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Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front / SalesRank : 38155

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Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front
Author : Gunther K Koschorrek

Amazon Price : $12.91 32%($6.08) OFF
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Paperback [ Zenith Press ] [ Release : 2005 / 10 / 30 ]
ISBN : 9780760321980 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0760321981
[ ListPrice : $18.99 ] [ Used Price:$20.55 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
I enjoyed this book. Its a good account of a foot soldier's ordeal on the Eastern Front in WWII. Lots of action. I would recomend Blood Red Snow.

I enjoyed this book. Its a good account of a foot soldier's ordeal on the Eastern Front in WWII. Lots of action. I would recomend Blood Red Snow.

4stars - "Good Book" (Rod)

I read Blood Red Snow by Gunter Koschorreck and I think it equalled The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer. Gunter writes about how his unit sometimes fought in co-operation with the Gross Duetschland Regiments and this appears to be true. Comparing where Gunter's unit was located in relation to Guy Sajer's unit at various points in time and circumstances, all seems to be fairly consistent. I consider Blood Red Snow and The Forgotten Soldier to be some of the better books about WWII as both really hold nothing back and they seem to tell it like it was from a fox hole perspective. Gunter did an excellent job in relating his inner feelings and emotions about the first hand accounts of the small battles and the general war as what Guy Sajer did. Both books are more than just a narrative or historical viewing of the war. Critics will attack the authors of both books creating the German Soldiers with moral standards. The sad part is that most of the Wehrmacht soldiers had high standards for themselves and their comrades as described in both books, just that they were all sold a bill of goods by the Nazi leadership. Both Guy and Gunter get some minor details wrong on weapon calibers and types, but both were at the rank of Corporal so we should not expect them to be military experts. I would recommend either Blood Red Snow or The Forgotten Soldier to anyone interested in a first hand account of frontline combat.

5stars - "Blood Red Snow equals Forgotten Soldier" (Tom Maloney)

Thick with details and not preachy. He does not ask us to forgive but to remember. Early on, Gunter explains how he is able to recall such detail and his reasons for printing the story of his service time. I scarcely put it down over the course of 3 days - left me wanting more. What happened in his life during the aftermath of the war? The hopelessness of the russian front and his instinct to survive come through the translation unscathed. Sheds some light on the role of heavy machine gun teams. Does a great job of projecting the sense of chaos as the front came home to Germany. I did not feel like it was over or under dramatized. Just the details, raw and again, unapologetic. A bit short, but delivers on the title 100%.

5stars - "Delivers on the title" (Michael L. Keefe)

This book complements other first-hand accounts of the Stalingrad battle (from the German perspective), but is authored by an enlisted man who was stationed in a support unit outside of the City. It provides a decent picture of life in the German army at that time and place, along with laconic accounts of other assignments, such as the pursuit of Italian partisans. Like almost all books of this nature, the author alleges that he knew absolutely nothing about war crimes, except for the atrocities committed by Russians. Indeed, this author's narrative almost reads like the memoirs of a conquering hero whose primary regret is that the "good guys" lost the War. If you take another self-serving treatment of the War by German military personnel, go ahead and read it.

3stars - "Interesting account of Stalingrad from a soldier outside the cauldron" (Steven Hays)

Here on Amazon, some very good points and valid criticisms have been made about this book. For decades, I have been intensely interested in the Russian-German war of 1941-1945. I too read this book very critically. Still, despite the already-discussed criticisms, I think that this book recounts the author's authentic experience. For example, to put it mildly, his description of his time in Stalingrad paints a word picture, though brief, so compelling and affecting that I had to put the book down for some minutes.

It is in the nature of oral history to be flawed when compared to formal history written by professional historians. Oral history is nevertheless recognized as valuable. What is important is that we remain aware of the shortcomings of the oral history genre.

Allow me to use myself as an example. If I were to recount my experiences from 1967 - 1969 (27 months) in Viet Nam with the 101ST Airborne Division, virtually all of that time in the mountains, my account would most likely be factually wrong in many specifics, and exaggerated in other cases. For example, instead of four enemy soldiers walking down a trail, I could see myself easily revising history and saying eight North Vietnamese soldiers were walking down a trail.

The above is a clumsy example, but I am only trying to illustrate a typical problem with oral history. Inaccuracies can result because of simple memory lapses or because of human nature; Malice, I think, is rare.

To repeat, despite its flaws, some of which are jarring indeed, I like this book very much.

5stars - "Superb despite flaws" (Edmund Jimenez)

Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941-1945 / SalesRank : 80357

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Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941-1945
Author : Richard Overy

Amazon Price : $11.56 32%($5.44) OFF
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Paperback [ Penguin (Non-Classics) ] [ Release : 1998 / 08 / 01 ]
ISBN : 9780140271690 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0140271694
[ ListPrice : $17.00 ] [ Used Price:$5.29 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]

Russia's War by Richard Overy is a history of Russia's role in WWII. To put Russia's WWII role into a proper perspective, the book also covers approximately a decade of Soviet history before and after the war, making the period covered roughly the years of Stalin's rule. It is also the companion book to the 10 part documentary series Russia's War: Blood on the Snow produced by IBP Films in London and shown on many PBS stations in the US. Professor Overy (King's College, London) has done much more than produce a transcript of the video series; he has added a great deal of historical depth that wasn't possible in the video format. For someone seriously interested in learning about this period of Soviet history, I'd recommend both the book and the videos (now available from Amazon in DVD format for $28.99). The videos were produced with the cooperation of the Russian Government during the Yeltsin years and contain fascinating interviews with eye witnesses to Stalin's Great Terror of the 1930s, WWII, and the early Cold War years.

Russia's contribution to the allied victory in WWII is greatly underappreciated in this country. Throughout most of the war, over 70% of the German army was committed to the eastern front. In saying this, I don't mean to slight the US and British contributions; they were also essential to the allied victory. However, the cost of the war to Russia in lives and economic destruction is staggering: Something like 25 million deaths, the industrial and agricultural heartland of Russia occupied and devastated.

Russia was at a tremendous disadvantage in the initial phase of the war. Stalin had executed most of the capable senior officers in the Red Army during the Great Terror, most notably the senior commander Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky, replacing them with politically reliable incompetents. Even more amazingly, Stalin apparently trusted Hitler to adhere to the Molotov-Ribbentrop non-aggression pact despite Hitler's strident anti-communism and repeated pledges to obtain "living space" for Germany in the east. As a result, the first year and a half of the war was a serious Russian route.

Amazingly, Russia recovered. Major factors in the recovery and eventual victory included:

* Stalin backed off from personally determining military strategy and allowed a new generation of officers to advance to command based primarily on military success. Most notable was Marshal Gerogi Zhukov who became the senior field commander.
* Factories were disassembled, moved east of the Urals, and reassembled prior to their capture by the advancing Germans. Production of arms and munitions resumed and eventually exceeded German production.
* American Lend-lease aid supported Russia even before the US entered the war and was instrumental in keeping Russia fighting during the initial setbacks.
* Soviet spy Richard Sorge, working in Tokyo, correctly tipped off Moscow that the Japanese were preparing major attacks on US and British forces in the Pacific in December 1941. This knowledge allowed Stalin to pull dozens of fresh divisions out of the Far East and rush them to the defense of Moscow.

