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Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War (Modern War Studies)
Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War (Modern War Studies)
Author: David M. Glantz
Condition: New
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David M. Glantz's Stumbling Colossus reconstructs the catastrophic opening of the German‑Soviet war on June 22, 1941, arguing from newly available Soviet archives and neglected German sources that the Red Army—despite its vast size—was poorly trained, inadequately equipped, and ineptly organized, leaving the USSR vulnerable to strategic surprise. Combining operational narrative with archival evidence, Glantz traces how Stalin's purges, flawed mobilization and war planning, weak intelligence, and command dysfunction produced the near collapse of Soviet forces in 1941, dispels persistent myths about Soviet offensive intentions, and directly challenges revisionist claims such as Viktor Suvorov's preemptive‑strike thesis.
As a meticulous, archival study by a leading Western scholar of Soviet military history, the book offers extensive primary documentation: the first complete Order of Battle for Soviet forces on the eve of Barbarossa, reproduced Soviet war plans, biographical sketches of officers, and detailed strength assessments of armored and air forces. Rich in maps, photographs, tables, charts and an exhaustive bibliography of Soviet and German sources, Stumbling Colossus (University Press of Kansas, Modern War Studies, 1998; ISBN13 9780700608799) is both a technical reference on force structure and a compelling corrective to revisionist narratives—essential reading for students of the Eastern Front.
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Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Title / Bibliographic
Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War
Author: David M. Glantz
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
Publication year: 1998
ISBN: 0700608796
Series: Modern War Studies
Nonfiction
Military history
Soviet military history
Second World War studies
Pre–World War II period
Theater of War / Geographical Focus
Eastern Front (background to the German-Soviet war of 1941)
Soviet Union
Western USSR border regions (pre-June 1941 deployments)
Operations and Campaigns (Context)
Prehistory of Operation Barbarossa
German invasion of the Soviet Union, June 22, 1941 (contextual focus)
Initial phase of the German-Soviet war (1941) – causes of Soviet disaster
Main Nations / Belligerents
USSR
Germany
Red Army
Wehrmacht (as opposing force for comparison)
Type of Book
Technical reference on force structure and readiness
Operational and organizational history
Doctrinal and strategy analysis
Archival research–based study
Focus / Subject Matter
Red Army on the eve of World War II
Soviet force structure and order of battle, 1940–1941
Soviet military doctrine before June 1941
Mobilization and readiness of the Red Army
Command structure and leadership of the Red Army
Training and combat effectiveness of Soviet forces
Logistics and supply of the Red Army
Intelligence and warning of German attack (Soviet side)
Reasons for Soviet military disaster in 1941
Myths about Soviet offensive intentions vs. actual capabilities
Comparative assessment of Soviet and German capabilities, 1941
Weapons, Arms, and Force Components
Soviet rifle divisions
Soviet mechanized corps
Soviet tank forces (general, as part of force structure and readiness)
Soviet air forces (VVS) – strength and readiness as part of prewar posture
Artillery forces of the Red Army (organization and deployment)
Commanders and Political Leaders (Contextual)
Joseph Stalin (Soviet political leadership and decisions affecting the Red Army)
Red Army high command / Stavka leadership (collective)
German military and political leadership (context of invasion planning)
Visual and Reference Apparatus
Maps
Photographs
Tables of organization and equipment
Charts and statistical data
Red Army unpreparedness in 1941
Military preparedness
Force mobilization
Operational readiness
Strategic surprise
Military doctrine vs. capability
Organizational weaknesses
Training deficiencies
Command and control problems
Logistical constraints
Intelligence failures
Soviet military reforms, 1930s–1941
Red Army purges (impact on leadership and performance)
Quantitative vs. qualitative military power
Classification Ideas (Library / Cataloging Style)
World War, 1939–1945 – Soviet Union – Armed Forces
World War, 1939–1945 – Eastern Front – Causes
Soviet Union – History – 1928–1941 – Military policy
USSR – Armed Forces – Operational readiness – History – 20th century
Germany – Military relations – Soviet Union – History – 20th century
Prewar military planning – Soviet Union – Case studies
Book Condition: New
Book Condition: New
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Before you enlist a new title into your personal library, check the Condition Report below to see how much action these volumes have seen:
New: Fresh Out of Bootcamp
Flawless and untested. This book is in pristine, new condition and ready for its first assignment.
Like New: Light Combat Experience
Almost new and in great shape. It has clearly been read before and is ready to fight again, but it shows very little wear from its time in the field.
Good: A Few Scars or Shell Shock
A reliable veteran. The book might have some bent corners or a dust cover with a few scratches, but it’s still sturdy and standing tall.
Fair: Battle-Hardened
Visible signs of a long campaign. Expect some stains, bent pages, and perhaps some minor tears on the cover. It’s seen the trenches, but the intel inside is still solid.
Poor: Survived Iwo Jima
This one has been through the meat grinder. It carries noticeable damage, heavy staining, or significant wear—but like any old soldier, it would love to be read one last time before it retires.
