Book Review of
The Soviet Infantryman on the Eastern Front
Men-Battles-Weapons Series
Author: Simon Forty
Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-64624-363-4
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $28.95
ISBN: 978-1-64624-363-4
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $28.95
HISTORY:
The Soviet Army was ill prepared for its ally’s treacherous onslaught in 1941. Its officer corps was decimated by Stalin’s purges and its men less well-trained from the Germans. The Red Army was poorly led, hampered by the power of political officers and only partly mobilized. But, in spite of the huge German victories and the speed of the Nazi attack, the Soviets proved fantastically capable of rolling with the punches.
The vast territory of the Soviet Union and huge population were significant, as was substantial assistance from the West-the United States and Britain in particular-which was in evidence when the German columns got to within a few miles of Moscow and were held and then forced back.
The tide turned thanks to help from outside and the efforts of the Soviet soldiers, who proved hardy and durable. And just like the soldiers, Russian infantry equipment was rugged and effective. While Soviet infantrymen may not have had the flexibility of tactical nous of the Germans, they did not lack cunning deception, camouflage skills and endurance made Russian snipers, as an example, more than the equal of the Germans.
Most of the views of the Soviet soldier and campaign are influenced by self-serving German postwar accounts designed to excuse their loss by suggesting that Adolf Hitler’s meddling and Soviet numbers were the main reasons for victory. This designates the Russian infantryman whose toughness and ingenuity helped destroy the Third Reich in spite of the faults of its own regime.
THE BOOK:
Casemate Publishers is both a book distributor of other company’s books and a publisher of their own books, based in Havertown, PA.
This book is of soft-cover, with a flap on the front and rear covers.
It is fully illustrated with over 150 contemporary photographs and illustrations. Half the black and white wartime photos show Soviet infantrymen and infantrywomen, sailors, cooks, sergeants, officers, Joseph Stalin, horses pulling wagons and food supplies. There are color photos of medals, various uniforms, field equipment and weapons. Illustrations of battle maps.
The front cover shows a black and white photo of two Soviet infantrymen, at the top, waving a large red Soviet flag with the yellow hammer and sickle on it, in downtown Budapest.
Below, on the left, is a color photo of a Soviet infantryman armed with a sub machine gun. Dressed in a fur-lined hat with ear flaps and field equipment on his back. On the right there is a black and white photo of a infantryman who is prone and firing his rifle. Below him is another black and white photo of 10 infantrymen standing around a flag pole.
The back cover shows a color photo, at the top left, of an prone sniper in the grass. On the right at the top is a black and white photo of a large group of infantrymen marching down a city street. At the bottom there is a color photo of 6 Soviet sailors that are all armed with sub machine-guns and following an NCO.
The book is in 7” x 9 ¾” page format. It contains 128 pages.
The box ends with a 2 page CONCLUSION, a 1 page FURTHER READING list and a 1 page INDEX.
The back cover’s flap has 3 book cover illustrations of other Casemate books:
The German Infantryman on the Eastern Front, The Soviet Destruction of Army Group South, The Winter War 1939-40 & Air War on the Eastern Front.
THE EDITOR:
Educated in the north of England and at London University, Simon Forty has worked in publishing for over 40 years as editor, publisher and author. He has written some 25 books, primarily on military history, most recently “Red Army Into the Reich”.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Casemate books can be viewed on their website at:
The Soviet Army was ill prepared for its ally’s treacherous onslaught in 1941. Its officer corps was decimated by Stalin’s purges and its men less well-trained from the Germans. The Red Army was poorly led, hampered by the power of political officers and only partly mobilized. But, in spite of the huge German victories and the speed of the Nazi attack, the Soviets proved fantastically capable of rolling with the punches.
The vast territory of the Soviet Union and huge population were significant, as was substantial assistance from the West-the United States and Britain in particular-which was in evidence when the German columns got to within a few miles of Moscow and were held and then forced back.
The tide turned thanks to help from outside and the efforts of the Soviet soldiers, who proved hardy and durable. And just like the soldiers, Russian infantry equipment was rugged and effective. While Soviet infantrymen may not have had the flexibility of tactical nous of the Germans, they did not lack cunning deception, camouflage skills and endurance made Russian snipers, as an example, more than the equal of the Germans.
Most of the views of the Soviet soldier and campaign are influenced by self-serving German postwar accounts designed to excuse their loss by suggesting that Adolf Hitler’s meddling and Soviet numbers were the main reasons for victory. This designates the Russian infantryman whose toughness and ingenuity helped destroy the Third Reich in spite of the faults of its own regime.
THE BOOK:
Casemate Publishers is both a book distributor of other company’s books and a publisher of their own books, based in Havertown, PA.
This book is of soft-cover, with a flap on the front and rear covers.
It is fully illustrated with over 150 contemporary photographs and illustrations. Half the black and white wartime photos show Soviet infantrymen and infantrywomen, sailors, cooks, sergeants, officers, Joseph Stalin, horses pulling wagons and food supplies. There are color photos of medals, various uniforms, field equipment and weapons. Illustrations of battle maps.
The front cover shows a black and white photo of two Soviet infantrymen, at the top, waving a large red Soviet flag with the yellow hammer and sickle on it, in downtown Budapest.
Below, on the left, is a color photo of a Soviet infantryman armed with a sub machine gun. Dressed in a fur-lined hat with ear flaps and field equipment on his back. On the right there is a black and white photo of a infantryman who is prone and firing his rifle. Below him is another black and white photo of 10 infantrymen standing around a flag pole.
The back cover shows a color photo, at the top left, of an prone sniper in the grass. On the right at the top is a black and white photo of a large group of infantrymen marching down a city street. At the bottom there is a color photo of 6 Soviet sailors that are all armed with sub machine-guns and following an NCO.
The book is in 7” x 9 ¾” page format. It contains 128 pages.
The box ends with a 2 page CONCLUSION, a 1 page FURTHER READING list and a 1 page INDEX.
The back cover’s flap has 3 book cover illustrations of other Casemate books:
The German Infantryman on the Eastern Front, The Soviet Destruction of Army Group South, The Winter War 1939-40 & Air War on the Eastern Front.
THE EDITOR:
Educated in the north of England and at London University, Simon Forty has worked in publishing for over 40 years as editor, publisher and author. He has written some 25 books, primarily on military history, most recently “Red Army Into the Reich”.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Casemate books can be viewed on their website at:
Highly recommended.