Please note that I have tried to use the terms "Russian" and "Soviet" selectively. The heroic contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany was an effort of the Russian people that succeeded in spite of the inept, brutal Soviet government. The US-British alliance with Stalin was one of absolute necessity, not a reflection of any shared values of common goals beyond victory (George Kennan's words).

5stars - "Total War" (Leonard J. Wilson)

The writer has put a remarkable good book on the war in the Eastern Front.

From the start, he makes some pertinent points and parallels to the early conflicts of the Russian Civil War. One that few writers of the Eastern Front properly discuss. Yet to the leaders of Russia, during WW2 their attitudes and views were shaped by this earlier conflict which almost all of them had participated.

On top it was run by a very capable leader Stalin who unfortunately suffered from paranoia. Millions of Russian and others would die because of this paranoia. But as the saying goes even "Even paranoiac people have enemies" and for Stalin, Hitler was an enemy who he was locked in a conflict to the death in which his party, his position and his life depended on winning.

This conflict was one that possibly Germany should have won as they did in WW1 against the Tzar. Yet the Russian people, party and Stalin held the country together at a frightful price to win the conflict.

What I found particularly interesting was his notes on the Russian economy which although much smaller then the German economy and more disrupted by the war, managed to outproduce the German economy in tanks, aircrafts and artillery.

Overall I found this book jammed with information, much that I have not read elsewhere.

4stars - "Should be retitled as Stalin's war" (BernardZ)

This book was written to accompany a ten part documentary series titled Russia's War. Although I have not seen the series I can assure potential readers that the book, by itself, is well worth acquiring and reading.
The subtitle of this book is "A History of the Soviet War Effort: 1941-1945". Prior to reading this book I was unaware of the catastrophic effect the war had on Russian society.
My overall impression after finishing this book was one of deep sadness that so many Russian people were either killed, enslaved or tortured not only as a result the War, but on the orders of the Communist leadership headed by Joseph Stalin. The author details the ebb and flow of battle along with a running commentary of how many Soviet citizens were sent to Siberia or to the firing squads. Stalin's paranoid delusions compounded the devastating effects of the War on the Russia people.
The book has motivated me to seek out the films. I found the subject matter so captivating that to see the archival Soviet footage would be remarkable.

5stars - "Russia at War 1941-45" (Paul Brooks)

It is truly amazing how much information Richard Overy packs into this slim volume. From the first pages detailing the beginnings of the Red Army in the newly formed Soviet state until the final chapters dealing with the defeat of Nazi Germany, this work is consistently educational and entertaining. Overy offers many wonderful insights in this work, for instance his constant reminders that Hitler and Stalin were essentially military amateurs in charge of the largest armies the world had ever seen. Also his narrative effectively outlines the political/military nexus that existed within the Soviet Union during the war and what this meant to the Soviet leadership, the Soviet soldier, and the citizens of the USSR. This is a well written, relatively short book that is easily accessible for those wanting to learn more about the Soviet Union's "Great Patriotic War."

5stars - "A Must Read for Students of the Eastern Front" (Cody Carlson)

It's quite a difficult challenge to effectively cover the military, political and social aspects of the war on the Eastern front but Overy does a fine job of weaving all three into a compelling story. The book is well organized and I found it quite easy to read given the complexity and epic scale of the subject. From a military perspective, critical leaders, campaigns and battles are described, though not in granular depth. Politically, the central focus is on Stalin and his role in orchestrating the war, dealing with the allies and his own military, and preserving his position of power. Socially, Overy emphasizes the plight of the Soviet people and their immense sacrifices for their country. The research underpinning the book is both current and thorough. If you are looking for a good history of the Soviet effort on the Eastern front, this book is an excellent place to start. Recommended.

4stars - "Very good overview of the war on the Eastern Front" (Military History Buff)

Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knight's Cross / SalesRank : 53770

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Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knight's Cross
Author : Albrecht Wacker

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Hardcover [ Pen and Sword ] [ Release : 2008 / 06 ]
ISBN : 9781844153176 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 1844153177
[ ListPrice : $34.95 ] [ Used Price:$23.88 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]
Not worth a long review really. Except for the title ans its cover the book's empty. Nothing much on sniping, even less on the Wehrmacht's smipers. Poor read, erroneous at best. Comment ends.

Not worth a long review really. Except for the title ans its cover the book's empty. Nothing much on sniping, even less on the Wehrmacht's smipers. Poor read, erroneous at best. Comment ends.

1stars - "Delete" (BLT)

I have read dozens of German ww2 memoirs and this is the book that has it all! The actions described in this book are highly detailed and graphic for sure but it also captures the feelings of other soldiers relating to snipers in general, friend or foe. In one account the author stirs things up with the enemy, and upon his return to friendly lines has a less than cordial greeting from his comrads as hell is right behind him. This is just one example that makes this book so honest. Some of the graphic depictions of torture and violance kept me thinking for days. I lay awake at night trying to comprehend such horrors that were lived by many. As a marksman I found the remarks about bullet drop and trigger control extremely accurate. This book really gave the feel of the Eastern Front, and I came away from it with a feeling of hatred against the Soviets. As well described in the book, this war became one of no rules, no respect for the enemy, no forgiveness. A well done book! This one kept me reading every free second until it was done, and then I went back to read it again.

5stars - "The top of my German memoirs list!" (A FAIR REVIEWER)

Having bought and read this book based on the good reviews here I must say I personally disagree. The text is repetitious and smells a little too much of a whitewash with just enough contrary evidence given to play the game of balancing scales. Constantly the author stresses that Sepp did what he had to do in the horrors of war as if to justify his actions and I found this totally uneccessary the first time but in the end I found him protesting a too much. In no way could this be described as a first hand account as many times the author looses himself in his own prose and 'Sepp' is always mentioned in the 3rd person. Also the author starts by stating that he has changed the name of Sepp to protect him so even at the begining I have questioned the value of what I have read. The Russians are likewise treated in a very steriotypical manner and some accaounts appear to be out of place, as in could have happened in 1941 or early 1942 but fail to look into how the Soviet Army changed after this.

On the whole I found the style of the book tiresome in the extreme and found myself fast reading certain sections. It touches reality but in a remote way. Compared to what I consider good memoirs such as 'At Leningrad's Gates: The Combat Memoirs of a Soldier with Army Group North' this book comes out very poorly. In the end this book suits best those who already have an outdated view of the Eastern Front and are pro-German in thinking. By todays standard it is best avoided. I am giving this book 1 star as a waste of my time and money, there are plenty other and much better books out there to waste time with this one.

