East front WW2 books

[Zemke]

I think the real key is look at what an author used as sources. Real historians use primary source documents as sources. I have read most works on the eastern front, and Paul Carell is not my first choice for information, while David Glantz may be dry, his works are among the best researched. I have read Clark and Statton among others as well. Bottom-line, look at the biography of the work, see where they got their information, it should be primary source documents. Author's opinion's are, well like everyone's else's, they just wrote it in a book, so look where they got their information. I often look at end notes and see where the information came from, in my youth I did not.....this topic is huge, and worthy of a book itself... were the Germans really better, was Hitler an idiot and if he had only listened to his generals.....and on and on it goes.

I've also read most books on the Eastern Front. I have found few instances where Paul Carell is wrong with his information. I'm not a fan of all the "Poor German Boy's Were Taken Advantage Of" writing style. However, I still think he's one of the most influential of the early WWII authors.

I think the real key is look at what an author used as sources. Real historians use primary source documents as sources.

You have to be careful with that. I've got books by foreign authors that don't list any sources at all. Plus auto biographies, etc...the list goes on.

The litmus test is if what they are saying matches pretty much what others say. My favorite book on the Eastern Front is "Operation Barbarossa" by Bryan Fugate. Simply because, to me, it explains the how and why of the early months of the war that make sense to me.

I think it was more than just "I know they're coming, but we let them attack us anyway...even if we are totally unprepared..."

That I'm not buying. Fugate wasn't buying it either.

Good Hunting.

MR

I am not saying Carell's information is wrong, but I prefer sources that have better documentation. Glantz's "Colossus Reborn, The Soviet Army at War, 1941-1943" is an excellent source for Soviet organization, doctrine and tactics, and has a secondary book called "Companion to Colossus Reborn" that has a very good OOB during that time period. Another favorite of mine is Earl F. Ziemke and Magna E. Bauer's "Moscow to Stalingrad, Decision in the East".