# Sicily/Italy; Battle of Moscow



## MarkOttawa (14 Oct 2007)

Two reviews in the _Washington Post_, Oct. 14:

*Bravery and Blunder* [no mention of Canadians in review]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101101969.html



> Volume Two in a monumental history shows raw GIs and inexperienced generals in a schoolhouse of war.
> 
> _Reviewed by Robert Killebrew_
> Sunday, October 14, 2007; Page BW08
> ...



*Victory of Steel and Ice*
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101101960.html



> During the Battle of Moscow, Stalin turned his guns on his own people.
> 
> _Reviewed by Constantine Pleshakov_
> Sunday, October 14, 2007; Page BW09
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


----------



## Haletown (14 Oct 2007)

I have just finished reading Stalingrad  by Anthony Beevor - great writer  www.antonybeevor.com

Interesting stats- 

 - the Russians executed 13, 500 of their own troops during the epic battle.
 - 1 in five German Army soldiers who became casualties were actually Russian defectors fighting against the Soviets

he is an excellent writer - his other book on the Battle of Berlin is also excellent.


----------



## geo (14 Oct 2007)

- The German field security detachments did a fair job of dealing with Axis troops suffering from lack of motivation.  Prolly borrowed a page from the NKVD playbook.

-  Stalin expected the Soviet soldier to lay down his life for his country.  Those who were captured were considered no better than a bunch of traitors... to be executed if caught.  Not surprising that so many "defectors" were fighting the Soviet system" in German uniforms.


----------