1stars - "Repetitious and steriotypical outdated views" (Gisli Jokull Gislason)

I have read many books on WWII taking an interest in the life of the german forces either during their advance or punishing retreat. As an action/adventure book, "Sniper on the Eastern Front" is gripping, but, honestly, I am not too keen on books of fiction advertised as the contrary. There are many instances in which the sniper's exploits seem too fantastic to be true. Also, the passage in which a handful of medical orderlies witness the massacre of their wounded comrades while, as stated in the book, they had no clue as to what the Russians were saying yet the orders and conversations of the latter are not only narrated to us, but also translated in detail. So, who told Sepp exactly what the Russians were saying? Obviously this is pure artistic liberty and that, in my opinion, is unacceptable in a historical context. If the author added fictional elements then his work becomes fiction. In all, reading "Sniper on the Eastern Front" felt as if I was reading a Hollywood script. The constant cheerleading of this seemingly superhuman marksman will definitely give some readers a thrill. A true one-man battalion, a WWII german "Rambo", but if I wanted to read on fictional wars I would have ordered a book on the "War on Drugs", "War on Poverty" or "War on Terror". Thank you and good luck.

2stars - "A bit misleading..." (BJJBlackBelt)

the narration is smooth and not uninteresting. Unfortunately, not much information on sharp shooting can be encountered on the book's pages. It is also sad that the authors chose to depict the Red army mostly as savage murderers, plunderers and rapists. War criminals were in both armies - the Nazi and the Soviet. The 'sniper' evidently has not found peace with his memories unlike many other living veterans on both sides who now give credit and respect to their enemies of that time. Apart from this, some facts in the book about the Russian military seem quite dubious, such as 14 y.o. conscripts, mongolian soldiers and superiority in numbers as the only key to victory. But there is a Russian saying to this 'everyone has his own trench truth'. On the whole, the book is worth reading.

3stars - "The memoirs are quite readable," (Ivan Sisnev)

Sniper Ace: From the Eastern Front to Siberia / SalesRank : 73068

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Sniper Ace: From the Eastern Front to Siberia
Introduction:David L. Robbins

Amazon Price : $21.75 34%($11.20) OFF
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Hardcover [ Frontline Books ] [ Release : 2009 / 11 ]
ISBN : 9781848325487 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 1848325487
[ ListPrice : $32.95 ] [ Used Price:$16.75 ]

Average Customer Review :

3.0stars [ See more reviews ]

At the outset I confess I have not read "Sniper Ace: From The Eastern Front To Siberia". Indeed, I came here to read the reader reviews to help me decide whether I should purchase it. I already have the English translation of 'Sepp' Allerberger's memoir, "Sniper On The Eastern Front", which I consider one of the very finest soldier's accounts of WWII.

I was leery at first of author Sutkus' bona fides, since it is not uncommon these days for "combat veterans" to produce memoirs of their ersatz valor in a war which has fewer first-hand witnesses every day. And we see some purported memoirs are nothing but pure fiction.* But I see that Bruno Sutkus is indeed a genuine decorated veteran sniper of the Eastern Front. What I do not know is if "Sniper Ace" is an entirely new or assembled work (I believe Mr. Sutkus died more than five years ago); or if it is an English translation of his 90's memoir in German, "Im Fadenkreuz" ('In The Crosshairs'). I assume it is a translation of his earlier work.

So I grant that Mr. Sutkus is what and who he says he is. However, as I mentioned above, I already have Allerberger's marvelous work, which covers not only details of his specialized training, service and battles, but tactics and policies as well. Most importantly, Allerberger allows the reader into his mind, to see some of the internal struggles and even torments he faced. Indeed, Allerberger's original memoir ("Im Auge des Jagers" - 'In The Eye Of The Hunter') was more a biography, written by Albrecht Wacker with Allerberger assuming the pseudonym "Franz Karner" because of many Germans' disgust at the sniper's work, and a general loathing of Hitler's soldiers. I understand Allerberger/Karner's original German edition is significantly different in that it includes numerous events not covered in the translation.

If the penultimate German sniper book, written by the second-highest scorer, is available to us, do we really need Mr. Sutkus' edition then? I await readers' thoughts.

* It took me 50 excruciating pages of "Grandfather's Tale" to finally grasp that the book was utter fiction, not that Amazon or the author were eager to inform potential readers of that fact. Moreover, with its simply bizarre assertions of Wehrmacht snipers skills and tactics, it seems more accurately categorized as fantasy rather than historical fiction. For example, I learned from "Grandfather's Tale" that German snipers were fielded in platoons of 50 or so men, which fought as a single unit in major set-piece battles. These platoons of snipers massed in tall buildings or church towers (which were somehow overlooked by the Russians as a likely spot for these 'Scharfschütze Zug'), and from every window and hole proceeded to slaughter more than 20 Russians each. By some strange ability these German miracle snipers were able to control recoil and then immediately refocus their vision so that after they fired, they could instantly use their scopes as monoculars, through which they watched their target as the bullet landed just between the eyes. Homeric shooting, that. The poor author of the book knows as little about snipers, sniping and World War II as he does about grammar, syntax and sentence structure.

2stars - "Judgment Reserved" (McCalla)

I was looking forward to receiving this book but was disappointed after reading it. It is rare for a German sniper's records to be still in existence, especially one who served on the Eastern Front and I thought that this record would provide the author with the structure to provide a vivid portrait of what it was like to be a sniper on that front. However, the reality is that this part of the book is little more than the recounting of his sniper log with some additional detail.

This may have been the result of the incredible difficulties the author went through after the war being exiled to Siberia by the Russians. That he survived that ordeal for as long as he did is a testimony to his powers of survival. Many men would have succumbed to the incredible conditions and hardships. He also must have been one of the last German prisoner of war to be repatriated. However, even this part of his narrative is skimmed over and at no time is there much sense of the ceaseless struggle to survive that he endured.

If you are looking for a book about sniping on the Eastern Front there are better books. If you want a book that shows just what a human can endure then this one is a good example.

3stars - "A Disappointing Book" (Peter Lovett)

First things first: though I follow sniping history, am an enthusiastic rifleman and have worked with real-world snipers, I'd never heard of Sutkus before I found his book in a B&N. You'd think that with 200+ credited hits, he would be better known than previously. But I'm willing to accept that he was the real deal. If he were an impersonator, he would have been exposed long ago by members of the 196th Grenadier Regiment and/or the rest of the 68th Infantry Division. Whatever his actual record, his logbook, references, and especially the wartime PR he received all point toward Bruno Sutkus as a genuine Eastern Front sniper. If the German army erred by 50% in confirming his claims, he still shot 100 enemy soldiers.

Nowthen....

As noted, only the first half of the book concerns Sutkus' difficult early life and his fairly brief wartime career. That's understandable, considering that the 20-year-old soldier spent barely six months in combat among the 72-year span of his narrative. I found nothing of a technical/tactical nature to question: clearly he knew rifles and shooting. Furthermore, his claims are mostly credible. By actual count from the text, over half his hits were scored inside 400 meters, the longest being 700. With a four-power optic on a WW II issue sniper rifle, that's entirely plausible.

However, the combat narrative is just that--a straightforward narrative, mainly limited to dates, locations, ranges, and type of enemies killed or wounded. There is almost none of the introspection that could have raised the book from a fairly dry series of events to a look inside the mind of a serial killer lauded by his nation. But one suspects that such introspection was long ago banished from the man's mind, if indeed it had existed in the first place. With a bit less of what he DID and a lot more of what he THOUGHT and FELT, this could have been a minor classic.

