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In this remarkable work, acclaimed author Robert Forcyzk assembles new research to investigate the intense and barbaric fighting for the region in World War II, where first Soviet, and then German armies were surrounded and totally obliterated. Now available in paperback, Forczyk's unique account provides a definitive analysis of the many unique characteristics of the conflict, exploring the historical context as it uncovers one of the most pivotal theaters of the Eastern Front during World War II. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves having served 18 years as an armor officer in the US 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division Light. Dr Forczyk is currently a consultant in the Washington, DC area. Related Searches. Bf vs Lancaster: Unable to conduct ground operations on the European continent until Allied strength was marshalled for Unable to conduct ground operations on the European continent until Allied strength was marshalled for a full-scale invasion, the British government based its grand strategy in World War II on a protracted campaign of aerial bombardment of Nazi Germany's cities View Product. Carry and Play: Pumpkin. A fantastic addition to Halloween treat bags, its handy size and handle make it easy for little ones to carry wherever Concise Mushroom Guide. This beautifully illustrated mini field guide is packed with information on species of fungi This beautifully illustrated mini field guide is packed with information on species of fungi found in Britain and the near Continent. The range covered demonstrates the incredible variety that exists within the world of fungi, from the better-known groups Go, Go, Pirate Boat. An Amazon Best Book of the Year! Little pirates will have endless fun with this vibrant Little pirates will have endless fun with this vibrant board book that's set to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat! Go, go, pirate boat,Across the salty sea,Raise the anchor, hoist the sail,It's a Kharkov The Wehrmacht strikes back. Kursk The Southern Front. Mauled at Stalingrad, the German army looked to regain the initiative on the Eastern Front When the Soviets fortified Sevastopol in it heralded the beginning of a period of intense fighting over the Crimea. In this remarkable work, acclaimed author Robert Forcyzk assembles new research to investigate the intense and barbaric fighting for the region in World War II, where first Soviet and then German armies were surrounded and totally obliterated. Now available in paperback, Forcyzk's unique account provides a definitive analysis of the many unique characteristics of the conflict, exploring the historical context as it uncovers one of the most pivotal theaters of the Eastern Front during World War II. Added to basket. First to Fight. Roger Moorhouse. Marilyn Shimon. Band Of Brothers. Stephen E. The Good Germans. Catrine Clay. Appeasing Hitler. Tim Bouverie. Operation Mincemeat. Ben Macintyre. Big Week. James Holland. Renia's Diary. Renia Spiegel. The Shortest History of Germany. James Hawes. Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front. Serhii Plokhy. A House in the Mountains. Caroline Moorehead. Ardennes Antony Beevor. SAS Italian Job. Damien Lewis. D-Day Through German Eyes. Where the Iron Crosses Grow by Robert Forczyk | Waterstones

The last chapter brings the book back to the present day with a contemporary view of Russia's recent invasion and annexation of the Crimea. Overall a great addition to any Eastern Front library. View 1 comment. Dec 06, Jonathan rated it it was amazing Shelves: world-war A lively and compelling narrative of the Crimea in the Second World War by an author who has a real knack for writing about tactics and operations. For those of you who aren't familiar with the carnage that was the battles on the Kerch Peninsula or the naval base of Sevastopol, the Crimea was also witness to ethnic cleansing on a vast scale, to say nothing of the slaughters that accompanied the Bolshevik Revolution and subsequent collectivization. Forczyk should have at least mentioned the Yalta A lively and compelling narrative of the Crimea in the Second World War by an author who has a real knack for writing about tactics and operations. Forczyk should have at least mentioned the Yalta Conference, but he does bring the reader up to speed by describing the Russsian invasion of What I found intolerable was that my edition of the book hadn't a single map, just unbelievable in the book of a writer who specializes in operational narratives. Nov 12, Tim is currently reading it. Not everybody's type of reading, but it is pretty cool that I drive the author's son everyday on Bus 8! View 2 comments. Jan 07, Doubledf Pretty good and detailed account of battles fought in WWII, has pictures and maps, appendices and notes. Jul 24, Juli Rahel rated it really liked it. Occasionally the time comes when a good non-fiction book is needed. Although I love reading fiction, I often find myself craving something "real", something tangible, and that is when I reach for history books. I am fascinated by our world and everything that has occurred in it so far and love learning more, both about my own history and that of other countries and cultures. Being half-German, I have always considered it my duty to learn about the World Wars and to let them not be forgotten or c Occasionally the time comes when a good non-fiction book is needed. Being half-German, I have always considered it my duty to learn