William Craig (1) (1929–1997)

STALINGRAD.

The name evokes pain, suffering, hardship, death. William Craig’s Enemy at the Gates conveys all of the above and more. Published in 1973, Craig’s book is compiled from scores of survivor interviews, letters, communiqués and protagonist memoirs from both sides. The reader is immersed in the freezing trenches and basements of privates and NCOs, the command bunkers of German and Russian generals and Führer headquarters at the Wolf’s Lair in East Prussia. No detail is spared and the brutality of the conflict is recreated in stark detail from first hand accounts; the description of survival in Russian "POW" camps is beyond belief.

Craig also touches on the mismanagement of the German High Command, notably Hitler’s miscomprehension or indifference to a worsening situation and Goering’s assurance of resupply by air, doomed to failure from the outset. One almost feels sorry for the impending sense of disaster, repeatedly asserted by more competent generals. The blame does not solely lie here though. Manstein could have initiated ‘Thunderclap’, the codeword for an all out breakout from Der Kessel to link up with Hoth’s relief force. Paulus too shares some of the blame. His insistence to follow Hitler’s orders to the letter and not apply the initiative of a commander on the ground ultimately doomed the sixth army.

My one criticism is that the book could have done with a few more detailed maps. Manstein’s attempt at breakthrough and the Russian counter offensives were described in detail with place names and direction of attacks, but no maps. That said, it doesn’t detract too much from Craig’s gripping narrative and this is a must read for those interested in the Russian campaigns and WW2 as a whole.

As a side note, the movie of the same name starring Jude Law is loosely adapted from this book, focusing mainly on Vasilli Zaitsev, Tania Chernova and the cat and mouse with Major Konings. I liked the movie, but just couldn't get over the cockney "Russian" accents!
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In "Enemy at the Gates", William Craig presents a gripping narrative account of the pivotal Battle of Stalingrad. While he provides a concise survey of the strategic dimensions of the campaign, the focus of his history is on the lives, and deaths, of individuals who suffered in this epic struggle.

He has interviewed hundreds of survivors, or the spouses of those who fought, to knit together an enthralling memoir of the hell on earth that was Stalingrad. The invaders and the defenders are treated with equal measures of sympathy for their common humanity in this nightmare.

Stalingrad was the turning point in the war on the Russian front. Craig shows us how Hitler's indifference to the lives of his own troops condemned the German Sixth Army to a terrible fate. "Enemy at the Gates" is a terrific read.… (plus d'informations)