This is the third of the Barbarossa trilogy and provides the complete strategic account of the German campaign against Soviet Russia by Army Group Center, the force that almost made it to Moscow.

Probably many do not realize that Moscow was not in Hitler's plans for Barbarossa and it was only when the Germans managed to do so well so quickly that the generals got fixated on capturing the capital. It has been shown in countless campaigns that the capture of a country's capital really does not immediately halt the war, though that does seem to be the case with France. It is more of a symbolic victory than anything else and countries have managed to overthrow aggressors after their capital has been captured.

There have been many theories of why the Germans were unable to advance any farther than they did. Many of those are debunked in this volume. The winter wasn't that much colder, it didn't rain more than the average, so the often-quoted weather conditions were not the major impetus. What was were a combination of factors, including a too-long and too-slow supply line, inadequate clothing for German soldiers, and a LOT more Soviet troops than the Germans had anticipated. In fact, though the German panzers were generally quite effective, German reconnaissance was often sadly lacking and the generals in charge often had no idea of what actually awaited them.

All of this is ably presented by author Robert Kirchulbel, who has spent several years preparing and researching the Barbarossa volumes. This is further enhanced by quality period photographs and the superb illustrations of Peter Dennis, whose work has appeared in countless Osprey editions. In this one his maps, charts and illustrations further enhance an already interesting and inciteful edition. It is a book that I found to be interesting and eye-opening. I know you will as well and can highly recommend it to you.

August 2007

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