about the World Wars and to let them not be forgotten or cast aside. However, in such gigantic historic events, often stories are left behind, and the fierce battles over the Crimea is one of those stories. I am incredibly grateful to have had a chance to read this book and fill a gap in my knowledge. Thanks to Osprey Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Forczyk's book is meticulously researched, whether it's intimate contemporary anecdotes or the precise movements of different battalions. As with many way history books, the numbers and dates are so plentiful they make you dizzy, but Forczyk does his best to bring order to the chaos. Russian military groups are named in English, whereas German ranks are referred to in German, making the small difference between "the infantry" and "the infanterie" something of a lifesaver. For those more used to reading these sorts of history books, the plentiful references to different sorts of canons, air crafts and battleships will be more familiar, but as a relative novice I frequently became a bit overwhelmed by it. Forczyk attempts, though difficult it might be considering his subject matter, to let the reader breathe by interspersing the recounting of battles with aside descriptions of relevant history or persons. Where the Iron Crosses Grow focuses mainly on the years to , the very height of the Second World War, but Forczyk is also conscious of the need for background information. Starting in the 18th century, he details the history of the Crimea, its Tatar origins and its initial position as a power base. He also goes into its role during the war between the Whites and the Reds after the October Revolution in and slowly leads up to the beginning of the Second World War. By doing so, he is able to set up a number of links which only become relevant later on. The clearest example of this is his mention of the OZET, the Society for Settling Toiling Jews on the Land, set up between , which created tensions between the resettled Jews and the local Crimean population which felt its land was being taken away. This tension survived until the German occupation in when it had disastrous consequences for the Jewish Crimeans. This linking back and forth between different time periods really adds to a reader's awareness of how tightly linked these different historical periods truly are. The main chunk of the book is dedicated to the three years of intense fighting that occurred in the Crimea, chronicling the waves of invasions that washed over the Crimea, first the German invasion in , which finds many comparisons to the invasion of the Red Army, and then the Russian "liberation" in The hundreds of thousands of lives lost on both sides, the countless rounds of ammunition spent, the indescribable wreckage that was left behind, Forczyk finds a way to describe these in a way that allows both the horror of it to seep in, while also not wallowing in it for the sake of sensationalism. In between the two invasions, he also describes the terror of the ethnic cleansing by the Nazis, as well as the Soviet's very own cleansing after WWII. Perhaps the key thing that Where the Iron Crosses Grow taught me is that the Crimea has become a symbol. Holding it suggests power, the power over the Black Sea, the power over the Ukraine, the power to cross the border between East and West. While owning it now really does hold almost no strategical benefits, it means something bigger. It's why Hitler wanted to drive through the streets of defeated Paris, why Napoleon insisted on trying to conquer Russia, why the British Empire but the Koh-I-Noor diamond in the crown of its royals. It's an act that suggest primacy over others, and that is what despots send soldiers to their deaths for. As said, reading Where the Iron Crosses Grow, or any book on the world's long history of wars, makes you despair at humanity and at what it is willing to do to itself. But I firmly believe that learning your history is the first step in preventing it from repeating itself. Forczyk, throughout Where the Iron Crosses Grow, consistently manages to keep the reader engaged. This sounds like it should be a given, but whereas a fiction author can use all their imaginative faculties to keep the reader happy, a history writer has facts he has to stick to. And a war historian usually has pretty grim facts as well as occasionally boring statistics he needs to convey. For someone like me, who is mainly interested in cultural history, the recounting of a battle, the shifting of fronts, the number of cannon balls fired, etc. However, as said above, he himself seems very aware of this likelihood and attempts to intersperse history with as many asides as possible. I found it fascinating to learn about a German general who could only serve in the Crimea because he had been personally "pardoned" by Hitler for being of Jewish descent, or of a young Crimean girl joining the partisans. He doesn't lose himself in the numbers, doesn't lose track of the overall picture and tries his hardest to make it understandable to a novice like myself. Incredibly well-researched and written, this book will give its readers a brilliant oversight, as well as an empathic insight, into the battles fought and the lives lost on this peninsula. I'd recommend this to those interested in the history of WWII and non-fiction. Oct 24, Andrew rated it it was ok. Where the Iron Crosses Grow is a new book that covers the Crimean Campaign in a much more balanced manner, with interesting insights from primary Soviet sources