| The Last Citadel by David L Robbins, is a fictional | | | | tension along with the tank battles that ensue. The |
| book based on historical events surrounding the epic | | | | author keeps all entities separate into what seems |
| tank battle at Kursk Russia in 1943 during World War | | | | like 3 different stories revolving around the build up |
| 2. The German forces were bogged down by the | | | | to the tank battle at Kursk. Each character has there |
| Russian winter, the Russian victory at Stalingrad and | | | | own well detailed back stories that are fleshed out |
| then the subsequent spring rain and mud. In the | | | | through memories, flashbacks and boastful story |
| summer of 1943 the Germans had amassed a huge | | | | telling during the lulls in fighting. |
| force to attack Russia and regain lost ground. This | | | | The best aspect of this book is the historical |
| would lead to the largest tank battle in history and | | | | accuracy and detail of the Tiger tank and the Battle |
| also lends a dynamic backdrop to this book. | | | | of Kursk. This book was very close to being |
| There are 4 main characters that drive this story. | | | | non-fiction in the level of detail, but also very |
| The first is a Spanish officer Captain Luis Ruiz de | | | | engrossing character development. After reading |
| Vega serving with the SS Liebstandarte Panzer | | | | about the amount of research that was conducted |
| Division. He was wounded in the Battle of Leningrad | | | | by David L Robbins, I knew then just how realistic |
| and is but a shell of his former greatness. The next 3 | | | | this book was. He had spent 3 weeks on the |
| are all from the same Russian Cossack family. Dimitri | | | | battlefields of Kursk in the middle of summer getting |
| Berko, a private driving the T-34 in the Soviet 3rd | | | | a feel for the heat and sun of the Russian steppes. |
| Mechanized Division. He is commanded by Sergeant | | | | He also trained in how to derail a train using |
| Valentin Berko, Dimitri's son, and Katya Berkovna, | | | | explosives as the Partisan Russian fighters attempted |
| Dimitri's daughter, a night bomber with the famous | | | | in stopping the shipment of the Tiger tanks in the |
| all-female bomber squadrons of the Red Air Force, | | | | story. Time was also spent in pouring over video |
| so-called the Night Witches by the Germans that | | | | accounts from German and Russian tankers' first |
| they bomb. The 3 main story lines follow de Vega | | | | hand battle accounts. "Hands on" equipment training |
| being assigned to escort the new super panzer of | | | | was given to him ranging from small arms to the |
| the German Army, the Tiger 1 Panzerkampfwagen | | | | tanks at the Aberdeen Ordinance Museum in |
| VI, via train to the front and assure that the Tigers | | | | Maryland and then being driven around in a restored |
| are delivered intact. He then starts itching for action | | | | T-34 in Virginia. David L Robbins certainly did his |
| to command one of the Tiger tanks at the Battle of | | | | homework for this book and you will feel it when |
| Kursk. He soon realizes how the Tiger is most | | | | you read it. This is a must read for any Tiger 1 fan |
| effective in battle. With Demitri and son Valentin in | | | | and any WW2 fan in general. |
| the same T-34 there is much of the father/son | | | | |