Book excerpt: Describes how the German Army Group centre developed a 'master of defence' strategy, which inflicted atrocious losses on the Red Army's attack formations in 1942 and 1943. Explores the German defensive operations around the River Dnepr and Sea of Azov in September 1943, as well as the subsequent German retreat and the air bridge operation to Cherkassy in early 1944. Examines the major Soviet offensive in mid 1944, the fall of Romania and the autumn battles in Poland, Courland and on the Vistula, ending with the major Soviet winter offensive of early 1945 against the Neisse and Oder rivers and last-ditch battles over Berlin itself.