Between Giants

The Battle for the Baltics in World War II

By: Prit Buttar

Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart

During World War II, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia found themselves trapped between the giants of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Over the course of the war, these states were repeatedly occupied by different forces, and local government organizations and individuals were forced to choose between supporting the occupying forces or forming partisan units to resist their occupation. Devastated during the German invasion, these states then became the site of some of the most vicious fighting during the Soviet counterattack and push towards Berlin. Many would be caught up in the bitter fighting in the region and, in particular, in the huge battles for the Courland Bridgehead during Operation Bagration, when hundreds of thousands of soldiers would fight and die in the last year of the war. By the end of the war, death and deportation had cost the Baltic States over 20 percent of their total population and Soviet occupation was to see the iron curtain descend on the region for four decades. Using numerous firsthand accounts and detailed archival research, Prit Buttar weaves a magisterial account of the bitter fighting on the Eastern Front and the three small states whose fates were determined by the fortunes and misfortunes of war.

©2013 Prit Buttar (P)2019 Tantor

interesting but perhaps lacking in a clear focus

interesting book with lots of great history and very well researched. however it isn't clear if it's more about the baltics or the military history and ends up jumping between the two without always making clear connections.

Detailed Analysis of the Baltics around WW2

I appreciated the level of the depth and analysis into the state of each Baltic country prior to, during, and after WW2.

Very interesting

This a book that makes you think and understand that both sides leaders were both horrible men. Hopefully we remember all the lesson from these wars and never repeat history

Great listgen

Explains alot. Those with an interest in eastern Europe need to hear this to get a firm understanding of how that situation came to be.

Surprisingly interesting for such a niche subject

Leave it to Prit Buttar to make a niche subject - even by the standards of World War 2 nerds - so compelling. The little Balkan countries were so quickly steamrolled by their giant neighbours that they barely ever warrant a mention in most accounts of the Eastern Front.

But, of course, there are a million stories to tell even in such a small theater, and Buttar tells a fair number of them in this book, all with his usual thoroughness and panache.

While this is still very much a military history, Buttar does delve into the mass killings of Jews and minorities. This is the first time I've ever seen him touch on these subjects, but given that they are such a core part of the Balkan story he really had no choice.

Definitely worth a listen, especially for completionists who want to cover some new ground.