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Barbarossa
- Author
- Jonathan Dimbleby
- Narrator
- Jonathan Dimbleby
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 15 April 2021
- Run Time
- 22 hours 40 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of Russia in June 1941, aimed at nothing less than a war of extermination to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create Lebensraum for the German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was cataclysmic for Germany with millions of men killed, wounded or registered as missing in action. It was this colossal mistake -- rather than any action in Western Europe -- that lost Hitler the Second World War.
Drawing on hitherto unseen archival material, including previously untranslated Russian sources, Jonathan Dimbleby puts Barbarossa in its proper place in history for the first time. From its origins in the ashes of the First World War to its impact on post-war Europe, and covering the military, political and diplomatic story from all sides, he paints a full and vivid picture of this monumental campaign whose full nature and impact has remained unexplored.
At the heart of the narrative, written in Dimbleby's usual gripping style, are compelling descriptions of the leaders who made the crucial decisions, of the men and women who fought on the front lines, of the soldiers who committed heinous crimes on an unparalleled scale and of those who were killed when the Holocaust began. Hitler's fatal gamble had the most terrifying of consequences.
Written with authority and humanity, Barbarossa is a masterwork that transforms our understanding of the Second World War and of the twentieth century.
© Jonathan Dimbleby 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
Critics Review
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The best single-volume account of the Barbarossa campaign to date
Andrew Roberts, author of 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny'
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It's a vital story, one everyone should know, and Dimbleby tells it with verve and elan
Laurence Rees, author of 'Hitler and Stalin'
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Should be on everyone's reading list for 2021
Dr Amanda Foreman, author of 'A World on Fire'
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Masterly
General Sir Mike Jackson
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Vivid and engrossing
Brendan Simms, author of 'Hitler: Only The World Was Enough'
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An impressive achievement . . . a fast-paced, gripping read
Julia Boyd, author of 'Travellers in the Third Reich'
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A great read . . . he brings Barbarossa very vividly to life, as if you are there
Robert Kershaw, author of 'War Without Garlands: Operation Barbarossa 1941-1942' and 'Borodino Field 1812/1941'
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Thought-provoking . . . a captivating eye-opener
Prof Dr Gerhard Hirschfeld, University of Stuttgart, former President of the International Committee for the Study of the Second World War
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Superbly well-written . . . the most comprehensive study of Hitler's invasion of the USSR in years
Keith Lowe, author of 'Savage Continent'
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Expertly narrated and written with piercing clarity
Frederick Taylor, author of '1939: A People's History'
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Jonathan Dimbleby
- Narrator
- Jonathan Dimbleby
- Duration
- 22 hours 40 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 April 2021
- ISBN
- 9780241984383
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Second World War, Specific wars and campaigns, Military history, European history
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin. Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of Russia in June 1941, was the largest military operation in history, its aim nothing less than 'a war of extermination' to annihilate Soviet communism, liquidate the Jews and create lebensraum for the so-called German master race. But it led to the destruction of the Third Reich, and was entirely cataclysmic; in six months of warfare no less than six million were killed, wounded or registered as missing in action, and soldiers on both sides committed heinous crimes behind the lines on a scale without parallel in the history of warfare.In Barbarossa, drawing on hitherto unseen archival material - including previously untranslated Russian sources - in his usual gripping style, Jonathan Dimbleby recounts not only the story of the military campaign, but the politics and diplomacy behind this epic clash of global titans. With authority and panache, he charts the crucial decisions made in the world's capitals and the bitter struggles on the front lines, giving vivid insights into the experiences of all players, from the leaders on all sides to the men and women on the ground. Above all, Dimbleby reveals the significance of 1941 - the year in which the Soviet Union destroyed Hitler's chance of realising his demented vision - as the most important struggle in the annals of the twentieth century. The definitive book on Barbarossa, this is a masterwork for the ages.© Jonathan Dimbleby 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
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