<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Michael J Stocken above is of his nut re: this book
Review: ...For one thing Nash was an officer in the US Army and that alone should suggest that he's a not an apologist. Nash worked with some of the most prominent and well-known researchers on the Eastern Front during his time in the Army, including David Glantz, another specialist and authority on the Eastern Front and the single most well known authority on Soviet operations during the war. Nash used extensive resources including both Soviet and German archives *AND* veteran soldiers so his account cannot called biased at all. In reading Nash's book I sense no tone other than historical; here is no desire to portray the "Nazi" cause in anyway - heroics of the common solider on both sides, yes, but an apology for National Socialism - NO. In reading Nash's work I didn't sense any of the grand apology that he was so seemingly upset by. In fact, I question his ability to read through this massively detailed book at all as it seems obvious he has confused this work with another. Nash has focused on the operational and tactical events of a specific battle and as such there is no place for discussion of occupation policies, National Socialist political goals, etc. This work is about *A* battle and the details of its operations from both sides. If one desires to read about the horrors of German occupation or the politics of National Socialism there are plenty of other works around. I wouldn't expect those works to detail the tactical goings-on of a obscure battle on the Eastern Front any more than one should expect Nash to discuss the fundamental issues of German occupation policies in a work such as this. The reviewer mentioned above doesn't have much of a clue if he wants to suggest any book that doesn't dwell on those aspects is somehow automatically acting as an apology for German crimes. Disregard his uninformed and silly review. This is an excellent work of scholarship on a critical and very unknown battle on the Eastern Front from many perspectives that deserves nothing but the highest of praises. ...I can firmly say Doug has written an authoritative and amazing account of a little know battle on the Eastern Front that stands the test of academic excellence on all levels. It's an excellent read, well documented and very well written
Rating:
Summary: A Forgotten Campaign
Review: Hell's Gate is a very good, in depth analysis of one of the Eastern front's most important battles. The buyer should be aware however that this book, in my opinion, is meant for military historians, not for the casual reader. As indicated in previous reviews, the book would benefit from better maps and detailed illustrations supporting the troop movements and positions well described in the book. My other criticism is that the author approaches the subject very analytically, and while he has incorporated first person material he has missed an opportunity to make the subject matter much more exciting and a better read. All in all it is a very good, detailed account of military history and if you are a serious student of WWII & the Eastern Front you would benefit by purchasing this product.
Rating:
Summary: A truly great book.
Review: I have been a avid student of the history of German military operations on the eastern front for most of my adult life. I have read many books relating to the subject over the years, but I have to say of all the books that I have read Hells Gate stands alone. Most authors write about a specfic battle of event but never go deeper than a general explantion of the events. Hells Gate is the exception, the author takes the reader down to the tactical level in his description of the events leading up to and the events that occured during the German encirclement known as the Cherkassy Pocket. I strongly recommend to anyone with an interest in the events on the Eastern front to buy this book. I would have to say that It is one of the best books on the subject that I have ever read. It stands alone for not only the quality of the writing, but the obvious lengths that the author went to to research this book. To anyone interested in this subject matter this book is one of the best ever written.
Rating: 
Summary: Nash's Work Well Worth the Money
Review: Mr. Nash presents The Korsun battle in an intelligent and refreshing style. Using a well balanced combination of context, operational overview, and first-person detail, the book provides the reader an enjoyable and informative account of this little known action. Both photos and text concentrate primarily on the German point of view, although this does not seem to detract from the overall utility of the work. The selection of photos includes many that I have not seen before, and are well captioned. Especially impressive was Mr. Nash's sometimes keen analysis of various events or situations - however, one wishes he would have included more such sections. I recommend this work for all interested in the Eastern Front, and consider it well worth the price. Bottom line: If you don't recieve it for Christmas, go out and buy it on your own.
Rating:
Summary: The Ideal for Military History?
Review: Mr. Nashs' recent release concerning the Kourson Pocket Jan.- Feb. 1944 is, to me the closest thing to perfect military historical writing that I've read yet! To begin with, the book is physically HUGE. The fact that Mr. Nash has done exhaustive research from both the german and soviet sides is evident - having a bibliography following each chapter was quite impressive. In addition, the author has done many, many interviews with surviving participants that add a intimate flavor to his writing, with a myriad of details that gives the reader the reader the feel of being immersed amid the chaos and desperation of the action. Numerous side stories to the main action are covered in astonishing detail. And the pictures! Where on earth did he collect all these wonderful pictures that make it much easier to visualize what was going on. I have been a long time student of the Ost Front, having read all of Carell's books, the recent autobiographies by common landsers' and many, many other books on the subject. None of them comes even close to the detail and pure readibility of Mr. Nashs' masterpiece on the Kourson Pocket! Buy the book, eagerly await its' arrival, and then savor it like a fine wine upon obtaining it. This should be required reading for anyone thinking of pursuing writing in military history - the gold standard against which any future writing will be measured. My only hopes are (1)That the author wil turn his protean writing talents to other neglected, but equally exciting Ost Front actions such as Mansteins' actions in the Crimea in '42, or his masterful retreat from the Caucasas, or his crowning jewel - the recapture of Kharkov in '43. (2)That the motion picture industry will recognize this work that captures the chaos and hell of war on a personal level and the sacrifice involved for its' participants and make a movie that attempts to convey this. Friends and colleagues, it doesn't get any better than this!
