Review: Red Christmas (Osprey book)

[sniper1shot]

Title: Red Christmas (The Tatsinskaya Airfield Raid 1942
Authour: Robert Forczyk
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978 1 84908 586 1
Stars: 5 (out of 5)
This is an Osprey book on a small raid done by the Soviets to eliminate 2 airfields that were supplying Stalingrad when the 6th Army was encircled in 1942-43.
As I have never read a single Osprey book, I thought this title would be a good one to start. I was not disappointed. Though a short book, only 78 pages, it is very informative and one can find themselves finishing the book in a single reading.
The book covers just this raid with a very limited overview of the war, to just "paint the picture" of why the raid was required. I found that the book was very honest with nothing being glossed over. Though the raid was a success, the Soviets did pay a high price in men and equipment to achieve this success. Both the German and Soviet forces plans are discussed and why certain aspects of their plans worked or failed. Key figures for both German and Soviet forces are described as well as some excellent colour prints shown through the book. The photos are also well placed within a certain chapter that adds to the story line.
Well worth the read.