Victory at Stalin grad: The Battle that Changed History. . - Reviews - book review

Contemporary Review, April, 2003

Victory at Stalin grad: The Battle that Changed History. Geoffrey Roberts. Longman. [pounds sterling]9.99. 247 pages. ISBN 0-582-77185-4. The author gives his readers a general view of the battle and its significance. Secondly, he sets out to 'summarise, synthesise and criticise the vast literature on Stalingrad'.

The German defeat in 1942 was catastrophic: 1.5 million men from German and allied forces were lost and with them the Wehrmacht's reputation as an invincible military force. Russia lost even more men, an estimated 2.5 million, but Russia won the battle and with the victory she turned the tables on Germany: it was 'the turning point in the war on the Eastern Front and the Eastern Front was the main front of the ... War'. The victory secured Stalin's hold on power and laid the basis for Soviet domination of Eastern Europe after 1945. Yet Russian victory was never preordained; it was a 'close call'. The victory was not, contra Antony Beevor, based on Soviet intimidation of troops. Whilst there was int imidation 'it stretches credibility to believe that such a victory could have been achieved solely on the back of fear, discipline and regimentation'. There was 'an unparalleled heroic defence'. The battle 'is a classic case-study of the role of chance, circumstances and, above all, personality in the making of history'. The relatively short text is well written and well organised and is packed with information. It gives readers a sound understanding of this great battle and moves the debate forward. We now await a rejoinder from Antony Beevor. (T.B.)