The best memoir to date of a Red Army soldier in World War II. It's also rare in terms of the amount of detail it contains, the accuracy of that detail, and its unabashed candor. Britton skillfully complements Litvin's account by providing essential context and additional valuable information.
David M. Glantz, author of Colossus Reborn: The Red Army at War, ... Read more1941-1943 Absorbing and thought-provoking, Litvin's story reveals the perseverance, resourcefulness, and astonishing toughness of the typical Red Army soldier, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the Eastern Front or soldiers' experiences in World War II.
Reina Pennington, author of Wings, Women, and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat Mr. Litvin's memoir is a vivid reminder, for those of us understandably transfixed by D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, of the brutal fighting that was taking place on the other side of Europe in the final phase of World War II. . . . Litvin's memoir, although hardly a pacifist tract, is in its most intense passages a personal record of war's horror.
Wall Street Journal With rare exception, only since the dissolution of the Soviet Union a decade and a half ago have Western audiences begun to enjoy access to the war stories in English of Red Army soldiers or sailors. Nikolai Litvin's memoir is an important new contribution to this growing but still too short list. . . . Litvin's account is gripping in its intensity and rich with the details of life at the front line. . . . Litvin's The authenticity of Litvin's account burns through this light fog. This book belongs in the library of every serious student of the Eastern Front.
International History Review A quick and captivating read. . . . Litvin . . . reminds us that while war can bring out such admirable traits as resourcefulness, courage, and selfless sacrifice, it can also lead good, honorable, and ordinary men to explore the darker recesses of the human soul. . . . Anyone interested in World War II on the Eastern Front or in the human dynamics of warfare should read these books.
Military Review A useful addition to the English-language literature on the Great Patriotic War in part because of its detailed description of various combat operations, but mainly because of the insight it gives into the mentality of the typical Red Army solder: tough, resourceful, and remarkably free of self-pity even under the most appalling circumstances.
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