as well as additional exposure of the liquidation of Jews in the Crimea. The Crimea is, and was, a peninsula that has major influence on five geographic areas: Southern Russia, the Black Sea, the Caucuses, the Most of the Crimean Campaign has been covered from various biographies and the autobiography of Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein. The Crimea is, and was, a peninsula that has major influence on five geographic areas: Southern Russia, the Black Sea, the Caucuses, the far Eastern coast of Europe, specifically Romania and Bulgaria and Turkey. Hitler ordered Manstein to take the Crimea because he wanted it to be transformed into a German equivalent of the French Riviera. Hitler also viewed the Crimea as a place where the Soviets could muster significant air and naval power, and in fact, once the Soviets bombed the Romanian controlled oil fields at Ploesti, it accelerated the need to seize and control the area. Forcyzk shows that the Germans were brutal to not only the Jews, but also the Russian prisoners they captured, and also to their Romanian allies. The Romanians were given lesser tasks throughout the campaign, and were generally ignored whenever possible. Forczyk goes into some detail about the einsatzgruppen, the unit responsible for the mass murder of all German-designated undesirables, and makes a very convincing link to Manstein. In fact, Manstein met with the commanders of these units, and issued top secret orders to liquidate Jews and commissars. Forcyzk also highlights the significance of the rough terrain throughout the Crimea, from the Perekop, one of three very small avenues of approach into the Crimea, to the urban environment of Sevastopol. Whilst the Germans were known for their mastery of mobile warfare during WWII, the Crimean campaign soon became a battle of attrition, especially in the chokepoints mentioned above. The Axis powers were significantly outnumbered by the Soviets during the campaign, and Forcyzk illuminates a very critical fact: the Soviet reinforcements brought into the Crimea from the Caucuses were not highly motivated to fight for the USSR, and this showed by their performance on the battlefield. Forcyzk is highly critical of most senior Soviet leadership throughout the campaign. From bungled amphibious raids on numerous occasions, to the inability to counterattack German gains, and the general lack of capability to conduct what is known today as joint combined arms warfare, the Soviet leadership consistently failed to stop a numerically inferior at one point, the Germans had only committed eight Divisions while the Soviets had sent over 30 into the fight, with many of them being captured or rendered combat ineffective. At this point of my reading, the Germans have just finally captured Sevastopol. Forcyzk also does a nice job of showing the limitations of the two massive heavily artillery pieces the Germans used, better known as Dora and Gustav. Both pieces were rail-mounted, and were massive The Germans were limited in the amount of ammunition they used, as it was cumbersome to move and load, and had actually expended all of the available ammo by the end of the siege of Sevastopol. Hitler also forced an investigation of the misuse of these assets, as they were used on occasion to reduce lightly protected pillboxes and trench lines. In fact, there was only one decisive use, when Dora managed to fire a shell that penetrated 30 feet of reinforced concrete which protected a major Soviet ammo dump. The concurrent explosions damaged a number of large caliber Soviet guns and quickly hastened the end of the siege. I've finished the book. Unfortunately, I was notified by some friends that many of the German primary source materials were translated poorly at best. This leads me to believe that the author was trying to make an argument that isn't fully supported by his claims. Still, the book is worthwhile for the description of the tactical and operational battles within the Crimea. Dec 19, Derek Weese rated it really liked it. This is an excellent work on a little explored aspect of the titanic war between Nazi Germany and her allies and the Soviet Union. The book starts with a historical overview of the peoples and events that, through the centuries, made the Crimea as strategically important to Russia as it was and still is. The Tatars are especially looked at and the Russian conquest of the Crimea is viewed through the prism of the Russians ongoing struggle against their Muslim neighbors. Forczyk also points out a This is an excellent work on a little explored aspect of the titanic war between Nazi Germany and her allies and the Soviet Union. Forczyk also points out a defensive system, still in existence today, that has been so vital to the military operations of all sides in the Crimea: the Tatar ditch and the Perekop forts. Forczyk then gives a brief account of the fighting in the Crimea during the Russian Civil War, before detailing the cruelty inflicted upon their own people and the Tatars by the Soviet regime in its own brand of ethnic cleansing and ideological genocide. Throughout the book, while not becoming polemical, Forczyk showcases the murderous cruelty inherent in the Communist system, reminding all too many readers who view the Soviet Union in a heroic light that, like the Nazi's, they were an absolutely evil regime. I am very pleased that Forczyk is good writer as well as a good historian, his narrative is not remotely dull. The centuries old Tatar ditch, the Perekop forts, and even the old