The book's biggest fault is Sutkus' blinkered worldview. He is understandably outraged at the routine savagery practiced by the Soviets, but barely alludes to the Wehrmacht's barbarous treatment of conquered peoples. Most amazingly, he faults America for "betraying" Germany by siding with Russia, never mind that Hitler and Stalin carved up Poland, and Germany then declared war on the US! Perhaps such myopia is understandable, considering that Sutkus spent his entire youth under National Socialism and the next 50 years in the Soviet gulag. His life experience was limited to war and slavery.

IMO the greatest sniper memoir remains to be written. But if nothing else, Sutkus has added to our knowledge, if not our understanding, of what makes a great long-range combat rifleman.

3stars - "Useful but flawed" (Barrett Tillman)
I liked the book Myself. I have always liked the personal stories. It was interesting to maybe have a brief look at life in very early post-war Eastern Europe and the Bannishment to Siberia. It did seem like more than one life could live. But there have always been incrediable people throughout the ages. So, I just liked to believe that Bruno Sutkus was one of them. I would suggest it.

I liked the book Myself. I have always liked the personal stories. It was interesting to maybe have a brief look at life in very early post-war Eastern Europe and the Bannishment to Siberia. It did seem like more than one life could live. But there have always been incrediable people throughout the ages. So, I just liked to believe that Bruno Sutkus was one of them. I would suggest it.

4stars - "Sniper Ace" (Steven P. Shallenberger)

As many have seen in the last couple of years....especially with "Oprah's Book Club" reviews and the "BIG-O's own admissions" - books & claims to fame can all be skewed, contrived written diarrhea. The intro to this book was written by David L. Robbins who authored "War of the Rats". He himself states he was very concerned and reserved about writing the intro to this book. "War of the Rats" was a book of historical fiction, and yet a great deal of Robbin's history was based on actual authenticated fact. While I do not deny that Bruno Sutkus served in the Nazi army as a sharp shooter. His "log book" remains in question - as a result of his capture, exile, and imprisonment in Siberia. With all that lost time - A LOT of things can either be forgotten or misrepresented. Now, I am not openly calling Sutkus a liar, but the "signature" of a spotter doesn't mean anything on a "sniper's" log book - if the kills were not tallied by the higher ups. If that were the case - then people like Vasily Grigorevich Zaytsev and Carlos Hathcock would have nothing but FACT written about their own accolades. However, as with Zaytsev and Hathcock their actual records are mixed with a great deal of lore, and yet the records are held within their own respective ministries/agencies. Sutkus...well, I find a lot of what he claims to be just a little too convenient. Again, I do not deny his part in the Nazi attempt to take the Eastern Front - but even with the way that the book is written and presented, "I just don't buy it." As late in the game as this book is - regarding a "Sniper Ace", why wasn't there more to the fanfare about this Sniper's accolades. Zaytsev's stories amounted to a lot of propaganda back home in the USSR. But Sutkus should have had some notoriety in Germany, even post the Berlin Wall falling. Again, with the way that the book is written and the circumstances of what happened to him after the Soviets and Allies closed the noose on Germany - it's too much to take as dogma. Supposedly the Lithuanians did their own vetting of his story, even getting him to advise snipers in their army. I'm still not convinced. Sutkus was part of Hitler's Youth and worked with the SS - which in and of itself is pretty despicable. Yet, that is not how a person should critique this book. I go back to the issue at hand - is this another "Oprah's Book Club bestseller" (a book that is praised without substantiating the authenticity of the work)? Even if one single thing in this book is found to be a fabrication, then the publishers should have reconsidered putting this book into print. Relying on the Lithuanians to establish the validity of Sutkus' claims should not have been justification in printing someone else's claims. That's just irresponsible. Sutkus presents his "Sniper's Journal" - but just like war criminals hiding from their past (behind forged documents) can easily be debunked and proven fraudulent. Sniping is a skill that is held in either high esteem or in great disgust - for the fact that the actual craft is the killing of a human being(s) through great distance and challenge (here enters the sciences of stalking, range finding, windage, elevation, bullet drift, etc). This is why certain governments still classify snipers in a different category of "prisoners of war" (they are usually dealt with extreme severity over just regular grunts).

The book outlines the life of Bruno Sutkus from his youthful climb to join the Nazi army through his life as a soldier on the front lines right through his exile and imprisonment at the hands of the Soviets. Throughout the first part of the book, it reads like this: 1.)the event in his words-as they would be written today in an open forum; 2.) followed up by the entry in what is described as his WWII Sniper Journal. You would think that as a prisoner of war in one of the worst places on earth - Siberia, under a regime like the Soviet Union, Sutkus would not have had access to his journal (after he'd been captured). Seeing as how they would have been used as trial evidence by the Soviet Union. But I'll let the readers decide that. As I have repeatedly stated, the biggest issue that I have with this book is the authenticity of any of his claims. It is an average book when compared to other books written on the subject matter of sniping or sharpshooting. The impressive claims remain suspect with this skeptic. (A small example of this was one of his claim of multiple kill shots being made while he was used as a courier. The German high command new the value of snipers and they held them in very high regard - utilizing them in much of the ways that the modern military employs its own snipers. So why the @#%$ would they be using him as a lowly errand boy that gets trapped by a platoon?!?)

Yes, he had a bad life. So do a lot of other people. Sutkus was born a "stateless bastard" as a result of his parent's citizen ship and his birth place. He tried to make something of his life by doing what a lot of people do in times of hardship - they join the military. He went off to war on the part of the losing side. He was captured. All of this is well established and true - as for the claims he makes in the book about being a "Sniper Ace". Well, only God himself will know, because as with everything else that WWII has taught the modern age - records can be lost, documents can be fudged, and "Oprah" can swear up and down Jesus Christ himself about the authenticity of an author - when in fact the author is full of $#!t. As the reader of this book you will have to be "Oprah"...deciding whether or not it was worth your time or energy in reading this transcript...because that is what it is. Authentic or not - you decide. As for me I was not impressed.

2stars - "Authentication needed....Average reading." (N. J. Fung)

War of the Rats / SalesRank : 85689

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War of the Rats
Author : David L. Robbins

Amazon Price : $7.50
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Mass Market Paperback [ Bantam ] [ Release : 2000 / 06 / 06 ]
ISBN : 9780553581355 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 055358135X
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Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]

Robbins does a great job of getting into the heads of the characters, jumping from one to the other while keeping the action flowing. When this flow concentrated on the two dueling snipers, I couldn't put the book (or Kindle in my case) down. But when it shifted to the point of view of the other two main characters, I wasn't as interested, even though they're brought to life well enough.
I loved the way the author gave each of the two snipers a vastly different personality, mind set and approach to his craft. The final shoot out is really well done.
This is definitely readable, but I think it would have been a five start novella with just the duel. As it is - four stars.

