Post by dustdevil28 on Jan 9, 2013 10:47:32 GMT -8
....d by Michael K. Jones.
Very good book detailing the struggle of the Soviet 62nd Army as it held on to every shrinking ground in Stalingrad. At one point the Army was split in two in the city by the advancing German 6th Army in November of 1942. The remaining forces were pushed to within 200 meters of the Volga River, but amazingly against all odds held out, adapted, and demorilized their enemy to the point of it's eventual surrender in January 1943, or just two months after being split!!!
For me, growing up we hear much about America, and feats of heroism in America's military conflicts. When talking about World War II we hear much about lend lease which aided both the UK and the USSR prior to our direct involvement. We also hear about the heroism displayed at D-Day, the battle of Anzio, standing against the Germans during the battle of the bulge, and defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. Great heroism, but in regards to the Soviets, whom we entered the cold war with after the war, we hear very little about the battles they fought against the Germans and their own heroism.
My own knowledge of Stalingrad was limited, but I understood Germany's defeat there to be the turning point in their eastern front. The book captures the magnatude of the defeat as it paints a picture of a German military which charged through Russia in 1942, completely outmatching the Russian military in almost every encounter. They dominated the air, their tanks were better equips, they had efficient processes for employing artilary, and they dominated communications equipment while routinely intercepting Russian communications or flat out jamming it.
These advantages played especially well out in the open field against the Russian military, and the Russians fell into a pell mell retreat which spreaded panic in the country. In Stalingrad Russia found itself in a position where it could not retreat any longer. The lost of the nation with Stalin's name would be a huge loss psychologically, and the loss of the Volga River would deny the Soviet Union any control of southern farm fields.
The 62nd was called on to hold out, in city fighting they were aided by now having numerous structures in which to establish fighting positions. They further adapted their fighting style when they found out the German's were not very skilled at hand to hand combat, and were reluctant to bomb or mortar positions near their own forces.
The Russians used this to it's advantage by keeping it's forces close to the Germans, or as close as feasible, and were able to negate numerous bombing attempts.
Still, they did suffer greatly. Reported statistics show Russians suffered a 75% casualty rate in the battle, but against all odds still held out. Frankly the book reads as a Thermopolie style stand by a force which should never have won. Their stand had nothing to do with Communism versus Fascism, or Communist values against Western values, it had to do with national pride, and want to protect the man to their left and right.
Overall very good read.
-DD
Very good book detailing the struggle of the Soviet 62nd Army as it held on to every shrinking ground in Stalingrad. At one point the Army was split in two in the city by the advancing German 6th Army in November of 1942. The remaining forces were pushed to within 200 meters of the Volga River, but amazingly against all odds held out, adapted, and demorilized their enemy to the point of it's eventual surrender in January 1943, or just two months after being split!!!
For me, growing up we hear much about America, and feats of heroism in America's military conflicts. When talking about World War II we hear much about lend lease which aided both the UK and the USSR prior to our direct involvement. We also hear about the heroism displayed at D-Day, the battle of Anzio, standing against the Germans during the battle of the bulge, and defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. Great heroism, but in regards to the Soviets, whom we entered the cold war with after the war, we hear very little about the battles they fought against the Germans and their own heroism.
My own knowledge of Stalingrad was limited, but I understood Germany's defeat there to be the turning point in their eastern front. The book captures the magnatude of the defeat as it paints a picture of a German military which charged through Russia in 1942, completely outmatching the Russian military in almost every encounter. They dominated the air, their tanks were better equips, they had efficient processes for employing artilary, and they dominated communications equipment while routinely intercepting Russian communications or flat out jamming it.
These advantages played especially well out in the open field against the Russian military, and the Russians fell into a pell mell retreat which spreaded panic in the country. In Stalingrad Russia found itself in a position where it could not retreat any longer. The lost of the nation with Stalin's name would be a huge loss psychologically, and the loss of the Volga River would deny the Soviet Union any control of southern farm fields.
The 62nd was called on to hold out, in city fighting they were aided by now having numerous structures in which to establish fighting positions. They further adapted their fighting style when they found out the German's were not very skilled at hand to hand combat, and were reluctant to bomb or mortar positions near their own forces.
The Russians used this to it's advantage by keeping it's forces close to the Germans, or as close as feasible, and were able to negate numerous bombing attempts.
Still, they did suffer greatly. Reported statistics show Russians suffered a 75% casualty rate in the battle, but against all odds still held out. Frankly the book reads as a Thermopolie style stand by a force which should never have won. Their stand had nothing to do with Communism versus Fascism, or Communist values against Western values, it had to do with national pride, and want to protect the man to their left and right.
Overall very good read.
-DD