fortifications around Balaklava, Inkermann and Sevastopol from the Crimean War of a century earlier all featured in the fighting as Erich Von Manstein, leading a joint German-Romanian Army fought a back and forth struggle with the Red Army for the Crimea. The Soviet counteroffensives in the winter of came close to inflicting a terrible defeat on the Axis forces, but superior German logistics and leadership ensured that the outnumbered Axis forces, ultimately, prevailed. Manstein's annihilation of an entire Soviet field army in the late spring of on the Kerch Peninsula with a badly outnumbered German-Romanian mechanized force has to stand as one of the classic, and required study for military officers , engagements of the Second World War. The detailing of the ending of the siege of Sevastopol and the German-Romanian reduction of the Soviet forces there and on the Kherson Peninsula is the best part of the book, reading almost like an action novel while never straying from the ultimate goal of being very good military history. Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App? We have recently updated our Privacy Policy. The site uses cookies to offer you a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you accept our Cookie Policy, you can change your settings at any time. Quantity Add to basket. This item has been added to your basket View basket Checkout. Your local Waterstones may have stock of this item. View other formats and editions. When the Soviets fortified Sevastopol in it heralded the beginning of a period of intense fighting over the Crimea. In this remarkable work, acclaimed author Robert Forcyzk assembles new research to investigate the intense and barbaric fighting for the region in World War II, where first Soviet and then German armies were surrounded and totally obliterated. Now available in paperback, Forcyzk's unique account provides a definitive analysis of the many unique characteristics of the conflict, exploring the historical context as it uncovers one of the most pivotal theaters of the Eastern Front during World War II. Added to basket. First to Fight. Roger Moorhouse. Marilyn Shimon. Band Of Brothers. Stephen E. The Good Germans. Catrine Clay. Appeasing Hitler. The Crimea has been the scene of conflict throughout its history. Today it remains a much disputed region with the Crimea at the center of ongoing tensions between East and West. Throughout World War II the Crimea was a microcosm of the more general war on the Eastern Front, reflecting the ebb and flow of fortunes of that conflict. It was a crucible that saw first Soviet and then German armies surrounded, overwhelmed, and then destroyed. The nature of the fighting in the Crimea was unusual for the Eastern Front, with naval forces playing an important role, as the Crimea's position in the Black Sea gave rise to a major role for naval supply, amphibious landings, and, ultimately, evacuation. However, in other ways it was more characteristic of the Eastern Front, and the fighting for and occupation of the region saw the same level of atrocity and ethnic cleansing commonplace throughout the war in the East, with each side reaching the depths of barbarity in their treatment of the civilian population. Based on extensive new archival research, this incredible narrative history by acclaimed historian Robert Forczyk sheds new light on this vital aspect of the Eastern Front that has not been covered in English before. Where the Iron Crosses Grow: The Crimea – Robert Forczyk: Osprey Publishing

The Shortest History of Germany. James Hawes. Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front. Serhii Plokhy. A House in the Mountains. Caroline Moorehead. Ardennes Antony Beevor. SAS Italian Job. Damien Lewis. D-Day Through German Eyes. Jonathan Trigg. Sinclair McKay. Agent Zigzag. Your review has been submitted successfully. Not registered? Remember me? Forgotten password Please enter your email address below and we'll send you a link to reset your password. Not you? Reset password. Download Now Dismiss. Simply reserve online and pay at the counter when you collect. Available in shop from just two hours, subject to availability. Your order is now being processed and we have sent a confirmation email to you at. This item can be requested from the shops shown below. If this item isn't available to be reserved nearby, add the item to your basket instead and select 'Deliver to my local shop' at the checkout, to be able to collect it from there at a later date. Preferred contact method Email Text message. When will my order be ready to collect? Following the initial email, you will be contacted by the shop to confirm that your item is available for collection. Call us on or send us an email at. