Black Cross/Red Star : Vol. 1, Operation Barbarossa 1941 [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Christer Bergstrom (Author), Andrey Mikhailov (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 340 pages
• Publisher: Pacifica Pr; illustrated edition edition (August 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935553487
• ISBN-13: 978-0935553482
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,249,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Air war over the Russian steppes, August 25, 2000

By 

Robert E. Wartburg (Fullerton, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Cross/Red Star : Vol. 1, Operation Barbarossa 1941 (Hardcover)

The beginning chapter states: "Although the largest air war in history was fought on the Eastern Front during World War II, this is one of the least known chapters of aviation history."

An opening sentence never rang so true.

Millions of pages have been written about the aerial conflict over Western Europe over the decades since the war. Given the number of units and aircraft involved over the Eastern Front, this part of aviation lore has been sadly neglected. Part of the reason has to due with the availability of the records. Only with the recent fall of the Iron Curtain have researchers been allowed more than limited access to Soviet records. Christer Bergstrom and Andrey Mikhailov are two such men who spent years interviewing the pilots who fought and suffered in the skies of Eastern Europe.

The book begins with a comparison of the two air forces involved which includes their relative experience prior to June 22, 1941, training standards, tactical doctrine and aircraft. The effect of Stalin's purges on leading airmen and aircraft engineers and its effect on the Russian Air Force is also detailed. Of interest is the German fighter pilot's 'hunting' philosophy that stressed individual achievement through aerial victories.

The beginning of the book takes the reader from the early morning dawn of June 22, 1941 to the first intense struggles for air supremacy during those first, fateful weeks. Testimonials and first-hand accounts from participants, on both sides, give humanity to the plentiful and detailed facts and figures. Many future and high scoring aces of the Luftwaffe and VVS describe their first missions during the opening battles.

One of the overall strengths of this work is that information from the antagonists is presented. Most of what we now of the air war on the Eastern Front are from the Luftwaffe point of view. Rarely did a reader know what was happening on the "Other Side of the Hill". Bergstrom and Mikhailov have made it a point to give a balanced account and include as much detail about the VVS and its pilots, as with the Luftwaffe.

After the initial stages of the air war, the authors walk the reader through the intense battles in the Ukraine, Kiev, and the desperate defense of Moscow and Leningrad. Interestingly, the VVS air raids against Berlin are documented. This is just another example of the obscure events of the war above the Eastern Front chronicled in this book.

A weakness of the book is the quality of the maps. Most of the geographical place names are blurred, making them difficult if not impossible to read. Several of the photographs have the same problem with blurring. Overall, the quality of the maps and photos do not detract significantly from the work.

I would recommend this book to anyone with even the slightest interest in the battles between the Luftwaffe and VVS. The book closes a large gap between the air war on the Eastern Front and the other theaters of war that have been heavily documented.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Next volume? Aber bitte jetzt gleich!, September 8, 2000

By 

Günther Rosipal (Hannover, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Cross/Red Star : Vol. 1, Operation Barbarossa 1941 (Hardcover)

First I have to concede, that I am one of the local and personal supporters of Christer Bergströms and Andrey Michailovs work. So I am really partial on their first volume of their tremendous ongoing work.

In the past, there were written lots of books about the war on the eastern front. Meanwhile we know (as special historical educated people) a lot about the main facts, which troups under which command of which Marshall or General fought against the other side.

But we also have the expierience, that the former western enemies came together and are today good friends. Today the former opponents of the „Battle over Britain" meet since decades as friends, talking about the old tough times...

The authors support with their work that kind the peaceful communication of the russian and german generations, because they explain, that one of the best skills of human beings, the possibility to fly, unifies the people all over the world.

The work that the authors did today, was impossible to do until the early ninties, when the history of the lost and won WWII was occupied by the political systems. With the fall of the german border and later with the end of the USSR, there was a new chance to take a new look on that what happened 45-50 years before.

The authors show, (by looking on the eastern theatre) that there was at least no really difference between german and russian pilots during the second worldwar: They all loved flying, they loved their native country. At least they did the same: They fought against each other, they killed each other under the same conditions.

Bergström and Michailov acting in the a kind of the new „avantgarde" with their bookproject. Nearly no historian (Working on that „eastern-front-theme") did it in that way before: To take a look on personal or individual destinies of both sides during the SAME time.

In that way, the eastern theatre (especially the airwar) is not longer an uppersurface-story with Hitler and Stalin, or Manstein and Shukov, who lost there 10.700 soldiers and at another place 5.800 soldiers. A small number of those soldiers (or especially pilots) now get names, even also not just the topscoring fighterpilots of both sides. To check the „eye to eye-enemies" is the most honourable intention of Bergström an Michailov , to bring light into that what happened. They do not just stop at the point of those 10.700 or 5.800 soldiers - they talk about the single human beings of both sides, who not really differed.

So buy that book, because it is a really extented look on our common history.

I am urging for the next volume.

Günther Rosipal, Hannover, Germany

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good study of a little known part of WW2, May 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Cross/Red Star : Vol. 1, Operation Barbarossa 1941 (Hardcover)

I am a fanatic on World War 2 and have read heaps on the subject. I also am quite a critic. When most people give a WW2 book 5 stars I give 4 or sometimes less. But this book is excellent and definitely deserves 5 five stars.

One of the main problems with history books of this period is that there is so much written its hard to read something new. This book does. It throws light on a little known subject the air war on the Eastern Front. Although I have read much on this front, I never realised how important the Russian airforce was.

It has great photographs. I like how they are spread out though the book allowing a user to see the photographs while reading the book. Using them to jump back and forwards across the lines and displaying brilliant biograph of pilots on both sides we can appreciate what they are going though.

Much of the critics of this book I have read it is not correct. The writer are certainly not saying that the Russian airforce was as good as the Germans man for man. They blame that largely and quite correctly on Stalin. Its interesting that the German aces are clearly displayed with there 200 + kills whereas the Russian aces have 13 +. What they are saying is that it was very important in the war.

The main mission of the Russian air force in this period was to stop the German armies advance and I would have liked is more study on the effect on the German army. Not that this is not covered I just would have preferred more.

I would also have preferred more technical information on the planes and in particular in production.

Another point mentioned that I will dispute was the bombing of city of Kosice. Its still disputed today, who did this particular bombing. The writer claim it was the Germans but offer no proof. Its still one of the mysteries of the war. I find it strange that no-one has come forward after the war to claim credit for this operation.

Much of the discussion on the Soviet bombing on Berlin was very interesting. As was the fanaticism of the Russian pilots. I don't know any other airforce that used ramming as standard tactics.

I am looking forward to the next volumes.