The German-Soviet War

The German-Soviet War revises the conflict's generally accepted understanding through case studies, demonstrating the complexity of the war at the local level. The contributors assembled by Jeff Rutherford and Robert von Maier examine the multiplicity of experiences of individuals caught in this savage war, starting with the German war of annihilation launched against Soviet state and society in June 1941. This detailed collection shows that the particular nature of the war in the east resulted from an intertwining of military, ideological, and economic motives. The German-Soviet War puts Germany's murderous policies toward Soviet Jews and prisoners of war, and the justification for these policies and actions within the ranks of the army, into the larger context of battlefield events. The neglected topic of the destructive German scorched-earth retreats receives detailed analysis, demonstrating the importance of ideology and economic thinking in the German army's war. The