Atlas of the Eastern Front: 1941–45 (General Military)

NEEDED: MASSIVELY EDITED ***REVISED EDITION*** TO CORRECT **NUMEROUS ERRORS**This large-sized book is physically well made with a posh slipcase and it is visually beautiful, a masterpiece of lavish format presentation. It aims to fill in an enormous gap in English-language scholarship about World War II as fought between the Germans and the Russians, a gap that cries out desperately to be filled. But the magnificent promise of this book is negated by the way in which it is riddled with errors. Here follows a list of the errors I have caught *so far*:Map 9:This map has a symbol for the 29th Panzer Division, a unit which never existed. What is shown as 29th Panzer Division should be 20thPanzer Division. Similarly, the northerly pair of symbols for the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division should be symbols for the 20th Motorized Infantry Division. The southerly symbols for the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division are correct.Map 41:The city of Izyum is depicted as a German strongpoint. It shouldn’t be.Map 43:The symbol for the Soviet 47th Army has three “x’s” on top. It should have four “x’s”.Map 51:The map has a symbol for the XLIV Panzerkorps when it should be the symbol for the XLIV Gebirgskorps.Map 56:A unit sector boundary incorrectly shows the Romanian 3rd Army as being contiguous with the Italian 8th Army. It should be Group Hollidt instead of the Romanian 3rd Army.Map 57:The map shows a symbol for the 387th Panzer Division, a unit which never existed. Perhaps it is supposed to be the symbol for the 387th Infantry Division.Text, Page 158:The text on this page incorrectly states that over 500 German tanks, including more than 100 Tigers, fought at Prokhorovka, near Kursk, on 12 July 1943. These numbers are pure Soviet-era propaganda fairy tale B.S. These numbers have been debunked by recent scholarship for a few years now. The consensus of current scholarship is that the Germans had 294 tanks and assault guns at Prokhorovka of which only fifteen (yes, 15) were Tigers. The Soviet myth making machine wildly inflated the number of German tanks at Prokhorovka, Tigers especially, in order to explain away the near-annihilation of the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army.Map 80:The map shows a symbol for the 231st Panzer Division, a unit which never existed. Perhaps it is supposed to be the symbol for the 23rd Panzer Division or the 231st Infantry Division.Map 87:A sector boundary incorrectly shows the German 6th Army to the north of the German 3rd Panzer Army. It should be 16th Army north of 3rd Panzer Army. A sector boundary incorrectly has four “x’s” Between Army Group Nord and Army Group Mitte when it should have five “x’s.”Map 90:The symbol for the German 14th Infantry Division is shown in two different locations in the same shade of ink and with no “(-)” modifier on either. If the map intends to show a change of location over time by the 14th Infantry Division, the two symbols for it should be different shades of ink.Map 100:The textual commentary for this map talks about an XVIII Panzerkorps but no such unit shows on the map, though there is a symbol for XXVIII Panzerkorps.Map 102:The box for the map key in the lower left corner of the map incorrectly lists the year of the events depicted as 1943 and it does so four times over. The year should be 1944.Map 118:This map shows a symbol for the 101st Jäger Panzer Division, which is of course absurd.Text, Page 246: The text incorrectly mentions a "Kurland Panzer Division" when it should read "Kurmark Panzer Division." The map on the opposite page, Map 119, depicts the Kurmark Panzer Division correctly.I have the impression that I will discover more errors with the passage of time.FRIENDS, let’s keep each other informed of errors as we find them. LET’S petition Osprey Publishing to pull this book back for some massive editing and the release of a revised edition.

Here are the positives:The presentation (which is the first thing one sees) is quite handsome. The atlas comes in a cloth cover bookcase. The quality is excellent, especially given the modest price.The atlas provides an impressive assortment of operational level maps treating just about any campaign you can think of. In some cases, major operations are covered by multiple maps. The maps are clear, and the units clearly identified. In most cases, text explaining the operation is presented on one page, with a full page map on the facing page. Occasionally, the facing page will have two half page maps. Each map has a scale bar, but no specification of the precise scale in numeric terms. If you are looking for a companion atlas that will help you to visualize the flow of the war on the eastern front at the operational level this may be exactly what you're looking for. And again, it's not all that expensive given the quality of presentation and the number of maps included.That said, that you may avoid potential buyer's remorse, here's what you may be looking for in the atlas that you won't find:There are relatively few maps that could be characterized as "tactical". So in most cases, there's no "zooming in" on points of interest. Several maps depict major urban battles. The most detailed are two of the Warsaw Uprising. The Berlin maps are good too. Stalingrad gets three maps. One showing the entire city, the other two focusing respectively on the southern and northern ends of the city. There are also half page maps of Kharkov. Most typically, the units portrayed on most of the maps in the atlas are division level or higher. In only one instance can I recall a unit of less than battalion strength portrayed. Of course if one isn't overly interested in tactical depictions, then this isn't a problem.There is only one map dealing with industry/resources/logistics, and it fairly rudimentary. This is one area where the atlas could have done much better. I think railroads were deserving of more extensive coverage, perhaps showing whether they were single or double tracked, as well as German progress on converting their gauge. Nor is there an adequate treatment of the rivers as a means of logistical transport. It also hurts that there are no data tables to convey statistical information such as are often found in other atlases. It should have been possible to present more information on what was produced where. Weather would also seem like a topic warranting greater discussion in an atlas of the eastern front. The bottom line is that logistical issues play such an important role on the eastern front. For an atlas to be considered definitive, this was really an area that deserved a more extensive treatment.There are no photos in the atlas. This is a lesser criticism. I'm not disappointed by the lack of stock photos of tanks rolling cross-country. However, at times it's useful to see a photo of a location to visualize it, and of course aerials certainly have a place in any atlas.The bottom line is that this atlas is a very nice piece of work at a reasonable price. Whether or not it is for you may come down to the question of what you already have in your library, and what you want this atlas to add to it.

