany.

Der Totaler Krieg
Stalingrad obsessed Hitler and consumed the 6th Army. Trapped within the ruins of the city the firepower and mobility of German tanks was nullified. The Soviet counter attack to north and south pulverised the poorly trained and equipped Hungarian, Rumanian and Italian troops who were holding the vulnerable flanks.

Kharkov Armoured Anvil
Manstein may have failed to lift the siege of Stalingrad, but his masterly battles of manoeuvre halted the Soviet 1945 winter offensive around Kharkov. As the front lines stabilised the huge Kursk salient was formed. This seemed the likely objective for a German summer offensive confirmed by Enigma intercepts.

Unternehmen ZITADELLE
The massive armoured battles fought to the north and south of Kursk consumed men, tanks, guns and aircraft. In the noise, smoke, fire and dust the last chances for Nazi Germany to achieve a victory that might delay or prevent defeat were consumed in a man-made inferno.

Fully Illustrated with over 100 B&W photos, and over 30 colour illustrations including maps, weapons and photographs.