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Crush The Iron Crosses : The Explosive True Story Of The Stalingrad Tank Raid
Telling the true story of a raid on a German airfield at Stalingrad, this all-action novel is a brutal account of young soldiers transformed by the violence they inflict and endure.
December 1942. With the Stalingrad inferno at its height, the Germans resupply their besieged forces by planes from their airbase at Tatsinskaya, deep in German-occupied territory. Desperate to stop this air bridge, the Red Army sends a raiding force of T34 tanks far behind enemy lines to destroy the airfield itself - a mission from which only one in ten men will return alive.
Told by a young Soviet tank commander, this book recounts his fight across the frozen battleground of Russia in winter, with tanks and crews pushed beyond breaking point. As the troops discover a series of German atrocities en route, we witness the explosive vengeance they ultimately deliver at the Luftwaffe airbase. But their final challenge is the most lethal of fighting their way back to their own lines while pursued by the enraged Germans - and now abandoned to their fate by the tyrannical Soviet regime they serve.
Packed with combat and the tactics of WW2 tank warfare, this is also a story for our own troubled how raw youths are turned into cynical killers, and how the machinery of total war destroys enemies and comrades alike. Above all, this book gives an insight into the psychology of a Russian soldier which still lives on loyal but cynical, arrogant but racked by self-doubt - and merciless to anyone seen as an enemy.
December 1942. With the Stalingrad inferno at its height, the Germans resupply their besieged forces by planes from their airbase at Tatsinskaya, deep in German-occupied territory. Desperate to stop this air bridge, the Red Army sends a raiding force of T34 tanks far behind enemy lines to destroy the airfield itself - a mission from which only one in ten men will return alive.
Told by a young Soviet tank commander, this book recounts his fight across the frozen battleground of Russia in winter, with tanks and crews pushed beyond breaking point. As the troops discover a series of German atrocities en route, we witness the explosive vengeance they ultimately deliver at the Luftwaffe airbase. But their final challenge is the most lethal of fighting their way back to their own lines while pursued by the enraged Germans - and now abandoned to their fate by the tyrannical Soviet regime they serve.
Packed with combat and the tactics of WW2 tank warfare, this is also a story for our own troubled how raw youths are turned into cynical killers, and how the machinery of total war destroys enemies and comrades alike. Above all, this book gives an insight into the psychology of a Russian soldier which still lives on loyal but cynical, arrogant but racked by self-doubt - and merciless to anyone seen as an enemy.
- GenresHistory
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2022
102 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 18, 2022
well done
This is an extremely interesting and well written account of this action. I recommend it highly. This author can truly write, something that is seemingly hard to find in military history IMHO.
This is an extremely interesting and well written account of this action. I recommend it highly. This author can truly write, something that is seemingly hard to find in military history IMHO.
December 28, 2023
Great realistic account of the harsh reality of fighting in the Siege of Stalingrad. This book brings light to a little known battle that played a huge part in the Siege of Stalingrad. I consider it a must read for anyone interested in the Siege.
November 20, 2022
crush the iron crosses
The book was ok. The problem is that it like a historical fiction. I wish that it had been more of a historical event type of book.
The book was ok. The problem is that it like a historical fiction. I wish that it had been more of a historical event type of book.
December 11, 2022
Fantastic!
well-written, engaging, historically relevant,. This is one of the best books I have read about the Red Army during WWII.
well-written, engaging, historically relevant,. This is one of the best books I have read about the Red Army during WWII.
March 2, 2023
GreAt read so we can understand the Russian side of the story
Not much was known about the Russian side of we2 and what they went through. This books brings their story to light.
Not much was known about the Russian side of we2 and what they went through. This books brings their story to light.
October 3, 2023
Even in combat
Thought control in every aspect of life is where the true fascism is found in this honest portrayal of Life in communist Russia.
Thought control in every aspect of life is where the true fascism is found in this honest portrayal of Life in communist Russia.
November 8, 2023
This is a good read bordering on a great read, and especially if you like stories set in WWII. While I have long understood that Stalingrad was a pivot point in the war against Nazi Germany, I had never heard of the raid described in this book. One aspect of this story that stands out is the description of what it was like to be part of aa Russian T-34 tank crew. These tanks were among the best-in-class at that time. Even so, the privations suffered by their crews were real and often horrific. It was also true that the NKVD were nearly as much of a threat to the soldiers as were the Germans.
Many of our WWII stories focus on the Western allies and their accomplishments. A few tell the stories from the German perspective. But few give us a glimpse of what life (and death) was like for the ordinary Russian soldier fighting for his (her) homeland. This book bridges that gap in an excellent way.
4.5 rounded up to 5
Many of our WWII stories focus on the Western allies and their accomplishments. A few tell the stories from the German perspective. But few give us a glimpse of what life (and death) was like for the ordinary Russian soldier fighting for his (her) homeland. This book bridges that gap in an excellent way.
4.5 rounded up to 5
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews