Waffen-SS Soldier vs Soviet Rifleman: Rostov-on-Don and Kharkov 1942-43

This book examines the Soviet and Waffen-SS troops who contested the cities of Kharkov and Rostov-on-Don on the Eastern Front during 1942–43, comparing their training, tactics, weaponry, ideology, and motivation. It is complemented by specially commissioned artwork and mapping and archive photographs.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 16 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This comprehensive study delves into the intense battles that unfolded in the cities of Kharkov and Rostov-on-Don on the Eastern Front during 1942-43. As the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union unfolded, these two places experienced exceptional suffering, with Kharkov (now Kharkiv) in Ukraine and Rostov-on-Don in Russia enduring four violent changes of hands between October 1941 and August 1943. Similarly, Rostov-on-Don also witnessed four changes of control between November 1941 and February 1943. In this captivating book, Chris McNab takes a deep dive into the valiant soldiers of the Red Army and the Waffen-SS who engaged in three pivotal battles. The first battle, in Rostov, took place in July 1942, while the subsequent two battles for Kharkov occurred in February-March and August. McNab adeptly elucidates the fundamental distinctions between these two adversaries, encompassing training, tactics, weaponry, ideology, and motivation. Through meticulous analysis, he explores how these disparities manifested in the three engagements, which ranged from open-terrain combined-arms battles to close-quarters street fighting in major urban zones. The text is further enriched by specially commissioned artwork, detailed mapping, and carefully selected archive photographs, providing a rich visual narrative of these historical conflicts.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 184 x 248 x 7 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472857989