4stars - "Half a Five Star Book" (D. Miller)
This was one of the most poorly written books I've read in a quite some time. The characters are poorly developed, and the plotline is constructed on a shifting pile of cliches. Very formulaic and trite. I would not bother reading anything else by this author.....

This was one of the most poorly written books I've read in a quite some time. The characters are poorly developed, and the plotline is constructed on a shifting pile of cliches. Very formulaic and trite. I would not bother reading anything else by this author.....

1stars - "talentlessly written" (Desmond Curran)
I think that it is a well put together book. The movie "Enemy at the Gates" is remarkably similar though.

4stars - "Movie" (Nicholas L. Evans)

When I first picked up this book I was hesitant, given that it is a novel and not a non-fiction. But Robbins descriptions of Stalingrad really seemed to put me right into that hell-torn city. While i'm sure that the story of Vasily Zaitsev was fabricated a bit, it was nonetheless an exciting read. The duel with Heinz Thorvald was particularly thrilling as well, although most historians doubt the man actually existed. I could have done without some of the cheesy love story with Zaitsev's fellow sniper/lover Tania though. Overall, this book was one that I had a difficult time putting down, and I even learned a little bit from it.

5stars - "Couldn't Put it Down!" (Matthew Gerrish)

David L. Robbins will probably be best known for this work. It is one of the most exciting books that I have ever read. The plot twists are absolutley stunning. The way that he decribes the combat is bar none some of the best that I have ever read. Both snipers come across as genuinely likeable characters making the reader have to choose between which one will or should die. Really classic stuff, If you are on a bummer about not having something to read, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. Just be warned, you might not be able to set it down.

5stars - "The movie version did not do this book any favors!!" (dirtymc)

In Deadly Combat: A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front (Modern War Studies (Paper)) / SalesRank : 56230

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In Deadly Combat: A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front (Modern War Studies (Paper))
Translator:Derek S. Zumbro Introduction:Dennis Showalter

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Paperback [ University Press of Kansas ] [ Release : 2001 / 09 ]
ISBN : 9780700611225 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0700611223
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Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
In Deadly Combat details the grueling conditions the soldier's who fought on the Eastern front underwent. The writer of this memoir Gottlob Bidermann has a keen understanding of the written word and provides his account in a poetic like fashion. This eye opening book takes the reader on a journey to a war torn country with the men who were forced to endure what no human being should.

In Deadly Combat details the grueling conditions the soldier's who fought on the Eastern front underwent. The writer of this memoir Gottlob Bidermann has a keen understanding of the written word and provides his account in a poetic like fashion. This eye opening book takes the reader on a journey to a war torn country with the men who were forced to endure what no human being should.

5stars - "One Informative Read" (Christopher Mayorga)
This books offers the common man's view of the war from the perspective of an infantryman
You really get a sense of what it was like to be on the eastern front for many years fighting the Russians
The only thing missing was a prolog about the man's life after the war in Germany

This books offers the common man's view of the war from the perspective of an infantryman
You really get a sense of what it was like to be on the eastern front for many years fighting the Russians
The only thing missing was a prolog about the man's life after the war in Germany

4stars - "A German grunt's view of WWII" (William W. Gaffin)

Bidermann's memoirs begin and end an engaging account of what happened to a soldier during one of the most grueling parts of the second World War. It's the middle bit where the soldier seems to turn from personal accounts and delves into different territory.

The book becomes somewhat of a retelling of the situation on the whole front rather than his own personal experiences. In this area of the book, the author sometimes takes an artistic turn with his prose, which is in stark contrast to the matter of fact nature of the first and last sections of the book.

I've read better accounts, but this one is still worth the read.

3stars - "A decent narrative, at times long winded." (Kelly Davis)

I was glad I bought this. I have read about 10 autobiographies of German soldiers who served in the East. This is one of the best. For reference, I have read about 50-60 biographies of western Allies of the WWII period.

The Russian Front was truly different than the war the US and UK experienced. The battle careers of most of the western Allied soldiers were much shorter and were characterized by less gruesome conditions sustained over a period of years.

For example, a majority of the US forces didnt' hit the battle line until 1943-1944. This meant one or two years of Hell. Men like this German spent two to three times as long in heavy combat.

It doesn't mean the western Allied soldier was any less brave.

What it provokes, is the question...how did they bear it so well for so long? Many German units were still fighting effectively until 1945 having started in 1939-1940.

It is a wonder that most of the Landsers that spent years in Russia were not raving mad at the end. This young officer (risen from the ranks) shows an insight into the mind of a man of (in my opinion) near super-human endurance. Not cartoon heroics---rather keeping control of oneself and doing one's duty while serving an endless sentance in Hell.

There are truly men who can endure in War far, far better than others.

And, I believe there is no way to determine who these will be until many battles have been fought. You certainly cannot judge by appearances.

4stars - "Another clear look into the Geman's soldiers life on the Russian Front" (Thomas McDaniel)

If the narrative ended with the fall of Sevastopol, I would have given this book a 5. However, the last third of this memior had several problems. During the final agonizing 2 years fighting around Lenningrad and the Courland, Biederman attemps a few narrative gimmicks that I found confusing if not distracting. He jumps to the omnipresent mode for a chapter and gives the account of the Soviet fighters engaged in combat against his unit. At other times (mainly during the Courland fighting), he jumps and gives a high level account of the campaign from the point of view of the Army Group or Corps level. These gimmicks seriously detracted from the overall flow of the dramatic events that led to his capture and imprisonment.

Yet, despite these failings, In Deadly Combat gives the reader a birdseye view of the common German foot solider who spent his entire time on the Eastern Front. There were no glorious panzer battles or dramatic climaxes to famous campaigns. For Biederman and the hundreds of thousands of other Gefrieters, Russia was a place of torment, danger, and death. Of the 12 men orginally assigned to his heavy weapons Pak squad, only Biderman and a comrade survived. Biderman doesn't mince words for the German equivalent of the REMF. Despite the evil nature of the regime he served, and the terrible pyschological scars he incurred, Biderman remained proud of what he and his fellow gunners endured. Like soldiers all over the world, he found true friendship and comradeship with the men he suffered with.

The memiors open with his units deployment into Southern Russia and the Uman Campaign. As part of the 11th Army, the 132nd Infantry Division is then deployed into Crimea. The Crimean Campaign, a battle totally void of panzers and mechanized units, was won mainly by the 6 German and Romanian infantry divisions that suffered through 10 months of pure hell. The reader will find this portion of the memior the most riveting. Biederman's division was constantly on the march either engaged against Soviet counter offensives or involved in the horrific assault against the Fortress Sevastopol. Biederman's account of the figthing, the climate conditions, and his interaction with the Tartars is griping.

