Endgame 1944 cover art

Endgame 1944

How Stalin Won The War

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Endgame 1944

By: Jonathan Dimbleby
Narrated by: Jonathan Dimbleby
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A Sunday Times Bestseller

A gripping and authoritative account of the year that sealed the fate of the Nazis, from the bestselling historian

June 1944: In Operation Bagration, more than two million Red Army soldiers, facing 500,000 German soldiers, finally avenged their defeat in Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The same month saw the Allies triumph on the beaches of Normandy, but, despite the myths that remain, it was the events on the Eastern Front that sealed Hitler's fate and destroyed Nazism.

In this book, bestselling historian Jonathan Dimbleby describes and analyses this momentous year, covering the military, political and diplomatic story in his evocative style. Drawing on previously untranslated German, Russian and Polish sources, we see how sophisticated new forms of deception and ruthless Partisan warfare shifted the Soviets’ fortunes, how their triumphs effectively gave Stalin authority to occupy Eastern Europe and how it was the events of 1944 that enabled Stalin to dictate the terms of the post-war settlement, laying the foundations for the Cold War . . .


©2024 Jonathan Dimbleby (P)2024 Penguin Audio 20th Century Eastern Europe Military Modern Russia War Stalin Imperialism Soviet Union Red army Cold War

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Critic reviews

'Pacily written . . . The detail is terrific, and the extracts from diaries, letters and so on make an indelible impression. The description of the last months of the war in Budapest is a tour de force.' (Sir Richard Evans, author of The Third Reich in History and Memory)

'Dimbleby has unearthed some powerful voices to producing an engaging mix of the familiar and the new. Fascinating stuff.' (Roger Moorhouse, author of The Forgers)

'This impressive book describes how Stalin’s armies shattered the Wehrmacht in Operation Bagration - which too few people have heard of - and gained him effective control over post-war Eastern Europe.' (Sir Rodric Braithwaite, author of Moscow 1941)

'A chillingly objective appraisal of the relationship between the ‘Big Three’ Allied leaders who influenced the outcome of the Second World War. It shines a light for general readers on a period of history often the preserve of Eastern Front academics . . . The human interface between the ‘Big Three’ is exposed in fascinating detail.' (Colonel Robert Kershaw, author of Tank Men)

'Magnificent . . . draws on so much good material.' (Dr David Stahel)
All stars
Most relevant  
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Its excellently written, researched and read. Fantastic addition to Eastern front literature

narration

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I saw the author give a talk at Chalke History Festival in June and went straight out to get this via Audible. Following on from his excellent book on Operation Barbarossa, this is another fantastic telling of one of the most brutal episodes of warfare in the history of humanity. It is a compelling account of the strategy from a political and military perspective as well as a brutal description of much of the fighting.

Another fantastic book from this author

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The struggle between the big three was fascinating. Will definitely listen again. Jonathan is history David Attenborough

Top notch listening

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On the whole a really well researched and in depth narrative from the eastern perspective

Excellent, however some of the pronunciation is awful

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Having really enjoyed Jonanthan's Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and its People I was looking forward to this very much. However I think Jonathan had a cold when narrating which was a little off-putting. The story is of course excellent and beautifully written. The greatest history telling of this period is Alexander Werth's Russia At War but this is a good addition.

Interestingly the Afterward is the basis for a potential great book by Jonathan. I hope he writes it.

Good

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Overall.a good and thorough analysis of eastern front still falls short of alan clarke..poor pronunciation sometimes spoils it ( especially Bagration).
After a tale that should explain fully why Russia is v.sensitive about military aliance encamped right upto its borders..( recent figures from NKVD claim upto 40m dead) he manages to come to quite a different conclusion..
..

thoroughness

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the author does not talk about today's conflict until the end of the book. there were so many speeches or scripted letters that iit is clear this is again the leader like Stalin. Domestic policy also shows that we are in a loop where must not forget the current leadership of yesteryear is again a authoritarian government set up to serve the elites. The UN veto secsection is interesting as with the end of the war it either is not a enormous troop landing, ariel dogfighting or similar that are not important enough for other authors to have any more than top level reference to and I was very interested in reading about. My favourite new title in recent reads in some time.

Another excellent weaving of ww2 and a very clear reminder that history is repeating itself again.

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Excellent content and narration. The delivery is compelling and engrossing. What pleasure it was to listen.

clarity

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Excellent book, well read. However it is crying out for maps and photos. Why no attached pdf?

Needs an attached pdf

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How can you say that a book that has as its subject matter a bitter conflict that involves the deaths of millions

Have we in the West learnt any lessons from Stalin’s defeat of Germany in the East in WWII and beyond?

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