Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941-1945
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Amazon.co.uk Review
As German armies stampeded through the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941, Nazi politicians and Western statesmen alike predicted the former U.S.S.R's collapse. In Russia's War, a balanced and acute portrayal of a combat theatre that claimed more than 40 million Soviet lives, Richard Overy tells the story of how Stalin and his commanders held off defeat and engineered the most significant military achievement of the Second World War: the destruction of the Wehrmacht.
Russia's War is far from a tale of triumph, as the Russian capacity for resourceful creativity, desperate courage and raw endurance was matched, if not exceeded, by the brutal oppression of the Soviet system. Overy argues, however, that victory was the result of precisely this uneasy combination. Drawing from extensive archival sources made available in the wake of Glasnost, he revises both our conception of the Red Army as a horde that overwhelmed the Germans and the accepted wisdom that Hitler's defeat was the result of strategic bungling and a logistical overreach of the Nazi forces. Perhaps his most poignant contribution is the discussion of the crisis that recent disclosures have provoked in the Russian understanding of the conflict. What was once viewed as the "Great Patriotic War" has become "a crucible of miserable and incomprehensible revelations." In spite of these confusions, Russia's War commences to find significance in a contest that repeatedly disquiets and humbles the historical imagination. --James Highfill --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Masterly ... a vivid account (Robert Service Independent )
A dramatic and exciting tale ... His set-piece descriptions of such visions of Hell as Stalingrad, the 900-day siege of Leningrad and the crucial battle of Kursk are as fascinating as they are horrifying (Alan Judd Sunday Times )
Overy is a first-class military historian ... He writes concisely and says what he means to say ... Now, we have an authoritative British account that understands both sides, without illusions (Norman Stone Spectator )
Excellent ... Overy tackles this huge, complex and multifaceted story with the vital gifts of clarity and brevity (Antony Beevor Literary Review )
A dramatic and exciting tale ... His set-piece descriptions of such visions of Hell as Stalingrad, the 900-day siege of Leningrad and the crucial battle of Kursk are as fascinating as they are horrifying (Alan Judd Sunday Times )
Overy is a first-class military historian ... He writes concisely and says what he means to say ... Now, we have an authoritative British account that understands both sides, without illusions (Norman Stone Spectator )
Excellent ... Overy tackles this huge, complex and multifaceted story with the vital gifts of clarity and brevity (Antony Beevor Literary Review )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
84 of 87 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is not only a thoroughly researched work of scholarship, but a brillantly written and engrossing narrative of how Russia succeded in defeating the Nazi war machine, hitherto the most formidable and effective military force in world history. Since the cessetion of the Cold War, and building on the work of scholars such as John Erickson and David Glantz, there has been a fundamental reassessment of the Russian experience in the Second World War. This book indicates that the Russian victory was underpinned by an ability to mobilise the entire nation and economy, often by brutal means, into a total war. Neither are the Russians presented as a homgeneous horde, as they were in earlier works, but as a complex mosaic of differening ethnicities and political persuasions.
This book challenged my previous belief that the German army came close to total victory within the first year, and that if Moscow had fallen then it would have been virtually sealed. In fact, much of the population and industrial production had already been relocated far beyond Moscow in the Urals, and given the Russian capacity for flexible defensive strategies and a developing capacity to launch counter offensives, the obstacles that stood in the way of a German victory begin to look daunting. Overy makes it clear that Stalin made an fatal miscalcualtion in his belief that Germany would not make war with Russia before the spring of 1942, and the sheer ease of the German victories in the weeks following Barbarossa must be seen as a consequence of a total lack of preparedness of the Red Army. After the initial shock (and enormous losses) brought about by the invasion, the expanding Russian mobilization and increasingly over-stretched German army began to favour a Soviet triumph.
This book analyses the multiple levels of the conflict, from the political intrigue between Stalin and his generals, to the perspectives of the ordinary Russian, who endured unspeakable hardships in the name of defence of the motherland. The Russian-German conflict of 1941-45 was the largest and most costly in history, it also shaped the nature of post-war politics. This excellent book captures the scale and importance of the conflict, and provides scope for reflection in its examination of the divide between patriotism and propaganda and sobering recollections of the terrible acts of brutality that took place.
This book challenged my previous belief that the German army came close to total victory within the first year, and that if Moscow had fallen then it would have been virtually sealed. In fact, much of the population and industrial production had already been relocated far beyond Moscow in the Urals, and given the Russian capacity for flexible defensive strategies and a developing capacity to launch counter offensives, the obstacles that stood in the way of a German victory begin to look daunting. Overy makes it clear that Stalin made an fatal miscalcualtion in his belief that Germany would not make war with Russia before the spring of 1942, and the sheer ease of the German victories in the weeks following Barbarossa must be seen as a consequence of a total lack of preparedness of the Red Army. After the initial shock (and enormous losses) brought about by the invasion, the expanding Russian mobilization and increasingly over-stretched German army began to favour a Soviet triumph.
This book analyses the multiple levels of the conflict, from the political intrigue between Stalin and his generals, to the perspectives of the ordinary Russian, who endured unspeakable hardships in the name of defence of the motherland. The Russian-German conflict of 1941-45 was the largest and most costly in history, it also shaped the nature of post-war politics. This excellent book captures the scale and importance of the conflict, and provides scope for reflection in its examination of the divide between patriotism and propaganda and sobering recollections of the terrible acts of brutality that took place.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Richard Overy's book on the war on the Eastern Front is a towering achievement. Using previously unreleased archives and papers Overy challenges many widely held opinions and beliefs and convincingly alters conventional thinking on a number of issues. The book is extremely well written and very hard to put down.
