After failing to finish off the German Army in the 1941/42 Winter Counteroffensive and aware that Hitler was planning a new summer offensive in mid-1942; Stalin directed the Red Army to conduct a powerful blow in one sector of the Eastern Front in order to disrupt German plans. The sector chosen was Kharkov; where the Soviet Southwestern Front had seized bridgeheads over the Donets River and Heeresgruppe Süd appeared vulnerable. Under Stalin's trusted military advisor; Marshal Semyon Timoshenko; the Stavka's remaining reserves were assembled and prepared to conduct a breakthrough attack intended to encircle the German Sixth Army near Kharkov.However; Stalin was unaware that the Germans were planning their own riposte at Kharkov; known as Operation Fredericus. When Timoshenko began his offensive in May 1942; he did not realize the limitations of his own forces or the agility of the Germans to recover from setbacks; all of which contributed to one of the Red Army greatest defeats of World War II. The German victory at Kharkov also contributed to the Wehrmacht's ability to push to the Volga River; once the Red Army was seriously weakened along the Donets. This volume will pay particular attention to intelligence and logistics issues; as well as how this campaign served as a prelude to the battle of Stalingrad. It will also focus on the nascent development of the Red Army's tank corps and 'deep battle' tactics; as well as the revival of the German Panzertruppen after Barbarossa.
#349230 in Books McGaugh Scott 2015-07-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.90 x 1.10 x 6.00l; .0 #File Name: 162872529X384 pagesSurgeon in Blue Jonathan Letterman the Civil War Doctor Who Pioneered Battlefield Care
Review
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Origin of modern military medicineBy John D Potter JrThis is a fascinating biography of Jonathan Letterman who revolutionized military medical care during the Civil War. He incorporated insights from European experience that helped the Army of the Potomac stay healthy and enabled timely medical care and evacuation from the battlefield. Some of it is riveting; both as a biography and as Civil War history.The only reason for not giving five stars is that it becomes repetitive at the end.Overall; a great read.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Letterman is one of the unsung heroes of the Civil War. He is known as the father of modern battlefield medicine.By KikiI read the book because I love Civil War history and medical history and because; as a docent at the San Francisco Presidio; I have been researching Letterman Hospital history. Letterman Hospital; a large and famous Army general hospital; was named after Dr. Letterman in 1911. My docent research question was; Who was Jonathan Letterman? Author Scott McGaugh answered my question in his brilliant biography of Letterman. The book is a fascinating account not only of Dr. Letterman; but also of the history and evolution of battlefield medicine; and an account of the major battles in the Civil War. I got to know about the various generals and their military approaches as they worked alongside Dr. Letterman to save as many lives of seriously wounded soldiers as possible. The book is also a tragic love story of Letterman and his young wife who spent their last years as dedicated public servants in San Francisco where Letterman was elected to the position of County Medical Examiner. I highly recommend that you read about this heroic young surgeon and learn of his impact on battlefield medicine. It's a good read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Informative for history buffs.By JonesyThis is an informative book for those who are interested in details of the US Civil War or students of medical history. It tells the life story of Jonathan Letterman; who; along with only one or two other men who supported his efforts; was responsible for radically changing the quality of care of the Union soldiers both on and off the battlefield. He was responsible for keeping the staggering casualty rates from being much; much higher during the last half of the war. Reading about the horrifying conditions isn't pleasant; but this book fills in another piece of the puzzle for history buffs. The last quarter of the book; which details Letterman's life after the war; is somewhat less interesting and I had to discipline myself to finish it. We do see how the war affected his life and brought about his death years later. I recommend it for the narrow audience who are avid for more information about the Civil War.
