In February 1942; three of the major ships of the German surface fleet - the battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau; and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen - stormed out of the harbour at Brest on a dramatic voyage back to Germany. Passing through the straights of Dover; the ships faced everything the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy could throw at them. In a dramatic running fight; the ships managed to sail right under the nose of history's greatest maritime nation to reach the safety of Germany. The brilliantly executed operation brought great humiliation to the British - Hitler; who had developed the plan; had judged perfectly the reaction of the British command to the Channel Dash. Repositioned; these fast; heavily armed ships went on to threaten the Allied Arctic convoys that kept Russia in the war at Stalingrad. This book tells the complete story of this great race; from the planning through to the repercussions of this unique Germany victory.
#628466 in Books Pen Sword Military 2010-03-19 2010-04-02Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.10 x 6.10l; 1.35 #File Name: 1848841205288 pagesPen Sword Military
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Sympathetic memoir of a pivotal battleBy Wormwood ScrubbsNice recounting of the victories and tragedies of the resistance to Operation Barbarossa at Stalingrad. The author summons imagery and context to his memoir in a way that most sniper tales do not. Critics of his writing must remember that this is a translation from Russian; and is occasionally too literal. It does end abruptly; as though the author died of heart failure before the final chapter. But a satisfying read nevertheless.10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Sniper at Leningrad's SeigeBy Prince ObolenskyThis is a very real account of a Red Army sniper's work in the heroic defense of his home city. It includes technical details of sniper deployment and tactics but also a look at the heroism and sorrow of a man trying to protect his family in a city beseiged for years by the Nazis in the Great Patriotic War. It has been said that "a good soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him but because he loves what is behind him." I'm a modest student of the Red Army snipers and a collector of Mosin sniper rifles; and this book; plus Zaitsev's "Notes of a Russian Sniper" are must-reads on the topic. Also; this is a very; very sad book; so don't expect any Rambo stuff...read this and you'll understand why Leningrad earned the title of "Hero City."0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A remarkable man with an unforgettable storyBy CustomerYosef Pilyushin is a remarkable man with an unforgettable story. He bares his soul in this fascinating book - a memorable journey through years of brutal combat in unforgiving conditions facing a relentless foe; all the while highlighting every emotion - from ecstatic joy to gut wrenching grief. I have read many war time memoirs - but this is one of the few that definitely stands out.In some ways; his story is truly inspiring - to go through all he did: combat; unthinkable personal tragedies; witnessing suffering on a mass scale in a blockaded; starving city which counted it's toll in the millions; enduring harsh privations on a regular basis; all the while living with the constant fear of death at a moments notice...... to endure all that and still survive!The book is filled with colourful characters! And the writing style pulls you in - you start identifying the characters when they are mentioned again later in the book. I shared in their joys and grieved over their losses.That's the other amazing quality of this work - the very personal touch. Mr. Pilyushin certainly lost loved ones in that terrible war. Not just his personal family; but many members of his 'frontline family' as well. The book is so engrossing that you identify closely with those fellow veterans - to the point that you can feel the grief and pain he goes through with each devastating loss.One other interesting aspect of this book is that it is nigh-completely devoid of "Party Propaganda." There are no paeans to the Communist Party or hero worship of Stalin or STAVKA. Yes; the enemy is mostly "fascists" and often "Germans" - but given the circumstances; it doesn't seem inappropriate. No; the tone of the book is very personal and it ties into the relationship with the civilian population as well.My one gripe is that I thought the ending was a little abrupt and unsatisfactory. I would've liked to know what Mr. Pilyushin is up to these days; or how he fared post-war or how he passed away etc.This book is one for the archives. It deserves to be re-read.
