Customer Reviews

Russo German War, 1941-45

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a superb account of the bitter struggle in the East. I am impressed the way the author brings us detailed information about the workings of the Higher German and Soviet Commands and also details experiences of Some individual units. Viewed mainly from the German side the author does not ignore the massive Soviet War machine and its economic War industries and this has to appreciated. Perhaps some more attention to Nazi attrocities might have been helpful but the Book is a essentially a Military account. Also the Eastern front is examined in detail with emphasis on the main battles in Belorussia, the Ukraine and Baltic states and in Eastern Europe while discussing the conflict in lesser sectors such as Karelia and the Crimea. This book makes one see just how massive a battle the Eastern front was and the attention to details on weapons, equipment, supply and logistics, War economies, administration, Geography and Climate is magnificent. I was impressed at the Strategic and tactical description of both German and Soviet armies and corps, and their deployment and use in battle. What also impressed me was the way the book looked at the conflict within the whole political/military WW2 global view and just how far the Wermacht became over-extended during the War especially in 1943/44. While one is left in awe at the magnitude of the Soviet Armed forces by 1945, and their increasing sofistication and use of modern equipment the Author gives us a sound insight as to Hitler's abuse of his army and his contempt for the General staff and the increasing out-datedness of much of the Wermacht. So much that one cant help feeling the German army was fighting on 3 fronts. East, West and from within its own government. Definately one of my favourite accounts of the Eastern Front in WW2.

This book will provide you with an eye-opening panorama of the eastern front. If for no other reason, read this book to gain even a tiny bit of appreciation for the scale and magnitude of the war on this front. In contrast to others, I did not find this work to be pro-Nazi. In fact, Seaton rightfully places the Wehrmacht in it's role as a professional army, and juxtaposes Hilter against this professionalism. He clearly portrays the decline of the professional cadre in the German army while the Soviet miltary improves in tactics and technology throughout the war. This is not a pro-Nazi sentiment on the part of the author; there is no doubt that for all the documented atrocities by both sides, the German army in 1940 was the pre-eminent military in the world in all aspects, while the sheer size of the Soviet Union (in terms of geography and population) ultimately won the war in the East. This is the backdrop against which Seaton paints the picture of the eastern front, not the resulting Cold War.

Albert Seaton's "Russo-German War 1941-45" is a bit dated perhaps, but has withstood the test of time, and in spite of it's detractors is still one of the best overall accounts of the Soviet-German conflict to date. David Glantz, when asked in a 1998 interview whose works other than his own would he recommend on the Soviet-German war, gave Colonel Seaton's book very high marks, calling it the equal of Ziemke's two volume set "Moscow to Stalingrad" and "Stalingrad to Berlin", and giving higher accolades only to John Erickson's two books "Road to Stalingrad" and "Road to Berlin". Glantz is considered by most professional historians to be the preeminent author and historian on the Great Patriotic War, and his opinion alone on Seaton's book was reason enough for me to acquire it, and it has proven to be a wise choice indeed. Highly recommended.

30 odd years after its initial publication, Col Albert Seaton's book remains the pre-eminent study of the Russian-German conflict on the Eastern Front. His use of primary and secondary sources across the spectrum illuminate his clear and concise writing style. Seaton made extensive use of the available Soviet histories and personal journals, but at the time of writing did not have access to the vast amount of material in the archives that today's scholars have. Seaton makes every effort to cross-reference sourcing and always notes where Soviet sources conflict with other source material or when Soviet censorship may have altered the research.

Seaton, along with Glantz, bring life to a long forgotten aspect of World War II history. If you are the kind of person that enjoys the nuts and bolts, the movements of divisions and regiments as well as Army Groups, and wants to learn as much as possible about the Front as a whole, this is the place to start. This is on a broad brush scale, ranging from the Balti to the Caspian, so much fine detail is understandably left out. For more detail about individual battles, Glantz or Antony Beever are two good authors.

One Note: The Footnotes contained in Seaton's book are almost of as much as value as the book itself. The footnotes flesh out and enrich the detail of the work as a whole. The footnotes are primarily quoted in German, with English follow-up, so a German-English dictionary would be helpful.

I found albert Seaton's book, The Russo-German War 1941-45 to be well researched and well written. Anyone interested in the largely unknown war between Germany and Russia, the strategies, the victories and the defeats should read this book. I found that I could not put it down.

Very well written book that goes into great details about the strategies of the war on the Eastern Front. The author does a very good job of detailing what both sides were doing and the reasoning behind their strategies. Found it an excellent read for anyone interested in that part of World War II history.

This is military history at its finest, a brilliant narrative of the German war in the East. Yes, it is told mainly from the German point of view but nothing that has come out from the new school of pro-Communist studies has invalidated what is written here. It is entertaining, enlightening, and a forthright study of the clash between the two greatest tyrannies of of the 20th century.

I found this book to be a very good detailed study of the Eastern Front from 1941-45, especially in terms of describing unit operations. I also found the detailing of German and Soviet economic factors rather interesting.

I agree with another review that the author more than willing to state Soviet atrocities whilst German atrocities were barely mentioned. If anything, German atrocities were the equal of, if not worse, than Soviet atrocities, so I think author should have either mentioned the Nazi barbarities in more detailed or simply mentioned both in passing seeing how this was more of a military study.

if you have but a passing fancy of war on the eastern front and don't have the time to pore over the vast literary material available on it , then this is an able primer on a subject matter that is epic in proportions .

the book employs rather broad brush strokes to paint its picture of what is essentially several theatres rolled into one front . not as easy a task as one would imagine since each theatre of operations unfurled itself at a frightening gallop , often simultaneously with other theatres . you will at best glean an overall chessboard view as each little piece shifted back & forth .

i doubt the author meant the book as an omnibus of the eastern front . it reads more like a well thought out , sufficiently researched and ably written academic treatise . some effort has been put into looking at the men and materiel aspect and this is where some reviewers have taken issue . i don't think the book has any pro-nazi leanings nor concludes that the russians won mainly because of its massive surfeit in manpower. it does seem to say that the wehrmacht , while grossly outnumbered & outgunned in the later stages , resisted for as long as it did due in no small part to better tactics , training and more importantly that indefinable factor variously termed as morale , chutzpah etc . the russian's overwhelming manpower resources is named as only one of many factors that ensured its victory . there was adequate mention of the russians improving tactics and materiel ( all made possible by the timely mobilization of its industrial base and lend lease program ) . certainly , tactical mistakes by the wehrmacht were not glossed over and indeed , seaton makes some clever and interesting "what if" speculations from these .

if you are looking for the human aspect of war , there are other better books . if you are looking for a tactical/strategic appraisal right down to small unit action and plenty of maps with arrows pointing this way & that , there are other better books . if , on the other hand , you are planning to appear very knowledgable and conversant about the subject at the next company dinner , then get that credit card ready .

For those unfamiliar with this crucial theater of World War II, the book provides an excellent introduction. Although a bit dry at times, it gives a good overall chronology of what was going on across the front. It's somewhat academic-- there aren't a lot of stories about individual soldiers and units.