It all starts with the rise of Stalin, the desperate famines of the early 30's and the vicious purges of the military, Jewish communities, intellectuals and others. It details the crushing defeats of the opening German assaults, the 900 day siege of Leningrad and the cauldron of Stalingrad. The book follows the fortunes of the Russian army right to the surrender and fall of Berlin. The book ends with the post-war arguing between the Allies, Stalin's death, and the 'iron curtain' falling across Europe.
Anyone with an interest in this period, or even on modern-day Europe, must read this book, it is excellent.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This isn't a cheery book to read. In fact my jaw dropped, on a number of occasions, as I read it.
For me the most important thing to say about it is that it quite radically challenged my understanding of what happened in the Second World War, a view which was formed primarily by reading Churchill.
In his book 'The World at War', which kind of softened me up for reading Overy, Mark Arnold-Forster suggests that if necessary Russia could have defeated Germany unaided, and that the Germans weren't defeated because of their own incompetence or the weather but that they met a militarily superior opponent.
Overy doesn't make the first claim but he backs up the rest. Although Russia had a vast army and considerable weaponry at the outset of the war they were disorganised and in particular Stalin was unwilling to trust his generals. It took about a year and a half for these problems to be overcome and after that Russia hardly put a foot wrong. Having said that he also makes clear the important of the 'lend-lease' supplies the Russians got from the USA.
According to Khruschev in 1956, and these figures are supported by Overy, Russia lost about 25 million people as a direct result of the war. This included over six million soldiers killed in action. 80% of Germany's soldiers killed were on the Eastern Front. The scale of the war is what had not got through to me prior to reading this book.
Other points which Overy makes were that the Germans regarded the Russians as subhuman and committed many atrocities in the huge areas of Russia they occupied.
He also goes into great length about internal repression in Russia before, during and after the war.
Overy makes a sincere effort to understand Stalin and the Russian people, the enormous difficulties they overcame in this war. He doesn't assert definitive answers, and acknowledges uncertainty.
Nevertheless I felt having finished this book as though to some extent I had been given a sense of the Russian point of view. Information about the Germans is here but the book is written to shine a light on the Russians.
For me the most important thing to say about it is that it quite radically challenged my understanding of what happened in the Second World War, a view which was formed primarily by reading Churchill.
In his book 'The World at War', which kind of softened me up for reading Overy, Mark Arnold-Forster suggests that if necessary Russia could have defeated Germany unaided, and that the Germans weren't defeated because of their own incompetence or the weather but that they met a militarily superior opponent.
Overy doesn't make the first claim but he backs up the rest. Although Russia had a vast army and considerable weaponry at the outset of the war they were disorganised and in particular Stalin was unwilling to trust his generals. It took about a year and a half for these problems to be overcome and after that Russia hardly put a foot wrong. Having said that he also makes clear the important of the 'lend-lease' supplies the Russians got from the USA.
According to Khruschev in 1956, and these figures are supported by Overy, Russia lost about 25 million people as a direct result of the war. This included over six million soldiers killed in action. 80% of Germany's soldiers killed were on the Eastern Front. The scale of the war is what had not got through to me prior to reading this book.
Other points which Overy makes were that the Germans regarded the Russians as subhuman and committed many atrocities in the huge areas of Russia they occupied.
He also goes into great length about internal repression in Russia before, during and after the war.
Overy makes a sincere effort to understand Stalin and the Russian people, the enormous difficulties they overcame in this war. He doesn't assert definitive answers, and acknowledges uncertainty.
Nevertheless I felt having finished this book as though to some extent I had been given a sense of the Russian point of view. Information about the Germans is here but the book is written to shine a light on the Russians.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Pity Eastern Europe
Just finished this very enjoyable and awe-inspiring book. Richard Overy says on the back cover notes that eastern Europe between 1939 and 1945 must have been one of the worst... Read more
Published 7 months ago by P. Spencer
Comprehensive and sobering
This is hugely ambitious book, perhaps overly so, in that it attempts to explain all aspect of the Great Patriotic War - military, political, social, industrial, economic etc. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Neil S
Russia's War
I enjoyed this book a great deal, it is very strong on a number of events and in particular the suffering of the Russian people. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Caspertg
Consise and well researced.
A very interesting and easy to read one volume account of the Soviet Union's fightback against the Nazi invasion of '41. Read more
Published on 11 May 2010 by redbigbill
A damned good book.
This is one of the books that Mr Beevor should have read before producing his narratives on Stalingrad and Berlin (good though they are). Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2010 by Combover
A very good book which is very nearly a classic.
Russia's War by R.J. Overy is a very good and detailed account of how the Soviet Union managed against the odds at times to not only stop the Germans but eventually repulse them. Read more
Published on 9 April 2008 by HBH
Detailed, objective
This full of facts book tells the story of Soviet Russia as never told before. With an objective view the writer tries to understand the Soviet leaders' motives for acting the way... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2005 by Ogun Eratalay
Blunting Hitler
The titanic struggle of the Soviet Union against Hitler's invasion is a tale written in pain. Over 20 million were to die, a figure which surpasses comprehension. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2003 by Budge Burgess
A thorough examination of a fascinating subject
In an era when re-appraisal and revisionism are rife, particularly with reference to particular areas of WW2 (Goldhagen et al spring most readily to mind), Overy's book on Russia's... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2000 by c.sevenoaks@ncm.uk.com
A fresh look at the Soviet effort during WW2
This book looks at "Russia's" War using previously unavailable material from the Soviet archives. Read more
Published on 13 May 1999
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