Military Model Scene

Title: Operation Bagration & the Liberation of Minsk
Author: Nik Cornish
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-03610-578-5

A new addition to the popular Images of War series, and another from author Nik Cornish. A 194-page soft-cover book.
This one covers the early stages of Operation Bagration, a huge Soviet offensive along the length of the Eastern Front. Following the Soviet victory at Stalingrad, and the defeat of the German offensive at Kursk, the Soviets were able to stage further offensives. Pressure was applied to Army Group Centre and Army Group North. German resources were under increasing pressure, while Soviet resources continued to grow. By 1944 the Soviets were in a position to stage their new major offensive. The story centres around the region of Belarus, with large marshy and forested areas. The Red Army was well supported by Partisans who supported the offensive. The story is spread across 8 chapters, three of which are devoted to the tactics that the Germans chose, of nominating towns to be 'fortresses', or Festung. Each chapter begins with a few pages of text to tell the historical events, and of course every section of the book is largely made up of archive photos, all with informative captions. Among these there are Russian troops moving through the marshes, using large rubber rings for buoyancy, along with cavalry and so much more. A good mix covering infantry as well as AFVs, armoured trains and equipment of both sides. This book only deals with the early stages of Bagration, and ends with the liberation of Minsk.
Bagration is perhaps overshadowed for interest in the west as the Normandy invasion dominated the news of the war at roughly the same time. The sheer scale of the war on the Eastern front at this stage of the war is quite staggering I think, and one of the major factors with this particular book in the Images of War series is that the sources of the archive photos come from Russia, so have not been widely seen here before. Lots to interest WW2 historians and both figure and armour modellers alike, as there is lots of detail and plenty of diorama ideas to be found.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin