22 June 1941 changed the direction of the Second World War. It also changed the direction of human history. Unleashing a massive, three-pronged assault into Soviet territory, the German army unwittingly created its own nemesis, forging the modern Russian state in the process. Thus, for most Russians, 22 June 1941 was a critical point in their nation's history. After the first day of ?Barbarossa' nothing would be the same again ? for anyone. Now, for the first time in English, Russians speak of their experiences on that fatal Sunday. Apparently caught off guard by Hitler's initiative, the Soviets struggled to make sense of a disaster that had seemingly struck from nowhere. Here are generals scrambling to mobilise ill-prepared divisions, pilots defying orders not to grapple with the mighty Luftwaffe, bewildered soldiers showing individual acts of blind courage, and civilians dumbstruck by air raid sirens and radio broadcasts telling of German treachery. AUTHOR: Artem Drabkin is the creator of the website I Remember which is devoted to recording the oral history of the soldiers and airmen who fought on the Eastern Front. His archive of memoirs and eyewitness accounts is a valuable source for researchers who are studying the Soviet side of the fighting and it is a fascinating record of the experience of warfare. Alexie Isaev is the author of several books including extensive studies of the initial phases of the war between the Soviet Union and Germany SELLING POINTS: ? A vivid eyewitness history of the first day of Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union ? Twenty-four hours that changed the course of history as seen through the eyes of those who were there ? Recollections come from across Soviet society- Stalin's elite, the top commanders, the soldiers and airmen who faced the German onslaught, the bewildered civilians ? Provides a rare glimpse into the reality of war on a historic single day ILLUSTRATIONS: Over 30 photos
