Vitéz Andris Kursietis has been a researcher of military history for over fifty years, using resources that span the globe. His latest book, “Imperial High Command - Volume II” is a follow-up to his 2020 book on the senior officers who served the British Empire during 1900-1945. Volume II of this work contains the biographies of 690 officers who reached the second-highest rank in the armed forces: full General (Army, Royal Marines), full Admiral (Royal Navy), or Air Chief Marshal (RAF). ...

In the summer of 1941, the German attack on the Soviet Union, code-named Operation Barbarossa, began with a surprise attack. Huge armies mobilised for the largest campaign ever.

Stalin’s armies were positioned very west of the German army, which offered the opportunity to encircle them. This could have decided the war at an early stage.

The army group north (Heeresgruppe Nord) also had to attack quickly in depth and destroy the Red Army before the river Düna. It would turn out differently....