Book review (must read)

[Parmo]

Hi peeps,
I am reading this book, though I have had for sometime and have always been put off reading it as its writen by a historian rather than a surviver of the war (which I prefer) which is the man on the line with his mates, but this book really has turned my head.

Stalingrad
by Antony Beevor

Hitler made two fundamental and crippling mistakes during the Second World War. The first was his whimsical belief that the United Kingdom would eventually become his ally, which delayed his decision to launch a major invasion of Britain, whose army was unprepared for the force of blitzkrieg warfare. The second was the ill-conceived Operation Barbarossa--an invasion of Russia that was supposed to take the German army to the gates of Moscow. Antony Beevor's thoughtfully researched compendium recalls this epic struggle for Stalingrad. No-one, least of all the Germans, could foretell the deep well of Soviet resolve that would become the foundation of the Red Army; Russia, the Germans believed, would fall as swiftly as France and Poland. The ill-prepared Nazi forces were trapped in a bloody war of attrition against the Russian behemoth, which held them in the pit of Stalingrad for nearly two years. Beevor points out that the Russians were by no means ready for the war either, making their stand even more remarkable; Soviet intelligence spent as much time spying on its own forces--in fear of desertion, treachery and incompetence--as they did on the Nazis. Due attention is also given to the points of view of the soldiers and generals of both forces, from the sickening battles to life in the gulags.
Many believe Stalingrad to be the turning point of the war. The Nazi war machine proved to be fallible as it spread itself too thin for a cause that was born more from arrogance than practicality. The Germans never recovered, and its weakened defences were no match for the Allied invasion of 1944. We know little of what took place in Stalingrad or its overall significance, leading Beevor to humbly admit that "[t]he Battle of Stalingrad remains such an ideologically charged and symbolically important subject that the last word will not be heard for many years". This is true. But this gripping account should become the standard work against which all others should measure themselves. --Jeremy Storey

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stalingrad-Anton...9126&sr=8-3

Its a great read and can be picked up for less than £3 from Amazon used.

Also if you are interested in WW2 history the below book is excellent and its very mind opening as not many people know British POW's where kept at Auschwitz.

Spectator in Hell: a British Soldier's Extraordinary Story

by Colin Rushton

Arthur Dodd was a British soldier who, after being captured by the Nazis, was sent to Camp Three of Auschwitz. He eventually escaped, but returned on several occasions to sabotage the camp. This book tells the story of the horrors he saw at Auschwitz.'

From the Author
A brief precis.
This incredible true wartime story charts the path through the 2nd World War of a crippled English lad, 20 years of age in December 1939 and totally unfit for active service. This same crippled patriot was one of the last Allied soldiers to escape from mainland Europe on June the 12th 1940, a full 8 days after the miracle of Dunkirk. Arthur Dodd subsequently saw action in North Africa before Rommel consigned him to P.O.W. status for the duration of hostilities. Camps in Italy were the prelude to 22 months in the satanic death camp of Auschwitz, witnessing a distant age of slavery so horrific that men plunged catastrophically into insanity and suicide. Prisoner 221925 Dodd never stopped fighting the war, engaging in sabotage and escaping to help Polish Partisans blow up part of the Camp. Divine intervention saved him from a firing squad bullet prior to a 700 mile death march to the West in temperatures as low as 22 degrees below freezing. A female Polish patriot, after showing him one particularly harrowing incident, implored him to tell the outside world of this hell hole should he ever reach home. Back in England nobody would listen, nobody wanted to know. "Spectator in Hell" is his belated compliance with that request. Arthur Dodd still lives with his memories in 1998. I am both honoured and privileged to have written " Spectator in Hell", which should be read by all generations in order to guard against Man ever plunging to the depths of these inhumanities again. I am sure Amazon books will do their utmost to spread the word.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spectator-Hell-B...9532&sr=1-2

excellent book and you see what British POW's suffered as well as the millions who died there did. Also a few quid from Amazon.

5/5

 

[USER1999]

I have thought about reading the Stalingrad book before, as I remember it getting rave reviews when it came out. May be a xmas present looming.

 

[Parmo]

Yeah its very good, he wrote one on Berlin as well which I might read this one.

 

[time_vans]

Just found out today that my gaffers father, who I meet regurlarly at work, is an arnhem veteran from the para's. He said very few of his friends survived the first day and we think we have cause to complain.....very sobering to talk to him and such a humble guy.

 

[USER1999]

I used to play golf with an old guy who was a tail gunner in a Lancaster.

There used to be 3 old boys who went out at dawn on Saturday, and they only ever played 9. The other two had been long range desert group (precursor to the SAS).

 

[vig]

My first boss in my first job after I left school was a para and fought at Arnhem, half of his mates were wiped out and about another 1/4 captured.
I was fascinated by the stories he told, having said that, I grew up on stories that my dad told me, Monte casino, el alamein..... Respect

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Stalingrad! Incredible!!
I'm halfway through it at the moment.
Spooky or what?

 

[birdieman]

Read Stalingrad a few years ago, brilliant factual account of the turning point in WWII.
Easy to forget what we owe the Ruskies and the sacrifices they made.
When we rattle on about Battle of Britain and D-Day I think the fact that 80% of the German military effort was on the Eastern Front in Russia is often overlooked. I'm glad that 80% of the Wehrmacht weren't coming at us!

 

[time_vans]

I have two uncles who both served in special forces. My great uncle Pat served in the Long Range Desert Group and had to lie about his age to join up but got away with it because at 16 he could grow a full beard. There is a photo in one of Sterling's books showing a group of LRDG soldiers dressed as arabs sat on a jeep...and one of them is my then 18yr old great uncle!boys own stuff.He used to tell us about the night raids where they would go off into the desert leave their vehicles maybe 15 miles from the target German air base make their way to the base and put 'sticky' bombs on each plane. Every bomb was strategically placed in exactly the same place on each plane so the Germans couldnt make a plane with the bits that were left.They then made their way back to their vehicles only to pause briefly and watch the darkness light up when all the bombs detonated.
DONT FORGET TO BUY A POPPY EVERYONE.

 

[viscount17]

It was years before I found out any but the fun stuff from my dad, most just before he died. I knew he was in Crete but that he was almost the last one out on the last ship (he could swim) came out later.
I also heard a different version of the 'battle of the bulge' from the one they filmed.
getting blown through the window of a cafe in Antwerp by a V1 was one of the funny ones!

 

[forefortheday]

Superb book really well written tells the story superbly.

Can I also recommend Armageddon by Max Hastings,Barbarossa by Alan Clark,The Most Dangerous Enemy by Stephen Bungay and Together We Stand by James Holland.

All great books there are tons more I've read over the years

I remember my Grandad telling me when I was a kid that they started the war marching in a line with a piper playing! Can't imagine the guts it must have taken to walk towards a line of Germans

 

[Parmo]

My granddad was 12 when the war started and was evacuated from Hull to the country, him and his brother Albert stayed with an old man who used to beat them, they ran away and once caught got rehoused with two sisters who where well off and even had a phone!! He stayed there until the end of the war.

My Dad though has served in Iraq at Basria airport as kitchen manager attached to the loggies, and my uncle served with the Royal Irish attached to the desert rats the first time and then I believe again in Basia on his second tour, he has been to Afgan for number of times as he is a Sniper, now he serves in the Oz army training them, he used to live up at Inverness and played golf least 5 times a week!

Me, its my biggest regret not joining up but hey I wouldnt have met my wife if I had so its all swings and roundabouts.

Sniper One is a cracking book to read, in 28 days they used more ammo than all of the first Gulf war by the British!!