The siege of Leningrad was one of the longest of the war. However, it was broken and the German Army was on the offensive. The Soviets pushed the Germans towards the west, hoping to trap them and prevent their escape down the Baltic coast towards Prussia. As such, began the Baltic Campaign. It started in the north and soon stalled as the Germans had built up a formidable defense near the town of Narva in northeastern Estonia.

While thwarted in the north, the Soviets tried to attack farther south in central Latvia, but that also bogged down as fall turned to winter and fighting became even more difficult due to the weather conditions. Though the Soviets eventually, and quite slowly, were able to push back the Germans, it was extremely costly. The German defenders, though growing smaller in number with fewer resources as time went on, put up a spirited defense as they knew how ruthless the Soviets were to prisoners.

As winter turned to spring, the battles continued to rage and the Soviet slowly took control of the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, leaving pockets of resistance that defied all attempts at overtaking the dug in German Army remnants that lasted until the war's end.

This particular volume follows the format of previous books in this series. It is mostly photographs with some well done drawings and a few maps. It covers the situation just prior to the offensive as well as the condition of the two forces just prior to the battles. It then provides several chapters on the progress of the operation in various sectors as well as the overall outcome. Within the book are small sections that focus on specific forces or specialties or personalities. Though you are provided with a general history of events, it is the photographs that are really what makes this book special.

As with other books in this series, it is a very good read and well worth picking up. I do recommend it and am sure you will be as pleased with it as I.

October 2022

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