Bitka za Moskvu

The Battle of Moscow by Branko Kitanović is a detailed historical study of one of the key battles of World War II, based on the testimonies of the most important Soviet commanders – Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Sokolovsky, Vasilevsky, Konev and others. Kitanović chronologically presents the course of Operation Barbarossa, German expectations and misconceptions, the rapid breakthrough of the Wehrmacht and the initial chaos and enormous losses of the Red Army.

The decisive relocation of Soviet industry to the east, the mobilization of Moscow into a “city in a greatcoat” and the beginning of Operation Typhoon, the German attempt to take the capital in a flash, are particularly depicted. With the entry of Marshal Georgy Zhukov into command, the defense gains organized solidity, and the German attack gradually loses momentum due to winter, exhaustion and Soviet resistance.

The climax of the book is the description of the great Soviet counteroffensive on December 6, 1941, when thousands of guns, Katyushas and hundreds of aircraft crush German positions. The Wehrmacht's first major defeat marked the end of the myth of their invincibility and had a huge international resonance, announcing a turning point in the war.

Kitanović's account combines documentary, military analysis, and participant testimony, making The Battle of Moscow an accessible, clear, and powerful work about one of the most decisive moments in modern history.