Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC History

Magazine. In June 1944, Allied armies landed in force in northern France, and the liberation

of Western Europe began.

But the battle that really sealed Hitler's fate was taking place in the east, as the Red Army

prepared an almighty assault against the ground-down Virmact. In Jonathan Dimbleby's new book,

Endgame 1944, the broadcaster and military historian

tells the story of this crucial year in the outcome of the Second World War and reveals

how it was also pivotal in outlining the future shape of Europe. He was joined in conversation by

Rob Atta. Here in Britain, when we think of 1944, our view is very much dominated by D-Day and what's

happening on the Western Front.

But you argue that it's important for us to shift our gaze eastward.

Why is that?

I do, and you're quite right, which is not in any way to diminish the importance of the

Western Front, the astonishing

achievement of D-Day and that campaign of attrition across France towards Germany.

But the fact of the matter is, I believe, the evidence shows compellingly that the Vermat

was defeated on the Eastern Front.

Stalin's Red Army destroyed the Vermacht on the Eastern Front at very much the same time

as the Western Allies were advancing through France.

And that was important for two reasons.

One is it secured Stalin's position

militarily in Eastern Europe and Central Europe, as indeed Churchill and Roosevelt were very well aware.

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