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Aug 01, Cold War Conversations Podcast rated it really liked it Shelves: world-wareastern-front , germany. Robert Forczyk has produced a detailed but easily read narrative of a much neglected area of the Russo German war. Whilst other authors have written extensive tracts on the initial phases of Barbarossa, Kursk, Moscow, Leningrad, etc. What is even more surprising is why? From a purely military point of view it has everything. Naval battles, amphibious landings, sieges, air battles and naval evacuations the size of Dunkir Robert Forczyk has produced a detailed but easily read narrative of a much neglected area of the Russo German war. Naval battles, amphibious landings, sieges, air battles and naval evacuations the size of Dunkirk. Logistics is key in any battle and Forczyk describes well the German quandary of trying to balance limited resources across multiple threats, as well as the friction between the Germans and their Rumanian allies who fought better, than is normally described. The book also gives insight into Wehrmacht complicity in war crimes and the grim matter of ethnic cleansing on both sides. Whilst rightly so there is focus on German atrocities, Forczyk also describes the little known story of the Crimean Tartars where the Soviets carried out the forced deportation of , Crimean Tartars to Uzbekistan on the belief that many had collaborated with the Germans, resulting in , Tartar dead within 3 years. The last chapter brings the book back to the present day with a contemporary view of Russia's recent invasion and annexation of the Crimea. Overall a great addition to any Eastern Front library. View 1 comment. Dec 06, Jonathan rated it it was amazing Shelves: world-war A lively and compelling narrative of the Crimea in the Second World War by an author who has a real knack for writing about tactics and operations. For those of you who aren't familiar with the carnage that was the battles on the Kerch Peninsula or the naval base of Sevastopol, the Crimea was also witness to ethnic cleansing on a vast scale, to say nothing of the slaughters that accompanied the Bolshevik Revolution and subsequent collectivization. Forczyk should have at least mentioned the Yalta A lively and compelling narrative of the Crimea in the Second World War by an author who has a real knack for writing about tactics and operations. Forczyk should have at least mentioned the Yalta Conference, but he does bring the reader up to speed by describing the Russsian invasion of What I found intolerable was that my edition of the book hadn't a single map, just unbelievable in the book of a writer who specializes in operational narratives. Nov 12, Tim is currently reading it. Not everybody's type of reading, but it is pretty cool that I drive the author's son everyday on Bus 8! View 2 comments. Jan 07, Doubledf Pretty good and detailed account of battles fought in WWII, has pictures and maps, appendices and notes. Jul 24, Juli Rahel rated it really liked it. Occasionally the time comes when a good non-fiction book is needed. Although I love reading fiction, I often find myself craving something "real", something tangible, and that is when I reach for history books. I am fascinated by our world and everything that has occurred in it so far and love learning more, both about my own history and that of other countries and cultures. Being half-German, I have always considered it my duty to learn about the World Wars and to let them not be forgotten or c Occasionally the time comes when a good non-fiction book is needed. Being half-German, I have always considered it my duty to learn about the World Wars and to let them not be forgotten or cast aside. However, in such gigantic historic events, often stories are left behind, and the fierce battles over the Crimea is one of those stories. I am incredibly grateful to have had a chance to read this book and fill a gap in my knowledge. Thanks to Osprey Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Forczyk's book is meticulously researched, whether it's intimate contemporary anecdotes or the precise movements of different battalions. As with many way history books, the numbers and dates are so plentiful they make you dizzy, but Forczyk does his best to bring order to the chaos. Russian military groups are named in English, whereas German ranks are referred to in German, making the small difference between "the infantry" and "the infanterie" something of a lifesaver. For those more used to reading these sorts of history books, the plentiful references to different sorts of canons, air crafts and battleships will be more familiar, but as a relative novice I frequently became a bit overwhelmed by it. Forczyk attempts, though difficult it might be considering his subject matter, to let the reader breathe by interspersing the recounting of battles with aside descriptions of relevant history or persons. Where the Iron Crosses Grow focuses mainly on the years to , the very height of the Second World War, but Forczyk is also conscious of the need for background information. Starting in the 18th century, he details the history of the Crimea, its Tatar origins and its initial position as a power base. He also goes into its role during the war between the Whites and the Reds after the October Revolution in and slowly leads up to the beginning of the Second World War. By doing so, he is able to set up a number of links which only become relevant later on. The clearest example of this is his mention of the OZET, the Society for Settling Toiling Jews on the Land, set up between , which created tensions between the resettled Jews and the local Crimean population which felt its land was being taken away. This tension survived until the German occupation in when it had disastrous consequences for the Jewish Crimeans. This linking back and forth between different time periods really adds to a reader's awareness of how tightly linked these different historical periods truly are. The main chunk of the book is dedicated to the three years of intense fighting that occurred in the Crimea, chronicling the waves of invasions that washed over the Crimea, first the German invasion in , which finds many comparisons to the invasion of the Red Army, and then the Russian "liberation" in The hundreds of thousands of