An international bestseller this is a German soldiers first-hand account of life on Russian front during the second half of the Second World War. When Guy Sajer joins the infantry full of ideals in the summer of 1942 the German army is enjoying unparalleled success in Russia. However he quickly finds that for the foot soldier the glory of military success hides a much harsher reality of hunger fatigue & constant deprivation. Posted to the crack Grosse Deutchland division with its sadistic instructors who shoot down those who fail to make the grade he enters a violent & remorseless world where all youthful hope is gradually ground down & all that matters is the brute will to survive. As the biting cold of the Russian winter sets in & the tide begins to turn against the Germans life becomes an endless round of pounding artillery attacks & vicious combat against a relentless & merciless Red Army. A book of stunning force this is an unforgettable reminder of the horrors of war.