Soviet war time brought a unique artistic freedom to the Soviet film and cinema industry. During the war there were over 100 Soviet films produced and half of them had a plot surrounded around the war. The most interesting thing was how many films told the stories of the partisans. The role of women and […]
Month: March 2017
Back to the Famine
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As we have learned, Soviet history is infamous for the many famines that wipe out huge chunks of their population and led to civil unrest. Thankfully, during WWII these famines were absent and this was crucial to the wartime success (Wheatcroft, 2012). Following the war, they were hit, once again, with another massive famine. […]
Not One Step Backwards!
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Soviet victory in the epic Battle of Stalingrad was in part due to Joseph Stalin’s notorious Order No. 227, known as “Not One Step Backwards!” Officers who permitted their men to retreat without explicit orders were to be arrested and “treated as traitors,” while rank-and-file “panickers and cowards” were to be shot on the spot … More Not One Step Backwards!
The Allies can Tank the Battle of Kursk for Turning the Tide of the War
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In his essay Battle of Kursk, James von Geldern states that this engagement “involved the largest tank battle of the Second World War,” and “was fought on the steppe of Kursk oblast between July 5 and August 23, 1943.” Furthermore, from taking a class on World War Two last Autumn, I know that this was and … Continue reading The Allies can Tank the Battle of Kursk for Turning the Tide of the War
Soviet National Anthem
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Russia is perhaps one of the only countries in the world whose anthem reveals so much about that country’s past. “God Save the Tsar” obviously was no longer appropriate after the February Revolution of 1917; “The Internationale,” the French piece which replaced the … Continue reading →
From Allies to Enemies
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The Soviet and United States alliance during the second World War turned shortly after into one of the greatest rivalries in history. How did these two powers cooperate so efficiently to defeat Nazi Germany and a couple of years later do all they could to defeat the other? It is often the case that countries… Continue reading From Allies to Enemies →
Victory for the Soviets
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The “Great Patriotic War,” otherwise known as World War II, was a difficult time for both the USSR and Germany. Both states were limited in resources and struggled to maintain a satisfied audience of citizens as well as successfully maintain their armies due to lack of food and advanced weaponry. The Battle of Stalingrad turned … Continue reading Victory for the Soviets
Nazis or Soviets: the Katyn Forest Massacre
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Picture of the mass grave with the bodies that were recovered lined up. Source: Krasil’Nikov, Iu.: Katyn. 1999. The Katyn Forest Massacre was announced to the public via German radio in April of 1943. I discovered this piece of history … Continue reading →
The Iron Curtain
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Link to Maria’s post here.