lives lost on both sides, the countless rounds of ammunition spent, the indescribable wreckage that was left behind, Forczyk finds a way to describe these in a way that allows both the horror of it to seep in, while also not wallowing in it for the sake of sensationalism. In between the two invasions, he also describes the terror of the ethnic cleansing by the Nazis, as well as the Soviet's very own cleansing after WWII. Perhaps the key thing that Where the Iron Crosses Grow taught me is that the Crimea has become a symbol. Holding it suggests power, the power over the Black Sea, the power over the Ukraine, the power to cross the border between East and West. While owning it now really does hold almost no strategical benefits, it means something bigger. It's why Hitler wanted to drive through the streets of defeated Paris, why Napoleon insisted on trying to conquer Russia, why the British Empire but the Koh-I-Noor diamond in the crown of its royals. It's an act that suggest primacy over others, and that is what despots send soldiers to their deaths for. As said, reading Where the Iron Crosses Grow, or any book on the world's long history of wars, makes you despair at humanity and at what it is willing to do to itself. But I firmly believe that learning your history is the first step in preventing it from repeating itself. Forczyk, throughout Where the Iron Crosses Grow, consistently manages to keep the reader engaged. This sounds like it should be a given, but whereas a fiction author can use all their imaginative faculties to keep the reader happy, a history writer has facts he has to stick to. And a war historian usually has pretty grim facts as well as occasionally boring statistics he needs to convey. For someone like me, who is mainly interested in cultural history, the recounting of a battle, the shifting of fronts, the number of cannon balls fired, etc. However, as said above, he himself seems very aware of this likelihood and attempts to intersperse history with as many asides as possible. I found it fascinating to learn about a German general who could only serve in the Crimea because he had been personally "pardoned" by Hitler for being of Jewish descent, or of a young Crimean girl joining the partisans. He doesn't lose himself in the numbers, doesn't lose track of the overall picture and tries his hardest to make it understandable to a novice like myself. Incredibly well-researched and written, this book will give its readers a brilliant oversight, as well as an empathic insight, into the battles fought and the lives lost on this peninsula. I'd recommend this to those interested in the history of WWII and non-fiction. Oct 24, Andrew rated it it was ok. Where the Iron Crosses Grow is a new book that covers the Crimean Campaign in a much more balanced manner, with interesting insights from primary Soviet sources as well as additional exposure of the liquidation of Jews in the Crimea. The Crimea is, and was, a peninsula that has major influence on five geographic areas: Southern Russia, the Black Sea, the Caucuses, the Most of the Crimean Campaign has been covered from various biographies and the autobiography of Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein. The Crimea is, and was, a peninsula that has major influence on five geographic areas: Southern Russia, the Black Sea, the Caucuses, the far Eastern coast of Europe, specifically Romania and Bulgaria and Turkey. Hitler ordered Manstein to take the Crimea because he wanted it to be transformed into a German equivalent of the French Riviera. Hitler also viewed the Crimea as a place where the Soviets could muster significant air and naval power, and in fact, once the Soviets bombed the Romanian controlled oil fields at Ploesti, it accelerated the need to seize and control the area. Forcyzk shows that the Germans were brutal to not only the Jews, but also the Russian prisoners they captured, and also to their Romanian allies. The Romanians were given lesser tasks throughout the campaign, and were generally ignored whenever possible. Forczyk goes into some detail about the einsatzgruppen, the unit responsible for the mass murder of all German-designated undesirables, and makes a very convincing link to Manstein. In fact, Manstein met with the commanders of these units, and issued top secret orders to liquidate Jews and commissars. Forcyzk also highlights the significance of the rough terrain throughout the Crimea, from the Perekop, one of three very small avenues of approach into the Crimea, to the urban environment of Sevastopol. Whilst the Germans were known for their mastery of mobile warfare during WWII, the Crimean campaign soon became a battle of attrition, especially in the chokepoints mentioned above. The Axis powers were significantly outnumbered by the Soviets during the campaign, and Forcyzk illuminates a very critical fact: the Soviet reinforcements brought into the Crimea from the Caucuses were not highly motivated to fight for the USSR, and this showed by their performance on the battlefield. Forcyzk is highly critical of most senior Soviet leadership throughout the campaign. From bungled amphibious raids on numerous occasions, to the inability to counterattack German gains, and the general lack of capability to conduct what is known today as joint combined arms warfare, the Soviet leadership consistently failed to stop a numerically inferior at one point, the Germans had only committed eight Divisions while the Soviets had sent over 30 into the fight, with many of them being captured