The Battle for Moscow: Riveting Story of the Most Bloody and Barbaric Battle of World War II

by Albert Seaton

The course of human civilization has turned on the outcome of a select few climactic battles throughout history, but never more so than when Stalin's enigmatic Soviet Union desperately rallied its resources to stave off Hitler's armies in the Battle for Moscow. From the drama in the command posts to the plight of the infantry and armor in the mud and snow, Seaton illuminates the titanic struggle that was the pivotal battle of WWII.

Genres: World War II, History, Military Fiction, Russia, Military History, War, Russian History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Anna Shulman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the Great War from the perspective of a fascist soldier/commander. The narrative meanders on about the plight of poor german invaders completely unprepared for harsh winters in soviet union. Ehh, what?? In face of millions of innocents who died, brutally murdered, methinks the plight of those spreading murder is worth keeping one's mouth shut about.
Im having a hard time normalizing the nazi perspective and refuse to read any more of this nazi sympathizing "neutral" dreck.

[Dave Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In June 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Albert Seaton's “The Battle of Moscow,” sums up Operation Typhoon, the Wehrmacht drive to capture Moscow, as well as ancillary operations on the Eastern front.A number of reviewers have lamented that Seaton’s narrative focuses almost entirely on the German perspective; however, such critiques are unfair in the context of the Cold War. Following Germany's capitulation, a number of prominent German generals worked with official US and British historians to assist in curating an accurate archive of Wehrmacht operations in the east. Contrariwise, virtually no reliable memoirs or histories emerged from the USSR. Soviet citizens often quipped: “We know what today is like, we know what tomorrow will bring, but we never know how the past will have been changed.”.

In short, Hitler, as well as some in the Wehrmacht grossly miscalculated. The Soviet army was well-equipped and three times larger than Germany’s, the vast expanse of the USSR was dismissed, the climate and topography of the USSR received only cursory attention, and the problem of supply across an enormous country lacking infrastructure was not seriously considered. In addition, Hitler's nebulous objectives and vacillating directives, combined with his tyrannical leadership virtually guaranteed disaster.


These issues notwithstanding, the Wehrmacht came within 30 miles of Moscow. First, mud, then bitter winter conditions did as much as enemy resistance to halt the advance. The Wehrmacht advocated a strategic withdrawal to defensible positions, Hitler issued his controversial stand-fast orders, Seaton describes how Hitler inexorably took over operational control of all Wehrmacht operations in the east, and replaced rational calculation with magical thinking and terror.

Seaton vividly describes the hellish conditions endured by both armies and, in particular, he notes that frostbite and sickness combined to create a majority of the German casualties during Operation Typhoon.

While Seaton masterfully employs primary sources to illustrate much of the narrative concerning the situation around Moscow, the work is dense, and lacks adequate maps. Given the frequent geographic name changes in Imperial Russia, the USSR, and now in Putin’s Russia, the general reader may often be perplexed. Moreover, an appendix listing the command changes of various units- due to their frequency and import- would have been beneficial. That said, Seaton has produced a valuable study of a tragic fool’s errand.

[Joshua Cates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, history books are my favorite. This book being about World War 2 it really caught my attention and I really loved it. The book listed all the events that had occurred in the battles between Russia and Germany. It showed the struggles of Russia in the beginning of the war, and how they had persevered to ultimately defeating Germany.

[tom cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

book on Russia's military history, which fascinates me.