The War in the East analyzes the decisive conflict of the Second World War—the war between Nazi Germany and the communist Soviet Union. The German–Soviet clash is explored by analyzing the three decisive events of the conflict: the Battle for Moscow in 1941 and the Battles of Stalingrad and of Kursk in 1942 and 1943, respectively.

This is an unabashedly opinionated account of what was perhaps the most violent, disturbing conflict in human history. Counterfactual history is used as a tool to elucidate the importance of each battle. The War in the East is an insightful, impeccably researched study that provides some eye-opening historical context for past and present geopolitical events.