Hero City: Leningrad 1943-44

by Prit Buttar

Overview

One of the greatest ever sieges is masterfully brought to life by a leading expert on the Eastern Front.

At the height of World War II the people of Leningrad endured a bitter 900-day siege, struggling against bombing, shelling, and starvation. Prit Buttar tells the story of how the siege was finally broken. The Red Army had suffered multiple setbacks in the preceding two years but achieved a partial success by breaking the blockage in early 1943. However, this was followed by further failed attempts to lift the siege completely.

But by simply enduring the siege in the face of impossible odds, Russian soldiers and civilians beat the Germans. By the end of 1943 the German forces, themselves broken by deprivations and extreme weather, began to pull back. Here was the opportunity the Soviet forces had been waiting for. The Red Army launched a decisive attack that broke through and ended the siege. Their determination to hold out has become a hugely significant part of Russian history, the echoes of the battle helping to define both a country and its politics.

This compelling history uses original Russian source material to vividly describe the deprivations visited upon those trapped. But it also details the tactical successes and strategic failures of both sides as well as the appalling war crimes that have forever stained the ground in and around this historic city.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472856616
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	543,435
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Prit Buttar is a leading expert on the Eastern Front in 20th century military history. His previous books include the critically acclaimed To Besiege A City: Leningrad 1941–42. His books have been translated into several languages. Prit originally studied medicine at Oxford and London before joining the British Army as a doctor. He latterly worked as a General Practitioner for several years. He now writes exclusively from his home in rural Scotland.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Maps

Dramatis Personae

Introduction: A Singular City

Chapter 1: Unfinished Business

Chapter 2: Iskra – Planning

Chapter 3: Iskra – Execution

Chapter 4: Polyarnaya Zvezda

Chapter 5: The Last Battles Before Spring

Chapter 6: A Tense Summer

Chapter 7: The Summer Offensive: Sinyavino

Chapter 8: An Autumn of Blood and Attrition

Chapter 9: Winter Planning

Chapter 10: Yanvarskiiy Grom

Chapter 11: Retreat from Leningrad

Chapter 12: Schild und Schwert

Chapter 13: After the Siege

Chapter 14: Military Memories and Assessments of the Siege of Leningrad

Chapter 15: The Myths and Legends of Leningrad

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

The final, definitive word on the most brutal siege of a population in modern history.” —Iain MacGregor, author of 'The Lighthouse of Stalingrad'

“Prit Buttar's complete command of the sources makes him uniquely qualified to complete this story of the World War II struggle for the soul of Communism, Leningrad.” —Professor Peter Caddick-Adams, historian and broadcaster

From the Publisher