Rating:
Summary: Eastern Anomaly
Review: Nash has written, I believe to be, one of the greatest works on the East Front. Stories of courage, imagination, and leader innovation are traits that mark the history of the East Front and are clearly present in this book. What makes this book an anomaly as my heading states? It is the fact that Douglas Nash clearly projects how personal the war was - not only at a tactical level, but also at the operational. The Battle of Cherkassy (Korson) Pocket signified the destruction of the last German offensive capability in the East.
More importantly, it symbolizes two great operational struggles: The Russian will to destroy their invaders by attempting to create another Stalingrad catastrophe and the German resolve to survive and escape annihilation. The Book describes the battle in three major levels: strategic, operation, and tactical. Each level includes the planning, coordination, and execution of their respective missions. The decisive characteristic of this work is the smooth intregration of all three of the levels and their respective components. Coupled with the operational and strategic awareness, Nash presents a myriad of personal accounts and stories at the tactical level that are uncommon for a book that covers an event of such size and magnitude. As a result, one will easily "feel" the desperation on the opposing forces. The result of Nash's diligent work: one will become immersed in the story rather than bored or confused from the complexity of the battlefield. Finally, I want to address to the physical attributes of the book. The old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" should NOT apply here. The size, material, mere construction, and the cover pic leave an incredible, positive impression which is absolutely fullfilled by its content. I became fascinated with the Battle of the Cherkassy (Korson) Pocket after reading about it in Paul Carrel's SCORTCHED EARTH; however, Carrel left me yearning for more detail about the battle - Douglas Nash successfully filled the void.
Rating:
Summary: Eastern Anomaly
Review: Nash has written, I believe to be, one of the greatest works on the East Front. Stories of courage, imagination, and leader innovation are traits that mark the history of the East Front and are clearly present in this book. What makes this book an anomaly as my heading states? It is the fact that Douglas Nash clearly projects how personal the war was - not only at a tactical level, but also at the operational. The Battle of Cherkassy (Korson) Pocket signified the destruction of the last German offensive capability in the East. More importantly, it symbolizes two great operational struggles: The Russian will to destroy their invaders by attempting to create another Stalingrad catastrophe and the German resolve to survive and escape annihilation. The Book describes the battle in three major levels: strategic, operation, and tactical. Each level includes the planning, coordination, and execution of their respective missions. The decisive characteristic of this work is the smooth integration of all three of the levels and their respective components. Coupled with the operational and strategic awareness, Nash presents a myriad of personal accounts and stories at the tactical level that are uncommon for a book that covers an event of such size and magnitude. As a result, one will easily "feel" the desperation on the opposing forces. The result of Nash's diligent work: one will become immersed in the story rather than bored or confused from the complexity of the battlefield. Finally, I want to address to the physical attributes of the book. The old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" should NOT apply here. The size, material, mere construction, and the cover pic leave an incredible, positive impression which is absolutely fulfilled by its content. I became fascinated with the Battle of the Cherkassy (Korson) Pocket after reading about it in Paul Carrel's SCORCHED EARTH; however, Carrel left me yearning for more detail about the battle - Douglas Nash successfully filled the void.
Rating:
Summary: A truly great book.
Review: This book is an exhaustive and detailed study that presents a nearly hour-by-hour accounting of the Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket during three hard-fought weeks of January and February 1944. In addition to the facts of the battle, there is a wealth of supporting information regarding the commanders and their backgrounds, tactics, histories of the armies involved, great B&W photos, maps, and first-hand soldier accounts. The battle itself was a disaster for the Wehrmacht and hastened the fall of the Ukraine. The Soviets sought to create a second Stalingrad (while the pocket contained 65,000 Germans, the Soviets thought it contained twice that number) and very nearly did. The overall description of the battle is very interesting and features ancillary topics such as the Luftwaffe's attempt to supply the soldiers trapped in the pocket. The first-hand accounts from both the German and Russian sides are fascinating to read - the hardships the Landser faced during the ordeal are unimaginable. This book is well worth the price but due to the amount of detail involved, is really best suited for serious students of die Ostfront.
Rating:
Summary: Good eastern front book
Review: This is a good book which makes you feel like you're "right there." It includes lots of pictures and a unique perspective on the war. It could have used a little more action, but is still well worth the money. I also recommend War of the Rats and Tale of a German Sniper. Both are also great books about German soldiers.
Rating:
Summary: A Forgotten Campaign
Review: While the Eastern Front in World War II has generally been well covered by military historians, the campaign in the Ukraine in early 1944 has had only spotty coverage. After the defeat at Stalingrad and the long retreat to Berlin, the Germans were less interested in documenting their defeat. But stubborn resistence by the Germans after Kursk through the Ukraine, slowing Stalin's reclaiming of the Soviet Union, meant the Soviets were not eager to write much history of this part of the Eastern Front. Douglas Nash's book on the Cherkassy Pocket is a welcome, detailed work on a brutal battle, the first in a series of Soviet pocketing actions of the Germans in the Ukraine. The five months of fighting in the Ukraine were perhaps the most terrible of the war. Through assiduous research in archives plus interviews with survivors, Nash documents hour-by-hour a level of valor and determination on both sides that is hard to fathom. Modern readers of this terrible battle story will ask, "How was it possible for men to persevere under these conditions." Nash's attention to detail tells a compelling story.
<< 1 >>
| 