or rendered combat ineffective. At this point of my reading, the Germans have just finally captured Sevastopol. Forcyzk also does a nice job of showing the limitations of the two massive heavily artillery pieces the Germans used, better known as Dora and Gustav. Both pieces were rail-mounted, and were massive The Germans were limited in the amount of ammunition they used, as it was cumbersome to move and load, and had actually expended all of the available ammo by the end of the siege of Sevastopol. Hitler also forced an investigation of the misuse of these assets, as they were used on occasion to reduce lightly protected pillboxes and trench lines. In fact, there was only one decisive use, when Dora managed to fire a shell that penetrated 30 feet of reinforced concrete which protected a major Soviet ammo dump. The concurrent explosions damaged a number of large caliber Soviet guns and quickly hastened the end of the siege. I've finished the book. Unfortunately, I was notified by some friends that many of the German primary source materials were translated poorly at best. This leads me to believe that the author was trying to make an argument that isn't fully supported by his claims. Still, the book is worthwhile for the description of the tactical and operational battles within the Crimea. Dec 19, Derek Weese rated it really liked it. This is an excellent work on a little explored aspect of the titanic war between Nazi Germany and her allies and the Soviet Union. The book starts with a historical overview of the peoples and events that, through the centuries, made the Crimea as strategically important to Russia as it was and still is. The Tatars are especially looked at and the Russian conquest of the Crimea is viewed through the prism of the Russians ongoing struggle against their Muslim neighbors. Forczyk also points out a This is an excellent work on a little explored aspect of the titanic war between Nazi Germany and her allies and the Soviet Union. Forczyk also points out a defensive system, still in existence today, that has been so vital to the military operations of all sides in the Crimea: the Tatar ditch and the Perekop forts. Forczyk then gives a brief account of the fighting in the Crimea during the Russian Civil War, before detailing the cruelty inflicted upon their own people and the Tatars by the Soviet regime in its own brand of ethnic cleansing and ideological genocide. Throughout the book, while not becoming polemical, Forczyk showcases the murderous cruelty inherent in the Communist system, reminding all too many readers who view the Soviet Union in a heroic light that, like the Nazi's, they were an absolutely evil regime. I am very pleased that Forczyk is good writer as well as a good historian, his narrative is not remotely dull. The centuries old Tatar ditch, the Perekop forts, and even the old fortifications around Balaklava, Inkermann and Sevastopol from the Crimean War of a century earlier all featured in the fighting as Erich Von Manstein, leading a joint German-Romanian Army fought a back and forth struggle with the Red Army for the Crimea. The Soviet counteroffensives in the winter of came close to inflicting a terrible defeat on the Axis forces, but superior German logistics and leadership ensured that the outnumbered Axis forces, ultimately, prevailed. Manstein's annihilation of an entire Soviet field army in the late spring of on the Kerch Peninsula with a badly outnumbered German-Romanian mechanized force has to stand as one of the classic, and required study for military officers , engagements of the Second World War. The detailing of the ending of the siege of Sevastopol and the German-Romanian reduction of the Soviet forces there and on the Kherson Peninsula is the best part of the book, reading almost like an action novel while never straying from the ultimate goal of being very good military history. Following the conquest by the Axis Forczyk then details the Germans attempts to Germanize the Crimea, and their own brand of ethnic cleansing in the region, including using the Muslim Tatars to assist in rooting out Jews and Communist partisans. While the Germans never did acknowledge the skills of their Romanian allies the Germans tended to do their best to belittle all of their allies at one point or another , they used the excellent Romanian Mountain troops to take charge of the anti-partisan operations in the Crimea. For the most part, the Romanians turned out to be very good at counter-insurgency warfare. Though the Germans would never admit to this, or anything else favorable regarding the Romanians. The final part of the book discusses the Soviet re-conquest, this time against a tired, worn out, under-equipped and thinly stretched Wehrmacht. While the Red Army had learned much and had gained in quality as the war went on, they still took roughly 85, losses in reconquering the Crimea. Though they did destroy the majority of the German 17th Army and much of the Romanian Mountain Corps. Even though the German and Romanian Navy, in disobedience to Hitler's orders and using Turkish willingness to violate their own neutrality if it meant one upping the Russians , was able to rescue large numbers of Axis troops in a Dunkirk style evacuation from Sevastopol and Kherson, the fact remains that the Red Army had won a tremendous victory. Finally, Forczyk briefly details the Soviets revenge against the Tatars and others in the Crimea who aided the Germans. The Tatars were forcefully relocated to other realms in Stalin's attempt to Russianize