Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 The steppe region of Russia is light brown in color, and is desolate except for a few rectangular patches of cultivated farmland. It has been that way for centuries. But on August 5, 1942, a malevolent presence intruded on the timeless scene. From the west, came giant pillars of dust.

#2 The German Sixth Army was far from total mechanization. It still relied on horses to move guns and supplies, as well as soldiers. The troops dug shallow foxholes and waited for the signal to attack.

#3 The German army was near Stalingrad, and the last escape route to the Don River was closing. The German generals were now concerned about the next phase of the offensive: fording the Don River and moving forty miles east to the Volga.

#4 The original plans for Operation Blue did not call for the capture of Stalingrad. In fact, the city was not a primary target for attack. The German army was to capture Stalingrad by force as soon as possible, and Colonel General Friedrich von Paulus was commander of the Sixth Army.