The Soviet Juggernaut

World War II #25

by Earl F. Ziemke

Book 25 of the Time-Life World War II series.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Reference

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Earl Frederick Ziemke was an American military historian who specialized in German operations on the Eastern Front in World War II. After service in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific during the war, Ziemke earned a Ph.D. in history at the University of Wisconsin. From 1951 until 1955, he worked at the Bureau of Applied Social Research at Columbia University, after which he spent twelve years as an historian for the United States Army’s Office of the Chief of Military History in Washington, D.C. In 1967, he moved to the University of Georgia, where he was a full professor form 1967 until 1977, and research professor from 1977 until his retirement in 1993.

Reviews

[Luke Hershberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a non-fiction book about when the soviets were coming back from the German invasion in World War 2. One fact is that FDR and Stalin had a bunch of meetings without Churchill because Churchill didn't like people not agreeing with him and Stalin and FDR made a bunch of jokes about Churchill was with them. Stalin also doodled alot when they held these meetings.

[Ian Vance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Time-Life's 39 volume World War 2 series spreads the Russian campaigns apart with multiple volumes in-between, I find for narrative purpose reading Russia Besieged, Red Army Resurgent and this, The Soviet Juggernaut, as a 3-book set helps sustain the tension unto climax. The photography is the main reason to read this; I was particularly struck by the haunting snapshot of a mother and her children sprawled dead on the banks of the Black Sea in RAR with the final photo in this book, that of children jumping rope and smiling after the Nazis were finally curb-stomped back to central Europe. The main annoyance is the scarcity of maps--they pop up now and again, but many pages of engagements, defeats, and squeaked-out triumphs go by without visual depiction other than flipping forward to the main map... best read with a WW2 atlas, perhaps.

[Mike Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t as engaged by this volume as much as I have been by others in this series. The fault doesn’t necessarily lie with the book; it may be the subject matter or just my mood. I think it might be a bit of a revelation to those who think we landed on D-Day and then proceeded to singlehandedly whipped the Nazis to learn that most of the fighting, the losses and the credit goes to the Russians. Uncharacteristically for Time-Life the maps are inadequate, especially in the first chapter dealing with the mammoth tank battle of Kursk.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned two things from this book. 1. women were allowed to fly planes for the Soviet Union. 2. the Germans called them night witches. You know you're doing something right when the enemy gives you a nickname!

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rise of the Soviet Army during the last few years of World War II is recounted. Their ferocity toward the Germans knew no bounds. The book also has a haunting chapter on the Warsaw Uprising.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume covers the defeat of Germany in Russia and the subsequent invasion of Germany by the Russians. Included is the usual Time-Life collection of hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and maps that supplement clear and interesting narratives.

[Robert Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this Life Time series in the early 1980's on WWII, a volume came to the house every 2 or 3 months so I could take my reading. It was very informative and enjoyable read, I still use it for reference.

[Gavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series is an excellent introduction into WWII. However those interested in the war should be skeptical of some of the analysis and should transition at some point to more academic works.