<p><b>''Stunning. History at its very best: a blend of impeccably researched scholarship, genuinely revelatory primary sources, and a beautifully written narrative.'' -</b><b> James Holland</b><br><b><br>''The sheer brutal intimacy of his descriptions of the fighting are extraordinary.'' -</b><b> Frederick Taylor</b><br><b><br><i>''</i>A wonderful and important and timely book.'' -</b><b> Alexander Kershaw, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Bedford Boys</i> and <i>First Wave</i></b><br><br><b>''An authoritative and unforgettable insight into the decisive days of that most terrible struggle on the banks of the Volga.'' - Jonathan Dimbleby</b><br><br><br>The sacrifices that enabled the <b>Soviet Union</b> to defeat Nazi Germany in the <b>Great Patriotic War 1941-45</b> are sacrosanct. The foundation of their eventual victory was laid during the battle for the city of Stalingrad, resting on the banks of the river Volga. For Germany, the catastrophic defeat was the beginni