In attempting to increase my knowledge of World War II's Eastern Front, I obtained a slightly used volume of John Erickson's "The Road to Stalingrad." As I got into this highly rated book, I found it basically unreadable as it had no maps. I have a need to place friendly and enemy units, cities, and land features in relation with each other in reading about campaigns and battles. Kirchubel's "Atlas of the Eastern Front" met this need admirably. The book contains 122 maps covering overviews, campaigns, and battles in some cases (e.g., Stalingrad) down to urban combat detail. Military units are clearly depicted, generally at the army, corps, and division level, and are depicted in color to quickly tell friend from foe. The atlas contains some narrative text to assist those readers unfamiliar with the Eastern Front . The book is well constructed, the maps lay flat, and it comes in a slipcase. It is a good compliment to those maps included in relevant history books. I recommend this atlas for anyone interested in the subject, and I am pleased that I bought mine.

Excellent book that is a must for all interested in WW2 on the Eastern Front. High quality maps with excellent descriptions. This is a very valuable reference work that is easy to follow.Thoroughly recommended

Errors/inaccuracies abound! How does something so flawed even make it to print?!? Pathetic!The first page I turned to (78; Map 34) shows the “Soviet Winter Counteroffensive” being from “4 to 15 January, 1941” (should be 1942). Also, the “Legend to Maps” page (9) does not have a symbol for panzergrenadier divisions, such as those represented by the three SS divisions on page 157.

If you are interested in studying the military aspects of the history of WWII on the Eastern Front and you are not already an expert on the subject, then this volume is indispensable.The purpose for buying this book is to support the reading of other more specialist or focused histories, I do not therefore judge it by the depth and accuracy of the text. Also this title is strictly about military operations not the broader political or economic issues.For years I have struggled with reading histories about this subject for one main reason, the paucity and often total lack of maps which most books on the subject suffer. Even when such authors provide maps they are usually very limited in coverage and just focused on one battle or campaign unlinked to others. This book, although it no doubt must contain some gaps, gives the most comprehensive coverage you are likely to find in one volume.I do not understand the complaints about the quality of production. The copy I received was quite luxurious in presentation. Being an Osprey book the quality of printing of the colour maps was in the same format and of a similar style to the overview maps given in Osprey series such as "Campaign". In other words excellent!Be warned that there are no battle detail maps though, these are all campaign scale maps.

I bought this book as one does get frustrated by many of the maps and diagrams one finds in otherwise decent histories,.Like many readers I have never been to Russia and whilst I may be aware of the major cities locations that is really about it. To follow a history one needs decent maps clear uncluttered and a degree of standard reference points, keys and symbols - this is what this book is about.So often poorly cluttered undersized and poor quality maps thrown in pretty much as an afterthought let good historians work down - this book does resolve this issue.The book itself is well made comes in a decent slipcase and is good value for money, the pas apart fou get an accompanying text which explains what you see lending insight and an overview so it is a bit more than just a collection of maps which in the absence of a text is quite meaningless.Happy with it and can use it.

A fascinating account of the most significant campaign of the Second World War. The author provided a detailed description of the battles that were fought on the Eastern Front, while also managing to convey a sense of the scale of the conflict. The text and the maps contained in this book are sources of information that I will return to in the years to come.

Lots of well-illustrated maps with accompanying text to satisfy the history tactician in you, also a handy weapon if u want to cause someone concussion, or can be used as a door stop. At half the rrp store price, twas an habsolute bargain.

This ia a really great book if you are interested in the Eastern Front in WW2. As the title implies it is mostly maps with some accompanying text. The maps are good and many i have not seen before. I particularly like the way you can track individual units progress on some of the maps. Interesting read, good reference book and in my opinion equally good value.