On a Knife’s Edge

The Ukraine, November 1942-March 1943

By: Prit Buttar

Narrated by: Roger Clark

The battle of Stalingrad was the turning point of World War II. The German capture of the city, their encirclement by Soviet forces shortly afterwards, and the hard-fought but futile attempts to relieve them, saw bitter attritional fighting and extremes of human misery inflicted on both sides.

The surrender of General Friedrich von Paulus's army left Germany's eastern armies severely weakened, but the Red Army had suffered enormous losses as it overreached itself in trying to exploit its great victory. The war was not over. Germany would continue the fight, and the battles that took place in the winter of 1942/43 would show the tactical and operational skill of Erich von Manstein and the Wehrmacht as they attempted to avert total disaster.

In this title, a renowned expert on warfare on the Eastern Front reveals the often-overlooked German counteroffensive post-Stalingrad, and how it prevented the whole Axis front line from collapsing.

Drawing on firsthand accounts, On a Knife's Edge is a story of brilliant generalship, lost opportunities, and survival in the harshest theater of war.

©2018 Prit Buttar (P)2019 Tantor

Well written

This book should be forced reading for every citizen of Uruguay. They could learn valuable lessons from it because if we don’t learn from our mistakes we are doomed to repeat em and the victors write the history books

interesting book

It's a comprehensive treatment of the Eastern Front during this period. It would be easy to just talk about Stalingrad, but thankfully the book avoids that trap.

The only real downside to this book is the subject matter - it covers large military operations, with frequent geographical references. This is not an audio friendly topic.

Five critical months that left a delicate balance

Germany was not finished militarily after the Stalingrad debacle. Buttar examines that battle and Germany’s subsequent recovery on the southeastern front, and details how its forces stopped and countered the Soviet Army’s post-Stalingrad momentum. Illustrates the Soviet Army’s quick learning curve from lessons learned in 1941 and 1942 to become Germany’s equal in tactical operations. Demonstrates the connection between Hitler’s political goals and operational micro-managing, and the German forces’ failure to exploit opportunities to the fullest, which set the stage for the Battle of Kursk. Interspersed with first-person accounts on both sides which describe this front’s brutality on the soldiers, civilians, land, and resources of the Ukraine.

Factual and gripping

Roger Clark keeps you interested and informed , very well done . The appalling losses on both sides as two evil empires slug it out to the death.

Research paper quality

I’ve listened to dozens of WWI & II historical audiobooks and this is definitely one of the most detailed and precise. It seems to be written by and for military historians, and almost seems like a strategic level after-action-report.

What it is NOT is a soldier’s tale of the Eastern front. The first hand accounts are from Field Marshall’s biography’s and journals, there’s nothing I can remember from the enlisted point or view.