the Crimea and tens of thousands were murdered following the war in Communist attempts to purify the region following the war. Well written, never dull, and covering information little known in the West, this has to rank as the best WWII title published in Highly recommended. Oct 24, Gordon rated it really liked it Shelves: leadership , strategic-leadership , men-in- combat , military-history , history. A good book to read on the eve of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. The prologue reminds the reader of the Crimea's Ottoman and Tartar roots and how a succession of Tzars and Communist regimes changed the ethnic makeup through conquest, state-sponsored immigration, forced resettlements, deportation A good book to read on the eve of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. The prologue reminds the reader of the Crimea's Ottoman and Tartar roots and how a succession of Tzars and Communist regimes changed the ethnic makeup through conquest, state-sponsored immigration, forced resettlements, deportations, and ethnic cleansing. The main part of this work is dedicated to the incredible feats of both the initial German offensive and the determined Soviet reconquest two years later. The scale of the fighting and casualties over three years of war is mind boggling given the size of the terrain and relative insignificance of the territory - three quarters of a million Soviet troops, nearly two hundred thousand German and Romanian Soldiers and an inestimable number of Civilians, many of the latter deliberately exterminated by both sides. Crimea is truly a place where both the "Iron Crosses" and "Heroes of the Soviet Union" grew during a period of this barren land's dark history. May 18, Mitchell rated it really liked it. Forczyk is a very good writer who easily holds the reader's attention, while simultaneously exploring advanced historical research.. The book is well put together, not overly long, has a significant amount of original material, and decent pictorial sections. Jun 11, Amy rated it really liked it. When the Iron Cross Grows is quite an interesting read. It tells of the history of the Crimea region. I thought it to be informative and rich in well researched historical detail. With the current situation going on with that area of the world, I now have a better understanding of what is going on. I think it is worth a read. Feb 19, Rob Kitchin rated it liked it. The Crimea has long been fought over. Robert Forczyk provides a brief summary of number of conflicts as context for his main focus: the period between Russian Revolution and the Second World War, and in particular WWII itself.

Where the Iron Crosses Grow: The Crimea by Robert Forczyk, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Throughout World War II the Crimea was a microcosm of the more general war on the Eastern Front, reflecting the ebb and flow of fortunes of that conflict. It was a crucible that saw first Soviet and then German armies surrounded, overwhelmed, and then destroyed. The nature of the fighting in the Crimea was unusual for the Eastern Front, with naval forces playing an important role, as the Crimea's position in the Black Sea gave rise to a major role for naval supply, amphibious landings, and, ultimately, evacuation. However, in other ways it was more characteristic of the Eastern Front, and the fighting for and occupation of the region saw the same level of atrocity and ethnic cleansing commonplace throughout the war in the East, with each side reaching the depths of barbarity in their treatment of the civilian population. Based on extensive new archival research, this incredible narrative history by acclaimed historian Robert Forczyk sheds new light on this vital aspect of the Eastern Front that has not been covered in English before. The Crimea Under the Hammer and Sickle The Onset of War JuneAugust Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. NOOK Book. Home 1 Books 2. Read an excerpt of this book! Add to Wishlist. Sign in to Purchase Instantly. Members save with free shipping everyday! See details. Overview When the Soviets fortified Sevastopol in , it heralded the beginning of a period of intense fighting over the Crimea. In this remarkable work, acclaimed author Robert Forcyzk assembles new research to investigate the intense and barbaric fighting for the region in World War II, where first Soviet, and then German armies were surrounded and totally obliterated. Now available in paperback, Forczyk's unique account provides a definitive analysis of the many unique characteristics of the conflict, exploring the historical context as it uncovers one of the most pivotal theaters of the Eastern Front during World War II. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves having served 18 years as an armor officer in the US 2nd and 4th infantry divisions and as an intelligence officer in the 29th Infantry Division Light. Dr Forczyk is currently a consultant in the Washington, DC area. Related Searches. James Hawes. Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front. Serhii Plokhy. A House in the Mountains. Caroline Moorehead. Ardennes Antony Beevor. SAS Italian Job. Damien Lewis. D-Day Through German Eyes. Jonathan Trigg. Sinclair McKay. Agent Zigzag. Your review has been submitted successfully. Not registered? Remember me? Forgotten password Please enter your email address below and we'll send you a link to reset your password. Not you? Reset password. Download Now Dismiss.

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