Despite the entire library of books dedicated to the disaster of 1941, this great tragedy still remains one of the most controversial pages of national history. What really happened on June 22 on the western borders of the USSR? Why the mighty and well-armed Red Army was defeated in a matter of weeks? What are the main causes of the Great Patriotic Catastrophe? And could a tragedy be prevented? The most famous contemporary historians of opposite views and political beliefs give their answer to these still painful questions. The best articles by leading experts! New materials provided specifically for this publication! Hard uncompromising discussion - without political censorship and ideological prohibitions!