BATTLE IN THE BALTICS 1944-45: The Fighting for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, a Photographic History [Hardcover]

Ian Baxter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2009

Battle in the Baltics 1944 - 1945 is an exclusive insight into the last frantic months of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front 1944 - 1945. From mid-August 1944 there was nothing but a drum-beat of defeats for the German Army as it fought to the grim death to try and hold back the overwhelming might of the Russians from reaching the borders of the Reich. It was in the Baltic`s where Army Group North played a decisive role in trying to stem the rout and preventing the fragile lines from finally being smashed to pieces.

Drawing on a host of rare and unpublished photographs accompanied by in-depth captions, the book provides a revealing insight into the last desperate months of the war. It reveals in detail how the remnants of Army Group North were driven back across a scarred and devastated wasteland to the borders of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, East Prussia and Pomerania. What followed was the Battle of the Baltic`s where exhausted and undermanned German forces fought to almost near extinction against the constant hammer blows of Soviet ground and aerial bombardments.

Everywhere disintegrating German forces tried to cling onto vital ground. Eventually after many precious German Panzer and infantry divisions were encircled and annihilated the remnants of Hitler`s once vaunted force was pushed back through the Baltic states into East Prussia, and then fought to the death in the last few small pockets of land surrounding three ports: Libau in Kurland, Pillau in East Prussia and Danzig at the mouth of the River Vistula. It was here that the final battle of the Baltic`s would take place where German troops were ordered to `stand and fight` and wage an unprecedented battle of attrition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Helion (August 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1906033331
• ISBN-13: 978-1906033330
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,455,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > History > Europe > Estonia
  • #36 in Books > History > Europe > Latvia
  • #62 in Books > History > Europe > Lithuania

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, but a bit lacking..., January 16, 2010

By 

JGA357 (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: BATTLE IN THE BALTICS 1944-45: The Fighting for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, a Photographic History (Hardcover)

I guess the "great photos" part shouldn't be a surprise, given that this is a photographic history. But every now and then new photo books hit the market that recycle trade-worn shots or offer poor photo quality for a premium price. This book isn't one of them..the photos are fine (although not every one is an action shot), the text and captions are well written and fairly engaging, and the price is not too bad. The book's only technical fault is that there are very few maps to help guide the reader--especially given the amount of ground covered during Army Group North's retreat--and to portray the tactical and strategic situation.

Nitpick Alert: OK, this book markets itself as being presented from the German perspective. Fine..no charges of false advertising here. It is something of pity, however, given the dearth of works on the late war Baltic and East Prussian campaigns that there is nothing presented from the Russian perspective. Not that the author is biased--the text is neutral, I think--but the book would have been more enjoyable had it used photos from both sides.

All-in-all, a worthwhile addition to your collection if the subject interests you. As I mentioned, there are few books out there that cover the Baltics and East Prussia in much depth, so this one is a keeper.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bait and Switch, August 20, 2010

By 

Son of the Desert (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: BATTLE IN THE BALTICS 1944-45: The Fighting for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, a Photographic History (Hardcover)

"Battle in the Baltics" purports to be a photographic history of fighting for Latvia, Lithuanian and Estonia. It is nothing of the sort. Working off what appears to be a trove of Bulgarian-held German-soldier snapshots of fellow soldiers, there are endless closeups of Germans in foxholes, Germans next to a cannon, Germans looking this way and that. The rare long view of an unrecognizable village, usually an Estonian one, is a relief, but there's no history or geography to speak of here, only the feeling, once you're done paging through this disappointing throw-away, that you've been had.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad book with many errors, September 22, 2010

By 

Petewen "petewen7" (Kildeer, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: BATTLE IN THE BALTICS 1944-45: The Fighting for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, a Photographic History (Hardcover)

This book has numerous errors in the text, something which is unforgivable in a book of this type. The pictures are redundant and boring. For those who know nothing about the topic this may be of passing interest, but for all others it is a waste. Definately NOT worth the price.