War on the Eastern Front: The German Soldier in Russia

by James Sidney Lucas, Robert Kershaw (Foreward), Chris MacDonnell (Narrator)

Dawn on Sunday, June 22, 1941 saw the opening onslaughts of Operation Barbarossa as German forces stormed forward into the Soviet Union. Few of them were to survive the five long years of bitter struggle.

A posting to the Eastern front during the Second World Was was rightly regarded with dread by the german soldiers. They were faced by the unremitting hostility of the climate, the people and even, at times, their own leadership. They saw epic battles such as Stalingrad and Kursk, and yet it was a daily war of attrition which ultimately proved fatal for Hitler's ambition and the German military machine.

In this classic account leading military historian James Lucas examines different aspects of the fighting, from war in the trenches to a bicycle-mounted antitank unit fighting against the oncoming Russian hordes. Told through the experiences of the German soldiers who endured these nightmarish years of warfare, 'WAR ON THE EASTERN FRONT' is a unique record of this cataclysmic campaign.


RUNNING TIME ➜ 11hrs. and 12mins.

©1979 Cooper and Lucas Ltd (P)2020 Tantor

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Military History, European History

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Author and historian. Imperial War Museum, London, England, deputy head of department of photographs.

Mr. Lucas was a WWII veteran. He served with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, First Battalion, North Africa, infantryman, 1942; Queens' Own Royal West Surrey Regiment, Italy, 1943-44; Occupation Army, Austria, 1945; Foreign Office, Germany.

Most of James Lucas's professional life was associated with war. First, he served in the Queen's Own Royal Army as a British soldier in World War II, stationed in Africa, Italy, and later in Austria. In 1960 he joined the staff of the Imperial War Museum in London, eventually becoming the deputy head of the department of photographs. After retiring from this position, Lucas took up a third career, that of an author and historian. His favorite topic was World War II, a subject about which he became a respected authority—not only among scholars, but, through his work as an adviser on film and television productions about the war, among the general public as well. According to a London Times obituary, Lucas examined "almost every aspect of the Nazi war machine …combining technical information with first-hand testimony and so producing a body of work unequalled in its breadth. Having fought the Third Reich's best troops through North Africa and Italy, he knew their tenacity and resourcefulness."

Lucas's writing style was not considered typical of war histories. "Humour and enthusiasm, combined with rigorous attention to detail, were the hallmarks of his style," reported the Times obituary writer. Lucas was a prolific writer upon his topic of choice; and he covered many different aspects of the war, often concentrating on the German side of the conflicts.

As his Times obituarist declared, Lucas "saw himself as an archivist, searching for the ordinary men in the heat of battle, playing their part in the bigger picture." Lucas died on June 19, 2002, at the age of seventy-eight.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

War On The Eastern Front 1941-1945 easily gets 4 Stars and a hearty recommendation to all students of WWII history. This book should be of interest to everyone from novice to expert. Lucas, a veteran of the British North Africa and Italy campaigns, brings his military expertise to explain warfare on the Eastern Front. His focus is on the German soldier but he does spend time explaining things from the Russian soldiers' side. Having written this in 1979, he was limited in what information could be found on the Russian (Soviet) side. He covers terrain, climate, strategy, tactics, weapons, key battles, technology and leadership. He supplements these topics with participant accounts of various battles and individual descriptions of terrible conditions like winter, mud, dust, etc. He includes some maps and a number of excellent photos. Strongly recommended!

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this book when it was first released in hardback I am happy to see it has been re-released in paperback. This is one of the best books I have read to date that covers warfare on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. The chapters cover a broad spectrum of subjects, all of which involved the German soldier in Russia. From the different style of warfare and fighting to the horrific and barbaric conditions encountered by German soldiers.

I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the highest scoring Sturmgeschutz commander and the German Army's greatest tank ace. If you are looking for just one book to describe the fighting I could not think of any better. The story flows along faultlessly even though each chapter covers a different aspect of the war and fighting.

