Military Model Scene

Title: The Destruction of 6th Army at Stalingrad
Author: Ian Baxter
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52674-795-2

Without doubt one of the most famous battles on the Eastern Front in WW2, this is a good collection of images which illustrate the highs and lows of the events which eventually led to the surrender of the German 6th Army.
The book is split into 4 main chapters, following some background and context that led into the battle for Stalingrad itself. It starts with The Road to Hell, and then followed by The Siege of Stalingrad, Encircled and finally Destruction of the Sixth Army. All 4 chapters have some text to set the scene and then a selection of archive photos, all of which have captions that help in adding to the story. It does highlight an aspect of the story that perhaps we sometimes miss, and that is how long it all lasted. The advance to the city started in August 1942 but didn't end until the final surrender in February 1943. That is well illustrated in the photos, where in the early stages we see troops in shirt sleeves and summer uniforms. At the end, weary and hungry soldiers are seen wrapped up in any clothes and blankets they can find as they face the bitter cold of the Russian winter. The faces we see on the men, going from times of plenty and success, to defeat and surrender at the end. Lots of detail of uniforms and equipment in use, along with the destruction that was inflicted on the city and its' population. The statistics of casualties on all sides, including the civilian population, is really quite staggering, just for the one city. To round things off, a handy Order of Battle is included, showing the many units involved, including Rumanian, Croation and Italian troops on the German side.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for our copy.

Robin