When is a battle not about military outcomes? Perhaps when war aims are motivated by political and racial motivation. Case in point when the German Army Group North surrounded and blockaded the Russian city of Leningrad (modern day St Petersburg) Beginning in September 1941 and ending in January 1944 the genocidal siege would see millions die over urban real estate, that strategically had a port to the Black Sea, Armaments factories and political importance as it was the birthplace of the Russian Revolution. The plan for the Germans was to surround the city using the Finnish Army from the North and literally starve the population to death, before razing the city off the map. Life inside the cut-off city was horrific. With the civilian population starving on daily rations of 125gm of 60-70% sawdust constituted bread, compounded with northern Russian winters of -30 (C) degree days and constant German bombardment, death was prevalent. The need to survive saw cannibalism occur as the bodies mounted up, although anyone caught was faced with severe punishment. There aren't to many books that assist the reader the comprehension of the magnitude of this siege. David Glantz book might be one. In a battle that saw more Russian deaths than the combined British and American Armies casualty rate over WWII, 'The Siege of Leningrad' needs to be read by all people, not just military historian's. Pick up a copy now @www.tallyhochap.com #leningrad #battleofleningrad #siegeofleningrad #genocidalsiege #russianfront #easternfront #wwii #ww2 #worldwartwo #secondworldwar #militarybooks #tallyhochap https://www.instagram.com/p/BqYBSGAlHGF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rqelctxteet9