Barbarossa: Hitler Turns East

This is the fascinating account of the massive German attack on Soviet Russia and the fierce fighting which took place from 1941 to October 1942. It was first published as part of the German Report Series, a unique run of publications that emerged as a result of the intensive program of post-war interviews conducted by US Intelligence with senior German officers who had served on the Eastern Front.

These Eastern Front combat veterans were asked to recall their first hand experiences in order to produce an overview of the titanic campaign in Russia from a primary perspective. The leading interviewee was Genraloberst Franz Halder, German Chief Of Staff from 1938 and it is his recollections, which shaped this highly detailed account of the German combat operations in Russia.

The scope of the book is very wide and takes into account the planning and operational aspects of Operations Barbarossa and Typhoon in 1941 and Operation Blue in 1942, which saw the German Sixth Army drive into Stalingrad. Hitler’s constant meddling and the effect of the various Fürher directives is considered in detail as are a host of other factors including climactic conditions, fuel supplies, transport, logistics, armored warfare, replacement personnel, air support and a myriad of other factors which occupied Halder and his comrades. This excellent book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the operational issues, which shaped the course of the war on the Eastern Front.