From war in the trenches to a bicycle mounted anti-tank unit fighting against the oncoming Russian hordes. This is great and enjoyable history and I am sure that you will find something in this book you did not know before. Recommend to all students of military history.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the few books dedicated strictly to the German war against Soviet Russia on the eastern front, the largest front of the war. As such it deserves special attention to WW2 buffs and does have information i have not seen elsewhere. The personal accounts of the German soldiers are what i find most interesting...over and over you read the word "sauberkeit" (cleanliness) many Germans were shocked at how primitive the russians had to live day to day. You do not find many accounts of hard core nazis here, come to save Europe from bolshevism or the like, and not too much racial hatred or arrogance either, just soldiers doing their duty, many only to die on the frozen steppes for a futile cause. The accounts are those of thinking men, not monsters or savage killers primarily and the thing about most of their accounts is their ordinariness. The German troops were the most part Christians and decent men, (I am aware of the "Einsatzgruppen" and SS units that followed along behind the army, wiping out komiisars and racial "undesirables" but these were the exception and abhorred as much by most front line troops as they were later among the allies. The Germans killed the Russians when they had to, often helped the Russian civilians if they could, but very few felt they were fulfilling some racial duty of "exterminating the untermenschen" or any of the other nazi boiler plate espoused by Goebels and the Nazi fruitcakes during the final "drive to the east" that resulted in Germany's destruction.

[Tariq Mahmood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is not entirely for non-military history readers like it claims as there are a number of technical chapters which are difficult to follow. But generally, there is analysis first, then a few war stories predominantly from the German point of view and then a bit more analysis. The stories would have been complete if we had the Soviet stories as well but apparently individuals have no voice in communist systems.

Both sides fought using their strengths, the Germans with their superior weaponry and the Soviets with more manpower. But the outcome was inevitable, young men dying for little gain.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawn from author James Lucas' extensive archival reading and interviews with Combatant on both sides, this is a look at the "Great Patriotic War", the "OstFront" through the lens of particular elements to the titanic struggle that dominates WWII, that made it unique. The Socio Political lens that both armies applied-Partisan Warfare-Terrain/Climate -Engineering feats -Massive Horse Cavalry Formations on both sides-The Stug/Marder/Jagdpanzer gunners - Rocket Warfare (Nebelwerfer vs Kaytusha) and then finally massive and minor encirclement- and the ways both armies dealt with it. It is fascinating looking at each war within a war.

But this is Lucas, an English Author who specializes in the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS. The missing element - the savagery and atrocities- are largely soft soaped or only alluded to. To get a better real understanding of the "extra-military" activities of the German forces (both Wehrmacht and SS participating with glee)- the rapine and murder on truly wholesale scale that went on - you will need to refer to Bertov's work. Here you get staff officer terminology and after action reports. It is really interesting and good tactical, grand-tactical, and strategic insights, but it very clearly not the whole story. But compelling none the less.

There are a few adult themes, and a fair amount of frank injury and destruction description, so this is a book best read by the Junior reader over about 11/12. for the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast, this is a really good source. I can see a lot of Scenario/Diorama development off this book- especially the Stug / Assault Gun section - and the Armor discussions generally. And the whole book has a lot of interesting minutiae that will keep the Enthusiast Reader interested throughout. A worthy addition to the Patriotic War, Wehrmacht, Red Army, or WWII shelves in any library.

[Cameron Rhoads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to on Audible and thoroughly enjoyed. The book starts out with an overview of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, and focuses on the first two years of the war. Then it treats various tactical battles and weapons on both the German and Russian sides.

