Michael K. Jones's new history of Stalingrad offers a radical reinterpretation of the most famous battle of the Second World War. His compelling account combines eyewitness testimony of Red Army fighters with fresh archive material to give a dramatic insight into the thinking of the Russian command and the mood of the ordinary soldiers. He focuses on the story of the Russian 62nd Army, which began the campaign in utter demoralisation, yet turned the tables on the powerful German 6th Army which Hitler claimed could storm the gates of heaven itself. As he recounts the course of the battle and seeks to explain the Red Army's extraordinary performance, the author uses a novel approach - battle psychology, emphasising the vital role of leadership, morale and motivation in a triumph that turned the course of the war. Former deputy commander of the Warsaw Pact, Colonel-General Anatoly Mereshko fought throughout the battle as staff officer to the 62nd Army's commander, Chuikov. As one of the principal surviving witnesses to events, he has worked extensively with the author. Much of Mereshko's testimony is entirely new - and will astonish a western audience. It is backed up by accounts of other key veterans and the recently released war diary and combat journals of the 62nd Army. These show that the oft-repeated descriptions of Stalingrad's two critical days of fighting - 14 September 1942, when the Germans broke into the city, and 14 October, when they launched a massive attack on the factory district - disguise how desperate the plight of the defenders really was. In their place is a far more terrifying reality. Grasping this, we come to see Stalingrad as more than a victory of successful tactics - rather, as an astounding, improbable triumph of the human spirit. AUTHOR: Michael K. Jones is well-known for his innovative, controversial studies of warfare. A former university lecturer in medieval history, he now works as a freelance writer, presenter and battlefield tour guide. He has written numerous articles on warfare for journals such as the English Historical Review and War History. His recent books ? Bosworth 1485: Psychology of a Battle and Agincourt 1415 ? provide thought-provoking reinterpretations of two of the decisive battles of the Middle Ages. Since 1984 he has been guiding visitors around battlefields, including Stalingrad. SELLING POINTS: ?Compelling reinterpretation of Stalingrad campaign ?Incorporates Soviet eyewitness testimony never published before ?Emphasizes the vital role of leadership, morale and motivation in combat ?Questions widespread assumptions about crucial points in the battle ILLUSTRATIONS 30 pages of b/w photographs *
