The First Day on the Eastern Front: Germany Invades the Soviet Union, June 22, 1941 by Craig W. H. Luther (review)

Colonel Douglas Nash Sr.

Marine Corps History, Volume 5, Number 2, Winter 2019, pp. 88-89 (Review)

Published by Marine Corps University Press

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 88 MARINE CORPS HISTORY VOL. 5, NO. 2 Colonel Douglas Nash Sr., USA (Ret)

The First Day on the Eastern Front: Germany Invades the Soviet Union, June 22, 1941. By Craig W. H. Luther. (Guilford, CT: Stackpole Books, 2018. Pp. 504. $39.95 cloth.)

The First Day on the Eastern Frontis an unusual book. It Then, on 22 June 1941, 3 million Axis soldiers stands by itself in its treatment of a single day: the first supported by thousands of tanks and aircraft struck day of , the largest land invasion against an unprepared Soviet Union along a border in history, during World War II. Even more notewor- stretching from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Luther thy, it covers the actions of both sides—the Axis forc- focuses his attention on the actions of the Axis field es led by and the forces of the Soviet armies, panzer groups, and army groups taken once Union—in minute detail, ranging from the actions of the attack commenced, ranging from Army Group individual soldiers at the tactical level; to operational South to Army Group North, expertly covering all of the decisions made by commanders at army, army group, tactical action in between. He then ends this portion and front level; and all the way up to the grand strate- of the book with a précis of the actions that took place gic level, where decisions were made by Adolf Hitler that day. Soviet leaders, their tactical array, and their and Josef Stalin that influenced the outcome of the initial responses are also minutely detailed, incorpo- war. Breathtaking in scope and meticulously detailed, rating an aspect of the war that has been insufficiently Dr. Luther’s new book has done a great service to the covered by Western historians. historiography of the Russo-German War in its depic- Despite the myth of being a “Stumbling Colos- tion of the first day of the most savage and bitter war sus,” the Red Army fought far better than described the world has ever seen. in earlier historical accounts, though it was hampered The author does not take sides, choosing instead from the outset by unrealistic directives emanating to maintain an unbiased, objective point of view, from the Kremlin. The Luftwaffe’s air campaign also re- though never shying away from the unpleasant aspects ceives its fair share of attention in a chapter dedicated of this life-and-death struggle. He covers not only the to its success that day, wherein it virtually destroyed first day of the invasion as a series of discrete events the Red Air Force on the ground before it could react. but also devotes considerable space in his opening The SS death squads do not escape notice either, and chapters to presenting and analyzing events leading while they had not yet had the opportunity to express up to Hitler’s decision to widen the war and launch a their murderous intent on that first day, their mere surprise attack on his erstwhile ally. Concerning the presence behind the field armies serves as a preview of few days leading up to the invasion, Luther focuses the horror they would soon unleash. his historian’s eye on the preparations of individuals, Military professionals would benefit from study- companies, battalions, regiments, and divisions as ing Luther’s book, particularly regarding his detailed they move into their assault positions, as well as what analysis of the various political, geostrategic, and lo- the men on both sides were thinking about on the eve gistics factors that strongly influenced the months of battle and what for many would be their last day and weeks leading up to the beginning of the cam- alive. paign. Readers will learn that Hitler’s did not deliberately underestimate the logistics require-

Douglas E. Nash Sr. served as head of Histories Branch, Marine Corps ment of the campaign, as is commonly believed, but History Division, from 2016 to 2019. rather that the vaunted German general staff esti- WINTER 2019 89 mated that the invasion and subjugation of the Soviet mary and analysis of the day’s events and offers a Union would be completed by harvest time, thereby glimpse into the future course of the “Most Destruc- requiring no longer-term plan than what was original- tive War in History” as well as the ultimate failure of ly contemplated. That the fighting would drag on well Barbarossa. The book itself is a pleasure to read, never beyond September 1941 was something that the Ger- descending into overly pedantic or academic jargon, man general staff had simply not contemplated. “Vic- and should appeal to both the layman and profes- tory Disease,” a result of their successful campaigns in sional historian alike. The extensive appendices are an Poland, Norway, Denmark, France, Holland, Belgium, added bonus, in its provision of actual field orders di- and Yugoslavia, and the belief in their own infallibil- recting the invasion, orders of battle, and various So- ity had become so deeply ingrained in their thinking viet commissar orders. Finally, a 16-page photographic that Hitler, his generals, and the Wehrmacht’s rank and essay is included, with images depicting key leaders, file could imagine no other outcome of their invasion weapons, and troops of both sides in action, but this is than a rapid and total victory. Such hubris was to merely icing on the cake. Readers will quickly realize prove their downfall and serves as an object lesson to that this new treatment of the war has raised the bar the armed forces of today and of the future, regardless for future accounts; hopefully, other authors will rise under which flag they serve. to the challenge and seek to elevate the level of discus- Finally, Luther concludes the book with a sum- sion in future works. • 1775 •