Cornelius Ryan
Paperback | Pages: 571 pages Rating: 4.21 | 5776 Users | 167 Reviews
Point Books Supposing The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin
| Original Title: | The Last Battle |
| ISBN: | 0684803291 (ISBN13: 9780684803296) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Setting: | Berlin,1945(Germany) |
Representaion Conducive To Books The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin
The classic account of the final offensive against Hitler's Third Reich.The Battle for Berlin was the culminating struggle of World War II in the European theater, the last offensive against Hitler's Third Reich, which devastated one of Europe's historic capitals and marked the final defeat of Nazi Germany. It was also one of the war's bloodiest and most pivotal battles, whose outcome would shape international politics for decades to come.
Cornelius Ryan's compelling account of this final battle is a story of brutal extremes, of stunning military triumph alongside the stark conditions that the civilians of Berlin experienced in the face of the Allied assault. As always, Ryan delves beneath the military and political forces that were dictating events to explore the more immediate imperatives of survival, where, as the author describes it, “to eat had become more important than to love, to burrow more dignified than to fight, to exist more militarily correct than to win.”
It is the story of ordinary people, both soldiers and civilians, caught up in the despair, frustration, and terror of defeat. It is history at its best, a masterful illumination of the effects of war on the lives of individuals, and one of the enduring works on World War II.
Identify Containing Books The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin
| Title | : | The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin |
| Author | : | Cornelius Ryan |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Touchstone Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 571 pages |
| Published | : | May 1st 1995 by Simon Schuster (first published January 1st 1966) |
| Categories | : | History. Nonfiction. War. World War II. Military. Military History. Military Fiction. Cultural. Germany |
Rating Containing Books The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin
Ratings: 4.21 From 5776 Users | 167 ReviewsCritique Containing Books The Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin
There is no easy way to put to words something with such enormity as the last battle in the deadliest military conflict in history. And yet, Cornelius Ryan manages to do just that not with the use of staggering statistics, but with a series of stories that even my simple human mind could comprehend. Don't get me wrong, Ryan is thorough in his coverage of the military history of the Battle of Berlin . However, for me, sometimes the big picture is brought home by the little things, so I'm justThere is no easy way to put to words something with such enormity as the last battle in the deadliest military conflict in history. And yet, Cornelius Ryan manages to do just that not with the use of staggering statistics, but with a series of stories that even my simple human mind could comprehend. Don't get me wrong, Ryan is thorough in his coverage of the military history of the Battle of Berlin . However, for me, sometimes the big picture is brought home by the little things, so I'm just
Another amazing book about WWII from Cornelius Ryan. Similar to "A Bridge Too Far," Ryan does a skillful job of weaving in personal stories with the bigger political and military picture.My only constructive critique of "The Last Battle" is that the book ends too soon on the historical timeline. Throughout the book he hints at bad things to come with the fall of Berlin transitioning into the beginning of The Cold War, but the book ends a bit abruptly before exploring this more, or providing an
This book is pushing near 50 years old, and it shows its age. Written at the height of the Cold War, it features cartoonish evil Russians and angelic Americans and Brits. It also has a cringe-inducing chapter of Russian rapes of German women. I don't doubt the accuracy of the accounts, but there is a salacious glee in the detailed recounting, while thousands of deaths don't warrant such attention. This book is a slice of history in and of itself, beyond its topic.
Listened to on Audible. A well-done history with the usual Ryan cast of thousands which at times made it hard to follow. He focused on both civilian and military actors, and he was able to interview many of the principals, including Russians, in writing the book. It appears his research was mainly based upon interviews and diaries.Antony Beevor has written a more recent history of the battle of Berlin which I have not read (it is not available as an audiobook) so I can't compare versions. I
A great read. This is my first Cornelius Ryan book and I must say that it is truly a marvel. Ryan is a master at writing the "living-history" and retells the Battle of Berlin, and the many events surrounding it, with page-turning detail. He is the best writer of history I have read since Ben Macintyre. Interestingly, 2/3rds of the book does not deal with the actual battle itself. Instead, it introduces us to the context of the battle and the many, many faces that were either directly or
Like the other books of Cornelius Ryan that I have read, The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far, the author brings immediacy to what in the wrong hands could be a confusing mass of events and people. The book focuses on the last major battle, the Battle of Berlin, and the events that led up to it. A few things I learned from reading the book:1) U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Morgentheau wanted to eliminate all industry from Germany and turn it into an agricultural state.2) Allied
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