This study delves into the "Barbarossa" campaign of World War II, focusing on six German and Soviet infantry battalions. It includes full-color artwork, maps, and archival photos, offering insights into their tactics, leadership, combat performance, and reputations in three pivotal campaign actions.
In June 1941, Nazi Germany and its allies launched an invasion of the Soviet Union. Army Group Center, led by Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock, aimed to defeat the Western Front in Belarus. They executed encirclement tactics in battles like Białystok-Minsk and Smolensk but were later halted. A Soviet counteroffensive in December marked the failure of the German Blitzkrieg.
At the forefront of the German advance were motorized infantry divisions, laying the foundation for later Panzergrenadier formations. They faced Soviet rifle and motorized rifle divisions, which fought tenaciously despite challenges, shaping the battle's outcome.
