Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany's Eastern Front 1944-45 (General Military)

The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this handsome volume from Osprey recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously unseen testimony and astute strategic analysis recognizing a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering. Author Prit Buttar spins a mesmerizing tale accompanied by rare photographs and informative maps. Library Journal In 1944 45 the Red Army pushed westward, crushing resistance in Prussia and what had been Poland in the interwar period. The large German population mostly fled west but was often trapped. Mass murder, atrocities, and ethnic cleansing were the order of the day. A grim time not often studied in detail, but an important part of the Eastern Front story. Because it provides coverage of an underreported campaign, this is suitable for in-depth collections. An engrossing history of the last year of the Second World War, charting the battles fought between the Soviet Red Army and the Nazis across German soil.The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished.From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this book recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike.These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously untold testimony and astute strategic analysis recognising a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering. COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 4 List of Illustrations......Page 6 List of Maps......Page 7 Author's Note......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 INTRODUCTION - THE SLAVS AND THE TEUTONS......Page 14 FRITZ AND IVAN......Page 36 MEMEL......Page 59 NEMMERSDORF......Page 90 THE LAST CHRISTMAS......Page 110 THE HOUSE OF CARDS - THE GREAT JANUARY OFFENSIVE......Page 128 CHERNIAKHOVSKY AND THE PREGEL VALLEY......Page 151 ROKOSSOVSKY REACHES THE COAST......Page 183 ENCIRCLED IN EAST PRUSSIA......Page 217 HANNIBAL - THE BALTIC EVACUATION BEGINS......Page 239 THE RIVIERA OF HADES AND THE FALL OF POMERANIA......Page 257 HEILIGENBEIL - BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA......Page 298 KÖNIGSBERG......Page 314 DANZIG......Page 350 THE LAST COMMAND......Page 400 THE LONG ROAD HOME......Page 445 Notes......Page 484 Bibliography......Page 496 Index......Page 498 COVER......Page 512 The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this handsome volume from Osprey recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously unseen testimony and astute strategic analysis recognizing a conflict of unprecedented horror and terrible suffering. Author Prit Buttar spins a mesmerizing tale accompanied by rare photographs and informative maps. "The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this book recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously untold testimony and astute strategic analysis recognising a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering."--Bloomsbury Publishing. "The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished. From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this book recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously unseen testimony and astute strategic analysis recognizing a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering"--Jacket Military History - World War 2 COVER 1 CONTENTS 4 List of Illustrations 6 List of Maps 7 Author's Note 8 Preface 10 INTRODUCTION - THE SLAVS AND THE TEUTONS 14 FRITZ AND IVAN 36 MEMEL 59 NEMMERSDORF 90 THE LAST CHRISTMAS 110 THE HOUSE OF CARDS - THE GREAT JANUARY OFFENSIVE 128 CHERNIAKHOVSKY AND THE PREGEL VALLEY 151 ROKOSSOVSKY REACHES THE COAST 183 ENCIRCLED IN EAST PRUSSIA 217 HANNIBAL - THE BALTIC EVACUATION BEGINS 239 THE RIVIERA OF HADES AND THE FALL OF POMERANIA 257 HEILIGENBEIL - BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA 298 KÖNIGSBERG 314 DANZIG 350 THE LAST COMMAND 400 THE LONG ROAD HOME 445 Notes 484 Bibliography 496 Index 498 COVER 512 ISBN-10:,1849081905,ISBN-13:,978-1849081900 ISBN-10: 1849081905,ISBN-13: 978-1849081900 In September 1944 the Soviet Army poured into German territory, flooding the martial heartland of the Reich, Prussia. Hopelessly outnumbered by the human wave of the Red Army, the Wehrmacht fought on with determination, but was gradually beaten back. This book describes the battles that marked the Soviet conquest of Prussia.