From the acclaimed author of STALINGRAD and LENINGRAD, THE RETREAT brings to life a timeless story of cruelty and courage, horror and heroism

Published by John Murray on 12th November 2009 - hardback £20

“An already brutal war degenerated into mass killing of the innocent and the unprotected.” Early morning, June 22nd 1941. Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Hitler announced on the eve of his attack that ‘the world would hold its breath’ and watched in awe as Germany, with its superior weaponry and technology, pushed its way through the hostile terrain that had thwarted Napoleon’s army over a hundred years earlier. The early days of the war helped strengthened his confidence as the number of Russian prisoners quickly began to mount up.

Following Napoleon’s invasion route almost to the step, the German army headed towards Moscow, the spider in the web of Bolshevik Russia. But Hitler had underestimated the might and courage of the desperate Soviet troops. They were determined to defend their capital to the last, and suddenly the heady optimism of the German forces evaporated as the invasion turned sour and the ruthless winter approached. Caught in temperatures of up to minus thirty degrees Celsius, vital German equipment failed and Hitler’s army looked destined to repeat Napoleon’s disastrous mistake. The Battle for Moscow became one of the greatest human tragedies of the war on the Eastern Front, with over two million Russian prisoners of war losing their lives in the winter of 1941.

The Retreat describes with riveting detail Hitler’s first defeat of World War II. Drawing on compelling accounts from diaries and memoirs, as well as photographs and interviews, this book focuses on the human story – the experiences of people, from both sides, who witnessed the horror, cruelty and courage first hand. Michael Jones gained his PhD in History from Bristol University. Since then he has taught at a number of universities and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He works freelance as a writer, historical consultant and a presenter, and is the acclaimed author of Stalingrad and Leningrad.