[Patrick Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

War On The Eastern Front
By James Lucas

- [ ] Western front was 150k miles, the eastern front was over a million, yet Germany was only committing two more divisions to the eastern front than the western
- [ ] There was no plan for the winter, Hitler thought it would be completed before the winter. His plan was a similar blitz as he used on the western front.
- [ ] The eastern front failed because of three factors:
- [ ] I am excited for this book
- [ ] Russia had poor roads, trucks would get stuck in mud when the roads were wet and would get clogged with dirt when it was dry. The country was poorly mapped and the germans were constantly getting lost. Russia did not have the infrastructure that the rest of Europe had
- [ ] This was fight between communism and socialism. The two sides viciously hated each other
- [ ] The Russians won in the winter and the Germans won in the summer. By ‘43 it was clear that the germans would lose the war
- [ ] This is a book primarily about ‘41-’43, about the army, and about the German soldiers experience. This was an infantry man's war
- [ ] The best of the German troops fought in the beginning, the best were gone by ‘43
- [ ] They underestimated Russia’s willingness and ability to throw huge numbers of men into battle. The bravery of the Russian soldier was never doubted. Russians were using WWI tactics of throwing mass amounts of men into battle
- [ ] On the offense many peoples welcomed the Germans. They joined the German cause, having lived under the oppressive Soviet rule. The Germans could not imagine an invading force being welcomed by German occupied people. It was actually a diverse fighting force
- [ ] Russian was suffocating poverty. It was a rural, poor, agrarian country. In some towns there was no electricity or light, the communist party headquarters only had a paraffin lamp
- [ ] The Russian defense was extreme bravery and ruthless. They literally fought to the last breath, in burning tanks, guts falling out, passing out while firing their gun
- [ ] The Russian army had to build up its massive strength, it eventually out number the German army 7:1
- [ ] The Germans underestimated the Russian soldiers. The Russians were stronger, bravery, and more viscous than they anticipated
- [ ] Remote controlled flamethrowers???
- [ ] The Russian solider did not think as an individual but for the collective? They had better winter coats and winter supplies than the Germans. It is a myth that it was a peasant army. By the end of the war the Soviet army was the best equipped, largest, fully functional army in the world?
- [ ] This chapter on the Soviet army is important but I don’t fully believe it
- [ ] There is a section on Russian/German partisans, fighting a guerrilla war. I don’t remember this section
- [ ] The terrain - marsh and forrest. The marsh divided the German north and south army
- [ ] The German alpine division
- [ ] The German troops worked almost without rest or relief, ‘41-‘42. They have few reinforcements and few proper resources. They stayed on the front lines for months and years. They were tired and depleted. Frost bite, gangrene, disease were common. The conditions for the German solider were terrible, if you did not acclimatize quickly, you died. Each man fought the cold alone. It was bitterest winter in a century
- [ ] The climate in Russia is a serious of natural disasters. The climate in Russia is to make things impassible in the mud in spring and autumn, unbearable in the summer, and impossible in the winter
- [ ] How the Germans learned to fight the winter, 1942. They wrote a deep 370 page winter survival/fighting manual. It contained everything from how to build in igloo, to how to make charcoal, to how to install communication lines, how to prevent frost bite, and more. Sections of the handbook has since been adopted by NATO, French, and British forces. It was well researched, often came from trial and error
- [ ] The Russians had equipment that could withstand the cold. Where the German guns, artillery, and vehicles broke down, the Russians had developed technology that did not
- [ ] In ‘41 Hitler had the option of suppling one, ammo, food, or winter clothes. He choose ammo. The German army would not have all three until winter ‘43. During the same period 70% of the required trains that the Germans built in Russia did not make it to the front lines
- [ ] Germans building an ice bridge over a frozen river?
- [ ] This does not seem to be the most reliable author, he seems a little bit biased and some of his claims are dubious
- [ ] The mud shut things down. Even the Russians could not overcome the mud. Germans made improvements to the roadways but still struggled with them. Some sections lost more tanks and equipment to the mud than they did the fighting. The mud would turn some areas into swamps. A full account of the turmoil from the mud has never been completely documented but it had never been seen in warfare before. A chapter devoted to the terrible challenges of the mud
- [ ] A section on horses, horses were still used as beasts of burden for the Germans. The majority of the horses died

Artillery:
- [ ] Tanks, battles, guns, destruction, equipment,
- [ ] A large section on the artillery fight
- [ ] The German tanks were significantly better than the Russians. German did not have effective antitank weapons, their infantry suffered from this
- [ ] German grenadiers, soldiers that took on the tanks with grenades, satchels, or the German version of a bazooka
- [ ] Rockets initially did not spin, they had the same problem as early guns. It was in WWII that the spin and rocket technology greatly advanced
- [ ] Encirclement used by both sides. The troops could be supplied via airdrops. Maintaining moral of the encircled troops was a priority
- [ ] Both sides used encirclement to great effect. Both sides fought to break out and were often successful. The Germans did not have the men to tightly hold the encirclement
- [ ] The Germans had better communication networks and intercepted the Russian communications
- [ ] This was an intense book and I enjoyed it, but it seemed a bit biased and I question some of the claims

[Mansoor Azam · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you are looking for detailed operational stuff on eastern front , honestly, this aint the one u ought to be buying straight away.

Comprised of different chapters, each taking on different topics. \ranging from the performance of SS troops on eastern frontier to the Pocket battles on eastern frontier.

What is best about this book is the minute details an ordinary soldier faced on the vast eastern frontier. The chapters about the performance of SP guns in Eastern theater is amazing. Also the way Wehrmacht tried to counter the Snow and cold conditions is pretty good. really gets you in touch with the way the German soldier tackled the snowy conditions is great.

