Stalingrad, the bloodiest battle in the history of warfare, cost the lives of nearly two million men and women. It signaled the beginning of the en...
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Mar 29, 2009
Evan
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Don't even harbor the thought that the film version of "Enemy at the Gates" bears anything but cursory relation to this book. The movie was actually based on a fictionalized book called "War of the Rats." If you want to read one book about the Hell that was World War II, this is the one. This is a sweeping chronicle of the most heinous campaign in the history of human warfare - Stalingrad. William Craig's command of the material is complete; the realities of everyday life and
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Sep 24, 2010
Zack
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Enemy At The Gates is by William Craig. This book is mainly about the battle of stalingrad there are two main characters the two main snipers of each side of the brute force between Zaitsev and Konigs they were both the best ones of there elites sides. The intense moments of lief or death would keep you going crazy to read more. This story takes place during WWII When we were trying to take over stalingrad. I believe that the author (William Craig) wrote this book to inspire some of us to join t
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Oct 02, 2009
Richard
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This book is an account of one of the most decisive battles of World War II. It marks the spot in history when the Russian Army stopped retreating from the relentless German invasion which was started in June 1941, and when the utter, catastrophic defeat of the Germans gave the Russians and their allies in the United States and Great Britain a huge morale boost. This was one of those turning points where the ultimate outcome of a great conflict could trace its origins.
The invasion o More...
The invasion o More...
Jul 04, 2009
John
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I really never knew anything about the eastern front half of WWII so I decided to read this book which Kate found on her grandfather's shelf. The movie was about this one tiny little part; a sniper duel that took place during the months of battle. The book is about the battle as a whole, which took months and totally destroyed the entire German Sixth army of a quarter million men. Two interesting things about this book, one, it's the only thing I've ever read that actually manages to make you fe
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Apr 19, 2009
Lucas
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The Jude Law movie from a few years ago is loosely based on about ten pages of this book (120 to 130 in my edition).
A lot of research and interviews were done for this book, and there are many interesting little anecdotes probably derived from those interviews. I'm reminded of the note at the beginning of 'A Bridge Too Far', which mentions the great deal of material that was very moving and interesting but could only be single-sourced and was therefore left out- I'm not sure the More...
A lot of research and interviews were done for this book, and there are many interesting little anecdotes probably derived from those interviews. I'm reminded of the note at the beginning of 'A Bridge Too Far', which mentions the great deal of material that was very moving and interesting but could only be single-sourced and was therefore left out- I'm not sure the More...
May 30, 2011
Bryer
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I liked this book very much. It was about two snipers that are pretty much just hunting each other. One sniper was a Russen and the other was a German. The Russen was the hero of his country, because the was killing alot of men and alot of generals. The German sniper was sent in just to kill the Russen. The two came very close to killing eachother many times befor the Russen finley ended it with a bullet to the Germans brain.
My favorite part of this book was when the Russen and his spoter More...
My favorite part of this book was when the Russen and his spoter More...
Dec 13, 2011
Don
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William Craig manages to create the tension felt by all participants: army headquarters, soldiers in the field, civilians caught up in the battle.
He explores the human nature of the battle and brings the horror of it straight into your home.
The style is almost of a fictional account and to me, that lends a certain authenticity to the unfolding drama since Mr. Craig superbly intertwines the thoughts of the combatants gleaned from letters into the narrative as triumph becomes defeat f More...
He explores the human nature of the battle and brings the horror of it straight into your home.
The style is almost of a fictional account and to me, that lends a certain authenticity to the unfolding drama since Mr. Craig superbly intertwines the thoughts of the combatants gleaned from letters into the narrative as triumph becomes defeat f More...
Dec 28, 2011
Frederic
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Good,solid,coherent descriptions of The Plan of Battle...or,so it seems to this non-Historian...the anecdotal material made the book for me,though I found some of those interviewed were a bit too eager to place all blame,Moral and Military,on Hitler and Stalin...the tragedy wasn't just that two men were "Evil" but that millions more followed them into The Abyss...to say that "War shows Man at his best and worst" is trite but true and testimony about atrocities and acts of gre
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Nov 04, 2010
Malquiviades
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This is an interesting book on the battle for Stalingrad. As many USA historians seems to do (like Stephen E. Ambrose), Craig digs on the experiences and memories of the soldiers and civilians who struggle there for survival. So it comes to the personal experiences of the people who were right there, through all the horror that was that German's fumble.
Then, it is a book more directed to the mass readers rather than to the interested on history. And this is clear since the beginning fr More...
Then, it is a book more directed to the mass readers rather than to the interested on history. And this is clear since the beginning fr More...
Aug 06, 2011
The writing comes across as very clinical, and it's hard to get into it at first. But when you realize the horrific circumstances and the amount of lives lost, it becomes compelling. When you hear the number of lives lost in the Battle for Stalingrad, it's hard to imagine, but hearing the actual circumstances of the people depicted in the account drives home the point of the waste of life because of two madmen committed to annihilating the other's nation. Anyone who went through that would nev
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Nov 06, 2011
Jason
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I knew I was going to like this chronicle of history's bloodiest battle the moment I picked it up and saw The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far author Cornelius Ryan's favorable review on the back cover. Let me start by saying that this is a mammoth undertaking, one that the author spent five years preparing for with hundreds of survivor interviews and countless hours of historical research before ever writing a paragraph. My biggest critique of this work is the same as my criticisms of the two
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May 09, 2007
Ryan
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Personally I find micro history a much more fascinating methodological approach than macro history. Actually, it's a bit of both: I like to gain an overall appreciation of a period or topic first before examining it in detail and finding out what it was like for those who lived through it. But I find the second part the most interesting.
