Stalingrad 1942–43 (2): The Fight for the City (Campaign)

Description

The second in a three-part series examining the Stalingrad campaign, one of the most decisive military operations in World War II, that set the stage for the ultimate defeat of the Third Reich. In early September 1942, Hitler believed that Stalingrad was about to fall: 6.Armee and 4.Panzer-Armee had reached the outskirts, and they were ordered to conclude the capture of the city as soon as possible. However, this proved easier said than done. On 13 September, the direct German assault was launched on the city on the Volga, already devastated by massive Luftwaffe raids. A protracted urban battle followed amid the ruins. Although hit hard by the initial German offensive, the ruthless and obstinate Red Army was able to hold onto the city through the costly battle of attrition that sacrificed huge amounts of men and materiel. This second volume in the Stalingrad trilogy, written by a foremost expert on the military history of the Eastern Front, brings the fighting in the city to life in full visual detail, including the iconic battles at the Krasny Oktyabr Steel Plant, the Grain Elevator, the Barrikady and STZ factories, the 'Tennis Racquet' and Rynok–Spartanovka. Drawing from sources on both sides, it offers a truly comprehensive account of history's greatest urban battle. Cover Contents Origins Of The Campaign Chronology Opposing Commanders Axis Soviet Opposing Forces Axis Soviet Order Of Battle, 1 September 1942 Opposing Plans Axis Soviet Terrain And Weather Factors The Battle Of Stalingrad The Battle Begins, 3–12 September 1942 6.Armee Advances Into Stalingrad, 13–17 September 1942 Slugging It Out, 18–22 September 1942 Once More Into The Breach, 23–30 September 1942 Autumn Stalemate, 1–11 October 1942 Seeking A Decision, 12–30 October 1942 Staring Into The Abyss, 1–18 November 1942 Analysis The Battlefield Today Further Reading Index Imprint