Once one has read about the main operations i think this book is must. \it really tells you the minor details which are often missing in most battle accounts. This tells you how a normal soldier lived and thought and tackled most problems of day to day nature and developed his own tactics

At instances i really felt there with the troops and had a feel .. Moreover it has opened new questions in my mind which i shall search and find answers to in subsequent reads

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I generally avoid Mr. Lucas' title. Sort of like Paul Carrell, lot of flash and excitement, not much independent research or corroborated facts.

[Randal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very poorly organized, lacking any chronological or narrative structure. I guess each chapter was thematic, but there was no flow to the chapters and the themes and focuses seemed randomly selected.

Worse was that there was also no broader analysis of the front, its place in relation to other areas of the German war effort, the decision making process of Hitler and of the OKW, or the East’s potential planned role in a post-Nazi victory, or anything else that might have been interesting in this regard.

Most egregious was the complete absence of any mention of Einsatzgruppen, the death squads, or the brutality of the Germans, and how individual German soldiers dealt with this psychologically or morally.

I expected the book to start at the individual soldier’s level and build out to a broader understanding of the things above.

The only interesting chapter was the one about the winter survival techniques and how the Germans fared in the first couple of Russian winters.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. There are so many other, better books on WWII.

[Nechama Friedman · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst histories of WWII I've read. Completely disorganized with neither chronological nor narrative cohesion.
There are a few interesting statements by some of Wehrmacht soldiers, but overall, the book is thin in quality and quantity of content.
I kept waiting to read about the soldiers' encounters with war crimes, but found was barely mentioned. The ghettos, the mass shootings, the Wehrmacht reprisals against entire villages for supposed partisan activity were all either not mentioned or glossed over. I read the book twice in disbelief. It wasn't simply that the soldiers denied witnessing any war crimes. That would be par of the course for post-WWII clean Wehrmacht myth making. The author apparently didn't even ask any of the interviewees or scour the records for a true picture of what the soldiers knew and when.
I feel like Lucas just went along with all the German excuses and complaints. Awful book.

[David Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book quite fascinating. It is not primarily about combat but instead covers such topics as climate, terrain, the difficulties of winter warfare, the views of the German soldier regarding his enemy and the people of the region, and so on. As such, it shouldn't be the first book someone reads about the Eastern Front but is invaluable to one who has already read several books on the subject.

The writing tends to matter-of-fact portrayal rather than flowery prose. There are a number of extended excerpts from first-person sources.

I wanted to give the book a somewhat higher score, but it has no notes and the bibliography (at one page) seems way too short to support the text. I really would like to investigate this content further, but given the lack of stated sources, that's next to impossible.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This work is mainly a military study, one that jumps around to topics and timelines associated with the Eastern Front in World War II, arguably the most brutal area of conflict in military history. You get some good overviews on the history of personnel, tactics, weapons and some engagements, although there is not really a blow-by-blow discussion of the key battles like Leningrad/Stalingrad.

If there is any major flaws, it is in the perspective of the sources. Based on the timing of the writing of the book, access to many of the Soviet archives and information is not available or incorporated into the work, so you get mainly the German perspective. Still solid, but there is a sense that much is lacking from the narrative. Not a bad overview, and the rating is the same, but other works may have a more complete/balanced picture.

[Andres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and researched book with the archives made available at the time of it's original release. Heart wrenching accounts of the "Great", "Patriotic", and most certainly Terrible war. This book tells the story of the German force taking on the Soviet force and depicts numerous detailed recollections of battles. The Russian soldiers, however, are always depicted as simple minded, incompetent and disorganized folks who were almost always methodically destroyed in every battle. While may be true, it's hard to judge given that many were simple working people who picked up arms and often without any training and tried to defend their country. I guess, the tone may have been set slightly differently. But otherwise, the book is very very good. Would highly recommend. it.

[Brian Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well told and researched account of the Eastern Front campaign from the viewpoint of the Germany army.
Using accounts from people who were there, it tells of the early feelings of optimism through to the last few battles.
Looks at the effects of terrain and weather, which caused as many (or more) problems for the Germans as the Russian approach of flinging whole bodies of troops at ehm.

It does take a look at some of the Russian units and actions, but it mainly concentrates on German army, from organisation, weapons and tactics, to how they coped in extreme conditions.

The author has picked a good selection of events to use as examples.

[Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a history of the Eastern Front, this book is awful and should be avoided at all costs - as should literally anything written before the 1990s and the improved access to Soviet archival material.

