66 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 Second World War RUSSIA 1941-1943 THE CLASSIC EASTERN FRONT TOUR The battle for Moscow during the autumn and winter of 1941-2 was the first time a German Army was checked and then repelled during the Second World War. A second German summer offensive in 1942, another seemingly irresistible Blitzkrieg across the southern Soviet Steppe ran out of momentum when it engaged in a costly battle of attrition at Stalingrad. Yet another Soviet surprise winter counter offensive surrounded and overwhelmed Paulus Sixth Army, the strongest Army in the German Wehrmacht, and threatened to cut off an entire army group in the Caucasus. The German summer offensiveatKurskin1943wasthefinalgamble, involving 6,000 tanks, 4,000 aircraft and two million men the highest concentration of men and material achieved up to this point in the history of warfare. It achieved a fleeting tactical success but the strategic initiative was irretrievably lost. The tour explores how near the Germans got to Moscow in 1941, why Blitzkrieg failed at Stalingrad in 1942 and examines many of the myths surrounding the huge tank battle at Prokohorovka in 1943. Day 1 - Arrive. Fly London-Moscow and check-in to our hotel for two nights. Day 2 - The Defence of Moscow. We travel out to the battlefield of Borodino to explore and compare the battles of 1812 and 1941. We then follow the German advance on Moscow through Istra and Chimki, its closest point, just short of the Moscow ring road. Day 3 - Stalingrad the Attack. Fly Moscow- Volgograd, landing at the former Luftwaffe airbase at Gumrak. We begin the tour of the Stalingrad city area from the Mamayev Kurgan heights,withitsimpressivememorialcomplex to overview the German assault. We visit the still preserved Grain Elevator, the Volga River crossings and Pavlov's House. Check-in to our hotel at Volgograd for three nights. Day 4 - Stalingrad The Defence. We visit the Panoramic Museum and Grudinin Mill to discuss street fighting and the final encirclement from von Paulus's final HQ at the Univermag department store. We drive to the western outskirts of the city, the edge of the Steppe, to see the Soldier's Field and the German entry points into the city. Day 5 - Victory in Stalingrad. Today we view the victory parade in Volgograd (May tour only) followed a boat trip on the Volga to view the defence from the Soviet perspective. We travel to the north of the city to view the factory district, where the last German troops held out and Lyudnikov's Island. Day 6 - Moscow. After our return flight to Moscow we visit the Great Patriotic War Museum displaying much of the epic art and equipment of the war and more besides, before catching the overnight train to Kursk. Day 7 - Northern shoulder Kursk Salient. Today we drive north from Kursk to view Model's Ninth Army assault of Ponyri, 'the 'Stalingrad' of Kursk, visiting the railway station, the focus of the fighting and the 5 - 14 may 2018 with Col Bob Kershaw & 8 - 17 September 2018 with dr matthias Strohn 10 days Activity Level 1 / 2 A great opportunity to explore traditional Russia and sample its history, traditions, architecture and landscapes. Our ten day tour covers the three decisive turning points of the Great Patriotic War (as it’s known in Russia): the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk. We begin outside MoscowatBorodino,thesiteofNapoleon's victory in 1812 and coincidentally the same defence line held in 1941. Preserved trench lines and bunkers are visible here as are ruined buildings at Stalingrad (now Volgograd). At Kursk we peruse fascinating local museums, tank scrapes and restored trench complexes en route. Traditional Russian single story wooden houses and iconic Orthodox churches form the backdrop to our journey, which involve considerable travel with internal flights to Volgograd and comfortable overnight 1st class (two-berth) sleeper train to Kursk, other nights are spent in four star hotels or equivalent. During our May tour we will also witness a magnificent Victory Day parade right outside of our hotel. " A well organised and comprehensive tour with an excellent historian & great itinerary." ESSENTIALS Return flights from London, internal flights, 1st class train travel, 3 & 4 star hotels, all meals with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour Price: £3795 Single Supplement: £310 Solo train occupancy: £220 Deposit: £350 Price without flights: £3545 You may wish to combine our September tour with our Russian Revolution tour. please see details on page 54.