It's a historical narrative, kind of similar to Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. He covers everything from the battle, and movements of the two forces as a whole, and brings right down to stories and excepts of individual soldiers and civilians. Here's the review which prompted me to get the book:
Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor
The battle of Stalingrad was a pivotal event of the Second World War. It is entirely reasonable to suggest that the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany started with the terrible mauling they received at the hands of the Soviets. It also consolidated Stalin's power and created the modern Communist state and the ensuing decades of cold war.
The author of this detailed study has had the considerable advantage of access to Russian archives which had hitherto been unavailable to researchers, and he covers the run up to the actual siege itself, the battles, the final crushing of the 6th Army and the aftermath..
The Russian campaign was more than just military, it was a clash of ideologies; Fascism vs. Communism and the political backdrop is essential to understanding the situation. The reaction of the political leaders to events not only followed from their personal beliefs but also their ideological outlook. Failing to take this into account would seriously diminish the students understanding of the campaign. The attitude of the Soviets to their own people, while harsh in the extreme, contributed to their eventual victory. Equally, Hitler's obsession with direct control crippled the ability of his armies to respond swiftly.
While the broad strategies and pivotal events are covered in compelling detail, Beevor also details the views of individual soldiers and civilians. The text is richly illuminated with personal memories and anecdotes taken from the extensive archives available to the author. This type of detail allows the reader to gain a strong impression of how the fighting affected the individuals who took part. Throughout the book the broad sweep of events and intimate detail are effortlessly melded together
Stalingrad was a terrible campaign, with tremendous suffering on both sides as well as to the Russian civilian population. One is left with the impression of terrible waste. Also, like the Japanese in the Pacific, the Germans awoke a terrible enemy and could not stand in the face of the overwhelming forces that were ranged against them.
A richly detailed and compelling read.
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August 19, 1942
02-14-2002, 12:32 AM
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