Barbarossa

Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of Russia in June 1941, was the largest military operation in history, its aim nothing less than 'a war of extermination' to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create lebensraum for the so-called German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was entirely cataclysmic; in six months of warfare no less than six million were killed, wounded or registered as missing in action, and soldiers on both sides committed heinous crimes behind the lines on a scale without parallel in the history of warfare. In Barbarossa , drawing on hitherto unseen archival material - including previously untranslated Russian sources - in his usual gripping style, Jonathan Dimbleby recounts not only the story of the military campaign, but the politics and diplomacy behind this epic clash of global titans. With authority and panache, he charts the crucial decisions made in the world's capitals and the bitter struggles on the front lines, giving vivid insights into the experiences of all players, from the leaders on all sides to the men and women on the ground. Above all, Dimbleby reveals the significance of 1941 - the year in which the Soviet Union destroyed Hitler's chance of realising his demented vision - as the most important struggle in the annals of the twentieth century. The definitive book on Barbarossa, this is a masterwork for the ages.

The best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date -- Andrew Roberts, author of 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny'
It's a vital story, one everyone should know, and Dimbleby tells it with verve and elan -- Laurence Rees, author of 'Hitler and Stalin'
Should be on everyone's reading list for 2021 -- Dr Amanda Foreman, author of 'A World on Fire'
Masterly -- General Sir Mike Jackson
Vivid and engrossing -- Brendan Simms, author of 'Hitler: Only The World Was Enough'
An impressive achievement . . . a fast-paced, gripping read -- Julia Boyd, author of 'Travellers in the Third Reich'
A great read . . . he brings Barbarossa very vividly to life, as if you are there -- Robert Kershaw, author of 'War Without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942' and 'Borodino Field 1812/1941'
Thought-provoking . . . a captivating eye-opener -- Prof Dr Gerhard Hirschfeld, University of Stuttgart, former President of the International Committee for the Study of the Second World War
Superbly well-written . . . the most comprehensive study of Hitler's invasion of the USSR in years -- Keith Lowe, author of 'Savage Continent'
Expertly narrated and written with piercing clarity -- Frederick Taylor, author of '1939: A People's History'
A chilling account of war at its worst -- Bear Grylls
Superb . . . stays with you long after you have finished -- Henry Hemming, bestselling author of 'Our Man in New York'
Brilliant . . . a wonderful piece of history -- Robert Fox
Epic . . . captures all of Barbarossa's drama and magnitude -- Martin Sixsmith
Brings to life the sheer, staggering scale of these events... with great skill, care and attention to detail Sunday Times
[An] encyclopedic new account... a vivid, meticulous tapestry, densely weaving the threads of German and Soviet military strategy, political calculation from Washington and London to Moscow, and war's pitiless human cost The Telegraph
[Dimbleby] skilfully tracks the shifts and turns of the campaign, sparing no detail . . . a riveting account Daily Mail, Book of the Week
Dimbleby tells the story of strategic miscalculation and (self-)deception on all sides, and then Hitler's 'war of extermination', magnificently The Spectator
Amazing . . . fascinating -- Jeremy Vine
My best history book of 2021 -- a masterful account of maybe the biggest event ever . . . essential! -- Lee Child

Jonathan Dimbleby is the author of the highly-acclaimed Second World War histories The Battle of the Atlantic and Destiny in the Desert- The Road to El Alamein , which was followed by his BBC 2 programme Churchill's Desert War . His other books include, Russia- A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People , Richard Dimbleby- A Biography , The Palestinians , The Prince of Wales- A Biography and The Last Governor . He was the chairman of BBC Radio 4's weekly Any Questions? programme and presented ITV's flagship weekly political programme, This Week , for over ten years.

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