It is, however, very interesting in terms of placing it within the evolving historiography of the eastern front, and I rate it better than one star solely on that aspect, as it does a very good job in reflecting the state of things during the middle of the Cold War. As far as good history goes though, the only worthwhile part is the foreward for the new edition.

[Patrick Fay · Rating 3 out of 5]

There always seems to be more to learn about this most horrible passage in recent history. This is told from the viewpoint of the German soldier on the front lines. Unfortunately there are no memoirs (none that I am aware of anyway) of Soviet soldiers. The government issued history from the USSR is sanitized, hugely slanted and far less interesting. If anyone knows of a good memoir from a Soviet front line soldier I would love to read it.

[Bill Koptis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different view of the Second World War

A very well researched book. Not only did the author give the reader a view of the horrors of WW2 from the German soldier’s perspective but also enough of the plans and movements of the German high command.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in WW2 history.

[William Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the most informative book I have read about the Eastern Front! It is focused on the first two years of Operation Barbarsossa from the German perspective. The book begins with a discussion of the German and Russian "dispositions" meaning how each had prepared for the conflict and what their goals were. The German German General Staff planned to defeat the Russian Army before reaching the Dnieper River. The Germans viewed the Russians as an inferior race and that the Communist rule was more restrictive than their own. Although they foresaw difficulty, they clearly underestimated the the tenacity of the Russian Soldier, the vastness of the country, the climate and the willingness of the people to accept them. The Germans overall did not seriously assess these aspects of the coming battle. The vastness of the territory caused the Germans to spread thin their forces and it did not help that Hitler changed objectives sending units to capture much needed oil fields while trying to capture Moscow before the winter. Actually the German offensive was predicated on rapidly defeating the Russian army west of the Dnieper river. History shows that did not occur. The Red Army did collapse and many Russian soldiers were killed or captured but many Russian units and individual soldiers fought fiercely slowing the progress of the German Army. Coupled with the terrain that was poorly infra-structured and channeling to advancing forces, the timetable was disrupted. The Germans had trouble traversing the Pripet Marshes. Climate varied and from the dusty plains of the Ukraine to the swampy terrain of the Pripet and the Carpathian mountains. Rain made the lack of roads impossible for rapid movement. Eventually snow and freezing weather wreaked havoc.
The most interesting sections of this book were those dealing with specific unit organization and tactics. Artillery employment especially Self-propelled (SP) referred to as Assault Artillery were employed often as direct fire units to overcome stiff resistance. The Infantry of course is front and center as it did the bulk of the fighting. Tank employment, the use of the Nebelwerfer - rocket artillery and how effective it was against the Russian soldiers is described. The tenacity of the German soldier and the great flexibility of the German command to organize rapid counterattacks regardless of the conditions was a great contributor to all German successes on the battle field.
I was not well read on the Eastern Front. This book is a great primer for those who want to know more about Operation Barbarossa!

[Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the Eastern Front.

Solid review of some interesting aspects of the war on the Eastern Front. Great maps in this book, easy to understand overview areas of battle areas.

[Rodney Mcadam · Rating 1 out of 5]

very poor structure and purpose

Very poorly structured - dates were all jumbled up giving an uncertain aim or purpose to the book. Also the levels seemed uncertain - Corps level or soldier level?

[John Coke · Rating 2 out of 5]

At its strongest in its small-scale battle narratives, an unusual perspective and structure. Only once or twice did the interest wane.
Surprisingly enjoyable, considering its age, and Kershaw’s damning-with-faint-praise introduction.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This was a very good book about life on the eastern front. A different book to in many ways. It really showed the hardships.

[ronald huenefeldt · Rating 1 out of 5]

German point of view.

Book covers the problems of the German army in there invasion of Russia. Some good information on now the war was waged.

[Lesley Oddi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

Great read. Lots of great information and detail about the German side of the fighting in the East. I would recommend this book.

[Allen Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was ok, gives a good frontline perspective from someone actually on the frontline facing the Russians, contradicts a lot of bias washed down Soviet propaganda.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels slightly dated but an excellent book. Recommended.

[Brian Asalone · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting in some respects from the German soldier prospective but later gets into details about equipment that gets a bit too arcane.

[Scott Graves · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didnt care for the timeline. The story was all over the place and it killed the flow. This book could've been way better than what it was.

[JerryDeanHalleck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book. Focus is on Assault guns and SP artillery on the Eastern Front. Not a general history.