Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27596 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-06
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Hitler made two fundamental and crippling mistakes during the Second World War. The first was his whimsical belief that the United Kingdom would eventually become his ally, which delayed his decision to launch a major invasion of Britain, whose army was unprepared for the force of blitzkrieg warfare. The second was the ill-conceived Operation Barbarossa--an invasion of Russia that was supposed to take the German army to the gates of Moscow. Antony Beevor's thoughtfully researched compendium recalls this epic struggle for Stalingrad. No-one, least of all the Germans, could foretell the deep well of Soviet resolve that would become the foundation of the Red Army; Russia, the Germans believed, would fall as swiftly as France and Poland. The ill-prepared Nazi forces were trapped in a bloody war of attrition against the Russian behemoth, which held them in the pit of Stalingrad for nearly two years. Beevor points out that the Russians were by no means ready for the war either, making their stand even more remarkable; Soviet intelligence spent as much time spying on its own forces--in fear of desertion, treachery and incompetence--as they did on the Nazis. Due attention is also given to the points of view of the soldiers and generals of both forces, from the sickening battles to life in the gulags.

Many believe Stalingrad to be the turning point of the war. The Nazi war machine proved to be fallible as it spread itself too thin for a cause that was born more from arrogance than practicality. The Germans never recovered, and its weakened defences were no match for the Allied invasion of 1944. We know little of what took place in Stalingrad or its overall significance, leading Beevor to humbly admit that "[t]he Battle of Stalingrad remains such an ideologically charged and symbolically important subject that the last word will not be heard for many years". This is true. But this gripping account should become the standard work against which all others should measure themselves. --Jeremy Storey

Synopsis
This is a timely analysis and re-creation of the turning point of World War II. In October 1942, a panzer officer wrote "Stalingrad is no longer a town...Animals flee this hell; the hardest stones cannot bear it for long; only men endure". The battle became the focus of Hitler and Stalin's determination to win the gruesome, vicious war on the eastern front. The citizens of Stalingrad endured unimaginable hardship; the battle, with fierce hand to hand fighting in each room of each building, was brutally destructive to both armies. But the eventual victory of the Red Army, and the failure of Hitler's Operation Barbarossa was the first defeat of Hitler's territorial ambitions in Europe, and the start of his decline. An extraordinary story of tactical genius, civilian bravery, obsession, carnage and the nature of war itself, "Stalingrad" will act as a testament to the vital role of the soviet war effort.

Customer Reviews

essential reading FULL STOP!
well what can i add to the many glowing reviews already given?

all i can say that this book made me pause for thought on many occasion and try to appreciate or even just comprehend the sacrafices, scale and atrocities of this poignant part of WWII.

simply fantastic.

Great writer
Great book from a great writer. It puts you reading without stop waiting for what happens in the next page. It gives the all dimension of war (and what a battle he choose for this). Every world war 2 enthusiast must read this one.

Excellent Read
I am not going to get into the dynamics of this book or any details concerning the story line. This would spoil the treat for the reader. The author has produced a book about the Battle for Stalingrad that is first class. The book looks a heavy read but i found the content easy to digest (in bite size chunks over several nights reading)and extremely enjoyable and informative. The story (history) unfolds in 3 parts; The Russians struggling against the might of the German 6th Army, The Germans struggling against the determined (sometimes bloody suicidal) fightback from the Russians and finally, a look into the aftermath of this now famous conflict during the Second World War.
The Author has not taken sides whilst writing this book and brings out the politics, the tactical flaws (on both sides) and human story within this web of human suffering. The book allows you to make your own mind up on the rights and wrongs of this story!
Well written ,easy to read and in a logical order. They say a picture paints a thousand words but this books thousands of words paint a clear picture. Well done to Antony Beevor......Highly recommended. You will read this more than once!

ChrisD