Operation Barbarossa 1941 (2): Army Group North

Operation Barbarossa 1941 #2

by Robert Kirchubel, Howard Gerrard (Illustrator), Peter Dennis (Illustrator)

Osprey's second title examining the events of Operation Barbarossa. Of the German Army Groups that attacked Soviet Russia, Von Leeb's Army Group North, tasked with seizing the Baltic States and Leningrad, was the smallest and weakest. General Kuznetzov's Northwestern Front, however, was in an even weaker state. Despite brave counterattacks and defense by the Soviet forces, the Germans smashed through the Dvina Line, then the Stalin Line, flooded into Latvia and pressed on to encircle Leningrad. This book examines the German offensive and also the courageous Soviet attempts to halt the German spearhead, defending every possible line against overwhelming odds.

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

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2005

Reviews

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

the fight over Leningrad/St. Petersburg

This volume basically centers on the German assault on Leningrad. It was tough fighting for both the Germans (and Finns) and the Russians, but this intensity of the fighting was common in all the regions affected by Barbarossa. Yet the battles over Leningrad were made infinitely tougher by the mistakes of generals and commanders on both sides and, in particular, the vicious in-fighting of Germany’s generals. I found it hard to believe Germany’s generals fought among themselves, and even with Hitler, to promote or enforce their own agendas at the expense of the overall war effort to defeat Russia and Stalin. The Russian soldiers of the Red Army (and millions of Ukrainians within the army as well) fought bravely and tenaciously. But there is no question one of the major contributing factors to Germany’s defeat at Leningrad was, figuratively speaking, that their commanding officers shot themselves and their entire army in the foot.

Clear, readable, factual and anecdotal as well. Recommended.

[Ragnar Bang Moe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papirutgave. Norsk bokmål. Oversatt fra engelsk. Grundig og interessant gjennomgang av operasjon Barbarossa Nord, mot Baltikum og Leningrad.
Vel mye tysk fokus og skjemmet av mange små oversettingsfeil, særlig i syntaks.

Printed edition. Norwegian Bokmål. Translated from English. Thorough and interesting review of Operation Barbarossa Nord, towards the Baltics and Leningrad.
Very German focus and spoiled by many minor translation errors, especially in syntax.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good summation of Army Group North's lunge towards Leningrad, with a bit on the far north operations. Kirchubel is hyper critical of military leadership on both sides outside of the panzer commanders and of course Zhukov. The best part is the highly detailed maps. The narrative though is very German focused.

[Jur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get annoyed when there are references in the text that I can´t connect to a map. Sometimes important Place names that are missing (like Viazma).

sometimes half of the information is hidden on a map