The last portion of the memior is concerned with his time serving with Army Group North. As stated above, this is where Biederman's narrative suffers. Which is unfortuante, as what he and fellow soldiers went through must have been beyond words. The visciousness of the fighting and deprivation of Army Group North during the 1943-1945 timeframe would be difficult enough without his meandering and narrative problems. Still, Biederman does offer some enlightening commentary. He sheds light on the Army Group Commander, Generaloberst Schoerner, that I've never read before. Schoerner appears to have possessed all of the qualities that comes to mind when describing that breed of officers one all too often reads about -the political General. Schoerner took great pride in handing out punitive sentences to any enlisted man he found wanting. According to Biederman, many rear echelon NCOs found themselves assigned to front line duties for even the smallest offences. Biederman, as a lieutenent, had one such run in with Schoerner. It appears the general didn't like Biederman's siutation report, and as punishment Biderman was assigned digging trenches. There is also a gripping account of the death of the 132nd Division commander, General Lindeman. Lndeman was one of the officers involved in the July 1944 plot to kill Hitler.

Biederman, like the other members of Army Group North surrendered in May 1945. The Epilouge details the 4 years he spent in various Gulags. I think many readers may be offended that Biederman wasn't more contrite for serving in the German Army during World War II. What I think many people have to realize is that Biederman and the millions of enlisted men who served that evil Regime were survivors. Thier torment had to have some meaning; Biederman was wounded 7 times, and had few combat honors or medals. He witnessed untold, unwritten heorism at the platoon and squad level. The fact that he survived the war and imprisonment bespoke of a toughness that few possess. I'm sure he witnessed the occaisonal "war crime". But what combat soldier didn't? There were accounts of US and British soldiers killing wounded Germans or Japanese, but you won't find them in memiors. Those kind of actions have always occured during the heat of battle. But for the most part, the German soldier was not responsible for the atrocities that occured on the Eastern Front. The Waffen SS and SD have that honor.

3stars - "Best Account of The Otherside" (Jerome P. Koch)

Barbarossa / SalesRank : 193398

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Barbarossa
Author : Alan Clark

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Paperback [ Harper Perennial ] [ Release : 1985 / 06 / 25 ]
ISBN : 9780688042684 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0688042686
[ ListPrice : $18.00 ] [ Used Price:$2.99 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]

I may have been a little generous with the rating but I'm impressed with the author's insight about Hitler's inconsistencies, the friction and the attempted subterfuge by his commanders. The author believes this is an important aspect to Germany losing the war and stresses the pertinent points throughout the book.

The first two chapters give background information before the invasion with the first chapter devoted to Hitler, his ideology and his war machine. Much emphasis is placed on Hitler's mistrust of the command authority dating back to WWI. Also the short sighted, improper planning of Operation Barbarossa and the lack of strategic consistency is also discussed.
The second chapter covers Stalin and Soviet near term history that includes the purges and the lack of readiness of the Army, the lack of proper direction by Stalin to his commanders as well as the defensive disposition of the Red Armies. Unlike the German side, there will be little coverage of the Soviet side written in the latter chapters.

Though entitled "Barbarossa", the combat summary covers the entire four years of the war, at least on a selective basis. The key battles chosen for discussion are Smolensk, Leningrad, Kiev, Uman, Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, the German expulsion from Russia and the final push to Berlin.
The battle coverage while not complete is quite competent and informative. The author's background information is interesting and his analysis is quite good.
In addition to the military coverage and a feature that elevates this book is the political ramifications that are discussed as well as the personal relationships of Hilter and his commanders have that will have a profound impact of the prosecution of the war. Escecially intriguing was the coverage, the profiles of Hitler, Halder, Guderian, Kluge and to a lesser degree on Manstein and Bock and how the lack of coordinated effort on these key generals will have on the war.

There is map for each key engagement. The maps were helpful but could have been more explicit and detailed. Also included is an Appendix that lists bios of key personalities and a chronology of key events. Also included are Endnotes, a Bibliography and Index.
Even if you have read more recent books, if you're a WWII fan, reading this book will be worthwhile. Its highly recommended.

5stars - "A classic that's still impressive after all these years." (Dave Schranck)

Most historians can't write to save their lives. They may be first-class researchers, they may have read voluminously on the subject at hand, may even possess brilliant insights into the motives and personalities of historical figures; but as prose-writers, that is to say, as wordsmiths and phrase-turners, they tend to suck. Or at very least, to lack talent. If you don't believe me, take a random book off the shelf of your local library or bookstore, and read a page. If you can get to the end of it without feeling as if you were chewing on dried oatmeal, chances are you've gotten lucky.

Alan Clark reminds me of David Irving, John Keegan, Stephen Ambrose, and Cornelius Ryan in that whatevver his faults may be as a historian, he certainly knows how to put words together. BARBAROSSA, his recounting of the Russo-German portion of World War II, which claimed 32 million lives between 1941 - 1945, reads like a historical novel. It's a pleasing work, a page-turner that absorbs you even when the subject at hand is truly gruesome, which it often is, and it does an effective job of discussing the war on not merely the military but the political and ideological planes as well. I don't think I can stress enough how approachable and catchy the author's prose is, or how skillful he can be at condensing huge amounts of information into just a few pages or paragraphs. Unfortunately, it's also somewhat dated - it was written before the collapse of the Soviet Union made available mountains of old Red Army reports and documents - and it bears a distinct bias in favor of the Russians, which colors some of Clark's conclusions. This bias (which Clark admits in his introduction) is found in many British historians, although in Clark's case it stems not from political sympathy but from a deep dislike of the Germans themselves.

BARBAROSSA begins with the wrestling match which occurred between Hitler and his generals for control of the German military, a match which Hitler won decisively, though it took him many years and embittered him to a degree that is often underestimated. It then follows Hitler's rationale for invading the USSR at a time when he was already embroiled in war with Britain and had a nonagression pact with Stalin, and the planning and preparations for invasion. The book then shifts perspective to the Soviet side, explaining briefly the evolution of the Red Army, its doctrine, and the effect of Stalin's '38 purges on it as a fighting force. Once the war is engaged, Clark ping-pongs his POV between the Nazis and the Communists, following the conflict from the opening day of the invasion until the fall of Berlin four years later, while not neglecting the political sphere. As I've said before, the book is a very good read and highly informative, but it suffers greatly from what might be called selective vision - or, to give Clark the benefit of the doubt, restricted vision. A great deal of lesser-known subject matter, such as the war on the central front from 1942 to early 1944, is left to lie in favor of "the usual" stuff about Stalingrad, Kursk, etc. An entire chapter is devoted to the Warsaw uprising, a fascinating battle of great postwar political significance but only smallish consequence to the Eastern Front. And some attempt is made to justify the barbaric crimes of the Soviets when they finally reached German soil, as well as to dismiss them as cases of individual revenge and primitivism rather than a deliberate Stalin policy, which Clark certainly had to know was not the case. In such instances he seems guilty of conscious or unconscious intellectual dishonesty, in the same manner as as Goldhagen or a Bartov, and while I realize it is difficult to be objective about the terrible and wanton butchery the Nazis carried out in Russia, objectivity is central to the historical art. (Having read Clark's modern introduction, I do believe the book would be more even-handed had he written it today).

Having made these criticisms, which I hope are fair, I would definitely recommend BARBAROSSA as a primer on the Russo-German war. Not only is Clark a skilled wordsmith, his passion for history is inspiring to the reader and his magnificent turns of phrase will still be sounding in your head long after you put it back on the shelf.

