Fighting in Hell: The German Ordeal on the Eastern Front

Not for effete literati or maudlin communist sympathizers, but filled with a wealth of information, problem-solving, and advice that could some day be quite useful to members of the US Armed Forces, (or even the FRG or Finland?). Quite detailed in its descriptions of corduroy roads, field fortifications, winter-proofing, and other subjects useful to ground combat operations in the former USSR or similar primitive locations, such as North Korea or China.

This isn't an Allied version of history but rather a military analysis of a theater of conflict at a more practical level, as told by select Generals in the German Army. It is built upon personal experiences and perceptions of actual participants, not the scripts of Hollywood movie moguls. If you pick up this book without having an interest in learning, then this book is not for you. Keep in mind that this was edited and compiled by the U.S. Army for instructional purposes. In spite of that, it is an interesting and quick read at a very reasonable price.

This book just has to be the best literary buy I've ever made. The price tag on Fighting In Hell could be several times higher and I'd still buy it. It is not a concise dictionary on fighting on the Eastern Front, but rather contains reports on different topics written by german generals after the war. The way these are written convey the cold reality of war, as well as the pride of the author's in the quality of german armed forces. Included are excellent descriptions of the differences of german and russian soldiers and combat methods. The first hand descriptions of Soviet combat tactics and battles fought couldn't come from better sources than from the people that fought the russians. Highly recommended.

This book is window-dressed to look like a new piece of literature on the Eastern Front. It is not, it is a series of post-war reviews by German Officers, no doubt to provide data to the US Army for what it considered an upcoming or inevitable war with the USSR. It is technically useful however it is boring. So if you're writing a thesis on this topic then perhaps it's a good buy -if you just have an interest (or obsession) in WWII topics then spend your money a bit more fruitfully - The Forgotten Soldier, I Flew for the Fuehrer, Stuka Commander, Panzergrenadier etc. etc. are good passionate books written from the German side. To summarise, this is a textbook.