Victory at Stalingrad tells the gripping strategic and military story of that battle. The hard-won Soviet victory prevented Hitler from waging the Second World War for another ten years and set the Germans on the road to defeat. The Soviet victory also prevented the Nazis from completing the Final Solution; the wholesale destruction of European Jewry; which began with Hitler’s "War of Annihilation" against the Soviets on the Eastern Front. Geoffrey Roberts places the conflict in the context of the clash between two mighty powers:their world views and their leaders. He presents a great human drama; highlighting the contribution made by political and military leaders on both sides. He shows that the real story of the battle was the Soviets’ failure to achieve their greatest ambition: to deliver an immediate; war-winning knockout blow to the Germans.This provocative reassessment presents new evidence and challenges the myths and legends that surround both the battle and the key personalities who led and planned it.
#1254152 in Books 2016-02-25 2016-02-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 217.42 x 15.37 x 5.65l; .0 #File Name: 0567251268304 pages
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Bernice GreenbergAn exciting look at the world of Genesis1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. interesting essays from a variety of viewpointsBy Michael LewynThis book is a collection of essays from a variety of perspectives: a couple of law professors; a philosopher; a political science professor; novelists; scientists; poets; journalists and even Ruth Westheimer. Some of the most interesting essays include:*An essay on the almost-sacrifice of Isaac focusing on the Torah's drawn-out; almost slow-motion description of Abraham's conduct. The author suggests that the slowness of the description suggests that Abraham is resisting the Divine order the only way one can resist an order from someone far more powerful: through foot-dragging.*An essay by the editor about Rebecca. Why does Rebecca feel the need to deceive Isaac and antagonize her son Esau in order to satisfy an old prophecy? The essay goes back to her brother Laban's statement about her marriage to Isaac: that "The matter is from God; we cannot speak further about [it]"(Gen. 24:50). Perhaps Rebecca believes that once a matter "is from God" (such as the prophecy that the elder shall serve the younger Jacob); the matter is fixed; and she is somehow duty bound to speed the prophecy's fulfillment. By contrast; because of Isaac's experiences (almost being sacrificed; yet saved at the last minute) he is more open to the possibility of unexpected change; though less interested in taking control of a situation.*Another essay compares the story of Jacob to the Odyssey; pointing out that while the characters of Greek mythology never develop very much; Jacob is capable of improvement (e.g. reconciling with Esau).1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A bit disappointingBy c.k. muschThe most important shortcoming of the book is that the main feature is not explicitly explained. Most contributions come from Jewish writers. That alone could have given the book a distinct importance; were it not for the fact that the editor; Mrs. Kissileff; refrained from explaining why she chose to do so and why this chosen Jewish perspective was so important. That would also have helped for instance to put the chapter by Jeffrey Schoulson into perspective. Now it remains just a little too much an ode to the Jewish dimension; without explaining why that is important.Mrs. Kissileffs job as an editor must not have been a taxing one; for she also does not make an effort to weld the book into the organic whole it could (and should!) have been. That is a pity. As a result some chapters are overlapping and where there is contrast this is left unexplained as well.Apparently Mrs. Kissileff did not notice that the footnotes in chapter 2 are missing. That is a pity because the writer; Steven J. Brams; is applying game-theory to te creation. A rather challenging effort in which the footnotes would have been; one presumes; enlightening. In chapter 9; the last three footnotes are missing as well. Sloppy work for an editor. There is more. On page 115 the writer states having found an important commentary; without giving us the benefit of the source.All in all; her work as an editor can not have been more taxing than finding a staple-machine that was large enough.Mrs Kissileff also invited some feminist witers to contribute. That was a pity. As with most; if not all; forms of feminist writing; there really is too much narrativity and too little fact in these chapters. As usual there is not enough science for their feminist interpretation. Also beware of contributor Dara Horn; trying to interpret Aurbach in an otherwise interesting essay. She is without doubt a courageous thinker; trying to convince us that the stanger Jacob fought with; really must have been his brother Essau. In my case she did not scucceed; as her line of reasoning was too little analytical for my taste.All in all; the book sometimes is a bit of a hotch-potch.However; having said that; the other contributions to the book are a good read. Especially the chapters by J.H.H. Weiler on the serpent and Moses L. Pava on forgiveness were inspiring.
