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Osprey
Operation Barbarossa 1941 (1) Army Group South. By Robert Kirchubel
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This book was released at the latter end of 2003 and is the latest Osprey Campaign title in its series on the Second World War. Understandably Osprey appear to have divided this mammoth conflict into its three constituent sectors with this book covering the operations and organization of German Army Group South under von Runstedt and his opposition - the armies of the south and southwestern fronts under men like Marshalls Budenny and Timoshenko and Lt Gen Kirponos who alone commanded over 907,000 men.
This book is excellent when it comes to describing the build up to Barbarossa and the strengths and weaknesses in the two military machines, which faced each other in July 1941. The book then does an excellent job of focusing in on the southern front describing the early frontier battles, the battles around the Stalin Line and the fighting for Kiev and the Uman Kessel. Later actions in the Crimea, the battle of the sea of Azov and Sevastopol and the drive to Kharkov and Rostov are covered with a final section on Timoshenko's counteroffensive in November 1941 and von Runstedt being relieved of command.
If this all sounds a little dry then I should add that the book is liberally sprinkled with photographs and maps and of course the fantastically inspirational pictures (this time painted by Howard Gerrard) that Osprey books are well known for. The picture of SS Liebstandarte fighting in the snow in November 1941 is truly atmospheric and full of detail.
This book may not be of great value to the well read Eastern Front buffs out there but the beauty of the Osprey titles is that they provide an excellent starting point for the less well read who wish to acquire a basic grasp of a campaign. I for one look forward to the following titles in the Osprey Barbarassa series.
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