{"product_id":"the-drive-on-moscow-1941-operation-taifun-and-germany-s-first-great-crisis-of-world-war-ii","title":"The Drive on Moscow, 1941: Operation Taifun and Germany’s First Great Crisis of World War II","description":"At the end of September 1941, more than a million German soldiers lined up along the frontline just 180 miles west of Moscow. They were well trained, confident, and had good reasons to hope that the war in the East would be over with one last offensive. Facing them was an equally large Soviet force, but whose soldiers were neither as well trained nor as confident. When the Germans struck, disaster soon befell the Soviet defenders. German panzer spearheads cut through enemy defenses and thrust deeply to encircle most of the Soviet soldiers on the approaches to Moscow. Within a few weeks, most of them marched into captivity, where a grim fate awaited them.\n\nDespite the overwhelming initial German success, however, the Soviet capital did not fall. German combat units as well as supply transport were bogged down in mud caused by autumn rains. General Zhukov was called back to Moscow and given the desperate task to recreate defense lines west of Moscow. The mud allowed him time to accomplish this, and when the Germans again began to attack in November, they met stiffer resistance. Even so, they came perilously close to the capital, and if the vicissitudes of weather had cooperated, would have seized it. Though German units were also fighting desperately by now, the Soviet build-up soon exceeded their own.\n\nTHE DRIVE ON MOSCOW: Operation Taifun, 1941 is based on numerous archival records, personal diaries, letters, and other sources. It recreates the battle from the perspective of the soldiers as well as the generals. The battle, not fought in isolation, had a crucial role in the overall German strategy in the East, and its outcome reveals why the failure of the German assault on Moscow may well have been the true turning point of World War II.\n\nNiklas Zetterling is a researcher at the Swedish Defense College. Along with Anders Frankson he has previously written Kursk 1943: A Statistical Analysis and The Korsun Pocket: The Encirclement and Breakout of a German Army in the East, 1944. Both authors currently live in Sweden\n\nTable of Contents\n\nPREFACE\nPROLOGUE\n\n1. THE SOVIET DEFENSE OF MOSCOW\n2. OPERATION TAIFUN—THE GERMAN PLANS\n3. GUDERIAN ATTACKS\n4. THE MAIN GERMAN ATTACK BEGINS\n5. THE OFFENSIVE CONTINUES\n6. ENCIRCLEMENT\n7. CUT OFF\n8. STRATEGIC DECISIONS\n9. VYAZMA-BRYANSK\n10. ONE HUNDRED KILOMETERS TO MOSCOW\n11. ON TO TULA\n12. THE END OF OCTOBER—HALFTIME FOR OPERATION TAIFUN\n13. THE NOVEMBER 7 PARADE\n14. THE ORSHA MEETING, NOVEMBER 13\n15. THE FINAL ATTEMPT\n16. AT THE GATES OF MOSCOW\n17. CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES\n\nAPPENDICES\nNOTES\nBIBLIOGRAPHY\nINDEX\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 1612004334\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: BVV.1612004334.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Frankson, Anders|Zetterling, Niklas\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact  including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Blue Vase Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43337075982397,"sku":"BVV.1612004334.G","price":11.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/1612004334-0.jpg?v=1783818706","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/the-drive-on-moscow-1941-operation-taifun-and-germany-s-first-great-crisis-of-world-war-ii","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}