While the Battle of Berlin in 1945 is widely known; the horrific story of the Halbe Kessel remains largely untold.In April 1945; victorious Soviet forces encircled 80;000 men of the German 9th Army in the Halbe area; South of Berlin; together with many thousands of German women and children. The German troops; desperate to avoid Soviet capture; battled furiously to break out towards the West; where they could surrender to the comparative safety of the Americans. For the German civilians trapped in the Kessel; the quest to escape took on frantic dimensions; as the terror of Red Army brutality spread.The small town of Halbe became the eye of the hurricane for the breakout; as King Tigers of the SS Panzer Corps led the spearhead to the West; supported by Panthers of the battle-hardened 21st Panzer Division.Panzer by panzer; unit by unit; the breakout forces were cut down - until only a handful of Panthers; other armour; battered infantry units and columns of shattered refugees made a final escape through the rings of fire to the American lines.This first-hand account by the commander of one of those Panther tanks relates with devastating clarity the conditions inside the Kessel; the ferocity of the breakout attempt through Halbe; and the subsequent running battles between overwhelming Soviet forces and the exhausted Reich troops; who were using their last reserves of fuel; ammunition; strength and hope.Eloquent German-perspective accounts of World War 2 are surprisingly rare; and the recent reissue of Wolfgang Faust's 1948 memoir 'Tiger Tracks' has fascinated readers around the world with its insight into the Eastern Front. In 'The Last Panther;' Faust used his unique knowledge of tank warfare to describe the final collapse of the Third Reich and the murderous combat between the German and Russian armies. He gives us a shocking testament to the cataclysmic final hours of the Reich; and the horrors of this last eruption of violence among the idyllic forests and meadows of Germany.
#3992920 in Books 2016-12-06Original language:English 9.00 x .50 x 6.00l; #File Name: 1519086369199 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. This first-hand account is fascinatingBy FitzwomanThis is a fascinating narrative of early American exploration to the mouth of the Columbia River in what is now Oregon. John Jacob Astor sent a group of men to this part of the new United States in 1810 to start a fur-trading enterprise. The author; Alexander Ross; was part of the crew who braved the elements and the Native Americans to extend Astor’s business empire.I recently read Peter Stark’s book “Astoria: Astor and Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Tale of Ambition and Survival on the Early American Frontier.†It was an excellent account of the trips and the outcome; but Ross’s “Adventures†is a first-hand account of these actions.I was delighted that it was so easy to read; even after 167 years. He describes the landscapes; the tribes; the good and bad choices that were made by the leaders; and even injects some humor into the story. One consideration that I especially enjoyed was the interaction between the explorers and the natives of disparate tribes along the Columbia. Some were welcoming and helpful and some were not.The hardships these men had to endure were horrifying; which gives the reader some idea of what people did to carry out manifest destiny. This is in no way an homage to Astor; either; as Ross wrote about the poor judgement and lack of empathy of the New York merchant while planning the venture and especially while choosing his leaders.Highly recommended; especially as an adjunct to the Stark book; for those interested in western exploration and early America.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. If you liked Lewis Clark; you'll love this!By J. LinkExcellent book! Note to reader; it's as written in the mid-19th century; though I suspect there's been some editorial embellishments since them. Wonderful first person accounting of the settlement of Astoria; Oregon and establishing trade centers in the Pacific Northwest; the first formal expedition there after Lewis Clark. This book will be most meaningful if you have read "Astoria" by Peter Stark and visited the region; but even if not; it's still a fact-based account of the challenges and successes; as well as an in-depth description of early 1800s Native American life. Very objectively recounted.13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A short history of Astor's AstoriaBy James C. CasterlineThis is a first person report on Astor's attempt to set up a trading post to get a piece of the Pacific Rim trading action. It is written by a managing partner. It is interesting; particularly as to personalities and relationships with native Americans. It is also self serving or at least has a different perspective than other histories written close to that time. It is interesting; not too long; and ends shortly after the British took possession of the property.