3stars - "The Great Crusade" (M. G Watson)

Barbarossa is an excellent introduction to the study of the most serious land war that the world has ever witnessed. What we have here is a wonderful narrative covering the major events of 1941 to 1945. It is not comprehensive and will not seriously appeal to World War II buffs. However, it remains an excellent primer and is a perfect work to recommend to neophytes. Actually, I reread it this weekend as a result of someone asking me for the name of a book that would be a good introduction to the war. I immediately thought of Barbarossa because it is all big picture and adds rich color to the personalities involved. It tells its story artfully and with panache. Clark's take on events was refreshing even if the information he was privy to in the sixties was limited and dated. A charming read in my opinion and time well spent.

5stars - "Old School Classic" (Bernard Chapin)

Prospective readers (& purchasers!) should be cautioned - Clark is quite forthright that his book does NOT cover the entire Russo-German conflict. It focuses on selected high points - the 1941 campaign, Stalingrad, etc. Particularly towards 1944-45, it becomes sketchy indeed.

It's well written, tho admittedly dated as others have noted; should be no one's first/only book on the Eastern Front, unless your interest is casual.

3stars - "Good but not a general history of the Eastern Front war" (A. Lowry)
Excellent history of the Eastern campaign. Could have focused in greater detail on inferior German intelligence regarding Russian ability to generate manpower despite severe losses initially,otherwise ok.

Excellent history of the Eastern campaign. Could have focused in greater detail on inferior German intelligence regarding Russian ability to generate manpower despite severe losses initially,otherwise ok.

4stars - "Barbarrosa" (Paul Johnson)

Blue Division Soldier 1941-45: Spanish Volunteer on the Eastern Front (Warrior) / SalesRank : 169727

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Blue Division Soldier 1941-45: Spanish Volunteer on the Eastern Front (Warrior)
Illustrator:Ramiro Bujeiro

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Paperback [ Osprey Publishing ] [ Release : 2009 / 10 / 20 ]
ISBN : 9781846034121 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 1846034124
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4.0stars [ See more reviews ]

I was intersted in the Blue Division, a unit which fought for the Germans on the Eastern Front during World War II, but found that most sources give it short shrift saying that it was an "ineffective unit" provided to Hitler by Franco in an effort to "buy" Hitler's assistance in regaining Gibralter at some future point or as a quid pro quo for Hitler loan of the Condor Legion to the Nationalists during the Civil War. This book, short as it is, gives a more complete picture.

When Germany invaded the USSR there were spontanious and Falangist-led demonstrations in support of the effort. Spain had just come out of a painful civil war, one in which Stalin had sent weapons and soldiers to bolster the Republic, which would come further and further under the sway of leftists as the war went on. Many in Spain believed that the war was prolongd by the Soviets and others were still bitter over the atrocities committed by leftists against the Catholic clergy prior to and during the war. It was not surprising then that many Spaniards volunteered to serve in the German Army in order to "finish off" Stalin.

This book discusses the organization, leadership and decorations of the division sent to fight on the Eastern Front. It also discusses the support contingents provided for the division inside German-occupied Europe. Lots of great artwork and photographs and a good illustration of the insignia worn by the unit. No maps though, which would have put the organization in better perspective. This is a great book!

4stars - "New light on the Spanish effort" (James D. Crabtree)
After the help to FRANCO in Spain its natural that spanish volunteers fight with the germans against the russians, a good book with good drawings, photos and histories of the 250 division der infanterie in eastern front, a good source for begginers!

After the help to FRANCO in Spain its natural that spanish volunteers fight with the germans against the russians, a good book with good drawings, photos and histories of the 250 division der infanterie in eastern front, a good source for begginers!

4stars - "The spanish soldier in Russia" (Hernani S. Oliveira Filho)

The subject of the Spanish volunteer "Blue" Division serving with the Germans on the Eastern Front in the Second World War continues to attract far more interest than many other Axis minor allied formations. Osprey produced the earlier Men-at-Arms title Germany's Spanish Volunteers, but Blue Division Soldier 1941-45 in the Warrior series does not repeat much from the earlier volume. Instead, this book is written by a Spanish historian from a Spanish point of view and while it offers much less on the activities and equipment of the Blue Division, it provides a better glimpse into the human aspect of this story. The bulk of the volume consists of a discussion of how the Spanish volunteers were inducted, how they served in the division and what became of them. Readers looking for detailed tactical descriptions will not find them in this volume, but it has merit as an examination of Spanish volunteers on the Eastern Front. Overall, a decent volume that doesn't make me feel like I'm just getting an updated version of the MAA title.

After a brief discussion of why Spain felt compelled to send volunteers to fight with the Germans against the Soviet Union in 1941, the author moves into a section discussing how the recruits were drawn from the Falange Party as well as the Regular Army. The author makes some important points here, that the Falange and the Army had different visions for the division and some of these factors were not brought out in other books on the Blue Division. He provides only a brief section on training in Germany (a bit too brief), then spends about 10 pages discussing the composition of the division, broken down by ranks. The author makes the point that a major weakness of the division was the lack of a strong Spanish NCO corps, which made it difficult to fill out the large number of NCO slots based on German tables of organization. He discusses tactics in 3-4 pages, with one of the interesting items being that the Spanish use of bugles on the battlefield annoyed the Germans. Although he alludes to the Spanish aversion to static, trench warfare, he also points out that they lacked the training to conduct the German version of mobile warfare, so it's just as well they ended up at Leningrad.

The 10-page section on life at the front covers the effect of mud and cold on Spanish troops, trench warfare, replacements, support and medical services, and discipline. The next section on motivation and morale covers food, religious services, propaganda, mail and awards. Another section covers the relationship between Spanish troops and Germans and the local Russian population. A final section covers the volunteers after their return to Spain and post-war veterans organizations. The B/W photos throughout the volume are very good and most have not appeared before in English-language works. The volume has six color plates (the departure of the Blue Division; decorations and badges; Spanish infantry in the Battle of the Volkhov Pocket; the Battle of Krasny Bor; daily life in Russia; veterans). Overall, this is an interesting look at the men that formed the Spanish Blue Division, but it is a bit light in areas that many military history readers enjoy (weapons, training, battles), so it is best used as an adjunct to other works. There's nothing terribly new here, but it is an interesting read and provides some depth on the human dimension of the Eastern Front.

4stars - "Good Look at the Men in the Blue Division" (R. A Forczyk)

In the Fire of the Eastern Front: The Experiences of a Dutch Waffen-SS Volunteer, 1941-45 (Stackpole Military History Series) / SalesRank : 76369

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In the Fire of the Eastern Front: The Experiences of a Dutch Waffen-SS Volunteer, 1941-45 (Stackpole Military History Series)
Author : Hendrick C. Verton

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Paperback [ Stackpole Books ] [ Release : 2010 / 03 / 01 ]
ISBN : 9780811735896 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0811735893
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Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front / SalesRank : 363817

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Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front
Contributor:David Glantz Contributor:Marc J. Rikmenspoel Contributor:Scott R. McMichael Contributor:Hugh Foster Contributor:Steven Myers Contributor:Uri Khonko Contributor:Natalya Khonko Editor:Keith E. Bonn

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Paperback [ The Aberjona Press ] [ Release : 2004 / 11 / 07 ]
ISBN : 9780971765092 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 097176509X
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Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]

This reference guide is quite unusual. Its unusual because parts of it will have universal appeal, new or experienced people alike and parts of it will be used by researchers and serious students of the War. The introduction which is a brief overview of the war and the next three chapters will appeal to everybody while the next three chapters are tables of information that a researcher would use. The chapters on Weapons and Forgotten Battles once again will have universal appeal.

