BLOOD AND IRON tells the story of one of the most dramatic campaigns of World War II, the German conquest of the Crimean Peninsula and the port of Sevastopol in 1941–42. Sevastopol was the world’s most strongly fortified city and home of the Soviet Black Sea fleet. As German forces penetrated deeper and deeper into Soviet Russia, their supply lines became vulnerable to attack from this Soviet stronghold on the Crimea. To remove the threat, Hitler sent one of his best field commanders, Col. Gen. Erich von Manstein, to lead the offensive. German forces, aided by Axis allies, fought a series of daring and bloody battles that nearly resulted in defeat. Manstein eventually outfoxed his Soviet opponents, and the campaign culminated in the epic siege of Sevastopol. To break Sevastopol’s formidable defenses, the Germans used massive siege guns, including the incredible 80cm ''Dora,'' the largest artillery piece ever constructed. With the fall of Sevastopol in July 1942, Hitler’s forces appeared to be well-positioned to deal the Soviets a knockout blow, but the war’s momentum would radically shift a few months later at Stalingrad.

C. G. Sweeting’s account of this important but little-known campaign contains more than one hundred rare photographs and other illustrations, and his narrative brings to life the experiences of the soldiers who fought the battles. World War II buffs will appreciate his in-depth descriptions of German and Soviet weapons and equipment. This fast-paced, gripping history is essential reading for anyone interested in the war on the Eastern Front.