Russia's Heroes, 1941-1945 - Softcover

Albert Axell was born in New England in 1942. He studied history, philosophy and economics at the University of Wisconsin and later worked as a reporter in Alabama, Virginia and Ohio. While in Japan, he was a regular contributor to The Economist and other magazines.

"- '... evidence is culled from legions of Soviet memoirs, but above all from interviews he conducted with veterans over the past 25 years. The result is a haunting and evocative portrait of life and death on the Eastern Front.' --Sunday Telegrapg

a gripping, poignant account --Spectator

Very inspiring real life stories of the valour and sacrifice of the Russian people during the Great Patriotic War against the Nazi monstrosity that invaded their motherland in 1941. Recalling the heroism and great losses in such battles as Smolensk, Stalingrad, Leningrad Moscow, and the narratives of many heroes and heroines who helped save the world for the Nazi evil. As much as I despise the Marxist-Leninist system and the tyranny of Joseph Stalin, I greatly admire the resolve and courage of the Russian people in defeating the ultimate evil of Nazi terror. This was a war of the Russian people for the defence of their motherland, not a Communist war. Patriotism and love for Rodina (the Russian birth land)-when in extremity mean readiness to die when the Motherland-are verifiable features of the Russian character. As was seen in the valiant defence of Russia by it's people in 1812 when an earlier tyrant, Napoleon. had tried to invade and ravage their homeland. Three days after the Nazi invasion of Russia The London Times of the 25 June 1941 published a letter from Prince Vsevolode, nephew of the last Tsar Nicholas II who was executed by the Bolsheviks, Vsevolode wrote " WE are fighting a common foe and whatever our differences in the past have been I feel that all Slav races should unite to rid the world of Nazism". The great sacrifices and achievements helped reduce the casualties of the Western democracies- a great debt owed by the West to the Russian people. This inspiring and exciting book celebrates the heroism of such brave people as the great aeroplane engineer Alexander Yakoklev , father of the famous Yak-1 and Yak-3 fighter planes. The wonderful 'night witches' the young Russian women who put their lives in such peril to fly sorties against Nazi forces, bombing so close to the ground that they had to ensure the force of the blast form the ground did not hit their own planes. These women, such as the legendary Nadya Popova, craved the right to 'fight' and 'die' for their motherland. Another heroic and special female fighter was the partisan girl, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya wo embarked on raids and sabotage against the Nazis, After her capture, torture and execution by the SS, she was an inspiration to the heroism of the Russian people, and declared a hero of the Soviet Union. The author describes the horrors and sacrifices suffered by the people during the siege of Leningrad, and the role played by soldiers of officers of the different nationalities such as the Cossack, Siberian and Jewish fighters. An interesting chapter on the Russian soldiers stationed in Britain and their dalliances with local British girls. One naval officer Konstantin Lyumbimov enjoyed waltz with a stately lady later finding out it was none other than the Queen Elizabeth (wife of George VI, later the Queen mother) anyone interested in World War II or military history and the spirit of heroism and human sacrifice needs to read this enthralling real life narrative. --Gary Selikow