Wars and ConflictsΒ permalink
Best books on the Eastern Front?
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Β
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Monday, 25th January 2010
Since the fall of the Wall, a lot of new material has come to light about the Eastern Front in WW2 and this has led to a spate of new books.
Are there any Eastern Front experts out there who can advise on what the best new books are? -
Message 2
Posted by pc1973 (U13716600) on Tuesday, 26th January 2010
'Absolute War' by Chris Bellamy.
I read this last year, recommend it very highly.
It's a fair size though, around 700 pages if I remember rightly. -
Message 3
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Tuesday, 26th January 2010
"Ivan's War" Catherine Merrridale.
It gives a fascinating insight into how the Red Army actually lived and operated. Really is vital reading for anyone interested in the subject. -
Message 4
Posted by suvorovetz (U12273591) on Tuesday, 26th January 2010
Since the fall of the Wall, a lot of new material has come to light about the Eastern Front in WW2 and this has led to a spate of new books.Β If you ever see anything written by Mark Solonin, that's it. I don't know if any of his books were published in English yet.
-
Message 5
Posted by stalti (U14278018) on Tuesday, 26th January 2010
is there anything yet that is better than Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer
it has to be the bible of the russian front
st -
Message 6
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Tuesday, 26th January 2010
Thanks for suggestions so far, they all look worth reading.
The previous book I read about this was Alan Clark's Barbarossa. It's a very good read but I found it a bit Germano-centric & the in-depth coverage of Stalingrad, though excellent, seemed out of proportion. -
Message 7
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Wednesday, 27th January 2010
Idamante
Clark is good about the true nature of the Nazi regime in the captured territories (seems to have a positive empathy, and he enjoyed the landmine-in-the-bed story far too much), but I didn't particularly rate his analysis of the military side of things . Barbarossa is, none the less, by far his best book ("The Donkeys" should be eradicated from the planet.)
I still think that John Erickson's two "Road to..." books are the best things, in English at least, on the Eastern Front as a whole, despite the new material.
As no-one else has posted them Bee3vor's Stalingrad and Berlin are both extremely good and have benifited from the new material. But I still would suggest reading "Ivan" before anything else.
LW -
Message 8
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Wednesday, 27th January 2010
I still think that John Erickson's two "Road to..." books are the best things, in English at least, on the Eastern Front as a whole, despite the new material.Β
I was looking at the amazon reviews & they say the same thing. But apparently the 1st volume doesn't have any maps?? Very strange -
Message 9
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Thursday, 28th January 2010
Idamante
You're right - I'd forgotten that. Shows how good the text is.
But presumably you have access to other maps. Don't let it put you off!
LW -
Message 10
Posted by Steelers708 (U1831340) on Thursday, 28th January 2010
David M. Glantz has written some really good books, using Soviet sources, he is generally acknowledeged as the foremost Western author, concerning Soviet operations, writting today.
Jason D Mark has written/published some excellant books on Stalingrad, including
Death of the Leaping Horseman - 24. Panzer Division in Stalingrad
and
Island of Fire - The Battle for the Barrikady Gun Factory in Stalingrad - November 1942 - February 1943
There are two excellant books on the Korsun/Cherkassy Pocket,
Hells Gate - The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket January - February 1944 by Douglas E. Nash
and
The Korsun Pocket - The Enciclement and Breakout of a German Army in the East, 1944 by Niklas Zetterling & Anders Frankson
and finally
Bloody Streets - the Soviet Assault on Berlin, April 1944 by A. Stephen Hamilton is an excellent book. -
Message 11
Posted by U3280211 (U3280211) on Friday, 29th January 2010
There have been many new books about the Eastern Front but I still find one of the earliest the most persuasive.
Alexander Werth's "Russia at War" (1964) has been described (by no less than William Shirer) as 'probably the best book in English we shall ever have' on the subject.
Werth, a native of St Petersburg, was a correspondent for both the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and the Sunday Times, and lived in Russia throughout the war.
This gives his long narrative (1096 pages) an immediacy and command of detail which eludes many modern histories. -
Message 12
Posted by OUNUPA (U2078829) on Friday, 29th January 2010
The Panzer Platoon series by Gunter Lutz :
1.Invade Russia !
2.Blitzkrieg !
3.Blood And Ice.
------------
The steel-storm of Total War ! -
Message 13
Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Friday, 29th January 2010
There are just too many interesting books on this subject but the Alexander Werth sounds like what I'm looking for - thanks for the tip!
-
Message 14
Posted by suvorovetz (U12273591) on Sunday, 31st July 2011
Since the fall of the Wall, a lot of new material has come to light about the Eastern Front in WW2 and this has led to a spate of new books.Β
If you ever see anything written by Mark Solonin, that's it. I don't know if any of his books were published in English yet.Β
Here's a good one and it's free (pretty decent and thorough translation from Russian). It's best for clearing up the mind as to - paraphrasing Woody Allen - everything that never actually happened but you thought it did:
-
Message 15
Posted by Mutatis_Mutandis (U8620894) on Monday, 1st August 2011
I will assume that we have all already read Beevor's "Stalingrad"...
I would suggest "What Stalin Knew: The Enigma of Barbarossa" by David E. Murphy (Yale University Press, 2006), an investigation of intelligence available to the Soviet leadership before the attack.
"Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar" by Simon Sebag Montefiore (2003), available from numerous publishers... A monumental pile of paper and not about the front itself, but you can't attempt to understand the battle without attempting to understand Stalin... Not that a normal person can succeed in the latter.
"Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy" (2006) by Adam Tooze is not about the Eastern Front, but this is the one book about WWII everybody should read, if you want to make any sense of it all...
About this Board
The History message boards are now closed. They remain visible as a matter of record but the opportunity to add new comments or open new threads is no longer available. Thank you all for your valued contributions over many years.
or Β to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
The message board is closed for posting.
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ iD
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ navigation
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ links
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Β© 2014 The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.