This volume investigates the strategic and tactical complexities of the Korsun-Shevchenkovskii Operation, a pivotal encirclement battle on the Eastern Front during the winter of 1943-1944. David M. Glantz and Harold S. Orenstein, both recognized experts in Soviet military history, utilize an unexpurgated translation of the formerly classified Soviet General Staff Study No. 14 to reconstruct the engagement. The authors provide a rigorous analysis of Soviet operational art, command decisions, and the logistical challenges faced by the Red Army during this intense winter campaign.

Historians and military scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the granular details of Soviet operational planning. Readers often note the high level of academic density and the specialized nature of the primary source material provided.