The battle for the heart and soul of Russia

To Besiege a City is the first comprehensive look at the wider military strategies of both sides using original Russian source material.

The Siege of Leningrad cost more Soviet citizens–civilian and military combined–their lives than British Empire war dead from both world wars combined. The Red Army and civilians faced bombing, shelling, and starvation. To Besiege a City charts the battle’s first two years when Soviet forces tried to break the German lines and restore contact with the garrison. The Red Army suffered huge casualties in the swampy and forested terrain, the German infantry divisions were also steadily eroded. By keeping control of parts of the shores of Lake Ladoga, the Soviet Union was able to sustain Leningrad through the winters.

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