Bringing History to Life Collections

Bringing History to Life Collector’s Edition’ is a 180 page must read special issue packed with in depth WW2 historical information narrated as a story and illustrated with informative graphs and timelines. Readers interested in WW2 will not be disappointed.

» The war’s longest front

GERMAN TROOPS INVADE POLAND • Adolf Hitler takes a huge gamble when he decides to attack Poland. The country must be defeated quickly to prevent Western European powers – principally Britain and France – from interfering. But the campaign does not go entirely according to the Führer’s plan.

HITLER TRIUMPHS OVER RED ARMY • In June 1941, Hitler launches a surprise attack on the Soviet Union. 3.7 million soldiers storm over the border in an incredible display of German Blitzkrieg, but Stalin’s enormous empire turns out to be a tough nut to crack, even for the usually victorious invading forces.

SOVIET DICTATOR TURNS A BLIND EYE • Joseph Stalin is in shock, and the Red Army are totally unprepared when German troops roll into the Soviet Union in the early morning of 22nd June, 1941. Despite warnings from agents, border guards and officers of an imminent Nazi attack, the Soviet dictator has chosen to ignore all information about Hitler’s invasion plans.

GERMAN RING OF STEEL CHOKES LENINGRAD • In the autumn of 1941, the German ring of steel closes around Leningrad, trapping the residents inside the city. Hitler forbids his generals from taking Leningrad – instead, its 3.5 million citizens must starve to death, thereby allowing German settlers to move into the empty metropolis. A merciless battle against cold and hunger begins.

THE BLITZKRIEG FREEZES • Hitler’s troops launch their assault on Moscow. Everything points towards a magnificent victory as the Kremlin’s spires appear in the advance force’s sights. But the icy winter has set in, and as the temperature plunges, Stalin deploys his reserves into the battle on the Eastern Front.

FIGHTER PILOTS SPREAD DEATH IN THE EAST • Jagdgeschwader 52 was the most successful fighter wing in history. With deadly efficiency, the pilots destroyed over 10,000 Soviet aircraft before Stalin could see them off. Even then, it took huge numbers of Soviet aircraft to overcome the Luftwaffe pilots’ quality and experience.

CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS • The treatment of prisoners of war had been agreed by international convention since before the outbreak of World War II, but the Nazis disregarded those agreements. Hunger, thirst and casual violence were everyday occurrences for Third Reich POWs. It was worst for Soviet prisoners, around half of whom died.

ATTACK ON STALINGRAD • In autumn 1942, the Soviet industrial city of Stalingrad became the scene for a duel between Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Both dictators laid claim to a city that was quickly reduced to smoking rubble, and were willing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of lives to secure victory.

HITLER’S ARMY LOST IT ALL AT STALINGRAD • In early January 1943, the Soviets launched a major offensive at Stalingrad. The goal was to crush the remnants of Hitler’s besieged 6th Army. For the next 20 days, the German soldiers fought a futile battle against a vengeful enemy.

JEWISH REVOLT WAS CRUSHED • The last remaining Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto knew they were going to die, but they refused to give up without a fight. In a desperate showdown, they took up arms against the Wehrmacht. Thanks to well-planned preparations, they managed to keep the mighty German Army at bay for an entire month.

HISTORY’S BIGGEST-EVER TANK BATTLE • In mid-1943, Hitler attempted to halt the Russian advance on the Eastern Front by committing his forces to a huge tank battle near the Russian city of Kursk. But his generals were worried. If Hitler’s major offensive failed, the Third Reich’s chances of winning the war...