Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's campaign in the East, launched against Russia in December 1941, proved to be a turning-point in the Second World War. Like Napoleon before him, Hitler's ambitions were to be thwarted by determined Russian defenders, leading to one of the most costly campaigns of all time. In so many ways, the great battles on the Eastern Front contributed decisively to the final defeat of Germany in 1945.

During this tour, led by Dr Michael Jones, author of Moscow, Hitler's First Defeat, we explore the environs of Moscow, visiting both museums and memorials to the Great Patriotic War, as well as some of the places from where the Red Army defended the city in the winter of 1941/42. We travel on to Borodino, just a year ahead of the bicentenary of the great battle in 1812, to explore another turning point in history – described by Napoleon as the 'most terrible' of all the battles he fought.

ITINERARY
Day 1 (Wednesday): Fly London-Moscow. In the evening, an introductory talk by Dr Michael Jones. Overnight Moscow.
Day 2: A tour of Moscow, to include Red Square, the Unknown Soldier, the Novodevichiy Cemetery, the Zelenograd Memorial to the Defenders of Moscow, and the T-34 Tank Museum at Lobnya. Following a lunch break, we travel to the outskirts of Moscow to look at some of the places where Red Army troops defended the city in December 1941, and from where the counter-offensive was launched.
Day 3: Depart for Borodino to visit the battlefield of 1812 - Napoleon's last great offensive in Russia. Overnight stay.
Day 4: Borodino. 1941. Return to Moscow.
Day 5: Moscow. Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War; Central Museum of the Armed Forces – outside displays of tanks and artillery – including Marshal Zhukov's former office.
Day 6: Fly Moscow-London.