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The gripping history of the ferocious turning point of World War Two, when Hitler's armies were halted on the Eastern Front
At the moment of crisis in late 1941 on the Eastern Front, with the forces of Hitler massing on the outskirts of Moscow, the miraculous occurred: Moscow was saved. Yet this feat of endurance was a prelude to a long and arduous retreat in which Soviet troops, inspired by deep beliefs in the sacred Motherland, pushed back German forces steeled by the vision of the Ubermensch—the iron-willed fighter. Supported by tanks and ski battalions, Soviet troops engaged in this desperate struggle in the harshest Russian weather.
Michael Jones draws upon a wealth of new eyewitness testimonies from both sides of the conflict to vividly chronicle this pivotal chapter in the Second World War as he takes us from the German invasion of the Soviet Union on the morning of June 22 through the counteroffensive that carried into the spring of 1942. From the German soldier finding his comrades frozen into blocks of ice to the Russian lieutenant crying with rage at the senseless destruction of his unit, the author shows us the faces of war when the Wehrmacht was repelled and the titanic and cruel struggle of two world powers forged the fate of Europe.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
David Lessard
reviewed The Retreat: Hitler's First Defeat on January 30, 2012 The Retreat
I enjoy reading history which is infused with firsthand accounts. Mr. Jones' book is a history of the first winter on the Eastern Front told by those that were there - both Soviets and Germans. Mr. Jones focuses on how such a mighty calamity befell the German war machine and the consequences to the individual soldier. The following is a quote by Mr. Jones describing the Germans' psychological attitude regarding their military prowess and what that attitude resulted in during the Winter of '41/'42, "When a belief becomes a certainty, one loses the sense that it began life as a point of view, one which events might prove wrong. And when that certainty becomes internalized, it removes all thought of a plan for alternative outcomes."
This story is harrowing, brutal, and sad. Through the eyes of those that were there - many who didn't make it home in the end - we get a glimpse into what fighting on the Eastern Front was really like. I've always heard it said how vicious this war was to soldier and civilian alike. Mr. Jones' book takes it to a very personal level. You can envision the collapse of the German assault on Moscow as Operation Typhoon comes to a halting end and the Soviet counteroffensive picks up steam. Finally General Model comes on the scene and through a miraculous offensive makes the Soviets relinquish their offensive initiative. Both of these events, the halting of Typhoon in the suburbs of Moscow by the Red Army and the encirclement of the Soviet 29th Army by the German 9th Army were won on the narrowest of margins.
You'll also get some wonderful insight into the leaders of each side. For instance I enjoyed this quote from General Model, "'We will strike the Russian flank, and catch them in a stranglehold,' he declared. His staff officers were astounded by Model's optimism in a truly desperate position. 'And what, Herr General,' one asked him, 'have you brought us for this operation?' Substantial reinforcements were urgently needed, but none were at hand. Model regarded the man for a moment, and then replied with a calm assurance: 'Myself!'"
One of the best books I've read. I highly recommend this to any student of WWII.
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