{"product_id":"smolensk-1943-the-red-armys-relentless-advance-by-robert-forczyk-new-osprey-campaign-series-331","title":"Smolensk 1943 The Red Army's Relentless Advance by Robert Forczyk  : NEW Osprey Campaign Series #331","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDescription\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA highly illustrated history of Operation \u003ci\u003eSuvorov\u003c\/i\u003e, the Soviet assault against German positions around Smolensk in late 1943.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith the German defeat at Kursk, the Soviet \u003ci\u003eStavka \u003c\/i\u003e(high command) ordered the Western and Kalinin Fronts to launch Operation \u003ci\u003eSuvorov\u003c\/i\u003e in order to liberate the city of Smolensk. The Germans had held this city for two years and \u003ci\u003eHeeresgruppe Mitte\u003c\/i\u003e's (Army Group Centre) \u003ci\u003e4. Armee\u003c\/i\u003e had heavily fortified the region.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Soviet offensive began in August 1943 and they quickly realized that the German defences were exceedingly tough and that the Western Front had not prepared adequately for an extended offensive. Consequently, the Soviets were forced to pause their offensive after only two weeks, in order to replenish their combat forces and then begin again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe German \u003ci\u003e4. Armee\u003c\/i\u003e was commanded by Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici, one of the Wehrmacht's top defensive experts. Although badly outnumbered, Heinrici's army gamely held off two Soviet fronts for seven weeks. Eventually, the \u003ci\u003e4. Armee\u003c\/i\u003e's front was finally broken and Smolensk was liberated on 25 September 1943. However, the Western Front was too exhausted to pursue Heinrici's defeated army, which retreated to the fortified cities of Vitebsk, Orsha and Mogilev; the \u003ci\u003e4. Armee\u003c\/i\u003e would hold these cities until the destruction of Army Group Centre in June 1944.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis detailed volume focuses on a major offensive that is virtually unknown in the West and which set the stage for the decisive defeat of \u003ci\u003eHeeresgruppe Mitte\u003c\/i\u003e in the next summer offensive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mt-15\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore-toc\" data-readmore=\"\" aria-expanded=\"false\" id=\"undefined1\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eOrigins of the campaign\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChronology\u003cbr\u003eOpposing commanders\u003cbr\u003eOpposing armies\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eOrders of battle\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eOpposing plans\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eThe campaign\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eAftermath\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eThe battlefields today\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003ci aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eFurther reading\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003ci aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003eIndex\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-detail-description__body readmore-toc\" data-readmore=\"\" aria-expanded=\"true\"\u003e\u003ci aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eO.N.S.= OLD NEW STOCK\u003c\/strong\u003e and refers to an item which, for whatever reasons, has not been offered for sale from the date of publication to the date of this listing. It is NEW but old stock and should be in New condition. Any deviation from the new condition will be detailed separately.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Osprey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68016544317739,"sku":null,"price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1022\/1289\/5019\/files\/9781472830746.jpg?v=1793963679","url":"https:\/\/militaryhistorybooks.com\/products\/smolensk-1943-the-red-armys-relentless-advance-by-robert-forczyk-new-osprey-campaign-series-331","provider":"Military History Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}