Author: Robert Kirchubel
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Hardback
ISBN: 978 1 78200 408 0
Review by Bill Curtis
Our thanks to Osprey Publishing for supplying our review copy. Get this good reference book here now at: www.ospreypublishing.com
Initial assessment
This book covers the German invasion of Russia in June of 1941 which was the biggest invasion in the history of warfare and was designed to totally destroy the Soviet Union thus giving Lebensraum for the German nation to expand eastwards.
Three German Army Groups with various European allies crossed the border with the hope of a swift campaign with easy victories such has happed in the earlier war period against Poland and Western Europe.
However with its huge resources in men and material coupled with the vast distances which overstretched the supply lines combined with some stoic defensive actions in spite of command decisions from the top caused the advance to slow and finally be brought to a halt before the gates of Moscow.
The optimistic forecast were proving to be very inaccurate and the tide turned in front of Moscow and drove the German forces back which could be said to be the start of the defeat of the Third Reich.
The Book is a combination of the three earlier Campaign series books on the invasion of the Soviet Union with extra information added to help tell the definitive story of this part of history.
This volume is fully illustrated in typical Osprey fashion with colour maps, artworks and contemporary photographs and a very easy to read text fitted into 400 pages of good quality paper.
Conclusion
The author is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who has had a keen interest in the campaigns on the Eastern front during World War Two and anyone who undertakes a study of this period of history is faced with a daunting task as this front was not only the largest, with an extremely long front line, which was in continual flux whether by large force offensives or small unit actions. This means that research and cutting of the cloth so to speak is a difficult task in itself to tell the complete story.
I like this volume not only for it’s easy read but for the various artworks throughout the book which adds to the narrative giving an extra flavour to the action.
This volume is no doubt one that historians and modellers will find of use and the latter may also be inspired to recreate some of the actions in dioramas.
Highly Recommended
Bill C.