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Enduring the Whirlwind

The German Army and the Russo-German War 1941-1943

Series : Wolverhampton Military Studies #21

Author : Gregory Liedtke

Enduring the Whirlwind : The German Army and the Russo-German War 1941-1943

Digital Editions

eBook (epub)  16.45MB

£12.49 Available for immediate download

eBook (pdf)  5.44MB

£12.49 Available for immediate download

Details

General - Pages : 248 | Images : 14 maps

Paperback - Date of Publication : 15th September 2018 | Edition : Reprint | Size : 234mm x 156mm | ISBN : 9781912390519 | Helion Book Code : HEL0944

Hardback - Date of Publication : 15th March 2016 | Size : 234mm x 156mm | ISBN : 9781910777756 | Helion Book Code : HEL0640

eBook - ISBN : 9781911096870

Despite the best efforts of a number of historians, many aspects of the ferocious struggle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War remain obscure or shrouded in myth. One of the most persistent of these is the notion - largely created by many former members of its own officer corps in the immediate post-war period - that the German Army was a paragon of military professionalism and operational proficiency whose defeat on the Eastern Front was solely attributable to the amateurish meddling of a crazed former Corporal and the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Red Army. A key pillar upon which the argument of German numerical-weakness vis-à-vis the Red Army has been constructed is the assertion that Germany was simply incapable of providing its army with the necessary quantities of men and equipment needed to replace its losses. In consequence, as their losses outstripped the availability of replacements, German field formations became progressively weaker until they were incapable of securing their objectives or, eventually, of holding back the swelling might of the Red Army. This work seeks to address the notion of German numerical-weakness in terms of Germany's ability to replace its losses and regenerate its military strength, and assess just how accurate this argument was during the crucial first half of the Russo-German War (June 1941-June 1943). Employing a host of primary documents and secondary literature, it traces the development and many challenges of the German Army from the pre-war period until the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. It continues on to chart the first two years of the struggle between Germany and the Soviet Union, with a particular emphasis upon the scale of German personnel and equipment losses, and how well these were replaced. It also includes extensive examinations into the host of mitigating factors that both dictated the course of Germany's campaign in the East and its replacement and regeneration capabilities. In contrast to most accounts of the conflict, this study finds that numerical-weakness being the primary factor in the defeat of the Ostheer - specifically as it relates to the strength and condition of the German units involved - has been overemphasized and frequently exaggerated. In fact, Germany was actually able to regenerate its forces to a remarkable degree with a steady flow of fresh men and equipment, and German field divisions on the Eastern Front were usually far stronger than the accepted narratives of the war would have one believe. 

 

“ … For the historian and wargamer, this is a treasure trove of information on the pre-Kursk period, and I hope the author will produce a like volume on the second half of the war.” Miniature Wargames

“ … Enduring the Whirlwind provides welcome new insights into strategy and tactics … Gregory Liedtke's discerning assessment of German manpower and equipment deployed during the Ostkrieg reveals a more resilient and robust Wehrmacht than received opinion would have it. In so well-plowed a field of scholarship, this is no small achievement.” Michigan War Studies Review

“It is good at detailing the strength and regenerative work done by the Wehrmacht at various points leading up to and early in the war… if you are interested in the numbers (especially in terms of losses and replacements regarding both men and machines) underlying the fighting on Germany's Eastern Front during the Second World War then there is much to enjoy in this book.” Globe at War

"All-in-all, it is an excellent and well written book that lives up to the editor's ideas for this new series of military history books. I cannot wait for more in the series to be released. Thank you Mr. Liedtke and Helion&Company for this great read." A Wargamers Needful Things Blog

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