Stalingrado [Stalingrad]

L'assedio più lungo della Seconda guerra mondiale [The longest siege of the Second World War]

By: Francesco Ficarra

Narrated by: Lorenzo Visi

Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

I combattimenti più duri, le battaglie più spietate, l’assedio più lungo: il fronte orientale fu il concentrato di tutte le violenze della Seconda guerra mondiale. Agli uomini che combatterono e vissero nell’Europa orientale non fu risparmiata nessuna delle barbarie del conflitto, che anzi vissero nel modo più travolgente e cruento: deportazioni, esecuzioni di massa, rappresaglie. Milioni di persone soffrirono la fame, la sete, il freddo e la stanchezza, in una Russia sconvolta dalle gigantesche battaglie di carri, aerei e fanteria. Le armate tedesche, i soldati vittoriosi dell’Europa occidentale, si ridussero a una moltitudine stremata e affamata, in marcia nella steppa – rovente d’estate, gelida d’inverno, sempre ugualmente inospitale – alla ricerca di una vittoria impossibile, o per sfuggire alle controffensive russe. Esaurite le munizioni, esauriti i viveri, bloccati i carri e i camion, continuarono a battersi fino al limite estremo della spossatezza; solo i più fortunati fecero ritorno a casa, dopo traversie infinite. Per molti, invece, la campagna ordinata dal Führer finì con la morte, o con una prigionia destinata a durare più di dieci anni.I soldati sovietici, sottoposti al più duro regime marziale che si possa immaginare, furono dapprima travolti dall’offensiva tedesca, opposero una tenace, spesso disperata resistenza, e infine conobbero l’ebbrezza della riscossa e della vittoria.

[The hardest fighting, battles the most ruthless, the longest siege: the eastern front was the focus of all the violence of the Second World War. To the men who fought and lived in Eastern Europe was not spared none of the barbarity of the conflict, which indeed lived in the most overwhelming and bloody: deportations, mass executions, reprisal. Millions of people suffered hunger, thirst, cold and fatigue, upset by Russia in a gigantic battles of tanks, aircraft and infantry. The German armies, the victorious soldiers in Western Europe, were reduced to a multitude exhausted and hungry, marching in the desert - hot in summer, cold in winter, always equally inhospitable - looking for a victory impossible, or to escape the Russian counter-offensive. Run out of ammo, exhausted supplies, blocked the wagons and trucks continued to fight to the extreme limit of exhaustion, only the lucky ones they returned home, after endless hardships. For many, however, the campaign ordered by the Führer ended with death, or with imprisonment meant to last more than ten years. Soviet soldiers, subjected to the toughest martial regime imaginable, were at first overwhelmed by the offensive German, offered strong, often desperate resistance, and finally knew the thrill of revenge and victory.]

Please note: This audiobook is in Italian.

©2013 Area51 Publishing (P)2013 Area51 Publishing

It's not in English. I couldn't understand a word

What disappointed you about Stalingrado [Stalingrad]?

I love WWI and WWII history. I can't get enough about Stalingrad especially in light of Glantz's excellent new books (waiting for Vol 3) which turns everything previously thought and written about the battle upside down. I was so looking forward to this book but as in my title to this review- it isn't English!

Has Stalingrado [Stalingrad] turned you off from other books in this genre?

No! I LOVE WWI and WWII history- it just has to be in a language I can understand or it's just noises!

Which scene was your favorite?

Beats me. Couldn't understand the language.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Stalingrado [Stalingrad]?

See above.

Any additional comments?

Please print a warning or disclaimer for non-English language books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a lot of history books from other countries and all have both native language and English. Some may have their native language title but text is English. The foreign (to me) language title didn't deter me because I assumed if Audible was selling it that it would be in English. You tricked me!