RED STORM OVER THE BALKANS: THE FAILED SOVIET INVASION OF ROMANIA, SPRING 1944 PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Colonel David M. Glantz | 424 pages | 15 Dec 2006 | University Press of Kansas | 9780700614653 | English | Kansas, United States Red Storm Over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944 PDF Book For any other proposed use, contact the Reviews editorial staff at hbooks mail. Germany's Eastern Front in World War II saw many campaigns and battles that have been forgotten by a Soviet Union that tried to hide its military failures. Although Konev's and Malinovsky's offensives ultimately failed, the Red Army managed to inflict heavy losses on Axis forces, exacerbating the effects of Germany's defeats in the Ukraine and making it more difficult for the Wehrmacht to contain the Soviet juggernaut's ultimate advance toward Berlin. Liquidlasagna rated it really liked it Sep 18, He discloses General Ivan Konev's strategic plan as the 2nd Ukrainian Front prepared its Iasi offensive and fought a climactic battle with the German Eighth Army and its Romanian allies in the Tirgu-Frumos region in early May, then the regrouping of General Rodion Malinovsky's 3rd Ukrainian Front for its decisive offensive toward Kishinev, which aborted in the face of a skillful counterstroke by a threadbare German Sixth Army. Community Reviews. Glantz traces the 2nd Ukrainian Front's offensive along the Tirgu-Frumos, Iasi, and Dnestr River axes and the 3rd Ukrainian Front's simultaneous advance to the Dnestr River and dramatic struggle to seize bridgeheads across the river and capture Kishinev. Peter Lesnik rated it it was amazing Oct 28, Open Preview See a Problem? Although Konev's and Malinovsky's offensives ultimately failed, the Red Army managed to inflict heavy losses on Axis forces, exacerbating the effects of Germany's defeats in the Ukraine and making it more difficult for the Wehrmacht to contain the Soviet juggernaut's ultimate advance toward Berlin. A third Soviet attempt was preempted by the German 6th Army's rare feat of decisively defeating 3rd Ukrainian Front's bridgeheads over the Dnestr in the second half of May and the German 8th Army's local counteroffensive against 2nd Ukrainian Front at the beginning of June. Selected bibliography. Greg Allen rated it really liked it Mar 16, Read more Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. David M. Patrik Hutman rated it liked it Nov 30, Glantz describes how the Wehrmacht, with a nucleus of survived combat veterans, was able to beat back Soviet forces hampered by spring floods, while already fragile Soviet logistical support was further undermined by the Wehrmacht's scorched-earth strategy. In early May both fronts tried to resume their advance with deep-ranging strategic objectives but made very [End Page ] limited progress. Michalst rated it really liked it Sep 29, Returning to Fort Leavenworth in , he helped found and later directed the U. The other allied powers had already taken North Africa and Sicily, and were on the Italian mainland. He entered active service with the United States Army in Contact Contact Us Help. Average rating 3. Greg rated it really liked it Jan 12, Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Nonetheless, I wonder about some of the factors that Glantz points to as significant in the German victory. The Red Army's invasion of Romania in April and May was one such campaign, which produced nearly , casualties and tarnished the reputations of its commanders. Published November 16th by University Press of Kansas. Red Storm Over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944 Writer In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: Reviewed by:. Glantz shows only that these operations comprised a significant number of men and material and that the operations' seriousness is proof itself of an earlier than assumed, if not over-optimistic, strike to dominate Eastern Europe after the war. By re-creating this forgotten offensive, Glantz commemorates a rich and important chapter in the history of a war that brought down the German Army and reshaped the map of Europe. Glantz describes how the Wehrmacht, with a nucleus of survived combat veterans, was able to beat back Soviet forces hampered by spring floods, while already fragile Soviet logistical support was further undermined by the Wehrmacht's scorched-earth strategy. Citation: Robert Niebuhr. The Red Army's invasion of Romania in April and May was one such campaign, which produced nearly , casualties and tarnished the reputations of its commanders. Want to Read saving…. A third Soviet attempt was preempted by the German 6th Army's rare feat of decisively defeating 3rd Ukrainian Front's bridgeheads over the Dnestr in the second half of May and the German 8th Army's local