The German invasion of the Soviet Union was Hitler's biggest gamble in his quest for Lebensraum in the East - and it was at Stalingrad that his gamble failed. Stalingrad: The Infernal Cauldron is a history of the greatest battle of World War II, a defining moment in the struggle on the Eastern Front. From conditions on the Eastern Front before the battle to the consequences of the battle for both combatants, Stalingrad is a comprehensive account of the build-up, engagement, turning points and aftermath of what became the Verdun of World War II. With authoritative text and rarely seen photographs, Stalingrad shows how the rubble-strewn city gave rise to a bitter hand-to-hand struggle between both sides, and how landmarks such as the Mamaev Kurgan Hill could change hands 17 times in a single day. With battle maps, 170 photographs and appendices, Stalingrad is a fascinating and vivid account of the battle that bled the German army dry, and turned the war in the East decisively against Germany.