At the beginning of June 1944, the war was reaching a climax. German troops had been brutalised by the savagery of the ongoing fighting in Russia, where the Red Army was secretly preparing its vast encirclement of the Germans' Army Group Centre. Antony Beevor armybeginbrutalise share on social
The vital thing for me is to integrate the history from above with the history from below because only in that way can you show the true consequences of the decisions of Hitler or Stalin or whomever on the ordinary civilians caught up in the battle. Antony Beevor battlecatchcivilian share on social
I am not someone who believes I am going to find a historical scoop. Antony Beevor believefindhistorical Change image and share on social
It is important to understand the continuing, confused fascination with the Second World War. For most of us, the great unspoken question is how would we have behaved in the face of danger and when forced to make major moral choices. Antony Beevor behavechoiceconfuse share on social
When I was a child I had something called Perthes' Disease which meant I was on crutches, so I was bullied at school and all that sort of stuff. Antony Beevor bullycallchild Change image and share on social
I have come across both inspiring teachers of history and deplorable ones over the years, so one cannot generalise, except perhaps to observe that the profession seems to encourage anti-militarist sentiments. Antony Beevor antideplorableencourage share on social
I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with any luck, I may be proved wrong. Antony Beevor badbookexpect Change image and share on social
The majority of soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army and the allied armies treated the local population humanely. Antony Beevor allyarmyhumanely Change image and share on social
School-leavers unfortunately will come away thinking the First World War consisted simply of 'going over the top' on the Western Front to slaughter in no-man's-land, when the conflict extended so much further, to the collapse of four empires and numerous civil wars. Antony Beevor civilcollapseconflict share on social
One has this image of the Soviet state and the Red Army as being extremely disciplined but in the first four months of 1945 their soldiers were completely out of control. Antony Beevor armycompletelycontrol Change image and share on social