counteroffensive against 2nd Ukrainian Front at the beginning of June. Nick rated it liked it Jul 19, Cliff Hare rated it liked it Aug 19, Glantz merely states that Stalin and the Soviet High Command Stavka had deliberate intentions of gaining the Balkans in the spring of and that the scale of these operations prove this motivation. Germany's Eastern Front in World War II saw many campaigns and battles that have been "forgotten" by a Soviet Union that tried to hide its military failures. Speaking generally, the narrative really picks up speed about midway through the book partly because the argument becomes more apparent, but also partly owing to some more interesting portrayals of the battles themselves. Add to Cart. Working from newly available Russian and long-neglected German archives—plus Red Army unit histories and commanders' memoirs—Glantz reconstructs an imposing mosaic that reveals the immense scope and ambitious intent of the first Iasi-Kishinev offensive. What is also clear is his style of writing is exceedingly detailed, really detailed. That the Soviets lost in the spring but would win in late summer is of no consequence to Glantz's overall position--the Soviets still harbored bad intentions. Genuinely eye opening and recommended. Significantly, however, it also fits within the original school of thought pointing to Soviet culpability in the origins of the Cold War. Working from newly available Russian and long-neglected German archives—plus Red Army unit histories and commanders' memoirs—Glantz reconstructs an imposing mosaic that reveals the immense scope and ambitious intent of the first Iasi-Kishinev offensive. By re-creating this forgotten offensive, Glantz commemorates a rich and important chapter in the history of a war that brought down the German Army and reshaped the map of Europe. Germany's Eastern Front in World War II saw many campaigns and battles that have been "forgotten" by a Soviet Union that tried to hide its military failures. Soviet Offensive Planning. Although Konev's and Malinovsky's offensives ultimately failed, the Red Army managed to inflict heavy losses on Axis forces, exacerbating the effects of Germany's defeats in the Ukraine and making it more difficult for the Wehrmacht to contain the Soviet juggernaut's ultimate advance toward Berlin. A co-founder of the U. In this particular book, Glantz covers a little known episode of the Eastern Front, a Red Army attempt to overrun Romania in the early spring of Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. These points, while more a product of paranoia than reality, deserve mention when trying to understand Stalin's actions, especially as the end of Nazi Germany drew nearer. Red Storm Over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944 Reviews Read more Nick rated it liked it Jul 19, David M. Hardcover , pages. Error rating book. Liquidlasagna rated it really liked it Sep 18, Add to Wishlist. In this particular book, Glantz covers a little known episode of the Eastern Front, a Red Army attempt to overrun Romania in the early spring of This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Instead, Glantz asserts that Stalin advocated for a so- called broad front strategy that, on the tactical level, would probe the entire front for individual weaknesses the Soviets could then exploit. Contact Contact Us Help. Rating details. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from to LOG IN. Army War College. Craig rated it liked it Jun 23, This book could never be described as a light read but for a detailed look into a forgotten aspect of the war, it cannot be beaten. Therefore, a successful Soviet strategic offensive through Romania at this time might have had major consequences both for the duration of the war and the postwar settlement. Neither Stalin, nor anyone else involved in the war, knew how much longer the Germans would be able to hold out, and, as a result, sweeping victories were needed to secure a suitable settlement. Another issue that bothered me might prove nothing but my ignorance of the latest scholarship. Glantz elaborates further: "Ultimately, dread of the horrifying consequences of defeat, combined with excellent small-unit efficiency and cohesion plus a major assist from the terrain and inclement weather, contributed to the Germans' successful defense" p. The implications of the broad front strategy meant that Stalin harbored a desire to seize territory throughout Eastern Europe for the benefit of the Soviet Union, and as part of the larger Allied cause against Nazism. In an exhaustive account of the Soviet military operations along the southern Ukrainian frontier with Romania, David Glantz tries to use these episodes to elucidate several key issues important for understanding World War II and the subsequent Cold War.