A vividly written account of the conflict that comes equipped with a raft of compelling yet counterintuitive conclusions on the conflict… It's a refreshing break with tradition given - as Edele is careful to note - the vast numbers who fought and died in these otherwise neglected theaters of conflict… Edele writes with a lively elegance that makes his narrative a genuine pleasure to read. His reluctance to get bogged down in the minutiae of war or to take sides in obscure historiographical debates keeps the text fresh and readable… What [the chapters] deliver is the richly human story of an inhuman conflict, masterfully told and compelling reinterpreted.

Felix Light, The Moscow Times

Edele delivers plentiful bang for his reader's buck – or rather, ruble. And his work is recommended reading. For students of history and strategy, Stalinism at War broadens our perspective of the vastness and multiplicity of timelines and front lines the Soviets fought over during the mightiest war, ever. For students of the human condition, Edele's saga of oppression, deportation, massacre and battle makes clear how facile our Covid-era woes are compared to the staggering sufferings endured by a generation whose last, few survivors still share the earth with us.

Andrew Salmon, Asia Times

A true tour de force, this single book weaves together Soviet grand strategy; World War II era geopolitics; and social, economic, and of course military history all together ... Mark Edele has made a considerable contribution to scholarship regarding the Soviet Union during World War II as well as the Stalinist period of Soviet history. It is highly recommended for specialists in these areas, as well as those seeking a decent introduction. Its comprehensive weaving together of various strains of history of the time period is a true model for future scholarship.

Journal of Slavic Military Studies

[A] superb account of the Soviet Second World War, one the present reviewer will be assigning to classes for a long time to come.

Russian Review

Stalinism at War is a fine, detailed general history of the USSR in 1937–49. In particular, it successfully argues that the Soviet participation in World War II included Asia, starting in the 1930s, and was extremely destructive owing to the actions of both the Axis and the Stalin regime. This longer and larger framework better fits the domestic history of the USSR than do previous works on the subject.

Michigan War Studies Review

Edele offers a provocative new interpretation of the central event of Soviet history – and the greatest war in the historical record – challenging the very chronology and geography that typically frame it. He weaves a highly readable narrative that toggles between the personal and epic without skipping a beat.

Brandon Schechter, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Columbia University, USA