A ground-breaking history of one of the greatest ever sieges.
Masterfully brought to life by a leading expert using original Russian
and German source material.
This new history of the first two years of this crucial battle for the
heart and soul of Russia is the first in over a decade and also the
first to look comprehensively at the wider military strategies of both
sides.
At a huge cost, the Red Army and the civilian population of Leningrad
ultimately endured a bitter 900-day siege, struggling against constant
bombing, shelling, and starvation. Throughout the siege, Soviet forces
tried to break the German lines and restore contact with the garrison.
To Besiege a City charts the first of these offensives which began in
January 1942 and was followed by repeated assaults. Acclaimed Eastern
Front historian Prit Buttar details how although the Red Army suffered
huge casualties in the swampy and forested terrain, the German infantry
divisions were also steadily eroded. Indeed, by keeping control of parts
of the shores of Lake Ladoga, the Soviet Union was able to sustain
Leningrad through the winters of the siege via the 'road of life',
constructed across the frozen lake. This epic history details the
dramatic race to create the road across the ice and first-hand accounts
from both Soviet and German soldiers, many never previously translated,
bring the horrific series of battles and assaults to life.
Ultimately the determination of the defenders to hold out during this
first phase of the siege and the desperate attempts to break it became a
hugely significant part of Russian wartime history. The echoes of the
battle persist to this day helping to define both a country and its
politics. There is no better time to fully understand this history and
To Besiege a City is the most comprehensive account to date.
