4 out of 4 stars
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Driven by two objectives, Charles XII of Sweden invaded Russia in 1707, which was then ruled by Peter the Great. Charles wanted to recover part of the Swedish territory that had been taken by the Russians and also punish Peter for attacking Sweden in 1700. Peter was ready to make a treaty with Charles and return much of Swedish territory that was now under Russia. But the vehement and stubborn leader, Charles, could not give in to Peter’s request. He wanted more; he wanted the land now occupied by St Petersburg.
100 years later, in 1812, the zealous French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte attacked Russia, his reasons, to prove the military prowess of France to other European rulers and make Tsar Alexander abide by the continental system. With an army estimated at 500,000 to 600,000, Napoleon went after Russian troops which had less than 200,000 men. Napoleon was later to learn that size was not everything. Barclay de Tolly, the commander of the Russian troops outwitted the French ruler by his strategic mastery even though his army was incredibly outnumbered.
1941, Adolf Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in the operation named Operation Barbarossa. His aim was to defeat the Soviet army and capture or shatter the Soviet industry. Like Charles XII and Napoleon Bonaparte, his attempts failed.
Why did the three invasions that could have changed the course of history fail? Were there common oversights that were made by the three rulers or was each situation unique? What set Russia on the path of success beyond all odds in all the three instances?
NAPOLEON, CHARLES XII and HITLER, Challenge and Calamity in Russia by Adolf af Jochnick is an incredibly gripping book that explores the reasons behind Russia’s success in the face of war in the three historical invasions. The book is very well researched and organized. This made it easy for me to grasp the content despite the complexity of the information contained. The author, Adolf af Jochnick , goes to great lengths to present the information in an easily comprehensible manner. In one instance, he even imagines what a conversation between Charles XII and Peter the Great could have been like.
Further, the author provides the reader with numerous maps. These maps aided my imagination and helped me trace the routes that were taken by the different armies. Also, they helped me understand how different location-based strategies were implemented and why failures occurred on the part of the invaders.
A short background of the rulers and commanding officers is offered sometimes with accompanying images. This was a great addition to the well-presented information and the maps. The plot was accentuated by the profiles. The comparisons and segments analyzing the reasons behind the groups’ failure or success was also a great plus for me. NAPOLEON, CHARLES XII and HITLER, Challenge and Calamity in Russia by Adolf af Jochnick is an illuminating read that truly is a must-read for lovers of history. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
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NAPOLEON, CHARLES XII and HITLER, Challenge and Calamity in Russia
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