Enemy at The Gates is the most compelling, disturbing, and brilliantly written attempt to relate what being involved in brutal, relentless, close qua More...
Enemy at The Gates is the most compelling, disturbing, and brilliantly written attempt to relate what being involved in brutal, relentless, close qua More...
Mar 08, 2011
William
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The Enemy at the Gates: is another well researched history of the Battle of Stalingrad where the German Sixth Army was destroyed and marked the beginning of Nazi defeat in World War II. Craig uses interviews and memoirs of participtants to weave the intensity of the fighting and how Soviet troops inside the city fixed the German army's attention to capture the city while Soviet troops built up strength on the flanks that sealed the fate of the Hitler's effort to conquer Russia.
Jul 08, 2011
Dave
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Living in Ukraine has given me an interest to read more about the Eastern Europe history. I feel like I know almost every inch of Stalingrad (Volograd now). I can't believe the audacity of Hitler and how blindly people followed the little corporal. Stalin was not saint either. The book was about as realistic as I would care to read about the horrors of war.
Jul 11, 2010
John
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It's been a while since I read it, but as I recall it was a decent look at the history of the Battle for Stalingrad.
Because of the movie of the same name that came out a few years ago, it needs to be said that the story of Soviet sniper Vassili Zaitsev is only a very small part of the story. It's essentially an extended anecdote in the book
Because of the movie of the same name that came out a few years ago, it needs to be said that the story of Soviet sniper Vassili Zaitsev is only a very small part of the story. It's essentially an extended anecdote in the book
Oct 13, 2009
Becca
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I liked this book, generally speaking. I love WWII history books as a rule, and this was interesting because it had perspectives from both the German and the Russian side, as well as occasional Italian. This book could be riveting at times and extremely dry at times. Having an index with all the characters mentioned would have been helpful.
Jan 01, 2012
Kim
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(first part of my review): I can't believe I'm actually reading a "war" book -- so not my genre. But my pastor/friend recommended it, and it must be very well-written, because I am still engaged & reading it, about 1/4 of the way thru.
(last part of my review): OK, I tried, I really did. but about halfway in, I just couldn't read any more war stories. (or rather, the same war story told in many different ways/details). Maybe because it was the Christmas season, but I just couldn More...
(last part of my review): OK, I tried, I really did. but about halfway in, I just couldn't read any more war stories. (or rather, the same war story told in many different ways/details). Maybe because it was the Christmas season, but I just couldn More...
Oct 02, 2010
Hancock
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Good so far...but I was surprised to learn Stalingrad (the subject of this book) is not Leningrad. Stalingrad was originally named Tsaritsyn and it is much further south than is Leningrad (St. Petersburg) or Moscow. Tsaritsyn -> Stalingrad is now called Volgograd.
This book was a 'find' by Alex when he lived in Charles Villiage. It has the same name as, but is not directly related to, a favorite World War II film about, surprise!, the Battle of Stalingrad.
This book was a 'find' by Alex when he lived in Charles Villiage. It has the same name as, but is not directly related to, a favorite World War II film about, surprise!, the Battle of Stalingrad.
Jun 01, 2011
Luke
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Both a fascinating and horrifying account of the WWII battle of Stalingrad between the Russians and Germans.
'When desertion problems threatened to destroy the effectiveness of the newly arrived Soviet 64th Division, stationed 25 miles north of Stalingrad, its commanding officer enacted his own solution. After haranguing the assembled troops, the colonel charged his men with the same guilt as those had already fled. With pistol in hand, the Russian colonel then began counting, executi More...
'When desertion problems threatened to destroy the effectiveness of the newly arrived Soviet 64th Division, stationed 25 miles north of Stalingrad, its commanding officer enacted his own solution. After haranguing the assembled troops, the colonel charged his men with the same guilt as those had already fled. With pistol in hand, the Russian colonel then began counting, executi More...
May 30, 2011
Cindy
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Could benefit from more conveniently located maps, but ultimately brilliantly horrendous. Suffers from relentlessly large cast, but very well sculpted narrative for the times during which it was written.
Apr 30, 2010
Steve
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It might be worth 5 stars, but it's been a long time, and I read it when it first came out. The sniper duel, a major focus of the movie, is only a small part of the book. Brutal, but you already know that...
Mar 26, 2008
Caseythehun
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This book was a depressing eye-opener. The most deadly battle in history in some of the most miserable conditions imaginable. A city the size of Seattle leveled all but for 3%, 1.5 million civilians and soldiers dead, months of cannibalism and blizzards, etc, etc. I'm very glad the Russians won and that I wasn't there. But hey, I guess if you had rats and lice eating your limbs, it's better that at least your too frozen to feel:)
Read this if you ever start to think that war movies are " More...
Read this if you ever start to think that war movies are " More...
Sep 20, 2011
Jonfaith
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Another samizdat text. I read this in a hurry, if not a huff. Revealing and self-aware it paused well short of the sentimental and was tactful and illuminating.
Jan 07, 2010
Falbs
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Tough read over the holidays when you are gorging on food with family and friends. Can't imagine how they made a movie out of this brutality...
Apr 11, 2011
Sven
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A great historian that really knows how to write! Very good historical research, even forty years after publication!
Oct 31, 2009
Very graphic details about the seige at Stalingrad. A great book for those who love military history. Good read.
Apr 12, 2009
Deena
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Liked the book, but the movie was much better (could it be because of jude law and Joseph Fiennes - yes it could!).
Apr 24, 2009
Kevin
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I learned about the great battle of Stalingard. The German Army was Stopped at the battle of Stalingard.
May 17, 2011
David
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The book lost some steam about 2/3 of the way through, but for the most part...wow. War is hell.
