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Günter Koschorrek wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on, storing them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was not until he was reunited with his daughter in America some forty years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow. The authors excitement at the first encounter with the enemy in the Russian Steppe is obvious. Later, the horror and confusion of fighting in the streets of Stalingrad are brought to life by his descriptions of the others in his unit their differing manners and techniques for dealing with the squalor and death. He is also posted to Romania and Italy, assignments he remembers fondly compared to his time on the Eastern Front. This book stands as a memorial to the huge numbers on both sides who did not survive and is, some six decades later, the fulfilment of a responsibility the author feels to honour the memory of those who perished.
What was life in the Red Army like for the ordinary soldier during the Great Patriotic War, the fight between the Soviet Union and Germany on the Eastern Front? How far is the common perception of Red Army heroism and sacrifice borne out by historical reality? And what was the daily experience of the individual soldier caught up in this immense and ruthless conflict? The 160 contemporary photographs from the Russian archives that have been selected for this book give a striking insight into all sides of wartime service for the Soviet soldier. The whole range of military experience is portrayed here, from recruitment and the rigors of training to transport, marching and the ordeal of combat.
My Life in the Red Army chronicles 19-year old Fred Virski's experiences as a soldier in the Russian military in the early years of World War 2. With a wry tone rarely seen in a combat memoir, Virski describes the hardships, the near-starvation rations, the inadequate clothing for the frozen wastelands, and his tense interactions with officers of the NKVD (secret police). He is wounded twice; earns a Medal of Valor; witnesses atrocities committed by both the Germans and the Soviets; is branded a deserter; and somehow finds time to fall in love more than once on his journey. A testament to the will of the human spirit, My Life in the Red Army is a must read for fans of World War 2 adventure.
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This short World War 2 era pamphlet was created by the U.S. War Dept. in anticipation of the end of the war in Europe. U.S. G.I.'s would no doubt encounter Soviet troops as the vise of two great armies squeezed German lines smaller and smaller. Its goal was to familiarize American soldiers about the Soviet army and troops so that they would know something about their look, armaments and organization. It even contains some useful Russian language phrases that might be used by sentries... "STOY ! Ktaw ee-DYAAWT!" (Halt! Who goes there!). Reply: "A-mee-ree-KAHN-skee bo-YETS!" (American soldier!) There is also extensive details about why the Russians are fighting, their command structure, supply...
The Red Army in Romania is the first comprehensive study of the Soviet occupation of Romanian territory in 1940-1941, and its occupation of the country at the end of World War II, which lasted until Soviet troops withdrew from the country in 1958. Based on previously unavailable archival sources, it sheds light on the occupation policies of the Red Army and Soviet policy in Eastern Europe generally at the end of World War II. The authors, both well-known historians, discuss the geopolitical and historical conditions that allowed the Red Army to occupy Romania. They analyze the consequences of the occupation on the country, particularly on political life, as it led to the establishment of a Communist regime in Romania. The Red Army in Romania is a valuable book for students and researchers alike. Constantin Hlihor is a professor of history at the University of Bucharest and a researcher at the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies and at the Academy for Military Studies in Bucharest. Ioan Scurtu is a professor of history at the University of Bucharest and former director of the Romanian National Archives.
The Stuff of Soldiers uses everyday objects to tell the story of the Great Patriotic War as never before. Brandon M. Schechter attends to a diverse array of things—from spoons to tanks—to show how a wide array of citizens became soldiers, and how the provisioning of material goods separated soldiers from civilians. Through a fascinating examination of leaflets, proclamations, newspapers, manuals, letters to and from the front, diaries, and interviews, The Stuff of Soldiers reveals how the use of everyday items made it possible to wage war. The dazzling range of documents showcases ethnic diversity, women's particular problems at the front, and vivid descriptions of violence and looting. ...
From the cockpit of a MIG to the foot soldiers and tankers on the scarred, bloody battlefields to the four-star general commanding the attack, Red Army is a riveting portrayal of modern war--and of human strengths and weaknesses. Seen entirely through Russian eyes, this extraordinary novel is destined to become a classic.
"We have to ensure that the offensive is not only 100% successful, but 200%!" General Zhukov, Vistula-Oder Offensive, 1945 This fascinating compilation of wartime battlefield reports drawn from Russian and German sources has been carefully selected by Emmy Award winning author and historian Bob Carruthers to produce an absorbing overview of the organisation and tactics of the Red Army in World War II. Featured topics include anti-tank measures, cavalry tactics, the development of the Red Guards, Soviet parachute battalions, mountain fighters, mortar formations, field defences and improvisations, artillery effectiveness, infantry tactics and more. Combining contemporary reports of the key characteristics of the Red Army with more obscure aspects, including tactical advice given to Soviet troops on how to attack tanks with Molotov cocktails, this excellent survey of sources builds into an absorbing account of the Red Army drawn exclusively from original wartime reports. This new compilation is essential reading for anyone interested in discovering rare and vital information on the combat experience of the Red Army from primary sources.
While the Red Army’s arsenal at the start of the Second World War included weapons dating back to the Great War or earlier, the 1930s’ modernization program had introduced the automatic Tokarev pistol and self-loading Tokarev rifle. Its small arms were soon replaced by mass-produced sub-machine guns, such as the PPSh 1941, nicknamed the ‘PePeSha,’. Supplementing the submachine guns, the Degtyarev Light Machine Gun DP-27. Fitted with a circular pan magazine, it received the not-unsurprising nickname ‘Record Player.’ New mortars and towed artillery pieces, ranging from 76mm to 203mm, entered service in the pre-war years. In addition to a wide range of towed, self-propelled and anti...