The chapter outline is:

Introduction ............ Glantz ......... 1
Chronology ............. Glantz .......... 15
Biographies, Axis ........................ 67
Biographies, Soviets ..................... 113
German Forces by division ........... 147
Soviet Forces by division .............. 299
Organization of Military Units ....... 391
Weapons ................................... 439
Forgotten Battles ..... Glantz ........ 471

The 52 page Chronology I found to be quite useful. The list covers the entire war but is broken down into relevant time frames. Each time has its quick search summary followed by a narrative to add to the summary. With this summary you can quickly find the battle or campaign of your choosing if you're trying to recall the proper sequence of events. If you need further details of your chosen battle then there is the narrative which is concise but quite helpful. Maps are included of some of the key campaigns. The next two chapters cover bios of over 50 commanders. Anywhere from one to three pages are devoted to each officer, most of whom were field commanders. The German bios tend to be longer than the Soviet's. I grant you its not a lot of space but it will give you enough to glimpse into the officer's performance and importance in the war.
The next two chapters can give you invaluable info that is usually hard to find. It will give by division breakdown the commanders of each division and the division's activation and war history by month and year. It will also state if the division survived the war or the month of its destruction or imprisonment.
The next chapter will give the Military Organization by symbolic chart. It also includes footnotes when changes in the organization were made.
Weapons contain tables of the weapons used and key specifications of each weapon. You can easily compare comparable German weapons with Soviet weapons. The weapon list starts out with coverage of pistols and works its way past machine guns, rocket launchers, field guns to tanks.
The last chapter is made up from excepts from David Glantz's book "Forgotten Battles of the German-Soviet War" published in 1998. In the chapter there is mention of about 30 small independent engagements or small engagements within a larger, more popular campaign that have not been well documented. One example would be the Battle of Targul-Frumos in May 1944 near Iassy Rumania. Manteuffel's Grossdeutschland repulsed repeated attacks from 2nd Tank Army and 27th Army over a three day period. The Germans destroyed 350 Soviet tanks and stopped the assault. (This engagement is now covered in the more popular book, "Red Storm over the Balkans".) I found this chapter fascinating, discovering new engagements unknown before.

I would guess that serious students of the war would avail themselves of this book more than others but the book's many facets could be used by all.

5stars - "A Cornucopia of useful information on the Eastern Front" (Dave Schranck)

Slaughterhouse on the Eastern front came with so much promise but from the typos, spelling and grammatical errors to the REPEATING of whole large paragraphs in the book (Never seen that before)to the absence of division listings (For example, no mention of the Muncheburg or Kurmark Divisions-why?) it was a let down.

Don't buy this sight unseen.

The book is a great idea but doesn't deliver on substance.

1stars - "Slaughterhouse on the Eastern Front slaughtered" (Andrew Harris)
I am not a WWII history pro. This book is mostly an exhaustive order of battle for the Easstern front. There is a brief outline of the chronology of the Eastern Front at the beginning. There are neat biographies of the generals on both sides. The weapons section at the end needs production numbers to get an idea what was actually used on the battle field.

I am not a WWII history pro. This book is mostly an exhaustive order of battle for the Easstern front. There is a brief outline of the chronology of the Eastern Front at the beginning. There are neat biographies of the generals on both sides. The weapons section at the end needs production numbers to get an idea what was actually used on the battle field.

3stars - "Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front" (M. Hamilton)

The brilliant work, Slaugterhouse, by David Glantz is a one of its kind to give the Russians their rightful due in the Second World War. As Mr. Glantz points out in the book, had it not been for the Eastern Front where the Russians took most of the thrust of the Wehrmacht, the war most likely taken a different course. This hand book is a useful guide to anyone wishing to understand this very most important theater. It took many nations to team together to defeat Germany, Italy and Japan. The Allied bombings in Western Europe, the sea battles in the pacific and in Asia, the North African Campaign, and the campaigns in Western Europe have been given total credit for the victory. Mr. Glantz corrects for this and shows how the Russians would have defeated the Germans on their own merit. The reader can find readily information of significant battles and commanders. It is a great guide to use while visiting the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. When I was in Moscow the Russians were impressed with this handy book.

5stars - "Excellent compact guide to Eastern Front" (Charlie Brown)

Without echoing what others have written, this book is one that will appeal to both the neophytes and the veterans of researching the Eastern Front. It is useful on several levels, and contains a wealth of information that in some cases is newly available in the English language!

While there is a considerable amount of information in the book, it really is presented in such a logical fashion that it's quite simple to find what is needed. For example, unlike some presentations, the unit information sections are quite logically in numerical order by hierarchy, so everything is easy to locate.

Much of the information on the German forces is in point of fact available in other milieus, both on-line and printed. However, with this book you have not only a listing, but a synopsis of every German and German-Allied unit to fight on the Russian front, from Army Group down to division. For the German-Allied units, this is probably the first time the information on Rumanian, Italian, Hungarian and Finnish forces has ever been gathered together in one place.

The section on the Soviet will be very valuable to researchers and historians. Since the end of the war, very little factual information from the Soviet side has been available. Here in this volume, you will find information that has not been readily available previously. Admittedly, some of the information is limited, but that is due to original sources, not the authors of this book. It must be remembered that in the literal `meat-grinder' that was the Russian Front, many of these units didn't exist long enough to develop a pedigree. Record keeping wasn't always as efficient as historians would desire, either.

The unit organization section I believe was handled very well. Those who study the German military especially know how many incarnations there were of each major type of unit. In this volume, the basic types of divisions are displayed, with major differentiations noted as needed. A good example of this would be the diagram for the Waffen-SS Mountain Division. The basic provisions for this type of unit are shown, followed by notes for six different Waffen-SS Mountain Divisions, explaining how they differed from the norm.

In the weapons section, the publisher has presented important information comparing German and Russian weapons side by side. Disregarding factory specifications, the information here shows things like effective range, which is much more important to the soldier and the historian. By putting the information side by side, it is easy to compare capabilities of different weapons systems from the rifle all the way up to the heaviest artillery. For vehicles, the information provided is that which is pertinent to combat. Offensive capability and defensive survivability is presented.

If one were to read this book from cover to cover, one would not know all there is to know about the war in Russia. Like any encyclopedia, this book provides a considerable amount of information, without going into exquisite detail. It will provide an excellent starting point for any research, though. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about combat on the Russian Front in World War II.

5stars - "A "Must-Have" for the Eastern Front" (Tom Houlihan)

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