Opening the Gates of Hell

Operation Barbarossa, June–July 1941

Richard Hargreaves (Author) , Philip Pope (Narrator)

Online Access / Resources

Opening the Gates of Hell

Operation Barbarossa, June–July 1941

Richard Hargreaves (Author) , Philip Pope (Narrator)

Online Access / Resources

Hardback $47.00 Ebook (PDF) $32.90 Ebook (Epub & Mobi) $32.90 Audiobook ~~$27.00~~ $13.50

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Description

Bloomsbury presents Opening the Gates of Hell: Operation Barbarossa, June-July 1941 by Richard Hargreaves, read by Philip Pope.

A unique account of the opening weeks of history's largest, most brutal conflict, told through the eyes of those who were there and based on original source material from across Europe.

Opening the Gates of Hell is based on over a decade's research in archives and sites across Europe. It is a ground-breaking examination of the start of the Nazi–Soviet conflict, a narrative history not just of the fighting, but also the impact on civilians, the atrocities committed by both sides and ethnic cleansing carried out by the inhabitants of the regions invaded.

This fascinating history tells the stories of bravery, cowardice, misery and horror through the eyes of those who were there including ordinary soldiers, generals, leaders, politicians and civilians on both sides. The book draws on published and unpublished sources from across Germany and Eastern Europe with the majority of the material never having appeared in English-language accounts of the conflict before.

The combination of combat accounts, analysis of high-level diplomacy and leadership and the visceral accounts of the atrocities committed by both sides gives this book a unique approach to the war on the Eastern Front and will ensure that it is regarded as the definitive work on the subject for many years to come.

List of illustrations and maps
Introduction

Chapter 1: One More Blitzkrieg
Chapter 2: The Gates of Hell Opened in Front of Us
Chapter 3: To Leningrad
Chapter 4: To Moscow
Chapter 5: To Kiev
Chapter 6: Victory Denied
Epilogue: Barbarossa's Long Shadow

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published	Jun 05 2025
Format	Audiobook
Duration	23 hours and 42 minutes
ISBN	9781472869456
Imprint	Osprey Publishing
Series	General Military
Short code	GNM
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Author

Richard Hargreaves

Richard Hargreaves has been a journalist for 30 ye…

Narrator

Philip Pope

The pace never lets up in this epic story, with its vast canvas. It is vividly told and finely detailed … plunging the reader into the spectacular but horrifying vortex of Operation Barbarossa.

Iain Ballantyne, author of 'Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron'
Richard Hargreaves exhibits supreme skill at uncovering and synthesising obscure primary sources and contemporary reports to craft a visceral yet enthralling account of the opening stage of Barbarossa.

Jason D. Mark, author and editor
Elegantly written, yet relentlessly searing in its content, Hargreaves' new history of the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa, which weaves together grand strategy and heart-breaking personal testimony, sets a new benchmark for the subject.

Roger Moorhouse, author of 'Poland 1939' and 'Berlin at War'
Richard Hargreaves offers us an intricate and meticulous introduction to the start of [Operation Barbarossa]…The detail is extraordinary.

Aspects of History
Without any doubt, this is a book that advances one's understanding and perspectives in relation to Barbarossa, making it highly recommended for those who study the fighting on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

Iron Cross
This is a powerful account of Operation Barbarossa and is essential reading for those seeking to understand a campaign that reshaped the scale and meaning of total war.

Classic Military Vehicle